I did a lot of reading in high school, partly due to my teacher's never ending affinity for assigning book reports for extra credit. But truth be told, her extra credit reports helped me find some of my favorite books -- in fact two of the five books on here are from her.

Past that, these are just some really good books that I thought were some of the best I've ever read. I'm hoping by sharing someone else will get to enjoy them as much as I did. Here we go!

1. Tuesday's With Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lessons - Mitch Albom

This book has a lot of things to say that are so worth the time it takes to read the book. A journalist finds himself entirely too wrapped up in his job, and notices on T.V. there is a story on the news about his favorite college professor -- he has an illness and doesn't have much time left. He goes to visit his professor and they begin his "last class". This book is based on a true story, which makes it that more meaningful and every single one of Morrie's lessons were something I needed to hear.

2. Fault In Our Stars - John Green

I cannot make it through this book without crying hysterically. The story follows two teenagers with cancer who fall in love against all odds. It sounds like a tragic story, because it honestly is, but Green gives such an awesome perspective to the tragedy. This is a story that truly opens your eyes to people with terminal illnesses and I continually find myself reading this one over and over again.

3. Speak - Laurie Hale Anderson

This was one of the novels my teacher suggested and it quickly became one of my favorites. The story follows a high school freshman, who snuck out the summer before to go to a party. She ended up getting drunk and raped by an older classmate and the book deals with the aftermath of that incident. It's powerful to see the main character, Melinda, go through such a traumatic event and still end up standing on the other side. The symbolism in this novel is insane and thought provoking too, both of which I love in novels.

4. Outsiders - S. E. Hinton

A true standby. This book follows Ponyboy Curtis, a young boy part of a gang called the Greasers, that desperately wants to make his way out of the hood. This story really challenges the idea of stereotypes and "fitting in", and I think that's why I love it so much. It tells you nobody is really perfect -- and of course, this book has one of the most quotable poems right in the middle. "Stay Gold, Ponyboy".

5. Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie - Jordan Sonnenblick

Truth be told, I read this book in middle school and the reading level is more towards that age as well. But this book is always one that stuck with me, even as I went through high school and college. Steven, the main character, comes home one day to find out his little brother has cancer. The book is armed with some seriously emotional scenes and some sarcastic wit to balance it out -- the book will make you laugh as much as it makes you cry. The unique perspective it gives to such a horrible situation is always what keeps me coming back to the story.