This was a post a long time in the planning. I was originally going to write it, last summer, I think? And I’ve since started my re-reads of some of these series. But I was thinking of content that I wanted to create, and this was one that still stuck in my mind. So, here we go.
These are all series that I read the first books of a few years ago now. Time has gone on and I’ve always meant to pick up the next books and read on. Only, it’s now reached a point where I can’t really remember what happened in the first book. so I need to re-read that before I can even think about moving on.
It’s a common book-lovers problem, but I’m not usually someone who re-reads before reading the latest instalment in a series. I’ve got too many books to be able to do that. But these are books where I can’t move on yet. One of them I got the second book recently thinking it would be fine, I went to start it and was completely lost. Yeah. That was no fun. So, there’s six series here and where I stand currently, I recommend them all.
Rebel of the Sands – Alwyn Hamilton
I’ll be honest. This is one of the books I’ve done a re-read of and…I’ve also read book 2. As of last night. So I’m most of the way through this trilogy now, but it’s a prime example of series I start, mean to go on and just don’t. I finally picked this one back up as I kept seeing the third book in Waterstones, and I was like, I still need to read that. But I had very little memory of what happened. When I picked it up to read again, I did have some vague memories, but nothing detailed.
This is about Amani, a girl who’s desperate to get out of her dead-end, desert town. She’s taught herself to shoot, and using those skills, she plans to get out. Then she meets a foreigner who scuppers her plans but gives her a new chance to run away. She goes with him only to discover that this nameless foreigner is someone more important than she’d have ever assumed and she gets herself tied into a rebellion.
In a lot of ways. this does sound like your fairly typical YA fantasy. And, I won’t lie, in a lot of ways it is. But I enjoy the magic systems and seeing the characters and their moral issues. This series is really interesting and I’m so glad I’m giving it a second chance. I’ve read the second book from my library – though there were some issues with an incomplete audiobook that meant I had to finish it in e-book – and I’ve seen the third is available on Scribd. I’ll finally be finishing this series soon, and it’s about damn time.
The Winners Curse – Marie Rutkoski
This is a series that I kind of forgot that I had? Not that I’d read it, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of the first book so I wasn’t sure if I wanted to carry it on or not. Or if I’d even kept my copy of the first book. After reading The Midnight Lie last year which is set in the same world, I pulled out my copy and I finally re-read it.
I still wasn’t the biggest fan but I did enjoy it a bit more the second time around. It follows Kestrel, a general’s daughter who buys a slave at market one day simply because she’s curious about him. This is seen as a surprise as she wouldn’t usually do that sort of thing, but the gossips start talking and she has to be careful as she starts to fall in love with him. But she’s not the only one with secrets and soon his could put her in danger and make her regret buying him.
The slavery romance was definitely an issue I had with this book both times around that I read it. But I am curious about this world. I want to see more of it after reading The Midnight Lie, and, honestly, that’s probably the only reason I’m finally moving on with this series. I haven’t picked up the second book yet but both that and the third are available as e-books on Scribd so that’s how I plan to read them!
The Dark Days Club – Alison Goodman
Here we have a historical fantasy that I thought was okay but I was intrigued enough to carry it on. Just, y’know, not enough to actually pick up the books as they came out. I believe the series has been completed for a few years now so it’s about time that I actually got around to reading them. Again, I keep seeing them in shops but I’ve just never got around to them. At this point, I just need to re-read so I know whether I want to carry on, or if the first book is going to charity.
Lady Helen is set to take her first steps into London society. Set in 1812, this Regency novel follows a young woman who is out to find a husband but instead meets Lord Carlston who believes she could be something a lot more. She meets demons and winds up fighting them in ways she never expected even as she falls for the dubious Lord himself.
I don’t remember much about this book. Something about an execution and where she is at the end is just about it. I have no clue how I’m going to feel about it in 2021 but I want to give it a second chance and hopefully carry on with it. I’m just not sure how yet.
Sea of Shadows – Kelley Armstrong
I’m ashamed to say that there is a Kelley Armstrong completed series that I have yet to finish. And it is the Age of Legends trilogy. I read the first two books as they came out, didn’t hugely feel them, a while later got the third book from the library and was not feeling it as I’d have to re-read. That was a few years ago now. I still own the first two books so I thought it was about time that I give this series a second chance and to finally finish it.
