Ah, another Top Five Wednesday. This week, the topic is the Top Five Series That Got Better within the first few books and so on. Before I begin, let me link the Goodreads group for Top Five Wednesday, so you can join in on the fun next week!
5. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
It takes some getting used to, the writing in this series. Juliette has a scared and uncertain voice. While I don’t quite remember everything that happened (I read these books ages ago), I do recall Juliette becoming quite the fierce woman. I love her. These books get better because the narrator (Juliette) gets more certain about herself and the power she has.
4. A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab
You shouldn’t be surprised to see this series on here. At first, I really hesitated to read the books for some reason. Like, Kel and Lila didn’t know each other, and Rhy wasn’t in the story that much. We had no Alucard either. So, it improved so much once the characters got to interact, and Kel hated Alucard. Lila challenged Kel.
I could weep from the beauty of the second and third books of this series. Just perfection. To me, I didn’t know that pirates were that awesome. Or, the battling between Kel and Lila? Epic.
Also: this is your weekly reminder that I love Holland.
3. The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
Look, I know many of my friends are not fans of this series. To me, though, the deeper you go into Cassandra Clare’s writing, the more you see inclusion of diverse marginalized groups. That in itself is a triumph and a victory. I love her stories in this Shadowhunter world thus far. Have you even considered the genius that is Lord of Shadows?
2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I am specifically thinking of Catching Fire and how shocking it was. You could say that I was not a fan of the first book upon my initial read-through. But, when I read it again, and picked up the second one, I was so surprised by how the story intensified. It was not a love story anymore. It was more than that. It’ll always stay with me as a powerful tale. For sure it got better with each book. Not all good stories are pleasant.
1. Harry Potter by J K Rowling
Words cannot begin to describe just how powerful the latter books in this series were to me. I am due for a reread, but I recall being moved and increasingly more invested as the story developed some more in the later books. I am in awe of how intricate the inner workings of the tale were, especially now that I am trying to write stories. This much detail is a feat. Now, granted, I wish there was more diversity in these books, but I still value the development of the characters and the plot.
I’m not a fan of The Mortal Instruments, especially not the last three. But I did really enjoy The Infernal Devices and I can appreciate the inclusiveness of the later books. I do have Lady Midnight so I’m curious how I’ll feel about that one.
I am pretty excited to see ADSOM on this list- because while I liked the first book, I haven’t been super anxious to read the next two? But now… I am getting there 😉 Especially because THG and Shatter Me would be on MY list if I made one, so clearly our taste is similar!