I am getting ready for a break and need some books to keep me company. Any suggestions? Oh, and when it comes to books I prefer they are not scary or depressing. Shallow, I know...Image I Suwannee
I am getting ready for a break and need some books to keep me company. Any suggestions? Oh, and when it comes to books I prefer they are not scary or depressing. Shallow, I know...
47 comments:
Eat Pray Love-one of my all time favorites!
Committed-Elizabeth Gilbert's follow up book. Not good. I would recommend skipping this one.
Water For Elephants-another fav.
I agree with Erin- Eat, Pray, Love is fabulous and so inspiring! I really enjoyed reading Loving Frank & The Widow Clicquot as well. I hope that you find some good reads- there is nothing better than getting lost in a book!
I just started "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. It is one of the best books I've read in a while. The last few have been very shallow! ;)
The Help! I just finished it in literally 3 days. It's SO good!
I've heard Laura Bush's book, Spoken from the Heart, is great!
The Art of Racing in the Rain is wonderful. You'll love it- it's written from a dog's perspective!
Both books written by Elizabeth Edwards!
I really love a series that came out years and years ago by Ferrol Sams-- the first one is called Run With The Horsemen--hilarious and touching at the same time.
Have you read The Help yet? It's fantastic. I couldn't put it down!!!
I am the same way - I do not like depressing books. I heard the new book about Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Furious Love, is supposed to be excellent. And a little gossip-y about old Hollywood, if you like that sort of thing.
Loving Frank is a true gem of a book. I'm reading Empire Falls- Richard Russo and I'm liking it a lot. A wonderful wonderful book is 'Broken for you' by Stephanie Kallos, and anything by Margot Livesay !!
Books by Katherine Center are great. Grounded by Seth Stevenson is a travel memoir in which he didn't fly to any destinations--funny and sarcastic. Making Toast by Roger Rosenblatt is a memoir--very touching. One Amazing Thing by C.B. Divakaruni--group of ppl experience an earthquake while in a Visa office in Calf. trying to go to India. The Late, Lamented Molly Marx by Sally Koslow -- watches her family from "above" after she dies. Books by Claire Cook are funny and "easy" reads, but very enjoyable.
I'm probably the fifth person to suggest Eat, Pray, Love but it's so good! Any Jennifer Weiner book is good too. I don't blame you for not wanting something depressing or scary. It is your spare time after all and I am the same way! Hope you have a great break!
I'm so with you on the not-depressing-book thing. I'm going to have to cast another vote for Eat Pray Love. I just got it and it seems to be really good!
XO Piper
OK, so I'm going to try to guess what you will like and not like. Non-fiction: Three Cups of Tea, Reading Lolita in Tehran. Great uplifting and interesting even though they are non-fiction. Fiction: I agree with all of the above suggestions. I also recommend Little Bee - it's a litle sad but a great adventure story, but ultimately optimistic. I read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho at the same time as Eat, Love, Pray. I was very inspired to actively live the live I wanted to live. For the spiritual side, if you haven't read The Red Tent or The Shack yet, they are worth the read. My all time fun guilty pleasure reads are from the Janet Evanovich series - One for the Money, etc...the most recent paperback is Finger Lickin' Fifteen. If you are not easily offended, they are a light and very funny read. Have fun!
You are getting some great suggestions!I have read The Help, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Loving Frank, and The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie society and they are all great.
I am one of the few people who could not make it through Eat, Pray, Love. I got to a point where I just wanted the author to get over herself! That being said, I can't wait to see the movie - the previews look great, so maybe there was something wrong with me since everyone seems to have loved the book so much! Happy reading!
I love all of the Mary Kay Andrews books (southern chick lit), especially Savannah Blues. Also, good mystery page turners are all of the Stieg Larsson books (Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, etc.).
Katherine Center's novels are witty, well written and hard to put down (she's a friend of mine). Maria de Los Santos is another great author. Very heartfelt and moving.
The "Potato Peel Society" one mentioned above is super great. Loved "The Help" also. "Screwtape Letters" is entertaining AND makes you think. I'm reading "Hinds Feet on High Places." Incredible allegory for Christian living.
Let us know what you read!
If you like the cheesy, Jane Austin inspired type, try Austinland. It's precious and funny and a quick read. It's fun for a little escape!
Ooo I love this post! I'm going to have to take notes.
Have you ever read The Red Tent? I remember loving that book.
I've been trying to catch up on some classics lately.
Pride and Prejudice is sooo good. The Importance of being earnest.... Have a nice time off!!
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society--lots of votes for this one! It's a book that will make you feel happy.
The Help--of course everyone loves this book
Shadow of the Wind---you won't be able to put this one down! You will have to drop everything to finish it. It's a mystery set in Barcelona (not scary though) but beautifully written. A book lover's book
"The Help" is the book of the year, I loved it and a quick read!
I also LOVED "The Art of Racing in the Rain", what a fantastic story, I got so enveloped in the characters. If you are a dog lover, be sure to read this.
Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin are such great beach reads and SB is being made into a movie soon.
Hill Country House Girl- I also am in the minority and couldn't get through Eat, Pray, Love. Glad to hear I'm not the only one.
My suggestions are mentioned here.
The Help--Couldn't put it down!
Potato Peel Society--Took me a little while to get into it but ended up loving it once I did. It is a quick one.
Water for Elephants--Same thing...took a bit to get past reading a book about a circus....but couldn't put it down once I got into it.
LLH Designs and I went to high school with Katherine Center....her younger sister was in our class. I've heard great things about her books and this is a good reminder for me to pick them up!
Love, love, love your blog! I will be back to see more!
