My Top 5 Favorite Books

I was once told by my creative writing professor that the best thing a writer can do is read, read, READ! Reading helps you form ideas and possibly spark inspiration for your own stories, poems, songs, anything!

I've read quite a bit of books in my life, but there are some that stand out as my favorites. However, there's no way I can choose one specific favorite! So, in no particular order, here are five of my favorite books. If you haven't read them yet, you should definitely check them out!

1) Fahrenheit 451: This is probably my favorite classic that I was required to read in high school. My middle school teacher actually recommended that I read it way back when I was in seventh grade. It took until my junior year in high school to finally read it, and it was completely worth it. Bradbury's imagery is breathtaking, his symbolism is incredible, and his message he conveys in the story is definitely meaningful. Even if you don't pay attention to the message (which is difficult to do), the imagination and creativity used to create this alternative future overrun by technology is just incredible.

2) The Luxe Series: I'm a sucker for a turn of the century historical fiction story, and that's exactly what  this series is about. Manhatten's elite society is filled with secrets and scandal, and Godbersen delivers nothing less than a suspense filled tale shown in the eyes of five different characters. It's really neat to see the same story in these very different point of views. Each character is unique and filled with their own secrets, and you'll never understand the true story until the very end of the series. It was always very difficult to stop reading once I started!

3) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: I love the entire series, but the final book was definitely my favorite. It exceeded all my expectations and then some. The way JK Rowling tied everything together, even things you probably completely forgot about, was incredible. These books have definitely changed my life, and helped inspire me to want to write. I'll always remember the day I picked up the first book. I borrowed it from a friend, but loved it so much I had to get my own copy. The movies will never do it proper justice, though they do a decent job. I encourage EVERYONE to read these books, because nothing can possibly compare to how amazing they truly are.

4) Catching Fire: This second book in The Hunger Games trilogy is by far my favorite. I found it the most intense and action packed, and probably most important in the series. I won't spoil anything, but at one point I literally stopped reading, closed the book in disbelief, and just sat there with a shocked expression on my face. It had the biggest and most unexpected twist (at least in my opinion), and definitely did not fail to disappoint. This series is definitely one of my favorites for its adventure, creativity, originality, and suspense. I read the first one in a day. You'll never want to put the books down!

5) Blue is for Nightmares: If you're into suspenseful mysteries with a twist of fantasy, this is definitely a book/series you should read. I feel like it's under appreciated and not as well known as it should be. The main character has these really disturbing and unnerving reoccurring dreams, but they're more than just dreams. Last time she had these types of dreams, they came true. This time, she's determined to stop them from coming true. Definitely a page turner, and thankfully there's three other books in the series! The first one is definitely my favorite.