​THE SIX BOOK YA SERIES…HOW MANY OF US GET THAT FAR?

Today we’re on the penultimate stage of our massive look at YA series, and today we have reached sequences that last for six books. There is a lot of reading in six books and many kids will not (quite understandably) last the page. Today’s bunch are an odd mix, from the mega-selling Cassandra Clare to others which are relatively unknown. A few are series which looked done and dusted but were then revived and others were published very quickly; with all six books coming over a relatively short period of six years. 
 
Here are the links to the previous entries:
 
Quintets:

https://gingernutsofhorror.com/young-blood/the-quintet-in-ya-dark-fictionor-is-this-just-one-book-too-many 

Quartets:

https://gingernutsofhorror.com/young-blood/when-three-becomes-fourthe-quartet-in-ya-fiction
 
Trilogies:

https://gingernutsofhorror.com/young-blood/three-is-the-magic-number-the-power-of-the-trilogy
 
Duologies:

https://gingernutsofhorror.com/young-blood/why-not-give-two-christmas-gifts-instead-of-onethe-power-of-the-ya-duology
 
They are listed alphabetically and the date of first and last book is noted. Do get in touch if you think there are any glaring ‘quintet’ omissions, of which there are bound to be. As always, my lists drift into wider genre fiction, particularly fantasy and science fiction.

CASSANDRA CLARE: MORTAL INSTRUMENTS (6 BOOK SERIES 2007-14)
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Cassandra Clare reigns supreme as the Queen of Urban Fantasy and her original Mortal Instruments series is hard to beat, later followed by a second Dark Artifices trilogy and lots of other Shadowhunter novels. To be honest, I don’t know how these books are connected and there was also a popular Netflix series to tap into which lasted three seasons. The original 2007 novel, City of Bones, kicks off when fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City and witnesses a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons and is then shocked when the body disappears into thin air. This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. Within twenty-four hours the teenager is pulled into the Shadowhunter world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon as she begins to develop freaky Shadowhunter powers herself and finds herself a marked woman in an invisible war which has been rumbling on for centuries, but out of sight to most of mankind. It’s a top-notch blend of fantasy, adventure and romance which sold massively. AGE 12+
 
SEBASTIAN DE CASTELL: SPELLSLINGER (6 BOOK SERIES 2017-19)

Sebastian De Castell is a well-established adult fantasy who between 1917-19 found the time to bang out a chunky, very entertaining, fantasy series aimed at the Harry Potter market, or slightly older mid-teens. The main character, who comes from a very powerful family of magicians, but has limited magical ability of his own has to use his cunning and deception to prevent himself getting kicked out of magic school and disgracing his family as a failed spellcaster. He’s a very clever and cocky guy but his spellcasting skills don’t match his mouth. This blurb is only the opening gambit in an engaging series where Kellen Argos goes on a series of dangerous adventures which takes magic in a wild new direction, creating new legends along the way. AGE 11+
 
RODERICK GORDON & BRIAN WILLIAMS: TUNNELS (6 BOOK SERIES 2005-12)
The Tunnels series takes its time getting going and is aimed at stronger readers, with its slow and deliberate build-up younger kids might be put off by its girthy 500+ pages. But for those who like an engaging mix of fantasy and adventure, with wonderful descriptions of an underground world there is much to admire in this interictally plotted series. Will’s father is an archaeologist and after he mysteriously disappears the 14-year-old investigates, and the clues lead him a subterranean society ‘The Colony’ which has existed secretly for over one-hundred-years. Will soon finds out the Colony is ruled by a merciless overclass, the Styx, which are involved in the disappearance of his father. As the series develops it takes on the mantle of a coming of age saga as Will finds his place underground and his role in bucking the system. AGE 12+
 
BARRY HUTCHINSON: INVISIBLE FIENDS (6 BOOK SERIES 2010-12)
Barry Hutchinson has written several fun books for younger kids, many non-horror, but the Invisible Fiends series, which begins with Mr Mumbles is the best one I have come across and is aimed at kids around eight or older. If you have a child who has trouble connecting with books these are great easy reads to try, with a wonderful balance between scares and comedy which are also terrific for reading out loud. Mr Mumbles is the imaginary friend which Kyle had when he was younger, however, Mumbles is back and causes havoc, much of which poor Kyle gets blamed for. AGE 8+

