Bookish Things

Top Ten Books That Ended Their Series Well

Jocelyn @ 52Letters39 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

It’s an awkward title but bear with me. This week’s TTT them is FREEBIE, which is kind of a nightmare for me because I suck at coming up with topics, but I came up with something!

Here are my favorite last-books-in-a-series. Books that managed to maintain the awesomeness that was the previous books in the series and to give their readers a worthy ending. I won’t give you any spoilers for the series, don’t worry.

1. The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3) by Brandon Sanderson

cover the hero of ages

I didn’t know how the Mistborn trilogy could ever end, but The Hero of Ages pulled off a surprising, but satisfying (and heart-wrenching) ending. (My review of the series here.)

2. The Sweet Far Thing (Gemma Doyle #3) by Libba Bray

cover sweet far things

I haven’t read this book in ages, but I remember bawling at the end (so much that someone actually asked me if I was okay). I love this series a lot and the ending totally did it justice.

3. Their Fractured Light (Starbound #3) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

cover their fractured light

AHHHH!!!! The ending of this series saw all of my favorite characters unite in an epic battle against evil and it was AMAZING. (My review here.)

4. The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4) by Maggie Stiefvater

cover the raven king

SO GOOD. So painful. So perfect. (My review here.)

5. United We Spy (Gallagher Girls #6) by Ally Carter

cover gg 6

These books are my comfort books. I read them during finals, or whenever I need a pick-me-up. Having to see the series end was painful, but Ally Carter wrapped it up in a way that put a smile on my face. (My review for the series here.)

6. Monsters of Men (Chaos Walking #3) by Patrick Ness

cover monsters of men

As you can tell from the cover, this isn’t exactly a happy book. But it wasn’t a happy series, and this book blew me away with the character and plot development.

7. Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna #3) by Stephanie Perkins

cover isla and the happily ever after

Anna and the French Kiss will always be my favorite book in the series, but I loved Isla and the Happily Ever After for bringing us back to the beginning while spinning a new story of love and self-discovery. (My review here.)

Bonus: Books That Better End My Favorite Series Well

8. The Rose and the Dagger (TWATD #2) by Renée Ahdieh

cover the rose and the dagger

I’m about to start this and I’m TERRIFIED. I know that it’s going to break my heart…I just hope that it puts it back together as well. 🙂

9. Calamity (Reckoners #3) by Brandon Sanderson

cover calamity

Unfortunately, I’ve heard mixed reviews for this book, but I still hope that it delivers a satisfying ending to what has been an action-packed adventure so far.

10. Always and Forever Lara Jean (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before #3) by Jenny Han

I am conflicted as to whether this story even needs a third book, so I hope that Jenny Han does her story justice with it. I’m ready to see more Lara Jean and Peter K, and I trust that there will be lots of swoony and adorably awkward scenes for me to fall in love with.

39 thoughts on “Top Ten Books That Ended Their Series Well”

  2. My Top Ten for this week is books that made me cry, and let me tell you, The Sweet Far Thing and The Raven King were both at the top of that list. They were so good it hurt. The Rose and the Dagger didn’t make me cry, but I still think it was one of the best series wrap-ups I’ve seen recently, and I think you’ll love it 🙂 feel free to check out my TTT here: https://dianaprincereviews.wordpress.com/2016/06/28/top-ten-tuesday-bloggers-choice/

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    • Thanks! I’m glad that I started the Ally Carter books when I was younger, because I was really able to enjoy them. Now I have to suspend disbelief a little, but they are still really fun for me to read.

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  6. I am so with you on the Gemma Doyle series. I don’t remember exactly what my reaction was when I ended it, but I do still vividly remember that ending, and it’s been…oh God…ten years since I read it?

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    • It’s been sooo long since I read them too! I first read them eight years ago?!? Wow I just did that math and it’s CRAZY!!! But the series is so vivid that it’s stayed with me–especially that ending!

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  11. I can’t wait to read the Starbound trilogy. I have the first one on my Nook, just waiting for me to start it!
    Isla is the one I have to read to finish that companion series! I’m really excited to see how it goes!

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  13. I’ve read TRATD and would say that while it ends the series pretty well, I do prefer the first book. I also have Calamity out from the library and originally wanted to read it ASAP… but the mixed reviews have turned me off, so now I’m ambivalent about it.

    And I agree about #10 – I actually don’t think that series even really needed the second book, and the story could’ve been just stopped after like, the first few chapters in the second book… so I’m a bit wary about this third one. Hopefully it lives up to expectations!

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    • I’m holding out hope for TRATD, though I’m also kind of ambivalent to Calamity now. I bought it though, so I need to read it eventually.
      I was surprised that Jenny Han wrote a second Lara Jean book, but it continued the story pretty well, so I hope that the third book does the same. If the series goes off the rails, I’m going to be really disappointed!

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  14. I think I need to re-read Monsters of Men as I read it sparsely over several weeks that I think I was experiencing some sort of broken telephone in understanding. Still a highly rated series of mine but I might enjoy it more through a second go. And yeah, I’m definitely one of the many who gave a mixed review for Calamity. Such a same since I really did enjoy the progression of Steelheart to Firefight.

    Cheers,
    Joey via. thoughts and afterthoughts.

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    • I need to reread the entire Chaos Walking series. I have read it a few times now, but I think the last time I did was in middle school…and I’m a senior now, so it’s been a while. I remember loving it, but I wish the memories were fresher.
      I’m really disappointed to hear that Calamity wasn’t amazing, because I expected it to be. I thought Firefight was better than Steelheart, and I was so ready for Calamity to blow me away. I’m still going to read it though (mostly because I bought it already :/)

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  15. I really liked Isla and the Happily Ever After too, but think that Lola had to be my favourite out of the three 🙂 I really really need to get round to reading The Wrath and the Dawn, I keep hearing so many wonderful things about it.
    I absolutely LOVE the cover to Their Fractured Light, another series I really need to read! I hope your extra 2 series end well too!

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    • I love how everyone has a different favorite from the Anna/Lola/Isla trilogy. It’s so refreshing to read a series where each book is unique enough and strong enough to have their own fans!
      TWATD and the Starbound trilogy are both really good! I highly recommend both of them! (And both covers are gorgeous, which is always a bonus)

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