Unlike the majority of Kelley Armstrong’s work, this is a high fantasy that follows twin sisters Moira and Ashyn. They both have roles as the Keeper and the Seeker and they help protect their community from the spirits of the dead. They also both each have some kind of magical animal companion, which is something I remember loving. One year, when the souls can’t be quieted, they have to go warn the empire of evil that’s coming and they travel with two dashing male companions along the way.
If I remember correctly, I think this book has been pretty inspired by Japanese culture. I don’t remember seeing any negative reviews about how that’s done and I generally trust Kelley Armstrong, but that’s something I might have to check before deciding if I am going to finish this series or not. I really don’t remember much about it, it’s definitely going to be one I have to dive back into before saying anything about it. I don’t know how I’ll be reading the third book if I get to it, but I’ll deal with that when the time comes.
The Storm Crow – Kalyn Josephson
This is a book I shouldn’t be needing to re-read. This is a book I originally preordered the sequel to only had to cancel it. This is a book I hadn’t planned on re-reading but as I’ve thought about reading the second book since I’m not sure if I can remember much. Which is a shame, because I remember absolutely adoring this book.
The only problem was that I either read it in December 2018 or January 2019. Yeah. I got the Fairyloot with an ARC copy in and I was so damn excited. I loved it so much and I needed the sequel then and there. Especially as it’s only a duology. But I had to wait for the summer for the first book to come out and then a whole year for the second book. So now I need and I’m desperate to re-read this. I keep putting it off as I wanna buy the sequel first but I don’t want to buy the sequel before reading the first book. It’s an actual problem.
The Storm Crow is a dark fantasy with magical crows and an interesting love triangle. We have Anthia, a princess who recently lost her Mother as well as all the crows. Months later, Anthia is pushed into an engagement with the crown prince of the country that attacked them. Anthia doesn’t want to her and her sister doesn’t want to agree but the deal is made. At the same time, Anthia stumbles upon a crow egg and that brings her hope that they can hatch it and win back what was taken from them.
I really can’t stress how much I loved this book. I guess a re-read this time is almost an excuse to enjoy the first book again before continuing on the series. But really, I can’t even remember characters names at the moment so I do actually need to do so. This’ll be one I get to pretty soon I imagine and I’m hoping to be able to gobble it up super quickly.
Seafire – Natalie C. Parker
There’s a bit of a story with this book. I got and adored it in 2018 and had plans to pick up the second book as soon as I could. In November 2019, I went into Forbidden Planet and found they had had the second book on sale! But it was the American cover and I prefer the English covers. So, I decided to wait. Months passed and in late 2020, I find that the second book is available in e-book over here. Great, I might have gotten it, but I was still holding out hope for a physical copy. Only to find out the publishers don’t know when or even if it’s getting a physical copy over here. Big sigh. Cue me finding the US edition of the book again in Forbidden Planet last year on my birthday and finally buying it. I pulled it out from my TBR jar, tried to start it, and couldn’t remember a thing. So, now I need to re-read this before I can pick up the second book. This is the only uncompleted series on here but I believe the third book is out fairly soon so if I get through the first two in time I may even be able to preorder it.
Caledonia is the captain of an all girl pirate ship. Every single girl and woman on the ship has lost someone to the vicious warlord Aric and she plans to bring him and his ships down. One day, her second-in-command barely survives an attack by Aric thanks to a member of his crew who is trying to defect. She agrees to let him on her ship if he helps them bring Aric down but even she’s not sure if she made the right decision.
I remember this book being so good, I remember there being a queer couple that was cute on the side and that this book had a lot of girl power. But, at this point, it’s been so long that that’s about it. I’m pretty damn sure I’m going to love this just as much as I did the first time the second time round and I’ll be so happy to finally get to the second book.
I just wish I hadn’t been so picky in the first place because then I could have read it long ago!
Are there any books in series you need to re-read before you can finish the series? Or are you planning on reading any of these books any time soon? Let me know down below!
Lace and Dagger Books 
I was never one to leave a series unfinished in the past. Whether I particularly enjoyed it or not I would soldier on until I was done. In the past couple of years though as I’ve become more a part of reading groups online I have lapsed so much with this. I now have quite a few unfinished series sitting on my shelves with no hope in sight of actually finishing them any time soon! This post has definitely reminded me to look into that little problem and see if I can get any of them crossed off the list!
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It’s so easily done if you’re just not in the mood or don’t have the time series can go by the wayside if you’re not obsessed with them. Glad to remind someone else to catch up though!
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