avid readers?

T

thirty11

Cathlete
I'm trying to make myself relax and read in my down time. I'm looking for recommendations for some happy, feel good pleasant novels. anyone have time to read between Hardcore, jobs, children .. .????

Thanks

anna
 
what kind of books do you like? if you like fantasy fiction i would recommend anything by anne mccaffrey, lots of books with dragons. and the dragonlance series (which is absolutely huge!)
if you like more serious, suspense mystery types i would recommend the books by jonathan kellerman. his books are awesome! you have to read them in order, all his books except about 4 have the same main character and he makes this character seem soooo vivid.
maddie
 
Anything written by David Sedaris. Not novels, instead his books are autobiographical short stories but they are funny, warm, sometines a little sarcastic. But they're always good for a laugh.
 
I'm an English teacher, so this post is right up my ally! My all-time favorite author is Lee Smith, who was born and raised right here in Virginia. She is a HOOT! My favorite book of hers is Fair and Tender Ladies. I end my year by teaching it to my dual enrollment English classes (college level). They absolutely LOVE it. I won't say that they are "feel good" and "happy ending" books, but they are absolutely great, especially if you like Appalachian literature. Her newest book, The Last Girls, is great too. She calls it her "menopausal" novel.

Happy reading!
Sarah
 
Well, depending on what you like to read, I have several favorite authors that I can count on for a good read and a happy ending...

Jill Marie Landis
Kristen Hannah
Joan Johnston
Jude Devereaux
Judith McNaught
Karen Robards
Susan Wiggs
Kat Martin
Susan Elizabeth Philips
Debbie MacComber

Some might be misspelled, but maybe you will enjoy them!:D
 
I've been listening to Dan Brown audiobooks during my work commutes and they're very exciting! I love when I hit a traffic jam and have extra time to listen to more.

He wrote The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons and Deception Point. Excellent mystery/thrillers.
 
Hey Sarah,
I love your pictures. Where did you get the UVA zip up sweatshirt? I've been looking for that and cannot find it. I used to live in Charlottesville. How far is Appotomax from Ch'ville?

Lisa
 
Lawrence Sanders' Archie McNally novels are a fun read. Also Bill Fitzhugh is absolutely hilarious--Organ Grinders is one of my favorite books. And Tim Robbins' Orange Crush had me laughing from the first page to the last.
 
Oh, thanks! I keep that UVA sweatshirt close by as motivation! My goal is to one day begin their Doctorate of English Education program, but right now my kids are too little for me to be commuting the 45 minutes to Charlottesville. One day though! I think I got it at TJMaxx in Lynchburg.

Do you still live in VA?
Sarah
 
I wiiiiiiiiiiiisssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh I was still living in Va! My husband got a job out of state so we had to move. UGH!! Our goal is to move back there sometime. I really, really miss living there. I used to go to Mincer's on the Corner in Ch'ville where they sell UVA stuff. I think you can order it online but I don't want to waste my money on shipping. I think we're going back in April or May for a couple of days so I'll see if I can find one!

UVA is BEAUTIFUL! I used to go jogging around the campus. Our apt. was only 2 blocks away from the university so it was a lot of fun. DH and I went to the law school there.

I think you definitely will achieve that goal. I have 2 little ones, too and it can be very hard with them around especially when you're trying to study. I'm thinking about going back to school once both kids start school (that is if I don't have another one)

I've heard the English Dept. at UVA is TERRIFIC.
 
I second the Nicholas Sparks suggestion! I cannot say enough about his books. Just simple stories with great characters and you laugh and cry all through them. The Notebook is one of my personal favorites. I have to say that I honestly scratch my head while reading and can't believe that it is written by a man:)
 
Thanks for everyone's suggestions! I've been cruisin' Amazon.com for the last hour! :)

I'm already an avid reader, (i'm just trying to make myself relax, not make myself read :) ), but y'all gave me many new ideas.

I've already ordered a Bill Fitzhugh, a Lawrence Sanders, and a Lee Smith.

I'm a teacher, too, and my English teacher friends and I are going to pass around the Lee Smith books. WE're intrigued and thank you for the suggestion! :)

Anna
 
Try Audrey Niffenegger's "The Time Traveler's Wife". Very unusual love story. Fabulous read. Magical.

Clare
 
Great! Let me know what you think! Fair and Tender Ladies is so neat because it's an epistilery novel written in deep Appalachian dialect. The main character is only about 10 in the earliest letters, and as she ages, her writing improves as well as her diction.

The Last Girls has made me YEARN for a steamboat cruise down the Mississippi, but when I looked into it, I discovered that these short cruises are every bit as expensive as Caribbean cruises!

One note of caution~ Lee Smith's heroines ALWAYS make a stupid error in judgment and you just want to wring their necks! They aren't women of questionable character~just stupid decision makers at times. (Poor little Ivy Rowe TRIES to live up to Jane Eyre's character, but reality just keeps slapping her in the face!)

Enjoy! I could go on and on! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top