I have always been a fan of reading. I loved my English classes in high school and willingly joined a book club with my favorite teacher the summer before my senior year. My appreciation for books has grown over the years and I have begun to pay more attention to the lessons being exemplified in them. I used to hate the books we read in high school, mainly because I was opposed to being forced to read something that I didn't want to read. However, being in college now and having to read and interpret almost everything on my own, has made me miss the discussions I had in high school about the material we were reading. Here are some of my favorite books from high school and some lessons I have learned from them.

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

~Courage comes from within.

~Never be afraid to stand up for what you believe in.

~Treat everyone equally, you are no better than anyone else.

p.s. This book gave me the opportunity to learn about and develop a love for my favorite character of all time... Atticus Finch

2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

~"We accept the love we think we deserve"

~Real friends will accept and love you for who you are.

~You control your own destiny.

"We can't choose where we come from, but we can choose where we go from there"

~Take each day one at a time, live in the moment.

3. The Book Theif by Markus Zusak

~The power of words in unexplainable.

~Learn to appreciate the things that we take for granted.

~Love the people that love you.

4. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

~We are all in search of the pursuit of happiness.

~Money doesn't buy you happiness.

~Your past doesn't have to be apart of your present.

5. The Fault in our Stars by John Green

~Everyone you meet is fighting their own battles.

~You can't always get what you want, most of the time you won't.

~Things don't work out the way you plan and that's okay.

~Don't be afraid to experience life; meet people, learn new things, go out of your comfort zone, fall in love, and be yourself. Find what and who makes you happy.

~Despite what life throws at you, you'll be okay.