Teresa (Splendid Sass)
Reading Eat,Pray,Love on vacation at the moment. I don't usually go for non-fiction, but it's good, funny, easy reading. My favorite authors are Anita Shreve and Elizabeth Berg. Pretty much anything they write is fabulous. I also enjoyed the Shopaholic series, very funny British chic-lit. I wouldn't recomend The Girl with The Dragon Tatoo (even though it's good) unless you can handle some pretty graphic scenes with crimes against women. Happy reading! :)
Love your blog, hope I can recommend something:
fantasy:
The Magicians by Lev Grossman:
It's unique and really exquisitely written, a Narnia of Harry Potter for grown-ups.
humour:
It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me by Ariel Leve:
It'll have you laughing out loud and wishing it was longer.
The Know-It-All by A.J. Jacobs:
The author's experiences reading the entire encyclopedia in one year will put you in stitches.
love story:
Susan Wiggs' Lakeshore Chronicles (starts with Summer at Willow Lake):
Really sweet, but still have substance.
Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson:
One of my favourite books ever; a really excellent romance.
historical story:
The Day The Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan:
A really excellent love story that has been really well received.
summer read:
The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand:
A great, surprisingly strong, beach read.
contemporary fiction:
any Jodi Picoult novel (I recommend Songs of the Humpback Whale, Perfect Match, or My Sister's Keeper):
Always guaranteed to touch your heart and make you think.
I hope you find what you're looking for, thanks for all the fantastic work you do!
The Blind Side!
Hands down favorite book of this year - Roses. It is about 3 families, multigenerational, East Texas is the original setting. It is like the Thornbirds...but in Texas.
Have fun reading!
~ Elizabeth
You are hilarious. I just read Pride and Prejudice. Not a fun read, but felt like I had to.
If you have not, read The Help!
Good southern book.
If you like books with short stories, I loved a book I read years back called "Bad Haircut" by one of my favs, Tom Perotta. It's stories from the life of a boy as he grows into a man. Fun and the walk down memory lane was fun as the main character is about the same age as my oldest brother so I could almost see everything as he explains it.
I also loved The Help suggested in another comment.
"Eat Pray Love"!!! It looks like other ladies beat me to the punch but that book is favorite book of all time! Also, read "The Wedding" by Nicholas Sparks.
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld...read the review on noodleandboof.blogspot.com
Crowning Glory of Calla Lilly Ponder by Rebecca Wells (also wrote the YaYa Sisterhood series)
I stayed up way past bedtime to finish The Help last night, it is the first book in ages that I've been so engrossed by the characters, its the perfect summer read!
I've read several great ones this summer, including The Help, Water for Elephants, and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series. If you are looking for something light-hearted and downright funny, you can't go wrong with anything by Jen Lancaster (Pretty in Plaid, Such a Pretty Fat, My Fair Lazy, etc.)!
I agree with many recommendations but will add great Southern beach reading: Dorothea Benton Franks stories set in the Charleston area. Start with "Sullivan's Island".
JJ
You have got to read Mennonite in a little black dress. It's hilarious!!I read it in a few days and was sad when it was done
i'm reading eat pray love right now and it's great! i'd also recommend redeeming love....it's one of my all time favorites! enjoy your time off!
p.s. i saw a post in my reader that had a cute breezy dress, but when i clicked to read it, it wasn't there?
I'm so glad to see everyone's recommendations! I too loved Eat Pray Love and The Help. I am an audio book fan, and listening to The Help on Audio was wonderful because of all the great dialects and accents. If you want some real fun fluff to read, check out the Janet Evanovich book series about the character, Stephanie Plum. There are about 15 books, all fun little mysteries. I'm going to bookmark this post and refer back to it when I need a new read. Great idea!
Absolutely, hands down, "The HELP", its beautifully written and as the others said, you can not put it down.
And I have just picked up "Fly Away Home" by Jennifer Weiner.
Dorthea Benton Frank is also a wonderful writer and writes about the Carolina Low Country. Check her out sometime. I recently read "Land of Mango Sunsets" and enjoyed it very much.
The Help! Then Water for Elephants! I'm on the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series...I have others and can send you a care package! Did you read Sullivan's Island?? FANTASTIC!
I guess I'm going to have to give Eat Pray Love another shot I just couldn't get past the first 20 pages.
I loved the Help like many others.
Bringing Home the Birkin was a fun read. I liked the fixer upper again a light fun read.
Agreed about The Help. I listened to it on audible. They are giving away two free books right now.
I enjoyed Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert. It continued Eat Pray Love and the saga of her final stop in Bali.
I also liked Water for Elephants.
If you've never read the Shopaholic Series, these are great. Don't let the flop of a movie fool you. I laughed out loud reading them.
water for elephants, the help, loving frank, the realible wife....all great reads
Eat, Pray, Love was not my favorite book, but it was interesting. Movie should be good. I agree with the recommendations for Something Borrowed and Somethig Blue--easy, light summer reading. I liked the Dragon Tatoo series also, but was disappointed that the first one was the best of the series. Firefly Lane is a great book about an interesting friendship.
I'm reading House Lust now--not fiction, but instead about our obsession with houses.
I love this post--now that I have an ipad with kindle app, I am reading more!
I agree with the Stieg Larsson books, great fast reads, to me the "graphic" comment is no worse than the evening news...
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society was very cool, all letters, but a sweet story.
My most recent reads:
Sarah's Key-Tatiana de Rosnay, a beautiful story
South of Broad-Pat Conroy, good southern story, pretty much 10-shades of crazy, welcome to the south!
The Lost Symbol-Dan Brown, fast exciting read and holla to DC!
Enjoy your trip and let us know what you choose!
*Amy
have you read The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery? It's so lovely.
I am partial to memoires and true stories. One of my favorite books last year was The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan. Warm,touching and a great read. You will not be disappointed.
Sherry
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