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A Book(s) Thread

aviastar

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I have always enjoyed the PS Book Recommendation threads that come along, and with the Library being the ghost town that it is, I thought maybe we could have a general sort of recommendation/discussion thread over here; like the Random Comments Thread of Books.

All genres, all types...post your favorites, your what-I-am-reading-nows, your requests! Descriptions, and of course, reviews would be great!
 

aviastar

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I know there's a dystopian crowd 'round these parts, so I'll start with Rick Yancey's new 5th Wave:

Strong, but realistic teenage female protagonist; dystopian+alien invasion; romantic references, but light on the 'kissing stuff'. I really enjoyed it. I thought the comedic moments in the internal monologues were great, characters were well realized, pacing was well done. This is my first Yancey book and I liked the writing style quite a bit. Looks like it is going to be the first of several, so there is an openness to the ending which may not satisfy. Will definitely pick up the second whenever it arrives!
 

zoebartlett

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I tend to stick to the same authors, although I'm always looking for new ones. I love Jodi Picoult, Elizabeth Berg, Sue Grafton, Sophie Kinsella, Adriana Trigiani, Lisa Scottoline, and others that are similar. I've never been into science fiction or fantasy. Mysteries are good as long as they're not too gory (so no horror stories). Realistic fiction books about families and relationships is pretty much what I stick to.

I just finished reading Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Trigiani and now I'm reading another one of her books, Queen of the Big Time. It's good so far.
 

Circe

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Freda Warrington just finished out her Elflands trilogy, and I really love it. Like Storm Constantine and Elizabeth Hand had a baby.
 

Kelinas

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I'm all over the range when it comes to reading. my favorite author is Nora Roberts, also when she pens as JD Robb.

as for book series, I loved the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. It is a.long, detail oriented series but awesome. So if your into fantasy books, I'd recommend it :)
 

rosetta

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I just finished Swan Song by Robert McCammon. I would appreciate similar recommendations please.

I've already read these post apocalyptic novels (my current theme of choice)

The stand

The strain

Lucifer's hammer

The passage

The twelve

On the beach

Player One

Life as we knew it series

Thank you!
 

packrat

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Ohhh Swan Song is one of my faaaaaavorite books ever. The Stand of course, but Swan Song I think beats it.
 

AGBF

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I used to love The Library, and participated in our on-line book club, too. I read The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, the book we were supposed to read first, and had just read The Help so that I was able to participate in the discussion about it. It is a shame to be reduced to one generic book thread...which won't fit anyone exactly...but congratulations on giving it a try!

I currently read escape fiction only and what appeals to me are legal thrillers and certain police/detective stories with protagonists I like. I really have to like the author, and I have a fairly long list of the ones I read regularly. I can name some of them, but my memory being what it is, I will inevitably leave half of them off.

I like James Lee Burke; Lee Child; Sheldon Siegel; John Lescroart; Robert B.Parker; Margaret Maron; Nelson DeMille; Brian Haig; Michael Connelly; John Sandford; John Grisham; David Baldacci; Stephen Hunter; Scott Turow; and many, many more! I appreciate witty authors.

Deb/AGBF
:read:
 

aviastar

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Zoe|1370387245|3459045 said:
I tend to stick to the same authors, although I'm always looking for new ones. I love Jodi Picoult, Elizabeth Berg, Sue Grafton, Sophie Kinsella, Adriana Trigiani, Lisa Scottoline, and others that are similar. I've never been into science fiction or fantasy. Mysteries are good as long as they're not too gory (so no horror stories). Realistic fiction books about families and relationships is pretty much what I stick to.

I just finished reading Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Trigiani and now I'm reading another one of her books, Queen of the Big Time. It's good so far.

Have you tried the Kathy Reichs mysteries? That about as far as I get with mysteries, but I enjoy them!

Talk to me about Jodi Picoult a little bit; I've tried her books and I always end up very frustrated, but I am more of an escapist reader. I seem to want a book to make a choice about where it/the author stands on something, even if I don't agree with it; so the open ethical dilemmas never satisfy. Do you end up drawing a conclusion yourself, or do you enjoy the exercise of merely thinking through the situation? Ha, basically, how do you wrap those books up for yourself?

