Reader Confession – What was the very first book that "stayed with you" even to this day?

NOTE: THIS IS A HUGE WORK IN PROGRESS… the response I received was over 150 comments/books deep!! I LOVE IT!!

SO… due to the overwhelming response, I’m currently immortalizing this into a post (and you are all welcome to comment on your favorite, and I will continue adding to this list). :D!!

After learning the awesome news that Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret was going become a movie, I marveled about the very first books I read as a child and how I still remember them clearly to this day. ESPECIALLY that one. I re-read that one SO often it was crazy.

And it got me thinking about all of you. What was the very first book that “stayed with you” even to this day?

Ranging from our childhood favorites, to classics, to the recent releases, this list is a great way to discover new (and old books… or should we say, “new-to-me”). And maybe even rekindle some fond memories of our beloved books. 😉 After all, if it’s stayed with you so intently that it’s the book that comes to mind in this discussion, you KNOW it’s good!!!!

P.S. Make sure to check out one of my older posts from a few years ago that still stands, for me! ➔ Ten books that have stayed with me in some way…

Sally: The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

Maria: That is an amazing book!!!
Sally: Right!?! Book 2 just came out. I have to hit that at some point soon!

Sheri: The Black Stallion I had to read all of Walter Farley’s books after that.

Maryse: OH YES!!! I LOVED that one when I was younger. HOOKED.

Jo: Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Sue: First book was Black Beauty – read it every night with my great grandmother!

Melissa: My absolute favorite would be Black Beauty! A classic that’s always heart warming 

Mara: Black Beauty! I’ve read that book so many times and it’s great each time! I think I first read it when I was like 8, but the story is amazing! It always made me very sympathetic to animals. love it.

Lela: To Kill a Mockingbird. The Nightingale: A Novel. Contemporary romance: Emi Lost & Found Series and Hate to Love You (I can never pick one)

Jenna: Lela – which Hate to Love you? There are a few coming up on Goodreads

Lela: Elise Alden is the author. It’s not a new book.

Amy: Hate to Love You – that one moved up on my list. I can’t be the only one who really has a hard time with certain, um, “situations” in real life but loves the drama of it all in a book. Seriously, my moral compass is just so wrong when it comes to reading…whatever, I admit it and embrace it. 

Emma: I loved, loved , loved ,,,,,Hate To Love You !

Melissa: I love the Emi Lost & Found Series by Lori Otto. I was quite emotional when reading those books, especially Time Stands Still.

Raelene: I just read the Emi Lost and Found series: I haven’t cried this much over a book since Dumbledore died!

Audrey: …everybody needs to read Lori Otto’s Emi Lost and Found series. It’s the best series ever! Trust me! It’s life changing, emotional, touching, I will never be able to forget these characters and their journey and I am looking forward to the other spin-offs. I never want to stop knowing what is up with all the characters.

R: The Nightingale: A Novel. OMG. Projectile snot ugly cry. Take my advice and don’t read it in public… Might be my favorite book of all time. Oddly, it was one of the first recommendations I got from this site and I just assumed it was a romance LOL. I kept thinking…this isn’t very romantic!! When I finally figured it out, WOW.

Anna: Everyone needs to read The Nightingale just be sure to stock up on tissues first.

Liz M: Favorite book this year, hands down, without any question whatsoever? The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I read it in the Spring, and I still haven’t found anything to match it. It changed me, and I will never forget it.

Miranda: Escape to Witch Mountain (although to be fair I was seven-ish at the time) Still have my copy

Sasha: Don’t laugh… One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. Started my lifelong love affair with the written word and I can recite it to this day.

Kim: My first book I remember was Dr. Seuss One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish and they are still my fav characters 

Christine: The Reluctant Dom

Jenna: This one was it for me too. Cried my heart out, and it takes alot for me to cry for a book.

Christine: I read it usually once a year.. when I need a good cry. It’s so good!! I normally don’t cry either with books but the author did an amazing job of building things up and surprising the reader

Nay: The Reluctant Dom. OMG–one of my all-time FAVORITE books!

Danielle: The Reluctant Dom by Tymber Dalton made me cry so hard I thought I was going to hyperventilate!

Laura: I’d have to say The Reluctant Dom is a fave…I sobbed through the entire book. Loved the depth of the characters.

Robin: True Love Story by Willow Aster. It’s also the only book I reread.

Maryse: LOVED IT. The letters killed me.

Kandace: Now you have me thinking about True Love Story… again. I still don’t know how he ever redeemed himself.

Melissa: Taking Chances (Taking Chances Series Book 1)

Erin: Yes!! This one

Amy: I agree!!

Dena: I think the best book for what I didn’t see coming was Taking Chances by Molly McAdams. I had no idea that she could do that to her characters, I think it devastated me more than the author. It was a really great book and I remember it 6 years later.

Grace: Taking Chances wrecked me, and I almost stopped stalking after that. I blamed you, Mayse, for every ounce of my pain. I was never the same again. Never! 

Lindsey: Taking Chances by Molly McAdams! I still am in pain, but I love it so much!

Kendra: The Giver!

Amber: The Giver by Lois Lowry…  …amazing and I always recommend them to anyone I can.

Sparklygoddess: I love the Giver and I feel that is different from all other dystopia books out there.

Rebecka: My absolute favorite book ever has to be The Giver by Lois Lowery. I was 10 the first time I read it but it’s the book that made me fall in love with reading. And I’m still a sucker for some YA dystopian drama. lol

Sarah: favorite book of all time….. The Giver by Lois Lowery. It left such an impression on my as a young person it made me realize my love of reading.

Jamie: when I was in like 5th grade which seems like a million years ago I read the book “The Giver” by Lois Lowry…I still love that book and cant wait for my children to read it..I remember being really mad when it ended and hoping for another one. I was informed today that she does have other books that follow this one and I had to order the whole set including her new one “Son”

I am excited now because I can start at the beginning and re read all of them!! I was in the 5th grade and now I am 26 years old working on the last year of my Bachelor’s degree crazy huh?

Maria: To Kill a Mockingbird!

MichelleS: To Kill A Mockingbird!! Of course. How could I have forgotten that. Seriously one of the best books ever written.

bev: I know everyone says it but To Kill a Mockingbird is my very very favorite book.

Suze: I have memory of reading many books, but To Kill A Mockingbird is the one I remember reading most vividly.

Jeramie: To kill a Mockingbird

Leah: One of the ones I remember from when I was a child was a series of books about an African American family in the South. Let the Circle Be Unbroken, The Road to Memphis, and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

Jan: These Old Shades (Alastair-Audley Book 1) by Georgette Heyer. A beautiful ‘clean’ HR written many years ago but OMG the H is so sexy and the love story is so sweet and tender and poignant. … I hope there is somebody out there who hasn’t read it who now picks up this wonderful book and falls in love with it.

