Sometimes I wish I'd started Booking in Heels earlier just so I'd have a record of all the wonderful books I read before May 2011. I know I read some great books, but until I eventually go back and read them, I have no idea what I initially thought of them. I never really kept a book journal until last year or so.
Because of this, I thought it would be fun to give a nod to the books I loved before I was a blogger.
1) The Borgia Bride by Jeanne Kalogridis
It's historical fiction, told through the eyes of Princess Sancha of Aragon as she marries into the infamous Borgia family.
There's betratal and stabbings and forbidden romance and... argh! So good. I should reread this soon actually, although I expect that that sentence will feature a lot in this post.
2) Blue Bloods by Melissa de la CruzI have no idea why I like this vampire series so much, as honestly, it's not written all that well at all. There's just something about it.
It's completely unique for a start. Yes, there are vampires, but it's a whole new twist and it works really, really well. There's an atmosphere of glamour and sophistication that shines through, so it's really easy to overlook the faults.
3) Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
This was my favourite book for a long time. I read it when I was about 16 after purchasing it from Waterstones on a whim. Werewolves weren't really A Thing back then and there definitely wasn't an 'urban fantasy' genre, but I just knew I loved it, and the rest of the series. I read it every year for three years on the trot.
I admit to getting a little bored of the later books - they focused pretty much solely on Savannah and she always irritated me. I'm also completely unimpressed with the upcoming TV show - I do not want this book ruined in my head by bad casting and drama. It's a very adult book, not YA at all, but I know that's exactly how they're going to film it.
4) 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene HanffI love this book more than life.
It's basically just a collection of letters between Helene Hanff and her bookseller, but it's adorable and tiny and gives me that tight, happy feeling in my stomach that you get when you've read something truly great.
There's a quote in there about fruit knives that makes me snort every time. I'll post it when I reread this, which is likely to be very soon indeed.
5) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
I can't really not include a book I have 56 copies of, can I?
To continue with the apparent theme, I read Pride and Prejudice when I was about 16 and completely fell in love with it. This was before I was really 'into' classics but it blew me away, especially when Elizabeth runs into Mr. Darcy on her tour near his home.
It's just such a perfect book, and in a way I'm lucky I discovered it as early as I did. Although I would have a lot more room on my bookshelves...
6) The Magic Kingdom of Landover series by Terry Brooks
This series reminds me of the time I spent living alone, just working 30 hours a week at GAME. It wasn't the best period of my life, far from it, but it's when I really got back into reading and when I founded Booking in Heels. It was a very up-and-down time, but I look back on it fondly.
Anyway, I discovered these books while I was devouring
7) Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
A quick nod to Ellie and this post for reminding me of this book's existence. And yes, since you asked, I did read it when I was about sixteen!
I've actually considered picking it up again reasonably recently, but I vaguely remember feeling agonising pity for one of the characters, to the point where I'm not really sure I can bear to read it again!
I think there was a TV programme at one point as well, but I never caught it.
8) The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper FfordeI think most people are familiar with Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next books by now - I have dedicated, signed copies for three of his books and I'm giving out The Eyre Affair for World Book Night.
I could have used them on this list, but instead I thought I'd go for this one. It's aimed at a younger audience, but I love it anyway. It's quirky and fun, and the cover is all bumpy like dragonskin (I'm easy to please). I think I must have read this literally the week before beginning my blog, but it's wonderful for a light, entertaining read.
9) The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
You'll never guess when I read this one! *coughs*
It was a toss-up whether to include this one or The Handmaid's Tale, but this one is slightly more cheerful and I'm in an upbeat kind of mood (despite the howling gale outside).
I've always loved Greek mythology, but Margaret Atwood shows us what Penelope was up to while Odysseus was faffing about on his ship for ten years. It's accessible and fascinating, and honestly, I wish she'd written more or them!
10) His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik
It's actually done really well though. They're actually quite heavy in places (the books, not the dragons, although now you mention it...) as there's a lot of detail gone into the details of the conflicts, but the dragon-y parts are amazing. I spent literally a month after I read this book telling anybody who would listen that I wanted a dragon, especially one like Temeraire. He's just perfect, so protective of Captain Lawrence, and.... argh, so good.
