well, i have been reading quite a lot since april because when we moved into our new place, we decided not to get cable. at night when the kids are in bed there is nothing i want more than to sit on the couch and relax. normally i do this while watching a variety of shows but now i read. i thought i tell you all what i have been reading and if there are any recommended reads.
here they are in no particular order:
*jane eyre (charlotte bronte)- recommended by ruth and it was soooo good! i can't believe that i hadn't read it before. everyone should read it. i did think it was kind of slow in the beginning but once i got through that, the story really, really picked up and i couldn't put it down.
*peony in love (lisa see) - she write using her chinese background and they are so amazing! it is so intense reading about what it was like for women in china when women were in arranged marriages and could not leave the house. this book is loosely based on someone who actually lived and died because of the strain this put on them at the young age of 16. i loved this book!
*sunflower and the secret fan (lisa see) - also somewhat based in history, this really goes into detail about the act of footbinding and what it meant in their culture. she is an awesome writer and i recommend all of her books.
*flower net (lisa see) - this book and the and the sequel are part of her mystery collection. although i liked her novels better both of these two books were pretty good.
*the interior (lisa see) - see above
*city of bones (cassandra clare) - where do i begin? i think these are the best books i have read all year. if you love twilight i this series is a must read. i have actually read them twice now and i could hardly put them down. it was all i could do to feed and clothe my children! well i am exaggerating but they are so, so, so , so good. let me know if anyone else reads or has read them, i want to know what you think.
*city of ashes (cassandra clare) - awesome
*city of glass (cassandra clare) - an amazing ending to one of the best series!
*the percy jackson series: the lightning thief, the sea of monsters, the titans curse, the battle of the labrynth and the last olympian (rick riordan) - along the lines of harry potter (they are actually shooting the movie for the first one right now) but very different. this book is all about greek mythology and i found the history so intriguing. i would recommend this to everyone and if you have children who can read i would suggest them as well.
*the fablehaven books: fablehaven, the rise of the evening star, grip of the shadow plague and secrets of the dragon sanctuary (brandon mull) - another lds author to really hit the mark. these are awesome books that the whole family can read. i have really enjoyed them and would recommend them to all. i do believe there will be at least one more book in the series but not for a while.
*twenties girl (sophia kinsella) - the author of the shopaholic books has written a very cute novel. much different than the shopaholic books and in some ways better. i don't know about you but when i read those books i was practically yelling i was so mad most of the time because of the stupid things she was doing. i had a really hard time finishing some of them but was always rewarded in the end with a great ending. if you like her other books i would recommend this one.
*the time travelers wife (audrey niffenegger) - what a name that is. anyways i loved the story but can not recommend this to anyone because of a lot of choice words and some scenes that i wish i wouldn't have read. awesome story though see the movie, it is missing the bad parts.
*the memory keepers daughter (kim edwards) - loved the book and the story. it is definitely a tear jerker but a great read.
*the girl who could fly (victoria forester) - this was such a touching story about why being different is good and how we should stay true to who we are. great for adults and children. loved it.
*the giver (lois lowry) - this is a classic that i had never read. people kept asking if i loved the book because two of the characters are lily and asher. i figured i should give it a shot and loved it. if you haven't read this you should. it is pretty short and a very quick read.
*the defector (daniel silva) - this was an intense thriller about the russian kgb and the Israeli intelligence. it was kind of a random read for me (a recommend from the library staff) but i actually really liked it.
*a thousand splendid suns (khaled hosseini) - another amazing story. i don't know if you have read the kite runner but this is the same author and everyone says this story is better. i only saw the movie so i don't have much of an opinion on the kite runner but this was truly amazing. i find it so fascinating to learn about what it is like for the women of Afghanistan. if you are at all interested in historical fiction you should give this a whirl. it is a beautiful love story.
*the hunter games (suzanne collins) - i just finished this today and i can't wait to get my hands on the sequel. i am dying to know what comes next in this amazing story about survival and love. i think i would categorize this as sci-fi and it was amazing. READ THIS!
let me know if you have any recommends for me. besides the time travelers wife, i recommend you read all of these books but if you aren't a crazy speed reader like me, please just read the cassandra clare books YOU WILL LOVE THEM!
jana
8 comments:
oh awesome! I actually loved the time travelers wife, but am hesitant to see the movie for fear of disappointment. And memory keepers daughter-so good. I also just reread twilight to gear up for the new moon movie. I'm glad I did because I am definitely more excited than i was before. I'm excited to try some more of your selections!
Thanks for the recommendations! I always love to read new books. I just finished The Kite Runner this last weekend and it was so, so good. I'm definitely going to read his other book.
Jane Eyre is a book I also love; it is slow going at first, but it's such a good book. Another classic I would recommend if you haven't read it yet is A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. It's one of my favorites along with Les Misrables by Victor Hugo. I love them both and have read them several times.
I also recently finished Memory Keeper's Daughter and enjoyed it, but was so frustrated that he wouldn't have just told his wife.
If you are looking for a book that makes you think Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis is really good.
Also, have you read The Work and the Glory series by Gerald Lund? They are easy reads, but they made church history and the people come so alive to me. I really enjoyed them.
Anyways, thanks again for the recommendations. Hope you are doing well.
Good recommendations...I'll take some of them. I LOVED The Giver...it's one I'll read again and again. You'd probably like A Single Shard - about a Chinese potter. Also another is The Kabul Beauty School - true story told by a woman who opened a salon in Afghanistan. Thanks for the suggestions! Miss you.
If you don't read these is my words soon I will kill you. I've read the books you've told me to lady so its your turn! I'm sure you have read the screwtape letters right..? Les Mis is a book I need to read for sure. But honestly woman...These is my Words so I can stop bugging you!! BTW finished Hunger games about 10 minutes ago...loved it too.
Oh, this is perfect! I have been dying for a good read lately and didn't know where to start. Now I do! Well, kind of... :)
thanks for the book ideas. loved thousand splendid suns!! kite runner is good as well. can't wait to grab a few of these. i've heard Atonement was great, but have no idea what the story line is or anything else about it. have you read any Jodi Picoults? she's a pretty good easy read. anyway we have to meet up soon, it was good to see you last week.
Hey I am back from th dead. Jana I was literally bed ridden . I was so sick.I don't even know who was taking care of my kids,but I am on the up and up now. I just bought city of bones tonight, so I will let ypu know. Oh and I read "These is my words "in 2 days. I LOVED it. Read it next.
I put city of bones on hold, so hopefully it comes in soon. Valencia was telling me her friend was telling her about a book that was so good. I told her I have to read it first because it was in the teen section. It is called Midnighters by Scott Westerfeld and is kind of along the same lines of what I was reading about City of Bones. You may like it.
Post a Comment