So many books, so little time!

This is an offshoot of the desert island post.

I just wondered what everyone was reading these days, or maybe if people have a recomendation as to what to possibly read next. So, tell me what you're reading, or what you HAVE to read over and over. Tell me your favorite books, or something that came highly recommended and you thought kinda stunk. If you could try to tell what genre it is, ie: Romance, Historical, Fantasy, Sci-fi...if that is too granular, then Fiction and non-fiction will do. Let's discuss books .

Since I started the thread, I thought it best I tell you about my favorite book/books.


I abosolutely LOVE The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.

It is a fantasy series. If you love The Lord of the Rings, then you will adore this series. It is chock full of details and characters that make you wish the series would never end. Great series, I highly recomend it to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy read.

The Eye of The World is the first in the series. GREAT! There are 9 so far with the 10th due out in January.

Just one thing to note, RJ is very detailed. A friend of mine likes to say it takes him two paragraphes to describe a blade of grass. So, if you can't take detail, this might not be for you, but if you want to whole story, Jordan is a great weaver of tales .

Oh don't get me started!!!!! First of all the Author: Susan Howatch.... sencond of all "THE BOOKS" (ready??) Right here we go, Penmarric, Cashelmara, The Wheel of Fortune, Glittering Images, Glamerous Powers, Scandalous Risks, Absolute Truths, Ultimate Prizes, Mystical Paths, A Question of Integrity, The High Flyer and soooo many more!!!! I HIGHLY recommend ANY of these book or any of her others, they are sooo engrossing you just CANNOT put them down!!! I can't put them into a genre becasue they have some of everything!!
They aren't really modern books, but they are amazing, with lots of modern themes.... I can honestly say, they are THE best books I've ever read!!
Another Author I really like is Diane Pearson, I recommend Summer of the Barshinskys, and Voices of Summer, oh and Csarders

Oh yeah, and I'm a BIIIG fan of the classics... (Especially The Brontes) and if you have never read "Wuthering Heights"... DO IT!!!! Its wonderful!!! (I am so passionate about this story I payed "good money" for one of the original publications of it, with cloth cover and gold egding... ahhh.... devine!! It even SMELLS good!! :laughing: )

I'm a big non-fiction reader. I love learning new things, so since I'm not in school anymore, I have to get my learning from books. My latest obsession for non-fiction (for about 4 years? now) is true crime, forensics and criminal psychology.

I'm currently reading A History of Murder which covers how the motivations and acts of murder have changed through time, from the Romans to modern times.

If you are interested in criminal profiling at all, I would very, very highly recommend anything by John Douglas. He was one of the founders of the FBI profiling unit and I think is one of the best in the business. His books are interesting and engaging, and he doesn't just cover the major cases that you have already heard of.

Jane Austen is my all time favourite author - I can re-read any of her books at the drop of a hat.

I've enjoyed the Kathy Reichs thrillers (Death du jour, Deja dead etc). She knocks the socks off Patricia Cornwell, who has become very samey.

One British author that has me and a few friends gagging for her new books is Phillippa Gregory - she mainly writes historical novels. The most recent one was called "The Other Boleyn Girl" about Anne Boleyn's elder sister, who was also a mistress of Henry VIII. A cracking read, and also good historical detail.

Rhea - I absolutely HATE Weathuring Heights - I prefer some of the other Bronte's books - Villette, Shirley etc - I think they were by Anne Bronte

OhOH!!!! how can you!?!?!!? :laughing: Villette and Shirley were by Charlotte Bronte...(Anne Bronte wrote "The Tennant of Wildfell Hall", and "Agnes Grey" ) I like them both too... I studied Wuthering Heights at school and just fell in love with it!! THere is soo much to read into.... I do love pretty much ALL the Brontes work though And yes, Jane Austen.....amazing...

I think Weathuring Heights is just too emotional for me. I'll give it another go, though, as I haven't read it for years. My apologies for the Anne / Charlotte mix up, I always get confused with all the Bronte's and who wrote what. And I must confess, I only live about 20 miles from the Parsonage and museum and I've never been.....

