Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Top Ten Tuesday-- Books I Read Because....

Top Ten Tuesday is a really cool original feature/weekly meme now hosted over at That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week they post a new Top Ten List that bloggers join in on answering... and today (April 7th) I'm one of them :)

Today's Topic

Top Ten Books I Read Because Book Club Made Me


  • I decided to do book club books because my book club is sort of defunct now and I miss it.
  • These are the most memorable of the books I've discovered because either it was a book club book, or it was highly recommended by one of the girls in my book club.
  • Also, RIP FYAPGH.  I joined this awesome group of ladies in 2013 and have had some of the best times of my life with them.  Life ended up getting in the way of our regular get-togethers, but I know we'll always be close friends and see each other when we can.





1.  The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton- This book I actually just read in February.  My book club friend Kristen had read a book that I loved, so I wanted to read one that she did.  This is one of those books that I was always curious about because people talked about it a lot when it came out.  I'm glad I took a recommendation and read it even if I didn't end up loving it.

2.  My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix- I read this last year because my book club friend (and podcast partner) Mia loves this author and had been telling me that I should try it.  80's + horror is usually always a win for me.

3.  Slayer (#1) by Kiersten White- This was a group book club read.  There are a bunch of Buffy fans in our club and since we weren't meeting regularly anymore, a few of them decided to see if anyone wanted to buddy read it.  I think there were 4 or 5 of us who did.

4.  The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater- I read this because my whole book club loved this book.

5.  Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl- Cassi lent me this book, and I LOVED IT.





6.  My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, & Brodi Ashton- I read this for regular book club and I think it was universally well liked (that's rare in our club).  Of course, I had to be the black sheep and not love it :)

7.  Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig- This is another Cassi recommendation.  We met Caleb during the Fierce Reads tour of this book and she told me that I should definitely read it.

8.  The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron- Another Cassi book.  And another one that I loved.  She's good at telling people good books to read.

9.  Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer- HA!!  This book stands out for me as the one book that everyone in our club actually read-- and it's one that every single one of us hated.  Sorry, but this book was SO FRUSTRATING!

10.  The Diviners by Libba Bray- This was the book of my very first meeting with my book club.  AND it also happened to be a book that I would have never picked up for myself.... AND I loved it.  That instantly made me feel like I was doing the right thing by joining.




I so miss being in a book club.  There's a new group of people doing a FYA club in my city, but I also kind of feel like it's for the next generation.  I guess I'll just keep on keeping in touch with my former club members and talking books with you guys!

Have you read any of these??  Thoughts?

10 comments:

  1. I miss my old book club too, it's a great way of being introduced to books that you might not read otherwise. After seeing your recommendation, I'm adding The Diviners to my to-read list.

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  2. I really enjoyed The Diviners as well, my friend recommended the series to me and I probably would never have read them without her recommendation. I also really loved The Raven Boys, I literally picked it up on a whim in the bookstore one day because the cover was pretty!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/07/top-ten-tuesday-258/

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  3. Great list! I LOVE The Diviners, and My Best Friend's Exorcism is on my TBR - you can't go wrong with a bit of '80s horror.

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  4. I'm glad you've maintained friendships with the other members of your former bookclub. That's awesome.

    My TTT .

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  5. I loved Last Seen Leaving, My Lady Jane, and Belzhar. I know I read Belzhar, because I read something else amazing by Wolitzer, but the others I saw on blogs or NG/EW. Seems like you got some good recs in the bunch.

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  6. I've read The Raven Boys, although I have to read Slayer at some point. I have a signed copy of the duology in my closet and Kiersten White is awesome. I've never watched Buffy but I still need to read these.

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  7. Ooh a book club would be an awesome way to get book recs I would think! How fun. I think Slayer looks awesome- i want to read that one for sure. The Diviners series just sounds so amazing and eerie as well, from reviews I've seen. Would love to delve into that world.

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  8. I love Sharon Cameron! Her books are always so engrossing and thought-provoking. I just read her latest. It's a based-on-a-true story WWII novel - more traditional than Cameron's usual, but a really interesting novel.

    Happy TTT!

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  9. Great list! I really need to read Chose and the Raven Boys!

    Here’s my TTT!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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  10. Belzhar would be a great book club read! I really liked that book and there would be a ton to talk about.

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