Why read just one book when you get lost in these epic book series? Each book has an incredible world to explore as well as characters who you will instantly love, relate to, and root for along their adventure. The more novels I read, the more I want books like these; some will entertain you, while others will make you shed tears with delight or despair. Hence, I've created a list of book series that you won't be able to put down. As an introduction, I've included a synopsis of the first book in each series.
“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.”
― Anna Quindlen, How Reading Changed My Life
1. Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series
Author: Rick Riordan
Genres: Fantasy Young Adult, Mythology, Fiction, Middle Grade, Adventure, Greek Mythology, Urban Fantasy
Adaptation: 2 Movies + 1 Upcoming series
Synopsis:
Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse - Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena - Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.
Why I recommend: Percy Jackson was the first book series I read from beginning to end, and I was never bored at any point. Sometimes books drag out the narrative in order before moving on to the next book, but this has never happened with PJ. The best thing is that Uncle Rick isn't done with this universe, and there are two new additions to the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles! Luckily, when I began reading this series in high school, there were already ten books within this universe. A group of friends would trade books and talk about them as soon as everyone finished them, and those were some of the best times we had together. Following the original, there were two new book series that I'd pre-order or buy as soon as the new book was released.
Books in the series:
The Lightning Thief
The Sea of Monsters
The Titan's Curse
The Battle of the Labyrinth
The Last Olympian
The Chalice of the Gods(New) 😍
Fun Fact: The latest novel, The Chalice of the Gods, will be released on September 26, 2023. I didn't expect a sixth book in this series, but I'm so excited! 💃 Disney bought the rights to the Percy Jackson books in 2019, and the series adaptation was greenlit in 2022. The TV show aims to provide PJ fans with an experience similar to that of the Harry Potter films.
2. Harry Potter Series
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Magic, Middle Grade, Classics, Adventure, Science Fiction Fantasy
Adaptation: 8 Movies (Last book divided into 2 movies) + upcoming HBO series
Synopsis:
1996 was the year that changed everything for Maggie Dawes. Sent away at sixteen to live with an aunt she barely knew in Ocracoke, a remote village on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, she could think only of the friends and family she left behind . . . until she meets Bryce Trickett, one of the few teenagers on the island. Handsome, genuine, and newly admitted to West Point, Bryce gradually shows her how much there is to love about the wind-swept beach town—and introduces her to photography, a passion that will define the rest of her life.
By 2019, Maggie is a renowned travel photographer. She splits her time between running a successful gallery in New York and photographing remote locations around the world. But this year she is unexpectedly grounded over Christmas, struggling to come to terms with a sobering medical diagnosis. Increasingly dependent on a young assistant, she finds herself becoming close to him.
As they count down the last days of the season together, she begins to tell him the story of another Christmas, decades earlier—and the love that set her on a course she never could have imagined.
Why I recommend it: Harry Potter doesn't really need a recommendation. Growing up, everybody either watched films or read books. As for me, I read every book and then immediately watched the corresponding movie to visualise what I had just read. The films aren't flawless, but they are among the best adaptations of any novel series.
Books in the series:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
3. The Mortal Instruments Series
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Vampires, Supernatural, Young Adult Fantasy, Magic
Adaptation: 1 Movie + 1 TV Series (Shadowhunters)
Synopsis:
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...
Why I recommend it: I came upon this series by chance and was immediately drawn in by the premise. Because of the numerous unsolved mysteries in the first book, I couldn't stop myself from jumping into the next one. I love the location, the characters, the lore, angels, demons, and vampires, it has everything I look for in a novel! And boy will you fall in love with Jace. The actors who played Jace and Clara in the film were great for the roles. I didn't like them in the show, but every other character seem to be better cast.
