It is cruel to only post three books when there are so many that have proved life-changing. But I will get on the hard task nonetheless. I have listed below my three recommendations with accompanying self-reviews.

1. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
->Mistry is a master of words and weaves such a tale whose characters are so well developed that they will be embedded on your psyche for months, if not years. This book has the quality to suck you into the center of its chaos. It shows us a part of India that many authors are either afraid to write about or have conveniently ignored. I am a harsh critic but I would not hesitate to give this one a 5 star.

2. Kafka on the Shore (Haruki Murakami)
->Gem of a book. My first Murakami book and I must say I became an instant fan. Given that it may seem a little slow at the beginning but once it paces up, it never stops. Murakami easily maneuvers himself through the different alleyways of his character's lives and minds. Fluid narrative, amazingly vivid descriptive details and a storyline with multiple folds of philosophy and mystery. A book that touches on each aspect of life and wants you to stop every few minutes and ponder its depth. The characters are well-rounded and given their chance to bloom. And the plot never stops getting denser. A must read overall. Highly recommended. 

3. Angela's Ashes (Frank McCourt)
->I read this memoir a long time ago and thus may not have crisp details with which to review it. But to this day, it does remain one of the best books that I have read. The author has a way of seeing humor in the most direst of situations, such as his childhood spent in poverty in Ireland. This book also has a sequel called 'Tis: A Memoir for those who are interested.