Your suggestions on Monday’s post were so fabulous, I’m going to have a lifetime worth of reading to do. If you haven’t added your favorite fiction to the comments section on that post, please do. I am taking notes and I know a lot of you are as well.
Some of you have asked which books I have chosen to read. I’ve been at the beach for a week now and have yet to find a bookstore or a library next to the pool or along the bike path. Can you believe it? So I have rummaged through the titles here at the beach condo. Lots of C.S. Lewis – love him. Too heavy for June. Lots of Eugenia Price – know nothing of her. The covers look a little…romantic. I finally found this:
I figured Nicholas Sparks is a good enough bet for beach reading. I may finally read the first Harry Potter book when I get home. Reading those for the first time now feels a little like not seeing Star Wars for the first time until three years ago. Though I knew it started with Episode 4, I began with Episode 1 just to see. I do not recommend that tactic if you are seeing them for the first time.
Some other titles that caught my eye in the comments section:
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb (recommended by Emily and June).
When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin (after reading how passionate Jennifer G. was about this book I’m ready to see what all the fuss is about!)
The Maytrees by Annie Dillard (recommended by Kelly and Kari and I think I would like anything the two of them recommend to me).
The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger – several people mentioned this one.
The Ramona Books by Beverly Cleary – Every time I see Ramona on the shelves at a bookstore, I am ten years old again, skinny legs folded up on my dad’s recliner, hearing mom humming in the kitchen. I would love to read the Ramona books again. Thanks for the reminder, Megan!
Some of you asked what are some of my favorite fiction books. Reading your suggestions, I realize a lot of us like the same things. No surprise there. Here are my top five in no particular order and with no descriptions because this post is already too long.
1. ‘Til We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
2. A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken – breaking my own rules here. Totally not fiction, but I have to include it.
3. The Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers – Is a love of these books required in order to be considered female? I don’t know for sure. But I did love them.
4. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd – I really liked the characters and the themes and feel in this one. I also read The Mermaid Chair by the same author and did not connect nearly the same way with her writing or her characters in this book.
5. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare – I don’t remember the details. I just remember really liking it.
There are more. I’ll stop at five. Thank you all for your suggestions and please, keep them coming if you haven’t spoken up yet. I love a good book.
I am a HUGE Nicholas Sparks fan – have read and own all of his books and proudly display them in order of release. I love your list, thanks for sharing! There are a few I haven’t read.
Harry Potter fan here too. Only because I can’t seem to find a good read that doesn’t involve (ahem) romance. I don’t want a romance. I’m personally avoiding romance and romance novels make me go want to find a boyfriend!
Started reading HP all over again this summer. I so wish the series never ended.
Donna
My favorite book all-time so far is To Kill a Mockingbird. I could read it again and again. Each time it gets better to me.
Oh, and I’ve never read the Harry Potter stuff, either. And my daughter is eight, and she adores the Ramona stuff.
I am a huge fan of Eugenia Price. Her book “Savannah” may be my all-time favorite. It is historical fiction, much like Gone With The Wind, but many of the characters in Eugenia’s books were real people. you can even go to Savannah and see their tombstones. If you have it at your fingertips I would highly recommend it!
Your list looks great. I am a Nicholas Sparks fan too. Enjoy your reading! Just remember to put on the sunscreen, because once you start reading you may not want to stop, which may lead to …sunburn!
Happy Fourth!
I loved A Severe Mercy, gave me a whole new outlook on the depth of my own faith.
I too love The Witch of Blackbird Pond. It doesn’t hurt that the setting is local and some of the buildings and homes are still standing. I’m trying to get my 12 year old to read it this summer.
I love beach reads–and I’m so glad you’re going to read HP eventually! Call it a coincidence, but I just posted about my book favs this past week! Happy reading!
http://thisisnotaroughdraft.blogspot.com/2009/07/ah-facebook.html
You know, I’ve tried and tried, but I just can’t like his books. The characters seem so flat to me. {ducking to avoid tons of Nicholas Sparks books being flung in my direction} I read The Notebook and just didn’t get the hoopla. It was…meh. The story was good, but the writing just didn’t grab me. Oddly however, I really liked the movie. Isn’t that weird?
And yay for reading the HP books. Do not, I repeat, do not watch the movies first. The books are worlds better. Let us know what you think.
I may even give NS another chance this summer.
This is the third time in as many days that I’ve seen or read something about ‘Til We Have Faces. Perhaps I should take a hint? And perhaps I ought to go read through the comments on that post. I could use a good summertime read. Enjoy the beach!
