Hi All & Happy New Year!

One of my many new year's resolutions is to read a bit more & stop reading all those chick lit books! So I was wondering if anyone had any good suggestions? I've recently bought a few Jodi Pioult books which are excellent but I could do with some guidance on authors! I'm up for trying anything!

Anyone interested???

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never heard of that author? What kind of stories are you interested in? Horror? Thrillers? Romance? (yuk)
Only ones I read are usually Stephen King, Dean Koontz, James Patterson and others which escape me at the mo. Havent got round to reading the latest Harry Potter yet cos I just haven't found the time :( and I know once I open it I won't be putting it down till its finished - so need a few days in solitary confinement and let everyone else carry on around me :D :D

Dee

I'm pretty much into anything, not so keen on horror though, gives me nightmares!!

Jodi writes American style court drama but always deals with a current issue, my favourite is My Sisters Keeper (featured on R&J Book Club) which is about 2 sisters one who was born to specifically help her sister who has a very rare disease & its about her fight to own her own body!  Other topics she has covered is the Amish Society, Teenage Suicide Pacts & Child Abuse!  They sound pretty deep but the way she writes gets me hooked from the minute I start!

I haven't read any of the Harry Potter books although I have seen the films which I enjoyed so maybe I should give them a go!

I've read Harry Potter books and they are great.

Book I couldn't put down was Empty Cradles by Margaret Humphries.  She is a Nottingham social worker who by accident uncovered some heartrending stories about the orphaned children who were sent to Australia, Canada and Rhodesia in the 40s and 50s.  I would recommend this book but be prepared to stay glued until the end and make sure you have some tissues handy.

Have read the Jodi Picoult Plain Truth (Amish, enjoyed it) and My Sister's Keeper (good till the end!).

For a bit of variety, my favourite books are:

Prince of Tides, Pat Conroy
Take Me With You, Brad Newsham
Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden
The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins

Memoirs of a Geisha film came out yesterday, looking forward to seeing it and then reading the book again - hope it lives up to the book, although films often don't.

Were you suggesting a Champdogs Reading Club? - everyone reads a nominated book and then discusses at the end of the month?  Sounds a good idea to me ...

M.

Oh, and a recent one I 'enjoyed' (possibly more was gripped by than enjoyed!) was We Need To Talk About Kevin, by Lionel Shriver. About an American mum who's son massacred lots of class mates, and whether it was because she'd never particularly wanted children or connected with him.  It was excellent - that would be good book club stuff, although not this month cos my sister has my copy and she's just gone on holiday LOL.

Marina

Edited to add that the above is fiction, although it doesn't feel like it.

We Need To Talk About Kevin, by Lionel Shriver.
I thought this was an excellent book, extremely well written ( won the The Orange Prize for Fiction last year too) and thought provoking.
I love the idea of a book club, I do belong to one and I am in the process of setting one up (part of my job) and I would love to join in this one. :)

A fantastic author for crime and suspense, and also a few VERY weepy ones, is James Patterson. I usually count the days until his next book is out!

When I had time to read......ie pre champdogs :rolleyes: I used to enjoy Mary Wesleys books and Joanna Trollopes  'aga sagas' made for easy reading .

Speaking of James Patterson, I was half way through The Jester, but something cropped up so never finished it.  Along came a spider and The Lake House were both pretty good :)

There's another 11 books in the series following "Along came a spider" and the great thing about them is how we get to follow the life of the detective in question, Alex Cross, his kids, his girlfriends, his grandmother, his best friend etc -that's what makes the books special. It has his continuing story as well as the actual cases :)

Really? I didn't know that. I'll have to see what my sister's got then as she's the primary book buyer whilst I do all the lending :P ( and I have shelves full to prove it ) :D

If your looking for something to read for ages, i read all the virginia andrews books - the first being "Flowers in the Attic" which is a true story - its very saddning to read though.
I couldnt put any of them down and believe me there is loads!!!

