5.17.2020

A few of my favorite books.

Since we are currently finding ourselves with more times indoor and in solitude, I decided to make another list of my favorite books after making ones for my favorite foreign films and animes. I am quite a voracious reader and sometimes I finish a book in a day. I definitely read quite a lot of dystopian series. Regardless, perhaps this will give you some ideas. This ought to keep you busy for a while.


The Night Circus. Erin Morgenstern.
This is currently my favorite book of all time. It's filled with magic and ethereally beautiful. I loved reading this before going to bed as I would get the dreamiest visuals in dreamland. I loved this book so much that I actually looked into acquiring the movie rights because I would be thoroughly heart broken if this were not done to perfection. Sadly it was already purchased.


Throne of Glass Series. Sarah J. Maas.
Currently I am really enjoying all the books by Sarah J. Maas. This one follows a mysterious assassin as she wins the title of the king's assassin and her journey across kingdoms to eventually revealing her true identity.


A Court of Thorns and Roses Series. Sarah J. Maas.
I just reread all 4 books of this series this past weekend. I might actually like it even better than the Throne of Glass series. It's like reading a very grim fairy tale. It makes me laugh out loud and fall in love with a lot of the characters. If you know a real life Rhysand and age appropriate for me, I am single. I typically date real life versions of him, so it's not that different than my usual.


Penryn & The End of Days Series. Susan Ee.
This is the end of the world taking place in the Bay Area with some cameos that you will recognize. One of the protagonists is an atheist archangel. Laugh out loud funny many times over. No pandemic in this one, just normal end of the world stuff.


Chaos Walking The Complete Trilogy. Patrick Ness.
This is a very enjoyable series and very unusual. Patrick Ness has a way of diving deep into the emotional aspects of human nature and I enjoy his books for this reason. This is a world where there is no more women and men's intimate thoughts are readily hearable to all around them instead of kept silent in their heads. Naturally, a boy meets a girl and the story unfolds.


The Mortal Instruments. Cassandra Clare.
Shadowhunters, vampires, werewolves, faeries, and a few other otherworldly creatures on earth and in between worlds fighting for power. Why was the movie so painfully bad? I actually saw it in the theatre. Back when we can go to theatre of course... This is a super fun series. If you enjoy it, I also recommend the prequel series The Infernal Devices and the sequel The Dark Artifices.


Shatter Me series. Tahereh Mafi.
This is another fun dystopian series with humans discovering their powers. Right now I am on Imagine Me and I believe there will be at least one more book. All the novellas are also fun as well.


The Picture of Dorian Gray. Oscar Wilde.
One of my favorites of all time.
Behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic.
-Oscar Wilde


Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen.
There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.
-Elizabeth Bennet


Crime and Punishment. Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Throughout my teens, this was one of my favorite books (sans epilogue). I was also a nihilist existentialist at the time.
Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on earth.
-Fyodor Dostoyevsky.


The Stranger. Albert Camus.
Speaking of existentialism. I am not even sure how many copies of this book I own, but I had quite a collection. I think I scared away a few guys when they would come over and see my bookcase and get really intimidated. Amongst all the existentialists, Camus remains my favorite. Then I saw a picture of him dancing. The joy! One of the greatest beginnings of any book I have ever read:
Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know.