Here they are...not necessarily the ten best, not necessarily the ten most critically renowned, but ten that stick out in my mind. (In semi-sort-of chronological order of when I discovered them.) A lot of them fall within the children's/YA/NA realm, which isn't very surprising, even at this age! Plus, I truly believe, you impact a reader early on, you impact a reader for life.
1)
THE COUNTRY BUNNY AND THE LITTLE GOLD SHOES
(DuBose Heywar)
I appreciate this sadly beautiful tale in a
whole new light nowadays (You GO Mama Rabbit! You ARE as swift and smart as
those jackrabbits and you CAN make your dreams come true with all those babies
at home. Way to whip them into shape,
btw!), but as a little girl, this was always a holiday favorite thanks to the
sweet tale and dreamily beautiful illustrations. Associate this one with happy
Easter memories.
“Cottontail knocked on the
big front door and was admitted to the Palace. There she stood in her funny
country clothes but none of the other four Easter Bunnies laughed, for they
were wise and kind and knew better.”
2)
DEAR SISTER – SWEET VALLEY HIGH (Francine
Pascal)
I think I borrowed this one from my dad’s
classroom library a few years before I should have and boy was I hooked. Oh,
the drama and suffering Jessica underwent as poor Elizabeth lingered in her
coma and then emerged to try to steal Jessica’s boyfriend. And welcome to the
world of YA series literature. The anticipation I felt walking into the
bookstore at Coventry Mall after Friday night dinners with the family at the
possibility of the next book in the series being on the shelf. The sweeping
letters of the SVH covers will forever make me smile and I remember the
personalities of each and every character between those covers.
“She’ll probably have all the work made up
and a dozen stories written for The Oracle before I finish that one stupid book
report on Moby Dick. I mean, Todd, who really cares about whales?'
Todd did, but he let the comment slide by.”
Todd did, but he let the comment slide by.”
3)
LOVE SHACK – OCEAN CITY (Katherine Applegate)
When I realized that YA literature was just
delicious. My friends and I thought these books were downright scandalous,
although I’m sure now they’d be totally G-rated by comparison. Kate and
Justin’s romance was a stand-out, and throw in racy Gracey for a titillating
love triangle. ;) This book was the most memorable of the
series and remained a favorite. This book = summers curled up in my parent’s
recliner with fresh-brewed iced tea and homemade Rice Krispie treats. Fab.
Why on Earth can’t I find a quote from this
book???
4)
WHITE OLEANDER (Janet Fitch)
Somewhere along the way I got sucked into
Oprah’s book club. Many of the books, I didn’t get what the fuss was all about,
but this one stuck with me. Such vivid characters and amazing imagery (Olivia’s
lifestyle in particular). The
Astrid/Claire relationship really tore me up and made me angry about the movie
casting. Sadly beautiful book.
“I almost said, you’re not broken, you’re
just going through something. But I couldn’t. She knew. There was something
terribly wrong with her, all the way inside. She was like a big diamond with a
dead spot in the middle. I was supposed to breathe life into that dead spot, but
it hadn’t worked.”
5)
I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE (Wally Lamb)
A lot of people favored SHE’S COME UNDONE, but
venturing into the world of psychology at the time, I liked this one. It was a
bear to get through and remains one of the most depressing pieces of literature
I ever picked up. It gets a spot on this list because by the time I finished
it, I felt I truly earned the revelations at the end in the same way the main
character did. And that revelation was worded so simply and yet so powerfully,
it’s always stayed with me.
“I am not a smart man, particularly, but one
day, at long last, I stumbled from the dark woods of my own, and my family's,
and my country's past, holding in my hands these truths: that love grows from
the rich loam of forgiveness; that mongrels make good dogs; that the evidence
of God exists in the roundness of things. This much, at least, I've figured
out. I know this much is true.”
6)
THE GIRLS’ GUIDE TO HUNTING AND FISHING (Melissa
Bank)
Such unique and interesting and true
perspectives on relationships. Loved
this book that reads like a bunch of little short stories strung together.
“You don’t need a reason to forgive,” she
says. “If you want to go on with someone, that is what you do.”
7)
RITES OF SPRING BREAK – SECRET SOCIETY GIRL (Diana
Peterfreund)
I believe this is now categorized with the
New Adult genre, but at the time I read it, it didn’t have a name. All I know is that it was a welcome break
from ‘chick lit,’ yet had all the juicy goodness of YA romance on whole ‘nother
smarter, wittier, deeper level. I relished this entire series. Read this one on
a chaise in Fiji while my new hubby opened a coconut with his bare hands for
me. Of course there are good memories. J And it contains my most favorite literary
couple EVER!
He didn't look up. "This is all just
between us, right?"
"Yeah."
"I wouldn't say he likes you."
"Oh." Oh. Of course not. How stupid of me. How ridiculous, really-
"He's pretty much in love with you.”
"Yeah."
"I wouldn't say he likes you."
"Oh." Oh. Of course not. How stupid of me. How ridiculous, really-
"He's pretty much in love with you.”
8)
TWILIGHT SAGA (Stephenie Meyer)
You want me to lie and NOT give it a spot
on this list? C’mon now. Regardless of what the critical masses thought,
regardless of what I may think now, Twilight stuck with me. And then some. Man,
I loved this series. She created a phenomenon no one could ever quite put a
finger on, but for those of us who loved it, we got it. (Team Edward, btw – the
shirt still hangs in my closet to prove it. Mwah. No really, it does.)
“And the sound of your heart. It’s the most
significant sound in my world.”
9)
WIDE AWAKE (“Angst Goddess003”/S.M.)
Nope, it was never made into a book and
will only be made into a book over her cold, dead body. But this woman can
WRITE. She can write better than 99% of the writers who are published and she
writes from the love and craft of writing above and beyond most of them too.
This story is devastatingly tragic and wonderful and funny and engaging.
“...we’d be okay. Not perfect, not entirely
healthy, not even rational where our love for one another was concerned. Just
okay. Merely sufficient, at best. But there’d be only acceptance—never shame—in
being two divine failures as we emerged from slumber, perfectly flawed, and
wide awake.”
10)
THE BOOK THIEF (Markus Zusak)
This one has a special spot in my heart
because “Papa” reminds me so much of my father, and the relationship between
him and Liesel is heartwrenchingly precious.
And Rudy? Forget about it. But
really, it’s the scene where Liesel insists on marching beside Max once he’s
been captured that burrowed into my memory and will stay there. It’s one thing to have/show compassion, it’s
another when that compassion calls for bravery in the face of such a horrifying
threat. And that’s a life lesson right
there.
"Liesel shrugged away entirely from the crowd and entered the tide of Jews, weaving through them till she grabbed hold of his arm with her left hand. His face fell on her. It reached down as she tripped, and the Jew, the nasty Jew, helped her up. It took all of his strength.
"I'm here, Max," she said again. "I'm here."
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