Just finished "Backseat Saints." Excellent. Actually good to read before "Gods in Alabama."
I had to give it back to the library, so it's back in my queue. Good to hear that you liked it. I can't wait to pick up where I left off.
Just finished "Backseat Saints." Excellent. Actually good to read before "Gods in Alabama."
I had to put down Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos by Donna Andrews today. It is book 3 of her bird themed mystery series. I sort of enjoyed book 1, read book 2 and thought it was just so-so. I began book 3 hoping for it to get better. It took me to book 3 of the Stephanie Plum series to get hooked so thought I would give this series that same chance. Reading book 3 became more of a chore and obligation than enjoyment so I said "to heck with it" and put it in my stack of books to trade in at the local used book store.
Yeah, I think that series is like the Sookie Stackhouse ones. It all depends upon the person whether they like it or not. I don't like the Sookie series either.I'm a big fan of Donna Andrews, partially because I'm a birder, like her nutty father. My favorite one is when Meg and her boyfriend go to Maine for the weekend and run into the big time for viewing puffins, I think it's Murder for Puffins (?)
I am going to the library tomorrow and for the first time I am at a loss about what book to read next. Most everything I WANT to read is on a wait list:
Catching Fire, Cutting for Stone, Sarah's Key
As for my taste, I did read the first books of the following series and DID NOT like them: Twilight, Sookie, Outlander. I soon tired of Jodi Piccoult - too formulaic. I am not into romances.
I loved the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, loved Ann Patchett books. I also enjoy Phillipa Gregory if they are not TOO much of a bodice ripper. I like Stephen King sometimes, enjoyed the Book Thief, Stones in a River, Case Histories. I enjoyed The Help.
I have never read any of Kristen Hannah's books but am tempted to try them.
Any suggestions?
I read one of Kristen Hannah's books for my book club. It was too girly for me, but then again, I don't like Nicholas Sparks for the same reason.
Have you read Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen? If you like that, put Ape House into your library queue, because you'll like that, too.
How about Mudbound? It's almost like a prelude to The Help. It happens in the 1940s in rural Mississippi.
If you're ready to take on a long novel, try Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. My recommendation is to use 2 bookmarks for this one. One keeps your place in the book and the other keeps your place in the end notes. It is a fantastic story of Anna's love triangle and Levin's desire for a wife and farm.
I also recommended Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson to my book group. We're reading that in January.
I forgot to add that Pillars of the Earth was one of my all-time favorite books! I read it years ago, then re-read it recently and also read the sequel.
I can't wait to read Jordan/Sanderson's latest Wheel of Time book!I just started two books; one to read just before going sleep, and one to read on the go. I typically don't do this, but the first book, Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, is so large (328,000 words, according to the author) that I wouldn't dream of carrying it with me anywhere. The second book was a Kindle freebie, The Matchmakers by Jennifer Colgan.
If you liked Pillars of the Earth, you should try Sarum by Rutherfurd. I love all of the Rutherfurd books!
This DOES look like my cup of tea. AND my tiny local library has it in stock! All of the other suggestions are checked out, overdue, or have waiting lists.
Thanks for the recommendations! At least I now have a new list of books to look for.
It sounds like we have similar tastes. I thought Kristen Hannah might be too "girly" too.
That being said, I loved Mudbound and Water for Elephants. I will look for Ape House and Gods in Alabama. I may save Anna Karenina for a week when I have lots of time to devote to it.
Anyone else? I forgot to add that Pillars of the Earth was one of my all-time favorite books! I read it years ago, then re-read it recently and also read the sequel.
Overall, Kristen Hannah can be "girly"; however, I do recommend "Winter Garden." It has a ton of historical fiction regarding a certain period of time in Russia (one that I wouldn't necessarily care for but it really grabbed me) and the story is real tearjerker of a woman's very hard life. Not girly at all but I know what you mean by that as some of her other stuff was.
I'm kind of in to the historical fiction and really enjoyed "My Name Is Mary Sutter" about a woman who wanted to become a doctor during the start of the civil war. Everything about the book from character development to just the right mix of creating atmosphere made it an excellent and memorable read for me.
Overall, Kristen Hannah can be "girly"; however, I do recommend "Winter Garden." It has a ton of historical fiction regarding a certain period of time in Russia (one that I wouldn't necessarily care for but it really grabbed me) and the story is real tearjerker of a woman's very hard life. Not girly at all but I know what you mean by that as some of her other stuff was.
I'm kind of in to the historical fiction and really enjoyed "My Name Is Mary Sutter" about a woman who wanted to become a doctor during the start of the civil war. Everything about the book from character development to just the right mix of creating atmosphere made it an excellent and memorable read for me.
It sounds like we have similar tastes. I thought Kristen Hannah might be too "girly" too.
That being said, I loved Mudbound and Water for Elephants. I will look for Ape House and Gods in Alabama. I may save Anna Karenina for a week when I have lots of time to devote to it.
Anyone else? I forgot to add that Pillars of the Earth was one of my all-time favorite books! I read it years ago, then re-read it recently and also read the sequel.
I am going to the library tomorrow and for the first time I am at a loss about what book to read next. Most everything I WANT to read is on a wait list:
Catching Fire, Cutting for Stone, Sarah's Key
As for my taste, I did read the first books of the following series and DID NOT like them: Twilight, Sookie, Outlander. I soon tired of Jodi Piccoult - too formulaic. I am not into romances.
I loved the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, loved Ann Patchett books. I also enjoy Phillipa Gregory if they are not TOO much of a bodice ripper. I like Stephen King sometimes, enjoyed the Book Thief, Stones in a River, Case Histories. I enjoyed The Help.
I have never read any of Kristen Hannah's books but am tempted to try them.
Any suggestions?
I am going to the library tomorrow and for the first time I am at a loss about what book to read next. Most everything I WANT to read is on a wait list:
Catching Fire, Cutting for Stone, Sarah's Key
As for my taste, I did read the first books of the following series and DID NOT like them: Twilight, Sookie, Outlander. I soon tired of Jodi Piccoult - too formulaic. I am not into romances.
I loved the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, loved Ann Patchett books. I also enjoy Phillipa Gregory if they are not TOO much of a bodice ripper. I like Stephen King sometimes, enjoyed the Book Thief, Stones in a River, Case Histories. I enjoyed The Help.
I have never read any of Kristen Hannah's books but am tempted to try them.
Any suggestions?