I love listening to audiobooks that I download from our local library. The library has a huge selection of books available. I often pick young adult and children books because the drama is usually less intense and they are often shorter quicker reads.

Another aspect I love about Young Adult books is that they are often written as a series. When you fall in love with the characters you get to continue following their stories.

I’ve recently started blogging book reviews of books I’ve been reading in a subsection of this blog.

Everyone who has not been hiding under a rock has heard about the Twilight Series. But here are a few of my favorite book series. Some are more successful than others.

Favorite Young Adult/Children Series

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Author: Rick Riordan

Official Site | Wikipedia Article | Movie Site

Percy Jackson is a demi-god and discovers this fact in the first book when strange things start happening. He realizes that the Greek Gods are real and that they are alive and well. He gets drawn into their world just like the original Perseus did.

It may be a book about adventure and history, but it is also a book about a bunch of misfit children who find friendship and their way in the world after a lifetime of being different.

This is a great series reminding us of the stories of Greek mythology. It is full of characters from legends of old and adventures set in modern times. For example, God of War Ares is a leather wearing motorcycle tough guy.

Start with: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Books currently in Series: 5 (4 companion books)

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The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Author: Carrie Ryan

Official Site | Wikipedia Article

Mary is a teenage girl living in a Post Apocalyptic World. She lives in a fenced in colony surrounded by a mob of Zombies. She longs for a world where she can be free.

This is also an epic story of a love quadrangle with two best friends fighting over two brothers. Move over Twilight, these kids know how to long for each other.

Written beautifully I’ve only read the first book of the series. But I look forward to reading The Death Tossed Waves as soon as it becomes available.

It does deal with some more mature aspects of life (love, death, marriage), so I would recommend the series to older teens and adults.

Start with: The Forest of Hands and Teeth
Books in Series: 2 (3rd releasing March 2011)

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Gallagher Girls

Author: Ally Carter

Official Site | Wikipedia Article

Cammie Morgan is what is a known as a pavement artist. It’s a spy term for someone  who blends in so well to a crowd that no one notices them. Why would a teenage girl be described in Spy terms? Because she attends an elite school for young girls who will become the worlds most advanced Spies.

I have to admit, I fell in love with the first book I’d tell you I love you, but then I would have to kill you the moment I picked it up. The story is engaging, captivating and not at all believable. It has it’s fair share of humor and I adore Cammie and her classmates. This is book that was meant to be put on the big screen for kids to enjoy.

I would encourage this book to middle school girls. To show them that being smart can get you places when you get older.

Start with: I’d tell you I love you, but then I would have to kill you
Books currently in Series: 4