abookolive

I don't know how I dodged spoilers for Pride and Prejudice until my mid-20s when I read it for the first time, but I am so glad I did. I got to experience all of these surprises for myself. And not only was it delightful, but it also offers so much to dig into when it comes to the characters.

And when I did, I fell for it so hard that it felt like my heart was going to explode out of my chest.

And I feel like Lily Bart in the House of Mirth makes for an especially fascinating psychological character study. And the moment I finished the last page of this novel, I immediately got to work trying to get into her mind.

After I finished Mansfield Park, I found myself genuinely perplexed that it isn't more well-loved. So much so that I felt compelled to make an entire video defending Fanny Price.

This book is dark. It is emotional. It's completely absorbing.

There is such a deep respect, almost reverence, woven into the fabric of this book and it captures Joan's spirit in such a lively way that it makes it impossible not to root for her, even though we all know the tragic end that awaits her.

This was a life-changing read for me when I was 16 years old, and it still holds its own, even amongst some very serious competition on this list.

This book is lightning in a bottle, and I didn't even know I was waiting for the storm. It is a showcase of gorgeous writing, characters with grit, the roller coaster that is life with its highest of highs and lowest of lows.

I was absolutely shocked by how much The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera spoke to me. Even sitting here talking about it makes me want to dive straight back into this world.

Now, at the time that I picked this up, I had already read The Age of Innocence, so I did already know her writing is incredible, but it wasn't until I was reading this book that I truly understood her power.

There is very little in life that makes me as happy as The Importance of Being Earnest does.

Last year, The Omnivore's Dilemma pretty effortlessly earned a spot on my list. I loved that book. And if it's even possible, I think I was even more charmed by Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation, and that's why it's sitting at spot number five.

He's witty, so the book is fun, but most importantly, he's completely in earnest. You can feel how much he loves this city and it comes through in this authentic tribute to a city that most people don't spend a lot of time romanticizing.

So basically, I think this is the kind of book that not only makes you a better reader, it makes you a better person.

I don't think a work of true crime has ever ranked this high on my top nonfiction reads of the year list before. So allow that to be a vote in this book's favor because I thought it was incredibly good, to say the least.

But although this book did rip me open, I can call it a masterpiece for the way that it portrays these events, but also in the way that it humanizes so many of these historical details by weaving in stories of people who lived this, who survived this.

I think this book could convince anyone to cook, even people who hate it. I think reading this book would make you want to give it another try.

I possess a female body, so much of this rang familiar, and I felt so seen by some of these discussions. I also just had so much fun doing this kind of educational time travel.

I mean, it's fascinating and well-researched, but it is humbling.

This book slices through all of the sensationalism that has surrounded them and their marriage over the years in order to get to the heart of how these two actually felt about each other during every phase of their relationship. And with a hefty dose of compassion, I found that it showed them just as two people trying to do their best given their immense responsibilities and numerous personal challenges.

The writing is so gorgeous that you can't help but feel totally immersed in this story of his experience. It feels like you're sitting there next to him in the bunker.

I thought this book was thorough, captivating, and deeply respectful. It surprised me in the best possible way.

This one has such depth of feeling and it's so carefully written that I actually felt that it topped Writers & Lovers, which I also loved.

This book is just as smart as it is fun to read. And by Edith Wharton standards, it's incredibly romantic.