Facebook: Ellie Woodcock Instagram:_heyitselle Twitter:@heyitsellayyy
The people who know me personally will know that reading is a huge part of my life. I study English at university and if you can't find me, I usually have my head in a book somewhere. Here are the five books that changed the way I view people, myself, the world and life in general. I would definitely recommend every single one!
1. The Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald
This book is my all time favourite, and I have read a LOT of books! This book is beautiful in every single way, how it's written, it's characters, the plot and what it teaches. It's a book about love, dreams, life and death and taught me that yes we should have dreams, but they shouldn't define us or our lives. In this book, love is both beautiful and destructive and it is told in the most gorgeous way. You'll never forget this read x
2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower- Stephen Chbosky
Another personal favourite that I've read multiple times because every single time it makes you feel warm inside. What I loved about this book, is that it stresses the importance of friendship and true friend, which isn't covered all too often within Literature. The format of the novel makes it so you feel just as part of Charlie's story as the characters on the page. The most uplifting and gorgeous book you'll ever read. I guarantee this book will make you laugh out loud and cry full fat tears, but by the end, you'll want to read it all over again.
3. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone- J.K Rowling
So Harry Potter is kind of my life and I'm slightly obsessed,but this book was the start of it all. No book has ever changed my life like this one, it was the beginning of the most wonderful literary journey I've been on to date. It's a story of bravery, friendship, family,love and most importantly magic. You feel like a little kid again when you read this book because it is as if you live in Harry's world where you're making the amazing discovery with him. It's my favourite of the 7 by far because it's where it all started and yes, after all this time, always.
4. To Kill A Mockingbird- Harper Lee
I've only just recently read this book, which is shocking because it's a classic, and I can see why. It's a story that is told through the eyes of innocence, with issues that are still so relevant today. The questions of gender roles, equality and race are effectively answered with the simplicity and gorgeous nature of a child's character and suddenly, everything seems so simple. This book fills you with anger, upset and confusion and yet all the while still manages to evoke optimism, hope and happiness.
5. A Time to Speak- Helen Lewis
You've probably never heard of this book, but you should have because it's the most important one one the list. This is Helen Lewis' story, a survivor of the Holocaust who's story changed my life. I visited Auschwitz in February 2014 and it turned my world upside down. It changed the way I viewed the world and the human race, and this book did it all over again. These stories of survival are so important, not only so we can celebrate the courage and strength of humanity, but so we can pass these stories on. The contemporary relevance of the Holocaust is unbelievable, yet we as the younger generation must be the ones to take responsibility for telling these stories of both evil and bravery because those who witnessed it first hand are small in number and are decreasing rapidly. We owe it to them and those who lost their lives to make sure the Holocaust is never forgotten.
Elle x
