The Top Ten

I have been tagged in one of those facebook things were you are supposed to list 10 books that have influenced me.

It is no secret that I love to read, and I am often asked for book recommendations. I have been meaning to do a post on my most favourite ever books for ages so this facebook "challenge" seems like the perfect time.

These are my fail-safe books. The books I return to time and time again, just because I love them. Please note I use the term "books" broadly; I have cheated a bit to refer to authors and series where I just can't distinguish.

Some of the adult book selection.
Featuring:
Chick lit, Janet Evanovich, Clive Cussler, vampire, horror, and Virginia Andrews

So here goes (in no actual order) ....

Can you keep a secret? - Sophie Kinsella  I love this book. I laughed until I cried the first time I read it. And the second. And actually a few times after that. I only very rarely buy other people books,  it is such a personal thing, but this is one I have bought for multiple people. To quote my sister "I turned into one of those people you see at the airport reading and laughing to themselves". Pure chick lit and it is awesome.

Mists of Avalon - Marian Zimmer Bradley No idea where I got this book from, but it is one of the books I always take me when I go away. Mist of Avalon is an Arthurian story from a female position. I love Arthurian books but this is my favourite. It is part of a series too.

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea  - Jules Verne A childhood favourite. No idea why this particular book appeals to me so much, but it does.

Through the Looking Glass - Lewis Carroll  I love Alice in Wonderland too, but this one is on my top ten. Another childhood favourite.

The Ancient Future - Traci Harding I bought this book with a voucher I won as a prize in Year 12. I read it and re-read it and was beyond excited fourish years later when I discovered it was the first of two trilogies. Be warned! The sequels are different to the original, but very good. The first book is historical fantasy (a genre I love), the second a cross between fantasy and science fiction, and the third is science fiction.

Harry Potter  (Books 1 to 4) - JK Rowling I read these before the movies, and while I enjoyed all the books, the first four are the only ones that make my top list. For me, I think the series lost some of its magic when it became too adult. That said, I have read all the books probably once a year since I first started reading them (or since they were published for the later books). Buglet loves them. (Tink has never had any interest in reading them. Pixie started but I think has only read the first couple.)

Light a Penny Candle - Maeve Binchy I don't know if this is my favourite just because it was my first? I love all her books. Even the short stories and I don't usually like short stories. Mum introduced me to Maeve Binchy books to me in my early teens and they have remained a firm favourite ever since with me and my (adult) sisters.

Marion Keyes Picking favourite book written by Marion Keyes would be like picking a favourite child; it would depend on my mood. And it would be mean.

Abbey Girl (series) EJ Oxenham and The Chalet School (series) Elinor M. Brent-Dyer The beginning of my love for early 20th century girls' school stories. I have collected them since I was 8 (and moved on from Enid Blyton) and they are my fail safe comfort distraction when I am sick and tired and can't think.

The Magic Faraway Tree (series) - Enid Blyton I refused to read anything other than Enid Blyton until I was about 7. This series and all the school series would have to be my favourite, and have been loved by the girls too ....

...... One of my happiest parenting moments ....

*pick Buglet up from school one day in Year 1*

Buglet: Mummy! Daddy! Do you know Moonface, Silky, and the Saucepan Man?
DB: Huh?
Me: Yes, yes I do. And I love them.

Moments like that are priceless. I don't know who was happier, me or Buglet. If this does not make sense to you, read The Magic Faraway Tree!!!

Bonus extras: The Divergent series, the Hunger Games series, Jodi Picoult, Nicola Thorne, Robin Cook, Dan Brown, Diana Gabaldon, Piers Anthony, the Percy Jackson books ..... have I mentioned that we love to read?!

Current I-am-so-happy-that-my-girls-love-to-read moment: Tink informed me that she finished the book that she got out of the library on Monday morning, but she is keeping it until next Monday so that I can read it too.

My childhood favourites (ok, and the girls' books too).
Half-filled from when I was re-doing the girls' playroom.