By Gaby and Javi
In April, we read *The Kite Runner* by Khaled Hosseini, a book that highlights how a moral mistake can change our lives and leave us no peace.
In *The Kite Runner*, we are transported to Kabul in 1975, where we follow Amir’s voice as he recalls the terrible events that marked his childhood alongside his friend Hassan—events from which he has never truly recovered. The book explores themes such as loyalty, father-son relationships, violence, and abuse, as well as the political and social context of Afghanistan.
Fiorella, a member of the club, says:
I firmly believe that books choose you. They come to you as a gift, as an unexpected purchase, as a loan, or as the book of the month in your book club. But they are the ones that find their way to you at just the right moment and for a reason.
There are books that stay with you, some that entertain you, others that comfort you, and all of them—absolutely all of them—teach you something new.
But then there are the books that shatter you—the ones that make you feel like a glass cup crashing to the floor and shattering into pieces. These are the books that, once you’ve finished reading them, make you question absolutely everything you are and have today. They reveal realities you thought were impossible or far-fetched, but which, in the end, aren’t so impossible or so far-fetched after all.
It's one of those books you can't put down, because you're one person before you read it and a completely different person afterward. I'm pretty sure the person you become afterward is, at least, a little bit better than the one you were before.
Now, after reading books like that, your task is to figure out why they resonated with you—but more importantly, why.
*The Kite Runner* is the book that has touched my heart. Why? I’m not entirely sure yet.
Thank you, club, for helping him find me.
Charlas y Libros CLT is a Spanish-language book club founded in Charlotte by Javi and Gaby in 2024, with the goal of building community and connecting Spanish speakers through literature. The club explores different works of fiction each month and seeks to create opportunities for conversation about identity, emotions, and shared experiences. For more information, visit Instagram: @charlasylibrosclt.
Gaby Moreno is a bilingual Mexican teacher who currently lives in North Carolina. In her free time, she enjoys board games, journaling, and, above all, reading. On social media, she recommends books and creates content related to reading for her community. She particularly enjoys fiction in the dystopian, fantasy, and thriller genres. As a reading advocate, she has led both in-person and virtual international book clubs.
A Mexican living in Charlotte, NC, since 2007. An avid reader and advocate for reading, he has coordinated both online and in-person book clubs, creating spaces for readers to meet and discuss books. Through social media, he shares his reading experiences and continues to build a community around books.