Feminist Reflections is a feature I created on my blog to share my personal thoughts.
I like giving author's another opportunity, I don't like saying chances.. I usually give them three.. For most people, two is enough, but if it's a popular author and I don't like their work -I want to see if their future work can change my mind. Other times, the stories might not be good, but the writing might be amazing. There can be a time when the author is starting out immaturely and as time progresses, their writing improves a lot.
The reasons are numerous, let's say the author tries out a new genre. If I don't like the first installment at all of a series, I most likely don't bother with the next books, unless they're standalone novels. I also do check out the rest of the author's work.
Here are some authors whose work I previously did not like, but now I do.
The reasons are numerous, let's say the author tries out a new genre. If I don't like the first installment at all of a series, I most likely don't bother with the next books, unless they're standalone novels. I also do check out the rest of the author's work.
Here are some authors whose work I previously did not like, but now I do.
K.A Tucker: The covers of all of her books are STUNNING! She's an NA author. I didn't like Ten Tiny Breaths, it had one of the biggest cliche concepts I've read. I hated One Tiny Lie, it's just about cheating on two men. I LOVED Becoming Rain, it's one of the most unique Adult novels I've read- It's about a detective and a criminals romance, I like that she takes NA to a whole new level with an ACTUAL story,
Most NA novels are like this:
Good girl meets broken bad boy.
Bad boy hides secrets, good girl wants to know him.
They fall in love, he breaks and spills the secrets.
Add plot twist.
Heroine runs aways.
Add plot twist.
Heroine runs aways.
Bad boy "cries."
Then they finally get together.
THE END.
Becoming Rain was a refreshing novel, it's one of my newest favorites so K.A Tucker has a new fan now! I look forward to more of her work, my next read is Burying Water which is about a female who has amnesia.
Colleen Hoover: I didn't originally like CoHo's two novels Slammed and Hopeless. She's quite popular with NA though, and her writing is pretty amazing so I did check out her other novels. Slammed was boring; Hopeless was too intense, and it had a dumb heroine concept. I loved Maybe Someday, it was unique with it's musical touch. It's my second favorite novel. I LOVED Ugly Love, it's about a broken guy who doesn't let anyone in, the ending was too wholesome though. I know the concept of the book might seem typical but it's actually a wonderful story, he's not a bad guy though. It's the only CoHo book that has made me cry about three times, READ IT GUYS. It's my MOST favorite book of hers.
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Maybe not was pretty cute novella about two people who know what they want, it made me laugh. Never Never is a bit supernatural, I see more of Tarryn's work here then Colleen's, it's best to go blind as possible in this novel - the blurb offers nothing. Confess was a DISAPPOINTMENT, WHY COLLEEN?! Although, that is my favorite cover out of the bunch, do you peep the girl in there? It does have a wonderful concept of confessions made into an artwork and I loved Owen's character - I didn't like the insta love and the love triangle. I guess, now I'm back with the love/hate relationship with her books. I'm still going to read her next books, since I love more of her books than I actually dislike them. Let's see how November 9 turns out to be.
Now.. Here are authors that I'm waiting for to impress me.
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Stephanie Perkins: Anna and The French Kiss is one of the most hyped novels ever, but does it honestly deserve that? Anna complains about moving all the way to one of the MOST beautiful places in the world, Paris and she doesn't want to attend an elite boarding school, wow your life must be really miserable. It has a a cliche love triangle about cheating, and it makes the actual girlfriend look bad. No thanks. Lola and The Boy Next Door, well It's better than Anna's story - Once again it does have a love triangle, I didn't like it when they tried to make her boyfriend Matt look bad when he was actually a good guy. Hopefully with Isla and the Happily Ever After - the author can change my mind. I don't believe she can though.. Let's see. I probably won't bother with her books again if I dislike it.
