Growing up, I was always very advanced with reading. While other kids my age were running around outside, I was in my room reading a book.
As an adult, nothing has changed. I have an ever expanding book collection and I do admit I have never read a book on a kindle, I prefer old school reading. There is just something about having an actual book in your hands. Yes I'm one of those strange people that loves the smell of old books!
I want to share with you my 8 favourite books of all time. Books that I read over and over because i just love them.
1) Goodnight Mr Tom - Michelle Magorian
This is my number 1. I have lost count of how many times I have read this book over the years.
I even did an assignment on this book for a university course I was doing because I love it so much!
The story is about a young boy, "Willie Beech" who gets evacuated to the countryside as the second world war breaks out. Coming from a sad, deprived home he begins to flourish under the care of Mr Oakley.
William's mother then summons him back to war torn London to look after his newborn sister.
2) Black Beauty - Anna Sewell
This book is one of my favourite reads. I love horses so it was a given that once my Aunt read this to me when I was a little girl, it would become one of my favourites.
The story begins in a 19th century meadow. A beautiful horse is born and is given advice from his mother to "do good and give your best effort always and everything will work out" He lives his life by this and what a life it is!
3) Speaking in bones - Kathy Reichs
Now Kathy Reichs just happens to be one of my all time favourite authors. I own almost all of her books, have watched Bones (tv show) repeatedly over the years and I just absolutely love reading her stories.
When forensic anthropologist Dr Tempe Brennan is approached by an amateur detective "Hazel" who claims that she’s matched a previously unidentified set of remains with a name. As she investigates further she finds herself involved in a case more horrifying than she imagined.
4) Little Women - Louisa M. Alcott
This is a story that I could just read and read for the rest of my days. I actually have 4 copies of Little Women, and my favourite copy is one from the antique bookshop which was inscribed to someone for their birthday in 1950. This just makes me love it even more,to think about the hands it has been through and the history this book carries just fascinates me.
Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March are four sisters living with their mother in New England. and the sisters struggle to support themselves and keep their household running In the process, they become close friends with their wealthy neighbor, Theodore "Laurie".
5) Notes from Walnut Tree Farm - Roger Deakin
I found this book in the charity shop quite a few years ago and I love it.
Now this is slightly different to the rest on my list. Its more of a diary which i love by the way because im nosey! Roger Deakin kept a diary for six years of his life whilst living on Walnut tree farm, capturing our changing world.
6) The Glass Palace - Amitav Ghosh
I was gifted this book for a birthday and i'm so happy it found its way to me. As soon as I started to read it i couldn't put it down, it draws you in making you want more.
An epic novel about war, love and family, with characters from Burma, Malaya and India.
7) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J.K. Rowling
I am a self confessed Harry Potter nerd. I was ten years old when this book was first published, and i still absolutely adore it now, in fact i adore the whole collection of Harry Potter books that I must have read them countless times. I have since shared my Harry Potter obsession with my own Children!
Harry Potter thinks he is a "normal" boy until a giant of a man rescues him, enrols him in a witchcraft & wizardry school known as Hogwarts.
8) Dracula - Bram Stoker
It's a known fact that i have a love for Vampires, Dracula is THE vampire in my eyes. I first read this story when I was 8 years old and I honestly can't tell you how many times I have read it since. A true classic in Literature that will no doubt wow readers for many years to come.
An 1897 Gothic horror novel, telling the story of Dracula's attempt to move from Transylvania to England so that he can find new blood and spread the undead curse.
These are only 8 of my favourite books. I could probably do a list of 100, maybe more. I just love books!
Im lucky that all three of my boys share a love for reading and have also taken up collecting books!
What are your favourite books?
Kelly x
