A Book(s) Thread

[AGBF]

I had never read Vince Flynn, an author who is popular in one of the genres that I read. Recently I decided to give him a go and to read his Mitch Rapp books in order. So I read the two prequels (written most recently) first: American Assassin then Kill Shot. Now I am reading what I believe is actually the first book he wrote, Transfer of Power.

The last book I wrote about reading by Vince Flynn was, apparently, Transfer of Power. Below is a list of the next books he wrote in his Mitch rapp series, so these are the next books I read. I like the books, but Vince Flynn is not one of my favorite authors like James Lee Burke. He just keeps me entertained on the surface; he never moves me. That may be why I decided to take a break and read Stephen King's 11/22/63 which I am about half way through. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, it is huge: about 800-900 pages! I am enjoying it.

AGBF


Books by Vince Flynn:

The Third Option (Mitch Rapp #4)
(2000) - ISBN 0-671-04731-0

Separation of Power (Mitch Rapp #5)
(2001) – ISBN 0671047337

Executive Power (Mitch Rapp #6)
(2002) - ISBN 0-7434-5395-6

 

[iLander]

CHICK LIT UPDATE
I know chick lit tends to be brainless and not very heavy, and sometimes that's just what you need!

I'll recommend Jill Mansell, I'm tearing through her books and just love them. Apparently she's a bestselling author in England. Her books are full of likable characters, with interlaced stories that are easy to follow, but none of it is cloying or insipid.

Meanwhile, if you want to read something heavier and engrossing, I suggest The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan, about the dust bowl. Journalist and cleanly written, it's fascinating.

 

[aviastar]

MC- I read Shanghai Girls several years ago, but didn't continue the series. It was well written, just not my usual genre or scope of interest. I quickly browsed through a Goodreads list that included Shanghai Girls to see if I had run across anything else in the genre, but I hadn't. Here's this list, if you are interested, https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1335.Best_Novels_That_Take_Place_in_China#5960325

Also, not set in China, but also dealing with Chinese immigration to San Fran is Daughter of Fortune and it's sequel/companion Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende. I love Allende anyway, and liked both of these!

Zoe- Thanks for your lists! Do you mean About a Boy by Nick Hornsby or Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding? I read Helen Fielding's (It's Bridget Jones #3) just a few months ago and really, really enjoyed it; for reasons completely unrelated to enjoying the other Bridget books. It's not the same as the first two and it took me off guard how very deeply some of the writing affected me. Highly recommend!

Hiya, Deb! Stephan King isn't my cup of tea, but the man is certainly prolific! Glad you are enjoying it!

 

[aviastar]

CHICK LIT UPDATE
I know chick lit tends to be brainless and not very heavy, and sometimes that's just what you need!

I'll recommend Jill Mansell, I'm tearing through her books and just love them. Apparently she's a bestselling author in England. Her books are full of likable characters, with interlaced stories that are easy to follow, but none of it is cloying or insipid.

Meanwhile, if you want to read something heavier and engrossing, I suggest The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan, about the dust bowl. Journalist and cleanly written, it's fascinating.

Speaking of chick lit; has anyone tried Austenland by Shannon Hale? I enjoy her as a YA author but haven't ventured into her written for adults stuff yet and it's on my list to try!

 

[packrat]

Deb, I read that a couple years ago and enjoyed it very much. There are few of SK's books that I don't enjoy. Some more than others and they get read many times. That one is one I would read again.

 

[AprilBaby]

Reading right now: the seven daughters of eve; a genetics book that shows the lines thru DNA that all Europeans descend from. I am from haplogroup V.

 

[AGBF]

So, this is going to be a random request, but I'm going to throw it out there anyway

Anyone have any good Robin Hood retellings to recommend?

I tend to go on style/genre kicks and I've been into Robin lately; I've just read Robin: Lady of Legend. Obviously a twist in which Robin is a girl, and found it fluffy and fine, but it put me in the mood for a rip roaring awesome Robin Hood tale.

Aviastar - I wanted to respond to you quickly. Unfortunately, I don't know of any. I have honestly never really looked though! I know that Ivanhoe has Robin Hood sort-of included in it, as well as The Last Unicorn. I might look around for some titles coming up today though.

Darn! aviastar, while doing my Christmas shopping last month I came across a retelling of Robin Hood in a young adult genre and thought of you and this thread but I was somewhere in the middle of a search where I couldn't write the Robin Hood information down. It may be a book with which you are familiar already, but I will see if I can find it now!

