I’ve always liked to read. When I was a kid, I adored Beverly Cleary books with Ramona and Beezus (how did you pronounce her name? I pronounced it Bee-zus, but I’ve heard it pronounced Bee-Zeus. Weird.) I also loved the Laura Ingalls Wilder books and can remember my mom reading them aloud to me.
In 5th grade I discovered the scandalous books by Judy Blume. Sure I’d read her Superfudge books, though I guess you could consider Superfudge slightly scandalous. Do you remember when Peter peed in the plant? I remember when my 3rd grade teacher read that part of the book, she had a hard time getting all of us to stop laughing. Her truly scandalous books discussed divorce, racism, sex, and masturbation, but I didn’t really care about any of that stuff! In 5th grade I was far more interested in the topic of PERIODS. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret became my bible. Oh how I wanted to get my period after this and how I wanted to talk about getting periods with all my friends. (Why?!?) I read that book over and over, dissecting every page and feeling like the book had been written especially for me. I still love Judy Blume and wish she’d write another adult book, like Summer Sisters, which is one of my all time favorite books.
I go into bookstores now and it’s really overwhelming. I’ve read everything by my favorite authors (Judy Blume, Wally Lamb, Rosamunde Pilcher, Maeve Binchy…) and don’t know who or what to read next.
It’s time to develop my 2009 booklist and I need your recommendations. My 2008 booklist is sitting over in my sidebar with it’s arms crossed, a scowl on it’s face, and it’s lips pursed. I KNOW I DIDN’T READ EVERYHING ON THE LIST! And I’m FINE! FINE! with that.
I’ll just move those books I didn’t read to this year’s booklist. So HA!, 2008 booklist.
So! {clap, clap} What should I read this year?
Here’s what I have so far…
1. Hunger Games (already finished it and I can’t wait for the next installment!!!!)
2. I’m currently reading The Poisonwood Bible (I’ve read it before, but I can’t remember what happened. Thanks a LOT, Placenta Brain.)
3. I plan on participating in Anglophile Football Fanatic’s PMS Bookclub and the first book is Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.
4. Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner (Dana didn’t exactly give this one a good review, but I’ll read it anyway)
5. The Five People You Meet in Heaven (Heidi recommended this one.)
(Edited to add because I forgot about this one) 6. Living in Little Rock with Miss Little Rock (a Mr. Lady certified recommendation)
What else should I read?
(I want to be sure to give a big “HOLLA!” to all of you who participated in Delurking day yesterday, it was so, so great to meet those of you I had no idea about! )
Edited to add: No need to recommend the Twilight series. I’d rather not read the remaining 3 books.
The Shack…..it’s a little out there, but good. And one of my all time favorites, certainly not new,but The Time Traveler’s Wife.
Hmmm….I love to read and always have something going, but what to recommend…..
Recently finished Eat, Pray, Love and loved it.
Mister God, This is Anna is one of my all time favorites that I read over again.
The Burning Times by Kalogridis was excellent historical fiction
Currently reading The Glass Castle and loving it.
Looking forward to reading:
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and The Faith Club
I’ve started a book list at GoodReads that you can checkout here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1822505
Happy reading!
PsychMamma´s lastest post..Counting the Days Until Wildflowers
If you love Maeve Binchy (and who wouldn’t after reading The Keeners?) then you need to read Gracelin O’Malley, Leaving Ireland and Til Morning Light by Ann Moore. Love me some good potato famine sufferin’!
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak. It’s amazing.
Marian Keyes! She is one of my favorite authors, my favorite book of hers is Angels. I read and re-read it, it’s like my comfy security blanket.
Umm, if you haven’t read the Twilight series, you totally should…
My favorite books are historical fictions:
I love Phillipa Greggory’s “The Other Boleyn Girl”
and Sandra Gulland (LOVE her) wrote a three book series that is SO good about Josephine Bonaparte (http://www.amazon.com/Many-Lives-Secret-Sorrows-Josephine/dp/0684856069)
Habbala´s lastest post..Conversation with The Boyfriend
One of my all time favorite books is “The History of Love” by Nicole Krauss.
I also love “The Confederacy of Dunces”. No, it’s not autobiographical.
