Friday, May 10, 2019

Size Up Your Reading Habits (or Your Readers)

by Beth Erin

I’m starting to think there’s something in the Seekerville water because I always feel compelled to make some sort of confession or engage in deep introspection when I post here. What happens in Seekerville stays in… oh, wait, that’s an entirely different town’s motto. Okay, enough awkward beating around the bush already!

A few phrases which I often repeat in regard to my reading life are:
I’d rather be reading.
Variety is the spice of life.
I like big books... 
(and I cannot lie, I am a reformed secular 90s child, saved by grace! Praise the Lord!)

So, that last one got me thinking (about myself, cue introspection) … when it comes to books, does size matter? Like the dutiful overthinker I can often be, I reached the complex conclusion of yes and no. As I expound on just a few of the many points I have pondered, I want to encourage my fellow readers to examine why we gravitate towards certain sweet spots or shy away from others (and for my author friends, think about your writing habits or your readers). It's a thinking party and you're invited!

Photo by Maciej Ostrowski on Unsplash

Mass Market versus Trade 

Issues of physical thickness and height and width and story length are elementary considerations here. For those of us who dearly love ink and paper and the reading experience they create, this comparison is far from simple. Due to the difference in price/cost, these two sizes vary widely when it comes to paper and cover texture, spine integrity, and adhesive scent (yes, I am a book sniffer and no, I’m not trying to quit). Trade books look so pretty on my shelves but oh those mass markets fit so nicely in my purse!

Standalone Novellas versus Novella Collections 

How much can an author accomplish in less than a hundred pages?! Quite a lot when done right! Standalone novellas are a wonderful medium for series prequels, sequels, and spinoffs. There’s no denying, I love it when several of these quick reads are combined in collections by genre, troupe, setting, or as intricate pieces of a larger multi-author story. No matter where you find them, novellas are especially suited for seasons when life cuts into your reading time!

Standalone Novels versus Series 

(Duology vs Trilogy vs Four or more book series vs Interrelated series)

With the one-stop story shopping of standalone novels, you get the whole shebang in one fell swoop. No waiting for future installments, no cliffhanger endings, no wondering what happens next. The commitment required of series readers yields rich benefits in building a connection to the characters and setting. Most authors keep the overall series arc subtle enough to spark curiosity yet allow each individual installment to shine on its own. If you’re especially hardcore or find an author you adore, a series or four or more books or even a collection of interrelated series is a storied paradise!

Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash
I hope I gave y’all a little food for thought and while my initial statement about big books will always be true (400+ pages of story thrills me!), the first and second reading life phrases always take priority! Our experiences and mood and season of life can greatly influence what size book we pick up but if you’re a reader who is stuck in a rut, step up and try something new!

Before we go, I asked a few of my book blogger friends, who each read a variety of book sizes, “What’s your book size sweet spot?”

Carrie: "300 or so is my sweet spot. Snack books (Love Inspired and novellas) also make me happy because I knock a few out in an evening but when I DO get a longer book, I curl up and get all cozy to read it. My sweet spot is really genre, no matter the size."

Annie: "I read any size. Depending on time, I would choose novellas."

Katie of Fiction Aficionado: "The bigger the better? In all seriousness, probably 350-400 pages is a good average."

Rachel of Bookworm Mama: "Honestly, size depends on my mood...and the time of year. I am a sucker for short and sweet novellas, especially around Christmas time. But novellas are great for when I'm in between books and just need a different direction/genre. However, bigger is definitely better. "


Giveaway!


contents may vary (pic compliments of Annie)

One commenter will win a Christian Fiction Readers Retreat swag bag full of books and all kinds of delightful bookish swag! (US only) 
Let us know if you'd like your name tossed in the hat!



Winner will be announced in next week's Weekend Edition so y'all have time to tell your friends! Maybe there's a little voice in your head saying not to tell anyone because there go your chances of winning... BUT we'll have more giveaway opportunities for CFRR swag bags on Just Commonly, Reading Is My SuperPower, and Faithfully Bookish in the near future. Sharing is caring and I'll even give you bonus entries in my future giveaway for sharing this post now!


