Hey all! Been MIA for a while with the launch of my book! Yay! Anyways, I've read everything in my To Read pile and could use some recommendations. :) I know you mommas have some great ideas so hit me with them.
I'll read just about anything but tend to shy away from erotica, science fictions, and romance. I'd love a good dystopian, (already read The Hunger Games-loved them) a fairy tell retelling, paranormal and urban fantasy. So tell me what fantastic books have you read lately?
Kristina: I've read those and really enjoyed them! Waiting not-so-patiently for the next one. :)
Someone else just asked for book suggestions a few days ago. Hopefully this link works:
http://www.mamapedia.com/questions/14201820187686338561
Have you read Divergent and Insurgent (book 3 coming out in October, I believe) by Veronica Roth? Pretty similar to Hunger Games, a dystopian society and survival. They are good books.
Loved Loved Loved: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. It's a trilogy, but third book not written yet.
Am presently reading a fun Denmark Detective novel. Very fast and easy.
The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Alder-Olsen
"The Songs o Fire and Ice" ... the books "game of thrones" are based on.
I've been reading some works by Flannery "Oconnor, and if you like dystopian, she definitely writes about grim details at times. Her stories are very rich in theme and symbolism and I love how just when you think you understand and know a character, O'Connor shakes the story up , so much so that it forces you to reconsider your initial point of view. I guess you could, O'Connor makes you really have to think things through... I also like Faulkner, another Southern Gothic writer.. the way he twists and turns a story, his characters also have a lot of depth to them..
Robin McKinnley does a number of fairy-tale re-boots (including my favorite version of Beauty and the Beast).
Currently I am enjoying Ilona Andrews (who is actually a husband-wife team) Magic Bites series about near future Atlanta, Georgia if magic was returning. The lead is a mercenary in the new world.
Shiver series by Stiefvater (sp?). Written for teens but I sure enjoyed them.
Midnight Breed series by Lara Adrian (vampires from outer space) - awesome story line - so different and creative but there is alot of sex in them.
How about the the Jane Austen classics "Jane Austen and Zombies" or "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters"? Awesome if you like clever writing.
It's young adult but I like the Unfortunate Fairy tale series by Chanda Hahn. It's a take on the Grimm Tales
How about the Divergent Series by Veronica Roth
I really enjoyed Witch Child by Celia Rees
Delirium Series by Lauren Olivier (Or any other books by her)
His Dark Material by Phillip Pullman (First book is The Golden Compass)
The One I Left Behind by J. McMahon
The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Series by Stieg Larsson
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Series - Ann Brashares
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
The Memory Thief by Emily Colin
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
I could probably give you a lot more but that's all I've got for now. :)
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson is the best book I have read lately.
And the Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy is fun fantasy. Two books are out, third still to come. Laini Taylor is the author, I believe.
I'll just recommend authors, if that's ok. If you like urban fantasy, Charles de Lint is fantastic. Any of his short story collections is worthwhile, but I think it's worth it to read them before his novels; you'll understand the setting better.
Jacqueline Carey has two excellent Kushiel trilogies. They are historical fantasy with some erotica; leaf through at the bookstore because the political intrigue really is dominant.
I'm a fan of historical mysteries, so both Lindsay Davis' Falco series and Steven Saylor's Roma sub Rosa series are personal favorites of mine. They are set in Ancient Rome, but the authors are scholars, so the details are accurate and fun rather than insipid.
I love Henning Mankell, who wrote the Wallander series and other procedurals.
The Detective Kubu series by Michael Stanley is fun.
Elizabeth Peters Amelia Peabody series is an oldie but goody.
The Chung Kuo series is urban science fiction, but it's quite good, more of a dystopian, so you might like it.
Octavia Butler is one of the best authors ever, and gets into some fantastic dystopia with her parable series. I love her science fiction too, it's dystopian with very interesting social analysis. She's such an amazing writer it's worth really reading a lot of her stuff.
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom is one of my favorite books ever!
Anything by Peter Kreeft. ;)
G. K. Chesterton.
