Ever since I can remember I've been a bookworm. I was that child that was more excited to go to Barnes & Noble than Toys R Us. Heck, in middle school I didn't have to write book reports because the teachers all knew I read enough. Reading was never a forced or agonizing experience for me. I've always loved books, and I always will. So, in my 19 years of life, here are some of the books that have shaped or influenced me significantly and hold a special place in my heart.

The Giving Tree - Shel Silverstein

Taught me to focus more on what I need, not what I want.

Where The Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak

No matter where you go, no matter where you travel, no matter how hard your life gets, you can always go home.

The Runaway Bunny - Margaret Wise Brown

Your Mother will always be there for you, never forget it.

Matilda - Roald Dahl

Matilda reinforced in me that reading is cool, and no one should ever be afraid to be themselves.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling

This book introduced me to one of my favorite book series of all time and a whole magical world beyond my wildest dreams.

Coraline - Neil Gaiman

I couldn't sleep with the lights off for weeks. My love for the horror genre started here.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret - Judy Blume

The first adult novel I ever read. It helped me through all the mysterious parts of growing up and being a preteen girl.

11 Birthdays - Wendy Mass

The protagonist is a female drummer, so I envy her obviously.

Carrie - Stephen King

The first Stephen King book I ever read, and now, over 20 books later, he's one of my favorite authors.

Looking for Alaska - John Green

I thought 'The Fault in our Stars' was stupid, but then I read this gem. The first book to make me cry.

The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

13-year-old me secretly read this novel behind my mom's back when she told sternly told me it was off limits. I should have listened.

Life as We Knew It - Susan Pfeffe

The first book longer than 20 pages that I ever read more than once. It introduced me to the Dystopian genre which I adore.

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

Do I even need to explain?

The Road - Cormac McCarthy

Such an utterly hopeless, dark, and depressing novel that yet manages to show just how far someone is willing to go for their child.

We Need To Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver

Can a child be born inherently evil, or are the parents always to blame?

She's Come Undone - Wally Lamb

I saw that Oprah said it was one of her favorite books so I knew I had to read it. An extraordinary coming of age novel that I got a lot of my favorite quotes from.

In closing, I would just like to say thank you. Thank you to these books for moving me in ways I never thought possible. Thank you for giving me confidence in my times of need, making me shed a few tears, and for the many existential crises you have caused. As John Green once said, "Great books help you understand, and they help you feel understood." I couldn't agree more.