Your top 10 favourite books?!

Amie · Post by **Amie** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 12:45 am

I'm always on the lookout for new reads, what are your top ten?

1. Anne Tyler - The Accidental Tourist

2. Wilbur Smith - River God

3. She's Come Undone - Wally Lamb

4. Wilbur Smith - Elephant Song

5. Breathing Lessons - Anne Tyler

6. The Bronze Horseman - Paullina Simmons

7. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

8. Different Seasons - Stephen King

9. The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett

10. The Seventh Scroll - Wilbur Smith

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:06 am

2 & 10!

I LOVED this Trilogy by Wilbur Smith. I actually read The Seventh Scroll first, although it should have been third in the Trilogy. However, because it just grabbed me and because I just couldn't put it down, I had to read the first two books ~ River God and Warlock. I'd HIGHLY recommend this trilogy to anyone who likes fast paced adventure.

Btw, Taita was a great character...but how on earth do you pronounce his name?

7. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

I enjoyed this book, but it was wierd. Chrono-displacia is a fascinating theory, but overall it wasn't a gripping story and I wouldn't want to read it again. I'm going to sell my copy on Ebay.

I like to read by authors. I LOVE all the Harry Potter books. I'd highly recommend Barbara Erskine's novels. Try her first novel 'Lady of Hay'. It's fascinating and gripping! Especially when the heroine (also the protagonist) goes back in time and relives her moment of death in a previous lifetime! Sadly Erskine's short stories are not as good as her novels.

Diana Gabaldon is also good to read. Her first novel (called Cross Stitch in the UK and Outlander in the USA) is brilliant. She has written about 7 books following the lives of Jamie Fraser *swoon* and Claire Beauchamp, so they have to be read in order. The first 5 are wonderful, but I feel the last couple are not up to her usual standard. Perhaps she needs to focus on new characters for a while.

The Eight by Katherine Neville is my all-time favourite book. It's the only book I own which I refuse to lend out! This one I highly recommend! Again its a time-travel novel (my favourite genre)! Amazon says:

For centuries a secret has been carefully hidden from those who would abuse its power. One daring and enigmatic woman gives her life to defy the rules and protect history from changing course forever. With France aflame in revolution, and the power of her king checked, the nuns of Montglane Abbey are forced to unearth a secret buried for a thousand years within their fortress walls. As the women scatter across the world they take with them the pieces of a mystical chess set given to Charlemagne by eight mysterious Moors. Embedded in each piece of chess service is a code. Whomever reassembles the pieces can play a game of unlimited power - a game that will bring about the end of all kings. Centuries later, another young woman is chosen to join those protecting the missing pieces - will she deduce the answer to the greatest riddle of all time?

:-6

DesignerGal · Post by **DesignerGal** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:47 am

1) In Cold Blood

2) Memoirs of a Geisha, the movi comes out today!!

3) Skinny Legs and All

4) The Glass Castle

5) Hissy Fit

6) The DaVinci Code

7) A New Promised Land, A History of Jews in America

8) Brett Butler's Autobiography

9) No LifeGuard On Duty, Janice Dickenson's autobiography

10) My SIster's Keeper and The Pact by Jodi Piccoult

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:11 am

DesignerGal wrote: 1) In Cold Blood

2) Memoirs of a Geisha, the movi comes out today!!

3) Skinny Legs and All

4) The Glass Castle

5) Hissy Fit

6) The DaVinci Code

7) A New Promised Land, A History of Jews in America

8) Brett Butler's Autobiography

9) No LifeGuard On Duty, Janice Dickenson's autobiography

10) My SIster's Keeper and The Pact by Jodi Piccoult

I loved the book The Pact, it was so heart touching and emotional.

My top 10 are

10. Land Girls ~ Angela Huth

9. Playdates ~ Leslie Carroll

8. Garden Trilogy from Nora Roberts Blue Dalhia, Red Lily, and Black Rose

7. The books Something Blue Something Borrowed ~ Emily Giffon

6. Scarlet Feather ~ Maeve Binchy

5. Circle of Friends ~ Maeve Binchy

4. Angry Housewives eating BonBons ~ Lorna Landvick

3. A Bend in the Road ~ Nicholas Sparks

2. Old Yellar Fred Gibson

1. Savage Sam Fred Gibson

DesignerGal · Post by **DesignerGal** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:14 am

Sheryl wrote: I loved the book The Pact, it was so heart touching and emotional.

