The Power to Hurt.

If someone grants you the power to make them cry, remember to be kind.
Be soft with your words, be forgiving in your judgement, be gentle with your hands.
Hold and soothe and ease.
This is your only job. This is your only duty.
The power to hurt someone isn't a power; it is an obligation.
You are charged with proving to them that vulnerability isn't a sin, and love can be unconditional.
You are Atlas; you carry their world on your shoulders.
You have lost the right to hurt them, because they trust you enough to give you the power to hurt them.
Your charge will last until they are strong enough to realize their own person, and will continue after that too.
Be kind.
Be gentle.
Be forgiving.
It is your sole duty.
You aren't allowed to forget it.

Everything is Not Okay

The following is an extract of a conversation between Harry Potter and Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, in Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, Chapter 77:

“There was a Muggle once named Mohandas Gandhi,” Harry sad. “He thought the government of Muggle Britain shouldn’t rule over his country. And he refused to fight. He convinced his whole country not to fight. Instead he told his people to walk up to the British soldiers and let themselves be struck down, without resisting, and when Britain couldn’t stand doing that any more, we freed his country. I thought it was a very beautiful thing, when I read about it, I thought it was something higher than all the wars that anyone had ever fought with guns or swords. That they’d really done that, and that it has actually worked.”

Harry drew another breath.

“Only then I found out that Gandhi told his people, during World War II, that if the Nazis invaded they should use non resistance against them, too. But the Nazis would’ve just shot everyone in sight. And maybe Winston Churchill always felt there should’ve been a better way, some clever way to win without having to hurt anyone; but he never found it, and so he had to fight.”

Harry looked up at the Headmaster, who was staring at him. “Winston Churchill was the one who tried to convince the British government not to give Czechoslovakia to Hitler in exchange for a peace treaty, that they should fight right away-“

“I recognize the name, Harry,” said Dumbledore.

“The point is,” Harry said, after a brief pause to remember exactly who he was talking to, and fight down the suddenly returning sense that he was an ignorant child gone insane with audacity who had no right to be in this room and no right to question Albus Dumbledore about anything, “the point is, saying violence is evil isn’t an answer. It doesn’t say when to fight and when not to fight. It’s a hard question and Gandhi refused to deal with it, and that’s why I lost some of my respect for him.”

*******

No one asks the hard questions right? This one is for the rebels, for those who dare to defy the conformity bias that plagues our very species, for the ones who dare to be a little less insane.

TO read Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, click here. I warn you this will be, in its own way, the most horrifying read of your life.

There is no gore or violence or rape or murder…. Just the worst kinds of truth.

TO read more about conformity bias, click here.

TO read more about cognitive biases in general, check out the wiki website dedicated to the Methods of Rationality here.

TO learn more about Nazi Germany and post-WWII Germany, you can watch the 1961 movie Judgment at Nuremberg here.

Thank you for your time.

Feel free to google+ and add me to your circle for future updates.

"I'm Such A Nerd! :D"

Being a nerd has certainly gotten popular these days, hasn't it?
Which is ridiculous, you know. Remember the days when we were the kids in Elvish cosplay, getting stuffed into lockers - well, figuratively, at least - and teased for our fluency in Klingon?  

*sigh. 
Those were the days. 

OKay, admittedly, that was before my time. For me, it's been all abolition of house elf slavery (go Team Dobby!) and looking down my nose at anyone who hasn't read the Game of Thrones books. (ASIOF, anyone?) 

I've read a few hundred fanfictions - no, really, I have -, can intelligently debate the merits of martyring Severus Snape, can rattle off fifty spells off the top of my head, along with an example of usage, list off three generations of ancestors for virtually every major character - and that's only Harry Potter. Let's not even get started with Game of Thrones, or His Dark Materials, or Narnia, or heck, even Twilight. 

And a lot people laugh their ass off at us, you know. 

What's the point, you idiot?, they ask.

It's a valid question.  
Nowhere in my life is the fact that Abraxas Malfoy and Pollux Black were the great-grandfathers of Draco Malfoy going to be of any use to me.  
The fact that I let A Clash of Kings sit on my bookshelf for two solid months because Ned Stark died at the end of A Game of Thrones and that broke me is plain silly, because he's "not even real".  
I cried at the end of The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass because Lyra and Pantalaimon and Will were braver  and stronger and so, so much more than I could ever hope to be, and for what?  

stupidstupidstupid 

It's almost unnecessary, the way we invest ourselves in their lives, they way we grow so hopelessly attached to some paper and ink, to the fictional lives of impossible people, that when we're done and we put it away, we wrap up a little bit of our souls in them. 

