Happy Top Ten Tuesday! After a week of cooking, cleaning, working, writing (NaNoWriMo), and event going, this list was a fun way to get back into the blogging routine.

Today’s top ten is all about my favorite (platonic) book relationships. Here goes!

1. The Owens siblings from Practical Magic – Franny, Jet, and Vincent had a unique bond because of their magical abilities. They, and their family, were avoided by most people who believed that the family would ensnare them in back luck and tragedy. As they grew up in the novel it was interesting to watch their relationship change and mature as it does with most siblings.
2. Madeline, Celeste, and Jane from Big Little Lies – Female friendships are tricky and I thought this book did a great job of accurately portraying their lives as individuals with different backgrounds that become friends.
3. Leigh and her mother from The Astonishing Color of After – This book handled such a tough subject (the suicide of her mother) with such grace and dignity. The way that Leigh sought out her mother and her family from Taiwan turned into a beautiful remembrance of her mother and her life.
4. Willem, JB, Malcolm, and Jude from A Little Life – Following four college friends through their 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s – the author did a wonderful job of capturing the ups and downs of friendship in the midst of success, failure, tragedy, and love. Warning: this book will make you cry.
5. Mia & Pearl from Little Fires Everywhere – I love a good mother/daughter plot that has tension, love, and secrets. This duo had all of these elements and watching them unfold slowly made this a great book.
6. The Sedaris family portrayed in Calypso – Nonfiction relationships are allowed too, right? David Sedaris is known for writing about his family and his life experiences. But this newest book was different as he tackled some tough issues: aging parents, fractured sibling relationships, mental illness, drug use, etc. It was raw, honest, and makes you feel a little less alone.
7. Hanna & her mom (Suzette) from Baby Teeth – If you want to read about a parent/child relationship that is creepy and downright frightening, this is your book. Little Hanna spends most of her time plotting to kill her mother while charming her father. Her mother goes to great lengths to love her daughter and get her the much needed help she needs all while trying to preserve her own sanity and safety.
8. Mary B. Addison and her mother from Allegedly – Nine year old Mary was convicted of killing a baby who was in her mother’s care. Allegedly. Mary’s mother can be syrupy sweet and viscous all in the same visit when she sees her daughter in the group home. The book tackles tough issues and the relationship between Mary and her mother keeps you guessing until the end.
9. Offred and Serena Joy from The Handmaid’s Tale – Classic tension in a female relationship with a dystopian spin. What could possibly go wrong?
10. Scout & Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird – He is her father but she and her brother don’t call him anything other than his first name. He is a single father but unconventional. He teaches, rather than telling and demonstrates tolerance and reason through his actions. I loved reading how he and Scout interacted throughout the book – there was a mutual respect that wasn’t common in that time period.

If you could be friends with any fictional character, who would it be?