Two weeks ago on a Tuesday, we were visited by a Dark Cloud of Negativity. The resulting Top 10 Series That Started Strong But Let Us Down was therefore utterly delightful. We only managed thirty-four complaints and sixty-five lamentations over how disappointing disappointing endings are.

So in honor of karmic balance and our future reading lists, this week we are featuring the 10 series endings which we feel measured up to the loveliness of the series as a whole.

There's nothing better than closing the book you've just absolutely loved with nothing but good things to say about its ending. And we aren't kidding, either, lovelies - we all know a satisfactory ending is book-hangover-worthy. And many a book hangover was to be had as a result of this list.

So without further ado - and with no spoilers ahead - here are our top 10 picks.



 1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling 

 Picked by: Natalie

 Are you surprised? I'm sure you're gasping. I know the epilogue isn't to everyone's satisfaction, but I absolutely loved it. The ending of the series was wrapped up, Harry did what he had to do, and I was so happy with how it finished. I'm sure most people know the ending, whether it's from the books or the movies, but I still won't just in case. All I can say is - SQUEEEEE!

I think all the characters got what they deserved in the end, especially Harry. And thank you, Jo, for bringing it about! 





2. Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

 Picked by: Lexie

 Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a series that expands. From a modern-day Prague to cross-continental skirmishes, and then to, y'know, other worlds - there's no shortage of new to Laini Taylor's trilogy. And every time the world expands to introduce new landscapes, the stakes are raised tenfold and the action is amped up about fifty notches. The conclusion to the series is therefore not for the faint of heart. 0/10 self-professed wusses would recommend. But for all who dive headfirst into fantasy series expecting and anticipating the maddening twists and battles galore... try to be bored. I dare you. (And I wouldn't take me on if I were you. Dreams of Gods and monsters is part book, part blunt weapon.)




 3. Reckless by S.C. Stephens

 Picked by: Natalie

 You're all aware of how much I love this series, it just makes me happy. I love the characters so much, I want to wrap them up in blankets and keep them safe. Bless 'em. Even though some are morons, they're lovable morons.


The ending to this story was just what I wanted. It showers us with rainbows and sunshine, bunnies hopping out of the pages and kittens meowing at me. It's an epilogue I read when I want cheering up, and I can't not love how it was all wrapped up. S.C. Stephens wrote us a satisfying finish with everyone being where I want them to be. It's super adorable, especially after all they went through.


(A/N: I'm excluding Untamed *shivers* that's fan fiction to  me.)

4. The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

 Picked by: Lexie

 So, J.R.R. Tolkien hadn't intended for The Lord of the Rings to be considered a trilogy. But we are in the bookish blogosphere now, where all is relative and not even the author's word goes... if we don't like it. We are also at The Honest Bookclub, where cheating is a beloved and well-honed traditions in our top 10 lists. Ergo - The Return of the King! Better known as "That ridiculously epic movie where Viggo Mortensen kills stuff", this is nevertheless an equally ridiculously epic bookish journey. It's also a revered conclusion to an even more revered trilogy (fight me!) which founded fantasy as we know it today. This isn't just the ending of a saga, my lovelies. This is the beginning of an era.


5. Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 Picked by: Natalie

 I finished this series not that long ago after a re-read, and I still fangirl over it. It's such an exciting series with many characters I cherish and already miss terribly. The ending to me was a fantastic finish and it did the series justice. We're left with what we wanted and although some parts were sad in the story, it just had to be done.


I shut the book - well, turned off my kindle - with a smile on my face and with a full heart. I loved it. Nice work, Jennifer!

Daemon, I miss you... *re-reads*




6. Winter by Marissa Meyer

 Picked by: Lexie

 Here's the thing about The Lunar Chronicles series: every book is good. To all who assume that all series featured on this list were as fortunate - hahahaha. Haha. Ha. Authors love to have their series suffer almost as much as they do their readers. The Lunar Chronicles, however, was a stunning example of a reader's heart being won over four times in a row - each time with an addition of two more principal protagonists, and each time in new (moderately insane) ways. It's almost as hard to pick a favorite character (Scarlet) as it is to pick a favorite book (Cress). But I manage. Winter, however, is yet another series finale that delivered on all the build-up of the previous three books. And it is yet another series ending which doubles as a blunt weapon, so I'm armed with both conviction and actual murder weapons. Beware my wrath.
7. Boundless by Cynthia Hand

 Picked by: Natalie

 I didn't go into this series expecting to like it as much as I did. I was binge-listening to this when I was at work, and I couldn't press stop; I was obsessed and I had to know what was happening next!

I finished them with the biggest smile on my face, very happy with how Cynthia ended things for them.

Although not everything in this series went swimmingly or even happy, the last few chapters I was satisfied with. If you've not read this series yet, DO IT.  Thinking back, now I want to revisit them. I miss them...



8. Corruption by Jessica Shirvington

 Picked by: Lexie

 Feel free to skip this one entirely (unless you're Australian). This is a series you'll never get to read (unless you're Australian). In this era of the slow death of YA Dystopian series, it's getting increasingly difficult to find one that clicks. So when you do, it'll doubtless be AUS-only and it'll require an arm, a leg, a kidney, a firstborn and a downright miracle to obtain. (Or, alternatively, BookDepository, which put it in stock only after I've terrorized half my Australian family in order to get my hands on this duology.) Whether it's because the Disruption series is set only nine years in the future, or whether it's the snarky protagonist and her equally snarky sidekick(s), this was a series that started out well and rode that momentum until the end. And I highly approve of your impending soul-sacrifice in order to obtain it.

9. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

 Picked by: Natalie
I absolutely adooooooore the Percy Jackson series. It's thrilling, adventurous and witty, I think any age can enjoy it, even though it's a children's book series. I'm not talking about Heroes of Olympus, even though I do like that one, but I've yet to finish the last book yet. (Shame on me.)
The Last Olympian is the last book with many chair-gripping and exciting situations that it's impossible to put down. The way it all ended was excellent, and it definitely encourages you to read the next series involving Percy and his many adventures.





10. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

 Picked by: Lexie

 In The Infernal Devices series, Cassandra Clare pulled off an extraordinary feat: she set it in Victorian England, she introduced a soul-crushing love triangle, she murdered some of the best characters, and she did that deep evil belly laugh all the while. (Okay, so that final bit is speculation, but you know she did.) The series finale to this steampunk fantasy trilogy could have gone wrong in so many ways. And then - it didn't. Admittedly, I was not entirely sold on how the love triangle wrapped up, but on the positive side - the whole of the rest of the universe was. I am a decided minority here. But what really made this finale worthy of the series to me was the rising action and the mounting stakes - and the fact that I had exactly no idea how any of the characters would make it out alive - until it was revealed.


To whom it may concern - we've recently posted a discussion about the impact a good ending has on the overall perception of a book/series. As these recent top 10 picks show - we are very much in favor of a good ending. No big deal - it's only our sanity and our emotional stability that are at stake.

What are your favourite endings? Do you prefer happy or sad endings? Let us know in the comments below, or find us on social media where we champion good endings and bellyache about the other ones.