Books I Love

I LOVE to read. I devour books.

I seriously don't see myself EVER getting a Nook or Kindle or one of those new fangled electronic contraptions that replace books. I am too much of a purist. I want to thumb through the actual pages. I love the smell of new books. I like using my beautiful bookmarks or a random Target receipt to mark my place. A pile of books on my nightstand just waiting to be read is my kind of happiness.

My favorite books are the ones that touch my heart...and break it..the ones that bring on the ugly cry or the silent, sobbing, sniffling, tears dripping on the page kind of blubbering. Here are seven of my favorites that I re read at least once a year.

It is the story of Ruth Anne "Bone" Boatwright, a child born to an unwed teenage mother who makes her living as a waitress at the local dinner. It is a haunting and unforgettable book that can be difficult to read but even harder to put down. Taking place in South Carolina it is a story of poverty, abuse, racism and the "good guys vs the bad guys".

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! It is a must-read for all new moms. It is my go to gift for pregnant friends. Anne Lamott writes a brutally honest journal about her son's first year. It is hilarious and heartbreaking. I remember the relief I felt knowing what I was feeling was "normal."

I'm a sucker for a friendship book and this one is no exception. It opens in 1974 when Kate and Tully meet during those awkward junior high years. As someone who grew up in the 70s I could totally relate. It follows them through college and beyond, examining the different paths they took. I read this during our Vegas vacation and immediately gave it to one one of my friends. She in turn passed it on to another. It's the book that keeps on giving.

Powerful and funny book about friendship among four women who are vastly different people. It covers many years and their shared histories. The story is told from each of the their points of view. If you have a group of life long friends this book will speak to you.

I'm drawn to tearjerkers and this one does not disappoint. It is such a fantastic love story --several love stories actually-it's hard to believe it was written by a man. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down. Luckily it is a fairly quick read.

I always wanted to be Harriet the Spy. I distinctly remember carrying around a notebook and spying on people after I read this the first time. These days I jot down observations of people in my important purple notebook and then I blog about it. If you've never read about Harriet's adventures you should and if you read it growing up it's probably time to read it again.

What are your favorite books? Do you have any that you re-read over and over? Have you read any of my favorites? What did you think?