I love books. I mean I really REALLY love books. So including some of that love here  and sharing some of my favourite books with you lovely people seemed like a no-brainer.

Now it would be absolutely impossible to name my favourite book. I mean really…one favourite book? One? No.

So I picked nine. And that was very restrained of me. Even now I keep thinking of others I want to add, but I can’t do that because I already finished my book portrait!

Pretty right!? That’s that other thing I love about books, they are not only lovely to read but lovely to look at, to hold, to everything really.

Now for a super quick run down of my nine.

Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre is one of my favourite ‘classics’. It’s dark but somehow also full of hope, and I love that Jane strives for herself throughout the story. It has little bit of everything in here; love, mystery, ambition, friendship. If you haven’t read it you definitely should give it a go.

Julie Bertagna’s Exodus is a little miracle of a book that I stumbled across completely by accident. It follows a child forced to grow up too quickly in a world unrecognisable as our own. Imaginative, touching and full of adventure, this story grabs me and moves me every time I read it. And if you struggle to let go once a story is over you’re in luck with this one as it’s the first in a trilogy! You’re welcome.

Robert Niell’s Mist Over Pendle explores the mystery of the Pendle witches. I love the story and the characters but to be honest it’s the descriptions in this book that do it for me every time. The pictures painted by Niell’s words are so vivid they leap off the page and pull you into story. You feel the atmosphere of the Pendle woods and feel the gorgeous fabrics, bitter winds and mulled wine. Amazing!

Dodi Smith’s I Capture The Castle grabbed my attention after an exercise in my English A Level class involving reading the opening lines of 50 books…”I write this sitting in the kitchen sink”…Do you need any more than that? Nope, I thought not.

Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Trilogy… ok. Yes I cheated. This is technically three books. But since I practically inhaled them in one go I count them as one. I love a bit of fantasy and this series was right on the mark. Brilliant characters, imaginative worlds and a gripping plot that definitely isn’t always what you expect. (I also love pretty much everything Brandon Sanderson has written. But be warned he likes to start new series without finishing other ones first. Good job they’re all fab.)

Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a wonderful wonderful book. It’s quirky and thought provoking and moving, and it even has recommendations for other books (and music) all the way through! Double win!

Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus is one my hubby recommended to me whilst we were on honeymoon, and which I then devoured by the pool in the Greek sunshine. This book is magic. It’s about magic. But it also actually IS magic! It’s mysterious, unexpected and reading it is like walking around in a dream. I love it, and kudos to hubby dearest for the recommendation.

A.A. Milne’s Winnie The Pooh. What can I even say about this one? It’s a work of genius quite frankly. Pooh bear and friends have got me through many a difficult time. The wisdom of that bear of very little brain is always so poignant, the courage of Piglet so empowering, the energy of Tigger so infectious, and on those days when everything seems rubbish, the gloom and pessimism of Eeyore weirdly always cheers me up.  I’m lucky enough to have an early edition so I also get to enjoy the gorgeous illustrations (which we managed to incorporate into our wedding, yay!) An absolute classic and everyone, young or old or anywhere in between, can take something from these beautiful stories.

Last but not least is Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. The enduring theme revolving around the idea that all the best people are mad is endlessly comforting to me. The characters are so original, the story so unusual and so much of it’s weirdness relatable that it couldn’t not be on this list!

So that’s it! What are your favourite books?