Top Three

Captivating books take the reader on a winding adventure that offers an escape from reality. For this reason, I have chosen to discuss my top three favorite books. The criteria I am basing this evaluation on is simple. The book must describe the story of a woman; I find I am able to relate to this better, being a hopeless romantic, the book must involve love or the quest for love. Finally, the book must be set in an interesting place, a foreign place that I am educated about while I read. My top three favorite books I have read are... The Gossip Girl Series by Cecilia von Ziegesar, Where the Heart is by Billie Letts and Travelling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd.


In grade eight, my love for reading was inspired. It was inspired by a popular series about a clique of upper class, set in New york city... how inspiring. Looking back I find this series superficial and slightly dull. You ask, then why is it one of your Top Three books? I answer, if not for the Gossip Girl series I wouldn't have been introduced to so many life changing books. This series fueled my hunger for reading, it captivated me. As a thirteen year old girl, what is more interesting then the love stories of rich, popular, beautiful girls, set in the famous New york city? All though it may be embarrassing now, the Gossip Girl series was the open door that led me to the world of reading.

Travelling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd is the non-fictional mother-daughter story set in Greece. Having a strong relationship with my mother, I felt connected to the story of their evolving mother-daughter relationship. As they travelled through Greece I felt I was being educated and also, felt inspired to travel to all the places she described. There are many different types of love in this novel. Firstly, their is the lovea mother and a daughter share. Next, their is the love shared by a husband and wife who have been married 30 years. Finally, there is the story of finding true love and having it grow into a marriage, then a family. This book enveloped me and took me to another world.


Recently, I finished the book 'Where the Heart Is' by Billie Letts and it has been in my thoughts ever since. This novel tells an original story of seventeen year old Novalee Nation. Her quirky life is tragedy prone, creating many obstacles she must over come through out the story. The author's sarcastic humour and interesting writing had me captivated. Set in a small town in the middle of the USA I was exposed to a place so different then anything I have ever known. 'Where the Heart Is' by Billie Letts was a roller coaster of a novel and it is my favorite of my Top Three books.


Reading is a life long love affair, an affair I have truly only begun. I'm very excited to discover new books and with that be taken on new adventures. My Top Three books are the Gossip Girl series, Travelling with Pomegranates and Where the Heart Is, all three include the criteria needed for this title. They also include heartwarming tales of love, the struggles and triumphs of life and the quirky, interesting people you meet on the way... all realistic situations that I find very relateable to my own life.