Bryanna’s Top 10 Books Ever… For Now….
Alright. I did it. I’ve come up with a list of my top 10 favourite books of all time (for now). This tends to change as I change, but some of these are pretty consistent. They are more or less in order, although after the top 5 it gets a little wishy washy. I’m going to dispense with a synopsis, as you can just google that, or maybe already know what it’s about. Instead, I’m going to tell you why I love them, if they changed me, and the impressions they left me with. That’s way more interesting. So have fun and hopefully you find something to read next.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson- This book has been at the top for about 6 years running. I’ve read it maybe 6 or 7 times. Shirley Jackson is the queen of American Gothic literature. I had never read anything by her until my graduate studies. I had been struggling with my thesis for a while, and had no idea what I was doing. Then, I saw the show on Netflix, and realised it was based on a book. I read said book, and my life changed. Shirley Jackson gave me a purpose, and a Masters degree. If you walk into Pile of Books, I will recommend this book to you. Probably more than once.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck- Yeah, yeah I know. Like all American students, I read him in high school. Of Mice and Men stayed with me. But I never picked him again. Until last year in book club, when we voted on East of Eden (shout out to Yuval for vehemently backing up this choice). I cannot put into words the effect this book had on me. I would if I could write like Steinbeck. It changed how I read. It slowed me down, allowing me to savour the book, rather than trying to get to the next one, just to check it off my list. His writing is so simple, yet altering. I now read a Steinbeck novel once a month.
IT by Stephen King- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Don't come at me that King isn’t a real writer. It’s boring. This is one of the greatest literary masterpieces I have ever read, and I will die on that hill. It reminded me of what it meant to be a kid and healed my inner child at the same time. His world building is exquisite and I want to visit Derry more than anything (except maybe Middle Earth). His characters are to die for, and the end… well, I’ll let you find out. (Also the audiobook read by Stephen Weber is bonkers good…)
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien- This one surprised me. I’m a fantasy nut, but had never actually read these before. And then I read all 3 in one month (I know I know, it’s one book. Calm down). This also changed me. It brought me closer to nature, and made me notice the details. It taught me what real friendship looked like, leading me to end a toxic friendship. I am now reading all of Tolkien’s works and I love it. It also got me motivated to cook. Don’t ask how. It just did.
1984 by George Orwell- I read this in high school for the first time and again in college and it hit me twice. I also remember seeing a theatre production of it when I was 15, and it gave me my very first panic attack, teaching me for the first time the real impact of a story.
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix - Taking a real left turn here with this one. A lot lighter than the others, but still heavy in its own way. I love Hendrix’s campy style, and this one was just plain fun. He does get into gender and race, especially how they’re dealt with in the 1980s antebellum America, but hey…. there are vampires.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley- Another one I’ve reread the most and it just gets better. I recommend this to people who want to get into classics but don’t know where to start. It’s short and easy to read (for 1800s standards) and it’s a page turner. Frankenstein is the OG troubled “I can fix him” boy. And the writing is superb.
The Girl from Rawblood by Catriona Ward- The literary descendent of Shirley Jackson, Ward is one of my favourite gothic writers of today. This one particularly just hit right where I needed it to. It can be a hit or a miss for people because of the writing style, but I think the story is beautiful and there are a few scenes that have just… stayed with me.
The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay- Trigger warnings for this one, just in case. It is quite violent and can be a bit intense, but if you’re a horror fan, I highly suggest it. I love Tremblay’s writing. It, to me, is the prefect example of how horror can be literary. After I finished this, I just started at the floor for about 5 minutes.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver- I’ve loved Kingsolver’s stories since I read her in high school in my mother/daughter book club. This one is a tough read, and yeah maybe I cried. But the writing is amazing and I came away with even more appreciate for what I have.