Last truly great book you read?

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finchest
finchest Posts: 245 Member
What's the last great book you read -- other than the Hunger Games?

The kind of book that you couldn't put down, or that you wanted to recommend to every person you know?


It's ok if it was a long time ago! GREAT books are hard to come by :)

For me, it was probably "The Book Thief" by Marcus Zusak or "City of Thieves" by David Benioff -- both the kind of books I would recommend to anyone. (Similar titles merely a coincidence!)
I also really loved "Theophilus North" by Thornton Wilder, but I'd recommend that to someone who already loves and appreciates classics.
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  • slightlycrunchy
    slightlycrunchy Posts: 42 Member
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    The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman. It was one of those books that as soon as I finished I wanted to turn to the first page and start it again.
  • finchest
    finchest Posts: 245 Member
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    adding it to my to-read pile! thank you so much for the recommendation, i hadn't heard of it!
  • khloe_rebecca
    khloe_rebecca Posts: 36 Member
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    Tainted lives by Mandasue heller, read it in about 3 days, it was great :D
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    I am loving the Earth's Children books (Clan of the Cave Bear, Valley of Horses, etc) by Jean M. Auel. They're huge books but I've been able to blast through them quickly since I read every chance I get. I've recently switched to listening to the audio version in the car during my commute since I'm taking a class and having good books around is too much of a distraction. Now my problem is not wanting to get out of the car when I get to work! :)

    The Book Thief was a very good book. If you like YA and sci-fi, Across the Universe by Beth Revis is pretty good.
  • Shannon023
    Shannon023 Posts: 14,529 Member
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    "A Dangerous Fortune" by Ken Follett.

    I haven't found anything from him that I haven't enjoyed. :wink:
  • mwazwi
    mwazwi Posts: 5
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    Hi! I am new to this group and was glad to see it as I am a voracious reader. I am ALWAYS reading several books at a time because I like to change up since I am interested in so many things. Right now I am reading about 6+ (YES! you read it right! :) ). I read a lot of self-help, personal and spiritual (not religious) growth. Many of the books I read have deal with my personal journey of emotional and mental healing.

    So, I'll just give a short list of books I am or have read recently and will add more in subsequent posts:

    Author Title

    Currently Reading

    Patricia Evans Verbal Abuse Survivors Speak Out
    Sidney Poitier The Measure of a Man
    Ainslie MacLeod Transformation
    Michelle McKinney-Hammond How To Be Found By The Man You've Been Looking For :)
    Rachel Greenwald Find a Husband After 35 :)
    Dr. Wayne Dyer Change Your Thoughts Change Your Life
    Cindy Day The Life Of Your Dreams In 30 Days Or Less
    George R.R. Martin Storm Swords (Book #4 of Games of Thrones Series)

    Completed (But refer back to often):

    Dr. Wayne Dyer Pulling Your Own Strings
    Dr. Michael J. Duckett
    w/Leslie P. Duckett The Mental Codes (OMG, THE best book; Already read 2x's in past 2 mths)
    Eckhart Tolle A New Earth
    Deborah Norville Thank You Power
    Bruce Wilkinson The Dream Giver

    Well, that ought to be enough for now. I guess I'll just have to somehow attach my "Reading List" spreadsheet. Probably be easier. LOL.

    You all be blessed!

    Marcia Mercy
  • mwazwi
    mwazwi Posts: 5
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    I really loved Ken's Book "Pillars of The Earth." Couldn't put it down.
    I'll have to add the one you mentioned to my Reading List.
    "A Dangerous Fortune" by Ken Follett.

    I haven't found anything from him that I haven't enjoyed. :wink:
  • smariere
    smariere Posts: 611 Member
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    I loved Pillars of the Earth as well. I really loved The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.
  • ScientistStudy
    ScientistStudy Posts: 249 Member
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    Bioshock: Rapture by John Shirely

    This is based on a videogame and I had my doubts even though the game is amazing, but it is actually a VERY good book.

    I cried at the ending. It's set in a dystopian society in a city under the sea. It's sort of a prequel to the videogame so it builds up the characters really well and talks about how Rapture (the city) was built and what happened on that fateful new years night of 1958.
    It explains where it all went wrong and the mutation of the people into the plasmid addicted Splicers.

    Even if you have no played the videogame, this book is still very good and I would recommend it to anyone who is say a fan of Ninteen Eighty-four by George Orwell or V For Vendetta by Alan Moore.
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
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    Just finished LOTR...for the umpteenth time. I love the trilogy as well as everything else written by Tolkein.

    Prior to satisfying my LOTR fix I read some dystopia novels. I just had to know what the hype was about surrounding the trilogy by Suzanne Collins. So, I went back and re-read 1984 by Orwell, Lord of the Flies by Golding, The Giver by Lowry, and then finally read The Hunger Games by Collins. While I enjoyed The Hunger Games, it lacked something that I just can't place my finger on, not sure what. I hope when I read Catching Fire that it will become clear to me. At the very least she has introduced dystopia to a new generation.
  • kitkatkmt
    kitkatkmt Posts: 178 Member
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    The Giver by Lois Lowry. Not the LAST great book I read, because I read it regularly. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Absolutely amazing. And likely quite a few more that I'm forgetting.
  • kitkatkmt
    kitkatkmt Posts: 178 Member
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    Bioshock: Rapture by John Shirely

    This is based on a videogame and I had my doubts even though the game is amazing, but it is actually a VERY good book.

