Adventure lovers ahoy!

Hi everyone, this week I’m giving you a tour around my all time favourite genre: Adventure reads!! Yes, that’s right, you will have to put up with me going on about those Harry Potter read-alikes out there!! Ready…

Let’s go!! 

So you’re after adventure, some mythical quest and a little bit of romance maybe? Well…do I have a treat for you. Don’t worry I’m not talking about the Percy Jackson series but the Blackwell Pages by K. L. Armstrong and M. A. Marr. I must tell you one thing, I finished this trilogy well before Rick Riordan’s Magnus Chase series put Norse myths on the map. We start with Loki’s Wolves where we meet Mathew Thorsen, a modern-day descendant of Thor living in the small town of Blackwell, South Dakota. Most people in town are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki. Oh, and the end of the world is coming and along with Loki’s champions, Fern and Laurie Brekke, Matt has to fight in the place of the long-dead gods. The kids race to find Thor’s hammer and shield in this first book. In the second book, Odin’s ravens, the kids have to travel to the underworld in hopes of saving their friend Baldwin. Massive monsters and tooth and nail battles fill their path to recovering Thor’s hammer and saving Baldwin. The final instalment, Thor’s serpents, our champions along with the other descendants have to stop the apocalypse in its tracks. Thing is, will they do it together or alone? The fate of humanity hangs in the balance. Now, I must tell you that I hadn’t that much knowledge of the Norse myths when I started reading these books. After I read this gripping, fast-paced adventure trilogy, I actually looked it up and found it fascinating!! Although Riordan’s version has the gods as characters within the story, the Blackwell Pages gave an interesting alternative version!! So if your tween is going through a phase of myths and legends, give this series a go!!  

Okay, confession time. I’m actually one of those people who get excited when I find a book is part of a series!! Yes, I know, quite sad for a forty-something librarian!! These next titles are all either trilogies or series. 

The Accelerati trilogy by Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman was one I enjoyed due to the references to actual scientific theories and inventions by Nikolai Tesla and Thomas Edison. The cast of characters and descriptions of the drama and adventures they get up to help move this adventure/science fiction set of reads along. It sure kept me gripped and waiting to find out if Nick and his family have a good ending or not!! 

Now, I know you all have seen my fascination with all things archaeology. It has infiltrated my choices of tween reads too. The Jake Atlas and Samantha Sutton series are two that I must confess I still re-read every now and then. Whether they are digging into mysteries in Egypt or Central America, reads such as these always capture my attention. I suppose the fast-paced  storyline along with the drama that the characters seem to be embroiled in keeps me captivated, always wanting more!! Whether you’re like me or just interested in something with a good story, these would be perfect for your adventure-hungry tween!!

For stories that ask the readers to imagine a different type of world, then The Books of Ember by Jeanne Duprau are the ones to look for. Set in a dystopian landscape where we meet a pair of curious youngsters who live in an underground city that’s powered by a generator, this series takes the reader on a wild adventure where it makes you think of our own world and the way we live in it!! One thing I can tell you about this powerful series is that they will keep you awake late into the night as you race through the chapters!! Oh, and there’s a graphic version and movie made from the first book: The City of Ember. 

When it comes to stand-alone adventure reads, my notebooks have too many reviews!! I’ll give you a few that I really enjoyed as they blend their themes with Science Fiction and Fantasy. 

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Through the skylight by Ian Baucom will take you to a magical Venice where siblings Jared, Shireen and Miranda find their lives intertwined with those of three very different children from the past. This captivating read will satisfy those who enjoy a dash of fantasy with their adventure stories!! Cool Nukes by Des Hunt is set in contemporary New Zealand with a group of science-geek students who find themselves thrust in the middle of a mystery with cryptic messages, a science professor and a nuclear device that could save all of humankind’s energy problems!! Perfect for fans of all things science-y and sci fi set in the unique New Zealand landscape that I call home! And lastly The Big Dark by Rodman Philbrick takes us to a remote North Hampshire village where a massive solar flare knocks out the power grid and darkness overwhelms America. The hero, Charlie Cobb, sets off on a perilous adventure to save his mother’s life while being stalked by wild animals and confronted by hostile citizens. If you’re after a heart-pumping survival-themed adventure story, this could be what you need to read next!! 

So there you have it, a snapshot of adventure reads that I call some of my favourite. 

Do you have any genres that you call a favourite? If you do, I’d love to hear them.

Stay safe and keep reading

Miss Mahee