Top 10 Books That Have Stayed With Me

My co-worker challenged me on Facebook to list the 10 books that have stayed with me. I thought it would be fun to add a little reason why I picked each book on my blog. 

In no particular order (and yes, I'm allowed to count series as "one" book):

1. The Divine Comedy 
I read this book in high school for AP English. Man, Dante was gutsy for his time! I named my beloved cat after him. The Inferno is terrifying in it's own way. My copy of the book has so many notes and annotations in it; I can literally find something new in the book each time I read it. 
2. Harry Potter 
I just love all the Harry Potter books. In my defense, Harry Potter was released when I was in middle school (which was about the age that Harry was) so I "grew up" with the books. I really cared for all the main characters and I love re-reading this series. I can't wait to read it to my own children! 
3. Unbroken 
This is the most incredible non-fiction novel I've ever read. Angelina Jolie produced the movie version of this book and it will be released in December-I'll be first in line to see it! It follows the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War 2. I read this on the beach at Cayman Island 2011. It's a page turner; I just can't even begin to imagine all of this being true-but it is! 
4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
My grandmother Faye gave this to me to read when I was in elementary school. It reminds me of my childhood and the hope and courage that exists in all children. I get so nostalgic when I watch the BBC version of this series! This is another book/series that I can't wait to read to my own kids. 
5. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
This is another non-fiction work. I was in a book club several years ago and this was the pick for one of the months. I hadn't heard of the title before and didn't think I was too interested in the subject matter (the immortal cell line that came from her cervical cancer cells) but this was another book that I couldn't put down. This is such an amazing contribution that this woman made to medicine...and she didn't even know it! It does make me very leery of ever letting doctors take blood or samples from me or my children. 
6. The Giver
I honestly can't remember when I read this novel for the first time; I know it wasn't in middle or high school. I'm pretty sure it was in college. Some critics don't like it but there's just something about it that speaks to me. I haven't seen the movie but can't wait to!
7. To Kill a Mockingbird 
Can you believe I read this book for the first time last year??? Not sure why we didn't have to read it for AP English. What an amazing story of humor in tough times and racial equality. I've begged Justin that if we have more kids and one turns out to be another boy that we name him Atticus. He is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time!
8. Lord of the Rings 
Love the books; love the movies. I love the fantasy genre in case you can't tell. I love the journey this series takes me on. I read The Hobbit in middle school and then started the rest of the series in high school.
9. Atonement 
This book is all about how a simple lie can ruin lives. It is a story of love and war set during World War 2. I read it after I saw the movie in 2007. I thought the movie was great and the book was even better. Usually I read the book first and then see the movie; this time it was vice versa.
10. Beach Music 
The author Pat Conroy is such an amazing storyteller. This book had me so emotionally invested in the characters and the events. I've read through it twice but it is one that I will probably read once ever 5 or so years. In a way this book reminds me of Atonement-the characters in both novels seem to searching for atonement. 

And that's it! Honestly, this list was tough to come up with because there are just too many books that I love. I'm sure it will change every decade or so as well! A side note-I am currently reading Pet Sematary by Stephen King. What a GREAT READ so far! I have been a fan of the movie since I was in middle school but the book takes it to a whole other level. This one has the potential to be added to the list. I have another 6 books on my nightstand right now; I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I'm also supposed to be reading scripts to pick my competition play and I was picked to review a book for Birchbox's Book Club. Too many books!!! 

So, what is on your top 10 list? Are there any on my list that are your favorite or that you really enjoy?