Hey bookworm friends, I’ve been checking my progress on this year’s reading goals and I’m not doing too hot. I’ve achieved my ‘Read 5 Historical Fiction or Romance‘ goal twice over, but the rest have been neglected. To get a bit more organized, I’ve updated my ‘Series Tracker’ spreadsheet and lately, I’ve been more strict with DNF-ing series. Some of these have been marked as ‘Ongoing’ for years but it’s time to be brutally honest with myself; I don’t think I’ll ever finish them! In this post I’ll share 10 Series I’m Giving Up On and why.
Disclaimer: these are just my opinions and not objective facts. If I hate a book other readers love it’s not a personal judgement of them. We all look for different things in books and I have no patience for shaming people for their reading preferences.
Fantasy
The Queen’s Thief – Megan Whalen Turner│Read up to book 1 (The Thief)
The first book didn’t engage me enough to want to continue. I’ve heard it gets better but I don’t want to bother 🤷♀️.
⟡
Earthsea Cycle – Ursula K. Leguin │Read book 1 & book 5
I liked Tales From Earthsea more than the first book and I was expecting to love it. Like, I enjoyed it and I appreciate how seminal it is for the genre, it just didn’t speak to my soul.
⟡
Wings of Fire – Tui. T. Sutherland │Read book 1, DNF’d book 2
Book 2’s protagonist, Tsunami the SeaWing is annoying and I was simply not prepared to hear more from her.
⟡
All of Us Villains – Amanda Foody & C.L. Herman │Read up to book 1 (All of Us Villains)
I started off loving it and it quickly went downhill, so many of the choices the authors made didn’t make any sense to me (in terms of magic, plot, and character motivations).
⟡
Great Cities – N. K. Jemisin │ Read up to book 1 (The City We Became)
I liked the cultural commentary but the tone of this story wasn’t my vibe and I don’t care enough about the city of New York.
Sci-Fi
Silo – Hugh Howey │Read up to book 1 (Wool)
Wool was a favourite but I never continued. Recently I reread it, intending to finish the series, but then I learned the author posted a misogynist rant years ago and my intense disappointment soured those plans.
⟡
Oblivion Song – Robert Kirkman │ Read up to volume 4
This was a fun graphic novel series but I read it a while ago and kind of forgot about it. I do remember some of the questions got answered and there wasn’t enough intrigue left to keep me coming back.
⟡
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street – Natasha Pulley │ Read up to book 1(Watchmaker of Filigree Street)
I spent a lot of time feeling annoyed without fully being able to put my finger on it; I’m pretty sure Natasha Pulley’s writing style is not for me.
⟡
MaddAddam – Margaret Atwood│ Read up to book 1 (Oryx and Crake)
I enjoyed this book and liked the ending so I decided to treat it as a standalone. The second book’s focus moves on to something else anyway and I didn’t want to read more in this world.
⟡
Uglies – Scott Westerfeld │ Read up to book 4 (Specials)
I read this series about 15-12 years ago and do not remember what was going on. It’s too much effort to reread 4 books to catch up and I’m not in a dystopian mood anymore. I may watch the show when it comes out though!
And there you have it, 10 Series I’m Giving Up On. It feels good to move on and make room for new ones! I know some of my decisions are positively sacrilegious; hopefully, I didn’t offend anyone too badly 😂.
I’ll be linking up this post at Book Worms Monthly with At Home A Lot. It’s a monthly linky event where we can share our bookish content, up to 4 posts per month. Reviews, reading lists, interviews…Anything book-related is allowed. Come join in on the fun!
Let’s chat in the comments!
How do you keep track of your reading? What are any series you’ve given up on?
I’ve thought about the “City we Became” but haven’t ever tried it properly.
To the question…I keep a big list on my blog, of course, as well as an Excel spreadsheet that tracks categories, that sort of thing. I mostly use it to create my end-year statistics — fiction versus nonfiction, genre breakdown, etc. Once a month I also update goodreads. I should do that more often, but I most often do blog stuff at work, and our filter breaks goodreads. When I’m home I never think about it, or I’m doing something more interesting like watching videos!
Trying to think of series I’ve quit on….I know one of the Riordan series, in part because his structure was so formulatic (“Hey, kid! There’s a chaos monster that will destroy the universe in three weeks at the equinox/solstice! You have to hike across the country with your two friends, not get killed, and then somehow destroy the chais monster!). I also stopped a Star Trek series (Department of Temporal Investigation) because as much as I like the author (Christopher l Bennett), they were too technical and weird for me.
Ah okay, yes the City We Became is the only book I’ve read by N.K. Nemisin so far but I want to try others I think I might like better, I think my issue is with the tone of the story itself, not the author’s writing style.
