Books That Got Me Into Reading

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (book #1 in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series).

As much as it sometimes feels like it, I was not born from the womb with a book in my hands. In fact my love of reading didn't manifest completely until fourth grade-ish. There were a few specific books and mainly book series that played key roles in developing that love.

So without further ado, here's the books that got me into reading (in kind-of a specific order but not really??? Kind of chronological that is):

1) Harry Potter series by JK Rowling

This one is probably not a surprise to anyone. I like most children was first introduced to how wonderful reading is through an 11-year-old wizard and his wonderful friends. Hogwarts and the magical land that Rowling carefully crafted drew me in and made me realize that books had a lot more to offer than I initially thought. This was also my first "big-girl" book series: chapters, over 100 pages, multiples thick books.

2) Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan

This one is a little bit of a funny story. After Harry Potter, I was kind of against reading the Percy Jackson series (which is hilarious to me now because I LOVE Rick Riordan and ALL his books) because I was loyal to Harry Potter and there was this whole Percy Jackson vs Harry Potter nonsense that was springing up at my school and it just made me resent Percy Jackson for the longest time. Once I finally bit the bullet and read this series I was hooked and in love. In fact, Rick Riordan's books are my favorites of the list I have on here and I would have to say I prefer the Riordanverse to the Harry Potter-verse overall but that's not a discussion for right now. Percy Jackson follows demigods (half-Greek god and half-human) Percy, Annabeth, and Grover on quests to basically save the world. I bet you all know it's about anyway.

So obviously the next two are:

3) Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan

This is my second favorite series ever (second to the Six of Crows duology) and I love it more than words can express. This one is a mix of Roman and Greek mythology and it follows seven main characters (well three in the beginning but you'll see). Rick Riordan has humor, wonderful characters, addicting plots, great writing, and entertaining mythology in his books and I 10/10 recommend.

4) The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan

This trilogy centered around Egyptian mythology is so underrated and I don't understand why. I love this trilogy so much and everyone needs to read it immediately especially if you've already read and enjoyed the Percy Jackson books.

I would say Rick Riordan definitely holds the spot for most-impactful on my reading experience. I devoured his books from 4th to 6th grade and have fallen completely in head-over-heels love. His books are what officially made me a book-lover and I will always read and love his books (Magnus Chase and the Trials of Apollo are also wonderful in case you're wondering but that's much farther from this time).

5) Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

I think this holds the spot as my most reread book ever. I read it first I think in 3rd grade and then again and again throughout 4th and 5th grade. This Cinderella retelling following a girl cursed to be obedient (as in obey every command given to her) is a middle-grade and is so sweet and innocent and wonderful. Ella is still one of my all time favorite heroines to date.

6) The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer

Oh I love this series so much. I read the first book in 3rd grade but I didn't read the second book until the end of 4th grade before devouring the rest of the series (that was currently out that is). The last book came out the summer after 6th grade and finishing it was bittersweet. If you've ever wanted to read a book about what happens to the characters of fairy tales after their fairy tales are over, than this is the middle grade for you. It also follows twins (Alex and Conner) which is a bonus.

7) Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

I adored this series in 4th/5th grade and I also adored the Netflix tv adaption of it years later. Maybe the fact that there's 13 of them made me read more because I read every single one (except the 4th one because my library never had it- still haven't read that one but I know what happened because I read the wiki article, whoops). It follows three orphans as they move from relative to relative and are hunted by the insidious Count Olaf who seems to fool every single fricking adult around even though he's so OBVIOUS.

8) Mo and Dale Mysteries by Sheila Turnage

This is a series I first started in 4th grade but I only recently finished this year because of gaps between the books being published but it's a quartet of mysteries following Mo and her best friend Dale in their small town. The big mystery that connects all the books is of who Mo's mother is since she was washed up to her adoptive parents in a storm (which inspired her name: Moses). I love this series to bits even if there was time between that love where I forgot about this series. I still completely recommend.

Now these are all the series that got me into reading, but there's one trilogy that introduced me to the YA genre which is now my dominant genre and that is:

9) The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I read the first book the summer after 5th grade and I read it all in one day which is the first time (and definitely not the last) that I had ever done that. I fell in love with Katniss and her world and her story and especially with Peeta. TEAM PEETA FOR LIFE by the way. I was addicted to this series and I don't know how I survived literally 4 months between reading this book and its two sequels. Like how?? Did I do that??

So there you have it folks. These books are the ones that got me into reading. I am forever grateful to these books and these authors for providing me with an escape from the world and characters who I love and cherish and for teaching me lessons I wouldn't have learned otherwise or for showing me the things I had a blind eye to. Thank you.

That was kind of sappy, but you get the picture. I love these books and recommend ALL OF THEM if you were intrigued. Most are middle grade but I love middle grade and it's a genre that can be enjoyable to every age group if you try it out.

Until next time,

No mourners, no funerals

-SureenaWrites