Prequel: The Infernal Devices Series
Books in the series:
City of Bones
City of Ashes
City of Fallen Angels
City of Lost Souls
4. The Heroes of Olympus Series
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology
Fiction, Middle Grade, Adventure, Greek Mythology, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy
Adaptation: None yet 🥲
Synopsis:
JASON HAS A PROBLEM. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently, he has a girlfriend named Piper, and his best friend is a guy named Leo. They’re all students at the Wilderness School, a boarding school for “bad kids," as Leo puts it. What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly? Jason doesn't know anything—except that everything seems very wrong.
PIPER HAS A SECRET. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare about his being in trouble. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits during the school trip, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out, whether she wants to or not.
LEO HAS A WAY WITH TOOLS. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about, and some camper who's gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god. Does this have anything to do with Jason's amnesia or the fact that Leo keeps seeing ghosts?
Join new and old friends from Camp Half-Blood in this thrilling first book in The Heroes of Olympus series. Best-selling author Rick Riordan has pumped up the action, humour, suspense, and mystery in an epic adventure that will leave readers panting for the next instalment.
Why I recommend it: It's difficult not to pick up this series after falling in love with Percy Jackson and everything that happens in "The Last Olympian." New characters, mythologies, gods, and quests for saving the world are introduced in this series. All of your favourite PJ characters are in the series, and you are going to discover new ones too.
Prequel: Percy Jackson Series
Books in the series:
The Lost Hero
The Son of Neptune
The Mark of Athena
5. Summoner Series
Author: Taran Matharu
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic, Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Demons, High Fantasy, Adventure, Paranormal, Supernatural
Adaptation: None yet
Synopsis:
When blacksmith apprentice Fletcher discovers that he has the ability to summon demons from another world, he travels to Adept Military Academy. There the gifted are trained in the art of summoning. Fletcher is put through gruelling training as a battlemage to fight in the Hominum Empire’s war against orcs. He must tread carefully while training alongside children of powerful nobles. The power hungry, those seeking alliances, and the fear of betrayal surround him. Fletcher finds himself caught in the middle of powerful forces, with only his demon Ignatius for help.
As the pieces on the board manoeuvre for supremacy, Fletcher must decide where his loyalties lie. The fate of an empire is in his hands. The Novice is the first in a trilogy about Fletcher, his demon Ignatius, and the war against the Orcs.
Why I recommend it: A few years after finishing Harry Potter, I was looking for a book or series that gave an identical reading experience yet was unique. That's when I discovered The Summoner series, and I'm so glad I did. The tale is quite intriguing, and the HP vibes emerge from the very start. The Adept Military Academy has the atmosphere of Hogwarts yet is incredibly unique and spectacular in its own right. This was one of those series where I couldn't stop myself from reading each successive book.
Prequel: The Outcast
Books in the series:
The Novice
The Inquisition
The Battlemage
Fun Fact: Beginning with the Wattpad sensation The Novice, Taran Matharu's Summoner Trilogy focuses on teenaged Fletcher, a blacksmith's apprentice.
6. The Trials of Apollo Series
Author: Rick Riordan
Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fiction, Adventure, LGBT, Greek Mythology, Urban Fantasy
Adaptation: None yet
Synopsis:
How do you punish an immortal?
By making him human.
After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. Weak and disorientated, he lands in New York City as a regular teenage boy. Now, without his godly powers, the four-thousand-year-old deity must learn to survive in the modern world until he can somehow find a way to regain Zeus's favour.
But Apollo has many enemies—gods, monsters and mortals who would love to see the former Olympian permanently destroyed. Apollo needs help, and he can think of only one place to go... an enclave of modern demigods known as Camp Half-Blood.
Why I recommend it: I'm fascinated by Greek mythology, demigods, and the thought that gods exist and can be pretty abrasive. What I love even more is the idea of a deity losing its powers and having to go through a few trials in order to reclaim its glory. Add to that quests to save the world from a few wicked exes, and you have this lovely book series. It has everything: a snarky sidekick who orders you around despite the fact that you are a deity, old exes who know how to hold a grudge and annoying siblings.
