Do you stick with one cozy series at a time or switch up?

[Cindy]

I don't stick to a series at all. I fly all over the place. This includes between series and genres. I also don't care if I read a series in order unless it is absolutely imperative that I read them in order. And if that's the case, I tend to shy away from them and read something else.

[Rebecca]

Cindy wrote: "I also don't care if I read a series in order unless it is absolutely imperative that I read the..."

Oh, my! I think I'm a bit OCD about that, and I'm not sure I can share board space with you anymore :D (Joke)

I really do have to read series in order, though (Not Joke).

[Debbie]

I agree with Cindy in that I bounce all over with series, but like Rebecca...MUST READ IN ORDER....just sayn'

[Linda]

I try to read each cozy book in order.

[Melodie]

Cindy wrote: "I don't stick to a series at all. I fly all over the place. This includes between series and genres. I also don't care if I read a series in order unless it is absolutely imperative that I read the..."

A kindred spirit! I don't care about reading in order either!

[Astoria]

Brandi wrote: "I rotate through a dozen different cozy series. It helps while I wait for my favorite authors to write more books."
I don't have a dozen but I do read a few series at the same time. I also don't read them all in the same format. I usually have one series I'm "reading" by listening to as an audiobook and one that I'm actually sitting down and reading. I like listening to audiobooks or podcasts while doing housework/cooking.

Linda wrote: "I try to read each cozy book in order."
I do have to read a series in order otherwise I worry I'll miss something in the storyline.

[Marja]

I go with whoever has a new book out, although I recently read a series I enjoyed and couldn't read anything else until I got through the series.

[Preston]

Marja wrote: "I go with whoever has a new book out, although I recently read a series I enjoyed and couldn't read anything else until I got through the series."

I envy your stamina and focus. I seem to have four or five books in the air at a time, only spending a bit of time with each during the day. Two or three are usually mysteries, one for fun, cozy, and another in French, not always so cozy...though it seems every French mystery has to talk about food at some point and I like that. The other two books are usually just a straight history book and a classical work. It seems to irritate my wife that I don't just stick with one, that and the fact that I read while pacing around the living room. I see it as one of the benefits of adhd.

[Marja]

Preston wrote: "Marja wrote: "I go with whoever has a new book out, although I recently read a series I enjoyed and couldn't read anything else until I got through the series."

I envy your stamina and focus. I se..."

It's not really stamina and focus. I write mysteries and I have to limit my reading time so I have writing time. I do occasionally enjoy historical mysteries and I like anything with humor. I don't think I could read and pace at the same time, either. More power to you if you can do that. : )

[Astoria]

Marja wrote: "It's not really stamina and focus. I write mysteries and I have to limit my reading time so I have writing time..."

I'm the same. I wish I had more reading time. After reading Stephen King's advice to write 2500 words a day I think I may try to stick with that so that I have a more balanced schedule. Right now, my writing is a little sporadic with some days being amazing and other days hardly writing anything at all.

Same with reading. I seem to skip a few days of reading only to spend a whole afternoon with my nose in a book when I should be writing!

[C.]

With all topics/themes/series, I read a few then switch to something else.

Some days I even take a break from reading and get on a movie or tv-series kick or even PC games, which is what my PC was originally purchased for!

[Anna]

Preston wrote: "Marja wrote: "I go with whoever has a new book out, although I recently read a series I enjoyed and couldn't read anything else until I got through the series."

I envy your stamina and focus. I se..."

I have ADHD, and I find it most enjoyable to read one book at a time, and if I like the book, I will read the entire series before grabbing a new book. :)

[Shala]

I get bored too quickly, so usually I skip around in series.

[~*Kim*~]

I space mine out and switch between the different series as well. I can't read the same storyline back to back. I need a break. LOL!

[Preston]

Astoria wrote: "Marja wrote: "It's not really stamina and focus. I write mysteries and I have to limit my reading time so I have writing time..."

I'm the same. I wish I had more reading time. After reading Stephe..."

Do you average 2500 words per day in a week? I would love to write 1500 a day, but I'm lucky to get 500-1000, so I make 500 my goal. I don't like to disappoint myself. If I didn't farm, and then have to teach to support that, I think I could do more. I try to make my writing my first thing to get done, otherwise the time would be sacrificed to tractor repair or grading. And I find those necessary job-things are going to get done no matter what time of day it is, but something like writing, because I don't rely on it to survive (though I would lose weight if I did), gets pushed to the back burner all too easily. Oops, there's some of those adverbs Mr. King doesn't appreciate.

[Marja]

Preston wrote: "Astoria wrote: "Marja wrote: "It's not really stamina and focus. I write mysteries and I have to limit my reading time so I have writing time..."

I'm the same. I wish I had more reading time. Afte..."

