As a reader, I tend to stray from series similar to Twilight and the Hunger Games and instead find books that fit my personal reading style. I have included some of the things I liked about each one as well as a preview of the plot.

1. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

After the suicide of a close friend, Charlie is taken under the wing of some new friends who decide to show him the world in a different way. This novel landed itself on the Banned Books list because of its sexual themes and references to other risky behaviors such as underage drinking. However, Chbosky incorporates family conflicts, the grieving process, and a raw take on the struggles of adolescence in this work. Prefer to watch movies? The movie version of this book is also pretty fantastic.

2. The Color Purple by Alice Walker

3. Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes

I feel it necessary to admit that it took me a bit to really focus on this book. It seemed like a typical romance plot where the girl has to choose between a couple of guys she likes, ends up picking one, and then everything all works out happily ever after. After getting more into it, a deeper story unfolds behind the witty remarks and romantic themes. Then there was a plot twist that actually made me cry like a baby. I have never, ever cried over a book before.

4. Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts

A pick from Oprah's book club, this is the story of a pregnant teenager, Novalee Nation. The twist? Her boyfriend abandons her at an Oklahoma Wal-Mart where she secretly lives in the aisles until her baby is born.

5. Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten

6. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

7. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

I loved every character of this book. Each one had their own story and air of mystery to them.

8. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

After a car accident that changed everything, Mia is forced to choose between her own life or death. What's on the line? Her music career as a cellist, her grandparents, and her boyfriend who visits her in the hospital even after conflicts with security guards. So the ultimate question is: will Mia stay or will she go? This book played with my feelings quite a bit.

9. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This was so good that I had to read it twice just to examine all the little details I may have missed.

10. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

11. Looking for Alaska by John Green

12. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Morgenstern does a great job with imagery in this novel.

13. But I Love Him by Amanda Grace

Amanda Grace sheds the light on an important topic- abusive relationships.

14. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

After learning that Blair Waldorf (from Gossip Girl) obsessively watched Breakfast at Tiffany's when she was feeling down, I knew I had to give it a try. I read the book before I watched the movie because I almost always prefer the written versions. This being said, I fell in love with the way Capote developed his characters. Holly Golightly, the eccentric girl- next- door, is one you will never forget. Also, she is very creative when naming things. Her cat is named Cat. Enough said.

15. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

This is like a modern- day version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

16. Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer

Just like Anatomy of a Misfit, the ending truly caught me off guard. I guarantee it will for you too.

17. Amy, My Daughter by Mitch Winehouse

18. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

19. My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

20. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Giving a behind- the- scenes peek into a traveling circus, Gruen artfully wrote

21. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

22. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Let me just start by saying that the movie does not do the book justice. In fact, I have never finished the whole movie for this very reason.