# Favorite books?



## bea_16 (May 13, 2009)

Hey guys!, I really want to do some reading this summer and I was wondering what are some of your favorite books and which ones do you recommend? I'm open to any kind, TIA!


----------



## mindlessgapgirl (May 13, 2009)

The Time Traveller's Wife is great, I also just finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter...and if you haven't read Angels and Demons, it's a good read (before the movie comes out!). Hmm...Memoirs of A Geisha, and of course, the Shopaholic series too! I also love reading murder mystery type books so anything by Mary Higgens Clark is on my list.


----------



## lyttleravyn (May 13, 2009)

i could never read Jane Austen's novels too many times! along the same line, there are a number of books that have something to do with either Austen or her books. Like Abigail Reynolds (short little books) that take 'the roads not taken' in Austen's story. Also Shannon Hale's Austenland is one of my favorites. Another 'girlie' author I like is Philippa Gregory, one book she wrote was The Other Boleyn Girl that was turned into a movie. 

If you haven't read Dan Brown's books, I recommend them too. I liked Angels&Demons more than Da Vinci Code. Deception Point was good too. There was a good book I read, can't remember the author, called The Historian. Very long and a little more serious but an interesting take on vampires.


----------



## TISH1124 (May 13, 2009)

"The Shack" by Wm. Paul Young

"When the Wind Blows"  is my favorite book of all times by James Patterson


----------



## winkietoe (May 13, 2009)

My all time favorite book is Swan Song by Robert Mccammon.  Its a bit long, but super good.


----------



## sweetfudge (May 13, 2009)

i love to read but i read alot od drama book like book by zane,mary monroe, cary...i forgot his last name but i love to read but im a lil book worm lol so ill read just about any thing but i would recommend God dont like ugly its a very good book


----------



## Makeup Emporium (May 13, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *lyttleravyn* 

 
_There was a good book I read, can't remember the author, called The Historian. Very long and a little more serious but an interesting take on vampires._

 
The author's name is Elizabeth Kostova.  I haven't read it yet but it got some good reviews.


----------



## Makeup Emporium (May 13, 2009)

TISH1127;1630226"When the Wind Blows" is my favorite book of all times by James Patterson[/quote said:
			
		

> James Patterson is my favorite but I am a serious bookworm.  In my home office I have multiple bookcases all filled with hardcover books...I just love them!  I actually have every James Patterson book ever written (he takes up 3 shelves); including those he co-authored with others.  Also have the whole Sue Grafton series as well.  I LOVE murder, mystery thrillers!!
> 
> John Sanford, Dan Brown, Michael Connelly, Patricia Cornwell, Jonathan Kellerman are all good IMO as well!
> 
> ...


----------



## BEA2LS (May 13, 2009)

if you want something to breeze through super fast, i'd say summer sisters by judy blume -  i loved her books growing up and i love that book (it's one of her adult novels).


----------



## Mabelle (May 14, 2009)

Hey Nostradamus By Douglas Coupland

you will laugh and you better cry. Cause if you don't, you have no freakin soul.

It takes place in in BC in the 80s. The book is divided into 4 parts, each narrated by 4 people; Cheryl, Jason, Heather and Reg. 
The book starts with a high school shooting. Cheryl, the 1st narrator is dead. She is the last girl to be killed and she is talking about her life, and what happened leading up to her death.
Jason is a high school boyfriend. His chapter takes place when he is 30.
I won't give away the rest, but my god. I love this fing book.

also, the entire Harry potter series.


Also, lullaby by chuck palahniuck. Hells motha truckin yes it is awesome.

It's about a reporter that is doing a story about Sudden infant deaths and starts to see a pattern. He notices that at many many of the crime scenes there is a book called "Poems and songs from around the world" and the page is always open to an African culling song, a song that they used to sign to the dying soldiers and the ill to ease them into death.


----------



## Holy Rapture (May 14, 2009)

My fav novel is The Godfather by Mario Puzo. But, my fav author undoubtedly is Robert Ludlum ... I love the Harry Potter series too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I must've read a zillion books by now. Authors like Jeffrey Archer, John Grisham, Danielle Steele, Robin Cook, James Hadley Chase, Eric Seagal etc. Even Jackie Collins 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Just finished "Trusted like the fox" by James Hadley Chase today and started "Everyone worth knowing" by Lauren Weisberger (The Devil Wears Prada author).


----------



## IDontKnowMomo (May 14, 2009)

The Historian sounds very interesting, I'm going to check it out 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Tom Robbins is one of my favorite authors. I really do love the way he writes.
I'm currently reading American Psycho and I FINALLY bought Naked Lunch and plan on reading that next and after that I'll start The Soloist. I've always loved reading so much, but within the past two years I've gotten out of the habit of it. I'm slowly getting back into it


----------



## callison (May 14, 2009)

Ohh, my favorite subject reading!!

1. Molokai
2. Any David Sedaris book
3. Geek Love
4. Daughter of Fortune
5. Water for Elephants
6. The Historian


----------



## MissAlly (May 14, 2009)

White Oleander is really,really good.


----------



## gigglegirl (May 14, 2009)

I am going to again promote James Patterson--I really enjoy his writing style; I've tried reading other random authors mystery books in the library, but I find myself continuing to gravitate to him. I really enjoy the ones he co-authors with someone else, like I really enjoyed 'Sail'.

Another of my current favourite authors is Sandra Brown. She writes mystery with a bit of romance thrown in. Some of my faves from her include Smoke Screen, Playing Dirty, The Switch and Hello, Darkness.
I believe a lot of her earlier works are just straight up romance, so I can't comment on them, I prefer mystery/romance!

For chick-lit I enjoy Sophie Kinsella and Sarah Mlynowski.

HTH!


----------



## kittykit (May 14, 2009)

I'm a fan of chick lit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Marian Keyes is one of my favourites. The Other Side of The Story is a good one.


----------



## kaliraksha (May 15, 2009)

The Historian is what I'm currently reading... I've had it for almost a year because Amazon is an enabler with it's $25 minimum for free shipping. I have to say it's interesting... but the beginning was really slow and it has a slightly unusual narration style.

Oh _callison - you have great taste!_

I tend to read classics... just because I'm curious to know why they're classics.


----------



## bea_16 (May 16, 2009)

Thank you all for your recommendations.I'll be sure to check out some of them this summer.Keep them coming!


----------



## LeeleeBell (May 17, 2009)

I have so many favorites, I wouldn't know where to begin. Last summer I really got into Jodi Picoult and got at least 6 of her books.  She's topical and gets in the characters heads, which I like.

Someone recommended White Oleander...love that one!

Others off the top of my head:

I know this much is true Wally Lamb
Magical Thinking by Augusten Burroughs (I love his wit and writing style)
Divine Secrets of the Ya-ya sisterhood
Memoirs of a Geisha


----------



## Enchantedcameo (May 18, 2009)

My favorite books are by Juliet Marillier. They are called The SevenWater Trilogy. Best books ever, if you are into Celtic lore its great.


----------



## cupcake_x (Jun 1, 2009)

1. Bastard out of Carolina - Dorothy Allison
2. the Georgia Nicolson series - Louise Rennison
3. Conversations with the fat girl- Liza Palmer
4. That Summer- Sarah Dessen
5. God still don't like ugly- Mary Monroe
6. God don't like ugly- Mary Monroe
7. Get Me Out of Here: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder. - Rachel Reiland 
8. When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago
9. Girl, Interrupted - Susanna Kaysen


----------



## NutMeg (Jun 2, 2009)

Love Jodi Picoult, I'm slowly reading my way through all of her books.

I just finished a series by Robin Hobb, called The Farseer Trilogy. It was pretty good, I don't know if you like fantasy, but this was good fantasy and unusual enough that I was very intrigued.

Also anything by Guy Gavriel Kay is good.

I'm sure I could dredge up more, but that's what I've read lately.


----------



## bcsweetascandy (Jun 15, 2009)

I like to read all kinds of books. I'd recommend the Harry Potter series, the Twilight series, or any of John Grisham's books are great. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was great, Life of Pi, Beloved, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, and I could go on and on, lol. Oh, and I'm currently reading the Count of Monte Cristo, which is pretty good so far!


----------



## xoleaxo (Jun 15, 2009)

I second Water for Elephants.. what a great book!!


----------



## Stephy171 (Jun 15, 2009)

My favorite book hands down is THE COLDEST WINTER EVER by Sista Souljahh this book is amazing lol not typically what i read but omg i finished it in 2 days... when i was in highschool and since then i have read it about 6 times!!


----------



## RedRibbon (Jun 15, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *mindlessgapgirl* 

 
_The Time Traveller's Wife is great, I also just finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter...and if you haven't read Angels and Demons, it's a good read (before the movie comes out!). Hmm...Memoirs of A Geisha, and of course, the Shopaholic series too! I also love reading murder mystery type books so anything by Mary Higgens Clark is on my list._

 
I love the Time Traveller's Wife, finished it in the space of a day.

I also loved The Lovely Bones.  However, my all time favourite books are To Kill A Mockingbird and The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists.


----------



## florabundance (Jun 15, 2009)

Shakespeare anything
Jean Paul Sartre's No Exit and Dirty Hands

but at the moment i'm really into artist biographies/autobiographies. i'm currently reading Frida by Hayden Herrera...it's awesome. and i ordered the secret life of salvador dali too. I find artists life stories infinitely more interesting than actors/musicians memoirs...though i haven't read many. Can anyone rec a good one?

I'm loving the idea of SPECKTRA BOOK CLUB lol


----------



## tara_hearts (Dec 22, 2009)

I know this thread is old but ive been really into reading lately and want to share my faves.

*Clan of the cave bear - Jean Auel
It is the first of a series called 'Earth children' it is based in b.c era. Its about a young girl who is orphaned at age 5 when her parents die in an earthquake. She is taken in by cro-magnon type cave people and raised to be something she isn't. I dont want to give to much away but it is an amazing story of her trials and triumphs. Ive read the entire series twice and i highly recomend it

Shutter Island - Dennis Lehane
Awesome suspense/thriller book martin scorcesse(sp?) has made into a movie with leonardo dicaprio & should be out in feb. I read this book in one day, couldnt put it down.

Harry potter series- fantastic.

Anne rice vampire series

Twilight <3

Sookie stackhouse series

Lord of the rings - tolkien

Angels and demons dan brown

Jurassic park - michael crichton

Meg- steve alten (cool ass book about a megalodon - extinct gigantic shark)


----------



## sinergy (Dec 23, 2009)

Ive always wanted to read clan of the cave bear..i might look for it at my used book store..

i looooooooooove to read and own tons of books..(kindle is on my to buy list..but we will see..im really a page turner and dont know how that would feel to me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)

David Eddings the Mallorean, The Belgariad, The Tamuli, and The Elenium series. I started reading these books when i was in the 6th grade and have every single one of them in twos one to collect one to reread over and over again. 

Terry Brooks, again Shannara books, have most...he is just classic fantasy fiction kind of stuff i like. 

JRR Tolken of course..duh..

Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion

Kathleen and Michael Gear..I have all the North American Indian series..I loooove them. 

Anne Rice have most of hers...Vittorio, and queen of the damned was always my favorite..even after they made it into a crappy movie

Rachel Gibson..so cute chic lit. i love her

the Shopaholic series Sophia Kinsella, very cute. 

i am a sucker for historical romance..so i love me some jo beverly, julia quinn, stephanie laurens, mary balogh, lisa kleypas

now..ive always been into paranormal and vampires..witches and wizards...sci fi/fantasy/authurian legend. always always been a fan..

so i love Marion Zimmer Bradley if you havent read her books check out Mists of Avalon..one of my all time faves in the world.

Did love Twilight series a few yrs ago..but am kind of over it..just a lil fond..but it did introduce so many other YA authors who write great books..ive been a harry potter fan from the start..so cruising the YA section at the book store isnt a prob for me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




i like the House of Night Series from PC cast
Vampire Academy series 
Blue Bloods series from Melissa De La Cruz

these all take the vamp thing in a different direction which i like, the blue bloods series has more of a wierd sci fi-ish feel to me..so i really like those.

a few of you mentioned james patterson..well i abso freakin lutely love his MAX YA series...i think they start with The Angel Experiment..great books my 12 yr old daughter got me into. serious i love them very sci fi too..

also Rick Riordan and the Percy Jackson books, these are awesome! 
my kids all love to read like me, haha so i read most of the stuff they read..

(my 6 yr old loves the tale of desperaux and where the wild things are..and the fudge and ramona the pest books)

I just bought a book called Fallen..i dont remember the author but its a YA book and its about Angels..it was really interesting..i cant wait to see where this author goes with this series, its brand new..

ok..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




..think im done..for now.


----------



## Meisje (Dec 23, 2009)

You guys should all check out *Where We Have To Go by Lauren Kirshner*. 

It's a book about a girl's shift from childhood to adulthood, which is a common topic... but this author is amazing. She was mentored by Margaret Atwood. I had such an intense emotional reaction to the way the writer had crafted the voice of Lucy (the protagonist). 

Everything is so incredibly REAL --- being interrupted while reading it caused something like the feeling of an entire world being roughly folded up and put away around me, like the walls of Lucy's house were sucking back into each other, the roof coming off and retracting, everything making giant thuds and stirring up dust and plaster around me while I tried to extract my heart from the book and ready myself enough to reply to whoever was talking to me.

The author's website is here: Lauren-Kirshner.com

(and yes, she's Mia Kirshner's sister, in case you were wondering!)

It's been a while since I went head over heels for a book like this... the last one was She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb.


----------



## MaskedBeauty (Dec 23, 2009)

Normally i *HATE* reading and never ever read. But when I was on a trip to Michigan I picked up a book called Crank by Ellen Hopkins and decided to give it a try. I could NOT put it down!!!! It was soooo good. So far I have also read Glass and Burned by her as well and they are both really good. I love her books. Another one I couldn't put down was The Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx.


----------



## joygasm (Dec 23, 2009)

This is an older book but I really liked "Tarnished Gold" by V.C. Andrews.

Really interesting story. There are a lot more, but this one was the most memorable.


----------



## bellaboomboom (Dec 23, 2009)

One of my all time favorites is "Fear" by L Ron Hubbard.  Keeps you on the edge of your seat and has quite a surprise ending!


----------



## obscuria (Dec 23, 2009)

My favorite author is David Sedaris because of his sense of humor when it comes to recollecting parts of his life. When You are Engulfed in Flames and Naked are my favorites by him.


----------



## tara_hearts (Dec 23, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *sinergy* 

 
_Ive always wanted to read clan of the cave bear..i might look for it at my used book store..

i looooooooooove to read and own tons of books..(kindle is on my to buy list..but we will see..im really a page turner and dont know how that would feel to me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)

David Eddings the Mallorean, The Belgariad, The Tamuli, and The Elenium series. I started reading these books when i was in the 6th grade and have every single one of them in twos one to collect one to reread over and over again. 

Terry Brooks, again Shannara books, have most...he is just classic fantasy fiction kind of stuff i like. 

JRR Tolken of course..duh..

Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion

Kathleen and Michael Gear..I have all the North American Indian series..I loooove them. 

Anne Rice have most of hers...Vittorio, and queen of the damned was always my favorite..even after they made it into a crappy movie

Rachel Gibson..so cute chic lit. i love her

the Shopaholic series Sophia Kinsella, very cute. 

i am a sucker for historical romance..so i love me some jo beverly, julia quinn, stephanie laurens, mary balogh, lisa kleypas

now..ive always been into paranormal and vampires..witches and wizards...sci fi/fantasy/authurian legend. always always been a fan..

so i love Marion Zimmer Bradley if you havent read her books check out Mists of Avalon..one of my all time faves in the world.

Did love Twilight series a few yrs ago..but am kind of over it..just a lil fond..but it did introduce so many other YA authors who write great books..ive been a harry potter fan from the start..so cruising the YA section at the book store isnt a prob for me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




i like the House of Night Series from PC cast
Vampire Academy series 
Blue Bloods series from Melissa De La Cruz

these all take the vamp thing in a different direction which i like, the blue bloods series has more of a wierd sci fi-ish feel to me..so i really like those.

a few of you mentioned james patterson..well i abso freakin lutely love his MAX YA series...i think they start with The Angel Experiment..great books my 12 yr old daughter got me into. serious i love them very sci fi too..

also Rick Riordan and the Percy Jackson books, these are awesome! 
my kids all love to read like me, haha so i read most of the stuff they read..

(my 6 yr old loves the tale of desperaux and where the wild things are..and the fudge and ramona the pest books)

I just bought a book called Fallen..i dont remember the author but its a YA book and its about Angels..it was really interesting..i cant wait to see where this author goes with this series, its brand new..

ok..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




..think im done..for now._

 
I found clan of the cave bear and most of the series on walmart.com for like $6 a piece, not a real bad deal. 
& I want to read blue bloods now, sounds good


----------



## tarnii (Feb 24, 2010)

Just bumping this up because I am looking for some good books to sink my teeth into after recently rediscovering the joy of losing myself in a book.

I have taken down some names from this thread but I was just wondering if there are any more recs.


----------



## blackeneddove (Feb 24, 2010)

I just read Shutter Island in only a day, I wanted to read it before I saw the movie and man, it was excellent! Its one of those books that has your heart beating the whole time!


----------



## DOLLface (Feb 24, 2010)

^
Definitely going to check out Shutter Island now.

Reading is one of my favorite things. If I had it my way I would stay in bed all day reading book after book. My all-time favorite book is Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk; I've probably read it 10+ times. He's my favorite author because I adore his writing style. 

I recently read American Psycho, which was excellent, by Bret Easton Ellis and I really liked his writing style as well, so I'm looking into reading more by him. 

Currently, I am reading Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist and I don't want to put it down!


----------



## blondie711 (Feb 25, 2010)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *blackeneddove* 

 
_I just read Shutter Island in only a day, I wanted to read it before I saw the movie and man, it was excellent! Its one of those books that has your heart beating the whole time!_

 
Have you read any other Dennis Lehane books? Except for his most recent, I loved all of them. Try "Gone Baby Gone".


----------



## romi79_2008 (Feb 25, 2010)

I see a lot of you enjoyed the vampires series than you must read The Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost O M G it`s the best I read from all vampire series. I read all four books in 2 days I just could not separate from them. And now even though I have other  well reviewed series I can not go further than a few chapters because they don`t get me as Cat & Bones . I`m so hooked on this series can`t wait for the other 3 books


----------



## 2browneyes (Feb 25, 2010)

Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors. I loved My Sister's Keeper, Change of Heart, Nineteen Minutes, Handle With Care and The Tenth Circle. I so can't wait to get my hands on her new novel- House Rules- it comes out 3/2. 

James Patterson is really good too. 

If you're looking for a GREAT advice book for us ladies, u MUST read Steve Harvey's Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man. I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Read that overnight...couldn't put it down. 

There are others that I enjoyed but I can't remember them at the moment


----------



## blackeneddove (Feb 25, 2010)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *blondie711* 

 
_Have you read any other Dennis Lehane books? Except for his most recent, I loved all of them. Try "Gone Baby Gone".



_

 
I haven't, but after this book I'm going to check them out, he's amazing! Thanks for the rec, I will definately put that on my list, I was also thinking of checking out Mystic River as well.


----------



## Cupid (Mar 3, 2010)

I love reading, unfortuately I rarely get to do so leisurely these days (thanks a lot school). Some of my faves are:

Interview with the Vampire, 1984, The Lovely Bones, The Awakening, American Psycho, Somebody's Someone, anything by Edgar Allen Poe, Beloved, Alice in Wonderland, To Kill a Mockingbird, the Chronicles of a Death foretold...I could go on but I won't.


----------

