Since I kind of missed the boat on the whole New Year's post, I thought I would just take some time to reflect on my life thus far, and give the world my top ten list of books that I have loved throughout my life. These are the ones with real staying power, that I have read until the covers are falling off. The books I go to when I need the comfort of an old friend, the stability of knowing what is going to happen and that everything is going to turn out all right. These are the books with dog ears, underlines, tea rings, broken spines, and all the devotion I have to give. So, enjoy. I hope that some of these books end up being friends to you all as well. They are in no particular order, because I just can't play favorites.
1. The Born In Trilogy, by Nora Roberts
This is technically three books, but I have them in one volume. The trilogy takes place in Ireland and chronicles the stories of three sisters. (Each book is devoted to a different sister's story.) Although Nora Roberts is solidly in the Romance category, a genre which typically has a stigma of triteness against it, these books always manage to really touch me. The emotion present in the writing is very authentic, and the characters are all supremely likable. I feel like I know them all. This is a book that is great for a rainy day.
2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K Rowling
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a Harry Potter fanatic. In fact, I have won awards (plural) for my knowledge of Harry Potter lore. But I keep coming back to the third book in the series. It's not just that I have read the books so many times that I don't need the first two books to provide context, it is that the third installment can almost completely stand on its own. This is the book where things really start to get interesting. The characters really start coming into their own. The themes start popping off the page. It is a comforting story for me, and I read it almost every fall.
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J.K. Rowlling
It was inevitable that Harry Potter would make it on here twice. Half-Blood Prince is the sixth volume of the seven-book series, and to me, it is that deep breath you take before diving into the deep end. Not a lot happens in the book action-wise. There are no dragon encounters, and very few near-death experiences. But what this book lacks in fast-paced action sequences, it makes up in information and character development. This is the book where the puzzle pieces start falling into place. I love re-reading it and seeing how everything fits together and knowing that it is all contributing to what is to come.
4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
Out of the seven books in The Chronicles of Narnia, this is by far the most popular in general. I think this is for good reason. This book has the most magic of the whole series. The most mystery, the most humor, the most Narnia-ness. I read this book for the first time when I was in third grade, and I have read it just about every year since. I never stop being enchanted by it.
5. Emma, by Jane Austen
I would love to say that I just get lost in the language of this story--that I am swept up in the romance of the era and the tapestry of words that Austen weaves. But that is not the case. The real truth is that I just find Emma herself hilarious. She is adorably self-centered and so endearingly inept at putting people together, but has such a good heart that everyone can't help but love her. It is kind of my guilty secret that Emma is my favourite Jane Austen heroine, because most people are such Elizabeth Bennett fans, but she is. I am completely charmed by her. She is the heroine who got me interested in Jane Austen, and she will always have a special place in my heart. I relish the times when I can take a short sojourn to Highbury and relax amid the overwhelmingly likable cast of characters.
6. Jemima J, by Jane Green
Chick Lit is, in my opinion, an underrated genre. The entertainment and truly heartwarming feelings to be had completely overshadow any poor writing. But in the case of Jane Green, the writing is pretty great too. And Jemima J is just a wonderful story. Jemima is a fabulously sympathetic leading lady and I have felt like I was friends with her from my first reading of the book. She is funny, charming, and intelligent, and I never stop laughing at her antics. I pull this book out when I need encouragement--almost like a shoulder to lean on when I am feeling insecure.
7. Sushi for Beginners, by Marian Keyes
If Jane Green is a master of chick lit, Marian Keyes is a genius. This is one of the few books from which I can quote whole passages from memory--but I can never do it without laughing. This novel is a sitcom in print. Wacky characters, even wackier circumstances, but with such a touching undertone that there were times when I felt myself tearing up. Keyes is brilliant at writing multiple points of view, and as a reader, one can never quite decide whose side they are on. I keep reading this book and getting something new out of it. It is the kind of book I wish I could jump into and become a part of.
8. Annabella's Diamond, by Judith Lansdowne
This is perhaps the most obscure book on the list, because it is a Zebra Regency Romance. It is the epitome of the romance genre. In fact, it was this book that really sparked my love of that era. It was purchased on a whim at Barnes and Noble when I was about twelve years old, and I have read it countless times since. It is the story of a young woman who is plucky on the inside but shy on the outside. The whole book is frothy and lighthearted, comforting like a piece of chocolate or a cup of tea. I love it.
9. King of the Wind, by Marguerite Henry
This is the true story of a horse and his boy. My deep love of horse notwithstanding, the bond that is created between the little mute stableboy and the horse with a neck so arched it was considered a deformity is so touching, so real that I can always almost believe that I am there with them, spreading straw over sand and getting cuffed by the stablemaster. This is a true underdog story. For anyone who loves horses, or really anyone who loves a good inspirational story, this is a must-read. A must-read-over-and-over-and-over.
1o. The Princess Diaries, by Meg Cabot
This book, quite simply, is the quintessential teenage girl book. It is hilarious. Like, side-splitting funny. I liked the movie quite a bit ( I have been a fan of Anne Hathaway since her career first began), but the book blows it out of the water. Mia Thermopolis is just so awkward, but the way she describes things and the way she handles things keeps it from being overly embarrassing for me, as a reader. I find myself going back to this book over and over again because it is just so funny. I haven't read any of the sequels (I think there are three or four), but I can't believe that they could live up to the first one. So I just keep reading it over and over again.
Honorable Mentions:
Confessions of a Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella
The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare
The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath
Buffalo Gal, by Bill Wallace
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle
It is hard to believe that I have time for reading anything new with all the books that Iread over and over. I may have to make this into a series. Also, in case you couldn't tell, I am a huge fan of juvenile fiction, particularly fantasy. I am a grown woman who continually reads kids' books. I am not ashamed.
