The standalone novel has become a rarity; it’s all about the series. I read my fair share of series but sometimes, they’re drawn out far past their expiration date and you couldn’t pay me to see it through to the end. Here are just a few series that I’ve quit and don’t plan on picking back up anytime soon:
Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella // Last installment read: Mini Shopaholic (Shopaholic #6)
I adored this series in the beginning but Becky became a bit of a nuisance. And then she created a mini hellion version of herself.
Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost // Last installment read: Destined for an Early Grave (Night Huntress, #4)
I don’t recall any particular reason why I stopped reading this other than I moved on to better UF and this one was long forgotten.
Chicagoland Vampires Series by Chloe Neill // Last installment read: Biting Bad (Chicagoland Vampires #8)
One of the “better UF” series but clearly this one didn’t last either.
White Trash Zombie Series by Diana Rowland // Last installment read: How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back (White Trash Zombie, #4)
This series was an entertaining series, but somewhere I think it got too serious for its own good. I mean, the Zombie mafia? Really?
The Iron Druid Chronicles Series by Kevin Hearne // Last installment read: Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles, #4)
I loved the first three installments in this series but felt that they were all a bit too repetitive and formulaic. I kept thinking I’d get around to 5 eventually but that was 4 years ago.
The Custard Protocol Series by Gail Carriger // Last installment read: Prudence (The Custard Protocol #1)
I adored Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate series. It is one of the few times steampunk has worked for me. The Custard Protocol? Cheesy and ridiculous. I’m so very disappointed I didn’t love this one too.
Cormoran Strike Series by Robert Galbraith // Last installment read: The Cuckoo’s Calling (Cormoran Strike #1)
That quote of the woman smoking a cigarette still haunts my dreams.
Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi // Last installment read: Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3)
I thought this series was over but apparently, it has been brought back from the dead and now there are six books planned? Hard fucking pass.
Lincoln Rhyme Series by Jeffery Deaver // Last installment read: The Skin Collector (Lincoln Rhyme #11)
I’ve been reading this series since I was a teenager and I attribute it to my current love of mysteries. The newer installments just aren’t doing it for me but this will always be a special series for me.
The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare // Last installment read: City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4)
I loved the first three installments in this series and loved the conclusion but wow, this book was super unneeded. I’m still mildly tempted to read The Dark Artifices spin-off, but it has yet to happen.
Alyce @ The Bumbling Blogger
I’m still interested in reading Shatter Me, because I’ve heard amazing things about it, but I’ve been putting it off for this long and now there are so many new installments coming that it’s difficult to find the energy to start the series.
I also abandoned The Mortal Instruments series, but I got one book further than you did. If the sixth one had been out when I finished book five, I probably would have finished the series… But then with all of the spin offs and companion novellas, the world of the Shadowhunters is a bit daunting!
Alyce @ The Bumbling Blogger recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Books I’m no longer interested in
Bonnie
I feel the same about starting most series. It’s either so many installments that you don’t even want to start or thinking about how by the time the next installment comes out that I’ll have to do a re-read just to remember what happened in the last books. lol
Bonnie recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Series I’m No Longer Interested in Finishing
Chrissi Reads
I’m totally with you on the Shopaholic books. Becky became incredibly annoying!I will try the Shatter Me book 4, but I can totally see why you wouldn’t want to continue!
Chrissi Reads recently posted…Ten Books I’ve Decided I’m No Longer Interested In Reading
Bonnie
Becky was intolerable and so was her child. lol
Bonnie recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Series I’m No Longer Interested in Finishing
Alienor @ meet the book world
I agree, it seems harder and harder to find standalone novels and that’s a a shame? I mean, I love a good series but as you said, they rarely STAY good and often go on for way too many books, ugh. Great post!
Alienor @ meet the book world recently posted…TTT #4 – 10 YA Books I’ve Decided I’m No Longer Interested in Reading
Bonnie
I’d much rather have just one really great book than a crazy long series that has a few good books but ends on a bad note. And I’m super hard to please when it comes to series enders. I just need to seek out standalones more. 🙂
Bonnie recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Series I’m No Longer Interested in Finishing
Eve
So I did read and finish the Shatter Me series and am looking forward to the next books though I am a bit disappointed it’s just a continuation of a series years later vs a new series. I had no desire to read the Cuckoo’s Calling books but I did see they are/have made a series on them so may check that out .
Eve recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Books I’ve given up on reading/finishing
Bonnie
I’d actually really like to see the TV show they made based on The Cuckoo’s Calling but I believe it’s in the UK only. I’ll have to look into that. 🙂
Bonnie recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Series I’m No Longer Interested in Finishing
Louise
Super interested in your choice of the Shatter Me series! I’ve seen it on sooo many rec lists but not read it myself yet.
My TTT this week.
Bonnie
Yeah, I understand the appeal but I just wasn’t the target audience. 🙂 It is what it is.