Deb/AGBF

 

[AGBF]

Well, I don't think this is the book I came upon. (I wish I knew what brought me to the book I did come upon!) This looks interesting, although I cannot, personally, recommend it since I have not read it. Many readers on Amazon.com appear to have liked it a great deal, although some did not like the ending. It is The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley. I am going to look up some of the books I looked at as gifts and see if that brings up the other Robin Hood version!

Deb/AGBF

 

[zoebartlett]

CHICK LIT UPDATE
I know chick lit tends to be brainless and not very heavy, and sometimes that's just what you need!

I'll recommend Jill Mansell, I'm tearing through her books and just love them. Apparently she's a bestselling author in England. Her books are full of likable characters, with interlaced stories that are easy to follow, but none of it is cloying or insipid.

Meanwhile, if you want to read something heavier and engrossing, I suggest The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan, about the dust bowl. Journalist and cleanly written, it's fascinating.

Thanks iLander! I'll try reading Jill Mansell's books.

Has anyone read Elizabeth Berg's books? She writes fiction and she reminds me of Anita Shreve a lot. Both authors are really good. I haven't seen a new book by Berg in a few years. Shreve's latest book is Stella Bain -- I can't wait to read it.

 

[AGBF]

Well, I don't think this is the book I came upon. (I wish I knew what brought me to the book I did come upon!) This looks interesting, although I cannot, personally, recommend it since I have not read it. Many readers on Amazon.com appear to have liked it a great deal, although some did not like the ending. It is The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley. I am going to look up some of the books I looked at as gifts and see if that brings up the other Robin Hood version!

Got it. The book I came across while shopping was Will in Scarlet by Matthew Cody. (I listened to the sample of the audio version of it, which I never do, and it was wonderful, by the way. The actor reading it was British and he made each character's voice sound unique and individual. I was impressed!)

So there appear to be at least two good YA retellings of Robin Hood available out there.

AGBF

 

[zoebartlett]

MC- I read Shanghai Girls several years ago, but didn't continue the series. It was well written, just not my usual genre or scope of interest. I quickly browsed through a Goodreads list that included Shanghai Girls to see if I had run across anything else in the genre, but I hadn't. Here's this list, if you are interested, https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1335.Best_Novels_That_Take_Place_in_China#5960325

Also, not set in China, but also dealing with Chinese immigration to San Fran is Daughter of Fortune and it's sequel/companion Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende. I love Allende anyway, and liked both of these!

Zoe- Thanks for your lists! Do you mean About a Boy by Nick Hornsby or Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding? I read Helen Fielding's (It's Bridget Jones #3) just a few months ago and really, really enjoyed it; for reasons completely unrelated to enjoying the other Bridget books. It's not the same as the first two and it took me off guard how very deeply some of the writing affected me. Highly recommend!

Hiya, Deb! Stephan King isn't my cup of tea, but the man is certainly prolific! Glad you are enjoying it!

Thanks Aviastar! I meant Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding. As I was typing the name of the book, I didn't think it sounded right but I didn't have time to double check. I'm glad you liked it. I loved the first Bridget Jones book but didn't like the second one (Edge of Reason, right?). I'm hopeful about this one though.

We have a bookshelf at work where people can donate books they've read. I looked through it today and what did I find? The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency that I asked about here earlier. My mom has many of the other books in the series that I can borrow but she doesn't have the first one. I'm glad I found a copy!

 

[Gypsy]

Reading Emperor's Edge series by Lindsay Buroker right now and loving it. First book in the series is FREE! Makes it that much better.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

MC- I read Shanghai Girls several years ago, but didn't continue the series. It was well written, just not my usual genre or scope of interest. I quickly browsed through a Goodreads list that included Shanghai Girls to see if I had run across anything else in the genre, but I hadn't. Here's this list, if you are interested, https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1335.Best_Novels_That_Take_Place_in_China#5960325

Also, not set in China, but also dealing with Chinese immigration to San Fran is Daughter of Fortune and it's sequel/companion Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende. I love Allende anyway, and liked both of these!

Zoe- Thanks for your lists! Do you mean About a Boy by Nick Hornsby or Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding? I read Helen Fielding's (It's Bridget Jones #3) just a few months ago and really, really enjoyed it; for reasons completely unrelated to enjoying the other Bridget books. It's not the same as the first two and it took me off guard how very deeply some of the writing affected me. Highly recommend!