My top 10 are

10. Land Girls ~ Angela Huth

9. Playdates ~ Leslie Carroll

8. Garden Trilogy from Nora Roberts Blue Dalhia, Red Lily, and Black Rose

7. The books Something Blue Something Borrowed ~ Emily Giffon

6. Scarlet Feather ~ Maeve Binchy

5. Circle of Friends ~ Maeve Binchy

4. Angry Housewives eating BonBons ~ Lorna Landvick

3. A Bend in the Road ~ Nicholas Sparks

2. Old Yellar Fred Gibson

1. Savage Sam Fred Gibson

I read Angry housewives too! If you liked the PACT you'll love My Sister's Keeper by the same author. Ive read like four or five of her books but those two are my favorites. Did you watch the Lifetime Movie "The Pact". It was based on that book but they changed the reason for the suicide. They left the part out about the guy at McDonald's.

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:17 am

It was on Lifetime day before yesterday, but I didn't watch it. I avoid movies based on books. So I guess I avoid Lifetime :wah:

I will have to add My Sister's Keeper to my wish list. Browsing Amazon now for books.

minks · Post by **minks** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:45 am

wow I can't remember many titles

I loved all of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander Series

As a Kid I owned a gorgeous picture book of the story Beauty and the Beast

Danielle Steels Palomino

Ack the author who wrote "The Thornbirds"

She wrote the book "Tim" I absolutely loved that book. Oh yeah by Colleen McCullough.

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 5:11 pm

DesignerGal wrote: I read Angry housewives too! If you liked the PACT you'll love My Sister's Keeper by the same author. Ive read like four or five of her books but those two are my favorites. Did you watch the Lifetime Movie "The Pact". It was based on that book but they changed the reason for the suicide. They left the part out about the guy at McDonald's.

I saw the film "The Pact" and wasn't impressed. But then, a film can never equal a book that its based on, IMO.

But My Sister's Keeper is just a wonderful book! The end is a bit trite, but overall I'd say you really HAVE to read this book!!!

Amie · Post by **Amie** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:15 pm

My Sisters Keeper is a great book, but overall I don't think there's much in it to really get the mind going after the book is closed and the last page read. I've read most of Jodi Picoult's books, while they're mostly alll really great reads, they get old after a while and all follow the same formula.

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:22 pm

If you asked of all time I'd do better but one I finished recently (that

might not be up everyone's alley but I LOVED it) was Marley and Me

*life and love with the world's worst dog by John Grogan.

:-6

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:29 pm

i only read two genres...historical non-fiction and Carl Hiaasen's Official Web Site he's hilarious!

Uncle Kram · Post by **Uncle Kram** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 3:27 pm

1 The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

2.Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks

3. The Godfather - Mario Puzo

4. A Stone for Danny Fisher - Harold Robbins

5. First Blood - David Morrel

6. Killing Floor - Lee Child

7. Papillon - Henri Charriere

8. The Carpetbaggers - Harold Robbins

9. Mistrals Daughter - Judith Krantz

10.Holocaust - Gerald Green

Amie · Post by **Amie** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 2:56 pm

So many of you mention The DaVinci Code. I started it a few weeks ago and haven't gotten past page 24. I just can't get into it.

Amie · Post by **Amie** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:12 am

koochikoo wrote: A couple of my friends said the same thing. Perservere with it. Once you get past the 'boring' bit, I swear you won't put it down!:D It's a fantastic read!

OK it's starting to get a little bit more interesting now!