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Rainbow Rowell: Uhmm.. Fangirl was boring, where was the actual story? Attachments had a great concept about a internet security guard reading a girl's emails and he falls in love, but I shelved it as DNF'ed, it lost the plot for me. Once again, it bored me. Eleanor & Park is a hyped novel, I honestly don't see anything unique about it, but I shall give it a try!
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John Green: I don't know why I'm even bothering with this author, I really don't understand why Green is so popular .
I haven't liked THREE of his books. Will Grayson, Will Grayson - Uhm.. cheesy concept, the plot wasn't interesting. Aaah, The Fault In Our Stars, I don't like this book, don't hate me. It's an ordinary love story about teenagers who use more formal words than me, it didn't interest me. I understand the disease aspect and appreciating life, but it didn't work for me. Looking for Alaska, it lost the plot for me towards the middle otherwise the beginning was good.. Paper Towns? Let's see. I like the movie trailer so far. If I don't like this one, I AM DONE.
What about you guys? Do you give authors another opportunity to change your mind?
- Shukran for reading this! Leave your blog links in the comments & I'll be sure to check them out & follow :) Stay in tuned pretty creatures..“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness.” —George R.R. Martin
femmmefatalee@gmail.com
Awesome post! Love it <3
ReplyDeleteHonestly, a lot of these books are so hyped up, I don't bother to pick most of them up. I am willing to give Colleen Hoover a chance though.
Thank you ♥ CoHo is a very talented author, I think you might like her.
DeleteGreat post. I actually haven't read any of Tuckers books, I have one to start... one day
ReplyDeleteI love Colleen Hoovers books, Although I haven't read the Slammed books. Hopeless was intense, loved Maybe Someday, and UGLY LOVE is my favourite too!! So much love for that book. Reading Confess now... a little confusing, getting into the thick of it now.. Just read the tent scene.
I wasn't impressed with Anna and the French Kiss... haven't read more.
Naomi @ Nomi’s Paranormal Palace
You should though, I do believe you might love Becoming Rain :)
DeleteConfess is strange I agree, too much insta love for my taste. Hopefully CoHo's next books are better! Thanks for dropping by ♥
I think it's always good to give authors more than one chance. I try to do it as well. I have read two John Green books - TFiOS and Looking for Alaska and didn't find anything special about either of them? I will be trying another one, Paper Towns and then I think I have my general verdict. But yes, everyone should have more opportunities to impress you, and it seems like this has worked in quite a few cases for you!
ReplyDeleteYes, I can't find seem to find a good John Green book, hopefully Paper Towns might wow me - if not, I'm not touching another work of this authors.
DeleteLovely post swty
ReplyDeleteCANDICE | BEAUTY CANDY LOVES
♡♡♡
Thanks ♥
DeleteI rarely give author a second chance after I ened up not liking or hating the first book I read but her/him. If it is author whom stories I enjoyed before but ended up being disappointed with their latest release, I would deifnitely give him/her second or third chance.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I also do not see anyhting special in books by John Green...
Yay, someone who isn't John Green's a fan! Thank you for dropping by ♥
DeleteInteresting discussion topic. I'm always willing to give an author a second chance, even if I didn't like something by them that I previously read. HOWEVER, if I try out 2-3 books and it still doesn't work, I'll probably give up on said author for good...unless something happens to change my mind, like a new book getting crazy hype and positive buzz. Sometimes when you read a book it might not be the right time for that particular book and you can end up not liking it because of that, so I do like to be fair...but if it consistently doesn't work out, it's time to move on I think :)
ReplyDeleteYes, that's true - the hype and buzz about some books gets to me sometimes too, and I usually don't end up liking them lol I don't know why I bother sometimes xD Thank you for your thoughts ♥
DeleteNooooooooooooooooooooo. I love Stephanie Perkins and John Green (okay I've only read TFiOS of his, but I own the rest) though it took me a while to get into Anna, since of her rather, uhm, over the top personality at times, but ending up loving it, though I do think you'll be disappointed in Isla (or maybe no? Since that's the one I least like, haha.) But I have, like with Jodi Meadows, I liked Incarnate but wasn't enough for me to finish the series, but read The Orphan Queen not so long ago and looooooooooooooooooved it. :)
ReplyDeleteAaaah, let's see! I might like Isla, I'M REALLY HOPING I DO. Omg I really want to read The Orphan Queen, I've heard so much praise about it so let's see how it works out for me :)
DeleteI do give authors a few chances. You never know. I didn't like several of Holly Black's books but loved The Darkest Part of the Forest. Same with Melissa Marr - didn't like her Fey series but I enjoyed Made for You. I try to read when they write another genre.
