Calling on my fellow bookworms again!

radleyboo

In preparation for the honeymoon, I'd like to get a few new titles on my Kindle.  I'm looking for good, easy, beachy reads, nothing too heavy.  Any genre, fiction or non-fiction.  FI and I are both readers but don't get a lot of time to do with work and the kids, etc.  So please, fire away!

Swazzle

While on my HM I read: 

-'Waiting to be Heard' by Amanda Knox -- this is probably considered heavy but it was a really interesting read. I flew through it. I followed this case pretty closely so I was glad to finally read her side of the story. 

-'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald -- Hated it in high school, hated it now. 

-'No Second Chance' by Harlan Coben -- He's one of my favorite authors. This one was pretty good but 'Tell No One' was my favorite by him. He writes mystery/thriller type novels.

-'Inferno' by Dan Brown -- I can't say how this is because I started it towards the end of my flight home so I haven't gotten too far into it just yet. This is the 4th book featuring Robert Langdon (from 'Angels and Demons', 'The Da Vinci Code', and 'The Lost Symbol').

Blue & White

I enjoyed Beautiful Creatures (which is apparently NOT the same as Beautiful Disaster...?)  It was pretty teen angsty, but I liked it.

I can't think of anything else I've read recently...fail.

Previously, I read The Perks of Being a Wallflower and liked it for the most part.  Kinda rambly, but I liked it.

I also mostly read crime thrillers, so I like those as long as they're not too gruesome.

It should be mentioned that I just got back from an oral surgeon consult about my wisdom teeth so I'm not thinking clearly being I'm terrified of doctors...ugh

Swazzle

Blue & White said:

I enjoyed Beautiful Creatures (which is apparently NOT the same as Beautiful Disaster...?)  It was pretty teen angsty, but I liked it.

I can't think of anything else I've read recently...fail.

Previously, I read The Perks of Being a Wallflower and liked it for the most part.  Kinda rambly, but I liked it.

I also mostly read crime thrillers, so I like those as long as they're not too gruesome.

It should be mentioned that I just got back from an oral surgeon consult about my wisdom teeth so I'm not thinking clearly being I'm terrified of doctors...ugh

Do you like James Patterson?

thejucheidea

I read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks while I was on vacation last month and loved it.

radleyboo

@rdr716:  I LOVED 'The Great Gatsby'!  Honestly one of my favorite books ever, I've probably read it a half dozen times.  Goes to show you how personal books can be, eh?   I'm a big fan of Dan Brown and have read all of his others, so I'll definitely pick up 'Inferno', thanks for the tip!

@Blue&White:  I just read 'Perks' and also enjoyed it.  I think the rambly-ness was sort of intentional based on the voice of the protagonist and his issues.  Not the clearest voice, but entertaining.  Did you see the film?  I enjoyed that quite a bit, the story seemed a bit more concise in that medium.  I'll check out 'Beautiful Creatures', I like teen angst, probably because none of my kids are teenagers yet.  

peekaboo2011

I just finished "The Lake of Dead Languages" by Carol Goodman and loved it. 

I'm working through "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver now.

Also on my list (due back to the Library June 10!) are:

"The Emperor's Children" by Claire Messud

"Crome Yellow" by Aldous Huxley

"What She Saw" by Lucinda Rosenfeld.

radleyboo

I love James Patterson!  I've read a bunch of his stuff.  Jodi Piccoult too.

Recently I've read:

"To Kill a Mockingbird"  by Harper Lee.  Probably my favorite book of all time and where I got my screen name.

"Bossy Pants" by Tina Fey

"Proof of Heaven" by Dr. Eben Alexander

"Everything is Wrong with Me" by Jason Mulgrew

"World War Z" by Max Brooks

I started "Under the Dome" by Stephen King, but struggled to get into it, I had the same problem with "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".  

My taste is all over the place, but that's sort of the fun in it.  Looking at this I'm realizing I do more reading than I thought.  This pleases me.  