    I cried at the ending. It's set in a dystopian society in a city under the sea. It's sort of a prequel to the videogame so it builds up the characters really well and talks about how Rapture (the city) was built and what happened on that fateful new years night of 1958.
    It explains where it all went wrong and the mutation of the people into the plasmid addicted Splicers.

    Even if you have no played the videogame, this book is still very good and I would recommend it to anyone who is say a fan of Ninteen Eighty-four by George Orwell or V For Vendetta by Alan Moore.

    I loved the movie V for Vendetta - did you see it? I'd like to read it, but don't know if it's as good as the movie. I know it's usually books better than movies, but loved the movie so much that I don't want to ruin it!
  • Sgriffin2382
    Sgriffin2382 Posts: 360 Member
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    The Passage - Justin Cronin. I am so enthralled with the apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic genre right now. This book just gripped me from the beginning and never let up. The emotions I felt throughout, how we did it to ourselves, how people come to live afterwards and what they believe and adapt in. Just love it! And it is only the first in a series of three. The next one doesn't come out for a few months though :-(
  • Gerkenstein
    Gerkenstein Posts: 315 Member
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    I just read one of the most amazing books. It's called Moloka'i by Alan Brennert.

    It's about a 7 year old Hawaiian girl in the 1890s who is diagnosed with leprosy and exiled to a separate island away from her family, friends, life in Honolulu. I HIGHLY recommend it. I LOVED it. It will definitely be a book I return to read over and over.
  • cdp717
    cdp717 Posts: 1
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    I have read a few really good books in the past couple weeks.

    1) We need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Schiver - it is a bit of a dense read and it very emotionally intense. It is about a mother who writes to her estranged husband about the events leading up to and after their son kills many students in a school shooting. I could not put it down and am glad to have read it. Some might find it a bit too intense, but I love all things psychological so it is right up my alley!

    The movie just came out on DVD today (at least in Canada). DO NOT watch the movie before you read the book. The book adds so much to understanding the movie that you wouldn't understand otherwise (mainly the main character's feelings during very difficult times - my husband who watched the movie with me did not seem to "get it").

    2) The Fault in our stars - this is a quick and engaging read! I really loved this novel and have recommended it to many! :smile: It is about two teenagers with cancer who cross paths and find love in each other.

    3) Divergent and Insurgent - great reads for those who love dystopian novels!
  • Sgriffin2382
    Sgriffin2382 Posts: 360 Member
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    2) The Fault in our stars - this is a quick and engaging read! I really loved this novel and have recommended it to many! :smile: It is about two teenagers with cancer who cross paths and find love in each other.

    3) Divergent and Insurgent - great reads for those who love dystopian novels!

    Agree on both of these. TFIOS was truly amazing, gut-wrenching, and hilarious all at the same time. I went through so many emotions reading that book!

    Just finished Divergent and Insurgent last week. Ah-mah-zing!! Still another year until the last one :-(
  • Djohnson7337
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    I really all of the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child, my current favorite is probably The Affair. I also really enjoy all of John Sanford's Prey series. For real life essays I have enjoyed Anthony Bourdain's travel logs. So many books so little time. Also really liked the Dragon Tattoo series. 1 and 3 were my faves of the group.
  • ShinyFuture
    ShinyFuture Posts: 314 Member
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    I've just started reading teen fiction at the insistance of my young family members. And rather than being the painful experience that I was expecting, I'm finding that most of the books she recommends for me are really pretty good. I enjoyed Hunger Games and Mockingjay (Catching Fire not so much), but I really loved "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" by Lanie Taylor.

    @mwazwi - several books simultaneously? Yeah, me too!! I first read Pulling Your Own Strings when I was about 20 - it had a huge impact on my life that continues to this day.
    @ gerkinstein - Moloka'i is in my reading stack, but after your comments I might have to move in up the list.
  • missmgray
    missmgray Posts: 152 Member
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    The Passage - Justin Cronin. I am so enthralled with the apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic genre right now. This book just gripped me from the beginning and never let up. The emotions I felt throughout, how we did it to ourselves, how people come to live afterwards and what they believe and adapt in. Just love it! And it is only the first in a series of three. The next one doesn't come out for a few months though :-(

    That book rocked!! I was so happy to find out that there will be more. I was miffed at how it ended, but now have something to look forward to. =)
  • SherriLibrarian
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    The Fault in Our Stars by John Green: Great for those who like teen books

    Room by Emma Donaghue: suspenseful

    The Help by K. Strockett: Reminds me of To Kill A Mockingbird