Inspirational Skai: Day 2 | Five Fall Favorites 2025: Need Sequel

Welcome back to another day of Five Fall Favorites! I enjoyed reading everyone's posts from day one. I've added some new titles to my ever-growing TBR list. As I was reading the other blogs I felt like I did a bit of a weak job introducing the different section of this blog. Namely, I could have done a better job letting people know about the important links at the bottom. So, here is a fuller explanation.

After the Five Fall Favorite book recommendations, you will find links to our hosts' pages. Kate has a full list of all the bloggers and Rebekah has the link to the Giveaway. I think she will also have the links to all the free books and short stories that bloggers are gifting on Saturday, so stay turned for those. Following that, you will find links to all of Team Walnut's blogs for easy reading access. Below that is a link to my Instagram. It's the best place to keep up with what I am reading and reviewing. You will also find my other blogs for this year. Lastly, and most importantly, is a link to the big giveaway that Five Fall Favorites does every year. This year the Raffelcopter giveaway asks that you complete simple tasks, like signing up for a newsletter or leaving a comment for entries. So please, do lots of engagement and get more entries. Now on to today's blog.

Have you ever finished a book and still wanted more? Today I decided to tackle one of the alternate themes. (Sorry I have such a difficult relationship with Indie books and authors. I didn't want to hurt anyone by including them or not including them in a favorites list.) I am sharing five books that when I finished them, I said, "I Need a Sequel." All of these are fiction book that have a similar topic in common, but the stories and age levels are wildly different. I also have different reasons for why they could have a good sequel or even a prequel. Below includes even a few fan theories about what I think would or should happen.

1. How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) by Cristina Fernandez

How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) by Cristina Fernandez is a hilarious rom-com book. When overachiever and obsessive planner, pre-med student, Astrid learns that her flaky, dorky boyfriend who spends way too much time in the bathroom is actually the superhero who saved her life in high school, her life is turned upside down. On top of homework, internships, and part-time jobs, she now has to take survival training for the romantic partners of superheroes. This book is about facing one's fears and asking for help.

So, this book really needs a sequel, but actually I want it to be a prequel. In this book Astrid is the star, with the narration only ever following her. At the beginning of the book Astrid is already dating Max, the superhero. However, there are so many moments where the story alludes to them reconnecting the previous year and some subplot where Max's roommate turned out to be a supervillain. We got a few past scenes from Astrid's perspective, but I want the full story of them falling in love and Max's roommate drama. I need a story told from Max's perspective, I would call it, "How to Date a Civilian (And Keep Your Identity Secret,)" and it would end with the inciting action of the first book when Astrid learns his secret identity. I've probably thought way too long about this.

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2. Break the Dark: A Jessica Jones Marvel Crime Novel by Lisa Jewell

Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell is an incredible slow burn thriller. Jessica Jones has been a victim, a monster, an Avenger, and now she's just a New York, private eye. Life has come full circle for her when a socialite and therapist mother comes into her office. The mother asks Jessica to investigate her teenagers returning brainwashed after a summer visit to their father's English countryside manner. Ever since Jessica was kidnapped, mind controlled, and forced to use her superhuman abilities to serve the whims of an evil man, she has struggled with her place in the world and if she can still be a hero. If someone else is doing the same thing to other teenagers, Jessica has to stop it.

Jessica Jones is a character from Marvel comics and has her own TV series, but when I read this book, I didn't know anything about her. Still Jewell and Jones have won my heart before the end. At the end of this story, I was so proud of the small steps Jessica took to becoming her own person. When it was over there was still so much more for her to do and being a character from Marvel Comics there are also so many more villains she could face. Marvel Crime has scheduled a sequel in Spring of next year starring Daredevil and written by another author, but I want more Jessica Jones written by Lisa Jewell.

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3. Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth

Chosen Ones is my personal favorite Veronica Roth book. Because I had read her Divergent series as a teenager, when she released her first adult novel, shortly after I had graduated from college it felt like one of my favorite authors had grown up with me. This story felt very right for a former YA author. Sloan, as a teenager, was one of six prophesized to vanquish dark, magical forces, but there was a great cost. Now thirty years old, she still pays it every day in the form of PTSD. Even taking medicine, she still has nightmares and sleepwalks through the apartment she shares with her teenage crush turned long-term boyfriend. With the danger gone, she still stuck reliving it. Then the danger returns, and Sloan and her old friends are pulled into another world where the evil wasn't defeated.

As an avid YA reader branching out into contemporary adult novels for the first time, this was the perfect read for me. It had the former YA reader appeal but was definitely all grown up. I would caution readers this book is dark, magical, with adult language, violence, and "romantic" relationships. However, I loved Sloan and the "Dark One" we meet in the other world. I could imagine them going on other adventures and getting into more trouble together. For that reason, I would love to see this book get a sequel or possibly a movie.

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4. Spider-Man's Bad Connection by Preeti Chhibber

Following the events of the previous book, Spider-Man's Bad Connection by Preeti Chhibber picks up with Peter happily dating his best friend, MJ Waston, he's glad he can finally share his other life with someone. MJ is excited and eager to help, but when a new superpowered villain begins opening interdimensional portals and robbing banks in broad daylight, Peter's afraid that MJ could be in danger. Their friendship in this book went to much deeper than young romance, and the action and drama made for a fun middle grade superhero story.

Here's the problem Spider-Man's Bad Connection actually is the sequel to Spider-Man's Social Delima by the same author, however, it ended on a cliffhanger that promised an even more exciting story to end this trilogy of Spider-Man novels, but for whatever reason (I haven't been able to find the actual reason) the final book was cancelled. It was building to an epic conclusion which I was guessing would involve the symbiote, Venom's home world, but I'll never know. If you can't tell by now, I love superhero stories and am always wanting more.

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5. Has Anyone Seens Jessica Jenkins by Liz Kessler

The final book, you guessed it, is another superhero story. Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? by Liz Kessler is a completely original middle grade superhero novel. Jessica Jenkins' life was perfectly ordinary until the day she stared disappearing in Geography. Anyone who has ever felt invisible can relate, just not literally. Soon she makes new friends with other supernatural abilities. However, just Jessica begins to see the benefits of her new abilities one of her new friends is kidnapped and she will have to face real danger to help.

When I read this book a few years ago with my sister, I loved the potential of these young heroes. They quickly banded together before the novel was over, but it wrapped up a little too fast for my taste, but it also left me wanting more adventures from this young super team. There was room to explore each character more and dig deeper into the origins of their powers. This is one, I should try to read again soon.

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Conclusion

Wow! Two days down and four to go. We are already one-third of the way through. Writing down some of these potential sequel ideas has made me want to write a full fan novel, giving these books the sequels they deserve. If you dig through the various older stories on my blog, you'll find I have multiple superheroes of my own, and frankly many half-finished stories. Many of them could also use a sequel to properly continue or wrap-up their stories.

Thanks for reading. I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to check out my blog. We'll continue this journey together tomorrow with Non-Fiction titles. Let me tell you, I found such a wide verity of quality non-fiction, there is something for everyone. Please come back tomorrow for an eclectic selection of non-fiction titles.