Bored doing self-isolation and have a whole lot of free time? Well, why not catch up on some reading? Here are 10 book series I would recommend to anyone!
Of course, before you do read the list, I’d just like to say that each synopsis below is totally my own take on it and if you want an accurate one then I totally recommend that you check out the actual synopsis on goodreads. I’ve also avoided including REALLY popular series on this list (e.g. The Hunger Games) because there would be no point since they’re on almost EVERY book recommendation list. I hope that some of these books capture your interest! Enjoy!
Note: All of these books are fiction.
1. Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicles) by Patrick Rothfuss
Entire Series Read? Yes (series incomplete so 2/3)
Book Rating: 8.5/10
Series Rating: 8.5/10
Age Recommendation: 16+
If you’re a fan of high-fantasy, then this is for you. It has all the amazing fantasy elements of Game of Thrones, minus all the R rated content. This series follows a wizard named Kvothe and interestingly enough, the entire series is actually a flashback. The book starts off with Kvothe as a young man, who seemingly has an “infamous” and powerful reputation, telling his backstory. The story takes the readers on a journey of Kvothe’s childhood and youth, mostly taking place in his time learning magic in an academy, with other crazy journeys. Both the first book and the second are filled with world building and foreshadowing.
There are currently only two books out, each both quite long (600+ pages for the first book and 900+ pages for the second). But, considering that COVID has basically freed up everyone’s time, I think it’s the perfect length. Be warned that, if you do get hooked on the series, it’s been 9 years since the second book came out with no sign telling when the third will ever be released.
2. Graceling (Graceling Realm Series) by Kristin Cashore
Entire Series Read? Yes
Rating: 8.5/10
Series Rating: 8/10
Age Recommendation: 15 – 25
This is another amazing fantasy novel. In the world of Graceling, people with Heterochromia are born gifted with special abilities. Enter Katsa, our main character that is gifted with “killing”. She’s a badass that can snap any man’s neck. The story starts off with her working for her uncle, a King, doing what? Killing, of course! (no surprise there). The story is very much about the main character going on a journey of self-discovery and Katsa slowly not seeing herself as the monster she made herself to be. There’s also a love interest and rest assured, the romance in this story isn’t terrible.
This series holds a special place in my heart because Graceling was the book that got me into reading. The rest of the books in the series, Fire and Bitterblue, follow different characters and in my opinion, not as good as Graceling, but are still solid reads as well.
3. The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden Series) by Julie Kagawa
Entire Series Read? Yes
Rating: 8.5/10
Series Rating: 7.5/10
Age Recommendation: 15 – 23
This is a great vampire series with another badass main character. She wields a katana for goodness sake! The series’ main character, Allison, has lived her whole life in a vampire infested city where humans are treated as live-stock (btw this is a dystopian novel). She hates vampires but guess what! The main character gets “killed” (oh noes) and becomes one! (damn!) Not a spoiler since this is also included in the official book’s synopsis. But yeah, Allison is forced to run from the city and pass off as human. Pretty hard when you’re pale af, will burn in the sunlight and have a hunger for human blood.
The author of this series is more known for one of her other famous series, the Iron Fey, but I prefer this series over that one. I think the main character of this series carries the story and I’m a sucker for novels where the main characters are supernatural creatures rather than the love interest.
4. The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten Series) by Julie Kagawa
Entire Series Read? Yes
Rating: 8/10
Series Rating: 7/10
Age Recommendation: 15 – 21
Did you notice it? If you did, congrats! This novel is made by the same author as the previous recommendation and the sequel to the Iron Fey Series, following that series’ main character’s little brother this time. In the Iron Fey Series, the main character Megan is half fey half human and her little brother and main character of this series, Ethan, is 100% human. The reason I like this series more than its prequel is due to the fact that our main character was basically a normal human that got dragged into the mess that is the fey world because of his older half-sister when he was kidnapped as a child. After that traumatic experience, he’s left to live and grow-up in the human world while still having fey interrupt his life on a daily basis.
That was a pretty bad summary, but then again all of my summaries are. You don’t need to read the previous series to read this one, it’s more of a nice to know. You’ll see appearances from the prequel’s main characters but they’re not a huge part of the story.
5. Shatter Me (Shatter Me Series) by Tahereh Mafi
Entire Series Read? Yes, but not sequel (3/6)
Rating: 8/10
Series Rating: 8/10
Age Recommendation: 15 – 21
Oh boy, oh boy. I was crazy for this series when it first came out. The main character of this series, Julietter, also has the power to kill people (seeing a pattern here?) but this time she can kill just by touching people! Her power has plagued her and left her isolated in a facility that honestly has her going crazy. If you thought self-isolation during COVID was bad, then at least you’re not locked away like this character is. Of course she gets out of the facility and that’s where the story really begins.
