Monday, June 9, 2014

Do you give Authors second chances?



I just finished Where'd you go Bernadette by Maria Semple.  It is for a book club meet up in person next week.  I have only been once as a guest and they have invited me to join.  I was excited until I heard the book chosen, sigh.  I tried to read Maria Semple's first This One is Mine and it was a DNF, I could not get into it at all and it wasn't a mood issue.  Well..... talk about a comeback, I loved this one, look out for review this week.

So it got me thinking, I wonder if I should change my reading strategy and give authors a second chance.  If I try a new author to me, not necessarily a debut author and I DNF, I have never gave them another chance.  I have the point, far to many books, not enough hours and days to have considered this.  But now, I think I may just change my mind.  I felt obligated to read Where'd you go Bernadette and am so thankful, I haven't laughed at a book like I did in years, it was refreshing.

The strategy I have had is put the book down and come back to it later, usually at the end of the next book or even months later.  The success for this has been minimum, maybe 2 books and the successful ones, it was my mood that was the issue, not the writing, over description, unlikable characters, etc. but maybe the idea is to pick up another book by them all together and consider the first a write off should be my new strategy.

So do you give authors a second chance?

Out of these authors, which one do you recommend I give another chance?  These were DNF for me but I have considered trying again.

Audrey Niffenegger



I tortured myself at least 4 times trying with this one.  I did watch the movie and liked it, not great but ok.  So would you recommend I try her newest......



Liane Moriarty



I really tried the Husband's Secret and considered going back but i'm over it.  I fell for the hype and just can't go back to this one.  So which one would you recommend now?

Ellen Hopkins


Verse Novels became a simple pleasure, the YA I enjoyed and then Ellen Hopkins released an Adult one. I was excited for this one.   I didn't enjoy the characters, it just didn't work for me.

I did read Crank and thought it was ok, should I continue on?


I look forward to your opinions and strategies regarding giving authors a second chance.


Thanks for visiting Tea Time with Marce

Posted by at

21 comments:

  1. https://booksthoughtsadventures.comJune 9, 2014 at 7:31 PM

    I do! I really do!

    ReplyDelete
  2. bermudaonionJune 9, 2014 at 8:06 PM

    I try to give authors second chances. For Liane Moriarity, I suggest trying What Alice Forgot but keep in mind that it takes a little while to get into it. I've read 2 of Ellen Hopkins' YA books and 2 of her adult books and I preferred the YA books.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MarceJune 9, 2014 at 8:26 PM

      Thanks Kathy, I may give Ellen another try, glad to hear you enjoyed the YA more also.

      Will consider What Alice Forgot, a friend is reading it now actually - from the bookclub.

      Delete
  3. TPJune 9, 2014 at 10:11 PM

    Ooh give The Time Traveler's Wfe a second chance :-) I rarely give 2nd chances, but it takes a lot for me to give up on a books. I mean, I'll read it for months before I finally say enough is enough.

    Tanya Patrice
    Girlxoxo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MarceJune 9, 2014 at 10:55 PM

      Oh Tanya, I gave TTTW a few chances, minimum of 4, just can't do it. I do think I will give the author another chance with the other book though.

      Delete
  4. Nise' June 9, 2014 at 10:42 PM

    I do give authors a second chance, especially if I have liked their work in the past. A few times I could not get into a book and picked it up on audio and loved it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MarceJune 9, 2014 at 10:59 PM

      Nise, I have tried audio and I just tune out, so audio is not for me, lol

      Delete
  5. Tales of WhimsyJune 9, 2014 at 11:43 PM

    I liked What Alice Forgot.

    I hated The Time Traveler's Wife, so I probably won't try her latest.

    I sometimes give authors a second chance, but I admit - I do have my reservations. It requires great reviews and I'll probably try it from the library or sample it for free from Amazon.

    Good question!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MarceJune 10, 2014 at 8:11 AM

      Great reviews are usually what gets me in the mess, lol, the hype makes me excited to try something out of my norm. We will see Juju.....

      Delete
  6. guiltlessreaderJune 9, 2014 at 11:46 PM

    I always give authors a second chance. Sometimes it's not the author, it's the timing of the read, it's the weather, it's your mood ... you get it, there are just too many factors that can affect whether a read is good or not.

    :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MarceJune 10, 2014 at 8:12 AM

      I am a mood reader, so I totally get it. With my choices I do not think it was that though. I would say I considered it bad writing or a style I don't enjoy - over descriptive writing.

      Delete
  7. Paula CalvanicoJune 9, 2014 at 11:47 PM

    I have no problem giving authors second chances :) I'm on an e-library book waiting list for the Husbands Secret, t sounded really good. I have Her Fearful Symmetry on my bookshelf. If you wanna do a duo reading, I'll give it a go with you :)

    Paula

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MarceJune 10, 2014 at 8:13 AM

      Ohhhhh duo read would be great with you Paula. As much as I love your venting reviews I would hope we both enjoy it, lol. We will have to set a date - late July/Aug?

      Delete
    2. Paula CalvanicoJune 10, 2014 at 12:17 PM

      That sounds great! Especially since my book club takes July off :)

      Delete
  8. MysticaJune 10, 2014 at 12:08 AM

    I found Semple very difficult to finish and I doubt I will read another! but Moriarity was good for me!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MarceJune 10, 2014 at 8:14 AM

      Mystica, I wonder which one? Her first was a DNF for me so I'm shocked I really enjoyed Bernadette.

      Delete
  9. Sue JacksonJune 10, 2014 at 5:34 PM

    Wow...The Time Traveler's Wife was one of my all-time favorite books! In fact, I;m upset because someone borrowed my copy and didn't return it (lost now I think), and I really wanted to read it again. I just loved it and couldn't put it down.

    As for Her Fearful Symmetry...meh. It was OK. I did finish it and didn't hate it or anything - just didn't love it. My expectations were high after her first. It is TOTALLY different so maybe you'll like it! lol

    Sue

    2014 Big Book Summer Challenge

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MarceJune 10, 2014 at 7:32 PM

      Funny enough, I have heard if you didn't enjoy TTTW you will enjoy HFS, so this is probably going to be my second try :-) lol

      Delete
  10. Stacy at The Novel LifeJune 10, 2014 at 10:48 PM

    that's ironic that the very authors you mentioned are ones I have had to set aside myself. It's weird. My daughter LOVES Ellen Hopkins, everything she's written, but I've never been able to get into her writing. I think I'm one of those that will give an author a second chance but forget a third go round!

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousJune 14, 2014 at 2:09 AM

    I do believe in giving author's second chances, but it takes something impressive for me to give them a third. I read Her Fearful Symmetry. It was good, but not great. I was going to England the next month, though, so it was cool reading about of Highgate Cemetery.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lady BibliophileJune 17, 2014 at 4:58 PM

    I truly enjoyed The Husband's Secret! It has a fascinating twist.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting Tea Time with Marce, I appreciate your comments. I have decided to make this an Award Free Zone, thank you for thinking of me but I prefer comments and do my best to be a good networking blogging friend also.

If you are a new follower, please tell me so I can come visit also.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)