Catherine's Top 5 Favorite Books
As a kid, I used to get lots of books as birthday presents. I can’t say it was always what I would have preferred to receive but let’s face it, back in the ’80s, it was a very common gift for kids, as books were less expensive than toys and where I grew up, there wasn’t such a large variety of toys, anyway. My mum has always been an avid reader, and she encouraged both her children to read as much as possible. Living in a place, and time, where I was allowed to go out and play in safety and total abandonment, staying in to read wasn’t what I liked to do, but I must say that I tried.
I’d read my fair share of fairy tales and classic novels by the time I reached adolescence, and that’s when I discovered romance books for the first time. I remember that my first one was a farewell gift from my junior high school literature teacher in 1992. She had bought every student a book as we were moving on to high school and she wouldn’t see us anymore. Each of us picked out our own present. Unfortunately, I can’t recall her name now, but I do remember the title of the book; it had opened a new path in my reading choices.
Love Emma by Mary Hooper was written in the form of letters throughout, much like the Victorian novelist, Wilkie Collins with his haunting ‘Woman in White’. Letters back and forth between the characters unraveled the events of their lives. It was the first book I had ever seen in that format and it intrigued me so much that I remember reading it in one sitting. I stayed up all night. I unfortunately developed a habit of staying up and reading until dawn after that, and I still seem to do my best work during the hours of darkness (don’t ask!).
Since my childhood, I’ve read hundreds if not thousands of books either in Greek or English. Sometimes, for my sins I read the same book in both languages. Therefore, choosing my Top 5 favorite books has been a very tough decision, I must say. There are so many. What to choose? I know, how about the five books I’ve read most times in my life and I am sure I will pick up again?
My number one choice has to be Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. She is my favorite author. Considering the restrictions of her time, I find her writing very bold, criticizing society through her characters. And of course, she created one of the most memorable protagonists and absolute favorite among romance readers, Mr. Darcy.
Number two is The MouseTrap by Agatha Christie, first published in 1954. She was a mastermind in the way she plotted and developed her stories. I was always wrong-footed to discover that the character I thought was the culprit was never the real villain, and how cleverly it all tied up in the end and how thoroughly explained the murders were. In such a way, mind you, that I always found myself thinking, “She did say that in chapter X. I should have seen it coming.” I never did!
Number three is The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough, first published in 1977. Also a popular TV series while I was growing up, it was a book that immersed me more into the world of romance, and especially the forbidden love trope. I still find her love scene descriptions impeccable.
Number four is Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding, published in 1996. Contemporary romance at its best, in my opinion. The writing was fresh and unconventional for the time, with the first-person narrative, bringing the reader closer to the characters and making lots of women see themselves in Bridget.
And finally, my number five is The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer, published in 2005. Even as a kid, I had a thing with vampire stories and the Twilight series strengthen my connection even more. Although a lot of writers have argued with me on that, we can’t deny the fact that Meyer changed the way YA is viewed, and opened a new market niche. Or, her publisher did… oh, well…
So, there you have it. My Top 5 favorite books of all time. I’m sure you have your own, so feel free to send us your Top 5 list. Perhaps we will even compile an overall top five books list, based on your input!
Have a wonderful day of reading.
Catherine Lenderi
Editor
Fiery Seas Publishing
Catherine Lenderi is a former English teacher. After teaching English to Greek students for twenty years, she decided to take her passion for books to the next level and focus entirely on her editing career, which she had started in 2012, alongside with teaching.
She enjoys reading, taking care of her cat and riding her motorcycle. She also drinks a lot of coffee while editing.
Follow me:
