What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

Dear community,

Probably in contrary to most of you guys. I never read books. From elementary school till not long ago I despised books. I was a hyper active kid and I probably built an image in my head that the opposite. Sitting still and reading a book would be no fun at all.

I have always loved movies and TV series though. In my opinion shallow movies are the worst. I love a good thought out storyline. Or even better. Multiple storylines that come together.

Now I am a bit older I realize that the chance of finding a good story is more likely in books. And honestly I get excited of the idea that there is a whole world I haven't explored yet.

So my question for you guys is. Can you please help me find a book. Of all the books that you have read. There must be 1 or 2 that matches with what I think I would like. I am also very much open to your suggestions and guidance.

What I like:
- Positivity. I love characters that find joy in the things that drives them.
- A seemingly ordinary life. But with the underlying passions, relationships, mysteries, intriges, problems and more.
- Smart characters.

What I don't like(sorry):
- Vampiers, wizards and robot themed stories.
- Major present or historic events that really happened. I don't want to read about the fall of the Berlin wall or the tsunami in Indonesia.

Movies/TV series that I loved:
- A Beautiful Mind
- Gladiator
- Shameless
- The Last Samurai
- Sons of Anarchy
- Good Will Hunting
- Prison Break
- Braveheart
- Californication
- Freedom Writers
- The Morning Show
- The Great Debaters
- The Wire
- Into The Wild
- Game of Thrones

Please ask questions that might help you find the most suitable book for me.

I really appreciate your help and effort. Thank you.

have you ever read the book "into the wild" - the movie is based on it - i LOVED it - and the movie as well. another book i highly recommend is "a man called ove" - it's been translated from dutch, i believe -the movie is also quite good!

Multiple storylines coming together, inspiring: Holes
Inspiring teacher stories: To Sir, With Love, Up the Down Staircase

I am so glad that you've decided to become a reader! Welcome!

:) Based on "What I Like," I'm reminded of a book called Parcheesi Blues which follows some smart oddball characters around slice-of-life kinda adventures, and also Whirligig!

Do you mind suggestions of books for young readers?

Since you're just starting your journey in books, what about reading the actual A Game of Thrones books?

It might be a good way to transition into reading since you already enjoyed the TV show

I loved this book: All Creatures Great and Small

This is billed as non-fiction but actually it can be read as a series of episodes in the life of the author, a young veterinarian. There is a "story".
It's a nice book, full of warmth and positivity, with quirky characters.

Thank you for all the recommendations! I will read the summaries. And if it is interesting I surely test the first chapter. I read that this is a good way to see if you are into the book.

Regarding the book recommendations based on the movies of the book I have seen. I am a bit concerned about this. But I am not sure if that is rightfully. If I have seen the movie I will know generally what is going to happen right? Won't that take the excitement/unexpectedness away? Or are the books so different from the movies that this concern isn't a thing?

Thanks for the help! I appreciate it.

@rosa

That depends how young ^^ In general I am open for anything if you think it is so good that you want to recommend it!

You might like books by Debbie Macomber. Her Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Series books were made into a Hallmark TV series. Family stories, heartwarming. She writes a lot of Christmas stories too. Trading Christmas was made into a movie.

Nora Roberts has a LOT of great books, and her style has evolved over the years. It sounds like you wouldn't like her books with paranormal elements, but you might like the older contemporary romantic suspense books that were made into Lifetime movies (High Noon, Blue Smoke, Angels Fall). I also recommend some of her more recent work: The Witness, Shelter in Place, and The Obsession.

Jeroen wrote: "Thank you for all the recommendations! I will read the summaries. And if it is interesting I surely test the first chapter. I read that this is a good way to see if you are into the book.

Regardin..."

True! It's always more exciting reading books when you don't know how the story is going to go. And as far as I know, the Game of Thrones books are very similar to the show in the first few seasons.

