Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Ten Finished Series I Have YET to Finish.
Well, I have plenty of those. And this is why I’m trying not to start new series, at least not while they’re still in progress. Because I lose interest between books, or just never care enough in the first place to continue — or by the time the next book comes out, I’d have to go back and re-read the earlier ones to remember what’s happened, and who has time for that?
My top ten didn’t-finish-’em series (with pictures of the book I’d need to read next, if I ever ended up reading further):
1. Locke & Key by Joe Hill: This one is a crying shame, and I swear I will finish! I absolutely adored this scary, creepy graphic novel series, and I’ve read five of the six volumes. But when #6 came out, I thought I should read #1 – 5 again first so that I’d fully appreciate the grand finale… and then I just didn’t make time for it. So, I do intend to finish reading this series. This year, maybe?
2. The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I read the first three books in the series and thought they were great, then decided to take a little break — and I’ve just never gone back. No particular reason, except that every time I picked up the 4th book, I’d always find something else I was more in the mood to read at that moment. Someday, perhaps.
3. Birthright series by Gabrielle Zevin: I liked the first two books well enough, but by the time the third came out, I just didn’t have the story on my mind any more, and didn’t feel a need to go back to it.
4. Mara Dyer series by Michelle Hodkin: This was a weird one for me. I really liked the first book, started the 2nd, and just didn’t feel at all drawn into the story. I ended up DNFing the 2nd book, and haven’t been curious enough to give it another try.
5. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series by Stieg Larsson: I finished the first book, but hated it, and had no interest at all in reading any further.
6. The Finishing School series by Gail Carriger: This one isn’t a perfect fit for the topic, since the final book doesn’t come out until November. I adored the Parasol Protectorate series, but after reading the 1st book in this YA series (Etiquette and Espionage), I decided I’d pass. I didn’t particularly enjoy the main character or the younger tone, and I haven’t heard anything yet about the rest of the series that’s been enough to make me want to give it another try.
7. Inheritance Cycle by Chris Paolini: I read Eragon as a joint reading project with my son, and I thought we’d continue with the rest of the books. But as he doesn’t seem interested in the 2nd book, Eldest, I’m not going to bother either. I didn’t really enjoy Eragon all that much, and I’d only continue if I had my kiddo to share the experience with.
8.Sally Lockhart Quartet by Philip Pullman: This one was not intentional. I read The Ruby in the Smoke after picking it up at a used book sale and really liked it, but since I didn’t have the next book, I forgot about it for a while. I would like to finish the series, but I’d have to start over again from the beginning.
9. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: I read three (or perhaps four?) of these books way back when, and I know I have at least one more to go. Maybe I just didn’t have the remaining one(s) at that time? I have no idea why I never finished, because I adore these books!
10. The Last Werewolf trilogy by Glen Duncan: I really liked the first two (ultra violent and bloody) books in this trilogy, and I do have the 3rd… but just haven’t felt like reading it yet. To be honest, I’m not sure I care enough anymore to go back to this story, and I’m not sure why. Still, I do own the book, so I’m not ruling it out!
Do we have any unfinished series in common? Or can you convince me to give any on my list another try?
Share your links, please, and I’ll come check out your top 10!
NEW THIS WEEK! I’m starting a new Wednesday Feature… please come back tomorrow and check it out!
If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out my regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I host a Book Blog Meme Directory, and I’m always looking for new additions! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!
Bookshelf Fantasies 
Totally with you on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – it was just so nasty!
Great list! Glen Duncan spoke at my MA graduation last year, which was pretty cool. 😀 It’s always good to know I’m not the only person who didn’t like Eragon, but I would quite like to read the Locke & Key series!
Oh, that must have been awesome hearing Glen Duncan speak! His writing is really remarkable. Locke & Key is so good! I really do need to finish. 🙂
I’m curious about Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, I haven’t read a single one but everyone keeps saying it’s his omnibus. I only read the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as well, then I watched the movies instead of reading the books lol.
It took me so long to finally start The Dark Tower series. I’m a big fan of King’s, but didn’t want to get involved in something so big — and well, I guess for good reason, since I never finished! I think I will someday, since it is supposed to be his masterpiece.
I also didn’t get past Eragon! I’m not even certain why… most likely I forgot! I have two of the others on my shelf so will probably read them at some point… maybe in another ten years! I did really enjoy the Sally Lockhart Quartet though so I hope you finish (and enjoy) it! 🙂
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the Sally Lockhart books! I don’t know anyone else who’s read them.