ReplyDeleteI have a harder time sticking with authors writing the same genre. Like Colleen Hoover - I haven't liked her books so far. So many of the NA's are same story - different characters - so I give up. Even if I liked the first few books I get bored with the repetitiveness.
And I didn't like Anna and the French Kiss either! I feel like I just found the only other person on the lane who felt that way lol
Karen @For What It's Worth
Usually authors writing from a different genre works out better for them - & YES<3 You're the second blogger I know who doesn't like Anna and The French Kiss hehe I'm so excited now :) Thanks for your thoughts Karen ♥
DeleteI like giving authors another opportunity, but more often then not I don't because of various reasons. If I really dislike a book it's hard to convince myself to spend money on another book by that same author. It also depends on what my issue was with the first book I read by that author and how big the chance is that those same issues will pla a part in the other books. I think it's great you still give authors so many opportunities and it really shows how you can dislike one book and love another book by the same author.
ReplyDeleteYes, sometimes it's mainly the hype of the books that causes me to check it out, other times it can be the writing. Thank you for your thoughts Lola♥
DeleteFault in Our Stars is the only book I have tried by Green and while I liked it, it didn't wow me or even make me cry as much as I thought it would.
ReplyDeleteIt is crazy how we can love a good and others hate it or vice versa.
I really hope the authors you are waiting to wow you do! I always give author's multiple opportunities as well to wow me, some never do but others surprise me once in a while.
I'm glad you could relate - I'm hoping so too, I like being surprised by authors :) Thank you for your thoughts ♥
DeleteThis is an awesome post. While I have always enjoyed Tucker her newest series beginning with Burying Water are brilliant..although I totally disagree with them on it being NA..it is more inline with the adult books I read. However if it gets NA readers exploring fresh content that woot! I have never tried Green. I usually give an author one or two tries, three if the third book looks different. Three books for a series and then I am out.
ReplyDeleteHmm, yes her new books have more of an adult voice to it, she still classifies herself as an NA author. A lot of people seem to like The Fault In Our Stars, maybe you might like that one? Thanks for your thoughts Kimba! ♥
DeleteI can't believe you hated TFiOS! Hoooowwwwww.... Lol I'm not big on second chances. Mostly because I'm an impatient reader so if I didn't like one book, I rarely try a second. Unless of course I completely forget I read something of theirs and pick up another one... this happens a lot LOL
ReplyDeleteLol I didn't hate it, it's a cute fluffy novel, but I just didn't like it </3
DeleteGreat post! I have to confess, I'm usually bad at giving authors more than one opportunity, but I DO believe that sometimes you write good stuff and sometimes you write bad stuff, and if you keep at it you develop as an author. Keeping that in mind, I should probably give books by authors I didn't enjoy previously a chance from time to time. I'm definitely more likely to try another book by an author who wrote a book I didn't enjoy, if it was the plot I had a problem with and not the writing, because the next book might have a phenomenal storyline AND good writing.
