Non murder mysteries that I've enjoyed recently...
A funny, sweet and emotional little love story that gives you a glimpse into the Orthodox Jewish world.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
I might be the last person to read this, but I finally gave in and I loved it. Such a great, escapist love story.
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
I couldn't resist the title. This novel focuses tightly on family dynamics, which I always love, but I have to admit I disliked several of the main characters which made it less appealing. The writing is wonderful, though, and I like the way food is used throughout the book.
How about you? Anything good on your bedside table these days?
Just finished reading The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton which I found reasonbly good.
ReplyDeleteI have also just succombed to reading Twilight and I am enjoying it embarrasingly. Can't do much else from reading actually.
(What am I doing here writing a comment?!??!)
I know it's not even remotely intellectual, but I guess it's my equivolent to Agathie Christie...
Am looking forward to reading The Time Traveller's Wife as well. So you are the second to last person...
I read Trail of Crumbs in just a few days. It was so beautifully told.
ReplyDeletei read the Time Traveller's Wife a few summers ago and loved it too! and i just finished animal, vegetable, miracle by barbara kingsolver. i adored it. completely. planning a little review of it soon!
ReplyDeleteI just LOVED the Time Travelers Wife, so poignant and haunting and exhilarating!
ReplyDeleteBee, you are so right... Twilight is so good and "sucks" (pun) you in instantly! I am almost sad that I am done reading that. Such a fun reading experience.
Right now I reading Suite Francais... it's a little slow moving, but I like leisurely reading it, instead of devouring it like I usually do with books.
the time travellers wife was such an excellent book!
ReplyDeleteAlthough amongst my friends, I felt like quite the odd duck, I loved, loved, loved the Time Travelers Wife. It had a way of drawing you in!
ReplyDeleteOn my night stand right now is the Rex Mundi graphic novels, a book about Hindu gods and something my Rosamunde Pilcher (because she's my Agatha Cristie)!
I really enjoyed The Time Traveler's Wife. I almost declined reading it when I was directed to the Metaphysical section of the library to find it though. I was pleasantly surprised!
ReplyDeleteLove the cover of that first book!
I'm reading Mercy by Jodi Piccoult right now and I'm not loving it. Hope it takes a turn for the better.
i just started rereading time traveler's wife. god i love that book.
ReplyDeletei've been wanting to give 'the time traveler's wife' a try for a while now so i'm glad to hear you're a fan.
ReplyDeleteI just read "The Diving Bell & the Butterfly" - such a good book and the movie is wonderful as well.
ReplyDeleteI think I need to check "The Time Traveler's Wife" out... Sounds like it's a great book.
I'm reading The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by Joyce. It was my English teacher's favorite book and he was 82- so I figured it must be good.
ReplyDeleteI'm also re-reading The Seven Habits of Highly Effecitve People by Covey - I could read that book on a continuous loop.
And I love Agatha, too! That Harper's Island show reminds me of a Christie mystery, but I haven't been able to watch it yet.
We have similar tastes--I read another Mirvis book and so I will look forward to reading The Outside World. Also loved Time Traveler and Homesick Diner. I just finished Richard Russo's Bridge of Sighs, good, but very long. Now I'm reading Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum, but I can't recommend it yet.
ReplyDeleteSince I'm a librarian, my reading is all over the place because I have to be able to help people find books that they want, ha! My own personal reading tastes, however, would fall more along the lines of "Time Traveler's Wife," in that I love books with at least a touch of magic or whimsy in them. I read "The Little Giant of Aberdeen Country" recently and love loved it.
ReplyDeleteFunny-I have two of the three on my list. I just finished Trail of Crumbs and I'm right in the middle of The Ten Year Nap. I adore others book reviews. Next up Time Traveler's Wife.
ReplyDeleteI'm in such a reading funk! I've been trying to get into Anna Karenina for weeks now, but my mind always wanders. I've been wanted to read the Time Traveler's WIfe, maybe I should start off with that first?
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the Time Traveler's Wife either yet, but it's *so* on my list! So now I'll be the last one to read it :D..
ReplyDeleteyou're definitely not the last person to read as I see, I haven't read it either. I'm so guilty of reading "junk food" books as I find myself not wanting to cry lately and it seems a good book is all about the crying. *smile* but I have picked up the series by Sophie Kinsella written under an alternate name. If you like books that include food, I would recommend "Lost Recipe for Happiness". I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThe History of Love by Nicole Krauss (wife of Jonathan Safron Foer) was one of the most incredible and creative stories I've ever read. It actually reminded me a little of her husband's book, Extrememly Loud and Incredibly Close (also great), which I thought was interesting.
