My ‘Gateway’ Books
It’s Top 10 Tuesday (hosted at The Broke and the Bookish) and the topic is:
Top 10 Gateway Books
Examples include: “a books that got you into reading, an author that got you into reading a genre you never thought you’d read, a book that brought you BACK into reading.”
1. Gateway to Verse Books
The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
I thought these books would be so boring and lifeless and surface-level. Um, Judgey McJudgerson! I couldn’t have been more wrong. This was a beautiful book that introduced me to so many other verse books that I adored.
2. Gateway to Fairy Books
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
I just didn’t get the “fairy” thing. But this book taught me that there is a lot of history and beauty and complex trickery to these stories. I’m a sucker for them now, if they’re done well. And this is the best of the lot, if you ask me!
3. Gateway to High Fantasy
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
Sure, I was always a Lord of the Rings fan — I read that series as a kid. But The Thief was the first YA-esque high fantasy series I read and just fell in love with. And it led me to so many more. I could read fantasy books for the rest of my life and be pretty darn happy.
4. Gateway to New Adult
Charmed Thirds
In case you missed it the MILLION TIMES I mentioned it: Megan McCafferty’s Jessica Darling series is my favorite of anything ever. And in Charmed Thirds, when Jessica goes to college, this became the first true, legit, old-school “new adult” book I ever read. If only all the new “new adult” books were as good! Ahh, well.
5. Gateway to Blogging
The Baby-Sitters Club: The Summer Before by Ann M. Martin
Full-circle! The original Baby-Sitters Club books were my favorites as kiddos, and this new addition was the first book I posted on this blog back in 2010. Whoa!
6. Gateway to Survival Stories
Blood Red Road by Moira Young
Okay, so I suppose Lord of the Rings was one and so was The Hunger Games. But, even though I never finished this series, I think it was Blood Red Road that really kicked off a string of excellent, gritty survival stories on my “books read” list: Eve by Anna Carey, Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick, Ashfall by Mike Mullin, Survive by Alex Morel, Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis…basically I’m into any story that involves people lost in the woods and/or hiking a loooong way.
7. Gateway to Fairy Tale Retellings
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Another one of the first posts on this blog! Based on a Brothers Grimm story, this book led me to a bunch of good fairy tale retellings, like Cinder by Marissa Meyer and Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen.
8. Gateway to LGBT YA
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan & John Green
I can’t remember really hearing much about a book having LGBT teen characters until this one. Certainly there were plenty before Will Grayson, Will Grayson, but this one sort of pops out to me when I think back. I adored this story.
9. Gateway to Cheating Books
Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker
Okay, so “cheating books” isn’t really a thing. But this used to be THE ULTIMATE “no way will I ever read books that involve this” holdup for me. Do I still love it? Nope. But can I appreciate it if the story is told well? Yup! Melissa Walker nailed it here and totally changed my perspective.
10. Gateway to Historical Fiction
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
I feel like I’ve read a ton of historical fiction over the years, but this is the first time I stopped and thought to myself: “I’d really like to read more YA books like this.”
Which is the whole point of the “gateway” theme, huh? What’s on your list — the books that opened up a door to a ton of others? Can’t wait to hear your experiences!
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