Hiya, Deb! Stephan King isn't my cup of tea, but the man is certainly prolific! Glad you are enjoying it!

Thanks for the Goodreads list. I signed up but haven't participated in it yet...

I read Daughter of Fortune but didn't read Portrait in Sepia because I wasn't aware there was a sequel. I looked inside the book, at the other books written by Allende, and recall reading The House of Spirits (by Allende), as well, but don't remember it very well. Just bits and pieces.

I'm sooo tempted to download Enclave onto my Kindle. It looks like there is a little tidbit part of the story that Amazon has for under $1.00 that I will try first.

 

[aviastar]

MC- I read Shanghai Girls several years ago, but didn't continue the series. It was well written, just not my usual genre or scope of interest. I quickly browsed through a Goodreads list that included Shanghai Girls to see if I had run across anything else in the genre, but I hadn't. Here's this list, if you are interested, https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1335.Best_Novels_That_Take_Place_in_China#5960325

Also, not set in China, but also dealing with Chinese immigration to San Fran is Daughter of Fortune and it's sequel/companion Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende. I love Allende anyway, and liked both of these!

Zoe- Thanks for your lists! Do you mean About a Boy by Nick Hornsby or Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding? I read Helen Fielding's (It's Bridget Jones #3) just a few months ago and really, really enjoyed it; for reasons completely unrelated to enjoying the other Bridget books. It's not the same as the first two and it took me off guard how very deeply some of the writing affected me. Highly recommend!

Hiya, Deb! Stephan King isn't my cup of tea, but the man is certainly prolific! Glad you are enjoying it!

Thanks for the Goodreads list. I signed up but haven't participated in it yet...

I read Daughter of Fortune but didn't read Portrait in Sepia because I wasn't aware there was a sequel. I looked inside the book, at the other books written by Allende, and recall reading The House of Spirits (by Allende), as well, but don't remember it very well. Just bits and pieces.

I'm sooo tempted to download Enclave onto my Kindle. It looks like there is a little tidbit part of the story that Amazon has for under $1.00 that I will try first.

MC- WAIT! That novella takes place after Enclave and it will give away parts of the story!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

MC- WAIT! That novella takes place after Enclave and it will give away parts of the story!

Okay, thanks for the warning. I only read a couple of the reviews and I must have misread that it was a prequel. I didn't download it yet because I decided to be sure to finish Shanghai Girls first.

 

[AGBF]

I just finished Practical Magic and could find only one reference to it in this thread: MC's on page 6 in which she says it is her favorite novel by Alice Hoffman. I know that in some thread (I had thought it was this one) we had a discussion of the movie versus the book of, "Practical Magic". (I saw the movie first, then, knowing that the book was different, bought the book.)

I enjoyed the book a lot. If anyone else finds the discussion of the book-versus-the-movie in this thread, please let me know. I can easily miss something that is right in front of my face nowadays.

Deb/AGBF

 

[lyra]

I just finished Practical Magic and could find only one reference to it in this thread: MC's on page 6 in which she says it is her favorite novel by Alice Hoffman. I know that in some thread (I had thought it was this one) we had a discussion of the movie versus the book of, "Practical Magic". (I saw the movie first, then, knowing that the book was different, bought the book.)

I enjoyed the book a lot. If anyone else finds the discussion of the book-versus-the-movie in this thread, please let me know. I can easily miss something that is right in front of my face nowadays.

Deb/AGBF

Oh Deb, that was one of my favourite books. I've read most of Alice Hoffman's books. They're not for everyone. She writes in a lyrical way, meandering from one topic to the next before coming to the point. It's been so long since I read that book, I think 15 years. I enjoyed the movie, but I always prefer books over movies.

 

[Gypsy]

AWESOME BOOK ALERT:
http://www.amazon.com/Scribe-Irin-Chronicles-Book-One-ebook/dp/B00EENAPDQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1390106216&sr=8-2&keywords=the+scribe

 

[Cozystitches]

I'm late to the party, AND I haven't read the entire thread, but I have a few books that I've read recently and want to play!

After my children have read the Giver and City of Ember I finally read them both. Loved them so much that I finished out the series for both (wasn't that impressed with Prophet of Yonwood, but the others were good and fast reads).