ReplyDeleteAlso, for those interested in a story-like cookbook, Molly Wizenberg's (Orangette) A Homemade Life was too good to put down. Best. Ginger. Scones. Ever. Check the recipe - amazing.
ReplyDeleteI blogged about it too, but I recently read The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry and can't get it out of my mind. Definitely will be one of my Books of 2009!
ReplyDeleteThe Time Traveler's Wife is my no.1 fav book!! the last good book i read was The Book Thief, totally recommend it! :)
ReplyDeleteHave you read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?? Its partly mystery and excellent! Our book club loved it!
ReplyDeleteI buy all my books used, but caved and paid $14 for The Inheritance of Loss. It was worth it by page 22.
ReplyDeleteNot the last person to read The Time Travelers Wife...it's on my summer reading list and will be followed by a screening of the movie...did you ever read The Red Tent? I love that book so much. Also, right now reading Curtis Sittenfeld's "American Wife" and everyone I know loved it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommended reading! I guess I need to read the Time Travelers Wife so I am not that last one. :)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely second "The History of Love," "Time Traveler's Wife," "The Red Tent" and "The Diving Bell & the Butterfly." All wonderful reads.
ReplyDeleteI would add "Looking for Alaska," "Unaccustomed Earth" and "The Muse Asylum" to the list of great books I've read lately. I finished "Anna Karenina" last year and it's worth it if you can make it through! There are so many great books out there and so little time.
great reads!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your reads! Love the Time Travelers Wife ... adding your other two to my list.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading A Tree Goes in Brooklyn, it's great!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving the Jen Lancaster books - they have me laughing out loud! I have heard nothing but great things about the Time Travelers Wife, I might just have to read that during the summer. Thanks for the great list!
ReplyDeleteI loved the Time Traveler's Wife, such a great book, I've just finished reading A Thousand acres by Jane Smiley which I found well written but it took me a while to get through it, (thought I was also reading backpack by Emily Barr at the same time which was a bit of a contrast!).Now i'm currently reading That We Might Never Meet Again by Philip Robinson...
ReplyDeleteI like the Anne Tyler book cover--modern and vintage all at once! I'm reading a bunch of random food books--my guilty pleasure--and loving it! Bring on the summer reading!
ReplyDeletei haven't read any of these books, but will check them out. thanks
ReplyDeleteThe Circus in Winter by Cathy Day. Sometimes when I finish a book I want to hug it a little, and this was one of them. (So were Time Traveller's Wife and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn from the above list)
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading The Kite Runner. I too realize I am late in reading this, but so far am enjoying it. I previously read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Love it. I am adding The Outside World to my list.
ReplyDeleteThat last one sounds interesting, I've read "The Time Traveler's Wife," I enjoyed it. I just finished "Tipping the Velvet," which is interesting, a little risque, and now I'm onto the 4th Twilight book, guilty pleasure!
ReplyDeleteI just bought "The Pianist", after watching the movie. But the last book I read was "I Capture the Castle", which is technically, I think, for teenagers.
ReplyDeleteI have to second the "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" recommendation-- it's so wonderful. "I Capture the Castle" is beautiful and I think it's a story for all ages, even if the protagonist is a teenager herself-- it makes you want to keep a journal like mad. I'm so glad you liked "The Time-Traveler's Wife"! It's one of my favorite books in the world. "Twilight"... oh, I will probably be crucified in this thread, but I hated it so much. Hate, fiery hate.
ReplyDelete(I don't blame you for loving Agatha Christie. I'm a theater major and I jump at the chance to do any one of her plays-- she's FANTASTIC.)
Anne Tyler is one of my all time favourite novelists. Her books are so hilarious and poignant, and sometimes she comes up with these descriptions that just blow my mind!
ReplyDeleteWhen we were on vacation I read a romance novel per day, but now that we're back I have a couple 'serious' books waiting for me...'I know this much is true' by wally lamb will probably be first up.
I haven't read The Time Traveller's Wife either! :)
ReplyDelete(btw found your blog through Contently - I like what I've seen :)
Finishing up- The Ten Year Nap - Meg Wolitzer
ReplyDeleteA Lover's Knot - Clare O'Donohue
i really really really loved time traveler's wife. i found myself on an airplane once looking across the aisle and seeing a girl on one of the last pages and i had to look away because i almost started crying ... such a good book. currently i am reading the brief wonderous life of oscar wao and i am maybe the last person to be doing so.
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