Monday 10 February 2014

Book Nerd Monday: My Top 20 Favourite Books & Series

I love books. I don't think I need to say that again, I really do. They're apart of me, of my life, and of the world. Some are good, some are average, and some are so bad you contemplate throwing them out the window. But you don't, because that would be disrespectful to the book. 

This blog post is all about my favourite books, these are my opinions. There's a good chance that people won't agree with them, but please don't be rude to anyone in the comments! Book snobs aren't cool, guys. Also, this list isn't according to how well the book was received/written, but how much I love it or the series. Enjoy!

#20: Ashes trilogy by Ilsa J. Bick


Although I did enjoy this series, there were a lot of things about it that let me down. It's in my Top 20 because it was a great series, but I just didn't connect with the characters as well as I'd hoped.

I couldn't comprehend putting it before any of the other books on my list, but it still deserves to be here!




#19: L.A Candy trilogy by Lauren Conrad


I thoroughly enjoyed this series and the contrasting characters in it. The series is an easy read full of humour, romance and screw ups. I liked that it made me laugh and I especially loved Scarlett, but it's not the best series out there.

Don't get me wrong, the L.A Candy series is awesome, but it's just not awesome enough to advance any higher on my list.




#18: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead



With all the hype about VA on my blog, you could easily assume that it's one of my favourite books of all time. Well, to a certain extent it is, because it's on my Top 20 list. But honestly, it's only on the list because when I first read the series I fell in love with it. I've reread it multiple times since then and while I still love it, I just don't love it as much as I used to. Can't wait for the movie!




#17: House of Comarré series by Kristen Painter



I have never read a series quite like this one. Kristen Painter did an awesome job with it, and while House of Comarré is brilliant; I just don't love it enough to bump it up the list. I've got no other explanation, there are just other books I hold closer to my heart.





#16: Megan Chase trilogy by Stacia Kane


It was a tossup between the Megan Chase books and the House of Comarré series for #16. I'm still on the fence about which should go where, but I'll leave it at this. 

Stacia Kane is a great writer, and I love the Megan Chase books, but this series is lower on my list because book 2 was a letdown. I can't, in good conscience, put this any higher. 



#15: The Den of Shadows Quartet by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes


This book was awesome. Brilliant. Fantastic. Loved it! This is basically a compilation of four different stories that take place in the same world and intermingle together to make sense.

10/10, but the only reason it's lower on my list is because I don't have a huge emotional attachment to it when compared to other series.




#14: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen



Pride and Prejudice is a literary classic, and I've read it a lot. No matter how many times I read it, no matter how much I love it… I just can't place it any higher. Also, I did see the movie first, so maybe that has something to do with my lack of devotion to Pride and Prejudice. 





#13: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë



I read this when I was pretty young, so I had to reread it when I was thirteen. 

Ever since then, it's been one of my favourite books. Very close to being in my top ten, but I can only reserve those places for books I literally want to be in. How awesome would it be, however, to visit Wuthering Heights? Seriously!




#12: Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter

Sassy, funny, kick-ass. 
Spies!
This is the only series about spies I've read, but I definitely plan to read more. It's not too dark, but there are a lot of serious end of the world moments to keep you on your toes.

I have a long relationship with this series. So, while it's not technically in my top ten or five books, Gallagher Girls will always hold a special place in my heart.


#11: Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales and Poems


Edgar Allan Poe is my favourite poet of all time, there is no debate about that. He's got such a way with words and can write such hauntingly beautiful tales & poetry that no wonder he's so famous. I mean, he's dead and he only really became famous after he died, but still

There are smaller editions of Edgar's work that are a lot easier to carry around, but I included this version because it has (I think) all his known works.



#10: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley


We've reached the Top Ten! Woo!

This book is just so depressing, I don't really have any words for it. Don't get me wrong, it's a brilliant book and it holds so many important lessons about the human race we should all learn. But vengeful monsters who murder all their creator holds dear? Yeah, kind of depressing.