DAVE JEFFREY: BEATRICE BEECHAM (6 BOOK SERIES 2007-18) 

Beatrice Beecham's Cryptic Crypt is an entertaining and enterprising fun read about a group of four teenage misfits (the ‘Newshounds’) who get wrapped up in a supernatural mystery in their sleepy small coastal town. The series is lightly spooky, but also very good natured; the joy of the first kiss and walks on the pier holding hands and all that cute stuff. I found the main character Beatrice to be really engaging and innocently likable, and not really the type of girl to get wrapped up in the weird reawakening of World War II and Neo Nazis. The books can be read in any order and this review is based on reading which are technically books five and six, the latter features the crazy reappearance of a ghost-ship which begins to possess some of the characters. Don’t worry though, Beatrice is soon on the case, leading a memorable fightback and outstanding climax. 2020 should see another book in the series released, the most recent of which have been published by Crystal Lake. AGE 11+
 
URSULA LE GUIN: EARTHSEA (6 BOOK SERIES 1968-2014)

Sadly, the stunning Earthsea series is read by few kids these days, which is a shame as it has aged incredibly well and although it may not be as accessible as Harry Potter, JK Rowling was surely influenced by this masterpiece. I read books one to three when I was a kid and book four when it was published when I was around twenty. Although I loved Tehanu (book four) I wonder whether this series should not have been left alone as a perfectly formed trilogy?  This amazing tale of wizards, dragons and a terrifying darkness is set on the Island of Gont, a land famous for magic. The tale opens with a boy called Sparrowhawk and the series details his quest to become a powerful wizard, but at the same time he is stalked by an evil-shadow beast which he was responsible for raising after attempting spells beyond his magical ability. Book five is a series of short stories and after book six the series ends in a rather bitty way with the novella The Daughter of Odren which was published many years after The Other Wind. AGE 10+
 
TEHEREH MAFI: SHATTER ME (6 BOOK SERIES 2011-20) 

Great dark dystopian thriller which strays into urban fantasy about a girl with a touch that can kill when she absorbs their life energy, making her a genuine lethal weapon and a prize for different factions. In a dangerous world this is a gift everyone wants to exploit, leading to her being held prisoner. Juliette is a spunky heroine in an engaging series which is relatively unknown in the UK and is well worth a look. It looked like the series was dead and buried as a trilogy, however, the author picked the baton up again and continued, also with inter-connected novellas. AGE 13+
 
CHRIS MORPHEW: THE PHOENIX FILES (6 BOOK SERIES 2009-13)
Have you ever come across an ‘end of the world’ countdown which is spread over six books? If not, you need to check out The Phoenix Files series which opens with Arrival. The setting for this series is outstanding; a weird, locked-down desert town (Phoenix), built by an all-powerful corporation whose plans threaten the future of the rest of the world. Upon arrival Luke Hunter soon realizes that Phoenix is no ordinary town: no cars, no phone or Internet connection, and a private security firm on permanent patrol. Soon Luke and his new friends learn that someone is plotting to wipe out the rest of humanity and as the books develops the countdown is on and there are still 88 to go when book two begins in a very well plotted series. The other books also develop other characters including Peter and Jordan who are also sucked into the wider conspiracy. AGE 11+

BENJAMIN J MYERS: BAD TUESDAYS (6 BOOK SERIES 2009-12)

The Bad Tuesdays series which begins with Twisted Symmetry is a highly entertaining mix of urban fantasy and the apocalypse with a strong vibe of Oliver Twist in an imaginatively plotted series. The main character Chess Tuesday and her two brothers Box and Splinter are homeless orphans who live outside of the law and on the fringes of society. Early in the series they realise they are being tracked by two very dangerous (and rival) organisations called the ‘Twisted Symmetry’ and the ‘Committee’. The reason why is the crux of the novel, as is their parentage, when it becomes clear their past holds the secrets to their future, not to mention the rest of the world.  As the series develops new friends and enemies come thick and fast when time travel and planet hopping is thrown into the crazy mix. AGE 11+
 
