TTT: Books With WOW Endings

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme by The Broke And The Bookish. This one is a random pick from their list of previous topics.

Yash

1. Champion by Marie Lu: Mm. Don’t know if a lot of people will agree on this one, but I definitely enjoyed this ending. I mean, it made me tear up a little. But … I liked it??
2. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson: That epilogue. It is both the best and the worst. I wish I could stop feeling stuff about it now, months after I read the ending for the first time.
3. Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen: If you’ve read this gem of a picturebook, you know it’s kind of the same shock that the end of Spirited Away delivered. If you haven’t heard of either– what are you waiting for?
4. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black: I NEED A SEQUEL OKAY I NEED IT. Or at least some good fanfiction …
5. The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma: I’ll stop talking about when everyone who can read reads it, okay?

Nafiza

1. The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
   The first one was just okay for me but the second one definitely picked up the pace and heightened the tension. There was also a marked improvement in the prose as well as the world building. The novel, despite being a middle book, ended on a high note without being leaving things hanging. Right now I am curious to see what will happen next, curious enough that I will wait anxiously for the next book because the second book delivered enough to leave me with a warm glow in my tummy.
2. Of Dreams and Rust by Sarah Fine
   I spent a lot of time talking about this one yesterday so just take my word for it.
3. Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon
   This was just so adorable. Seriously swoonworthy ending. I read it many times.
4. A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas
   This one is a Sleeping Beauty retelling and I will talk more about this book in November.
5. Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
   Oftentimes I find that books that achieve the happily ever after become maudlin. I’m happy to report that this book escaped that fate.

Steph

1. More Than This by Patrick Ness – I love this cliff-hanger and for this novel the big question at the end fits the entire story and even the title. Love it.
2. Reached by Ally Condie – I haven’t loved the endings of many YA dystopias, but this series wrapped up perfectly for me. In many ways the series, the dystopia, went full circle and though it is a “happy ending”… is it really all wrapped up or is it actually, chillingly, a restart?
3. The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen – because life isn’t so easily fixed this ending is really a beginning and it is beautiful.
4. The Watchmen  by Alan Moore – I think I kind of like the bleak cliff-hanger-y types, eh? Well, this is one of my favourites that I reference often as an ending that was unexpected but which worked for the overall message… chillingly real.
5. The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien – whenever I think of endings I think of my favourite. The first time I read the series this ending had me in tears because it was so bitter-sweet. I both loved it, it made so much sense for the character and the world, but I also hated it because it was rending of the fellowship. *sighs* just perfect.

Janet

1. The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope. Rudolph Rassendyll’s words looking to the future and on his resolution.
2. The Hollow Kingdom by Clare Dunkle. This book left me thoroughly mixed up inside with weeks worth of thoughts to pursue and (remembered) pages to analyse. But the ending. Fascinating.
3. Yash has already named The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black and Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. They are worth repeating.
4. The Minstrel and the Dragon Pup by Rosemary Sutcliff, ill. Emma Chichester Clark. If you love stories about familial love and/or friendship and/or love between a human and an animal companion, read this book. It will elate your heart.
5. Firewing and Darkwing by Kenneth Oppel. These endings are perfect as they are and heartbreaking.
6. Lirael by Garth Nix. Love that Dog.