Top Ten Tuesday: Standalone Books That Need a Sequel

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Last year, I wrote a (non-Top-Ten-Tuesday) post about books that need prequels. Today, I’ll be talking about some standalone books that need sequels. This list is shorter than usual because of how many authors and publishers are eager to publish sequels to stories that do well. There simply aren’t a lot of books that I wish had sequels. Hopefully, some of you will have longer lists.

1. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

While I loved the ending of this book, I couldn’t help but to hope we’d hear more from Starr again. The resolutions to her problems were incredibly realistic, but they also left a lot of room for speculating about how or if they might shift again in the future. What can I say? I wanted a happier ended than the one we got, and I’m still holding out home that it might happen someday. (The film is still on my to-be-watched list, so maybe it was different? Please don’t give me spoilers if they changed the ending!)

2. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Melinda, the main character, had been through something so awful she couldn’t even talk about it. I loved getting to know her sweet, creative personality and slowly uncovering the cause of her pain. She was a lovely person, and I sure would like to see what she was like a few years or decades after this terrible time in her life.

Skip the sentence below this paragraph if you want to avoid all spoilers. Keep reading if you prefer to know about potentially triggering subject matter ahead of time .

This book is about rape and the long-term traumatic effects of that crime. I was caught off-guard by that plot twist, so I feel obligated to let other potential readers know about it.

3. Bridge to Terabithia  by Katherine Paterson

The friendship between Jess (the main character) and his neighbour, Lesie is something I still think about to this day. While the ending to this tale was well done, I’d sure like to see what life was like for the characters decades later. There’s so much room for growth here.

4. Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

Imagine what it would be like if your father tried to marry you off when you were fourteen! I was a kid when I read this book, so I knew very little about the cultural norms of the 1200s in Europe (or anywhere else for that matter). Birdy’s story is something that has stuck with me for years, and I’d love to find out what happened to her after the events of the final scenes.

5. 1984 by George Orwell

1984 was about a man living in a harsh, totalitarian society who tried to figure out a way to escape it. I had a lot of mixed feelings about the ending even though it fit the tone of this tale well. It would be so interesting to revisit this universe a few decades later to see what might have changed in it.

6. Coraline by Neil Gaiman

There were so many unanswered questions about the other flat Coraline discovered. How long has it existed? Why was it created? Will anyone else ever become endangered by it?

A sequel would be the perfect place to answer these questions.

What standalone books do you all wish would have sequels?

120 Comments

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120 Responses to Top Ten Tuesday: Standalone Books That Need a Sequel

  1. Great post Lydia! I agree about Bridge to Terabithia! An epilogue or something would have been nice. Did you watch the movie of it?

    My TTT

  2. I wouldn’t mind reading more of Starr’s story either. And Coraline! I have so many questions about that one. Great list!

  3. You mentioned so many of the books I love! I adore Bridge to Terabithia and The Hate U Give. You are absolutely right. We need to find out what happens to these characters!

  4. Yes I’d love to see a sequel to THUG!

  5. I completely forgot about speak and bride to terabithia. They definitely need sequels as well

  6. Ash

    Speak was so good! I think Shout is supposed to be a sequel? I’m not sure, I just know it’s related.

    Here’s our TTT: https://jennreneeread.blogspot.com/2019/03/top-ten-tuesday-please-sequel.html

  7. I LOVED Speak and Bridge to Terabithia BROKE me. I don’t know if I could take more of either of them due to such emotions– BUT if there were sequels to them, I’d probably be one of the first in line to get them!

  8. Great post – I have The Hate U Give on my TBR and now I just need to give it a read 😀

  9. 100% would read a sequel to The Hate You Give. I feel like there is so much she can do with those characters!

  10. Oh, I’d love to see a sequel for 1984. It would go well with the current political climate we’re in.

  11. I only watched to move for The Hate U Give and I agree with you because I also wanted a happier ending. I don’t know how it compares to the book but it had a beautiful and empowering message 🙂

  12. I have THUG on my list. The fact that you want a sequel makes me even more excited to read this one!

  13. This is a great list. Based on your desriptions they all seem to have similar types of endings.

  14. I think a sequel for Speak could be very interesting.

  15. Aw, just seeing Bridge to Terabithia on your list brought back a flood of happy memories.

  16. Great list! A sequel for THUG would be wonderful I still need to see the movie.

  17. I definitely agree about the Hate U Give. It would be interesting to see what happens next with the characters, even if it’s 5 years later or something. How does Starr use that tragedy to shape her life?

    And I never even thought about a sequel for Bridge to Terabithia but I can see how that would be interesting as well!

    Awesome list. 🙂

  18. Amy

    The Hate U Give is a good one!

    Great list!

    Amy

    https://www.amysbookishlife.co.uk/

  19. I could do with a Coraline sequel. I only had 5 and like you, I agree that there are plenty of series and sequels out there.

  20. the StoryEnthusiast

    Catherine Called Birdy sounds like a fascinating read even without a sequel.

  21. A Coraline sequel would be so interesting – not necessarily following Coraline but maybe like other kids that got into the other world?

  22. “1984” has the darkest ending I can think of. But this is what I love about “adult” dystopia. The protagonist isn’t on a mission to overthrow the regime, they’re just trying to survive, and stay true to themselves.

