Suggest some books for me please

[Summertime Mommy]

I am in need of some new fiction. It seems I have become very picky. I used to love authors like Anne Rice and Charles Dickens, who use a very verbose style of writing, but now I find that I can't really pay attention and get bored with it easily. So I am looking for something easy to read. I loved the Harry Potter series, and while I found the Twighlight series captivating, I felt that the writing was poor at times and the story line in the last 2 books became completely unbelievable. I like authors like Rebecca Wells and stories abot women and friendship, so any recomendations on that style of book would be good too, but I think what I am really looking for is another vampire book. So....can anyone recommend anything good?

[Freedom~Mama]

I love the Sookie Stackhouse series. Very easy reading but well written and entertaining! I also enjoyed The House of Night Series and The Vampire Academy Series. Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series is good as well.

[AutumnMama]

I enjoy Robin McKinley's style of writing ('Beauty' has been a favorite since my early teens), and she wrote a vampire novel recently. No idea how it stacks up to Anne Rice though.

Sunshine.

[cupcakeladybug]

I'm sorry. I don't have any vampire novel recommendations.

[MysteryMama]

The last vampire series I read was Christopher Pike's "The Last Vampire" series. It's been ages since I read them, but I really enjoyed them. Definitely an easy read.

[Summertime Mommy]

Thanks, I'll check my library for these books. I don't think that I absolutely have to find a vampire book, just really a good book that sucks you in and isn't too hard to read when you are taking care of 5 kids and have 800 other things on your mind. I long for a day when I can start reading real literature again, but until then something fun will work.

[milagras]

I enjoyed "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova. It's an interesting take on the Dracula mythology. I read it in little bits and pieces during lunch breaks at work.

[Liquesce]

Originally Posted by Summertime Mommy

Thanks, I'll check my library for these books. I don't think that I absolutely have to find a vampire book, just really a good book that sucks you in and isn't too hard to read when you are taking care of 5 kids and have 800 other things on your mind. I long for a day when I can start reading real literature again, but until then something fun will work.

Ever read Tom Robbins? Definitely in the "fun, light reads" category, much though he attempts to be sanctimonious at times. Ditto Ruth Ozeki. And while Margaret Atwood isn't really known for light reading, "The Robber Bride" really doesn't demand a lot of attention.

[Viola]

People have recommended Tom Robbins before, but I've had a hard time getting into his stuff, I'm not sure why. I bought Even Cowgirls Get the Blues to read on vacation, but couldn't get into it.

I like Christopher Moore's vampire books: Bloodsucking Fiends and You Suck, a Love Story.

A different twist on a vampire story is Peeps by Scott Westerfeld and the follow on, So Yesterday. His books are young adult novels, but I find them rather inventive. Read the little blurb about Peeps, it's pretty funny.

Then there is Laurell K. Hamilton who writes vampire/werewolf novels and fairy/fey creature novels. They are both pretty much a lot of sex, orgies even, so they may not be what you want just for fun light reading.

NPR is doing a poll for the 100 best beach books: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=106803845 There are some good books there.

[Liquesce]

Originally Posted by Viola

People have recommended Tom Robbins before, but I've had a hard time getting into his stuff, I'm not sure why. I bought Even Cowgirls Get the Blues to read on vacation, but couldn't get into it.

I would suggest either Jitterbug Perfume or Skinny Legs and All, personally. All of his books pretty much peter out into nothingness, and some never really get up on their own two feet in the first place, but the ones that do are a lot of fun while it lasts. IMO. (There were a few years during which I was trying to convince a friend of mine he should love Rushdie and he was trying to convince me I should love Robbins, so every Christmas and birthday led to a really predictable exchange. We never really sold each other completely, but a couple stuck.)

[kaliki_kila]

Originally Posted by Viola

NPR is doing a poll for the 100 best beach books: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=106803845 There are some good books there.

That's a great list. I'm going to have to go through it and see if I can find some new reads. I voted for my top ten. There's some really good books on there... although not all of them would qualify as beach reads.

[Viola]

No, some of them seem a little heavy to me.

I'll try another Robbins. I think my problem with Cowgirls was just not enough context for the action to keep me going until I really understood what was going on.

[Jessy1019]

Originally Posted by Viola

I like Christopher Moore's vampire books: Bloodsucking Fiends and You Suck, a Love Story.

I haven't read these yet, but the other books of his that I've read (A Dirty Job, Fool, and Lamb) are terrific. I can't imagine he'd screw up vampires if he can tackle Bibles, Shakespeare, and the Grim Reaper.

[Liquesce]

Originally Posted by Viola

I'll try another Robbins. I think my problem with Cowgirls was just not enough context for the action to keep me going until I really understood what was going on.

He is, always, an irreverent rambler. Good, IMO, for reading on the bus or when twenty-three and a half kids are pulling the house apart, etc ... whenever real attention isn't demanded ... but not so good for when you're looking for something really engaging. His appeal is just when he's clever ... guy at the pub clever, not New Yorker clever. I'm not sure you'll ever really find the depth of context you're looking for, to be honest.

[Amaranth]

My first thought after reading the OP was that you need to read some well-written, succinct YA fiction. Long books (like "The Historian"! Good lord, talk about verbose! Good, but *not* recommended for someone having trouble getting into a long, rambling story ) are too easy to get bogged down in when I have a lot going on in real life.

Anyway, I second the person who suggested Robin McKinley's "Sunshine" - or really, almost anything else by Robin McKinley. It's all good, though "Sunshine" was definitely a favorite of mine.

Megan Whalen Turner's "The Thief" and "The Queen of Attolia" and "The King of Attolia" are excellent. "The Thief" starts out slow, but once you get into it - say a third of the way in (and it's short, a couple hundred pages) - it's hard to put down. The two Attolia books are even better and start out fast and furious.

I liked "The Spellman Files" this summer, for an easy and fun mystery. A bit like Janet Evanovich but not so much luv and lust.