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:40 am

YOu got to read Angels and Demons next Amie. It's just as good.

theia · Post by **theia** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:53 am

Three Men In A Boat - Jerome K. Jerome

Sohie's World - Jostein Gaarder

Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

A Life of One's Own - Joanna Field

The Prophet - Kahlil Gibran

A Woman Speaks - Anais Nin

Memories, Dreams and Reflections - Carl Jung

1984 - George Orwell

The Spiritual Canticle - St John of the Cross

The Voice of Knowledge - don Miguel Ruiz

DesignerGal · Post by **DesignerGal** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:27 am

Has anyone read Sophie's Choice? I loved that book as well. The movie was really close to the book as well!

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 6:34 pm

The Gulag Archipelago~ Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee~ The Drifters~ Cosmos~ The Seat Of The Soul~ The Prophet~ Random Acts Of Kindness~ Carlos Castaneda *series*~ Kon Tiki~The Da Vinci Code

Adam Zapple · Post by **Adam Zapple** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 10:17 am

The Hunt For Red October - Tom Clancy

Paradise Alley - Kevin Baker

The Agony and The Ecstasy - Irving Stone

Presumed Innocent - Scott Turow

The Parsifal Mosaic - Robert Ludlum

Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Dafoe

litlove · Post by **litlove** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 6:06 am

1. The Collected Stories of Colette

2. In Search of Lost Time - Marcel Proust

3. The Rotter's Club and its sequal The Closed Circle - Jonathan Coe

4. Thinks - David Lodge

5. AliasGrace - Margaret Atwood

6. Half in Love - Justin Cartwright

7. The War Between the Tates - Alison Lurie

8. Elective Affinities - Goethe

9. A Room with a View - E.M. Forster

10. Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse

But I could go on and do a top 100, I think!

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:07 am

litlove wrote: 1. The Collected Stories of Colette

2. In Search of Lost Time - Marcel Proust

3. The Rotter's Club and its sequal The Closed Circle - Jonathan Coe

4. Thinks - David Lodge

5. AliasGrace - Margaret Atwood

6. Half in Love - Justin Cartwright

7. The War Between the Tates - Alison Lurie

8. Elective Affinities - Goethe

9. A Room with a View - E.M. Forster

10. Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse

But I could go on and do a top 100, I think!

You can.

Amie · Post by **Amie** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 9:50 pm

koochikoo wrote: A couple of my friends said the same thing. Perservere with it. Once you get past the 'boring' bit, I swear you won't put it down!:D It's a fantastic read!

koochikoo, I took your advice and stuck with it. Half way through now. :wah: Damn it's a great read! Except....

I have to keep stopping to go jump on the internet and look up something that they talk about in the book.

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:56 pm

Amie - I enjoyed that too. Quite a tale. I'm looking forward to the film which I think gets released later this year.

Here's 10 of my favourites in no particular order:

Blue Nowhere - Jeffery Deaver

Steppenwolf - Hermann Hesse

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - Joe Berendt

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Addams

Where the Heart Is - Billie Letts

The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon - Stephen King

The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde

Diary of a Blues Goddess - Erica Orloff

Insiders - Olivia Goldsmith

BabyRider · Post by **BabyRider** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:18 pm

1. "The Talisman" Stephen King/Peter Straub

2. "Black House" Stephen King/Peter Straub

3. "Bag of Bones" Stephen King

4. "Needful Things" Stephen King

5. "The Clan of the Cavebear" Jean Auel

6. "The Valley of Horses" Jean Auel

7. "The Mammoth Hunters" Jean Auel

8. "The Plains of Passage" Jean Auel

9. "Shelter of Stone" Jean Auel

10. "Watchers" Dean Koontz

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:28 pm

I've never read any Jean Auel.. I'll hafta remedy that!!

BabyRider · Post by **BabyRider** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:41 pm

AussiePam wrote: I've never read any Jean Auel.. I'll hafta remedy that!!
Oh wow, Pam...do you know anything about the books?

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:05 am

No. I just know I've had them recommended before. Where should I start?

BabyRider · Post by **BabyRider** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:17 am

AussiePam wrote: No. I just know I've had them recommended before. Where should I start?
The way they are listed in my favorites is the order they came out in. Start with "Clan of the Cave Bear." Talk about a book you just escape into. I've read all 5 books several times each. I highly reccommend them!

