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Quick answer: If you loved Nineteen Minutes, read Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes, My Sister's Keeper and Small Great Things, then Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan's Mad Honey, then Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why, and Jennifer Brown's Hate List and Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak and Wintergirls. All are moral dilemmas and family drama.
Jodi Picoult's 2007 novel Nineteen Minutes is about a school shooting and the community left behind. It deals with bullying and justice. These picks are gripping, emotional dramas.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nineteen Minutes | Jodi Picoult | Adult | readers who want a similar subject |
| My Sister's Keeper | Jodi Picoult | Adult | readers who like moral questions |
| Small Great Things | Jodi Picoult | Adult | readers who like race and justice |
| Handle with Care | Jodi Picoult | Adult | readers who like medical-ethics stories |
| The Pact | Jodi Picoult | Adult | older readers |
| House Rules | Jodi Picoult | Adult | courtroom drama |
| Mad Honey | Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan | Adult | issues-driven drama |
| Thirteen Reasons Why | Jay Asher | Teen | issue-driven stories |
| Hate List | Jennifer Brown | Teen | aftermath of a shooting |
| Speak | Laurie Halse Anderson | 13+ | readers who want a modern classic |
| Wintergirls | Laurie Halse Anderson | 15+ | older teens ready for heavy topics |
| Before I Fall | Lauren Oliver | 14+ | readers who like second chances |
| Defending Jacob | William Landay | Adult | readers who like courtroom thrillers |
| Still Alice | Lisa Genova | Adult | readers who like medical drama |
| The Lincoln Lawyer | Michael Connelly | Adult | modern legal thriller |
1. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
A school shooting in a small New Hampshire town, told from many sides. Gripping and emotional.
Best for: readers who want a similar subject.
2. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Anna, born to be a donor for her sister, sues for control of her body. A family drama with an ethical edge.
Best for: readers who like moral questions.
3. Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
A Black nurse is accused of a baby's death in a case involving a white supremacist father. Timely and thoughtful.
Best for: readers who like race and justice.
4. Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
A family sues for wrongful birth after their daughter is diagnosed with a severe condition. Emotional and complex.
Best for: readers who like medical-ethics stories.
5. The Pact by Jodi Picoult
Two teens make a suicide pact, and only one dies. Dark and sad.
Best for: older readers.
6. House Rules by Jodi Picoult
A teen with Asperger's is accused of murder, told from five viewpoints. Emotional and tense.
Best for: courtroom drama.
7. Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
A mother questions what happened when her son is accused of killing his girlfriend, while a love story unfolds in parallel. Emotional and thought-provoking.
Best for: issues-driven drama.
8. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Clay receives tapes from a classmate who died, explaining why she ended her life. Controversial and hard to forget.
Best for: issue-driven stories.
9. Hate List by Jennifer Brown
A teen faces the fallout of her boyfriend's shooting. Hard and honest.
Best for: aftermath of a shooting.
10. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Melinda stops talking after an assault at a summer party. A classic about trauma and speaking up.
Best for: readers who want a modern classic.
11. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Lia struggles with anorexia after the death of her friend Cassie. Haunting and heavy, with strong content notes.
Best for: older teens ready for heavy topics.
12. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Samantha relives the last day of her life seven times and learns to change it. Powerful and thoughtful.
Best for: readers who like second chances.
13. Defending Jacob by William Landay
A district attorney's son is accused of murder, and the family comes under strain. A legal thriller with a family twist.
Best for: readers who like courtroom thrillers.
14. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
A professor is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. Clear, moving and informative.
Best for: readers who like medical drama.
15. The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
Mickey Haller works out of his car and defends clients across Los Angeles. Sharp, fast and clever.
Best for: modern legal thriller.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Nineteen Minutes: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Nineteen Minutes. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For more Picoult, read My Sister's Keeper or Small Great Things. For teen stories, try Thirteen Reasons Why. For courtroom stories, pick The Lincoln Lawyer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Nineteen Minutes?
Jodi Picoult, in 2007.
What is it about?
A school shooting and its aftermath.
Is it graphic?
It deals with violence and bullying and suits older teens and adults.
Which book here is best for modern legal thriller?
Try The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly, which suits readers looking for modern legal thriller.
Which book here is best for readers who like medical drama?
Try Still Alice by Lisa Genova, which suits readers looking for readers who like medical drama.