Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

What book(s) do you just plain love? Not necessarily those with the highest critical or literary status, but something that speaks to you.

I love these books and re-read them regularly:
Little Women
Pride and Prejudice
The Hitchhiker's Guide To the Galaxy

Last year I read No Land To Light On, and it is still with me, mostly the language/descriptions. I plan to re-read it and it may join this list someday.

I don't know why, I just do. I think that is what this question is asking right?

Reading wasn't something that I did regularly because I took longer than usual in university and was overwhelmed by the amount of reading that I had to do already. It wasn't something that I felt compelled to do in my leisure time. But I'm currently trying to grow my appreciation for reading, especially since I'm considering pursuing a career related to literacy and education. I figured that now is a good time since it's a waiting period of my life and I don't have much to keep me occupied during the day.

So far, I have really connected with The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman. I loved the characters and the way that it was written. It also utilized magical realism in a very interesting and beautiful way.

I've started Eternal by Lisa Scottoline and the writing appeals to me in a similar way. I'm about 10% in and I can tell that it will be at least a 4-star read.

I'll give a third shout out to Douglas Adams. The second Hitchhiker book, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is my go to for just reading anytime and as often as possible.

Up there with those are the Discworld series (particularly the Witches subseries).

And then there are the big influences on those; Three Men in a Boat, Thank You, Jeeves, and Cat's Cradle

I tend to gravitate to historical fiction, especially, the Victorian and Regency periods. If you throw time travel into the mix, even better.

As far as favorites or personal trends, I enjoy SFF, especially Alan Dean Foster's Commonwealth books (and others from that era, such as the Retief books). And I've been a (cozy) mystery fan since my parents and grandparents introduced me to Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and (slightly later) Agatha Christie decades ago. I also enjoy nonfiction, unless it's dryly written. A poorly written nonfiction book, even on a topic that I love, can put me right off.

I like historical fiction, but I was so saturated by it one year (maybe during COVID when I was focused on my library's ebook offerings) that it's lost its luster for me. I need to read it in small chunks now.

In general, though, I'm a fairly wide reader and am usually happy to try a new (to me) genre/author/etc. at least once.

Denise wrote: "I love these books and re-read them regularly:
Little Women
Pride and Prejudice
The Hitchhiker's Guide To the Galaxy

Last year I read No Land To Light On, and it is still with me, mostly the langu..."

Yes, you don't need any reason to love a book!

Hayley wrote: "Reading wasn't something that I did regularly because I took longer than usual in university and was overwhelmed by the amount of reading that I had to do already. It wasn't something that I felt c..."

College and graduate school in literature almost destroyed my love of reading because we had so much of it and then we took it all apart. It took me a while to get back to just enjoying reading.

I don't have any real pattern to my comfort authors, I think? Pretty much all of Ilona Andrews and Tamora Pierce, Anne of Green Gables, Pride and Prejudice, Robin McKinley's Sunshine. (Other than women authors, but that's just a pattern I've had my whole life and isn't "thing I love" specific.)

Epic Fantasy

J wrote: "Up there with those are the Discworld series (particularly the Witches subseries)...."

Discworld has a very fond place in my heart. I don't love all the Discworld books, but I love the series as a whole.

I love everything Becky Chambers has written. And N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy. I guess I fall in love with series more than individual books, but I Still Dream is one standalone that particularly resonated with me.

I don't re-read very often, but I would re-read all these.

The Lord of the Rings. I have read it every winter since I was 13. This year was my 51st rereading. Diving back into that world is one of the happiest times of the year for me. I start looking forward to it much earlier in the year but make myself wait until December to start it. So much deep joy.

Like others, Pride and Prejudice is up there for me. I also love a couple of non-Anne LMM Montgomery books - The Blue Castle, Jane of Lantern Hill (I mean, I love the Anne books too, but those are especial favorites.)

Also American Gods, The Hobbit, High Fidelity, The Eyre Affair and Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch.

Interestingly, a first reaction when I saw the question was N.K. Jemisin's The Inheritance Trilogy but I just double checked my ratings to see if I was missing anything and see that I only rated each at 4 stars. Maybe time for a reread to see if I should move that up!

Historical Fiction and Magical Realism. And if you can combine the two of them like The World That We Knew or What the Wind Knows then that's a double bonus.

I also really really love Coming of Age books with a Historical Fiction setting. Ordinary Grace or Little Exiles would be good examples.

I don't often re-read a book, but I have The Tale of the Body Thief on my permanent shelf... I think Lestat is one of the great literary characters of all time, and this particular book where he finally wrestles with human mortality and its limitations creates the final growth he needs as a character and really works for me. I've probably re-read it three or four times.

