Series I Need to Finish

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When thinking about bookish resolutions, I always consider the series that I need to finish up. Quite often I’ll power through a series, but occasionally I’ll be delayed in picking up sequels for whatever reason. Maybe my tastes change, maybe the next book hasn’t been released yet. Whatever the reason, I’m making a comprehensive list of books I need to crack on with!

These books are in no particular order.

1.

The Study Series by Maria V Snyder

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About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She’ll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia. And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. – from Goodreads.com

I read the first book in the series, Poison Study, last year and only yesterday did I finish the second book in the series, Magic Study. I need to get reading the third book in the series, Fire Study, pronto! There are lots of companion books to Yelena’s journey that all come under the title of The Chronicles of Ixia, so hopefully, I’ll get around to reading those too!

2.

The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon

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In 1945, Claire Randall is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon in Scotland. Innocently she walks through a stone circle in the Highlands and finds herself in a violent skirmish taking place in 1743. Suddenly she is a Sassenach, an outlander, in a country torn by war and by clan feuds. – from Goodreads.com

In 2017, I read both Cross Stitch/Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, both of which I enjoyed. The Outlander series is actually compromised of eight books in total, and whether I’ll end up reading all eight of them, I don’t know, but I’m certainly enjoying where the series is at, at the moment.

3.

The Tudor Court Series by Philippa Gregory

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Thus, bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Known to history as the Queen who was pushed off her throne by Anne Boleyn, here is a Katherine the world has forgotten: the enchanting princess that all England loved. – from Goodreads.com

The Tudor Court series begins with The Constant Princess and continues with The Other Boleyn Girl and The Boleyn Inheritance, all of which I read in 2017. I’m currently reading The Taming of the Queen, which concludes Henry VIII’s wives with Katherine Parr. These books thrive on the scandal that drove the Tudor court, and I absolutely love the excitement of the novels that keep the Tudors as some of the most notorious historical figures in British history.

So these conclude the series I need to continue reading in 2018. Have you read any of these books? Or finished any of these series? Let me know in the comments!

Top Five Series Next on My TBR

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It’s that age-old problem of too many books, not enough time. (Although, I could argue that there is no such thing as too many books!) Even though I have a long list of series that I want to start, I’ve decided to pick just five series to move further up on my TBR list. Here they are!

These series are in no particular order. 

The Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J Maas

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In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught. Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. – from Goodreads.com

This series is all over bookstagram and booktube and it is a cemented fan favourite. I sort of feel like I’m missing out if I don’t read this series, and with reports it’s due to become a TV series soon, I need to get a wiggle on.

The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare

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When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. – from Goodreads

This is pretty much everyone’s favourite series, and a huge staple in the YA community. I’ve seen the movie, I’ve seen the TV series, so what am I waiting for? Who knows.

The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon

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In 1945, Claire Randall is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon in Scotland. Innocently she walks through a stone circle in the Highlands and finds herself in a violent skirmish taking place in 1743. Suddenly she is a Sassenach, an outlander, in a country torn by war and by clan feuds. Marooned amid the passion and violence, the superstition , the shifting allegiances and the fervent loyalties, Claire is in danger from James Fraser, a gallant and courageous young Scots warrior. – from Goodreads.com

I first heard about Outlander from Sasha Alsberg who is obsessed with the series. Soon after that it was made into a TV show for Amazon Prime. Sasha’s love for the series has allowed a new wave of readership from the booktube community to enjoy it as much as her.

The Study Series by Maria V Snyder

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Yelena has a choice – be executed for murder, or become food taster to the Commander of Ixia. She leaps at the chance for survival, but her relief may be short-lived. Wily and smart, Yelena must learn to identify poisons before they kill her, recognise whom she can trust and how to spy on those she can’t. And who is the mysterious Southern sorceress who can reach into her head? – from Goodreads.com

Once again, this was another recommendation via Sasha Alsberg and her BookTube channel ABookUtopia. I hadn’t heard of the series before Sasha recommended it, and clearly the word had reached further than my laptop, as I found the first three books in a charity shop where I live for 25p each!

The Cormoran Strike Series by Robert Galbraith

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When a troubled model falls to her death from a snow-covered Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts, and calls in private investigator Cormoran Strike to look into the case. A war veteran, wounded both physically and psychologically, Strike’s life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline, but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model’s complex world, the darker things get – and the closer he gets to terrible danger. – from Goodreads.com

JK Rowling’s (not so secret) psudoymn, and after the backlash of the Casual Vacancy I’m not sure I blame her for chosing to publish under a different name for her debut crime series. She has always expressed a want to write crime, and I always express a want to read her books. I’m slowly getting more and more into the crime genre, and so I’m hoping to pick this one up asap.

So these are the top five series I want to start reading. Have you read any of these?  Can you recommend them? What five books are on your next TBR list? Let me know in the comments!
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