Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

I'm a big fan of Jodi Picoult's books. I've read most of them at this point, with a few exceptions of her older works, and I usually devour them quickly. They all involve surprising plot twists, well developed characters, and interesting story lines. Earlier this year, I read her newest book, Handle with Care, and I've just finished re-reading Nineteen Minutes for my book club.

I first read Nineteen Minutes when it first came out, which was right before the Virginia Tech shooting several years ago. It was heartbreaking and timely, telling the story of a fictional school shooting, and I couldn't put it down. Even in re-reading it, I couldn't put it down, though I recalled the basic storyline, I couldn't remember every detail or every nuance in the story. This was definitely an enjoyable re-read.

The thing that strikes me so much about Nineteen Minutes is how authentic the feelings the teenage characters convey are. I remember my teenage years all too well, and remember many of the feelings of confusion and wanting to belong expressed by the teens in the book. Like many of her other books, Nineteen Minutes feels real. Jodi Picoult creates these stories in which you experience a complete suspension of disbelief, where you find yourself immersed in the world the author has created. To me, that's the mark of a good book.

I won't reveal any of the plot twists, that's half the fun of reading a Jodi Picoult book. I will, however, recommend this book, and have since I read it the first time. Definitely a worthwhile read.

Next, I'm starting The Lovely Bones. I tried to read this once before, and lost my way at one point, I think thanks to a another book that I was just too desperate to read at the time, and I never went back to pick this one up. Stay tuned to hear my two cents on that one!

Are you looking for more worthwhile reads? Check out my A+ Reads collection, full of wonderful books, personally recommended by me!