There are a number of series on your list this week that I want to start reading. I hope you enjoy them if you get back to them!
Thank you so much! It’s hard to get motivated to go back to a series once I’ve walked away, but there are some here that I really do want to finish!
I have heard awesome things about Lock & Key! I really want to start the Dark Tower series soon! Happy reading! 🙂
My TTT:
http://thenovelorange.com/the-finish-line/
Thank you! Locke & Key really is amazing, and is probably the one I’m most upset with myself for never finishing. Maybe I’m just averse to reading the final volume of something I don’t want to be over? 🙂
Makes total sense! I prolong the end of something I love as long as I can stand it! 🙂
I loved the Dark Tower series up to the end – it got a little….weird. 🙂 Still glad I read them all though. My TTT list is here.
Weird… good weird? I find a lot of Stephen King’s endings weird, but I’m usually glad to have read the books anyway. 🙂 I really do want to get back to The Dark Tower sooner or later.
I had mixed feelings about it, but I would say read it anyway, because after that many books you have to find out how it ends! 🙂
The Dark Tower series is one I don’t know that I’ll ever finish. It wasn’t really my favorite of King’s books, and I had trouble getting through the ones that were out a long time ago. I have no idea if I’d even remember enough to get going again. I loved the GAbrielle Zevin series, hopefully you will get around to finishing it some day.
Check out my Top 10
I’m glad to hear that the Gabrielle Zevin series has a good ending! I really do like her writing. I think I just had too big a gap between reading the first two and the release of the third, but maybe I will go back to it eventually. Thanks!
I loved Mara Dyer, but I can totally see why you wouldn’t get on with it.
Mara Dyer really was an odd experience for me, going from loving #1 to DNFing #2! Oh well, not every series works for me, that’s for sure!
Oh, you have to finish Locke & Key! I just read the whole series through and loved it.
I absolutely want to! I really love the series, but keep putting off #6 because I want to read straight through from the beginning again first, and just haven’t made time yet. Brilliant books.
I forgot about The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series! My TTT
Did you read all of them? I know so many people love those books… but not me. 🙂
I had a hard time finishing the first book…
Oh I am so struggling with Etiquette and Espionage. I haven’t touched it since May, but I’d like to finish it before the end of the year. Which makes me sad, because I did like Soulless.
I really loved Soulless and that whole series, but E&E just didn’t cut it for me. If you do go back to it, I’d love to hear what you think!
Finishing School looks like the kind of book I’d enjoy and even though I’ve been aware of it for a while, I still haven’t picked it up. I must do this.
Have you read her Parasol Protectorate series? It’s outstanding!
I did the first one, but it was years ago.
Thanks for mentioning the Sally Lockhart books. I wouldn’t have known there was a quartet, otherwise. My school library had the first two, so I guess I decided that’s all there was when I read them years ago 😦
That’s happened to me before — I think I’ve read a stand-alone or a finished series, then find out after the fact that there’s still more!
I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy the Mara Dyer series. I loved it. I started The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, but I just couldn’t get into it. It was kind of boring in the beginning. I guess if you hated it, then I wasn’t missing much by not finishing it. 🙂
I don’t think you’re missing much! I agree, the beginning was kind of boring, but once the action picked up, I found it all so horrible and sensationalized that it made me feel gross just reading it. Yuck.
I agree with the Inheritance series. Otherwise I haven’t read the books you mention. I didn’t know Philip Pullman had other series. Awesome! Thanks for stopping by my TTT earlier 🙂
Thanks for visiting! Glad to see that my opinion of the Inheritance series is confirmed — doesn’t sound like I’m missing out by not continuing!
Man, I have so many unfinished series to read. Several of them I keep thinking I’ll get back to them but I’ve truly just lost interest. But the rest of them… there are tons. haha I read all of Locke & Key this year and it was SO GOOD. Definitely one to make time for. 🙂 I have got to make time for The Dark Tower series… been slowly making my way through King’s books but have yet to commit to that one.
Stephen King has over 60 books, so there’s plenty to choose from without committing to an entire series! I’ve loved all of Locke & Key that I’ve read. I think I just need to be in the right mental space to re-read the first 5 volumes and then finish!