Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
This week, the prompt is Book I Love That Are More Than 10 Years Old. Love it! I have read every book on this list several times, and I think I have recommended them all at on point or another on the blog. Let’s check them out!
1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
My go-to read whenever I’m on a slump! I love this series and still talk about it all of the time.
Publication Date: Sept. 14, 2008
Synopsis: Could you survive on your own in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don’t live to see the morning?
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weight survival against humanity and life against love.
Check out this post on the Top Ten Reason I Love The Hunger Games!
2. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Milller
This book made me feel all the feels, and I fell in love with Miller’s beautiful prose as much as I did the characters and love story.
Publication Date: Sept. 20, 2011
Synopsis: Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper – despite the displeasure of Achilles’ mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.
Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.
Check out my Favorite Quotes from The Song of Achilles!
3. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
This is a classic go-to Gothic romance for me, and it’s one of the few books whose movie is equally good (the Hitchcock version).
Publication Date: Jan. 1, 1938
Synopsis: “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.”
So the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter remembered the chilling events that led her down the turning drive past the beeches, white and naked, to the isolated gray stone manse on the windswept Cornish coast. With a husband she barely knew, the young bride arrived at this immense estate, only to be inexorably drawn into the life of the first Mrs. de Winter, the beautiful Rebecca, dead but never forgotten…her suite of rooms never touched, her clothes ready to be worn, her servant — the sinister Mrs. Danvers — still loyal. And as an eerie presentiment of the evil tightened around her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter began her search for the real fate of Rebecca…for the secrets of Manderley.
4. Legend by Marie Lu
Legend is another favorite YA dystopia. I went through a major dystopia phase and this was a stand out for me. Still is.
Publication Date: Nov. 29, 2011
Synopsis: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
5. In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
I knew nothing about Las Mariposas before I read In the Time of the Butterflies, but I loved prior works by Julia Alvarez. This is my favorite by her – a powerful and eye-opening read.
Publication Date: Jan. 1, 1994
Synopsis: Set during the waning days of the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic in 1960, this extraordinary novel tells the story the Mirabal sisters, three young wives and mothers who are assassinated after visiting their jailed husbands.
From the author of How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents comes this tale of courage and sisterhood set in the Dominican Republic during the rise of the Trujillo dictatorship. A skillful blend of fact and fiction, In the Time of the Butterflies is inspired by the true story of the three Mirabal sisters who, in 1960, were murdered for their part in an underground plot to overthrow the government. Alvarez breathes life into these historical figures–known as “las mariposas,” or “the butterflies,” in the underground–as she imagines their teenage years, their gradual involvement with the revolution, and their terror as their dissentience is uncovered.
Alvarez’s controlled writing perfectly captures the mounting tension as “the butterflies” near their horrific end. The novel begins with the recollections of Dede, the fourth and surviving sister, who fears abandoning her routines and her husband to join the movement. Alvarez also offers the perspectives of the other sisters: brave and outspoken Minerva, the family’s political ringleader; pious Patria, who forsakes her faith to join her sisters after witnessing the atrocities of the tyranny; and the baby sister, sensitive Maria Teresa, who, in a series of diaries, chronicles her allegiance to Minerva and the physical and spiritual anguish of prison life.
6. The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordon
I love Greek mythology, so it’s no surprise this one made the list. This whole series is so entertaining!
Publication Date: June 28, 2005
Synopsis: Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse – Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy’s mom finds out, she knows it’s time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he’ll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena – Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.
7. The Mulberry Tree by Jude Deveraux
The Mulberry Tree is the first book I read by Jude Deveraux, and after I finished it, I went to my library and took out three more books by the author. I binged a bunch of her book, but this remains one of my faves.
Publication Date: Jan. 1, 2002
Synopsis: She had a perfect life. Then she got a real life…. For nearly twenty years, quiet, unassuming Lillian Manville has devoted herself to her self-made billionaire husband — and enjoyed a luxurious life of splendid homes, trips, jewels, and clothes. But when James Manville dies in a plane crash, Lillian’s grief is compounded by a shocking mystery: all that Jimmie has left to her is an old farmhouse in tiny Calburn, Virginia. Now, Lillian’s unexpected circumstances are leading her to a made-over life in Calburn, an exciting businessŠand a sweet new love with a handsome local man. But will she have the courage to unveil the truth surrounding a past scandal and the loss of her husband? The answers may be as close as the mulberry tree in her yard — and Lillian must dig deep within herself to Wght the secrets and lies that threaten to uproot the past she cherished and the future she treasures….This lush bestseller shines with the passion, intrigue, and warmth that is Jude Deveraux at her best.
8. Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
I read Darkfever before I realized how much I like dark fantast/romance. But as soon as I was introduced to Jericho Barrons, I was a romantasy reader for life!!
Publication Date: Oct. 31, 2006
Synopsis: “My name is MacKayla, Mac for short. I’m a sidhe-seer, one who sees the Fae, a fact I accepted only recently and very reluctantly.
My philosophy is pretty simple – any day nobody’s trying to kill me is a good day in my book. I haven’t had many good days lately. Not since the walls between Man and Fae came down. But then, there’s not a sidhe-seer alive who’s had a good day since then.”
