Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

I have come across a few writers recently that I found myself giving up on. There are writers who have very strong debuts, but later have no ability to write another book of the same caliber. For example, Maria V. Snyder, whose debut is great, but nothing after that is equally good. Or there are writers who after attaining some success become sloppy in their later books. For me Richelle Mead is one of them.

How about you? Are there any writers you got disappointed in and parted with forever?

I've definitely given up on Stephanie Laurens and Lora Leigh. I find their plots very repetitive.

It doesn't happen too much, but I don't read one author back-to-back, or grab their latest and greatest right away, so any changes in their writing aren't immediately apparent to me.

But, two that come to mind are Danielle Steele, whose books became too repetitive, and Lillian Jackson Braun, who became ridiculously silly. I believe there is a ghost writer stepping in for her for the last decade or so, as she is in her 90s, if the poor thing is still alive.

I did read that about the Vampire Academy, however. By the time the series ended, many readers where happy that it did.

I'm taking a break from Yasmine Galenorn , I liked her short story but her full size book was not good to me. Also I did not like the short story by Vicki Petersson at all, so I'm not sure I'll ever read her stuff.

Only one I've given up on completely...

Rachel Gibson

I agree about Lilian Jackson Braun's books. I've also stopped reading Yasmin Galenorn and Janet Evanovich.
I feel like both of them are writting endless series just to publish more books. And I gave up on Laurell Hamilton because I couldn't take her books anymore - no plot and lots of wierd kinky sex.

I've only read one book by Yasmine Galenorn, Witchling, and after reading it, I decided I didn't want to read more.

It's very rare for me to give up on a series, but I did with Jennifer Armintrout's Blood Ties. I got the first three books of the series from the library. Enjoyed the first, but somewhere along the 2nd book, I just didn't like it. I returned the books with the 2nd book unfinished and never even touched the third.

I'm getting ready to give up on Johanna Lindsey. I do think that reading too much by one author all at once can cause reader burn-out. I experienced that with Evanovich and later Christine Feehan, but being the loyal reader I am, I came back.

I gave up on Christine Feehan's Carpathian Series just because after so many books the stories get repetitive but I did love the begining of that series and I still love the Ghostwalkers and the Drake series. I'm also still looking forward to her new series coming out.

I can only take Evanovich in small doses. By the time I finish a book, I want to smack Stephanie Plum upside her head and need to read some murder and mayhem for a change.

Definitely Stephanie Laurens. The last book I attempted to read by her ending up with me not finishing it. I'm going to attempt in the near future to read one more Johanna Lindsey book before I call it quits on her. I read A Pirate's Love and No Choice But Seduction and was a bit disappointed with them.

southpaw285 wrote: "Only one I've given up on completely...

Rachel Gibson"

Why so? I like Gibson. Of course I read 10-20 books in between her books but I end up doing that with most authors.


I can't think of anyone I've truly crossed off my list.

Photojim wrote: "
Why so? I like Gibson. Of course I read 10-20 books in between her books but I end up doing that with m..."

Many people do and that's great. She's not for me.

After reading several books that were not enjoyable to me...ones that left me feeling as though I'd wasted my time, I decided I should move on.

I'm glad you enjoy her writing. :)

As a general rule of thumb, I cross off any author who doesn't give me at least a 3-star read the first time, although usually only after giving enough benefit of the doubt to skim other books or excerpts to make sure it wasn't an anomaly. A few authors who come to mind whose writing style just isn't for me: Christine Feehan, Samantha James, Judith Ivory, but there are a few others too that I just can't remember right now.

I would also cross off any author who gives me three 3-star reads in a row with nothing any higher. If it's at least an OK read, I'll give them a few chances to grow on me. I can't think of anyone who fits this yet, but if my next read by Lori Foster isn't an improvement, she'll probably be out.

My philosophy is that my TBR list is so long and I'm so slow at reading, I can't afford the time to take chances on mediocre or downright frustrating books.

Yz the Whyz wrote: It's very rare for me to give up on a series, but I did with Jenni..."