#9: Hex Hall trilogy by Rachel Hawkins


Fun, humorous, dark when need be. The Hex Hall books are pretty easy reads, but I fell in love with them anyway. I could seriously be Sophie Mercer if only I had blue eyes and was actually a witch. Well, demon. 

The reason this series is in my top ten rather than any lower is because I just love it. I don't exactly have a specific reason, but I couldn't help but fall in love with the world Rachel Hawkins has created. 



#8: The Darkest Powers trilogy by Kelley Armstrong

This series is kind of similar to Hex Hall in a way, but also completely different. I just get that vibe off both of them, ya know? Except, The Darkest Powers series is just that smidge better, and it's also a lot darker. 

I want to be Tori. I can't explain why, but if you've read the books then hopefully you'll understand what I mean. The only reason this series isn't higher on my list is that I just couldn't put it above my top 7. I was tempted to, but I didn't.



#7: Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh 

I have never in my life read a series that pulled off the whole angels/vampires/hunters thing. Never. Sure, authors have tried to merge the worlds of vampires and angels. But it's always been so sappy and boring. 

Until Nalini Singh. She is an outstanding author, although I did skip through all the inappropriate scenes. The only letdown was book 5: Arachangel's Storm. Not gonna lie, it absolutely sucked. But I just think Elena and Raphael are the best couple in the universe so it's okay. Every single character in this series is awesome. Every single plot. Every surprise. Everything.


#6: Succubus Blues series by Richelle Mead


So, this series rocks. It's the second by Richelle Mead on my list, but not just because I love Richelle Mead. 

This series is so raw, and real and hilarious that I couldn't put it any lower than 6th place. The world Richelle built is awesome, and while you do sometimes want to strangle the characters, that's the beauty of Succubus Blues.




#5: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë


Wow, top 5. The big ones.

So, Jane Eyre is my favourite classic of all time because… well… because it's Jane Eyre. The characters are just beautiful, the plots are awesome, I adore the language. I adore everything about this book. Literally the only reason it isn't higher on my list is because there are just four other books I love more.




#4: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien

My favourite movies, and of course one of my favourite book series just had to be in the top 5. Putting LOTR any lower would have felt like a crime. 

There are two reasons why LOTR isn't number 1. The first reason is because I just have three other series that are extremely special to me that I love dearly. The second is because I saw the movies before reading the books, and that kind of took some of the magic away. However, I was like three when I first saw the movies, so I think I can be forgiven.



#3: Downside Ghosts by Stacia Kane


Everything about these books is terrific. The hints of romance, Chess (the kickass heroine), her drug dealer Bump, the evil ghosts that murder everyone in their path. The crazy summonings are a bonus, as well. It's actually a very dark series, but that's half the charm!

My aunty introduced me to this series because we have the same taste in books, and I just can't thank her enough. 



#2: Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine

Lets applaud the runner up! Woo! Yay! 

Of course Morganville Vampires would be on my list. I couldn't not have this series in my Top 20 Favourite Books & Series list, could I? Not unless I planned on punching myself in the face.

In all honesty, Eve, Michael, Claire & Shane are the loveliest, craziest friends. They martyr for each other all the time, but living in a town run by vampires makes that kind of expected.


#1: The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey

Sure, this series isn't the best written on this list. But if anyone thought I wouldn't put it as number one then where have you been?! I love this series more than any other series I have ever read. I love the cousins; Lucy & Christabel, whom I identify with more than I ever have with any character, all the Drakes; they're just awesome. To me, everything about this series is perfection. 

Literally the only reason more of Alyxandra Harvey's books aren't on here is because I haven't read most of them. I'm too scared to. It feels like betrayal to the Drakes… 


So, there it is, my Top 20 Favourite Books & Series! I hope you all enjoyed reading it, and please feel free to comment below your favourite books. I'd really love to discuss it with you guys! You little pixies are awesome!

~Au Revoir!~

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