I have something special to tell you all. I had, what was without a doubt, the happiest moment of my entire life yesterday. The kind of moment you don't think will happen but when it does you think, Yes. Thank you. I really do deserve this and I'm grateful for it.
I got a shipment of books from Amazon.
YESSSSSSSSS. Today I thought realizing I could probably get away without vacuuming for another day was the happiest moment of my life.
I'm kind of like a dog that way. BALL? BALL? THROW THE BALL. I LOVE PLAYING WITH THE BALL! Oop. TWIG??? TWIG??? THROW THE TWIG. I LOVE PLAYING WITH THE TWIG!
I really do get a tingly feeling in my toes when a big box full of books arrives. I'm not an order one or two books kind of person. I order them like pancakes. By the stack.
When last we met, several of you recommended a few books for me to read. In fact if you look at the comment section of the last "5 Books I've read, Plus 5 Books I'm Gonna Read" post you'll see there are hundreds of book recommendations from readers. I read all of those comments, cross referenced them with reviews from GoodReads and Amazon and put together an Amazon order. That was several months ago. I've since read my first shipment of books recommended by you and am now moving onto my second shipment.
I'd been hearing about the Hunger Games triology for a longgg time. I wasn't sure I'd like it but the set was on sale so I bought it. I absolutely loved the first book. Could NOT put it down. Which of course is the sign of a good book. Or blankie. The second and third books were good and very readable, but were a little flat compared to the first. Still an excellent trilogy that you can read in NO time. Probably because they were written for 12 year old girls.
I Still Dream About You - Fannie Flagg
I keep going back to Fannie Flagg based on her phenomenal book Fried Green Tomatoes. So far nothing has equalled that novel, but a few have come close. This isn't one of them.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle - Barbara Kingsolver
Award winning novelist Barbara Kingsolver is know for her works of fiction like The Poisonwood Bible and The Bean Tree but several years ago she wrote a work of non-fiction chronicling a period in her life when she uprooted herself and her family to move to a farm to live off the land. As in only eat what she could buy locally or grow/kill herself. Yep. If that sort of thing interests you, you'll love this book with all of your heart. If it doesn't ... it probably won't keep your attention.
I read other books as well, these are just a select few I thought I'd bring to your attention. The one book that came highly recommended by a lot of people was Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I have tried and tried and I cannot get through this book. I find the kid (from whose point of view the book is written) annoying, the writing extremely jarring, pretentious and forced.
Mind you, it took me about 6 tries to finally get through Lonesome Dove, which I hated every time I started to read it. The Pulitzer Prize winning western is now my favourite book of all time.
The Book Thief - I'll admit it. I have a thing about novels revolving around WWII. I don't know what it is, but I'm inexplicably attracted to them. Two of the best I've read ... Sarah's Key and Suite Francaise.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Originally published in 1943, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. An American Classic about a girl coming of age at the turn of the century. Of my stack, I'm most looking forward to reading this book. I have no idea if that means I'll read it first or last. I'm kind of known for delaying gratification for as long as possible. Ahem.
The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party (Book 18 of The #1 Ladies Detective Series) - I love these books. I just LOVE them. The television series was even better, but alas it's been cancelled. If you're looking for a series of books that are funny, heartfelt and just make you feel good every time you read them, this is the series to go for.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - I'd heard mixed reviews about this book that's written as a series of letters. So I checked the reviews on Amazon and if 1,638 readers gave it an average review of 4.5 out of 5 stars ... I think it's a safe bet I'll like it. Also takes place during WWII. Which I swear, I didn't know when I bought it.
Explosive 18 (Book 18 in the Stephanie Plum series) - These are great, no brain books. You can read them fast, they entertain you and there's always genuine laugh out loud moments. You're not tucking into it for the greatest story ever told, you're reading it for mindless entertainment, good writing and a guilty pleasure.
O.K. So let's have it. Let the next round of recommendations begin ...
→Follow me on Instagram where I often make a fool of myself←
Whitney
I just started reading your blog, hence why I'm commenting on this post now, but I hope you had the chance to read The Book Thief! I read it in high school a few years ago and fell in love with it, such an interesting perspective to write a book from.
Karen
Hi Whitney - I have not yet read it, but it's on the shelf, patiently waiting its turn. ~ karen!
nancyeileen
As usual, I love your posts and foloowers :)
Susan R.