So, this series has a “kinda” love triangle. But it’s a good one and I’m saying that as someone who HATES love triangles. I guess another reason I liked this series was because she ended up with the character I shipped her with, which I thought WOULDN’T HAPPEN and was a curveball. Hats off to the author for doing that. This series ends with a lot of holes, but after 4 years the author decided to continue the series with books I unfortunately haven’t read yet. But I will!
6. Young Elites (The Young Elites Series) by Marie Lu
Entire Series Read? Yes
Rating: 8.5/10
Series Rating: 7.5/10
Age Recommendation: 15 – 23
From the author that also wrote the Legend Series! ~
The reason I was pulled into this series was because (drum roll please!) the main character is an anti-hero/villain! The main character of this series, Adelina, is not your run of the mill character that wants to save everyone and fight for justice. She’s selfish and power hungry and if anything, her sister is the stereotypical pure main character. After surviving an epidemic called the Blood Fever, Adelina gets some magical powers (if only we could get cool powers from COVID). Blah, blah, blah, the King wants to get rid of all the people with powers (including Adelina and a group of others with powers). She’s pretty powerful and that plays a role in why the book and series ended in a way that I had not expected when I first read it.
Now, just because I described the main character as selfish and power hungry doesn’t mean she’s bad. If anything, throughout the series she struggles with keeping her remaining good. I just like that she’s realistic in that sense. BTW characters die in this series.
7. Red Queen (Red Queen Series) by Victoria Aveyard
Entire Series Read? No (forever stuck on the third book)
Rating: 7.5/10
Series Rating: 8/10
Age Recommendation: 15 – 21
Surprise, surprise, another series with the main character having powers! If I recall correctly, in this story society is split into two fractions, commoners who have red blood and no powers, and nobles who have silver blood and have powers. The main character, Mare, is a commoner with powers! She gets involved with the nobles and rebels, blah, blah.
Honestly speaking, I don’t like Mare as much as I like the other main characters in the series on this list. However, I do think this series has several twists and turns that makes it worth reading.
8. Stormdancer (The Lotus Wars) by Jay Kristoff
Entire Series Read? Yes
Rating: 8.5/10
Series Rating: 8/10
Age Recommendation: 15+
Japanese steampunk? Who wouldn’t love that? This series brings another badass katana wielding main character! This series follows Yukiko, who is sent along with her father to capture a mystical beast thought to be extinct, a Arashitora (basically a flying tiger/chimera like creature). After several circumstances leading to Yukiko and the Arashitor being trapped together, they become the best of friends (of course not without hating each other at first)! And of course she ends up fighting against the Shogun (aka the ruler of the empire).
I really love the friendship the Yukiko and the Asashitora builds in the series. There’s also a character in this series that is basically the definition of getting out of the friendzone that I couldn’t help but root for. Anyway, it has a pretty good story with worldbuilding that’s pretty different from regular western books, so it’s a unique read.
9. Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Series) by Leigh Bardugo
Entire Series Read? Yes
Rating: 8/10
Series Rating: 7.5/10
Age Recommendation: 15 – 23
Okay, so this is another series with a main character suddenly getting a magical power (I know it’s getting old). The main character, Alina, basically finds out she has a super OP ability in a life-threatening situation and is whisked off to train and become a part of the kingdom’s elite magicians.
So, I kind of have mixed feelings for this series because I totally shipped the main character with the villain of the series and she didn’t end up with him. Total case of supporting the second love interest (technically) when everyone knows it won’t happen but still not being able to help it. By the way, don’t worry, this story doesn’t really have a love triangle.
10. Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle Series) by Christopher Paolini
Entire Series Read? Yes
Rating: 7.5/10
Series Rating: 8.5/10
Age Recommendation: 14 – 23
Now this series is a CLASSIC. I would describe this as a series for Lord of the Ring lovers but for a younger audience. The main character, Eragon, finds a mysterious blue stone in a forest. Which turns out to be a dragon egg! And it happens to choose Eragon as its rider (double whammy)! So yeah, join our hero in a journey of learning magic, dragon riding, and trying not to get killed by the evil king.
So I’m also a sucker for dragons, which might be the reason I’m a fan of Game of Thrones (minus the last season which doesn’t exist in my eyes). Now, I think that on goodreads this series is recommended for ages 12+ but I would probably recommend it for an older teen audience. From what I recall the series gets darker as the further down the series. It’s a great series with barely, if none, romance. I have a love/hate relationship with romance in novels because it either makes or breaks my enjoyment of a series. Anyway, this series has a ton of worldbuilding and lore which I love. It’s been a long time since I’ve read the series myself. I should probably re-read it now that I’m older since I have so much free time now 🙂