my top 5 books

I've just bought the ebook copy of Fight Club and have been trying to finish it for the past three days. I don't know, I feel like I should lock myself in a room in order for me to really get into it. Every time I've tried to read it I always end up doing something else, like laundry or writing this post. It's just that everytime I look up it feels like I'm in a different part of the book each time. But I blame this solely on my inability to focus. Sorry Chuck Palahniuk (how do you pronounce this?). So in line with this, I decided to list the books that have affected my life somehow, you know the ones that you remember when you look back at a certain period in your life. 

Here they are:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by of course J.K. Rowling. Now, don't be mean, I know almost everyone in my generation who loves to read have this book on their list. But allow me to elucidate on why this book is on mine. 

I remember when my mom bought this book for me I think sometime in 2000 (see what I did there?) It wasn't that well-known yet and I really have no idea what it was about, all I knew then was that it has a pretty cover and I like magic. I remember smelling the pages (yes, I smell the pages of a book even magazines) It smelled really good I tell ya. 

I love the other Harry Potter books as well but if not for the awesome precendent that the first book achieved then the rest of the books will just be nothing I guess. I remember the awe I felt when Rowling swept me into this world of made up words and made up monsters. It felt like the first Transformers movie but better. 

2. Wander Girl by Tweet Sering. This one right here was a case of reading a book at the right time. I was exactly where Hilda Gallares was when I read this. Not having any idea on what to do with my life. I envy her for having sisters she can hang out with however I made up for it by having wonderful friends. I enjoyed reading Hilda's struggle in finding her passion. This book actually helped me choose what to major in. I asked myself what I wanted to do, what am I good at, etc. There's some good bits about relationship as well that I was able to take note of.  

Bottomline, I'd have my daughter read this but probably not right away. I'll wait til she's 30.

3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Ironically, this book right here was the reason I had to take summer classes freshman year. We had to write a book review and bottomline is I didn't. I had this preconceived notion that whatever is in this book, I'm probably not going to be able to understand it. It just seems too heavy. Mind you, I was just looking at the cover then. How heavy would it be when it's a tree with a bird inside? I don't know, I was pretty messed up back then. Fast forward a couple years, I decided to read it again. It seems like a simple story at first about a father raising his two kids, Jem and Scout. But then you read on and there's a little bit of everything in it. Love, justice, honesty, fairness in life, racism, acceptance and a lot more other things. The story is beautifully written and the characters are very special. 

I'll probably read it again soon.

4. Boy's Life by Robert McCammon. I can't remember exactly if it was bought by my mom or me. But I'm pretty sure we bought it off of a book sale somewhere. This book just makes you want to be a kid again. I don't know but it feels like magic even if there aren't any on the book. Seriously, this book is a mixture of coming of age and mystery and whole lotta stuff. There are a lot of exciting adventures and it keeps making you wish to go back to your childhood and relive the magic of it. 

5. The Rainmaker by John Grisham. I wanted to be a lawyer. This book made me want to become a lawyer even more. It deals with a minority of people battling against a big corporation and the courage that this lawyer had in order to win. However it also talks about ambition and the reality that it's good to help but it's even better if you're recognized for it. I was pretty young when I read it, so I remember feeling really smug that I finished it and understood it at the same time. Because that rarely happens now. 

I read different types of genres in books. But that's about the only difference I notice. Because for me, books will always be that one thing I have that I know I wouldn't need a lighter to enjoy.