I love fantasy, I do. I love adventures and magic.
But stories that makes me feel: laugh, cry, scream, jump, hurt, love, grieve etc are the once I recommend to others.

I love some classics, like I try to read A Christmas Carol every year. I adore Emma and I have read Little Women multiple times.

As a former French major, I am always drawn to books where someone moves to France and, while puzzled by the differences from the US/UK/Australia falls in love with the country, the food, and often a person. Some of these are Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes, Pancakes in Paris: Living the American Dream in France, Paris to the Moon, When in French: Love in a Second Language, The French Art of Living Well: Finding Joie de Vivre in the Everyday World.

I seem to currently have a weakness for teenage boys in love with each other, since I adored the series starting with Heartstopper: Volume One (and the Netflix series) and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe/ Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World brilliantly done on audio by Lin-Manuel Miranda. I feel it's rare to see tenderness in male characters otherwise.

Discworld series is a definite for me too, I recently reread some of the Witches books and o my they are still just so great. Terry Pratchett was such a genius.

Robin P wrote: "I seem to currently have a weakness for teenage boys in love with each other, I feel it's rare to see tenderness in male characters otherwise..."

My favorite book from last year was Flamer, a graphic novel about a teen discovering his sexuality. I haven't read the ones you mentioned, but you might like this one, too. It was mostly sweet but also had some important messages.

I love realistic stories. I enjoy reading the occasional fantasy or some other books that are less than believable, but mostly I want real. Historical or modern, fiction or nonfiction all work. Sometimes, when life gets a little too real, I wish I had something to escape into, but even then, I can't seem to pick up something different! :)

J wrote: "I'll give a third shout out to Douglas Adams. The second Hitchhiker book, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is my go to for just reading anytime and as often as possible."

I think I am about the only geeky nerd in the world who doesn't love Hitchhiker's Guide. My husband loves it. We watched the movie, and I cracked up the entire time and absolutely loved it. He hated it. LOL. Go figure. :)

I RARELY reread books. The exception to that rule is the Harry Potter series. I don't care for Rowling herself, but I love her series. My comfort reads - weirdly enough - are Stephen King. My son says I'm warped. LOL. He could be right. My other comfort reads are Elizabeth Peters' books.

I LOVE Tamora Pierce's books and particularly the Alanna: The First Adventure series - I read them every year.

And I LOVE Terry Pratchett

Two of my favorite books are both coming of age in NYC stories but one is a novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and the other a memoir Angela's Ashes. I also love The Surrender Tree / El árbol de la rendición: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom/ Poemas de la lucha de Cuba por su libertad by Margarita Engle. I've read the English edition several times and this year I plan to read the Spanish edition.

In the Time of the Butterflies - Julia Alvarez
Special Topics in Calamity Physics - Marisha Pessl
Swamplandia! - Karen Russell
Outlaw Culture - bell hooks
All Over Creation - Ruth Ozeki

I guess that's my all-time top five.

My absolute favorites are:
- The Immortals series by Tamora Pierce (which starts with Wild Magic)
- most books by Roald Dahl especially Matilda, The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Danny the Champion of the World
- The Complete Sherlock Holmes
- the Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer (which starts with The Case of the Missing Marquess)
- Agatha Christie

My all time favorite is To Kill a Mockingbird. I was such a tom-boy growing up and have always identified with Scout. Her love of reading with Atticus, questioning the rules, and her individuality spoke to me when I was 13.

I also love Janet Evanovich, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman to name a few. I love kooky plots and the unexpected especially if they are lighthearted. Reading is my escape so I like to avoid social issues.

I like the light novel series Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. Light Novels, Vol. 1 it's so much fun. I don't mind rereading it when new books come out.

I also have comfort reads. Diana Palmer is fun when i don't want to think about a books. Andrea Kane historicals are another comfort read. I know the stories by heart so i don't have to wonder what happens. I get to read my favorite bits and just be.

Dixie wrote: "The Lord of the Rings. I have read it every winter since I was 13. This year was my 51st rereading. Diving back into that world is one of the happiest times of the year for me. I start looking forw..."

Amazing to me at age 75 that I have never read any Tolkien. This is the year! I’m going to start with The Hobbit for the Go for the Gold prompt.

I am currently loving books that have a connection with art. If you have suggestions they are more than welcomed!

Yesica wrote: "I am currently loving books that have a connection with art. If you have suggestions they are more than welcomed!"

I read a non-fiction book last year that was terrific and I highly recommend it:
Broad Strokes: 15 Women Who Made Art and Made History by Bridget Quinn