5 Books That Changed My Life

 For as long as I remember I have always loved reading, and one of my favourite childhood activities was going to the library over summer and picking out a huge pile of books to read during the holidays. I can't remember a time where I didn't have a book on the go, and I always try to read before bed every night as I find it incredibly relaxing. With that in mind, I thought I would share the five books that I consider to have made an impact on my life in some way or another. 

 

To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee

I read this book when I was 15 years old as it was part of my English GCSE and I must admit I wasn't very enthusiastic before I read it. However, it has since become one of my favourite books of all time, as it managed to make me feel every emotion whilst reading it. The way the characters are presented and how they interact with each other in the novel, as well as the issues presented, completely drew me in, making it easily one of the best books I have ever read. 

Wuthering Heights- Emily Bronte

Again, this is also one of the books that I studied at school, this time as part of my English Literature A-level. I had many pre-conceptions before I read this book, which turned out to be false once I actually began reading and analysing this book. As with Mockingbird, the characters are one of the main reasons I love this book, as you can love one character one minute and then hate them the next. For me, it is one of the classic books that everyone should read as it is one of the greatest novels.

James and the Giant Peach- Roald Dahl

After wracking my brain for the book that first made me love reading, I finally narrowed it down to one of the books that my Year 2 teacher used to read to the whole class at the end of every school day, in which James and the Giant Peach was one of them. As a child, I was a massive fan of Roald Dahl, and they are probably the books that I started reading to myself around the age of 6-7. Because of this, I regard this book(my favourite of Roald Dahl's) as changing my life as it is probably the book that made me such a massive bookworm.

 

 

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves- Karen Joy Fowler

It is quite difficult to talk about this book without giving away the huge twist revealed around page 80, but I will try, as it is the main foundation that the book is built on and the message presented throughout. It is a great psychological book which explores the ideas of family and relationships, and really makes you think when you read it.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone- J.K.Rowling

I don't really know where to start when talking about Harry Potter, as I can honestly say it is the book series that changed my life the most. I must reread the whole seven books at least every couple of years, as there is a sense of home and safeness associated with Hogwarts and the Wizarding World, thanks to the high level of detail given by J.K Rowling about the fictional world. Since the age of 9 it has been my favourite book of all time and no doubt it will continue to be for the foreseeable future. 

What books have changed your life?

Megan