Top 5 (books I’m glad I read) Tuesday

Hi there! It’s Tuesday (again) and today’s prompt is all about the books I’m glad I read! Let’s see what I choose and why! I’m not putting Harry Potter on here, because as much as it was a huge ol’ part of my childhood, I can’t gloss over what the She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has done to various communities.

You can find all the previous and future posts at Meeghan Reads, where you can also look at today’s Tuesday post to see all the books she was happy to have read.

The Lightning Thief – I know how I always talk about how much this book means to me, well, you’re going to hear it again. I know we’re getting more protagonists with learning disorders (and I LOVE IT SO MUCH), but I’m pretty sure this is the first book that I saw a character with ADHD (and dyslexia, which I’m not saying isn’t as hard as ADHD, but I tend to focus more on ADHD since I have that and not dyslexia), well, basically all the characters have learning disorders and it’s so lovely to see.

Not only that, but they’re never taken for a joke and the main characters don’t want to be neurotypical – they like their disorders, and in the PJO world, it actually helps them – they know other languages, they’re faster with their reflexes and ways of thinking. The characters also speak very casually about their ADHD and dyslexia and I am always here for that – because I make a concentrated effort to speak casually about mine (my ADHD), so as to not add to the stigmatisation.

I could literally go on and on about how much I love this book and what it means to me because it does! It means a lot to me and I get so excited when other people start to read it too.

Cemetery Boys – If you’re looking for that book that captures you from the start (as if the synopsis isn’t great enough), then this is absolutely the book for you. Thomas is such a great author and I loved the way the characters were written – they were really well fleshed out and I felt like I had been friends with them for years. I also feel like it’s the type of book that people can see themselves in, and that, I think, is one of the (big) reasons why I love reading so much. That it has the chance to touch a reader’s life for the better and (often) make them feel better about themself.

If you spend about 5 minutes on here, you’ll run into this tiny underrated book series called The Gilded Wolves and then its sequel being The Silvered Serpents, both by the amazing Roshani Chokshi. This book has helped me realise that I can actually read and like historical fiction (previously I would have just avoided it due to other historical fiction books). The book is also fantastically written with great characters and character development, not to mention the superb plot and the gorgeous writing as a whole.

A Spark of White Fire and its amazing, amazing sequel, A House of Rage and Sorrow is definitely my next choice. I loved this series so much and now the third book’s COVER has been released and it looks so so beautiful. I am highly ready for it to stomp all over me, like please, take my heart and smash it into a thousand pieces.

If I weren’t a huge reader (since like… forever), then these books definitely would have made me one. You can read in my reviews why I loved them so much but it’s definitely a mixture of the characters and the plot.

I always find it funny that while I love Fangirl, the fanfiction in the book that is now Carry On is always my favourite. Well, the series, I mean. And of course, Wayward Son. We can’t forget about the sequel (which I know has a lot of people divided over if they like it or not, I’m in the yes group, because I live for the angst).

I mean, I could literally read the quotes over and over again (because they’re all that good), or just the entire book, because why not? I also think it’s important to look for alternatives to a certain well-known series (because Carry On is always marketed as another HP book), and Carry On is a good alternative!

I am always on the lookout for books that feel like fanfiction and I am so glad to have found Red, White & Royal Blue because it is that and so much more. It’s not just about love, it’s about something much more. And when I say a book feels like fanfiction, it’s a very high compliment for me. Because, let’s face it, if our Goodreads challenge accepted ff titles… mine would be done in the first month 😂

And the quotes basically play ON REPEAT in my head and I am so thankful for the rwrb bot on twitter because it is an actual gem.

I’m always happy to chat about the books I loved to read. I mean, there could be paragraphs upon paragraphs about all the books I loved or that I’m glad I read. Because it’s true abut books, there are those that have the ability to change your life for the better. And I think that’s beautiful.

Which books are on your list because they’ve changed your life a lot? Or just books you’re really glad you’ve read? Give me all the titles down below! I’d love to hear them!