Ever since I could, I have loved to read. Wandering around bookstores, perusing every aisle, and purchasing the most exquisite copies of classics and new age novels alike is one of the joys in my life. Reading has always been a form of escapism for me, not because my life was particularly bad in any way, but simply because I was bored of reality. I like to believe I have always had the heart of an adventurer. When I didn’t have the means to go to the places I wanted to go in real life, I had even better places to visit sitting on my bookshelf.
In addition to how fun it can be to step into the shoes of another, I also found solace within the weathered pages of my favorite stories because I related in some way or another to the main character.
All of my reads have carved out their places in my heart and mind, and I love them all dearly. From each of them, I have learned many different lessons I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Every story I have read has impacted me in countless ways, and they will continue to do so for many years to come. The warmth and contentedness that fills me each time I begin a new adventure will never get old, even if I do.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin is the story of the young Minli traveling from her poor little village at the foot of the Fruitless Mountain to its peak, where the earth extends into the sky to ask the man of the moon how to bring fortune to her family who struggles with poverty. It is based on Chinese folklore and regales readers with brave dragons and sneaky tigers.
This was one of the first real books I read, and I read it over and over again. Elementary school me was enthralled by this world. I was so drawn to the imagery and the characters, and even the riddles that the book included. I loved how driven Minli was and how cunning she could be. I related to her stubbornness and how she would do anything for her family, even if she was not happy with them at times and vice versa. This book is the book I credit with being the start of my reading journey.
Divergent
Divergent by Veronica Roth takes place in a dystopian version of the future after the world has been ravaged by nuclear warfare. The survivors have been living in one big city separated by five factions. Erudite is the faction of intelligence, they are those who believe what tore the previous world apart was a lack of smarts. Amity is the faction of the kind who believe the end came due to a lack of compassion. Candor is the faction of truth. They are the court system and believe the world collapsed from injustice. Abnegation is the home of the selfless who dedicate their lives to government and serving the poor. They are those who believe the old world succumbed to self-serving men. Lastly, Dauntless is the faction of the brave, who believe the end was brought on by cowards. Tris Prior is a born Abnegation, but felt she never fit in there. At sixteen years old, every person in the city is required to choose their own faction with the council of their aptitude test. When her test results come back inconclusive, her life spirals into a series of events that are filled to the brim with risk, intrigue, and romance. Those who do not fit in anywhere, like Tris, are known as Divergent.
I received the series for Christmas from my grandmother one year and finished the whole series within the month. I was obsessed with the plot and the main character was so relatable to me at the time. She didn’t know where she fit in and her differences and strength of mind are what made her the hero she was. She was not perfect, she was not wholly kind, smart, strong, honest, or selfless. She was a combination of these traits and she was unique and her greatest strengths came from places other than her athleticism.
Percy Jackson
Told from the perspective of 12 year old Perseus Jackson, the award winning series by Rick Riordan tells the tale of Percy, a young demi-god hero who happens to be the son of Posiedon. He is taken by his mother, Sally, and satyr guardian and best friend, Grover, to Camp Halfblood where he would train in various forms of combat and learn about his godly heritage. There, he meets Annabeth, the stubborn and intelligent daughter of Athena. Together for the span of five novels, Annabeth, Grover, and Percy battle everything from the Minotaur to cyclopes, and even other gods to protect Camp Halfblood and Olympus.
This was the series that helped me through one of the toughest times of my life. It was a gift from my aunt who was doing everything in her power to help my family through that period. While reading this series, I used to curl up in bed and read in the soft, warm light of my little lamp, and immerse myself in Percy’s quests. At the time, my favorite character was, of course, Annabeth. She was independent, compassionate, stubborn, and she had a hard shell. Above all, however, she was loyal. Not in a blindly following way, but in a smart and unafraid-to-tell-you-when-you’ve-messed-up sort of way. That was what I admired most about her. She taught me to never lie for the sake of someone’s feelings or to spare yourself from the backlash of sharing your perspective, because it is important for everyone, including yourself, to realize that you’re not always right and that you are capable of making mistakes. You only need to learn from them and move on.
