10 of My All-Time Favorite Books

I know some people are enjoying a three-day weekend thanks to Columbus, and while we are not lucky enough to have Matt home with us today, I am taking full advantage of all of the sales going on this weekend!

I bought crib bedding from Pottery Barn Kids (they're running an extra 20% off everything sale), an accent pillow for Baby Girl's room from Pottery Barn (also 20% off + free shipping), and a rug for her room from Rugs USA that was 75% off plus free shipping! WOO-HOO!!

I love a good deal. Like, really love it.

Next up on my list of things to accomplish during nap is to create and hopefully order our Christmas cards- Shutterfly is offering a $20 coupon code, free shipping on orders over $39, and they sent a 40% coupon + 10 free cards in the mail. So fingers crossed my little guys enjoys a nice long nap today. :)

Since I don't usually post on the weekends, I'm sharing my Ten on the 10th today, on the 12th.

I've been on a reading kick again and have been setting monthly goals to read at least one book, so I thought I would share my top 10 all-time favorite books with you and see if you had some of the same ones on your list. Or, if there are others you have read and loved, I would love for you to share them with me! 

Narrowing down this list to ten was not easy. I tried to think back over the books I have read over the years, and know I am probably leaving out a good number of books that I have completely forgotten about. 

But here's what I came up with for my list of top 10. And don't forget to tell me your favorites in the comments section below!

1. 

Unbroken

The subtitle says it all- a story of survival, resilience, and redemption. If you have not read this book, it needs to be at the top of your list! Honestly it is so, so good. 

2.
Nineteen Minutes

This book was a page-turner! I read it on the beach one year and didn't want to put it down. It follows a similar premise to the events that happened at Columbine, but keeps you guessing at who is really involved and, as Jodi Picoult always does, connects you with the characters so that you feel as if you know them by the time the book is done.

3.
Same Kind of Different As Me

"a modern-day slave, a international art dealer, and the unlikely woman who bound them together"

I mentioned this as my favorite book on my 31 favorite things list last month. It was so hard to decide, but I chose this book because of the way it changed my perspective on homelessness and drew me in to the characters' lives. It is based on a true story and also has a sequel (which I also enjoyed). It's so hard to summarize without giving too much away, but it is a short read, and one I know you will enjoy!

4.
Water for Elephants

I read this book so long ago but remembered not wanting it to end. I also loved the movie starring Reese Witherspoon. If you like reading books that have been made into movies, you should definitely check this one out. You can read more about it here.

5.
The Other Boleyn Girl

I love books, movies, and TV series from this time period. And Philippa Gregory is incredible at making you feel like you are right in the time period as you are reading. This particular one is about the courtship and marriage of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, who was his second wife. It was made into a movie and also a part of the Showtime series, The Tudors. It is a long book but a surprisingly fast read because you get so wrapped up in all of the characters' lives.

6.
Heaven is for Real

I was skeptical of this book when I first heard about it, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It is about a 4 year old boy who undergoes a procedure and temporarily dies on the hospital table before being brought back to life. His parents, who are in the waiting room, are unaware of how back things got during surgery until their son starts telling them about what he saw in those moments where the doctors were trying to revive him. It is a fascinating and quick read and will really get you thinking! 

7.
For the Love

Ahhh, you know I loved this book. Loved, loved, loved it. You can read my full review here. And then go buy it. You just can't not love it.

8.
What Alice Forgot

This book was so good! It was the first Liane Moriarty book I had read and had me staying up late and catching a few minutes to read during the day whenever I could. A definite page-turner that I didn't want to end. You can read my full review here.

9.
Bringing Up Bebe

I read a number of parenting books in the years leading up to us starting our own little family. Every time Matt and I would go to the bookstore (so basically the end of every date night... because, confession if you're new around here- that's just us- we love the book store.), he would gather some business books and I would find some parenting books, and we would sit and browse through them over coffee (for me) and figure out whether any were worth adding to our collections. Of all the books I read before we started our family, I honestly think I enjoyed this one the most.  It gave some practical advice on areas such a teaching independence, confidence, respect, discipline, and healthy eating habits. And then right before Ryan started solids, I read French Kids Eat Everything which I also loved and would highly recommend. You can read my review of that book here.

10.
Jesus Calling

Not exactly a novel, but I couldn't make a list of favorite book without this one on it. This has been my morning devotional for years. So far, it has proven to be applicable through so many different stages of life. If you're looking for a good devotional, check this one out here.

What would make your top-10 favorite books list?!

I'm always looking for new books to read, so I'd love to hear what your favorites are!

Just leave me a comment below. :) 

Thanks, friends!

And you can check out my other Ten on the 10th posts here.