You have a lot of the same methods I do, GoodReads and Spreadsheets! I used to write a list in a notebook but generating my end of year stats manually was exhausting and I realized it was a terrible idea 😂 I guess I’ll have to include my bookstagram because I have been posting my monthly wrap-ups on there. Hmm yeah, I can see the job filter being really annoying. I mean fair, I guess you have other interests too 😜 I update my GR almost reflexively after each read, otherwise I will most certainly forget hehe.
I love the Riordan books I’ve read but your critique is extremely accurate and fair, that’s exactly it hahah. Too bad that didn’t work out but there are SO many Star Trek books that now you have time for other ones instead 👍
Hahah, yes. Definitely no shortage of ST books, even if they stopped publishing them tomorrow.
I’ve only read two of the series you’ve mentioned here: All Of Us Villians which I loved (although given your experience with book one I can’t see the sequel winning you over, especially as even though I loved it I did think some of the aftermath was glossed over) and Uglies which I’ve read the same amount, and probably roughly same time ago, as you. I probably will still read the later installments, but it won’t be particularly soon. And I saw a trailer earlier and definitely want to watch the show which I somehow didn’t know about 🙈
I’m kind of worried about Queens Thief now as I’ve been desperate to read that for years. But then if our thoughts differed for Villians maybe they will there too. Your Natasha Pulley experience is worrying too as I’ve been meaning to check something by her out for ages. Although I liked a short story that she wrote and know a few readers who love her and have had mixed experiences with some of her books so I guess I’ll have to wait and see how I get on.
A few others are on my TBR too but the main one is Earthsea. I didn’t know there was a Tales one within that series. Is it actually short stories from the world as the title makes me think?
I understand your reasoning for these series and think sometimes dropping them is definitely for the best as it’s impossible to read everything. Hopefully you’ll get to some of the series still on your list soon and love them. Also good luck with your goals.
I post my reviews on Goodreads and have a draft post that is a list of what Ive read the last few years which I’m using mostly to keep track of where ive posted my reviews. I have a sequel list for when new books are releasing too but other than that I mostly keep track by memory 😅 although I do have a post coming soon about which series I’m priorising.
Series I’ve given up on are Forest Of Good & Evil and Skeleton Keepers. I’ve only read book one in both but they definitely weren’t for me. Which is so frustrating as I thought they’d be favourites 🙈
Oh I am glad you loved All of Us Villains because it started off so strong and I totally believed I was gonna love it and I felt so disappointed when I didn’t so I’m glad you had the opposite experience.
Yeah I watched the trailer for the Uglies tv show yesterday and I’ll probably watch it out of curiosity and for the nostalgia lol.
Well it seems I am in the minority in not liking The Queen’s Thief, I know it has a lot of hard-core fans so don’t let my comments dissuade you from trying it. If you think it’s for you it probably is! I just think Natasha Pulley’s style is unique enough that it’s more polarizing but if you like what she does it might feel like something new and different! I know so far our book tastes have been pretty similar but I’m also certain we have a lot of differences too so I would say don’t let my list put you off. 🥰
Yes the Tales from Earthsea is short stories and I’m actually SO surprised that I liked that one more because strangely I read it first and connected with it more than I did with the full length novel!
Yeah honestly a lot of the times when I decide not to finish a series it doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it, It just means I’ve realized how limited reading time is 🤣😭
Thanks I clearly need to get my butt into gear, lol
Oh wow that’s pretty impressive that you can mostly remember what you read In your memory! Can’t wait to see your priority series post :D!! I had not heard of either of the series you gave up on, too bad they didn’t work out for you though! I hope you find a new fav one soon to cheer you up 😉
I’m so sorry that it ended up like that for you. It must have been so frustrating. Have you read anything else by either author?
I hope we both end up enjoying the show then 🤞 I love dystopians so I can’t resist it 😂
I know it’s pretty popular but I’ve actually only seen it mentioned a handful of times since I started blogging 🤔 one of those times was about how good book two is though so I’m hopeful. Some authors do tend to have styles like that so it’ll be interesting to see how I find it. And so true, it would be weird if we felt the same about everything 😂
Ooh that actually really intrigues me. It’s a shame to hear about your struggles with the full length novel but I love those kind of collections linked to fantasy worlds.
Tbh I should probably do it more given those time struggles. Atm I’ve mostly just put some on hold 😂
Aww I’m sure you’re doing better than you think. At least you’ve been enjoying your reading.
I’ve probably forgotten a lot 😂 and thank you 🥰 aww thanks, both of those were a while ago so it’s not too bad. I’m just relieved I didn’t buy the sequel to the forest one as the dialogue was making me cringe.
Oh well, it’s alright. No I haven’t read anything else by either author but I don’t think I will.
Yes I hope we both like the show!
Hm interesting that you say that, because I haven’t seen it mentioned in many blogs either but I see it a lot more on bookstagram so who knows lol. Either way I hope it goes better for you if you try it & Yes it would be very weird indeed 😂 What makes talking about books so fun is the variety of opinions!
