What Was the Last "GREAT" Book You Read???

Updated on June 22, 2011
C.C. asks from Crown Point, IN
25 answers

Am trying to get ready for summer reading - can be fiction or nonfiction - pretty much will read anything - although much to my husbands dismay am into true crime books of all things!!

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Thought I'd share with you some "great" books I've read -
Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs (depressing but GREAT book!!)
Sin Killer (first of 3 or 4 books) by Larry McMurtry
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet (?) (no I am not scared of over 1000 pages books - in fact the thicker the better!!)

Featured Answers

S.A.

answers from Chicago on

I just finished Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult last night. I had all night to finish it as I was up with a sick child. It was great. I love her books. They are hard to put down.

2 moms found this helpful

E.B.

answers from Fort Collins on

I really liked The Host, by Stephenie Meyer. It is pretty slow in the beginning, but really like how she writes the characters to have views that are not what you expect.

I love the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. It is a fantasy series, but the issues he covers are more about philosophy and socialogy than myth.

I like to tear a story apart and analyze the actions and thoughts of each character, so if you like to really think these are great books.

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B.C.

answers from New York on

Rich dad poor dad, I loved loved this book. It really made me think differently about finances and how I need to change the way I look at my childrens financial savyness.

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K.L.

answers from Cleveland on

The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Excellent weekend read!

3 moms found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Jacksonville on

Honestly the Last GREAT book I read was the Harry Potter series. I had no interest in them at all when they first came out. After the entire series was out, my mother in law made me read them. I got through all seven of them in like six weeks! And there are several of them that are 800 pages or better. They are still my favorites, her writing is just superb. Totally surprised me.

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T.B.

answers from New York on

"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. I just finished it over the weekend and I loved it!

2 moms found this helpful
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M.J.

answers from Sacramento on

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

You might like this one since you like non-fiction. It's about a woman whose cells were taken without her permission and used widespread for medical research long after she'd died. It's a fascinating read.

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D.C.

answers from Dallas on

A couple of books I've really enjoyed in the last several months:
The Surrendered by Chang-Rae Lee
Run by Ann Patchett

I also love all of Margot Livesey's books.

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J.G.

answers from Chicago on

i LIKE EASY REAS SO...FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN, FOR ONE MORE DAY AND ANYONE'S TRUE LIFE STORY LIKE KENDRA OR MARCIA BRADY...

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A.H.

answers from Chicago on

Recently finished the Hunger Games Series and Jodi Picoult's Sing You Home. Both great!

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

The Art of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein was good.
and
Pillars of The Earth by Ken Follett was GREAT.
and
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls was VERY GOOD, as is her follow up, Half Broke Horses.

A.G.

answers from Houston on

My favorite crime book of all time is "crime and punishment" by Fyodor Doestoevsky ,,,,but i really like sick russian mental anguish, i also love anything Franz Kafka ever wrote. But as far as more current, and easier to read..... Id recommend "perfume" by Patrick Suskind

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K.K.

answers from Dallas on

I just read the "Darkest Child" by Delores Phillips, heartbreaking book, although fiction I found riveting.
And "Slave" By Mende Nazar, a true story.

I read just about anything but love books that cover the darker side of humanity and how one can overcome those obstacles.
My 12 year old son has some pretty fun and decent reads as well. When I run out of books I am diving into his shelf.
I loved the Dragon Riders of Pern. yeah, I pretty much will read the label of ketchup bottle when I am desperate.

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J.B.

answers from Boston on

I just read the three "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" books. All were excellent - I like the last one the best, but you can't read them out of order.

For non-fiction, I read "Madam Secretary," Madeleine Albright's autobiography and it was riveting. It's a huge book and could not put it down - and I'm not a history or biography buff at all, it was just a really good read. The other non-fiction that I recently read was "Half the Sky," which should be required reading for all high school kids. We're reading "The Help" in my bookclub at work - I haven't started it yet but I have heard great things about it.

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V.N.

answers from Chicago on

When Did I Get Like This?: The Screamer, the Worrier, the Dinosaur-Chicken-Nugget-Buyer, and Other Mothers I Swore I'd Never Be by Amy Wilson

It is a hilarious account of motherhood. Very light reading. I read it when I came home from the hospital with my second baby in two nights.

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L.S.

answers from Spokane on

I really love the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris - it's the series 'True Blood' is based on. It's got about 9 (?) novels and they're a fun, fast read; more grown-up than Twilight (and much better written) and perfect for the beach :o)

Also, I've been getting into autobiographies. I'm currently ready Sharon Osbourne's 'Extreme' and am loving it. There are so many interesting people out there!

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K.S.

answers from Chicago on

For really great stories, try anything by Dorthea Benton Frank, Maeve Binchy, Belva Plain, Rosamunde Pilcher, Danielle Steel or Mary Higgins Clark (mystery)

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P.R.

answers from Cleveland on

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. First 10-15% isn't that gripping but then it's excellent. True story and worth reading. The Big Short by Michael Lewis is fantastic and teaches you about the subprime mortgage mess in a fun way. Whole thing is staggering.

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M.L.

answers from Tampa on

I love the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. Actually, I love anything written by her. Not a series if you are looking for a deep read. Lighthearted, easy to read, and laugh out loud funny. I love her!

S.K.

answers from Denver on

I really enjoyed the hunger games series they are easy reads and very good. Janet Evonovich's stephanie plum series is also great but there are now 17 of them as of today. Im still playing catch up. Water for Elephants is great.

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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

Nora Roberts - J. D. Robb (same person
Kay Hooper (she has a bunch of series books, blood, fear, chill etc)
Iris Johansen the eve duncan books
Jayne Anne Krentz - Amanda Quick -Jayne castle (all same person)
Judith McNaught (both historical and contemporary)
Julie Garwood (both historical and contemporary)
Elizabeth Lowell love the donovan books
David Baldacci
Lee Child the reacher books
Harlan Coban
janet evanavitch stephanie plum books
susan elizabeth phillips start with the chicago stars books lol funny
susan wiggs

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J.F.

answers from Birmingham on

I just finished reading "Love the One You're With" by Emily Giffin. It's about a newly wed that has "the one that got away" walk back into her life and how she struggles with it. It was a really good, easy, quick read. I'm about to start reading "Something Borrowed", which is another Emily Giffin book.
I second that "Water for Elephants" is another great book. I hope they didn't ruin the movie =-)

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S.G.

answers from Norfolk on

If you like true crime, you might want to check out "The Cases That Haunt Us" by John Douglas. He was an FBI investigator, and in the book, he re-explores some very well-known crimes and looks at the forensic evidence in a way that wasn't possible when the crimes were committed. He takes apart the evidence from the Jack the Ripper case, the Lindbergh kidnapping, the JonBenet Ramsey case, and several others. Very good and interesting read, especially if you like super-detailed analyses of crime scenes and evidence.

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S.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

Free Range Kids - entertaining AND full of great information!
Nurtureshock - immediately changed how I parent my child

We need to Talk about Kevin - kept me up late at night...
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: A Novel
The Art of Racing in the Rain
The Pull of the Moon - to read before you turn 50!

C.S.

answers from Medford on

I am currently reading BLOODSTREAM (by Tess Gerritsen) and I can't put it down. :) Its a good medical mystery book. It about a small town with murders, medical scares, mystery. Its really good!

I just borrowed my mom's kindle for a while and I love it! Need to get one of my own. :)

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