ReplyDeleteTo your actual examples.. I loved Fangirl, because I enjoyed the characters and that it talked a little about social anxiety and introvert vs extrovert people. I agree that it's not for people who need a lot of suspense and plot, because it mostly feels like an excerpt out of someone's life rather than a structured story. I thought Eleanor and Park was good in some parts, but I didn't love it. I haven't read any of her other books. I have yet to read anything by Colleen Hoover or K.A. Tucker (the blurbs don't really intrigue me much). I liked Anna and the French Kiss for its atmosphere and fluffiness, but I agree with you on the things you didn't like, and I haven't read the sequels. I like John Green, but I also see why you wouldn't. Paper Towns is my favorite book by him by far, so I hope you enjoy it if you decide to read it!
Thank you Vlora ♥ I agree, sometimes the plot might not be as good, but the writing can be amazing - thank you for sharing your thoughts.
DeleteI'm hoping I do like John Green's Paper Towns, it's next on my TBR once I find the time lol. You should try Ugly Love and Maybe Someday by CoHo and Becoming Rain by K.A Tucker is amazing as well, hope you find the time to check out these reads :)
I couldn't agree more about the hype surrounding John Green, really. If you've read one John Green, you've basically read them all. I've tried all these authors, but the most disappointing one for me was KA Tucker. Her One Tiny Lie was bland and typical NA, but the fact that you thought the same but the fact that you loved Becoming Rain gives me hope to give her another go. Lovely post Benish <3
ReplyDeleteBecoming Rain was really different from her previous work, I really liked it :) & Yep, don't agree with the hype about John Green. His writing bores me to death .. Thank you for your thoughts though ♥
DeleteJohn Green is one of the author's whose hype I just do not understand. Sure TFIOS, was good but it wasn't stellar. Actually take away the cancer and it's just okay.
ReplyDeleteAnyway I decided to give Colleen Hoover another chance. I read her book, Hopeless, and I wasn't really excited about it all. I bought Ugly Love although I haven't read it yet. I'm hoping it redeems my faith in her because she's such a sweet lady. Great post!
YES, I'm so with you on that one! I didn't find TFIOS that special, it reminded me a bit of The Notebook - & Hopeless was kinda too intense for me .. Ugly Love is amazing, hope you end up liking this one :)
DeleteSometimes I do! I ended up reading a novella by Tawny Weber that was sort of middle of the road as far as a book goes. But then I requested a Harlequin book because it sounded good (while not realizing it was the same author) and it was AMAZING. I became hooked on the series and couldn't stop reading them. So, there's definitely a lot to be said about giving authors 2nd and 3rd chances. At least for me, if I'm not into the book, I start skimming, so I'm not losing much reading time if it's not good. :P
ReplyDeleteAha I agree with you, I start skimming sometimes as well when the book gets too boring or lengthy, thank you for the thoughts & I'm glad you found a series that you could enjoy! ♥
DeleteWonderful post! I like to try authors more than once for sure. Writing styles can change from book to book or series, and if one does not work out for me I still will keep the author in mind when something new is being published. Also, timing is a big factor in my reading. Sometimes I wait for the moment when I really want to read that book. Sometimes that means after all the hype is settled, and I can simply enjoy it- for me :)
ReplyDeleteI agree, the writing style can change overtime by the author - Thank you for dropping by and giving your thoughts ♥
DeleteI sometimes do give multiple opportunities to wow me, but the books have to be different enough to give me a fresh start
ReplyDeleteMissie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
Yes, the story lines have to be more unique than the previous ones - thanks for dropping by <3
DeleteI quite enjoyed K.A. Tucker's Ten Tiny Breaths series. Give me all the cliches and cheese that comes with NA, I live off that stuff lol ;D I'm so happy to know you loved Maybe Someday!!!! It's the only CoHo book I've read so far, BUT I LOVE IT SO MUCH. Tbh though, I don't think I've gone back to reading books by an author I initially disliked. It may be because there are so many other books I want to try haha. Great post, Benish! :)
ReplyDeleteAaahh, we're complete opposites in that department then - I loved Maybe Someday and Ugly Love from CoHo's books! Thank you for sharing your thoughts <3
DeleteI loved Tucker and Hoover right away but I have given an author another chance. I often don't regret it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your thoughts Jennifer! ❤️
DeleteI agree with you, Benish. I like giving authors chances, but if it still doesn't do anything to me, I stop.
