Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne is one of the “OGs” of science fiction that everyone should have a chance to read in their lifetime. Verne undoubtedly knows how to keep his readers on the edge of their seats with his descriptive writing and rapid-paced plot line. In this story, which takes place in the mid 1800’s, Professor Lindenbrock and his nephew, Axel, open an old book to find a priceless parchment flutter out of it. This parchment leads them on an expedition that is supposed to get them to, you guessed it, the center of the earth. Will they ever get there or will the whole trip have been a huge fail? Keep reading to find out…

Pendragon: Journal of an Adventure through Time and Space: the Merchant of Death by D. J. MacHale

J. MacHale has outdone himself with the Pendragon series. Ten books long, the story keeps you on the edge of your seat from the front cover to the end. MacHale has the amazing ability to create worlds, people and cultures the likes of which no one has ever seen before, and he does it exceptionally well. Whether you’re on the primitive territory of Denduron, or the Klee populated treetop city of Eelong, Pendragon’s journey is one that is sure to leave you breathless and begging for more. The reader follows Bobby Pendragon on his adventures through the journals he writes, with one book for each of the different territories he visits.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

James Patterson’s Maximum Ride series is perfect for those who dream of flying, because in reality, Maximum Ride and her friends (the flock) are only 98% human. The other two percent? Well, let’s just say, it makes a huge difference. 14 foot long wings help them — literally — fly out of most situations. It would be a great life, fun even, if they hadn’t been experimented on during the first eight years of their lives. They escaped from the place they call “the School” but the scientists there want them back, badly. Oh, and did I mention the wolf-men “Erasers” that chase them every other day, trying to kill them or bring them back to that lab? Yeah, seems fun.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

Magnus Chase seems like any other homeless kid on the streets of Brooklyn: invisible. That is until one day, when his crazy uncle, cousin Annabeth and a fire giant, Surt, all appear. His uncle prattles on about how Magnus needs to claim his birthright in order to survive his 16th birthday, but ultimately, it doesn’t work. Magnus dies. He “wakes up” thrown into a world of gods and goddesses, dwarves and elves, valkyries and talking swords. All of Riordan’s characters are diverse and yet have something in common: they’re all inevitably bound together. There’s something everyone can find they can relate to in the series, whether you’re alive or dead. Yeah, the dead have a lot to do with this story.