These five novels are all unique and riveting, but they share one factor in common-they are all touching.
Although they are all in turn written in hard, unforgiving prose, they still manage to stir emotions constantly within the reader.
These five novels contain real characters with flaws, as opposed to other novels with ideal protagonists, who question common beliefs and don't always stay true to themselves.
Each of these novels is sure to make some change, however small, in every reader who first opens them.
The Kite Runner: Afghanistan of old was a place of culture, heritage, religion, and traditions.
Those were the days of kite flying, markets, and cinemas.
But when political turmoil takes over the nation, days of color fade to violence, murder, and oppression.
The Kite Runner, by Khalid Hosseini, is a riveting, poignant, and haunting tale which portrays the torn soul of a privileged man who managed to escape the horrendous, war-torn state of his old home in Kabul, Afghanistan, and the memories of betrayal and sin which he left there.
This epic, unforgettable novel tells a story of loyalty, betrayal, redemption, and brotherhood, which has something to offer to its every reader.
Nineteen Minutes The quiet town of Sterling, New Hampshire is known for its serenity, lack of criminal action, and stellar school district.
These characteristics make it the choice environment for families with school-age children.
However, this quiet contentment is rudely shattered by a horrific school shooting.
Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult, is a touching novel about love, misunderstanding, familial bonds, and revenge.
In a series of flashbacks and changes in point of view, this moving novel questions the true responsibility of such ghastly events, the corrupting effects of bullying, and the right to judge.
The Book Thief The Holocaust was a morbid, dismal, and frightening time for every group of people, be it minority or majority.
For Death, it was an extremely busy time, as people were being slaughtered, starved, and sickened left and right.
The Book Thief is an intriguing novel set during the Holocaust, written in the unique and morose point of view of Death.
Death is particularly interested in a young girl named Liesel, who is adopted into a German family after her mother and brother pass away from disease.
The Book Thief is a riveting and moving novel about silent strength, principle, and tragedy.
Humorous and touching, this novel will not be easily forgotten.
A Thousand Splendid Suns "Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman.
" Such was the general philosophy of the submissive, oppressed women of Afghanistan.
A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khalid Hosseini, follows the lives of the two wives of a tyrannical, abusive man in Kabul, Afghanistan.
As the state of the country falls deeper and deeper into political unrest, violence, and civil war, the women of the country are hit the hardest.
This novel is a heartrending tale of oppression, sorority, and sacrifice, which begins to touch the heart and soul within the first fifty pages.
My Sister's Keeper A parent's worst fear is to lose their child, be it from an accident, an incident, or a sickness, such as cancer, and they will do anything in their willpower to save their beloved.
But siblings, on the other hand, may see a different light in the matter.
"Normal, in our house, is like a blanket too short for a bed--sometimes it covers you just fine, and other times it leaves you cold and shaking; and worst of all, you never know which of the two it's going to be.
"  My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult, is a beautiful novel which traces the life of the Fitzgerald family, which revolves around a Leukemic daughter and her genetic match sister.
It questions the importance of the quality of life as opposed to longevity, and how much should be sacrificed in order to receive the ultimate goal.
This novel is a tear-jerking irony of family, sisterhood, and surrender.