TOP TEN: My Favorite Books & a Giveaway!

Reading is my favorite pastime.  I have to say blogging has taken over most of my reading time but that just means I read one or two books per month instead of four or five.  I am always anxious to hear what others are reading and after reading a great book it is always hard to decide on the next book to read.  So I am listing my TOP TEN Books of all time.  A lot of these are older books but these are the books I can read time and time again. There’s a nice little giveaway at the end of the post.

So let’s get started with

# 10 The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

I have actually loved all three of Kate Morton’s books but this was my favorite.  I couldn’t put it down and I think I am ready to read it again soon.  It is set in England about an aristocratic family, their home and the secrets surrounding a mysterious death told through flashbacks of a dear elderly lady.

#9 The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey

This was a story that really stuck with me.  In the beginning it was almost to sad to bear but I kept reading and it did not disappoint. Set in Ireland the story swirls around the politics of the early 20th century and family secrets religious intolerance plagues the heroine as she grows up and is torn between two men.  One a political activist the other a wealthy and handsome owner of the mill where she works.   I’m looking forward to reading Patricia Falvey’s newest book  called The Linen Queen.

#8 Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher 

Okay until now I never realized my favorite books are titled house or home.  Hmm, what does that mean? Rosamunde Pilcher is one of my all time favorite authors.  She has such a way of transporting you right into the story. This story is a coming of age story set before World War II in Cornwall.  I love the stories from this time period and this should definitely be on your list of beach reads for this summer.

#7 The Bannaman Legacy by Catherine Cookson

Catherine Cookson is another of my favorite authors, I’m always immediately engrossed in her stories.  This one is full of family secrets, mystery and loves won and lost.  I real classic in my opinion.

#6 The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

You had to see this coming and yes this is three books not one, but I loved them all and can’t wait to see the movie!  If you are living under a rock (like my children!) and haven’t read them yet, you are missing out!  I am thinking of making this required summer reading for my teenagers.  I kept hearing about these books and didn’t expect to like them.  Dystopian society is not my cup of tea, I’m much more of a spy thriller or romantic mystery kind of girl. But guess what, I loved them!  They were not depressing and too sad to bear, quite the opposite.

#5  A Place Called Freedom by Ken Follett

Ken Follett is my favorite author and this will become a little more obvious as there are 3 of his novels in my top five!  I read my first Ken Follett book in high school and I have been hooked ever since.  All of his books are real page turners and the historical fiction novels are always my favorite.  This one starts out with a 21-year-old sentenced to a life of misery in the Scottish coal mines and his quest for freedom.  A really special book that you won’t soon forget.

#4 The Help  by Kathryn Stockett

This is another one that I feel needs no introduction and I’m sure everyone has read, but if you haven’t YOU MUST!!  I’m looking forward to the next one from Stockett.  The Help takes place in Mississippi about the relationship of white women and their maids. I can’t say enough about this book, it is fantastic.  Usually I find movies based on books to be disappointing but The Help was top-notch and followed the book perfectly.

#3 World Without End by Ken Follett

Another one by my favorite Mr. Follett it is definitely a page turner and really didn’t want it to end. An epic novel with characters that find themselves at a crossroad of new ideas versus the old ways.   I heard HBO is making a mini-series of this one and I can’t wait for it!

#2 The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher

My Grandparents were always reading something when I was growing up and I am sure that is where my love of reading came from.  My Grandmother gave me this book for a book report when I was in high school.  I have read it quite a few times over the years and I always love it.  It is the story of Penelope whose father was a famous painter, her wartime loves and a look back at her life as her grown children discover wealth in the paintings of her father.  There were a couple of made for television movies from this book, I liked the latest version with Vanessa Redgrave as Penelope.

AND FINALLY

#1 Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

This is my absolute favorite book.  I first noticed it when my Grandfather was reading it when I was in high school.  It was huge and I remember being surprised someone would read a thousand page book.  I liked reading and all but WOW!  After high school I checked it out at the library and couldn’t put it down.  I checked it out again a few years ago and then I bought my own copy.   Now I can read it again and again.  HBO created a mini-series based on the novel last year and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Number three, World Without End is actually a sequel to Pillars of the Earth.  Both novels take place in Kingsbridge and World Without End is two centuries later.  Both great reads.

Now you have my favorites and I love book lists so much that I asked some of my friends if I could share their favorite books!

Jennifer from Savoring the Thyme : All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum

Susan from 30AEats: The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine by John D. Folse

Donna from Cookistry: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Marly from Namely Marly: Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard

Heather from Farmgirl Gourmet: Smith & Hawken: The Gardener’s Community Cookbook by Victoria Wise

Shaina from Food for My Family: The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

Shelby from Diabetic Foodie: Salad as a Meal by Patricia Wells

Food Hunter’s Guide: Dolci: Italy’s Sweets by Francine Segan

You’ll notice some of these are cookbooks and I read most cookbooks just like a novel and I bet you do too.

Now for the giveaway!

AND THE WINNER IS JENNIFER! Thanks to everyone who entered!

•  Just leave a comment here with your favorite book, novel or cookbook or just the last book you read and you are entered for a

$25 Amazon Gift Card! Use it to buy books, kitchen ware, socks, or whatever floats your boat!

For extra entries:

1. Like Miss in the Kitchen on facebook.
2. Follow Miss in the Kitchen on twitter.
3. Subscribe to Miss in the Kitchen by email or RSS.

Follow Miss in the Kitchen on Pinterest.

Entries will be accepted through April 6, 2012.

Winner will be chosen at random.

Enjoy!

Miss

*Disclosure: I am sponsoring the giveaway just because I appreciate you stopping by and want to encourage reading!  All images are from Amazon.com.

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