The story ended—or so you thought (or at least the book did). You cried, you healed (barely), and maybe you even moved on to a new bookish obsession. But some characters just don’t know how to stay quiet, and some authors (bless them) don’t know when to quit, and thank goodness for that. And of course, those books that you accidentally finished reading too fast because it was that good before you realized all the books were not yet released.

2025 is coming in hot with books that drag us lovingly back into our favorite universes—whether by rewinding time, jumping into a new POV, or continuing the story where it last left off.

In this article, I'll be giving a synopsis of what you can expect from these sequels and my unfiltered thoughts on the ones I've read and the ones I've yet to read. And most importantly, whether the sequel was necessary.

Possible spoilers if you haven't read the books before!

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Rebel Witch - Sequel to Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

I recently finished this in one sitting, and I do not regret one single thing.

Synopsis: In Rebel Witch, the explosive finale to The Crimson Moth duology, Rune Winters is on the run—betrayed by Gideon Sharpe, the boy who once held her heart. The funny thing? He was also betrayed by her.

Now she’s teamed up with the Cressida Roseblood, a powerful witch who tortured Gideon but is the only way to bring down the Republic and resurrect the Reign of Witches. Her engagement to Prince Soren? Pure strategy—because rebellions need armies, not fairy tales. Meanwhile, Gideon’s orders are simple: kill Rune before magic rises again. But when their paths collide, working together becomes a matter of survival. They’re supposed to hate each other, and after how things ended, they definitely do. But hate isn’t the only thing simmering between them. Not even close.

My Thoughts: One word: perfection. I don’t know how Kristen Ciccarelli expects me to casually move on with my life after that ending, because I am not okay. I mean, I am, but I firmly believed it was a trilogy, so I was expecting more.

Rune and Gideon? Their chemistry was unmatched. The angst? Off the charts. It burned in the most delicious way. Not knowing who would come on top, witch hunters or equally vengeful witches, kept me turning pages (or clicking on my Kindle). My one criticism is that the ending felt a tad bit too rushed.

It's the most perfect romantasy with the perfect amount of world-building and mystery to balance it off. I will say that some of the twists were "predictable," but I enjoyed them nonetheless.

I need more. And yes, it was definitely necessary. You can't end the first book at that and not have a book to end the duology.

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Watch Me by Tahereh Mafi - Sequel Series to Shatter Me

Synopsis: Set ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment, Watch Me kicks off a new series in the Shatter Me universe—this time through the eyes of James Anderson, Warner’s and Adam's younger brother. He’s just pulled off the impossible: infiltrated Ark Island, the regime’s last stronghold… though technically, he’s in a prison cell. On the other side of the island is Rosabelle Wolff, a deadly assassin raised under constant surveillance, emotions tightly regulated, orders never questioned.

My Thoughts: Shatter Me already gave us two trilogies, five novellas, and even a soft, satisfying final goodbye in Believe Me. It felt complete. So when Watch Me was announced in August 2024, with James taking the lead, my immediate reaction was, Is this really necessary?

Spin-offs are tricky. They can either expand a world in exciting ways or mess with what made the original so special. And honestly, while I haven’t finished Watch Me yet, I’m already worried.

I can already feel the cracks—Nazeera and Kenji especially aren’t being done justice. And if The Reestablishment is just back like that, doesn’t that kind of undo everything the original series fought for? What did we survive all that pain for? It’s giving "invalidates the entire plotline" energy. What bothers me the most is how the return of The Reestablishment seems to undo everything the previous eleven books built up. It kind of cheapens the entire journey, like the original story was just a warm-up for this new plot twist.

I’m conflicted because it feels like the story is being extended for the sake of extension, not because it needs to be told. I’m hopeful that as I read on, the author will prove me wrong—but for now, I remain cautiously skeptical.

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Fearless by Lauren Roberts - Final Installment of the Powerless Trilogy

In Fearless, political survival demands sacrifice, and Paedyn is at the center of it: forced into an engagement with King Kitt to bridge the rift between Elites and Ordinaries. But that duty comes at the cost of her forbidden love with Kai. Just as they had found common ground between their love for each other, she's forced to marry Kitt.

My Thoughts: Honestly, Powerless didn’t impress me at first. The world-building felt repetitive—blood-based magic systems and divided kingdoms have been done a hundred times before, and this one didn’t add anything new. The enemies were flat, and the pacing didn’t help either.

But Reckless shifted everything. It stepped away from the recycled tropes and leaned into what mattered most: the characters.

Now, Fearless is where it all ties together. You can tell right away that this book is all about longing—the ache, the distance, the high-stakes emotional tension that makes romantasy romantasy. It's the type of book that simmers with every forbidden look.

This trilogy needed three books. Each one served its purpose: Powerless laid the groundwork (even if shakily), Ruthless brought the heart, and Fearless is delivering the payoff.

Image Credit: Esther Tuttle from Unsplash

Sunrise on The Reaping by Suzanne Collins - Prequel to The Hunger Games

Synopsis: Set 24 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteers as tribute, Sunrise on the Reaping follows 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy as he’s reaped for the 50th Hunger Games—better known as the Quarter Quell. The Capitol has doubled the number of tributes, sending 48 children into the arena, and Haymitch is just a boy from District 12 with nothing but his wits, defiance, and a deep mistrust of authority to guide him.

This book explores the Games that scarred him for life and the events that shaped the man who would later mentor Katniss and Peeta. You know, all the trauma that made him the way he was.

My Thoughts: This was a necessary book. It doesn’t feel like a cash grab or a filler—it feels earned. We’ve always known Haymitch as the jaded, sarcastic mentor with a flask in one hand and trauma in the other, but Sunrise on the Reaping?

It peels all of that back and gives us the raw, painful story of the boy before the bitterness. And even though we already know how it ends, it still wrecks you. It recontextualizes the entire Games that was shown in Catching Fire through the replay. It’s slow devastation in the best way. Or the worst. The verdict is still out.

What made this one so good is how it deepens the Hunger Games world without glorifying it. It’s a brutal, aching reminder that Panem was never entertainment—it was survival. And finishing the District 12 victors with Lucy, Katniss, Peeta, and now Haymitch?

Something about that just feels right. His pain was always in the background, but this book brings it center stage—and yeah, it hurts. And don't get me started on the ending.

In conclusion, I need someone to talk to. Immediately. Preferably with tissues.

Image Credit: Esther Tuttle from Unsplash

Final Thoughts

Some stories just won’t quit—and honestly, I'm glad. These sequels and prequels hit hard, bring closure, and leave us desperate for more. Necessary?

Maybe. Now, where’s my tissue box?