Oh I give up on series all the time...or I should say that I'm very selective on the series I continue. :) I usually read the first book and then decide if I want to continue. If the book doesn't grab me, I just forget about the series altogether. :)

Julie, I thought three stars was 'Liked it' and was an average read. Of my 127 books so far for 2010, 26 of them have been four stars or higher. 23 books have received fewer than three stars. I take a three star read to be an average read. I liked it. It was good. I'd recommend it to someone if I thought they were into that genre or were looking for a book about 'X'.

I realize everyone has a different rating scale. Maybe it is the science degree that makes me want the bell curve. As it is my average rating is 3.20 for 545 ratings. By comparing our rating averages, I see that your three is my two.

There is no right or wrong way to do it. And I'm certainly glad that we are all different in what we like and how we like it.

For me 3 stars is an entertaining read, enjoyable, but not memorable in any way. I might give a 3-star writer another chance

2 stars are for those books that require work to finish. No second chances there.

There's way too many to list. Apparently I've given more 1 star ratings than 5 star so go figure. I will say that I've given up on Caitlin Kittredge. I read Night Life & I thought Luna was one of the most bitchy, annoying heroines I've ever come across. So I decided to give her other series a try & read Street Magic. Same thing only it was the hero. She's just not for me.

Some other authors I've given up that I can think of off the top of my head are Jade Lee,Jacquelyn Frank,Beatrice Small,P. C. Cast,Keri Arthur & Laurell K. Hamilton. I'm in a 12-step program for LKH at the moment. I even put out a restraining order on her Anita Blake series.

If I try a book by a new-to-me-author and I don't like it, I won't read anything by the author again unless it comes highly recommended. If I still don't like it, I let the author go.

LL, I forgot about Jade Lee. I've read two of her books now. One two star and one one star. As long as I remember when I'm grabbing a handy book I'll be sure to put it back down and move on to something else.

I've given up on Laurell K. Hamilton. I really liked her early books, but from book 6 on, it just got annoying. I also have decided not to read any more PC Cast. Just wasn't doing anything for me.

Two I can think of that I started a series and have absolutely no interest in finishing are:

Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series - read the 1st 2 and didn't like any of the characters, so what's the fun in reading about people you don't like? There needs to be someone you're rooting for.

Katie MacAlister's Aisling Grey series - read the 1st three and have absolutely no desire to read the last in the series. That's bad. Aisling is just a ditz who never grows or learns anything over 3 books. She just keeps bumbling along, creating havoc and needing others to bail her out. Not my cuppa.

♠LethalLovely~HBBIC♠ wrote: "There's way too many to list. Apparently I've given more 1 star ratings than 5 star so go figure. I will say that I've given up on Caitlin Kittredge. I read [book:Night Life|1799478..."

Lethal Lovely - quite a few of your authors you gave up on are my favorites. I wonder what that says about me?

I agree about Laurell K. Hamilton, she is not for me. I heard so much about Anita Blake so I picked one up and could not get into the story at all and did not like Hamilton writing.

Christine Feehan, I have read most of her books and like them but have not read anything from her in a long time; just needed to take a break I guess. I'm sure I will read her again.

Carolyn F. wrote: "♠LethalLovely~HBBIC♠ wrote: "There's way too many to list. Apparently I've given more 1 star ratings than 5 star so go figure. I will say that I've given up on Caitlin Kittredge. I ..."

It just says we have different tastes. It wouldn't be fun if everyone liked the same things ☺.

I'm glad to see someone else has given up on Jade Lee, Photojim. All her novels (that I've read) are hot freaking messes. All this crap about ying-yang dragon penises sending you to the big tea leaf in the sky.*gags*

I thought LKH's Anita Blake series was really good until she hit book 8? 9?. Whichever book it was when Anita decided she'd rather be a homicidal slut with a gun than actually do her job. I've cried over the decline of that series. It was the series that got me into UF at the tender age of 14.

LL, I've been raised to be an orgasm master and to help you reach the ultimate state of happiness. However, I will give you up to the true dragon orgasm master because I've been told he is better and I only want you to be happy. *blech* I'm right there with you.

I've been thinking about re-reading the whole Anita Blake series from start. I remember the beginning being so good. Maybe it is just a fond memory of my first UF exposure as well. Now that I've read a bit more maybe it wasn't as good as I remember. One of these months I'll have a bit of extra time to go back through.

