Favorite Books & a Giveaway

The other day I was thinking about some of my all-time favorite books.  Some of these I would like to go back and read again, but there are so many others I need to get to first.

Because I'm in the mood, I want to share one of my favorite books with you.  I guess as a sort of giveaway.  Just for fun.  And just because this book is written fantastically and should be enjoyed.

However, I'm not going to tell you what the book is until I announce the winner.  I know, the suspense will kill you all.  Here are a few clues as to what book it is. 

1. I read it as a sophomore in high school in English and did a group project/presentation with two of my very best friends.
2. Shortly after I met my husband, we discovered that this book was a favorite for both of us.
3. The protagonist is a teenage boy.

To enter, answer the following question in a comment.  If someone referred you to this post, put their name in your comment as well.  I will give the referrer an extra entry.

What is one of your all-time favorite books?

I love getting recommendations and maybe one day I will actually get to read some of them.  That, however, depends on if I ever tackle this beast.  

I'll announce the winner next Friday, so you have until then to enter.

Happy Friday!

What I should be doing right now...

As part of my 500 Days of Refinement, some of my goals I want to accomplish have to do with reading.  I really do like to read, but as a full time student the past six years, "reading for pleasure" didn't really happen.  I am now starting to get back into the habit. 

What I did for my project is ask my husband, parents, and siblings the following question:

"If you had to pick only one book for me to read, what would it be?"

I thought it would be a fun way to have a reading queue all set up for me and to include books I maybe wouldn't have picked up otherwise.  Here are the responses I got.

Husband:  The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
Dad: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Mom: Siddartha by Herman Hesse
Brother #1:  The Fifties by David Halberstam
Sister: The Mother in Me by various mothers
Brother #2:  Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Brother #3:  A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby

I have started The Count of Monte Cristo, but am only about four chapters into it.  At this rate, I probably won't even finish it in the next 500 days.  It's not that I don't like it, it is just intimidating because it is a very long book (I was specifically told I am not allowed to read the abridged version). 

On that note, I think I will hop in the tub and read a little before bed.  Goodnight!