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I've been TAGGED!!

Now everyone run while I count to 10

Actually, I got tagged to do this book thing. So here goes.

Rules: in a text post, list ten books that have stayed with you in some way. Don’t take but a few minutes, and don’t think too hard — they don’t have to be the “right” or “great” works, just the ones that have touched you. Tag ten friends, including me, so I’ll see your list. Make sure you let your friends know you’ve tagged them!

1. Guardians of the Flame (series) by Joel Rosenberg

This was the first, I guess, adult series I read. I found it at a used bookstore in Kansas that my family and I went to every Saturday after having breakfast at this cafe and before going to the game store for Pokemon tournaments. I fell in love with the series and its characters from day one and have reread the entire series. In the series is the first book to ever make me cry, and to this day, I still cry at the same damn part. Also, first book my teacher let me read during class that wasn't from the 3rd grade section of the library.

2. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Picked this up on a road trip in high school. I know a lot of people that read it in middle school, but I wasn't one of them. My family was driving from New York to Kansas. I brought a book to read but forgot to pack a second. I finished the first book in the car on the way there. Blessing in disguise. We stopped for food or something and there was a bookstore near where we stopped. We didn't have a lot of time because it was a 23 hour drive and my parents wanted to get moving. So I ran into the store, grabbed the first book on the front table, and bought it. Ended up with a book I've read a dozen times, and a movie I've seen a hundred. Both of which I've loaned out almost as much.

3. Phoenix Rising by Karen Hesse

Another book that made me cry and that I've reread quite often. (Taking into account that I don't usually reread books because I tend to remember them well enough if I like them or I just don't like them. So most books I've reread are on this list or I reread for school. Also, I don't cry with most books, even if I feel attached to characters). I loved the characters in this book and actually got upset when reading it. I don't want to give spoilers, but during one scene I actually yelled at my dad about it because what happened just shouldn't have happened and my dad should fix it! I don't think of this book often. Its an off-and-on thing. Suddenly, a scene from the book will pop in my head and I'll track the book down to reread it. I bought a copy after I read the one in the library three times. I sold the book at a bookstore because I hadn't picked it up in years. A few months later, I was back in another bookstore trying to find it. I never resold it after that.

4. The Hawk and the Dove Trilogy by Penelope Wilcock

First, I have not actually finished this book. I cannot tell you much about the plot. And I can tell you even less about the characters. This book is on this list because it was something my dad read to me. Well, to me and my siblings. My dad didn't really read to us. Not that he didn't think reading was important. He made sure we could all read by kindergarten. He's read Lord of the Rings 9 times. He reads all the time and gave us kids all a love of books. But we were all rather independent and felt that we should read on our own. That or mom read to us. But my dad read us a few books, but never kids books. He read us the Hawk and the Dove and bits from the Hobbit. He believed children could understand if given the chance and the proper patience. When I went to college, I found a copy of this book in a used bookstore and bought it instantly because it was what my dad read to me. My favorite part though is that I went back home and found out that each of my siblings had also purchased copies of this book. They too couldn't remember the plot or the characters. Just that dad read it to us.

5. Animorphs (series) by K.A. Applegate

Yes, I keep picking series. And yes, I keep picking childhood favorites. My siblings and I still talk about our childhood series. Animorphs. Nancy Drew. Hardy Boys. Those were my big three. Boxcar kids was great. My sister loved Babysitters club. My other sister, well, so was reading Anne Rice at a pretty early age. Not sure she ever read children or teen books (aside from Harry Potter). My siblings and I still bond over them. We watch the rediculous 90s shows based on them (or 80s I think for Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys). I think we've seen every episode of Goosebumps (and all the shows like it. TALES FROM THE CRYPT). We play the games. We've even picked up a couple in used bookstores and reread them. Relived the "glory days". And for me, Animorphs is the biggest one. We were those kids that ran around pretending we were animorphs and could shapeshift. It consumed a lot of one summer in particular. Anyhow, its a series I want to pass on to my kids (whenever they come along and are able to read). The series dealt with a lot of mature themes and at its core while it was story about teens saving the world, it was also a story about war. About morality. About hope and loss. And those things stuck with me.

6. Robin Hood (not putting an author because I love any Robin Hood book. Its more the story than the actual book that stuck with me.)

I don't know why I got hooked on Robin Hood, but I've stuck with the legend. I've seen most tv and movie adaptations, and I read any Robin Hood based book I can get my hands on. I love reading the nonfiction books that look at the legend of Robin Hood and if there really lived such a man just as much as I love reading the fiction books. I love Lawheads series set in Wales with more magic and supernatural. I love the Outlaws of Sherwood with the secret of Sherwood ("Robin can't shoot"). I love the different variations and how the stories change but the core is the same. The origin stories can change. Some characters may play larger roles or be absent from the tale. Others may swap places. The legend is just something that I enjoy. I'm always up for a good Robin Hood book/tv show/movie if anyone has suggestions.

7. Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I think my roomies might disown my if I left this off. Hell, I might disown me. I fell in love with the Hunger Games from chapter one, well, maybe chapter two. I read the first over winter break. Took the second to college with me. Finished it, then realized I had left the third at home (my sister bought me the box set for Christmas). Instead of waiting the 7 days it would take for it to arrive by mail, I bought it on Kindle. When I finished it, I almost through the Kindle at my roomie, Kolibri, and settled for hitting her with a pillow for not warning me. She said I was being unfair. I don't think so. Its a series I keep going back to (movies, and just to reread little passages), and a series I will probably end up fully rereading once I finish some of the other books on my list. My roomie, Kolibri, is also a large reason this book series will always stay with me. She introduced me to it, laughed whenever I got upset because she already saw it coming, and spent hours upon hours sitting and talking with me about the psychological development of this character versus that character or running with me in our little apartment to see if either of us had the completely necessary skill of picking up a backpack without stopping in a nearly full sprint. I don't think I can separate this book series from the many conversations and fun times I've had with my roomies that centered around this book.

8. Dies the Fire/The Change Series by S.M. Stirling

I love this series. I've only read the first 5 so far. I need to catch up, but its great. Its set in America and looks at what would happen if the laws of physics suddenly changed. No electricity. No gunpowder. No lots of other things. The first trilogy focused on people setting up new societies and the books do an amazing job at looking at how the different groups evolve and why. There's a major connection between character psychology and the cultures that form around them. Its an amazing book series. And one I made sure to steal from my dad when I left for college. Although, I was nice enough to take the paperback and buy him the hardback before I left. Its one of those series that both my dad and I have read, and we can spend hours talking about it.

9. ...And Philosophy/Psychology (Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series)

I think this would be the first semi-intellectual book on my list. Background: I have always hated philosophy. I took the class in college and couldn't stand it. But then I realized, I don't hate philosophy. I just hate philosophy for philosophy's sake. What I mean it, I actually really enjoy applied philosophy. I liked my political philosophy class. And I love applying philosophy and psychology to actual events and to books and movies. My roomies and I already had those types of discussions (points back to number 7). When I found this series, I jumped right into it. I think I own 5 or 6 now (some are not actually in the series but are of the same premise). I'm currently reading the one for the Hobbit. Next is Spiderman. I've lent these to the teens I work with and I know some teachers that love them. I think they make philosophy more accessible. And I still don't like philosophy, but the critical thinking and analysis skills that go with it are pretty awesome. I like those. Can't say how long my interest in these will last, but for now, they will be moving with me to my next destination.

10. Cal Leandros Series by Rob Thurman

It took me a while to figure out what book (well, series) would go here in the final slot. But here it is. I found this series in college. I've read every book in the series (except the most recent. I'm working on it). Some, I read in a couple days. Others took a few weeks. I love this series because it introduced me to the genre of urban fantasy. I usually stuck with mid-high fantasy and sci-fi. Then I started adding in basic fiction. I loved escaping in high fantasy but I also like the grounded feeling I got with basic fiction and literature. Urban fantasy kind of gave me that middle ground, and this series was a great way to be introduced to it. I enjoy the characters and the plot. I like the development. I never felt stagnant reading the books. Most of all, I love the family dynamic. The book series focuses on two brothers (guess I may have been biased when I picked up the book given I loved SPN). The brothers are close and nothing comes between them (sometimes something does, but not for long). I was and remain really close to my family, and I got annoyed sometimes reading so many fantasy books and base fiction where the characters had a strained relationship or no relationship at all with family. Sometimes, family wouldn't even be mentioned. And I grew up where family was the one constant. Family meant almost everything. So I loved finding a book series with this relationship. I fully expect my own brother to help me fight off a horde of Auphe if it comes down to it.

So there are my ten. This was annoying. At first, I could only think of 2 books. Then when I hit 9, I thought of 20 more. And I almost put so many. Elfquest for comics. +Anima for manga. Rosecrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Waiting on Godot for plays. Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, but those fit the explanations for 4 and 8. Redwall, but that was the same as 4 and 5. Thought of putting Iron Druid series instead of Cal Leandros, but the family ties won out.

Also noticed, my explanations get longer with the more consideration I had to put into picking the later ones. I guess I felt the need to justify myself to myself. Long rants. The first ones to me are so obvious that I almost put "because" as the explanation.

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