My Book List

Trying to select 10 favorite books from all the books that I have read is like asking a mother to pick her favorite child. I started reading when I was around 14 years and my favorite haunt to pick books was the City Central Library next to Aloysious College in Mangalore. Unfortunately some books that I read during that period remains as a blurred memory in my mind, but the fact that I still remember reading them is enough to suggest that these books have created an impact on me.

My small but precious collection of books

So without further ado, here’s my list of 10 favorite books-

1) Harry Potter series by J K Rowling- Harry Potter books are magical, and if I had to choose one book from the series then it would be ‘The Deathly Hallows’ because many of my “Why, my God Why?” questions were finally answered!

2) Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy series- I absolutely loved these detective series and I just couldn’t get enough of them. I even tried writing something on similar lines when I was a teenager J

3) Slugs by Shaun Hutson- This was one of the books that I read very early in my life but I still remember it so vividly. This was also one of the first books where I came upon a sex scene in the book and I recollect being secretly embarrassed and excited reading through the pages.

4) Can You Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella- I love books that make me laugh and this book, which I read recently, made me laugh out loud, thus inviting strange stares at home and in public places. I had a huge crush on Jack Harper, the male protagonist and if ever, I had a boy friend then it would be someone like Jack Harper J

5) Catherine Alliot’s Rosie Meadows Regrets and Olivia’s Luck- I think my love for chick lit started with Alliot’s books and I remember laughing and reading the books that I had borrowed from the local circulating library.

6) Sidney Sheldon- During one phase of my life, I have read nothing but Sidney Sheldon. I have devoured his books morning, noon and night. My favorite, if I had to name one, would be Tell Me Your Dreams.

7) Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner- I read this last week and even though I had loved his ‘And the Mountains Echoed’, I found the narration by multiple characters slightly disorienting. But The Kite Runner was absolutely riveting. There was a lump in my throat as I finished the book. I avoid sad stories but there was a line in this book that could be aptly used for this poignant book- Sad stories make great books.

8) James Patterson-Alex Cross series. Ok, I admit! James Patterson books are like junk food, you want to stop reading them because at some point you realize that his books more or less follow the same protocol but still you cannot stop picking up his books. I got addicted to them after reading the first two in the series- Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls which I still think were his best works in Alex Cross series.

9) Q & A by Vikas Swarup- I have watched the movie and read the book and the book is a million times better than the movie. I did pick his “Six Suspects” but unfortunately it was a sore disappointment.

10) Enid Blyton- I think my childhood wouldn’t be the same if I hadn’t discovered Enid Blyton’s books. Secret Seven, Famous Five, Malory Towers- all these books gave me company on those sweltering summer holidays, under the mango trees. How I wish I could turn back time and return to those wonderful days!

Reading and coming across good books is a journey that I would never want to end. As I write this post I look forward to reading the couple of books that I have ordered- Train To Pakistan by Khushwant Singh, The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith and Fault in Our Stars by John Green and hope that these books find a place in my heart along with the other countless books that I have read J