She also wrote several stories—desperate love affairs wherein she struggled heroically against the difficulties of affectionate dialogue; tales of bandits and pirates—Emily liked these because there was no necessity for bandits and pirates to converse lovingly;
You say that now, Emily, but in 120 years or so...
Looking at my reading list, I see a couple of surprises...
All of them are books I was not expecting to enjoy so much.
I was surprised by how much I LOVED The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg. It's a story about four smart kids and their teacher and their community, and the unexpected connections between them. I can see why it won a Newbery, but it's also simply enjoyable and entertaining.
I also LOVED Princess Academy when I reread it for the first time in 10+ years. It became a favorite this time, when I merely liked it before. It's exactly the sort of book I want to read and write, with adventure, family, a coming-of-age story, and excellent themes and characters.
Another book I was unexpectedly obsessed with was Bandit's Moon by Sid Fleischman. I was really compelled by the central character of the book--the titular bandit leader--and I was very interested in the history behind the book. I was also really riveted as I wondered how the book would end and what the fate of that character would be.