The ten books you absolutely have to read.

So I thought I would make my first post about the books that, in my opinion, are the absolute best. Some are for a younger age group, but I adore them anyways so I decided to throw them in!

1) Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg- Slightly strange title. Sounds interesting, right? Letme tell you, it is. The story starts with a visit to the nursing home where Evelyn, a middle-aged woman who is extremely unsure of herself and quite miserable, meets the most memorable Mrs. Threadgood. Mrs. Threadgood is chatty and sweet, and in desperate need of a friend. Evelyn is just the person. As Mrs. Threadgood tells Evelyn her life story, you will fall hopelessly in love with the places and the characters. Maybe it’s just me, but I just love southern stories (as I’m sure you’ll soon notice). I remember staying up til 1 am to finish this book, crying and laughing the whole way. Its sweet, endearing, and even a little gruesome. Nothing like murder to spice up a heartwarming southern tale! Make sure you read it, and then watch the movie!

2) The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall- This is one of the stories that I would say are for younger girls. But I don’t care, I still re-read this book! Its the tale of four motherless sisters on a summer adventure. No matter who you are, you’ll find a sister to relate to. The eldest, Rosalind, is sophisticated and motherly. She feels a lot of pressure to take care of the little ones, and in this story she even encounters a first romance. Next is Jane, the dreamer of the bunch. She wants to be a writer, and she has an imagination like no other. Then there’s Skye who is just the absolute opposite. She likes math, and is quite the tom boy. And last but not least my personal favorite, Batty. She’s the youngest of the girls, and she will have you laughing throughout the book! The four girls, along with their latin speaking, plant loving father and lovable dog Hound embark on a summer adventure to Arundel. Arundel turns out to be a mansion, and they are living in the quaint cottage on Arundel’s grounds. This story left me longing for a cottage with a rose bush and four wild sisters.

3) The Help by Kathryn Stockett- This is one of those instant favorites of mine. I saw the movie a few years ago, then read the book. This again only further proves the point that the book is truly better than the movie! And that’s really saying something, because the movie was amazing. The book is set in the 60’s in Jackson Mississippi. Eugenia (Skeeter) Phelan is not like her friends. First, she’s 23 and not married yet. Second, she wants to be a writer. And third, she is braver than any of them will ever be. She shows this when, despite the extreme racial tension, she writes a book compiled of black maids stories. Each chapter of the book shifts perspective between Skeeter, Aibileen (the black maid Skeeter first talks to and befriends) and Minnie Jackson (another maid who will keep you laughing with her sassy comebacks and spitfire attitude). As Skeeter and the maids secretly go against everything their society has taught, you will be hanging in suspense hoping the awful Hilly Holbrook doesn’t catch on. You’ll be rooting for them with every ounce of everything in you! I couldn’t stop reading this book, it will absolutely draw you in. ****spoiler alert**** One of the greatest things about this book was the fact that Skeeter went to New York and followed her dreams, WITHOUT the guy. She didn’t let him run back after what he did, even though for a while you think she will. She doesn’t chase him. She doesn’t stay in Jackson for him. And he doesn’t meet her in New York for the happily ever after ending. Its about time we had a book where the heroine goes on independently!

4) Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles- This is again a book aimed at a younger group. But good garden of peas, (read it and you’ll know what I mean) is it a good story. How could it not be, what with chicken thieves, a shell shock pink house, and a secret knothole for mail? Set in Halleluia Mississippi (..again with the southern town…) the story starts with the memorable and hilarious 9 year old Ruby Lavender and her best friend, Miss Eula. When Miss Eula leaves for the summer, Ruby has to learn how to forgive and befriend even the most awful, terrible, Melba Jane. A sweet story that teaches us that “life does go on.”

5) The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling- I honestly don’t even know where to begin with these books. There are seven total, so I have no idea how to summarize this! The only solution would be for you to read it. J.K. Rowling crafted an amazing setting that made me wholeheartedly wish for that owl with a letter in its to come flying to my door. If too much time passes and I haven’t reread one of the books, I get the strangest feeling. Homesick? Lonely? I can’t quite name it. But I miss the characters! I feel as if they’ve always been my friends and I can’t imagine not knowing them. It’s one of the series I’ll always go back to. Even after all this time? Always.

