Happy Thanksgiving! - Here are some books we're thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We hope you're day is full of fun and bellies full of yummy food!

Us at Oh, the Book Feels and GrownUp Fangirl would like to share some of the books we're thankful for! Of course, there's too many on our list to count, so we'll share a few with you!

Gah! Only pick a select few of my favorite books is such a hard task to do! I wish I could just go ahead and list all of the books that have a piece of my heart... but, we would be here forever if I did that! Instead, I'll just name a handful of books that I'm really thankful for!

The Infernal Devices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare

Ohhhh boy. I have no idea where to start with this trilogy because my words won't do it justice. This trilogy is my ALL TIME FAVORITE and the reason why I started my bookstagram account. I feel that I had not lived until I read this series (sorry Twilight, but these books take the cake)! The Mortal Instruments, and whenever they would mention the characters from The Infernal Devices, I automatically got teary eyed. I won't even mention the epilogue in Clockwork Princess.... I just... yeah. I can't even! 

 I have to thank one of my best friends for introducing me to these. I remember we both were reading these at the same time (she was one book ahead of me), and both were a blubbering mess.  I fell in love with the characters. All of them. The way that Cassandra Clare wrote these books literally took my breath away. There was so much action, heart-break, love, angst... *sigh*. Just writing this post makes me want to go back and revisit those beauties. I read these before I read

Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

I just recently read this series! I started reading them this summer because I was so intrigued by the premise, and I heard SO many great things about this series. And, the book covers are to die for. I'm a sucker for a strong female lead, Sarah J. Maas did exactly just that. These books were such a wild ride, and a PERFECT escape of reality. Plus, they have some pretty HOT guys in there too. Rowan... Prince Dorian... Chaol... Aedion... just... *heart eyes*! I also love a book that keeps me on my toes and gives me the unexpected. I didn't think there was a moment in this series where I expected something to happen. Also, I LOVED how Sarah connected absolutely everything. Nothing was left untouched and unanswered. She is a puzzle mastermind, and I applaud her for being a GENIUS.
Another series I know I'm going to love by her is A Court of Thorns and Roses. I already read the first one, and I FREAKING LOVED IT. I'm quite obsessed with it honestly!
Check out my review for both series/books!
Throne of Glass series review

A Court of Thorns and Roses review

Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer

I know. Seems cliché, right? Even though I used to read when I was younger, I had a VERY long break where I didn't read at all (middle school through high school). Needless to say, those were some dark days for me! But when I was introduced to this series, I read all four books within a week. That's roughly around 2,500 pages! I have to admit, I think my parents were starting to worry about me. I became a zombie during that week. I forgot to eat, I barely talked... not to mention that when I went through New Moon, I was probably equally as depressed as our dear Miss Bella Swan. Those books captivated me so much, it was impossible to put them down. I can't thank Stephenie Meyer enough for creating this series. It allowed me to start reading again, and I wouldn't be where I'm at today if it weren't for her. 

There are so many books I'm thankful for. It would take hours to write them all down, and even then I'm sure I'd find more to include. Instead, I chose the four series that have made the biggest impact in my life, and yes, they're also the biggest YA franchises. Some may say it's cliché, but hey, they're famous for a reason, and I know I'm not the only one who's been impacted by these books. 

Twilight: the book that started it all for me. I was a very reluctant reader. I loathed the sight of books, and used to cry when my parents, who both love books, would make me read for an hour every day. That was until I picked up Twilight at the ripe age of nine years old. It was the first story that ever kept me engaged and entertained; the only story that kept me on my toes and wanting to read more. I read the series a good 8 times through, and each time, my love for the story grew more and more. Twilight was the book that made me love reading. I'm forever thankful for my mom for giving it to me, and to the book itself for introducing me to one of my biggest loves. 

Harry Potter: My light in the darkness. Harry Potter is truly my happy place. The first fantasy book I ever read, Harry Potter impacted me in ways I couldn't even imagine. It taught me about the art of storytelling, and what it really means to escape into words. It introduced me to fan-fiction, which was where I spent a good five years of my life learning how to write. I'm writing my third novel today because of Harry Potter. I'm a kinder person because of Harry Potter. I know the true value of family and friendship and love and sacrifice because of Harry Potter. It has taught me some of the most valuable attributes in life, and has also led my to discover my passion in life. 

The Hunger Games: The Hunger Games came to me in a time when I needed fiction desperately. I read the books as soon as each one was released: THG in 2008, Catching Fire in 2009, and Mockingjay in 2010. Not long after Mockingjay was released, my grandfather passed away. I was still so young, only in 8th grade, and didn't really know how to deal with it. So, I did what I've always learned to do when times get tough- escape through fiction. Katniss' struggle to cope with death comforted me, and reminded me that I wasn't alone, and helped me to heal after that traumatic situation. 

