Top Shelf: Books that Stick

You know those books that stick with you years after reading them? There's usually something about a character, the plot or location that you connect with and can't forget. These may even be books that you (gasp!) read again. I can name on two hands those books that have resonated with me enough to reread, ponder or (let's be honest, here) remember months later.

Obviously, Pride and Prejudice. I've read it many, many times; watched all the movies and read/seen lots of adaptations. There are so many cultural references to this novel that it creeps into life frequently. It inspired the focus of my master's degree and I never get tired of Jane Austen.

Evvie Drake Starts Over, by Linda Holmes. Something intangible makes it one of the books I most often recommend, especially for someone who enjoys romance and is interested in picking up a book after a long reading hiatus.

Mating Rituals of the North American Wasp. This is an odd one. Odd only because it's out of print and you don't hear about author Lauren Lipton much. But it inspired a return to reading after my own hiatus. It's total chic lit and I. LOVE. IT.

The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. These inspired my love of fantasy literature at a very impressionable age. I've read and reread them, studied them in school and watched all the movies. They are the ultimate journey story.

Harry Potter. The series created a whole new generation of fantasy readers, and it's been fun going through the illustrated versions with my kids.

The Happiness Project. I found this Gretchen Rubin book at a time when I really needed it. I undertook my own happiness project, and studied the book like I was back in school. I've since read most of her other books, listen to her podcast and follow her on social media.

It's a varied lineup, to be sure. But they're a pretty good representation of my reading personality! What books stick with you?

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