10 books you have to read.

today i had someone ask me, "what are you favorite books that i should read?"

y'all, never ask me that question if you don't want a serious answer. 

i'm like that mouse from if you give a mouse a cookie.

if you ask abbi for a recommendation, first she will want to know if you've read the hunger games.

if you haven't read the hunger games, she'll slap you across the face and then say "come back when you have"

if you come back after this slap, she'll want to know what your favorite genre is.

then she will want to know if you're open to reading YA (since it's her favorite.)

then she'll ask you if you prefer male or female characters.

then she'll ask you if you're open to reading dystopians (since they're her favorite.)

and so on

and so on

and so on.

i love recommending books to people, but when i do i want it to be something that i think they'll love. 

if my friend who loves basketball and family guy come to me looking for a recommendation, i'm not going to tell him to read anna and the french kiss, no matter how good i think it is.

but since i can't ask each and every person in my life all of the above questions, here is a list of the top 10 books that i've reread dozens of times, that have stuck with me through thick and thin, that i will force on you at any given moment. 

(side note: i didn't really provide a synopsis for any of these, because whenever i try to provide one for any book, i basically end up saying something like, "well it's about a girl, and like, man she is...she is just the best, you know? ugh, man. and then so she meets this guy who is just like, I CANNOT EVEN, and then like, you know.)

1. the fault in our stars by john green

i'm sure most of you have read this by now, but if you haven't, please PLEASE do. it is without a doubt one of the funniest, poignant, most heartbreaking books i've ever read. i cannot say enough about it. after i read it i bought the audiobook so that i could "read it" while i was driving, without killing anyone. 

2. the truth about forever by sarah dessen

i was about 13 when i first read this book, and now i've read my copy of it so many times it's nearly unreadable. i absolutely love sarah dessen, she is an unbelievable writer and every single one of her books is worth your time. (and wes is my number one book boyfriend.)

3. my most excellent year by steve kluger 

when this book was first recommended to me, all that was said was "i wish i could live in this book." and after i read it, i understood why. this book, while not life changing or ground breaking, is the happiest book i've ever read, but what i love about it is that it is genuine. it's not cheap, or ridiculous, it's just purely and honestly GOOD. i carried it in my bag for 3 weeks after i first read it, just because i needed it to be near me.

4. the hunger games by suzanne collins.

for four years i have been begging everyone in my life to read this series. if you haven't already, please do. i literally can't say anything more than that.

5. white oleander by janet fitch

some of the best writing i've ever read in my life. i stopped about half way through the movie because it just couldn't convey all the beautifully written detail provided in the book. some of the things in it are not easy to swallow, because the story is so traumatic, but it is wildly captivating.

6. the chosen one by carol lynch williams

i got this book as an advanced reader copy, so it had no summary on it, which usually turns me off. but i could not be happier that i read it. it is the most haunting novel i've ever read. i was a senior in high school when i read it, and it has stuck with me. i'm just gonna say it y'all: i literally cannot even.

7. it's kind of a funny story by ned vizzini

a review on the back of this book says "a book about depression that's not the least bit depressing" and i think that hits the nail on the head. this is one of the most honest books about depression (and life after depression) that i've ever read.

 8. thirteen reasons why by jay asher

phenomenal. i stayed up till 3:30 in the morning on a school night last year so that i could finish it. it's insightful, and completely chilling. 

9. twenty boy summer by sarah ockler

i debated whether or not i should put this one on the list, because this isn't a book i recommend to just anyone. but this book is such an honest look at what grieving after the death of a loved one looks like, and i read it at a time when i needed it most. i have also had the unbelievable honor of having coffee with sarah ockler, and talking to her about her writing, so it holds an extra special place in my heart, as do all her books. 

10. before i fall by lauren oliver

i describe it as "the book that changed my life." lauren oliver is a goddess of writing, and this book is beautiful and haunting and perfect, amen.

have you read any of these?

have you liked them?

what's on your list of must-reads?