books!
Here I present to you some of my favorite YA book series! Made for the favorites challenge at fandomverse and pretty image-heavy.
The Leviathan Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld
As you can see, this is an illustrated trilogy, and the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and end up adding a lot to the story, which certainly isn't lacking itself. The books are about a Scottish crossdressing girl in the British Air Navy, and the son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It takes place in an alternate universe version of the first world war, in which the Allies fight with genetically fabricated animals and the Central Powers have steampowered walking machines. The plot is awesome, the characters are fantastic and diverse, the world-building is very well done and it's one of my favorite book series ever.
The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner
It's really hard to describe the plot of this series without spoiling anything, but they are amazing. The plot is very well-executed with many twists and turns that are very hard to predict, the language is sparse but it definitely serves its purpose and the characters are amazing. This is one of those book series that you keep on thinking about well after you've finished it. It also has one of my all-time favorite pairings, who are so very complicated but so very lovely at the same time.
The Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant
Zombies! Politics! Journalism! Codependent siblings! This series is about adopted siblings Georgia and Shaun Mason, who both work as bloggers in the year 2039, in a world where the dead started rising in 2014. Even though zombies might not be your cup of tea, I really think you should read this books, because they aren't really about the zombies - they're much more about a world where the zombie disaster has already struck, and how the people in it have handled the situation. They're plotty, but not boring, filled with action but also has great characters and quieter moments and the world-building was so interesting and I just wanted to know more, all the time. They also have heaps of emotional resonance, and long stretches where you just can't. Stop. Reading. Like zombies, this series has eaten my brain and I heavily recommend it (it has a character named after Buffy!).
The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
When I bought the first book in this series (because of a friend's recommendation) I was very cautious. It sounds pretty silly, and it had comparisons to Twilight on the back, and overall I was prepared to roll my eyes a lot. I didn't. Despite the comparison to Twilight, these books really feel a lot more like Buffy in tone. They're about Rose, a dhampire, and Lissa, a vampire, who have been best friends since they were kids, and who share a mental bond. Together, they've been on the run from their school, St. Vladimir's Academy, for two years, until they are caught and brought back, one night. I'm not usually into vampire book, but the mythology in this series was actually very well-developed and intriguing and while the book is marketed as a paranormal romance in the style of Twilight, they really are much more about the friendship between Rose and Lissa. The main girls are fully capable of making their own decisions, and taking care of themselves and their friendships is one of my favorite friendships I've read. The books do include romance, but never to the point where the romance takes over the rest of the story, which was very refreshing.
The Midnighters Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld
Strange things happen at midnight, in the town of Bixby, Oklahoma. Every night, at midnight, time stops in Bixby, for everyone but a couple of teenagers, who stay awake and aware of the secret blue hour that appears. It has been a while since I read this trilogy, but it was such an interesting idea, and I fell in love with it almost immediately. Again, as with most of my other favorite books, it has lovely characters, who are flawed and complicated and realistic. They really stayed with me for a long time afterwards, and I wish more people had read this series, because it's really underappreciated.
The Molly Moon books by Georgia Byng
This series is aimed for slightly younger people, but they're incredibly delightful and I still read them from time to time. It's about Molly Moon, an orphan girl, who one day finds a book about hypnotism and discovers a hidden talent within herself. The main reason why I love these books is that I love Molly. She's flawed, kind, and doesn't make the right decisions all the time, but she really grows through the series and ends up being one of my favorite book protagonists. I do love the plot of the books as well, the planning that seems to be behind it and the fact that the author brings up some of the moral ambiguity that comes up when Molly uses her hypnotism.
Sweep by Cate Tiernan
Another series that I love! Sweep follows teenager Morgan Rowlands as she discovers magick and Wicca and grows as a witch. I lovelovelove the whole Wicca thing, you really feel that the author knows what she's talking about and just learning about Wicca and that culture through Morgan is fascinating. Adding to that, I love the plot and all the things about Morgan's life that unravels, as well as all the other characters, who never seem to be who you thought they were. I haven't finished this series, it's fifteen (though not so long) books long, and I've read seven or eight, but it's still one of my favorite series and I doubt it will change.
The Engelsfors Trilogy by Sara Bergmark Elfgren and Mats Strandberg
A Swedish series! The Engelsfors trilogy (named after the fictional Swedish town where it takes place) is about six girls and how they find out they are destined to save the world. It's not finished yet, two out of three books are out in Swedish, and the first one is out in English, but they have both been really, really good. It's so very nice to have so many female characters, especially since they are all important to the story. They might start out a bit stereotypical, but you really get to know them and feel for them throughout the series. These books are really popular in Sweden, but I wish more people outside of my country would read them, because I think it's worth it.
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Well, I thought about not including it since most people have heard of the Harry Potter books so far (if there is anyone who hasn't I will be surprised), but they have been so important to me growing up that I just couldn't not include them. They are of course not perfect books, but I love the world and I love the characters and I love the story. I read them when I'm sad, when I'm happy, when I want humor, and drama - they're simply my go-to books for every mood. (The pictures are the Swedish covers for Philosopher's Stone, Prisoner of Azkaban and Deathly Hallows. I don't think that many people have seen them and I think they're pretty gorgeous. And also those are my favorite books in the series)
(I'm going on vacation tomorrow so I'll probably be even slower than usual about answering to any comments, sorry about that!)
