I seem to have developed the habit of becoming a chronic non-series finisher. This year is the year to rectify that! If you’ve seen my post about what I’ll be tracking in my reading journal for 2023, then you’ll know my main goal is to finish series.
I’m really looking forward to this challenge because I can focus on getting back into old stories and familiar characters. I can’t wait to tick some off!
One of the bonuses that I’ll be rewarding myself with, is that for every series I completed I get an extra half-point towards my buying capacity. If you don’t know, I currently have a spreadsheet (which is super epic!!) that tracks my reading and keeps tally so that for every two books I read, I’m allowed to buy one. So as I said, when I finish a series I’ve got the spreadsheet to recognise this and add an additional half-point to the score.
Let’s take a look at fourteen series (there are many, many more I’m halfway through) I want to finish. For all of these, I’m just one book away from finishing them! So this should be very achievable. I’m looking at you, Kirstie from 2024 – you better have finished these!
One – Skyward by Brandon Sanderson
Series length: three books
I’m working on this one as we speak! Cytonic is book three and the final in what I believe is going to be two linked trilogies (so yes, I’ll be counting Cytonic as the ‘end’ of the series).
This is the first Brandon Sanderson series I’ve ever read and wow, what a way to get started. I’ve loved every minute of the Skyward series and book 3 is definitely keeping up the pace. It’s fun and exciting!
This series is set in a futuristic world where everything has gone to sh*t. Spensa has grown up on a planet called Detritus which is regularly under attack. She wants to train to become a pilot but for various reasons, faces serious obstacles in doing so.
As the series progresses you meet so many interesting characters along the way, and the plot is ever expanding. I can’t wait to tick this one off the list.
Two – Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan
Series length: eleven books
Reading The Lost Stories will bring me to the end of a very long marathon of Ranger’s Apprentice.
I started this series at the recommendation of a friend in high school – so we’re talking over ten years ago now. When it comes to finishing series, I sure can take my time.
But I’ve loved all the adventures and I’m reassured that this isn’t really the end. There are more stories from this world to read about in numerous spin-off series that Flanagan has written.
But every year for about the last 4 or 5 years I’ve made this my task to finish this series. In my defence, I have ticked off a few (but never quite made it to the last one) – so now I’ve just got one more to go and 2023 will be the year that I finish the 11-book series that is Ranger’s Apprentice!
Three – The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Series length: three books
This is a series that I’ve still got two to go in but can’t believe I’ve dragged my feet on.
I remember reading The Gilded Wolves right around the time it was released and thinking it was brilliant. I was onto things and had ordered a copy of the sequel as soon as I could.
And then it’s just sat on my shelf.
This is a really great series if you’re looking for magic and misfits, something simpler but reminiscent of Six of Crows. I adore the covers for this series too, so I hope that when I get to book two, The Silvered Serpents, I’ll go and grab a copy of the final book too and marathon them together.
Four – Mirage by Somaiya Daud
Series length: two books
This is a duology, I should have finished this by now!
Mirage is actually a very interesting sci-fi – it vibes fantasy but it is sci-fi. It’s about a princess and girl who gets involved with the princess, unwillingly, as her servant.
It’s a really interesting book and I remember there being a really gripping story to it. Things left us high and dry and so I was quick to get my hands on a copy of this sequel too, but I just haven’t picked it up yet.
So 2023 will be the year that I slay this sapphic fantasy-vibing sci-fi duology.
Five – Nil by Lynne Matson
Series length: three books
It actually bothers me so much that I haven’t finished Nil on Fire, the third and final book in the Nil trilogy.
This series is SO COOL and SO underrated – it’s all about teens who are mysterious teleported to the island Nil. There, you have exactly one year to escape the island or you die.
So everyone’s days are numbered, literally, and depending where you are at in your year has some bearing on your role in the group. Not everyone joins the group, but most do for safety.
It is so epic. Portals literally open up in random places in the world teleporting kids here, and the randomised threat of it is what makes it so scary. It’s a thrilling trilogy – and the island is of course packed with danger.
I did actually start reading this a few years back, but had too many other books on the go, and eventually put it back on the shelf for when I could give it more time. 2023 will be the year!
Six – Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Series length: two books
I am a self-professed lover of any book involving a dragon, and yet it baffles how many unread dragon books I have.
This is the sequel to Seraphina and I remember it being a very atmospheric book. It’s been quite some time since I read book one now, however, that I might struggle simply diving back into book two.
I’m going in optimistic however, because this is just one book away from finishing a short series and allowing me to claim that extra buying point!
Plus I really want to finish this and move to to read more of what Hartman has written, Tess of the Road looks particularly interesting.
Seven – Reawakened by Colleen Houck
Series length: three books (and a hearty novella)
It’s no secret that Colleen Houck is my favourite author. I find her stories so be so imaginative and delve into mythology and worlds that are exciting, and ripe for the picking as a fantasy setting.
I devoured Reawakened when it came out and gleefully moved onto book two – and even the novella! But then dragged my feet when it came to finishing the series off with Reunited.
It certainly seems to be a real thing with me that I struggle to finish series, even by my favourites!
