In the summer, I consume books. Since I'm not teaching or taking classes, I read (basically) a book a day. I have projects to work on (2 articles, a book review, a book, and a collection of vampire short stories), but I also have time to read. And I must store up because I won't have this kind of time when classes are in session. I do read a few books during the school year, but not enough to satiate.
But, reading a book a day means I need recommendations. K8 has given me several suggestions to my post below already, and her blog has a bunch more (scroll down). In the summer, I tend to read fantasy, mystery, and books that take place in the British Isles. I don't like rape and graphic torture (which cuts out a chunk of the mysteries, I know). Some of the best fantasy in my public library is found on the young adult shelves, so don't worry about any age limit. I like YA and kiddie lit. I love fairy-tale fiction.
I've started the Southern Vampire Mysteries Series by Charlaine Harris. And I can usually find a few Agatha Christie books that I've forgotten the plot to. And there's always Alexander McCall Smith and The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series (which I didn't finish last summer).
But please, give me recommendations. What books do you love? Which books should everyone read? Life-changing books are great, but they also have to have a good story. Fiction preferred.
3 comments:
I love fairy tale fiction as well! You need to post your reccs. I read Marigold several months ago and really enjoyed it. Light, YA fairy tale. I'm currently finishing up the last book in Greg Keyes Kingdom of Bone and Thorn. Best fantasy series I've read in a long time! I think there are a couple of implied rapes, but not of main characters. It is adult fantasy, so it does have some graphic torture, but it is not the main point of the books. Bonus: It's a four book finished series.
Hmmmm. . . I really liked Inversions by Ian Banks. I read it so long ago I have no idea if it has rape or graphic torture. The Bartimeaus Trilogy by Johnathon Stroud is excellent YA fantasy. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Mariller is another great YA fantasy. I love everything by her, but can't promise the adult fantasy is rape or torture free. I simply can't remember.
Tamera Siler Jones writes fantastic forensic fantasy. I don't believe it has torture, but it does have ghosts of murdered people running around.
I would say Patricia Briggs, but I know you already love her as much as I do.
For non fantasy, I would highly recommend Joshilyn Jackson. I haven't read her latest, but her first two are so excellent!
Carrie: Thanks! I've added them to my library list.
Robin McKinley and Patricia McKillip are good for fairy-tale fiction. Also Robert Coover if you like non-traditional narratives. And if you haven't read Angela Carter, do. Susanna Clarke is quite good, though a little dry in the beginning. The first book in Marillier's Sevenwaters Trilogy is a retelling of "The Six Swans." The best place to find good f-t fiction is at surlalunefairytales.com. Heidi keeps a list of retellings of every tale on the site, and she lists new releases for each month. Hmm, I'll have to do a post of recommendations as I have more I could suggest.
I've been re-reading a lot of Agatha Christie. I was fairly young when I read a lot of it (middle school age) and I've realized that even though I really enjoyed them, I missed a lot - especially some subtle and not so subtle references to sex.
In YA lit, Patricia Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles are good girl-power books. Gotta love a princess who decides to become a dragon's princess because she doesn't want to marry the dim-witted prince - and, who can use a sword better than any of the other princes who try to come to "save" her.
I also like M.T. Anderson's work. Nancy Farmer is good, too. House of the Scorpion still freaks me out a bit (I like it, but I also find it unnerving).
In the past few years, I enjoyed re-reading books I read when I was much younger. I've seen so much more in them (when I was a kid, I really didn't think of Toad in The Wind in the Willows as a drug addict, but I sure do now).
The Cooperative Children's Book Center - the CCBC - has fabulous lists of recommended children's and YA books in a variety of genres. The CCBC is a reviewing library (they publish a book of reviews every year), so the reviewers there see a lot of new books every year and keep the lists updated.
Post a Comment