Rainy Day Ramblings

Tell Me Something Tuesday #190: Advanced Reader's Copies: Are They Worth It?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. If participating feel free to leave your link in the comments.

Here is this week’s conversation starter:

Do you think Advanced Reading Copies are worth it?

The advanced reader’s copy or ARC in the blogging world can be the bane of a blogger’s existence. Let’s be honest, how many of us started blogging because we longed to get our hands on these coveted gems? I am not going to lie, when I first started my blog back in 2011, I was all about getting free books and the ARCs. When the first approvals came for my first ARC, I was giddy. I was even more thrilled when I received actual physical book copies in the mail. I was convinced I had made it, and I was in blogger heaven. 

Fast forward a few years, reality set in, and I learned a thing or two. To be perfectly honest, the ARC in many ways is not all it is hyped to be. While I still love getting a coveted ARC here and there, I think that ARCs in a lot of ways aren’t worth it. Here is why:

Pressure: I hate the feeling the pressure of having to read a book and write a review for it, especially if it is a book that wasn’t exactly a good read for me. I don’t feel the guilt like I used to, but it is harder for me to abandon a book that I committed to read versus quitting a library book or a book I bought. 

Publication dates: I try to get my reviews done in a timely fashion as most publisher like to have reviews posted to generate buzz around the time the book releases. I used to feel guilty if I didn’t get the review up on time, now I don’t as much, but I still feel the pressure to get the review done. 

Too Many Books: I know that most of us long time bloggers have gone through the gimme gimme phase where we took on far too many ARCs. I sure did during the early years. Then I found myself constantly committed to reading ARCs, and never having time for anything I wanted to read. That made me an unhappy reader after awhile.

Writing the Reviews: The hardest part of blogging is sitting down and writing those pesky reviews, especially if you procrastinate and let them pile up. That is why I love incorporating library books and books that I want to read among the ARCs, that way if I don’t feel like writing a review for a book of my choice, I don’t have to, no pressure. 

Books That Don’t Work: Reading a book that doesn’t meet expectations and then having to write a review is a task that I dread. It is hard to write reviews for books you don’t love, and I often feel guilty when I have to give a lower rating for a book I wanted to love. 

These are some of the reasons that I don’t think that ARCs are all that. Don’t get me wrong, as a blogger I still enjoy the privilege of getting free books, I honestly never not have a book to read, but with the ARC comes responsibility and pressure. Word to the wise: be careful in how many you accept and what you are taking on to read. 

Next week’s TMST:

How do you keep going when sometimes blogging feels like too much?  

Tell Me Something Tuesday: #189 Summer Picks 2019

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. 

 

This week’s topic:

Summer Picks for 2019.

I think this every time I write up one of these posts, I can’t believe the season is changing.....I am thrilled though that we are headed into the summer season, my favorite time of year. I love all the books that release in summer, lots of light, fun reads perfect for vacation reading. 

Let’s see what is on the summer horizon in book releases, and what I am most looking forward to this summer.

 

YA Picks:

 

Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa: This is the sequel to Kagawa’s brilliant Shadow of the Fox. This tale features a young Kitsune shapeshifter who is tasked with returning a powerful scroll to prevent the summoning of a Harbinger of Change. I love Kagawa’s world building and her characters. I am eager to continue this adventure. This book releases on June 18th.

 

Dev1At3: by Jay Kristoff. Kristoff is a favorite author of mine. He creates amazing worlds, unforgettable characters and mind blowing stories. If you picked up LifeL1k3 last year, then you know what I am talking about. That was one mind blowing book. I can’t wait for more! This one is out on June 25th.

 

 

 

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim: This book is about a young woman who poses as a boy to try and win the coveted role of imperial tailor. Maia embarks on an impossible journey to create three magical dresses from the sun, the moon and the stars. Sounds interesting right? This one is out on July 9th.

Stealing Home by Becky Wallace: This is a romance about family, baseball and fighting for your dreams even if it means breaking a few rules along the way. This one is supposedly for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Miranda Keneally. I haven’t read a cute, YA contemporary, sports themed romance in awhile, so I am looking forward to this one. You can read this on July 9th.

