Are There Any Sequels To This One Summer Book?

I can see how the covers have evolved, for example ‘One Minute After’ usually features an empty highway with a dead stoplight in the middle of it, ‘One Year After’ is set in a rural area, shrouded in mist with overgrown landscape, whilst ‘The Final Day’ often shows a flag, or soldiers in the background of a bleak and darkened sky. This gives an indication to potential buyers of what they can expect to read in the actual book. These little nuances between the covers make physical copies of books so much fun to collect and display. They look great on a shelf next to each other, telling their own little story before you even pick up the book. I see that publisher treated this as a series, and that attention to the overall reading experience is wonderful for bibliophiles such as myself.

No sequels are planned, only the original three books and the TV show adaptation of them. But the trilogy was intentionally finished off on a note that would be too hard to top in sequels. The point of Jennifer E. Smith (not to be confused with Jenny Han)’s book is to detail a particular moment in time and then move on. For Belly, her summers at the beach are a perfect, messy, and finite time in her life.

I also read somewhere that Radcliffe was going to do a sequel from the landlady's point of view but couldn't write it because then she would be too human. He said that he couldn’t give her an internal monologue because then she would be less of a force of nature and less of a monster. There are a few interesting interview clips online where Radcliffe discusses this conundrum.

I am always excited to find new sequels to bestselling books. Many of 2010’s sequels continued to develop the worlds of the original books. While The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson is technically the first book in a new series, it continues the type of epic fantasy that he wrote in his previous works. Fans of mystery will be happy to find The Reversal by Michael Connelly with defense attorney Mickey Haller in another interesting legal case. In the YA market Becca Fitzpatrick returns to the world of supernatural romance in ‘Crescendo’, the sequel to ‘Hush, Hush’. ‘Linger’, the sequel to ‘Shiver’ by Maggie Stiefvater, is another excellent sequel. This book continues to explore the haunting world of werewolves and adds even more depth to the main characters. ‘Linger’ does not simply rehash the events of ‘Shiver’, it builds upon them creating an even more complex and engaging story.

'One Last Summer' ends with Clara on a train watching the lake disappear in the distance. She is crying with a faint smile on her lips as if she is grateful for the chaos of it all. There are so many unanswered questions throughout the story which is wonderful as they have been lingering in my head for days. I like to think that Alex chases Clara down the years when she is older and less afraid.

I fell in love with this beautifully written book ‘The Promise’ by Pam Jenoff because of its honesty and the beautifully flawed main characters in the book. Although there are no sequels to this book, Pam Jenoff wrote other books like ‘The Memory Keeper’ and ‘The Silent Echo’ which have a similar feel and emotional intensity to ‘The Promise’. ‘The Memory Keeper’ in particular is a spiritual successor to ‘The Promise’ with its focus on forgiveness and second chances. As for more stories that pack the same emotional punch, I highly recommend reading the author’s short story collection, Whispers in the Dark. It is filled with wonderful stories of love, loss and redemption. While none of them are direct sequels to The Promise, they are all distant cousins in a sense and would likely resonate with readers who loved The Promise. Again, I feel that the author does an incredible job of evoking emotions in his readers and as a result, he is an author that I always make time to read.

Another good one for that age would be the sisterhood of the traveling pants. I think in one of the books, it may get more sexual, but if my memory serves me correctly, it’s done very well and there are circumstances which are a life lesson. I believe it also touches a mental health and how the sisterhood can be a good support system. I believe it also touches on grief, but it’s done responsibly I thought they were a great read. You might want to read them first and see if they’re appropriate for your daughter.

The fan-art inspired by the extras for the book is also amazing. Once you read the domestic moments with the extras for Lu Feng, An Ze, etc. You’ll see tons of fan-art of them in casual clothes, Lu Feng with a plant, An Ze with a plant, them cooking together, etc. All of these draw out the characters in more relaxed settings and once again bring more depth to the story. These can also give off a “sequel” vibe and artists interpret the little moments given in the extras in tons of creative and loving ways. So, after reading an extra chapter, scrolling through the tag for the extras on Pixiv or Twitter is another way to extend your experience of the story. The fans’ visual creativity can actually build upon the foundation provided by the author of the story. And it’s all so vibrant and living. So, if you do find the extras, be sure to check out the related fan-art as well. It gives you a glimpse into the characters’ daily lives that words can’t give.

Just a heads up that this is not a fast-paced, action-packed series of books. The plotting serves the ideas and character development, not the other way around. While some readers might find this boring, I find it really refreshing because it trusts the reader to care about why something is happening, not just what is happening. So, if you’re looking for some good literary sci-fi/fantasy that makes you think, then these books are for you. But if you’re looking for a thrill ride of a series, then maybe not.

If you’re looking for more books of a similar nature to Fitzpatrick’s work, then the read-alike lists on Goodreads are pure gold! ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ and ‘Along for the Ride’ by by Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen respectively are excellent choices as are ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ and the rest of the Monty Leo series by Morgan Matson. Whilst nothing can quite compare to the unique voice of Huntley Fitzpatrick, I hope these recommendations will help to fill the void left by the two connected novels by this incredible author.