create a list of 100 must-read books and read them.

The Phantom of the Opera – Gaston Leroux
Unfortunately boring. I hear that it’s nothing like either the movie or the Broadway show, but I haven’t seen either of them. The book, however, I thought was a flop.

The Devil Wears Prada – Lauren Weisberger
This book was impossibly frustrating. Everybody was so whiny and the main character (whose name failed to stay with me) just let everybody else run all over her instead of taking control of her life. I thought this would be a light, fun beach read, but it was almost anything but fun.

Duma Key – Stephen King
Not Stephen King’s best, but definitely not his worst. Though I found it slow to get into, once I did, I really enjoyed it. The concept, as is nearly always the case with Stephen King, is fascinating and his characters were real. Worth reading for a Stephen King fan.

Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
Very similar to the movie, but fun. Carroll’s work is always playful and enjoyable. One of those classics imortalized by Disney, but worth the read.

Love Letters from Great Men
Something I found in the Sex and the City movie. I really enjoyed it – there is nothing more romantic than reading the intimate words of those in love. Very worthwhile.

Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
This book made me think about “literary classics,” and, in my opinion, is one of the defining works of the genre. It has endured through centuries, was revolutionary, and is still not only relevant, but enjoyable. I was truly glad that I picked it up and read it. I got lost in the old worl, yet it was strangely familiar. Loved it.

This is one of those classics that instantly lives up to it’s name. Fantastic! Thought-provoking, original, and genius.

Abarat (the first one) was one of those children’s books that I read that I loved! It captured my imagination and had some very deep moments in it, so the sequel was added to my list without second thought. The only thing that was good about Days of Magic, Nights of War was that, because it was a children’s book, it was a fast read. It was not good – it was typical, unfortunately dark, and lost the spark of the first one. Waste of time.

What a weird book! I won’t say much, because this is a story that you have to experience fully, but it wasn’t a bad book. There was a part of it that got too weird, but the “catch” at the end presented an interesting thesis on truth and stories.

Jurassic Park is an incredibly realistic story. I could almost believe the science behind it. It was exciting, fun, and mildly interesting. I was always terrified of the movie after seeing a man being eaten at a much too young age, but the book was much less terrifying!

This one made the list because Rodanthe is one of my favorite places to be. I reside on the beaches of the Outer Banks continually in my soul, and this book was a beautiful, romantic story in a beautiful, romantic place. A fun beach read.

I read this in at the beach this year. It totally sucked me in! I loved every moment of it. Noah Gordon creates characters that make you care about them and want to know more. The story of the time period and some of the cultural aspects is awesomely fascinating! Definitely worth picking up!

This book is officially one of my favorites. It is passionate, funny, and wonderful. I literally walked all around campus with my nose stuck in this book, reading and walking. It really made me think, too – why don’t all of us try to live like this? I mean, obviously, we can’t all afford to take a year off and live in three different countries, but why can’t we all live so passionately?

So I took a moment and did just that. I figured, why not start now? Start with one moment at a time, and maybe it will become a habit, a lifestyle. It was a beautiful, sunny, cool day, so I walked to a cafe, got a steaming cappichino, and sat down in the middle of the lawn. From there, I just read. I read and drank and sat and enjoyed the day and the sunshine in the exact way that I wanted to.

One moment at a time.

Oh, but a warning – don’t start this book unless you really want to just sit and drink cappichino and eat pasta. Because that’s exactly what the “Eat” section will make you want to do!

:-)

Which actually has five books in it. Hilarious, interesting, quirky. Once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it back down. I loved these books! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for an interesting book to read.

I had to read this for my American lit class, and I was excited, because it was on my must-read list for quite some time.

I can appreciate the merit that the novel has – the symbolism, the imagery, even the story, however, it was not as romantic as it sounds. I found it to be one of those stories that has great merits and a fascinating story on paper (located outside the book), but just didn’t capture me.

In the end, I’m glad I read it, but I won’t pick it up again.