I know binging on Netflix is all the rage, but I’m much more interested in binging book series
You can probably guess some of the main things in my life that make me happy – kids, husband, traveling, cookies with their centers still soft and, of course, reading. But let’s dive just a bit further into reading… for all your readers out there, is there anything quite so wondering than finding that amazing book series and getting completely lost in it?
One of my favorite things to do is to read book the first book in a series and then head to the library to check out ALL the remaining books so I can binge read them. You know – like Netflix but so. much. better.
So maybe that’s why I generally hesitate to pick up the first book of the series. Am I the only one? I am wary of the commitment it implies – I’m in this for the long haul, it tells me. In the time it takes to read four very different books, I may be reading, basically, one really long story. It’s enough to make my palms sweat.
So, to help any similar anxiety you have, I thought I would highlight some of my absolute favorite series. (Note – I’ve left off the ‘duh’ ones such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Those are, obviously, amazing and if you haven’t read them then you need to shut this down and start reading!)
In particular, I’ve highlighted the series I’ve truly binged. There are some series out there that, while wonderful, aren’t necessarily ones that you need to binge. (The Rockton Series by Kelley Armstrong is a great example of this) These, however, I recommend you get all books at once and settle in for the long haul.
1. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon – Anyone who knows me is likely shocked this is my number one (#kidding). These are easily some of my favorite books and definitely my favorite series. Binging this is a very time consuming commitment so it is SO worth it. And then you can watch the series for a double binge-whammy!
2. Renegades by Marissa Meyer – Let’s face it, I’m a little in love with Meyer. She’s the author of another great series, Cinder, but I decided Renegades was much more binge-worthy. Why? Because I just recently inhaled this series and loved it (especially the conclusion). YA friendly and very timely with superheros it’s both predictable and unique at the same time.
3. The Cormoran Strike Series by Robert Galbraith – I’ve really gotten into mystery/crime books lately and I recommend these books ALL the time. They are so good and I can’t wait for additional books to come out. What I love most about them is that they are binge-worthy. Most mysteries are so stand alone you can pick them up at any stage, but these books truly excel if you go in order.
PS – Fun fact, Robert Galbraith is J.K. Rowling’s pseudonym. But this is NO Harry Potter!
4. The Veronica Speedwell Mysteries by Deanna Raybourn – these books are SO good with an incredible, sassy protagonist. They are set in the 1880s and include mystery and seduction. I regularly laughed out loud at these and can’t wait to eat up the rest (she’s still writing more *squee*)
5. Beartown by Fredrik Backman – at only two books some people might not consider this a “series” but I still had to include it. Beartown and the sequel, Us Against You is such a beautiful story. Being from a small town myself, I tend to bristle at “small-town” books as they often are written by someone who doesn’t quite get it. But Backman does a wonderful job at building these character and town.
6. Cake by J. Bengtsson – let’s be honest, there are few things more delightful than binging smutty romances. And Cake is easily one of my favorite binges. While, yes, they are stand along novels, this is one of the first series I’ve read where the continued story line of the characters really matters in future novels. The stories are adorable, endearing, and filled with all kinds of sexual exploits.
7. The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg – I’ll be honest, I wasn’t blown away by The Paper Magician. I had my hesitations with the story, but I decided to keep reading (mostly due to a romantic component, I’m such a sucker for that) and ended up blowing through the series. I think this series works best when you can binge it – when you can really immerse yourself, you get those feels!
So – what did I miss? I’d love to find another series to add to my list!
The Roaming Reader 