Well, that's ten books I'm instantly dying to reread. Just what I needed. Seriously though, I want to pluck every single one of these of the shelf and give them the rereading they deserve.
If nothing else, we learnt that I read a lot of books when I was sixteen.
Which pre-blogging books are your favourite?
Twilight!!! All the way baby!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have Tipping the Velvet sitting on my desk as we speak and am waiting for a chance to dive in and give it a read. But that's pretty much the only book on your list (besides P&P obvs) that I've heard of, and since I love a fair few of the authors I am going to get onto them ASAP!
ReplyDeleteYeaaaaaaah 84 CHARING CROSS ROAD! That book made me want to chuckle and laugh and read and then go and spend ten hours hopping in and out of piles of books somewhere. Tipping the Velvet was amazeballs, obviously, and YES there was a TV adaptation. I have a total crush on Nan because Rachael Stirling was so deep-voiced and racy and coquettish in it.
ReplyDeleteI used to have a copy of The Penelopiad but I have a horrible feeling I sold it. I think I figured I'd buy a copy once I'd finally read The Handmaid's Tale. DIFFICULT CHOICES MUST BE MADE AT MOVING TIME, HANNA. And YES Lizzie and Darcy bumping into each other near Pemberley was on a par with the letter in Persuasion for me. The 'eeeeeek!' excited moment! Also, I need to finally read me some more Jasper Fforde. I've only read one!
Oh, and I TOTALLY GET THE RE-READ THING! Every time I do a TTT post the books I choose start sending out siren calls from all across the house, it's very distracting! :D
How weird - Amazon keeps recommending Temeraire to me and I keep almost buying it but not quite...next time I will buy it! We're not moving house anymore (because house developers are RUBBISH) so I figure I can buy books again! Obviously Andy doesn't agree but whatever...
ReplyDeleteI've got a trilogy by Terry Brooks but it's all in a single book, which is HUGE, so I've never got round to reading it. Don't know why I bought it, really. But Magic Kingdom For Sale sounds good! I haven't read Tipping the Velvet mainly because I read The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters and I wasn't a fan at all so I was kind of put off. I think I have Tipping the Velvet somewhere though so maybe...
The Penelopiad is an EXCELLENT call - I read some reviews that were moaning about that court scene bit towards the end but I actually really liked it. I loved all of it, to be honest, but I have to review it soon and I have NO CLUE what to write! I feel like I've read too many good books this year and that I'm getting a bit too "THIS BOOK IS AMAZING" like on the blog, which wasn't ever really my plan...
I'm not much of a re-reader but I did come pretty close when I wrote my list. I actually most wanted to re-read a book that *didn't* make the list - I was going to put Wuthering Heights on my list but then I couldn't really remember why I liked it so much so I didn't put it on but I did decide that I should probably re-read it now that I'm a grown up!
Haha, buy it. It's the epitome of crunch dragon-y goodness :D
DeleteIt sucks about the lack of moving house, but not only are you able to buy books but you should do so to rescue yourself from sadness and uh... boredom?
I've already run off and Tweeted you about this in excitement, but is the trilogy you own the Word and the Void series? Because if it is, you must read it. It was a toss-up which series to include - that one, or the Magic Kingdom one. They're both awesome.
Oh, and I didn't like The Little Stranger either, but still loved Tipping the Velvet :)
It's a GOOD THING if you're writing that on your blog. It means that you're a shiny, happy, positive person but more importantly, that you're reading awesome books! Besides, it's okay to write that when you actually feel it. It's when you're faking it because you got a book for review that you couldn't be bothered to read that it's bad.
*shudders* Wuthering Heights.
Ooh love to see another Kelley Armstrong fan Taken is a fantastic book and definitely one of mt favs in the series. I also have been wanting to read the Blue Bloods series for a long time!
ReplyDeleteI've read ONE of these! Gah! *madly wishlists* Though in my defense I OWN Temeraire, Pride & Prejudice, Eyre Affair, a couple by Sarah Waters and have read Handmaid's Tale and the first of Brooks's Shannara series. That counts, right?
ReplyDeletePS. I've just spent over an hour adding historical fiction to that particular wishlist when I noticed how much was missing or in hardback and overpriced (when by now it would obviously be available in paperback or perhaps from the library).
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