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What have you read recently that you would recommend. I know sometimes I just love a book but I dont think it would necessarily make a good group read but I still would totally recommend it. That's what I'm looking for. What did you read recently that you would highly recommend?


For me I really liked The Girl Who Chased the Moon. It was fun and sucked me in right away. I'm not sure there's a lot of meat for a group read but great characters and something to get lost in for a summer read.

These were both written by Japanese authors. If you've never read anything Japanese before, you're in for a treat.

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa

and

After Dark by Haruki Murakami

Also recently I really enjoyed

Labor Day: A Novel by Joyce Maynard

Have a Little Faith: The Story of a Last Request by Mitch Albom

and

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness if you're looking for non-stop action with a humorous side.

It's a classic - The Count of Monte Cristo I'm in love with this book!

I can't recomment it because I haven't yet read it, but I suspect The Moonstone fits this category.

Tera wrote: "What have you read recently that you would recommend. I know sometimes I just love a book but I dont think it would necessarily make a good group read but I still would totally recommend it. That..."

I really liked

The Girl Who Chased the Moon too. There isnt a lot to the book, but it was still a great strong read that I read in under 1 day.

I liked Still Alice . I had stayed away from it for month because I thought it was a tear-jerker, but it is not. It is sad, yes, but also very beautiful, moving story.

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

Regine wrote: "The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende"

i have nearly checked this out a dozen times.

Have you read anything else by her? I didn't care for House of the Spirits, but did like her Daughter of Fortune.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Have you read anything else by her? I didn't care for House of the Spirits, but did like her Daughter of Fortune."

I really enjoyed
Eva Luna.

Don't laugh but I read one called 99 Drams of Whiskey: The Accidental Hedonist's Quest for the Perfect Shot and the History of the Drink that I heard about on Rick Steves Podcast and loved it! Its nothing like I have read before!

Gillian wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Have you read anything else by her? I didn't care for House of the Spirits, but did like her Daughter of Fortune."

I really enjoyed
Eva Luna."

I love Isabel Allende, I would also recommend The Infinite Plan: A Novel as well as some of the others already mentioned - I've come to love The House of the Spirits but I didn't find it as accessible as some of her others.

Tera wrote: "Regine wrote: "The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende"

i have nearly checked this out a dozen times."

You really should check it out. It's beautifully written, and all of the female characters are written just so powerful. There's a little bit of everything in the novel-- there's magic, there's sex, there's gore, there's romance-- and this all happens amongst the turbulent backdrop of Latin American politics.

Regine wrote: "Tera wrote: "Regine wrote: "The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende"

i have nearly checked this out a dozen times."

You really should check it out. It's beautifully written, an..."


Oh, House of the Spirits is a must-read, absolutely a wonderful book as all of Allende's are.

Em wrote: "Gillian wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Have you read anything else by her? I didn't care for House of the Spirits, but did like her Daughter of Fortune."

I really enjoyed
[boo..."

Em wrote: "Gillian wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Have you read anything else by her? I didn't care for House of the Spirits, but did like her [book:Daughter of Fortune|16527]."

I really enjoyed
[boo..."

I've read a lot of her books, she's one of my favorite authors - those were all good. Though I liked Infinite Plan, I found it difficult to get through.

I am loving The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory. I can't put it down. This is my first book by this author and I will definitely read more of her books.

The Virgin's Lover is good, I really enjoy Philippa Gregory books. My mother in law has given me Wideacre which is the first of a trilogy, haven't got around to reading it yet though.

I really liked Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth recently.

I also really liked Loving Frank.

Meg wrote: "I am loving The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory. I can't put it down. This is my first book by this author and I will definitely read more of her books."

I'm glad you like this Meg. I've kept hearing about this author, but haven't read any of this author's books before. I know if you like it that I will too.

Em let me know when you do read it and how it is.

Meg wrote: "I am loving The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory. I can't put it down. This is my first book by this author and I will definitely read more of her books."

