Some of the best book series of all time started as being marketed for a younger demographic, most of which have even been recently released. With something like this as knowledge, how is it that some people still consider this to be the time when young people have distanced themselves the most from reading?

When we talk about books for teens and young adults, we’re not just limiting ourselves to those works clearly labeled as YA, though. There are some particular elements that have been proven to be rather successful and, with those in mind, we’ve compiled a varied list with the best book series that can keep you busy in between classes.

Best Fantasy Series Books

#1 “Harry Potter” by J.K. Rowling

Now that the story of the Boy Who Lived is living on through the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, there’s no better time than now to get into this magical world (assuming you haven’t already). The premise is quite simple – an orphaned boy discovers his potential as a wizard and is whisked away to Hogwarts, the legendary academy of magic and witchcraft. But, boy, is it a fantastic ride.

#2 “The Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis

One of the main things that YA books manage to lure so many people in with is the fact that it’s always nice to be able to put yourself in the shoes of the protagonist. The Chronicles of Narnia allows us to do so in order to enter a magical realm hidden at the back of a closet. Although the series has been cinematically adapted, only the first installment – The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – proved successful.

#3 “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R. Tolkien

It’s true – who hasn’t heard of The Lord of the Rings? But you’d be surprised by how many people only saw the movie adaptations. The written trilogy is for those who wish to bite from Middle Earth with all their teeth because Tolkien is infamous thanks to his tendency to describe the outline of every tiny branch Frodo and the Fellowship stumble across.

#4 “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R.R. Martin

It’s true – who hasn’t heard of Game of Thrones? There is a twist with this series, though. Unlike The Lord of the Rings, the TV show actually pursues different paths from the books in some instances. There are also many other details in the books and, fortunately, they refer to characters, locations, and plot complexity rather than landscape descriptions. By reading the books and watching the show, you get the best of both worlds.

(Just learn to treat them differently so you can avoid turning into an avid show hater.)

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Best Teen Book Series

#1 “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins

As far as popular modern tropes go, dystopian futures are the leading force. Although there have been numerous post-apocalyptic and dystopian novels and book series written, few have managed to rise to the popularity of The Hunger Games. The series is about as raw and brutal as a YA novel can get and it manages to take something already horrible and make it even worse by throwing war into the mix.

#2 “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer

Action, fighting, and fantasy quests aren’t the only things reeling young readers in. The prospect of experiencing an epic romance is always a key selling point. Yes, yes, we know all about the controversies, but most of them were actually directed at the movie adaptations. You know what they say – you never know until you try. And although there are definitely much better standalone romance books (e.g. Pride and Prejudice or the modern The Fault In Our Stars), Twilight is one of the best selling book series of all time.

#3 “The Vampire Diaries” by L.J. Smith

Well, we’re on the vampire topic anyway. And this trope is slowly fading out, which means that the hate train is dying along with it, which means that we’ll be able to read vampire stories again unironically and unapologetically. The Vampire Diaries is about as different from the CW TV show as it gets, but its main premise still stands – human Elena Gilbert is torn by her love for two attractive vampire brothers.

What sets it apart from Twilight, however, is just how incredibly flawed Elena is and how far away she is from the typical girl-next-door trope. Oh, yeah, and there’s also a lot of mystic world destruction, magic, and dimension hopping.