The Harry Potter franchise changed the landscape of reading forever. The series reawakened a love of reading in adults and children alike.
But some of us get stuck with knowing what to read next. The problem with a great series is that they cause a book hangover (It’s a real thing. There’s an Urban Dictionary definition and everything).
You’re sad that the story is over, and reluctant to try anything new because it won’t be as good.
Never fear! There are book nerds like me who can confidently recommend what you should read next.
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer if you like:
– Strong female characters like Hermione, Ginny, and Luna.
– An excellent (and terrifying) villain that’s kind of like Voldemort and Umbridge wrapped up in one.
– Lots of adventuring and SUPER cute relationships.
This is probably my favorite series of all time. It’s a fairytale retelling in the distant future of our earth.
There are clever nods to a popular fairytales (Cinderella is a cyborg with a mechanical foot, instead of a glass slipper). But it’s different enough that you won’t find the plots predictable. There is plenty of witty banter and lovable characters. It’s between a middle-grade and young adult story, just like Harry Potter.
It’s a four book series + a novel with the villains’ origin stories + collection of short stories about the protagonists + TWO graphic novels set after the final book. You can easily read JUST the main four books.
The Medoran Chronicles by Lynette Noni if you like:
– An ordinary kid attending a magical school.
– Lots of exploration/discovering new worlds and peoples.
– Some great girl/boy friendships AND no love triangles.
– Epic magical abilities (including a MAGICAL LIBRARY).
I discovered this series thanks to my Bookstagram friends, and read all five books in just four days.
I laughed, I cried, I gasped out loud so many times that I nearly choked.
This book has a LOT of similarities to Harry Potter. A girl falls into another world and is immediately enrolled in their magical school. It’s fast paced and introduces you to new characters and plots quickly and seamlessly. It’s quite an adventure to go on and I couldn’t believe how much YA fantasy goodness the author managed to pack into these books.
Lynette Noni is a new author from Australia, and I cannot wait to see what she does next.
The Magic Ex Libris Series by Jim Hines if you like:
– Urban fantasy (seeing how magic would operate in “real life”).
– Lots of magical creatures.
– A more complicated, grown-up plot.
– Brilliantly-nerdy characters like Hermione.
This is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated book series of all time.
It’s the early 2000s and there’s a secret magical society of people who can perform Libriomancy (the magical ability of puling objects out of books). However, there are limitations to their magic. For example, they can’t pull items out that are physically larger than the book.
Because it’s set in our world, it’s quite easy to get into. There’s a diverse range of characters represented, and the depth of the magic system grows with each book. The main character is a lovable nerd who adores all things science-fiction and fantasy. Also, he has a pet fire spider.
I highly recommend it for people who enjoy the urban fantasy side of Harry Potter and might be looking for something a bit more grown up, but still easy to read.
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