 

Adult Picks:

Summer of 69 by Elin Hilderbrand 

I have had an up and down relationship with Hilderbrand’s books. Some of them have been fantastic, while others not so much. I hesitated over putting this on my list, but I am drawn to this time period. The sixties were decade of immense change for the country. I want to explore this time period further so I am putting this on my list. You can check this one out on June 18th

 

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill Abbi Waxman:

I absolutely adored Waxman’s debut novel in 2017: The Garden of Small Beginnings. Her follow up wasn’t so great. I still have high hopes for this one. It is about a shy woman who must come out of her shell. I hope it’s funny. You can read this book on July 9.

The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins: 

This is a magical realism story about a small Southern town and a woman who works in a book store. This woman can speak to books. Her gift helps her to place the books in the right reader’s hands. Then her gift tells her that a new comer is destined to save the town. I adore a good magical realism story, and I can’t resist one with books. This one releases on  July 30.

Say You Still Love Me by K.A. Tucker:

Ms. Tucker has become a go to author for many contemporary romance readers. I love her characters and her wonderful settings. Last year, she took us to Alaska. This book is about an unrequited love between a wealthy girl and a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. This book hits shelves on Aug 6.

 

Life and Other Conveniences by Kristen Higgins:

A blue blooded grandmother and a black sheep granddaughter find common ground after not speaking for two decades. Ms. Higgins writes wonderful, relatable stories. I am excited to see what she brings us this time. You can read this on Aug 6.

Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews: 

The Ilona Andrews team is pure gold. I adored the Kate Daniels series, and I didn’t think they could top it, but the Hidden Legacy Series is every bit as good. This is the next novel in that series featuring Nevada’s siren sister Catalina. This one is finally here on Aug 27.

The Institute by Stephen King:

This one promises a scary tale featuring young kids. A boy’s parents are murdered and he is taken by strange man. He wakes up in a strange school with kids who possess unique talents like telekinesis and telepathy. Creepy! This one releases at the end of the summer season on Sept 10.

 

A little of this, a little of that. An eclectic mix up there. What do you want to read for Summer 2019?

 

Next week’s TMST:

Do you think Advanced Reading Copies are worth it?

Tell Me Something Tuesday: #187 Favorite Audiobook Narrators

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. 

 

This week’s question: 

Who are your favorite audiobook narrators?

 

Susan Erickson: Ms. Erickson was my first narrator. I picked up Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen back in 2011, and I was hooked. I loved how Susan brought the characters to life. Her narration was fantastic, and it is obvious from her large body of work, that she is a go to narrator for many authors. She narrates for J.D. Robb, Tess Geristen and many others. See her work here. 

 

Renee' Raudman: Renee Raudman narrates the  Kate Daniels Series, as well as the Hidden Legacy Series.  Renee does the narration for all the Ilona Andrews books, and I couldn't imagine the series without her. I have listened to every Andrews book, and I love the amount of emotion Renee packs in. She has brought me to tears on several occasions. If you have not tried the Kate Daniels Series, I cannot recommend the audiobooks enough. Check out her work

here. 

Alexandra Harris: Ms. Harris narrates one of my all time favorite UF series, The Others Series by Anne Bishop. I think she does a great job with both her male and female voices. She is fantastic. I love her wolfish, Simon voice. Ms. Harris also narrates the spinoff seres: World of the Others, which is just as fantastic. See her audiobooks here. 

 

Lorelei King: Ms. King is probably my favorite female narrator. She narrates  Charley Davidson Series, and she is phenomenal. Lorelei does a brilliant job with the hilarious Charley. I love her spark and humor. If you haven't tried something by Lorelei King, she is one that I can't recommend enough. See what else she narrates here. 

Luke Daniels: I fell in love with Mr. Daniels voice while listening to Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles.  His narration is fantastic, his accents are spot on, and he even does female voices well. If you have not yet tried Luke Daniels or The Iron Druid Chronicles,  I recommend the audiobooks. Love Luke Daniels! Luke Daniels has a vast array of audiobooks that he has narrated, so if The Iron Druid Chronicles isn't for you, you can see his other works here. 

