Top Ten Books Read Before I Blogged

Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Combining both a passion for all things bookish with an obsessive love of list-making, this rad meme was born. This week's post is Top Ten Books I Read Before I Blogged.

Most of you know that I haven't been a book blogger for long, however, I've had a voracious appetite for books extending as far back as childhood. I've read a lot over the years and these particular books have stood out among the masses. Whether because of their message or engaging characters or fascinating plotlines, they are among the more memorable reads and I highly recommend you check each of them out!

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins - I was late to the game with THG and was curious to see if it lived up to the hype. Needless to say, I can't remember a time where I've been so affected by a series and to date, it remains my favourite.

Married With Zombies by Jesse Petersen - I read this book on my honeymoon and was pleased by how light and funny a read it was. The series as a whole is wrought with irony and wit and I love it all!

Plague of the Dead by Z.A. Recht - This is a book/series for hard-core zombie fans and I mourned the day Recht died. He was a talented man with a penchant for writing gritty, intense apocalyptic drama. This book pretty much pushed me over the edge into zombie fiction and I haven't looked back since.

Dracula by Bram Stoker - It's one of my favourite books of all time. I love the gothic, dark nature of the writing and Stoker's method of using the social media of the time (via journals and newspapers) to tell the story. There's a reason it's a classic.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee - It's one of those books that stands the test of time, has some of the most iconic characters ever and teaches a lesson without being toopreachy. There's a deepness to the simplicity of this classic story, one that I love to read again and again.

The Hunt For Atlantis by Andy McDermott - I raved about this book during my review and it's one of the most action-packed stories I've ever had the pleasure to read. It's a fist-pumping, heart-pounding, bad-pun telling kinda good time.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding - This was one of my favourite books in school and it really pushed me to dig into stories with darker themes. I pretty much attribute my love of dystopia to Lord of the Flies.

I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells - I have a sick fascination with serial killers and John Wayne Cleaver is one of the most interesting and disturbing characters I've ever had the pleasure to read. The premise of this series is super unique, blending elements of the supernatural and drama to create one cheeky set of circumstances.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - This is the mystery to end all mysteries told by the ultimate murder mystery queen, herself. I loved how it kept me guessing through to the bitter end. If you want chills, thrills and kills, you've got em' here.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman - I was hesitant about this one but I read it at the request of a good friend --- and I'm so glad I did! Gaiman is a masterful storyteller, one who creates the most unique worlds and characters. I loved the emphasis on Norse mythology and the symbolism behind it all. It was rich, imaginative and deep.