ReplyDeleteWell, personally, I have loved every Jonh Green book that I have read, so no comments there, but my situation concerning Colleen Hoover is the opposite of yours! I loved Slammed and Hopeless, but I did not finish her Maybe Someday, which is why I never even bothered reading Ugly Love. Recently, I read Confess, and it was okay, not as great as her previous books. I read Anna and Lola few years ago when I used to love those kind of romances. Now, not so much. As for the other authors and books you've mentioned, I haven't read them, so I cannot comment.
Anyway, I'd like to say that it's nice to give authors chances as it actually helps us readers. Sometimes a book rocks, sometimes it doesn't, but we wouldn;t really know it till we read the book. When many stories by the same author start to get all same old same old for me, that's when I give up.
This was a great and highly insightful post!
Sarika @ The Readdicts
Thank you for dropping by & sharing your thoughts Sarika <3
DeleteAahh.. We're complete opposites in that area then. I haven't found a book of John Green's that I have actually liked - I'm looking forward to reading Paper Towns though, I did like the trailer of the movie, it does sound like a cute and fluffy novel. Here's to hoping, let's see!
I think it's a good idea to give authors second chances. I like to think of it this way; I'd personally hate it if a person was to read one of my posts, dislike it, and then make an immediate judgement of my entire blog.
ReplyDeleteHowever, not every author will be to everyone's taste; there comes a point when even after reading every single one of their books, you mightn't like them because they're just not your style.
May I also add that I love both your blog's design and your writing style!!
Kate x
www.theteenaspect.blogspot.co.uk
Aw thank you so much for dropping by Kate with your kind comments - I agree the valid point you made relating to disliking a blog post! I'm glad you could relate though, I would dislike that as well. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, your blog is lovely as well - hope to see you around sometime :)
DeleteI do usually give another opportunity, unless there was something about the writing itself that I knew I was never going to connect to (in this case, usually that means it was quite bad). But there are quite a few books that I really was NOT a fan of the story, but I would absolutely give the author another chance, because maybe that particular book just wasn't for me. Also, I am scared about Rainbow Rowell, and sad about John Green ;)
ReplyDeleteShannon @ It Starts At Midnight
Yay, I'm glad you could relate! :) let's see how John Green works in my favor, I like the concept of Paper Towns though.
DeleteI've just started trying NA books, and luck for me you've given me a great list to pick through. I've read all Rainbow Rowell's books (loved Fangirl,so there's that) and only Ten Tiny Breaths otherwise. And it was not good. I'm going to have to try Becoming Rain because it sounds interesting with the whole crime aspect to it! And I will check out Colleen Hoover -- cautiously. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for dropping by Anne - I would really recommend checking out Becoming Rain, Maybe Someday, Ugly Love, Unravel, Mud Vein, Deeper, and The Edge of Never for NA books! Happy reading :)
DeleteAwesome post! You're so right about the majority of New Adult books all having the same plot. I too usually give an author around 2-3 tries before I just give up, unless it's a series and I don't like the first book. I'm sorry to hear you didn't like Fangirl, I hope you enjoy Eleanor and Park! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for dropping by Katie - I usually don't like New Adult books although I do love that genre itself. I hope I do like Eleanor & Park! :)
DeleteTotally understand about Colleen Hoover. I've only read two of the Slammed books but I didn't want to read any more. Julie Kagawa is another author I've read two Times and felt... Meh. I didn't enjoy Fangirl all that much, but I loved Eleanor & Park.
ReplyDeleteI thought Anna was so whiny! Getting sent to Paris? I want that punishment!
Anyways I like giving authors another try, as long as it's within a different genre or series so I can't comprare their work to something I disliked from them in the first place.
