The 11 Books I Cannot Live Without

     Note: These 11 favorites are in no particular order.

     When I am restless or stressed, I tend to organize. It is my coping mechanism. The other day, I had a really rough day. For some reason, instead of organizing, I started pulling things out of my closet: my favorites clothes, the socks I would never leave home without, the shoes I wear the most, and of course, the books I love the most.

     Eleven books made my "I need these" pile, and I thought to myself "What a great blog post idea."

     Because that is the way I think.

     Without further ado, THE books I need in my life (obviously, I don't need anything, but if I am being dramatic, because you KNOW I can be that.)

1. Pride and Prejudice by the lovely Jane Austen(!) ~ The book most people think of when they hear JA's name is still an enduring beauty. My extra small almost-pocket-sized edition is the best!
2. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne ~ This is one of those books you "have" to read for school and end up falling in love with. The characters especially are very fun and believable.
3. Matilda by Roald Dahl ~ I have read three of Mr. Dahl's books and listened to one on cd, but Matilda trumps James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and even the great Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. A book-loving child discovers she has powers that surprise even herself.
4. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare ~ I've said it before, and I will say it again: this book is incredible. It is about the Salem witch trials, following one girl in particular. THE BEST by Mrs. Speare.
5. Love Does by Bob Goff ~ The first nonfiction book in my stack, full of good, true stories with applicable principles. Love Does makes me want to take action. A must read, especially if you are stuck in a rut with fiction and want to branch out (but still love stories).
6. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen ~ I love this JA book better than even Pride and Prejudice. It captured my heart with a book-loving heroine, and the evil characters made me SO. VERY. MAD. (There is some language.)
7. Radical by David Platt ~ That book you want everyone in the world to read. Radical will change your Christian life forever, for the better.
8. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie ~ Man. I have already talked about this one on the blog too. It is my favorite of the three Agatha Christie books I have read. It has an element of great suspense, eeriness, and horror that The Body in the Library and The Orient Express just don't have.
9. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg ~ If you need a book that will help you spice up your writing, this is the one. It's full of advice, good writing, and exciting writing exercises. (Also has some language and elements I do not agree with.)
10. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart ~ If you have not read these, you need to. If you have not heard of these, you're not in bookstores (or my house) very often. This is the first in a series about four children with remarkable talents. The mysteries, riddles, and Morse code will delight young aspiring detectives, adventure-seeking teens, and even adults.
11. The Perfectly Imperfect Home by Decorah Needleman ~ I am the Little Decorator, in case you  forgot. The Perfectly Imperfect Home is a décor book by none other than the editor of Domino magazine. This is the only decorating book you will ever need. I LOVE this book.

     So there they are. Which books would you take along with you everywhere? Which books made you laugh, sob, or get scared? I highly recommend you put any of these that you have not read on a list for your next trip to the library.

     Let me know in the comments below. And be sure to share this post with your friends to start some bookworm conversations. :)

~Madeline