Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish back in June 2010. It is currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and, as is stated on the blog, it was “born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.”
Hello, reader!
Happy Tuesday to you all. I know I’ve been rather quiet these past few days, but there’s a good reason for that…
WE CLOSED ON OUR FIRST HOUSE!!!
That’s right, ya girl is finally a homeowner! This is something that I’ve been dreaming of for awhile and now it’s a reality. We aren’t doing the heavy moving until July 1st, but it’s ours and it already feels like home 💕
On that celebratory note, let’s talk about the fact that today marks 10 years of TTT! I’ve only recently been taking part of Top Ten Tuesday, but it’s one of my favorite posts to write. What can I say, I love lists! In celebration of the 10 year anniversary, you can pick any of the past prompts from the past ten years. Scrolling through them, there were a ton of interesting ones, but I decided to go with one that instantly grabbed my attention: My Favorite Books I Read During the Last Ten Years. Now, I started my Goodreads in 2011, so I’ve decided to tweak this a little and talk about my favorite books that were published in the last ten years!
With that said, let’s dive in.
2010
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
I absolutely loooooved this book! As someone who worked in virology, which uses some of the cell line that was born from Henrietta Lacks, I found this book absolutely fascinating. As a Black woman, I found the way Henrietta and her children were treated by the medical community INFURIATING! Still, this is a wonderful read and I recommend it to anyone who has even an inkling of an interest in non-fiction.
2011
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
This was actually a tough choice as Ready Player One was also published in 2011. But, I’m sorry, The Night Circus just has to win. It bowled me over when I read it! It’s just so beautifully written and made me actually want to go to a circus! Which is hard to do because I hate circuses. Erin Morgenstern has a way of writing that wraps me up in the narrative and makes me sad when the book is over. I just love this book so much!
2012
The Martian by Andy Weir
I apparently enjoyed a lot of books that were published in 2012, lol. This one, however, is definitely a stand out. I picked this up for a reading challenge only knowing the basic premise and that it had been made into a movie. I ended up ripping through the story of Mark Watney and his improbable tale of survival on Mars. This was such a thrilling book, which is hard to do when most of what is happening is just trying to grow potatoes in space. Definitely one of my favorite books of all time!
2013
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
This is, perhaps, my favorite Neil Gaiman book. This and Coraline are fighting it out for the top spot. It’s so atmospheric and creepy! You’re never quite sure what is actually happening, but in a way that still keeps you interested. And I just love this cover. I’m a sucker for a nice, blue cover and this one is just… *chef’s kiss*
2014
Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien de Castell
I read this book for a reading challenge, as well, and was not expecting to fall for it as hard as I did! This was my first (and so far only… 😬) experience with de Castell’s writing and I was enthralled. This was such an invigorating romp that had me on the edge of my seat! Plus, there’s political intrigue, which is one of my favorite things in fantasy. I really need to continue this series because this first book was top-notch!
2015
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
2015 was another year when a lot of my favorites were published! But, at the top of the list has to be Ink and Bone. This book hit me out of left field! I randomly picked it up while browsing at a bookstore (remember that? 🙃) and the cover drew me in. When I read the synopsis, I had to buy it! I mean, who hasn’t imagined how things may have been different if the Great Library at Alexandria hadn’t burned down?
…Just me?
2016
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
This is another book that I picked up on a whim and I’m so glad that I did. This was such an interesting, thought-provoking read. I also enjoyed the twist that the Underground Railroad is actually a real train in this story. It added an intriguing layer to this book. Of course, there was a lot of this story that made me angry, for good reason. Whitehead has a way with words that makes you feel a lot of feelings!
2017
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
I mean… duh.
Angie Thomas is my favorite author, so even though I’ve read a lot of four and five star books that were published in 2017, there was no way they were gonna knock THUG out of the top spot.
Sorry not sorry 🤷🏾♀️
2018
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
If you’ve been reading my blog recently, you know that Elizabeth Acevedo is one of my new favorite authors. Even though I just read her this year, The Poet X was originally published in 2018. I wish I had discovered it then! I could have had two more years knowing about this amazing author/poet! As it is, this is definitely one of my favorite books that I’ve read in 2020 and I cannot wait to read whatever she writes next.
2019
The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winters
2019 was another year of some of my favorite books! This one, however, completely blew my socks off. I won an ARC and read it after we had first moved here and it completely consumed my soul! I fell hard for this world. It was so fast-paced and intense and couldn’t take my eyes off Tau’s struggle. I can’t wait until the next book is out. Rest assured I will be gobbling it up as soon as it comes out!
2020 (so far)
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
I mean… is anyone surprised by this? I read this book back in March and I cannot stop thinking about it! I need everyone to read this book. Everyone. ALL OF YOU! It’s just so beautifully written and evocative and it’s this author’s debut. Like… can I get a little smidge of that talent?
Please?
Anyways, this book is phenomenal and, if you’re a fan of YA fantasy with quests and a lot of intrigue, you should check it out when it’s released in August.
What are your favorite books from the past ten years? Did you do your own 10th anniversary Top Ten Tuesday? Let me know in the comments!
And, as always, happy reading!
Kerri McBookNerd 