Maintenance Monday

Aug 09, 2010 21:12

Sneak Peeks

This is especially common in urban fantasy and paranormal romance books, but I've seen it in other genres too, especially when the mass market paperback is released and it's also promoting the next hardcover release in the series.

You know: previews. Sneak peeks. A little something to whet your appetite and maybe convince you to plunk down the cash for the more expensive format you weren't planning on getting.

My question to you is this: do you read them?

I used to. But then I started realizing it negatively impacted how I started a book. I'd be bored right away because the beginning was already familiar, so it took me longer to get hooked. Or I'd start noticing that the sneak peek wasn't always the full beginning of the book being promoted, so it's not like I could read the preview in book X for book Y and then when I bought book Y, I could just skip the first chapter, you know? Things had changed, or something, so while the chapter was familiar, it wasn't THAT familiar.

At any rate, I've stopped reading them. I don't want to get sucked into a new book that I can't finish right that moment, and I don't want to be bored by said book when I finally do get it. So I've stopped reading previews.

I know some people eat them up though, and some people avoid them like the plague (I heard of one reader who, when buying books, would recognize the opening pages of a book and think she'd already read it and not pick it up, when she'd really just read the preview!). Which are you? Why do you read or avoid previews? Book Club Selections


August: Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente
September: So Long Been Dreaming edited by Nalo Hopkinson
October: Theme: Zombies! VOTE NOW!!! Poll ends 8/10.

Book Sale: In order to buy new books, I have to sell old ones. Help me out? :) Details are here.

Follow me on Facebook, and find me on Paperback Swap!

FAVOR!! When I review a book you've read and reviewed yourself, would you kindly provide a link to your review in the comments of mine? I love seeing what others think, and sometimes I see those reviews when they're originally posted, but don't read them as I don't want to spoil myself on something I know I'll read in the future. The problem, then, is I often forget to go back and read the reviews I missed! So please, if you've reviewed something I'm reviewing, shoot a link my way. :)

Giveaways & Challenges


@ Jawas Read, Too!, you can win an ARC of Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings. Deadline 8/20.

@ Jawas Read, Too! the "Summer of Series" reading challenge is in the final month. Can you believe it? August is Sherwood Smith's Inda series. I'm not participating because I've not heard of these books before now and I want bigger fans of epic fantasy than I to give me their opinion on the series. BUT you should participate if you're interested, so you can give me your opinion! For more details, click here.

Got a giveaway or reading challenge you'd like to promote? Please comment.

Upcoming Reviews: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, Wild Hunt by Margaret Ronald, and Clementine by Cherie Priest

Currently Reading: Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

2010 Reading Total: 69 out of 75 (once I hit 75, I'll move that number up to 100).

2010 Comics Total: 249 out of 365. #250 will be tonight! Poll Time!

I love images in blog posts. So it's only natural that I provide the book covers to each book I review, right? Since I implemented this feature, I've gone from small (120 pixels wide) to larger ( 150 pixels wide). And now, I want to get bigger. The images on the reviews look smaller and smaller to my eyes, and while it may be just me, I kind of like being able to see as much of the cover art as I can, within reason.

But, I am sensitive to loading times. Changing pixel width to 175 pixels or even 200 may not make THAT big of a difference, but as always, I'd like to ask you. :)

Poll Cover Size

As always, your comments and opinions are MOST welcome.

blog: polls, blog: miscellaneous, blog: weekend update,

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