I’m an avid reader, and lately I’ve been doing a fair amount of it, so I thought, why not put together some recommendations for you all. I typically read stories that take place in the past, or older novels such as Austen or Dickens. But I realise the classics tend to have somewhat of an acquired taste and are not everyone’s cup of tea, so I’ll stick to more recently written novels.
Atonement by Ian McEwan
This has been on my to-read list for ages, and I’ve finally gotten around to settling into it. This is an amazing read! It’s beautifully written and has a wonderful story line, with lots of interesting and curious characters. I 100% recommend this to anyone who loves a good sob fest. The story is heartbreaking, but in the most beautifully tragic way. To anyone who’s seen the movie, it’s definitely still worth reading. This is one of those rare cases where the movie did the book justice, and both reading the book and watching the movie is a true treat (so if you’re not so keen on reading, watch the movie, because it’s also incredible!)
Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín
I saw the movie when it first came out and fell in love with the story so I decided to see what the book was like. I was quite happy with it! It’s a really cute story, and the main character Eilis is one of the most endearing girls I’ve read. I would want to be best friends with her in real like. I enjoyed reading all the details that didn’t make it into the movie. The relationship between Eilis and Tony is really sweet, so anyone who likes a cute love story with a bit of drama will love Brooklyn. Definitely a solid read.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
I read this book a while ago, and it’s one of those books you can just read again and again. The Princess Bride movie was a favourite from my childhood and I was introduced to the book in my grade 6 classroom and have loved it ever since. Again, this is a book-movie duo that are done excellently. To anyone who loves the movie but hasn’t read the book, I strongly recommend reading the book – it’s just as witty and fun to read, plus there is soooo much more going on in the book that the movie has to leave out. It is an excellent, excellent, excellent read – great characters, a humorous plot – the perfect love story. “As you wish.”
Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
This too is another childhood story favourite of mine. I try to read this book once a year, my traditional heartwarming story. I’m sure most people are familiar with the movie (which is wonderful and a true classic) and the book takes the magic of Oz even further. There are more witches to meet, more lands to discover, and whole other plot lines to read! If you’re looking for a fun, light read then this is the book for you.
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
By far the darkest story on my list, A Clockwork Orange is one of the most brilliant books I’ve ever read. It’s a bit of a violent read, but if you can push past your squeamishness, I think you’ll enjoy yourself. Burgess is a writing genius and I fully envy him. He basically invents a language in this book, and through the context of the story you’ll begin to understand it, and it will blow your mind. It’s a disturbing read, but disturbing in the best way possible, so if that’s your thing, definitely pick up a copy of A Clockwork Orange.
My favourite time to read is just after waking up but before getting out of bed. The days where I don’t have to go anywhere, I’ll spend an hour or so reading in bed and it’s lovely to be nice and snuggled in with a good book, such as one of these.
Let me know if you’ve read any of these books and what you think of them. I could discuss literature all day. And let me know if you want more book recommendations – I’ve got plenty.
♥
violetsams 