Novel Ink: Bookish Confession | I Don't Mind Series in Different Formats

Bookish Confession | I Don't Mind Series in Different Formats

Posted on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 12:00 AM

Did anyone else sing the Usher song when they saw that graphic? Yes, no?

Anyway, let me just start by saying, yes, you read that title right. I really don't mind when my series don't match.

Yes, I would prefer them all to be the same style and format, but when publishers are constantly changing covers mid series, it's hard for me to keep up.

I think the biggest reason is I'm always trying to save money, so I usually go with the cheapest way I can find. The first thing I'll do is see if it's up for trade on YA Book Exchange, If so, I'll try that route first. If that doesn't go through, I'll go with the paperback if it's available because it's cheaper. If that's not available, I'll look and see how much the Kindle edition book is. But the problem with that is I won't buy a Kindle book over $5.00, so that's usually out. If everything else fails, I'll buy the hardcover, BUT only if it's one that I really, really want. This usually results in quite a few mixed series.

I have some series that are a mix of HB, PB and ARC; I have some that are a mix of PB and Kindle edition, etc.

Here are a few pictures of my mixed series

HB of Shatter Me & Ignite Me & ARC of Unravel Me (Also if you look at my Hunger Games books on the shelf below, you will notice a PB of THG, and HB of Catching Fire & Mockingjay)

A mix of PB, HB, and Mass Market PB

PB of The Selection, ARC of The Elite, and HB of The One

PB of Anna, ARC of Lola, and HB of Isla (Once again, if you look in the background you can see a PB of Divergent and HB of Insurgent & Allegiant)

These are just a few of the series that I have mixed, but I have so many more like this, such as Rachel Vincent's Shifter Series, Soul Screamer, Mara Dyer, Lux, Covenant, and I could go on and on.

What are you thoughts?

Does your series have to match? Or are you like me?

Christy

Christy is a 27 year old wife, mother, nursing student and self proclaimed book addict. When she's not busy spending time with her family or learning to save lives, you can find her with a book in her hands, and a smile on her face.

Comments (16)

Logging you in...

Dashboard | Edit profile | Logout

Logged in as

+1 Vote up Vote down

darkeststorm 55p · 524 weeks ago

This is a great confession. Haha. I don't mind too much if my series don't match either, I mean, I would LIKE them too, but I'm the only one that sees them so who cares. Currently I have a used paperback edition of The Hunger Games, a large-print paperback edition of Catching Fire and then an almost new looking hardcover of Mockingjay. :) I find the mismatching amusing really.
My recent post ARC Review: Remember by Eileen Cook

0 Vote up Vote down

chucklesthescot · 524 weeks ago

I really love my series to be matching size and matching covers-I get twitchy when they're not! It was a relief that the Morganville Vampires series is an exception because it is a beautiful set with shiny design covers. Of course as you said, the publisher makes that difficult in a long running series. My problem is that I have to stack same sized books together-I can't have a series sitting there looking like an American city skyline!-so this means my series can be split over 3 different shelves and it drives me NUTS!
My recent post Top Ten Tuesday: Female Heroines

+1 Vote up Vote down

Lucia 94p · 524 weeks ago

My series in print on my shelf have to match. I am OCD like that :) I dont mind when they change covers. But format, size and height has to be the same.
My recent post REVIEW: By Any Other Name by J.M. Darhower

+1 Vote up Vote down

mishmanixon 63p · 524 weeks ago

I don't have a problem with mismatched series at all.I come from a country where getting good YA books are almost impossible,so what matters to me is whether I get the book or not,no matter the format.
But I can understand people's obsession with it.If I lived somewhere with better access to books,maybe I'll be like that too.
My recent post A beast,a beauty and some roses || Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

0 Vote up Vote down

Stephanie@Bookfever · 524 weeks ago

I prefer my series to all match but it's not the worst thing if they don't. I always try to buy the cheapest book available and usually it ends up being not the same format as other books in the same series. :P
My recent post Waiting On Wednesday: Beyond the Cut by Sarah Castille

+1 Vote up Vote down

mel1704 86p · 524 weeks ago

It used to bother me, but I think it also has a certain charm. I'm now more into 'it's all about the inside' so I don't care if they match. I only want that for my absolute favorite series, because they deserve to be glorious on my shelves :) But mostly I just go with the cheapest edition I can find, don't care if that matches with the rest, haha.