Then what about:

Six of Crows: This is a YA fantasy/adventure book but it's absolutely brilliant. It's about a team of misfits and they are trying to complete an insanely difficult heist. All the characters in this book are complex and it's one of the best books I've ever read. The book has multiple POVs as well.

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption: A Story from Different Seasons: Based on the movies you like, I've a feeling you might enjoy this one. This one is set in a prison and it's about a man who was wrongly accused of a murder he didn't commit. It has a lot of heart and it's very inspiring.

@crystal

I take The Shawshank Redemption movie is based on your last recommendation right?

Six of Crows seems interesting. I will read the first chapter.

I also recommend Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.

If you like (or think you'd like) YA fantasy, I'd also recommend The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. It's set in both a faerie realm and partially in the human world. There's a lot of royalty "politics," the kind where many people (or rather, fae) are vying for the crown.

I'd also recommend Splintered by A.G. Howard, which is kinda paranormal YA. No vampires or magicians, but more fantastical. It's a creative take on Alice in Wonderland. Set in Wonderland, it's many years after Alice ventured down the rabbit hole, and since then all females of Alice's line have been supposedly "cursed" by insanity.

Jeroen wrote: "@crystal

I take The Shawshank Redemption movie is based on your last recommendation right?

Six of Crows seems interesting. I will read the first chapter."

Yes, the Shawshank redemption is based on that book!

Also Six of Crows is one of the best books I've ever read - but try reading at least 3 chapters before making up your mind. Most people say that in the first two chapters there are too many characters and it's still building up. But once you go past the first few chapters the book really becomes solid gold

The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen
Love That Dog
The Man in the High Castle (character finding hope in creativity)
Black Alice
The Mouse and His Child (this truly is for all ages)
Maniac Magee
Love Among the Walnuts
The Schwa Was Here
The Giver
The Golden Goblet (best historical fiction about ancient Egypt I ever expect to read)
The Cricket in Times Square
The Trumpet of the Swan
Coraline
The Green Mile
A Single Shard

Thank you Rosa. That is a big list. I will certainly read the summaries and hope there is something that appeals to me!

Also people. If there is any book that matches with the info I gave in my opening post. Don't hesitate to give more suggestions. I am not done after the next book :)

Crystal wrote: "Jeroen wrote: "@crystal

I take The Shawshank Redemption movie is based on your last recommendation right?

Six of Crows seems interesting. I will read the first chapter."

Yes, the Shawshank redem..." I am halfway through the first chapter. Will read the rest as you advised.

I don't think it is a coincidence that all the characters have Dutch names. Is it? ^^

Jeroen wrote: "Crystal wrote: "Jeroen wrote: "@crystal

I take The Shawshank Redemption movie is based on your last recommendation right?

Six of Crows seems interesting. I will read the first chapter."

Yes, the..."

Yes you're quite correct! The author for Six of Crows drew inspiration from Dutch cities when creating the town of Ketterdam

Jeroen, I really enjoyed Six of Crows, but for me it took the first 100 pages to get into it. It kinda started out slow for me . . . so if it takes you longer than the first 3 chapters to get interested, I promise you it does get better. :)

Also you could look into:

Scythe,
Red Queen,
Cinder,
Caraval,
Carve the Mark, or
The Young Elites.

I'm not sure if you'd like any/all of these though, but I really liked them.

I’m going to recommend The Martian by Andy Weir. The hero is seemingly ordinary but ends up in an almost insurmountable situation. He has tons of positivity as well as creativity and ingenuity. He does not let a very, very tough situation get him down much; instead he pours all his energy into making it a better situation. And he’s very smart.

Before you ask, yes, the movie starring Matt Damon is based on this book. If you haven’t seen the movie, read the book first so the movie won’t spoil it for you.

To me this book is the definition of a “feel good story.” It’s very inspiring.

Jeroen wrote: "Thank you Rosa. That is a big list. I will certainly read the summaries and hope there is something that appeals to me!

Also people. If there is any book that matches with the info I gave in my op..."

