Ok, here's how lazy I am. I want you (anyone who reads this--feel free to comment anonymously if it will help me. You still don't have to admit that you read my blog if you don't want to) to do my reading list for me.
I love to read. Maybe too much (I have been known to ignore all tasks of the day, including cooking dinner, because I am into a book). I also read very fast. I generally finish a book in one day unless it is over 500 pages. That being said, I find it a waste of money to buy books when I can check them out of the library that is less than 2 miles from my house.
However, I love to browse through bookstores, because I can see the books and read the jackets to choose what to get. I can't do that at the library, because you can only see the spines. (I am the publishing company's cover design department's dream customer.) That's really the only way I am originally drawn to a book, because I forget to look up "must read" lists in magazines or wherever before I go to the store.
So, I thought I would just ask around (meaning you) and get some suggestions. Then, to be even LAZIER, I will get online, request all the books, and wait for the library to let me know that they are there. They will be held for me in the first shelf in the door. I can be in and out in less than 5 minutes. (Just so you know, this is not really out of laziness--at least not the request list part. It is out of necessity because if I take my kids in there and browse, we'll all be banned because they don't yet get "library etiquette.")
Here are the only stipulations.
1) Must be fiction. Even historical fiction is ok, but I don't want to read non fiction. I just don't. Reading is an escape for me, and I don't want to know about the world's problems when I am on a break!
2) Must not be sad. Same reason as before, this is an escape. If I want sadness, I'll watch the news.
3) Must not be too predictable. Harlequin romances just don't keep me interested. All of the storylines are the same, and most of the characters names are too.
4) Must occur in this world. I'm just not really into science fiction or space stories. (Although adaptations on this world are ok. I loved the Twilight series. I was 1/2 way through the second book before I realized that they were written for teenagers.)
Ok, just so it is more fair, here are some recent books I've read that you might want to check out.
1. Water for Elephants
2. The Lost Hours
3. Three Cups of Tea (Non fiction, actually. A good book, but took me much longer to read than fiction would. Also, he doesn't like the military very much, so that was a little hard to get past.)
4. The Time Traveler's Wife (if you have the same rule as #2 above, don't read it. I was NOT happy)
5. Sunday at Tiffany's.
6. Don't Even Think About It
Oh--here's one I saw at the bookstore the other day that I am going to check out. As it turns out, it too is non fiction, so maybe that rule #1 needs to be tweaked a little. But, right now I am too tired to think of how to rephrase it. Just go with "there are exceptions to every rule"!)
A Million Little Pieces.
It's Who We Are
- The Monkey House
- There are 5 of us--I frequently use the terms zoo and locker room in place of Monkey House. All are completely accurate. I am the only girl--and the feeling of being outnumbered increases as the little monkies get older! All in all, a pretty great (although chaotic) place to be!
Mommy of the Monkies
I don't really know what to say about myself here, but felt obligated to have a caption since I have one for all the boys!
Soldier Boy
Before there was a "Soldja Boy" there were the Sherelles...they sang a song called "Soldier Boy" and I have called him that since we met. He is my friend and my strength. I love him with everything in me.
Monkey #1
He's kind and smart; athletic and sensitive; trying to figure out the difference between being a little boy and a young man. A rocky road--especially without the road map of an older sibling to follow. He blazes a great trail, though, and his little brothers are all the more lucky because of it!
Monkey #2
He is a genius...an absentminded one, but genius nonetheless. Everyone who meets him describes him as an "old soul." It is in his eyes and in his conversation--especially in his questions. At 2 1/2, he told me, "I'm not big like N. I'm not little like J. I'm just like me." What we all hope to instill in our middle children, he knew on his own before his 3rd birthday! He loves everyone.
Monkey #3
4 hours after his birth I told him, "You are the third of three boys. You have to be BIG or FAST." He is both. Surefooted and coordinated, fearless and frightening. He has no concept that he is younger or smaller than his brothers and is quite sure he can do anything they can. He is the comic relief of the family, without even meaning to be. He reveres his brothers--even as he tortures them.
Me as a cartoon!
5 comments:
Five Quarters of Orange is one of my favorites.
Nip the Bud, Shoot the Kids by Kenzaburo Oe.
Perfume by Patrick Suskind. I first read this when in the hospital at 11. I reread every couple of years. Awesome, awesome book. The movie absolutely sucked.
I'd add more but I'm drawing a blank and all of my books are packed up at the moment.
Any of the Phillipa Gregory books. She wrote "The Other Boleyn Girl" and a lot more about Tudor era England, just stay away from the Wildacre books of hers (not good). Those got me though the last deployment. Also, the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, Mitzy got me hooked on those books during the Iraq deployment. My book club is currently reading "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant, and it so far seems pretty good. Good luck and happy reading!
A million little pieces was a great read...although it turned out NOT to be true...still a must read:0) And if you have never read it Who moved my Cheese or The Purpose Driven Life those are two I really enjoyed.
I agree with M, the Phillipa GRegory books are great, start with The Constant Princess first, then The Other Boyleyn Girl, The Boleyn Inheritance, and then The Virgin's Lover. Also the Kite Runner and A 1000 Splinded Suns are both great books. Also The Life of Pi was wonderful. OK I could go on and on because I love, love LOVE to read :o)
If you haven't read it, The Taking by Dean Koontz is one of my favorites. I could also read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen over & over & over again. By the way, I am totally stealing some of the ideas people gave you.
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