When MacKayla’s sister was murdered, she left a single clue to her death, a cryptic message on Mac’s cel phone. Journeying to Ireland in search of answers, Mac is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to master a power she had no idea she possessed – a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae.
As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho…while at the same time, the ruthless V’lane – an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women – closes in on her. As the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: to find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book – because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control both worlds in their hands.
9. Switched by Amanda Hocking
Amanda Hocking writes such unique YA fantasies, and this is such a good one!
Publication Date: July 5, 2010
Synopsis: When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. She’s not the person she’s always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel—all because of Finn Holmes.
Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her. Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken…though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she’d ever admit. But it isn’t long before he reveals the truth: Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth—and he’s come to take her home.
Now Wendy’s about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that’s both beautiful and frightening. And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she’s meant to become…
10. Sanctuary by Nora Roberts
I couldn’t make this list without including a book by Nora Roberts. She is my most read author, and I began my Nora Roberts journey my freshman year of high school.
Publication Date: March 17, 1997
Synopsis: Photographer Jo Ellen Hathaway thought she’d escaped the house called Sanctuary long ago. She’d spent her loneliest years there, after the sudden, unexplained disappearance of her mother. Yet the sprawling inn on an island off the Georgia coast continues to haunt her dreams. And now, even more haunting are the pictures someone is sending her: strange close-ups and candids, culminating in the most shocking portrait of all—a photo of her mother—naked, beautiful, and dead.
Now Jo must return to the island, and to her bitterly estranged family. With the help of Nathan Delaney—who was on the island the summer her mother disappeared—Jo hopes to learn the truth about the tragic past. But Sanctuary may be the most dangerous place of all.
What are some of your favorite books that are more than 10 years old? Comment below!
Gone with the Wind is my all-time favorite book!
Nice! One of my other blogging buddies loves that one too!
I had Achilles on my list today as well but the only other one I’ve read is THG. I can’t quite remember if I read Sanctuary or not cos when I first discovered Roberts I basically grabbed onto any copy of her books that I could find in a secondhand bookstore in Cambodia (so random)! 😂 Great list, Julie!
Thanks, Dini! I adore The Song of Achilles. Oh my gosh, I went on a Nora Roberts binge spree years ago too! lol Sanctuary and Northern Lights were two of my faves from back in the day. lol
It is so hard to narrow it down. I am still thinking about what I would include. I agree with vicklea, Gone With the Wind is one of my favourites. Nice list, Julie. I have read several of these.
Thanks so much, Carla! It was certainly tough to narrow down! I’ve actually never read Gone With the Wind, though I’ve seen the film several times.
I read it years after I first saw the movie, but I wanted to read the sequel (different author) so I read it. I loved it!
So many books that I forgot about are on your list.
My TTT: https://laurieisreading.wordpress.com/2022/08/16/books-i-love-that-were-written-over-ten-years-ago/
Ooooh, I’ll have to check yours out! 🙂
The Hunger Games is on my TTT this week, too! I don’t know that I could read it to get out of a slump though, even though it’s one of my all-time favourites–it makes me cry too easily haha!
FangirlFlax @ FangirlFlax
https://fangirlflax.wordpress.com/2022/08/16/top-ten-tuesday-five-books-i-love-that-were-written-over-ten-years-ago/
lol – that’s so true! It’s definitely emotional at times.
I think I anticipate it in advance, and start crying from page one. 🤣
The Hunger Games is on my list this week too. I also loved Legend and Darkfever! 🙂
Yes! They’re all so good! Can’t wait to check out your list. 🙂
Oh my gosh, yes, The Hunger Games! I can’t remember them in great detail anymore, but I remember really enjoying them. And The Song of Achilles is one I’ve been wanting to read for a while, especially given all the hype.
Oooh, The Song of Achilles is amazing! It’s definitely one that lived up to the hype for me. And yay for The Hunger Games! I think that’s one of my most re-read series. lol
I can’t believe that Hunger Games is that old!! haha. OoO, I remember reading Switched by Hocking and really liking that series. What an oldie!! Percy Jackson is such a great series and I only read it last year!! haha. I can’t wait for the show. 🙂
I really need to pick up Song of Achilles because I don’t know one person who didn’t love it. Great list, Julie 😀
Thanks, Becky! SoA is a fantastic read. I have a feeling you’d enjoy it. 🙂
Love both Song of Achilles and the Percy Jackson series
Yes! They’re both so good!!
Loved Percy Jackson and the Olympians since middle school
Someday, I’ll read the Fever books!! I’ve had the first one on my shelf for ages now. It’s been so strange seeing Song of Achilles on people’s lists this week — I feel like it’s a much more recent book. Where does the time go? 🙂 These are all such great choices!
I felt the same way about The Song of Achilles. How is that more than 10 years old? lol Thank you!
So many great books here! I really need to do a reread of The Hunger Games series. It’s been so long. I loved The Song of Achilles and Rebecca. And Darkfever!! The first time I read that series, I started it over as soon as I finished it. So very addictive! I still need to read The Lightning Thief and Legend. Great choices!
Thanks so much, Dedra! It looks like we both have really good taste in books. lol