A Journey into Different Lands
“You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book” – Dr. Seuss
To those who wish to escape their mundane everyday lives, have no fear, fantasy is here. With a good book and a comfy chair, anyone can escape to The Shire in Middle Earth or walk the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Maybe you wish to be beyond this world, fighting off an alien invasion. In that case, science fiction can be your cure. The smell of a good book can reel anyone’s mind to the mystery of the unknown. To those who enjoy their contemporary novels, have you ever once ridden on the back of a fire breathing dragon or time traveled to Medieval Scotland? No?
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one” George RR Martin
#5 The Lightning Thief
The Lightning Thief is the first of many high adventure novels where Greek Gods not only exist, but are the parents to many demigods on earth. Rick Riordan brings his main character Percy Jackson to life when he is thrown from his mundane life into the mystical world of Gods and Monsters. He then joins Camp Half blood, a protected space where children of the gods cannot be hunted. After his short-lived stay at Camp Half Blood, Percy is then suspected of stealing a powerful weapon from Zeus himself. A boy who once thought of himself as nothing must now team up with 2 unlikely friends on a quest to retrieve the lightning bolt before the weapon could be used to cause great harm.
Characters in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series start off young, making the first couple of books “Middle Grade”. As the books progress, the narrative changes from Middle Grade to Young Adult. Fans of Harry Potter will appreciate Rioridan’s novels that question the Gods, fate, and destiny.
Goodreads Score: 4.23/5
#4 The Fifth Wave
After an Alien air craft suddenly appears hovering above Earth, Natural disasters soon begin to wipe out the Earth’s population. The Fifth Wave follows a teen named Cassie who will do anything to protect her little brother from the horrors that threaten to wipe out the last shred of human existence. She learns quickly that things aren’t the same in the sense that aliens are now inhabiting human bodies to find the remainder that haven’t been slaughtered. As the story progresses, the protagonist finds love and hope in unexpected places as she tracks down the men who have taken her brother away.
This being part of a trilogy, it is followed by 2 others titled The Infinite Sea and the latter being The Last Star by Rick Yancey. The author creates a hostile and terrifying world in which readers cannot get enough of in this heart stopping dystopia.
Goodreads Score: 4.1/5
#3 Enders Game
A novel that was made into a spectacular book-to-movie adaptation, Enders Game is a Science Fiction thriller that follows Andrew Wiggin through his involvement with the military to fight against the alien enemy that is threatening to end all human life.
Andrew Wiggin, who from a young age has shown qualities that has set him apart from other children, was recruited into a battle school in which he would then assist the military in taking down the enemy. Upon arriving, Andrew quickly learns the importance of following orders and how to show compassion for friend and enemy alike.
Goodreads Score: 4.3/5
#2 A Court of Thorns and Roses
Feyre, a 19-year-old human was the sole person to bring an income of food, money and safety to her family. While hunting she comes across a wolf and kills it, unknowing that it was actually fae. A bit of background: fae have the ability to transform into animals and in the past, and have enslaved and hunted humans. Since that time a wall had been made to separate the mortal world from the fae realm. To save her life and her family she must, under fairy law, leave to Prythian and never return home.
A Court of Thorns and Roses is a unique spin on the beloved fairytale Beauty and the Beast, themes of romance and acceptance still reign true in this adaptation. Though instead of just loving someone for what’s in their heart, Feyre is then asked what she would do for love.
Sarah J Maas will be continuing the story, though the three that are currently available are A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, and A Court of Wings and Ruin.
Goodreads Score: 4.28
#1 The Lunar Chronicles
A Science Fiction retelling of the Classic Fairytale Cinderella, Cinder focuses on a young teenage girl who is a cyborg living in a time where there are strong prejudices against them. Throughout the novel, readers gain a better understanding of life in New Beijing and fight alongside Cinder and her allies to help defeat the evil queen Levana. Marissa Meyer offers readers the opportunity to relive their favorite fairytales throughout her six novels in the series.
Marissa Meyer offers her readers a look into the lives of characters Cinder, Price Kai, and many more on how they will fight against a terrible tyrant, the prejudices of their time, and for each other.
Goodreads Score: Cinder- 4.15/5
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