Ten of My Favorite Novels & Why

Ten of My Favorite Novels & Why

If you’ve been on Facebook over the past two weeks, you’ve probably noticed that people have been making a list of their favorite ten books and tagging other people.

When I first saw this, I got kind of panicky. I am an avid reader. I keep books beside our bed, beside the bathtub, in my diaper bag and purse.

I am probably one of the last people in my age group to not have a Kindle. But it’s not because I judge those who do.

It’s because I don’t think I could control myself if I could impulse-buy books at the press of a button.

My toddler does need diapers, ya know. . . .

So this week, I somehow processed through the stacks of books, selecting the ones that have stood out and changed me–as a reader, writer, and person.

1. Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery: I received this series when I was eight years old, and though I was initially daunted by the thickness of the books, once I started reading them, I could. not. stop. My bookshelves are still clotted with these now yellowed pages, and I will pass them off to my daughter who–to my utmost joy!–already loves books.

2. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith: A beautiful librarian introduced me to this book when I was a pre-teen, and though I was initially skeptical, I quickly devoured this coming-of-age novel set in a crumbling English castle in the 1920s. No matter your age, this book is a delight! Read more about it here.

3. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt: This book is considered a children’s novel, but its gentle approach to life and death and the meaning of our existence is timeless and so beautiful that it will make you cry. I was reading it when I wrote this blog post, “To Everything There Is A Season.”

4. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: Like so many of us, I read this novel in high school, and it resonated deep within me. I have never forgotten this story, and its message about judging others, which was why The Outcast is a modern retelling. I am simply paying homage to Mr. Hawthorne.

5. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Could I live in the south and not recommend this book? My private school didn’t allow us to read Harper’s classic, but when I read it on the sly, I was absolutely blown away. If we have a son, I might name him Atticus–but don’t tell my husband!

6. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë: I read this book in the spring while sprawled across an old quilt on our land. I remember the sun, that thawing warmth, and this story that transported my mind. One of my favorites out of my “favorites” list.

7. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell: I was so heartbroken at this story’s end (He was just speaking out of hurt, Scarlett! He does care!) that I tracked down the “sequel” Scarlett, which was written by someone else, and then almost threw it across the room once I realized how terrible it was.

8. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson: This luminous, Pulitzer prize-winning book is like a grown-up version of Tuck Everlasting. It deals with life, death, and the meaning of our existence. I reread, about ten times, a scene about a dying father watching his young son stream soap bubbles across the sky. So, so well-done that this novel is almost transcendent.

9. The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin: This debut novel set in an orchard in Washington took hold of me from the opening pages and didn’t let go. It is uniquely written and sparsely punctuated, but I wanted to just live in that orchard, eat the fruit, and lie in the grass. Amanda was, I believe, under thirty when she wrote it.

10. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green: Glancing down through my list, I realize that almost every one of these books has made me cry. The Fault In Our Stars was certainly no exception. I had just suffered a loss when I read this book, and I remember sitting on the porch and reaching the pages like a prayer. The story is about two “star-crossed” teenagers who fall in love. The simple story is heightened by the fact that, while coming-of-age, they are both fighting cancer. My best friend, Misty, is in remission after receiving a bone marrow transplant five years ago. Everything about this story hit home hard.

Oh, the power of fiction.

What are some of your favorite novels and why?

On Tuesday, swing by Southern Belle View Daily where I will be sharing a vlog about my ten favorite non-fiction books!