Go forth, and read my favorites! I have to go revisit some other classics.
1. The Born In Trilogy, by Nora Roberts
This is technically three books, but I have them in one volume. The trilogy takes place in Ireland and chronicles the stories of three sisters. (Each book is devoted to a different sister's story.) Although Nora Roberts is solidly in the Romance category, a genre which typically has a stigma of triteness against it, these books always manage to really touch me. The emotion present in the writing is very authentic, and the characters are all supremely likable. I feel like I know them all. This is a book that is great for a rainy day.
2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K Rowling
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a Harry Potter fanatic. In fact, I have won awards (plural) for my knowledge of Harry Potter lore. But I keep coming back to the third book in the series. It's not just that I have read the books so many times that I don't need the first two books to provide context, it is that the third installment can almost completely stand on its own. This is the book where things really start to get interesting. The characters really start coming into their own. The themes start popping off the page. It is a comforting story for me, and I read it almost every fall.
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J.K. Rowlling
It was inevitable that Harry Potter would make it on here twice. Half-Blood Prince is the sixth volume of the seven-book series, and to me, it is that deep breath you take before diving into the deep end. Not a lot happens in the book action-wise. There are no dragon encounters, and very few near-death experiences. But what this book lacks in fast-paced action sequences, it makes up in information and character development. This is the book where the puzzle pieces start falling into place. I love re-reading it and seeing how everything fits together and knowing that it is all contributing to what is to come.
4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
Out of the seven books in The Chronicles of Narnia, this is by far the most popular in general. I think this is for good reason. This book has the most magic of the whole series. The most mystery, the most humor, the most Narnia-ness. I read this book for the first time when I was in third grade, and I have read it just about every year since. I never stop being enchanted by it.
5. Emma, by Jane Austen
I would love to say that I just get lost in the language of this story--that I am swept up in the romance of the era and the tapestry of words that Austen weaves. But that is not the case. The real truth is that I just find Emma herself hilarious. She is adorably self-centered and so endearingly inept at putting people together, but has such a good heart that everyone can't help but love her. It is kind of my guilty secret that Emma is my favourite Jane Austen heroine, because most people are such Elizabeth Bennett fans, but she is. I am completely charmed by her. She is the heroine who got me interested in Jane Austen, and she will always have a special place in my heart. I relish the times when I can take a short sojourn to Highbury and relax amid the overwhelmingly likable cast of characters.
6. Jemima J, by Jane Green
Chick Lit is, in my opinion, an underrated genre. The entertainment and truly heartwarming feelings to be had completely overshadow any poor writing. But in the case of Jane Green, the writing is pretty great too. And Jemima J is just a wonderful story. Jemima is a fabulously sympathetic leading lady and I have felt like I was friends with her from my first reading of the book. She is funny, charming, and intelligent, and I never stop laughing at her antics. I pull this book out when I need encouragement--almost like a shoulder to lean on when I am feeling insecure.
7. Sushi for Beginners, by Marian Keyes
If Jane Green is a master of chick lit, Marian Keyes is a genius. This is one of the few books from which I can quote whole passages from memory--but I can never do it without laughing. This novel is a sitcom in print. Wacky characters, even wackier circumstances, but with such a touching undertone that there were times when I felt myself tearing up. Keyes is brilliant at writing multiple points of view, and as a reader, one can never quite decide whose side they are on. I keep reading this book and getting something new out of it. It is the kind of book I wish I could jump into and become a part of.
8. Annabella's Diamond, by Judith Lansdowne
This is perhaps the most obscure book on the list, because it is a Zebra Regency Romance. It is the epitome of the romance genre. In fact, it was this book that really sparked my love of that era. It was purchased on a whim at Barnes and Noble when I was about twelve years old, and I have read it countless times since. It is the story of a young woman who is plucky on the inside but shy on the outside. The whole book is frothy and lighthearted, comforting like a piece of chocolate or a cup of tea. I love it.
9. King of the Wind, by Marguerite Henry
This is the true story of a horse and his boy. My deep love of horse notwithstanding, the bond that is created between the little mute stableboy and the horse with a neck so arched it was considered a deformity is so touching, so real that I can always almost believe that I am there with them, spreading straw over sand and getting cuffed by the stablemaster. This is a true underdog story. For anyone who loves horses, or really anyone who loves a good inspirational story, this is a must-read. A must-read-over-and-over-and-over.
1o. The Princess Diaries, by Meg Cabot
This book, quite simply, is the quintessential teenage girl book. It is hilarious. Like, side-splitting funny. I liked the movie quite a bit ( I have been a fan of Anne Hathaway since her career first began), but the book blows it out of the water. Mia Thermopolis is just so awkward, but the way she describes things and the way she handles things keeps it from being overly embarrassing for me, as a reader. I find myself going back to this book over and over again because it is just so funny. I haven't read any of the sequels (I think there are three or four), but I can't believe that they could live up to the first one. So I just keep reading it over and over again.
Honorable Mentions:
Confessions of a Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella
The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare
The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath
Buffalo Gal, by Bill Wallace
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle
It is hard to believe that I have time for reading anything new with all the books that Iread over and over. I may have to make this into a series. Also, in case you couldn't tell, I am a huge fan of juvenile fiction, particularly fantasy. I am a grown woman who continually reads kids' books. I am not ashamed.
Go forth, and read my favorites! I have to go revisit some other classics.
Gosh, you really weren't kidding... we've written close to the same post! I love your favorites. And I love that you limit yourself to the full HP series only twice a year. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, have I been living in a hole? How did I not know about this blog? Excuse my rude ignorance! I would have been following you from Day One, except that I apparently walk around with my eyes shut.
Great shout-out for YA, by the way. I love grown-up ownership of the genre.
Hooray for comfort books! Lovely post.