Marinka´s lastest post..I’ll Just Sit Here and Look Pretty
I loved Summer Sisters. It was one of my favorite books when I first read it. Not sure if you’ve read Bel Canto but it’s one that I would strongly recommend. I’m actually rereading it right now. Also here are some of my other favorites:
1. Bel Canto
2. Beach Music
3. Ishmael
4. The Perks of Being Me (kind of a coming of age story but it’s great)
just some suggestions. Can’t wait to hear how your book reading goes.
perksofbeingme´s lastest post..Days of grace 37 of 365
happy reading!
i look forward to seeing your book list. i may have to snag some.
that’s if i get out of my eveninng rut and start reading again.
mpotter´s lastest post..nothing to see here
Anything by David Sedaris. He’s hoooolarious!
Janine´s lastest post..Nothing like being bitch-slapped by your son.
A few of my current favorites: -The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
-The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir
-the Twilight series (OBSESSED)
-Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
-The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Amy´s lastest post..ireland, part 2: grand tour of cork
Anything by Margaret Atwood. Most especially “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Oryx and Crake”. I’ve also read “Alias Grace” and it was excellent, if slower moving than the others.
I don’t know if you DO fantasy, but if you want something not too over the top on the fantasy (no orcs or elves or wizards or unicorns or dragons) and with some wonderful sensuality mixed into GREAT plots? Jacqueline Carey and her Kushiel’s Avatar series. LOVE. ZOMG SO MUCH LOVE.
Stassja´s lastest post..Guess what?
Oh, I’m reading the shack right now. I can send it to you when I’m done.
Heidi´s lastest post..Honey, I’m Home
I have to shout out to everyone to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I hadn’t read it since I was a child and I loved it as an adult as much as I loved it as a child.
Also, Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is a thought-provoking read!
NGS´s lastest post..45 x 365 #63
“Hypocrite in the Poofy White Dress” – Susan Jane Gilman
“Lamb” – Christopher Moore (read it with an open mind and expecting it to not be taken seriously; I spent half the book wondering if he was high and the other half if he was crazy. If you like this one, you should also read “Island of the Sequined Love Nun”)
“Magical Thinking” – same guy who wrote Running with Scissors.
Um…I’ll think of more and let you know.
CourtneyRyan369´s lastest post..A book that will be one of my 52.
Total fluff and stuff, but I like the Confessions of a Shopaholic series. I also liked Friday Night Knit Club and it’s sequel. I love anything by Maeve Binchy. The Devil Wears Prada was a really good book–better than the movie, and I liked the movie. The Nanny Diaries was a great book. I haven’t seen the movie, but I heard it wasn’t very good. Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas was great–again, I haven’t seen the movie.
I also liked Deep End of the Ocean, but it was sad.
Scandalous??? How could you leave off Forever by Judy Blume. I remember sneaking that one under my bed so my mom wouldn’t find it. Beezus? Definitely the way you said it. I’ve read those to my kids now, they loved those and the Judy Blume Fudge books as well as the Little House on the Prairie books.
Why did I not know Holly had chosen Rebecca??? I need to get reading!
Mom24@4evermom´s lastest post..The Girls’ Room
@Beth Time Traveler’s Wife is one of my all time favorite books. I may have to add it to the list because I’d love to read it again.
@NGS I adored A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. So simply written and easy to read, but a deep, well thought out story.
Anything by Jodi Picoult, but especially _My Sister’s Keeper_.
Anything by Diana Gabaldon, but since it’s a series, start with _Outlander_.
I loved Ken Follet’s books, _Pillars of the Earth_, and, less so, _World Without End_.
I just read _The Glass Castle_ and I liked it. I am currently reading _The Virgin Blue_ and I like it. Can’t remember either author, but they’re both common so you’ll find them on Amazon or Google or whatever. I also liked _The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society_ although it was harder to get into because of the format.
I did not like The Kite Runner or The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. I also didn’t like The Life of Pi.
I hated The Shack. Yeurgh.
That should keep you busy until 2012 or so. Call me when you’re done, and I’ll hook you up.
Amy´s lastest post..Intimacy
@Mom24 I really enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada and the Nanny Diaries (saw the same movies as you, too.)
I read Deep End of the Ocean from start to finish without stopping (except for eating and bodily functions.) Great book, but you’re right, sad.
