Abarat

Written by: Clive Barker

First line: The storm came up out of the southwest like a fiend, stalking its prey on legs on lightning.

Why you should read this book: Candy Quackenbush is sure that there is no place in the universe more dull than Chickentown, Minnesota, so when she meets a criminal with eight heads on the outskirts of town, she’s eager to follow him to across the Sea of Izabella to the magical islands of Abarat, despite the fact that she’s likely to die on the way, or at least to never return home. But Candy has certain qualities that seem to keep her afloat as she’s initiated into the delights, and the dangers, of this magical land that somehow feels more like home than Chickentown ever did. This adventure tale offers terrible villains, great world-building, and a strong, unsinkable heroine who’s eager to rise to the challenges ahead. 

Why you shouldn’t read this book: When you get the end, it’s pretty obvious that you’ve actually just started.