I got sick the end of January and it held on for about 5 days, then two of my kiddos got sick, then I watched my brothers kids while they went to Hawaii and they all came with bad colds. Not a lot of time for sewing. But I did have a lot of time for reading, since I could read while sick, read while at the doctor’s office, or read while the kids played with their cousins.
So today we’re going to discuss books. Your favorite books. My favorite books. Here is a list of my top 10 favorite books of all time—in no particular order.
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
These Is My Words by Nancy E. Turner
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freeman
In addition to those, I loved the Twilight Series and The Hunger Games.
I just read Matched by Ally Condie and enjoyed that.
The Fablehaven books are a fun, fast read if you like fantasy books. I’ve not read all of the Harry Potter books [don’t shoot me], but the Fablehaven ones would be fun to read with your kids as they aren’t as scary.
I also recently read Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. I did like it, but be warned that there is sex in it.
On my near future list to read:
These is My Words (again)
Sarah’s Quilt (the book after These is My Words)
Rumors of War (I read a couple of these long ago and remember really liking them, but it’s been a while)
So now it’s your turn! Tell me what some of your favorite books are and what is on your to-read list?
I love, love, love The Help. And A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I am about finished with The Summer Kitchen and it is wonderful too… I found some funny mysteries that I also enjoy are Diane Mott Davidson’s bakery mysteries. Love them. :)
Oh my gosh, Mrs Mike!! I haven’t thought about that book in years, but it was always one of my favorites! After I had my first baby and was nursing around the clock, I read the entire “Vienna Prelude” series. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and that series is unputdownable (some way-too-sad parts for a new mom though!)
-A
Oh – Mrs. Mike! I love that book so much and read it over and over again when I was younger. Thanks for the reminder!
Just finished The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. It’s still stuck in my mind 3 days later. Such a great book. The Thirteenth Tale also a good one…oh and Pillars of the Earth.
I have The Help & The book theif on my to read list – now just to find the time. :)
The Time-Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffinegger is my all time fav. So much better than the movie! I just finished One Day by David Nicholls and it was very good too.
We must like most of the same books! You have listed a few of my favorites, too! I could NOT get enough of These is My Words and all of the books by Nancy Turner. I LOVED The Help and several of the others you’ve listed. I’ll write down the others that I have not read…I know I’ll love them, too! Have your read Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier? It’s one of my ALL time favs! And ALL of the books by Jane Austen! Happy reading! ♥♥♥ (it makes me want to do a list!)
I just finished Water For Elephants and LOVED it! (I may have been prompted to read it by the movie coming out in April with Rob Pattinson, but whatever)
Stiched in Color recently blogged about this new site for Book Lovers…looks so fun!
http://lovestitched.blogspot.com/2011/02/do-you-love-to-read.html
And here’s a post about my favorite books! Add to it Water for Elephants!
http://sewsupersweet.blogspot.com/2010/09/my-fave-fridaybooks.html
I did a favorite books post a few weeks ago – you can see it here:
http://mytwobutterflies.blogspot.com/search/label/Books
I also had The Glass Castle on my list, really want to read The Help, and will have to check out some of your others. Thanks for a great list!
Many of these are my favorites as well, but you’ve got some on here I’ve never heard of including Ms. Mike and These Is My Words. I’m going to check these out! I’m reading Potato Peel Society now. You should check out Peace Like a River, The Kitchen Boy and Pillars of the Earth. Here is a list of what I think are good reads. http://sherrietraveling.wordpress.com/good-reads/
I love so many of the books on your list!
A few others:
Snowflower and the Secret Fan
One Thousand White Women
Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia
Outlander (it’s a series, and my very favorite!)
Oh, I loved The Help, The Book Thief, and These is My Words although the 2nd book is not as good as the first, in my opinion.
I recently read Room, by Emma Donahue. Very good although kind of mindblowing and sad. I loved the Hunger Games series, as well.
Next on my list is I am Number Four, Cutting for Stone, and Little Bee.
I guess I’m going to have to check out this Mrs. Mike! Some of my faves, (in no specific order) Steinbeck’s East of Eden; Jacobs’ The Year of Living Biblically; Kingsolver’s Poisonwood bible; Bronte’s Jane Eyre; and last but not least Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Thanks! This was fun to think about and I enjoyed reading the other responses.
We must have the same taste in good books! I also loved The Kite Runner and Lovely Bones. I will have to read Mr. Mike!
hope you’re all on the mend Christie. :) I’ve actually been reading books lately!! I’ve read most of the twilight series, just have eclipse left. I read them out of order mainly because after watching eclipse I needed to know the ending! I’ve turned into a huge fan, never thought I would say that. Anyway, reading has been really nice. :) And my girls don’t mind if I read a chapter here and there (unlike how they totally dislike it when I jump on the computer).
