Ten amazing love stories that (hopefully) won't make you barf.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffengger
I've read this book many times. I love the style of writing, and the complex plot line... but what I really love are the two main characters. A paper artist and a punk librarian, they're like my soul mate couple. This story chronicles the love between a woman and a man with a unique problem... he randomly travels through time. I can't write a plot synopsis that will do this amazing story justice, so I really suggest that you just go check it out yourself.
The Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
I basically grew up with the Alice series. The main character is average, awkward, and just so wonderfully human. She taught me about life, love, and all that other cheesy stuff. Her love story is a typical teen story, but it always got to me how she's was practically a one man girl throughout the whole series. The last installment is coming out this year, and it's going to be a bittersweet read for me.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
This is one of my favorite books, hands down. It follows the story of a young girl in Prague who has a few secrets. Okay, maybe more than a few. Like, how is her hair always such a bright blue, and who are the grotesque characters so lovingly drawn in her sketchbook? As you go through the story, though, you find out that the girl has more secrets than even she knows. Angels fall in love, and the demons are the good guys in this amazing series.
Wurthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Okay, I know. This book is so completely depressing. Full of human errors, misunderstandings, and horribly emo main characters. But I still love it. I'm putting it on this list because I'm a major Heathcliff fan, and I love the way fate works it all out in the end.
The Host by Stephanie Meyer
Half of you are probably cringing at the thought of a Stephanie Meyer book, but I have to say that if books were people, and Twilight is like the teenage hopeless romantic, then The Host is like the awesome strong female lead who just happens to have a real heart that can actually be capable of love (unlike another awesome strong female lead... there's a reason Hunger Games isn't on this list). This book is kinda like the aftermath of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Earth has already lost, the aliens have taken over, and there's are just a few rebels left. It is told from the point of view of an alien, but we also get a lot of the story of a human. It's hard to explain, but I would definitely suggest reading it.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
Pride and Prejudice is a great story (duh, Jes. There's a reason it's a classic.) I'm a HUGE Darcy fangirl. I like the grumpy, sullen ones I guess. Strong female lead, brooding male lead, surprise love letters... sigh. If you don't think you can make it though an Austen book, though, give the zombies version a try. It stays pretty true to the plot line, but adding in the zombies makes it an easier read.
Otter and Odder: a Love Story by James Howe
A children's book where an otter falls in love with his food, a beautiful fish. This is a simple story dealing with differences and the idea that to make a relationship work, sometimes you have to change. And sometimes change is good.
The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton
In case you haven't heard of it, Nightmare Before Christmas is a film about a skeleton that doesn't want to be scary anymore, and the girl that loves him. She supports him throughout his mid-death crisis, and eventually he realizes that everything he needs to be happy is right in front of him. It's a pretty cliche love story plot, but it's made awesome with creepy characters and settings. The book version features the twisted drawings of Burton himself.
Divergent by Veronica Roth
While I was thinking about this list, I decided to limit myself to only one or two dystopian novels. So while this isn't my favorite (Uglies by Scott Westerfeld) or the most romantic (Matched by Allie Condie) this has my favorite love story. The book takes place in a post-apocalyptic world (in Chicago!) where you are sorted into factions based on what characteristics you value. The main couple, Tris and Four, are, to put it bluntly, bad asses. They have both chosen to be part of a community that favors bravery above all else. But in the end, it's their love for each other that they hold most dear. As cheesy as it sounds, there's enough action, backstabbing, and mind control to save it from being a corny romance.
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
While Harry's romance itself is kind of lame, there are three other love stories that make this series one of my favorites. I'm really attached to these characters, so I'm going to try to keep it together while I talk about it. Joking, but only barely. (SPOILERS AHEAD) Snape's love story is by far my favorite. Again, I can't resist a good brooding character. And the fact that he held on for so long... really, can you imagine anything more romantic? I would love to have a book that was just about Snape's past. The second favorite romance is Lupin and Tonks. Tonks is the character of the series that I most identify with. He resists her for so long, and she keeps trying. And her persistence pays off in the end, which is a lot like the third couple of the list, James and Lily. Because without them, there wouldn't have been a Harry. :] So I guess Rowling's main focus is persistence, and eternal love. I can back that.
Are there any books that you've read that you think belong on this list? Let me know in the comments. I'm always searching for something new to read. :]
PS... Looking at this list...apparently to get me to love a love story, you have to have a strong, quirky female, a dark, brooding male, and some sort of tragic twist.
No comments
Post a Comment