World Book Day, My Favourite Books

Today is World Book Day, and as a result I decided I would spice up my blog and venture out of the normal posts of life antics and travels and controversial topics we all really want discussed. Instead, I'm toning it down and doing a book review. For those of you who don't know, reading is pretty much my only super power. I read more than anyone I know and ridiculously fast, sometimes so fast I regret it and have to reread the book. Every Saturday whilst I was growing up, my dad would take us to the library and myself and my sister would sit for hours mulling over which books to get out, I ever wanted was to be Matilda. To me, nothing beats getting lost in a good book, it's something I could discuss forever, but for the purpose of making this blog post a normal length, I'm going to continue.

Giving Emma Watson a run for her money at World Book Day 2003
1) Frankenstein, Mary Shelley

This is the only 'classic' I have in my top 5 books. Although I went through a phase of getting through all the 'must reads' a couple of years ago, Frankenstein is the only one which truly resonated with me. Brief summary, it's about a scientist called Dr. Frankenstein who discovers the equation for 'life' and decided to create a man, except the man does not look like anything he ever expected and is instead a monster, the story then follows Frankenstein's monster. This is a really beautiful story, and if you haven't read it then I highly recommend. It's nothing like what I ever thought it would be, and the old English isn't particularly old at all. I fell in love with this book on my gap year, and it's one of the only books I bought to university with me. 

2) The Storyteller, Jodi Picoult

The Storyteller is one of those books you have to sit and think about afterwards.  I am a huge Jodi Picoult fan, she's my favourite contemporary author, but this book is above and beyond anything I've ever read by her (aka, every book she's written). The book is divided between three people who all tie in together, a young woman, her grandmother who was a Jew caught in the holocaust, and an ex-Nazi who lives in the same town as the young woman. Just writing about this book makes me want to read it again, it might be my favourite book of all time. It's hugely moving and impeccably well written on such a tough subject (to put it mildly). Just be warned, if you read it you will need tissues, and you will need a solid half an hour post-finishing to sort out your brain. 


3) A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns was a huge eye opener for me, despite my degree in Politics and International Relations, I really know very little about Afghanistan and the Middle East during the Taliban years. As a middle class white western woman, it's very easy to be caught up in the media and what they spoon feed you, and despite knowing my dad had traveled through these countries when he was younger, I automatically assumed Afghanistan was a country of war and destruction. This book follows the story of Mariam, from a young girl all the way through her life as the beautiful country of Afghanistan is torn apart. It's an incredible book and up there with The Storyteller as one of the most moving books I've ever read.


4) The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown

I first read Dan Browns, The Da Vinci Code, when I was 12. My teacher showed us an excerpt in Year 8 (9th Grade) and honed in on how we couldn't read the whole book, so I obviously, stuck my hand up and boasted about having finished it the month before. Classic 13 year old Alice. Since then, I've reread it a couple of times and it never fails to inspire me. I love a good mystery, and The Da Vinci Code is a ridiculously well written take on the conspiracy surrounding The Last Supper. I read the sequels to this book but none of them lived up, this is a good'un, but it does make your head hurt a bit. It also made me want to be a cryptographer for the next year.


5) The Harry Potter Books (yes, all of them), J.K. Rowling

I couldn't write a list of my favourite books without including Harry Potter. In fact, I could probably write a blog post on my love for Harry Potter entirely. I read my first Harry Potter book when I was 7, and haven't looked back. I honestly believe Harry Potter played a huge part in developing my love of reading, and for the next 5 books (the first two had already come out by the time I'd started), me and my dad had a routine set of waking up at 5am to get the book on the day it came out, and then arguing over who was going to read it, and me ending up going and buying another one. As a result have 2 copies of every book, so if you need to borrow one, let me know. I feel so lucky to be in the generation of children which grew up with Harry Potter, and there really is something to be said about J.K. Rowling creating a book which can be read by anyone from age 5-105. If you haven't read the Harry Potter books, at least give them a try, billions of people can't all be wrong.

Writing this blog post made me feel all warm and tingly inside! I truly love reading, cosy-ing up on a sofa with a hot drink and a great book is my idea of a great night. If anyone has any recommendations then let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear your favourite books! How do you feel about these types of blog posts? Let me know if you couldn't care less!

I hope you're all having wonderful weeks- I am currently feeling like there just isn't enough hours in the day!

Ciao for Now!
x

6 comments

  1. Jodi Picoult is one of my faaaavorites too! I love 19 minutes, but I haven't read The Storyteller, guess I'll have to check that one out! I feel like I never have time to read unless I'm on holiday, can I book a holiday so that I can read? ha I like these type of blog posts! Just cause I like adding things to my "must check this thing out" list.
    Great post! :)
    xx
    Kenzie
    Behindhazeleyes06.blogspot.com

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  2. Thank goodness twitter wasn't a thing when Harry Potter was coming out, facebook was enough, I had to avoid it for a week whilst I read the latest book!
    I wouldn't have thought of Frankensetin as beautiful . . may I ask in what way is the book this? I'd love to know :)

    Amy at Amy & More

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  3. The Storyteller sounds really interesting, I don't think it's something I'd normally read but it sounds like so a lovely story from what you've described. I read Frankenstein for English and I'm sorry to disappoint you but I despised it haha, it's probably just because it brought me quite a bit of stress whilst studying it haha.

    Kathryn
    nimblenote.blogspot.com

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  4. Gah, all the Harry potter feels! They are truly amazing and I feel so blessed like you say to have been a part of the generation that got to have the excitement of waiting for the new book!! Forever the best!


    Sophia :) xxx


    Small and Happy lifestyle blog

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  5. Ahh I love Harry Potter!!! Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors, simply because you have to sit and think about the book and the topics they discuss when you finish. I haven't read The Storyteller yet, but it's sitting on my shelf in the to-read pile. Maybe that needs to get bumped to the front... :)
    x Heidi
    http://heidis1haven.blogspot.com/

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  6. Alice I loved this blog post! Seriously Harry Potter audio books have been my car trips for the entire of my life; I swear I know them backwards. I was wondering if you'd read any of Isabel Allende's books, if you haven't I think you'd like her writing; I think Eva Luna is her best book. I still think about all the time having read it about a year ago.
    Caitlin :D
    http://c41tlin.blogspot.com.au/

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