I kept wondering when I’d see Mrs. Mike up there, I remember you having me read that in high school. :) I just may go back and read it again. And thanks for all the suggestions, I’m going to go put some on hold at the library. You’re so good at reading btw, I need to make more time for that instead of other wasteful/mind numbing things. ;)
Get out of town! Our lists are are almost the same. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant is most favorite, followed by The Glass Castle, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and These Is My Words. I’m reading the Flavia de Luce series now, the first one called The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and am loving it. Try Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls….almost as good as The Glass Castle!
I agree with many of your books. Mrs Mike, Wow! I’ve thought about that book but couldn’t remember the name of it. Thanks for reminding me! My dad read me the Narnia and Lord of the Rings series when I was a kid, and I am now reading the Narnia books to my boys, 6,8,10. They are loving it. My kids and sewing keep me busy, I’d love to read more, but I keep falling asleep!
I must be out of the loop as I have read none of those fabulous-sounding books! Most of my reading time is spent previewing books for my teen/preteen boys…that being said, there is a great genre out there if you don’t mind a little adventure and fantasy. We have loved the “Fablehaven” series, the “Inkheart” series, of course “Harry Potter”. For personal reading I have enjoyed the “Hunger Games” and a series by a local author titled “Discovering Isaac”. Maybe I’ll branch out a little with these new recomendations! Thanks Christie
Great list!
My favorite book (series) EVER is the Mark of the Lion trilogy by Francine Rivers. It takes a little while to get into the first book, but then you just can’t stop reading. Very fascinating Christian historical fiction.
Oh! I love books! I have a hard time narrowing down my favorites. The princess by Lori wick. prisioners of Hope by Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer (this one is AWESOME!) A perfect persecution by ?? Lucas, don’t know his first name. This one can be weird in places, but I love its story line.
What a great list. That gave me some great ideas of books to read. I read “water for Elephants” a fews ago and loved it.
I also just read “I am Number Four” and loved it!
Hello Christie! You have two of my all time favourites – The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Poisonwood Bible. My then 4-5 year daughter chose Potato Peel Pie for me off the shelf as a gift as she liked the cover – and promptly disproved the theory about judging a book by its cover. I’m going to note down your list and start working through the ones I haven’t read. I am currently reading the Elm Creek Novels and am up to number 4 – The Runaway Quilt. :) Kirrily.
If you loved The Book Thief, you will love “I am the Messenger” by the same author. I have no time to read, so I listen to books on CD in my car. I am listening to that one again it was so good. :)
Almost all those books are on my list too! I will definetly check out Mrs. Mike. And I agree with another commenter that Sarahs Quilt wasnt quite as good as These is My Words-probably because a certain someone is missing from the story!
Another really good read is Pope Joan (Cross). Interesting and thought-provoking. Also worth mentioning are Cold Sassy Tree (Burns), A Northern Light (Donnelly), Falling Leaves (Mah), In My Hands (Opdyke). Loved them all!
And someone mentioned the Vienna Prelude series and they were all good historical fictions. And if its time to revisit some old classics-To Kill a Mockingbird, Bleakhouse, or any Jane Austen are sure to never disappoint!
Also getting ready to read Half Broke Horses, by Wells, the same author as the Glass Castle. Hopefully it is good!
I wasn’t a reader till recently. I have so much catching up to do!
I grew up in Chile and my favorite author is a Chilen woman that writes historical fiction. Translations do her justice. She is an exquisite writer, great stories! “The House of the Spirits” was the first book she wrote, and made her famous. But it is the last book of a trilogy. The first “Daughter of Fortune” is my favorite, “Portrait in Sepia” is book two.
Loved Harry Potter and Hunger Games, now reading The Forgotten Garden.
Icing on the Cake
By: Elodia Strain
Modest Proposal
By: Michelle Ashman Bell
Perfect Timing
By: Michelle Ashman Bell
Promise of Spring
By:Kristen McKendry
Christmas Letters
By: Debbie Macomber
Divinely Designed
By: Rachel Renee Anderson
Finding Paradise
By: Michelle Ashman Bell
Hearts in Hiding
By: Betsy Brannon Green
I love to read! These are some of my favorites… Enjoy!
Right now I am reading some cheesy murder mystery that I got super on clearance at Kroger of all places. That’s embarrassing to type.
But also I’m reading the Grimm Sisters series with my 11 year old. I’ve tried to make it a habit of reading things before she does..these books have been pretty harmless and she is tearing through them.
My question is this…I had a young girl tell me in Borders that she would probably like the Hunger Games…and though she is very mature for her age, LOVES to read, particularly series, she is only 11. Is she too young for Hunger Games? I have to admit I know nothing about them. Any advice?
AmanDa, I’m not sure about the 11 year old thing. I’m so unsure of the appropriate age for the book, because the main idea is pretty horrible (fight to the finish and only one winner, the rest are supposed to be killed). But the book is not graphic about describing. So I’d probably suggest waiting, but how about you read them first and then decide if they are ok for her. Since my oldest is 7, I don’t konw how I would feel when he’s 11, but like I said, I’d probably wait.