First it was Harry Potter, then The Hunger Games, and now the raving wave of obsession seems to be leaning towards The Mortal Instruments and Divergent. All of this interest in book series makes me wonder what all the hype is about. I’ve heard many say, “Oh, they’re all the same!” But if that were true, why are there so many other books and films in the same genre that are not big hits?

The answer seems to lie in the fact that, for a book to become “the next big thing,” it has to adhere to certain guidelines. For one, it definitely needs a kick-ass protagonist who not only is realistically believable but is also easy to connect with as well. Also necessary: an appealing love interest, a complex list of characters, and a plausible and intriguing world. However, most important is an incredible, unexpected, engaging, and jaw-dropping plot.

You might think, “But wait! There are so many young-adult books that have these things!” Well, you’d be right but, for a book or movie to be a “hit,” it must be intricately, yet perfectly written or directed so that it appeals to viewers of an extremely diverse nature– guys, girls, teens, even adults– and that is a daunting challenge indeed.