Tell us, what is YOUR story sweet spot?


Readers, are you drawn to a certain story size or length? Do you find yourself reaching for a particular format in different situations?

Authors, are you more comfortable or popular in a specific book size or format? Is there a story size you've not yet tried but would like to?


I feel obligated to leave this here, just in case...
Beth Erin is a Christian fiction enthusiast, book reviewer, and blogger. She strives to edify and connect with readers and authors at Faithfully Bookish and on social media. 

Beth also contributes to the Seekerville, Hoarding Books, and Diversity Between the Pages blogs. She is passionate about promoting authors and their entertaining, encouraging, and redemptive stories.

72 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. You are biased and I love you! Thank you, my friend!!

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  2. This is so cool!!!!

    Author note: I love writing books of all sizes... I have fun with novellas, their size presents a fun challenge! And I love reading those Christmas novellas, too!!!! My Love Inspired books developed my reader base and they're awesome... and I've got a lovely bunch of trade paperbacks, too... but interesting note: Some of this depends where you shop. My oh-my-stars-amazing Double S series (Cowboys!!!!) quadrupled its sales when they repackaged the books and brought them out in mass market paperback because the shoppers who look for my Love Inspireds spotted those cowboy books.... and grabbed them. So that was an eye-opener and something for publishers to think about... there were tens of thousands of buyers who either weren't going into bookstores...

    Or the higher price put them out of reach.

    In either case, they became marvelously successful and that was wonderful!!!

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    1. Great point, Ruthy! My closest book store is over an hour away but I'm an online shopper through and through because who wants to leave the house?! Not me!

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    2. Ruthy, I like mass market, LI and others, because I live in a small town. The nearest Barnes and Noble is 20 miles away, the nearest BAM is 25, and the nearest Christian books tore is an hour away in a town I never go to. So mass market frequently fills my book needs, and the price is right. AND I know a lot of the LI authors from here, so what's not to love.

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  3. Shared on Facebook and Pinterest. I enjoy reading all sizes depending on my mood or time allowed. My favorite is about 350 to 400. Thank you for sharing. Blessings

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    1. Thanks for sharing, Lucy! We have a similar sweet spot too, how fun!

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  4. Love this, Beth! I'm a ~300 pages or less kind of girl. More than that is okay, but 300 seems to be about my top point. I love shorter novels and novellas, too. I think it depends on time, mood, season, hormones, etc. ;)

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    1. Oh good! I was hoping all the sizes would be well represented as favorites and we're off to a good start! Thanks, Beth!

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  5. Beth, what a fun post. I'm an across-the-board reader. I go by author first. The authors I love most I'll pick their books first, regardless of length. That said, I don't read a ton of novellas, which must mean I like longer books. I like trade a little better than mass-market, mostly because (most of the time) the story has the space to go deeper. But, I read mass-market. And I read longer books than trade length too. I enjoy cross genre-but not all genres. :)

    Isn't that about as clear as mud? :) Thanks for spurring me to think about this today!

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    1. PS I'd love my name tossed in the hat for your prize. :)

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    2. Our reasoning can sometimes be subconsious which is what makes the excessive introspection so fun (but that could just be me, lol)! You're in the hat!

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    3. Jeanne, I agree with your ranking system. Authors trump everything. You either know what you're getting, or you're willing to be surprised.

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  6. Ooh, fun post. Look forward to seeing everyone's preference.

    I read all sizes but like to stay with characters for 450++ pages. That can be one book or collectively with a series. If I adore a character but they're just fly-by-nighters, separation hurts so much.

    Please include me in the drawing. :0)

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    1. Ah, yes! You're invested in those stories, Samantha! I completely understand. Your name is in the hat!

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  7. My "sweet spot" in reading is mystery. It can be an Amish, Romance, Contemporary or Historical book, but it must include a mystery. Of course, I prefer stand alone mystery books too.
    Another "sweet spot" in reading is chocolate. A book & chocolate go together like peanut butter & jelly.
    Thanks for entering me in your giveaway.
    Janet E.
    von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. I like the way you think, sweet reading should definitely involve chocolate! Do you have a preference between longer mysteries or shorter ones? (You're welcome!)

