My Top 10 Favorite Fiction Books

This post is extremely informal. Essentially it is just a quick (or not so quick) look at my book shelf. Anyone who knows me knows I am a reader and knows I have a full book shelf. So whether you are a reader yourself or you haven't read a book for pleasure in years I just wanted to tell you about a few fictional books I would highly recommend to you. Also, if you feel like returning the favor then feel free to share your favorites with me and with everyone else - there is a comment section below where you can do that (if I figure out how to approve comments).
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10. Fearless by Elvira Woodruff
Admittedly it has been seven years since I read this book but when I did I absolutely loved it and for many years I thought of it as my favorite book. The story is historical fiction and it is set in the 1700s, which is a very interesting time to learn about. A character the reader encounters is Henry Winstanley. I found him to be an absolutely fascinating character and at the end of the book I learned that he was a real person, which made him that much more interesting. Fearless is fun yet sincere. Adventurous yet heartbreaking. I think readers of any age would enjoy the story but especially younger readers (around elementary school age).

9. Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M. M. Blume
I read Cornelia for the first time seven years ago and then again last year. You know what? It still holds up as an incredibly fun and adventurous tale that will satisfy readers of all ages. It is a unique book in that there are several stories that are to be found in the one book. It is very fun to hear about adventures the Somerset sisters go on in different countries. Don't get me wrong it is sad too. While targeted at readers who are in middle school, it can absolutely make a 17 year old girl want to cry and I am pretty sure it could make my mother cry too. Now don't skip this book just because I said it was sad - read it. I have two copies for no apparent reason so borrow it from me.

8. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
So I went to go to see the movie with my mom when it came out. We were both equally excited to see it. She had read the book and enjoyed it. I hadn't but I was in middle school and Robert Pattinson was in it so of course I had a countdown to when we were going to see it. I rather enjoyed the movie - for more than just the sheer fact the RPatz was in it. Therefore, I decided to read the book and I was glad that I did. The book held my attention and there were many times I found it nearly impossible to put down. I easily fell in love with Jacob and was captivated by the circus. I would recommend it to a mature reader because there are certainly a few scenes in there to prepare yourself for. Still, the book is wonderful and definitely worth your time.

7. See You At Harry’s by Jo Knowles
I picked up this book about 6 months ago for little more than a dollar. I was browsing the Scholastic Warehouse sale and was drawn to it (admittedly because there was a delicious looking ice cream sundae on it and it was cheap). I read the back and decided it was worth the four quarters. It was at the Scholastic Warehouse sale and the main character was a 12 year old girl so I thought it would be a book for middle school students. Therefore, I was completely unprepared for the emotions that this book evoked in me. The feelings that these characters feel are all different and how they deal with the tragedy they face are so deep it was surprising. While not what I expected, I loved this book and would highly suggest you pick it up.

6. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Where to begin? For starters, you should read this book simply for the fact that this book is a classic. Second, you should read it because Fitzgerald can write like few authors I know of. I can't begin to count the number of quotes I love by him. Seriously, just look up "Fitzgerald Quotes" you'll see what I mean. Third, the story evokes emotion in you. Half the time you don't know what to feel. It makes you want to laugh then cheer then cry then shout then rinse and repeat. Once again, I will borrow it to you. Side note: the movie (in my opinion) is amazing. Usually I have a lot of problems with book-to-movie adaptations but the newest Gatsby really followed the book closely, which I must applaud.

5. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
This book is extremely underrated in my opinion. I first read it in 4th grade and loved it immediately. I have read it since and it certainly kept its high standing on my list after the second read. That is because the characters in it are absolutely phenomenal and I think everyone can identify with at least one of them. During the times I have read it, I have found myself constantly cheering on the characters with every trial they faced. Speaking of which, the story is incredibly unique and I found it extremely refreshing. The rest of the series and the movie never reached the beauty of the original book but that is understandable considering the expectations that A Wrinkle in Time set. It is also quite interesting to compare the principles and characters of this book to the Bible. They have quite a bit in common, which is interesting to see. Anyway, I would definitely suggest it to any and all readers.

