Books & Authors Significant in My Reading Journey {A Top Ten Post}

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they provide a Top Ten topic for you to create your list, then you share it on their post so others can find you. :)

  ♥ Top Ten 'Gateway' Books/Authors In My Reading Journey♥

Ugh. I swear I'm trying to do this more. I really am. Maybe when I get internet at home? We'll see. As it is, I'll just come and go as I please. :)

 

I'm not really sure how to answer this one. I don't think there were really any (or at least many) books/authors that really got me into reading. I honestly don't recall a time I didn't enjoy reading. I was never a struggling reader and I always enjoyed getting lost in stories. 

 

Some of the ones I remember from grade school that kept me going:

 

Lurlene McDaniel

 I know these are super sad stories, and I haven't read any as an adult (although I still have all the ones I owned from back then on my top shelf)... but, man, I devoured these. 

 

RL Stine

Creepy and exciting. Definitely kept me turning pages.

 

Sweet Pickles Series

These, I've discovered, are not widely remembered, but I loved collecting them.

 

The Ghost of Windy Hill by Clyde Robert Bulla

I used to get in trouble for staying up and reading this one with a flashlight. Mysteriously, said flashlight disappeared from my room. Hmmm....

 

In high school, I couldn't get enough of:

 

Christopher Pike

I loved going on these thrilling and mysterious rides. I can never thank my friend, Rachel, enough for introducing him to me.

 

LJ Smith

Before she became a phenomenon due to The Vampire Diaries, LJ Smith was already wooing me and many of my friends back in the day. I've never watched the show, but the original Vampire Diaries series is one of my faves of hers... along with The Secret Circle, The Forbidden Game, and Dark Visions. Somehow I always felt like part of a secret club when reading them. ;)

 

There was a time when I didn't read *as much* as I have in recent years. College, life, what-have-you. But one summer break from college, I really started compiling a heavy "read" list, which started with:

 

White Oleander by Janet Fitch

I loved this story. The way it was written, the characters. I loved it all. 

 

Karen Kingsbury

Looking back, I do find this one a little odd. But I did read nearly all of her books to-date (at that time, of course). Eventually I think they started to feel a little *too* heavy on the religious/preachy side for me and I moved on, but I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for books in the contemporary Christian fiction genre.

 

Jodi Picoult

I discovered her by accident. I was going through my niece's shelves, looking for a book to read. I couldn't find one that caught my attention, but she was reading Vanishing Acts and loving it. So I got it from the library and LOVED it. I've read most, and own most, of her books to-date. :)

Sarah Dessen

I stumbled upon her while I was working on the Mobile Library... and I kinda feel like she's the YA version of Jodi Picoult. Sure, she doesn't get as controversial or deliver some extreme plot twist at the end (at least not in most books), but she does deal with some serious/heavy topics. Anyway. I totally loved the story (Just Listen) and enjoyed her writing. And I continue to, as well. (And, if I really look back, this was probably my main 'gateway' into YA literature...)

Anyway. There's my picks for this week. :)

What's on your list? 

Happy Tuesday!

Smiles,

B