Something I've found interesting in books lately is that some are choosing to go the route of companions rather than doing a direct sequel/series. A companion being a book in the same world, with possible overlapping characters, but from a different point of view and a different story. I've found that I really LOVE companion novels as they can all be read as a stand alone... and I love to see characters I read about previously making cameos!

Some companion book examples:
Anna and the French Kiss & Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Catching Jordan & Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

There are hundreds (thousands?) of series examples out there, especially in the paranormal genre.

Does anyone else have a companion set they really love? Do you prefer series or companions?

The first example that comes to mind is Graceling / Fire / Bitterblue. They are each standalone novels but are companions to eachother - I love it!

Yeah, I noticed that a lot of series have each book from a different character's point of view.
Forest of Hands and Teeth series especially.

The first two that come to mind for me are Mistwood / Nightspell by Leah Cypess, and A Long Way From You / Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley.

I'm not sure which I prefer better. One thing I do love about compansions, however, is that we have the chance to become better acquainted with a secondary character (who sometimes outshines the MC) in a companion novel - something that sequels don't always allow for.

Sequel.

I honestly hope that Companion books become the next trend! I'm getting a little worn out by some of these never-ending series, that are treading water to say a float long after they should have concluded. This way we readers get more of what we want, with varying stories, and writers can feel like their writing a connected series of books.

What I especially love is the world building possibilities. Being able to cross over characters and locations adds a surprising amount of depth to the world and each book can add something. It's taking the art of world building, formerly just for fantasy, and letting it be more of a part in the contemporary genre.

A stand-alone series that I think has the most amazing companion system is Charles de Lint's Newford urban fantasy "series". It's a HUGE selection of books, but each story is set in the same town called Newford. It works really well here because with each book you get a vastly different story, but you get little bits of information that flesh out this entire town and everything that's happening or has happened. It's really makes me want to read more so I can get the complete picture. Which is the same way I get about the contemporary companion "series" that do the same thing, because I want to know more about about characters and places long after there official story has completed.

Another set of books like this is The Shadow of the Wind books by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. All stand-alone companion novels. I've only read two and the companion short story, but they were very, very good.

BOTH O_O

I actually read Lola and the Boy Next Door first (because I didn't know Anna exsisted!) and was able to understand everything without feeling like I needed more. But luckliy there is more but without overkill about a single character or storyline. I am really excited to read Dare To You (companion to Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry). Companion novels are a nice change of pace but I do love my series

sequel..