What kind of books do you like to read?

This question was brought up in some of the yahoo groups I participate in. I'm finding more and more that I'm just a bit different from many of the people that post in some of the groups. Different in that I don't require a happily ever after in the books I read. I do, however, need an ending to the story that makes sense for that story.

An example of this is the book My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

From the Publisher - New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult is widely acclaimed for her keen insights into the hearts and minds of real people. Now she tells the emotionally riveting story of a family torn apart by conflicting needs and a passionate love that triumphs over human weakness.

Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves.

My Sister's Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child's life, even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are, if that quest makes you like yourself less? Should you follow your own heart, or let others lead you? Once again, in My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult tackles a controversial real-life subject with grace, wisdom, and sensitivity.

This story was gripping. I could NOT put the book down. It made me think and cry and smile a bit even. I was pissed off at the ending ... BUT it was the right ending for the story. I didn't like the way things went for the characters in this book but the way Ms. Picoult wrote the book was amazing. She seemed to choose her words with great care. She made me recommend this story to many people after I read it. She made me look for more of her books.

Some people might wonder why I'd read more by her if this story disturbed me so much. The reason I do is because they let me escape. No, the stories aren't pretty. I can't read a whole bunch of her books in a row. I need to space them out over time. I do, however, find myself feeling better about my own life when I'm done reading her books. I find myself feeling hope and thinking of possibilities.