I average about 1,600 words a day, but not every day. Sometimes life gets in the way. It sounds like you're in the same situation. Don't force yourself because you want the words to come easily. A forced march can cause issues. That's the simple answer. : ) Best wishes for your writing and your farming.

[Jillian]

I like to stay with one but recently I have been reading what ever I can get my hands on for free.

[Karen]

Jillian wrote: "I like to stay with one but recently I have been reading what ever I can get my hands on for free."

I am in a cozy reading challenge. This year I decided I would start in on the TBRed freebies I had (have!) stacked (stacking, because I keep collecting them!) up when I wasn't catching up on my regular series reading, I've been introduced to some fun new series -- and lucked out that for more than a few I had more than one book in the series (and some in order!). I was able to get a start on several series without having to skip around the reading order.

I love free! If I find something good enough to add to my regulars, I can always seek out more in the series and pay (if I have to). However, since I have more than enough TBRs to keep me busy, the series would have to be really really good to get me to pay.

[Amy]

I was programmed from a young age to read series in order (my mother is also a big fan of mysteries), but lately I, too, have found that after reading three or so books of a series one after the other, I am usually tired of the characters. Since I can read a typical cozy in a day, I also look for as many free books as I can find.

[Debra]

I tend to bounce around -- reading new authors and reading the next in an established author's series.

[Sarah]

Depends on the series I’ll stay with it for a while, but after it seems like nothing seems to be changing about the story after a few books I pick up another series and stay with that for a while before returning to the first one.

[M.J.]

I've never read a series straight through but if I've enjoyed one book I'll often go back at some point and read another, though not necessarily in chronological order.

The premise has to hook me before anything else which means I don't always start a new series with the first book either.

[Rae]

I have to work through one series at a time. I don't necessarily have to read them all back-to-back, i can read books from other genres in between. I just can't read other mysteries.

[Tammy]

I switch all up but that has more to do with finances than desire.

[Nancy Abbott]

I also bounce around with series. I do always read them in order though. I seem compelled to read in order lol!

[Debbie]

Nancy Abbott wrote: "I also bounce around with series. I do always read them in order though. I seem compelled to read in order lol!"

Me to Nancy. I read many series, but I must read in order.

[Barb]

I've never been able to binge anything -- tv shows, books, whatever -- so I'm always jumping around between series, but like Nancy and Debbie, I have to read them in order. There are more than 250 books on my "next in series" shelf here on GR, so I have a lot of series to choose from :) They're not all mysteries, but most are.

[Kirsten]

Barb wrote: "I've never been able to binge anything -- tv shows, books, whatever -- so I'm always jumping around between series, but like Nancy and Debbie, I have to read them in order. There are more than 250 ..."

Me too!! I have such a hard time starting series and never finishing. The In Death series by J.D. Robb is the only one I'm up to date on.

[Jane]

I too am just about obsessive-compulsive about reading a series in order, but I do keep changing the series - if I read more than 3 in a row, I find I don't like the later ones, & I don't want to drop a series unless it gets too violent on-screen. I no longer read Nevada Barr, for example.

[Barb]

Kirsten wrote: "The In Death series by J.D. Robb is the only one I'm up to date on."

Oh I wish! I'm so far behind in that series, I've contemplated dropping it altogether, since I'll probably never catch up.

[Doreen]

I like to switch things up a bit. I do have some authors I prefer but I love discovering new ones.

[Meg]

Barb wrote: "Kirsten wrote: "The In Death series by J.D. Robb is the only one I'm up to date on."

Oh I wish! I'm so far behind in that series, I've contemplated dropping it altogether, since I'll probably neve..."

You can do it, Barb! 😆

I sometimes look at my lagging behind as stretching books out so I don't run out in a series. I just finally read #44 in the In Death series, so I'm getting there!

There is a non-cozy series I've followed for years, Paradise (aka Florida Keys) by Deborah Brown that I'm actually up to date on (read #23 recently), and while it felt good to be current, I'm now impatient for the next one.

Oh the things readers go through!

[Karen]

Meg wrote: "...while it felt good to be current, I'm now impatient for the next one. Oh the things readers go through!"

LOL!!

I actually joined a group called Finishing the Series Reading Challenge to force myself to catch up on series. It worked for a while; I don't' really keep up with it (surprise!).

I try to not get behind (okay, that behind!) in my series reading, but if I do, when I get back to it (them) I binge to get current (until the next release, of course). I admit when I start a new-to-me series, I am sometimes put off by the number available in the series. But, if it looks too good to pass up, I power through. That's what I did last year when I re-started Addison Moore's Murder in the Mix (Lottie Lemon) series. There were over 10 I had to read to get current (and more kept coming! There are 32 to date, with at least three more coming in the next few months... sheesh!) If I had let the sheer number put me off, I'd have missed out on a really fun series. Also happened that way with Selma Eichler's Desiress Shapiro series. I happened upon the series at the library. I checked out the first few and wound up having a 10-14 day affair with Desiree as I devoured every book in the series to date (sadly, only 15).

