Hey Mystical Readers!
As a person trying to become an author, reading different types of books is a very helpful habit to pick up. You expose yourself to different styles of writing and ideas across varied genres. My parents always expressed strongly that if I wanted to be a successful writer, I needed to read broadly. Although I try, I still prefer books near or related to my own favored genres.
Here are some of my favorite books; some of these I have reviewed for my site, and others I have simply come across over the years that have lingered with me in one way or another.
1. The Harry Potter Series
By: J.K. Rowling
Obviously for my generation, this was THE book series to follow and fret over. I owned every single book, collected the DVDs, watched premier night releases and even did a little cosplay. I grew up in this "wizarding world" and it strongly influenced my love for books and the magic it could contain between their covers. My father used to read them to me before bed, and when I was able to read them for myself, I would consume them with pleasure and excitement. I too hope to write novels that people want to not just read, but desire to live in and dream it were a real place as this book did for me, and still does to this day.
2. The Fault in Our Stars
By: John Green
This book was one of the few books that I forced onto others to read after I devoured it. The moment I finished reading the book I handed it to my parents and told them they had to read it. I was emotionally betrayed by this novel but it only made me fall in love with it more. Facing your mortality, and then the loss of those around you, it is something we ponder but deny to entertain the thoughts because they are painful and remind us we are only human, therefore finite in this universe. The rawness of this book and how it makes you reflect on your own life and its relation to death, shook me to my core. I hope to one day do the same, and create a masterpiece that leaves me enlightened and emotionally destroyed.
3. The Maze Runner Series
By: James Dashner
I believe this was the first time I "binge" read a series. I watched the movie trailer for the first one and instantly fell in love with the concept. It is a new twist to the post apocalyptic genre, with a splash of science fiction that doesn't seem so fiction like the more you explore it's purpose and possibilities. This was part of my interest in finding real life topics and sowing them into a fiction that makes you ask: could we really reach such a point in humanity?
The scariest thing about human nature is that we know it's darkest capabilities but refuse to believe we would ever exhibit them as a society. But just look at the mob mentality that already exists for different social behaviors in our nation. What AREN'T we capable of accepting? Where would those choices lead us? How far are we willing to go to achieve success or personal goals?
4. Legend Series
By: Marie Lu
This series perfected the dual narrative. One chapter is a voice and perspective, and the next chapter is a different voice and perspective, switching back and forth. It pushes them towards one another until their stories merge into one singular tale. This style of narrative has also influenced me in some of my original work for Shadowlands. Finding the right balance for Zoey's voice along side Marcus' and then building the proper bridge between their narratives to create one has been a challenge but one that I'm slowly overcoming!
5. Identical
By: Ellen Hopkins
To be completely honest, this was one of the first books that truly f*cked with my head. You meet twins and see the life they are forced to live under the different shadows cast by their parents, while still trying to survive the harsh reality that some terrors exist within the walls you are supposed to feel most safe in. By the end of the book I was heart broken, betrayed, and moved, discovering the untold truth of a life that represents so many others out there in the world that don't have the strength or voice to share their own. Hopkins truly is one of my favorite authors especially with her unique writing style.
And well there you have it! My top five favorite books/series that in some way or another have shaped and molded me into the writer that I am today. What books have influenced you in your life? Happy reading everyone!
Comments