We all have a fantasy book that made us fall in love with reading. That first book kept us up all night. That first book made us forget to eat and leave our room. The book stopped time and spirited us away to the world of imagination.
Here are some of the best-selling young adult fantasy series that made me addicted to reading and filled my lonely days with wonder.
The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
This was a series that started it all. The first book that I got to hide behind my Physics schoolbook.
It is a tale of Shadowhunters. “Half angel, half human, beings of immense power, strong enough, to restore the balance and protect the world in a war against evil”.
There are many adaptations of this story in a movie and TV, but no one has done it justice yet.
The story is about Clary, a 15-year-old girl, whose world will be turned upside down in one day. Clary lives in NY with her mother, has an ordinary life, goes to school, and has a mundane best friend. But all of a sudden, she starts seeing some strange stuff. All of it leads to her mother going missing. With the help of a handsome and mysterious stranger, Jace Wayland, she discovers that her mother used to be a part of an ancient society of half-angel people, Shadowhunters, who are stuck in an internal battle against demons.
Shadowhunters have complex magic, their own culture, and politics. They use magical symbols, called runes, to enhance and give them special abilities. In this world of demons and angels, there are also creatures neither good nor evil: Vampires, werewolves, warlocks, and fairies called Downworlders.
In a quest to find her mother, Clary learns more about this world and her family while finally finding a place where she belongs.
There are six books in this fantasy series and I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read each of them.
Cassandra Clare built an amazing world and she keeps exploring it in her new books. I would strongly recommend checking out the second trilogy, which came out before the last book of the mortal instruments, Infernal Devices, to all young adults.
The author leaves lots of loose threads which will be answered in her future books but be careful while following those threads, you might be too late to find yourself tangled in this amazing fantasy world.
Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas
Maas is a once-in-a-generation author. She never drops the quality of her book, on the contrary. In every new book, her writing becomes better, the world-building more sophisticated and the characters way more interesting.
Throne of Glass follows the journey of a young assassin, Celena Sardothein, as she is fighting to win the king’s tournament and get the title of Adarlans Assassin. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Mysterious forces are in the game and traces of magic are impossible to miss. Celena investigates the past and tries to shine a light on the present and uncover the schemes of an evil king while falling in love and building lifelong friendships.
Throne of glass is the first book in the series of this amazing universe Maas has created and throughout the book, the story becomes more developed, some questions are answered and some bring out even more mystery. Fae warriors, pirates, shapeshifters, witches, dragons, princes and princesses, epic battles, and evil forces, this ya fantasy has it all.
This story holds a special place in my heart. If you are new to YA, have read a fair share, and are looking for something unique and different, these series are for you. And in case you’re wondering what order to read throne of glass series, you should check out throne of glass series order guide.
Percy Jackson series By Rick Riordan
I remember I was hooked in 2010 when the movie first came out. I loved the characters, and the story reminded me of Harry Potter, but instead of Wizards, there were demigods.
The story follows a young 12-year-old Percy, who has ADHD and because of that, has a hard time at school. He is also a mischievous kid. Living and watching his mother suffer every day by his stepfather, and dealing with deadlines and teachers, Percy thinks that these are no worse monsters a life can offer. Oh boy is he wrong.
One day, actual monsters, Furies, the creatures from the darkest depths of the underworld come after him, and the truth is revealed. Percy is the son of Poseidon, the god of the seas.
To keep him from danger, he is sent to Camp Half-Blood, where demigod kids learn how to defend themselves against the risks of their birthright. But there are some dangers that even the wards of the camp can’t keep away.
With the help of Annabeth, daughter of Athena, and Groover the satyr, Percy goes on the adventure to save his loved ones and the fragile peace in Olympus.
This is a series full of adventure, good humor, and beautiful friendships. Riordan used to teach at school, so I think that is how he has a good insight into how a kid feels when he thinks his parents abandon him. Some are angry, some admire them and want to be the best so that the parent notices them, and some try to cause trouble, but all of this is to get some attention from their absent parents, who in this book are portrayed by all-powerful gods.
The Hunger Games Series By Suzanne Collins
I don’t think there is a person left who hasn’t at least heard about “The Girl On Fire”.
Even those who are not bookworms have watched or at least know about the movie (Which in my opinion is one of the best book adaptations)
The Story of Katniss Everdeen is so good on so many levels. At the first glance, you might think it’s just a love triangle but there is so much more here. The Orwellian desire to see beneath the lies of the government, the power of the propaganda, and how a tiny spark is enough to end the world order as we know it.
In the hunger games, Katniss becomes the symbol of revolution but this is why I love the book. While she is brave, clever, and loyal, she is still just a pawn in a larger game. She is vulnerable, she directly says that she never wanted any of this, but the game becomes larger than her. I love that she is not a perfect, almighty teen who can do it all. She is not a politician, and the politics are left to people who know how to do it, like Plutarch Heavensbee. But despite that, the final decision is on Katniss as she refuses to follow anyone blindly and makes her own choices.
This book is so much more than just a love story, although even the love story is so real. Peeta is no warrior or a perfectly muscled guy who does everything right. He is so ordinary. He makes mistakes and does not end up saving the damsel in distress. But he is perfect for Katniss and that is what matters.
This fantasy series inspired so many wonderful stories. You can see bits and pieces of it in the Maze Runner, Divergent, and even the first book in the Throne of Glass series.
The Chronicles of Narnia Series by C.S. Lewis
One more unique book that made my childhood wonder and made me climb in countless wardrobes in hope of finding a magical land.
The book takes place during WW2 when kids from London flee to the countryside to avoid the destruction and horror of war. While playing in an old mansion, they stumble upon a magical wardrobe.
“Lucy is the first to find the secret of the wardrobe in the professor’s mysterious old house. At first, her brothers and sister don’t believe her when she tells of her visit to the land of Narnia. But soon Edmund, then Peter, and Susan step through the wardrobe themselves. In Narnia, they find a country buried under the evil enchantment of the White Witch. When they meet the Lion Aslan, they realize they’ve been called to a great adventure and bravely join the battle to free Narnia from the Witch’s sinister spell.”
I will not miss an opportunity to talk about S.C. Lewis. This fantasy series is so beautiful, a collage of fairy tales filled with children’s wonder about exploring new adventures. The evil Which, Dwarfs, satyrs, the menagerie of magical creatures, and all four little kids in the heart of it.
I love the way S.C. Lewis describes how young children cope with trauma. They hide and seek, play, tell stories, and travel in different dimensions, where instead of terrifying bombs and battle planes, there are witches and monsters, and face the evil that can be defeated.
Despite everything being divided in black and white, good and evil, once we dive into the story, we find that the characters’ moral compass is not as simple as we thought. We have Edmund, who betrays his siblings, but despite that, he is forgiven and tries to redeem himself.
Narnia is my childhood, a place filled with magic and wonder, the place that I imagined every time I stepped into my wardrobe, wishing to be whisked away in a new adventure.
