Many seniors are required by their teachers to read at least 50 to 100 pages per week from a novel.

Not to mention, Advanced Placement Literature and Composition is required to read a certain ratio of AP-level novels to regular books.

But not all of these books are able to catch a young reader’s interest.

With thousands of books to choose from, deciding which ones are actually worth reading can be tricky.

Some are too dull, while others can be difficult to understand.

In my opinion, there are five advanced placement works of literature that everyone should give a try.

“Pride and Prejudice”

“Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen was first published in 1813.

Revolving around the life of Elizabeth Bennett and her quirky family, this novel describes the trials and tribulations of relationships and family life.

With romance swirling around almost every character, drama among them all should keep readers intrigued.

The main plot revolves around a proud character named Mr. Darcy, who butts heads with the opinionated Bennett.

With many obstacles between them, including Bennett’s original prejudices against Darcy, the development of a relationship between the two characters seems questionable.

But, eventually, Darcy falls in love with Bennett.

Will she be able to put an end to her dislike toward him and see his true, loving intentions or fall into the web of lies surrounding his character?

This book is directed more toward females but can be enjoyed by anyone who would appreciate a juicy romance.

Do not let the date of publication scare you away. This novel may have some tough language but, overall, is not that hard to read.

“Wuthering Heights”

My next choice is “Wuthering Heights” (1847) by Emily Brontë.

This novel covers the complicated lives of Catherine and Heathcliff.

With Catherine’s fiery personality and Heathcliff’s dark intentions, their relationship is a twisted, toxic mess.

As their lives together take a turn for the worse and Catherine suffers the consequences, Heathcliff develops a deeper thirst for revenge.

He is ready to make the lives of everyone around him miserable, just like his own.

With many twists and turns, will his thirst for blood eventually result in a happy ending, or does Brontë have a darker plan for Heathcliff and the rest of this novel’s characters?

This novel seems confusing at first, but readers will quickly catch on and be engulfed in its drama.

Published over 150 years ago, “Wuthering Heights” has still managed to spark reader’s interest and will continue to for years to come.

“The Kite Runner”

My third choice would have to be “The Kite Runner” (2003) by Khaled Hosseini.

This novel follows the life of Amir, the son of a wealthy merchant in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Amir grows up trying to impress his father, who is very different from himself.

Without a mother in his life and a father who does not accept him for who he is, at least in Amir’s opinion, Amir looks to friendship for happiness.

What is especially highlighted in this book is the friendship between himself and Hassan, who is the servant to Amir’s family.

Although Hassan and Amir do not belong to the same social classes, their bond is strong and seems unbreakable.

But when something horrific happens to Hassan, Amir cowers away from it and, out of shame, stops talking to him.

He regrets this for the rest of his life.

Eventually, Amir is able to make amends for what he did to Hassan through some unexpected situations that will leave the reader begging for more.

This book will leave readers on their toes, making them feel every emotion possible.

“A Thousand Splendid Suns”

The next book I recommend is “A Thousand Splendid Suns” (2007), by Khaled Hosseini.

In this novel, the lives of two women are followed, Mariam and Laila.

After a tragic event, Mariam is left in the hands of her unloving father’s wives, who set her up in an arranged marriage.

Heartbroken, Mariam must learn how to live this new life with an older, unfamiliar man she never wanted.

Years pass and Mariam’s life unexpectedly twines with Lailas’, a young, headstrong girl.

Together they learn lessons valuable to the each of them; Mariam must learn to break free from her passive personality, while Laila struggles with being tied down to an unloving partner.

Together, these two women create a family.

This book has many unexpected twists of fate that will leave readers stunned.

The novel’s plot and final outcome is unpredictable for even the sharpest reader.

“Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant”

My final pick would have to be “Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant” (1982) by Anne Tyler.

This novel’s plot revolves around the Tull family.

Pearl, the mother, never seems to get things right when raising her children: Jenny, Cody, and Ezra.

All three grow up disconnected from each other.

With every child having their own problems, mainly due to their father walking out on them during their childhoods, they do not make a picture-perfect family.

Ultimately in the book, all that Ezra wants is a family dinner, but each time they get close to sitting down and eating at his restaurant, things always seem to take a turn for the worse.

The whole family must learn to accept love, loss, and each other.

Will they be able to overcome their problems or continue to emotionally push away from their family?

This book is an easy read but has a deep, relatable theme for all readers to enjoy.

If none of these choices appeal to possible readers or have already been read, I also recommend “Great Expectations” (1861) by Charles Dickens, “Fahrenheit 451” (1953) by Ray Bradbury, and “Frankenstein” (1818) by Mary Shelley.

All of these books are sure to entertain readers and will not disappoint.