6) Because of  Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo- Here we are again in the small southern town! This time in Naomi Florida. India and her daddy, the preacher, move there and India knows no one. Until fate chimes in and she lands herself a dog who she spontaneously names “Winn Dixie”. Throughout the story she makes friends with the most unlikely people. Gloria Dump, Otis, and  Miss Fanny Block. Each person has their own story, which India unravels little by little. The little town of Naomi will never be the same, and its all because of Winn Dixie.

7) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen- This is just a complete and utter classic. Set in the 1800’s, a family of five daughters attempts to marry them all! Quite the time that proves to be. The oldest, Elizabeth is probably one of my favorite characters ever. She is headstrong, independent and very smart. Next is Jane, the beautiful and sweet one. Then there’s Kitty and Lydia. I really cannot stand these two. They’re fifteen and sixteen, and absolutely ditzy. All they care about is boys, boys, boys. You and I both know there are far more important things in this world than boys. Perhaps the real reason I despise these two characters is because when I was in ninth grade we did a play of Pride and Prejudice. I, of course, desperately wanted to play Elizabeth. More so than you would ever believe. I had my heart set on it. And do you know which part I got? Yep, you guessed it, Lydia. I sobbed for a whole day over that one. Out of the two ditzy sisters, Lydia is the one who runs away with Mr. Whickham. The worser of the two. But enough of that rant.. the youngest sisters name is Mary and she’s rather gloomy. She plays a minimal role in the story. The Bennet household is going to be given away when Mr. Bennet passes away, so it becomes Mrs. Bennets obsession to marry off her daughters and make sure they will have a home! Jane finds love quickly in a neighbor down the road, but the same cannot be said for Elizabeth. She is very particular, and I so admire that about her. She meets the arrogant and ever so mysterious Mr. Darcy. For a while it seems they despise each other but in the end they have to put aside their pride, and prejudice, to realize that they both truly care about each other. This story holds a special place in my heart because of my play, but I think it would even without that!

8) The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd- This book is a long time favorite. Set in South Carolina in 1964, this books tells the heartbreaking story of Lily Owens who feels an immense amount of grief over something that was purely an accident. A terrible, terrible accident. Lily shot her mother when she was a little girl, and she never got over it. Living with only her father, T-Ray, was torture for Lily. When Lily’s maid, Rosaleen, insults some of the white men in their town and Lily breaks them both free. They run to Tiburon, without knowing that it was the same town Lily’s mother ran to several years before. They are taken in my a family of beekeeping sisters, who in time all become like a mother toLily. You’ll cry with the characters and laugh with them, this is truly an amazing story.

9) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee- If you haven’t read this book, then you need to get yourself into your car and drive to the nearest library and get it this instant. This book is again, a classic. Scout and Jem are growing up in Maycomb Alabama (I really need to branch out…) and the novel in narrated by Scout. She tells stories of her and her brothers fascination with the mysterious Boo Radley, and about the Tom Robinson case. Tom Robinson was black, and accused of raping a white girl. The White families story is so obviously fake and despite Atticus’s very good case, Tom is declared guilty. Scout struggles with understanding that morals are not always what people judge by, and has to learn to stick by what she knows is right.

10) Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell- Last and most certainly not least. This book is absolutely incomparable, and it stands on a level of its own. Set in the Antebellum Era in Georgia, Scarlett O’hara has every country boy for counties wrapped around her finger, except one. The infamous Ashley Wilkes. Ashley, who is set to marry his “pale faced, mealy mouthed” cousin Melanie Wilkes. Scarlett, convinced she loves Ashley, meets Rhett Butler. The rich, charming, and handsome blockade runner who falls in love with Scarlett as well. As the headstrong Scarlett saves herself, and her family she continues to pine away after Ashley, even once he’s already married! I won’t ruin the ending, and besides there’s too much to tell! Here’s my only warning for you, you will fall hopelessly in love with Rhett. After reading this book you will never meet a man without comparing him to Rhett Butler. So far, I haven’t met one like him, but I’m quite determined. Just a reminder to be particular! Never give up a Rhett when you’re stuck on an Ashley. That was Scarlett’s only mistake. Other than that, she is an incredible characters. Strong, determined, charming, and full of gumption. She is a female lead that is most certainly not a damsel in distress!

So there they are, the ten books you need to read. I hope you guys liked this post… lemme know if you’ve read any of these and what you think of them! Also tell me about your must read books, I would love to find some new favorites!!