Divergent: although Twilight sparked my love for reading, Divergent really ignited the flame. Nearly three years ago, in my sophomore year of high school, I picked up divergent after having not read a book in over a year. I had convinced myself that I had read everything worthy of reading, during that yearly period, and lost interest in reading all together. I stopped writing. I became disconnected from literature. However, I decided to start reading Divergent, and found myself flying through all three books extremely fast, then craving more. I couldn't buy books fast enough, and I couldn't stop reading after that. Not only did it bring back my love of reading, but it also introduced me to the world of Booktube and book bloggers. Desperate to talk to someone about the end of Allegiant, I decided to google "Allegiant Book Reviews", and found so many on Youtube! Had I not done that, I wouldn't be a Booktuber today. 

It also reintroduced me into writing again- through fan-fiction, naturally- which spiraled into me writing my first original novel several months later. Divergent brought back my love of literature, and took it to new heights. 

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and I wouldn’t be a true book lover if I didn't acknowledge a few that I am truly thankful for.

As my friends Hazel and Gus taught me, some infinities are bigger than other infinities, so while I am thankful for so many books/series in different ways for different reasons I am going to narrow it down to a few that have really stuck with me and my infinite love has never wavered.

Up first is, 

The Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare

For me...this series just takes the cake, and I am choosing the series as whole, because I do have a favorite you just can't single out a single book here. I couldn’t even review it for days after reading. It just took away my words. Which is so funny because I was really hesitant about it and didn’t think I would like the historical aspect of the Victorian era (which is completely nonsensical as I am a HUGE steampunk aficionado) but I was completely and totally wrong. This series...it shook me. It’s hard for me to even articulate what it is that drew me in and held on so tight. I think it’s a modpodge of many different elements. All I know is it gave me the tingles man. Those kind you get where you're reading and you can’t put the book down and when you can’t read, getting back to it is all you can think about? That obsessive kind of reading? That what happened to me. I devoured it. I loved it. It made me laugh and OOH MAN did it make me cry. To this day, it has been the best and most respectful love triangles I have ever and probably WILL EVER read. It such an intense kind of love. Between all of the characters…between me and this series. I feel like I should be more expressive in my reasoning but…..this is really all I have. I am so grateful for this story and how it makes me feel every time I read it.

“It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone. They could be honest with me, and I with them.”

― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Prince

Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

This series, but especially Sorcerer's, Chamber and Prisoner just give me the warm and fuzzies. They remind me of fall/Christmas time. I associate these books very heavily with the movies, which I am also obsessed with and pretty much marathon watch Nov-Dec. The series as a whole is just so magical and heartfelt and incredible, and I think most die hard YA book lovers will agree. I think this is a world we have all wanted to live in and for me it evokes so many fond memories every time I pick one of these books up. Memories of past time reading or the first time I devoured the pages. Memories or curling up with a blanket and binge watching the movies on Christmas break. This series taught me to imagine new worlds, and for that I am thankful.

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

I am so thankful for RED QUEEN because it blew my frickin' mind and straight into my BIGGER FAVORITES.

I wanted to add this book because sometimes I feel as an avid YA reader you can become desensitized to greatness. There are the top dogs of YA, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Divergent. I mean these are the guys that set the groundwork for other YA to live up to...based on awesomeness and overall prevalence in society. Now I know there is a HUGE range of popular YA I haven’t read yet...but there’s also a  big chunk that I have and it all comes back to “some infinities are bigger than other infinities”. Some favorites are just bigger favorites. Sometimes you read a book and you LOVE it...but do you LOVE it as much as….Harry Potter? The Infernal Devices? Whatever your BIG favorite may be…?? Sometimes it can fall short of those high standards but still qualifies as a favorite of yours right??

This book had so much hype pre-release that I was pre-determined to not like it. Ten pages in I knew this book was going to rock me in the best way. It was like Hunger Games meets Game of Thrones meets its very own wonderful and amazing world. The power, the twists and turns!! The triangle...the ugly truth. I had a sense of excitement and rapture while reading that hadn’t been roused in a while. Even now I have such strong enthusiasm about this book, I will sing it’s praises to anyone looking for a recommendation. I am so thankful I picked this up and didn’t deny myself they total awesomeness that is Red Queen. This is without a doubt one I will cherish and re-read many times and cannot wait to continue on with.

“Words can lie. See beyond them.”

― Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen

There is more. So many more I am thankful for, from The Lorax and Where the Wild Things Are to NA gems like Beautiful Player...but  The Infernal Devices, Harry Potter and Red Queen are stories that have carved their way into my heart and will stay there forever.

Looking For Alaska - changed the way I looked at death and made me learn to miss someone in a healthier way. Started my itch to write. 

The Sky is Everywhere - touched me very deeply about death and learning to live again after it - pushed me to write. 

Cliche but Twilight because it made me start reading again. 

And authors like Chelsea Fine, Cora Carmack, Colleen Hoover, Christina Lauren, KA Tucker, Jay Crownover, Abbi Glines, and Anna Todd - trailblazers in writing for a group of people who really didn't have books out there for them yet. (And all the people I know I just out by accident) 

What are some books that you're thankful for?