Let's Talk: Books I Have Read Because of Book Bloggers

Let's Talk is a new weekly feature here at i swim for oceans. I think it's important that we all have our say, and there's something to be said for raising our voices. Simply put, here on the little old blog, I like to host some of my very own discussion posts because, well, I like to converse with you all.

And so, Let's Talk will feature questions or prompts, which I will answer, too. Love it or hate it, weigh in or don't, it's my hope that Let's Talk will at least get you thinking...and maybe even get you discussing with the rest of us!

Question: What books have you read because of the recommendations of book bloggers?

Let's be honest, kids. We've all heard (probably more than once, too) that bloggers don't sell books. I adamantly, vehemently disagree. There are so many books that I've read simply based on the excessive reviews and recommendations of other bloggers. I trust what book bloggers have to say because, for the most part, they provide thoughtful, insightful reviews that give me a taste of what a book will do for me. That is so much better than going to a book store and standing in front of the shelves blankly for hours trying simply to go off summaries.

Now, there are far too many books to list them all, but I figured I'd go ahead and tell you my top five. Bear in mind, please, that these are books I would never have otherwise read. I tend to be rather close-minded when it comes to books. It's one of my greatest faults. However, I've come to realize that if I let other bloggers into my head, they my book horizons expand, and that's truly incomparable. Here are my top three:

Contemporary has never been my thing. I used to shout that from the rooftops (or just all over my blog), but this one challenge those preconceived notions of mine that I continue to cling to. Raw Blue is a testament to YA contemporary fiction, embodying its title and breathing new life into a tired and, so sue me, otherwise often petty genre. 

I've since told pretty much every book blogger, reader and person that I know that this is a book, and an author, to watch. With a gritty writing style and true, honest emotion, I was just completely blown away.

After reading and suffering through the entire saga of another vampire series that shall not be named on this blog, I swore up and down I would never read about vampires again. I believe it was the constant insisting of book bloggers across the board that finally convinced me to pick up Vampire Academy and give it a go.

Just by doing so, I was able to see why bloggers and lay-readers, alike, love the series so much. It's about vampires, of course, but it's gritty and challenges the boundaries of YA.

I was way late to the game with this series, I'm ashamed to say. I consistently saw them on those special tables at Barnes & Noble, but I consistently walked past them because I thought they looked like Harry Potter castoffs, and I was still in mourning at Harry Potter being complete. 

When I finally did read The Lightning Thief though, I was hooked. I've read all of the books multiple times, I share them with everyone I know and I'm proud to say I've read them all in under a day each. And despite what any stupid idiots in the media might say about adults being stupid to read YA/MG books...I'm proud to carry this series in public! HA!