books

I get emails quite a lot about books. I guess because I talk about them a lot.

Anyways a lot of you have asked what my top five books are. 

That is REALLY hard seeing how my amazon wish list has 85 books currently waiting to be purchased (I think it's time to invest in a kindle) 

But for the sake of trying to answer your question.

I will try to choose my top 5 books I think are must reads.

1. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

"Inside the snow globe on my father's desk, there was a penguin wearing a red-and-white-striped scarf. When I was little my father would pull me into his lap and reach for the snow globe. He would turn it over, letting all the snow collect on the top, then quickly invert it. The two of us watched the snow fall gently around the penguin. The penguin was alone in there, I thought, and I worried for him. When I told my father this, he said, 'Don't worry Susie; he has a nice life. He's trapped in a perfect world."

Now. Before you stop reading the rest of my list right now because you see this one has taken the number one spot, you have to TOTALLY disregard the horrific movie based on the book with Marky Mark as the star. It is just awful and doesn't do a hint of justice for this amazing book.

I have loved this book since it came out in 2004. When I was in high school. and I have probably read it twelve times since and weep every.single.time.

I remember reading a part in the book where Susie meets her grandfather and they dance together. It sounds lame. But I remember vividly crying and reading this one part about five times.

And that is why I LOVE this book more than any other.

It is written in the most beautiful way possible. You know how song lyrics just sometimes move you? Well that is how I feel about this book, it is written so beautifully that it just moves you. And on top of that I think it is amazing that the author was able to write in such a romantically/beautiful/haunting way about the most horrific subject: murder.

Read it. 

2. Atonement

Again. Another amazingly beautiful book. It is just written SO well. And it is a tough story. But it's a tough story you stick with due to the plot development/character development and for the authors ability to weave in a deep life issue: Atonement and what that really means into a story that affects the life of each character in very different ways.

3. The Kite Runner

I WEEPED reading this book.

It was so hard for me to get into but once I did, I was totally invested. It is just such a sweet sweet story about love and friendship that is SO moving. And  along with a story of love and friendship, the author is able to weave in the history and turmoil of Afghanistan through his characters.

4. Harry Potter 

I mean obviously.

I have a dog named after this series.

They are incredibly well written. and everytime I reread them I am just in awe over the details Rowling was able to come up with. On top of amazing plots and characters she weaves in deep social issues and moral issues. I just really appreciate her creativity and gift for writing.

5. The Virgin Suicides

Yea. It's a weird morbid subject. But what I really love about this book is how the author doesn't explain the why and how of the 5 sisters, who are the center of this story, suicides. He takes the perspective of a middle school neighborhood boy who describes the lure and awe of these five sisters and the haunting events that lead to their unraveling.