The Book Worm - My Favorites

These are books that are (in my humble opinion) awesome. You may not like them very much but I think they're good. I like each for various reasons, be they serious or not. Not all of the "recommended" books are on there, just the ones I like a lot. Notice, this list contains children's, young adult, and adult books.

By Author: A B C D F G H K L M N P R S W V

Allende, Isabel - Did you know? Isabel Allende was one of the women who carried the Olympic flag in Torino, Italy. These books are about Alex and Nadia, two teens who meet for the first time in City of the Beasts. The trilogy is about their adventures while traveling around the world with Alex's energetic grandmother. The books are a blend of science fiction and fantasy set on our modern world. Highly recommended.
The Alexander Cold trilogy:
- City of the Beasts ****
- Kingdom of the Golden Dragon *****
- Forest of the Pygmies ****

Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia - These books are about the shapeshifters, beings who are human in appearance but can change into their corresponding animals at will. The series begins as Zane and Danica resolve to bring peace to their people so they can end the ancient war that has left countless dead and many more grieving. Each book is told from a different character's point of view. So far, it depicts two generations. Highly recommended.
Volumes of the Kiesha'ra:
- Hawksong *****
- Snakecharm ****
- Falcondance *****
- Wolfcry ****

back to top

Bell, Hilari - Amazing author. Fall of a Kingdom used to be called Flame. The trilogy takes place in Farsala, comparable to Persia. The land-hungry Hrum wage war against Farsala and Jiaan, Soraya, and Kavi must set aside their differences and work together to save their country from the slavery and cruelty the invaders bring with them. Very highly recommended.
The Farsala trilogy:
- Fall of a Kingdom *****
- Rise of a Hero *****

- Forever in Blue: the Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood ****

Bray, Libba - Set in Victorian England, Gemma moves to London from India when her mother dies. Soon after she settles at Spence Academy, she is visited by a messenger of a brotherhood. As she and her friends find a diary and dig deeper into the magical world they discover, Gemma learns some shocking news about her mother. There's supposed to be another book to complete the trilogy. Highly recommended.
- A Great and Terrible Beauty *****
- Rebel Angels *****

Brian, Kate - Kate Brian is a very good author. Her books are realistic fiction. They are sweet, funny books and I really like them, so read every single one. The Private novels are about Reed, a girl who gets into a private boarding school on a scholarship. Every book in the series ends with a cliffhanger but I can handle it :) Recommended.
- Lucky T *****

- Sweet 16 *****

- The Princess and the Pauper ****

- Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys ****

- The V Club ****

Private series:

- Private: a novel ****

- Invitation Only ****

- Untouchable ***

Brown, Dan - These are adventure/thriller books. The books with Robert Langdon are pretty awesome so I won't spoil them for you. Highly recommended. However, Digital Fortress wasn't as good.
- Angels & Demons *****
- The Da Vinci Code *****
- Digital Fortress ***

back to top

Coville, Bruce - Great book & sequel. They are about Cara, who is dropped in the world of Luster with a mission to fight Beloved, the enemy of unicorns. I can't say more without giving anything away. The author still hasn't written the next book. Highly recommended.
The Unicorn Chronicles:
- Into the Land of the Unicorns ****
- Song of the Wanderer *****

Croggon, Alison - The story is supposedly the translation of a manuscript from the lost civilization of Edil-Amarandah. Maerad, born free, but now a slave, remembers little of her past. With only a lyre and scattered memories to keep her company, Maerad has never ventured out of Gilman's Cot. When a magical Bard, Cadvan, appears and offers to take her away, she goes with him. The outside world is new to her and she has many quetions. In time, she realizes "that she is the geatest riddle of all." Very highly recommended.
Books of Pellinor:
- The Naming *****
- The Riddle *****

back to top

Dines, Carol - I liked the time period and the characters. Plus, it's based on real events. Angelica is a girl with a beautiful voice that attracts people from all over, including rich suitors and nobles to the delight of her plotting mother. However, the Pope has outlawed public singing by women so the only place for Angelica to escape her plotting mother and still be able to sing is the court of Queen Christina. But what if that place is not safe either? Very highly recommended.
- The Queen's Soprano *****

back to top

Farmer, Nancy - These are great books. The first two books are a great example of futuristic fiction and last one has Norse mythology. The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm takes place in Africa. Three children of a powerful man are kidnapped and African legends come to life... House of the Scorpion follows the life of a clone of an extremely rich and powerful opium dealer. It seems that there are plots within plots... Very highly recommended.
- House of the Scorpion *****
- The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm *****
- The Sea of Trolls ****

