Top Ten Books I Was "Forced" to Read

Top Ten Books I Was "Forced" to Read

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

In a vague order this time. I tried.

1. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.

My cousin decided I had to read this book she'd just finished, because I would 'love' it. My life has been in a downward spiral since I read the words 'My name is Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. ' Will I ever be over this book? I don't think so.

2. Haunted by Kelley Armstrong.

I actually mean the entire Women of the Otherworld series but since I just finished this book, which is the fifth in the series, I figured I'd go with this one. I was forced into reading this series by Lauren because they're basically her favourite books ever; she was genuinely horrified that I'd never heard of Kelley Armstrong and would just yell at me every night until I finally bought the first book. She's now alternating between shouting at me to finish the series and shouting at Amber to start it XD

legit harassed into starting this series by

3. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong.

Lauren RUINED MY LIFE by making me start The Darkest Powers trilogy, I swear to God. I will never recover from what these books did to me ;___________; Derek and Chloe are the worst couple in the history of universe, making me cry hysterically at one o'clock in the morning with their STUPID FACES and stubborn love and their perfection. I hate them so much *clings to books while rocking*

4. The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson.

The characters Calvin, a six year old boy with a deeply cynical outlook on life, and Hobbes, his stuffed tiger that 'comes to life' around him, are named after a theologian and a philosopher, which should pretty much tell you what their interactions are like and why I love it so much. My brother told me to read it because we pretty much share the same sense of humour and opinions. Our copies of Calvin and Hobbes have been a ridiculous amount of times, to the point where pages have started to fall out.

5. Altered by Jennifer Rush.

Amber talked me into reading this book, I think before she'd even finished it? I basically want to sandwich myself between all the fabulous dudes in this book because they're so wonderful and sassy and earnest and heartbreaking. And my ships are perfect: Sam/Anna is so bittersweet; they make me cry a lot. Also Nick/Anna, which should happen y/y?

5. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

Required reading for a feminism module in my second year of university, The Yellow Wallpaper was probably one of the most shocking stories I'd ever read; it ended up being featured heavily in my work for that module because I found that I had so much to say about it. English is glorious tbh.

6. If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch.

Recommended, probably while cackling evilly, to me by Judith. Read it, she said. You'll enjoy it, she said. She LIED.

7. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson.

Amber made me read it because she obviously hates me. Bloody fireworks and lakehouses and fathers and daughters, I was not prepared. And neither was my pillow.

8. Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock.

How many times is Amber going to show up on this list, I wonder? She's either very persuasive or I'm easily convinced but either way, this was a great book. It was a bit like Veronica Mars, except with werewolves. Also Kyle/Mac. FEELS.

9. Strange Meeting by Susan Hill.

Part of our reading list for WWI literature in college, this book is centred around the close relationship between two very different soldiers while in the trenches. Looking back, there was probably a lot of subtext going on there. 

10. The Crucible by Arthur Miller.

One of the books we studied at GCSE level, The Crucible is still something I think about every so often. Miller used the Salem witch trials to talk about McCarthyism in America - the play is as much about women as it is about censorship and fear. I loved it.