I also have now read Matched and am soooooo close to just buying the whole trilogy as waiting for the library copies is taking FOREVER! Other books that I'm waiting for are:
Divergent trilogy (anyone liked that one?)
Book Thief
cinder

And several more.

 

[aviastar]

Well, I don't think this is the book I came upon. (I wish I knew what brought me to the book I did come upon!) This looks interesting, although I cannot, personally, recommend it since I have not read it. Many readers on Amazon.com appear to have liked it a great deal, although some did not like the ending. It is The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley. I am going to look up some of the books I looked at as gifts and see if that brings up the other Robin Hood version!

Got it. The book I came across while shopping was Will in Scarlet by Matthew Cody. (I listened to the sample of the audio version of it, which I never do, and it was wonderful, by the way. The actor reading it was British and he made each character's voice sound unique and individual. I was impressed!)

So there appear to be at least two good YA retellings of Robin Hood available out there.

AGBF

Thanks, Deb! I've looked up Will in Scarlet- that's new one to me!

AWESOME BOOK ALERT:
http://www.amazon.com/Scribe-Irin-Chronicles-Book-One-ebook/dp/B00EENAPDQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1390106216&sr=8-2&keywords=the+scribe

While I love a good love story, the romance category hasn't really been one to catch my fancy in general, but I've added this one to my TBR list! Thanks!

I just finished Practical Magic and could find only one reference to it in this thread: MC's on page 6 in which she says it is her favorite novel by Alice Hoffman. I know that in some thread (I had thought it was this one) we had a discussion of the movie versus the book of, "Practical Magic". (I saw the movie first, then, knowing that the book was different, bought the book.)

I enjoyed the book a lot. If anyone else finds the discussion of the book-versus-the-movie in this thread, please let me know. I can easily miss something that is right in front of my face nowadays.

Deb/AGBF

Oh Deb, that was one of my favourite books. I've read most of Alice Hoffman's books. They're not for everyone. She writes in a lyrical way, meandering from one topic to the next before coming to the point. It's been so long since I read that book, I think 15 years. I enjoyed the movie, but I always prefer books over movies.

Adding this one, too. Hoffman is not an author I've read before, but your description of lyrical prose has me intrigued. If you like a very vivid painterly style try Patricia McKillip. She writes high fantasy and they are so gorgeous. Just heaven to fall into another world.

I'm late to the party, AND I haven't read the entire thread, but I have a few books that I've read recently and want to play!

After my children have read the Giver and City of Ember I finally read them both. Loved them so much that I finished out the series for both (wasn't that impressed with Prophet of Yonwood, but the others were good and fast reads).

I also have now read Matched and am soooooo close to just buying the whole trilogy as waiting for the library copies is taking FOREVER! Other books that I'm waiting for are:
Divergent trilogy (anyone liked that one?)
Book Thief
cinder

And several more.

I need to re-read The Giver; in fact, I'm going to go ahead and make that my next read. I never read the others in the series; didn't even know it was a series until a few years ago! But I remember liking it a whole lot when I was younger and now, with a movie coming out, I'd like to refresh my familiarity.

I really enjoyed the Matched books. I felt they differed from many of the other dystopian YA trilogies due to the introspection and the focus on individuals as humans, in all their flawed glory. It felt like more than a typical action for actions' sake romp.

I read the Divergent books, too. I felt pretty neutral about the first book the first time I read it and held off on the second until the third was almost out. But I did go back and read them and enjoyed them much more. I have to admire the author for very bold choices and would definitely recommend them to others!

Read The Book Thief. Read it. Now, or as soon as possible.

I've read a lot about Cinder and it's got great response, but something about it doesn't resonate with me so I haven't added it to the list. Let us know if you read it and what you think!

I finished Newt's Emerald and highly enjoyed it. It's a stand alone that I would readily read another, should it ever be written. Fun, light, not super deep into magic theory, very clever.

I went on to read more of the same author, Garth Nix, and am now almost finished with his Abhorsen trilogy. Fantasy, well realized world, interesting and different mythology, but can slow down a bit in the second and third books.

 

[AGBF]

Thanks, Deb! I've looked up Will in Scarlet- that's new one to me!

aviastar-

I'm glad one of the books was new to you...and it turns out it was even the one I stumbled upon and thought might be useful to you!

