Discussion Post: Do You Keep Certain Books a Secret?

This quote…this quote says it all. A few years ago I said something similar to my mom about this. I told her that there are certain books I don’t tell people about because I’m afraid if they read them, they won’t understand the book like I do. They won’t appreciate it. They won’t get it like I do. There is no way they could love it as much as I do. My mom thought this was weird…go figure…

But then I read The Fault in Our Stars...I have never in my life read something from a book that felt like the author was speaking directly to me. That quote. That quote changed something in me when I read it. It understood. I felt like finally, for the first time somebody got it. Mind you, this was before I was a blogger and found that a whole community exists of crazy book-obsessed people just like me. Because I read this before meeting you all, you can imagine how refreshing it was to feel like I wasn’t alone. It felt amazing.

This book was added to my list of books I keep secret from my non-book friends. OBVIOUSLY my book friends—you guys—are exempt from this because you all get it. You have all either heard of them or read them and fell in love with them. I don’t keep these books from you guys so I’m not breaking the John Green rule when I make this list. And what's ironic? These are the books I most recommend to my book friends. So this time, I propose this question…

Are there certain books you keep to yourself?

I know I do. There aren’t many but these select few are books that have changed my life and have made me look at the world differently. These books hold a special place in my heart and as much as I love my real life friends…I can’t recommend these book because I fear they won’t understand them like I do. Call me a snob, I’m sure you all know what I’m talking about. Here we go…

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green—Obvi. Read paragraph 2 and you’ll remember why I keep this secret. This book was so perfect in every way, and Hazel and Augustus feel like family to me. I love them so much and I just can’t share this one…not yet. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this book. I read Looking for Alaska-loved it- and started this one. I had NO idea how much I would be effected. I brought this book on vacation and, I kid you not, I read it by the pool in one sitting, didn’t move for hours, and sobbed openly…in public. I have no shame about this. No shame at all. Where's Judith? She knows how this goes. 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak—Liesel and Rudy and Max and Death…I can’t let them go. I can’t give them to people I know might not love them as much as I do. I don’t want people who won’t appreciate the writing style and perspective to call it weird or say it was just okay. It would break my heart the way this book did. This book is so poignant and haunting and Death just…Death is just unique and beautiful and honest in a heart-wrenching way. I can’t describe it but I remember going out with my friends while in the middle of reading this book and not wanting to leave my house. I almost cancelled because I HAD to finish this book. Normal?

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein—Maddie and Queenie, they make a sensational team. The writing is unique and the relationship is beyond words beautiful. This book broke me down in a way that I felt raw while reading it. I sobbed for a good hour…probably more, while reading. I can’t imagine recommending this to somebody not knowing whether or not they will fall in love with this book the way I did. Queenie and Maddie make just the best team and the best of friends and the writing is just out of this world and unless you’re bookish I don’t think it can be appreciated fully.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor—I did break my rule recently on this book because my friend and I are going to Prague so I told her she had to read it…but I was nervous. I won’t lie, she started it and said she ‘didn’t get it’ and it was hard to get into. My heart broke a little. Ok, maybe a lot. It took a conscious effort to not freak out and be like WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T GET IT, ISN’T THE WRITING THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING YOU HAVE EVER READ?! *Deep breath* She did end up liking it towards the end but I know that non-bookies won’t get this book like it should be gotten. The story is unique and the writing style is so beautiful that it hurts me to think other people won’t love it like I do.

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay—I do have an acquaintance at work who read this and loved it. So it could be recommended to the general public but anyone who knows me knows how much I obsess over this book. Like…Josh and Nastya feel like family. People not loving them and getting them like I do would break something inside me. Their story is one of the best I’ve ever read so I could never send them out to people I wasn’t 200% positive I know would love them and take care of them. This book means too much to me

Ok, now that I’ve sufficiently dished out a bunch of crazy, I gotta know…

Do you have books you like to keep quiet? Books so rare and special it feels like a betrayal talking about them? I know I do.