I don't so much have authors i've given up on, but those i've never tried and don't want to try...aka, Laurel K. Hamilton - I've had the first 6 books of the anita blake series sitting on my self for like 7 years and never read them (I got given them as a gift) - they are about to be listed on PBS. Tried Sue Grafton, could even finish a book...

Other authors mentioned - Christine Feehan - as long as I don't read too many in a row, i'm good...I just read Dark Slayer a couple months ago after nothing in that series for nearly a year...ditto with Sherrilyn Kenyon

Photojim, when I first read your reply, I thought you were talking about yourself as the orgasm master. :D

Carolyn F. wrote: "Photojim, when I first read your reply, I thought you were talking about yourself as the orgasm master. :D"

How did you know my nickname?! Just kidding. I re-read what I wrote and agree that my intentions of making fun of Jade Lee were really not clear at all.

Photojim wrote: "Carolyn F. wrote: "Photojim, when I first read your reply, I thought you were talking about yourself as the orgasm master. :D"

How did you know my nickname?! Just kidding. I re-read what I wrot..."

I thought either a little bragging was going on or you may be giving yourself a nickname. Although you probably would have given yourself initial capitals.

Ok, I have to kick in my votes here.

1) Laurell K. Hamilton--I agree that after about book 7-8 or so the quality of the work took a short, sharp nose-dive into porno and left the plot behind. And I really did enjoy her early works--you know, back in the day when a plot, characterization and story line MEANT something.

2) J. R. Ward--the woman is, with F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway--one of the three worst writers in the English language.

I've given up on MaryJanice Davidson. ALL of her heroines are exactly the same--30 or so, going on 13. Vapid, selfish, unwilling to grow up. . .

Photojim wrote: "LL, I've been raised to be an orgasm master and to help you reach the ultimate state of happiness. However, I will give you up to the true dragon orgasm master because I've been told he is better ..."

ROFL! Your Jade Lee digs were very apparent to me. ANY hero who lets the woman he loves go to another man is a punkass, IMO. But of course your different. I bow down to your dragon-penis-orgasm awesomeness.

I'm starting to think LKH's AB series isn't as good as I originally thought it was either. I've bought everything up to Incubus Dreams but I'm too afraid to re-read them & tarnish my memories.*tear*

Delicious Dee, I can't stand Christine Feehan's Carpathian series but think her GhostWalkers series is pretty good. It's like there are two different people writing. One who has heroes who are alpha male with supernatural powers & the desire to love & protect their heroine. The other with heroes who think raping their girls & making them like it means "I love you".

see, I could never get into her ghost walkers series...but i think, if you consider the time period for the carpathians...i think its likely some of them were supposed to be set in the mid 19th century...I mean, as they progress, you see Raven and Mikhails daughter fully grown and with kids of her own...so that could explain some of the attitudes...plus these guys have supposedly been around for centuries, so its likely how they were raised and they "never got the memo" about how to treat modern women...

♠LethalLovely~HBBIC♠ wrote: "Photojim wrote: "LL, I've been raised to be an orgasm master and to help you reach the ultimate state of happiness. However, I will give you up to the true dragon orgasm master because I've been t..."

Photojim wrote: "Julie, I thought three stars was 'Liked it' and was an average read. Of my 127 books so far for 2010, 26 of them have been four stars or higher. 23 books have received fewer than three stars. I ..."

Jim, looks like you figured out my rating system.:-) I don't exactly go by what it says when you hover over the GR stars. 3-stars for me is OK, average, had some enjoyable parts, but nothing to write home about. I rarely give out 1 and 2-star ratings. I reserve those for the books that I had a hard time finishing or were downright unenjoyable. I think anything less than 3-stars is generally looked upon as being "not very good," so I can't really justify giving an author those ratings if I got some enjoyment out of their book. Probably more than you ever wanted to know about my ratings philosophy.;-) But like you said there's no right or wrong way to do it.

I read the first House Of Night novel and that was so bad it was enough for me to give up on anything written by P.C. Cast and i haven't read anything by her since. And after reading the utter dreck she edited called "Immortal: Love Stories With Bite", that had expanded to anything she edits. Her books are like, life is short and there's so many good books out there. Why bother? And to everyone who's hating on Jade Lee, i feel the need to point out that the non-paranormal romances she writes for the Harlequin Blaze line are pretty darn good. I haven't read any of her paranormals, but I've read the descriptions and they don't really sound like my kind of thing. With the exception of Cast, there are no authors I've truly given up on, at least that i can remember. But with all I've read about how Anita Blake goes so steadily downhill after #9 or #10, that will probably be the point at which i give up on LKH, i didn't really love the first novel anyway. Besides i can always read the recaps on Wikipedia if I'm so inclined and skip LKH's later bad-sex-substituted-for-a-plot writing style.

