Not on purpose, I read a Holocaust book and a Columbine book consecutively. Both of them were total page-turners (and I hesitate to use that expression) that you finish in two days because of an inability to put them down despite the sinking feeling in your stomach knowing what will happen next.

Columbine is very In Cold Blood, by which I mean, gay author who shows far more sympathy towards the emotional killer (Dylan/Perry) over the cruel calculating one (Eric/Dick). It debunks a lot of theories, retraces everything, and imagines complex scenes based on scrupulous evidence (stomach residue leads the author to paint a last meal of potato skins).

The Book Thief has incredibly imaginative narrative (especially for a YA) and beautiful descriptions of everything, and has a more accessible, realistic, yet still vaguely hopeful "I believe that people are essentially good inside" ending. After reading it I felt pretty good about most people and the future of YA and Holocaust-lit genres. After (and during) reading Columbine I felt like my soul was being clubbed. It made me really depressed and never want to make jokes about anything again - tragedies or even breakfast - lest it offend someone or a parent of someone who was somehow involved. I think of the two, I only recommend The Book Thief.