I hope something appeals to you too! Let me know what you think!

Rosa wrote: "Jeroen wrote: "Thank you Rosa. That is a big list. I will certainly read the summaries and hope there is something that appeals to me!

Also people. If there is any book that matches with the info ..." I think I will give Maniac Magee a shot!

The first alinea of The Cricket in Times Square really appealed to me. But to be honest. Animals being the characters turns me off. But I do really like the idea of someone living in New York. The rumbling of the subway. I don't know. I get this feeling of someone living in a small cozy apartment. And when going out the door you walk into a lively bustling street.

I don't really know that life. I live in a small European town. When I leave my house it is very quiet. So being able to immerse yourself in a busy city while at the same time having the possbility to isolate yourself in your cozy apartment. Sitting in the window nook while watching what happens outside. I like that thought.

Janine wrote: "I’m going to recommend The Martian by Andy Weir. The hero is seemingly ordinary but ends up in an almost insurmountable situation. He has tons of positivity as well as creativity an..."

Thanks for your suggestion. Unfortunately I have already seen the movie. But I like the story!

Asia wrote: "Jeroen, I really enjoyed Six of Crows, but for me it took the first 100 pages to get into it. It kinda started out slow for me . . . so if it takes you longer than the first 3 chapt..."
I like Red Queen. I have put it on my to read list! Thanks!

@Asia @Crystal

I have read the first 5 chapters of Six of Crows. I like it! Will finish this book. I think it is a duology right? Thank you.

I wanted to clarify 1 thing. In my opening post I mentioned that I don't like 'wizards'. But I don't think I mind it too much. In fact. I really liked the Harry Potter movies.

I also liked the first 2 books of the Malazan Empire. So if the magic part is like that. Sure then it is fun. I stopped reading that series though because the English was a bit too advanced for me as a non native English speaker. I missed too much of what was going on.

But I do like that kind of fantasy stuff. A made up world with politics, strategy and adventures.

Jeroen wrote: "@Asia @Crystal

I have read the first 5 chapters of Six of Crows. I like it! Will finish this book. I think it is a duology right? Thank you."

I'm so excited for you :D The book gets better and better the more you keep reading. And yes it's a duology - the second book is absolutely incredible as well

Keep me updated with how it goes!

Sourdough by Robin Sloan Sourdough

Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons Cold Comfort Farm

Jeroen wrote: "Asia wrote: "Jeroen, I really enjoyed Six of Crows, but for me it took the first 100 pages to get into it. It kinda started out slow for me . . . so if it takes you longer than the ..."

I'm glad you like Red Queen. I will just say this about it: I really liked bk 1, I loved bk 2, but bk 3 fell flat at the end, and I never read bk 4. You might really like it though.

Also glad you got into Six of Crows faster than I did. It really is a good book. And, yes, it is a duology. Also, there are other books set in that realm (I think it's the Grisha trilogy? or something like that?) that you might like.

Some other books you might like are:

An Ember in the Ashes,
Serpent & Dove,
House of Salt and Sorrows,
A Curse So Dark and Lonely, or
Sorcery of Thorns,
and any of the books on these lists:

https://www.goodreads.com/choiceaward...,
https://www.goodreads.com/choiceaward...,
and other lists like these.

Crystal wrote: "Jeroen wrote: "@Asia @Crystal

I have read the first 5 chapters of Six of Crows. I like it! Will finish this book. I think it is a duology right? Thank you."

I'm so excited for you :D The book get..."
I like that you can get so excited about me liking a book haha.

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta (first in a trilogy)
Graceling by Kristin Cashore (also a trilogy but works as a stand alone too)
The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan (if you don't mind YA, it's a long series but I really liked the humour in this series)

Thanks for the last suggestions. I will look them up soon!

I really like what you said about your idea of city life. What country do you live in? What's your native language?

Jessica wrote: "Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta (first in a trilogy)
Graceling by Kristin Cashore (also a trilogy but works as a stand alone too)
[book:The Ruins of Gorlan|60..."