High Heels Mom – keep in mind I didn’t necessarily say I was a Nicholas Sparks fan…just that his book was the closest thing to interesting I could find at here at the beach condo
I’m not sure if I’m a fan yet or not..I’ll keep you posted.
I think I need to start reading again-I’ve missed so many good ones over the last two years! Great recommendations! Gonna save the list so that when I go to a bookstore I have an idea of what would be good to read. I’m inspired since you have little kids and can do it
Eugenia Price is one of my moms favorite authors. I think it’s (southern) historical fiction. I’m pretty sure she was a Christian but I’m not sure if that is a theme in her books.
I LOVE Nicholas Sparks. The first of his books I read was The Choice! I feel in love with the characters. It was one of those that you can’t stop thinking about even after it is over and you want more. The love story was so amazing that it made me value mine more. I grabbed Dear John off of the clearance at Hastings that I plan on beginning very soon after I finish Fireproof which several friends recomended. I also love every Junie B. Jones book that has been written. They keep me laughing and they are so real-I am a teacher and I have had lots of ‘Junie B. Jones’ in my room over the past few years. Enjoy your readings.
I like some of the earlier Nicholas Sparks books. The Notebook and A Walk to Remember, especially. I have read The Rescue, but it doesn’t stand out to me like those two. I haven’t read the most recent ones he’s written. I liked the cover of The Lucky One a whole lot – the ferris wheel was pretty. I didn’t want to read it in case I didn’t like it as much as the cover.
But what I want to know is what it is like to go on vacation without taking books along, says the girl who always always has a book in her purse. hehe.
(I’m pretty sure I told you to start with Episode 4.)
I have to second that When Crickets Cry recommendation. I wasn’t so thrilled with the conclusion, but it was a beautiful, beautiful story. I cried. The other one I LOVED by Charles Martin was The Dead Don’t Dance. The sequel, Maggie, was not that great, but those two books of his blew me away with their story value.
Also, I just remembered two other fiction authors I like: Ann Tatlock and Jamie Langston Turner. Tatlock’s I’ll Watch the Moon is a three-time re-read since I bought it four years ago, and I NEVER re-read books. Turner is also extremely re-readable, and her vocabulary is fantastic! My favorite of hers is her first, Some Wildflower In My Heart.
The juices are flowing now…
Most of Eugenia Price’s books aren’t too romantic, even though the covers look like it. I haven’t read her Savannah series, but her St. Simons Island, Georgia, series is good. This series is historical fiction, based on real people who lived on the island. If you like the books, then read Ms. Price’s memoirs about living on StSimons Isl, and researching the books. Then go visit the island and tour the sites!
I’m reading Nicholas Sparks’ The Lucky One right now. It’s a gooder. Thanks for all the recommendations! I have exhausted all my favorite authors and wandered aimlessly up and down the library aisles earlier this week, waiting for something to jump out at me. I’ve made a list from your (and your readers) recommendations. Can’t wait to get reading!
Till We Have Faces was the most stunning piece of literature I’ve ever read. My all-time favorite.
Hi! I am finally de-lurking after almost a year(?) to share my favorite reads.
I have read most of Nicholas Sparks…The Wedding (sort of a continuation of The Notebook) is by far my favorite.
Some of my other favorite authors are Jamie Langston Turner, Elizabeth Berg, Lisa Tawn Bergren and Jessica Barksdale Inclan. I have read, most if not all of the offerings from these authors over the past year or so. Good stuff. All of them explore various marriage, friendship type relationships. I have esp really liked Elizabeth Berg and have started buying them to add to my own library. Another book I read recently is called Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It’s a story of God’s redeeming love of a woman rescued from prostitution set in the Gold Rush era.
Lisa, Jamie and Francine are all Christian authors. Jamie Langston Turner has a 4(5?) book series that are all set in the same small South Carolina Town featuring many of the same characters, each book focusing on a diff person’s story/POV, exploring really poignant and often convicting aspects of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
Really excellent.
I have also read several from “author du jour” Jodi Picoult too over the past year and have enjoyed her as well.
Happy reading!
I love the Phillipa Gregory historical fiction novels… They are great for the pool or beach because you can get in and out of them quickly. Pride and Prejudice is an all time favorite of mine… as are the HP books… I’m also a big John Grisham fan, but haven’t been into any of those in a while…
i love francine rivers, till we have faces, and sue monk kidd.
right now i’m reading jodi piccoult but i was on an elizabeth berg kick for awhile. i’ve also been reading some anne tyler.
glad i found you through the email from stephanie bryant. =)
Love, love, love the Ramona books. You’ve got to read them in order, though. LOL
Also really loved The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I read it for the first time in college and have reread it since them to my husband. Along with all the Ramona books.
