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Looking for a book to maybe to finish a challenge task or of a certain genre or just because? This is where you can ask other members for their recommendations!

Okay, guys. I have one more book needed for 2012's I Spy challenge. Anyone have a good (preferably short) book with any of these words in it: winter, spring, summer, fall, autumn?

The books I'd been considering are too long!

Kara wrote: "Okay, guys. I have one more book needed for 2012's I Spy challenge. Anyone have a good (preferably short) book with any of these words in it: winter, spring, summer, fall, autumn?

The books I'd be..."

I read The Summer Book by Tove Jansson. Only 170 some pages and a quick read. I enjoyed it more in retrospect than when I initially finished it.

I can suggest 2 shorter "winter" books I've read and loved:

1. Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell (I can explain it far better by linking to my Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ review than by trying to summarize it here. You might also have seen the recent-ish film adaptation.)

2. the delightful If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino (This is a charming and clever, experimental and poetic little gem of meta-fiction by a master of magical realism. It's on the 1001 Books list, too, if you happen to be tracking those.)

Edit to add: I haven't read it, but I've read many good things about the powerful nature of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. (another on all sorts of "must read" and "modern classics" lists)

Kara wrote: "Okay, guys. I have one more book needed for 2012's I Spy challenge. Anyone have a good (preferably short) book with any of these words in it: winter, spring, summer, fall, autumn?

The books I'd be..."

If you're into fantasy, Dragons of Autumn Twilight is really good. It's a decent length, but a quick read if you're used to the genre. Even if fantasy isn't your cup of tea, it's worth picking up regardless :)

♥iLoveBooks� wrote: "I need some recommendations for a 50 states challenge I have next year. Any books located in any of the fifty states? It doesn't have to be any particular genre. As long as it is one of the fifty s..."

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/27...

Wow, you guys have GREAT suggestions. I'm going with The Summer Book because I forgot that I'd already had a recommendation for it, but I'm definitely adding If on a Winter's Night a Traveler and Dragons of Autumn Twilight to my TBR.

♥iLoveBooks� wrote: "I need some recommendations for a 50 states challenge I have next year. Any books located in any of the fifty states? It doesn't have to be any particular genre. As long as it is one of the fifty s..."

I don't have any actual recommendations at this point, but yesterday I found this section of Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ that might help. http://www.goodreads.com/places/

It's nowhere near complete, but it's a good place to start.

♥iLoveBooks� wrote: "I need some recommendations for a 50 states challenge I have next year. Any books located in any of the fifty states? It doesn't have to be any particular genre. As long as it is one of the fifty s..."

I haven't found an easy way to get to each list, but Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ does keep lists of books set in places. You can access the whole list of places here: http://www.goodreads.com/places (But you'll need to scroll through to find each state.)

Off the top of my head (and from a wide variety of genres):

Alabama
To Kill a Mockingbird (classic)
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (historical, family)

California
Basically anything Steinbeck, but I'd particularly recommend The Grapes of Wrath (classic)

Georgia
Gone with the Wind (classic)

Hawaii
Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers: A Novel
Honolulu (historical fiction)

Illinois (and partly Michigan)
The Time Traveler's Wife (magical realism, romance)
MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search For A New Best Friend (non-fiction, memoir)

Kansas
In Cold Blood (crime)

Maryland (and partly Virginia)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (non-fiction, science)

Massachusetts
The Surgeon

Missouri
Gone Girl (mystery)

New York
The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York (non-fiction, science, crime, history)

North Carolina
Garden Spells (magic)

Ohio (and partly Oklahoma)
Ready Player One (science fiction)

Pennsylvania
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (YA)

Washington
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (historical fiction)

Haha, Ellie beat me to it. :)

I only knew about that link because I saw one for a specific state and deleted enough of the URL to get to the main "places" page.

What I want to know is how people are supposed to find it; I still can't find a direct link to it anywhere, other than within posts made by group members. If Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ has provided a way, I certainly haven't come across it yet.

I agree with you! I always google "Books that take place in x" to get to the page for a specific place. Totally bizarre. Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ needs to do a tad bit of work on its user interface.

Anyone have any recommendations for chick-lit and steampunk books, preferably not of the YA variation? I'm doing a genre challenge for another group, and the former is a genre I normally avoid while the latter is just one I know nothing about. I might also need a romance suggestion. (I cheated and chose Super Sad True Love Story, which isn't so much a typical romance novel.)