Yay, I'm glad we have similiar tastes in books - Maybe Someday and Ugly Love was enjoyable though. Those are my favorite books of Colleen Hoover.
DeleteAnna was really annoying agreed.. I didn't like Lola much either. Thank you for dropping by and sharing your thoughts.
Great discussion idea!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read most of those books/authors before so I cannot comment on them. If you'd asked me a month ago, I'd say I never give second chances. My TBR is just too big for that. But then I realized something the other day. A novel I loved and gave 5 stars to, is the second novel I read by the author. The first was eh. But if I never gave second chances, I'd have missed out on a book I loved.
So I think I've decided. I have several triggers that can make me put down a book and walk away. (Since I usually suffer through it because I need answers, that's saying something.) If a book touches one of those triggers, that's it. No more chances. But if the book just wasn't my thing, but there was something I liked or really loved about it (world building, characters, writing style) then second chances can be rewarding.
Dreams @ Once Upon A Dream Books
Thank you for your dropping by and sharing your thoughts! <3
DeleteAnd I agree with you - there had to be something about the authors previous work in order for me to give them another chance. It's usually the writing or overall plot that is liked about the book. I'm glad you found a gem of a book when the authors previous work didn't work for you!
Interesting post, Benish! Although I do have to agree with you when it comes to Stephani Perkins' books. It sounds way too fluffy for me and promoting cheating in the first book would leave a bitter taste in my mouth. I mean, seriously, the love interest cheats on his girlfriend and keeps emotionally manipulating the heroine and the heroine still loves him in the end?! That's just a load of bull, man!
ReplyDeleteI generally give authors a chance. I know authors grow over time - their tastes, their preferences on what to write, and their writing - and that in and of itself gives them the benefit of the doubt. I've read books and hated, only to love an author's work later (like Richelle Mead... I didn't like her VA only to love her Age of X series!)
Faye at The Social Potato
Thank you Faye ♥
DeleteYES, another person who can relate to me about Stephanie Perkins! I found her to be an overrated author though, but let's see maybe I might like the last book? & Anna was really annoying! The cheating aspects weren't needed .. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, I love Richelle Mead - her new series Soundless is coming out :)
OH yes I definitely give authors another opportunity, kind of. Well it mostly depends on what my friends think of them and the reviews I've been seeing. I definitely need to read something by CoHo and also by K.A. Tucker. Becoming Rain sounds awesome! I'm not too well-versed in NA, so I'm still trying to discover what I like in that genre.
ReplyDeleteBecoming Rain is a pretty amazing book - It's something unique in NA. I hope you do enjoy it as much as I have though ♥
DeleteI'll definitely give an author multiple chances - I don't know exactly how many, but I don't assume that if I don't enjoy a book that I won't enjoy the author in the future (unless the writing is just plain bad - then I MIGHT try the author again for a later book, but I'm more leery).
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Thank you for your thoughts Nicole ♥
DeleteGreat post! I do like to give authors a second chance, or even a third chance. There's always that chance that it was the story rather than the author that did not grip you. Or I find that if I can't stand the main character, the story won't work for me. I also agree on Anna & Isla not being that impressive. Okay, so I did give Anna a high rating because it was cute and fluffy, but I definitely had some qualms with the cheating and us not being supposed to like the girlfriend. Same for Isla -- I liked her boyfriend, and then all of a sudden he turned into a douche so we can hate him.
ReplyDeleteThank you Inge for your thoughts ♥ & YES, I'm glad you could relate :) I'm not a fan of Anna and The French Kiss, I don't think it's meant to be with her books </3 Let's see how the last installment turns out with Isla.
DeleteI usually stop after about three books. I don't understand the hype about Stephenie Perkins either, Anna and the French Kiss was a train wreck and don't let me even begin to talk about Mr Manic Pixie Love Interest John Green. I can't with his pretentiousness.
ReplyDelete