A beautifully written, evocative, romantic historical, with memorable, wonderful characters, including MCs and secondary characters. A classic of the genre. MUST READ if you’re into HR.

Jenn: The Shack-William P Young. I can’t even formulate words to describe what this book did to me. I will tell you this was the book that taught me about “real forgiveness”

Jenn: Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back-Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent. I read this right after my father in law passed away suddenly in June 2011. This book washed over me like a warm blanket. I felt a profound level of peace when I was done and knew without a shadow of a doubt my father in law was okay.

Rochelle: Robert A. Heinlein: Stranger in a Strange Land. Now I’ve really dated myself, tee hee!

Toni: I really like books that make you think and go over stuff – Stranger in a Strange Land is one of those books

Amy: So many books have stayed with me (including SO MANY already listed up there…too many to list here) but since this is about the FIRST one that stuck with me, I’m going to have to say Petals on the Wind by VC Andrews. Yes, Flowers In the Attic was a wild ride, but POTW affected me in a way I’ve never forgotten.

I read it in one day while I was home sick when I was 13 years old (I had snuck it from the library behind my mom’s back *giggle*), and I remember it messed me up emotionally for like 2 weeks. It was my first experience with feeling as if the characters were real people, and I was way too young to comprehend and process all of the emotions I was feeling after reading it.

Little did I know I would grow to LOVE those feels (from books…always and only from books) once I had a little more life experience. 

Jan: The Secret Garden

Savannah: Definitely my favorite book EVER would be The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It’s one of the first ‘chapter books’ I read when I was a kid and have loved it ever since.

Sharon: So hard to pick just one..The Secret Garden was my first favorite from childhood so I’ll go with that.
bonnie: My absolute favorite book ever is “The Secret Garden” from when I was a kiddo 

Jeanette: If you would have asked me between the ages of 10 and 13, I would have said The Secret Garden. I read that book soo many times lol.

Ashley: I must have read The Secret Garden a dozen times.

Corinne: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodson Bernett. Still one of my favorite books.

Angela: Karina Halle’s Experiment in Terror series… I don’t know what it was but those books just stuck with since I read them 3 years ago… it’s a bummer she doesn’t write that genre anymore…

Brittani: How did we miss Experiment in Terror books by Karina Halle. Those books were LIFE 4-5 years ago! The unrequited love lasted for boooks!!!!! No instant connection… Karina made us work to finally get a HEA! Do you remember!?

Melissa: These books are really fun reads, the main characters have great banter and awesome chemistry. I don’t usually read PN but EIT is great!!!! You’ll want to read them back to back without stopping; they are so good!!!

Mollie: The Experiment in Terror series by Karina Halle blew me away. I devoured the books one after another. The books keep getting better and better, theses books made me laugh, cry and scared out of my mind, and I loved every word of it!!

Teri: What a great post! I’m telling you all… PBS did the Great American Book Read on what our favorite books are. GREAT list of books (many mentioned above). The book that stands out for me Is Bloodline by Sydney Sheldon. It was the first time I read anything that had a “naughty” element to it. At the time it just seemed so taboo (I was pretty young) 

Yanette: Woman’s murder club by James Patterson 1st to Die (Women’s Murder Club) was the first book, which got me to read books!

Patricia: I got hooked on 1st to Die (Women’s Murder Club Series). I read a lot of James Patterson’s books over the years after that first one. I love the characters and the suspense all of his books have.

Landa: I’m a huge fan of the Women’s Murder Club and Alex Cross series. Look forward to all new releases !!!

Marion: Gosh I used to read a lot as a child so the ones that stick out are The Diary of a Young Girl, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables & P.S I love you the Harlequin teen romance.

Anna H: One book I clearly remembered that made me cry was “The Diary of Anne Frank”.

Lauren: Congratulations. My all time favorite book is Diary of Anne Frank.

Mary: A Tale of Two Cities

Amanda: Wow, that’s a tough one! All time favorite is ‘A Tale of Two Cities’. It turned me into a history major.

Kylie: Anne of Green Gables.

Cynthia: Anne of Green Gables, my favorite book ever. I used to read the series over and over, and now the best part is that I get to share it with my 14 yr old daughter.

Chelsea: A book I have read countless time throughout my life, and is like comfort food in book form to me, is Anne of Green Gables.

bev: Anne of Green Gables is like that for me. Love both book and movie equally. 

Julie: Bernstein Bears, “Bears in the Night” i never had a book growing up and it was the first book I read, i was in third grade and loved it so much I stole it from the bookmobile. I read it to my kids daily when they were little. My kids won’t go without books or learning to read. That book holds a lot of meaning for me. I fully learned to read after I had my first son… starting with that book 😆

Melissa: Bernstein Bears! That’s the 1st one I remember from way early on.

Nicole: The first book i read by myself was a Bernstein Bears book.

Jillian Dodd: The Spy Wore Red.

Shayla: Beautiful Disaster: A Novel

Maryse: Of course… still to this day. My whole heart!!!
Andrea: Same. Tasha: My favorite bad boy, hands down, is still Travis from Beautiful Disaster. 

Sadie: Beautiful disaster all the way.

Madalina: I started to look for English book recommendations and I found your blog. The first book I read was A beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. So…. from that moment on, when I want to read something good, heart-melting and anghsty, I search for your blog…

Stephanie: The Sea of Tranquility: A Novel – Katja Millay

Jenn: The Sea of Tranquility-Katja Millay-This is the only book that I can remember the last two words of and it will instantly bring tears to my eyes and bring the whole story back to me. …For those in a book slump or funk as I like to call it…I have a go to book when this happens to me and it works every time. I reread “The Sea of Tranquility” That book never gets old and I find each time I read it I fall more in love with Josh Bennet…sigh.

Amy: you HAVE to read Sea of Tranquility!!! I read it YEARS ago (and was thrilled when I found this place and saw how many loved it here as well!), and I still get flutters in my tummy when I think about it.

Jenn: There is not one book I have read that I can remember the last two words…but this book those last two words I remember… Just WOW-When I even think about it I tear up…..I plan on re-reading this next month!

Annie: My favorite book of all time is The Sea of Tranquility! I compare every book I read to it! The feeling this book left me with is indescribable. Katja is amazing!

Carol: The World According to Garp: A Novel

Lori: It’s the first book I can remember I read on my own. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I still occasionally will read the whole series.

