**Top 10 Books to Read in Your Lifetime**

As someone who has had the pleasure of immersing themselves in various literary worlds, I have come to realize that there are certain books that truly stand out from the rest. These books not only captivate our imagination but also leave a lasting impact on our lives. In this article, I will share with you my top 10 picks for books that every individual should read at some point in their lifetime.

**Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling**

For me, the Harry Potter series is more than just a collection of books – it's an entire world that has become synonymous with magic and wonder. The moment I stepped into the Wizarding World, I knew I was in for an incredible journey. From the moment I picked up the first book, I felt like I was transported to a world that was honestly like no other, and I just felt welcome. The characters, their journeys, and the lessons they taught me have stayed with me forever. Whether you're 5 or 50, Harry Potter has something for everyone – it's a series that will make you laugh, cry, and cheer for its beloved characters.

**The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins**

The Hunger Games trilogy is a thought-provoking series that will leave you questioning the world we live in today. It's a dystopian series that explores themes of oppression, rebellion, and the dangers of government manipulation. The fact that this book was adapted into a theme park (yes, you read that right!) speaks volumes about its impact on society. What I love most about this trilogy is how it makes me think critically about our world – politics, media, and the way we perceive reality are all up for discussion. Collins' writing is masterful, and her characters will stay with you long after you finish reading.

**Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery**

Growing up in Canada, I have always had a special place in my heart for Anne of Green Gables. This book is more than just a classic – it's a part of our Canadian heritage that makes me proud to be from this great country. The story follows the adventures of Anne Shirley, a young orphan who finds a new home with Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert on Prince Edward Island. What I love most about Anne is her boundless optimism, kindness, and imagination – she's a true original, and reading through her eyes makes me feel like a kid again.

**The Help by Kathryn Stockett**

The Help is a powerful novel that tackles some of the toughest issues in America's history: racism, oppression, and the struggle for equality. The story follows Aibileen Clark, a black maid who works for white families in Jackson, Mississippi, as she navigates the complexities of her relationships with her employers and her community. This book is no easy read – it's a difficult topic to confront, but Stockett tackles it with sensitivity and nuance. The Help has sparked important conversations about racism and inequality, and I believe it's essential reading for anyone interested in understanding our world today.

**Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll**

For me, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a book that will forever hold a special place in my heart. It's a story that has captivated readers of all ages with its whimsical magic and nonsensical logic. The world of Wonderland is like nothing you've ever seen – it's full of talking animals, absurd creatures, and illogical rules. But that's what makes it so delightful! Carroll's writing is pure genius, and his characters are unforgettable. Whether I'm reading through the pages for the umpteenth time or sharing them with others, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland will always bring a smile to my face.

**The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald**

Last but not least, The Great Gatsby stands as one of the greatest American novels ever written – it's simply the great American novel. This book is an immersive experience that transports you to the roaring twenties, where the jazz flows and the champagne bubbles. On the surface, it's a story about wealth, class, and the corrupting influence of power. But beneath the surface lies a complex exploration of the human condition – what makes us who we are, and how do we navigate the complexities of love, greed, and ambition? Fitzgerald's writing is masterful, and his characters are etched into my memory forever.

