I’d love to read for my entire life. It’s a shame that so many people seem to think that they don’t have as much time for reading as they’d like to. Sure, I don’t read during the days much anymore, but I read for nearly an hour a night, every single night, right before bed. It’s practically a critical part of my bedtime routine, and no matter how tired I am I will always ensure to slip in at least a single chapter of whatever book I’m on. Rarely, if I’m overwhelmingly engaged with a piece of literature, I’ll even read it during the day in lieu of my normal activities like gaming or writing.
Suffice to say, I love reading, so allow me to share with you my Top 10 Favorite Book Series.
10) Psycome ~ Mizuki Mizushiro and Namanie
I picked this series up by complete chance when visiting my local bookstore. The illustrations were appealing, and the synopsis seemed interesting. Though not a perfect book series by any means, Psycome is an extremely enjoyable twist on the romantic comedy genre, as it focuses on a young man wrongfully imprisoned in a school for teenage criminals. Chaos predictably ensues, though this series manages to avoid its fair share of cliched trappings that frequently plague other Manga and Light Novels in this genre. There’s no crazy harem or unlikeable gross protagonist, and there’s a heightened emphasis on darker themes and fight scenes…perhaps two of my favorite things to get emphasis on in writing!
9) Good Girl’s Guide to Murder ~ Holly Jackson
I’d heard good things about this series before diving in, but all I really knew was that it was about a girl starting up a True Crime podcast to help try and solve an old cold case. Yes, that is what the series is about, but wowzers is it incredible. The main character, Pip, is such a strong and engaging lead (placing #2 in my list of favorite literary protagonists), and her arc over the course of this trilogy is really enthralling stuff. Most authors are afraid to take their characters to dark places, but Holly Jackson certainly is not, and that’s something I really approve of! The supporting cast and core mystery are great too, and the final book’s lengthy climax is such an almost sickeningly tense read!
8) Bone ~ Jeff Smith
Graphic novels sometimes feel like they get a bad reputation for no discernible reason, but if you have even a passing interest in fantasy adventures, you owe it to yourself to give Bone a read. Mixing the best of all the fantasy worlds that came before it, Bone manages to paint such a vivid world of magical creatures, dark wars, and quests to save the kingdom. Equal parts light-hearted and grounded, the characters really feel like the type of people you’d want to go on a quest with, and the subtle world-building and stakes that ramp up through the series builds towards a wonderful conclusion that eschews the traditional perfect ending for a poignant final note instead. I loved this series as a kid, and I still do to this day.
7) Vampire Academy ~ Richelle Mead
I found this entire series being offered at a used book sale, and I’d never even heard of it before. Taking a gamble on the first book’s intriguing synopsis, I picked the series up and proceeded to crush through all six books in record time. This series is awesome, and YA goodness in its prime. It’s a world that’s interesting to explore, characters that are extremely easy to get wrapped up in, a good balance of heart and humor, and some really neat character work that isn’t afraid to get dark when necessary to push for some well-written growth. The second half of the series is particularly great, as heroine Rose gets a lot of chances to shine when her life starts coming apart at the seams.
6) Bloodlines ~ Richelle Mead
My single thought at the end of the Vampire Academy series was that I wished side characters Sydney and Adrian had gotten a little more closure to their arcs. Well, instead of that, Sydney and Adrian instead proceeded to get an entire six book series featuring the two of them, continuing the universe of Vampire Academy after the conclusion of that series’ final installment. Bloodlines picks right up afterward, shifting the focus to an entirely different faction’s point-of-view, and giving new and old characters the spotlight. It’s awesome, and I think the tighter focus on overall plot and character gives it the slight edge of its precursor series. Bloodlines also brought Grace Sheridan to the table, who got the vote as my second favorite villain in all of literature, so that’s a plus!
5) Artemis Fowl ~ Eoin Colfer
There’s no way to sugarcoat it: Artemis Fowl was my Harry Potter growing up, to the point where it effectively ruined any chances of me getting into the Harry Potter franchise as I grew older (not that I feel like I’m missing out on much these days). And there’s similarities between the franchises, to be sure, but I’ll definitely take the whip-smart writing, complex central protagonist, and fun and engaging villains of the Artemis Fowl universe any day. Each of these books manages to be both fresh and humorous, placing a lot of the emphasis on exciting planning and heists. I find the secretive magical world fun to explore, and I obviously cannot complete this blurb without mentioning my favorite literary antagonist of all time, Opal Koboi. She’s great!
4) Legacy Trilogy ~ Matthew Ward
I only picked the first book in this series up because it was a massive, hefty tome of fantasy literature, and that alone intrigued me. Within, I found an exceptionally complex world bursting at the seams with intricate politics, a vast mythological pantheon, and more multi-layered characters than I could possibly have the space in this article to praise. On top of that, the Legacy Trilogy has the most thrilling large-scale war scenes I’ve read in a novel before, and manages to move at such an addictive pace even when each installment numbers 700+ pages. Fantasy nerds owe it to themselves to give this series a read, because they will not be disappointed.
3) Nina Wilde & Eddie Chase ~ Andy McDermott
On the surface, the Nina Wilde & Eddie Chase series is your fairly typical adventure blockbuster franchise with one entertaining installment after the other. However, this series specifically excels in three regards. Firstly, it has incredible continuity, wherein each new adventure genuinely builds off of the last in terms of world development and character arcs. Secondly, the characters themselves are just so likeable (and hateable, for the villains). From the main heroes to the supporting cast, I love seeing these people show up again and again, to the point where reading this series feels like watching a cinematic universe play out in your head. And that ties nicely into the final major area this series excels, which is in creating legitimately the best action and fight scenes I’ve ever read in novels. Each one is somehow better than the last!
2) Renegades ~ Marissa Meyer
I will not try to deny to anyone that I am a massive fan of superheroes. I’ll gladly watch MCU movies and shows until the day I die. My love of superheroes extends past Marvel, of course, which lead me to try out Renegades one day, which promised a superhero tale told from the perspective of the villain. And, that’s exactly what it is, as we follow brooding villainess Nova and her attempts to dismantle the local hero academy from within, to avenge her family that was never saved years ago. This is an exciting trilogy from start-to-finish that hooked me with its strong presence (imagine Incredibles 2, but good), and kept me anxiously turning the pages as Nova spins lie after lie to keep up her charade, all while trying to reconcile her complicated feelings about heroism and villainy, order and chaos. The supporting cast is also strong, with some refreshingly unique superpowers for a change!
1) Throne of Glass ~ Sarah J. Maas
I’ll fully admit that Throne of Glass gets extra points in my book for being the first big Fantasy (my favorite genre) YA (my favorite writing range) that ever hooked its claws into me. Still, this is my list at the end of the day, so I knew this was going to take the top spot before I’d even finalized the rest of the placements.
Across eight (if you include the novella collection) installments, this series chronicles the journey of a young girl’s passionate and frequently violent quest to take back the kingdom that was stolen from her, and to prevent the world as everyone knows it from falling into darkness. There’s fated love, shifting allegiances, destructive magic, betrayals and backstabbings, intense emotional turmoil, lighthearted moments of relief, and edge-of-your-seat suspense. All of this is buoyed by a truly exceptional cast of characters (I really don’t know if I could decisively pick a favorite, even if forced to) that grows and matures as the series progresses, culminating in an utterly fantastic finale.
If you love Fantasy, YA, or if any of the above descriptors catch your eye, please give Throne of Glass a look!
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 