Nichola: “Little House in the Big Woods” by Laura Ingles Wilder. That started my love for series reading back when I was I think in grade 3ish!

Sharon F: I think the first book I remember reading for my own pleasure was Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Nay: First book that stuck with me was Little House in the Big Woods and the entire Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I read those for the first time when I was in first grade and they unleashed the reading monster in me.

Holly: The Lovely Bones

Rachel: My all time fave!

Norma: I read The Lovely Bones way before it was a movie. The book is so much better.I thought. I cried thru it.

bev: I’m not a big book crier. The Lovely Bones did me in.

Carol: Outlander …I named my youngest Aubree “Claire”.

Maryse: LOVE!!!

Michelegg: My favorite epic book of all time, I have two of them. Gone With the Wind and Outlander. Both are so delicious and have stayed with me for YEARS! That’s pretty epic

Ashley: I highly recommend the Outlander series on audio; she really brings the story to life. The narrator does a beautiful job with all the voices and there is nothing worse than an audio book where you cannot stand the voice of the narrator.

Nikki: Gerald’s Game…and a short story that still gives me chills is The Lottery by Shirley Jackson.

Maryse:  Oooooooh THE LOTTERY YES!! FOREVER YES! One of the BEST short stories, with maximum impact!!!!!

Teri: The Lottery certainly does stay with you. I tried to convince my creative lit prof is college to teach Shirley Jackson.

Jennifer: I was gonna say God Shaped Hole but then I saw someone mentioned The Lottery above. I have NEVER forgotten that story. I don’t know why. Hunger Games always makes me think of it

Allison: The scariest book I ever read was Gerald’s Game by Stephen King. For real, I read it when I was 19 and still lived at home. I ended up throwing it across the room and running INTO MY MOM’S ROOM AND SLEEPING ON HER FLOOR. That scary. Oh,
AND HOW CAN I FORGET THIS!!

My copy of Gerald’s Game disappeared shortly after I read that book. I never lent it out and I have no idea where it went. I’m sure maybe my sister borrowed it and didn’t tell me or whatever. However, because that book scared me so bad I am literally afraid of it now. I sort of want to reread it, but I’m afraid to have it in my home or on my Kindle. Don’t hate me because I’m weird. …this book, for me, was the one that kept me up at night with the lights on!

Kristi: I hope you enjoy Stephen King’s Gerald’s Game. There are definitely more than a few scenes that are imprinted on my brain even after all these years.

Amber: Sugar Daddy: A Novel (Travis Book 1)

Jan: It’s a few years old, but not dated at all. A really great, well-written CR from a writer better known for her HRs (Marrying Winterborne, anyone?) Sugar Daddy is also number 1 in a series

MichelleH: A great book, one of the Travis series

Caron: The Da Vinci Code: A Novel (Robert Langdon)

Sue: The Lord of the Rings

Angela L: The only books I’ve ever read twice were the Lord of the Rings trilogy books by J.R.R. Tolkien – so I’d have to say that series is my all time favourite.

Jaime: My favorite book of all time has to be The Lord of the Rings. It has action, adventure, romance, good, evil, and elves. Don’t forget the elves….and hobbits….;)

Bobbie: My favorite book is The Lord of the Rings. Have read it six times and will probably read it again.

Elizabeth: Picking a favorite book is an almost impossible task, but I guess if I had to pick, I’d say JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It fuels my geekness!!

Brenda: The Hobbit and The Lord of The Ring. 50 years ago. Yes I am old ass.

Kathy: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. I read it in Junior High and is a true story about sisters in Denmark who help hide Jews during World War II and are later sent to a concentration camp. Still remember it! If you have teenagers, this is a good book for them to read.

Heidi: Awesome book.

Heidi: At my age so many books have stayed with me. Kathy mentioned The Hiding Place (which I also recommend for teens), then there was Christy by Catherine Marshall, and The Diary of Ann Frank. VC Andrews books as well as Stephen King books. I LOVED Arsen and Archer’s Voice. Lori Otto’s books have stayed with me. So, so many. Okay, I’ll stop listing more.

Sheri: A Child Called It

Maryse: I read “A Child Called It” so many years ago and while I couldn’t put it down, it messed me up, made me so depressed and I can’t even believe he survived that. I can’t understand how ANYONE treats someone like that, let alone a child. UGH. I don’t think I’ll be able to watch that movie.

But one book I read in 2016 haunts me: Hausfrau: A Novel by Jill Alexander Essbaum. I didn’t 5 star it, but gave it 4 stars, because it really REALLY bugged me and still does to this day. The ending. I can’t get over the ending. Shoot, now I’m gonna cry. (I can’t actually name a “first book” that stayed with me)

Maryse: HAUSFRAU!!!!!!! …OMG Hausfrau has so much raw, personal, emotional, grit to it. So NOT “acceptable” and yet so … real.

Lauren: Just finished Hausfrau. Not entirely sure where my heads at right now! Not sure how to describe how I felt about it, I loved it but doesn’t seem like the right word to use. It was deep and not always easy but that ending…not sure it could have ended any other way, it was the only way I saw it going. The writing was just incredible. My heart hurt for her even though at times she didn’t deserve it. Thank you for the rec! Definitely a 5* and one I’m not going to forget easily

Amy: I’m so thrilled to have both of you to share the Hausfrau love with. THRILLED!! Even though I know how you guys are feeling.  I swear, when I read Hausfrau it felt like my heart imploded and my chest caved in. Simultaneously. All you have to do, Maryse, is look up my reactions from when I read it and you’ll see. 

Dory: …read all y’alls comments and Maryse’s review and decided to go in and read Hausfrau. SIGHHH I am going to hide under my bed, now. Not even under the covers…under the bed! My mind can’t process all this intensity. I’m going to have to read some straight erotica now or maybe THe Cat in the Hat. LOL. Something COMPLETELY different. Anyway, 2 great books in just a short matter of day…head explode.

Kate: The Great Gatsby

Val: For a long time, my fave book is/was The Great Gatsby.

Andrea:  I can also say I hold a spot in my heart for The Great Gatsby and To Kill a Mockingbird. But who doesn’t!

Raquel: My all-time favorite book is “The Great Gatsby”. This classic story is so well written and can apply to today.

Kate: Number the Stars, as well.

Annie: Favorite book…’Number the Stars’ Read it in elementary school and its always kind of stuck with me.

EmilyAnn: Number the Stars by Lois Lowey. Taught me everything I needed to know about doing the right thing.

Tiffany: I didn’t see Carnage in here. That series was a rough one to read but MAN I loved it!!!! It has definitely stayed with me over the years.

Tracy: Carnage gutted me!