 

Will Patton: My first experience with Mr. Patton was with Stephen King's Doctor Sleep. Patton did an excellent job with this one. His villain voices were creepy and likable if that makes sense. Patton has narrated several Stephen King novels, and he also does the Maggie Stiefvater Raven Cycle Series. You can check out more of Patton's work here. 

 

Dan Bittner: I fell in love with Mr. Bittner's voice while listening to Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls Series. Bittner portrays bad boy Cole St. Clair. I was hesitant about Cole's character at first, but Bittner completely sold him to me. Bittner also narrated Gayle Forman's Where She Went and Walking Disaster by Jamie Mcguire. Check out his work here. 

 

Charlie Thurston: I was introduced to Thurston when I listened to Barry Lyga's outstanding I Hunt Killers Trilogy. Thurston knocks it out of the park with his creepy rendition of serial killer: Billy Dent. I adored his voice for Howie, the nerdy and adorkable sidekick to Jasper Dent. Thurston also narrated book four, Secret, in Brigid Kremmer's popular Elemental Series. You can check out his full body of work here. 

 

Of course, my list of narrators is always growing and expanding as I constantly listen to audiobooks. Who are some of your favorite narrators? 

Next week’s TMST:

Summer Picks for 2019

Tell Me Something Tuesday #186: Favorite Authors

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. If participating feel free to leave your link in the comments.

 

This week’s edition of TMST is all about the favorite authors:

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Laini Taylor is an author who enchanted me with her gorgeous, detailed writing.  Her book Daughter of Smoke and Bone was my favorite read 2011 when it debuted. Laini is an exceptionally talented writer and I am in awe of her gift. I recently read and loved her Strange the Dreamer duology. I appreciate her complex stories, her amazing world building and her outstanding characters.

 

Darynda Jones is the brilliant and witty mind behind the Charley Davidson Series. Her first book, First Grave on the Right, released in 2011, and immediately it began receiving awards and high praise.  I read it and was hooked.  It was the first book I reviewed on my blog.  Fast forward to 2019, Darynda just wrapped the series. A fan favorite. Readers are excited that a spin off series is now in the works. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

Ilona Andrews: I was a latecomer to the Kate Daniels Series, since I waited until 2015 to give it a try. I was hooked! I love this husband and wife team. Their stories are smart and sophisticated, their romances fantastic, and the world building is top notch. I also love their Hidden Legacy Series. If you haven’t read anything from the brilliant minds behind the Ilona Andrews, you are missing out. 

Christina Lauren: I only started reading books by this dynamic duo back in 2017. The first book I read was Autoboyography, and then I went on from there. I love the diverse stories these two ladies come out with, and I enjoy their quirky characters. They are a go to author for me when I want a pick me up read. 

 

Carolyn Brown: I started reading Carolyn Brown’s books back in 2012. I can always count on a Carolyn Brown book to make me smile. I love her sweet cowboy romances and her fun contemporary romances. Her books are always packed with down home goodness. I can count on a Carolyn Brown to make me feel better when I am need of a pick me up read. 

John Grisham: Before I started blogging, Grisham was a go to author for me. I first read Grisham way back in 1992 when I picked up The Firm. I read his books faithfully for years, and then blogging happened. I never had time to read the authors and books I wanted to read, so I forgot about him. Then back in 2017, I decided to listen to The Whistler. I fell back in love with his work. I am once again reading Grisham and loving his books. 

Anne Bishop: I started reading Bishop’s The Others Series back in 2014. I fell in love with her paranormal characters, her complex world filled with humans and The Others. I waited anxiously each and every March for the latest book to come out. Then the series concluded back in 2017, but lucky for us, a spin off series came out last year. If you haven’t tried Bishop, do it!

 

Stephen King: King is my go to author. I have been reading King faithfully since I was fifteen years old. I have been a “constant reader” of King for thirty years. He has scared me, astounded me and always entertained. I am happy that I once again found time to read King, and I am busy catching up on some of the titles I missed. 

