The Fear of Starting New Books


Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up.
-- Four from the Divergent series

Of course I had to start a post about fear with a quote from one of the fearless, Four, or as most of you know him as Tobias Eaton. I came up with the idea of this post when I was trying to start a new book. We all know what happens the moment just before you want to start a new book; you are apprehensive and scared that you won't like the series. I'm here to tell you the reason why you're most likely being scared and how to not fear. Let's all be fearless like Four (and Tris of course)! 

  • If you're someone that follows the hype, of course you're going to be nervous about starting a book that is surrounded by it. 

A hyped up book refers to it being widely talked and fangirled about before its release. There is so much hype around it that even your parents know about it (okay, maybe not that far but you get the point). When books are hyped up, you automatically get so excited for it and your expectations bar for that certain book greatly increases. Then once you read the book, it might not be as good as it was talked about and then you get disappointed. We all get really scared when we're starting a hyped up book because we're afraid we're not going to like it and that's not going to bode well with the people who did, which is EVERYONE! 

To solve this problem is a simple solution, my friends. GET YOUR HEADS OUT OF THE GUTTER AND OUT OF SOCIAL MEDIA. If it means isolating yourself in the basement with a book and a cup of joe, so be it. So be it!! Take yourself away from the hype and don't read the ARC reviews of the books when they come out. That way none of your judgement is clouded. 


  • When you're starting a new book that was written by your favorite author, you fear that you're not going to like it and it's going to make you feel differently about the author. 

I'll give you guys a good example. Jennifer L Armentrout is my favorite author and I've loved all the books I've read by her.... yes, every single one. Every time I start a new one, however, I'm bothered by this irrational fear that this book will be the first one to drag the title away of 'favorite author'. 

I don't have a specific solution to this phobia but you should be confident that you're going to be reading a good book if it's by your favorite author. Honestly, I don't even know why you would doubt it. 

  • The next book in a series you love has just been released! But, of course, this can't come without stipulations.. You fear that this next installation will not live up to where you want the story to go and worse... THERE MIGHT BE A LOVE TRIANGLE! AHHHHH!! 

Oh god, I wish this didn't happen to me on a daily basis but every time I start a new installation for a book series. If it's a series that you love, you can't help but think to yourself and kind of have a vision of where the series is going and you don't want it to go any other way. It's your way or the highway, as they all say!  

What I would suggest is seeing some early reviews of the sequel to get a view of what's inside the book. Some people don't prefer this because it might affect their views on the book but I personally don't think it does. 



  • You're trying to get into a new a genre and you pick up a book from that genre. You fear that you're not going to like it because you've read so little of that genre. 

Classic me. I've been trying to get into some genres that I don't read. For example, contemporary and historical fiction (two genres I despise JKJK). When I pick up books from these genres, I get psyched and start freaking out because I'm scared I'm not going to like the book. 

Well you won't know if you never try! Trying genres and not enjoying the books you read is half the fun of doing it. That sounded kind of contradictory but what I'm trying to say is that it's okay not to like a book from a certain genre you don't like! People have different preferences. 


How do you feel when you're starting a new book? Do any of these cases apply to you? 


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27 comments

  1. Great post, Alex! I hate starting sequels too! I know that sounds ridiculous but I am always scared that the new sequel is going to take the story in a different direction that I'll hate or will just be awful. And yes, the dread love triangle! Gah! *shivers* just thinking about it.

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    1. It sounds perfectly sane and that's what I was actually trying to convey with the sequels! :D

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  2. What I mostly fear is the fact that a lot of books get hyped a lot and then when I read them, it falls flat. This happened to me with Never Always Sometimes and When Joss Met Matt. My expectations were high for both books but fell flat. I was afraid to start An Ember in the Ashes because of all the hype surrounding it. Thankfully, I have been enjoying the book way too much.

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    1. I'm glad you've found one of these that fit you! It's really difficult to tell whether you'll like the book because it's a win or lose game with any book. You never know if you're going to like a hyped up book until you read it.

