Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Books Before I Became a Blogger

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

I started blogging about books a few years ago at the suggestion of my husband. We were driving home from the Decatur Book Festival in Decatur, GA and he said, “You know, you love talking about the books you’re reading and love so much, you should blog about it.” Good man he is.

Before this, I cataloged my reads in Shelfari. I often used it to challenge myself. Now that I blog, I feel like I read less than before, but that’s mainly due to my work load. My kids are demanding, and they come first.

Either way, here are my top ten favorite books before I was a blogger in alphabetical order.

Enjoy!

1.    ‘Thirteen Reasons Why’ by Jay Asher

Still one of the most read books by my students. I did this as an audio and it was amazing. Nothing like hearing Hannah Baker from the grave on audio. It adds to the overall affect of the storytelling.

2.    Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

I originally picked up ‘City of Bones’ when a student said, “Ms. Hodgens, you have got to read this book.” I did and I was hooked. I drove all the way to Decatur, GA just to meet Cassandra Clare.

3.    ‘The Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins

It was a student who turned me on to this book. She said, “You’ve got to read this!” I did and was hooked. So was my husband.

4.    ‘Deadline’ by Chris Crutcher

If you have not read this, you need to ASAP. ‘Fault in Our Stars’ has the same feel as this novel. Just make sure you have a box of tissues. Powerful message, and a great discussion piece with teenagers.

5.    ‘The Lonely Hearts Club’ by Elizabeth Eulberg

From the moment I opened this book to the moment I closed it, I loved every single word. Seriously a huge fan of Eulberg. It’s as if she can see into my “girlfriend” soul. I really want to be her BFF.

6.    ‘Hex Hall’ by Rachel Hawkins

If you’ve read this novel, you know why it’s on my list. Clever. Witchy. And the dialogue, oh my! So full of win.

7.    ‘The Minister’s Daughter’ by Julie Hearn

Teen historical fiction at its best. I always discuss this novel when I teach ‘The Crucible’ because this novel deals with the Puritan’s belief in fairies and how that affected many elements of their faith, which is often left out of textbooks.

8.    ‘Bras and Broomsticks’ by Sarah Mylnowski

Such a fun, fun, fun read. Witchy, funny. Even my husband enjoyed the audio of this book. I’m always looking for a good witchy read, and this series definitely fits the bill.

9.    ‘Harry Potter’ by JK Rowling

Who does not love this series? It is my all time favorite series – it is so full of rich language, mythological allusions, political messages, etc. I love it.

10. ‘The Candy Apple’ books

Various authors, but these tween reads are amazing. They are all about being true to one’s self while growing up in middle school, dealing with wholesome issues that make me want to be in middle school again. I recommend these to all tween readers because they are so fun.

So…that’s my list. What’s on yours?

Happy Reading!

-      The Hodgenator