For my Every Year Challenge, I am going to need a book published this year. Does anyone have any suggestions of something they are looking forward to reading? I would prefer for it not to be part of a series (since the OCD part of me would have to read the whole series up to that point before reading the book). I'm pretty open as to genre although I am not a big fan of romance or vampires. :)

Squirrel, if it counts, I quite enjoyed Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, and I tend to seriously stay away from chick lit.

Toni, I look forward to ANY new Neil Gaiman book, and it looks like one's coming out next year: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Kara wrote: "Squirrel, if it counts, I quite enjoyed Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, and I tend to seriously stay away from chick lit.

Toni, I look forward to ANY new Neil Gaiman book, and it lo..."

Perfect recommendation, Kara. I've only read
The Graveyard Book (hangs her head in shame) but I loved it and have wanted to read more Gaiman books. I'll put it on my TBR list.

Kara wrote: "Squirrel, if it counts, I quite enjoyed Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, and I tend to seriously stay away from chick lit.

Toni, I look forward to ANY new Neil Gaiman book, and it lo..."

Thanks Kara! The summary sounds good, shall add that to my list.

The Neil Gaiman book also looks amazing. I've only read American Gods so far, but have definitely also been meaning to get to more of his books.

Hey everybody. What's your favorite Shakespeare play? I'm thinking of reading one in March for another group and I can't decide which to read. I've read Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo & Juliet already. I'd like something short and not so dull... if that's even possible with Shakespeare... LoL

Trevor wrote: "Hey everybody. What's your favorite Shakespeare play? I'm thinking of reading one in March for another group and I can't decide which to read. I've read Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo & Juliet already...."

What about "A Midsummer Nights Dream"? It is silly and funny and I love it! ;)

Trevor wrote: "Hey everybody. What's your favorite Shakespeare play? I'm thinking of reading one in March for another group and I can't decide which to read. I've read Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo & Juliet already...."

Trevor - I concur with Gecko - A Midsummer Nights Dream is really good, fun and easier than some of the others. I took a semester of Shakespeare in college. The secret is reading it aloud...our professor had us take parts and read, then discuss. He said it was written to be spoken so you don't get the rhythm, etc if you read it silently. :) My two cents worth. If you need/want recommendations on film versions - my favorites are the Kenneth Branagh adaptations esp. Henry V.

Maybe I'll give that one a try then guys! Thanks. :D I don't know about reading it aloud though... haha

I will 100% agree with A Midsummer Night's Dream. It's my favorite Shakespearean comedy (but I may be a little biased because I once played Hermia in school play).

It's amazing that comedy from the 16th century can hold up today.

Ooh, The Merchant of Venice is also a good one.

I agree - I love The Merchant of Venice. Another funny one is Comedy of Errors (sorry - am on my phone so can't link) - there are 2 sets of identical twins, male and female, separated at birth but living in the same town (I think) and the whole play is a series of mixed identities as the twins are mistaken for each other. Twelfth Night is also funny with a girl who dresses as a boy to survive but she falls in love with her master but he thinks she's a boy and so he isn't interested in her. She's separated from her brother and he's in love with a woman who the girl's master is courting - lots of room for confusion!!

I loved Twelfth Night and then you can watch She'sThe Man. I think both are hilarious!

Then there is The Taming of the Shrew which is also fun a nd then you can watch either Ten Things I Hate About You (RIP Heath Ledger) or Kiss Me Kate!

Kelsi wrote: "I loved Twelfth Night and then you can watch She'sThe Man. I think both are hilarious!"

Love that movie. lol. Amanda Bynes in general is kind of awesome.

Maybe I'll give Twelfth Night a try! It sounds good too! I didn't realize that some of Shakespeare's plays were actually interesting. ;) lol

Trevor wrote: "Hey everybody. What's your favorite Shakespeare play? I'm thinking of reading one in March for another group and I can't decide which to read. I've read Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo & Juliet already...."

Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night's Dream are my absolute favorites. We got to watch the movie for both back in high school and Much Ado About Nothing with Kenneth Branagh (Also played Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter!) and was hilariously amazing. There are a lot of familiar faces in the movie too!

On another note, I'm having a hard time finding books to finish up my TV and Movie Spell Challenge for the first quarter. My show was Criminal Minds, and I still need to spell out all of "Minds"!
I need "R" suggestions in particular too for all of my spell challenges. I have like five Rs that need to get filled up. I really want to spell everything out without having to resort to author names!

Alexandra wrote: "Trevor wrote: "Hey everybody. What's your favorite Shakespeare play? I'm thinking of reading one in March for another group and I can't decide which to read. I've read Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo & ..."

Maybe you'd like Ready Player One. It's set in the future, and most people live the majority of their lives through virtual reality. When the man who created the virtual reality passes away, he leaves his fortune to whoever can finish his game first. It's definitely different than anything else I've read, and was a fun read!

Ready Player One was my FAVORITE of 2012.

Kara wrote: "Ready Player One was my FAVORITE of 2012."

I couldn't agree more...a terrific book.

Kara wrote: "Ready Player One was my FAVORITE of 2012."

And one of mine. :) But I have problems trying to judge how much it would appeal to someone less immersed in eighties pop culture!

I don't know anything at ALL about 80s pop culture, and I'm not a gamer. I still loved it. :)

Sounds like a great book but I am also an 80s Girl!! Ill have to add it to my forever growing list!!

It sounds awesome!

Hey guys! I need a little help again. =3

I need one more "A" and one more "N" for the Favorites Yearly Challenge!

The "A"s I already have are
Along Came a Spider
Alice in Wonderland
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Anne of Green Gables
And Then There Were None
Anna Karenina

The "N"s I already have are
The Notebook
Never Let Me Go

Hmm...this is what I pulled off my shelves.

As
All the Pretty Horses (classic)
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (historical fiction, WWII among other things)
Altered Carbon (science fiction, cyberpunk)

Ns
The Namesake (literary fiction, Indian-American culture)
The Name of the Wind (fantasy)
Night, (WWII memoir)
Notes from a Small Island (travel writing, UK)

My favorite of the As is Kavalier and Clay, and I love all the Ns but in different ways.

Eeeek thank you! That's more than I could find in the first place haha.

I'll check them all out and pick, thank you again!

The Namesake if excellent - I highly recommend!

I would second the recommendation of Kavalier and Clay. Great book.

I need an "O" book for my Favorites Yearly Challenge. I already have One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Things They Carried by Tim O 'Brien. Any other thoughts? I considered Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, but I'm not really that partial to sci-fi. I like classics/fiction!

Do you have any George Orwell that you've not read? 1984 or Animal Farm?

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa is also very good.

I have read both of those by Orwell. 1984 is one of my absolute favorites!

The Housekeeper and the Professor sounds awesome! I loved Still Alice and it made me want to read more psychology-based fiction. Thanks! :)

♥iLoveBooks� *Sonic~Obsessed* wrote: "I need some recommendations for a 50 states challenge I have next year. Any books located in any of the fifty states? It doesn't have to be any particular genre. As long as it is one of the fifty s..."

Also, if you don't have anything for Texas (where I'm from) I highly recommend Leaving Cheyenne by Larry McMurtry. It's a beautiful love story, and completely unique. Not as long as some of this other works. It is considered a western, which throws most people off, but honestly I don't even like westerns and this was incredible. It was made into a movie called Loving Molly, but McMurtry didn't like the way the movie turned out so I was never interested to watch it. I don't want anything to ruin this book for me!

Chelsea wrote: "I have read both of those by Orwell. 1984 is one of my absolute favorites!

The Housekeeper and the Professor sounds awesome! I loved Still Alice and it made me want to read more psychology-based f..."

I loved The Orphan Master's Son. Also, for classics A Room of One's Own is a must-read (but the O isn't in the front; not sure if that matters!).

Chelsea wrote: "I need an "O" book for my Favorites Yearly Challenge. I already have One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Things They Carried by Tim O 'Brien. Any other thoughts? I considered Ender's Game by O..."

Here's a few more O's!

Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton

I'm looking for a break-up book for the February monthly challenge! Any recommendations are welcome :)

Danielle wrote: "I'm looking for a break-up book for the February monthly challenge! Any recommendations are welcome :)"

Dark Lover - J.R. Ward!
Paranormal romance

Alexandra wrote: "Hey guys! I need a little help again. =3

I need one more "A" and one more "N" for the Favorites Yearly Challenge!

The "A"s I already have are
Along Came a Spider
Alice in Wonderland
Adventures of..."

Alexandra, just in case you need any more A's or N's - these are what I've got on my shelves...

Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less by Jeffrey Archer (unread by me)
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (unread by me)
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (5 stars from me)
No Sex in the City (4 stars from me)
Nights Of Rain And Stars by Maeve Binchy (4 stars from me)
Nine Days (3 stars from me)

The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society (unread by me)
At Home With the Templetons by Monica McInerney (unread by me)
The Associate by John Grisham (unread by me)
An Assembly Such as This (unread by me)
Ashenden (4 stars from me)
The Art of Racing in the Rain (4 stars from me)
Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne (3 stars from me)
April Fool's Day by Bryce Courtenay (unread by me)
The Alphabet Sisters by Monica McInerney (unread by me)

Amy Wingate's Journal (4 stars from me)