I was not so into Finnkin of the Road and I wouldn’t describe it as full of positivity either. But I did like Graceling and I loved one of its sequels, Bitterblue. There is a fourth book in the series coming out next year.

The Accidental Tourist by Ann Tyler

Jeroen wrote: "Crystal wrote: "Jeroen wrote: "@Asia @Crystal

I have read the first 5 chapters of Six of Crows. I like it! Will finish this book. I think it is a duology right? Thank you."

I'm so excited for you..."

^-^!! <3

I am greatful that you guys keep the suggestions coming! Looking forward to see what the books are about!

Rosa wrote: "I really like what you said about your idea of city life. What country do you live in? What's your native language?"
I live in the Netherlands and my native language is Dutch!

My town has about 50k inhabitants. So compared to a city like New York that is a pittance ^^

I saw a few fun recommendations that interested me! I think I liked An Ember in the Ashes the most. But The Ruins of Gorlan Iiked as well.

Don't you guys find it hard though to decide what to read based on the summaries? I feel like some could interest me but they could also go to the other direction and don't interest me at all.

I would recommend Jane Austen. Her books are set in the 1800s, but that was the time she lived, so in that sense, they are contemporary fiction. She writes about regular people. No vampires, werewolves, or magic. Edited to add: Although the setting could be seen as historical, Austen didn't write about the important political events of her day. She wrote about the ordinary lives of the country gentry in England - the world she knew best.

Pride and Prejudice is a good place to start. I liked Emma, but some people didn't think much of the heroine. Northanger Abbey is cute.

Jeroen wrote: "I saw a few fun recommendations that interested me! I think I liked An Ember in the Ashes the most. But The Ruins of Gorlan Iiked as well.

Don't you guys find it hard though to decide what to rea..."

Usually I decide whether to read a book based on the summaries...but sometimes I also take a quick scroll through the top reviews on the page (be wary of spoilers)

If there's lots of 5 stars I'm more likely to pick the book up - though this is not a fail safe method either

Another thing I like to do is go to the goodreads lists of the best books in a certain category I'm interested in. Eg. if I'm interested in "historical romance" I search in google "goodreads best historical romance" and a list would pop up.

Click on the list and then scan through the books on the top is another great way to get a good book to read

Jeroen wrote: "I saw a few fun recommendations that interested me! I think I liked An Ember in the Ashes the most. But The Ruins of Gorlan Iiked as well.

Don't you guys find it hard though to decide what to rea..."

I try to follow Goodreads posters whose taste is similar to mine (you can use the "compare books" feature to do this). I also seek out reviews that give me information that matters to me when I select what to reads. There are a lot of reviews and reviewers that do nothing but squee. Personally I find those less helpful. Unless they are coming from someone who is choosy, and then I give them some weight.

I do also look at the aggregate number of stars the book got on Goodreads, and sometimes I also look at book on Amazon based on their "Customers who bought this book also bought" suggestions. The most useful tool to me, however, is to spot people who like books I liked, and disliked books I didn't care for, and write informative reviews. Their suggestions are most helpful to me.

Jeroen wrote: "I saw a few fun recommendations that interested me! I think I liked An Ember in the Ashes the most. But The Ruins of Gorlan Iiked as well.

Don't you guys find it hard though to decide what to rea..."

For me, I mostly use the summaries. If the summaries sound interesting, I'll look through the reviews to see what people thought. I also try to follow people that have similar tastes. If I'm still indecisive I also look at other websites (e.g. Amazon, ThriftBooks, Barnes & Noble, etc.).

Also, glad you like An Ember in the Ashes; it's actually pretty good!

I find books by asking my favorite librarian (since I am a librarian, this is a day-to-day activity)... I would suggest you try
The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard Morais - there was a movie! About an Indian family in France who open a restaurant. Focuses on the young man of the family.

Another one that is definitely a feel-good story is Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman.

City of Thieves