TOP TEN TUESDAY: Ten Books I am Thankful For

A weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is

Top Ten Books I am Thankful For

HannahCassie's Top Ten 

Oh this is hard to narrow down! There are so many books that I thankful for but I will try, key word try, to make somehow a list of only ten books that I am most thankful for! But keep in mind that this is not a list of my favorite books but rather the list of books that got me where I am today. Oh and the list is in no particular order!

• The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I think this one will be on everybody's list. Personally, I always loved reading but this trilogy is truly deep in my heart. I will always stay true to the Hunger Games even if it is over. 

 

• True Blood Series by Charlaine Harris

There is something about these books that I absolutely unconditionally love. I love Sookie and I love the way Charlaine Harris wrote her story. Surely, I did not like the ending of the series but well nothing is perfect! Every time I look at this series on my shelf it makes me all warm inside. 

 

• Blood Promise by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy #4)

This book just wrecked me. I was in my first year of university when I read it and omg I walked all week with red puffy eyes and people were asking what is wrong and I could not tell them it is the book that is wrong. Terrible terrible things Richelle Mead has done to me. But I love it and I love the whole series, nothing has ever inspired me this much to travel to Russia as this series. 

• Dina's book by Herbjorg Wassmo (Dina's Trilogy #1)

I was really young when I read this book. It changed me as a person, in a way it made me the person I am today. It was just that good and influential. 

 

• The Awakening by L.J. Smith (The Vampire Diaries #1)

It was the first book I have read in English and loved this series ever since (original four books). Those glorious days when nobody knew who Damon Salvatore is and was all mine!

• Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

Do I even have to explain myself? I had amazing childhood due to this series! I mean our own Hogwarts... seriously! 

 

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I do not know how many times I have read this book. I own it in two languages and I have read both editions at least twice, maybe more. There is just something about this book I love. I am not a Darcy fan really but I cannot explain it, this book just must be on this list, no questions asked really. 

• The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice

I still have not read this series completely but it means so so much to me. It introduced me to vampires and most importantly lead me to the circle of friends I will have for life. The Vampire Chronicles is THE thing in my life.

• The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Oh how obsessed i was with this book. As a teenager I have actually read many this type of adult books. I think I still have a little notebook somewhere at my moms with all Oscar Wilde quotes. I actually have this book now here on my shelf, the only book I have still with me since teenager years (the rest I gave away to library before leaving country or left to my little brother).

• The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

As a teenager I had one idol and that was Anne Boleyn. I knew everything about that woman, I even paid an expensive entrance to London Tower just so I could stand where she was killed. And this whole obsessiveness started with this book, tho after I have read her true biography I have started to love her even more. I cannot tell you how many times I have went to National Gallery in London to look at her, just way too many to count! 

 

Laura's Top Ten

How do I even choose? This is so hard! It took me 1 hour to narrow them down but finally I chose the most influential ones. The ones that really changed me (and still change me) somehow. Here are my picks:

• Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

I'm repeating it, I know, but as HannahCassie said HP is just part of our (pre)teen years. Every generation has a book or book series which defines them and I believe HP is our generation one.

• Matilda by Roald Dahl

This is the first book I read with more words than illustrations. I read it when I was 9 I think, it was a present for my First Communion and I just loved it. It's an adorable book I read whenever I feel a bit down. It warms me up inside.

• The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Uufff there is so much controversy surrounding this book! I grew up as Catholic (not that my parents or I went to church but I did go to Catechesis classes and did my First Communion mostly because of tradition...) and this book just opened my eyes. Showed me that the Bible is not as holy as they said and that it is just a book like any other. More relevant, sure, but a book nonetheless and written by men and men only. I am no longer Catholic.

• Ten Little Niggers by Agatha Christie

I am not a fan of classics, not at all but this book is just amazing. The plot twist oh man! I wasn't expecting it at all. I was on the edge of my sit all the time.

• A la Sombra de Lilith by Carmen Posadas and Sophie Courgeon

In Lilith's Shadow. Sadly, this book is only available in Spanish. I wish it was translated to English as well because it's the only "feminist" book I've ever read. It's not really about feminism because the authors never take a side but it analyzes the role of women throughout history in an impartial manner and also touches the biological differences between men and women. The message is very important: the fact that men and women are different, by simple genetics, doesn't mean the cannot have equal rights or that one sex is better than the other.

• The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

No words. The most well-known WWII story. Probably not the saddest or most brutal one but still very touching. I wish I could go back in time :(

• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

It changed me. I was so devastated after reading this book (and watching the movie) that I haven't read it again since. I haven't watched the movie again either. Not because I didn't like them, in fact I love them both but I am not emotionally prepared... not even after 2 years.

• Taking Flight by Michaela DePrince

I read this one much more recently, last year I think. I don't usually read memoirs or autobiographies either but Michaela is one of my dance and personal inspirations so I just had to read her book. I was not disappointed and yes, I also cried.

• The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini

Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance. They also had to make the list because it's the first high fantasy series I read and it's sooooo good. I love it.

• Patrick Hedström Series by Camilla Läckberg

The only crime series I own in physical books... and there are like 9 of them! Some people don't like Camilla's writing style because the time line of the stories change from present to past but it works for me. I think they're beautiful because the stories are connected and at the end of each book you learn how. They explain a lot, kinda like in Mara Dyer series.