Bit crazy, the lot of us.

That's why the sheepish "I'm such a nerd" thing bothers us so much. Being a nerd isn't this sort of worldwide brotherhood it once used to be, where you could just bond with just about anyone who had a crush on Arwen. Now it's some kind of ridiculous excuse these fucking wannabe popular kids use to explain away their passing interest in Star Wars. 

Like, no bitch, you aren't a nerd. Being a nerd means loving something, wholly and absolutely, means allowing yourself to be emotionally connected to something intangible and wonderful and little bit infinite. 

It isn't a fucking suffix you can add to end of your sentence like, "Oh my gawsh, I totes just watched all 5 Star Trek movies - I'm such a NERD!"  

You're NOT a part of nerd-dom, you're staring at its butt as it passes by. 

(In case you're wondering, there are 6 Original series movies, 4 Next Gen movies and 2 in the reboot series.)(And yes, I did borrow that line from a Cyanide and Happiness comic strip. Sue me.) 

We aren't the popular kids - because we never cared much for it. What we've wanted has always been simple - a good conversation over coffee with someone intelligent and quick witted, friends who let us use words like pretentious and hyperbolic and don't consider us pretentious or hyperbolic for it, someone to cry with about Ygritte and Catelyn Stark; easy, silly, wonderful things that are never that easily found. 

We've learnt love from Lily Potter, persistence from Skywalker, and patience from Gandalf.
We've battled Labyrinthine monsters, and stood in the halls of Olympus.
We've lived and lost a thousand times.
We've loved and been betrayed, and we've closed each book and put it away, and we've come out better men for it. 

There are things that our meagre lives can't teach us, things hidden in the words of someone else, and goddamnit, we take pride in that courage to learn from a hero's mistakes. 

This is who we are, this is how we feel. You are not a nerd, we are.

Why?
Because we took the time to discover, and the patience to love, and the imagination to believe.
That is what makes us who are, and makes you who you are not.
We're nerds, and we're bloody proud. 

Addendum:
Here's 50 spells, just for the heck of it:
1.   Reparo
2.   Wingardium Leviosa
3.   Lumos
4.   Lumos Solarus
5.   Nox
6.   Expelliarmus
7.   Avada Kedavra
8.   Imperio
9.   Crucio
10.        Impedimenta
11.        Accio
12.        Obliviate
13.        Duro
14.        Muffliato
15.        Obliviate
16.        Levicorpus
17.        Liberacorpus
18.        Tantellegra
19.        Confundus
20.        Reducto
21.        Engorgio
22.        Expecto Patronum
23.        Riddikulus
24.        Episkey
25.        Evanesco
26.        Relashio
27.        Specialis Revelio
28.        Homenum Revelio
29.        Erecto
30.        Locomotor Mortis
31.        Petrificus Totalus
32.        Glisseo
33.        Furnunculus
34.        Serpensortia
35.        Sectumsempra
36.        Avis Oppugno
37.        Orchideum
38.        Aguamenti
39.        Diffindo
40.        Finite Incantatum 

Eh. So it isn't fifty. Still, I wanted to check my spelling on Evanesco, and found this: Wikipedia's List of Spells used in Harry Potter. Nifty, huh?

Thanks for reading, and if you liked it, don’t forget to google+ and add me to your circle for future updates!

YA Fiction: The Good, the Bad and the Dirty

Okay, before moving forward, we need to establish something. I don't like female protagonists. Because, as far as I've read - and that's saying something -  there is one thing and only one thing  female protagonists care about:

Luuuuuurrrrve.

Fuck you.

I hate how authors today have just taken strong, independent, brilliant women and made all their life "decisions" and "sacrifices" hinge around the men in their life. It's revolting and debasing and does not accurately show what women deal with in the actual world. You don't believe me, do you? Fine.

I hope this helps: 

(we exclude Hermione here. Hermione Granger FTW.)

Without doubt, one of the most empowering videos I have seen in a long, long time.

So, coming back to the topic at hand, this is a (really fucking long) list of fantasy novels with a female lead:

• Twilight Saga (gah. Barf. Why.) (vampire/werewolf fantasy)

• The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins (dystopia)

• Divergent Series by Veronica Roth (dystopia)

(featuring the classic "supposedly bad-ass chick" who has the classic two boys who're desperately in love with her and then she overthrows the evil, cruel, dystopian government and becomes a national hero blah-blah-fucking-blah. Basically Hunger Games all over again.)

