Saturday, July 25, 2009

Curling Up with a Good Book


1. Reads the Books, 2. Vintage Ladybird Books 'Read and Write' (Peter and Jane), 3. Reading book against sun, 4. reading

Books are one of my favorite topics to talk about. They take up a good majority of my free time and I'm absolutely fascinated with the reading habits of other people. Personally I read across the genres from the classics to fantasy to chick lit to YA to children's picture books to non-fiction on a range of topics. I'll try just about everything once, though I do have my preferences. For me to truly get into a book I need a strong female character that I can identify with. I love quirky side characters that pop up and stick around. I love a little romance (though generally only if the relationship isn't the only focus of the novel). I adore happy endings and positive messages. Along those lines, some of my favorites (this is not an inclusive list because it's late and I know I'll forget some):

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle | This has been my favorite book since I first read it in second grade and it will always remain my top favorite. This is my comfort book, whenever I'm having a bad day I can open up to any passage in this book and immediately feel better. I have my mom's copy from when she was a little girl and that alone is enough to make me smile. I adore the worn pages and vintage scent.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen | I love all of her books, but this is the one that stuck with me the most. I identified so deeply with the character Eleanor which plays a big part in my love of this book.

The Tortall Series by Tamora Pierce | This is fresh in my mind as I am in the process of re-reading it after just having read the newest installment, Bloodhound. I love this whole universe that she's created and the characters that inhabit it. I love her concepts of knights and magic and that strong female characters are the backbones of the narratives. Not to mention the amazing side characters who are just as vivid as the main ones. Reading these books is like being transported into their world.

The Maggie Quinn Series by Rosemary Clement-Moore | I love this series and it is quickly becoming one of the most re-read series in my personal library. Maggie is such a fantastic main character. She's witty, caring, loyal, and intelligent. She has realistic emotions and an unbending spirit. Not to mention the engaging plots filled with mystery and fantasy. The author has a new book (diverging from this series) coming out soon and I can't wait to give that a try too.

Nancy Drew | She was my idol growing up. I loved that she was feminine, yet still intelligent and skilled in pretty much everything (traits that can be mutually exclusive). This series sparked my life long love for mysteries and will always hold a special place in my heart. Plus they're still a blast to re-read.

There are so many more that I could mention (from Harry Potter to Twilight to some of my favorite cozy mysteries), but I could ramble all night. At some point I'd like to do a series here on what I'm reading... What are some of your favorites? What are you reading right now?

I just realized that it's a little past the time to post, I didn't realize that I was going to write quite this much. This has been one of my favorites to write up so far though.

3 comments:

  1. Hello,

    I have a "google alert" on Tamora Pierce which is how I came across your blog. I agree with you both about the reading and talking about reading. I am always on the search for more books to try out and I now can look forward to looking up the Maggie Quinn series. So thanks!

    Ever read the Green Rider series (YA fantasy) by Kristen Britain?

    I have recently enjoyed Jo Walton's column over at Tor.com--she basically is re-reading her vast library and commenting on the books..many of her choices tend to Sci-fi--which I had not read alot of since I was a kid..but even if I don't to read the book I usually enjoy the talk about reading and books. The comments are pretty good also..

    cheers

    Rosa

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  2. @Rosa I love the Green Rider series! I wish I had remembered it while writing this post, it definitely would have made the list.

    I've not been to Tor.com, but that column sounds like a great read. Thanks for the head's up, I'm looking forward to reading it.

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