Tuesday, November 19, 2013



Top Ten Tuesdays is a weekly meme/original feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Click the link to go to their site to see the original list for today plus links to a whole slew of other blogs. After you read mine, of course.


Today's topic is: Top ten books I'd recommend for lovers of boarding schools

I don't know why, but I just love books that are set in boarding schools. Love them. Growing up in small town Wyoming I dreamed of the East Coast and ivy covered walls. That love never went away, so if I see the words: boarding or prep school, or the word academy, you bet I'm picking the book up. Here are my favorites.

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I LOVE this book. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Frankie is not only who I wish I had been when I was in high school, she is who I wish I was now.
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Cutest contemporary romance. Ever.
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
It's hard to explain my love of this book. It's amazing and well written and, yeah, it's awesome. If you haven't read this and you love boarding school books, do yourself a favor and pick this one up.
Like I could do this list without including some HP.
Catcher and the Rye by J.D. Salinger
You either love it or you hate it. I love it.
Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg
Pride and Prejudice retellings are a dime a dozen. This one isn't all that special, but it's pretty cute and I love the author's other works.
Year of the Gadfly by Jennifer Miller
This book is so hard to sum up in a sentence...so I'm not going to try. The link is there if you are interested.
Mind Games by Kiersten White
I really enjoyed this book about sisters with special abilities who end up at a sinister school after the death of their parents.
Winger by Andrew Smith
I absolutely loved this book that follows a 14 year-old junior as he makes his way through boarding school. Funny and heartbreaking. Highly recommend. 
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
So this is really more about boarding school boys than it is about boarding school, but nothing beats a boy in a blazer, right?

There a bunch of books about boarding schools I need to read like Vampire Academy and Percy Jackson, both of which are on my TBR, but I love these boarding school books and would recommend all of them if you are looking for a good book to pick up. What did you do your list on? Link me up!

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18 comments:

  1. Great list! I absolutely agree with you regarding Anna, Prom & Prejudice, HP, and Catcher. I still need to read Raven Boys! Novels that take place at boarding schools are some of my favorites...you need to read VA and Percy...both awesome series!

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  2. Great idea!! I love boarding schools. Anna and the French Kiss, Raven Boys, and HP are all great. I will have to check out some of the others. If you haven't read The Gallagher Girls, that is a cute series with a boarding school for spies.

    Here is my TTT: http://jacquesbooknook.blogspot.com/2013/11/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-would-recommend.html

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  3. I love books set in boarding schools too. I loved Prep, Anna and the French Kiss, Catcher in the Rye, Mind Games, and The Raven Boys (and of course, Harry Potter, but I sort of feel like that's a given...did anyone not love Harry Potter?) I hadn't heard of The Year of the Gadfly, but the synopsis piqued by interest so I may have to pick that one up. I recently read Blythewood, which is a paranormal boarding school book, which I really enjoyed. And the author, Carol Goodman, writes "adult" novels that are mostly set in boarding schools if you're interested. Great list! ~Pam

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  4. Great topic choice. I have read a few of these but not most of them. I think I may have to take a few of these recommendations. :)

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  5. Oh, I like what you did with the topic! I still need to finish the Harry Potter series and read THE DREAM THIEVES, and ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS is a favorite. And THE CATCHER IN THE RYE, I need to read that, too!

    Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf

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  6. I love boarding school setting too. And it all started with Harry Potter, I loved those moving staircases. :)
    Great list!
    Here's my Top Ten Books I’d Recommend To Food Lovers

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  7. Based on my feelings for a lot of these books, I'd say that I secretly love books about boarding schools. I just looked up Year of the Gadfly and fell down a goodreads hole of boarding school books.

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  8. I love boarding school books too! I have no idea because I never went to boarding school. I went to a private Catholic school for my elementary years but I wouldn't necessarily consider that boarding, although we did have to wear uniforms. One other really great book is PREP SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL. I can't remember if you've read that or not but I absolutely loved it. Suspense, murder, it has it all. I think I have a copy of MIND GAMES on my kindle app that I really need to get to. I've been wanting to read it forever but haven't had the time.

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  9. That first book on your list looks so good! I'll have to check it out soon! I also love the idea of a boarding or prep school, so I'll have to check out the ones on your list that I haven't read yet!
    My TTT

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  10. I love books set in boarding school! The book that started it all for me was The Twins at St Clare's. The Year of the Gadfly has been on my TBR list for a while, so I'll definitely bump it up and try and read it before the end of the year.

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  11. I love this list! I'll definitely be checking out the books that I haven't read yet, as I love a good boarding school setting, haha!

    My Top Ten

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  12. Great list, I think Prep is an amazing book as is Winger - loved them both when I read them :) I've definitely got to pick up a copy of Anna & the French Kiss soon, can't believe I haven't read it yet!

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  13. So after reading this I went and looked up Prep on Goodreads and I'm definitely putting on my TBR. The ratings aren't the greatest, but I never really pay attention to that anyways. It definitely sounds like something I'll enjoy, so thanks for putting that on my radar!

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  14. Great suggestions, Natalie! Have you ever read Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus? It's one of my favorite boarding school books! Oh and Hex Hall, love that series---it's actually only the first that is set in a boarding school.

    I do love a good boarding school setting! :D

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  15. Looks like a good list. Someone mentioned Blythewood, reading that now, and The Paladin Prophecy was a good boarding school book too.

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  16. Great topic! It definitely appeals to me (I made myself a "boarding schools" bookshelf on Goodreads earlier this year, and now you've given me lots more books to add!). Harry Potter for the win, of course, but I do love Anna & the French Kiss too. Nice list!

    Lisa
    My TTT

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  17. Boarding schools!! Probably everyone's favorite setting ever :D Thanks so much for the list! I haven't read a whole bunch of these!

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Hello, there! Thanks for taking the time to comment. I read each and every one and will do my best to respond--usually on your blog instead of on mine. I will, however, always answer direct questions. Due to serious time restraints, this blog is now an award free zone, but I appreciate the thought!