Momental Book Meme

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Write about five books that left a lasting impression from five different times of your life (or more if you've lived longer). Don't limit yourself to the "best books ever". Books can leave an impression for other reasons. This meme was inspired by A Diary of a Mad Mammy.

First Book Read to Me - A Little Golden Book
I can't give you a title.  I'm not sure my mom could give you a title, either, and she was the one who used to read these to me.  To this day, though, when I see that golden binding on a book shelf, I feel warm and fuzzy inside.  I had such a collection!  I'm sure they were eventually handed down to my younger brothers and sisters and, as happens in houses where children grow up, they were likely donated to those who could use them.  

First Book I Coveted - They Thirst by Robert McCammon
Oh, this book.  I first read it when I was a teenager.  It rocked my world.  Here were vampires that were monstrous.  Evil.  Terrifying.  There were no whiny or whimpering vampires here. No conflicted soul in need of love and understanding.  No, these were hell's own creatures in need of a stake and some holy water.

I lost track of the book.  Yet, I never forgot it.  It was the one book I wanted on my bookshelf, not only because I was delighted to discover an author who didn't bother to romanticize the vampire, but perhaps because it reminded me of those years at home with my dad and step-mom.  I didn't read many books aloud, but I read the prologue of this book to my step-mom and one of her good friends.  I remember sitting on the edge of the bed telling them to "listen to this".  I wonder if they remember that all?  I hope so.  Those were kinder and simpler days, days when I never expected her to leave, to always be my number one reading buddy.  


I think that memory, that love of her, is part of the reason I had to add this book to my keeper shelf.  It only took me fifteen years or so to make it happen, but the book sits on my shelf and I have no intention of losing it again.  


The Teen Years - Captive Bride by Johanna Lindsey
Despite my faulty and fickle memory, I'm positive I was thirteen the first time I read this book.  My step-mom  gave it to me when the children's books just weren't doing it for me any more.  That or I had read everything else in the house and she was desperate to get me out of her hair.  Whatever the reason, she handed me this book when I was a young and impressionable young lady.  I'm so glad she did!  While some people may find her decision scandalous, I think it was a genius move.  Call it a bodice ripper if you want, but I learned that innocence should be protected and that I had a mind and voice and they were mine to use as I saw fit. 

Now I want to go read this one again...or maybe one of Johanna's Malory books.  Oh, I love those, too. 

The Roaring Twenties -  Dragonsdawn by Anne McCaffrey
There are so many wonderful books I could have listed for this time in my life.  Because I needed something more than historical romances and Stephen King novels to read, I really started pushing myself into unexplored genres.  Science fiction was interesting, but fantasy novels were a delightful discovery.  Those fairytales I remembered from childhood?  These were all that and so much more.  I devoured anything with a dragon on its cover.  When I stumbled on Anne McCaffrey's Pern series, I was instantly and completely hooked.  I couldn't get enough.  To an extent this is still true.  If I'm missing any of her books, I don't know which ones they are.  When she handed the series over to her son, I was nervous but my love of the Pern dragons overrode my concern. 


The Thirties - School Assignments as Recorded on Goodreads
As a reader of many genres, I wasn't sure which book I should pick for this particular decade.  My shelves are full of science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, and suspense.  Those books, though, have been recently designated as my "fun" reads and sometimes go neglected for long weeks or even months.  I blame this on school, which is why I decided to link to my Goodread's School Assignment bookshelf.   Fun stuff there!