**Other Notable Mentions**

I have to give honorable mentions to other books that I've read and loved but haven't made it onto this list. Unfortunately, some of these titles didn't quite make the cut due to circumstances beyond my control – Austin, Brontë sisters, and a few others are still on my reading list, waiting for me to get around to them!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey everyone its Haley and today I'm going to be talking about my top ten books that I think you should read in your lifetime so a few times you guys have mentioned the idea of doing kind of a top books that you should read before you die sort of thing so I decided to do that today um now this list will never be complete because I haven't read all the books that I want to read now most of these books are classics they're kind of all over the board really but it's not all y-a so if you would like a list of must-reads for just ye then let me know and I will do that for you I did do my top 15 why a last year which I will link down below for you guys but if you wanted kind of an update on that then I would be willing to do that I mean if the list has changed that much which I'm not really sure that it has but I'd have to look into it a little bit but anyways today I'm going to be talking about all of the books that I think you should read before you die if you are going to pick up only 10 books these are the 10 books that I think you should pick up and for whatever reason most of them they are on this list because they're books that kind of had an impact on me and I think that you really can benefit from them in some way so they all kind of have a special place in my heart because they have helped me to kind of grow as a person which is one of the awesome things about being a reader is you're given this opportunity to learn about things that books can teach you you learn from character's mistakes and it's really just a learning experience and that's one of the reasons why I love reading because you can live a thousand lives just through the pages of books it's just amazing so these are without further ado my top 10 books that I think you should read in your life so number one on this list is my absolute favorite book of all time and this will come as no surprise to you if you've been watching my videos for a while now and that is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak I just absolutely adore this book and if anyone ever says that they are like looking to read something that's really impactful and powerful this is the book that I will refer them to because it is just such a magical story and you just learned so much from it through the eyes of Lisl who is in this terrible situation in Nazi Germany and she's just a kid the whole thing doesn't really make sense to her and you can see her kind of trying to find her footing and grow up in a world that is just absolutely terrible and there are terrible things happening around her that she just can't even begin to understand her innocence is kind of taken away from her and you just see her kind of struggle with that now I do have a review for this one up so I will link that down below for you guys I don't have a review for many of these books because I don't really do reviews for classics I just don't like doing that it just feels like I'm writing an essay so I prefer not to do that but any of the books that I do have a review for I will link down below but I think this might be the only one but this book is honestly just absolutely a magical experience and even if you don't end up liking it I I truly believe that there's no one who has read this book who can say that it didn't have some sort of an impact on them next is the Fault in Our Stars by John Green I love this book for multiple reasons I think it's fabulously written and I know it's not everyone's taste but I just think it is so so good I love the concept of it in the fact that you don't have to like leave behind this huge legacy when you die you you matter to a few people who you knew in your lifetime and that's enough you don't need any more than that like the kind of complex of wanting to be amazing and wanting to leave something behind is something that I think a lot of people feel like like they want to be remembered when they die and they want to be remembered forever but I mean it's not plausible for everyone to be remembered forever in this book I think deals with that in a really great way it also deals with illness and people being more than their illness because I think sometimes in books that deal with characters who are sick um the characters kind of aren't seen beyond their illness but in this book it's really you are able to see them apart from the cancer the cancer is just kind of a thing that is in the book but it's not like the main driving force of the characters they are able to stand on their own which is really refreshing next is a book that I don't actually own but I read in grade 10 and it has had a huge impact on me and that is to kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee I just loved this book I loved the characters and I loved all that it dealt with with racism and I think especially today that's a really prevalent issue that we should be reading about and we should be educating ourselves on and what better way to educate yourself than reading a fiction novel because you can enjoy yourself at the same time as you're kind of learning about things and I just think that tequila Mockingbird really starts the conversation on racism in a great way and it kind of it gets you thinking and that's what we need especially in regards to racist issue racism issues next is Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury I read this for school as you can tell because it has a ton of highlighting and a ton of like post-it notes in it and I loved this book it really struck a chord with me it deals with censorship and in this world the world of this novel there's no literature there's none of that like no storytelling all that has been banned and I think this one once again is really a conversation starter because it makes you really consider like how much our voices are being heard and how much is really being silenced and how government censorship is affecting things like I wouldn't say it's a huge huge issue like it used to be like we do have a lot of freedom of speech now but at the same time you have books like Looking for Alaska that are being banned in high schools because of sexual content and all that like it's just things like that and you have to get like kind of think twice about it and being like why are we taking literature away from schools when that's exactly what they need like I could just do a whole video on it and it's just this whole huge issue but I think this book really starts the conversation on that and it's honestly just an incredibly crafted story and it's fabulous next I don't want to actually take the series off my shelf because I'm being lazy but it is the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling and this book honestly like the whole series is just magical and it just kind of has the power of taking you away from the world for a while and experiencing this world that is honestly like no other and you just feel welcome in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and it's just amazing like I can't even describe it it's just such a great experience reading this series you fall in love with the characters and you get to follow their journey and see them as they grow up and you learn countless things from the series and it is just no matter how old you are it's never too late to start Harry Potter it is just so good and you need to read it you will understand all of the crazy hype if you read it next is