10 Famous Series I’ve Never Read (And Will I?)

Reading, , , , 6 Comments

According to my stats on Goodreads, I’ve read over 250 books. While this isn’t a staggering number, I’ve tried to add some well-known series to that Read pile, including The Hunger Games and Divergent. However, there are quite a few famous series I’ve never read… and quite a few I will never read. 😉 I’ve compiled a list below discussing ten series that I’d like to read, am on the fence about reading, or will never read at all.

10FamouseSeriesNeverRead.png

#1: Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

THAT’S RIGHT! I’ve never read the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. I’ve also never seen any of the films.

*Cue people screaming at me that I’m an uncultured swine*

I was one of those kids who wasn’t allowed to read/watch Harry Potter because it contained witchcraft. Which wasn’t really my parents’ decision, but my paternal Grandma’s. She hated Harry Potter for no other reason than that, and I once got yelled at to change the channel on her TV when a Harry Potter movie commercial came on. Eventually, I think most of our cousins on that side of the family ended up reading and loving Harry Potter, but to this day at age 25 I still have not read any of the books.

Will I read the Harry Potter series?

I’ve been on the fence for a few years now whether or not I’ll ever read the Harry Potter books. While it would be interesting to see what all the hype is about, I personally (unpopular opinion alert) am not a fan of J.K. Rowling herself. The more I read about things she has said/posted online, the more pretentious I find her. She has engaged in social media arguments with fans who have differing political views than her, which I find highly unprofessional. Granted, I’ve made mistakes as an author myself, but with her notoriety and experience, that should not be apart of her public image.

So, on that basis, it’s leaning more towards no.

#2: Fifty Shades by E.L. James

*Shudders*

*Shakes head*

*Covers my eyes*

Other than the obvious reason why I haven’t read this series (#thegenre), I’ve also read that this series promotes the idea of sexual abuse. I’ve also heard the books themselves aren’t even that great.

Will I read the Fifty Shades series?

Nah times infinity.

#3: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

When the film adaption of this series first came out, I was a freshman in high school. Loads of people wanted to go see the movies. A girl I had a lot of classes with was a hardcore fangirl for the series. So when I finally started reading more YA after high school, I went on Barnes and Noble’s website to see what all the fuss was about. I previewed the first chapter of Twilight, and didn’t make it to the end of the preview.

Will I read the Twilight series?

Like with Fifty Shades, I’ve seen many comments online questioning how this series was even published to begin with. The first chapter I half-read was enough to back up that claim for me.

Also like with Fifty Shades, I’ve heard this series glamorizes relationship abuse. I’m also not really a fan of the whole vampire/werewolf thing to begin with, though I’ve read a couple books like that that have been okay.

Nevertheless, Twilight receives a definite no from me.

#4: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

*Prepares for another round of people calling me an uncultured swine*

Yep, I’ve never read any of the Anne of Green Gables books, but unlike the first three books on this list, I’ve only heard great things about this series from people I follow on Goodreads. Honestly, I had somehow never even heard of this series until I joined Goodreads.

Will I read the Anne of Green Gables series?

While I’m not really a fan of historical fiction, there are a few classics I have thoroughly enjoyed. I plan to read the first book in the series sometime, and will continue on with the series if I end up enjoying it.

#5: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

The first installment of this contemporary romance series was made into a film in 2016, and my sister fell in love with that adaptation. I bought her the first two books in the series that Christmas, but she hasn’t read them (she’s an uncultured swine because she doesn’t read :P).

I thought the movie was okay, though I didn’t enjoy it as much as my sister did. Still, I love contemporary romance and would love to see how the books are.

Will I read the Me Before You series?

I’ve had the first book in the series on my to-read list for a while, so it’s a definite yes for this series. The first two books, anyway, since I already have those available to read now.

#6: Goosebumps by R.L. Stine

I’ve never been a fan of horror books or movies, so I never picked up any of the Goosebumps books as a kid. I didn’t even like watching the film adaption that was made in 2015, to be honest. My sister and boyfriend really liked it, though.

Will I read the Goosebumps series?

Probably not, unless my future kids ever want me to read it to them. I wouldn’t pick up the series for myself, though.

#7: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

*Prepares for tomatoes to be thrown at me*

Yeah, unfortunately, I’ve never read any of the Narnia books, either.

I’ve heard nothing but great things about this series, and I loved C.S. Lewis’s nonfiction book, Mere Christianity, so it’s been on my to-read list for a while.

A couple years ago, my boyfriend and I watched the Disney film adaptations, which I enjoyed. I had a friend in high school who raved about the books.

Will I read the The Chronicles of Narnia series?