 

So there you have my list of favorite authors. I went back to 2011 and checked my favorite author post from back then, and I was surprised to see authors on my list then compared to now. I like that my reading tastes continue to evolve and change as I explore new things to read. 

What about you all, who are some of your favorite authors?

Next week on TMST:

Who are some of your favorite audiobook narrators?

Tell Me Something Tuesday #185: Review Books

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. If participating feel free to leave your link in the comments.

 

Here is this week’s question:

Are most of your review books for publishers or are you reviewing books of your choice?

Over the last five years, I have changed the way I blog. When I started blogging back in 2011, everything I read was from publishers or authors. I spent the first three or four years only reading books that came from publishers. I had so many advanced reader’s copies stacked up that I couldn’t time to read the books and authors that I longed to read. Some of my favorite authors went by the wayside so I could read all the books I accepted for review. Of course, a steady diet of one thing made my palate grow tired of the same old same old, especially since almost all the books I was reading back then were Young Adult because that was what publishers were pushing. 

Finally after practically hitting the wall, burn out and reading fatigue had taken their toll. I was bored of reading what felt like the same story over and over. So I took matters into my own hands. 

I learned to stop accepting requests, stop participating in tours and cut way back on requests. Cutting back on the requests was the hardest thing as it was too easy to go on Netgalley and Edelweiss and click happily away. 

I finally started picking up books and authors that I had set aside, and was happy to rediscover love for some of my favorite authors such as Stephen King and John Grisham. Variety is truly the spice of life, and I found that mixing up my reading choices made me a much happier reader. 

These days, probably fifty percent of the books I am reading are from publishers while the other half are books of my choice. It is so nice to be able to get books from the library and read them at my own leisure. Sometimes, I write book reviews for these books, and sometimes I don’t. I love having the option to not review if I am not in the mood. 

As I go on, I hope to cut back the requests even more and continue to read books that I want to read. 

I especially love that I am not the only blogger who is branching out and reading other books. It means there is so much more variety of books being reviewed in the blogosphere instead of everyone reviewing the same book. 

Cutting back has made blogging so much more enjoyable. 

Tell me, are you reading for yourself or for publishers and authors?

Next week’s episode of TMST:

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Tell Me Something Tuesday #183: Why I Like To Read Book Reviews

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. If participating feel free to leave your link in the comments.

 

Here is my topic of the week:

Why I Read Book Reviews.

Reading between 150-200 books a year, I am always hunting for the next great read. In the past, I used to select books based on flashy covers, a clever synopsis or just because I thought it might be a good book......Unfortunately, I got stung a few times by my impulse picks. I am no longer interested in reading books that aren’t for me, and let’s face it, grabbing books on a whim is more likely to lead to books that aren’t a great fit. 

Since I started blogging, I have gotten a little smarter when it comes to selecting books. I want books that are going to captivate me, excite me and hopefully end up on my favorites list. 

The best way to ensure that I am going to find great books is by reading book reviews. 

Reading book reviews is a way for me to learn more about the book. I want to know if the book has a cliffhanger, a love triangle or perhaps topics that are a turn off for me, and the best way to do that is by reading reviews. 

Over the years, I have formed friendships with my fellow bloggers, and most who are in my circle tend to read books that interest me.   These friendships allow me to trust when a fellow book blogger raves about a book. I know when I see a positive review from a blogger friend, that I should take notice. 

Basically, reading a range of reviews will help me to gauge whether a book is a good fit for me or not. Reviews are far more informative and helpful than a blurb, a picture or a synopsis. 

Reading reviews has saved me plenty of times from reading a book that would likely not work for me. 

When it comes to picking out a book, reading reviews is the tried and true method for me. 

What about you all, why do you read book reviews?

Next week’s question:

Do you prefer action-driven books or quiet books? (Courtesy of Roberta@Offbeat YA)

Tell Me Something Tuesday #182: Waiting on Wednesday: Do you participate? Do you read the books you highlight?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. If participating feel free to leave your link in the comments.

