Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is a weekly feature where we get to talk about our ten favourite things.
This week's topic is: Top Ten Best/Worst Series Endings
I anticipate the ending of the series the moment I finish the first book. In a perfect world, these endings would do everything justice and wrap up the series without any loose ends. Some series did this perfectly, but others fell flat.
The Best
1. With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent: I've said it before and I'll say it again, this series was perfect. So much happened throughout the novels that who knows how it may have ended. But Vincent ended it just the way I wanted
2. Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready: This series was perfect from the start and it just got better near the end. Aura and Zach are perfection.
3. The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan: I actually liked the last two books more than the first in this series. I related to the twins more so than Mary and I liked that they took place in modern times. Series that are told from different characters always win in my books, I love seeing new tales and falling in love with new people.
4. The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien: I think we'll all agree that there was a lot of talk of trees in The Fellowship of the Ring, and the series just got better as the books went on. The final book was enthralling and epic and turned me into a total Ringer.
5. Black Heart by Holly Black: This whole series blew me away. It was completely different than anything I've read and there was no telling how everything would end.
The Worst
1. Endlessly by Kiersten White: I started out loving this series, but it took me awhile to read the final book. Maybe it's because I didn't read it right away, or because it just wasn't what I expected it to be, but it just wasn't the Effie I loved in the first one.
2. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins: Now, don't get me wrong, The Hunger Games is one of my favourite series, but the first two books were just so much stronger than the final one. It did resolve all the issues and the epilogue made me cry, but it didn't live up to my expectations.
3. Requiem by Lauren Oliver: Another book that was good in its own right, but just didn't live up to what I thought it would be. The first book was so strong that it would have been hard to keep up with that, but Oliver is such a strong writer that I loved reading it just the same.
4. Sever by Lauren DeStefano: After reading Fever, I wasn't sure how this series would go. It certainly didn't go in the direction I thought it would, and though this wasn't the best way to end what could have been a great series, DeStefano is still a great author.
5. Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella: The first three books in this series were amazing. Becky is funny and relatable and I couldn't wait to see what kind of antics she would get into. But Kinsella kept writing when she should have stopped and I wish it were still just those three books. It's almost like she's just writing them to appaise us, almost like fan fiction, when the series could have ben strong enough four books ago.
Agree? Disagree? Let me know!
Loved The Dark and Hollow Places and Black Hearts! I also have Mockingjay on my worst list. I could not even get beyond Wither, so I am glad to hear I made the right call in ditching that series. We disagree on Endlessly, however. I enjoyed the wrap up! Thanks for sharing! ~Megan
ReplyDeletehttp://wp.me/zUn5
Return of the King has so many cool endings- Aragorn and arwen, the hobbits having to take back the Shire, Frodo and most of the elves going oversea... yeah a great finish.
ReplyDeleteI've seen Mockingjay come up on a lot of worst lists- I haven't read the series but seems to be a lot of people disappointed a bit in that ending.
Yes to Return of the King. Mockingjay made my best list. It just made sense to me, unromantic but logical and wise.
ReplyDeletenew follower
My Best & Worst
How could I forget about Return of the King?! o.O Anyhow, you know how I feel about Black Heart and With All My Soul :) Perfect. I haven't read the other two but heard great things about both.
ReplyDeleteI have Mockingjay on my worst list as well. I don't even remember it all that well but in general I feel that the first HG book was the strongest. I felt kind of let down by Fever after loving Wither so much. Haven't read the last one yet (waiting for the right edition). I have seem Requiem on literally EVERY list. Doesn't urge me to jump on the bandwagon and finally read Delirium :/ Would you say the first 2 books are worth it?
My WoW