Welcome to Tuesday Book Chat.
This is where we encourage book lovers to answer our bookish question of the week. As we are a faith-based group the questions refer mainly to Christian fiction or non-fiction.
Today’s question is:
Do you read multi author series?
We look forward to hearing your thoughts. Please join in the conversation by commenting on this post or on the blog post shared in our Australasian Christian Writers Facebook Group. Remember to comment today on Tuesday Book Chat to enter the giveaway.
Let’s chat!
The simple answer is Yes. I have read a few really good ones. Years back Darlene Franklin, Vickie McDonough and Susan Page Davis had a series Texas Trails which had 6 books in it which I really enjoyed. Love inspired normally have a 6 book series for the Love inspired and Love inspired Suspense line and use to be 3 in the Love inspired Historical line. I read a couple of the LIH books. Also at least 2 of the LI sets. With the sets I read they could be stand alone but there was a mystery that carried through all books.
I did read the Easter in Gilead series which included a book by Narelle Atkins. It only had 4 book which made it easy to read. Although each book had its own story reading each book made the whole series much better as it featured an event and each book had a different perspective. My thinking is a multi author series needs more than just a location to make it a series. There needs to be some connectivity to the books otherwise its just a bunch of authors writing about the same location and they become stand alone books where I can pick and choose.
Other multi author series I may have started strong but fallen behind. The main reason is often the books come out to close together for me to keep up. I use to read a lot more books but now a good month I read up to 4 books some months as little as 1. I like the series that are 2 – 3 months apart.
Your turn.
I look forward to reading your comments here or at the FB group.
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I’ve read a few series over the years, mostly crime fiction. If I love the first book I’ll keep reading. It’s handy when authors offer their first book free or at a discount so you can test the waters before deciding whether to purchase the rest.
I’ve started a cozy mystery series by our own Susan J Bruce (Ruthless-the-Killer Aussie mystery series). She’s including a mystery that carries through the series as well as a romance. You might like that one, Jenny.
I’m also enjoying our Adam David Collings’ sci-fi Jewel of the Stars series. I like a good sci-fi every now and then. It was my favourite genre as a young person.
Hi Suzie I have read lots of series by one author which are easier to follow.
This is more multi or a series written by several authors. Think Trinity Lakes. Although maybe not the best example as while some books are very clearly link a few are very much stand alone. Guideposts do series where its the same characters but the books are written by different authors. I was reading one series on Kindle Unlimited on a trial but didn’t finish well the trial ended and more books are coming out.
Haha, I read that wrong then didn’t I? My apologies for not reading the question properly!
The answer to that question then is no, I can’t say I have read multi-author series. I might give it a try if I found something I thought I’d like.
I tend to stick to series with one author because I like that author’s style.
Thats ok I think there is one about single person series coming up. I did like the guidepost ones to expensive to buy but a trial of KU works. they do it differently with same main character and you can see the different writing styles which stopped me partly. while they are still good the different styles can be distinct. If it was different chracters (ie. one does zoe, the next does zoes mother or sister or friend etc) I would handle it much better.
Interesting question about multi-author series! There are so many good ones out there on my radar, but I haven’t managed to keep up. I’ve never read every single book in a multi-author series, unfortunately. I’ll often read one or two and then fall behind with the other books on my TBR. I think it’s an advantage when they can be read as stand-alones.
I’m like you but may get a little further than you. I find if they are like a normal series I will keep up. I know some where they will have 6 that are linked but the following year they are not as linked. I am think Chaple Cove, Arcadia Valley. They will then often be marketed in as a set by the author. One recent series I was reading I was doing well then there was a book that was almost the same trope as the previous one and a trope I am not as big a fan off it it really pulled me out of the series. thankfully the next book was good but it did make me less wanting to keep reading.
Not often. These days they are generally only offered as eBooks, and, since I only read print books, I can’t get them to read. In the past if I did read them there were generally one or two in the series that I really liked and at least one that I didn’t.
Thats true. I know the guidepost or Annies Corner books are print but so much dearer in Australia. the Love Inspired ones often are available although i was reading a series set in Texas and got all but one book. I know the Trinity Lakes books are in print but being in print makes them very expensive. and I agree there is often one or two in a series that isn’t as good or is a trope I don’t like. I know a recent novella book I read there was one novella that was not up to the standard of the other ones.
Hi Jenny, Thanks for mentioning the books in the Easter in Gilead series that are connected via a Passion Play. We intentionally connected our individual Easter in Gilead books to one of our current (or future) single author series. My book, Her Cowboy Blind Date, is connected to my Sydney Sweethearts series. This means the Easter in Gilead books may not always be grouped together as a series at Amazon. It’s not unusual for multi author series to be grouped together for a season.
Apart from the multi-author series I’ve been involved in writing, I don’t tend to read every single book in a multi author series unless I’m absolutely in love with the series story world.
Romance multi author series can typically be read as standalone books, although the smart authors don’t advertise the books as standalones. Ideally, the authors in a multi author series would like to see their readers become invested in the series by reading every book. Kindle Unlimited provides an opportunity for readers to binge multi author series books as part of their monthly subscription.
I have been confused by the marketing of a 20 plus multi author romance series that’s no longer grouped together as a series at Amazon. I read the books by the author who I’d previously read, and I was surprised to discover later that many of the other authors had chosen to more closely connect their books via shared characters and the setting.
It’s definitely worthwhile doing your research and finding out more about a series from multiple authors. Romances, by definition, are a complete standalone story and sometimes there are spoilers if a series is read out of order eg. amnesia trope romances.
That is what really confuses a reader. I have seen a more recent multi author series where they will use the series name and say the new book but then say this is a stand alone book. Its either part of a series or its a stand alone book. If they said this is part of the xxxx series you can read it alone but you will have a better understanding if you read the series I can handle it. but to use the series name but then say this is a stand alone book just doesn’t make sense. Also I notice the same authors have other books in the series but are not even saying pick up the other books to better enhance your reading journey. I ironically will take the author at its word and espeically if I am behind in a series and they say this is a stand alone but the next promotes as part of a series then I will skip your book to go to the one that is part of the series.
I do depending on the genre and if I like the authors. I will buy box sets of series if they are for charities that I support too.
That makes sense, I bought one years back that supported a charity and havent read any yet.