“What’s your favorite book?” Anyone who asks me this question will get a lengthy response about all the books I love before I announce that it is impossible to choose a favorite. Although I cannot choose just one, here are my top three favorite books of all time!
- “Red, White and Royal Blue” by Casey McQuiston
Politics, romance, and an alternate universe in which a woman wins the 2016 presidential election? Sign me up! “Red, White and Royal Blue” is a romantic comedy following the relationship between Alex Clairemont-Diaz, the president’s son, and Prince Henry of Wales, a member of the British royal family. Although they start off as rivals, their relationship quickly turns into a steamy romance that both Alex and Henry want to keep a secret at all costs. I fell in love with “Red, White and Royal Blue” within the first chapter thanks to its complex characters and inspirational plot. I guarantee that you will love both Alex and Henry, since the author does an excellent job explaining how their experiences have shaped their characters. The two compliment each other wonderfully, and their relationship is absolutely adorable! With a fast paced plot, there was not a single boring chapter in this book. Finally, this book is great because McQuiston’s writing is funny, insightful, and easy to follow. If you’re looking for a quick read that will make you smile, this is definitely the book for you.
- “Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo
If a story involving a gang of teenagers, an elaborate scheme, and a touch of magic sounds interesting to you, then you should definitely read “Six of Crows”! This book follows six characters as they embark on a seemingly impossible heist. The organizer of the heist is Kaz, a criminal mastermind with a tragic past. He is joined by Inej, who has a talent for gathering information; Jesper, a charismatic sharpshooter; Wylan, who makes bombs; Nina, who can kill people by stopping their hearts; and Matthias, a soldier with inside information that is essential to the success of the heist. My favorite part of this book is the characters, who are all well developed and lovable in their own ways. I also enjoyed the structure of this story because it is told through the perspective of multiple characters, so the reader gets an opportunity to see the events of the book through different perspectives. This book is packed with action and will constantly have you at the edge of your seat. I loved “Six of Crows” so much that I read the book in one sitting, which is the mark of a good book in my experience! Finally, the world building in this book is detailed, and Bardugo’s descriptions were so vivid that I could clearly picture the different settings of this book in my head.
- “The Song of Achilles” by Madelaine Miller
Although I was skeptical about reading “The Song of Achilles,” since I thought it would just be a dramatic retelling of The Trojan War, I decided to pick up the book anyway and I’m glad I did. The focus of this book is not the war itself, but rather the relationships between characters. The author, classics professor Madelaine Miller, enhances the original themes of love and war from “The Iliad” (the original story of the Trojan War) by depicting a romantic relationship between Achilles, a hero of the war, and Patroclus, the narrator of the book. My favorite aspect of the book was how well the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus was developed, as their progression from friends to lovers felt natural. The prose is also phenomenal, and I guarantee that certain lines from this book will absolutely crush your soul in the most beautiful way possible. One warning: this book is extremely sad, so be prepared to cry.