RWS2011

If you are looking for light reading, I recently reread "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" and loved it all over again!  Otherwise, I am no help.  Currently, I am reading "The Idiot" by Dostoevsky.

I love Tina Fey!  How was "Bossy Pants?"

Swazzle

Oh I didn't know that World War Z was a book! I have tickets for a screening of the movie tomorrow night and now I don't want to go until I read it. 

I love James Patterson also! I've read almost all of the Alex Cross series. I really liked The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo but it is definitely a little hard to get into. 

I want to read Stephen King's 11/22/63. 

radleyboo

@RWS2011: "Bossypants" was hilarious.  Tina Fey is my hero.  She's seriously one celebrity I'd love to just sit and talk to over coffee or a glass of wine.

@rdr716:  YES!  I can't wait for the movie.  Brad Pitt + Zombies = Awesomeness!  The book was good, it will be interesting to see how it translates, as the story of the Zombie Apocalypse is told from numerous perspectives.  Read it, you'll get what I mean.

What is 11/22/63 about?

Swazzle

@radleyboo -- Adding it to my nook now so I have no excuse not to read it even if I go to the screening tomorrow. 

11/22/63 is about "a time traveler who attempts to prevent the assassination of JFK."

CLoGreenEyes

Ever read Carolyn Turgeon? Just started her book Mermaid on a recommendation from the Students board on TK and really like it so far. She does fairy tales with a twist. I'll try to think of some others, but most of the ones I've tried lately have let me down.

RWS2011

How did I miss the World War Z thing?  I want to read that now, too.  The last good zombie apocalypse book I read was "Zone One" by Colson Whitehead.  It was very nihilistic, and I liked that about it.  Does WWZ leave you with any hope? ...wait, don't answer that.

Confession: When I saw the preview for WWZ, I laughed out loud and said it was the dumbest title ever.  I must have momentarily forgotten about Snakes on a Plane.  

bethsmiles

I'm currently reading Let's Pretend this Didn't Happen by Jenny Lawson. It's hilarious and an easy read!

@RWS2011 - BF read WWZ and hated it but to be fair he is the only person I know who has read it and disliked it. If you are looking for good zombie books I read one called Apocalypse Z: The beginning of the End and really really enjoyed it! It's written by a Spanish author and I thought he did a fantastic job with it.

@Radleyboo - They've said the movie WWZ will be nothing like the book, it just doesn't translate well with the way it's written. Really the only thing they are using from the book is the title. I'm still excited for the movie though, it's been awhile since they've released a good zombie movie and I'm hoping this won't disappoint.

ETA: @rdr716 - I just finished Waiting to be Heard! Her writing bored me in parts but I really enjoyed finally hearing her full side of the story! Although I think she was still holding back some given that her legal issues aren't over yet.

bbbb78

Diary by Chuck Palahniuk is incredible and probably the definition of Beach-Read in my mind.

I will always try and shove Nabokov at people soliciting book recommendations.  Lolita, Pale Fire, and Despair are probably my top three picks of his.

The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas is a blast to read if you don't mind a little head-trippy sci-fi twist here and there.

Memoirs of a Geisha is always a great standby.

Swazzle

@bethsmiles -- Curious: did reading it sway your opinion about her or her situation at all? When more and more details of the crime and all came out I thought she was involved in someway, maybe she just knew what happened. After reading the book, though I think she's innocent. 

Hummingbird125

Wild by Cheryl Strayed is my new favorite book of all time.

Heads in Beds is a great vacation read, and is really funny.

That's all I can think of for now!

bethsmiles

@rdr716 - I was on the fence about her innocence before reading the book but the book did make me think she is innocent. Although I can see why she was suspected. She is very awkward and in interviews I've seen with her she doesn't come across as very likable - which is the only thing I can come up with as to why so many people (Meridith's friends and her roommates) were willing to lie and go along with the police or maybe her and Meredith and her really did have a falling out but she was to socially awkward to get that?

