Stand Alone(s) That Shouldn’t Stand Alone

When we read a fiction novel, we often become so deeply connected and intrigued by the characters and story that it becomes an important part of us. Many a time people are left unsatiated and just want more of the story. An explanation for all the questions that arose at the end, the destiny of the characters, we always want to know it allll!

Be its dissatisfaction with the ending, or attachment to the characters that we just don’t want them to go, we always need more.

So, today we at TSA have brought some popular romance novels which have been widely acknowledged by the readers to have sequels written, while sequels of some are already in the writing-process.

stand alone

It recently came out as a movie on Amazon Prime, and it is as beautiful as the book.

Its vibe of rawness and the complications of real-life makes it one of the most realistic story with the cliché on one hand that time heals but at the same time there are unconventional realities like love is not always a beautiful thing. Grace, the protagonist, is broken into pieces because of some recent trauma and as for Henry, our other protagonist is one who grew up in an ideal household and never experienced real pain, and when he does, his life just goes out of his control. It is a story that changes the definition of love, which portrays that its not always rainbows and butterflies. The ending of the book, however, was pretty unpredictable and alluring. By the end, we were left wanting for more. That’s why we would sooo love to see more of them; how Grace evolves from her past trauma and how Henry handles his new life. And who knows, we might even get a happy ending, right?

Autoboyography sure is the case where you just don’t want to let go of the characters. Though it is fairly predictable – it explores the love story of two bisexual teens. This book is also slightly controversial. The main plot is driven by the struggle of coming in terms with being queer, and the relationship one has with their religion. Does it have to be one or the other? Why can’t it be both? Why can’t God love you, regardless of who you choose to love? Those are the type of questions the main characters Tanner and Sebastian ask themselves and each other through the novel. The moments of quick-witted humor interspersed throughout certainly added another layer to the narrative and grounded it in reality. Book 2 which shows us how they navigate their lives together in the real world and how they deal with the subsequent complications is quite possible and we wish to read.

A big reason why this story is so popular is that the author serves a real and relatable protagonist in Solène. Sure, she’s wealthier than most people, but her emotions are something one can certainly feel a degree of empathy for. Her exasperation with how she is often forced to handle the messier stuff of her divorce while her ex-husband just floats by, her relationship with Isabelle(her daughter) through all the ups and downs – these feel down to earth and human in spite of the chick-lit glam the author gives the heroine. Also how she doesn’t fall head over heels for him and gives priority to her self-respect empowers her a lot a character, she tries to be sensible. But emotions can complicate things as she and Hayes (the main character) become closer over time. Though the book lays out a coming of age story with middle-aged leads and explores the realities of life in this incredibly overwhelming book however the ending is quite dissatisfying. Robin Lee initially hinted to a sequel but after three long years, we still have no news of it. We really hope he gave us a sequel soon because we cannot wait any longer.

Often compared to John Green’s Fault In Our Stars, due to a somewhat similar premise, it is a surprising and unconventional story that gives utmost importance to friendship and understanding in a relationship. Wherein, desperate to reconnect with the outside world, teen bone marrow recipient Zac’s very precise mind is distracted by the arrival of new cancer patient Mia in the 4-by-5-meter room next to his. Above average in this burgeoning subgenre; it’s the healing powers of friendship, love, and family that make this funny-yet-philosophical tale of brutal teen illness stand out. But it ends on a completely unexpected note and we want to know how things evolve after what happened there, how they changed after their experiences, and if they finally end up together is still behind closed doors.

In The Wedding Bees: A Novel of Honey, Love & Manners, Sarah-Kate Lynch blends six things that matter to her:  “love, friendship, manners, New York City, the South, and honey.”. The main character Sugar Antoinette Wallace loves her bees and the honey they produce.  Her queen bee, Elizabeth VI, has chosen Alphabet City in New York as their 15th home since Sugar abandoned Grady Johnson Howell Parkes at the altar of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church which had hosted “Wallace family weddings since 1764” in Charleston, South Carolina. For someone looking for a cheerful, fun love story it would be fun to read and you might learn a bit about beekeeping as a bonus. Romantic fiction often has a natural conclusion, but add a dose of magic realism to the mix and it seems that the tale could go on forever. Sugar Wallace has tended to old wounds, though her future is interesting enough that readers would be willing to have a peek, without getting stung.

Levine’s artful debut novel features a spunky heroine whose trials, all faced with admirable steadiness, give modern twists to the classic Cinderella story. Ella is burdened with a curse (she cannot disobey a command), bestowed at birth as a gift from an addled fairy and this plus the loss of her beloved mother causes all sorts of troubles. The book, however, ends suddenly when the story was actually starting to get interesting. When she finally breaks free from the curse and is able to be independent, the book ends. Making us wait for the sequel, we hope it comes.

