Bout of Books 16: Top Five

Today's challenge is to pick five of our favorite... something. And because it's a read-a-thon, that something has to be book related! Thought it's probably a tad boring, I have decided to list five of my all-time favorite books (which was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be).

5. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein: I love the adventure in this book, and how an ordinary, boring man can stumble into greatness just by taking that first step out his front door. I found it to be a very inspiring read and I fully enjoyed the eclectic cast of characters and all of the trouble they got into throughout their journey. I pick this book up whenever I am sad or in a slump, and it never fails to make me happy.

4. Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan: Though I love the entire series, The Lightning Thief was where Percy's adventure began, and I enjoy going back to it again and again. I love how young, innocent and naive everyone is in this book, particularly in comparison to the later books/series, and I find something extremely relaxing about that. Also, the humor and wit is my favorite.

3. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak: I have only ever read this once, but what an amazing book! I had never really taken an interest in historical fiction before, but reading The Book Thief has turned me on to an entire new genre. I love how heartbreaking and real it is because it made me connect to the characters in a really personal way.

2. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: Full of magic, love and loss, The Night Circus reminds me a lot of Harry Potter; I become so immersed in the story that I often forget I am reading a book because everything seems so vivid and real. It is an amazing book. I love the characters, the story and the heart of it.

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling: Obviously, I love each book in the series for a plethora of different reasons, but I feel like The Sorcerer's Stone is my favorite because it was the very first book and the one that started my love for Harry Potter, and I read it at least once a year, simply because I enjoy going back to Harry's first ever year at Hogwarts and experiencing the magic and wonder all over again. To me, this first book is like home; I feel safe and experience severe nostalgia whenever I pick it up.