Gateway Books
Yes, you read that correctly. It was not Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone. My grandfather bought me this book for Christmas not knowing that I had pretty much resigned that I was not going to read this series. I wasn't a huge reader back then. But he bought it for me and I figured, "hey, why not?" So I bought the first one and that was that.
Gone with the Wind has always been a favorite movie of mine, but it wasn't until my freshman year of high school did I finally bring myself around to reading the book. My mom has a lovely copy, I think from the 60s, that I just adore to pieces - and you can she did too. I also remember being shocked that the novel was not the same as the movie. I know, right!?
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton - Historical Fiction
Identical by Ellen Hopkins - Verse Novels
Shadowland by Meg Cabot - Young Adult
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Dystopian
Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamitlon - Adult Novels
I was skimming a magzine in the back of my friend's mom's car (got that) when I came across an ad for a science fiction book club. One of those "Buy three books for $10 then four more at regular price in the next two years" thing. None of the introductory books were that great, but I found Anita Blake through this club, which led me to me the lover of paranormal that I am today.
I read this novel for a women's literature course in college and remember absolutely loving it. Actually, I remember loving all the novels from the class. House of Mirth was definitely my favorite though. Poor Lily. You just wanted to smack her and protect her at the same time.
I was introduced to Ellen through my cooperating teacher during my student teaching and fell madly in love. I read Crank first, but it was Identical that I found that love of verse novels. I'll admit that I have yet to branch out to verse novel authors that are not Ellen Hopkins, but I find her novels to be extremely powerful and moving.
My first young adult novel, my first young adult series. I remember absolutely loving this series - not to mention a certain ghost named Jesse - and being jealous of Suze. I wanted to see ghosts too! Not in the dead of night when every shadow was out to get me, but during the day, you know? Every once and a while I think back on this series and smile. I'd really like to reread them, but part of me is nervous that my feelings will change.
Apocalyptic books freak me out. I don't want to think about the end of the world. No way, no how. I always thought I'd feel the same way about dystopian. Young me thought that they pretty much go hand in hand. I don't know why I originally picked up The Hunger Games, but I'm so glad that I did. And while Shadowland introduced me to young adult, and Harry Potter got me reading, it was The Hunger Games that pretty much sealed the deal on YA and introduced me to the wonderful (can you use that word and "dystopian" in the same sentence) world of the dystopian genre.
I have no idea what movie I was going to see, but I remember seeing a preview of The Notebook staring Ryan Goling and Rachel McAdams. I wanted to see it immediately and then when I saw "based on the best selling novel" I just KNEW I had to read the book first. So I read it, loved it, and spent the next few weeks reading the remainder of Nicholas Sparks's books.
What are some of your "gateway" books? Be sure to leave me a link to your list!
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