• The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare (fallen angel fantasy)

(same ish all over again, so don't say I didn't warn you. Still, it's massively popular so....)

• Graceling by Kristin Cashore (medieval fantasy)

(this isn't my recommendation, because apparently, according to Kristin Cashore, the only way a girl can be cool and awesome, is basically by being a guy - go karate on others' asses and not care about what they wear. Okay. Really popular though.)

• Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld (post-apocalyptic dystopia)

Officially classified as "science-fiction" but God, what a fucking insult. This is dystopian literature. Deal with it.

• Evermore (The Immortals #1) by Alyson Noel (fantasy)

Rated pretty cool, but then again, I read it in the ninth grade (I think). No vampires here, praise the Lord.

• Dark Angels Series by Keri Arthur (fantasy)

Okay, so this one is actually seriously fucking cool, the lead kicks major ass, is sassy and snarky and leather-jacketed AND, as a fun bonus, hot sex. I'd recommend this, but only to the girls.

• Matched Trilogy by Allie Condie (dystopia)

(again, not my recommendation, but incredibly popular with the Hunger Games fandom, so if you liked that, this is for you. I personally find nothing compelling about evil governments and being torn between two boys but whatever floats your boat, brother.)

• Fallen Series by Lauren Kate (fallen angel fantasy)

OHMYGOD SO INDESCRIBABLY GAY, but if you liked Twilight, you'll honestly like this. No sarcasm, I swear. I've read book reviews, and this is actually an informed opinion - this series is for the Twihards.

• Marked (House of Night #1) by P. C. and Kristin Cast (vampire fantasy)

Confession time: I liked this series. read the first three parts in the ninth grade and like, really enjoyed it. So sue me, dude. Shit happens.

Okay can't think of any more right now. Next.

Teenage Spies/Criminals/Heroes

In which they KICK. MAJOR. ASS.

Okay so this is a list of books I actually loved.

I would include Artemis Fowl here, but that's already done in my previous list (click to go to: 50 Fantasy Novels (of the non-bloodsucking variety) so this is the list:

Alex Rider Series by Anthony Horowitz

This is basically James Bond when he was fourteen. Only... better. Much better. In #3 the evil nemesis gets his ass kicked in outer space. Outer space, I shit you not. Suck on that, Daniel Craig.

Heist Society by Ally Carter

You know Ocean's Eleven? Okay, now what if we got a bunch of fifteen year olds to break into some of the world's most secure facilities? You like what's happening here? Yeah? GO READ THIS.

(I love this picture just because it's so good to see books that are read and re-read and loved)

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

The movie was such an epic fail, but the book actually honestly fucked with my head so well I read it four times. Yes, it was that good. Yes, you should really stop reading this and actually read the book. GO.

Animorphs Series by K.A. Applegate

HOLY CRAP.

So aliens grant a group of kids the ability to morph into any animal at will so they may battle the infestation of a mind-controlling alien species that has invaded Earth, and is taking over the minds of adults across the globe.

Awesomeness abounds.

Also, before you read that, read the prequel, which is, quite frankly, my Bible. I'm not being hyperbolic here - The Ellimist Chronicles is the be-all and and-all of fiction writing.

Gone Series by Michael Grant

When all those above the age of 15 disappear and an invisible barrier descends around the town of Perdido Beach, the children must deal with jungle rule, death, limited food, no hospitals or firefighters, and a possibly unstable nuclear reactor, all by themselves.

"Gone" was one of the best, most compelling reads of 2013 for me.

Gallagher Girls Series by Ally Carter

I love Ally to the death okay? I know I'm too old to read her books - which are specifically aimed at a 12-16 female demographic, but I stopped reading that stuff when I was 8. But I don't care because Ally wrote a series of books about a boarding school for female spies. I KNOW RIGHT? It is, as you can imagine, all kinds of fabulous.

Perfect Cover (The Squad #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

In a high school, who are the most athletic, most perfectly-fake and best at keeping secrets?

Cheerleaders.

So naturally, they become spies.

Only they become spies in high school.

With a secret underground spy lair.

Far-fetched? Try the book:

"If you'd told me at the beginning of sophomore year that I was going to end up a government operative, I would have thought you were crazy, but if you'd told me I was destined to become a cheerleader, I would have had you committed, no questions asked. At that point in time, there were three things in life that I knew for certain: 1) I was a girl who'd never met a site she couldn't hack or a code she couldn't break, 2) I had a roundhouse that could put a grown man in the hospital, and 3) I would without question chop off my own hands before I'd come within five feet of a pom-pom."

