Top 10 Favorite Books (With a Bonus!)

Hey fellow beauty lovers! A post about books? They all must be about beauty right? WRONG. Not only am I an actor and a Makeup Artist, I'm a HUGE nerd and that's a good thing. So, to break up the monotony of the beauty posts, I wanted to share some of my favorite books with you- I hope you enjoy! XOXO

1. The Harry Potter Series- This collection of novels, initially marked as children's stories, were my childhood hence why they are number one.  The books grew up with the generation that read them and that is something I love about this series.  JK really transports you to another world, giving people hope, and best of all an escape from reality.  BOOK BEFORE THE MOVIE, PEEPS

2. Stones in Water- This book sparked my interest in World War II and my interest in the concentration camps and everything about anything.   I now have shelves dedicated to WWII books because of this children's book.  I've read it so many times that I have had to duct tape the cover back together.

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower- I loved this novel long before the movie came out, 5 years before to be exact.  It gave me something to relate to and know that I wasn't crazy when I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and bi-polar disorder.  It's a great novel for late high school and college age peoples because of the subject and content matter.  BOOK BEFORE THE MOVIE, PEEPS.

4. The Hobbit- I, regret to say, read the book after the movie BUT  STILL THINK THE BOOK IS BETTER. (Just assume I'll say that about every book that has a movie counterpart).  This novel is, in one word, epic.  Tolkien really transports you to Middle Earth with the hobbits and dwarves and elves and trolls.  It is a wonderfully descriptive book, but not so descriptive that you get bored with reading it.  I couldn't put the thing down and finished it within the week of getting it.

5. Rebecca- I had to read this book for my advanced english class in highschool and I thought I would hate it, but, I didn't and I don't like classic fiction typically.  So I say give this book a try, you will be pleasantly surprised with what you find you like ;)

6. Handle With Care- This was the first Jodi Picoult book that I ever read and I read it because the main character has Osteogenesis Imperfecta, OI, which is condition that causes brittle bones hence the title.  Why am I explaining this? Because I have Osteogenesis Imperfecta, type 3/4 to be exact.  It was a difficult read because Picoult did her research and it really hit home, so much so that my parents couldn't read it so I picked it up and didn't put it down until the tear jerking end.  This is a great book to start with as an introduction to Picoult and her writing.

7. As You Wish- Now I can't really say book over movie because this is a companion TO the movie- it explains the making of the movie and what happened when the cameras weren't rolling.  Told by Cary Elwes (and if you get the audiobook you also get Rob Reiner, and most of the cast), it really is a great read (or listen) for anyone who is interested in movies, movie making, or the antics actors get up to when not on stage or on screen.

8. Salem's Lot- This was the second book I read by Stephen King, right after I read Carrie.  It is a wonderfully, and terrifyingly, well written book about a tiny town with a horrible secret.  All I can say is, don't read it in the dark...

9. Makeup: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style, and Success- Online and Off- This book was absolutely wonderful because it's not just about makeup and it's not just about social media.  Michelle Phan does a wonderful job of joining the two together to make one great book.  It's not just for beauty gurus anymore.

10. The Program- This book should come with a trigger warning, so I'm giving you one now: TRIGGER WARNING. It's about love and loss, protection and fear, being alone and being together, remembering and forgetting.  This book is part of a trilogy, with the second book being The Treatment and the third book being The Recovery.  Suzanne Young also just came out with a fourth book (I don't know if it goes with these three) called The Remedy.  These books are wonderful, but I have to read them slowly so as not to overwhelm myself.

BONUS

11. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike- I had to add a play because, come on, I'm an actor, and this play is hilarious but also heartwarming and heart breaking all at the same time.  It's about moving on and growing older and growing up.  You'll have to read it for yourself to find out, but I can guarantee you won't want to put it down!