This week’s buzz topic:

Waiting on Wednesday: Do you participate? Do you read the books you highlight? 

 

Waiting on Wednesday or WOW is a meme that’s been around for years. When I started blogging in 2011, it was one of the most popular memes for book bloggers. Waiting on Wednesday was originally hosted by Jill@ Breaking the Spine. Not sure what happened to Jill, I pulled up her blog when writing this post to find the last time she posted was in 2016, her last post was a WOW. No goodbye, nothing. 

Since then, there have been many spinoffs on Waiting on Wednesday. Basically, bloggers spotlight a book they are excited to read. 

I admit, I haver never participated in WOW. In the beginning, I considered being part of the meme, but I always seemed to have plenty of content to fill my days. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy reading other people’s posts. 

For me, the WOW posts are often times an introduction to a book or author I haven’t read before. I especially enjoy WOW posts from bloggers who go off the beaten path, those bloggers who select books that aren’t well known. I am always on the hunt for something unique and different. 

These days since not as many bloggers are participating in the meme, I think there is more diversity in the books selected versus a few years ago when two hundred plus bloggers joined in each week. Many had the same book featured, and lots of times, the books picked where the hot, must have new releases that everyone was coveting. 

I think the Waiting on Wednesday posts are a nice shake up in the week, and a great way to spotlight books that are on the horizon. 

Perhaps some day when I don’t have enough content prepped, I will consider joining in. 

Now I am curious as to how many of you get around to reading the books you share on your WOW posts?

Next week’s question:

Why I Like to read Book Reviews.

Tell Me Something Tuesday #181: Unsolicited Review Books

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. If participating feel free to leave your link in the comments.

 

Here is this week’s question:

Do you like getting unsolicited books in the mail? 

When I started blogging eight years ago, I thought I made it when I received my first unsolicited book in the mail. I was sure that I was going to start receiving lots more of those elusive, hard to get advanced copies showing up on my doorstep. 

Reality check: No, I didn’t get a bunch of unsolicited, hard to get ARCs randomly showing up on my doorstep. Every once in awhile, I got lucky, but for the most part, I started receiving books that I hadn’t heard of randomly from publishers.

At first, I was excited and I eagerly dove into these books blindly. What I found was that occasionally I found a book that I enjoyed and liked, but more often than not, I wasn’t always thrilled with the books I received and read.

In fact, after awhile many of these books were not a good fit for me at all, and I was forcing myself to read them because I wanted to continue to receive books. 

Worse was when I received books and didn’t read them. I felt guilty. 

Finally, I learned to not stress over the unsolicited books. If they publishers sent them out, and I didn’t want them or I didn’t read them, it wasn’t my fault. Once I stopped reading these books, they stopped coming, which in all honesty was a relief. No more guilt!

I still get a book here or there in the mail, and sometimes I read them. If I don’t, I donate them to my library. 

On a totally unrelated side note.... be careful about what you get in the mail. Last year, I received a package in the mail, it looked like a fun kids book. It was a graphic novel with cartoon illustrations and it was about hockey. I handed it to my 8 year old son. A few weeks later, he showed the book to my husband. The book was full of curse words and risqué topics. Not a kids book at all! Lesson learned!! 

Tell me, are you excited when you get an unsolicited book in the mail?

Next week’s question:

Waiting on Wednesday: Do you participate? Do you read the books you highlight?  

Tell Me Something Tuesday #180: Review Books

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. If participating feel free to leave your link in the comments.

 

This week’s spotlight:

Where do you get your review books?

When I started blogging eight years ago, I believed that everything I read and reviewed needed to be an Advanced Reader’s Copy. I wanted to be reviewing books before they hit the shelves. Thus, I was always trying to chase down ARCS. 

Only reading ARCS meant that many of the books I wanted to read were neglected, and even worse, I didn’t get around to reading new books in many of my favorite series. 

Thankfully, I smartened up and made some changes a few years back. I realized that I don’t need to always be reading and blogging ARCS. It doesn’t matter. 

I learned that it is nice to have diversity in the blogosphere, because let’s face it, when most bloggers were only reading and reviewing advanced copies, there tended to be a plethora of reviews for the same books. 