Other kids’ books I really enjoy are There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Oh! And The Hundred Dresses. You’ll totally cry.
Oh yes! The Witch of Blackbird Pond! That is my mom’s favorite and I liked it as well.
Yea for re-reading Ramona.
The Nicholas Sparks book that I really like is The Wedding. I listened to it on cd. Kelly
Without a doubt, the Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher. One of my all-time favorites and perfect summer reading.
i loved the time traveler’s wife – i would also recommend marissa de los santos’ two books – Loved walked In and Belong to Me.
i’ve come across your blog several times now – love the design of your layout – but more importantly love the content! i have an older sarah mason CD that I love, but i’m going to have to go investigate this song you’ve referenced. always on the lookout for good music! i’d be honored if you’d come visit our family’s art journal. we are christian artists who’s work is fun and inspirational. i’ll be checking in with you again soon!
I loved the Emmigrant series by Moberg. Read them out loud to my husband in the evenings. Excellent character development…We were both riveted to this series and were sad to see it be over. The characters linger with us still,and occasionally we refer to them.
Also, a MUST read is Safely Home, by Randy Alcorn. This was a pick by Oprah and is ironically about the persecuted Church. Would’ve never thought it to be life-changing, but it was. It hits the heart is the same area as Sheldon V.’s (sp?) Severe Mercy.
Enjoy your summer, and happy Fourth everyone!
Jen
The Scarlett Pimpernel.
hands. down.
I just re-read To Kill a Mockingbird – much better than when I read it the first time in seventh grade! I read Eugenia Price’s biography/conversion story a while back – very good, but not especially light. Also on my “for fun” reading list Ella Enchanted (WAY better than the movie), the Artemis Fowl series, Harry Potter, Cheaper by the Dozen (yep, it’s an old book) and The Phantom Tollbooth (it’s punny humor makes me laugh aloud every time I read it).
I read The Witch of Blackbird Pond more than once in middle and high school. Don’t remember a lot of details either, except I still want to go to Barbados!
I love Nicholas Sparks and have read every one of his books.
Have you heard of Karen Kingsbury? She is a Christian Fiction author. I’ve very much enjoyed all of her books. I recommend starting with the Redemption Series. You can probably check them out of the church library.
i’ve got this book…i’m not sure how it showed up on my bookshelf, but i’ve been wondering about it, too. so you’ll have to let me know if i should have it be my beach read in a couple weeks. can’t wait for you to get HOME!!!
ALL of Jan Karon’s Mitford Series books – can’t live without them!
I hate to be a wet blanket, and I’m probably in the minority of women here, but I find Nicholas Sparks’ works to be a bit vomit-worthy. An old boss of mine lent me two or three of them, and I read them quickly. Granted, The Notebook made me cry, but I still couldn’t recommend it to a friend. Just…so…cheesy. Which, sadly, I find is true about most fiction aimed at women. That said, here are a couple authors I don’t mind: Jan Karon (Mitford) and Lawana Blackwell (I’ve read some of her period fiction and one of her modern works…all a bit predictable, but decent).
Also, I’ve been reading “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier, and the writing is excellent.
Where oh where do I begin…Let’s see, The Shack by William Young..so inspiring. Just about any book by Deborah Smith, but a couple of my favorites are Stone Flower Garden and Blue Willow. Redemption and The Prodigal Husband by Jacquelin Thomas are a must read for any married woman.
Whew…I could go on and on. Love Judy Blume and who can forget, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry {read this one in HS}…Loved it!
Blessings
Lisa
I’m a little late in chiming in, but I would like to recommend Eden Close by Anita Shreve. In fact, most of her earlier books are great, but the more recent ones are just so-so. And for character development you can’t beat Pat Conroy (Beach Music), Jane Smiley (A Thousand Acres- winner of the Pulitzer prize. Jane was also my college writing professor and she taught me so much about writing AND reading) and Sue Miller (The Good Mother). Happy reading!
I am also late in the posting here department
But My all time favorite books are Watership Down by Richard Adams, and The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough. Love them both. How did you like that Nicolas Sparks book? I just finished the Rescue. It was average. I am now reading the Time Traveler’s Wife…very interesting.