What are your top-5 favorite books?

[Torrance Public Library]

Feel free to share!

[Anthony]

Agh! This is such a fun, yet tough question. This will probably definitely change in the future, but at this point in time in my life, my top-5 favorite books are:

[Hillary]

Gone With the Wind - epic historical romance, with war and politics, strong women, and evolution of each character over time. Plus a love triangle. Or a love square, I guess.

Fellowship of the Ring - the best quest story ever told. Sexy hero (no, not Frodo). Adventure and magic.

Outlander - historical romance, strong woman character, sexy hero in a kilt, adventure and magic.

Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati - historical romance, strong woman character, sexy hero in buckskin, adventure, forbidden romance, love triangle.

The fifth is a challenge there are a whole bunch. I would select as a sample Jane Emily by Patricia Clapp. Strong woman character, historical romance, magic.

Hmmmm ... I notice a theme in my own selections!

[Anita]

I have way to many favorite books so I'm going with favorite authors:
Janet Evanovich & Jennifer Cruise - they always makes me laugh.
Suzanne Brockmann - SEALS, sex and suspense.
Julie Garwood & Judith McNaught - The way these two write historicals and bring the families into modern times is awesome.
Linda Howard & Sandra Brown - sizzleing passion and down right scary suspense.

And many, many more.

[[deleted user]]

My favorite books tend to shift and change year to year, but my "constants" (books I will always love) are -

1. Les Misérables by Victor Hugo - this is the book that has touched me the most on a personal level
2. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - this is without a doubt the most exciting book I've ever read
3. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - I read this at least twice a year
4. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux - my "guilty" pleasure, there are better books, but it's an old favorite
5. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - I love this simple story of rebirth and 2nd chances, it's a beautiful story

[Anita]

Traci, I see that you are a very classic reader. I tend to like contemporizes, although I do have all your books on my Kindle.

[[deleted user]]

I actually read everything and anything. You wouldn't know it by my favorites list, but I'm a big fantasy/sci-fi reader. I also read mysteries, horror, romance, young adult... anything really. But I've been on a classic kick lately and these are my favorites.

[Anita]

I have been reading and reviewing ARC books before publication since the first of the year and most of then have been romance and romantic-suspense.

[Torrance Public Library]

Hello Everyone!
Hillary Theyer, City Librarian

[Anita]

Hi Hillary, I have a question for you. What do you see as the purpose for this Goodreads discussion site? It is hard to get a meaningful discussion going on a particular book and from what I see the people who post all favor different genre.

[Torrance Public Library]

Purpose is vague right now, discuss reading. We have several projects in the works to make use of this site though, and I am an avid personal GoodReads user, so I know the power.

Stay tuned! Hillary