Laurie: My favorite epic love story is Carnage.

Kim: I would have to say Carnage gave me a WHAT moment and has stuck with me for years.

Amy: The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman by Louise Plummer

Amy: I’m not sure I can pick one book but some that come to mind are night, Fortune’s Rocks: A Novel, Redeeming Love: A Novel, Maybe Someday, and Archer’s Voice.
Kim Karr: Thoughtless

Maryse: GASP!!! YESSSSSSS!!!

Trisha: Me too! I absolutely loved it!

Pam:  Me too! One of only book I have ever read more than once

Hayley: Definitely

MK: Of course Thoughtless by SC Stephens – like everyone else on the planet 🙂 But the book that has really stuck with me is another book she wrote: Collision Course. It’s been the only book I’ve ever cried while reading (I have a cold, thick heart – lol. JK – I usually refuse to cry – but this one snuck up on me)

Jennifer: The Raider by Jude Deveraux

Ashley: Bright Side

Michele G: I seriously could have used buddies for these – pure free for all tears flowing down my face and me saying no to the book as I’m reading it. Such good reads though – unbelievably beautiful books.

Veronica: My most epic read would have to be Bright Side by Kim

Holden. Like Mist this a book that stay within you for life.

Anjanette: Forever . . . Judy Blume

Christina: Forever by Judy Blume I was 13 when I first read it . He named his penis Ralph at that age I thought they were all called that after reading that book lol

Maryse: I loved EVERYTHING Judy Blume. Mine from her was Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. HECK YES. That actually might BE the very first book I ever read that stayed with me… I was very young.

Lori: I just heard they are making a movie of Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret.

Anjanette: I loved everything Judy Blume as well, are you there God it’s me, Margaret was amazing. Judy Blume was exactly what I needed at that time lol glad I wasn’t the only one

Jamie: Loved Judy Blume especially Are you there god? Its me Margaret.”I must I must increase my bust” still giggling!

Christina: When You’re Ready (The Ready Series Book 1) by JL Berg… It was the first book that made me ugly cry

Kathy: That was a great book!! Few books get me teary but this one did!!

Jamie: I LOVED them! Totally 5 star reads, I would highly recommend them, you’ll fall in love with Clare and Logan in an instant and I loved getting more of them in ‘Ready to Wed’. I am excited to read the next book about Leah because she was an awesome secondary character in these books!

Julie O: “When You’re Ready” was a real jewel to read.

Cindy:  I think it was called Seven. There were seven books. It was a lot like the Shadow Hunter Books but it was about seven kids/adults that every seven years this evil came that lasted for seven days.

Julie: Nora Roberts Sign of Seven Series is so great!

Nadia: Amazing series!

Danielle: Of Mice and Men

Maryse: Loved it!!

Glynis: The first real book I read was Of Mice and Men!

KellyG: The first book I clearly remember reading was Of Mice and Men. I think that was a 5th frade assignment. Amanda: My favorite book is Of Mice and Men.

Natalie: too many. but the earliest books was Of mice and men. The Second Coming by John (Nevern??) and a strange book called Neckropolis. random mix lol

Bree: A Wrinkle in Time

Aimee: It would have to be A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. My 10 year old self was rocked – like armageddon had hit my life. It opened up the worldofbooks for me. I read it again a few years ago, and it was as lovely as the first time. How often can you say that!?

Candace: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. A childhood favorite and ignited my love of reading.

Sarah: My copy of A Wrinkle in Time signed by Madeleine L’Engle. She signed it “Tesser Well”.

Tessa: Loved a Wrinkle in Time, though I associate it with earthquakes. I had ordered it with those reading program things in school, and the day I got it was the day of the Whittier earthquake.

Tammi: My favorite book is from my childhood, “A Wrinkle In Time”.

Melissa: I haven’t read it but my son is reading it in school. Acacia: I read it in 3rd grade and I still love it at 38

Christy: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Lesley: I’d have to say my favorite book is The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

Bianca: The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

Joleen: The Neverending Story by Michael Ende.

Maryse: I only ever saw the movie (at the movie theater), but it was me and all of my cousins and my aunts and we cried and cried and I’ll NEVER forget that day! I think I was about 8.

Yolanda: Me Before You: A Novel or God-Shaped Hole: A Novel

Patty: One of my favorite books wasnt so much a jaw dropper but I wanted the ending to change up until the last words, make it a dream sequence or have a change of heart was ….Me before you by Jojo Moyes it just gutted me. A book that stayed with me to this day.

Lisa: GOD SHAPED HOLE! …I love/hated this book. As a confirmed non-marmy reader it really pushed my boundaries. But wow. It stayed with me.

Melanie: Just finished God Shaped Hole. How can books be horrible and so beautiful at the same time? I’m a sucker for tearjerkers. Thanks to everyone for all of the recommendations!!

Donna: Ugly by Margaret McHeyzer

Rachel: Guilty Pleasures The first book in the Antia Blake series,I love this series xx

Dotti: I loved that one too!

Jamie: I love Laurell K Hamilton books And Guilty Pleasures is one of my all time favorites.

Ashley: I have been addicted since Guilty Pleasures. Absolutely LOVE the series. Hope she never stops!

June: The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCafffrey.

Kylie: Dragonflight: Volume I in The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCafffrey.

Jan: As a teen I really loved Ann McCaffrey’s Dragonflight series. It’s a really interesting case, because it reads like a wonderful gothic fantasy, with telepathic dragons etc. But as you read on in the series, it becomes more and more overt that it’s actually sci-fi, not fantasy. These are humans on another planet that lost touch with Earth aeons ago and have developed their own creatures (through science!) and created a new mythology. …

‘Clean’ stories (no explicit sex!) and you could argue they aren’t romance books as such (although there is some romance). But very exciting fantasy/adventure/sci-fi with wonderfully imagined telepathic dragons.

Dannika Dark: The Velveteen Rabbit was the book my soul was carved around.

Valery: My all time favorite book….that’s pretty tall order…but I do believe its the Velveteen Rabbit….because if u love it enough its real to you….

Frankie: I would have to go back to my childhood & say the Velveteen Rabbit, cry every time & even bought a copy for my kids.

Kelli: My favorite book of all time is The Velveteen Rabbit.

Jodi: Just as Long as We’re Together by Judy Blume

Sheri: The Horse Whisperer: A Novel

Julie: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

Colleen: On Dublin Street.

Tessa: I finished On Dublin Street yesterday and I’m still in a book fog. I did the whole hug the book to your chest, grin huge, and dance thing right after reading it. What took me so long to get to it?

Jean: Tessa, loved On Dublin Street and entire series for that matter so I get it!

