Top 5 Wednesday l Fall 2017

September / October / November

September 6th: Classes Based on Books/Characters 

I haven't read very many school setting books since I was in school 6 years ago... so I struggled a bit with this question. 

1. Talamasca Classes, Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. Studying Vampires, Werewolves, Paranormal Activity, Psychic Phenomenon with access to all kinds of proof and secret information
2. How to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse (from World War Z, Mira Grant's Newsflesh Trilogy, The Resident Evil Novels, Everything from the initial outbreak, to weapons and how to use them, how to fortify your structure, the best and worst strategies. 
3. A Magic Class taught by Chrestomanci and or Howl from Diana Wynn Jones books
4. Any Hogwarts classes (yeah yeah not supposed to include this on the list but trying to fill the gaps here)
5. Criminology/ Serial Killer courses. 

September 13th: Books/ Authors to Read without the Synopsis 

1. Stephen King - his synopsis tend to be under-whelming and off topic in a round about way. I have gone into many of his books thinking "this is a witches book" or "aliens" and ended up with so much more than that, or that "topic" was really the smallest most insignificant part of the novel in the end. 
2. Fred The Mermaid, Mary Janice Davidson - This goes for most romance novels, they really can't do a story justice because the novels are character driven and not plot driven. It always makes the novels seem flat and silly in the synopsis (and some are no doubt), and/ or it gives away the entire plot. 
3. YA novels, As a teen (13,14,15) I could spend all day combing through books and reading synopsis and loving every single one. Now it seems like they all say the exact same thing over and over in different words. Good books and Bad books and novels I'm indifferent too are all summed up in the same way.

This question was good if your a synopsis reader.... which I'm not. I go into most books blind (because I like the cover, because I like the author, or because its been recommended).

I might do a list in the future that is best synopsis, which is way harder to find in my opinion (I am talking something really special and different)

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September 20th: Favorite Fancasts - Not my thing so no answer sorry people.
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September 27th: Authors/ Books/ Series You've Read Because of Booktube/Blogging/etc. 

1. Jane Austen 
2. HP Lovecraft
3. The Game of Thrones, George RR Martin
4. Kelley Armstrong
5. Lani Taylor

So if you know these authors and their books they all have a few things in common, they have lots of book and those books have lots of pages. These were authors that just didn't catch my attention for a variety of reasons, but after hearing so many good things over and over I finally decided to give them a try and ended up loving these series. 

October 4th: Books Featuring Witches 

1. Harry Potter, JK Rowling. - This probably made the top of everyones list but.. whatever. 
2. The Crucible, Arthur Miller - Almost non fiction and in my opinion not what readers think of when they think "witch". 
3. The Otherworld Series, Yasmine Galenorn
4. Howls Moving Castle, Diana Wynn Jones
5. Gemma Doyle Trilogy, Libba Bray 

I have so many books that are all about witches in my TBR hopefully this motivates me to read a few. 

October 11th: Favorite Creepy Settings 

1. Derry, Maine + The Overlook Hotel, Stephen King
2. The Chamber of Secrets and The Haunted Forest, Harry Potter, JK Rowling
3. HP Lovecraft's Existential Beyond + Dunwich
4. The Bamford Apartments, Rosemary's Baby, Ira Levin
5. The House on Number 55, Lodovico Street, "Franks Room", The Hellbound Heart, Clive Barker

October 18th: Books Featuring [paranormal creature of your choice] : 

Vampires

1. Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles
2. The Lesser Dead, Christopher Buelman
3. Salems Lot, Stephen King
4. The Strain, Guillermo Del Toro
5. Dracula, Bram Stoker

