I don't read as much as I should, but this is a nice idea for a thread!

I have two favorite books that I didn't just read, but I feel I should mention them:

False Memory - Dean Koontz
I chose this for a school assignment in which we were supposed to read several books and gather points from each one for a final grade. It turned out to be one of my favorite books. Koontz is a real stickler for details, as my friend warned me, but I think it was worth it for the full effect. It really did "get to me," as the story progressed, and I truly did enjoy reading it.

A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
An assignment for my English class, or else I probably never would've laid eyes on it, but it really surprised me, as I ended up loving it. It took detailed explanations from my teacher, as well as cliff notes after I read the actual chapters, to understand it completely, but all of the "research" made it worthwhile. It even made me cry, probably the first time a book's ever done that, and I'm really glad I read it.

Hopefully I'll do some heavier reading when school starts back, but I've stuck to the sports section and my Uncle John's Bathroom Readers for my summer reading.