During the year, I always get caught up in everyday life and usually find myself going months without picking up a book. However, I love summer because I have ample time to get back into reading! I especially love deep, emotional books that have lots of lessons and themes to learn from. Check out this list for 5 books that I found especially moving. These books carry with them exceptional messages and will change your life!
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
I'm not going to lie, this book is incredibly sad. However, it's still definitely one of my favorite books of all time because it's so very emotional. The story is so powerful and the writing is exceptional. You'll end up either loving the characters or hating them, and you feel their pain. A Thousand Splendid Suns follows two generations of women as they struggle to survive in war-torn Afghanistan. I definitely recommend this book- but be sure to read it with a box of tissues!
Be sure to check out Khaled Hosseini's other award-winning novel, The Kite Runner, if you enjoyed this one!
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
When I first read this book for English class, I was not expecting to like it. However, this book quickly became one of my favorites. The Nightingale is a tale of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, in France during World War II. Vianne and Isabelle could not be more different. They also have not interacted in years- until they have to come together to survive during the war.
Rather than focusing on the frontlines of the war, this book focuses on the struggles of women on the home-front. It also explores themes relating to family, freedom, and survival, making it a very poignant read. Kristin Hannah also has many other wonderful books that you should also check out!
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Although this emotional book gets mixed reviews, there is no doubt that its premise is still very sophisticated and suspenseful. We Were Liars follows Cadence, a teenager born into a very prestigious family. She and her cousins spend each and every summer on their family's private island. But then one summer, something happens that changes everything.
I was captivated by this book until the very end. It's a heartbreaking and suspenseful story that delves into themes of family, life, and loss.
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
A memoir about well-known columnist Jeannette Walls' childhood, The Glass Castle is a moving story about an unconventional family who lived like nomads, constantly on the move. Jeannette recounts her life with nonconformist parents who moved from town to town, chasing adventure and excitement. They finally settled down in a poverty-stricken West Virginia mining town as they struggled to make a living. Walls' novel chronicles the challenges that she and her siblings faced as they were left to support themselves.
A beautiful and frustrating story, The Glass Castle illustrates the strong bonds of family despite obvious flaws. It's a moving and very well-written memoir that transports the reader into Jeannette Walls' life.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Recently adapted into a Hulu mini-series, Little Fires Everywhere is a bestselling book following two families in Shaker Heights, an Ohio suburb. Mia Warren and her daughter move to Shaker Heights and become the tenants of the affluent Richardson family. The entire family is fascinated with Mia and her daughter. This fascination eventually turns into something more sinister as events pit Mia and the Richardson family against each other.
A well-known novel, Little Fires Everywhere brings light to family dynamics and the drama of a seemingly quiet life. This is most definitely a tender and interesting read!
Although these five emotional books may make you cry, their stories and themes will leave positive imprints. Each of these novels are mesmerizing in their own way, moving and emotional, with so many lessons to teach. You'll fall in love with at least one of these books!
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