Jenni: Absolutely, fell in love with Joss, Braden and the entire clan on Dublin Street.

Britton: Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson

Nikole: My all time favorite book is Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom because it is an incredible true story with great life advice and a beautiful message that will have you blubbering like a baby 

Dotti: The Outsiders. Even to this day, I remember the first time reading it.

Melanie: My original love for bad boys came from almost every character in The Outsiders.

Sharon: The Outsiders . . . What a tearjerker. Stay gold!

Tasha: The Outsiders was my Beautiful Disaster in jr high, I re-read that book so many times! And then after I read her other books. I discovered there was a movie and then preceded to watch it repeatedly for days. I had the biggest crush on Dally, lol

Jen C: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton – reread that one SO many times since high school!

Heather: The Outsiders by SE Hinton. Still my all time favourite book.

Kathy: The Outsiders!!! Can you say obsessed

Christine: The Outsiders! Still my favorite after all these years.

Johanne: I think it would be Shogun: A Novel of Japan. When I finished it, I was crying and I just felt that I cound’t be separated from this land, those people, this world… so I opened it again and started reading back from page 1. I never did that again with any other books !

Krystal: The Witching Hour (Lives of Mayfair Witches Book 1) by Anne Rice

Sandra: Favorite book which got me back into reading was Anne Rice The Witching Hour

Dora: I’d recommend Anne Rice’s The Witching Hour and the rest of the series about the Mayfair Witches. Most of them are very good!

Kellie: The Bronze Horseman

Rachel: Me too!

Meagan: Honestly too many to write but the most significant one is The Bronze Horseman series, it left an imprint on my heart like no other.

Jessica: The Bronze Horseman is by far my favorite book of all time… and I’ve recommended it to literally all of my past and present co-workers and customers! I remember reading about a year and a half ago that Paullina Simons was posting about TBH becoming a movie!!! I was THRILLED. But, no word yet 

Lauren: Maryse! Does Tatiana and the Bronze Horseman count? Favorite book of all time!! Epic!!

Molly:  Reason To Breathe (The Breathing Series, Book 1) by Rebecca Donovan, stays with me even years later.

Denise: The 2 that stick with me most are: Left Drowning by Jessica Park and Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan

Jaime: I read Reason to Breathe, Barely Breathing and just finished Out of Breath. It’s a wonderful story that kept me hanging on through the entire trilogy. It’s almost too much for one character to take but that’s why you fall in love with Evan. It’s a good time to read them now that they are all out. I had to wait on book three and was devastated when I finished book two that I couldn’t continue the story immediately.

Jean: I could not put it down for a second.

Evelyn: Reason to breathe has been my all time favorite!!!

Tenille: If you haven’t read the Breathe Series by Rebecca Donovan, you HAVE TOO!!! It will grab you on the first page! This book will take you through every emotion you have. One minute you will be laughing and happy the next you will be ready to jump through the book to hit someone. You will laugh, cry sti on the ede of your seat. Her third one called Out of Breathe will be out in June of 2013. These are not your normal books, she will take you through a story that can be so real to some and happens everyday. A Must Read!

Kylee: Good freaking Lord! I haven’t finished the second book yet. …I know I will sob through the other books in the series!

Shanny: Real (The REAL series Book 1) by Katy Evans.Truly opened my eyes to the mental health world.

Stacey: Real by Katy Evans……*sigh*, Remy will always be my number one!

Beth: I would have to say Remy from Real by Katy Evans! There is just something about him that made me fall in love!

Melissa: I love so many books but I LOVE Real by Katy Evans!!!!! I’m so in love with REMY!

Misty: I Know My First Name Is Steven. It came out when I was in high school. I balled like a baby.

Christina: More Than Forever by Jay McLean. My All time favorite and the two main characters touched my heart and to this day I still think of them.

Elena: I love this series but “More Than Forever” is definitely my favorite (Cam & Lucy story was awesome, they made me cry a lot). Her books are so amazing!!!!!

Kellie: Love this book and this series. It is the 4th book in the series but can be read as a stand alone. But you’ll love them all! Total feels!

Tiffany: you can read More Than Forever as a stand alone!!! I suggest reading them all cause they are amazing… But feel free to just jump in. You will fall in love!!!

Sam: This book is amazing and is a journey of so many emotions and soul gripping feels!!!

Tessa: I finally read More Than Forever by Jay McLean. *happy sigh* What took me so long to read it? It’s definitely the best of the More Than series. Sweet, angst, sad, then spin happy. I love Lucy and Cam’s story so much.   …More Than Forever put me in such a book fog…

Dina: Trudy Stiles’ Dear Emily (Forever Family Book 1)

Tara: I PROMISE you that Dear Emily by Trudy Stiles is right up your alley. Tears, angst, drama. AND it’s a totally different story. It certainly isn’t like anything that I’ve read before. Trudy tells the story in a very unique way that drew me in immediately. I hear book 2 is coming out soon too!! sqeeee 

If you want to buddy read this book – let me know! I’ll be happy to re-read it again!!

Heather: A really good book i couldnt put down was Dear Emily by Trudy Stiles …. Keep the tissues handy though its an ugly cry type of book but so worth it.

Kimberly: PS, I Love You: A Novel! Made me ugly cry.

Mary: My all time favorite book is PS I Love You. I read it while in college. It was the first book that made me laugh out loud and cry in public. I was once on the BART train and crying during a part in the book, when an older gentleman turned around and said “honey, no boy is worth your tears. Why are you crying?” I had to laugh a bit and explain to him that a boy didn’t make me cry, a really great book has.

He just chuckled and nodded then turned back around. I’ll never forget that. I’ve read the book several times and have gotten many friends hooked on the book. Even after the movie came out. 

Krista: Harry Potter

Grey: My youngest and I are recreating the magic of the bedtime story of Harry Potter that I did with my oldest… It’s amazing and I cherish the time and fostering the love of the written word with my babies.

Tessa: READ HARRY POTTER! I admit, the first two books were close to the book, but there was SO MUCH left out. You don’t see the emotional abuse that Harry went through with the Dursleys, or feel his torment throughout the story, you don’t see how truly funny the series is because tons of the humor is left out. Also, a lot of plot holes in the movie are explained, including things that most don’t realize how important they are.

…I’ll say this. My mom HATED fantasy or paranormal type stories. She was more the mystery/ romance type, or medical horror. She loved Harry Potter. As soon as I was done, she’d start reading my copy. She’d join in on the debates and theories. This from someone who hated fantasy and sci fi.  

