Tagged by @violetclarity !!! 🤗🤗🤗
So I have to talk about The Great Five, books that has affected me throughout my life (do i sound old because i am old by my definition). It's a bit of a mix, I would say? I've read a lot of books before, when I wasn't drowning happily in the world of fanfiction, so it's hard to remember most of it and pick my top 5. They all helped me become who I am today, and I will forever be grateful to the authors for writing them (even tho i may not like the series or shit on it now e.g. #1). Anyway, here we go.
Let me start with one of the books that has shaped me as a person and as a writer. I finished the Twilight series, I watched all the movies, I shipped Bellard/Edlla/Bedward(????!), I loved the idea of a grown-ass wolf-man imprinting on a vampire baby (wtf steph). Yes. This is my trash book. I was trash for and by this book. But you know what? I'm glad I delved into the series. Because I became aware of the things I didn't like about myself and my writing. I understood to separate shit from the principles and ideals that I wanted to nurture and talk about in the future. This book changed me, helped me mature by letting me realise how "immature" my tastes had been in the stories I want to read and the characters I want to read about. After I finished the Twilight series, I never looked back. It was my point of no return. I'm not hating on this genre of books, but after I finished Twilight, I felt that I'm done with teenage romance, trying to find yourself through it, and going against this little bubble of a world who's out to get you and your spider-monkey (lol). This was my growing-up book.
2. The Book Thief, M. Zusak
Now this book was a massive slap on the face while riding on a bullet train--it hurt, it was unexpected, and I got to the end without even feeling the whole journey. It was beautiful and mindblowing, and the narrative was such a joy and blessing to read. The perspective of death was light but it left an impact on me, especially on how it's set in the 1939-1942, a time under the Nazi rule. It somehow opened my mind to a lot of things--mind you, I am aware of that particular history before reading the book, but it changed me in a way that I yearned to always know more. It lit my curiosity, so to speak. To those who hasn't read this book, do so. Bless your life with it. This was my awareness book.
3. Milk and Honey, R. Kaur
I came into poetry writing by the second half of last year, when I suffered a terrible heartache of breaking up with an amazing person. I was stupid, I was hurt, but I didn't know how I could heal it. How do I make the pain go away? See, what's so different between physical and emotional pain is that we need to have physical pain removed at once. Emotional pain, not so much. Rupi Kaur's Milk and Honey, and also the IG poet community, helped me realise that this kind of pain needs time. I needed to let it take its proper course, rolling around the muck and filth of it, before I can scrub it all off during a warm bath on a Tuesday. If you ever need to remind yourself how you are beautiful even with all the scars and blood, read this book. But that’s not the only way this book has affected me. It also, somehow, spurred me on to write again. I had been writing before, a lot of WIPs I never got to finish or post because I was either too lazy or I found it unworthy. I never liked how I wrote. But because of this book, I forced through that years and years of writer’s block and began writing again. This was my book passion. It brought back the passion of writing for me.
I read this book during work one day, many horrid years ago, and I was bawling when I finished it on the same day. DURING work. I’m not a religious person, not really. I know the rites, I know the prayers and the words, but I never much cared for them. It’s not like the book renewed my faith or something, but the book eased the way into it. It made me want to pray more--not the traditional way, but in a way that I was happy with and respectful to my religion. Because that’s what Faith is for me: happiness. The book made me realise the connection and relationship I lost with my Faith. And it’s something I didn’t want to ever go without from then on. I never watched the movie though, afraid that it might spoil how I felt about the book. This was my book of faith.
5. Pride and Prejudice, J. Mothafuckin Austen
This fucking book is my go-to comfort read. It’s my go-to reference read. It’s my go-to book, okay? I go to it, I read it, and I’m happy. I love it so fucking much. It’s a fucking classic. I don’t even have words to describe or praise it enough. Jane Austen is one of my faves. She's not my number 1, but goddamn this is my favourite book of hers. I have a tattered book copy (gasp) and I find myself reachig for it if I want to read something else. And the enemies-to-lovers-with-possibly-mutual-pining trope that I’m so in love with came from this book. This will forever be My Book.
Special mentions would be
1922 by Stephen King (because the way he writes makes me feel nauseous and giddy at the same time)
Neil Gaiman books (altho i have only read graveyard book (i know im sorry))
Mitch Albom books (it never fails to make me cry)
Deception Point by Dan Brown (the book report I gave this was graded highly, and my teacher and I found it funny because he assigned me this book knowing that I didn’t read this kind of shit during high school (I was all into romance and shit))
Last, but not by far the least, the Harry Potter series (i placed this as a special mention and the last one because i only enjoyed and appreciated more of it when i got into tumblr. The theories, the analysis made by fans--character, scene, and plot-wise--the appreciation posts. Everything by the dedicated and loving fans made the whole series and journey amazing for me. JK didn't make me love it, i admit that, because i only loved the series when i was watching it come to life on screen. But now, with all the fanfics and lore-discussion, i am 100% a fucking fan).
Tagging @erin-riwen @justdrarryme @edgyemofangirl @potteresque-ire @jet-playin if you wonderful people haven't done this and want to do this 😊