Bonnie recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Series I’m No Longer Interested in Finishing
Kelly @ Kelly's Rambles
I’ve not read any of these except for Cuckoo’s Calling! I hear a lot about the Shatter Me series though and debated reading it one day!
Kelly @ Kelly’s Rambles recently posted…Top 10 Tuesday | 10 Books I’m No Longer Interested in Reading!
Bonnie
It’s worth a shot, I just clearly wasn’t the target audience. lol
Bonnie recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Series I’m No Longer Interested in Finishing
Astilbe
I like the cover for Biting Bad. It’s too bad you didn’t enjoy the story itself.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
Astilbe recently posted…Doubly-Dead Angel Thief by Marc Whelchel
Bonnie
Yeah, it’s definitely a shame… especially since I loved this series so much in the beginning. Oh well. 🙂
Bonnie recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Series I’m No Longer Interested in Finishing
Carmen
I hate it when a series wraps-up perfectly, and after a couple of years, they release more books. Why? I know I don`t have to read it, but I still don`t get why authors ruin perfectly good endings. Also, I`m with you on TMI. I`m not the biggest Cassandra Clare fan, so I have no idea whether I`ll ever finish TMI and TDI.
Carmen recently posted…TTT: Books I`m No Longer Interested In Reading
Bonnie
Right? When they do that it always makes me feel like they tried to come up with something new, couldn’t, so went back to the same series. hahaha
Bonnie recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Series I’m No Longer Interested in Finishing
Barb (boxermommyreads)
I don’t think I ever finished the Night Huntress series. Same goes with the Chicagoland Vamp series. I sort of fell out of love with vampires somewhere along the way and I don’t know why (maybe they became too sparkly). I TOTALLY get series drawing out too long – Anita Blake! It made my list and was the first one I thought of. I mean, how often can you say you made it to book #11 and STILL never finished!
Barb (boxermommyreads) recently posted…TTT- Don’t You Want Me Baby????
Bonnie
hahahaha Definitely blame the sparkles. I never picked up Anita Blake but I feel that way about the Sookie Stackhouse series. I quit that series like the book before the finale and while it still bothers me, I know I made the right choice. That series went on for far too long.
Bonnie recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Series I’m No Longer Interested in Finishing
Beverly
No more White Trash Zombie *sobs* lol…I’ll still read the silly things
Bonnie
hahaha I’m sorry. I really tried. There will be other buddy reads. 😛
Bonnie recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Series I’m No Longer Interested in Finishing
Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy
I agree, I loved the first 3 books in The Mortal Instrument series, but when the 4th came out it just made me tired to look at it!
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Bonnie
Yeah, all the spin-offs are super daunting. I did read The Infernal Devices series and really enjoy it but I’m not sure if I can keep reading the others if I stopped in the middle of another series. I’m sure I’d be missing something. lol
Bonnie recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Series I’m No Longer Interested in Finishing
Ash
I honestly think Cassandra Clare should have just stopped after 3 of the Mortal Instruments series. Now it’s just too much. I read City of Fallen Angels and hated it. And then all these spin off’s are just ridiculous.
Great list!
Here’s our tuesday posts:
Top Ten Tuesday: http://jennreneeread.blogspot.com/2018/02/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-broke-up-with.html
Teaser Tuesday: http://jennreneeread.blogspot.com/2018/02/teaser-tuesday-your-one-and-only-by.html
Lisa
I hear ya–some series just …. well…. Stephanie Plum is one I’ve given up on. 27 volumes of the same thing. In real life Steph & Joe and Ranger would be my age–mid 50s!!
Heidi
Yep, nodding my head along with almost all your picks. I still am reading Iron Druid, I have stopped on all the rest that you have up there for my own reasons. Glad to know I am not alone in quitting a series.
Kay
Ha! I’ve read The Cuckoo’s Calling twice and I never noticed that quote. I can see how that would be off putting. I did like #2 and #3, but happily, we can all like different things. 🙂
Kay recently posted…Top 10 Tuesday – Authors I guess I’m no longer reading…for whatever reason
Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies
I quit the Mortal Instruments series after three books — the story seemed wrapped up and finished to me, so why go on? Not that I want to push books on anyone, but I’d say maybe give the Prudence series another chance. I didn’t care for Prudence all that much when I first read it, but my daughter convinced me to pick it back up. I listened to the audiobook, and then the audiobook for the 2nd book, and they were so much fun! Maybe the format helped — the silliness seemed just light entertaining to listen to, rather than annoying me like the print version did. 🙂 I really like the Cormoran Strike books — but yet, the description of the woman has stuck with me, and not in a good way.
Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Thanks, but no thanks — books I no longer plan to read
Sim @ Flipping Through the Pages
I haven’t read any of these. But yes, I wanted to read Shatter and The Mortal Instruments series at some point. I am not sure though when that time will come 😛 I have a kind of love/hate relationship with series. I am usually teriified of them?
My TTT: http://flippingthruthepages.com/2018/02/ten-books-want-read-beautiful-covers-featuring-black-women/