not including manga, I’ll highlight those later
The Inheritance Cycle, by Christopher Paolini
This is a book, reminiscent of Lord of the Rings, but in my opinion, better. The author has composed their own language, and it’s obvious that he has put a lot of thought into worldbuilding. This story is set in a dystopian fantasy, where an evil king rules over the land of Alagaesia. The Dragon Riders, the independent group that fought for peace, is now extinct. Enter, Eragon, a farm boy, who mysteriously gained a dragon egg, and is now destined to defeat the dark king.
I would highly recommend reading this. It’s a complicated read, the writing syntax is much like Lord of the Rings. Possibly my favourite book series of all time. It has 4 books: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr and Inheritance. There’s also another side-story, called “The Fork, the Witch and the Worm”.
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, by Christopher Paolini
I really like this author. In this, he writes a science fiction book, set in the far future, where humanity has expanded beyond the solar system, across the galaxy. Kira Naveréz comes into contact with an extraterrestrial organism which bonds to her, and finds herself in the midst of an intergalactic war for possession of the alien.
Again, his writing syntax is very mature, and it’s a brilliant book. However, his books are quite long, but his worldbuilding is insane.
The Karen M. McMagnus Series
She’s a murder mystery/crime fiction writer, and her books are so good. They have so many plot twists that you don’t end up seeing until they actually happen. It’s a brilliant series, and her characterisation of everyone is brilliant, as it perfectly highlights the mental issues and problems teenagers encounter every day. I highly recommend this.
Lock the Doors, by Vincent Ralph
So. Good. Again, another murder mystery, where the main character (MC) moves into a new town, and immediately notices something wrong with his house. The perfect family that used to live there is a bit strange, and there’s a lot of things that he isn’t told. The plot in this is very engaging, and it’s such a good read.
Lost Stars, by Claudia Grey
This is a Star Wars book, with a mature writing style. The book follows an Imperial recruit who becomes disillusioned with the Empire and its methods. It provides another side to the story, and is a very good read.
The Alchemyst Series, a.k.a. the Secrets of Nicholas Flamel, by Michael Scott
This represents cultural mythology and legends in a new form, and is a brilliant series. There’s so much mystery and lore, and the author does a great job of portraying mythological figures from different cultures.
The Dandelion Dynasty, by Ken Liu
Again, a fictional world, with 4 books. It’s a very long read, so you’ll have to be invested. The story follows a boy, who rebels against the current emperor, and then has to struggle with the troubles of the aristocracy, e.g. corruption. It’s a very good read, but a bit tedious at times. It’s also very sad.