The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (Beginning)

I had heard many amazing reviews of this book, and finally one day questioned myself about why I had not yet read it. Though I only started it last week and haven't had much time to read, the beginning has already drawn me in and got me hooked.

The story is set in Afghanistan with two young boys as the main roles, Amir and Hassan, one of which, Amir, narrates the tale of his life, his father's life and the lives and events of those around him in his native country. Although the book takes place during the time of Amir and Hassan's childhood and on, the novel is more in the form of a series of flashbacks and reflections told by an older, wiser, Amir who wishes some things had worked out differently than they did in his life.

Amir and Hassan though different in their views and status share a bond that goes back a generation before their existence; their fathers Baba and Ali have also grown up together, as Ali was the survivor of a car crash that killed his mother and father, and happened to be taken in by the judge who prosecuted the case, who was in fact Baba's grandfather. Ali was taken under the wing of the servants in Baba's household and they spent their childhood together as playmates, causing mischief and exploring.

Now just like Baba and Ali, as Amir recalls his childhood days with Hassan it becomes apparent that the class and religious distinctions between the boys may lead to some turmoil with their friendship as the book progresses. As Amir mentions, "history isn't easy to overcome".

We also come to see that Amir has great respect and admiration for his father and it bothers him greatly if he pays more attention to Hassan at a particular moment because he feels Baba is his alone, and wants all the same recognition of achievements Hassan may recieve from Baba, though he believes he falls short of his father's expectations.

Although there are many distinctions that separate the boys, they do share a painful loss, the loss of both of their mother's, Amir's to death in childbirth and Hassan's to a band of traveling dancers. This common thread unites the boys as they discover their world together.

I truly am sorry that I have not had the chance to get further into this novel yet, but insist that I simply cannot wait to find out what happens to separate or tarnish this great childhood friendship and see it grow and prosper before that may occur.

If you're looking for a book that's completely unique from any other you've ever read and will have you begging for more after the first chapter, pick up a copy of The Kite Runner, and you won't be disappointed.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

If you have seen the movie and haven't read the book, let me inform you right away you have made a mistake of drastic measures. The movie, though not terrible, is not a very accurate representation of the book with many small alterations that make a significant difference over all and some crucial pieces left untold. Just do yourself a favor and read the book instead of renting the film, trust me it will be a much more beneficial experience.

The story begins telling the tale of when Henry and Claire, the two main characters, meet in a Chicago library. This meeting is the first time Henry has ever seen Claire that he knows of but Claire has seen Henry many times before. This might not make sense but we're missing one crucial fact here, Henry is a time-traveler. Yes, thats right. As if life wasn't complicated enough already, he may disappear at any given moment without the slightest notice or by his choice.

Niffenegger switches perspectives each chapter, which creates an interesting contrast between the views of Henry and Claire, and their own views at different ages. Don't worry about figuring out how old they are when, it is clearly listed right before each passage for the reader's convenience.

Henry and Claire first really meet when she is 6 in the meadow where she plays and hears a noise from the woods. Henry is much older and this meeting, as many first impressions go, is awkward at best. See the thing is, Henry can be coming from any time and when he time travels he can't take anything with him, to make matters even worse.

Curious for more about Claire and Henry's many meetings over the years? Itching to know how exactly this time travel thing works? Please take my advice and read the book, skip the movie.

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

I never thought of mystery as my genre of choice, but this novel changed my perspective completely. Finding myself bored with Agatha Christie's, And Then There Were None, I had lost faith in discovering a mystery that would keep me entertained with lots going on at once, but woven together well enough that it didn't get confusing or messy. After hearing from a friend that there was a prequel to the DaVinci Code, I decided I had to try it and see if it was as good as its partner in the series. To my surprise and delight, it turned out to be even more engaging.

As I neared the end of the rather large book, savoring every last page, not wanting the tale to end, it hit me that I had finished a 569 page book in two days. That was definitely a first. But the strange thing was I had not even noticed myself turning page after page, I was just so into the story I simply couldn't stop.

Dan Brown truly makes you feel like you're in the center of all the commotion with his unique style of changing the point of view to a different character each chapter. It made the book all the more interesting that the story line was told in sequence from one character to another, so you got to see what each one felt at different moments, versus the whole story being told from the same perspective. One moment your following Robert Langdon, the main character who gets sucked into an ongoing series of unfortunate events as he is the only one who may be able to help, and the next your reading about a flashback the Camerlengo, the pope's assistant, has recently experienced.

This tale truly ties it all in flawlessly: Robert Landgon and the woman who comes to accompany him in his attempts to stop a cruel chain of events to overthrow the papacy, Vittoria Vetra clearly have a romance brewing throughout the extent of the book, at the same time they are chasing after murders through the sites of Rome and searching through the Vatican's immense library of ancient documents.

It is my belief that this book can be a great read for anyone who happens to pick it up because it is so entertaining, however those who are scared away by the prospect of a nearly 600 page book, I urge you not to let it sit on your shelf.