Circe said:
Freda Warrington just finished out her Elflands trilogy, and I really love it. Like Storm Constantine and Elizabeth Hand had a baby.

All titles/authors I haven't run across yet!!! Yes! Care to elucidate or recommend the best title to start with for Hand and Constantine?
 

aviastar

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Kelinas|1370388368|3459051 said:
I'm all over the range when it comes to reading. my favorite author is Nora Roberts, also when she pens as JD Robb.

as for book series, I loved the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. It is a.long, detail oriented series but awesome. So if your into fantasy books, I'd recommend it :)

The Terry Goodkind books certainly show up so often I should just go ahead a read them- is it terrible that I was turned off way back when I was rambling the stacks at the local library waiting for a ride and I thought the covers were cheesy? And I've just never taken the time to reinvestigate? Terrible, right? :blackeye:
 

aviastar

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rosetta|1370390988|3459067 said:
I just finished Swan Song by Robert McCammon. I would appreciate similar recommendations please.

I've already read these post apocalyptic novels (my current theme of choice)

The stand

The strain

Lucifer's hammer

The passage

The twelve

On the beach

Player One

Life as we knew it series

Thank you!

Ooo, added Swan Song to my Goodreads list! Thank you! You should consider The 5th Wave and The Road, by Cormac McCarthy was excellent. There was a dystopian thread around here a while back, I'll see if I can dig it up, and I also found several of your titles on this Goodreads list:
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1840.Best_Post_Apocalyptic_Fiction#11557

Can't vouch for them all, of course, but a good place to start looking for new and similar titles.

packrat said:
Ohhh Swan Song is one of my faaaaaavorite books ever. The Stand of course, but Swan Song I think beats it.

Now I am definitely reading this one!
 

aviastar

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AGBF|1370438518|3459347 said:
I used to love The Library, and participated in our on-line book club, too. I read The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, the book we were supposed to read first, and had just read The Help so that I was able to participate in the discussion about it. It is a shame to be reduced to one generic book thread...which won't fit anyone exactly...but congratulations on giving it a try!

I currently read escape fiction only and what appeals to me are legal thrillers and certain police/detective stories with protagonists I like. I really have to like the author, and I have a fairly long list of the ones I read regularly. I can name some of them, but my memory being what it is, I will inevitably leave half of them off.

I like James Lee Burke; Lee Child; Sheldon Siegel; John Lescroart; Robert B.Parker; Margaret Maron; Nelson DeMille; Brian Haig; Michael Connelly; John Sandford; John Grisham; David Baldacci; Stephen Hunter; Scott Turow; and many, many more! I appreciate witty authors.

Deb/AGBF
:read:

I agree Deb, and maybe this one won't take off either- perhaps PS simply isn't the vehicle for our love of books anymore, what with Goodreads and some of the other sites available now. But in my relatively short time as a PS member I've seen at least two attempts to get the Library back up and running and it simply doesn't take. But the individual book threads here in Hangout always generate such good recommendations! We have such intelligent, well read people here!

It would be a shame to not give it the good ol' college try, eh? :wink2:
 

MichelleCarmen

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I'm reading Swan Song right now. About 65% through it (according to my Kindle).

Other Dystopian I've read (I'll start with the ones that Rosetta listed that I've read/liked):
The Stand (read two times)
On The Beach
Brave New World
1984 (classic that everyone's probably read)
The Handmaid's Tale
Never Let Me Go (kind of creepy...)
Hunger Games Trilogy

Plus, others...but then some favorites/non-dystopian:
The Secret Life of Bees
The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan
Water for Elephants
The Talisman by Stephen King (read 2 times)
The Green Mile by Stephen King
Animal Farm By George Orwell
Snow Flow and the Secret Fan by Lisa Lee
Poisonwood Bible by Kingsolver
Practical Magic - this is a good summer/beach book...more of light reading (by Alice Hoffman)
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

Plus, a lot more...It'd take hours to list all, plus I'd have to go grab my Kindle to see what else I've read...
 

MichelleCarmen

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aviastar|1370441895|3459378 said:
[



Talk to me about Jodi Picoult a little bit; I've tried her books and I always end up very frustrated, but I am more of an escapist reader.

Did you try Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult? Whenever I've read the description of any of her novels, they've not sounded like something I'd get into, but I did try Lone Wolf and liked it. It was sad, but really interesting and I learned a bit about wolves (hadn't known much about that animal's behavior).
 

MichelleCarmen

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aviastar|1370442495|3459384 said:

I just checked that list...there are others I've read which are on there

Farenheit 451 is okay...it's a quick read, I just thought it was a tad overrated
I read the first three Dark Tower series, but that was when they first came out...
Oryx and Crake was just weird...I remember finishing it but not sure what to make of it
Cat's Cradle is REALLY good. I loved that book.
The Long Walk is creepy and REALLY good.
Clockwork Orange - the odd language was a pain for me to deal with
Watership Down is a FABULOUS book...not sure if I'd consider it dystopian. I always thought it was more about bunny mafia.
Under the Dome is a great book but it's a long commitment. I lent my copy out so I can't check, but I think it's over 1000 pages.
 

Aoife

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Circe|1370387626|3459047 said:
Freda Warrington just finished out her Elflands trilogy, and I really love it. Like Storm Constantine and Elizabeth Hand had a baby.

Freda Warrington has been on my radar ever since I read a review for the first in the series on one of the review blogs I visit. Circe, could you tell me a little bit about the story arc? I've gotten pretty gun-shy about series that start out in a promising way, and then end up with everyone I cared about a) dead, or (if the it's the female MC) b) raped--because character growth for the heroine is only possible, apparently, if she suffers sexual trauma.

Non-spoilery details, pretty please?
 

dragonfly411

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aviastar|1370442088|3459381 said:
Kelinas|1370388368|3459051 said:
I'm all over the range when it comes to reading. my favorite author is Nora Roberts, also when she pens as JD Robb.

as for book series, I loved the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. It is a.long, detail oriented series but awesome. So if your into fantasy books, I'd recommend it :)

The Terry Goodkind books certainly show up so often I should just go ahead a read them- is it terrible that I was turned off way back when I was rambling the stacks at the local library waiting for a ride and I thought the covers were cheesy? And I've just never taken the time to reinvestigate? Terrible, right? :blackeye:


Aviastar - You really SHOULD read his books. I am working on re-reading them now along with the ones I'm going to mention in my next post. I enjoy fantasy that isn't over the top, like LOTR. This is similar. No Unicorns or overly made up creatures. The magical essence to it is just that... magical. The story line follows a very moralistic code of truth, honor, bravery, and liberty. I just love this series and have always considered it one of the best in fantasy writing.
 

dragonfly411

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Currently:
The Bible
King Lear
Terry Goodkind's Temple of the Winds

By the end of the summer I plan to have finished:
The Canterbury Tales
Paradise Lost
Watership Down
Le Morte De Arthur
Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare's Sonnets
Eat Pray Love
And at least two parts of The Divine Comedy
 

AGBF

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dragonfly411|1370451712|3459503 said:
Currently:
The Bible
King Lear
Terry Goodkind's Temple of the Winds

By the end of the summer I plan to have finished:
The Canterbury Tales
Paradise Lost
Watership Down
Le Morte De Arthur
Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare's Sonnets
Eat Pray Love
And at least two parts of The Divine Comedy

Just doing a little light reading there, dragonfly? Do you take the books to the beach with ya? I can imagine how your neighbors on the nearby blankets would react. Actually, they may not even have heard of some of those books! Kudos to you!!!

Deb
:read:
 

zoebartlett

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AGBF|1370438518|3459347 said:
I used to love The Library, and participated in our on-line book club, too. I read The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, the book we were supposed to read first, and had just read The Help so that I was able to participate in the discussion about it. It is a shame to be reduced to one generic book thread...which won't fit anyone exactly...but congratulations on giving it a try!

I currently read escape fiction only and what appeals to me are legal thrillers and certain police/detective stories with protagonists I like. I really have to like the author, and I have a fairly long list of the ones I read regularly. I can name some of them, but my memory being what it is, I will inevitably leave half of them off.

I like James Lee Burke; Lee Child; Sheldon Siegel; John Lescroart; Robert B.Parker; Margaret Maron; Nelson DeMille; Brian Haig; Michael Connelly; John Sandford; John Grisham; David Baldacci; Stephen Hunter; Scott Turow; and many, many more! I appreciate witty authors.

Deb/AGBF
:read:


I'm the same way, Deb. What female authors do you like? I like John Grisham but I feel like his books, like many of the authors I read, are formulaic. It gets tiring after a while because I end up feeling like I'm reading the same book over and over again. I'd like to try David Baldacci and Scott Turow. Not sure of the others...
 

zoebartlett

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Aviastar, I haven't read Kathy Reichs but my husband and I watch Bones on Netflix. We're watching season 4 (or 5?) now. I'd love to check out her books. Didn't you just see her or was that someone else here?

Jodi Picoult -- there are a few books I couldn't get into (The Tenth Circle is one of them), and some I haven't read, but all in all, I love her writing style. The Pact was the first one I read by her and I was hooked after that. I love her character development and the issues she writes about. I love how she picks a topic, often controversial, and develops a story about a family dealing with it. Some books drove me nuts to read though (My Sister's Keeper and Handle With Care, specifically) because of the endings. Hmmm, in thinking about your question, I guess I just enjoy going through the exercise of thinking through the situations. I have yelled when finishing certain books mentioned above because they don't turn out how they "should," in my opinion. JP lives in my state, though not near my area, and that's another draw for me.

Anita Shreve is another great author and her writing style often reminds me of JP and Elizabeth Berg.
 

zoebartlett

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Ok, DF's list puts mine to shame. Here's what's on my bookshelf right now. As soon as I finish the Adriana Trigiani books I'm reading, I'm going to check them out.

Nora Roberts' Brides' quartet (This sounds like a romance series but I don't think they're supposed to be trashy romance novels. You know the kind, the ones with Fabio's hair blowing in the wind. I'm NOT into those. :bigsmile: )

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
The Island by Elin Hillebrand
My Sister's Voice by Mary Carter
The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
The Flight of Gemma Harty by Margot Livesey

I need a few good mysteries/private eye books to balance things out. I'm way behind on Sue Grafton's books. I also usually check out Janet Evanovich's latest book in the summer, too.
 

rosetta

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aviastar|1370442495|3459384 said:
rosetta|1370390988|3459067 said:
I just finished Swan Song by Robert McCammon. I would appreciate similar recommendations please.

I've already read these post apocalyptic novels (my current theme of choice)

The stand

The strain

Lucifer's hammer

The passage

The twelve

On the beach

Player One

Life as we knew it series

Thank you!

Ooo, added Swan Song to my Goodreads list! Thank you! You should consider The 5th Wave and The Road, by Cormac McCarthy was excellent. There was a dystopian thread around here a while back, I'll see if I can dig it up, and I also found several of your titles on this Goodreads list:
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1840.Best_Post_Apocalyptic_Fiction#11557

Can't vouch for them all, of course, but a good place to start looking for new and similar titles.

packrat said:
Ohhh Swan Song is one of my faaaaaavorite books ever. The Stand of course, but Swan Song I think beats it.

Now I am definitely reading this one!

Thanks aviastar, I've actually already read The Road, but will add on the 5th wave. I've read the whole hunger games trilogy and world war z (which I did like a lot). I would recommend Cronin's The passage and The twelve if you like that sort of genre.
 

rosetta

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MC|1370447936|3459452 said:
aviastar|1370442495|3459384 said:

I just checked that list...there are others I've read which are on there

Farenheit 451 is okay...it's a quick read, I just thought it was a tad overrated
I read the first three Dark Tower series, but that was when they first came out...
Oryx and Crake was just weird...I remember finishing it but not sure what to make of it
Cat's Cradle is REALLY good. I loved that book.
The Long Walk is creepy and REALLY good.
Clockwork Orange - the odd language was a pain for me to deal with
Watership Down is a FABULOUS book...not sure if I'd consider it dystopian. I always thought it was more about bunny mafia.
Under the Dome is a great book but it's a long commitment. I lent my copy out so I can't check, but I think it's over 1000 pages.

I might give the dark tower series a go, I keep hearing about it. I've just reserved Cat's cradle at the library. I've read and enjoyed both under the dome and oryx and crake. I think Atwood is a fabulous writer.
 

MichelleCarmen

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rosetta|1370472221|3459698 said:
MC|1370447936|3459452 said:
aviastar|1370442495|3459384 said:

I just checked that list...there are others I've read which are on there

Farenheit 451 is okay...it's a quick read, I just thought it was a tad overrated
I read the first three Dark Tower series, but that was when they first came out...
Oryx and Crake was just weird...I remember finishing it but not sure what to make of it
Cat's Cradle is REALLY good. I loved that book.
The Long Walk is creepy and REALLY good.
Clockwork Orange - the odd language was a pain for me to deal with
Watership Down is a FABULOUS book...not sure if I'd consider it dystopian. I always thought it was more about bunny mafia.
Under the Dome is a great book but it's a long commitment. I lent my copy out so I can't check, but I think it's over 1000 pages.

I might give the dark tower series a go, I keep hearing about it. I've just reserved Cat's cradle at the library. I've read and enjoyed both under the dome and oryx and crake. I think Atwood is a fabulous writer.

Have you read The Handmaid's Tale? It's good and not too long...easily readable during the summer.
 

MichelleCarmen

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Zoe|1370467082|3459644 said:
AGBF|1370438518|3459347 said:
I used to love The Library, and participated in our on-line book club, too. I read The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, the book we were supposed to read first, and had just read The Help so that I was able to participate in the discussion about it. It is a shame to be reduced to one generic book thread...which won't fit anyone exactly...but congratulations on giving it a try!

I currently read escape fiction only and what appeals to me are legal thrillers and certain police/detective stories with protagonists I like. I really have to like the author, and I have a fairly long list of the ones I read regularly. I can name some of them, but my memory being what it is, I will inevitably leave half of them off.

I like James Lee Burke; Lee Child; Sheldon Siegel; John Lescroart; Robert B.Parker; Margaret Maron; Nelson DeMille; Brian Haig; Michael Connelly; John Sandford; John Grisham; David Baldacci; Stephen Hunter; Scott Turow; and many, many more! I appreciate witty authors.

Deb/AGBF
:read:


I'm the same way, Deb. What female authors do you like? I like John Grisham but I feel like his books, like many of the authors I read, are formulaic. It gets tiring after a while because I end up feeling like I'm reading the same book over and over again. I'd like to try David Baldacci and Scott Turow. Not sure of the others...

The only Grisham book I've read was the Racketeer and it did have a formulaic-type tone and it was predictable. It was okay only because I needed a book around that I could read while my kids or DH were watching TV... I don't think I'd read another of his books as there are plenty of other "easy" books for when I'm in a noisy room. A few months back, I ended up reading a kids' series that my son liked...he recommended I read the first book and it hooked me and I ended up reading all five books. :)) It was kind of cool because I could plow through 100 pages in a sitting.
 

packrat

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I like Sue Grafton. Jan Burke is another female author I enjoy, and I got her name from the Library here, as well as Jennifer Weiner. Barbara Delinski and Belva Plain, I enjoy them a lot. I read a book on recommendation from my gramma (we like to sit and talk about books, sometimes for a couple hours at a time..) it was called..Winter Garden I think, by Kristin Hannah. It was SO GOOD. Definitely will be getting more of hers.

Love Robert B Parker, and also Ed McBain's Matthew Hope series. Jonathan Kellerman, James Patterson.

If you like sci fi/fantasy, Piers Antony, Alan Dean Foster.

I'd love to be able to keep the book threads going. What I need to do is get a notebook and write down the authors and specific titles..b/c mostly I end up at the library ready to fling myself down the stairs b/c I just can't pick something for myself, or I don't have the heart to try and pick a "new" author myself.

Jodi Picoult, I've read one book many years ago, My Sister's Keeper and I just don't know how I feel about it. I have another that I got from a coworker and I just can NOT get into it-19 Seconds.

Oh, another I like is Richard North Patterson, tho the last book I got from him many many moons ago was different to me than what I'd been reading of his, and I never finished it. I have another to try and see if I can get back into him. DW Buffa is another I like, tho haven't read anything lately.

I like to find authors and then start at the very beginning and read in order. (I like authors that have a character they stick w/..or like Robert B Parker, two of his characters I enjoyed, haven't read the Spenser books, tho I used to watch the show)
 

AGBF

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MC|1370479304|3459778 said:
Zoe|1370467082|3459644 said:
I like John Grisham but I feel like his books, like many of the authors I read, are formulaic. It gets tiring after a while because I end up feeling like I'm reading the same book over and over again. (snip)

The only Grisham book I've read was the Racketeer and it did have a formulaic-type tone and it was predictable. It was okay only because I needed a book around that I could read while my kids or DH were watching TV... I don't think I'd read another of his books as there are plenty of other "easy" books for when I'm in a noisy room.

I do not think that Grisham is always formulaic and although I have not yet read The Racketeer, I urge you, MC, to give him at least one more chance.

When Grisham is bad, he can be very bad. He can be very formulaic and the reader is left feellng that he can actually hear him grinding out the book for the publisher since he must produce one a year! However, when he is good, he is great. He really feels for the poor and the downtrodden. He really has a feeling for justice. When he writes from the heart about issues of poverty and fairness in the south, you can feel the spirit of good and evil sing through his work. He can create a protagonist who will make you weep. Yet he sweeps you along in adventure. His good books are a true delight.

Deb
:read:
 

rosetta

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MC|1370479009|3459771 said:
rosetta|1370472221|3459698 said:
MC|1370447936|3459452 said:
aviastar|1370442495|3459384 said:

I just checked that list...there are others I've read which are on there

Farenheit 451 is okay...it's a quick read, I just thought it was a tad overrated
I read the first three Dark Tower series, but that was when they first came out...
Oryx and Crake was just weird...I remember finishing it but not sure what to make of it
Cat's Cradle is REALLY good. I loved that book.
The Long Walk is creepy and REALLY good.
Clockwork Orange - the odd language was a pain for me to deal with
Watership Down is a FABULOUS book...not sure if I'd consider it dystopian. I always thought it was more about bunny mafia.
Under the Dome is a great book but it's a long commitment. I lent my copy out so I can't check, but I think it's over 1000 pages.

I might give the dark tower series a go, I keep hearing about it. I've just reserved Cat's cradle at the library. I've read and enjoyed both under the dome and oryx and crake. I think Atwood is a fabulous writer.

Have you read The Handmaid's Tale? It's good and not too long...easily readable during the summer.

I have read it and I really loved it too!
 

aviastar

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MC|1370447377|3459445 said:
aviastar|1370441895|3459378 said:
[



Talk to me about Jodi Picoult a little bit; I've tried her books and I always end up very frustrated, but I am more of an escapist reader.

Did you try Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult? Whenever I've read the description of any of her novels, they've not sounded like something I'd get into, but I did try Lone Wolf and liked it. It was sad, but really interesting and I learned a bit about wolves (hadn't known much about that animal's behavior).


No, haven't tried that one. I think I read My Sister's Keeper and one I can't remember the title about an Amish family. Tried Tenth Circle and couldn't do it.

Zoe said:
Aviastar, I haven't read Kathy Reichs but my husband and I watch Bones on Netflix. We're watching season 4 (or 5?) now. I'd love to check out her books. Didn't you just see her or was that someone else here?

Jodi Picoult -- there are a few books I couldn't get into (The Tenth Circle is one of them), and some I haven't read, but all in all, I love her writing style. The Pact was the first one I read by her and I was hooked after that. I love her character development and the issues she writes about. I love how she picks a topic, often controversial, and develops a story about a family dealing with it. Some books drove me nuts to read though (My Sister's Keeper and Handle With Care, specifically) because of the endings. Hmmm, in thinking about your question, I guess I just enjoy going through the exercise of thinking through the situations. I have yelled when finishing certain books mentioned above because they don't turn out how they "should," in my opinion. JP lives in my state, though not near my area, and that's another draw for me.

Anita Shreve is another great author and her writing style often reminds me of JP and Elizabeth Berg.

I think that was PinkJewel who got to meet her!! I adore the TV show and while the books were different, I enjoyed them when I tried them, too.

Thanks for walking me through some of the pros of Picoult. I would be open to giving another of her titles a try, maybe Lone Wolf as MC suggested.
 
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