4. Distant Waves by Suzanne Weyn
This is a pretty unheard of book but there is absolutely no logical reasoning for that in my mind. I loved this book. It has everything - Nikola Tesla, the Titanic, time travel, mystery, romance. Now, take into account if Nikola Tesla or the Titanic are written on something I knock people down to get it. Still, even if you don't like Tesla (which you should) or the Titanic there's still lots to love. The romance and mystery alone are worth the read. It is definitely not like anything I have ever read before but in the best way possible. I would recommend this book to anyone but especially lovers of the Titanic, Tesla, mystery, and romance.

3. The Fault in our Stars by John Green
Reason #1 to love this book: John Green wrote it. John Green is not only funny, he is also an outstanding author. This was the first book I read by him and I was amazed. I had seen the trailer for the movie and thought "that looks pretty good, maybe I should read it before it comes out". Good decision? YES. It is an amazing book with characters who are strong, super funny, kind, and overall incredible. The book teaches us a lot - about life, about love, about death, about family. While the movie is great, the book is even greater. I would definitely recommend the book to anyone. Just try not to read it in public or people will most likely think your crazy if you are not good at keeping things in because you'll be laughing one moment and crying the next.


2. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
For years I refused to read The Hunger Games series. The premise of the book turned me off. But last summer my mom finally convinced me to read them (and if I am honest I really wanted to know what was going to happen to Peeta after Mom dragged me to see Catching Fire). Wow. I read the trilogy in about 6 weeks, which is fast for me. I know I am not introducing many to a brand new series but if you haven't read the books then you absolutely should. I know a lot of people skate by with just watching movies (I admit I was guilty - kind of, Mom really just wanted a companion and I agreed) and while the movie series stays quite true to the books there is certainly a lot more depth to be found in the books. The books are filled with action, developed characters, and strong values (family, strength, hope, etc.). Even if you have already seen the movies I still encourage you to read the books and even if the premise still is something you are unsure about I would encourage you to at least try it.

1. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

For a long time I also fought reading the Harry Potter series. I didn't open myself up to it because of the witchcraft and wizardry aspect, which is what pushed me away for a long time. However, once I started reading I realized how much I had been missing out on by not giving it a chance. I would like to point out that I have never personally met anyone who read it and didn't like it (though I have no doubts there are individuals who feel that way). The movies are alright but cannot begin to compare with the books so don't cheap out and just watch the movies. Read the books! I wrote an entire essay for a college class on why the books are better than the movies. Anyway, to wrap up the Harry Potter books are my favorite books and I would definitely recommend them.The adventure, deep characters, and complicated plot lines are worth the read alone - not to mention the incredible life lessons to be found in it.

Why Your Children Should Read Harry Potter: The Valuable Lessons Of An Incredible Series

First things first *SPOILERS * SPOILERS *SPOILERS

Now that that is taken care of it's time to get to the post...

It is surprising to me the number of parents who still disapprove of the Harry Potter series. I understand that they don't want to promote witchcraft and sorcery and the like but Harry Potter isn't made to promote it and I have never met a person yet who got into sorcery because they read Harry Potter. What I have seen though is people who fell in love with reading and learned valuable lessons because of it. The Harry Potter series made me personally fall back in love with reading. While I could discuss that point more, I won't because that isn't part of my purpose today. My purpose today is to convince you of this: the Harry Potter series has infinite value. Here is why...

Judging Others: Harry was wrong
about every one of these

Teamwork
Harry, Hermione, Ron, Fred, and George were just a few of the many characters who showed us true teamwork. In my mind, Fred and George are the ultimate team. They work together on everything and they show us that two can be a whole lot better than one. Also in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the famous trio (Harry, Hermione, and Ron) need the strengths and expertise of each of them to keep going. They have to cooperate and work together to stay alive. They have to trust each person to lead them in the right direction and to keep them safe. In the final book there is a battle at Hogwarts and it takes everyone working together to defeat Voldemort and the Death Eaters. The "good guys" work together and come out victorious while the Death Eaters don't because while they are working for one cause they don't cooperate very well. They are constantly struggling for power and when it comes down to it they are not at all willing to make sacrifices for one another. So not only does the series show us the qualities of a good team but it shows us what will make a team fail in the end. For a large part of my life I have been one to always try to do everything on my own, but Harry Potter and his friends taught me that you cannot master everything and sometimes you need someone with a different skill than you to do something. For more about HP and teamwork, read this.

