Hello everyone! Today I wanted to share with you some of my all-time favorite books that have left a lasting impression on me. Some may not be as good as I remember, but they deeply resonated with me during that particular time in my life. So don’t judge me too harshly please.
Trigger Warning: This list contains references to mental health disorders (PTSD). Reader discretion is advised.
1. Divergent by Veronica Roth
I grew up in a time where dystopian novels were all the rage, and I am glad I did. I came across this gem of a series during my teenage years, and this story holds a special place in my heart because (spoiler alert) it was the first book I read where the protagonist dies. And it messed with me. It challenged my perception of the protagonist always surviving in a story and the idea of happy endings.
2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Again, love me a dystopian reality book. While Mockingjay was slower paced for me (not saying it wasn’t good just harder to read), the series as a whole was *chef’s kiss. The world building, the reluctant heroine, the themes of resilience and social injustice. I read this novel in a time in my life where I suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and I really connected with the struggles of Peeta to figure out the differences between reality and fiction, the constant fight with your mind when your body is telling you to go into fight or flight.
3. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
This book made me cry. I read this just last year, and the depictions of PTSD and the raw emotion portrayed by the protagonist, Feyre, as she recovered helped me to put into words what I felt during those dark days of my life. It provided me with a sense of validation that few books have done before. The series itself is a good read as well, but this particular book in the series was the one that stood out the most for me.
4. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
I read this in at a point in my life when I was my lowest and struggling with being bullied. This book helped me to understand the simplicity of what a nice gesture could do, and the impact that our choices can have on not only ourselves, but also the people around us. This novel taught me that we should always choose to be kind because we do not know what is going on in the lives of the people around us. And his is a lesson I hold close to my heart and still adhere to even today.
What are some of your favorite books? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below. Let’s celebrate the joy of reading together!
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