Swazzle

@bethsmiles -- Yea, I totally agree, I get why they suspected her. Especially after the "confession". 

buddysmom80

I read a lot of "heavy" books when I'm on vacation, I don't know why but it's always been a pattern for the past few years. I just pulled up my nook and here are some suggestions.

"Fly Away Home" by Jennifer Weiner

"11/22/1963" by Stephen King (the first Stephen King book I've ever read)

"She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb. All of his books are either on my Nook or iPad

"What Remains" by Carole Radziwill

"Gone Girl"

If I think of anymore I'll add it to the list.

 

radleyboo

@buddysmom:  Love Jennifer Weiner!  Haven't read that title, I'll have to check it out.

buddysmom80

@radleyboo That book came out a couple of years ago. I think (I may be wrong) she has a new book out as well for the summer.

Blue & White

Rdr, yep I like James Patterson but not his commercials lol

I also enjoy Mary Higgins Clark. My mom went to school with her kids lol plus she always had north jersey landmarks I've heard of

desertsun

I think Kristan Higgins' books are good for light, fun romances with heart. If you like historical romance, Julia Quinn. 

If you like thrillers, Elizabeth Haynes Into the Darkest Corner is a good one about an abusive relationship. I've also recently read the first couple Pendergast books by Preston/Child. These have a bit of a horror element that is not at all typical for me, but I didn't mind so much in this context. Relic gave me chills!

If you like stories that switch between past and present, Susanna Kearsley's books are wonderful! Usually also a love story without being a traditional sort of romance novel.

The Hunger Games if you haven't read those books yet. If you did and liked, you should consider Enclave by Aguirre and Divergent by Roth. Those are all dystopian YA; a more traditional fantasy type YA but with similar themes that is Graceling. 

If you like a mix of mystery and urban fantasy, it does not get better than Jim Butcher and The Dresden Files. Storm Front is the first one, and it's my least favorite. It's one of those series that just gets better and better as you go. 

Good mystery/procedural set in the future, with a bit of romance and great characters -- JD Robb's In Death series. Naked in Death is the first. Another series that just gets better and better. 

HTH!

radleyboo

@desertsun:  Yes, I read the Hunger Games series and enjoy the YA genre, so I'll check those out.  

I'm also not ashamed to admit that I read all 3 Shades of Grey books for all the wrong reasons.  

desertsun

Oh, good, I think you'll like the other YAs I mentioned then!

And if you like sexy/romance, you should consider Kresely Cole and JR Ward. STEAMY! Vampires and other creatures in both, but really some of the best written romance out there today IMHO. 

bethsmiles

@desertsun and @radleyboo - if you like YA you should checked out Matched. It's not as good as Divergent (which is one of my all time favorites) but it was pretty decent. Also Under the Never Sky is good as well.

Peaseblossom55

There are some good book suggestions I'm going to have to keep track of here.  I'm reading a book on growing orchids right now.  I read 11/22/63 it was interesting but it was a long read, I read on vacation.  I also read Gone Girl it was ok.

World War Z was pretty good, I'm excited for the movie.  I recommend Hunger Games. I also really liked the Game of Thrones series.  

starlite21l

I normally read thrillers but I second Harlan Coben he is one of my favorite authors!  J.A. Jance and Michael Connelly are great too!  I've read all of James Paterson, Patricia Cornwell, Jonathan Kellerman etc so those are who I have kind of branched out too.

suzie211

I also would recommend The Divergent Series.  I'm biased about anything that has Chicago in it, but I really did like them.  I read the first two in the last month.   Have you read anything by David Baldacci?  He's similar to James Patterson's style and I would recommend his books. 

These are the books I read in the last month:

I Know This Much Is True-  Wally Lamb 
Divergent and Insergent
The Hit- David Baldacci
The Innocent- David Baldacci
The Forgotten- David Baldacci


Last trip I went on I read the Devil In the White City.  Its part mystery and part historical.  I also highly recommend this for trip reading!

Have fun HM reading!

Have fun HM reading!