Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Could Reread Forever


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is top ten books I could reread forever. If I ever get sent into exile on a lonely island, here are the ten books that I’m bringing with me. I could have easily made this list all Margaret Atwood, J.K. Rowling, and Stephen King, but I tried to be reasonable and pick a variety of favorites to keep me entertained in exile. My choices are all childhood favorites or books that gave me something to think about.




Books I Could Reread Forever








Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J.K. Rowling

It's no longer safe for Harry at Hogwarts, so he and his best friends, Ron and Hermione, are on the run. Professor Dumbledore has given them clues about what they need to do to defeat the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, once and for all, but it's up to them to figure out what these hints and suggestions really mean. 
Their cross-country odyssey has them searching desperately for the answers, while evading capture or death at every turn. At the same time, their friendship, fortitude, and sense of right and wrong are tested in ways they never could have imagined.







The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now.







Oryx and Crake – Margaret Atwood

Snowman, known as Jimmy before mankind was overwhelmed by a plague, is struggling to survive in a world where he may be the last human, and mourning the loss of his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful and elusive Oryx whom they both loved. In search of answers, Snowman embarks on a journey–with the help of the green-eyed Children of Crake–through the lush wilderness that was so recently a great city, until powerful corporations took mankind on an uncontrolled genetic engineering ride.







Bridge to Terabithia – Katherine Paterson

Jess Aarons' greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in his grade. He's been practicing all summer and can't wait to see his classmates' faces when he beats them all. But on the first day of school, a new girl boldly crosses over to the boys' side and outruns everyone. 
That's not a very promising beginning for a friendship, but Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable. Together they create Terabithia, a magical kingdom in the woods where the two of them reign as king and queen, and their imaginations set the only limits.







The Green Mile – Stephen King

Set in the 1930s at Cold Mountain Penitentiary's death-row facility, The Green Mile is a riveting and tragic story of John Coffey, a giant, preternaturally gentle inmate condemned to death for the rape and murder of twin nine-year-old girls. It is a story narrated years later by Paul Edgecomb, the ward superintendent compelled to help every prisoner spend his last days peacefully and every man walk the green mile to execution with his humanity intact.







The Book Thief – Markus Zusak

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.







Hatchet – Gary Paulsen

Brian is on his way to Canada to visit his estranged father when the pilot of his small prop plane suffers a heart attack. Brian is forced to crash-land the plane in a lake—and finds himself stranded in the remote Canadian wilderness with only his clothing and the hatchet his mother gave him as a present before his departure.








All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr

Marie-Laure lives in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where her father works. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris. Father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel. 
In a mining town in Germany, Werner Pfennig, an orphan, grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find that brings them news and stories from places they have never seen or imagined. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments and is enlisted to use his talent to track down the resistance. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, Doerr illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.







Midwinterblood – Marcus Sedgwick

An archaeologist who unearths a mysterious artifact, an airman who finds himself far from home, a painter, a ghost, a vampire, and a Viking: the seven stories in this compelling novel all take place on the remote Scandinavian island of Blessed where a curiously powerful plant that resembles a dragon grows. What binds these stories together? What secrets lurk beneath the surface of this idyllic countryside? And what might be powerful enough to break the cycle of midwinterblood?







The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins

The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, is a country that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts. Early in its history, a rebellion led by a 13th district against the Capitol resulted in its destruction and the creation of an annual televised event known as the Hunger Games. In punishment, and as a reminder of the power and grace of the Capitol, each district must yield one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 through a lottery system to participate in the games. The 'tributes' are chosen during the annual Reaping and are forced to fight to the death, leaving only one survivor to claim victory. 
When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as District 12's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, are pitted against bigger, stronger representatives, some of whom have trained for this their whole lives. She sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.






Which books would you take into exile with you?








46 comments:

  1. I read The Bridge to Terabithia to my kids when they were tweens and they loved it. I have been wanting to read The Handmaid's Tale and The Book Thief. I loved The Hunger Games. I don't re-read books though.

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  2. I considered both The Book Thief and Hunger Games for my list, too. The Handmaids's Tale is another one I loved. Great list!

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  3. I loved All the Lights We Cannot See so so MUCH but I'm not sure I'd be able to reread it *hides* Great list!

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  4. Nice list! I think Harry Potter is going to show up on a lot of lists (including mine!). Bridge to Terabithia is such a beautiful book.

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  5. I *really* need to read All the Light We Cannot See. And I’d love a Hunger Games reread. It’s been too long.

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  6. HP is on aaaall the lists today haha XD I would love to re-read Hunger Games but I'm a bit over dystopian books so I'm afraid I won't enjoy it as much anymore.

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  7. Yea for Stephen King and yes, Harry Potter - even though they didn't make it on my list!

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  8. I've heard such high praise for The book thief-- I really need to get around to reading it one of these days!
    My TTT

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  9. Oh gosh, I love Bridge to Terabithia - and The Book Thief. If I chose one HP book, it would be the third one. :)

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  10. HP!!! I would like to revisit the Hunger Games at some point too.

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  11. Great choices! I love Harry Potter, The Handmaid's Tale, The Hunger Games and All the Light We Cannot See is a masterpiece! Have a wonderful week!

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  12. Wonderful list! I could re-read Harry Potter forever as well. It's my go-to that I just never tire of. Midwinterblood sounds really interesting! Margaret Atwood is a great one also.

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  13. The Hunger Games and Harry Potter made my list too! :) Here's my TTT - http://www.amysbookishlife.co.uk/2018/02/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-could-re-read.html

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  14. The Hunger Games are so good and re-readable! But Hatchet never did it for me, not even when I was in the target audience...I think books like that and Island of the Blue Dolphins about young people who have to survive all alone stressed me out haha!

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  15. I have read most of these :)! In exile, I think I would take a copy of Guy Owens, "The Ballard of the Flim-Flam Man," Wendell Berry's "Jayber Crow" and maybe a Wallace Stegner novel.

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  16. harry potter -yes

    the book thief - sure

    the rest - I have no idea since I have not read them.

    does watching the movie of 'the green mile' counts as reading? I don't read much Stephen King as he writes mostly horror, though this one is not scary, at least, according to the movie.

    have a lovely day.

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  17. I can definitely see reading the Hunger Games again. I just read them for the first time and had a blast, especially with Catching Fire.

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  18. I've read several of these - Hatchet, Bridge to Terabithia, and HP of course. Oh, and The Hunger Games. All worthy books for this topic. :-)

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  19. Hmmm... we're thinking reading in exile? I'm not sure what I'd bring with me, but something dystopian sounds like a good idea.... although the only one I can think of right now is the Hungar Games. :)

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  20. I'm not a big re-reader.

    Once a week on her back seems horrible enough. I don't think I need to learn about her other travails. Though I'e heard it's a good novel.

    I recently watched the Hunger Games quadrilogy. It was good, but not worthy of all the hype it got. I thought Woody Harrelson's character was the best one. J Law was better in Silver Linings Playbook.

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  21. You've reminded me that I still need to read anything by Atwood.

    Love Harry Potter and The Hunger Games too. Wasn't crazy for The Hatchet though.

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  22. Hunger Games almost made my list. Lots of classic or soon-to-be classics on this list. Very nice.

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  23. Definitely Harry Potter? And how the heck did I forget to put The Book Thief on my list?? I've been seriously due for a re-read on that.

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  24. Yesss to The Hunger Games! That is actually the ONLY series I could reread, I get too bored of most stuff. Now that I am thinking about it, there are a small handful of books I might want to reread one day. But alas, time. I love your list though, I think it's quite well rounded for your island! :D

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  25. The Hatchet is awesome and so is The Handmaid's Tale!!

    Here's a link to my TTT post this week:
    http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2018/02/top-ten-tuesday-top-20-books-i-want-to.html?showComment=1519763870518#c5107883999471523910

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  26. Harry! <3 I still need to read an Atwood book and I own The Book Thief but I haven't read it yet! Awesome list :)

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  27. Midwinterblood sounds really amazing

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  28. All the Lights We Cannot See is one of my favorite books, but I don't know if I'd have the courage to reread it tbh *hides*

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  29. Great list! There are a couple I have been meaning to read on there. The Book Thief being one of them.

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  30. Nice list! HP made mine as well. And I totally forgot about THE BOOK THIEF. Oops. As for your others, I think if I were in exile I would want to surround myself with happy books. Margaret Atwood's books scare me -- ha ha.

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  31. Meg Cabot's Every Boy's Got One I've reread a bunch and I just adore it. Probably the HP series, because it's like home.

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  32. Great list! I could also reread The Book Thief forever, and I can't believe I forgot about The Hunger Games, even though I have already reread that series so many times :)

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  33. I'm with you on Harry Potter and the Hunger Games!

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  34. The Book Thief was on my list this week too! I also went with Harry Potter but if I had to pick one to reread over and over, it wouldn't be the seventh, the camping bored me too much! I totally forgot about The Hunger Games, but I do love that one too.
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2018/02/27/top-ten-tuesday-148/

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  35. oh wow most of your books I haven't read! I can't read King unfortunately but the others I want to read especially The Handmaid’s Tale! exception being Hunger Games because I never read a book is I already watched the movie. Yes to rereading Harry Potter million times :)

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  36. I've been meaning to read Bridge to Terrabethia since I first saw the movie but never got around to it. Thanks for the reminder to pick it up some time. ;)

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  37. Your list is great! I'm actually re-reading Handmaid's Tale right now!

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  38. Hi AJ - I need to read most of these ... but thank you for the list and for others I've seen in the comments - I've noted them .. cheers Hilary

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  39. Omg Bridge to Terebithia!! I want to reread that SO BAD (and honestly I should just go do it since it's like 100 pages and will take me hardly any time at all😂). Also I really want to reread Harry Potter sometime. <3 I've forgotten too much. And The Hunger Games! I even read that pre-blogging so I don't even have reviews. GASP.😂

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  40. Hatchet is one of my all time favorites, but it's been ages since I read it... maybe some day soon. :)

    Lauren @ Always Me

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  41. Harry Potter--yes! The Book Thief--my top book ever. The Bridge to Terabithia--first book to make me bawl like a newborn.

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  42. I have never heard of Midwinterblood, but now I definitely need to read it!

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  43. omg I remember I read Hatchet FOREVER ago and loved it!

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  44. YES to The Hunger Games! And I have a horrible confession....I've never read Harry Potter *covers eyes*. Once my kiddos are a few years older, then I'll be able to start reading those books to them at bedtime. I'm so excited, yet so nervous, to finally be stepping into that world!
    Jen @ Star-Crossed Book Blog

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