Hey everyone! Today, August 9th, is national book lover day! I had no idea about this until a few days ago. My friend Jasmin has a calendar that tells what “national day” it is. So imagine my surprise when I looked at it and saw what today was.
I knew right away what I would share with you today. Some of my absolute favorite books! Some of these are all time favorites and some are books I’ve read in 2018/2019 that I loved*.
*Ignore the fact that these are mostly from 2018/2019 because I was terrible at keeping track of what I’ve read before this and my library only tracks what you check out if you turn tracking on.**
**This is turned on now so I’ll never have that issue again.
One book that has stood the test of time is The Language of Flowers . I read this in high school while I was part of a floral program. It is a great book. I would guess I read this in 2014 and still in 2019 it pops up in my mind time to time. It’s on my to buy list as for the last couple of years, I haven’t been buying books. It is also at the top of my re-read list which I plan to start working through in September. I will make sure to write up a true and updated review at that point.
According to my Goodreads list, I added The Chaos of Standing Still to my TBR in January 18th 2018 and it was marked as read exactly two months later. Since then this book has been on mind and for the longest time, I wasn’t sure I had saved it on Goodreads and I couldn’t remember the name of the book. The only major plot points I remembered were the MC had anxiety and was constantly googling answers to questions, it was based in an airport and the MC’s best friend had died. Last week, I finally started a search to find it so I could add it to my to-buy list. I’m so glad I found it. This book is one of those that I know will stick me forever.
I bought It’s Not Like It’s a Secret in December of 2018 on a whim after a friend gave me a gift card to Barnes and Noble. I read it literally the next day even though I had a list of books to read first. I found in a section that was filled with LGBT based books. Bonus points, the two MC’s are POC! Amazing representation is one of the many reasons this book is on my “five teacup books” Also I love the cover art??? It’s so simple and so beautiful at the same time. 100000000% recommend. Please read this book!!!!!
Just about or around the time I realized that I liked girls, I found Keeping You a Secret. I was terrified to come out, of the feelings I had and I had no idea how to deal with them. Reading this book, hearing how Cece and Holland felt and how Holland is Cece’s rock during Cece coming out really made me feel better. It helped realize that as long as you have on person in your corner, even if your family turns on you, you’ll be okay.
Oof, if you look closely you will see that this book and the two above it, all of these books have something in common. The main characters are LGBT (Mostly L). I guess it’s true that people look for themselves in the media they consume. I’m not sure when I started reading Sing You Home but I promise you, I read it at least once a year. A story about older (read not teens) women being together, especially after one comes out later in life, was uplifting to see.
And last but never, ever least, I give you Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Yup. That’s right, I am one of the few people I know who is able to pick a favorite Harry Potter book. Whats more, it does not line up with my favorite movie. So why do I love Order of the Phoenix so very much? First of all, it’s blue. Or at least this edition is. No, I’m not kidding. But the other major reason I love this book is… Minerva McGonagall. McGonagall is my absolute favorite character in the series and I am so mad that they cut so many of her scenes out of the movies. #McGongalldeservedbetter.
Just a YA book reader sharing her thoughts with the world 
OKAY YES, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is also my favorite Harry Potter book. *nods* It has been my favorite from the start, just because it’s so long and detailed, the DA, McGonagall, the relationships, Luna, Weasley is Our King (the Gryffindor version), the Order, etc. It’s just amazing, and it also doesn’t align with my favorite movie haha, which is probably Goblet of Fire.
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That’s so awesome that we share a favorite Harry Potter book! All of those reasons are also reasons it’s my favorite. My favorite movie is Deathly Hallows part 2 but really I love parts of them all!
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Wow this is a very unique list! Am curious about The Chaos Of Standing Still, gonna have to check it out in the future. 😀
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It is SO good. You know those books you still think about months later? The ones you take out from the library and you know that one day it needs to be yours? That is this book for me.
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Whoa now I am even more itching to read it!
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The only one of these I’ve read is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and I hadn’t heard of the others! They sound wonderful though. I’ll have to check them out.
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PoK is a good one too! I loved Sirius and Harry’s relationship. If you pick up the other books, let me know what you think!!
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Oh, I’m so happy to see It’s Not Like It’s a Secret on your list!! It seems really cute (and you’re right, the cover is so simple and beautiful and I love it!). And aahh, reading what you wrote for Keeping You a Secret was so touching — I’m really happy you could find a book to take comfort in as a sapphic person coming to terms with yourself ❤
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Oh my gosh! I really just teared up reading your comment!! Thank you for your kind words! It’s definitely been a journey, one I’ll be taking for the rest of my life but I’ve got my fiancee in my corner and that’s all I really need.
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