5 Books That Have Impacted Me // A Bibliosmile Guest Post by Rayna

Welcome to The Bibliosmile Project, a series here on Novels & Waffles that aims to spotlight how books (+ the bookish community), has brought smiles, happiness, and positivity into our lives. Through an ongoing series of guest posts, different readers will share their stories of bookish happiness and spread some much-needed positivity, sunshine, and smiles with us all. Hopefully, reading about how books have brought a smile to their faces, it will bring one to yours as well. You can read more about this series in my introduction and catch up on previous guest posts here.

If you’re interested in writing a guest post as part of The Bibliosmile Project, then please contact me at my email, [email protected].

Rayna’s Bibliosmile Story

Thanks so much, Kat, for having me as a guest on your blog! It’s such an honor!

When I was asked to write a post on how the book community, and books in general, changed and impacted my life positively I had several things pop into my mind: books that impacted me in ways I never thought they would, the friends I’ve made through the online community, my sense and feeling of belonging to something bigger than myself, etc. The list can go on, but today I wanted to talk about five books that I’ve read in the last five years since I started blogging.

I think many of us can say that, at one time or another, a book or many books impacted us in ways we never would have thought possible. These can be both positively and negatively, but I think we more often than not remember the books that impacted us positively. Here’s some of mine that have touched me one way or another and I would recommend them to anyone willing to read them:

1. Orange by Ichigo Takano

This manga series is about a girl, Naho, who receives a letter from herself in the future and how she has to save her friend, Kakeru, before it’s too late. She thinks that the letter is a prank, but as the events in the letter begin to unfold, she quickly realizes that it is, in fact, from herself in the future. But how can she save this boy whom she’s never talked to? And what kind of fate awaits him if he’s not saved?

I’ve been a manga reader since I was about 12 years old, and since I’m 27 as of writing this post, I can say I’ve read my fair share of manga, even if it’s slowed down over the years in terms of my reading it. I can say, however, that when I first read this series, it hit me like a truck.

This series is emotional and very impactful. It deals with themes of suicide, depression, grief, and friendship, as well as romance and jealousy. I cried after reading the first novel, and almost cried after the second. As someone who deals with depression, and someone who has had suicidal thoughts before, this manga hit a place that I didn’t think a book ever could – especially a manga! It’s so unheard of to see manga so mainstream like this one that talks about these heavy topics, so when I read it, I held onto it like it was a tether and I was a balloon.

This story and these characters hold a special place in my heart because they showed me that it’s okay to grieve, that it’s okay to be depressed, and that it’s okay to rely on others when you’re feeling so incredibly low and helpless that nothing but ending it seems like the “better” way out.

I highly suggest reading this manga if you’re looking for some mental health reads. Obviously read this when you are not at a low point! I hope that it can touch someone the same way it did me.

2. A Silent Voice by Yoshitoki Oima

 This seven volume series is about a deaf girl, Shoko, who transfers to a new school and is quickly picked on by Shoya when they’re in middle school to the point where Shoko has to transfer schools. Not only that, but Shoya quickly loses all of his friends’ loyalty after that, as well as his classmates’ as he begins to harbor the blame for Shoko needing to transfer. Six years later, the two meet again, and Shoya – friendless and all but invisible – wants to make it up to her and wants to prove to her, and himself, that he is not the bully he once was as a child.

This story was another one of its kind that’s really unheard of in manga. Not only was it my first deaf person read, but it was also about redemption in a way that was believable, about blame and finding one’s self.

I think that the way this manga series impacted me was that it allowed me to see through the eyes of someone who has shut out everyone in the world (Shoya) and is in such a place of despair that he isn’t allowing anyone in to his world lest he hurt them again. It didn’t excuse what Shoya did in the past, but rather allowed him to grow and to understand why he did what he did when he was younger. It’s about forgiveness and friendship, and I think those themes are really important to see in many stories.

If you have the chance, pick up this manga series! It’s a great read and I think many people will enjoy it.