Fisher, Catherine - Snow-Walker is actually three books in one. The Oracle Prophesies trilogy is amazing. It is centered around the Oracle, which speaks the words of the Archon (or god) and the Nine, the priestesses of the Oracle. But what happens if the Oracle is corrupted? It is up to Mirany, one of the nine priestesses, and her friends to save the people from the wrath of the divine powers while fending of Argelin, the power-hungry general. Very highly recommended.
The Oracle Prophesies:
- The Oracle Betrayed *****
- The Sphere of Secrets *****
- Day of the Scarab *****

Flinn, Alex - Diva is the sequel to Breathing Underwater but it doesn't matter which order you read them in. Diva: Caitlin has talent. She can sing but, she also has her fair share of problems including a mother who dresses younger than she does and a father who left years ago. To get away from her old school (and to avoid her ex), she auditions for a performing arts school in Miami. However, convincing her mom to let her go when she is accepted is only half the battle. Recommended.

- Breathing Underwater ***

- Diva ****

back to top

Grant, K.M. - Takes place when England is under the rule of King Richard the "Lion-heart" during the Crusades. Will and Gavin de Granville grow up on the estate of Hartslove with Ellie, an orphaned heiress who is betrothed to Gavin. When the brothers are older, they go on the Crusades with their father, leaving Ellie behind in the hands of Count de Scabious who has less-than-honorable intentions. The "blood-red" horse is Hosanna, Will's horse, who symbolizes what is right. The last book in the de Granville trilogy will be A Blaze of Silver. Highly recommended.
the de Granville trilogy:
- Blood Red Horse ****
- Green Jasper ****

Golden, Arthur - This is a really good book that has been made into a movie. It follows the life of Chiyo, later renamed Sayuri, as she is taken from her family and learns to become a geisha and the changes in life after World War II when Japan was defeated. Very highly recommended.
- Memoirs of a Geisha *****

back to top

Hanley, Victoria - This was really good. It's got action, clever characters, and an awesome plot. Part One: When Princess Torina's father brings home an enslaved prince named Landen to be her sevant, she sets him free and they become friends. Her father also brings her a crystal ball in which she can see things happening. When she sees a plot to kill her father, it is too late and she is compromised. The murder is blamed on Landen and he must flee the country. Torina also flees to save her life. How? I'm not telling, you have to read :) Years later in Part Two, they are each working separately to make the world better in their own way when fate finds them once again. Very highly recommended.
- The Seer and the Sword *****

back to top

Kidd, Sue Monk - Lily and Rosaleen, her surrogate mother, run away to Tiburon, South Carolina and live with three sisters who keep bees and sell honey. Lily stays there in peaceful existance while her tempermental father is still searching for her. While she is there, she learns more about her real mother who died when she was four. This is a really good book. Plus, it makes you want honey :) Highly recommended.
- The Secret Life of Bees *****

- In the Belly of the Bloodhound *****

back to top

Nix, Garth - This trilogy takes place in the world of the Old Kingdom and the Land of the Dead. Sabriel journeys into the Old Kingdom in search of her father, the necromancer Abhorsen, who is trapped in the Land of the Dead. With help, she confronts a certain relative of hers... Lirael takes place years after Sabriel. Lirael and Prince Sameth must battle to stop the evil that is coming out of the Land of the Dead. With the mischievous cat Mogget and the Disreputable Dog to help them, they travel south towards the Wall. However, their own identities may shock them... Abhorsen: Once Lirael and Sam know their true identities, their purpose is clear. Time is running out so they must bind the Destroyer before all life perishes. Very highly recommended.
Old Kingdom trilogy:
- Sabriel *****
- Lirael, Daughter of the Clayr *****
- Abhorsen *****