the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins this year like this trilogy is honestly just it kind of gets you thinking and it really just makes you consider what's going on in government today and if we have the potential to like become somewhat like the world of the Hunger Games which is really scary especially because it's a dystopian and any like dystopian that you're like wow this could actually happen is just terrifying and I think that this book definitely has the potential like maybe not to that extreme but I mean they were making a frigging theme park out of it like this book is not about a theme park I think you're missing the point of it but anyways I think that this series this trilogy just honestly makes you think about today's society and how the government kind of manipulates things and that's always a good thing to think about because politics are crazy next is Anne of Green Gables by Ellen Montgomery um this is a Canadian classic and that makes me just so proud to be Canadian I just love this book so much I remember growing up watching the movies my mom loved this story and it just is a story that's really close to my heart especially as a Canadian and apart from that though it's just a fabulous book it is so fun to read and I think you can learn so much from Anne because she's this protagonist that just she is a kid that cannot be brought down like she has this kind of happy-go-lucky view of the world and it's amazing to be reading from her perspective and see her imagination and kind of live through her eyes it's just a really professional next is the help by Kathryn Stockett and this one once again starts conversations about racism and issues in regards to that especially in the south and in America and like the history of America this book just honestly really kind of is educating it considers like censorship it considers racism at the forefront and I think it just starts the conversations that need to be had and it does it in a way that is really enjoyable next is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and through the looking-glass by Lewis Carroll you guys know that these stories are near and dear to my heart I just absolutely love Alice in Wonderland and there's just something about it it's just this magical world that is full of nonsense but I think that's what makes it great is the fact that nothing makes sense there but everything makes sense at the same time like it's just kind of a book that you can't even try to understand it because there is no understanding it it's just a once again it brings you back to being a kid because you can't like you just have to kind of accept the fact that nothing in Wonderland makes sense because not everything is going to make sense and it's just honestly I feel like Alice just keeps my curiosity alive and she's just a really enjoyable character and I just really really love these books so much and yeah I just yes and finally The Great Gatsby by F scott Fitzgerald this book is honestly just the great American novel it is fabulous and I love reading it and I think that you can learn a lot from it in terms of like people aren't always what they seem and like kind of um there's just so many things and you just need to read it I can't even begin to describe it it's just so good so those are the ten books that I think that you should read in your lifetime there are obviously a million other books that I could put on this list that I've read but I decided 10 was a good number and if you're wondering why there's not like a popular classic on here that you think should be on here whatever chances are I probably haven't read yet so that's why it's not on this list like that's not that's why there's no Austin on this list and no Bronte's because I haven't I've read a couple of Austin I've only read none of the Bronte's so I can't really include them on the list so this is just from what I've read what I think that the top ten books you should read in your lifetime are so anyways if you guys have read any of these books let me know your thoughts on them and yeah I'll see you guys in the next video byehey everyone its Haley and today I'm going to be talking about my top ten books that I think you should read in your lifetime so a few times you guys have mentioned the idea of doing kind of a top books that you should read before you die sort of thing so I decided to do that today um now this list will never be complete because I haven't read all the books that I want to read now most of these books are classics they're kind of all over the board really but it's not all y-a so if you would like a list of must-reads for just ye then let me know and I will do that for you I did do my top 15 why a last year which I will link down below for you guys but if you wanted kind of an update on that then I would be willing to do that I mean if the list has changed that much which I'm not really sure that it has but I'd have to look into it a little bit but anyways today I'm going to be talking about all of the books that I think you should read before you die if you are going to pick up only 10 books these are the 10 books that I think you should pick up and for whatever reason most of them they are on this list because they're books that kind of had an impact on me and I think that you really can benefit from them in some way so they all kind of have a special place in my heart because they have helped me to kind of grow as a person which is one of the awesome things about being a reader is you're given this opportunity to learn about things that books can teach you you learn from character's mistakes and it's really just a learning experience and that's one of the reasons why I love reading because you can live a thousand lives just through the pages of books it's just amazing so these are without further ado my top 10 books that I think you should read in your life so number one on this list is my absolute favorite book of all time and this will come as no surprise to you if you've been watching my videos for a while now and that is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak I just absolutely adore this book and if anyone ever says that they are like looking to read something that's really impactful and powerful this is the book that I will refer them to because it is just such a magical story and you just learned so much from it through the eyes of Lisl who is in this terrible situation in Nazi Germany and she's just a kid the whole thing doesn't really make sense to her and you can see her kind of trying to find her footing and grow up in a world that is just absolutely terrible and there are terrible things happening around her that she just can't even begin to understand her innocence is kind of taken away from her and you just see her kind of struggle with that now I do have a review for this one up so I will link that down below for you guys I don't have a review for many of these books because I don't really do reviews for classics I just don't like doing that it just feels like I'm writing an essay so I prefer not to do that but any of the books that I do have a review for I will link down below but I think this might be the only one but this book is honestly just absolutely a magical experience and even if you don't end up liking it I I truly believe that there's no one who has read this book who can say that it didn't have some sort of an impact on them next is the Fault in Our Stars by John Green I love this book for multiple reasons I think it's fabulously written and I know it's not everyone's taste but I just think it is so so good I love the concept of it in the fact that you don't have to like leave behind this huge legacy when you die you you matter to a few people who you knew in your lifetime and that's enough you don't need any more than that