"The List" Item #3

"A book you love."


Okay, well I LOVE reading so there's no way I'm picking just one book that I love. (And yes, I know that I skipped Item #2... I'll come back to that one.)

What I look for in a book is either to:
1) Be highly entertained to the point where, when I read, I escape into another world.
-or-
2) Feel highly educated and enlightened after finishing it.

The best books are the ones that do both.

I kept my list down to five books. I know I'm missing some that I'll kick myself for forgetting later, but these five make a pretty good list methinks.

First up, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Just like the quote on the cover says, this book can be life changing. The story is of Leisel Meminger going to live with a foster family at the age of 9. It is cleverly narrated by Death, and takes place in Nazi Germany. When you get toward the end, make sure you have plenty of time to finish it all at once and a box of tissues nearby; you'll need both.

I have also really enjoyed reading Brandon Sanderson's works lately. They are all well-written and he is incredibly talented, imaginative, and creative.

 Mistborn is the first book in a trilogy that will blow your mind. Vin lives in the Luthadel, capitol of the Final Empire and home of the Lord Ruler--an immortal, oppressive God who has ruled for a thousand years. Can he be overthrown?
The novel starts off kind of slow to establish some character development, but once you get hooked (and if you keep reading, you will), you're a goner.
My favorite book of the trilogy, by far, is the third--The Hero of Ages. In the last five pages, Sanderson turns the fantasy world he just spent three books creating upside down, in a good way.

My favorite stand-alone book of Sanderson's is Warbreaker. It has some fun twists and was a good one to "get lost" in. I loved the ending.

Next is none other than Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. There is a reason this book is so widely loved by women; it's romantic, witty, and hilarious. The characters are "real" through their imperfections, but love is above all that; and this book demonstrates that beautifully.

I couldn't very well talk about amazing books without mentioning the Harry Potter series, now could I?

I remember reading the first book for the first time when I was in 2nd grade and being blown away by the magic of it all. J.K. Rowling really knows how to get a reader's attention, and hold it. I can honestly say that my childhood would not have been the same without these books. Between going to buy the books when they came out at midnight and staying up until all hours of the night to read "just one more chapter," I made memories with these books, wherever I took them.

And last, but most certainly not least, is Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. This book is a true eye-opener. I love how it makes you think in different ways and there's something for any kind of reader to take away. If you asked me what my one, all-time favorite book was, I would most likely say this one. It's timeless.

So, there's my list of five.

While writing this, I also thought of some other good reads like Enchantress from the Stars, Homeless Bird, Shadow Spinner, and the Alanna series.