Ummm, how about when to give up on an author? I don't mean an old favorite that falls off the auto-buy list. I'm talking about new authors that you're trying out. I'm generally willing to give new-to-me authors two shots. Because every author is bound to have a dud or two. Even some of my favorites--Chase's Miss Wonderful (yawn!), L.M. Montgomery's Kilmeny of the Orchard (the mute girl just annoyed me), Georgette Heyer's Lady of Quality (zzzzzzz), even my beloved Mary Stewart had a miss with Rose Cottage (hello, can we have a plot, please?). So I don't feel like I can dismiss an author completely if they fail to impress me on the first book. But after two, I'm moving on. Too many other authors to try.
A couple I've pretty much decided aren't for me: Linda Howard. I know, she's solid gold to a lot of people, but I did Duncan's Bride (meh) and After the Night (DNF--too much testosterone). And Laura Kinsale--I respect her as a good writer, but her books seem to just annoy me. I read Flowers from the Storm (the heroine's sanctimoniousness grated) and Midsummer Moon (the heroine's naivete grated).Both of those authors are ones some people go orgasmic over, but I guess we all have our quirks. ;)
And now I'm off to actually try to finish a book! Miracle of miracles.
6 comments:
I couldn't stand Flowers from the Storm because of the heroine too. She drove me freakin insane. I'm giving Kinsale one more shot though. I have another of her books on my TBR pile. Judith Ivory was someone I gave a second shot. I hated Beast but I picked up The Proposition and loved it.
I will usually try to give an author two chances too, unless the first book I pick up is absolutly horrid to me. Like if I hate a book because of the writing style I won't give that author another shot.
One popular author I think I've finally given up on is Julia Quinn. I've read several books by her and always end up pissed off at the end because of her heroes. And her plots usually don't interest me overly much. But I can see why some people really enjoy her stuff. I can't think of any other popular authors i gave up, off the top of my head.
I started a Judith Ivory and couldn't get through it. I'm blanking on the title--was it called Indiscreet, maybe? I might have just made that up. Maybe The Proposition should be my second shot for her. ;)
Julia Quinn--I kind of know what you mean. I really liked her at first and then got a little tired of them. But I am going to pick up her new one that's due out this year. I think it's a new series, since she's finally done with the Bridgertons.
Yeah, don't bother with Howard if you didn't like those ones. I would suggest Son of the Morning only because it's one of her books I didn't really like and it seems that those who loved this book don't love the ones I love - like a divide line.
I tried Kinsales earlier books when they were first published and I just didn't find the appeal. I loved FFTS and the one with Lady in the title - even still there were times while reading that I just wanted to get on with it.
If it's a new to me author and the first book is a DNF I rarely give the author another shot. What will get me to try again is the fans of an author or the size of their backlist. I recently tried Karen Marie Moning and put the book down after 30 pages - I'm not sure I would try her again.
I have tried Kenyon twice without success but I think I have one more that I can try and after that I'll just write her off.
The authors who get me are the ones who write a keeper right out of the gate and then next book is something you wouldn't read to your dog. I always feel bad for the author and end up buying the next one after the really bad one. If that one hurts also then I'm done.
The good news is that you try the authors. I have never tried Judith Ivory or Lydia Joyce because when describing these books people wax poetic about the prose. Sorry, not reading for the prose - need a great love story with sex ;)
That's another deal breaker for me. If it is a romance book and there is no sex - people cry about the loss of the traditional regency romance and I just don't give a fig. Not one ;)
Okay, I'll stop now but I do so love to talk books ;)
CindyS
don't worry Jennie if you have nothing to say, because there's a ton of ppl in the same situation as you :) Just let us know that you're alive and well and what you're doing and it's all right :D
oh and it's too bad that you don't like Linda Howard, but then it's true that her writing style is not for everyone.
have a nice day
Cindy--I do have one more Linda Howard TBR which I might try at some point. I can't remember the name now--the one with the pink hammer in it, I believe. LOL. On Kristie's rec.
That's another deal breaker for me. If it is a romance book and there is no sex You crack me up! Mmm, I like a good sexy story too--but I feel like a lot of authors just throw tons of sex scenes in there because that's the trend nowadays. If they don't do much for the story, then I can find them distracting. I don't particularly mourn the demise of trad regencies either, as I think the Regency has been done to death, but sometimes I do want a nice love story that's not quite so sexed up.
Nath--Hi! Yes, I'm fine, and have had a little more time to read the last couple days so I'm a little happier. :)
Zeek--I can see the merits of Kinsale's work--like I say, I think she is a very good writer. Her books certainly evoked a strong reaction in me, which I guess many people would say is the point of a novel. I just didn't particularly like the characters in the two books I read by her. :shrug: To each his own, eh? :)
You are completely right about too much sex but having none drops a book from keeper status right down to a B - Anne Gracie was an author I tried and I really liked the story but there was NO sex. I need some sexual tension!
Thing is some people rate books as warm when I find them perfectly sexy. Meanwhile - some rate a book burning and it's just sex.
So yeah, it's quite a tightrope I want my authors to walk ;)
Cindys
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