Again with the whole tom-boy shit (it's been done to death, I swear) but the characters besides the main character make it a pretty fun read.

Teen Romance
Sometimes I'm just disgustingly girly. This is one of those times. Prepare to be smothered by extreme adorableness.

• Boyfriend by Molly Raesly 

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5548168/1/Boyfriend  

*CUTEST STORY EVER* *just sayin* *you're welcome*

• The Bracelet by AkashaTheKitty 

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3932315/1/The-Bracelet 

*SEXSEXSEX* *squeeeeee* *in my happy place*

• Have You Ever by Lady Moonglow https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2406786/1/Have-You-Ever

• Just a Harmless Joke by CrazyGirl47 https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2074348/1/Just-a-Harmless-Joke

• Silencio by AkashaTheKitty

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3732710/1/Silencio 

*moreSEXmoreSEXmoreSEX*

• Life and Times by Jewel5 https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5200789/1/The-Life-and-Times

• Tropic of Virgo by in.a.blue.bathrobe https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4901517/1/Tropic-of-Virgo

• The Education of Professor Cullen by sheviking https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5910879/1/The-Education-of-Professor-Cullen *SEX* *Also, sex poetry* 

• Adorkable by Sarra Manning (okay so this is a real book, not fanfiction)

• Kody Keplinger is a 19-year old published author, and she is frickin' fabulous. Check out The D.U.F.F. and Shut Out.

• And Nothing is Gained by Not Gathering Roses by Laine Montgomery https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7878203/1/And-Nothing-Is-Gained-By-Not-Gathering-Roses

• The Greatest of Fools by SecondStarOnTheLeft http://archiveofourown.org/works/525665

Okay, so there's more icky romance coming your way in the next post, because yeah, I read way too much of this shit. But these are the fanfictions, and can i be honest? Fanfiction is usually better than books.

Badass action/adventure links were posted in my previous post, so reading that should work well for you. 

Kay, summary time:

1. Twilight: Twilight
2. Twilight: New Moon
3. Twilight: Eclipse
4. Twilight: Breaking Dawn
5. Hunger Games: Hunger Games
6. Hunger Games: Catching Fire
7. Hunger Games: Mockingbird (basically skimmed this one, not actually sure what happened here)
8. Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
9. Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes
10. Mortal Instruments: City of Glass (didn't read parts 4, 5 and 6 *Yawn*)
11. Divergent: Divergent
12. Divergent: Insurgent (read this one half-way, the similarity to Hunger Games began to irritate the crap outta me so.... yeah.)
13. Graceling
14. Uglies: Uglies
15. Uglies: Pretties
16. Uglies: Specials (I still can't believe I managed to finish this series. But yeah, Westerfeld keeps things interesting, at least.)
17. The Immortals: Evermore
18. The Immortals: Blue Moon (four more parts in this series but really, who has the patience for that?)
19. Matched Trilogy: Matched
20. Matched Trilogy: Crossed (barely made it through the first, labored through a bit of the second, you really think I'd subject myself to the third?)
21. Fallen (when I found out there were three more parts to this series, I nearly broke myself laughing, because what?! )
22. House of Night: Marked
23. House of Night: Betrayed
24. House of Night: Chosen (I was 13 okay? I liked it. Gah. How embarassing.)
25. Alex Rider: Stormbreaker
26. Alex Rider: Point Blanc
27. Alex Rider: Skeleton Key
28. Alex Rider: Eagle Strike
29. Alex Rider: Scorpia (there are 9 parts. I haven't read the rest, but believe me, I'm gonna get to them as soon as I'm done with everything I'm reading right now. Bloody brilliant.)
30. Heist Society: Heist Society
31. Heist Society: Uncommon Criminals (can't wait to get to part 3!!!)
32. Ender's Game: Ender's Game
33. Ender's Game: Speaker for the Dead (so it kinda drags after part 1, but really the first part is so so good, it makes up for it.)
34. Animorphs (there are 54 books in this series, and even I dont know which ones I've read so excuse me for not bothering to find out)
35. Animorphs Prequel: The Ellimist Chronicles
36. Gone: Gone
37. Gone: Hunger (four more books, gonna get to them as soon as I can. Hands-down one of the best series of the decade)
38. Gallagher Girls: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You
39. Gallagher Girls: Cross My Heart and Hope To Spy
40. Gallagher Girls: Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover (so the series drags after the first three parts, so what?)
41. The Squad: Perfect Cover
42. The Squad: Killer Spirit
43. Boyfriend
44. The Bracelet
45. Have You Ever
46. Just a Harmless Joke
47. Silencio
48. The Life and Times
49. Tropic of Virgo
50. The Education of Professor Cullen
51. Adorkable
52. The D.U.F.F.
53. Shut Out
54. And Nothing is Gained by Not Gathering Roses
55. The Greatest of Fools

Hope that was useful! 