Cornish Trilogy
Atlas Shrugged
The Giver
For One More Day
Adrienne
I'm a bit late to this post, as I've just discovered your blog (via Pinterest) and I am completely in love with your writing and sense of humor! I've been reading old posts for about a week and emailing them to friends because they make me actually laugh out loud.
Some books I love to recommend:
Bel Canto (gorgeous prose)
Cold Mountain (you've probably read this since i think you mentioned Charles Frazier...I had to pick it up 5 times before it hit me the right way and now it's in my top 5)
The Crimson Petal and The White (compelling writing)
A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius (some say its overrated but I must have read it at the perfect time in my life)
This Is Water by David Foster Wallace (something I should reread regularly to keep my empathy tuned in)
Any book by David Sedaris (especially the short story titled 6 to 8 Black Men)
Bossypants by Tina Fey (brilliant woman)
Under The Tuscan Sun (delicious)
The Red Tent (a favorite despite my utter lack of Bible knowledge)
Girl with a Pearl Earring (only Chevalier book I've liked so far)
Atonement (beautifully written)
The Reader by Bernard Schlink (beautiful story)
Running with Scissors (makes my family look like Leave It To Beaver)
Julie and Julia (not chick lit! And quite funny.)
The Elegance of the Hedgehog (better on audiobook...should have won awards)
Any book by Amy Bloom (the kinds of books that you underline sentences in because they're so lovely)
A Short Guide to a Happy Life (feel good stuff yes, but a good reminder of what life is about...and it's short)
Mostly old books because its been a while since any have struck me like most of these did. I have high hopes for 2013 as I've read many good reviews already. Now to find the time!
Thank you for your blog! I'm all in.
Adrienne in Atlanta
Karen
You're all in are you? Good. That makes both of us. Welcome to the site! ~ karen
angie
Thanks for the book post! I've just added so many more books to my "to read" list. Here are my recommendations....
Non-fiction:
anything written by Malcolm Gladwell
"Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super athletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen" by Christopher McDougall
"Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise" by Ruth Reichl
Fiction: besides what's already been mentioned
"The Road" Cormac McCarthy
"Tallgrass" Sandra Dallas
"Enchantment" Orson Scott Card
Pat
I read about 50 pages of 50 Shades of Grey and just could NOT get passed the very poor writing. I totally agree with comment of "drivel" and wouldn't waste my precious reading time on it. It is total hype which is going to enouragement more drivel on the market. Just my personal opinion. I have a friend who loved the whole erotica aspect of it.
Susan S
Let's Pretend This Never Happened is one of the funniest books I've ever read.
But may I suggest the Cat Who Mystery Series by Lilian Jackson Braun-- It has cats, crime and more often than not, food! Not just any food mind you, but fancy foodie food.
hannita
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell is one of my favorite books. It's about the first Jesuit mission to another planet. It starts off a bit slow but is just fascinating. There's a sequel out too that I would recommend.
Russell has also done some historical fiction. Doc: A Novel is a fictionalized biography of Doc Holiday (of Tombstone fame) and I really enjoyed it.
I am also enjoying the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. Much better than the television show I think.
Also, if you can get the Guernesey book on audiobook I highly recommend it. It adds a little something. =)
Paula
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. Would have never thought I could even get through it and I ended up loving it. I read it 23 years ago and still love it.
candace
I feel the same way about books, true love :)
Just started this, and it's right up your alley I think:
Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff (an epic story about a WW2 rescue mission).
Others I recommend:
The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson. An interesting & quick read.
Another Bullshit Night in Suck City by Nick Flynn. Excellent memoir, and best title ever!
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. I recommend this one to everyone - such a wild story.
Karen
LOL. I agree the BEST title ever. Great. ~ karen
Laurie
A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flag is a touching story that my book club enjoyed. We also loved The Cape Ann, The Empress of One and Gardenias, all by Faith Sullivan. I don't think anyone has mentioned this author and she is wonderful. Our media specialist always recommends her. I loved The Book Thief and did not care for Sarah's Key,enjoyed the historical portion of the story but was annoyed by the fictional part. I am enjoying all the comments on this post-thank you!!
Stacy
Late as always but I had to chime in...
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls...true story about growing up with her insane vagabond parents.
And I absolutely LOVE anything by Michael Lee West. Her books are based on women in the South, very quirky and funny. Crazy Ladies and Mad Girls in Love are 2 of my favorites.
