1. Zealot by Reza Aslan

Over the summer, an interview with author Reza Aslan on Fox News went viral; the interviewer proceeded to ask Aslan why he was writing about or interested in Christianity as a Muslim, sparking uproar on a global scale. Needless to say, the book immediately topped the charts, becoming number one on the New York Times Bestsellers list. Aslan’s thoroughly researched biography of Jesus of Nazareth allows the reader to gain insight about the man behind the religion, regardless of the reader’s own faith. Pick up this book for a light read into a usually unfamiliar corner of Christian history.

2. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

Baseball fans, take note: this is the book for you. Then again, non-baseball fans shouldn’t rule out this new-age classic just yet. A story based Henry Skrimshander’s big league ambitions, The Art of Fielding follows the fate of five different people, their connections, their victories and their triumphs, all over the course of a baseball season. Author Chad Harbach’s novel is about more than just baseball. Grab a copy for a dose of family, friends, and lessons learned.

3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

If there is one, must-read book of the year, it is The Fault in Our Stars. John Green’s novel follows the adventures of a teenage girl, Hazel, diagnosed with a terminal form of cancer, currently in remission. The stars quite literally align, allowing Hazel to meet Augustus Waters, a teenager whose illness took one of his legs, but not his spirit. As the two get to know one another, the reader falls in love with their friendship, from the first page to the very last. This novel is so much more than a saddening look into the lives of the ill; it is a window into the world of emotions most of us did not know we were capable of feeling. Grab the tissues and prepare yourselves. Do not miss this book.

4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

   The Book Thief is the quintessential tear-inducing, heartbreaking, life-altering novel that is essential for ones “Winter Break To-Read List”. The novel is set in 1939, Nazi-occupied Germany; the main protagonist, Liesel Meminger, finds herself living with a foster family after the loss of her brother. In the midst of book burnings and anti-semitic acts, Liesel begins to “steal” books, saving them from a fate of fire and ash. Over the course of the novel, Zusak highlights Liesel’s struggles with her new family, the era she lives in, and the fate that looms over her shoulder throughout the book. The Book Thief is not like anything you have ever read: prepare yourselves for a surprise when you open this book.

5. In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien

In the Lake of the Woods is a thought provoking mystery, that leaves the conclusion up to the reader.  After a landslide loss for United States Senate, former politician John Wade and his wife Kathy move to Lake of the Woods, Minnesota. He wakes one morning to find Kathy missing. Through flashbacks of John’s life and Vietnam experiences the reader is transported to a world of swirling emotions and possible answers. Several chapters of evidence and hypotheses are provided to stimulate the readers thoughts and ideas about what really happened to Kathy Wade.