I also read all the Dave Peltzer books - very heart wrenching - the first being "A child called IT"

Cant recommend either of these authors enough :-(

I have also read the David Peltzer books - very very sad! Wasn't so keen on the influx of all the other books that followed this trend though!  Although did really enjoy Lucky by Alice Seabold (author of Lovely Bones!) - would definitely recommend this book!

Might give Patterson a go!

Give virginia andrews a try - im 24 and found them brilliant :-)

Virginia Andrews was superb.  'Flowers'  series and the 'Heaven' series are amazing. 

I have to say though, when she died and her family brought in a new author to carry on her work from her ideas notebook, I stopped reading.  It wasn't the same :(

I will always love those stories.  Just thinking anout Cathy/Chris/ Carrie and Cory usually brings a tear :(

Ive read all Virginias - but your right i think things changed when she died - i often think of the kids frm the 1st story - very sad - i was about 15/16 when i read them - i couldnt put them down even at that age

If you enjoyed Vaginia Andrews books then you really must try Leslie pearce's books, Brill!!

For complete madness, other wordly, totally weird yet rib tickling amusing it has to be Terry Pratchett - any of the Discworld series, The Wee Free Men, The Bromeliad - all brilliant.

For sheer superb writing Michael Crichton - I'm currently reading his State of Fear - excellent.

An old time classic recently put down - Jack London's White Fang

All Harry Potter - love them :)  (have to as all my kids eat, sleep and live Harry)

Eoin Colfer - The Artemis Fowl books, very good

Obviously The Hobbit plus The Lord of The Rings trilogy plus The Silmarillion - classic :)

The Chronicles of Narnia

All excellent and worth a read - have fun :D

One good idea that I've come across recently - a book exchange, or library at work.  Everyone takes in books they've finished with and anyone can borrow them.  Saves a fortune and can be an introduction to authors you'd never have thought of.

I love reading, and having gone through my Jackie Collins trashy phase, now read murders / thrillers and can recommend Harlan Coben's books (but not the Myron Bollitar series, try Tell No One and / or Gone For Good), Nicci French Beneath The Skin, Joy Fielding See Jane Run, Mark Billingham Scaredy Cat, all James Patterson's especially the Alex Cross series, Erica Spindler's books Bone Cold was really good and Mary Higgins Clark's good too.

Sadly enough I've started keeping a list of what I've read as I can never remember when I go to get a new book. :D

Have just got round to reading The Da Vinchi Code, not normaly my sort of book, but wanted to know what all the fuss was about. Now i know, just can't put it down!!
Other favourites of mine are The Lovely Bones. The curious incident of the dog in the night time. Captain correlies mandarin (hard going to start with but well worth it in the end). Another book i remember was for a bet really. A friend of mine was bought a copy of The count of Monte Cristo. He really struggled with it, and just could not get into it, and said that i wouldn't be able to read it either, so i said i'd give it a go. Well, it was fantastic!! How many people have started a what's supposed to be a v.good book, and not been able to finish it? I have recently. The book seller of Kabul.

Hah! I do the opposite! I buy a very good book and never get round to starting it :)

4 books by:- MARGARET DUCKETT in this order 1,* STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN PLEASE*2,*AND NOW A TRIANGLE*3*DO IT AGAIN PLEASE*4*THE CLINCHER* got mine from library they are brill, i also keep a list & mark them out of 10 :rolleyes:

I have just finished a series of books.
Spent all day New years day reading and relaxing, A very rare thing!!!!!
Went to do an emergancy job at someones house that took about an hour (Not a regular customer) And the lady gave me a book telling me it was one she had written as a thankyou for being so promt at helping her out.
Its was a fantasy book which I never read but thought oh well, will try and see what its like. And it was great :D Took a while to get into each book but once I was into it I couldnt put them down.
The series is The guardian cycle by Julia Grey :)
Amazing who you can meet even in a little back water town LOL
Lea :)

I absolutely LOVE reading - when I get the time.