That’ll be a heck yes. I just have to buy the books first. 🙂

#8: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Though I wrote Carter to be an avid LOTR fan in my debut novel, I never made it through The Fellowship of the Ring. I desperately wanted to read this series just to say I’ve read it, but only made it to the 79% mark of the first book because it bored me to tears.

I read The Hobbit and enjoyed it for the most part, but for some reason Fellowship of the Ring could not hold my interest. I’ve never watched any of the Lord of the Rings films, but they’re on my to-watch list.

Will I read the Lord of the Rings series?

Though I DNF-ed the first book, I think I will end up giving this series another chance sometime… if I can make it through Tolkien’s wordiness. 🙂

#9: A Song of Fire and Ice by George R.R. Martin

I’ve never seen an episode of Game of Thrones and have never read any of the books.

Never really being into fantasy books (I mean, other than being willing to try #7 and #8 on this list), this series has never stood out to me as something I’d like to read. A lot of people I know enjoy the TV show, but it just doesn’t seem like something I’d be interested in reading for the entire series.

Will I read the A Song of Fire and Ice series?

Most likely, due to my disinterest in fantasy, it’ll be a no.

#10: Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

This is one of the few series my sister has read part of, yet I have not. 🙂

Again, not being the biggest fan of fantasy, this is a series I’ve debated about picking up. I know this series has a huge fandom and the premise sounds interesting enough, but I’ve also heard some things about this series that has led to me not starting it yet.

Will I read the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series?

Right now, I’m leaning more towards no, though I may end up changing my mind in the future.

Talk to Me, Arrowheads!

Well, that was a heck of a long post. XD I hope y’all enjoyed it!

What famous series have you not yet read? Did you throw a tomato at me during any point in this post? 😛

Aim high, stay strong, and always hit your mark.

-Allyson 😀

Posted by

As an author and blogger, my goal is to teach writers that there is a way to write realistic, thought-provoking, redemptive Christian fiction that honors God while not sugarcoating the realities of the world. 

6 thoughts on “10 Famous Series I’ve Never Read (And Will I?)”

  1. #4 and #8 warmed my heart. 😀 I don’t have a huge interest in Anne of Green Gables, but like you, I may give the first one a try sometime. 😉 And Tolkien’s wordiness… *sighs* 😉 😛 I look forward to seeing what you think of The Chronicles of Narnia! They are pretty amazing, though warning–don’t expect them to be similar to the movies. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

  2. I’ve heard the The Song of Fire and Ice is also super full of horrible sex and murders (I’m so not interested) (That being said I almost always take a look at any books that say “like TLOTR and GOT combined, because they are so different in my mind)
    HP I read it recently as a teen and why do people say the world building is great, yes it start well (in the first two books), but in the next two books it really slows down and in the final three books, it’s just awful. Epic fantasy can’t take place in England when you’ve made it clear your characters can get anywhere they want in the blink of an eye.
    I think some of these are really sad that you haven’t read, but I’ll give you the fantasy, I can understand not reading it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’ve heard the same things about The Song of Fire and Ice and that also has a lot to do with why I won’t read it haha! 🙂

      Thank you for sharing your perspective on Harry Potter! It’s great to hear an opinion from someone who read it and has critiques for it. Most of the opinions I hear about it are blindly positive and claim it’s a perfect series, but I knew that couldn’t be true! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. The characters are well done, but the rest of it is average at best. I think the reason it’s so well known is that people responded like your grandmother or super strongly defending it, but it awful and it isn’t perfect.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. DO NOT READ FIFTY SHADES OF GREY! Disgusting! I forced myself to “read it” (more like skimmed through it when the porn was up, and it IS PORN!) for the sake of my mother-in-law who wanted to know what I thought of it. As if she was getting back at me for something she imagined I did…I told her I would NOT read the other two in the series. And yes, the writing sucks, and I suspect “E.L. James” is likely more than one writer…and is this person even female? Only other time I was forced to read garbage was in 1970 in Art School “Language” course–Naked Lunch by William S, Burroughs (a book which was banned in Boston!) I read two chapters, then quit.

    Never read Harry Potter, but I did see the movies. CS Lewis is AWESOME. My daughter at age 7 or 8 began with “The Horse and His Boy” and was the first book she read through. At age 10 or so got the entire series (all 6 or 7 books in one big book) and she read it through–Chronicles of Narnia is what made her a good reader. Goosebumps? Son read some of the books and he liked them, but eventually got bored (plus he’s not into horror stuff). After seeing the entire Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies I went to Library and got out the entire Lord of Rings Trilogy–I’d say must read. But I never could finish Silmarrillion–not enough dialogue (in other words, tell don’t show…)

    Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.