Are you a reader looking for your next literary adventure? Perhaps you want to dig into the world of books but don’t know where to begin. There are so many good novels to choose from. Some are classics written hundreds of years ago, while others are new titles released last week.
Many people prefer to read series over stand-alone novels. We like the continuity, the cliffhanger that makes us reach for book two or book three. Luckily for us, there is no shortage of bestselling book series to choose from; it depends on what you’re looking for.
1- Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
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2- The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
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Before Harry Potter came along, C.S. Lewis had already written a marvelous series for children about a magical world called Narnia. Some of its installments have been adapted into movies, which have enchanted people of all ages worldwide.
3- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
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Though written for a teenage audience, The Hunger Games has a different mood to it. Set in a dystopian world, it covers darker themes than Harry Potter or Narnia. It’s still worth a try, as every installment was made into a movie.
4- A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
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Though decidedly not written with children in mind, fantasy lovers will delight in these long novels full of war, adventure, and…death. If it’s light reading you’re after, this isn’t your best choice; if you want to commit to a book series that’s sure to last, start with A Game of Thrones.
5- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Most people have seen the fantastic movies inspired by this trilogy. If you haven’t read The Lord of the Rings, it’s a favorite among readers. Not to mention, there are plenty of scenes in the book that didn’t fit into the movies, so dig in!
6- Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
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This is another series directed to young readers that didn’t stop older readers from becoming engrossed in it. We see our favorite characters from Greek mythology brought to life, characters with humorous quirks, and plenty of action scenes.
7- Gone by Michael Grant
What would happen if children around the world were trapped in a dome, separated from their parents, and forced to survive on their own?
This is the premise of the Gone series by Michael Grant, and adults can enjoy it, as well —even if they can’t enter the dome.
8- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
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We know that Twilight was everyone’s favorite book to hate a decade ago, but can’t deny that it became popular. Everyone proclaimed themselves Team Edward or Team Jacob. The vampire genre experienced a revival after these books brought them out of obscurity. Why not give them a chance?
9- The Divergent series by Veronica Roth
Leaning more in the direction of science fiction? The Divergent books take place in post-apocalyptic C hicago. There are four of them in the series, and they also made it to the big screen.
10- The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
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Cassandra Clare created an urban fantasy world where humans live alongside demons, vampires, spirits, witches–and it’s a world that readers wish they could live in. Not only was The Mortal Instruments filmed for theaters, but it was also adapted for television.
11- The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
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If you like the premise of The Mortal Instruments, let’s take it back a few years until it is set in Victorian England. Many people prefer The Infernal Devices because of the historical fiction aspect. You have automatons and carriages and ladies in lovely dresses —BUT, these ladies know how to fight.
12- Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
Another series not directed to children, Outlander is based on time-travel. Claire finds herself struggling to fit in when she accidentally crosses over several centuries into the Scotland of the past, where she falls in love. It’s a unique problem that makes for a unique series.
13- A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
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This long series written for children was all the rage a decade ago. If you want to follow the lives of children Violet, Klaus, Sunny, and Baudelaire as they endure one stroke of ill-fortune after another, you have plenty of volumes to read.
14- Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini
Do you like dragons? Then read the Inheritance Cycle. For fantasy fans, we put the book down and find ourselves dreaming about what would happen if we found a dragon egg.
15- The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
Set in the middle ages, this series sold millions of copies and is second only to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. It is co-written by two authors. When Robert Jordan died, Brandon Sanderson took on the work.
These 15 book series are only a fundamental starting point. In the world of literature, there’s simply so much to read! We hope that these suggestions will help ease you into the joy of books. Once you love reading, you love it forever.