SOPHIE McKENZIE: THE MEDUSA PROJECT (6 BOOK SERIES 2009-12)

Sophie McKenzie is a big name in children’s and YA fiction, having authored some excellent thrillers and very engaging page-turners, recently she also turned to adult thrillers. The Medusa Project series, which begins with The Set Up, is her only series to feature the paranormal. The six books are all short, pacey and feature a good range of characters aimed at the pre-teen age group. Four teenagers begin to develop ESP characteristics when they turn fourteen, unknown to them when they were babies, they were implanted with the Medusa Gene and then hidden away after the scientist behind the experiment died. McKenzie gets the balance just right between kids experiencing changes, friendship issues and trying to cope at school when crazy stuff begins to happen. Such was its popularity an extra short World Book Day The Thief was also released.  AGE 9+
 
JAMES PATTERSON: DANIEL X (6 BOOK SERIES 2008-15)
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The bestselling powerhouse James Patterson is probably shunned in horror circles, however, this science-fiction series which opens with Dangerous Days of Daniel X is a good read and well worth a closer look. The six books have been co-written with four other authors, so perhaps they did all the literary heavy lifting! Daniel X is a teenage boy with incredibly powerful ESP-type covers and can read minds, turn himself into other creatures as well as other amazing abilities. Since the death of his parents when he was three years old, he has been defending Earth against evil, usually aliens, whilst trying to track down a particularly powerful creature which killed his parents (wait until book six). Using his special powers and a list of targets left by his parents ‘The Alien Hunter’ is on the prowl and he means business. It’s an easy read, but good undemanding fun. AGE 11+
 
CHRIS WESTERFELD: UGLIES (6 BOOK SERIES 2005-19)

The Uglies has been a very popular dystopian series for several years which looked like it was concluded way back in 2007 with the release of the fourth book Extras, which also had a spin-off graphic novel. However, Westerfeld started a second series in 2018, Imposters, which is set in the same world as Uglies and recently released a second new novel Shatter City. You don't have to read the Uglies series first to enjoy this book, but it helps to understand some of the backstory and the cool tech. As readers explore two futuristic cities in Impostors, they're shown the stark difference between leaders who lead their people and leaders who control people. But it is in Uglies where we are introduced to ‘Crims’, ‘Cutters’, ‘Tech Heads’, ‘Surge Monkeys’ and all the other cool stuff which makes the original series special in a world where everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. In this world turning sixteen brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ‘Ugly’ into a stunningly attractive ‘Pretty’ and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time and for main character Tally this is just around the corner. But nothing is what it seems, especially after meaning Shay. AGE 12+

SUZANNE YOUNG: THE PROGRAM (6 BOOK SERIES 2012-18)

The Program starts with a very clever idea, teen suicide is at epidemic levels though some unknown illness which the government has named ‘the sadness’. If any teens show any likely signs of depression, they are forced into a shadowy institution called ‘The Program’ which is a type of brainwashing and characteristic killing process which all the kids are terrified of. So, no matter what teens are feeling, they try to hide it, any side of twitchiness and reprogramming awaits. The novels are all interconnected, with the novellas introducing new characters and the origins of ‘The Program’. It’s a terrific teen read, which is more dystopian thriller than horror, which deserves to be much better known in the UK. There has also been a play based upon the book which has been staged in the UK. AGE 13+
 
DAN WELLS: JOHN CLEAVER (6 BOOK SERIES 2009-17)

Gleefully nasty thriller series which begins with I Am Not a Serial Killer about a teenage mortician who helps the family business, with serious, serious issues, who believes he may have serial killer tendencies or is a type of sociopath. He’s the sort of kid who would write a school ‘heroes’ essay on serial killer John Wayne Gacy.  This sort of attitude gets him serious trouble with his teachers who would much rather an essay on Martin Luther King. Interestingly, this was always packaged as a YA novel in the UK but was aimed at the adult market in the USA. There is also an excellent indie-film of the same name. The series ended in 2011 until the author revived it in 2015, his science fiction series Partials is also highly recommended. AGE 13+