A Book Meme

This little meme seems to be making the rounds these days, I've stumbled across it on a few different blogs, mainly Chris' at Book-A-Rama, Bookfool's, Kookiejar's and the Literary Feline's! Figured I would try it out too!

A book that made you cry: The Book Thief by Mark Zuzak. I read this at the beginning of the year. So much buzz about it that I had to try it. Turns out the buzz was for good reason. I was literally sobbing throw the last 50 or so pages of this one!

A book that scared you: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I don't scare very easy, or at least I don't when it comes to books. But this one kind of did it to me. There is a section of the book where Atwood describes the systematic removal of all freedoms to women; it gave me chills. Truly frightening stuff!

A book that made you laugh: Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding. This was the first "Chick Lit" book that I ever read (besides the occasional romance). It was absolutely hilarious!! I found myself laughing out loud in many parts. I even thought the movie was good with Renee Zellwigger. She did a GREAT job as the wonderfully neurotic Bridget and Hugh Grant as the cad Daniel Cleaver.

A book that disgusted you: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson and Naked Lunch by Willam Burroughs. Ok...I actually like Hunter S. Thompson. But the rampant drug use in this book was enough to make me sick! And Naked Lunch. Well...I just didn't get it!


A book you loved in elementary school: The entire Nancy Drew Collection by Caroline Keene. I LOVED Nancy Drew. I wanted to BE Nancy Drew. (I STILL want to be Nancy Drew!) I started reading these books in 2nd grade and read through most of them by the time I was in 4th grade. They had a serious impact on me!!

A book you loved in middle school : The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. I thought this was one of the best books I've ever read at the time. I even added it to my list for the Newberry Challenge so I can reread it as an adult. Then again, the next book on my list would probably be Salem's Lot by Stephen King. I can remember reading this in 8th grade. I thought it was SO good!!

A book you loved in high school: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I read this for Mr. Cook's Fiction/Short Stories Class. To this day, I count it as one of my all-time favorite books....it had that much impact on me!! It is such a wonderful story!!

A book you hated in high school: Lord of the Flies by William Golding. In the same class, we read this and I hated it!! I don't know whether it was the story or the writing I hated it so much. I was appalled at those boys and felt so sorry for Piggy.

A book you loved in college: Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert. Again, this was a book I read for a class. It was kind of empowering reading about a woman like Emma Bovary!

A book that challenged your identity: The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo. This book is about having a dream and following it. My only regret is that I didn't read this book sooner in life. I think if I had read it in college, I would be in a much different place than I am today.

A series that you love: Stephanie Plum Number Series by Janet Evanovich. Until just recently, I was never much of a series reader. But these books are hilarious!! Stephanie cracks me up!! She's funny and bumbling and has 2 hot men vying for her. Gotta love it. A close second to this (and the jury is still out, I guess since I have finished it) would be The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King.

Your favorite horror book: The Stand by Stephen King. My all time favorite King book. Ranks up in the top 3 of my all-time favorite books, period. A timeless tale of then end of the world and Good vs. Evil.

Your favorite science fiction book: The Chrysalids by John Wyndham. Sci-Fi has never been my genre, but I read this at the beginning of this year and LOVED it! I'm definitely starting to read more sci-fi and fantasy.

Your favorite fantasy book: American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Again, a genre that I'm just starting to get into. My answer for this might change next year, but I don't know. This book sucked me in and refused to let go!!

Your favorite mystery book: Ten Little Indians (or And Then There Were None) by Agatha Christie. I read this in high school. I think I take all mysteries and compare it to this classic! It was fantastic!

Your favorite biography: Any book about The Kennedy's. For some reason, I love reading about JFK and RFK. I've read good and bad. The Dark Side of Camelot was pretty revealing.

Your favorite “coming-of-age” book: Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. This is probably the perennial Classic when it comes to coming-of-age books. Maybe it just depends on WHEN you read it. Because I know people that don't like it. I read it in High School, so maybe I can just relate!

Your favorite classic: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. This book has everything: romance, murder, revenge, money, plots.....it is a phenomenal read!! I could read it again and again!

Your favorite romance book: Romance book has such a horrible connotation for me. I don't like "Romance" books. Makes me think of Harlequin. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is probably my favorite love story. The relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester is timeless and one for the ages!

Your favorite book not on this list: I have so many books that I love. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See, Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut just to name a few.

If you haven't done this meme and would like to play along, it's fun!! I love to see what everyone else says!!