Khaled Hosseini - A Thousand Splendid Suns

Just one day into my holiday in Tasmania and I turned into a sobbing mess. Nope, nothing to do with Tasmania -- which had been very lovely -- but this heart-wrenching read that affected me so much. I finished this while resting in our hotel room before heading out for dinner, which wasn't such a great idea since I went out with a puffy face! Anyway, back to the book, this was beautifully written and really struck a chord with me, even though I could never begin to comprehend such a nightmarish world. My heart went out to the two courageous women in this book and I wept for them for all the horrors that they had to endure, especially towards the end when Mariam had to make a terrible choice and sacrifice. This is a great account of the changing landscape of Afghanistan in the last 20 or so years, and despite all the hardships, how Laila still holds hope for the future and wants to contribute to a better life for all in Kabul. A really fantastic read that I highly recommend to all.