October 25th: Non-Horror Books that Scared You 

1. Not Without My Sister, Kristina Jones - This is a non-fiction account of the Children of God Cult, and its so horrifying, I had and have (after 6 reads) a hard time getting my head around, the fact that it is a true story. That something like this cult can exist in our modern day world... it just leaves you speechless. 
2. The Watcher in the Wall, Owen Laukkanen - A predator pushing vulnerable teenagers to commit suicide. To say more would give too much away. But this was supposed to be a typical detective novel and ended being way creepier than id anticipated. I think this actually ended up as an episode of Criminal Minds. 
3. A Brave New World, Aldous Huxley - This is a classic satire, that was written to make people think. Which it did, but reading it almost 75 years later and seeing it come true is a creeping, eerie horrible experience. 
4. 1984, George Orwell - Just like the above BNW
5. 11/22/63, Stephen King - Along with the multitude of other Stephen King's that are not classified as horror. They always have something very eerie and/or sinister

November 1st: Genre Benders

1. Stephen King *Doing the T5W enmass like this, I feel like every week at least once I mention King, He's such a big part of my reading (year round, but especially from October - December) that is hard for me to not include him and his 65 books...
2. A Monster Calls, Patrick Ness - This novel had a younger target audience but ended up dealing with very adult topics, it was a YA/ Fantasy/ Horror/ Contemporary / everything book. Haunting and Beautiful
3. My Sisters Keeper, Jodi Picoult - This book covered so many different angles, from growing up (child to teenager, teenager to adult, adult to parent) and in the process having to make impossible choices, illness, death, sickness, life were all present topics as well.  
4. The Dark Hunter Series, Sherrilyn Kenyon  - These are some of the most interesting romance novels I have ever read, way more complex than they have to be, but in an approachable/understandable/easy to read way. She tackles various historical and mythological angles, the topics of rape, child abuse and surviving these situations/coping. All based in a semi contemporary semi high fantasy realm/earth mix. These books range from 100% romance, to YA to mystery/thriller.. she covers her bases
5. Odd Thomas, Dean Koontz - This book and this series drove me insane. It fits in no category at all. But was a great read (if its your cup of tea, one of those books that you will love or hate with nothing in between)

November 8th: Problematic Faves

Characters you don't want to love, but you can't help liking. 

1. Gemma Doyle, A Great and Terrible Beauty, Libba Bray - There are 1001 issues I had with this girl but I still really loved her and the books
2. Edward and Bella, Twilight, Stephanie Meyer - a whole obsessed generation, should be seeing this on everyones list.
3. America, The Selection - such trashy books, but so perfect
4. Uglies, Scott Westerfeld - There is a theme here isn't there? YA's, particularly from that high school period... 

November 15th: Nostalgic Book Boyfriends/Girlfriends

-- Characters you swooned over when you were younger. This was a topic from our suggestion board :)

1. Harry Potter, JK Rowling - Is there ever a bookish question that cannot be answered with Harry Potter? I had an equal crush on Ron.
2. John Taylor, Simon R Green 
3. Bones, Night Huntress, Jeannie Frost
4. Ig Parish, Horns, Joe Hill - tortured romantic soul, turned redeeming angel/demon. 
5. Wolf, Scarlett, Lunar Chronicles, Marissa Meyer

November 22nd: Books You're Thankful For

--For whatever reason, big or small.

1. Goosebumps, RL Stine - This spawned my love of reading, and my love of creepy books. 
2. Harry Potter, JK Rowling - Brought me into the book community
3. Redwall, Brian Jaques - 
4. The Nightside Novels, Simon R Green
5. The Tortall Books, Tamora Pierce

November 29th: Authors You'd Want to Write Like

--In honor of NaNo wrapping up, discuss some authors you'd like to write like. Whether its their writing style, what genre they write in, or how many books they manage to churn out a year! 

1. Stephen King - Id like to steal his style, the number of books + short stories he turns out, the spectrum of genre's he covers
2. Brian Jaques - His timeless style, it is simple enough for children and the language / story is child friendly, but it also has layer upon layer of detail and such eloquent language it is just as great a read as an adult. 
3. RL Stine
4. Dr Suess
5. Sherrilyn Kenyon - Just like Stephen King, she has an amazing number of books, that span over a whole set of genre's. She has created a multi-faceted world that is semi-reality. But along with all the little details and complexities, the books are easy to read (which is something King's books are not, not that the reading level is the end of the world, but I feel like you have an even bigger audience if its the more reader friendly style)