Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
This Week's Top Ten Tuesday Topic:
Books That Need an Epilogue
I love an epilogue. When I am in love with the characters, I almost always want more.
And, depending on how the story ends, sometimes I need more.
Many a time have I turned the last page, discovered that there was no epilogue,
that it really was the end, and felt so disappointed. On the flipside, a great epilogue
can totally elevate a story from good to great and leave me completely satisfied.
Some of the books I'm sharing actually do have epilogues, but that doesn't stop
me from wanting more, more, more.
Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
Playing the Palace by Paul Rudnick
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood
Everything Under the Sun by Jessica Redmerski
What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera
Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan
The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
Regretting You by Colleen Hoover
Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
Have you read any of these books?
A good looking list. I agree with you in that I always want more and an epilogue can really elevate a story.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2022/06/14/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-wish-had-an-epilogue/
Thanks Emily. I get happy every time I turn a page and see an epilogue. :)
DeleteI hope you someday get to hear more about all of these characters and stories!
ReplyDeleteMy post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-that-should-have-been-epilogues/
Thanks Lydia. :)
DeleteGreat list. I haven't read these books, but a few of them are already on my TBR. I'm just like you, when I love the characters and am invested in the book, I always want more :)
ReplyDeleteHere is my TTT post: https://herseriallife.com/top-10-books-i-wish-had-epilogue/
Have a great week 🌈
So true... when you love the characters, that little extra at the end is like a gift. :)
DeleteAt least we're getting Marriage Material. Maybe that will help us with epilogue want!
ReplyDeleteDeanna - Yes! At least there is more coming. I am embarrassingly excited for Marriage Material. LOL
DeleteOh wait, I think it's Husband Material. Whatever!
DeleteThe only ones I've read are The Girl He Used to Know and Regretting You!
ReplyDeleteAngela - I loved The Girl He Used to Know. It made such an impact on me.
DeleteI definitely wanted more, more, more for Autoboyography too! And also Boyfriend Material! I'm so thrilled that we're getting a sequel for that one, that kind of makes up for the lack of epilogue a bit ;)
ReplyDeleteLindsey - Yes! I'm very excited for Husband Material!
DeleteI've been really disappointed a few times when a book that clearly NEEDED an epilogue doesn't have one. :)
ReplyDeleteGreg - Sometimes a book just needs an epilogue to wrap it all up.
DeleteI haven't read any of these, but a lot of them are on my TBR. I think every romance needs an epilogue. I want to know that the characters are happy together once all the conflict is over.
ReplyDeleteJenni - Totally agree. As a romance reader I always a little more of the HEA.
DeleteI have to admit, I'm not really an epilogue person, most times it seems unnecessary and authors always seem to go down the "married with kids" route as a shorthand for HEA, and I would just like to see more versions of happy endings that don't need to involve either marriage or children.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2022/06/14/top-ten-tuesday-372/
Sometimes they really are unnecessary, but when I love the characters I'm always happy to have more.
DeleteTanya, I especially love it that even though some of these actually have an epilogue, you'd still like more!
ReplyDeleteDeb - What can I say... I guess I'm greedy like that. :)
DeleteI didn't think I knew that song, but then I played it, and indeed, I knew that song. That's an oldie. I can't believe we both did this with the topic. Great minds. I think the epilogues were so necessary in The Girl I Used to Be and Autoboyography. If we didn't have those epilogues, I would have thrown the books out the window.
ReplyDeleteSam - I guess we were twinning yesterday. :) Even though Autoboyography had a short epilogue it was still left too open for me. I really, really wanted to see what came after that.
DeleteI've only read two of these so far though most have been on my TBR for way too long! Epilogues can definitely move a book from good to great, though.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree, Alison!
DeleteSometimes there can be great power in a more open ended ending. In fact, epilogues can occasionally negate everything that came before. That being said, there have been several novels where I really appreciated getting a what happened next at the end. Most recently, Adrian McKinty's The Island had an epilogue that really helped settle the characters after all of the crazy that happened.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I've ever encountered a case where the epilogue actually negated the story, but I do agree they're often included even where not needed.
DeleteI love an epilogue too! Regretting You for sure! I have All the Ugly and Wonderful Things on audio. I just need to make room for it!
ReplyDeleteI'm curious how All the Ugly and Wonderful Things will be on audio. There are numerous points of view so it seems like it could be done very well on audio with multiple narrators.
DeleteThat's so funny that we have opposite reactions to reading an epilogue! But, I can agree that Regretting You could use one.
ReplyDeleteTalking about Regretting You makes me want to read it again. :)
DeleteHARD same, I need an epilogue more often than not! It's so funny too because I also agree that sometimes you need MORE epilogue when you already get some! I am now mad because I cannot quite remember the end of Autoboyography and want to know if I am mad about it 😂 I also really don't remember the end of What If It's Us, but I felt kind of meh about it overall. I really need to read Everything Under the Sun- I put it on my TBR AND bought it based on your recommendation but now, I am failing!
ReplyDeleteShannon: Oh how I love a long chatty comment, so big hugs for that. :) I know a lot of people felt pretty meh about What If It's Us and looking back I can admit it wasn't a real standout, but at the time I was so invested in those boys. And that kind of open-ended finish left me wanting so much more. Autoboyography... yeah, there was a brief epilogue but again, I wanted so much more. I mean, there was a hint at things to come but after the journey between those two, I wanted to see them together! Everything Under the Sun... I get nostalgic for it every time I think about it. That book released in 2017 and I'm *still* waiting for the follow-up. At this point I'm not sure it will ever come. I've heard very little about Redmerski the last few years.
DeleteI can't remember if Autoboyography was one of the books with an epilogue in it but I do remember wanting more at the end. It was such a bittersweet story and tugged on my heartstrings! What If It's Us has a follow up book now but I think I would've been satisfied with just an epilogue for that one... It was really cute 😃
ReplyDeleteDini: Autoboyography had a short epilogue that only made me want more. It hinted at what was to come but I desperately wanted them to be together!
DeleteI'm nodding my head at nearly all of your choices, especially Regretting You, Autoboyography and Playing the Palace.
ReplyDeleteSuzanne: If I had to pick just one, Autoboyography would be at the top of my list. I wasn't ready for that one to end.
DeleteI recently learned that some people don't read prologues or epilogues! That blew my mind! Like you're missing a part of the story!
ReplyDeleteCarrie: Gah! Not reading prologues or epilogues? Who does that? LOL And you're right, they're potentially missing so much!
DeleteOh, The Girl He Used to Know is a good one! I would have loved more time with those characters.
ReplyDeleteDedra: Yes! I felt such an affinity for Annika and would have loved more of that story.
Delete