Oh you should read the others in this series. I've been following your progress on FB about this book and wondering what you thought. To be honest with you this was one of my least favorites of hers but I did like it it. Which is more to say that the others were really good. I tried to read them in chronological order and the first one The Constant Princess was my favorite even though "The Other Boleyn Girl" is the one that gets the most attention.

Why do the covers all make me think they're bodice rippers?

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Why do the covers all make me think they're bodice rippers?"

lol. Maybe they are trying to connect the series to The Tudors tv show. Now that has bodice ripping.

Hahaha now that show is bodice ripping, and somewhat creative with history too - but I love it!

I think I live on a different planet. Never heard of that TV show.

It is on HBO Elizabeth. It was a great series, at least I thought so. I am hoping they do more.

Ah, that explains it. I don't see the need to spend my good hard earned money on HBO and what I think of as trash that they have on there.

I don't have HBO either but we get netflix and watched it that way. It is kinda trashy though. Im not sure why they felt the need to add that but I guess life at court was kind of trashy and immoral.

We had netflix for awhile, but we're just not movie watchers. And I don't watch any TV in the evenings - that's my reading time! If there is something I just can't stand to miss (like Poirot), then we'll record it for later viewing.

I read Kindred a few months ago, and that was good. I'm new to Octavia Butler. This book was very striking to me, a little like Their Eyes Were Watching God.

And, I also finished True Colors a while ago, and actually passed it on to a few friends. It's not my normal type of book to read, but I really enjoyed it

Tera, for a summer read, have you ever read Maeve Binchy?

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Tera, for a summer read, have you ever read Maeve Binchy?"

I haven't but followed your link. Is there one you would recommend to start with?

My first one was Circle of Friends, and it made me a fan. Tara Road is my most recent read, and I was surprised to see it was an Oprah pick (don't let that put you off, it's still sort-of-fluff Binchy). There isn't a lot of meat to her books, but, at the same time, her characters grow and learn over the course of the pages.

Brenda wrote: "Renee wrote: "I read Kindred a few months ago, and that was good. I'm new to Octavia Butler. This book was very striking to me, a little like Their Eyes Were Watching God...."

Brenda - I like Kindred. It's different. I guess I don't know another way to put it, it is just different. It's easy to read and miss the subtle messages, but you can enjoy the book without over analyzing it too.

It's only the second Octavia Butler book I've read.

I really liked "The Kitchen God's Wife"

Vanessa wrote: "I have The Girl Who Chased the Moon out from the library now! Good to know others have liked it. Can't wait to start reading it."

It is hard to describe, I could call it a cute story, it has some heart in it, etc. It is a book that just reads itself.

Em wrote: "The Virgin's Lover is good, I really enjoy Philippa Gregory books. My mother in law has given me Wideacre which is the first of a trilogy, haven't got aroun..."

Good luck with Wideacre....its hard to stomache some of it!! It made me blush....

So not your cup of tea Tanya? Made you blush eh.... well it'll be a while till I get to it but I am a little intrigued. I love her Tudor Court novels but this series sounds a bit different to these...

Well the Tudor court books were great! The Wideacre series is good if you are into incest and bondage and the likes.. :)

Ha! Well I wouldn't necessarily say I was into those things personally!! I'll probably skim the bits that are difficult to stomach (that's what I did with certain parts of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult. Amazing story.

I absolutely loved Otherland

Minder by Kate Kaynak. I cannot gush enough about this book. Intellectually stimulating, romance, paranormal, adventure - has it all. I even had the opportunity to interview Kate Kaynak and post it on my blog. I'd welcome any of you to read my blog today to learn more about Minder and the rest of the series to come. You don't want to miss out!

Brenda wrote: "Renee wrote: "I read Kindred a few months ago, and that was good. I'm new to Octavia Butler. This book was very striking to me, a little like Their Eyes Were Watching God...."

I just finished Kindred yesterday, and loved it!