It's been really interesting to read everyone's opinions, I need to find a new author, because I've read all of the books in the series I normally read, which is anything by Patricia Cornwell, the 'Alex Delaware' books by Jonathan Kellerman and also Tess Gerritsen (can you tell I like crime books??)

I've just started Velocity by Dean Koontz - has anyone read it, is it any good?? Just don't tell me how it ends

A book I can recommend to dog lovers - but I defy you not to cry - is Loreleis Secret, I'm sure the author is Caroline Parkhurst or Pankhurst. It's a lovely story about a Rhodesian Ridgeback and her owner.

I think I'd be up for a book club if I could find the time, alternatively, why don't we all just write a short (couple of paragraphs) 'essay' type critique of a book we have read and post it up here, it might encourage other people to read a book they might not otherwise try.

I'd better go and do some work now. :)
Claire
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Oh go on, let's give a book club a go for a couple of months, see if we all manage it ...

As Gemma made the suggestion and she's just started the Kite Runner, why don't we make that the first book and discuss on the last day of the month?

M.

Oh my...I've started Da Vinci tons but can't seem to get into it...think I might try again though before the film comes out!

Do you know if Alice Seabold (author of Lovely Bones!) is writing any more books?  Really enjoyed Curious Incident, my mum works with autistic kids so it was quite an insight - obviously she loved it!  Captain Corelli is the first proper book I ever read, shortly after the film but haven't been able to get into any more of his books, although have heard his new one, something about birds is supposed to be good!

I got a few new books for Xmas - Salem Falls by Jodi P, Lets Talk About Kevin which I'm really looking forward to reading & Kite Runner which I started last night which sounds promising.  It's about 2 boys growing up in Kabul - this might make a good book club discussion is anyone else has it???

If any of you are in the Nottingham region & would like to swap books then pls let me know...I have tons, although granted a lot of them are chic lit (Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella!).

Another one I've just thought of that is really good in Time Travellers Wife...could not put this down!!!

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown is also very good and well worth a read for those who like the Da Vinci Code.

I have to say that I didn't think the Da Vinci Code was for me and only read it on holiday last year cos my OH had finished it and I had finished all the books I'd taken with me and was desperate for something else to read, so was really surprised to enjoy it so much.

two authors i have read most (if not all) of their books are
Piers Anthony - totally off this planet fantasy full of puns amd very adictive, eg cats rump and tail mounted on a board = catastrophy ( cat ass trophy!!!)
the other is the series by Jean Auel 'Clan of the cave bear', 'Valley of the horses' plus 3 morebrilliant and he (french guy) must have spent years researching the subject.
Chris

Do you know if Alice Seabold (author of Lovely Bones!) is writing any more books?

She also wrote 'Lucky ' which is a memoir from her college days and her experience which probably assisted in the writing of Lovely Bones (trying not to give too much away)

Gemma, I have also read books from most of the authors you mentioned, love Jodi Piccoult's books although my favourite is My sister's keeper (except the ending). I enjoyed the Curious Incident, laboured through the Time travellers wife and adore Marian Keyes, I think hers are quality chick lit! 
I have got the Kite Runner in my 'to be read pile' and I am currently reading 'Thud ' the latest Terry Pratchett, which I'll finish tonight.
I love reading and read anything and everything and I am always on the look at for new authors. I do think a book club is a great idea as it gives everyone the opportunity to read something they may not normally choose.

I'm determined to finish it before I start on The Kite Runner for the book club, but I'm also finding The Time Traveller's Wife hard work - quite liked it to start with, but just seems to be dragging on.

Ditto your thoughts on My Sister's Keeper too.

M.

I really enjoyed Wilbur Smith's Egyptian series -haven't been drawn to him before, but i was most impressed. They are: River God, The Seventh Scroll, and Warlock.

Brilliant.

Lindsay
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