5 Books That Make an Impact

I took up reading as a hobby in 8th grade, just to work on my language and writing skills. I stopped reading entirely by 9th, and picked it up again by 12th. After 3 years and almost 200-300 books, I decided to make a list of books that made an impact on me. While I take a lot from almost all the books I read, the next ones are a few that I would recommend to anyone interested in reading. They are in no specific order and a few of many more to follow.

A Thousand Splendid Suns- Khaled Hosseini

Rate: 5/5

Genre: Fiction

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a fiction book that revolves around the life of two women, Laila and Mariam. The book is set in Kabul, the capital of a war torn Afghanistan. The book follows the domestic life of the two women and examines the surprising nature of their friendship. No matter what I say about this book, I will still be underselling it. It is a book that will rewire your entire thought process, and give you an entirely different mindset towards the concepts of marriage, love and sacrifice.

11 Minutes- Paulo Coelho

Rate: 4.5/5

Genre: Fiction, Romance

While many people have a rigid outlook towards Romance, this book is not like the others. Maria is a young and enthusiastic woman who leaves her town behind to pursue her dreams in Geneva. Upon realizing the realities of city life, she has to take up prostitution to help herself. Over the course of the book, we explore a side of prostitution that is barely ever covered in literature. The fast pace of the book, along with Coelho’s amazing writing, really makes this book amazing, especially once you understand the title.

My Dark Vanessa- Kate Elizabeth Rusell

Rate: 4.5/5

Genre: Fiction, Dark

My Dark Vanessa is a book of trigger warnings. The book revolves around the themes of Lolita, though a little less difficult. 15 year old Vanessa has a sexual relationship with her 45 year old teacher. What lies in the background is a bunch of grooming, manipulation and psychological disturbance. The now 30 year old Vanessa looks back at her relationship and attempts to see it in its reality, a sexual abuse. The book is not easy to read and there will be many moments where you will feel the urge to close it, lock it somewhere and never see it again. However, I urge you to give it a chance.

Six of Crows- Leigh Bardugo

Rate: 4.75/5

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy

If you have seen Shadow and Bones (Netflix) then you probably know this book. Six of Crows follows 6 outlaws. The events unfold after the conclusion of the Shadow and Bones series. Many people ask me if someone can read this as a standalone and the answer is yes, you definitely can. You will not find it hard to adapt to this book, despite the common belief that fantasy books can be difficult to understand. I will recommend this book till I die.

The Silent Patient- Alex Michaelides

Rate: 4.5/5

Genre: Fiction, Crime, Thriller

Some of the biggest bestsellers can, at times, be extremely overhyped. The Silent Patient however, has been a great book for me. The book is a psychological thriller revolving around a woman’s choice to kill her husband, and the silence that follows. She refuses to reveal the motive, and so begins the motivation of her therapist to uncover the truth. The entire book is a wild roller coaster ride. Surely there are many better thriller books out there, some I have yet to devour. However, today, this one tops the list.