I love discovering a new series, being drawn into the world, and getting excited to continue the adventure through book after book. Sometimes though, one of these series will grab me by the ear, hook me hard, and then drag me through every single book as fast as I can possibly read them. There’s something special and indulgent about speed reading your way through a whole series in a couple of sittings. Today I thought I’d share a few series that have compelled me to devour the whole thing faster than is probably healthy for me.
I have no regrets.
Starbound Trilogy
Amie Kaufman/Meagan Spooner
I discovered these books completely by accident on my library’s ebook lending app (which was a wondrous thing I discovered last year and have been using non-stop ever since). I loved the Illuminae Files, which Amie Kaufman co-authored with Jay Kristoff, and I’ve been recommended Meagan Spooner’s books many, many time. So found this trilogy, I thought ‘you know what? why not give it a go’. And let me tell you, I was hooked from the first chapter. Spaceships crash-landing on strange planets, characters who wildly dislike each other having to work together, and weird, otherworldly forces. What’s not to love. I read all three books in less than two days. They’re just. so. good.
Percy Jackson
Rick Riordan
I think I’ve lost count of the amount of times I have read the Percy Jackson books, both the original series, and Heroes of Olympus. I used to borrow the books from the library constantly, before I finally got around to buying a set of my own. To be honest, I can’t remember how many times I’ve read this entire series. It’s such a good mix of humour, sarcasm, mythology, familiar formulas, and unexpected twists on all my favourite gods. I think I wanted to live inside these books at one point. Secretly, I actually still might!
Skulduggery Pleasant
Derek Landy
It took me a long time to give these books a go, but once I finally picked them up, I was absolutely hooked. One of the major characters in this series is an undead skeleton in a fancy hat who also happens to be a wizard. What is there not to like? It’s set in Ireland, is all about a world of wizards, and most of the time the fate of the world very literally hangs in the balance. I devoured these books as fast as I could possibly lay my hands on them. It’s such a consistently good series. There isn’t in a book in there I didn’t like, despite how long the series is.
Heist Society
Ally Carter
Every Ally Carter book I’ve ever read has been an instant favourite. I’ve read both the Embassy Row books and the Gallagher Girls series multiple times, but for sheer bingeability, my vote has to go to Heist Society. It’s about a family of thieves, it’s full of sass and sarcasm, ridiculously awesome schemes that definitely shouldn’t work, but somehow do, and honestly, it’s just about the most fun you can have in a book. I have binged this series more than once, and even thinking about it right now is making me feel like I should be reading it again right now.
The Raven Cycle
Maggie Stiefvater
This series grabbed me from the first moment I was told that the main character Blue was destined to kill the guy she loved. Who she hadn’t even met yet. I mean, what stronger hook could you need? And then I met the rest of the cast, from her crazy awesome family, and her group of Raven Boy friends, and I fell in love with this series. There’s just so much to like. I’ve binge read the first three books over and over, but actually, I’ve never finished the series, for no apparent reason. Maybe I just don’t want the adventure to end, and by not reading that final book, I’m putting off the inevitable moment when there are no more books to read, haha.
So those are five bingeworthy series that have hooked me so hard I had to devour them all. Have you read any of these series? What series have you binge read in the past?