Kooloo: OMG Tessa & Jan DON’T GET ME STARTED! I am a BIG Harry Potter fan like Huge!!! Whenever I needed a break from studying or just from life HP Is my go-to… it’s like therapy.

From J K Rowling’s awe-inspiring talent to her mind-blowing books and the best EVER Audiobook series by the genius award winning narrator, Jim Dale… man those Audiobooks were the only thing that helped me sleep when my dad got cancer and I dropped out of Med school to take care of him (NOT because they were boring lol BUT because Jim Dale’s vocal talent transports the listener to another reality)

If you have not invested (they are $$$) in the HP Audiobooks narrated by Jim Dale DO IT and DO IT NOW. Do it for yourself or for your kids but just do it!!! Now back to our regularly scheduled blogging…………. (I warned you not to get me started lol)

Sandy: James and the Giant Peach. I think it was the first book to open my imagination

Sarah: My favorite is probably James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.

Kim: I love James and the Giant Peach. A favorite since elementary school.

Triva: The first book I remember reading was James and the Giant Peach.

Patty: Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan

Rachelle: I loved that one too!

Jean: Agree about Archer’s Voice…… That book is in a class of its own!!

Anne: Archer’s Voice is an amazing book! It was my first Mia Sheridan’s book and I became a fan. She writes such unique, beautiful stories that she is without a doubt one of my favorite authors.

Jennifer: All this reminiscing about Archer’s Voice is making me want to go re-read it.

Nadia: The Thorn Birds

Toni:  I would have to say The Thorn Birds by C. McCullough. I read this book as a teen and it is one that I go back to time and again!

Deb: The Thorn Birds is my all time favorite. Carol: Ever since I read The Thorn Birds I have looked for similar books with “forbidden” love.

Sharon: The Thorn Birds . . . Epic!

Teri: Pride and Prejudice. And it remains my top favorite book ever. (And the movies are great too.)

Zil: There are so many books that moved me but if I have to choose one, it would be Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The raw truth of women and the lifestyle and how the author has depicted it is what makes me catch my breath. Also, we can’t help but be charmed by Mr Darcy now can we ? 

Sarah: My absolute favorite book for going on eight years now is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I worked in my high school library and one day freshman year when I didn’t have anything to read, I thought about what I “should” read. I knew we used Pride and Prejudice for an assignment senior year so I checked it out and decided to read it.

I have since nearly memorized the book, own nearly every copy of the movies, bought the commemorative stamps, played the facebook games, and read more fan fic and spin offs than I can count. I still like other books, some a great deal, but if ever I go on vacation or cannot think of what to read, I come back to this book. Many people have asked me why I love it so much, and in truth I can’t really say.

I’m a sucker for a happy ending, and Pride and Prejudice has no shortages of that, but many books end happily. I’m a history buff and love historical fiction, but again there is plenty of it out there. All I know is that this book spoke to me and it is mine, no matter how many joking rolled eyes I get from my college roommate when I try to fit another book into our bookshelf, or when I bug her about never finishing the book and relying on the movies.

Nicole: I still love Pride and Prejudice so much and it feels new to me every time I re-read it.

DeAnna: Pride and Prejudice started my love of reading. But I have about a dozen that come in second place thanks to you!!

Jaimie: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. My favorite ever, when I’m bored, I’ll start rereading it.

Elizabeth: Pride and Prejudice! Mr. Darcy set the standard for all fictional swoon worthy leading men that came after him!

Louise: It would have to be Pride and Prejudice…l was 13 when l fell for Mr.Darcy.

Julie: I have to go with Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Always a classic and definitely the book that started my infatuation with reading!

Megan: My all time favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. I can read it over and over again and it never gets old!

Trista: Bridge to Terabithia

Julie: So true.

Tessa: Bridge to Terabithia by ‎Katherine Paterson My first ugly cry. The story was engrossing and in 4th grade, I was yelling at Jesse for being a stupid boy. lol Then, all that happened and that end. I remember finishing it and running to my mom and sobbing on her shoulder, saying that the book was the worst book and the author was the meanest person ever! lol I still haven’t been able to watch the movie. Too many tears!

Angie: Absolute favorite book that got me hooked on reading, The Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson back in 1994.

Terri: I have a lot of favorite books, but the one I can read over and over has to be from my childhood – Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson.

Kyla: This is hard. But if I think about it my favorite experience with a book was bridge to tarabithia when I was just a little one. I soaked my pillow in tears and it was so magical that it inspired in me a love of reading as a child that never faded. It truly touched my soul.

Kristy: Acheron: A Dark-Hunter Novel (Dark-Hunter Novels Book 11)

Melissa: My prized book is my First Edition “Acheron” autographed by Sherrilyn Kenyon!

Bee:  i cried reading Acheron lol but it was so good.
Amanda: I know what you mean when you blow the crying fuze cuz Acheron did that to me. After a while you’re just numb reading that book. And honestly, I remember how bad it was ‘cuz I’ve only read it once.

Jaqueline: My all time favorite book would have to be Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter novel, Acheron. The reasoning for that predominately has to do with my being such an obsessive dork-fan of hers, but also because of the years of buildup I went through for that book! With YEARS of waiting, my expectations going bonkers-high for that…and it STILL managed to deliver an awesome story? Yep. MY FAVORITE! 

Jamie: Omg, it has to be Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon!! I could read it over and over… He is the love of my fantasy life!!

Jodi: Remember Me by Christopher Pike

Amber: Remember Me by Christopher Pike is one of my all time favorite books. I remember stalking bookstores and the library for any of his books.

Tessa: Remember Me by Christopher Pike (Seriously, years later, it stood the test of time)

Reanell: Making Faces by Amy Harmon

Maryse: Making Faces was AWESOME and one of my all-time favorites. It’s just… all-encompassing, ya know?

Tasha J:  I agree with Making Faces being an all time favorite, I had my Mom read it right after I was done and she loved it too and went on to read the rest that I’ve got of hers. …It didn’t make me sob but was pretty heart wrenching, and beautiful. That’s one that’ll stay with me always.

Angelica: Making Faces and Ugly Love have been two books (can I say two books?) that have stuck with me and I have continued to recommend.

Ashley: I also read all the time when I was younger! The one book that I reread a bunch of times though was Don’t Die, My Love by Lurlene McDaniel. I still think about it.

Anastasia: Locked in Time. Best book ever. It’s a young teen book and one I will never forget.

Raquel: My favorite book … tick tock … Locked In Time (a childhood favorite I can still enjoy).

Angela: As a kid, Flowers In The Attic. (Then all the V C Andrews books to follow) As an adult, Eat Pray Love or World Without End (Kingsbridge Book 2). I read them both around the same time in life. Both stuck hard!!