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    2. Janet, for me it's a book and TEA. Preferably Earl Grey in a china cup. Love the chocolate too, but have to be careful, diabetes etc.

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    3. Thank you both for responding to my answer.
      I enjoy reading mysteries whether the book fits in the palm of my hand or is as big as "War and Peace".
      I enjoy tea also. I understand what you mean by being careful.
      Hope you both have a wonderful weekend!

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  8. I have been gone for a month. Didn't do social media on Easter Week, then had a temp job that took all my energy. THEN had trouble getting back on Google. Did I miss anything?
    I like different books for all the above reasons. I prefer series if they're done well, I like to get hooked into another world. But a series has to be done well. There has to be a legitimate reason to continue the first book, a character whose issues are unresolved etc. And my pettiest peeve is when the author spends half the first chapter reintroducing characters from the first book, even if they don't have any kind of role in the sequel. I do like Christmas novellas, they just tend to enhance the mood, and I'll read any novella if it's by an author I admire. I prefer one of the trades or a hardbacked library book when I'm reading and sipping tea, because it's hard to read Mass Market with one hand. But I prefer a Mass Market, especially Love Inspired, for the tote bag, purse or beach bag, mostly because of size.
    Also I like larger print, especially now, but I'll gladly read a mass market if it is by one of my friends (mostly from here).
    I have received a contract for my second book with Pelican.
    Kathy Bailey
    Making it work in New Hampshire

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    1. Welcome back, Kathy! Someone else will have to fill you in on what ya missed, I've been in and out myself. I agree with you, individual books in a series need to flow smoothly from book to book even if they standalone for the most part. The larger print has made mass markets more appealing to me even though I don't think my vision is going quite yet (although I could be mistaken)!

      Congratulations on your second contract, Kathy!!! I'm happy dancing with you!! HUGS!

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    2. Kathy, we've missed you!! You can catch up by look at past posts, I guess. But I can't think of anything in particular.

      CONGRATULATIONS ON THE NEW CONTRACT!! So happy for you!!!

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    3. Congratulations, Kathy on your new contract.

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  9. My sweet spot is trade paperback, novella or shorter novels, preferably a series or a novella collection. The shorter, the better,as long as there is enough time to develop at least one deep character. My sweet spot also is genre.

    Please put me in the hat for the giveaway!

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    1. I love the variety here, Lila! Gobble up those little stories!

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  10. Carrie reads a number of LI books in a night? Oh my gosh! I'm impressed, especially since I'm a much slower reader. Actually, I often read like a writer and analyze every phrase, every POV, every description. That slows down my reading progress.

    I like hardback books. Love them. I also love everything Love Inspired publishes. Trade is also a favorite. Okay, I like to read all books. Except those with small print that make my eyes work much too hard.

    For writing, I enjoy novellas and the category length of the LIS stories. I also have a few ideas for longer stories that are begging to be told.

    Great post, Beth! Thank you bunches!

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    1. Debby, I noted Carrie's comment, too!! It takes me a couple of days just to read one LI!

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    2. Reading IS her SuperPower, ladies! ;) Thank you, Debby!

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  11. Confession: I'm a novella addict! I love the shorter format for getting to the happy ending so much quicker. They are perfect for reading at the end of a busy day when I know I'm going to fall asleep sooner rather than later. I also enjoy books of all lengths, provided the author keeps me engaged. Variety is the spice of life for me ;)

    I'd LOVE to win a CFRR bag!!! I'm really hoping to make it to the conference one of these years, I always enjoy seeing everyone's pictures on social media. Thanks!

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    1. I love your novella strategy, Heidi! I hope we get the opportunity to meet in real life someday!

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  12. I seriously like any size. It just depends on my mood and how much time I have. I will say that sometimes a really long book intimidates me unless I'm on vacation or know I have some good reading time ahead. Otherwise, I'll set aside the longer book until I get a chunk of time. Those huge books are often saved for vacation. :) Then I love settling in with a nice long historical romance.