Red Queen
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard follows Mare Barrow, a red-blooded poor girl from the silts who is particularly gifted in the art of theft. In her world, the ruling class is the silver-blooded people, all with special gifts such as inhuman strength, control over animals, minds, and even the elements. Through an unexpected series of events, Mare discovers that even though she has red blood, she also has the power to manipulate lightning and electricity. With a civil war brewing, she is torn in two different directions, and she questions where her loyalties lie.
I was in Arizona one year on a family vacation where we stopped at the bookstore. I picked this book up without thinking much of it. Once I started reading it, I could not for the life of me give it up. I spent two days reading the whole thing and then we had to stop at another store so I could get the second. Mare Barrow was one of the most unique main characters I had read about at that time. She was strong and fearless, and her intentions were always good and usually for everyone else. However, because she sympathized with both of the two conflicting sides in the story, she made mistakes and lost people because of it. Although she was riddled with grief and sorrow, Mare learned from her mistakes and was determined to make the world a better place for everyone. That specific trait of hers had me hooked, and it’s one that I aspire to have. Even though life can put us through the ringer and fill us with despair, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, and we only need to do our best to make it.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin takes place in a very richly written world in the country of Westeros, a land of seven kingdoms all united under the Iron Throne. Although there are so many characters and perspectives that it can be difficult to remember them all, the characters that are considered the main families are the Lannisters, Starks, and the last Targareyan. As the title suggests, it is an intense plot full of wars, love, magic, intrigue, dragons, sorrow, and even small times of joy all part of this game of thrones and the obsession with who rules the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
It took me a long time to read this book. The writing style is brilliant, and there are so many characters in such a vivid and well made world that it takes time to process what is going on in certain scenes and events. Above all this book taught me patience and perseverance. Although I love it and I think it is beautiful, it is an emotional investment and a time commitment that takes a lot of drive to get through. My favorite character will always be Sansa Stark, the underestimated and intelligent eldest daughter of Eddard Stark. She is patient, smart, and kind to her people. In my opinion, she had the most character growth in the whole series. She began as a stubborn, materialistic young girl and overtime became a badass woman who realizes her own worth. She realizes that there is more to life than marrying, having children, and finery in all its forms. In some ways, I feel that Sansa’s growth reflects my own from being a stubborn and angry child to the woman I am today. Even her relationship with her sister Arya I can see myself and my sister in.
Throne of Glass
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Mass is an eight book series that follows the notorious assassin Celaena Sardothien in her fight to win her freedom. She was trained as a young girl to be a swift and efficient killer, and soon rose to be the most lethal assassin in all of Adarlan. However, when her former boss, and leader of the Assassins Keep, tricks her into getting caught by the Royal Guard, she is imprisoned in the salt mines of Endovier. She remains there for a year before Prince Dorian of Adarlan enters her in a competition to win her freedom. If she remains alive, she will in return be the personal assassin of the king for a short period of time before receiving her freedom in its entirety. Sarah J Maas keeps readers hooked throughout all eight books with unexpected plot twists and certain characters whose depth may surprise you.
I got the first book in the series sometime during 2019 and have been reading them all since. I am currently on the last book and it was a journey to get here. The best way to describe this world is if Game of Thrones was a young adult fiction series. Like many of the others, the main character is morally gray, and the world is filled with magic, and epic battles, and so much more. It isn’t what I’d consider one of the greatest works of literature, but it has risen to be my favorite series and a comfort novel for me. I couldn’t get enough of this story due to the main character and the romance.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Court of Thorns and Roses series, also by Sarah J Maas, is a four book series which follows Feyre Archeron, they youngest of three sisters burdened with taking care of her father and sisters after their fall from being one of the wealthiest human families in Prythian to one of the poorest. One day while hunting a stag, Feyre shoots a giant wolf which turned out to be one of the shapeshifting fae from the kingdom across the border of the human lands. As a result of this, she is taken from her family home and into the fae lands to live with the Lord of Spring in this retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
Because I liked Throne of Glass so much, I decided to get this one and I was not disappointed. Again, this is in no way one of the greatest works of literature, but I was sucked in by the romance. If Throne of Glass is a plot with romance, then A Court of Thorns and Roses is a romance with a plot. Either way I admired Feyre. When her father and sisters couldn’t be bothered to take care of themselves or each other, she was the one who stepped up. No matter how scared she was, she always found a way to do what needed to be done, regardless of the repercussions on her. That is why from Feyre I have learned the lesson of selflessness. Even though it can be taxing to always try and do the right thing, it will all work out in the end. You will find the people who look out for you just as much as you look out for them.