Melissa: Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia (Chronicles of Narnia Book 4)

Kathy: The Trixie Belden Series

Maanika: I will go with a favorite from my youth, The Mystery of the Emeralds. That, and The Happy Valley Mystery. Both are from the Trixie Belden series. Love, love, love them.

All the years we lived in an apartment where I was worried about fire, I kept the whole series in a bag near the door so I could get them out if I had to. I know… priorities, right? 

Laura: The Trixie Belden, The Secret Mansion is the first book I remember reading.  

Kiesha: Arsen. A broken love story!

H Dee: Arsen by Mia Asher!! That book still haunts me!!! Dreams and all!!

Grey: Arsen…. Oh God, I still get pretzel tummy when I hear that title.

Jennifer: LADIES, please if you have not read Arsen by Mia Asher, PA-LEASE do me a favor, NO, do yourself a favor and one-click, borrow or whatever and read this book.

Nicole: Arsen or Thoughless, I can’t remember which one I read first, but around the same time.

Lauren: Arsen was HOT

Donna: Arsen…ugh Cathy….Ben

Duffy: As an adult, Mackenzie’s Mountain, as a kid, Nancy Drew books

Deb: I feel sooo old saying this but I remember loving nancy drew and the Hardy boys. Lol

Kristin: Nancy drew books and babysitters club started my love of reading.

Tamara: The first book I remember I was obsessed with was the Nancy Drew series. I wanted to be a detective too…

Leslie M: My fave little girl read was Nancy Drew books. I had every single one in hardcover.

Kathy: I have to go old school back to the lady who started my love of reading as a child it was the Nancy Drew series. Loved them and read them all…And started a life long journey of reading..

Melanie: The Giving Tree

Cody: Pick a favorite really??? I don’t think that’s possible. I’m going with The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein. Otherwise this list would be very long!

Tina: My favorite would be The giving Tree. Such a great message. I have a passion for reading and only hope my kids do as well!

Pengwen: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I loved it as a kid. Such a beautiful story about life and the transition between childhood to adulthood.

Megan: The first book i remember reading is “the giving tree” i still love that book and now so do all my nieces and nephews 

Tessa: *grins* The Giving Tree was seriously great as a kid. It had a real purpose and moral that was told so gently, almost every kid loved it.

Lauren: My mom gives The Giving Tree & Are You My Mother to each grandchild the day they are born. She writes a sweet, somewhat meaningful message on the inside, along with the date & child’s full name.

Jenn: The Giving Tree-Shel Silverstein (this is actually the first book I remember reading as a child) so the first book that made me cry. I will never forget it. It’s also the one book on their 5th bdays that I bought for all my nieces and nephews and read it to them!

Whitney: My favorite book goes clear back to childhood… “the giving tree.” I love how this book shows that you have to work hard to get what you want in life <3

Sarah: My favorite book happens to be from my younger years, but there has been so much to learn from it as I’ve gotten older…it’s the Giving Tree.

Carissa: My absolute favorite book ever is the giving tree. First book I ever read myself and went took off from this.

Kathy: My favorite book is “The Giving Tree”. I appreciate it more as an adult. J

JR: I’ve always been a reader, but my reading had dwindled to People magazine after the kids were born. But, then there was Twilight. I was late the band wagon because vampires just weren’t my thing. However, all my friends – even the non-readers – were crazy about it so I started reading and then couldn’t stop. It kicked off my love of reading again. I even started reading fan fiction and loved every minute of it.

Leslie M: What I loved about Twilight? I could wax poetic about that forever.

I loved every single thing about the romance. How Edward was jerky at first, then couldnt stay away, the whole forbidden-ness of vampire/human, then how he left Bella, then Bella saving him, etc. I liked that it took place mostly in real world and PNR part wasnt so weird that I could understand it.

Leslie M: As a real little kid I loved Dr. Seuss – Green Eggs and Ham / How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Then elementary school was Nancy Drew Books. Pre-teen Judy Blume esp. Are You There God it’s Me Margaret. Teenager was V.C. Andrews. Like Amy, those were the books that gave me my first “feels” and they were thrilling and forbidden-y. As an adult, non-fiction is Tuesday’s with Morrie and fiction is Twilight. Twilight will always be my all time fave and got me hooked on romance. I can read it over and over and never tire of it.

Helen: Heart of the Matter: A Novel by Emily Giffin and One Hundred Names: A Novel by Cecelia Ahern

Carol: Heart of the Matter by Emily Griffin? I read that one a couple years ago and I still get a lump in my throat thinking about it.

Nicole: SEALed with a kiss!!! I read it in six grade
Simone: Romeo and Juliet. Though it’s a play…

Angela: My favorite book would have to be “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare. It was the first memorable book that I read (in 6th grade) that really turned me onto reading.  

Robyn: Anything by LaVeryle Spencer. I’ve read all her books. Katherine Stone is another that stays with me.

Natalie: Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman

Holly: Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman

Michelle G: So many of the ones already mentioned above really click with me as well – especially the ones I read during my childhood. That said, unless I’m missing it, I don’t see The Man I Love by Suanne Laqueur. That for me was truly an unforgettable book! I would also have to include Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover. Both of these have stayed with me.

Robyn: The Man I Love…..one of those books I wish I never read so I can read it again fresh and new! So many feeling and emotions in that whole series.

Anna: I just finished The Man I Love. Wow. I’m at a loss for words. I need chocolate.

Kandace: Anna. The Man I Love was amazing! Make sure you read the rest of the Fish Tale series. Each book was so good.

Fabi: This one broke my heart, pissed me off and took me on a epic ride. This is what I call a romance novel.

Debbie: Swan Song

Jennifer: Best book for me would be Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon.

Lib: the best post-apocalyptic book ever Swan Song by Robert McCammon and the second best The Stand by Stephen King. This is my favorite genre.

Melissa: Rainfall by Melissa Delport.Although it devastated me it is a favorite of mine.

Jenna: Loved this one. I gave it a 5 star in goodreads

Maryse: *squeeeeee*!!! One of my absolute favorites!!! Yes Rainfall remains #1 and the most unique and original and one of the best twists ever. …She’s an incredible story-teller and doesn’t mind ripping your heart out in the process – makes it SO real and unforgettable

Amy: Rainfall will forever stay with me in the most hauntingly beautiful way that will probably always be unrivaled.

Cristina: Without a single doubt… Rainfall by Melissa Delport. I still feel that book and get emotional when I discuss it.

Sherry: Lover Awakened …You know why

Maryse: ZSADIST!!!!! My vampire book-boyfriend forever!!!

