Babysitters Club… Mandie… Christy Miller… Sweet Valley High… These are series that I grew up on and helped develop a love for books. As a mom, I used the same approach to finding books for my sons. Magic Tree House… My Father’s Dragon… Dog Man (a current favorite)… Redwall… Warriors… Mysterious Benedict Society… These series are just a few that my boys have devoured over the years and have a permanent spot on our bookshelves. So I thought I’d list a few of my favorite series that I’ve enjoyed as an adult and hope to get recommendations from you as well in the comments!
Series Worth Binge Reading:
- The Shadow of the Wind
by Carlos Ruiz Zafón – This was my introduction into gothic literature, which surprisingly became my favorite genre in fiction! At some point I’ll write a post about my favorite gothic books to convince you just how good they are…
- Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
Harry Potter (of course!) These books are so well-loved in this family that the covers have fallen off. If you think the first book is too juvenile, skim it and move on to the next – the books get better with each one you read.
- The Hunger Games (Book 1)
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins This is a series where the movies are better than the books. The story is creative, but the writing was definitely geared for a YA/middle grade audience.
- On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (The Wingfeather Saga)
The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson – This YA fantasy series was hard to start. It had been recommended to me so many times that, after two earlier failed attempts, I plowed through the first 50 or so pages not understanding the world he was creating (I needed the imagination of my 13 year old) and then couldn’t put it and the three following books down after that.
Harry Potter (of course!) These books are so well-loved in this family that the covers have fallen off. If you think the first book is too juvenile, skim it and move on to the next – the books get better with each one you read.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins This is a series where the movies are better than the books. The story is creative, but the writing was definitely geared for a YA/middle grade audience.
The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson – This YA fantasy series was hard to start. It had been recommended to me so many times that, after two earlier failed attempts, I plowed through the first 50 or so pages not understanding the world he was creating (I needed the imagination of my 13 year old) and then couldn’t put it and the three following books down after that.Series I’m currently soaking up:
- Still Life
(The Chief Inspector Gamache Series) by Louise Penny
- Jabber Crow
(Port William) by Wendell Berry – This technically isn’t a series, but a set of books based on different characters in the town of Port William. So far I’ve read Jayber Crow and Hannah Coulter and have about 5 others waiting for me on my Kindle.
- The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel
-Sherlock Holmes Series by Anthony Horowitz – I picked up the second book on a whim because Moriarty is hands down my favorite character (sorry, Benedict Cumberbatch!) of Sherlock on BBC. In 2011, Anthony Horowitz received the first official endorsement from the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle to write new Sherlock Holmes novels.
- The Invisible Library (The Invisible Library Novel)
by Genevieve Cogman – Librarians with magical powers go through portals in an invisible library to solve mysteries and save important books. How could you go wrong with this one? Such a fun book!
(Port William) by Wendell Berry – This technically isn’t a series, but a set of books based on different characters in the town of Port William. So far I’ve read Jayber Crow and Hannah Coulter and have about 5 others waiting for me on my Kindle.
-Sherlock Holmes Series by Anthony Horowitz – I picked up the second book on a whim because Moriarty is hands down my favorite character (sorry, Benedict Cumberbatch!) of Sherlock on BBC. In 2011, Anthony Horowitz received the first official endorsement from the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle to write new Sherlock Holmes novels.
by Genevieve Cogman – Librarians with magical powers go through portals in an invisible library to solve mysteries and save important books. How could you go wrong with this one? Such a fun book!Series in my I-promise-to-read-soon pile:
- Gilead: A Novel
by Marilynne Robinson
- The Crosswicks Journals: A Circle of Quiet, The Summer of the Great-Grandmother, The Irrational Season, and Two-Part Invention
by Madeline L’Engle
by Madeline L’EngleSeries that I started and loved, and then abandoned (Classic Enneagram 9 tendency?):
- Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children, #1) by Ransom Riggs
- The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society, #1)
by Trenton Lee Stewart - The Book of the Dun Cow
Series with only the first one written:
- Sleeping Giants (The Themis Files)
by Sylvain Neuvel – A large piece of metal is discovered by a child, which turns out to be part of a giant robot. The first book is all about find the rest of the robot’s body and dealing with the consequences of putting it back together.
- Lu.
by Beth Troyer – A new author on the scene! I plan to post a review on the book soon, but if you like books about a broken, slightly sarcastic and snarky woman searching for God, this one’s for you.
- Aaron Falk (The Dry: A Novel
) by Jane Harper – The Dry was so good, with a satisfying conclusion, so I’ll be interested to see how she’ll tie in Force of Nature: A Novel
.
by Beth Troyer – A new author on the scene! I plan to post a review on the book soon, but if you like books about a broken, slightly sarcastic and snarky woman searching for God, this one’s for you.
) by Jane Harper – The Dry was so good, with a satisfying conclusion, so I’ll be interested to see how she’ll tie in 
.
What are your favorite series? What book do you wish was part of a series? My to-read series pile is seriously lacking – what do you think I should add?
Read A Better Book 