Despite being almost broke and trying to save money, I almost bought the expensive book (Australian book prices are often completely nutty) just because I felt the need to be ‘up’ on what everyone else was reading.
Have you ever felt pressured to read something because ‘everyone else’ was reading it? Have you ever given in and read the book(s) in question or do you resist? If you are a reviewer, etc, do you feel it’s your duty to keep up on current trends?
I've talked about this before I think but this is how I view this. If a book sounds sort of interesting to me and lots of people start talking about how great it is, or it gets critical praise, I'll continue to think it's worth my time and maybe buy it a little sooner then if I alone thought it looked interesting. If a book gets a lot of hype that doesn't interest me it still doesn't interest me after all the hype. If I don't want to read it no one is going to pressure me into it, unless of course it was required for school or something! I like to look at these things as extra excuses to read something I want to. It's a good thing! For example, I just read the whole Twilight series over the last few months. I vaguely remember seeing the books in stores in the past and then all of a sudden I started reading all these reviews and thought oh that looks interesting (wasn't sure about the vampires) until finally I decided I'd buy the first one and try it out. Glad I did! I'd never pick up something that I felt I had to read because it was a bestseller, maybe read about it so I knew what it was but not read the book, but who knows my tastes are always shifting, someday something I thought looked horrible could turn into something amazing!
As far as current trends as a blogger, I only read and blog about the genres I enjoy or things I'm willing to try out to expand my own horizons. I guess I'm not really sure what the trends are, if you asked me I'd say young adult literature is super hot right now, much more so than when I was a teenager so I'm glad to be reading literature from that trend. I gotta get all the young adult literature I missed as a teen! I hope that it isn't just a trend and continues on so young adults and young adults at heart can always read YA!
What do you consider a hot trend in literature right now?
I'm always amazed at people who only joined the Twilight craze this year. I wasn't among the very first wave before it became a bestseller (it reached #5 in the NYTimes bestselling list within a few weeks of its release), but I did read it in that first year it was out, before there was ever New Moon. I remember loving it sooooooo much. I think I still do, if I ignore the rest of the books. Yeah, it has its flaws, but I don't know dude, the twelve-year-old in me REALLY loved it! :)
ReplyDeleteI think the hottest trend in YA lit right now is vampires, but faeries are en vogue, too. Maybe not right NOW, but a zillion faerie books have been purchased and a crap load of them are coming out in December and into 2009. A few examples off the top of my head are WINGS by Aprilynne Pike, WONDROUS STRANGE by Lesley Livingston (the title of this one reminds me of WICKED LOVELY), and FAIRY LUST by Cyn Balog. All of them are on my wishlist of course. I'll read Holly Black's faerie books, as well as Melissa Marr's, before getting to these to give myself some background. I need to see if there are any older faerie books, too.
But back to topic - I do think the new YA trend will be faeries. I don't know if they'll be as popular as vampires because I think what inspired the vamp popularity was Twilight, and I don't think we'll see two consecutive blockbusters like Stephenie Meyer anytime soon. (But Holly Black and Melissa Marr ain't doing too shabbily!)
Speaking of which, why is it "faeries" and not "faries"? I fear faery book writers would shoot me dead if I called it faries, lol.
ReplyDeleteOH AND JUSTINE LARBALESTIER HAS A FAIRY BOOK COMING OUT LATER THIS MONTH.
I agree with Steph. Vampires are it now but faeries/fairies are the next big thing in YA lit.
ReplyDeleteI've read Justine's fairy book and loved it. I have Wicked Lovely to read sometime too. I'm getting on the fae(i)ry band wagon earlier than the vampire one (not on purpose though). ;)
You guys are totally going to be my trend trackers, keep me up to date! After I read Twilight I was like oh I wonder if there are other vampire books... and holy &@*! there are tons and tons and tons and tons and tons. I too picked up Wicked Lovely and Tithe to give a whirl. So what's after faries/faeries?? I think I saw vampyre once! That was funny! You guys are the best!
ReplyDeleteI think dystopian fiction is totally trendy right now (and I'm hoping it continues because I love it). Have you checked out my review of HUNGER GAMES? AWESOME!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd doesn't seem like there are a lot more trilogies and the like lately? You can't just read one book anymore - you have to get invested in a world and anticipate the next installment. Many of the books I've read this year (esp. in YA) have sequels planned.
I am really loving the YA books now too as an adult too. I was late to the Twilight craze but really enjoy the books if you can't tell from my blog he he:)
ReplyDeleteLenore- I totally agree about the trilogies and series. I guess I've always been attracted to them but you're right everything is a series these days and I'm actually shocked when I find out something is a stand alone book!
ReplyDeleteTracy- Me too! Yeah I only just read the Twilight books I'm glad I was all prepared for Breaking Dawn though so I could go to the midnight release!