Yarborough || The Thirty One Day Challenge

Bibliophile

The dedication today goes to TheShineOfTheMoonbecause in my 2014 book favourite's the Book Thied was number one and she needs to read it. Also she's a great writer who I was blessed to see in the beginning stages of her future illustrious Author Games career.

TOP THREE FAVOURITE BOOKS

So like in 2014, I'll once again be doing my three favourite books, however I'm not that well-read in completed actual classics, so I'll omit that. I'll also be doing my favourite editions of books, and my top three books I need to read.

Honourable Mentions: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, 1984 by Goerge Orwell.

3. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

I'm actually surprised this didn't show up in my 2014 top three, as I had read it before that time. I find the book is so underrated and rarely discussed, but even now, however many years after first reading it, I can remember several scenes vividly, and, as I discussed in the first chapter, that's one of the most important things to consider it a favourite.

2. Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban

The inspiration behind Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, this is one of the least discussed yet one of the most brilliantly written pieces of apocalyptic fiction ever. The language is basically a different one from English, created by using phonetics to change words, as in this apocalyptic society no one can read or write. I read this book and used it for the basis of my eleventh grade final essay (even though I took the class in grade ten) and discussed the language and how it represented the society and how it used history to twist the meanings of words, or something similar. It's the most unique book I've ever read, and it made me become more interested in developing my writing to suit the needs of characters, which is where some of my more odd and unconventional characters have come from.

1. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Vonnegut is my favourite author ever. I have never not liked any books I've read by him. Slaughterhouse Five is spectacular. It's phenomenal. I wish more people would recognize him as a leading author in satire and dystopia, rather than jumping to, say, George Orwell or any other similar author. His writing style is easy to read and understand, and Slaughterhouse Five gives some of the greatest quotes I've ever read (excluding one from Slapstick by him: "Why don't you take a flying f*ck at a rolling doughnut? Why don't you take a flying f*ck to the mooooooooooooon?"). Honestly I can never recommend him enough (he was my author presentation for an assignment in my writing class).

SPECIAL MENTION: Nothing by Janne Teller. I include this because it is obscure to never have met a person who read it. It reminds me a lot of Spring Awakening if instead of pregnancy and all that jazz, it followed instead the angsty lives of the kids and if they had Melchior be more rebellious. It's so odd to read and it makes you uncomfortable at times, but it's such a fascinating read and it has stuck with me since I read it. It's also a fast read, and was originally written in I believe Dutch. But please, if I could recommend anything to anyone who is feeling angsty in life, please, please please please go read this book.

FAVOURITE EDITIONS

I buy impulsively based on how pretty a cover is. And boy, do I have a lot of pretty covers.

Honourable Mentions: The Great Gatsby and Other Stories, The Hogwarts Library.

3. Everyman's Library Collection