Don't forget to google+ and add me to your circle!

Thanks for reading.

50 Fantasy Novels (of the non-bloodsucking variety)

So originally this was supposed to be a general non-genre-specific list. Then I realized I read way too freaking much to fit all that in one list, so I've split it into a bunch of separate lists.

And naturally, since I've been a nerd for as long as possible it is to be a nerd, I'm starting off with fantasy. 

If you liked Harry Potter and A Song of Ice and Fire, you'll thank me for this. So you're welcome, in advance. 

Also, you're allowed to buy me cupcakes. Nothing says, "You're my new goddess and I worship you" like a nice red velvet cupcake.

1.  Children/YA Fantasy:

There is a difference okay? There is a huge fucking difference between what kids should be reading and Game of Thrones. Call me conservative, but I would be massively uncomfortable with 12 year olds reading about Jaime/Cersei's incestuous f***kfest.

So this is for the 8-14 crowd, but if I'm going to honest, I read them too so.... Yeah, whatever:

• The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis 

I've heard people say Harry Potter was their childhood, but Narnia - and not the movies - NARNIA has always defined growing up for me.

• His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman

• Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan - Warning, part 2 sucks ass, but otherwise, hell yeah, who doesn't like Greek heroes going to battle in the 21st century?

Also, Riordan converts the 'Pen is mightier than the sword' to amusing (literal) effect. *coughRiptidecough*

• Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer 

Warning for slight suckiness in parts 3 and 4, but otherwise, there are battle recon teams of leprechauns, and a foul-mouthed centaur who happens to be a computer geek. Oh and Artemis Fowl, the protagonist? Evil boy genius turned heroic boy genius.

• A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin 

This is actually Part 1 in the Earthsea saga, but I've only finished this one and I'm currently reading Part 2: Tombs of Atuan, which is awesome but not as awesome, and I really was hoping for better.

• The Heroes of Olympus Series, again by Rick Riordan,

And HOLY SHIT PEOPLE, this is better than Percy Jackson! Still, you need to read Percy Jackson to know what's happening here, so go buy/download your copy already.

• The Kane Chronicles, yes Rick Riordan. AGAIN.

I can't get enough of Riordan, I'm afraid. He took up Egyptian mythology in this series, and if you enjoyed running with the Greeks and the Romans, you'll like this too.

• The Fire Thief trilogy by Terry Deary for sheer, epic snarky awesomeness. Also because Prometheus is the hero and how often does that happen in Greek mythology?

• The Inheritance Saga (Eragon) by Christopher Paolini

Because hello? DRAGONS.

Of the seriously, epicly cool/wise/sarcastic/funny variety, as opposed to the boring-as-all-hell versions Daenerys Targaryen has. 

• Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

It is known fact amongst the fantasy fiction community that Eragon is a thrilling mashup of Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Dragonriders of Pern. And Pern, by far, is the most fun to read. Why? DRAGONS.

Haven't you been paying attention? Also interplanetary war and alien invasions and all that jazz. Like it? Read it.

2.  YA/Adult Fantasy:

When I say fantasy, I mean of the Dragons and Dungeons variety okay?

NO!

NOT that kind of dungeon! I mean the kind where you're chained and bleeding and starve to death! NOT the sexy-fun kind, with a half-naked Ian Somerhalder.

My God. Y'all read way too much 50 Shades.

....or maybe that's just me.

• HARRY POTTER.

'Nuff said.
Seriously, how else did you think I'd start this list?