@Amy We have complete opposite tastes in books, except for the Gabaldon books, I’ve really enjoyed the first two and I also didn’t like Memory Keepe’s Daughter. But everything you liked, I didn’t…especially Jodi Picoult books! I hate how there’s a twist at the end of every book. That always ruins it for me.
You’re going to love Twilight when I finally make it to the post office.
How ’bout authors?: Jodie Picoult, Erin Hilderbrand, Chris Bojhalian (you can’t go wrong w/ any of their books!)
I wasn’t all that impressed with the “Five people” book. I was expecting so much more from it. It wasn’t meaty enough for me. It seemed, so…patronizing.
(Shrug)
I would be interested in what you think about it.
Misty´s lastest post..Glad we had this talk
Patricia Gaffney’s books are similar to some of the authors you list as your favorites. The Saving Graces is my favorite of hers.
Also, have you ever read The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye? It’s super long but really good.
If you want something funny try Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels – start with One for the Money. Freaking hilarious!
catnip´s lastest post..get him tom!
I always have such a hard time picking out books. I browsed Borders for an hour yesterday. Finally I bought The Reader. My boss raves about it and if I am going to see the movie, I want to read the book first.
I am adding Summer Sisters to my list. I keep meaning to pick that one up.
Megan´s lastest post..Admitting when I am…
Ditto many of the already-mentioned titles – Time Traveler’s Wife, Water for Elephants, and Eat, Pray, Love especially.
I just finished re-reading Harry Potter (all 7 of them) because I loved them so much. Well worth visiting or re-visiting.
Bridge´s lastest post..Spiralling
‘The Zookeeper’s Wife’, by Diane Ackerman.
Also, ‘A Stone for Danny Fisher’, by Harold Robbins ( a very young Harold Robbins)
And ‘American Bloomsbury’ by Susan Cheever. “Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau: Their Lives, Their Loves, Their Work”
You might like some of these.
lceel´s lastest post..Tuesday Tale – The Hackney Dragon
Book of a Thousand Days–Shannon Hale
I’m actually reading the overlander series by Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games. LOVE IT!) and enjoying them. I know they’re kids books. pft.
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (there are three. they are awesome)
The Hiding Place–) by Corrie Ten Boom
The Giver–Lois Lowry
The Host– Stephenie Meyer
Midwives– Chris Bohjalian
My Sister’s Keeper–Jodi Picoult
Pillars of the Earth–Ken Follet
Goose Girl Series–Shannon Hale (Do not read Austenland. Whew. Kerlame.)
I could go on and on. Heh. Just gonna stop though. Good luck!
Ilana´s lastest post..Just between us
I loved the Poisonwood Bible
Have you read The Time Traveler’s Wife yet?
judy haley (coffeejitters)´s lastest post..A Writer’s Meme
Oh yes, and Prince of Tides. I know the movie, so terrible. But the book, SO GOOD.
Ilana´s lastest post..Just between us
Heya. We haven’t officially decided it’s Rebecca. It’s between About the Author & Rebecca – AtA’s currently winning the vote, too. Thanks for the link back. You’re da bomb. If AtA wins out, I’d truly recommend du Maurier anywhoo – that book is creepy and so good for a classic. I’d also recommend Katherine by Anya Seton – or if you liked the Gregory books, any of the Seytons.
Anglophile Football Fanatic´s lastest post..An Open Letter to Mr Cheese
Anything by Dorothea Benton Frank. Srsly. Her books are engaging without being too cerebral, and characters from one turn up in another. Fun beachy books. I can’t put them down once I start one.
Headless Mom´s lastest post..DeLurker Day ’09
It is pronounced Bee-zus like you thought. Remember how in one of the books some boys on the playground are teasing her by saying “Jesus, Beezus!” and Ramona takes them to task for it? Okay, maybe I’m the only one who read those books so much she’s memorized them. For the record, I also loved the Laura Ingalls Wilder books with a passion. So much that I plan on reading them to my boys since I have no girls.
In order to keep my list of suggestions short, mine are my two all-time favorites, if you haven’t read them already. I suggest To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The Color Purple by Alice Walker.
jen @ negative lane´s lastest post..Education: Change We Need
Ooooh, I can second the recommendations for a lot of these books, especially anything by David Sedaris, Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella (Shopaholic) and the wonderful “A Confederacy of Dunces.” If you like travel, any of Bill Bryson’s books are a scream. Also, last year I read and loved “Flying Under Bridges” by Sandi Toksvig.
