Cari's Top 10 Favorite Books of All Time

It is important to preface this that there is no order within this list. There is not a #1 favorite even though there are 10 books in this list. These are simply my top 10 favorite books of all time.

1. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

This book is lyrical and beautiful and a modern, timeless masterpiece. Schwab's writing style completely immerses the reader into the world of the book. These characters exist in a world with demons and gods and magic but feel very real emotions and struggle with very realistic problems but this books allows you to completely escape while reading. I highly recommend the audiobook as it is an amazing narrator.

2. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

One of the most unique writing styles I have even seen in a book. This book is about a band forming in this San Francisco music seen of the 70s and 80s. It is told in interview style from the perspectives of everyone in the band and all the people involved with their story. This is a very loose fictional retelling of Stevie Nick's story. I absolutely couldn't put this book down. I also recommend the audiobook because it has a full cast that really bring each character to life.

3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I will be recommending this book to everyone because I have yet to hear of anyone not loving it. This book is beautiful, heartbreaking and has great lgbtq+ representation. This is about a woman (Evelyn Hugo) telling her story of becoming the most successful Hollywood actress of all time in the 50's and 60's. This is a beautiful story about love and sacrifice. It might be outside your wheelhouse but I cannot recommend this enough.

4. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Not only was this book beautiful but it is getting made into a movie by Reese Witherspoon! Without sacrificing amazing character development Owens crafts a wonderfully lush swampy marsh on the coast of North Carolina that the reader is completely immersed in. This book is heartbreaking, reads like a coming of age mystery novel. I read this in less than 48 hours, because I just could not get enough of this story.

5. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Forced to live in the wild wilderness of Alaska, young Leni learns how to adapt and survive with the looming presence of her paranoid, survivalist father. This coming of age story keeps you on the edge of your seat, has strong character development and completely transports you to the Alaskan frontier. This book left a strong impression on me as I was left thinking about it for a long time afterwards.

6. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

This is the first book in a rather large series that not only spans across time but takes you on a journey throughout Scotland, France, American Colonies and beyond. Claire is unknowingly transported back in time from 1945 Scotland to 1743 English Occupied Scotland. She meets some highland warriors and her journey back home is completely interrupted when she meets Jamie and begins to fall for the strongest of the highlanders she encounters. Every book in this series is thick but there is a series on Starz to coincide with it that I highly recommend.

7. Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Broken, lost, desperate and lonely Cheryl takes to the Pacific Crest Trail completely alone and unprepared. This is a memoir weaving past and present emotions and experiences. This story is raw and beautiful and very inspiring. Leaving behind trauma, loss, drugs and sex Cheryl takes to the trail and learns so many valuable lessons on the way. I read this in 2020 and am still thinking about this book and added hiking the PCT to my bucket list because this book was so inspiring.

8. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

This multigenerational, multiple points of view novel takes you on a journey beginning in 1910 Korea spanning all the way to 1989 Japan. This epic book follows a family through the stirrings of WWII all the way to the fall of the Berlin Wall. This Korean family struggles with prejudices, classism, financial hardship and religious persecution. I could not put this book down and found myself learning so much about Korean culture and identity problems post World War 2 and the Korean War that many of them experienced. This book opens your eyes and helps gain some perspective. I would recommend this to everyone.

9. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

This Adult Fantasy series is one of the most fun journeys through a fantasy world I have ever read. I love Schwab's writing style because she is develops her protagonists and antagonists so well that they feel real. The magic system in this series is easy to understand, the world building is perfectly balance as to not be too overwhelming. This is a trilogy that gets better every book!

10. A Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

This witchy Historical Fiction was recommended to me by an Indie bookseller and this book ending up being so good. Connie Goodwin inherits her ancestral home in Salem, Massachusetts she inherits a lot of family secrets who that she dives very deep into. This book was interesting and followed dual timelines making a very well paced book. This was the first book I ever read that I wanted to immediately reread.

Hope you enjoy this list. Comment on the post if you find one you are interested in or have already read!