This is an Egyptian mythology-inspired series where some of the gods have come to Earth and our main character (a human) accidentally finds herself caught up in things. It is such a fabulous and underrated YA fantasy series.
Eight – Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Series length: two books
Children of Blood and Bone was such a fantastic read – it deserves all the hype and good reviews that it got. The fact I haven’t read book two (and this is just a duology) makes no sense to me.
This is written by a Nigerian-American author who has drawn on African inspiration to construct this fantasy world.
It is rich with cool magic and our main character is one you can really get behind. And! Things left on such a huge cliff-hanger that I really don’t know how I’ve been so chill for many years in between this and me not reading book two. Gah!
This one is quite high up my hit list, so don’t fear. Because it’s a duology and I can claim that bonus point from finishing it, I’m pretty motivated.
Nine – The Tiger Saga by Colleen Houck
Series length: five books
Another series that I’m very close to finishing is the Tiger Saga. You might be questioning my sanity that of my favourite author and my favourite series of hers, I’ve still not finished it?!?
Tiger’s Curse is the book I largely attribute to getting me into reading. I did not enjoy reading until I hit high school, and it was the first YA fantasy I read and realised how awesome reading was.
There was actually a really big gap between Houck finishing the first four books before she managed to publish the fifth (and considerably longer) book. So this hasn’t been on my TBR for tooooo many years.
Nonetheless, I need to stop being intimidated by it’s brick-like size and crack on with things!
Ten – Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Series length: two books
Hark! Another duology I just need to finish off.
I read book one, Raybearer, a couple of years ago, so I’m not too neglectful of this series. This is another fabulous West African-inspired fantasy series and good god is it brimming with unique and fabulous things.
This is all about a girl who is essentially living with an evil step-mother. She finds herself at court and in this world a king/prince needs to pick their Ray, which is a collection of 12 (14? I can’t remember) people with certain abilities that become intimately linked with them.
Like to the point they die if they leave their side.
I don’t think I need to elaborate and say that this adds a whole other level of tension to everything that happens in this story.
Eleven – The Falconer by Elizabeth May
Series length: three books
I first read the Falconer trilogy, well, the first two books, MANY moons ago. And omg, it’s Celtic and there’s a hot bad guy and the faeries are cool!
And cliff-hangers! Ahh! I must know what happens next!
So naturally, it’s now been 7 years since I read book two. I can’t even with myself sometimes. How do I go 7 years on a cliff-hanger? I amaze myself.
Which means this is right up in priority-reading territory for me to slay this year. It’s the third and final book in the series (yay for bonus points!) and it’s not particularly long. I even think I can remember the series reasonably well. So this needs to be finished in 2023!
Twelve – The Books of Ambha by Tasha Suri
Series length: two books
This is one of the more innocent books on this list.
I only picked up a copy of Realm of Ash last year because it’s not that old and I’d read book one, Empire of Sand, just a handful of years ago.
But it’s merely a duology (and just look at that cover) so I’m really excited to scoop up my bonus points and finish the story. This should be extra interesting because we also get a POV swap in book two (I think), and I’m really looking forward to that.
Thirteen – The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye
Series length: two books
It’s amazing how many unfinished duologies are on this list.
But I did toss and turn over whether I should actually continue reading this series. I liked book one, The Crown’s Game, but it didn’t overly excite me. Originally, I decided I wouldn’t continue it.
But the lure of finishing off a series when it was only two books long and finding out how things would wrap up got me in the end.
So I’m holding my breath on this one. I’m not expecting to be wowed, but I’m hoping this is better than book one (and willing to endeavour to read a short book for bonus points – look at my system working like a beauty).
Fourteen – Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike
Series length: three books
Once, I did have a moment where I thought I might not continue this.
But only because it’s been probably over 10 years since I read book one, Earthbound. This is a childhood (read: young teen) book that’s been loitering neglected on my shelf for a long time.
I remember enjoying book one, I don’t remember much else. I think there are fairies.
If I can’t find a sparknotes (or some equivalent) I’ll probably need to do a little marathon of both of these so that I don’t go into this too confused. But I can never bring myself to just donate this and take it off the TBR because I’m sure 14-year-old me would be very disappointed in such a decision.
This is, however, a trilogy. So if I enjoy this there’s one more book to go before I get my bonus points.
Fifteen – Blazewrath Games by Amparo Ortiz
Series length: two books
Continuing the trend of short series, I’ve got this lovely dragony book to go to finish off the Blazewrath Games duology. I quite like Blazewrath Games, I thought it was one of the most diverse and inclusive books I’ve ever read.
The writing was good but not brilliant, and I’m actually really hoping that Ortiz will have got right into the groove with book two and this will be even better.
Because gosh, I do love books about dragons.
So those are 15 series I’m hoping to finish off this year! I think it’s a doable goal and I really do want to finish some of the numerous series I’m very close to finishing, so that I can finally tick them off the list.
I think this is going to be a very wholesome-feeling and productive goal for 2023, so I can’t wait to start.
What are some goals you have this year?
Upside-Down Books 