If you know me, you know that I LOVE a good book. I love learning about other people’s stories and exploring the way they have experienced life. I’m obsessed with reading because it allows me to explore and learn through life events and perspectives I’ll probably never come to know. To me, reading is like breathing, it must be done – and it’s best done frequently. 

When I was little, it’s really no surprise that I adored Belle. I mean, what more could a young girl ask for? A princess who loved reading as much as I did, heck yes! After reading the most wonderful stories I’ve condensed the list of my favorite books down to 9!

So, in honor of #NationalBookLoversDay I’m going to share with you 9 of my all-time favorite books! 

To Kill A Mockingbird 

Harper Lee 

What I love most about To Kill A Mockingbird is that there was a time when I actually hated the idea of reading this book. I was required to read it in school, and I’m pretty sure that if I had the option I would have chosen to pull all my hair out strand by strand in place of reading this book. 

The thing about To Kill A Mockingbird is that the more I read it, the more Harper Lee changed me and the way I see the world. The more I understood what it meant to be a mockingbird and what it means to truly experience the world we live in. To Kill A Mockingbird is my hands-down favorite book because if you let it, it will break you down, put you back together, and convince you to try and change something even if you know you can’t. It emphasizes justice, grace, and compassion in ways many of us just can’t realize at the moment.

The Giver

Lois Lowry 

I first read The Giver when I was too young to fully understand it. At the time, it was a really neat story about some made-up place that enforced silly rules. The older I get, the more I appreciate the battle against society to live as your whole and full self. It’s a journey of being unique in a world that values similarity. 

The Giver is a story about society and culture. This world values people who are unique but suppresses those trying to show up as their raw and authentic selves. The craziest part of this whole story is that it’s a book that was written so long ago but understands and relates to society as if it were written today.

The Importance of Being Earnest

Oscar Wilde 

To me, comedy, sass, and sarcasm are very much parts of my everyday life. It’s really no surprise that I enjoy books that also incorporate that into the dialogue of the characters. Every time I read this I find another reason to love it. Right now, I think it’s my favorite because it really shows that the best way to live is authentically honest. All the lies will eventually come to unfold and that’s going to be messy. 

If you’re looking for your next Sunday afternoon read, I can’t recommend this enough! It’s short, snappy, and most importantly, sassy. 

The Creative Curve

Allen Gannett

A year ago I didn’t even know this book existed. Actually, I’m not even sure if this book was even published a year ago. All that aside, this book is the best representation of creativity come to life that I’ve ever seen. With a mix of science-based creative facts, stories, and untold truths about creativity in general. 

This book piqued my interests and was one of the easiest books I’ve read in a while. If you’re looking to explore creativity and understand how it works, what occurs to make you a more creative version of yourself, and learn a thing or two about all the creative “geniuses” you thought you knew, well this would be worth your time.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

C.S. Lewis 

“But someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” – C.S. Lewis 

The magic of fairy tales far surpasses the age of which one is intended to read them. For that reason, I love the Narnia series more and more every time I read them. The complexity of the characters, the magical traits of the people, and the mystery of the world all come together to provide a timeless and unique experience for the reader.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Maya Angelou 

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is a vulnerable autobiography of the life of Maya Angelou. As I mentioned earlier, I love understanding and knowing other people’s stories because it’s an opportunity for me to broaden and develop a more holistic view of the world. 

I’m confident that I’ll never fully understand how other people felt/feel, but I can empathize with them and understand the experience a lot more by reading it and walking in their shoes. While this book is a tear-jerker, it has a home on my must-read list!

Think Like A Freak 

Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner 

The first book I read by Levitt and Dubner was “Freakanomics,” and it changed the way I viewed the world. These two shine a light on so many different areas in life where we have tried to diagnose and fix the symptoms versus stepping back and understanding where the problem is coming from. 

Think Like A Freak is them teaching you how to practice that kind of thinking in your own life instead of them just writing books on situations where they have used this thinking to understand the problem as a whole. Be prepared to see the world in a whole new light after reading any of their books.

The War Of Art 

Steven Pressfield 

We all have goals. Some of us want to run a marathon, some of us want to write books, most of us just want to do cool things. But that thing that stops us every time from living our best lives… that’s what this book is about. Pressfield names “it” resistance, and this a book about how to overcome it in every way possible. 

Whether you’re a creator, an athlete, a CEO, or a 9-5’er, if you’re ready to level up in life, this is the book for you. Prepare to be challenged, discouraged, and most of all empowered as you develop and discern life lessons from this book. 

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened 

Allie Brosh 

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m betting you haven’t ever read a book that has made you laugh so hard that you cried. Because up until I read Hyperbole and a Half I would have said no. However, my eyes have been opened – or well, close because I was laughing so hard, but you get the point. 

While I was fairly recently introduced to this book it far surpassed all the rest for a handful of reasons. The first being the humor, the second being that it accurately hits on every awkward emotion a human can feel and makes it seem totally normal. The last, well, very obviously for her illustrations and the way she presents stories from her life. 

Celebrating this #NationalBookLoversDay I challenge you to reflect on what books have made an impact in your life and tell someone about one of them. You never know – it may change their life!