Ranking Popular Book Series
By: Mallika Saoji and Anya Patri
10. Divergent – Veronica Ross
The Divergent trilogy is set in a futuristic dystopian society where the population is divided by their qualities, or “factions.” The world-building is very creative and entertaining, which leads to many plot twists and training scenes. These books are hugely popular and follow the main character, Tris, and her struggle with being divergent, or having multiple defining characteristics, and her eventual rebellion against the government. However, there are quite a few negatives in this franchise. The characters don’t undergo too much character development and are a bit two-dimensional, and the two latter books are far less interesting or fun than the first one. It’s enjoyable to skim through, but it is definitely not something that I would recommend if you’re looking for something that you can return to after the first reading.
Read this if you like: Dystopian worldbuilding, rebellions and uprisings, action-packed sequences and suspense, strong comradery, and a lot of angst.
9. The Giver – Lois Lowry
The Giver quartet is a thought-provoking dystopian novel that delves into societal questions through the eyes of four different teens. It has incredible world-building and fantasy elements that are dispersed throughout it. These books talk about breaking constructs and Jonas, Claire, Kira, and Mattie’s journeys of self-discovery. It talks about hope and questioning authority in an incredibly creative way that keeps you engaged with the story and invested in the storylines.
Read this if you like: You enjoy plots that pull at your heartstrings, dystopian books with a lot of suspense, and compelling characters.
8. The Shadowhunter Chronicles – Cassandra Claire
The Shadowhunter Chronicles is an interconnected book world with four current series and a few novellas about demon hunters, called shadowhunters, trying to keep the world safe. There are so many books in these chronicles, and there are more still coming out. The amount of world-building is so amazing and the fact that all the books are related makes it so fun to see the connections between series. All of the main characters of the series are so different, from personality to time period to location, and they all showcase different parts of the world. These books are super entertaining and easy to fly through.
Read this if you like: A lot of well-developed characters and world, supernatural characters, romances, fight scenes, and humor.
7. The Arc of a Scythe – Neal Shusterman
The Arc of a Scythe series is about a futuristic utopian world, where all bad things have been eradicated, including death. The scythes are carefully chosen individuals who glean people to control the population, and the trilogy is about Citra and Rowan, two teenagers who have been chosen to be scythes. The world-building and the intricacy of the futuristic society in these books was fantastic. The world itself was so engaging, as was the plot which included a lot of high-stakes adventures. This book did fall short with some of the characters because I felt that the romance was unnecessary though it didn’t detract from the books, and the side characters could have been better fleshed out. However, the small circle of main characters was well-developed.
Read this if you like: Futuristic worlds, action, and power structures and societies that are thought-provoking.
6. Magnus Chase/ The Kane Chronicles – Rick Riordan
So we decided to group the separate Percy Jackson spin-off series into the same ranking as both Magnus Chase and The Kane Chronicles are both incredibly enjoyable and great to read. The Magnus Chase novels follow a character of the same name who goes to the Norse afterlife following his very strange death and goes on a journey to stop the person who killed him. Following a similar theme of mythology woven in with reality, The Kane Chronicles follow two siblings, Carter and Sadie Kane, who realize they are the hosts to two Egyptian gods and go on adventures to save the world from destruction. What I find compelling about these books is the humor and writing style, which keep you on the edge of your seat and never get boring. I also find that there is incredible representation of POC and the LGBTQ+ community, with biracial protagonists and even genderfluid representation, which are difficult to find in many popular young adult books.
Read this if you like: Intricate quests, powerful villains, compelling characters with thought-out backstories, friendship, and lots of action.
5. The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Game trilogy includes The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. This is a hugely popular series that has been adapted into a film franchise as well. Set in a dystopian world, this follows the story of Katniss Everdeen who is chosen to fight in a deadly tournament called the Hunger Games. This is definitely a great light read, with a down-to-earth protagonist, an interesting plot, and action-packed scenes. It’s incredibly interesting and creative, especially with the different themes for the games and the way it depicts the rebel uprisings.
Read this if you like: Futuristic dystopian novels, fight scenes and action, star-crossed lovers, and rebellions.
4. The Lunar Chronicles – Marissa Meyer
The Lunar Chronicles is a four-book science fiction series, each book featuring a different main character, and the series also has a prequel and a short-story collection. The stories are all science-fiction retellings of fairy tales. For example, Cinderella, or Cinder in the books, is a cyborg, and Rapunzel, or Cress, is a hacker. There are people from the moon, hence the name “The Lunar Chronicles.” The storyline is so engaging and the characters are well thought out and go through major character development. The books have both heart-wrenching and funny moments, as well as a captivating plot that had me on the edge of my seat.
Read this if you like: Futuristic worlds, elements of science, sweet romances, great characters, and compelling and developed villains.
![nerds of a feather, flock together: Microreview [book]: The Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ZZLrKzgUp2-jui9t4gkMRD5MWwP63mui0vagnskdpPCyvUJc6nCqL9_lYY3tCgufwwE3k5KGkhrysHZ9ICEbal7oJnDGsK-kHvwrS07h3-SQmoLq00JcCEaYC_-tqqlTvcIf0Fhm)
3. Six of Crows – Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows and its sequel Crooked Kingdom is a fantasy duology about a group of teenagers who go on a treacherous heist and their escapades trying to survive on the streets of Ketterdam. One of the best things about these books is their characterization – each person has a compelling storyline and character development throughout the novels, and each character has their own unique traits that add to the group. The dynamic of the crows is one of the best things about the books, as their banter and friendship make the books funny and light-hearted at times, in what can be a darker storyline. The plotline and Kaz’s tricks made for many unexpected twists and the conclusion ended off their stories well, earning this series the third-place spot on our list.
Read this if you like: High-stakes adventures, trickery, and plot twists, and friendship/found family.
2. Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus – Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and The Heroes of Olympus are two separate series set in the same world with the same characters. It is about the lives of Greek and Roman demigods as they battle against ancient forces of evil and try to save the world. The Percy Jackson books are absolutely fantastic. When it came to choosing which series should get the first-place spot, it was a very close call between this series and Harry Potter. One thing this series does well is representation, as the main characters all have dyslexia and ADHD. Although the beginning series does not have many people of color and LGBTQ+ representation, there is more great representation as the books go on with many more POC and queer characters. The books are full of humor and are so easy to fly through. The elements of Greek mythology that are brought into a modern world are so engaging and make the mysteries and villains unique and interesting, as many have extremely layered backstories. Overall, this is a great read that is action-packed with elements of humor, romance, and friendship, and it definitely deserves its huge fan base.
Read this if you like: Intricate quests, powerful villains, compelling characters with thought-out backstories, friendship, and lots of action.
1. Harry Potter – J.K. Rowling
This book series tops our list as it is by far one of the most immersive and widespread franchises in the world. Harry Potter is a must read for people of all ages and has some of the most impressive worldbuilding and fantasy elements imaginable. It follows a young wizard named Harry who navigates friendship, love, and mystery at a magical school called Hogwarts all while trying to stop the return of the man who killed his parents. One of my favorite aspects of this book is the intricacy of the plot and how it allows you to escape to the world of witches and magic and fantastical creatures. Every aspect of the plot is well-thought out. It has sympathetic villains, hilarious side characters, and Harry himself is someone you will always root for. However, the representation in this book is not well done and contains many stereotypes. Don’t worry, this series is much better reading than J.K. Rowling’s tweets and the misrepresentations she has added in later do not speak for the books themselves. Harry Potter is a cult classic – and for good reason.
Read this if you like: Fantasy worldbuilding, friendships and comradery, a strong cast of characters, mysteries and plot twists, and great character development.