Chicks On Lit discussion

She is coming out with a new book in March.


from her website:

Everyone's asking about Change of Heart, my new novel. Watch the video trailer. A million copies are being printed, which makes me feel like Stephen King instead of li’l ol’ me! It will arrive in bookstores on March 4, 2008 - and I promise it will shake you up, and make you think about some really tough issues that I find particularly relevant in the light of our upcoming election! Learn more about Change of Heart, movie news and get the recipe for Sorrow Pie in the the Pi-Cult…

Every time I go to the bookstore I pick up Jodi's books, read the backs of the, then they end up back on the shelf. Not because the books don't seem interesting, but because...well, I don't really know why.

I even picked up My Sister's Keeper tonight and almost walked out of the store with it...finally. But ended up with a copy of Anita Diamant's The Red Tend intead...

So...if there ARE any JP fans in here...what would be a good starter book to get into reading her other books?

Sara..

I'm like you. I look at her books and then.. put them down. I've always lingered over them but could never make the decision to buy one. Finally a friend of my bought me 2 of books for Christmas.. they are on my to read list atm.

I've read a few. I started with My Sister's Keeper and LOVED IT! I've also read Tenth Circle (SNORE), Vanishing Acts (snore), Salem Falls (pretty good), Nineteen Minutes (Virginia Tech ruined it).

The problem I have with her books is that her style is the same. Shock value. It becomes easy to predict her storylines.

I also don't buy her books (besides My Sister's Keeper at a book sale). I've gotten the rest from the library.

I picked up MY SISTER's KEEPER about 3490 times before I read it. Then, I read it and it ROCKED ME. I love her books...I do think she should fire the person who writes on the back of the novels.

Can't wait for the new one!

I, too, loved My Sister's Keeper, and was eager to read more of her books. Then, I read the Tenth Circle and was really disappointed. That was about a year ago, and I have not been motivated to read any more of her books since. Her books are always checked out at the library though, so I must be one of the few who feels this way.

Thanks for the advice!

I think during my next reading lull, I'll pick up My Sister's Keeper.

It's kind of a bummer that such a prolific author has only a few really good books.

I loved the The Pact, and also My Sister's Keeper, and 19 Minutes. Did not like The Tenth Circle. But those 3 are well worth reading, I think.

I began reading Jody Picoult with "Keeping Faith" and read "The Pact" from there. While "Keeping Faith" was an easy read, "The Pact" has really stayed with me. I have since read every one of her books and I have pre-ordered "Change of Heart." I usually get all of my books at the library, but Jodi's books I buy so that I can lend them out to my mom, sisters, and friends.

I keep seeing people rave about her(?), but I've never even seen one of her novels in the bookstore, so clearly she writes in a genre I don't normally like. How would you classify her books?

literature and fiction

I'm with the majority here as well. I really liked My Sister's Keeper, and really liked 19 Minutes, up until the end. I enjoyed her style of writing....from each different person's perspective, but I could totally see the predictability in shock factor after a few books. BUT I'd have to say Jo Rowling is the only author I have read many books of and kept it fresh and me guessing.

New here (Hello!)...

My .02 worth. My boss recommended My Sister's Keeper to me. I am waiting for her to pass it on to me as I type. I started reading it on the sly, when I found it lying on her sofa and wow! It didn't even take a chapter to get me hooked!

I can't wait till she finishes the book so I can really get into it :)

I LOVE Jodi Piccoult! The first book I read by her was My Sister's Keeper and I was absolutely hooked! I can't wait until her new book comes out in March. I just started reading Harvesting The Heart.

I have a hard time getting into her books but once I do I enjoy them. Its just hard to start them for some reason!! I really liked Vanishing Acts....have you tried that one?

i like her as well (^.^)`..

I have read 13 of 17 by her. On Handle with Care now.

I am not a Picoult fan, and her books dont really do anything for me. I have read 2 of her books, My sisters Keeper and one about the Amish commmunity that I cant even remember the name of. I guess that says alot. So it was with great trepidation that I recently decided to read 19 Minutes...and I loved it. It was a fantastic book and unlike her previous efforts kept me flicking through the pages. I am not a convert but I would definately give her new book a shot.

I have the following of hers and they are all KEEPERS:

My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes, The Pact: A Love Story, Plain Truth, The Tenth Circle, Vanishing Acts, Change of Heart, Keeping Faith, Salem Falls, Perfect Match, Handle with Care, Second Glance, Mercy, Songs of the Humpback Whale: A Novel in Five Voices, Picture Perfect and I have House Rules coming soon. I have read Harvesting the Heart.

Emma, you should try Salem Falls or The Pact next. They seem to be favorites for many readers.

I've personally read MSK, Salem Falls, 19 minutes, Perfect Match, Change of Heart, Mercy and currently reading House Rules. Of those, Mercy was my least favorite.

(hee-hee - I see I posted before!) :)

I don't read her stuff anymore. Too predictable of a writing style. She writes shocking endings that I can now see coming from miles away.

My Sister's Keeper was the first book I read by her. That one I will love because I didn't expect the ending. Then I read additional books by her and became familiar with her writing style. I don't bother with her stuff anymore but I do recommend her for people that haven't read her stuff before.

Loved all her books so far apart from songs of the humpback whale...boring repetition all the time and I found MSK to be totally overrated. Wasnt a big fan.

I'm currently reading her latest House Rules which is about a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome. It's very good.

I've enjoyed most of her books; my favorites are probably The Pact and Mercy.

Vikki wrote: "I'm currently reading her latest House Rules which is about a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome. It's very good."

I bought it and put it in my tbr pile......

eh.. She's okay I guess.

On the plus side, she does well with her characters. I think she fleshes them out pretty well so that they feel like real people that I could relate to in one way or another. My Sister's Keeper, for example: I could really see where everyone was coming from and didn't dislike anybody so that, even though part of me wanted to be able to choose a side, I couldn't.

But the story lines are always predictable. She's so typically unpredictable to the point where it actually is predictable...if that makes sense? The standard plot twist, so to speak. It's just not a twist anymore if it's standard in literature! So I am just completely over that sort of thing in novels.

So that's my positive and negative for reading Jodi Picoult, for those deciding whether or not to bother.

I'm a big fan of hers, but haven't been able to read the recent ones. As a fairly new Mom, it really hurts me to read about the right-to-life in her latest. But, my favorites by her are Plain Truth and My Sister's Keeper. She can be predictable, but I like how she takes a current "buzz" topic, and tells it from many points of view.

Carrie wrote: "I picked up MY SISTER's KEEPER about 3490 times before I read it. Then, I read it and it ROCKED ME. I love her books...I do think she should fire the person who writes on the back of the novels.

..."

I agree Carrie. I love her books. I have her new one coming in the mail soon. Once I start reading her books, I cant put them down!

My first Jodi Picoult book is My Sister's Keeper and I loved it soo much..

I couldn't get into her books right away either. I was bored one day at my parents and my mom pushed 19 minutes into my hands, and I have read a whole bunch of them since then. The stories do get predictable, but I love the way she switches voices throughout the books and develops more than one character as the main character.

I have to agree with Rosabelle. It wasn't my first Picoult book, but so far it is absolutely my favorite!

Rosabelle wrote: "My first Jodi Picoult book is My Sister's Keeper and I loved it soo much.."

Lauren, I like that about her too. It's what keeps me coming back. That and the controversial subject matter!

I've read alot of her books
My favorites in order from most favorite are
Vanishing Acts
Mercy
The Pact
Salem Falls
Plain Truth

I have House Rules but have not read it yet. Anyone finished this and really liked it?

I liked Jodi Picoult. I have read "The Tenth Circle" and liked the book but disappointed with the outcome. I read "The Pact" I own "My Sister's Keeper", "Hose Rules" "Keeping Faith" The movies form the books I have seen "My Sister's Keeper" and "Plain Truth" I doesn't bother me that she is predictable.

I love Jodi Picoult and her controversial topics. I do feel that she writes to a formula, so I can't read too many in a row, but I have read almost all of her books over the years. I think my favorite was Keeping Faith. I have not read House Rules, but am looking forward to reading that this summer.

I have read "My Sister's Keeper", "The Pact", "Handle with Care", and "House Rules". Every one of these books my sister has given me to read. I love the way she writes, but I can't say I have loved every one.