Luckily most of us who have been around, learned to diversify. I love that bloggers are reading and reviewing all kinds of books. I like discovering old books as well as new ones. 

Thus, I also made a huge change in getting my review books. Before I relied on books I downloaded from Netgalley, Edelweiss or received in the mail. 

Now I get half my books from Netgalley or Edelweiss. I have finally learned to exercise restraint when it comes to selecting ARCS from these sites. I am done drowning in ARCS. 

The other half of my books I get from the library. In the last few years, I have greatly increased my audiobook reviews. In fact over the last couple of years, I listened to more books than read. If I bought 75-100 audiobooks a year, it would cost a pretty fortune. Thankfully, my wonderful library allows readers to check out audiobooks online. I constantly have two or three books on my phone at all times to listen to thanks to the library. 

I have also learned to put books that I am interested in reading on hold at the library instead of requesting ARCS. This allows so much more freedom. It is much easier to abandon a library book than an ARC I requested. No guilt. 

Finally, I purchase probably a dozen or so books a year that I review. Most of these books are deals I score on ebooks. 

Finding a good balance between library books and ARCs has made blogging much easier. I hope to continue to steer further away from ARCS and get back to more of what I want to be reading. 

What about you all, where are you getting your review books?

Next week’s question:

Do you like getting unsolicited books in the mail? 

Tell Me Something Tuesday #179: Series I Want More Of

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. If participating feel free to leave your link in the comments.

 

Here is the discussion topic for the week:

What are some of your favorite series you would like to see revisited or a spin off?

 

Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne:

After nine fabulous and fun books, this series wrapped last year. Yet, the ending gave me pause because the main character wasn’t exactly left in a good place, leaving me to believe that there might be more?? I am hoping that we might either get more from Oberon’s (the Irish Wolfhound) point of view. Oberon had a couple of mystery novellas which were hilarious. I wouldn’t mind seeing a spin off series from Granuaile’s point of view either. 

 

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo: 

I enjoyed this fantastic duology. It was a bit confusing starting out as it features six different view points. However, once I immersed into the story, I was hooked. This one concluded with wiggle room left for possibly more story? Ms. Bardugo is known for bringing more stories set in the same world. Characters from her first series, popped up in this one, so who knows?

The Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock:

The first book was published in this series way back in 2006, but I only recently got around to reading it a couple of years ago. I adored this quirky trilogy. DJ Schwenk is an outstanding character. However, I felt like the story was too open ended. I would love to see more of the romance and DJ negotiating college life. 

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han: 

This series made a big resurgence after the Netflix movie released last year. I loved this trilogy, but just like with The Dairy Queen series, I felt like this was way too open ended. I wanted to see college life. Plus, I didn’t like that it was left for the reader to decide the fate of the romance. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Turn by Kim Harrison:

This was a spinoff series of Harrison’s The Hollows Series. This book takes you back to the 1960’s where you get to met the parents and predecessors of the main characters in The Hollows. The book ended with the promise of more story, but two years later, another book still isn’t on the horizon. I am hoping we will get another volume. 

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead:

Bloodlines was the spinoff from Mead’s wildly popular Vampire Academy. I didn’t think I would like Sydney and Adrian more than Dmitri and Rose, but I did. Something happens at the end of the final book that indicated perhaps there was more story to come from yet another character. I am hoping that we will eventually get more from this world as it still remains a favorite.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor:

This remains one of my all time favorite series. However, after finishing the final book, I felt like there was way more story to be told. Due to the great scope of the story, not everything finished off and reached a satisfactory conclusion. I think the breadth of the story left too many dangling threads that I would have liked to come to fruition. I desperately wanted more of the fledging relationship that was formed between another angel and chimera. I was also disappointed that many of the souls were not resurrected, especially the one hidden in a thurible left to Karou by Brimstone. I kept waiting and waiting for that one. 

 

These are some of the series that I hope authors will revisit down the road. 

What about you all, what series are you wanting more of in the future?

Next week’s TMST:

Where do you get your review books?