Does this ever happen to you?

[Nichole (DirrtyH)]

I've been reading a lot of books lately, but it seems like it's been a long time (several months) since I've read anything that I loved, or even really really liked. I'm starting to think maybe it's me...
Anybody have any insight? Or am I just reading crummy books? :) Most of them seem to come highly recommended, so I don't know what's up.

[Jess]

I know sometimes I get tired of books when I notice they all have similar story lines. Like reading too many vamp books in a row, (Ward, Adrian, Sands) they are all similar.

I try to switch up my books and alternate between weres and vamps. Sometimes I'll read a non PNR book and go for an urban fantasy book or a plain old mystery book.

One series I've been reading that isn't really involved with PNR or Urban Fantasy is by JD. Robb (aka Nora Roberts) In death series. The first book is Naked in Death. It's about Eve Dallas who is a homicide detective in the year 2050. Not bad.. some good sex scenes, good mysteries, serial killers lol.. all that good stuff

[Jael ~ *~ Syhren ~* ~]

No your not alone. I love PNR/UF but sometimes I too have to take a break. I'll read something from the young adult section like the Georgia Nicholson series or one of Christopher Moores funny books than when I start missing my PNR/UF I just right in and I feel refreshed again.

[Yz the Whyz, Moderator]

I believe in mixing up the books I'm reading. Although PNR/UF books are my current addiction, once in a while, I would read something else, just to break the monotony. Also, I try to avoid reading the same author in sequence even though it is a series, because if I do, I tend to pick up style similarities and patterns. By reading something else in between, this is how I keep them fresh and interesting.

[Unapologetic_Bookaholic]

That is what what it amounts to. Romance (with its many sub-genres) sticks to a formula that your psyche picks up on and can no longer thrive on after x amount of books in a row. Or it could be just you (lol, kidding).

I have always known I can't read the same of anything all the time and have a variety of books going. Be it suspense thriller horror. Now it's a matter of erotic romance, PNR, or m/m romance. I read about 10% of "other" books like non-fiction YA (recently) or Dean Koontz (hehe).

[Sarah ~Sehrenity~]

I think sometimes it's a combination of reading too many of the same kind of book in a row and the author writing so many books alike that the writing style is a little more sloppy than it should be.

Writing style and characterization are big things for me. If I can't read the narrative without thinking, gee couldn't she have written that better, then I'm obviously not buying into the story. The same for characters; if I don't like them, I'm not going to care what happens to them. I think that's why I couldn't read the Shopaholic books. Yeah, I know the caracter is supposed to grow up as the books progress, but I couldn't make myself care to go along for the ride.

[new_user]

Yeah, I mix it up with different genres, types of characters and plots, and different authors, so it doesn't become tedious. Even so, though, there are a lot of books to wade through before you get to one you really like. I go through those periods too.

[Jess]

The best feeling is getting out of rut. When you've been reading books that aren't bad necessarily, but not fantastic, and then you pick up one book and you just can't put it down! It's even better if it is in a series, and then you have more amazing books to read.

[Malena]

Jess I totally agree with you. When you find a book you can't put down it is a great feeling.

[tosca]

Is it that the author's storylines get formulaic? Or is it me? At one point, John Grisham's works became much of a muchness - it was a matter of substituting the main character's names and voila. I waited impatiently for Wolf Tales VI to be released last year and bought the ebook...to find myself skimming through it. What's that about?! Re-read it again just this month and was skimming it again. I'm becoming anaesthetised - maybe I need to mix up what I read more.

[Nichole (DirrtyH)]

I think getting tired of the formula is definitely a problem when you read a lot of any genre or author. But I decided that my problem really was the books. (At least to a degree. "Sameness" could have been part of it, too.)

I've figured out that I really prefer books that are more character driven than plot driven (unless the plot is really good.)
When there isn't a character or characters that I can really connect with, it's hard for me to feel as engaged. I was reading books that were just okay, but it had been awhile since I read one that I was excited about. And then I read the second book in Jenna Black's Morgan Kingsley series. I love that series, and suddenly I was excited about reading again - because I really connected with Morgan, and I really love all the other characters as well.

And the plot of those books is good; simple but interesting, and very personal for the characters. The more personal the story is for the people involved, the more there is at stake which makes it a lot more fun to read.

[new_user]

I agree. Characters are important, and it's nice when they're somewhat realistic, which doesn't mean that they joke about their weight or shopping or some shite. LOL. I hate those books.

[Lori]

I had definitely fallen into the pattern of reading the formulaic PNR, boy meets girl, they're destined to be together, after much strife, they work it out and it's a HEA for everyone. Don't get me wrong, I love those books but sometimes you gotta shake things up a bit. I've mostly done that by throwing in some erotica. I started a book last night that I wasn't sure I was going to like but am actually loving it. Outlander is really hard to categorize. It's a historical, time travel, romance with a little paranormal thrown in. It's really well written which I've given up lately in some of the books I've read and it's a nice change.

