Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Top Ten Tuesday: What I Read as a College Freshman




For this week's topic, I had to do some digging through my Goodreads shelves to find out just what I was reading back in 2009 and 2010. The topic title is a bit misleading, as this list really encompasses some of my most memorable reads from the end of my senior year of high school through the end of my freshman year of college.




Oh, the fall of 2009. The Vampire Diaries had just started its first season, New Moon had just come out in theaters, and my obsession with YA paranormal romance was in full swing. Maggie Stiefavater and Cassandra Clare ranked high on my favorites list at the time.



To be honest, if it hadn't been for Stephenie Meyer, I probably never would have picked up The Hunger Games. Even after reading her praise for it, I was still pretty skeptical about whether or not it would be my kind of book. Boy, was I proven wrong! I read it over summer vacation before leaving for school and was hooked. The Road was another book that ended up surprising me with how much I enjoyed it ... though I'm not really sure enjoy is the right word. Can you really say you enjoyed a book that scared the absolute hell out of you? It was one of the books I read for my freshman intro to fiction class, one of the first classes I took that counted toward my English major, and it's stuck with me (not to mention given me nightmares) ever since.



As you can see, my last three picks don't fit neatly into one category. In between all the crazy dystopian and mythical creature-ridden worlds I was reading about, there were occasionally some that were more familiar. Going into freshman year of college, it had been my plan to major in English with a concentration in creative writing. So, in my attempt to learn more about how other writers did it, one of the books I read was Stephen King's On Writing. It's an interesting look into not only his writing process but his life as well, and I recommend it even if, like me, you're not a Stephen King super fan. I'm still haunted by his description of the procedure his doctor performed on him as kid to try to rid him of ear infections. *shudders*

When I wasn't reading about vampires, werewolves, or demon hunters, you could usually find me reading a Jodi Picoult book. I loved the way she wove so many characters' stories together, and I read quite a few of her books the summer before I went off to college. Once of the last books I read and loved that summer was Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen. I was looking for a beachy summer read to get me ready for our annual family vacation to Florida, and this was the perfect pick.


That's it for me! Are there any books from your freshman year of college, required reading or otherwise, that have stuck with you, or any favorites from that transitional summer leading up to your first time away from home?


21 comments:

  1. I've not read any of Sarah's books but since I'm a big fan of light hearted contemporary books (or contemporary in general), I should remedy this. Along for the Ride sounds like a really good read. :)

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  2. I read alot of these in high school too!
    I can't say I ever read horror though. I'm too much of a baby.
    I finally gave in and read Along for the Ride at the beach this year, and loved it!
    New follower!
    Ashley @ Books To The Tea
    Here's my TTT:
    http://bookstothetea.blogspot.com/2017/09/top-ten-tuesday-gateway-books-published.html

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  3. I was really into paranormal books back in 2009 too, although I didn't jump onto the Hunger Games train until the movie was about to come out. Great list!

    Louise - Exploring by Starlight

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  4. Ooh, so many good ones here! :-) I really enjoy Jodi Picoult's writing!

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  5. Were all these books assignment books or did you have plenty of time to read in between other assignments. My TTT

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    1. The only one that was an assignment was The Road. Everything else I read for pleasure. :)

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  6. I have never read the Hunger games and that's probably one of the series I most regret not trying yet. I really need to get to those. And I've always liked the covers of those Stiefvater books, with the wolves and trees and all that. Haven't read 'em though.

    https://gregsbookhaven.blogspot.com/

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    1. I definitely recommend both! Though I have to admit that I've only read Shiver, and the not the rest of the Wolves of Mercy Falls series!

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  7. I think like you Alex around 2008/2009 I was obsessed with YA Paranormal romance, largely thanks to Stephanie Meyer, I don't think I read anything else! But now I think I only read a handful or Paranormal romance books a year! I also remember being a huge fan of Hush Hush too, I think I was being really anti-social on Christmas Day as I couldn't put it down!

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    1. Yup, Twilight was definitely behind my paranormal romance obsession! For a while, I didn't think I'd ever get around to reading outside of that genre, but I'm definitely more a fan of fantasy novels now. Like you, I haven't read any paranormal romance in a while.

      Wait, it's not acceptable to sneak away from social settings to read? Oops! :P

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  8. Of these I've only read The Hunger Games and Handle With Care!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/12/top-ten-tuesday-124/

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  9. Hush, Hush looks so good. And I love Stephen King. Both of his nonfiction books are great reads.

    Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.

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    1. So far the only Stephen King books I've read are this memoir, Carrie, and The Shining. I do want to read IT though!

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  10. So many wonderful books and authors on this list!

    You can check out my Top Ten Books Published 10 Years Ago HERE

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  11. TOTALLY agree about the road. I told everyone about that book when I read it, but I almost felt bad because I knew it was going to scare the beejezus out of them!

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    1. Right? It's like, "Here, read this book. It's absolutely terrifying and you'll probably never sleep again, but it's fantastic." Lol!

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  12. Great list! I've read Shiver and the Hunger Games during my first few years of reviewing too!

    Here’s my TTT!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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    1. Thanks! :) And yup, those two are pretty much YA staples!

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  13. LOVE your take on this! So, when I was going to college, I was pissed, because I did not WANT to be going (well, I didn't want to be leaving home basically) and so I didn't read, or really do anything but cry? But I read a lot of these around the same time as you did- I just wasn't a college freshman hahha. I felt the SAME way about THG! I was sure I'd hate it! I was sooooo wrong of course. I really want to read The Road, too. And I didn't even know Lament was a thing, but I adore that cover, so I'll have to check that out. Great picks!

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    1. Thank you! :D

      Aww, I can definitely relate to that feeling of being homesick. I did pretty well my until I woke up in my dorm room for the first time and realized, "Oh, crap ... I'm on my own now! I'm an adult! WHO OKAYED THIS?!" But then I found the university library that day and all was well. Haha!

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