3. The Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas

Now, I know this series isn’t the most beloved in the community, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not one of my favorite series, nor does it take away from the impact it’s had on me as a reader. I first picked up Throne of Glass when I began my blogging and Booktube journey as a reader, and oh man, what a wild ride. The first two books were out at that point with the third one coming out very soon, and I couldn’t get enough of this world! The characters, the world, the plot, it had everything I could have wanted and more.

This was also one of the first series I read and committed to that wasn’t a manga series. At this stage in my life, I wasn’t really reading much other than manga (which is fine), and so when I read it, it really showed me and reminded me just how much I love fantasy.

It showed me how powerful a name can be, how a past can haunt someone, how strong bonds between people can be – not just romantically, but platonically as well. It showed me how strength doesn’t just stem from how physically fit you are, but also how strong of will you are, how strong your intentions and desire for something to happen can truly impact the world around you.

I still haven’t finished the last two books in the series as of writing this post (ughhh, it hurts), but I know that it’s going to have an ending that I’ve been waiting for.

4. The Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy by Laini Taylor

Laini Taylor just has this way of writing that truly captures me, and I don’t think that’s going to stop anytime soon. When I first read the DoSaB, I didn’t know what to expect. I had seen a few people talk about it and really enjoy it, but when I read it? Oh man, it was like a punch in the gut. It’s such a vivid world of finding one’s true self, friendship, love, family… it was beautiful to me. The world itself was complex and wide, and there were just so many twists and turns that I didn’t know how to keep up!

This trilogy was also unique in a way, too, because I’d never read about chimaera in any type of story ever! I’d only ever seen them as monsters in the Final Fantasy games, haha! But the way they were portrayed as beings with lives and souls, and those souls could be reborn if they were transferred to another vessel, was just such a cool concept to me!

Also, these books just showed me how beautiful writing itself could be. I was entranced by Laini Taylor’s style of writing, and I continue to be today as I read Strange the Dreamer for the first time. As of writing this post, I’m about 40% of the way through Strange the Dreamer and it’s just so beautiful! I’m definitely predicting it’s going to be a five-star read for me, as well as become one of my favorite books ever. I really highly recommend reading anything Laini Taylor puts out!

5. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls is about a thirteen-year-old boy named Conor who wakes up to find a monster outside of his bedroom – the ancient tree in the church graveyard behind his house. The monster tells Conor three stories, and tells Conor that he must tell the fourth one to the monster: the truth. It’s a story about loss, grief, and how monsters can come to life in many unexpected ways.

This book had me crying at 2AM. Seriously. I hadn’t expected to be so fully impacted by it, but man, it hit me right where it needed to. This story talked about grief in such a way that I fully understood and could grasp because not only is Conor going through a tumultuous time with his mom, but I am, too. So when I say I understand, I do. It may not be the same thing that’s happening to Conor’s mom, but the very real grief and feelings of blame and hurt that Conor feel are very real to me.

This story had me thinking in more ways than one, though. Besides grief, it had me really think about what kind of darkness lurks not only within my heart, but in the hearts of others. We don’t know what other people or going or have gone through. We don’t know what kinds of darkness they may or may not harbor. The stories told by the tree in here – and the results of those stories – had me thinking in ways that I haven’t thought about for a long time. It made me think about how emotions can really, truly, turn into something we least expect.

Honestly, I really think this book is wonderful and I hope more people read it and can feel some sort of attachment to it the way I have.

Each one of these books has impacted me positively in ways that I could have never imagined. I’m so thankful for all of these books and I’m so thankful that they somehow found their way into my life.

I have, in large part, to thank the book community across all platforms for my reading these books. Without them recommending these books in wrap up videos or posts, or gushing about them on Twitter, or just overall raving about them on their blogs, I don’t think any of these books would have ever found their way into my life. It’s sad to think about, really, because I’ve been so impacted and impressed upon by the book community as a whole, and I can’t thank you all enough for it.

I hope that your day is full of light, and that your year continues on an upward path. Thanks again, Kat, for letting me join in this wonderful project!

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What are some books that have impacted you?

Have you read any of the books Rayna mentioned? Share your thoughts about them in the comments!