A note on last year’s reading list: see the film of “The Kite Runner.” It’s much, much better than the book. The book wallows in misery a bit too much for my liking.
Lisa A.´s lastest post..I came all the way to Knoxville for this?
the shack, first they killed my father, the last lecture, glass castle, eric clapton bio
I am reading the Sookie Stackhouse series (True Blood on HBO)…the books are VERY good.
Lynette´s lastest post..Monday Meanderings
The Glass Castle was my favorite book from last year.
http://www.amazon.com/Glass-Castle-Memoir-Alex-Awards/dp/0743247531
kj @ Where my boys at?´s lastest post..2008 Wrap-up
Currently reading Eat Love Pray, which is great…but my favorite book I read last year was Water for Elephants. It just pulls you in…and when it’s over, you wish there was more!
Awww shoot…I read other comments AFTER I left mine…someone mentioned Summer Sisters–I read it years ago, and it’s on my list to read again! Also, The Blue Bistro…another one that I will be reading again
If you like Maeve may I also recommend a couple more Brits? Judith Lennox is wonderful and is currently nominated for the Romantic Novel of the Year award. Penny Vincenzi writes books you can lose yourself in and I particularly loved Windfall.
I second A Tree Grows IN Brooklyn which is very evocative of the time.
Laura Essendine
Author – The Accidental Guru
The Accidental Guru Blog
The Books Limited Blog
I really like Philippa Gregory. Also, the Time Traveler’s Wife. The Eragon series wasn’t too bad, either. I read a lot of great books last year, but I can’t remember most of them (I blame that on pregnancy hormones). For “children’” books, try Shabanu and its sequel by Staples, and A Long Way From Chicago and A Year Down Yonder by Peck. The last two are hilarious!
Hillary´s lastest post..Information Processing: Christmas
One of my favorite authors is Jodi Piccoult. I just finished “Mercy” and it was really good.
Katie´s lastest post..Happy New Year!!!
Let’s see… Kristin Hannah,Luanne Rice i’ve read all of both of their books. All of Janet Evanovich books, I especially loved her Stephanie Plum novels. Debbie Macomber I liked some of stuff, i dont care for the overly romantic crap she writes.Her Yarn shop series is a good one.
Like you Ive read all of maeve binchys so I cant recommend those..
oh man i could go on and on with books to read…..I actually liked the twilight series….I had a hard time getting into the first one and only read it,to make sure I could allow my 9 yr old to read if she wanted to…
ok I am done rambling…I’m getting some good suggestions from everyone.
I probably linked to this website LAST year when you asked for recommendations, but just in case:
http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/search
It turns up some cool recommendations.
One I keep going back to reread is Memoirs of a Geisha.
all things BD´s lastest post..Have YOU heard of This Word?
Some of my favorites which you may have read:
Eat, Pray, Love
Life of Pi
Friday Night Knitting Club
Little Earthquakes
Seeing Me Naked
Enjoy whatever you read… I love when I get caught up in a book for just a little bit and everything else around goes away.
Shannon´s lastest post..Who I Am
Loved The Poisonwood Bible
Okay Snowflower and the Secret Fan and Peony in Love by Lisa See were both wonderful.
Have to second someone else’s recommendation of Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet I read it this summer and devoured it. Don’t be put off by the length.
If you’ve never read Gone With the Wind it’s really worth it.
Other oldies but goodies are The Winds of War and War and Rememberance by Herman Wouk and I think he also wrote Marjorie Morningstar which was terrific.
The Lovely Bones was another that stands out in my head.
Have fun!
OK, So I didn’t leave a comment on de-lurking day, but I have a book for you… Try the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. They are great!
ah, most of what i would have recommended is either on your list, recommended by others already … or you’ve read.
alas. (although i’m getting some good ideas for myself!)
the planet of janet´s lastest post..Wooden you love to be a fly on the wall?
A couple people already said so, but I am at the end of the 2nd Stephanie Plum book (I think there are 14 or 15) by Janet Evanovitch. I like them so far.
I also LOVED ‘Sail’ by James Patterson. I read that in 2 sittings.
Beach Mama´s lastest post..4AM Freakout
But you need to read the rest of the Outlander series.
Heather, Queen of Shake Shake´s lastest post..Island Reef Job: The perfect job needs perfect people