Also enjoying What on earth have I done by Robert Fulghum.
marne
I love all the books in your to-read stack, you are going to enjoy them, but The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie society is one of my all-time favorites. I've re-read that one a couple times.
Have you read the Flavia de Luce books? The first one is The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, I really enjoy that series about a spunky 11-year-old detective (which now that I write that down, doesn't seem like a selling point, but it works for me). Some other books I've read so far this summer: Gone Girl (so creepy and good), The Language of Flowers (liked a lot), Caleb's Crossing (I really like everything I've read by Geraldine Brooks). You might also like The Spellman Files series, by Lisa Lutz. They're along the same lines as the Janet Evanovich books, lots of LOL moments, quick reads, endearing, quirky characters.
Karen
Marne - I've read the Spellman Files. The fella likes them more than I do. I like them but the footnotes at the bottom of every page drives me nuts. If I just ignore them, those books and I get along fine. I've been hearing a lot about these Flavia de Luce books so I'll have to put them on the list! THx. ~ karen
Kris
I'm late to the "book selection" discussion, but had to say I loved the Guernsey book and The Elegance of the Hedgehog was one of my favorites. Ive read most of the ones you have just received and they are good too. If you're into pioneering, try Sisters in the Wilderness, you'll love it. And an oldie but a goodie is The Egg and I. Both are non-fiction. The Glass Castle is very good, also non-fiction. Good luck! You have your work cut out for you!
KimS
Rhonda Pollero's Finley Anderson Tanner Mystery series, starts with Knock Off. Very cute a lot like Evanovich, I think. My favorite author is Jeffery Deaver and his Lincoln Rhyme series. It starts with The Bone Collector. The thing I really like and appreciate about Deaver is how much research he does into his novel subjects--how much you can learn! I also just finished What Alice forgot by Liane Moriarty--it was very good!
Susan
Any book by Alan Furst. He writes spy novels set during WWIi. They are extremely well researched and absolutely gripping. Can't put them down.
Jennifer
I'd like to recommend A New Leaf: Growing with My Garden by Merilyn Simonds (2011). She's your kind of gardener, I think (i.e. insanely ambitious, and I mean that as a compliment.)
Karen
LOL. I know. If it isn't enough to kill me, I feel like it just isn't worth doing. I have a problem that way. Luckily ... it results in good blog content. ~ karen!
sherri
I also loved the Hunger Games and indeed I have a 12 year old daughter who read it first and told me how great it was.
I am a bit of a geek- I am reading the Harry Potter series. My kids have seen all the movies and now we are working our way through the books.
A more adult recommendation is "The Drifters" by James Michner.
great book- also the Dragon tattoo series. Makes me want to visit Stockholm again.
A Fine Balance by Canadian Rohinton Mistry is heartbreaking but a good read as well as The Way the Crow Flies by Anne Marie Macdonald
Karen
Sherri - Read them all. A Fine Balance was especially great. ~ karen!
Jennifer H.
I can't remember if I commented in the last books post, so apologies if there are duplicate recommendations.
I've read two books by Sebastian Barry ("The Secret Scripture" and "On Canaan's Side") and they have both been just breathtaking. I don't know what it is about his style of writing, but I love it.
One of my all-time favorites is "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood.
If you like Sci-Fi/Fantasy at all, I highly recommend "The Long Price Quartet" by Daniel Abraham. "A Shadow in Summer" is the first book.
"The Book of Fires" by Jane Borodale
"The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant
"The Red Garden" by Alice Hoffman
"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
"Room" by Emma Donoghue
Of course there are tons more, but you'll never have enough time to read all the books that you get recommended, so good luck with choosing your next group!
Jennifer H.
I do have to add one more WWII-based book: "The Paladin" by Brian Garfield, about a boy who lives next to Winston Churchill and ends up doing the deeds no one else wants to do as he becomes a man. Fascinating read.
And if you like lighthearted reading that's written well, I love the books by Maeve Binchy. Characters continue from book to book, but the story is written well enough that you don't have to read previous books to follow the storyline. "Tara Road" was where I started.
Julia at Home on 129 Acres
Thanks for this post, Karen. I love reading all of the recommendations in the comments! Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer is a favourite book. Now I've ordered Animal, Vegetable, Miracle from the library. Thanks for the suggestion.