Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday (#23): My Gateway Books

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I consider myself a pretty eclectic reader, so for this week's list I've chosen my gateway books to some of my favorite genres...


Fantasy: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by JK Rowling

While this may not literally have been the first fantasy book I ever read, it was the first that made me a fan of the genre. Before HP, I read a lot of mysteries and other realistic fiction, but this series changed all that.

Dystopias: Tomorrow When the War Began, by John Marsden

I don't think I fully understood what a dystopia was or that this series was indeed dystopian at the time I read first read it, but it was my first foray into the genre and I enjoyed it immensely. I loved how thought-provoking this series was and I continue to be attracted to that aspect of dystopias.




I had certainly read historical fiction before this one, but this book made me love historical fiction. Which leads into the more specific sub-category I later discovered...

Gothic Historical Fiction: The House at Riverton, by Kate Morton

Ahhh, I love a Kate Morton's writing so much and this debut of hers is all it took to seal the deal. I now compare all gothic-y books to hers and it's because of her I now seek out more like it.



Genre-bending books: Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon

This was the first series I read that defied categorization. To this day, I describe it as "a little bit of everything" -- there's romance, time travel, family, history, intrigue, politics, war -- you name it, and it's probably in one of these books. It is truly expansive in scope and I think of this saga every time I hear about a new book that doesn't fit neatly into a specific category.

Foodie Books: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver

I was reading this book while working a very stressful and emotionally draining job and can vividly remember coming home at the end of the day and immersing myself in its pages. There was something about the simpler, slower lifestyle and the focus on nutritious local food that appealed to me very strongly and still does.



The Classics: Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury

This is an area I still am working on, but the first classic I remember reading and actually enjoying (even as a highschooler!) was Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. It made me realize not all classics are boring and they come in all different varieties & genres -- it doesn't have to be all Shakespeare and Dickens (not that there's anything wrong with those!)


I had always liked the idea of a book about books, but this was one of the first I actually read introducing me to a new favorite genre. I didn't read it all that long ago actually and can't wait to dive into more!



Humorous memoirs (& audiobooks): Sh*t My Dad Says, by Justin Halpern

This one was a completely hysterical double-whammy -- it made me realize not only how much I love this type of book, but also how a performance or narration in the audio format can sometimes make a good story even better.


18 comments:

  1. These are all great books and I have read all but two. I love mixing genres and trying new ones. It is so true that certain books have you plunging head first into a new genre.

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    1. Thanks! I love when I'm unsure of a genre and find a really good example that makes me want to read more like it :)

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  2. What a great list! I have read HP and Water for Elephants and I loved them both. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle looks interesting. I think I might have to check that one out. Hmm!

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    1. Some people find it a little "preachy," but I didn't really feel that was the case -- just a really interesting book for anyone interested in Food and memoirs that follows one person's experience.

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  3. I am going to have to read Tomorrow When the War Begins!
    Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings

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    1. It's the story of a group kids whose country comes under attack while they are camping the Australian bush -- it might not be 100% dystopian if I really think about it, maybe more of a survival story, but it does have dystopian elements. It's one of my favorite YA series & I hope you get a chance to try it!

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  4. I also enjoyed Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. It's actually the only Kingsolver book I've read (so far).

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    1. I've read The Poisonwood Bible, but have been meaning to read more by her myself!

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  5. I like how you set out this particular topic in to genres. I've added The House at Riverton and The Bookman's Tale to my wishlist - with 5 stars reviews they've got to be pretty impressive!
    :-)
    Bits & Bobs

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    1. I love those two so much! All of Kate Morton's books are great, but I would recommend starting with that one as it was her first published. They all tend to be a bit tragic, but the stories are just so incredibly good.

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  6. I need to get into foodie books more, I'll have to pick up the Kingsolver book.

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    1. Of all the ones I've read, I think that is probably my favorite (in addition to being my first) -- I hope you get a chance to try it :)

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  7. The House At Riverton's a good pick - I think if you're new to historical fiction having a duel plot could be a good way to ease you in. I'd love to read Outlander but so far I've only found UK editions called 'Cross Stitch' so I'll have to import it sometime.

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    1. I believe it was re-titled for the UK edition, so Cross Stitch should be the same book -- I hope you get a chance to read them! If you are interested in the whole series, they are quite a commitment, but they are soooo good :)

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  8. If I would have participated this week I would have had Harry Potter and the Tomorrow series on my post too. It always makes me smile when I remember that you are a Tomorrow series fan as well, I don't find a lot of them. :(

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    1. I wish more people knew about those books too! I feel like they were from right before YA really exploded in popularity, but they are sooo good :)

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  9. I still want to read The Bookman's Tale. I'm a fan of Kate Morton's books. I'm glad you enjoyed The House at Riverton. I liked that one too, but I enjoyed The Forgotten Garden more.

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    1. Oooo it is so good! I hope you get a chance to read it. I actually have a hard time choosing a Kate Morton favorite since she is one of my favorite authors :)

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I'd love to hear what you think :)