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  3. I always feel so excited yet nervous when I start a new book. I hope I'll love it, yet I'm scared that I won't like it. Ahhh the mix of feelings !!

    Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books

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    1. The anxious feelings are the one that dominate for me :P

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  4. These all apply to me! I completely understand the whole fear-of-reading-a-super-hyped-up-book. I get nervous, afraid I'm going to miss something everyone else didn't, or that I won't like the book. But it's a lot easier when I just calm down and read the book for myself, not for others!
    Great post :)
    ~Erika @ Books, Stars, Writing. And Everything In Between.

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  6. I honestly hate reading reviews or just hearing thoughts about a book before I read it. I feel like it sways my opinion and puts thoughts in my head before I even read the book. So, I just try to avoid a review if I know I'm going to be picking the book up. :)
    Mariella @ Bookletbeauty

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    1. I hate it do and yet I always do it. It's because I'm so drawn to it and I want to hear if it's even worth reading.

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  7. Awesome post, I definitely feel some fear when I'm staring new books. I usually just try to get through the first 5 pages before I let it get to me
    Tori @InToriLex

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    1. Even if the book is bad during it's first 5 pages, I push on to 100. I know that sounds so insane but I like to give things four sets of chances instead of two lmfao!

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  8. THIS. POST. IS. VERY. VERY. ACCURATE.

    Yani @ Paper Boulevard

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  9. YESS. This post is so relatable (and hilarious), Alex!! Bullet point #2 is especially applicable in my case. I just don't want to be let down, you know??

    Julia Anne @ Peach Print

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    1. I completely understand. Gosh reading should be declared a real sport because of all the work and sweat we go through!

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  10. LOVE THIS POST!!! It's all so true, I have these irrational fears before reading books as well. The worst is when I read a new book by an auto-buy author and worry that I won't love it as much as the others. Sometimes that has been the case, but not very often!

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    1. That's a rare case for me because I'm picky in the first place about the authors that I consider to be auto-buy.

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  11. I can definitely relate to the part about reading a new book from a favourite author :) sometimes I'm not just afraid of the quality of the book, but what the author DOES in the book. For instance, Sarah J. Maas is my favourite author, but I'm afraid of specific things she does with *ahem* the romance. I was really disappointed when what happened in the ToG series happened in ACOTAR :((

    Fantastic post Alex!!

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    1. I felt there was a love triangle in the ToG series but then there was no triangle in ACOTAR. I loved the romance in ACOTAR! Loved Tamlin so so so much :D
      Thanks gurll :D

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    2. I swear I felt a triangle coming on with Rhysand in the end of ACOTAR ;)

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  12. Fantastic post, Alex!! I definitely agree with your points. I usually try not to let hype (among other things) bother me, but it's kind of hard to not be afraid. Especially with series when there's the potential random extra love interest thrown in... like excuse me but where did you come from? I mean honestly, it's such an annoying way to heighten the tension. Anyway, all your points are so valid and I totally agree with you! :D

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    1. Ugh love triangles are the worst. I"m just glad they're showing up less and less in YA literature.

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  13. AND I agree with all of these! I especially feel that fear when it comes to the next book in a series and when there is hype. With hype I sometimes wait till the hype dies down and read it later so I feel like the book has less pressure if that makes any sense >< When it comes to your favourite author not so much. I generally really trust them ^^

    My recent post and giveaway: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2015/08/olivia-snaps-1-blogiversary-giveaway.html

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    1. I read books when their hype dies down too but then I always get that feeling where I'm left out because I haven't read the book yet.

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  14. AMAZING post, I can relate to pretty much all of this! I think that usually my bookish fears come from an experience, like I am usually afraid that the last book in a series will be disappointing, because I have experienced that so many times.

    Emily @ Follow the Yellow Book Road

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    1. I'm sorry you've had the experience so many times D: I hope that you read some awesome series in the future!!

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