Prequel: Percy Jackson Series & The Heroes of Olympus Series
Books in the series:
The Hidden Oracle
The Dark Prophecy
The Burning Maze
The Tyrant’s Tomb
The Tower of Nero
7. Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Series
Author: Rick Riordan
Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fiction, Adventure, LGBT, Greek Mythology, Urban Fantasy
Adaptation: None yet
Synopsis:
Magnus Chase has seen his share of trouble. Ever since that terrible night two years ago when his mother told him to run, he has lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, staying one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.
One day, Magnus learns that someone else is trying to track him down—his uncle Randolph, a man his mother had always warned him about. When Magnus tries to outmanoeuvre his uncle, he falls right into his clutches. Randolph starts rambling about Norse history and Magnus's birthright: a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.
The more Randolph talks, the more puzzle pieces fall into place. Stories about the gods of Asgard, wolves, and Doomsday bubble up from Magnus's memory. But he doesn't have time to consider it all before a fire giant attacks the city, forcing him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents. . . .
Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die.
Why I recommend it: I read Magnus Chase because of two reasons: Norse mythology and Uncle Rick, and I was not disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the entire series, from the funny Magnus to the ferocious Samirah al-Abbas, Magnus' Valkyrie, and the quest to save the planet. It also has two of my favourite PJ characters, which is an added bonus.
Books in the series:
The Sword of Summer
The Hammer of Thor
The Ship of the Dead
8. Alex Rider Series
Author: Anthony Horowitz
Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller, Action, Espionage, Middle Grade, Teen
Adaptation: TV Series (2 seasons)
Synopsis:
They told him his uncle died in an accident. He wasn't wearing his seatbelt, they said. But when fourteen-year-old Alex finds his uncle's windshield riddled with bullet holes, he knows it was no accident. What he doesn't know yet is that his uncle was killed while on a top-secret mission. But he is about to, and once he does, there is no turning back. Finding himself in the middle of terrorists, Alex must outsmart the people who want him dead. The government has given him the technology, but only he can provide the courage. Should he fail, every child in England will be murdered in cold blood.
Why I recommend it: A friend recommended this book series to me. I was hesitant to read about a fourteen-year-old spy with the potential to save the world. Reading the first novel convinced me that this was one of the most incredible action-packed and fast-paced stories I'd ever read. Once the main plot sets in, it is impossible to put the book down.
Books in the series:
Stormbreaker
Point Blank
Skeleton Key
Eagle Strike
Scorpia
Ark Angel
Snakehead
Crocodile Tears
Scorpia Rising
Russian Roulette
Never Say Die
Nightshade
9. Lockwood & Co. Series
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mystery, Horror, Paranormal, Middle Grade, Fiction, Ghosts, Supernatural, Adventure
Adaptation: TV Series (1 season)
Synopsis:
When the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in . . .
For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions.
Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead, she finds herself joining the smallest, most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance at redemption. Unfortunately, this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England and trying to escape alive.
Set in a city stalked by spectres, The Screaming Staircase is the first in a chilling new series full of suspense, humour and truly terrifying ghosts. Your nights will never be the same again . . .
Why I recommend it: I wasn't normally a fan of the horror genre, but this book series changed my mind. The first book in the series, Screaming Staircase, is such an excellent introduction to the series that I fell in love with it right away. A world where only teens can see and fight ghosts, a small group of misfits with no supervision, in trouble with the law? Sign me up any day.
Books in the series:
The Screaming Staircase
The Whispering Skull
The Hollow Boy
The Creeping Shadow
The Empty Grave
10. Divergent Series
Author: Veronica Roth
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Romance, Adventure, Teen, Action, Post Apocalyptic
Adaptation: 4 movies
Synopsis:
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
Why I recommend it: I enjoy the dystopian genre and the Divergent trilogy, which falls neatly into it. The various characters and rules of this world are intriguing to explore as well as the endurance tests and rigorous psychological simulations that they go through. This series delves into the world of the Divergent, what sets them apart from the others, and the threat they pose to society.
Books in the series:
Divergent
Insurgent
Allegiant
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