1. “Geek Love” by Katherine Dunn

“Geek Love” is an extraordinarily engaging book that tells the story of a family of purposely designed circus freaks. The story is told from the perspective of the hunchback albino dwarf sister. It’s all about identity and belonging, and how you define yourself in terms of family. I highly recommend this book for anybody who is looking for a unique story to read.

2. “The Glass Castle” by Jeanette Walls

“The Glass Castle” is a memoir written by Jeanette Walls. The book recounts her childhood, dealing with extreme poverty and highly dysfunctional parents. She has faith in her parents and sees them as good people for a majority of the novel, but as time passes, her and her siblings slowly begin to realize the selfish natures of their mother and father.

3. “Lolita” by Vladimir Nabokov

“Lolita” is the story of a love affair between the book’s narrator Humbert Humbert and a adolescent girl named Lolita. Although the topic of the novel is quite controversial, it’s an interesting read that most could enjoy.

4. “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger

“The Catcher in the Rye” is an American classic that tells the story of Holden Caulfield, a young boy who struggles to find his way in life.  There is no real plot or ending to this book, but it will make you laugh and cry, and I’ve never met a person who didn’t enjoy the novel itself.

5. “Flowers in the Attic” by V.C. Andrews

“Flowers in the Attic” tells the story of the Dollanganger family. The wealthy family of six lives an idyllic lifestyle until their beloved father dies in a car crash, leaving the family in extreme debt. The novel tells the horrific story of the four children who were kept in the attic of a mansion for three years of their life. I highly recommend this to anybody who doesn’t mind long books.