5 Books That Had A Long Lasting Impact
Throughout the years, I have read a heck of a lot of books. Since starting my Goodreads account, around 12 years ago, I’ve read around a thousand books. But when thinking about the ones that have really stayed with me, there’s actually very few. That’s not to say the other books weren’t amazing… they were, and some of them I love more than the ones I’m about to share. But I was thinking of those that really make you think… or consider something you haven’t before. There are very few books that I can truly say have had a long lasting impact on me and I really wanted to feature some of those books. So here are five books that, for some reason or another, have really stayed with me.
Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman was the first book that came to mind when I started thinking about doing this blog post. I first read this book around 16 years ago, and I can still remember it all vividly. It really made me think about the issue of racism. It’s presented in a fictionalised, dystopic way but everything that happens regarding people’s race is so raw and real. At the time of reading this book, I didn’t really consider anything about racism. Of course I knew it happened, but as a 13-14 year old I didn’t understand why people would be racist. And because I didn’t see anyone around me being racist I, quite ignorantly, didn’t think about it. Noughts and Crosses made me think about it, and think about how horrific it is. It was such a thought provoking book for me, and it really made me reassess everything I knew and learn a lot more about what people of other races were going through on a day-to-day basis. This was also the first book that truly broke my heart. I remember finishing it and still crying hours and hours later. If you haven’t read this already… it’s an absolute must-read.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green was a book I read around 7 or 8 years ago. I was on a contemporary kick and everyone was raving about it. For a good reason! I’d never really read anything with Cancer patients at its focus. As someone who has lost a number of family members to it, it wasn’t something I wanted to read. However, I was so glad that I did. This one stayed with me for a purely emotional reason. It’s such a heartbreaking book but it really puts into perspective what life and living means. It really made me think about mortality and to never take anything for granted. This is yet another one that completely broke me. Again, after finishing this book I was crying for hours afterwards. It’s such a moving, heartbreaking and beautiful book.
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson is a little bit different than the other four books on this list. It didn’t make me think or reconsider some really deep issues like the others, but it sticks with me as one of my all time favourite books. It’s so beautifully written and it is one of my first retellings that I ever read. I had never considered, at the time of reading, to look at some of the classic fairytales from others’ perspectives. When watching or reading Peter Pan… I never considered the tale from Tiger Lily’s perspective but that is exactly what I loved so much about it. The surprise of how you can see things completely differently through the eyes of another. This is one of my all time favourite books and I cannot gush about it enough.
Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne is such a stunning book. It really made me think about mental health and how people experience different mental health issues differently. This book follows the main character who is living with OCD. It’s such a heart wrenching book. We see the character spiralling and relapsing and how she copes and deals with that. It really made me think about what goes on behind closed doors. Because to all of her friends, she has a perfect happy normal life. They don’t get to see the struggle with her OCD that she is having. This is definitely a must-read for anyone who likes a raw, truthful account of mental health.
The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson really made me reconsider my choices of book. Before reading this book, I never would have considered picking up a book with an LGBTQ+ main character. Don’t come for me… I know how ignorant I sound… and I can hold my hands up and admit that back then… yes that’s exactly what I was. I have never been hateful of prejudiced, I have always considered myself an ally. However, as a heterosexual female I always felt like I couldn’t emotionally connect with the characters, because it’s something I have never experienced. The Art of Being Normal showed me how wrong I was. It follows a trans teen and all the hard times they go through coming out as such. It was such a beautiful and thought provoking book and I will always be thankful that I picked up this book and it opened my mind to more LGBTQ+ books. I’d have been missing out on some incredible reads and it really helped me to see and understand more from their perspective. That, to me, makes me an even better ally as I can now understand more about what they go through.
So there you have it. The books that have stuck with me and left a really meaningful impact. What books had a long lasting impact on you?
K-Books
I’m Kayleigh, a teacher and blogger who is obsessed with all things bookish. I love reading YA books of all genres and I am happiest when sharing my love and passion for books.