- Into the Wild by Jon Krakeaur 5/5
Into the Wild by Jon Krakeaur is a book I read for AP language in junior year of high school and when I found this book, I've never done so much research. I loved Chris McCandless and I loved how not everyone could understand why he was so great. I’ve always wanted to pack a bag of books and leave across the country but I could never have the guts. Jon Krakeaur wrote such a wonderfully read and painfully sad non-fiction story about a boy who found himself living a life outdoors and on the go. This book makes me think about my life in retrospect SO much, it’s ridiculous. I feel so angsty when I read this book and so ready to leave for the west coast. I am always thinking about this book and I don’t think I’ll forget it.
- the Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephan Chbosky 5/5
I read this for the first time in middle school and then re-read it when I became a senior in high school. It’s something that has always stuck with me because of the emotions I feel while reading it. It deals with soo many important things like ptsd, rape, homophobia, depression, etc. This book is the ultimate coming of age novel for me. I love absolutely everything about it.
- The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger 4/5
This is one of the first classics I ever read and I didn’t get it at all. I closed the book after finishing it the first time I read it freshman year of high school and thought I had only just read a book about a dumb boy roaming New York. As I grew older, I realized Holden Alexander is way too relatable and the entire centering theme of innocence is something I think about a lot. Also, I love coming of age. So good.
- the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 5/5
Do I really need to explain myself for this one? I can’t say it impacted me personally in ways I still realize today but it made me open my eyes more to situations other people can be in and how you impact someone else’s life. I cried heaps when reading this book.
honorable mentions:
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury 4/5
I read this for school in my junior year of high school and I haven’t let go of it. It really just made me appreciate literature more and become aware of what’s going on in the world around me.
- All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven 5/5
This book gives me a place to go whenever I'm sad. Her writing is genuinely so beautiful and I won't forget it.