Judging Others
When I think about the series and the topic of judgement I jump right to Harry and Snape. Harry made judgments about Snape throughout the entire series and yet in the end we learn that all we thought about Snape was completely false. Snape was a hero in many ways but we don't understand this until he is dying. Snape is not really how we viewed him for most of the series. I think many of us can learn from this because I think all of us do what Harry did. We make judgments about someone and later learn something about them that completely changes how we view them. This one truth will stick with me forever mainly because of Harry Potter: things are not always as they seem. This is clearly illustrated by the photo on the left. Harry was ridiculously wrong on all of those assumptions yet he still kept making them. We look at Harry and say 'get it together'. Then we often go and make our own wrong assumptions about others.

Lightness and Goodness
In many books and movies we are told or shown who is "good" and who is "bad". I think the Harry Potter series does an excellent job at showing us that people are very complex and cannot be accurately described as good or bad. Sirius Black once told Harry, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters. We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are." In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Dumbledore says that we must choose between what is right and what is easy. I think that this ties into choosing what side of us we will act on. What is easy is often not what is good. It is often much harder to do the right thing, which is why we make so many mistakes in life. Another wise quote from Dumbledore relates to the topic of lightness and darkness is this one: "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light." The series teaches us to act on what is good and right.

Friendship and Loyalty
Those who know me know I am not really a crier. I don't tend to cry at movies or songs or even books. It's rare for me. But nothing makes me want to cry more than Dobby's final words. "What a beautiful place to be with friends. Dobby is happy to be with his friend...Harry Potter." Dobby is probably the most loyal friend one could ever have. He shows us what a true friend is and in the end, he dies saving his friends. Dobby is not the only character that shows us the true value of friendship and loyalty. Hermione put a lot of emphasis on doing well in school but she always showed us that friendship comes first. In the very first book Hermione said this: "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things -- friendship and bravery." The Harry Potter series made me (and probably many others) want to have friends like Harry, Ron, and Hermione so in many ways the series encourages to make new friends and keep them central in our lives.

Love
Harry Potter proves that love is the closest thing we have to magic. Nothing can stop it. Lily's love protected Harry even after she died. Hermione, Ron, and Harry took risks for one another out of love. Dobby risked his life for the trio out of love. Snape protected Harry out of love for Lily. Love is shown by so many characters throughout the series it would be impossible to list them all. Many characters show love for others to their deaths. The series does make this clear though: the ones that love us never really leave us. The series helps us cope. It shows us how to move on but it also shows us to treasure the love we are shown and also, to show love back.

Life

Life can be incredibly hard. The HP series does not shy away from conflict or death. It embraces them head on. There are over 20 major deaths in the series. Harry grows up as an orphan living with his unloving and uncaring relatives. Snape loses the love of his life to the man who bullied him in school. Tonks and Remus died just when their lives together were beginning and Teddy grew up an orphan. Arthur and Molly Weasley lose a son. Hogwarts loses Dumbledore. Harry loses Sirius, the one family member not lost to him already. Neville's parents lose their sanity. There is so much reality in this series about a fictional world. The Harry Potter series teaches us that life isn't fair, people we love will die, and things will never be happily ever after. But that doesn't mean life isn't a wonderful thing.

Other Good Lessons

A. Our words have power - “Words are our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.”
B. Live in the present - “It does not do to dwell on dreams, Harry, and forget to live.”
C. We are the same in many ways - "Though we may come from different countries and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one"
D. Watch how someone treats their inferiors - "If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals."
E. Living without love is more pitiful than death - “Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.”

The Harry Potter series is seen by many as simply a series about witchcraft and wizardry but it is not just that. It is a series that promotes teamwork, shows the importance of not judging others, tells us that there is no such thing as good people and bad people, gives us a picture of true friendship and loyalty, demonstrates the importance of love, and gives us a realistic perspective on life. If you haven't read the series, then do yourself a favor and read it. You won't regret it.