Books that made me cry...

Although I have yet to find a book that's so terrible it brings me to tears, I have found the extreme opposite, several times over. Usually the 'so good I balled my eyes out' books are super mawkish and all, but sometimes ya need one of those, no?
Well, here are my picks. And please share your own; I'm coming off of an uber depressing destitute Africa phase and I need a break.

• The Notebook: ..and basically any of Nicholas Sparks' older stuff, like Walk to Remember.. but The Notebook takes the cake in this category. Don't rely on the Rachel McAdams/ Ryan Gosling movie version to decide whether to read the novel behind it all. If the movie brought tears to yor eyes, just wait until you read this adorable love story. Noah and Allie are summer sweethearts and fall madly in love in just a few months' time. But Allie's parents, who just don't understand, pull Allie away, back to her civilized, college-bound life at home. Years later, we learn the meaning of true love as Noah and Allie reconnect. Now get the tissues ready because the waterworks are coming in the last few pages..
• Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas: This is a tear-jerker for different reasons, but it's a spectacular piece of fiction just the same. Just the fact that it's an uncharacteristic leap for James Patterson to be writing the story of a mother's love affair with her newborn baby boy is reason enough to pick up this story ASAP! Cute career woman Katie sits in her bathtub, nursing a broken heart. She contemplates her abruptly ended relationship with Matt, their unborn baby, and the diary he left at her door. This, of course, is Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas. Confounded as to why Matt would give her the diary of an old flame who mothered another child of his, Katie struggles to read on. Katie finds herself engrossed in the story of Suzanne and her account of Nicky's life. You'll find yourself sobbing alongwith Katie as she nears the end of the diary..

The Kite Runner

Khaled Hosseni is incredible. It was so refreshing to finally read something about the actual people of Afghanistan and not just its warlords. This is the story of Amir and the son of his family's servant, Hassan.
In addition to the breathtaking descriptions of Kabul, Hosseni tells a tale of unconditional friendship and the dangers of taking it for granted.
Amir's father is a wealthy businessman who befriended his father's servant as a child. As an adult, he brought that servant to live with and work for his family. Both men became fathers themselves within months of each other and raised their sons as brothers.
However, when he begins school, he is affected greatly by the taunts of other boys about his low-class brother from another mother. Giving into their influences, Amir betrays Hassans constant friendship, deeply scarring the relationship before he and his father flee Afghanistan during the Russian invasion.
Hosseini gives a chilling account of the plight of so many Afghan people migrating for their lives. He carries Amir and his father toward the safety of America and continues to tell their tale.
After many many years, Amir decides to return to his native Afghanistan and meets a handful of emotional difficulties.
This book is absolutely worth your time. Thouroughly researched and written with practically musical diction, it won't be easy to put down halfway through. In fact, I remember my math grade suffering considerably for the week or so it took me to get from cover to cover.

The Amateur Reviewer

Hey there.

To put it simply, I love books. Books are my friends. It's true. But no worries, I'll introduce you. In this blog, I'll be giving everyone out there my own amateur reviews of the books I read. And don't hesitate to introduce your own book-friends; that's what makes it fun. All I ask is that you take it semi-seriously.

Happy Reading!