Sunday, June 09, 2013

bookworm.


Reading has always been one of my favorite pastimes. The Boxcar Children and Little House on the Prairie series were my first favorites. Then there was the Babysitter's Club series and The American Girl Doll books. I loved checking books out at the library. Oh, and let's not forget those lovely Scholastic Book Fairs at school--every reader's heaven. At the elementary school I attended we had the Accelerated Reader point program, where you had to take tests on the books you had read to earn certain points. I am not ashamed to say that I had the most points in my grade when I was in 4th grade! I think that you are either wired to be a reader or not--God definitely made me a reader! I love the words, the covers, the pages, the smells.. Okay, I'm sure you get the picture. 

I love curling up with a glass of tea and getting lost in the world of a book. The characters, time periods, and plots almost become a reality. When an author has the ability to make you feel like you are right there in the middle of everything, like an invisible character, that's when they have succeeded. I love traveling to a different era, country, or culture just through reading words. I am one of those compulsive readers, meaning that I can't just start a book and casually read it over a long period of time. I have to finish it as soon as possible. If that means staying in my dorm room all weekend in college to see if Bella chooses Edward or Jacob or if Katniss chooses Gale or Peeta, so be it. Or it may mean banning myself from buying books or reading books during my internship because it would consume my time. My love for reading isn't limited to fiction. I thoroughly enjoy reading scripture, Bible studies, Christian life application books, biographies, and cookbooks. If you are a fellow bookworm, here are a few of my must-reads, favorite authors, and to-read list... By no means is this a complete list... 

Some must-reads to add to your list...

Cold Tangerines, Bittersweet, and Bread & Wine (every.single.one of Shauna Niequist's books): Sister can write. Each of her books are in essay form, which is different for me but I love it. As a fellow food lover, she incorporates cooking and fellowship into each book in a way that speaks to my heart. Her transparency and honesty about her feelings during different seasons of her life is so encouraging. Bread & Wine might be my favorite because she includes her favorite recipes. Her descriptions of the sights, smells, and tastes make you feel like you're living life with her. If you want a book that appeals to your senses and gives you even more appreciation for the little moments in life, read any of these. 

-7: an experimental mutiny against excess by Jen Hatmaker: 
When I first started reading this book, I was told it would change my life-- man, has it! Thanks to Jen, my thinking has been altered. In this book, she develops an experiment to eliminate excess in 7 areas of her life as a way of overcoming materialism. Each month for seven months she focuses on a different area-- food, clothing, possessions, waste, spending, and stress. As I was reading, I thought that she was crazy, radical, awesome, weird, and hilarious-- and I want us to be best friends. She has the guts to say and do what we are all afraid to/refuse to acknowledge-- that we eat/have/waste/spend/stress way too much! If you want a book that will rock your world, read this one. 

-The Savannah Series by Denise Hildreth Jones (and really any book by her):
This series about a mother/daughter relationship is hilarious. Each of her novels take place in a Southern location which I absolutely love. The Savannah series is much more lighthearted, but some of her other novels have more serious themes and plots. I also love how she incorporates her faith into each book.

Some of my other favorite writers include...

- Beth Moore
- Karen Kingsbury
- Nicholas Sparks
- Kathryn Stockett
- Jodi Picoult
- Meg Cabot
- Sarah Young
- Francine Rivers

Some of the "to-read" books on my list...

- Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger
- A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet by Sophie Hudson
- One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
- Sparkly Green Earrings by Melanie Shankle
- Jane Austen's classics (I know, I should have read them all by now...)

What are your favorite books? Which authors captivate you? Which ones are on your "to-read" list? I would love to hear from you! 

4 comments:

  1. I love this post. I've been looking for a good book to read or a new author to start following. I love anything Jodi Picoult also.

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    1. Thanks dear! I think you would enjoy any of these! :)

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  2. I love the last one your "to read" list. (;

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    1. I know you do dear! Now could you mail them all to me because I know you have them! ;)

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