A big goal of this website is to help those young readers (and old ones too!) find books and fall in love with fantasy. Here are 5 YA books that I have read and have enjoyed above others, The first is probably my favourite but the others are in no particular order.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

This book wasn’t marketed to young adults but it is probably my number 1 YA book. It follows a young boy called Ender Wiggins who is a brilliant boy. Earth is in serious trouble and none of the adult commanders can repel the imminent alien invasion. He is recruited and trained to become the ultimate commander to become Earth’s savior. (Reading this book reminds me of the Kobayashi Maru for you Star Trek geeks out there)

Why you’ll like this Book
Gripping, such a page turner. Ender is everything you want to be and disliking him is hard. The characterization in this book is very well done, including the minor characters as well. Can be a stand-alone novel but has subsequent books if you want to read them.

Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordian

I love Greek mythology and these books by Rick Riordian are great. The first and subsequent books follow Perseus who does not realize he is half-god until a school field trip where he is attacked by monsters. He is accused of stealing Zeus’s thunder bolt and so with his friends go to clear his name.

 Why you’ll like this book
If you love HP. Very HP like in sense there is one focal point (Percy) and he is always accompanied by his two best friends. There is magic and the books are very humorous. This book is stand-alone but has other books too.

Bartimaeus Trilogy (The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem’s Eye, Ptolemy’s Gate) by Jonathan Stroud 

This series follows a young boy called Nathaniel who has talent in magic but is stifled by his master who wants to mentor him slowly. Nathaniel in his haste sneaks out to summon his own demons. Easy ones at first; all goes well until he summons Bartimaeus!

Why you’ll like these books
If you like hating on the protagonist and cheering for the beaten and captured. If you love a happy ending that is very sad at the same time.

Abhorsen Trilogy (Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen) by Garth Nix 

Perhaps for the slightly older YA crowd, these books are dark and gritty. The first book follows a young girl called Sabriel who is suddenly thrust into the role of Abhorsen. The Abhorsen uses both benevolent charter magic and necromantic powers to repeal the dead and send them back to the ninth gate. Sabriel is reluctant but has to find out why she has suddenly become the Abhorsen.

 Why you’ll like these books
You like gritty, dark books that deal with death. If you like having a female protagonist.

His Dark Materials (Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass) by Phillip Pullman

The first called Northern Lights was made into a pretty big movie called The Golden Compass. Like most books they are much better than the movie. This one was no exception. Northern Lights follows a little girl called Lyra whose father dies on an expedition trip. She finds a golden compass which deduces truth when asked a question. With it, Lyra goes on a journey to find out what her father died for.

Why you’ll like these books
A female protagonist who doesn’t have any special powers (the compass doesn’t really count) and uses her wits to outsmart others. Another dark and gritty book that doesn’t shy when it comes to death.

If you have any personal favourites, feel free to share with others and myself!

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