The Leviathan Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld
As you can see, this is an illustrated trilogy, and the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and end up adding a lot to the story, which certainly isn't lacking itself. The books are about a Scottish crossdressing girl in the British Air Navy, and the son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It takes place in an alternate universe version of the first world war, in which the Allies fight with genetically fabricated animals and the Central Powers have steampowered walking machines. The plot is awesome, the characters are fantastic and diverse, the world-building is very well done and it's one of my favorite book series ever.
The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner
It's really hard to describe the plot of this series without spoiling anything, but they are amazing. The plot is very well-executed with many twists and turns that are very hard to predict, the language is sparse but it definitely serves its purpose and the characters are amazing. This is one of those book series that you keep on thinking about well after you've finished it. It also has one of my all-time favorite pairings, who are so very complicated but so very lovely at the same time.
The Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant
Zombies! Politics! Journalism! Codependent siblings! This series is about adopted siblings Georgia and Shaun Mason, who both work as bloggers in the year 2039, in a world where the dead started rising in 2014. Even though zombies might not be your cup of tea, I really think you should read this books, because they aren't really about the zombies - they're much more about a world where the zombie disaster has already struck, and how the people in it have handled the situation. They're plotty, but not boring, filled with action but also has great characters and quieter moments and the world-building was so interesting and I just wanted to know more, all the time. They also have heaps of emotional resonance, and long stretches where you just can't. Stop. Reading. Like zombies, this series has eaten my brain and I heavily recommend it (it has a character named after Buffy!).
The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
When I bought the first book in this series (because of a friend's recommendation) I was very cautious. It sounds pretty silly, and it had comparisons to Twilight on the back, and overall I was prepared to roll my eyes a lot. I didn't. Despite the comparison to Twilight, these books really feel a lot more like Buffy in tone. They're about Rose, a dhampire, and Lissa, a vampire, who have been best friends since they were kids, and who share a mental bond. Together, they've been on the run from their school, St. Vladimir's Academy, for two years, until they are caught and brought back, one night. I'm not usually into vampire book, but the mythology in this series was actually very well-developed and intriguing and while the book is marketed as a paranormal romance in the style of Twilight, they really are much more about the friendship between Rose and Lissa. The main girls are fully capable of making their own decisions, and taking care of themselves and their friendships is one of my favorite friendships I've read. The books do include romance, but never to the point where the romance takes over the rest of the story, which was very refreshing.
The Midnighters Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld
Strange things happen at midnight, in the town of Bixby, Oklahoma. Every night, at midnight, time stops in Bixby, for everyone but a couple of teenagers, who stay awake and aware of the secret blue hour that appears. It has been a while since I read this trilogy, but it was such an interesting idea, and I fell in love with it almost immediately. Again, as with most of my other favorite books, it has lovely characters, who are flawed and complicated and realistic. They really stayed with me for a long time afterwards, and I wish more people had read this series, because it's really underappreciated.
The Molly Moon books by Georgia Byng
This series is aimed for slightly younger people, but they're incredibly delightful and I still read them from time to time. It's about Molly Moon, an orphan girl, who one day finds a book about hypnotism and discovers a hidden talent within herself. The main reason why I love these books is that I love Molly. She's flawed, kind, and doesn't make the right decisions all the time, but she really grows through the series and ends up being one of my favorite book protagonists. I do love the plot of the books as well, the planning that seems to be behind it and the fact that the author brings up some of the moral ambiguity that comes up when Molly uses her hypnotism.
Sweep by Cate Tiernan
Another series that I love! Sweep follows teenager Morgan Rowlands as she discovers magick and Wicca and grows as a witch. I lovelovelove the whole Wicca thing, you really feel that the author knows what she's talking about and just learning about Wicca and that culture through Morgan is fascinating. Adding to that, I love the plot and all the things about Morgan's life that unravels, as well as all the other characters, who never seem to be who you thought they were. I haven't finished this series, it's fifteen (though not so long) books long, and I've read seven or eight, but it's still one of my favorite series and I doubt it will change.
The Engelsfors Trilogy by Sara Bergmark Elfgren and Mats Strandberg
A Swedish series! The Engelsfors trilogy (named after the fictional Swedish town where it takes place) is about six girls and how they find out they are destined to save the world. It's not finished yet, two out of three books are out in Swedish, and the first one is out in English, but they have both been really, really good. It's so very nice to have so many female characters, especially since they are all important to the story. They might start out a bit stereotypical, but you really get to know them and feel for them throughout the series. These books are really popular in Sweden, but I wish more people outside of my country would read them, because I think it's worth it.
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Well, I thought about not including it since most people have heard of the Harry Potter books so far (if there is anyone who hasn't I will be surprised), but they have been so important to me growing up that I just couldn't not include them. They are of course not perfect books, but I love the world and I love the characters and I love the story. I read them when I'm sad, when I'm happy, when I want humor, and drama - they're simply my go-to books for every mood. (The pictures are the Swedish covers for Philosopher's Stone, Prisoner of Azkaban and Deathly Hallows. I don't think that many people have seen them and I think they're pretty gorgeous. And also those are my favorite books in the series)
(I'm going on vacation tomorrow so I'll probably be even slower than usual about answering to any comments, sorry about that!)