Ooh! Ooh! Another book that had me completely enthralled was Tin Drum by Gunter Grass - strange but so good - the recurring themes all the way through it are so clever.

Right now, I am re-reading "Black House" by Stephen King and Peter Straub. It's a sequel to "The Talisman". Fast-paced adventure/horror.

My faves-Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon (I could read them again and again and again and again....), Anita Blake and Merry Gentry series by Laurell K. Hamilton, Imajica and Weaveworld by Clive Barker, any book by John Bellairs (ooh, I hope the name is right-the man who wrote "The House With A Clock In It's Walls", a great juvenile horror book and what RL Stine wishes he could be).

My faves-Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon (I could read them again and again and again and again....)

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I soooooo agree. I am currently in the middle of The Firey Cross. She just gets better with each book, but I still think the first one is my favorite.

In case anyone wonders, this is a historical/romance/fantasy type book. It kind of defies current genre catagories

If you want a good thriller type book that you CANNOT put down....try "Intensity" by Dean Koontz!!!!! Hissy recommended this to me awhile back, and I LOVED it! I am going to have to buy some more of his books...I hear they are all pretty good!!

I love Stephen King's books too...especially the Dark Tower series...I wonder if there will be a next one, since I heard he was giving up writing for awhile. His older stuff is definitely better than the newer ones, IMO.

Oh I forgot...there is a book called "Ride The Wind" by Lucia St. Clair Robson that is simply one of the best books I have ever read!!! It is older, published in 1985 I believe, it is based on a true story of a white woman (Cynthia Anne Parker) captured by Comanche Indians in 1836 when she was only 9 years old. She grew up with them and even married one of them. It tells the whole story and it is amazing!!! I highly recommend it! I'm not sure if the ywould have it in the bookstores, it might be hard to find, my copy was all dog eared and worn out, so I did a search on a book website and found a used copy for sale in excellent condition.

Debby,

Dean Koontz is a good author. When I was in high school I was addicted to his books. I know Phantoms scared the life out of me, and I really liked Whispers. Both are kind of freaky. Then there is one about a smart dog. Gosh I can't remember what the title is. Oh! It's called Watchers. There was a movie made out of it at one point, but compared to the book, well, it sucked. *grin* If you liked that one, you will like others by him.


Anyone like John Saul? A lot of his books freaked me out too.

Thanks!! I wrote those books down!!! I will have to buy one when I have a little extra money! Thanks!

Mostly I read fantasy with some sci-fi and romance thrown in for a change. I will read anything by Anne McCaffrey (fav of hers is the Pern series) and anything by Mercedes Lackey. Lackey is my all time fav author. i also Enjoy Tad Williams, George R Martin and Elizabeth Moon.

Books?? What are those????????? Don't have time for such a luxury w/ kids, daycare, and a house!! :LOL:

Right now I am currently reading The Lovely Bones by ALice Sebold. I am only in chapter 6, but I can't seem to put it down. (Thanks to Sockie's mom for mentioning this book in another thread). I also love to read anything by V.C. Andrews. I've read a few of her series and they always amaze me at how they turn out.

Next on my list to read is Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and Odd Girl Out by Rachel Simmons.

dtolle - I'm sorry, but it sounds like your life is pretty darn full without books . If you need quickie recs, try something by Nicholas Sparks. He is a quick read, and very uplifting most of the time. They are the type of books that are spiritual without being preachy. *grin*

Spooky - I hear ya about V.C. Andrews. I prefer the stuff that she actually wrote, not as much stuff that they wrote in her name after she died. So, I like the Heaven series, Cutler Series and the Flowers in the Attic series (Soooooooo much better than the movie). But, you're right, they never end where you think they will. Great stuff. Thanks for the reminder, I haven't read her in a while. I should go dig out some of those again .


Dear god, I love books.

I also loved the old VC Andrews books...Flowers in the Attic (the whole series) and Audrey Rose were some of my favorites. There was another one of hers I loved, just a single book, not a series, but I can't remember the name. The Heaven series was really good too!!! I only read the first two of the Cutler series, but they weren't bad.