Deb

 

[AGBF]

I just finished Practical Magic and could find only one reference to it in this thread: MC's on page 6 in which she says it is her favorite novel by Alice Hoffman. I know that in some thread (I had thought it was this one) we had a discussion of the movie versus the book of, "Practical Magic". (I saw the movie first, then, knowing that the book was different, bought the book.)

I enjoyed the book a lot. If anyone else finds the discussion of the book-versus-the-movie in this thread, please let me know. I can easily miss something that is right in front of my face nowadays.

Oh Deb, that was one of my favourite books. I've read most of Alice Hoffman's books. They're not for everyone. She writes in a lyrical way, meandering from one topic to the next before coming to the point. It's been so long since I read that book, I think 15 years. I enjoyed the movie, but I always prefer books over movies.

Adding this one, too. Hoffman is not an author I've read before, but your description of lyrical prose has me intrigued. If you like a very vivid painterly style try Patricia McKillip. She writes high fantasy and they are so gorgeous. Just heaven to fall into another world.

I was remiss in responding to lyra's comment about Practical Magic and am glad that you did, aviastar. I had not analyzed Alice Hoffman's style at all, lyra, I am ashamed to say! I had just read and enjoyed. It was extremely interesting to read your insightful and pithy analysis of her writing style.

You are quite right that she meanders! I guess I just accepted it because I found all the paths she took to be so charming. Had I been bored by any of them, I would not have been so tolerant of her style! Thank you for posting that!

Deb/AGBF

 

[lyra]

Thank you Deb and Aviastar. I am taking notes on new authors to try. I just got a Kindle Paperwhite last week, and it needs more books loaded for me to read. I absolutely love it. I hope this thread stays active. I'm always on the hunt for new books.

 

[AGBF]

Thank you Deb and Aviastar. I am taking notes on new authors to try. I just got a Kindle Paperwhite last week, and it needs more books loaded for me to read. I absolutely love it. I hope this thread stays active. I'm always on the hunt for new books.

I hope it does, too, lyra. You are one of the people upon whose opinions I plan to lean! I just started a new book I absolutely love, but it is only for people who like young adult literature (I think). The forward is by John Irving, who claims that he read it when he had passed his mid sixties and written 12 books, but it is aimed at middle school children. It is entitled, Because of Mr.Terupt; the author is Rob Buyea. Like the Will Scarlet book I mentioned above to aviastar, I found this while looking for Christmas presents.

I will let you know when I finish it, but I really love it!

Deb/AGBF

 

[lyra]

Thank you Deb and Aviastar. I am taking notes on new authors to try. I just got a Kindle Paperwhite last week, and it needs more books loaded for me to read. I absolutely love it. I hope this thread stays active. I'm always on the hunt for new books.

I hope it does, too, lyra. You are one of the people upon whose opinions I plan to lean! I just started a new book I absolutely love, but it is only for people who like young adult literature (I think). The forward is by John Irving, who claims that he read it when he had passed his mid sixties and written 12 books, but it is aimed at middle school children. It is entitled, Because of Mr.Terupt; the author is Rob Buyea. Like the Will Scarlet book I mentioned above to aviastar, I found this while looking for Christmas presents.

I will let you know when I finish it, but I really love it!

Deb/AGBF

Deb, I have recently been on a young adult binge. They are not too much to bear in any way when life itself is stressful. I know that they will have certain limits, and although they aren't challenging, sometimes they are well written. I completed the Divergent trilogy in 3 days. I had a very emotional reaction at the conclusion to the series, which was unexpected, but completely satisfying because it meant that I had escaped reality for a time and that is rare for me to find.

I share my kindle account with my eldest daughter (26), so it's nice to have someone at home to discuss books with. She doesn't read all of my books, and she has books I don't read, but in general we like the same themes. I actually gave her a handwritten note to read for when she finished the last of the Divergent series. She really appreciated it, and it was great to share.

 

[AGBF]

I finished Because of Mr. Terupt and it lived up to its earlier promise. Although it is labeled as being for ages 8-12, I thoroughly enjoyed it. After having read Practical Magic, I just wasn't ready to return to my mundane routine of reading book after book about Vince Flynn's CIA assassin (in order, no less). I really needed a break. This book provided a great one. It is very easy reading, but uplifting.