[Yz the Whyz, Moderator]

I'm a firm believer in eclectic reading. Although my heart lies deep with the romance genre, I believe shaking it up once in a while, is a good thing. Once, in a while I raid the YA section, settle for a simple contemporary, try a classic, do a straight fantasy over an urban one, and so on.

Or sometimes, you might just need a break from reading, maybe for a full day or two. ..Oh,no, don't shoot me for even suggesting that..LOL...but sometimes, that helps.

[LibraryLass]

LOL, Yz. I have to mix up my genres. Having just started to read PNR's (I've read 1! LOL), it has been 'refreshing' to read something outside the usual for me. I usually "cleanse my reading palette" by either reading a thriller (no romance), a YA or as with Yz, horror of horrors, none! I also will read nothing but picturebooks for a couple of nights and then I'm good to go. But I try to mix up my romantic genres so it doesn't get 'stale.'

[tosca]

Funny, when I read Yz's most recent comment about a break from reading I thought, 'Oh no! Say it isn't so!' and I'm counting back now to realise I've had 3 or 4 days without reading for pleasure (believe me, reports and training plans don't count as fun and neither does more work at home eep - sick, sick puppy). And this weekend I'm away at a conference so will be another 4 or 5 days more in withdrawal. Whoa - kick me!

[Unapologetic_Bookaholic]

Yz wrote: "I'm a firm believer in eclectic reading. Although my heart lies deep with the romance genre, I believe shaking it up once in a while, is a good thing. Once, in a while I raid the YA section, sett..."

YZ! No reading, the horrors. I only break when my brain seizes up. Literally. I have to have a massive tension headache before I call it quits on reading. I just can't stop when a book is that good =)

[mlady_rebecca]

Too much of any one genre, especially when they're all written in the same style, will wear on you. I think there are almost too many paranormal romance offerings out there now. You read them saying "love this, love this, love this", then all of a sudden you look at the next book and say "didn't I just read this story with different names?"

That, and there will always be books that stay with you and books that only serve as momentary distraction. Too many "just distraction" level books in a row will probably leave you just as unsatisfied.

[Unapologetic_Bookaholic]

mlady I agree highly with that. As much as I am loving the switch to romance I still love that I can enjoy horror, thriller, mystery etc. I mean, I think any book addict can do that right? Flip the script =P But I like finding romance that can mix in horror (or darker elements of the paranormal) thriller mystery. Having my cake and eating it too.

[[deleted user]]

PNR is like eating chocolate for me...I can't nibble, I have to have the whole bar! But like everyone else is saying, the endless gluttony can be telling after a while and while I'm still neck deep in it, I have to admit I'm starting to fade a teensy weensy bit. I just finished an Angela Knight book and definitely felt that way. Having said that, I kind of don't want to leave the genre as much as I want to read something really good in the genre, if that makes sense. I loved most of the BDB books, and really want to find another series that sparks me up like that, but no joy so far. I tried starting a Robert Fisk book this morning but although I usually love him, my subconcious was just not that ready for that much reality ;)

[ஐ Briansgirl (Book Queen)ஐ]

I'm running into this reading rut right now. I think I pushed too hard to finish books for last month's challenge and it's taken some of the fun/relaxation out of it. Another reason was that I was anxiously awaiting the latest Aunt Dimity release and when I read it I was disappointed. I struggled with it to get halfway through before the story picked up enough to make me want to finish it. It was okay but not up to her standards. And now I'm in the middle of Debbie Macomber's Heart of Texas series. It's one of her earlier series. Quite frankly, I havn't read anything of hers I havn't liked, but this series is dragging compared to her others series that I just could not put down. I'm in the middle of book 2 out of 8 and I have put it down for a week without wanting to pick it back up because I just am not into the heroine of this book. But I can't go on to finish the series (all in a small texas town with the same characters that appear in all the books) without knowing what happened in this one. I have all 8 books of this series on the two March monthly reading lists.

Instead I picked up a book at Goodwill Thrift Shop that isn't even on my list (Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man by Tim Allen - autobiography and humor book). And I finished one Mythbusters book (science book for kids from the library) and starting the adult one I bought myself last month that I had to order online.

[Barbara ★]

My shelves are very eclectic for that very reason. Even as good as most of the books I read are, they get tedious when read back to back to back to back. When it gets too much, I toss in a horror novel, then a romance, next a mystery, how about a paranormal, ooh a time travel, a science fiction book. I could go on forever here.

The trick is to mix it up so you don't get bored. I also just put a book down if it sucks. It's not blasphemy you know. If it sucks, ditch it and grab something else. It isn't like you don't have a few hundred books lying around...right?