Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.
This was surprisingly one of the hardest topics in a while for me. I love series, they are what I gravitate towards but often the second book is not my favorite; usually I don’t enjoy the second book as much as the first and then the series redeems itself in the third, fourth or later books. That’s also one of the reasons that if I don’t totally enjoy the second book, I still read the third, just to see if it picks back up again. I was able to finally come up with ten after much deliberation and consulting Goodreads so here we go…
1. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (The Infernal Devices #2)
*This entire series was amazing, I didn’t like any of the books more or less but Clockwork Prince really fused the two books together.
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2)
*Again, I loved this entire series and each book brought so much to the overall story.
3. Frostbite by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy #2)
*Vampire Academy didn’t blow my mind but when I read Frostbite, I knew this would be one of my favorite series
4. Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins (Hex Hall #2)
*I really enjoyed Hex Hall, but again it didn’t blow we away… Demonglass did; I adored this book.
5. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (All Souls Trilogy #2)
*A Discovery of Witches is by far one of my favorite books ever but Shadow of Night snuck up on my and I loved it more than I thought.
6. Faking It by Cora Carmack (Losing It #2)
*I really enjoyed Losing It, but Faking It was SO much better. I just enjoyed Cade & Max much more as a couple.
7. Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi (Under the Ever Night #2)
*Under the Never Sky was good but Through the Ever Night made me CRAVE the third book… Ah, so good.
8. Dare You To by Katie McGarry (Pushing the Limits #2)
*Beth was one of my favorite characters in Pushing the Limits so when I she had a chance to tell her story, LOVE!
9. Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover (Slammed #2)
*I really enjoyed Slammed, but Point of Retreat was SOOO emotional and amazing.
10. Fire with Fire by Siobhan Vivian & Jenny Han (Burn for Burn #2)
*Burn for Burn did not sit well with me but I am so glad I gave Fire with Fire a chance, it was SO GOOD and the third book is too far away!
That was very difficult! What did you pick as your favorite sequels?
I felt the same way about VA, but haven’t read further in the series yet. I must!
Infernal Devices is on my fall TBR pile ….. Soooooooo excited!!!
I hope you continue with VA Melissa, it really did get much better in Frostbite and I had to read the entire series in a row!
The Infernal Devices is sooo good, I can’t wait for you to start to read it but I don’t want to hype it up too much for you 😛
I had the same with Shadow of Night, it is different from Discover but really has its own charm.
Great list!
I absolutely agree Ciska! I’m glad you liked that one as well, there are a TON of mixed feelings on that trilogy! I also was iffy because historical fiction is not my favorite genre but it is just so magical!
A million yeses to Through the Ever Night. I lovelovelove that book and I’m crazy excited for Into the Still Blue. I definitely agree with Fire with Fire as well. I loved the first one, and I thought they continued the series well.
OMG Rachel, I’m ANXIOUS to see how it ends. I have an eARC of Into the Still Blue but now I’m at the point where I’m scared to see how it ends 😛 I cannot believe that Fire with Fire turned the way it did… I really am curious to see how they wrap it up, it’s definitely one of my most anticipated for 2014 now 🙂
CLOCKWORK PRINCE AND FAKING IT <33333333333333 alllll the love to CADE.
and OBVS Dare You To. WAIT til CRASH. JUST YOU WAIT.
&@#^$^#(@* CASS!! I DONT KNOW WHAT I WILL DO IF I DONT READ IT SOON! ARGH lol… and it doesn’t help that EVERYONE has read it now 😛
I completely agree with Clockwork Prince, but I actually didn’t love the first book. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue on, but I’m so glad I did. I really was hooked on this series after finishing Clockwork Prince! I do think you’re totally right that it ties the whole series together really.
I almost included Harry Potter on my list, but I took it off at the last minute because I always include Harry Potter. Haha!
Totally agree on Vampire Academy! I checked out the first book from the library, read it, and wasn’t sure about picking up the second. When I saw book two at the library a month or so later, I decided to go for it. I think I was back within like two days checking them ALL out at once. It probably took me like a week and a half to race through them all.
100% agree with what you said about Through the Ever Night. One of the BEST sequels EVER.
And gosh, Dare You To. I wasn’t in love with Pushing the Limits, but I was ADDICTED once I read Dare You To. SOOOOO GOOD.
I’ve heard a lot of people say that about Fire With Fire. I haven’t read the first book since it seemed like people were so meh on it, so I’ve been pleased to see such positive reactions to the second book. I think I’ll wait for the last book to be released before I decide whether or not I want to read this series.
I’m so glad you continued after Clockwork Angel too!!! Prince was lovely… but it terrified me to read Princess, lol. I loved the love triangle, and I often hate love triangles but I loved how it was written!
Hehe, Harry Potter is on everyone’s lists always 😛 I struggle with removing/adding it every list so I understand your pain!!
I’m so glad that someone else feels like that about VA! I felt strange when I didn’t fall in love but totally understood what everyone was raving about with book 2!
OMG, you didn’t love Pushing the Limits!?!? I LOVE THAT, I find it so interesting when people don’t love books that I died over! I’m going to go read your review now 🙂
I would really recommend reading Burn for Burn(but YES wait for the last book!!!) because the second book was unbelievable!! The first book was rotten, because it deals with revenge and NASTY revenge, and I honestly didnt think I would read the second but I am so glad I did. It focused less on the revenge and took a freakin crazy turn and !)@(@&&##%!!! I would say do it!! lol.
Thanks for your amazing comment Hannah <3
Yeah, once I finished Prince I was so nervous to continue with Princess! I’m always on the fence about love triangles. If they’re done well, I don’t mind them. But I do feel like most aren’t handled well and just end up being frustrating or disappointing. I haven’t reviewed these yet, but I was telling Cassie that my review will probably just be a discussion about the love triangle because I had so many things I wanted to say about it while I was reading!
And I just read Pushing the Limits like a week and a half ago, so I haven’t reviewed it yet. But I will be! I liked where McGarry was going with it, but I found it a little too over-the-top at times. I think McGarry’s writing was stronger in the second book – she was more focused and the plot had less melodrama. However, I do think her characters have rocked in every book.
HAHA! Glad you support my decision to read that series once they’ve all been released. I know Estelle is someone who didn’t really like the first book, and then felt completely differently about the second. I need to ask her if it’s for similar reasons to what you described! Now I’m curious 🙂
My favourite sequel is Catching Fire here is my list http://caitstruelife.wordpress.com/2013/09/24/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-best-sequels-ever/
I enjoyed Catching Fire as well, actually I loved that whole series 😛
Wooohooo to VA and Infernal Devices!! <3 You know how I feel about them. I'm pumped to see Faking It and Point of Retreat on here– reading them soon!!!
YAYYYY 🙂 Well, clearly because I’m the worst and slowest commenter ever I know you’ve already read Point of Retreat but Faking It!! WHOO, so much better than Losing it !!!