LL and Photojim, I agree with you about LKH. I am so disappointed with how the series changed. Thankfully I got the heads up before I read too far. I loved the first six books, and I stop after Obsidian Butterfly, which I've heard has a lot of Edward in it. I just haven't been able to bring myself to read those remaining three books. So, LKH is definitely an author I've fired.

Julie, I have a similar rating system, but I will keep a 3 star book if I consider myself willing to reread it, or if it's by a favorite author or favorite series.

♠LethalLovely~HBBIC♠ wrote: "I bow down to your dragon-penis-orgasm awesomeness."

OMG! I almost PIMP when I read this!!! Hahahahahahaha!

Lauren wrote: "I read the first House Of Night novel and that was so bad it was enough for me to give up on anything written by P.C. Cast and i haven't read anything by her since. And after reading the utter drec..."

I gave it a go, I tried the first 3 books in the series but gave up (plot was intriquing but the writing was soo bad). But I only read the 3 because some had lent them to me.

I tried Amanda Ashley twice and just could get through the two I tried. I found them extremely boring. I also gave up on Kat Richardson I liked the first book (3 stars), then the second book, I just found to be boring. So I gave up. I have the 3rd book, so I may give her another try later down the road.

The only author I have completely given up on is Laurell K Hamilton. It was my first UF love but after Obsidian Butterfly there is no plot and the sex is like cheap porn. Complete disappointment.

Valorie wrote: "I tried Amanda Ashley twice and just could get through the two I tried. I found them extremely boring. I also gave up on Kat Richardson I liked the first book (3 star..."

I read one of Amanda Ashley's books and didn't like it at all too. But I've seen so many people that love her that I'll read any books I have now but will not buy or borrow any of other books. I don't know if the other books I have will change my mind. Her books reminded me of a high school play with people reacting and speaking so stiffly.

Carolyn F. wrote: "Valorie wrote: "I tried Amanda Ashley twice and just could get through the two I tried. I found them extremely boring. I also gave up on Kat Richardson I liked the f..."

Absolutely!! It reminded me of the same thing!! A really bad B movie acting!

I gave up on laurell k. hamilton awhile back. anita just seemed to lose her basic characterization. a few of my all time favorites lost "it" when they crossed genres. jude deveraux, elizabeth lowell (sob) and judith mcnaught just to name a few. linda howard has gotten a little too suspense for me. iris johansen's eve duncan series started out soo great, and it just kept dragging on and on and on. find bonnie already! i stopped feeling sympathetic 4 books ago.

Alyson Noel

Catherine Anderson

J. Lynn (Jennifer Armentrout). I've read like 4 of her books and they were 1-3 stars. Nty.

Lauren aka John Matthew's Girl wrote: "I read the first House Of Night novel and that was so bad it was enough for me to give up on anything written by P.C. Cast and i haven't read anything by her since. And after reading the utter drec..."

DON'T GIVE UP ON P.C. CAST! Try her romance series which is 10x better. Start with Goddess of Spring. :D

well definitely judith mcnaught ...hate BIG MISunderstandings....too abrupt for me...it is too abrupt ,too long & sometimes the H will b with some other lady during this time eg Whitney, My Love and Until You
definitely stephanie laurens... her H tends to be tooo much everything for me..too experienced with seductions ...why do all of them have to be rakes..is their worth to be expressed in terms of looks and their appeal to other women? i never get this Cynsters: The Beginning: Cynster Novels 1, 2, and 3 perfect e.g .read 6 books.liked some.on the whole got fed up with the Hs
then julia quin ... just did not agree with me....her writing style was flat to me ...tried reading 2 books from The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After. did not like it much
then julie anne long.her writing style is not for me.read 3 of her books
linda howard and jude devereaux too comes to mind tried 1 each.did not like the books.there are others too but none of them comes to mind just now