What makes this novel different is the unshakable focus on the two main characters contrary to many books. The book is light-hearted, sweet, and substantial. A rocky series of do-over first dates proves that they are different in many ways—Arthur is a white, Jewish, show tune–loving, Southern boy with ADHD who has never been kissed and dreams of attending Yale. Ben, on the other hand, is a Puerto Rican, Catholic, native New Yorker recovering from a recent breakup who is self-conscious about attending summer school and writes a novel in his spare time. However, the boys have one important thing in common—they’re both willing to believe in the universe’s bringing them together. With a coming of age story nicely laid for the audience but the ending sure lacks closure. We never get a complete insight as to what happens next which was truly discomforting at the end. Resultantly there have been signs of a #2 coming and possibly soooon!

The thing most loved about this book is the way it juxtaposed reality and romance, damaging neither. The emphasis is on a satisfying ending, not a formulaic one. The characters don’t just say “yay, we’re together.” They have problems, recognize them, and deal with them in realistic ways. The reader is able to believe in the likelihood of happily ever after. Bet Me is missing the more complex subplots of Crusie’s recent work – it’s more reminiscent of her earlier short romances. However, the longer length gives Crusie time to play to her strongest suit: creating an enjoyable and rich community of characters. Although the rotten mothers in this story sometimes verge on caricature, the other characters are real and their stories engrossing. With bets, heartbreak, cute fights, love, and more love it is a wholesome read. Also, faint hints of feminism and attack on gender norms give it more of the new age feels. And we would sure love to see more of their story.

For the most part, the story follows a predictable path, but it’s completely fun, cute, and satisfying the whole way through. Despite Joanna’s dad’s desire for her to hide her sexuality for a while, he is supportive and loving (which is part of what makes his request seem so weird and inconsistent with who he actually is), as is her stepmother, other family members, and nearly all of her friends old and new.  Me telling you the girls get their happily ever after isn’t meant to spoil anything, but is meant to reinforce how important this book, and the girls’ relationship, is funny, thoughtful, sweet, and complicated, this book is a necessary addition to all YA collections and we sure would love to see a follow-up book to know what happens next in their lives.

 When the whole premise of the book is based on falling in love and we aren’t shown this for Evie and Ben. We are merely told this in the last few chapters where Ben shows Evie how he has fallen in love with her. But, we never see it actually happening. We never see Ben’s interest in Evie develop (or Ben develop as the lead). If the book had focused more on Ben and Evie and less on the disasters of all the meet-cute(s), it might perhaps have been much better. She, for sure should continue the story and end it more conclusively with deeper insights into the characters.

The cute Rom-com Well Met is a love story for sure, but it’s not just about romantic love – it’s about learning to love yourself, and about the love between family and friends. It’s about learning to trust yourself and your choices, and how your life may take you on meandering paths in the woods, but you’ll still end up in the right place for you. “Well Met” is one of those books where every character has depth — not just Emily and Simon (aka Emma and our Pirate ) but all of the people in the small town of Willow Creek is written very well. And now we are to know more about them and how the life of the other characters changes with the main focus on Stacey, in the upcoming book  Well Played.

From the bombastic plot that intermingles convoluted romances and action, it features all of the usual marks of a Cassandra Clare novel. The book follows the children of some of my favorite Shadowhunter families, primarily focusing on James and Lucie Herondale and their mysterious powers inherited by their mother, as well as Cordelia Carstairs’ struggles in Edwardian society. It is set in the Shadowhunter world in the 20th century’s first decade (with frequent flashbacks to the previous one). The Shadow-hunters are coming back and they must catch a killer in Edwardian London in this dangerous and romantic sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Chain of Gold, from New York Times and the USA Today bestselling author Cassandra Clare.

As the concept of telling an “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” story from a body snatcher’s POV is fresh, the plot takes some unpredictable twists, the romantic conflict makes the love story different from any others. Wherein the earth was invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading “soul” who has been given Melanie‘s body, didn’t expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind. As Melanie fills Wanderer‘s thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she’s never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love. This long-awaited sequel is finally official and is coming soon! In the sequel we are to read more about an unseen enemy threatens mankind by taking over their bodies and erasing their memories, Melanie Stryder will risk everything to protect the people she cares most about — Jared, Ian, her brother Jamie and her Uncle Jeb, proving that love can conquer all in a dangerous new world and how she balances this with the love of her life.

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