Julia: I would recommend “Lover Awakened” by J.R. Ward. I’ve reread it many, many times. You don’t even have to like vampire books to appreciate this story. LOVE IT!!!!

Erica: My favorite book is Lover Awakened from my all time favorite series Black Dagger Brotherhood! :0)

Kristy: Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward. I’ve read it so many times.

Lola: I am a die hard Brotherhood groupie. Nothing like some good ol’ ass kicking, leather-clad, vampires! Hands down favorite has to be Lover Awakened!

Stephanie: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier…I’ve read it at least 8 times. “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again…”

Jane: Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. Gothic angst, betrayal, love and lies all rolled into one unforgettable book.

bev: About to do a re-read….haven’t re read it in years. So, FLT: ”Last night I dreamed I went to Manderly again.” Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier …I think it is more atmospheric gothic than thriller.

Kaci: Breakable (Contours of the Heart Book 2) & Easy (Contours of the Heart Book 1) by Tammara Webber.

Danielle: Easy by Tammara Webber. Read this last year and still think about this book daily.

Helena: One of many favorite books is Easy by Tammara Webber Its an amazing read and I will treasure it for a long time to come.

Missy: I recommend Easy by Tammara Webber and don’t read any spoilers. It really surprised me.

Lori: Where the Red Fern Grows and Memoirs of a Geisha

Kristie: The first book I remember reading that touched me was “Where The Red Fern Grows”. I remember crying so hard I scared my Mom!

Tena: The first book I read on my own was Where the Red Fern Grows. I love it to this day.

Lindsay: My first “chapter” book that I read and still remember was “Where the Red Fern Grows”. I even had my boys read it and they enjoyed it a lot.

Leslee: My reading obsession began in third grade with Where the Red Fern Grows. I honestly remember being completely captivated by that book, and I have been an avid reader ever since!

Angie: Wow, if I had to pick only one book…..it would be “Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls. I remember our class reading that in elementary school and that story has always stuck in my mind!!!!

Krista: Favorite book ever- Where the Red Fern Grows.

Michelle: I have to go with an oldie as one of my favorites- Where the Red Fern Grows.

Leslie: I do remember Where the Red Fern Grows was the first book that made me cry! I’ve always loved reading!!

Debbie: The first book I ever remember crying to was Where the Red Fern Grows. I was about 11 Years old and I remember heart wenching, bone deep sobbing. My Dad walked by my room and saw me crying and told me he cried when he read this book too. It made me feel much better.

Ryn: I’d LOVE to get my first edition copy of Memoirs of a Geisha signed by Arthur Golden. I have seven copies in total but the first edition is my most prized possession!

Diane: LOVE Memoirs of a Geisha, I read it almost 20 years ago!! I saw it on my book shelf recently and considered re-reading it

Tessa: My niece made me read Memoirs of a Geisha. LOVED IT. So emotional, and talk about the feels! Hated the ending.

Kiki: Alice in Wonderland from my childhood.

Angela: The Scarlet Letter

Christine: Change of Heart: A Novel Jodi Picoult

Leeann: I’m going to say either The Sweet Gum Tree or How to Kill a Rock Star. Still love them

Jessica: My most epic book is How to kill a rock star by Tiffanie Debartolo

Amy: HTKARS has angst and emotion and *GASPS* and gut punches and it’s just wonderful…

Patty: Been thinking about re-reading How to Kill a Rock Star. One of my all time favorites. Sandy: How to Kill a rock star was one of my first when i really got into reading…

Amy: Sweet Gum Tree!!!!! All I have to hear is that title and every emotion runs through me like they are a bunch of freight train cars all lined up and ready to plow through my unsuspecting heart. Yeah, I’m being a bit melodramatic today. Shut up. I’m cycling. Pass the chocolate.

Lela: One of the sweetest books

S. Briones: Love You Forever…I think I got the book when I was about 5 or 6 and it’s stuck with me since then

Judy: I could never read that to my kids because I end up sobbing!

Maryse: OMG YESSSSS!! I picked that one up IN a Barnes and Noble (maybe it was a Books-A-Million?) and read it standing there… and cried intensely. Publicly. I’ll never ever forget it. One of the sweetest, most bittersweet, most beautiful books ever.

Cindy: Love You Forever is a classic! Love it!

Tova: Love You Forever makes me cry every time.

Christine: My favorite book of all time is I love you forever, My mom used to read it to me when I was little and I read it to my kids when they were little and even though they are getting older every once in a while I catch them reading it. Brings back good memories.

Amy: Little Women

Karia: I’ve gotta say Little Women. It’s been thirteen years since I first read it and Istill get emotional every time.
Jenny: I think my favorite book of all time would be Little Women 🙂

Renee: my favorite book of all time would be little women by louisa may alcott read it over and over growing up

Teri: I guess my absolute favorite book has to be Little Women. It was my first big book that I read in elementary school and I couldn’t stop reading after that. 

Kelley: The first book I remember checking out from the library and reading all by myself was Little Women.Still makes me cry.

Jenna: There are a few simply because when I started getting back into reading as an adult, most of the books I’ve listed opened my eyes to storylines in the romance genre that I never imagined would be written about, let alone ones I would love! It all started with the Twilight Series and just grew from there:

• Opportunist & Never Never -Tarryn Fisher,
• Avoiding Commitment – K.A. Linde,
• How to Kill a Rockstar & God Shaped Hole (I wish she’d wrote move books!)-Tiffanie Debartolo,
• Me Before You – JoJo Moyes,
• My Torin-K. Webster,
• The Reluctant Dom-Tymber Dalton,
• Thoughtless-SC Stephens,
• Flat Out Love-Jessica Park,
• Bronze Horseman – Paulina Simmons,
• Stolen-A Letter to My Captor-Lucy Christopher,
• Emi Lost & Found-Lori Otto,
• The Law of Moses-Amy Harmon,
• Guilty Pleasures-Anita Blake,
• The Mason List-HD Hendrickson,
• The Ghostwriter-Alessandra Torre,
• Lingus-Mariana Zapata,
• Painted Faces-LH Cosway.

Loretta: Flowers In The Attic (Dollanganger Book 1). Snuck it from my Grandmas shelf at around 10 years old.

Tessa: I was so angry reading that story as a kid, I can’t imagine my tablet surviving if I read it now.

MichelleS: Flowers in the Attic. I devoured that book umpteen times as an adolescent …

Dawn: Flowers in the Attic was my favorite book as a teen Mercedes: The first book that got me reading I read V C Andrews the flowers in the attic series I was hooked. I own all the VC andrews books.

Martha: Not my first book but my first “obsession” was with Flowers in the attic.