5 Books That Define My Reading Tastes
Start writing a post
Entertainment

5 Books That Define My Reading Tastes

Let's go back to a time when finding a few hours to read wasn't so difficult (spoilers ahead!).

32
5 Books That Define My Reading Tastes
@harrypotterfilm

Whether you enjoy reading or not, there is one thing that we all have: a favorite book. That one perfect story that swept you away when you first read it and never quite let you go.

Since I've entered college, I've done a lot of reading - you know, textbook reading. Reading that article or chapter seven for the third time to prep for the test that I absolutely HAD to get an A on to get the A in the class...to no avail. I miss being able to read on my terms when the book in my hand was one that I had chosen.

For example...

1. "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Giphy

I read this for the first time in my senior year of high school and fell so in love with it that it inspired my first tattoo. It reinforced the idea that one word can mean so much more than its definition. The word in question: "But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—'Thou mayest'— that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if 'Thou mayest'—it is also true that 'Thou mayest not." The word timshel, and the story I read it in reminded me that my life is my own. My choices are mine and mine alone, and fate is not something already set; it is a blank slate for me to fill in.

2. "The Passage" by Justin Cronin

Giphy

This is not your typical apocalypse series. For one thing, they aren't zombies, but closer to vampires, and are driven by a hunger for blood instead of brains. They move with a hive mind, each connected back to one of the Twelve - the Twelve being the death-row inmates that the government chose to make superhuman. There is no race against time to stop the Twelve and their armies; death and heartbreak is inevitable, and when all is said and done, the survivors can only do just that: survive, keep each other safe, and try to find small pockets of happiness amidst the bloodshed that keeps coming back, years and years into the future. It's a three-book series and one that I find something new every time I go back.

3. "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte

Giphy

Speaking of heartbreak, this demonstrated better than anything else that love is not simple and life can be cruel for no reason at all. Jane struggles throughout her childhood and finally gets a good-paying job with a boss that seems unwelcoming at first, but quickly falls in love with Jane, and Jane with him. But there are complications from his past marriage and she leaves, unwilling to be with a man who has lied to her. When she finally returns, it is after a series of events that changed her, and her lover has changed as well. Love is not simple - it evolves, and we with it.

4. "Harry Potter" by J.K. Rowling

Giphy

This will always be the series that inspired me to write my own stories. I remember reading "Goblet of Fire" in first or second grade during a long trip to Alabama; my mom had to come to the school to convince the librarians to let me check it out because it was in the "big kid section" and I was just seven years old. I was still young when "Deathly Hallows" was released and it was read with my family on another trip to visit family. We took turns reading out loud while our mom drove, and I was the one to read Molly Weasley's iconic line - if you've read the book, you know the one. This continues to be a defining aspect of my life, years later and long after the story ended.

5. "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R. R. Martin

Giphy

I learned a long time ago that not all of my favorite characters will make it to the end of the book (see the series mentioned above) but this series is like a punch in the face at least ten times in every book, usually more. There is a power behind each character, each point of view bringing the pieces together. Each death has a reason and a price. I got in trouble multiple times when I first read the series in high school. I couldn't put it down, first "A Game of Thrones" and then "A Clash of Kings" until summer came and I could finally read freely. Don't get me wrong, the show is good, but there is so much that it does not capture about this series.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

57773
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37229
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

958931
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

191933
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments