Have just finished reading Harry Potter 4 and 5 for the second time. Am in desperate need of a new and good book to read. Here are my demands:
1. Must be fairly contemporary (spent four years in college reading--and loving--Victorian lit. Am ready to live in the now).
2. Must be so good that I wish it were a true story (like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, as well as a Prayer for Owen Meany and Till We Have Faces)
3. Must be extremely engaging and easy to get into (none of this "it starts out really slow but then picks up" stuff)
4. It must not be science fiction
5. It must not be anything by John Grisham (sorry, Heidi I have just never been able to like his writing. I like HIM, however).
6. It must not be a cheesy romance novel (I don't expect any of you to come up with one of those. You all have such great taste. But it had to be said).
7. It must not stink.
I am ready for your suggestions. I know you will come through for me.
Well, I always recommend Jan Karon's Mitford series.
ReplyDelete"The Secret Life of Bees" is good.
"Snow Falling on Cedars" is one of my favorite books. Actually, David Gutterson's books are all pretty good.
For my book club we are reading "The Kite Runner" and it was chosen by an English teacher so it's probably good although I haven't read it yet.
Heidi, thank you for the recommendations. Hope I didn't offend with my John Grisham comment. I think he is a handsome man and I would probably like his books if I gave them a chance.
ReplyDeletei agree. "the secret life of bees" is FABULOUS. one of my favorites. i also like "animal dreams" and "einstein's dreams." (that one's really short)
ReplyDeleteI will consult Sarahmarinara. My opinion probably shouldn't be trusted, though, as I would probably tell you to just start from the beginning and read HP1&2...again.
ReplyDeleteMy brother paid me off to read the first book of Artemis Fowl...it wasn't terrible. But how do you feel about fairies?
I think I've officially lost all of your respect...if I had ANY!! lol
I know you said modern, but I just read Anna Karenina and it's one of the best books I've ever read. Or read High Fidelity. or Gift from the Sea.
ReplyDeleteI say just read Till We Have Faces again. Because it's fabulous.
ReplyDeleteI read Philip Roth's Great American Novel at the begining of January- and it is entertaining though slightly heavy handed.
If you are a sports fan or close friends with a sports fan Fever Pitch will probably ring very true.
Brittany and Heidi: Thanks for the ideas. I already have read Secret Life of Bees, unfortunately, but I did love it.
ReplyDeleteJP: You totally still have my respect. In fact, I have read all of the Artemis Fowl books. They are not as good as HP, but they are pretty interesting.
Marcy: I will consider AK. And have already read High Fidelity.
Mike: Have read TWHF about four times now. hahahahah. I know what you mean about fabulous.
Thanks everybody. Rxellent recommendations.
Carly, I really like Wally Lamb. Two books of his that I have read and thoroughly enjoyed: She's Come Undone, and I Know This Much is True. I have both and would gladly lend them to you.
ReplyDeleteYour list of criteria sounds identical to my own, so I'm sure my recommendation will be right on...
ReplyDeleteAhab's Wife
by Sena Jeter Naslund
It is definitely my favorite novel so far. It is 666 pages long, but I didn't want it to end. When I finished it I decided writing a novel like that would be my calling in life. But, then I remembered I didn't have a good story line, let alone skills to accomplish such a feat. Maybe someday...
I also really enjoyed The Red Tent (though it's a bit "racey").
Secret Life of Bee's - GREAT BOOK
ReplyDeleteI will also suggest, because I always do, "Middlesex" by Jeffery Eugenides. Hands down the best book I read in 2004. It's one of those books I will probably read over and over and over. LOVED it!
I also really enjoyed "A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime." Kaycee lended it to me and I really liked it.
I'm so going to buy "Till We Have Faces" tonight. I need a new book anyway. :D
I'm so embarressed that I wrote "lended" instead of "lent"... seriously... I'm hanging my head in shame right now.
ReplyDeleteI'm know I'm late here, but I have a few suggestions.
ReplyDelete1-Memiors of a Geisha. If you've never read it, it's quite good. I couldn't put it down and a book has never seemed more like a true story.
2-Ender's Game. I know you said "no sci-fi" but this isn't real sci-fi because it's read mainstream like HP is. Again... couldn't put it down... seemed real.
Those are the two books that I would recommend to anyone at any time. They are GREAT.
OH!!! I forgot about Wicked! It is SO So So SO SO So good.
ReplyDeleteAh. Enders Game. You really should read that, I mean you would probably love Orson Scott Card.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I didn't really like Wicked.