    I'm also with Jeanne. I tend to look at author first, before book size. And I'll look at price as far as format.

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    1. Binge reading is one of my favorite pastimes, Missy!

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  13. I like longer novels because I want to know all the details of the characters. A stand alone is okay as long as it contains an epilogue that wraps up the future; otherwise, I prefer a series so I can continue with the different couples' lives. I'm not a big fan of mass market books because they do not usually contain enough information; however, I do read ones written by favorite authors.

    Linda - rayorr(at)bellsouth(dot)net

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    1. It's nice to settle in and really get to know a character! Thanks for sharing, Linda!

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  14. Hi Beth:

    You know, reading is like eating: sometimes you want a favorite, sometimes you want something different, and sometimes you just want a dessert. You might even claim a favorite food but not want it for most of your meals.

    "What I want most is a book that is the right length for the given story."

    I've read '300 page' books which have been skillfully written to take only 180 richly textured pages (Marion Chesney). I've also read '400 page' romances that should have taken only 223 pages. Such padding really makes me mad. Even good authors will take 15% of the book in the opening sequence before there is any story movement. This now seems to be a trend with established authors who put out Indie books.

    A scene with the same number of words can accomplish a single story goal or, if well crafted, can accomplish six to ten story goals. This is very hard to do and it takes time and requires dedicated creativity but readers love the result. James Patterson edits his work six to seven times, after it is good enough to publish, to achieve this rich density for reader enjoyment.

    I don't expect most authors to do this, yet a soup with only one seasoning per scene seems a mere imitation of a fully flavored gourmet delight. And what I really object to is when this standard fare mono-flavored entree is placed in a fancy china bowl and priced at $14.95. If you want $14.95, put the work in! Make it three times better than a Love Inspired book. The value is not in the paper, it's in the quality of the output.

    Wow! This may seem like a rant but this is a reader's page today and I'm getting tired of padded Indies by otherwise good authors.

    Vince

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  15. This post was so fun. I love reading books of all sizes, so long as they're well-written, although novellas often leave me wishing for more.
    When I write, my stories tend to run between 225 and 250 pages. I'm not sure why, but that seems to be my sweet spot when writing. :-)

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    1. Thanks, Amy! Yes, I tend to enjoy novella series or collections or as spinoffs. Sounds like you've found a writing groove, there's definitely a readership for stories of every shape and size!

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  16. I love books of any size. I prefer print. My brother and sister in law can't believe how my library keeps growing but with not being able to drive, I love having my books at my finger tips. In fact I am trying to figure out where two of my baskets of books I was reading before I fell have disappeared. They are most likely in my storage room until my knee heals

    Put me in the drawing for the swag bag.

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    1. I will gladly put your name in the draw, Wilani! I'd come over and hunt down those baskets for you too if we were in the same neighborhood!

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  17. Yesterday the doctor said I could come home. I walked for the first time in forever without the brace using the walker. I'm so happy to be home, but feeling a bit overwhelmed at all I want to get done.

    He ordered home health, therapy and light housekeeping. I will also get meals on wheels.

    I feel so safe now. The therapist was saying I was not safe to go home. But when the doctor saw how well I was doing. I'll still have a long way to to go till completely healed.

    Thanks for all your prayers. The Lord is so good.

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    1. Wilani, I'm so happy for you!! It's been such a long journey. I'm thankful you'll have so much help!!

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    2. So glad to hear you are on the mend, Wilani!

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    3. So happy to hear you are home, Wilani. I will pray for your continued healing.

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  18. What an interesting question! I've never thought about it before, but I think it really depends on my mood and how busy life is at the time. I know there have been times when I am crazy busy, so I will open up a novella on my kindle to get my "story fix".

    Great giveaway! I'd love to be entered into the drawing. :)

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    1. Me too, Sherrinda! Your name is in the hat!

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  19. Total off topic comment! But I wanted to let everyone here know that the Maggie Unpublished Award has extended their deadline to midnight tonight! If you wanted to enter but thought the date was past, you still have time!

