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Some Of My Favorite Books

I read a lot. And because I read a lot, I find a lot of really great books. I want to share my top sixteen (though it’s actually far more because I am counting series as a single book) with you, along with WHY I like them (because I think no book recommendation list is complete without the WHY).

So without further ado (and in no particular order):

Words On Fire, by Jennifer A Nielsen
Wow, this book is incredible. I recently read this for the first time, and this one is definitely worth rereading. It tells the tale of a young Lithuanian girl who's country is occupied by Russia. The Russians want to destroy the very culture of Lithuania, so they ban the Lithuanian language, religion, and books.

Guardians of Ga'Hoole, by Kathryn Lasky
This series of fifteen is absolutely thrilling as you follow the development of the main character, an owl named Soren, and his friends. These books are powerful classics on leadership, friendship, duty, and freedom.

How To Train Your Dragon, by Cressida Cowell
This delightful series of twelve follows our unlikely hero, Hiccup, as he develops his unique gifts, deals with a mischievous dragon, saves his life and the lives of his friends many times, and discovers and claims his destiny in order to save both the dragon and human world.

Rise of a Legend, by Kathryn Lasky
This powerful prequel to the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series follows the life of the greatest Ryb at the Great Tree. This book is INCREDIBLE, it might be my toppity-top favourite. You have to read it.

Wolves of the Beyond, by Kathryn Lasky
A series of six, this takes place in the same world as Guardians of Ga'Hoole and Rise of a Legend, except it focuses on the wolves, not the owls. It's super interesting to see a different culture surviving and thriving in the same world. Except... that world is falling apart, and it is up to Faolan to save it.

The Screwtape Letters, by C S Lewis
This fictional book is a very entertaining series of letters from a devil official, Screwtape, to his Nephew, Wormwood, who he is mentoring in the fine art of leading souls to hell. Profound, funny, and hard to put down, it's a great read that I highly recommend.

Macbeth, by William Shakespeare
Macbeth is my favorite play by Shakespeare. Murder, madness, and magic... this tragedy has it all. Killing the king, Macbeth usurps the throne, assured by three witches that he would rule until the trees of the forest marched up to battle him. A little hard to understand at first, I recommend finding a production of the play on YouTube to watch and following along in your book.

Animal Farm, by George Orwell
When the farm animals overthrow their drunkard master, they think they are bound for prosperity. But then the pigs take control, become above the law, and subject the other animals, leaving them worse off than ever before. This distopian is deep, and a little sad, but I still highly recommend it. It's an incredible freedom classic. If you choose to read it, I recommend doing so with a notebook and pen, and keeping a list of exactly HOW the pigs usurp power. You'll learn a lot!

Voyage of the Dogs, by Greg van Eekhout
What if... humans had found a way to shrink space, making it possible to travel to a planet in a whole other galaxy in less then a single human lifetime? And then... what if a meteor hit the spaceship, forcing the human crew to abandon it? And what if, the crew dogs had to be left behind? That is the premise of Voyage of the Dogs, a fictional account of pack of dog's attempt to finish the mission their people had started.

Property of the Rebel Librarian, by Allison Varnes
When the majority of books are banned at her school, June decides to take action. She starts a secret library, distributing books in the school so that other students can read too. When her resistance is uncovered, it is up to June to make a difference with her words.

The Giver, by Lois Lowery
Extremely dystopian, The Giver transports you to a world of 'sameness,' a world without color, music, love, or choice. When Jonas is chosen by his community elders to be a holder of memories of the past, he discovers these forbidden things -color, music, love, and choice- and decides that life can not go on as before.

Perloo the Bold, by Avi
A shy scholar, Perloo is tasked with leading his species. He does not want this leadership position, but is forced to take it, stop a war, and restore freedom to his people.

The Ascendance Trilogy, by Jennifer A Nielsen
This riveting trilogy tells the tale of Sage: an orphan, a prince, and a king. Filled with death defying action and phenominal story telling, this trilogy is absolutely inspiring.

Camp Half-Blood Chronicles, by Rick Riordan
This series twists modern with ancient, reality with myth. It's beautiful! Full of Greek mythology and lots of adventure, it's a page turner.

Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Cofler
This eight book series is filled with villainous genius! It follows the adventures of Artemis Fowl as he interacts with the fairy folk and outwits everyone.

Beauty, by Robin McKinley
This retelling of the classic story Beauty and the Beast adds a whole new depth of characters. Beautiful plot, beautiful writing; it's a very easy and engaging read. Even if you don't like the original tale of Beauty and the Beast, this is still a great read!


And so there you have it... sixteen of my favourite books! I hope you'll take the time to read some of them, and don't forget to comment below about your reading experiences!

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