Anna and the French Kiss
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is a cute little novel about the teenage daughter of a fiction writer who recently comes into wealth. To impress all of his new high-class friends, he sends Anna away from everything she’s ever known to a boarding school in Paris. She is less than enthusiastic about this change especially during her senior year of high school. She misses her best friend and her would-be boyfriend until she meets the enthralling Etienne St. Clair.
Once I began reading this novel I could not stop. I thought Etienne was one of the more interesting love interests that I had read about. He’s a multi-lingual dual citizen, he has good taste in literature, and is genuinely a nice character. He loves Anna despite her quirks and their relationship began on an intellectual level and not a physical one. They became best friends first which was something I was not used to seeing. George R.R. Martin isn’t exactly known for portraying healthy relationships and Sarah J. Maas is the queen of the enemies to lovers trope. I also feel like it is a more realistic approach to relationships in real life. Obviously it is still a romance novel, so some liberties were taken to make it more romantic.
A Court of Silver Flames
A Court of Silver Flames, also by Sarah J Maas, takes place in the same world of A Court of Thorns and Roses, but is told from the perspective of Feyre’s eldest sister Nesta Archeron. Where Elaine is sweet and Feyre is special, Nesta is the sister best known for her icy rage. She is stubborn, angry, and wont let anybody close to her except for Cassian, the fiery and passionate general of the High Lords armies. When he is tasked with helping Nesta accept her new place in Prythian, they stumble upon the knowledge of a sorcerer whose goal is to exact revenge on those who have placed him in his ancient prison. Nesta and Cassian have to work together in order to defeat him.
Personally, I have always liked Nesta because I found a way to relate to her. Honestly she might even be my favorite character. Within the community of people who read Sarah J Maas books, Nesta is a controversial character, especially after the first book. However, if people took the time to really understand her, they’d realize why she hurt the way she did. I think she is one of the most interesting characters in the series and I have a special place in my heart for this book because I felt very similarly about myself to the way Nesta feels about herself. For a while I also had a very snippy exterior like she did. I didn’t get this book from any special place, but I’m glad to have read it. It taught me that it is okay to have emotions and that expressing them does not make me weak. It is okay to heal and not punish yourself endlessly for mistakes made in the past.
They Both Die at the End
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera takes place in New York city, the difference from our would being the invention of Death-Cast. Death-Cast is the app that alerts you when you only have one day left to live, and for those who are unfortunate enough to receive the notification, there is another app where you can find your “last friend.” 18 year old Mateo receives the notification and decides to join the last friends app where he meets 17 year old Rufus who also got the death alert. They spent their last day together around New York City with friends and family, but most importantly, they had each other. Despite their 24 hour limit, they became close very fast and possessed an unseen connection that makes it heartbreaking when they both die at the end.
I loved this book for so many reasons and I’d recommend it to everyone. Some people might disagree with me, their argument being that if they already know what happens then the book is not worth reading. But it is a wonderful story with so many great lessons, the most obvious being that time is precious and we shouldn’t waste it. But there are so many subtle messages as well. For example, Rufus learns that he should rely on his friends to be there during his time of need and he trusts them to love him unconditionally. It is beautifully written and I personally believe it is worth the emotional investment.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz follows a boy named Ari who tends to be very shy and closed off. One day at the local pool, he meets Dante, a sweet, talkative, and kind boy right about his age. Ari is selective about who he lets into his world, but decides to let Dante in. They become fast friends and later develop an even closer relationship.
This novel to me was a beautiful message about acceptance. Acceptance for who you are, for who someone else is, for their scars, flaws, and everything in between. I also loved the way that Ari’s parents know him so well despite how good he thinks he hides the parts of himself he is embarrassed by. Additionally, the scene where Ari and Dante bury the bird was written so perfectly and so sweetly. It was just a wonderful read.
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982
This South Korean novel by Cho-Nam Joo is the tale of the everywoman. Although fictional, Kim Jiyoung’s experiences represent the everyday struggles of women in Korea and around the world. She experiences everything from tiny microaggressions on a regular basis to blatant sexism from coworkers and even her own grandmother. It is a feminist piece grounded by reality, and even though she is not a real person, the experiences she goes through happen to women in real life. That is the distinction of this piece from other works of fiction. Sometimes, fiction authors stretch reality to make something more interesting, more romantic, or more dramatic. But none of the events in this book are out of the ordinary for real women.