back to top

Paolini, Christopher - Made into a movie. Adventures galore! In the land of Alagaesia, Eragon finds a mysterious dragon egg and to his surprise, he now has his own dragon: Saphira. Unknown to him, there are others searching for this dragon... others that are willing to kill. Eragon, Saphira, and Brom look for safety while Eragon struggles with his identity. The adventure continues in Eldest when the group goes to the Elves for help. Very highly recommended.
Inheritance series:
- Eragon *****
- Eldest *****

Patterson, James - Maximum Ride and her flockmates escape from the School, the genetic research lab that created them. They are 98% human and 2% avian so they have wings and are able to fly. Well, the School just found and abducted the youngest member of the group. With a rescue in mind and a plan to escape to a place where they can be safe, the six outwit their hunters to survive just a bit longer. In the second book, after a stay with an FBI agent and a relatively normal life, Max has to face her destiny... or die before she has a chance. Highly recommended.

Maximum Ride:
- The Angel Experiment ****
- School's Out - Forever ****

Pierce, Tamora - Read all of her books. She's one of my favorite authors. Her books revolve around two different worlds. If you don't have time to read everything, read Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen. Summaries would take all day, so suffice it to say that everything is very highly recommended.
The Realm of Tortall:
- Song of the Lioness quartet *****
- Immortals quartet *****
- Protector of the Small quartet *****
- Trickster's Choice *****
- Trickster's Queen *****
- Beka Cooper: Terrier *****

The Circle of Magic:
- Circle of Magic quartet *****
- The Circle Opens quartet *****
- The Will of the Empress *****

Pullman, Philip - Wonderful. The first book takes place in parallel universe and the others travel between worlds. Following the disappearance Lyra's friends, she joins an expedition to the north. With the help of her daemon and her friends, she travels in hope of discovering and stopping the evil that has already been set into motion. The next two books follow Lyra and Will, a boy whose father has been missing for years. With the discovery of a special knife, the two, with their daemons, find themselves drawn into something much larger than they are. Very highly recommended.
His Dark Materials trilogy:
- The Golden Compass *****
- The Subtle knife *****
- The Amber Spyglass *****

back to top

Rees, Celia - Pirates! is "the true and remarkable adventures of Minerva Sharpe and Nancy Kington, female pirates." After her father's death, Nancy moves to her family's Jamaican plantation. When she discovers certain secrets have been kept from her, she escapes with Minerva, one of the slaves. The girls become friends as they adventure on a pirate ship. When her past haunts her once again, they all may be in danger. Recommended.
- Pirates! *****

Ruby, Laura - Audrey is a good girl. She's ranked 4th in her class, skipped a grade, and is, mostly, responsible. When a *cough*naughty photograph of her is sent around the school, people stare at her in the hallways, whisper behind her back, and even her parents treat her differently. She must learn to deal with the humiliation while getting her life back on track. Recommended.

- Good Girls ****

back to top

Snyder, Maria V. - On the day of her execution for murder, Yelena gets a chance to live. She is offered a job as the food taster for the Commander of Ixia. She'll have all the perks of a palace servant... and the risk of dying as her predecessor did. So she cannot escape, Yelena is fed a poison and she will only live if she shows up for the antidote every day. As rebels plot to assissinate the Commander, Yelena's life is in danger... not to mention she is literally being haunted by her past. Good thing she has some helpful friends ;) Very highly recommended.
the Study series:
- Poison Study *****
- Magic Study *****

back to top

Westerfeld, Scott - These were really good. In a world where beauty is achieved at age 16, Tally can't wait for her operation. There are three types of people in the world, Uglies, who have not had the operation; Pretties, who have; and Specials, the law enforcement. When her friend Shay runs away before her operation, Tally is given a choice: betray Shay and become pretty or stay ugly forever... Very highly recommended.
Uglies trilogy:
- Uglies *****
- Pretties *****
- Specials *****