Deb/AGBF

 

[VRBeauty]

Just finished Friends, Lovers, Chocolate by Alexander McCall Smith. It's my first foray into his "Sunday Philosophy Club" series, and I liked it enough to seek out other books in the series. (Especially since I'm up-to-date in his "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series.) I'm now particularly interested in the author and how he comes up with his stories. The lead character in both of these series are older women (though as it happens not quite as old as moi) and in some ways they have very different, but compatible views.

In the past week I also finished Marcia Muller's Looking for Yesterday, the latest book in the Sharon McCone series. There are many mystery series I've tried and quit quickly, and some I grow tired of over time, and others I stick with is spite of ups and downs just because I've grown fond of the characters. This is a series that I think is pretty consistently good, and that I just like.

At last week's rehearsal my choir director expressed particular satisfaction with the ending of a piece we were rehearsing when his wife volunteered that he had a particular fixation with endings (my words, not hers) - so much so that he always reads the end of a book first, then went back and started from the beginning. I'm not sure which thought come first to my mind - EEK - how could he read a book that way, or EEK - how could she possibly disclose something so personal about her husband? He blushed noticeably when she said this, and I'm guessing he's kind of glad that she's only joining us temporarily!

 

[violet3]

I've been reading a lot lately, and I seem to have been on a kick of dysfunctional marriage/relationship type books. Why, I do not know - they seem to be pretty popular in contemporary literature right now. I read:

I read both Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn) and the Silent Wife (A.S.A. Harrison) recently. Both books center around extremely dysfunctional relationships between a man/woman (and another woman). While I was interested enough to finish them, I much preferred Gone Girl to the Silent Wife. The Silent Wife seemed had no redeeming qualities to ANY of the characters in the book, and while I get that the point was to have you hate the characters (mission accomplished) I couldn't really figure out what the author's point of that was. I currently have another Gillian Flynn novel, Dark Places, here but I can't read it yet...I need a break from that literature!

I also just finished Labor Day - Joyce Maynard. I'm trying to read through all the books that are becoming big movies in 2014. This was a heartwarming book, but I found the timeframe of the story to be a little unbelievable. The whole book was a little underdeveloped - probably could have used another 50 pages to explain the sequences of events.

Currently I'm reading the first of the Divergent series by Veronica Roth - this series reminds me of the Hunger Games series. Since I'm only nearly finished book one, I can't say which series I like more, but I like the fast paced fantasy of it all. It really has given me a change of pace from the dark, disturbing literature I had been reading. I like both genres, but I need a break sometimes.

Next up (after I finish all the Divergents that is) is Where'd you go Bernadette, The Interestings, the Fault in our Stars, and Silver Linings Playbook.

 

[zoebartlett]

I love The Giver. I love all of Lois Lowry's books, actually. I think they're making a movie of The Giver and I'd like to see it.

I just finished Home Front by Kristin Hannah. It was really good. It's about a woman who's married and she and her husband have 2 girls. The woman is a helicopter pilot in the National Guard and her unit gets called to go to Iraq. She and her family deal with her leaving to go into combat, and her husband coping as a single dad while she's away. I cried in parts -- it's that good. I usually don't tear up while reading. I'm glad I found a new (to me) author I enjoy.

I'm going to start Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding this weekend.

I can't get into Alice Hoffman for some reason. I've tried a few of her books over the years and I always put them down before getting too far into them.

 

[WhoaNelly]

You guys are awesome. Love the recommendations I've seen so far. I haven't read through the whole thread but I love that there are some great YA books recommended---some of which are my faves too. This may be a repeat: I loved Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It's hard to describe and it is awesome. Strong female character who leads two lives: one as an art student and another as the 'daughter' of creatures with some interesting powers. Lyrical and imaginative.

If you love London and like urban fantasy, check out Kate Griffiths Matthew Swift series. It starts with the Madness of Angels in which the main character is murdered and given life because he fuses with the electrical signals all around us---the blue electric angels. It's how he discovers who killed him and in the process becomes the Midnight Mayor, the magical protector of London. The writing is evocative and poetic.

In a totally different direction, Evening by Susan Minot. Great novel of a woman lying on her death bed looking back at her life and her loves and almost loves. It was made into a movie, but IMO, that was not as good as the novel.

Thanks very much for your recommendations; I hope you like some of these . . .

EDIT: I started going through some older posts---GEORGETTE HEYER fans---YAY!!! I loved her Regency romances!!!

EDIT 2: there's a few sequels to The Giver (which is one of my all time favorites. I just read Son.