like the kind of complex of wanting to be amazing and wanting to leave something behind is something that I think a lot of people feel like like they want to be remembered when they die and they want to be remembered forever but I mean it's not plausible for everyone to be remembered forever in this book I think deals with that in a really great way it also deals with illness and people being more than their illness because I think sometimes in books that deal with characters who are sick um the characters kind of aren't seen beyond their illness but in this book it's really you are able to see them apart from the cancer the cancer is just kind of a thing that is in the book but it's not like the main driving force of the characters they are able to stand on their own which is really refreshing next is a book that I don't actually own but I read in grade 10 and it has had a huge impact on me and that is to kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee I just loved this book I loved the characters and I loved all that it dealt with with racism and I think especially today that's a really prevalent issue that we should be reading about and we should be educating ourselves on and what better way to educate yourself than reading a fiction novel because you can enjoy yourself at the same time as you're kind of learning about things and I just think that tequila Mockingbird really starts the conversation on racism in a great way and it kind of it gets you thinking and that's what we need especially in regards to racist issue racism issues next is Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury I read this for school as you can tell because it has a ton of highlighting and a ton of like post-it notes in it and I loved this book it really struck a chord with me it deals with censorship and in this world the world of this novel there's no literature there's none of that like no storytelling all that has been banned and I think this one once again is really a conversation starter because it makes you really consider like how much our voices are being heard and how much is really being silenced and how government censorship is affecting things like I wouldn't say it's a huge huge issue like it used to be like we do have a lot of freedom of speech now but at the same time you have books like Looking for Alaska that are being banned in high schools because of sexual content and all that like it's just things like that and you have to get like kind of think twice about it and being like why are we taking literature away from schools when that's exactly what they need like I could just do a whole video on it and it's just this whole huge issue but I think this book really starts the conversation on that and it's honestly just an incredibly crafted story and it's fabulous next I don't want to actually take the series off my shelf because I'm being lazy but it is the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling and this book honestly like the whole series is just magical and it just kind of has the power of taking you away from the world for a while and experiencing this world that is honestly like no other and you just feel welcome in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and it's just amazing like I can't even describe it it's just such a great experience reading this series you fall in love with the characters and you get to follow their journey and see them as they grow up and you learn countless things from the series and it is just no matter how old you are it's never too late to start Harry Potter it is just so good and you need to read it you will understand all of the crazy hype if you read it next is the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins this year like this trilogy is honestly just it kind of gets you thinking and it really just makes you consider what's going on in government today and if we have the potential to like become somewhat like the world of the Hunger Games which is really scary especially because it's a dystopian and any like dystopian that you're like wow this could actually happen is just terrifying and I think that this book definitely has the potential like maybe not to that extreme but I mean they were making a frigging theme park out of it like this book is not about a theme park I think you're missing the point of it but anyways I think that this series this trilogy just honestly makes you think about today's society and how the government kind of manipulates things and that's always a good thing to think about because politics are crazy next is Anne of Green Gables by Ellen Montgomery um this is a Canadian classic and that makes me just so proud to be Canadian I just love this book so much I remember growing up watching the movies my mom loved this story and it just is a story that's really close to my heart especially as a Canadian and apart from that though it's just a fabulous book it is so fun to read and I think you can learn so much from Anne because she's this protagonist that just she is a kid that cannot be brought down like she has this kind of happy-go-lucky view of the world and it's amazing to be reading from her perspective and see her imagination and kind of live through her eyes it's just a really professional next is the help by Kathryn Stockett and this one once again starts conversations about racism and issues in regards to that especially in the south and in America and like the history of America this book just honestly really kind of is educating it considers like censorship it considers racism at the forefront and I think it just starts the conversations that need to be had and it does it in a way that is really enjoyable next is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and through the looking-glass by Lewis Carroll you guys know that these stories are near and dear to my heart I just absolutely love Alice in Wonderland and there's just something about it it's just this magical world that is full of nonsense but I think that's what makes it great is the fact that nothing makes sense there but everything makes sense at the same time like it's just kind of a book that you can't even try to understand it because there is no understanding it it's just a once again it brings you back to being a kid because you can't like you just have to kind of accept the fact that nothing in Wonderland makes sense because not everything is going to make sense and it's just honestly I feel like Alice just keeps my curiosity alive and she's just a really enjoyable character and I just really really love these books so much and yeah I just yes and finally The Great Gatsby by F scott Fitzgerald this book is honestly just the great American novel it is fabulous and I love reading it and I think that you can learn a lot from it in terms of like people aren't always what they seem and like kind of um there's just so many things and you just need to read it I can't even begin to describe it it's just so good so those are the ten books that I think that you should read in your lifetime there are obviously a million other books that I could put on this list that I've read but I decided 10 was a good number and if you're wondering why there's not like a popular classic on here that you think should be on here whatever chances are I probably haven't read yet so that's why it's not on this list like that's not that's why there's no Austin on this list and no Bronte's because I haven't I've read a couple of Austin I've only read none of the Bronte's so I can't really include them on the list so this is just from what I've read what I think that the top ten books you should read in your lifetime are so anyways if you guys have read any of these books let me know your thoughts on them and yeah I'll see you guys in the next video bye\n"