5 Books I Recommend to Everyone

An easy way to break a bookworm is to ask them what they’re favorite book is. (DON’T DO THIS SOME—but not all—BOOKWORMS BITE IF PROVOKED)

I love books. I love all sorts of books for all different reasons. But, I also like lists. And I really like definitively ranking things.

There are five books that I’ve read in my 22 years on this planet that stand out more than any other books.

When it comes to ranking books:

• There’s the 5 star category
• There’s the “I wish I could have given this more than 5 stars” category
• Then there’s the “I wish I could have given this more than 5 stars, and then doubled that, then tripled that”

Which is what these books are.

I don’t know what it is, but these 5 books stand above every other book I’ve read. There’s an it factor that just makes these books an otherworldly experience. I recommend that everyone read them, because they’re that amazing.

SUMMER OF SALT by Katrina Leno

I read this book in September and.it became an instant favorite. I thought by now I would have the words to describe just how much I loved it, but. . . I’m still pretty speechless.

Why I think everyone should read it:

• There’s an amazing message about being a girl and a woman, but it’s not preachy or anything it’s just so natural to the story
• And the message about magic (or I guess the metaphor of magic) is also beautiful
• The coming of age story is equally heart-breaking, heart-warming, and magical (how many times should I say magical?)
• It spoke so many truths that needed to be spoken
• I cried at like six different points? Just because everything comes together for one big emotional punch that had me in awe

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson

This was my favorite book for the longest time! I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read it, and it never gets old.

Why I think everyone should read it:

• Maybe not the best selling point, but this book just makes you FEEL sad
• And any book that can make you feel an emotion with just words on a page is basically magic (here I go with that word again)
• It’s very atmospheric in a new refreshing way (when it comes to atmospheric books, they’re either dark moody island atmospheric or lush fantasy world atmospheric) and almost borderlines on magical realism. But it’s not, it just makes you feel bigger than life. . . if that makes sense?
• I’ve read it 5 times and the end still makes me cry every time — but they’re good, bittersweet tears
• It’s a love triangle done well and realistically and I actually loved both boys at the same time for different reasons

BONE GAP by Laura Ruby

This book changed my mind about magical realism. While I like contemporary fantasy, sometimes magical realism is a little too. . . strange and random and a little too purple prose-y for me. But this book is magical and realistic all in a way that’s relatable and believable and just really well done.

Why I think everyone should read it:

• The language is gorgeous and almost hypnotic
• I couldn’t put this book down; I read the whole thing in one day
• It felt like I was in a dream when I was done
• I love how Finn is soft and Petey is sharp
• Petey wasn’t conventionally beautiful, but Finn thought her and her personality were
• The dialogue is goals (do people still say #goals anymore?). But, the dialogue was dreamy but also realistic, all at the same time.

WHERE THINGS COME BACK by John Corey Whaley

Why is this book so underrated? I think I picked it up at the library on whim once before I went on vacation. And I just don’t hear anyone talk about it, but it deserves so much recognition.

Why I think everyone should read it:

• There are two seemingly unrelated stories, and as they get closer and closer together, you realize what the author is doing and it’s just amazing
• This is one of the books I wish I could forget I read and then read it for the first time again
• But I can’t, so I’m telling other people to go read it
• It’s not magic realism, but the writing is so charming that it feels magical
• I really liked the way it handled religion. I think it’s really interesting the way that religion is so strongly tied to some people’s identity, and this book had me thinking a lot about religion and the way it defines some people.

THE RAVEN CYCLE by Maggie Stiefvater

This one is breaking the rules, but they’re my rules, so that’s okay. . . right? I’ll count a series as one item on my list if I want to. (I will also end sentences in prepositions)

Why I think everyone should read it:

• This series is fantastic. I’m not a big series person, but I really really really loved the characters that I just had to read all four books. The plot is also perfect and gorgeously woven
• Each book got better and better and the search for the king never got old, even after four books
• The Raven Boys was the book that encouraged me to step out of the box I had put myself in as both a reader and a writer. I used to only write and read primarily YA contemporary, but this series showed me how putting stories into a box doesn’t really work because I don’t even know what genre this would be
• I went from disliking Gansey to furiously loving Gansey with all my heart and soul and that manipulation of my emotions is some kind of sorcery
• Also Blue is the best protagonist, like, ever
• The writing is sharp and clever and beautiful all at the same time

Are any of these books on your top favorites list? Have you read any of them? Do you have a definitive list of books you recommend to everyone?