• A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R. R. Martin

• The Denarian Renegade (The Denarian Trilogy #1) by shezza88

LOL, you thought this list was just books? NO. There's fanfiction too.
And the fanfiction's better than the actual Harry Potter books. Link here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3473224/1/The-Denarian-Renegade

• Harry Potter and the Wastelands of Time (Wastelands Trilogy #1) by joe6991

Summary on fanfiction.net:
"Take a deep breath, count back from ten… and above all else – don't worry! It'll all be over soon.
The world, that is.
Yet for Harry Potter the end is just the beginning. Enemies close in on all sides, and Harry faces his greatest challenge of all - Time."
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4068153/1/Harry-Potter-and-the-Wastelands-of-Time

• Fate's Favourite by The Fictionist

THE SINGLE GREATEST TIME TRAVEL STORY YOU WILL EVER READ. EVER.

And that's saying something because Wastelands of Time, is, as the name suggests, a time travel story.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5725656/1/Fate-s-Favourite
Okay. You're welcome. You may grovel.

• Tied for Last by Speechwriter

There are no words.
I don't have, literally, the right words to describe how important this story is to me.
So I can't tell you, and I apologize for that, but I'm putting a little bit of soul out there, for you, to tell you, that this story will irrevocably change you.

Perhaps not for the better.

But I hope you read it anyway:
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6031176/1/Tied-for-Last

• The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

You know how nearly everyone in Game of Thrones is kind of an asshole?
EVERYONE in The First Law is an asshole.

But they're badass, hardcore assholes. That makes up, right?

PS. Joe Abercrombie used to be joe6991. That says something about why you should really be reading Wastelands of Time, link above.

• Angelology by Danielle Trussoni (Part 2, Angelopolis has been released, but only in the US or something, and my heart is officially shattered.)

• The Dark Tower Series, by Stephen King (I bought these in the eighth grade and was so horrifically scarred, I couldn't read beyond Part 2. Still now that I'm older and wiser and in love with Cersei Lannister, might be time to revisit.)

So, in summary, here's what I recommend:

1. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe 
2. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
3. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of The Dawn Treader
4. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair
5. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle
6. His Dark Materials: Northern Lights 
7. His Dark Materials: The Subtle Knife
8. His Dark Materials: The Amber Spyglass
9. Inheritance Saga: Eragon
10. Inheritance Saga: Eldest
11. Inheritance Saga: Brisingr
12. Inheritance Saga: Inheritance
13. DragonRiders of Pern: Dragonflight
14. DragonRiders of Pern: Dragonquest
15. DragonRiders of Pern: Dragonsong
16. Artemis Fowl
17. Artemis Fowl: The Artic Incident
18. Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code
19. Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex
20. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
21. Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse
22. Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth
23. Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero
24. Heroes of Olympus: The Son of Neptune
25. Heroes of Olympus: The Mark of Athena
26. The Kane Chronicles: Red Pyramid
27. The Kane Chronicles: Throne of Fire
28. A Wizard of Earthsea
29. The Tombs of Atuan
30. Fire Thief Trilogy: The Fire Thief
31. Fire Thief Trilogy: Flight of the Fire Thief
32. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
33. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
34. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
35. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
36. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (skipped OoTP on purpose. Why? Cause it sucked is why.)(also, skipped DH, because let's face it, the only reason to read it would be to find out how it all ended. The actual book was terrible.)
37. A Song of Ice and Fire: A Game of Thrones
38. A Song of Ice and Fire: A Clash of Kings
39. A Song of Ice and Fire: A Storm of Swords (these are the only books I've actually read. While I'm sure the rest are equally brilliant, including them here would be cheating so...)
40. Denarian Saga: The Denarian Renegade
41. Denarian Saga: The Denarian Knight
42. Denarian Saga: The Denarian Lord (there are two more parts to this series, and just as popular, but again, I haven't read them myself. Apologies.)
43. Harry Potter and the Wastelands of Time
44. Harry Potter and the Heartlands of Time
45. Fate's Favourite
46. Tied for Last
47. The First Law: The Blade Itself (this is a trilogy, but I'm actually reading TBI right now, so I can hardly provide an opinion about the rest of the series)
48. Angelology
49. The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger
50. The Dark Tower: The Naming of the Three

So that's that. 50 stories, and I'm sure you've read half of them, and bitching about how utterly useless this list was to you, but whatever okay?

Also, a heart-breakingly wonderful bonus for all Potterheads reading this:

Cauterize by Lady Altair

""Of course it's missing something vital. That's the point." Dennis Creevey takes up his brother's camera after the war."

Snapshots from after the war, of loss and pain and recovery, and of death.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4152700/1/Cauterize

Thank you for reading, and don't forget to google+ and add me to your google circle, if you enjoyed reading this and want updates on next post!

Next week, YA fiction: The Good, The Bad and The Dirty