Good Books to read

[katluvr]

I don't really have any author or genre that I specifically like.
I just wanted to hear from folks books they have read and just loved.
I am horrible about remembering author names.
I have enjoyed some of the "children themed" series lately. I must admit I am a Harry Potter fan. Read Narnia, Golden Compass Series. That was my latest.
Also the books by Gregory Maguire (??) Wicked, Son of Wicked, etc.
Also read Kite Runner and the other one....hmmm what was the name of that?
One of my most fave (lately) was Water for Elephants. I am really all over the place. Mystories. Non-fiction-ish or Fiction based on "real life".
Just looking for some new interesting books.

[Irulan]

www.goodreads.com is a fun site, sort of like facebook or a blog for readers. You have "friends" and can read each others reviews. Here's mine
http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1528799

Sharon Kay Penman Here be Dragons etc, (12th century England/Wales)
Bernard Cornwell - the Pale Horsemanetc (8th century Saxon/Norse history)
Jack Whyte - Skystone, a different retelling of Arthur
Jaqueline Carey - Kushiel's Dart alternate world romance/intrigue
SM Stirling - Island in the Sea of Time ( silly alternate history)
Juliet Marilleir - Sevenwaters Trilogy, starts with Daughter of the Forest ( relling of the seven swans, incredible)

I second Wilbur Smith, I like the set that starts with Blue Horizon

[beancounterbeth]

Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum Series. Starts with "One for the Money" and each book is numbered similarly up to the latest "Fearless Fourteen". They are quick, light reads that will literally make you laugh out loud. My DH doesn't read books for leasure so he always looks at me funny when I'm reading a Janet Evanovich book and just bust out laughing.

I also liked Pillars of the Earth. I can't remember who wrote it but it is a pretty long book that isn't too deep but also not complete fluff. It was on Oprah's book club list.

Other than those two I love anything written by Harlan Coben if you like mystery. They aren't horror or scary, just suspensful.

[tulip]

One of my favorite books of all time is Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.

Another one I recently read is The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.

It would appear that there's a theme here, but I was not aware of it until I wrote this...hmmmm...

[indysteel]

One of my newer favorite authors is Kate Atkinson. She has a three-book series (the newest just came out in hardcover) that are mysteries, but they're a little more "literary" then your average mystery. I liked the first one, Case Histories, quite a bit. Her first book, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, is one of my favorites.

I also like the short stories of Alice Munro. I particularly liked Runaway. They can be kind of sad, but I like that sort of a thing. Most of her protaganists are women/girls.

Another book that stood out for me in recent years is called the Confessions of Max Tivoli. I can't remember the author off the top of my head. It's about a person who ages in reverse. It follows his two closest relationships--with the love of his life and his best friend.

I have many otheres, but I have to run to the gym. I'll post a few more later.

[Kimmyt]

I'm on Goodreads as well. I like the site because it gives me some ideas so that when I'm at the bookstore I have a goal in mind, otherwise I just wander the aisles aimlessly until I see a spine that catches my interest.

Here's my read list on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/762484?shelf=read

[SadieKate]

Just added to my goodreads list --
http://www.andrewsmcmeel.com/press_r...rendsheep.html