Taking A Great Big Juicy Bite Out Of A Series
I'm reading my first paranormal romance. Okay, that's not entirely true. I've read paranormals before, but they weren't true paranormals. More like, romantic suspenses with paranormal elements. We still had humans doing all the action in those books. In this one though, the humans are on the fringes and the main characters are all from other worlds. What's it about you ask?
Well, let me tell you: Vampires.
Now, I'm not a vampy gothic girl. Far from. And to be honest, Dracula's never done it for me. Personally, I've never really "gotten" the whole vampire paranormal movement. Someone who bites you and drinks your blood is sexy? How???? And I'm supposed to swoon because he wants to give me a puncture wound? Have you ever seen an infected puncture wound? One word: Ew.
Prejudices aside, I decided to give it a go because my roommate from Nationals talked endlessly about this vampire series and how great it was. Endlessly. (Did I say that plainly enough? ENDLESSLY.) Grudgingly, I agreed to read it. Because my friend is hilarious and I love her, and because she likes a lot of the same stuff I do, so she must know a good book from a bad one. And I'm always on the lookout for a good book.
That was yesterday. I have now almost finished the entire book. All 400+ pages of it.
It's true, I'm a fast reader, and I'm obsessive, so there's rarely a book I don't read start to finish. So it's no real surprise that I've gone through this one quickly, although this is even rapid for me. What is a surprise is that I'm enjoying it - really enjoying it. I never in a million years thought I would. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Why? I'm not sure. I still don't like vampires. The hero's a vampire-ass through a good chunk of the book, the heroine's a little flaky, and the bad guy really gets on my nerves. I don't like the blood and gore, and I'm not wild about the whole "sucking blood from someone else thing". But I like the interplay between the hero and his vampire cohorts, and there's one vampire in particular I absolutely LOVE. The baddest, meanest, most viscous vampire of the bunch. He has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and I adore him. I find myself turning pages just to get to him again. So much so that I called said book-loaner girlfriend and told her I NEEDED to have the third book (his book) even though I'm still only in book one. No, not just needed, I'd DIE without it, just like my favorite vampire will die unless he feasts off some poor woman's neck to revitalize himself.
Whew. I'm almost ready to volunteer to be said victim. And I don't even like puncture wounds!!!
Where was I? Oh yeah, vampire series. I love a good series. One that makes you want to read more and more even after the last page is turned. Doesn't have to be RS, it can be a straight romance, a paranormal, even a historical. For me, it all comes down to character development. When I think about my new favorite authors, it's not surprising to learn most of them are writing series of one form or another. I keep buying them, because I can't wait to see how the secondary characters from one book transform into main characters in another, and I have to admit, I love seeing "old friends" pop up now and then in future books. Would I read another of this author's books if they were stand alone, not in a series? I'm not sure. I don't think the writing's super fantastic, and the plot's okay, it's the characters that shine. It's the build-up for the next connected book that keeps me reading.
Do you like reading series or connected books? Do you like writing them? Is there any reason you wouldn't read a series or connected book?
Well, let me tell you: Vampires.
Now, I'm not a vampy gothic girl. Far from. And to be honest, Dracula's never done it for me. Personally, I've never really "gotten" the whole vampire paranormal movement. Someone who bites you and drinks your blood is sexy? How???? And I'm supposed to swoon because he wants to give me a puncture wound? Have you ever seen an infected puncture wound? One word: Ew.
Prejudices aside, I decided to give it a go because my roommate from Nationals talked endlessly about this vampire series and how great it was. Endlessly. (Did I say that plainly enough? ENDLESSLY.) Grudgingly, I agreed to read it. Because my friend is hilarious and I love her, and because she likes a lot of the same stuff I do, so she must know a good book from a bad one. And I'm always on the lookout for a good book.
That was yesterday. I have now almost finished the entire book. All 400+ pages of it.
It's true, I'm a fast reader, and I'm obsessive, so there's rarely a book I don't read start to finish. So it's no real surprise that I've gone through this one quickly, although this is even rapid for me. What is a surprise is that I'm enjoying it - really enjoying it. I never in a million years thought I would. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Why? I'm not sure. I still don't like vampires. The hero's a vampire-ass through a good chunk of the book, the heroine's a little flaky, and the bad guy really gets on my nerves. I don't like the blood and gore, and I'm not wild about the whole "sucking blood from someone else thing". But I like the interplay between the hero and his vampire cohorts, and there's one vampire in particular I absolutely LOVE. The baddest, meanest, most viscous vampire of the bunch. He has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and I adore him. I find myself turning pages just to get to him again. So much so that I called said book-loaner girlfriend and told her I NEEDED to have the third book (his book) even though I'm still only in book one. No, not just needed, I'd DIE without it, just like my favorite vampire will die unless he feasts off some poor woman's neck to revitalize himself.
Whew. I'm almost ready to volunteer to be said victim. And I don't even like puncture wounds!!!
Where was I? Oh yeah, vampire series. I love a good series. One that makes you want to read more and more even after the last page is turned. Doesn't have to be RS, it can be a straight romance, a paranormal, even a historical. For me, it all comes down to character development. When I think about my new favorite authors, it's not surprising to learn most of them are writing series of one form or another. I keep buying them, because I can't wait to see how the secondary characters from one book transform into main characters in another, and I have to admit, I love seeing "old friends" pop up now and then in future books. Would I read another of this author's books if they were stand alone, not in a series? I'm not sure. I don't think the writing's super fantastic, and the plot's okay, it's the characters that shine. It's the build-up for the next connected book that keeps me reading.
Do you like reading series or connected books? Do you like writing them? Is there any reason you wouldn't read a series or connected book?
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 8:44 PM
4Comments:
Oh sweet corruption! Addicting, ain't it? Well, to be fair, I read my first RS because of you (other than yours) and loved it. So we're corrupting...I mean broadening each other's horizons.
Once you go vamp, you never go back! Book 3 is going to rock your world.
I like most series I start, but there have been a few I didn't feel the need to rush out and buy the next one. Though I'm hoping my NA series will have people wanting to run out and get the next one! And My Marshal in Petticoats, I've been seriously thinking about giving each of the brothers a book. I kind of have the next one thought out since I left a thread dangling in the first one. Wonder if anyone will notice??
See I am a suspense writer at heart! LOL Just historical - or is that hysterical!
Hmmm, can't say I'm a vamp or ww fan. Hard to imagine I ever would be, but stranger things have happened.
As far as series go, I'm a little quirky about them. I never, and I mean NEVER, read them out of order. So if I find #2 or #3 on a shelf, but not #1, I won't buy them.
Having said that, I only do that with what I consider a true series (like Nora Roberts Witch series -- I'm as bad with titles as I am with names...can't remember the titles, something having to do with Air, Fire and ??)
Anyway, I do read Suzanne Brockmann's books out of order. In fact, I have no clue what order they should go in.
What's up with that?
As far as writing a series...I have enough trouble developing one set of primary characters, let a lone creating secondary characters deep enough to star in their own book.
Maybe someday. I've got a handful of firefighters banging on my brain. So far I've successfully ignored them.
Oh. My. God.
Lisa.
Book three rocked my world.
I bow to you.
Now when the hell is book four coming out?
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