I love to read fantasy and romance and one thing that has struck me over the past couple of years is the amount of series and trilogies that we are now subjected to. I have to admit, I am not a fan of these. I like to pick up a book and read it to the end knowing that I have completed the story. I absolutely hate getting to the end of a book and then realising that I have to wait for months to complete the story.
The Immortal Series By Alyson Noel
I am currently waiting on two different books from different authors so that I can finish their stories. One book I have pre-ordered and it should be here during November; the other book will be released some time next year, the date hasn’t been confirmed. This is so frustrating because by the time the books actually arrive I will not doubt have to re-read or skim through the previous books to see where the story finished off.
It started when I was in a local book shop and I purchased a book called “Starcrossed” by Josephine Angelini. It was an amazing book and I was really enjoying it until I got to the end and realised the story wasn’t over. There was no mention on the book cover that this was part of a series or trilogy. I immediately went to Amazon and did a quick search only to find that this book was part of a trilogy. Lucky for me the second book was released and the third and final book was due out that week. I ordered them and was able to finish the story, (which by the way I highly recommend).
I had always steered away from series and trilogies but after reading the “Starcrossed Trilogy”, I found myself questioning my reasons. I really enjoyed how the story could continue over a number of books and bring in so much more detail and action.
The next time I went to this local bookshop I mentioned that I had really enjoyed the book and she recommended the “Immortal” series by Alyson Noel. She had all six books in stock and there was a special promotion of 3 books for €10 on so I grabbed all six. I spent the next week devouring these. Again well worth reading if you haven’t already.
I then went on to purchase more of Alyson Noel’s books and I am currently waiting for the fourth book in the “Soul Searchers” series to be released. I know I am going to have to go back and refresh my memory with book three but there is nothing that I can do.
The last set of books that I purchased were “The Mortal Instruments” by Cassandra Clare. I bought all five books during July and planned on sitting down to read them after we moved house. We were moving at the start of August and I knew that once I had unpacked these would help me to settle in nicely. I quickly read through the books becoming engrossed in the story line and couldn’t wait to get to book five to see who the story ended. Well, I got to the end of book five and guess what, the series hasn’t finished. I was fuming and went straight to amazon only to see that there is going to be a book six but it won’t be released until sometime next year.
It has really put me off buying series. Now when I’m in the book shop or looking on Kindle if I see that a book I’m interested in is part of a series, I automatically check to see if the series has been completed or not. I am probably like a lot of avid readers, I become part of the story while I’m reading it and this is why I love it. I just hate when the story ends abruptly and I have to wait for what feels like an eternity before I can enter that world again and continue my journey. I’m not sure whether anyone else feels like this and if you do I would love to hear your opinion.
I know that trilogies and book series are all the rage at the moment and I do see their point and I love how they continue a story line and bring more excitement and adventure but why or why do we have to wait so long to finish them.
Amanda J Evans is an award-winning Irish author and writing coach. Amanda writes adult romance that often crosses into paranormal and fantasy. Growing up with heroes like Luke Skywalker and Indiana Jones, her stories centre on good versus evil with a splice of love and magic thrown in too. Her books have all won awards and her novella, Hear Me Cry, won the Book of the Year Award at the Dublin Writers Conference 2018. Amanda is also the author of Surviving Suicide: A Memoir from Those Death Left Behind, published in 2012.
