We've all been there. You're reading book one of a series and after closing those final pages you're just not interested in what happens next.
Maybe it's because book one stood so well on it's own you don't want to ruin it. Or maybe it's because things were so ridiculous that you can't imagine slogging through
more books. Or maybe there are just other series you care about more.
Either way, you drop the series.
I'm really guilty of reading book one in series (usually trilogies, because YA amirite?) and then never feeling compelled to move on. It's something I've been working on in the last few years, because there are perfectly good series out there that I've dropped for no good reason.
But that's not what this is about today. This is about the series that I am intentionally dropping. I've read book one, or maybe more, in the last year or so and I just don't want to continue. I'll explain my reasonings with each book below...
1. The Young Elites Trilogy by Marie Lu
This was disappointing for me, because I liked the
Legend trilogy well enough, but this book was just so soulless and boring. I don't care about what happens next, I skimmed most of the middle of the first book. So I'm out.
2. The Revolution 19 Trilogy by Gregg Rosenblum
Far too juvenile and bland for me. Not interested in more.
3. The Paper Gods Trilogy by Amanda Sun
Ink was just a rehashed version of every paranormal romance I've ever even heard of. The only draw was the Japanese setting and mythos, except we have to have a white girl at the centre of this for some bizarre reason. Also using Hepburn romanization is just too reminiscent of being 14 and writing terrible fanfic and the secondhand embarrassment was too much for me.
4. The Ever-Expanding Universe Trilogy by Martin Leicht & Isla Neal
This cover is just so clever and gorgeous, I'm almost sad I hated this as much as I did. The premise of teenage pregnancies in space was interesting enough, but there was too much icky-ness with dubious consent and girls hating girls, I just can't stomach more.
5. The Immortal City Trilogy by Scott Speer
I didn't really have high expectations for this and I wasn't wrong to feel that way. This book tried to do some interesting things with commentaries on celebrity and capitalism, but it just devolved into more dumb paranormal romance. Pass.
6. The Zodiac Trilogy by Romina Russell
Bizarrely over-complicated but paper thin worldbuilding dragged this book down. It was slow and boring and though some of the characters were interesting, I just don't care enough about anyone involved to continue.
7. The Extraction Trilogy by Stephanie Diaz
I was looking forward to this one, but it ended up being another run-of-the-mill dystopian. The plot was predictable, the writing was bland and again, I don't care about what happens to anyone.
8. The Taken Trilogy by Erin Bowmen
If you've never read a YA dystopian novel before, you'll probably love this. Otherwise, you'll be able to predict nearly the entire thing--and probably the rest of the trilogy along with it. (Try it, I did and then looked up some spoilers and wasn't really wrong.) Pass.
9. The Lies Beneath Trilogy by Anne Greenwood Brown
More actual murderous mermaids and less romance. Again, this devolved into typical paranormal romance and
man some of the things that were played off as "romantic" were really gross. Hard pass.
10. The Pledge Series by Kimberly Derting
This was cute and all, but I don't really care about what happens next? I've read a few spoilers for the next book and beyond and I'm not interested in continuing.
11. The Razorland Trilogy by Ann Aguirre
I read both
Enclave and
Outpost before deciding I was done with this.
Outpost got too "because of the apocalypse we've reverted to the old way of doing things, including inferior status for women". No. Come on. This isn't necessary. I read spoilers for
Horde and I'm not sorry I stopped reading.
12. The Johannes Cabal Series by Johnathan L. Howard
I was trying something new with this one. I don't really regret it, but it's just that this book wasn't exceptional enough for me to care about wanting to read three more in the series.
13. The Fire Sermon Trilogy by Francesa Haig
Despite it's marketing, this was a fairly typical dystopian tale. The worldbuilding was interesting and the conflict of Alpha and Omega twins skirted the line of being gross and ableist, but it managed to mostly steer clear of crossing it. Again, I just don't really care what happens next?
14. The Juliet Immortal Duology by Stacey Jay
Okay, this one is different. I
loved this first book. A lot. It was light and fun and cute. The sequel
Romeo Redeemed is more companion novel than anything else. And I'm probably not going to read it. Because I don't need to know what happens. I'm fine leaving this at one book.
15. The Wintercraft Trilogy by Jenna Burtenshaw
I'm waffling on this one. Book one was okay. Simplistic, but entertaining enough. I wouldn't be opposed to reading more. But it's not super high on my priority list right now. And I can't see that changing any time soon.
Phew! That was a lot more than I thought!
Read any of these? What did you think? What series have you been unimpressed with? Let's chat in the comments!