This is one of my favorite books I’ve read in my life. Personally, I tend to gravitate towards fantasy books and use reading for escapism. But even though Kim Jiyoung is based in reality, I enjoyed it more than most of the other books I’ve read because of how well Cho-Nam Joo portrays the experiences that every woman has experienced, many of which I have gone through. I also loved how her husband was a bit different from the other men in Ji Young’s life, and how in certain uncomfortable situations women end up in, it can become damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
Human Acts
Human Acts by Han Kang focuses on the Gwangju Massacre that took place in the province of Gwangju South Korea from May 18th to May 27th, 1980. It is a highly controversial topic in South Korea even today as some don’t even believe it actually occurred (however it truly did happen). The government’s attempts to hide what they’d done had made it even worse for families in Gwangju. The novel follows several characters beginning with a young boy who was present during the uprising and ending with an older woman longing for the son she lost during those terrible days.
The way Han Kang was able to portray so many different types of people in various decades and walks of life amazes me. The storyline is tragic and the events she writes about can be hard to read about and imagine. For example, the chapter on the prisoner broke my heart for so many reasons. Learning about some of the atrocities committed against the people of Gwangju was eye opening. In America, I feel like in school everything we focus on is from a western point of view. In world history at my high school, a lot of what we learned about was just Europe. Of course in the beginning, we began in Mesopotamia, then Egypt, China, Greece and Italy, and then the rest of Europe. But we never talk too much about other countries in Africa, Asia, South America, or the middle east in depth. Everything we were taught about them somehow revolved around the western hemisphere or the “dominant” countries in the region. I feel like we forget that the world is bigger than a lot of us remember, and reading this book reminded me of that. It showed me how much I still have to learn about the world around me.
Children of Blood and Bone
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adayemi is a West African fantasy in the fictional kingdom of Orisha. In the wake of a devastating civil war, the Magi, magic wielders of Orisha, have been horribly oppressed by a monarchy whose goal has been the eradication of magic from the realm. Aside from many being slaughtered in the conflicts, what was left of the Magi have been enslaved with very few being left free. Although her mother was not as lucky, Zélie survived the massacre that left her people devastated. She teams up with her brother and the Princess Amari to fulfill their quest of bringing magic back to Orisha and freeing the Magi of Orisha.
This is one of my favorite fantasies and I could not put it down when I was reading the duology. It is a rich world and very different from the novels I usually read. The relationships throughout the books are a lot more complex and interesting than a lot of other fantasies. Although there is romance, it does not overtake the story. Similarly to Mare Barrow from Red Queen, Prince Inan is torn between his cause and his love, and as a result his loyalties are split. It causes him to make mistakes and lose people throughout both books. I think that is why I found him so interesting, but at the same time I hated him. Inan and Zélie also have this connection in the dream realm which I found so interesting. They’re very strongly attracted to each other and have a strong bond, but it doesn’t necessarily have any positive effects for either of them. This duology taught me that just because there are people in your life that you’re strongly connected to, that doesn’t mean they’ll be good for you. Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone in that situation is let them go despite how badly you want them in your life.
Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen follows the stubborn and prideful Elizabeth Bennet. She is determined to be free and does not want to hear of anything revolving around marriage. That is until she meets the equally stubborn and prejudiced Mr. Darcy. Fitzwilliam Darcy is not impressed with much, but when he begins a very turbulent relationship with Ms. Bennet, he slowly begins to realize his true feelings for her. Over the course of the novel, Elizabeth gets over her pride and Mr. Darcy lets go of his prejudices and they fall in love.
This is my favorite novel of all time. I love the way Jane Austen wrote it. I loved how it was a slow paced relationship as opposed to one that was quick to marry like other stories of the time. Lizzie is also the character that I relate the most with. As aforementioned, she is stubborn and full of pride, and yet still thinks of others and is kind to everyone, especially her sisters. The real reason she didn’t care for Darcy in the beginning is because he insulted her first. Although she seems to enjoy the conflict a little bit. This novel is a comfort novel for me that I reread a lot.