I have been an avid reader for the majority of my life, and the older I get the more I fall in love with books. I reread so many books this summer since my wallet wouldn’t allow me to buy any new ones, but it was still a wonderful experience to revisit some of my old loves. This is a spoiler-free list of books that I never get tired of reading.
- Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
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I’ve written articles before about the story of Melinda Sordino, who falls into social isolation after being raped at an end-of-summer party. I’ve read this book about 13 times already, but I’ve lost count over the years.
- The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
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I watched this movie dozens of times before I found out it was a best-selling novel. Teenager Michael Berg begins a relationship with a much older woman, who disappears unexpectedly. Michael finds her again years later, but not under the circumstances he was anticipating.
- Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
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I love The Wolves of Mercy Falls series, but the first book will always be a classic. Teenager Grace Brisbane meets Sam Roth, who has a strange resemblance to a wolf she’s seen in her backyard.
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
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This is probably my favorite book to date. I cried five times the first time I read it, probably because I felt such a connection to the main character. Charlie starts his first year of high school as an introvert with an intelligent mind, but not many friends— though that’s about to change after he meets two outcasts who take him under their wing.
- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
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This suspenseful thriller unwinds the secrets between Amy and Nick after Amy goes missing on their fifth wedding anniversary. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen next, Gillian Flynn throws a plot twist your way.
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
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I’m sure everyone knows what happens in this classic novel, but no Leonardo DiCaprio movie could ever compare to the beautiful language of Fitzgerald. Yale graduate Nick Carroway tells the story of his unpredictable friendship with a secretive millionaire named Jay Gatsby.
- The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith
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The whole series is incredible, but if you ask me, the first four books are superior. If you think you know The Vampire Diaries because you’ve seen the show, then you’ve got another thing coming. The books are way different, but do tell a similar story of the love triangle between Elena Gilbert and the vampire brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore.
- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
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Speaking of vampires, I am unashamed to say that Twilight was probably my first fandom. Everyone knows the epic love story of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, a teenage girl and a vampire.
- By The Time You Read This, I’ll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
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I always credit this novel to being the reason I fell in love with reading. Bullied teenager Daelyn Rice navigates high school as she plans her suicide after multiple failed attempts. However, along the way she finds some things that are worth living for.
- The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller
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I cried so much at the end of this book. Francesca, a married woman, has an affair with a drifter named Robert while her husband and children are away on a trip. Rather than being a forgettable affair, the characters in this book are often referred to as “two soulmates who met too late.”
I am always grateful to have the worlds of books to escape to when real life becomes too much for me, even if I already know how it ends.