+1 Vote up Vote down

kirstymstudio 102p · 524 weeks ago

Is it bad I thought of the Glee mash-up first? But ahhhhhhhhh I'm not at that stage yet, I still need to have mine matching, like I read the whole Jasper Dent series the other week then bought a hardback of I Hunt Killers, but the one didn't match the covers, so I started with the UK paperback covers, (which, I Hunt Killers still don't match the others, so wtf UK?) but now I want to finish getting the hardbacks so they all match. :/ I mean, I don't think I'd mind so much if it's a series I'm not too bothered about, but ones I love I have to have them all the same. It's a problem. :(
My recent post Waiting on Wednesday (#83)

0 Vote up Vote down

Lily · 524 weeks ago

I don't mind too much of the book covers aren't the prettiest but I have the entire geisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo in paperback and they're all different sizes and textures and IT DRIVES ME CRAZY!
My recent post Review: Wicked by Jennifer L Armentrout

0 Vote up Vote down

Tessa @ Crazy for YA · 524 weeks ago

Most of the time I could not care less whether my books matched, I am just glad that I am able to get them in the first place. Yeah, I would love for all of them to match, but I know that is not going to happen without me spending way too much money. I think that book publishers secretly conspire to change book covers in the middle of a series just so that hardcore fans will have to buy all of the books again.
Great discussion!
My recent post Top Ten Tuesday | Favorite Book Heroines

0 Vote up Vote down

Wendy @ Book Scents · 524 weeks ago

Okay I gotta admit, I love it when my series match! When they don't, like if one is PB, HC, different sizes... it bugs me! if one is tall and hte other isn't, it makes it harder for double stacking bc they're uneven and... they just don't look as nice haha. Esp if it's a series I love, I love when they all match and look pretty on my shelf. It's a problem.... haha

0 Vote up Vote down

Marisabel · 524 weeks ago

I try to aim for them to match but if they don't is not a big deal. As long as i get to read them. :)
My recent post Tea Time: On finding time to read

0 Vote up Vote down

Eileen · 524 weeks ago

I have a freakish need for my books to much lol... Because of this I still haven't bought Shatter Me. I really want to read the series but I'm hopelessly waiting for the paperback cover to be released on the hardback. I'm close to giving up and just getting the original hardcover though :S
My recent post Review: These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

1 reply · active 524 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

Eileen · 524 weeks ago

oops that's suppose to say *match* not much :)
My recent post Review: These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

+1 Vote up Vote down

ayachan91 11p · 524 weeks ago

Ultimately, I agree that the cheapest route is the best route to obtain books. However, I must say that mismatching covers bother me. I'm okay with a series being in different format, having a mix of hardcover and paperback, but I really prefer all of my covers to match. It's also why I get upset when the publisher does a cover change mid-series. I just don't understand why they can't just stick with one until the series is all over and then change it for a reprint.
My recent post Book Review: Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott (Fire & Flood #2)

+1 Vote up Vote down

Shannon @ ISAM 71p · 524 weeks ago

I, um, do not care much either! The only time I get annoyed with myself is when I have say, two Kindle books and then the third is a physical book. THAT drives me insane, and then I want the rest of the series in physical form. Unless the last book is bad, then I kind of don't care anymore ;)

0 Vote up Vote down

Pam@YA Escape · 523 weeks ago

If I really like a book, I would prefer to have it in hardback. And it does bother me a bit when the covers change (like Throne of Glass), but it's not like I'm not going to buy it just because of that. But yes, if I love a series, I want the entire series in hardback and I'll buy used copies to get the hardback instead of the paperback.
My recent post Book Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West