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:03 am

I have a 22 hour flight coming up next Tuesday, BR. That book sounds perfect. Thankyou !!!

DesignerGal · Post by **DesignerGal** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 10:01 am

Im reading "The Color of Water" right now by James McBride. I find it utterly fascinating. I even emailed bim my compliments.

Kuriboh · Post by **Kuriboh** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 6:00 pm

I love reading! I shudder to think of a world without anything to read - I'm serious!

The Petshop of Horrors - Matsuri Akino

The Art of Deception - Kevin Mitnick

The Art of Intrusion - Kevin Mitnick

Artemis Fowl - Eion Colfer

Shutdown - R.J. Pineiro

Renegade - Ramsay Thorne

The Egyptian Cross Mystery - Ellery Queen

Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyal

The Hardy Boys - Franklin W. Dixon

Ninja's Revenge - Piers Anthony & Roberto Fuentes

LilacDragon · Post by **LilacDragon** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 6:15 pm

I couldn't pick 10 favorite books! I could come up with 10 authors though. My preferences are Science Fiction/Fantasy, Crime (both fiction and non-fiction) and mystery/thrillers.

My favorite authors are (in no particular order)

Anne McCaffery

Jennifer Roberson

Mercedes Lackey

Melanie Rawn

Terry Goodkind

Kate Elliot

John Grishom

John Sanford

James Patterson

Nicholas Sparks

(And the occasional romance - Celeste DeBlasis is my favorite. I was very sorry to hear that she has passed away. :-1 )

Oh - my bookshelf is full of books by these authors (and a few more) and quite a few of them have been read so often that I have had to replace copies!

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 6:50 pm

What a really great thread!

Some people have named books or authors that I love alongside ones I've not heard of. So now I can go and find lots of wonderful new books, knowing I'll probably love them all!

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 7:44 pm

It is, isn't it Rapunzel!! And Kariboh - welcome to the Forum Garden. And you're a Hardy Boys fan!!!

BabyRider · Post by **BabyRider** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 10:16 pm

koochikoo wrote: You have such similar taste in books to me! I like Stephen Kings later work more than his 'classics', although I really enjoyed the Bachman Books and his short story compilations. I've read nearly all Koontz's books, he is quite easy to read, and I love Jean Auels series. They are incredible! Highly recommend them! Can't wait for the next one in the series, I hope it doesn't take another 10 years.
Did that drive you absolutely INSANE waiting for her last book?? I've heard rumor that she isn't going to do another "Earth's Children" book. Seems like there's so much more she could do with the story line, I'll be really disappointed if "Shelters of Stone" was the last one.

And I totally agree about SK. His early stuff was ok, but more gory, while now he's more into the supernatural, and thriller-type stuff, which I do enjoy more. You have read "The Talisman" and "Black House", I assume?

Kuriboh · Post by **Kuriboh** » Mon May 01, 2006 8:03 am

AussiePam wrote: It is, isn't it Rapunzel!! And Kariboh - welcome to the Forum Garden. And you're a Hardy Boys fan!!!

Thanks! And yep, I'm a Hardy Boys fan! I've been collecting (and reading) the Hardy Boys series since I was 10. I also like the Nancy Drew series, which seems to have gotten more recent attention all of a sudden with all these Nancy Drew Interactive CP games. Can't beat the classics!:)

cherandbuster · Post by **cherandbuster** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 10:57 am

Amie wrote: My Sisters Keeper is a great book, but overall I don't think there's much in it to really get the mind going after the book is closed and the last page read. I've read most of Jodi Picoult's books, while they're mostly alll really great reads, they get old after a while and all follow the same formula.

Amie, I totally agree with you on this one.

I think Ms. Picoult does a tremendous amount of research for her books, and I applaud her for that. But I find them somewhat formulaic and, once I finish them, I tend to forget them.

I've read all of Dennis Lehane's books -- he wrote "Mystic River", which was made into an excellent movie (who woulda thunk?!)

I'm always looking for an author to fall in love with (so to speak) and then I can read everything he or she wrote:)