I have always loved reading books from a very young age, even if it wasn’t the typical "Anne of Green Gables" or "Artemis Fowl." As time went on, though, and I started to get more homework, I didn’t have as much time for reading. Recently, I read somewhere that if you make time to read then you can make it happen, so I have decided to make an extra effort to read one of the many books that I buy but never get the time for.

Even as I struggle to keep up with my love for the books, I am always left with the memories of three amazing books (or book series) that have a made a difference in my life.

1. The "Harry Potter" Series

I don’t think there is any other set of books that have had an impact on my life like "Harry Potter." This is given the fact that I am generally not interested in fantasy books, as I find them to be too artificial and unrealistic. I generally prefer realistic fiction books that I can easily relate to. I find it hard to fit myself in with the fantasy worlds created in many literary works.

"Harry Potter" is unlike any other fiction series because I immediately related to Harry in more ways than one. His feelings, thoughts, and actions resonated with my childhood, and I found that the magical elements within the book were merely representative of reality. For example, dementors were like the darkness that comes from depression and the patronus was the happiness within us that we need to bring out to help fight out the darkness. Dumbledore’s words played in my head like those of a trusted mentor. Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s bond was one that I strived for in all my friendships.

Through this connection, I have found strength in myself to face situations that I didn’t think I could make it through, let alone survive. Because, as Dumbledore has said in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," “happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”

2. "The Alchemist"

My aunt recommended this to me 3 years ago while I was in India, so I trusted her words and picked up the famous book by Paulo Coelho. Safe to say, I was truly blown away by the book. If I had to be 100% honest, I still don’t think I fully understand the book but I don’t think it is because it’s bad, but because it’s one of those books that may take a couple reads to understand the deeper meanings. In a short span, the book covers the journey of a boy on a quest to understand his dreams. There’s an amazing quote from the book that I tell myself anytime I feel something impossible: “when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it.”

3. "David and Goliath"

I had heard a lot about Malcolm Gladwell’s books, so one day I decided to pick up "David and Goliath." I started reading the book and I found myself unable to put it down many nights because I became too caught up in the points that Gladwell made. This book explores the idea of how there is more than meets the eye in those who we perceive to be weak and those who we perceive to be strong. It also explores the ways in which we can spin our failures and downfalls into a strength. Being a adamant person who only accepts ideas if I can reason and wrap my head around them, I was attracted to Gladwell’s style of writing because he used a combination of statistics, psychology, and pure logic to explain his point — in this case, his point being that we can actually capitalize on what we think are our weaknesses. At a time of low confidence entering into a new stage in my life, this book told me to never sell myself short.

Currently, I'm working my way through "The Happiness Project," a book that I predict may soon join this list. Until, then the lessons I've learned from these books continue to mold me into the person that I am now.