75 Books...More or Less! discussion

Have you read something this year that you'd recommend to fellow readers? Post it here - we'll compile a list as the year goes by. Please share:

Genre (Sci Fi, Mystery, Romance, History, Biography, etc.)
Author
Title

Oh a definite 5 star is one that I just finished...Phantom by Susan Kay. It starts when the Phantom is born and take you through his whole life. It really seemed to tie up the end of the movie version for me.

Lori, I loved the Phantom so I will have to check this out. Thanks!

Lorifog wrote: "Oh a definite 5 star is one that I just finished...Phantom by Susan Kay. It starts when the Phantom is born and take you through his whole life. It really seemed to tie up the end of the movie ve..."

Lori, what genre would you consider Susan Kay's book?

Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Beautiful writing, lots of quotable quotes, and a story to lose yourself in. A book for those who love books :-)

JanB wrote: "Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Beautiful writing, lots of quotable quotes, and a story to lose yourself in. A book for those who love books :-)"

JanB, what genre would you consider "Shadow of the Wind" to be?

As we get more recommendations (and I'm sure they will be plenty), we've had a suggestion to sort them by genre. Would like to do that if we can. Thanks!

Kay, hmmm, it's hard to define. Part thriller, literary mystery, romance, and historical fiction, with a little magical realism thrown in.

Genre: Suspense, paranomal
Author: Anonymous
Title: The Book of No Name

Genre: Hmmm... literary mystery I guess?
Author: Richard Adams
Title: The Girl in a Swing

Genre: Literature & fiction
Author: Anita Amirrezvani
Title: The Blood of Flowers

Genre: Distopian Science Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure
Author: Suzanne Collins
Title: The Hunger Games

Genre: Literature and Fiction
Author: Colm Toibin
Title: Brooklyn, A Novel
5 stars

Genre: memoir/cookbook
Author Suzan Colon
Title: Cherries in Winter: My Family's Recipe for Hope in Hard Times

4 stars

Genre: letters
Author: Sue Kidd Monk
Title: The Secret Life of Bees

4*

Genre: YA fiction
Author: Neil Gaiman
Title: The Graveyard Book

5*

Genre: Autobiography
Author: Etta James
Title: Rage to Survive
4 *

Genre: Literature & fiction
Author: Mark Haddon
Title: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

(5 stars)

Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery
Authur: Matthew Pearl
Title: The Dante Club
4 stars

Genre: fiction/short story
Author: Amy Bloom
Title: Where the God of Love Hangs Out

4.5 stars

Genre-: Literature and Fiction
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Title: The Help a Novel

5 stars!

Genre: Fantasy
Author: Walter Moers
Title: The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear

Genre: Fiction
Author Jonathan Dee
Title: The Privileges

4 stars

Genre: Fiction
Author: John Irving
Title: A Son of the Circus*
4.5 stars

*Although if you haven't read Irving before, I'd suggest starting elsewhere (The World According to Garp, A Prayer for Owen Meany, or The Cider House Rules). This one is good, but a bit jumbled--best try out one of Irving's "Big Three" first.

Read these 2 a while ago- but i truly think they are worth Mentioning

Genre: Fiction/historical fiction
Author: Tademy
Title:Cane River-

Could not put it down- 5 stars

Genre: Fiction/mystery
Author: Andrew Gross
Title:The Blue Zone

Andrew Gross co-authored many books with James Patterson- he is now writing on his own- this is my favorite!

Merri, I have has Cane River on my TBR pile for years! Somehow it never calls to me. Knowing you really liked it may help me to read it sooner. Thanks!

I actually was upset when it was over- I don't get that way very often!

Genre: Apocalyptic thriller
Author: Jane Jensen
Title: Judgement Day/Millennium Rising (has been published by both titles)

Genre: Science fiction thriller
Author: Jane Jensen
Title: Dante's Equation

Just read one and re-read the other, and they are both fantastic (imo) books by a little-known author.

Genre:Victorian/Gothic
Author: Charlotte Bronte
Title: Villette
4 stars

A marvelous book that I think is underated for it has not acheived the same fame as Jane Eyre or Wurthering Heights, yet it is just as engaging and skillfully told, with some beautiful poetic prose work.

Silver wrote: "Genre:Victorian/Gothic
Author: Charlotte Bronte
Title: Villette
4 stars

A marvelous book that I think is underated for it has not acheived the same fame as Jane Eyre or Wurthering Heights, ..."

THanks for this recommendation!

Genre: Fiction
Title: So Much For That
Author: Lionel Shriver

4 stars

Genre: Contemporary
Title: The Blind Assassin
Author: Margaret Atwood

4 stars, a remarkable, and very interesting and inventive.

Genre: Fantasy, YA
Title: Stoneheart
Author: Charlie Fletcher
5 stars

(the two following books in the trilogy are great too, but the first is the only one that stands well on it's own)

Thanks, Stacie! I just added this one to our group bookshelf.

Genre: Gothic Romance
Authur: Daphne du Maurier
Title: Rebecca

5 stars

Genre: Historical Fiction/Literary Mystery
Authur: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Title: The Shadow of the Wind

5 stars

Silver, so many people (including me) really loved Shadow of the Wind. What did you think?

I thought it was a wonderful book. A captivating and enchanting story filled with fascinating characters, and some great writing. It was a page turning of a story.

Stacie wrote: "Genre: Fantasy, YA
Title: Stoneheart
Author: Charlie Fletcher
5 stars

(the two following books in the trilogy are great too, but the first is the only one that stands well on it's own)"

Oh, Ive read this (and the second one) and this is a great series! I deffinately second the recamendation! =D

Genre: Fiction/connected stories
Author: Tom Rachman
Title: The Imperfectionists

4 stars

Genre: Mystery, Fantasy
Author: Diana Rowland
Title: Mark of the Demon(Kara Gillian #1)

4 stars


Genre: Paranormal, YA
Author: Lisa McMann
Title:
-Wake(Wake #1)
-Fade(Wake #2)

both 5 stars

Genre: Urban-Fantasy, YA
Author: Cate Tiernan
Title: Book of Shadows(Sweep #1)

5 stars

Genre:Paranormal/ Urban Fantasy
Author: Patricia Briggs
Title:Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1)

Genre:Fantasy/Adventure
Author: David Eddings
Title: Pawn of Prophecy (The Belgariad #1)

5 stars

Genre: Fiction
Author: Donald E. Westlake
Title: Memory

4 stars

Genre: Suspense/Mystery
Author: Carlos Ruis Zafon
Book: The Angel's Game

4 stars

Genre: Biography
Authors: Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberg
Title: Furious Love
4 stars

Genre: Fiction
Author: Carolyn Parkhurst
Title: The Nobodies Album
4 stars

Genre: Fiction
Author: Chevy Stevens
Title: Still Missing
4 stars

Genre: Suspense/Mystery
Author: Jese Kellerman
Title: The Executor
4 stars

Genre: Christian non-fiction
Author: Claus Tondering
Title: Hell and a Loving God
5 stars

Silver, Alecia, and Kiwiria, thanks for your recommendations. I've added them to the group bookshelf.

Genre: History, Non-Fiction
Author: John R. Hale
Title: Lords of the Sea: The Epic Story of the Athenian Navy and the Birth of Democracy

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Romance
Author: Simone Elkeles
Title: Perfect Chemistry

5 stars

Genre: Fiction
Author: Vladimir Nabakov
Title: Lolita

5 stars

Genre: Fantasy
Author: John Connolly
Title: The Book of Lost Things

4+ stars