Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Posts I’ve Written That Give You the Best Glimpse of Me
My blog is less than a year old and I don’t feel like I’ve got a lot of posts that give you a good glimpse of me. Maybe in a couple of years’ time I’ll have more to choose from, but for now, I’m going to share ten books that have somehow shaped me or meant something to me.
This is so difficult because obviously there are a lot more than ten books that have shaped me and/or meant something to me, but I’ll try to choose the best representations.
Top Ten Books That Give You The Best Glimpse of Me
- The Light Bearer by Donna Gillespie – I got this book as a gift when I was 11 years old and I’ve been rereading it regularly since. It was one of my favorite books as a child and it’s still a favorite now. It’s not very well-known, but I recommend it as often as I can to anyone I can! I loved it because it showed me how strong girls and women can be, that they can make waves in a man’s world even when everything is stacked against them.
- A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin – I read the first book right before I got diagnosed with cancer at 19 years old, and I bought the next two books right after. It got me through a tough time. Obviously, it’s really good and I think I would’ve loved it even if I wasn’t going through cancer. This series was my go-to answer for “If you could only bring one book with you to a deserted island…” for years. I cheated because it’s a series, but still!
- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas – I remember the first time I read this book; it was a long weekend and spent it all reading this book. I read it while having meals, if I remembered to eat. I fell asleep with the lights on because I kept reading until I couldn’t stay awake anymore. I woke up and immediately went back to reading. I’m not sure if I took a shower until I finished the book. It was so intense, I could not stop reading and I just needed to know what happened next. I’ve reread it many times since and I still love it.
- The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo – This book is the closest representation to my history and culture I’ve ever come across and I love it. It’s set in Malaysia in the 1900’s and it reminds me so much of my family and the superstitions I was brought up with. It’s also just a really good story and I love it!
- The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown – Maybe better to say, everything by Brené Brown. I love her work and everything she puts out really helps me become a better person. I learn a lot from her books, and I’m still learning to apply the lessons.
- Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery – You’ve heard me talk about these books recently because I’ve been rereading them. I just love them because Anne is such a happy, magical-thinking, kindred spirit, and it’s so wholesome and always gives me such a happy outlook to life. Rereading them has brought back a lot of childlike wonderment for me.
- The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins – These books are darker, but somehow they mean so much to me because of stuff I went through. Although I love being happy and optimistic, sometimes bad things happen, sometimes people hurt you, and sometimes life is unfair. This book helped me understand that although some things are out of my control, I can still choose what I do with what I have. I love them more now than when I first read them because every time I reread, I discover something more meaningful.
- Thirst series by Christopher Pike – Christopher Pike was one of my favorite authors as a child and I read everything he wrote. I preferred his books over R.L. Stine even though Stine is apparently more popular. Previously known as The Last Vampire series, Thirst is still one of my favorite vampire stories.
- Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster – Also a recent reread, and one that gives me so much nostalgia. I mentioned in my recent review that this book helped shape a lot of my own journaling style and irreverent nature in my journals. It also makes me wish I had more penpals! Bonus: The Conversations with God books by Neale Donald Walsch were also great because that’s when I learned to talk irreverently to God too. 😂
- The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – I love the whole idea of morning pages, because journaling. But more than that, a lot of what’s in this book feels really healing and cathartic to the artist within me. I’ve gone through this book a few times and sometimes I’ll listen to the audiobook, and even when I don’t do the exercises, it just makes me feel encouraged and supported.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
