Ohh this is an interesting question!

I read a LOT of series and I HATE cliffhangers…so I ask myself the same question. Why do I keep on reading? Like you I want more than what a stand alone would give me, so series are great like that…but I need to know that the series will end at some point. I need closure.
I think that's why I read more and more historical romances…they have their HEA in each book!
I read series hoping they will end, how is that for weird huh? lol

So I found a good compromise between Stand alone an series…I read 'series' like the Hathaway books by Lisa Kleypas where you can see the characters from one book in another and still have separate HEA!

I like loosely tied series, that don't run more than 3 or 4 books. And nothing that forces you to HAVE to read the next installment for closure.

I know alot of authors do this but I don't particularly care for it when *all* or many previous characters keep popping up in later books that don't play a major part. It's too distracting, they had their HEA, leave the spotlight on the current couple is what I say 🙂

I hate the cliffhangers and I hate waiting for another book in a series, but on the other hand, I think my reading experience is so much richer when a continuing character is followed through several books.

I love to see my favorite characters grow and change. In a single book (esp. in a paranormal where there is so much world building to get through), there just aren't enough pages available to do the characters justice. Consider Mercy Thompson, or Kate Daniels, or Sookie Stackhouse – it just wouldn't be the same if each of them only had one book.

I deal with my frustration by trying not to start a series until there are at least two or three books out LOL.

I love reading series! I enjoy seeing characters evolve through each book and that sense of family it gives me to be a part of that continuity. I do like the cliffhangers and that sense of anticipation for a new book. It's like Christmas when each new book is released.

I do like stand alone books but I prefer series. You get more of the 'world' or friends or family. But even there I'm a little picky. Very few of the series I read follow one main character through all the books. A few trilogies and maybe two others that I still follow and haven't gotten tired of yet. Most have a different couple(or more)getting there own story in each book. Sometimes there is a background story line that goes through several(or all)of the books, sometimes not.

@Beth

I agree! you get much more world building in series =)

@Sullivan

LOL That annoys me as well! series with an HEA in each book are good because of that =P