Yes I like short stories in fantasy worlds because it really expands on the world-building a lot and makes it feel like a breathing and busy world!
Well putting something on hold can help too 🙂
Thanks and yes you’re right I have been enjoying most of my reading and that’s what counts!
haha yes good thing you didn’t spend more $ on cringey dialogue, that seems terrible haha 😂
I’ve only read one other by Christine Lynn Herman so far and really wasn’t a fan of it. I own another series by her so I’m kind of hoping it was just a weak book.
Oh I’ve never seen it on there but I havent used it lately to be fair. I really will get my account up and running again soon. Thank you and very true.
That’s a good point. It can make them feel more alive almost.
I can’t believe I wasted money on the first one 🙈 but oh well, I guess you can’t like every book.
OH I didn’t know that was her full name! It took me a while to figure out who you were talking about hahah 😂 I’m hoping C. L.’s other series is one you like!
haha that’s fair, maybe it’s just in my circles but yeah I see it relatively often. No worries, whenever it feels right for you since it is time consuming!
haha that’s true, you really can’t like every book that’s just a risk we take when we pick up books 😆😂
Oh lol sorry. And thank you. Hopefully 🤞
I’m sure its just where I haven’t used it much in ages. That’s true, it does take longer than you’d expect. I forgot how frustrating it can be trying to get a picture right too.
I guess the bright side is that getting rid of it will give me space for something better 😂
Ahaha no worries, I learned something 🙂
Yes lol, I feel like since I started my blog my content creation efforts have been turned to here but I do try to remind myself to post on IG too when I can.
That’s a very good point, it feels nice to make space for new books! lol
I hope you manage to keep up with both. I’m looking forward to checking your page out on there properly sometime too. Atm my plan is to tackle my library stack then start to get my Instagram going again.
Those sound like very good goals and I will be cheering for you ! 📣Go, You!!📣
Thank you 🥰🥰
Even N.K. Jemisin gave up on the Great Cities! It was supposed to be a trilogy but she cut it short because reality was getting too close to fiction. The second book was a hard read for me because it was too much like reading the news, but with some eldritch horror thrown in. I gave up on Oryx and Crake too, I started reading The Year of the Flood but wasn’t feeling it. I read a couple of the Uglies books. I don’t think I purposefully gave up but like you said, I’ve not got much interest in returning to them now.
Oh really? I did not know that! But yeah I can see that, the world out there is positively dystopian! That’s tough, because I did like the commentary that was inherently included in the story but your comment just makes me glad I didn’t continue on.
I just feel like Oryx and Crake works so well by itself and I didn’t care about the premise of The Year of the Flood, truly all your comments are making me feel so seen 😆😉
For the reasons been saying I am no longer particularly interested in reading dystopians in general even though it seems like they are coming back in style again.
Giving up on a series that isn’t working for you can be such a freeing feeling!
It really does feel so good! haha
HI!!!!! It’s me April! (alibraryinapril) I had no idea you had a blog until mid-July, I have a lot of posts to catch up on!! Anyway, yes I totally get what you mean, I’m having to not be so hard on myself trying to finish every book I start, DNF’ing is okay!! especially since reading is supposed to be for fun.
I had never heard of the Uglies until I saw the announcement for the new show, I’ve seen a lot of people not too excited about the choice in cast.
I had also originally planned to read All of Us Villains, but I haven’t bought it yet, and time keeps passing and more and more books keep being released. There is not enough time, so I’m most likely just gonna drop it. lol😅
OMG HI, APRIL! 😄 wait you have a blog too? I’ll have to go check it out too! Haha yes I have more recently begun to be shameful about DNF’ing, I used to never be like that when I was younger haha.
Oh really? I have not really heard many people say anything at all but I like Joey King. I don’t know about anyone else but I don’t really mind, I guess I’ll have to make up my own mind if and when I see it.
Ahaha yeah alas, that is how time works just keeps passing…so rude 😅☹ I feel like I’m the minority for not liking All of Us Villains not gonna lie lol. But fair enough we have to use our reading time wisely haha
I think it can be hard to stick with a series. I’m currently loving three different crime series by Val McDermid and have read the entire Rebus series by Ian Rankin (24 books), after initially giving up after the first six.
I read one Jack Reacher (Lee Child) and swore I wouldn’t read another, but then I read one much later in the series and it was much better!
I didn’t realise Oryx and Crake was part of a series. I read it many years ago and found it a bit odd!
It can be hard especially when there are so many ones to try! 24 books is an impressive commitment to a series, I love that even if I’m sure it took some time to get there!
Haha oh wow I’m glad the second Jack Reacher was better than expected.
Yeah it is but I don’t feel it really needs to be, it is odd but the kind of odd I appreciated lol.