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    1. Meant to also say it's sponsored by Georgia Romance Writers and is a fabulous contest that comes with a critique. The judge for inspy:


      Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements (RRSE)
      Raela Schoenherr, Fiction Acquisitions Editor, Bethany House

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  20. Fun post. I have always just loved reading and I don't necessarily care what the format is. I do still love to read paper, even though I have a Kindle which is good for certain situations. Right now I tend to shy away from books that are much more than 400 pages. I enjoy mixing up longer books and novellas. As a writer, I have written lots of short stories and just finished writing my first book. I am still revising so don't know exactly how long it will be. I would like to try writing novellas, too.

    Please put me in the drawing.

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    1. Thanks, Sandy! Variety is key! Your name is in the hat!

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  21. I would love to be included in the drawing.
    I love series . My sweet spot for page count is around 300 pages. I can read more books if they are shorter.
    Novella collections versus stand alone novellas.

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  22. Good point, Paula! You're in the drawing!

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  23. Kimberly BurkhardtMay 10, 2019 at 9:59 PM

    I love a longer book. And if it's part of a series, bonus! I enjoy getting to know the characters over several books. And by the end of the series I'm heartbroken that I have to say goodbye to them.
    But I also like a novella here and there. With two little ones running around, novellas are easier for me to finish in a decent amount of time.

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    1. Hi Kimberly! I agree, it's nice to squeeze in a whole story during nap time or after the kids are in bed for the night!

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  24. Shared on Twitter. I think series are my sweet spot. I love knowing that I will return to characters or a place after finishing a story - and that makes me happy. I don't really have a size preference. I tend to read big books more frequently than short novellas. But I love novellas when they are done right and they are the perfect change of pace between novels. Thanks for the giveaway!

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    1. Thank you for sharing, Chanel! I love to see my reader friends enjoying a variety of stories!

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  25. Shared on Pinterest! Agree with the bloggers but I get fatigued when books are longer than 400 pages.

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    1. Thank you for sharing! Big books can be a big commitment and you would get fewer stories in if that was your focus.

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  26. I’ll read pretty much any size book. Although I’m not much of a novella reader. Not sure why. Maybe I just want to hear more of the story. I pretty much like stand alone because who likes to wait for months to find out what happened with the cliff hanger! So I’ll just say— I like big books and I cannot lie.

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    1. Yay, Anne! Thanks for making me smile, lol! Cliff hangers are not my friends.

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  27. Size doesn't matter - I've read Anna Karenina twice (~500 pg) and I've read LI/LIS books. To me, it's all about story and the way it is told. There are some authors I will automatically read because I know I'm in for a good ride. I like novellas at Christmas since I can read them faster. Series - that depends, again on story (there is a risk of getting character fatigued...). I wasn't adventurous in my reading selection until I started reviewing books, and I'm finding it's a great way of " discovering" authors that tell an intriguing story. Thanks for this post! Lee-Ann

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    1. Go, Lee-Ann! I love finding new-to-me authors!

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  28. Beth, Thank you for the fun post! Reading is my sweet spot. I enjoy Christian fiction, stand-alones and binge reading a series. I do prefer longer novels. I'm not opposed to reading novellas. I enjoy the Barbour Romance collections.

    Enjoy your Mother's Day weekend!

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  29. Great post, Beth! I enjoyed hearing your thoughts. I love the size of the trade novels, but sometimes it's fun to read a smaller book that I can read in an evening. I enjoy series, as long as there aren't big cliffhangers. The main story needs to be wrapped up at the end.

    I'd love to be in the drawing. I have a sister that is so good to me, and I'd love to surprise her with a goody bag!

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    1. Thank you, Winnie! I couldn't agree more and what a good sister you are!

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  30. Really enjoyed this post! I love reading all different sizes, just depends on my schedule and my mood. When it comes to series, I like to wait until I own the entire series and then binge read. My "sweet spot" for genre is definitely historical CF romance. Would love to be entered in the giveaway. Thanks!

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    1. Thank you, Holly! Oh, I'm a binge read fan, too!

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  31. Thanks for joining me, everyone! The winner of the giveaway has been drawn and will be announced in this week's weekend edition!

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