NWR: Book Recommendations!

MsLaura31

Hello Ladies!

I'm kinda ADD, so I'm very slow to get through normal books; my eyes get lost on the big pages. I read pretty fast on the iPhone Kindle because they only show a paragraph or so at a time. So I need new Kindle books... I wanted to read the Harry Potter series, but it's not on Kindle.

I like classics by female authors and have recently made my way through Jane Austen's works and Little Women. Also, I'm a big fan of memoirs and auto-biographies. Chick lit is also fun (just finished Something Blue by Emily Giffin) if it's not to embarrassing (though I enjoy them, I cringe through Sophie Kinsella books.) I'd also be into a good suspense (maybe The DaVinci Code??). I'm not really into self-help or "inspirational" stuff.

So what should I read?

TIA!

Terriniski

For classics by female authors, I like Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.  I also love The Fountainhead, but Ayn Rand tends to be a polarizing figure. (I find her style easy to read, but some people hate it, and whether you like it may also depend on your personal philosophical bent.  It's also not in the same genre as the other female classics you mentioned.)  You might also check out Isabel Allende for some newer classics, such as House of the Spirits.

If you've read Something Blue, does that mean you've also read Something Borrowed?  That's my favorite of Emily Griffin's books.  Followed by Baby Proof.  I didn't care as much for Love the One You're With or Heart of the Matter.  The Twilight Saga is like the chick lit version of Harry Potter for me.

I liked Angels and Demons better than The DaVinci Code, but both were good.  I don't recommend The Lost Symbol, though.  I don't know if it fits well into the suspense genre, but I've heard great things about The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and the two other books in that series.  That's sitting on my bedside for when I finish One Hundred Years of Solitude.  Also, a bit on the old side, but I always found Michael Crichton books easy to read.  Jurassic Park and Sphere being my favorites.

Hope that helps!

NathanandJordan

Have you read Kite Runner? It doesn't really fit your genres, but i enjoyed reading it.  Lots of action. Also, I really enjoyed Wicked by Gregory Macguire.  It's the story of how the wicked witch of the west came to be and sort of her point of view on the wizard of oz

MsLaura31

Terrinski - I forgot about Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre... I remember liking them in high school, so I may need to revisit. I've heard of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; I'll definitely check that out! Thanks!

NathanandJordan - I haven't read Kite Runner, but I've heard it's great! Wicked sounds really fun, too. Thanks!

MsLaura31

Oh, and yes, I have read Something Blue. My Step-father actually randomly picked that out for me for Christmas a few years ago! Who knew he was so in tune with chick-lit.

TexanTreasure08

I loved The Time Traveler's Wife. I didn't care for the movie, but the book is much better.

sparklingdiamond

I loved reading Wicked!  All of his books are pretty interesting!  Have you read anything by Jodi Picoult?

MissAngel

Kite Runner was good.  I read the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and thought it was an great book!  I'm on the second one now (The Girl Who Played with Fire).  Nicholas Sparks books are always a good read but most of the time makes me cry.  I thought Eat, Pray, Love was good too.

I only saw the musical Wicked, but never read the book.  I thought the musical was fantastic!

cherrrylll

I liked Garden Spells by Sara Addison Allen. It's a lite read and kind of whimsical.

amberpro

I loved the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo- slow getting started, but I'm glad I stuck with it!  Also, there's a subtitled independent film out and I think they're making a Hollywood movie from it, too (don't quote me- I didn't Google).  

LOVE Janet Evonovich's Stephanie Plum books (One for the Money, Two for the Dough, all the way to 16).  So funny and very quick reads.

If you like suspense, try David Baldacci.  He has a ton of action/suspense book and I heart them all.  Can't put them down.  He uses ex-FBI and CIA as his heroes most of the time.

Now this may be venturing for you, but 3 books I've read recently and loved are The Piano Teacher, Water for Elephants, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  Based on your love of Jane Eyre and the like, I think you'll enjoy these.  They are all "period" novels- Piano and Guernsey have female leads.  

HTH!

bburks79

I have to second the PP with Janet Evonovich's Stephanie Plum series.  I love that series!  I'm on 15 right now and I have read all of them within the past 9 months or so.  They are super quick reads and very entertaining!  I've also read some of her other books that aren't in the Stephanie Plum series like Full Bloom and Full Scoop, I have read most of those within a day.

I know you said you like women writers but I have to give props to all things James Patterson and John Grisham.  I love all of their books.  James Patterson has a great Women's murder club series that was a tv show for a short while.  They are very entertaining as well.  And of course all the Alex Cross books are awesome. 

HTH!!

MsLaura31

cherrrylll  - Garden Spells sounds fun just from the title!

Sparkling - I haven't read anything from Jodi Picoult. I'll check it out. Thanks!

Amberpro & bburks - Thanks for the Janet Evonovich recs! I've never picked up anything of hers. I'll definitely look into the action novels y'all suggested.

I'm not super stuck on the female author thing... I just read so many "guy"-oriented books in high school and college (not to mention massive amounts of historical and political non-fiction), that I have enjoyed catching up on the other books that I've missed.

Thanks again, everyone!