Can you tell I tend to stick with one series at a time? ;o) That is, unless I'm catching up on new additions to series I read.

I am pretty OCD about reading series in order to the point of visiting several bookstores, well now -- and "thank you," says my wallet! -- library systems/locations, to get nexts-in-series so that I could 1) read in order, and 2) read all available in the series.

I still add to my TBR (daily!). When I hit new-to-me series, I read all available (in order) to be current.

That said, I have three Nooks I read mysteries on. I have a different series started on each, Other stuff (mainly romance -- read those series in order, too) I read on my Kindle(s) or Chromebook or as I'm sitting at the computer. I guess I have enough variety going that I don't get bored with what I'm reading.

[Barb]

Karen wrote: "I try to not get behind (okay, that behind!) in my series reading, but if I do, when I get back to it (them) I binge to get current"

If I even wanted to consider binge-reading the In Death series, it would be all I read for months. There are ... 53? books in the series right now, and I've only read the first six LOL

[Nancy]

I like to read series from the beginning. Once I am caught up I read whichever one is the newest. That means that I am usually switching from one series to another!

[Tammy]

I do prefer to read a series in order even though I switch around. Not too long ago I read the first book in a series only to find out it wasn't the first book of that series. There was a 0.5. I wasn't pleased about that.

[˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜]

I don't read them one right after the other but I do have to start with #1 and read through the series in order.

[Icewineanne]

˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜ wrote: "I don't read them one right after the other but I do have to start with #1 and read through the series in order."

Agreed Sheri 🤗
Never read books by the same author one right after the other, but still must be read in order whenever I get back to the series.

[Terri]

I bounce around all over the place! I switch up series and very rarely read one series all the way through at once. Like some others have said, I don't even need to read them in order!

[Steven]

I read what is interesting including cozies, so I bounce around from genre to genre, author to author, and don't read a series in order.

[MaryAnn (EmilyD1037)]

Martha wrote: "I do that as well. I get bored if I read the same author for several books in a row. I'm ADD so I'm always grabbing another book to read ... am at 6 now and trying to avoid starting another one. Th..."

Me too, about 5-6 books in, it gets old.
I want a new point of view for a while.

[Joe]

I switch but generally go back to a series I really like.

[Michelle]

If I know the series didn't make it beyond the 3 book mark, then I just read them all at once! However, with my series that are really long, I'll usually read a couple then take a break & read some non cozies or read other cozy series. I definitely read every series in order though!

[Icewineanne]

Michelle wrote: "If I know the series didn't make it beyond the 3 book mark, then I just read them all at once! However, with my series that are really long, I'll usually read a couple then take a break & read some..."

Michelle, if it’s a very short series, have you found that the short series ended too quickly for you or hasn’t been as good as a longer series? Or doesn’t length matter?

[Michelle]

Icewineanne wrote: "Michelle wrote: "If I know the series didn't make it beyond the 3 book mark, then I just read them all at once! However, with my series that are really long, I'll usually read a couple then take a ..."

For the series that I've read that didn't make it past the 3 or 5 book mark, I still really enjoyed them! I didn't feel like the story or characters were lacking in anyway. I would have been very glad to see them all continue on, but I didn't feel like I was missing something by having them end so soon because I haven't been thoroughly invested in their lives yet.
I will generally choose a longer series over a shorter one because I like knowing the characters over a long period of time & all their ups & down, but I won't be deterred by a series that didn't make it very far! What's really hard for me is when a series goes for 10, 20+ books & then ends, because I want to know more!

[Jane]

Sometimes I get caught up in the series and want to see what happens with the characters, so I'll keep reading. I have found with some book series, I'll get annoyed with the protagonist if I read too many in a row! Lol. For me, I guess it depends on the series and how many books are already out. I MUST read them in order, though!

[Zermeena]

I like to space out my series. Recently I have allowed myself to read two in row. But if I read more than that, I start noticing discrepancies in details and too much repetition in the author's writing style. The only exception to this is Charlaine Harris's Lily Bard series. I blew through all of those in about two weeks. This was over 20 years ago. Now when I reread the books I find them a bit dated. I'm also a very different person, so I don't identify with Lily the way that I used to.

[Debbie]

I have so many series started and of course it takes time to collect the books up or find them on over drive. As I have been able I've finished a couple of series up every now and then, but then I keep finding new ones to start.

[Mint]

I bounce all over the place. I actually tend to read most series out of order, picking and choosing the books that seem most interesting to me and leaving behind the rest. I do the same with thrillers and romance.

I don't find reading in order to be strictly necessary for the majority of series, though it might make for a more compelling read if I knew the characters from the beginning.

[Joe]

I read an entire series before moving on to the next. I enjoy a series where each book is a complete story, but the leading character(s) grows and changes from book to book.