Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday (#18): Favorite Pre-Blog Books

I've been out of the Top Ten Tuesday loop for a few weeks now, but I couldn't resist jumping back in for this week's topic: Favorite Books I Read Before I Was a Blogger. So without further ado, some books especially near and dear to my heart:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)   Twilight (Twilight, #1)   Tomorrow, When the War Began (The Tomorrow Series, #1)
Both Sides of Time   Wait Till Helen Comes

1. The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling -- Before I was a blogger, while I'm a blogger, after I'm a blogger...this will be a forever favorite.

2. The Twilight Saga, by Stephenie Meyer -- A favorite guilty pleasure for sure. 

3. The Tomorrow series, by John Marsden -- My first truly YA series that I read when I actually was a teenager -- what a fabulous introduction to the genre!

4. Both Sides of Time, by Caroline B. Cooney -- I loved the first three books in this series and while I didn't really care for the conclusion in book four, it was still a very memorable read. This was another YA series from before the genre got so crazy popular.

5. Wait Till Helen Comes, by Mary Downing Hahn -- I devoured books by this author as a kid and literally read this one dozens of times. It is one of the first chapter books I remember reading and one of very few books I still have from childhood -- torn and tattered as it may be!

The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2)   The Birth House   World of Pies: A Novel
Outlander (Outlander, #1)   Water for Elephants

6. The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown -- I went to Catholic school my entire life and reading this one in high school felt delightfully rebellious.

7. The Birth House, by Ami McKay -- I love this woman's writing and I am most definitely overdue to read her second book!

8. World of Pies, by Karen Stolz -- I am way overdue for a re-read of this one. It was a firm favorite for several years, even though I don't actually remember a whole lot of the plot!

9. The Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon -- Time travel, adventure, romance, Jamie Fraser...this is another forever favorite.

10. Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen -- One of the best stand-alone novels I have ever read -- a truly magical book. (I actually did review this one as an "oldie but goodie.")

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

22 comments:

  1. I loved your little reasoning that explained why Harry Potter made your list this week!
    I've seen The Da Vinci Code on a few of these TTT's this week. I attempted to read it a few years ago now, but I never quite got in to it. I feel like that may have had something to do with my age, as well as reading types back then. I may have to revisit it.

    My TTT

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    1. I definitely recommend the Da Vinci Code if you get a chance Jade!

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  2. I currently have on the bookshelf right next to my bed, which is reserved for my never getting rid of books only, all the books in Cooney's Out Of Time series. My best friend and I devoured these when we were younger. I actually bought her the set a few years ago for her birthday.

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    1. When I posted Both Sides of Time, I was wondering if anyone else would even remember them -- so glad I'm not the only one who remembers them fondly!

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  3. P. S. I may be devoting a Flashback Friday feature to them in the near future!

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    1. That would be awesome! Looking forward to reading it :)

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  4. I loved Water for Elephants. I'm actually thinking of rereading it sometime this year.

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    1. I hope you get the time to -- it's such an amazing book!

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  5. The Da Vinci Code totally should've been on my list too, I adored that book. So glad to see Outlander on another list too!
    Top Ten Tuesday!

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    1. I'm a huge Outlander fan -- a little behind on the newer books, but the first one is the best anyway :)

      And I'm sure I missed a few books too -- there were just so many to choose from!

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  6. Tomorrow, When the War Began is such a powerful book. I miss the characters just thinking about them. Harry Potter is a classic in it's own right. Twilight is the book that made me begin reading. Happy Reading!

    My Top Ten!

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    1. Tomorrow When the War Began was another one I wasn't sure a lot of other people were familiar with -- glad to have found another fan! Thanks for stopping by Annabelle :)

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  7. Same for me with Harry Potter! Loved it and still do. I also really liked The DaVinci Code - especially the blend of religious & historical intrigue.

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    1. I don't think I'll ever get tired of reading Harry! And you're right on the money with the Da Vinci Code -- those are the same reasons I love it as well.

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  8. Oh, I loved WAIT TIL HELEN COMES that book was so creepy when I was a kid! You've reminded me that I left a major favorite off my TTT, CHRISTINA'S GHOST by Betty Ren Wright. It creeped me out for years!

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    1. I'm so glad to have found someone else who remembers that book! I read so many others by Mary Downing Hahn, but this one definitely stands out the most. And I do love a good creepy story every now and again!

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  9. Several of these are on my list, too. THE BIRTH HOUSE is on my TBR mountain -- I'm hoping to get to it soon.

    Happy TTT!

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    1. I (obviously) do recommend it Susan -- it's a very interesting topic and story.

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  10. I didn't participate in Top Ten Tuesday this week, but if I did our lists would be very similar. Harry Potter, Twilight, Water for Elephants, The DaVinci Code, and Tomorrow When The War Began would have probably made my list. The Tomorrow series was my all time favorite for a long time. Have you read the Elle Chronicles, like the second series to the Tomorrow ones? I still want to read The Birth House, one day maybe. :)

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    1. I can't say I'm surprised to hear that Kay! I LOVE the Tomorrow books. I actually have the first of the Ellie Chronicles books because I was so excited to hear the story was going to continue, but then I read a TON of negative feedback from big fans of the series and decided not to read it. I may go back to it sometime, but for now I think I'll let the story end where the main series ended!

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  11. My list has The Harry Potter series, The Twilight Saga, and The Da Vinci Code on there as well. I really loved The Poisonwood Bible, Room, and All of Anne Rice's Vampire books as well. Great list! I will have to add a few of these to my ever growing TBR list.

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    1. I never read Anne Rice, but the Poisonwood Bible was good -- even though it was school "required" reading for me!

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I'd love to hear what you think :)