  23. I wouldn’t mind reading a sequel to Bridge to Terabithia. Or to 1984 either. good choices! 🙂

  24. Coraline? I’ve seen it on several lists and to be honest I don’t remember the ending. My bad. Thanks for dropping by my blog.

  25. Nice picks! Mostly all new to me ones here! I’ve heard of most of them of course! Lol.

    Thanks for visiting my TTT post!

  26. We have two of the same books! And you’re right on about The Hate U Give, I’d love to see Starr’s future!

  27. Great list! Oh I’d LOVE another book set in the block of flats in Coraline; that was such a fun, eerie setting.

  28. Ha, I love that we both had 1984 on our lists! I would love a sequel to Bridge to Terabithia, too. With such a magical (and tragic) childhood, I’d love to see what becomes of the children and how they cope if their children find their own bridge, etc.

  29. I really need to re-read Bridge to Terabithia and a sequel set years later would be interesting considering the way that Paterson writes about the way we cope with the hard things of life.

  30. I’ve only read Coraline off your list – and you’re right it would be good to explore further.
    I’ll check out some of these other books. The Hate U Give has very good reviews and so I’ve got my eye on that one as it is.

    Lynn 😀

  31. I think I’d be a bit scared to read what happens in the fictional 1984’s sequel…

  32. I completely agree that this week’s TTT was difficult. So many authors now do sequels (and sometimes too many, if you ask me). I actually think it’s quite refreshing to have a standalone novel to read. It allows us as the reader to imagine our own futures for the characters… I’ll admit though, the idea of sequel to coraline intrigues me 🙂

  33. Wow, Catherine, Called Birdy is SUCH a throwback for me, but it’s so good. I love that book. Thanks for stopping by!

  34. I haven’t yet read The Hate U Give, but the movie was so wonderful — and yes, I agree, I need to know more about Starr. I just finished On the Come Up and that’s another of her books that is making me want more!

  35. I haven’t read anything on your list this week! (Though I’ve definitely seen a lot of them around…)

  36. The only book off this list that I’ve read is Speak, and it’s been years. I still want to read THUG, hopefully soon. Great list!

  37. I’d love to see more of Coraline! Great choices!

  38. Great list. A Coraline sequel could be really interesting!

  39. Coraline’s interesting! I’ve never read Gaiman but I should- and his Neverwhere is one I’ve been interested in, along with Stardust.

  40. Great picks! Coraline would be great! I love that book, and the movie for that matter. Not sure if I could handle anymore Terabitha – my poor heart !

  41. A Coraline sequel would be AMAZING. I just finished reading it for the first time and really enjoyed it.

  42. I am in love with your list! First off, we both included Speak which is great, but secondly it is so great to hear mention of Catherine, Called Birdy. I loved that book and it would be super fun to revisit her story in a sequel. I remember being so impressed and in awe about how candid she was. Bridge to Terabithia would be really interesting to read, especially how all of the events of that period of his childhood impacted him later on. As for 1984, as interesting as it would be…I think I’d be too scared how horrifying that sequel could be!

    • So glad to hear that. What a nice compliment.

      It sounds like we have very similar taste in books. Do you think there could ever be a way for a 1984 sequel to be more upbeat?

  43. I have THUG on my TBR. Good you know it is so great that it needs a sequel.

  44. I sequel to Speak would be good… just to check in on her.

  45. The Hate U Give! Yes! I didn’t think of that, but if its sad and people die I dont want it.

    • I don’t want to give away spoilers, so all I’ll say in response to this is that The Hate U Give might not be the book for you. It’s good you know exactly what you do and don’t want in a story.

  46. I loved Catherine, Called Birdy when I was growing up. Excited to see it mentioned here. It would be great to see a sequel.

  47. This is a fabulous list of books. Speak has always been on my list of books that completely took my breath away. Such a powerful story.

  48. Deb Nance

    This is a fabulous list of books. Speak has always been on my list of books that completely took my breath away. Such a powerful story.

    Honestly, though, I’m not sure if I like the idea of a sequel to books like Speak that I have loved. I am afraid that most of the time a sequel spoils a book.

  49. I need to reread Catherine, Called Birdy! I loved that book so much when I was in elementary school and read it so many times, but I don’t remember it at all anymore.

  50. Great list! Speak would be on my list too if I did this topic! Love Coraline too.

  51. With you on Speak. I loved that book and I’d love to see how she came through it all a few years later.

  52. The only one I have read is The Hate U Give, but I would LOVE to see Starr pop up in one of Angie’s future books, so we can kind of check in on her, you know? Maybe it’s a few years later, so we get more of her future story? That would be perfect!

  53. Seeing more on the overal flat of Coraline would be interesting, yes. 🙂 And the cat. I want more of the cat haha.

  54. Ohh great post and great picks in book I was so going to pick Coraline as well for my TTT post I absolutely loved and enjoyed that book too. Thank you so much for stopping by my TTT post last week.

  55. I definitely agree with you about Coraline. I’ve got so many questions and now that you’ve mentioned yours I know I’ll be thinking about this for a while. Great post!

  56. I’ve never read “Bridge to Terabithia” or seen the film, but it seems like a unique, magical story that I should discover. Someday. 😀

    Thanks so much for visiting Finding Wonderland last week, Lydia. Apologies it took me this long to circle back here.

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