Which non-series book would you most like to read the sequel to? Do you have any wishes for what might happen in it?
Despite being a huge speculative fiction fan, I’m not actually a huge series fan. I mean, I read series, of course—I’m planning to read A Feast for Crows over spring break, per the demands of a friend of mine who needs someone to talk to about it—but there’s such a difference between books that are part of closed series, books that are part of open-ended series (which I tend to shy away from), and books that are one-shots, to borrow a term from fanfiction. I just feel like an after-the-fact sequel rarely adds to the narrative power of the first, unlike a planned series. I believe it can be done, of course—I think anything can be done well—but it’s not something I would seek out on my own.
That said, I wouldn’t mind a short story about Ash and Kaisa being adorable set after the end of Ash, but as Malinda Lo herself says, “I feel that Ash’s story is complete, and I won’t be writing a sequel. (Also, I’m pretty sure Ash has a fairly boring — though very happy — life after the end of the book. There really wouldn’t be much to write about!)“. And I think that really nails it on the head. Stories are about the most important moments in a character’s life; what happens after is probably not as exciting and dramatic.
The Literary Omnivore 
It’s so true, I posted that on mine too. Most of the books I read have that happy ending, or close to it. Do you really want to read about how happy someone is. No you need a little drama to spice it up and make it interesting. Here’s my BTT.
This is why I’m starting to really dig Novellas. Sometimes books don’t warrant a full sequel but as a nice wrap up to a series you know you don’t want to expand upon it’s a great option.
http://bloodsweatandbooks.blogspot.com/2012/03/booking-through-thursday-2.html
Great point about a series that is planned vs one that just keeps going and going.
Of course, a planned series can be expanded and overstay its welcome–see the Wheel of Time books.
I’m curious about them but so far behind and they’re all such tomes I feel like I’d never get caught up.
I think I like close ended series a lot more, I like to know that there is an actual ending! Here’s my BTT.
I agree– the book a chose shouldn’t have a sequel (but I want it to!).
Here’s my BTT: http://blueeggbooks.blogspot.com/2012/03/booking-through-thursday_08.html
I agree. I really like Ash, but I would’t want a sequel. Generally I feel there’s too many sequels out there.
I like the idea of a series, but in practice, they’re often executed badly. Plus JK Rowling set the bar, like, way WAY high in my childhood. So as much as I like the notion of reading a series of books, instead of a standalone, there aren’t a ton of series that I truly love.