Friday Five: Black, White, and Read all Over

Woweee today has been long. Can't believe I just typed "woweee." There is an agent at work that says that a lot so it's in my head. Ew.

I've been trying to come up with a Top Five for this here Friday but it's been hard. Most of the fives I'm thinking of aren't exactly public internet appropriate. Oftentimes I feel like typing stuff out that is not appropriate, but I restrain myself. Self-control... that's hard for me. Self-destruction... very easy. :)

I think I will do -- Top Five Comfort Books*

(in no particular order)
1. Space: a memoir. I can't count the times I've read this book since the day it came out. I read an early review of it in my Seventeen Magazine (I was a faithful subscriber from the ages of 10-18) when I was a youngin and went to Little Professor Bookstore (any RKYers 'member that place?) and asked for them to hold me a copy when it came out. The store called me the day it came out and said they ordered the book just for me since I requested it. I picked it up and it's been love ever since. Everytime I read it I relate to a different "Jesse" so it's neat.

2. The Amber Spyglass. I just started reading the His Dark Materials series a while ago, a little while before the movie of the first book came out. And it's easily turned into a favorite. The third book in this series is probably my favorite (although very close tie with the second). It doesn't necessarily have a happily ever after ending and it makes me cry so very much. It's a very good tale about growing up. I dare you to read the series and NOT cry when Lyra has to leave her daemon behind to venture into the World of the Dead. It hurts. A lot.

3. The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath. These journal entries are probably my favorite writings by this woman. She's got some awesome poems and of course, there is the classic The Bell Jar but I much prefer her journals. How beautiful this lady was. There is such a sweet, sad, romantic way she writes in her journals that I always find comforting. As an avid journal keeper myself, I love the voyeuristic opportunity this book presents to let me read someone else's private thougths. Once you read her journals you become even more sad for her passing.

4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It is very hard for me to pick a favorite HP book (if you read the *note at the bottom you will realize these books aren't necessarily "favorites") but OotP is probably the one I've read the most. When the rebellion begins and Sirius takes on his godfather duties and Harry gets his first kiss -- so much adventure, so much magic. I think there is a definite divide between Years 1-4 and Years 5-7 and I much prefer reading 5-7. Book 5 definitely has a "beginning" feel to it, and it brings a new sense of excitement to the series. The chapter at the Department of Mysteries is so wonderfully scary.

5. Rebecca. This is a perfect book to read in the fall. I think because it is so haunting and dark. I first read it in the fall and remember sitting outside, forgetting what time it was because I was so sucked into the story. The story of the second Mrs. de Winter as she lives at Manderly, with the creepy, horrible maid, where it seems the memory of Rebecca will never go away. This is a classic romantic suspense novel and one that every time I read never fails to disappoint. Unfortunately I need to procure a new copy as my paperback edition is literally falling apart from the times I've read it over the years.


*"comfort books" are not necessarily what I would site as being my "favorite" books. I have "favorite" books that I've only read one or two times, but they don't make the list of comfort books. They are books that I read at night while in bed before sleeping. I always read before going to sleep but if I pick up a new book that I've never read before I find it awfully hard to sleep, so I always go to a book that I've read a thousand times over because I take comfort in knowing the story already and getting lost for a short time before being able to fall asleep. I also use comfort books for travelling (plane rides, etc) or when I go anywhere or am caught up in situations I'm unsure of... I have a lot of comfort, "security" things I need so I'm not plagued with anxiety.