Help! I need some recommendations!
Mar. 30th, 2012 08:29 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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queensthiefDo you ever feel like you scraped the bottom of the book barrel, and you can't find anything new? After finishing the Legend of Eli Monpress, we haven't been able to find anything Really good. And we are in desperate need of those kind of books right now. Our father is having surgery soon, and so we are looking for books that we can read in the waiting room. Since we don't know how much brain power we'll have, we're not looking for anything to heavy.
Here are some of the books we like:
QT (of course!! :)
Crown Duel by Sherwood Snith
Farsala Trilogy by Hilari Bell
Truth Series by Dawn Cook
Legend of Eli Monpress by Rachel Aaron
We don't like books that are too graphic (cue Eragon eye roll), or have excessive "content" (if you know what I mean ...)
We've seen a lot of books, and we might have overlooked some good ones, so please let us know what you like so much about them.
Thank you,
Books, and Bookworm (the Book sisters)
Here are some of the books we like:
QT (of course!! :)
Crown Duel by Sherwood Snith
Farsala Trilogy by Hilari Bell
Truth Series by Dawn Cook
Legend of Eli Monpress by Rachel Aaron
We don't like books that are too graphic (cue Eragon eye roll), or have excessive "content" (if you know what I mean ...)
We've seen a lot of books, and we might have overlooked some good ones, so please let us know what you like so much about them.
Thank you,
Books, and Bookworm (the Book sisters)
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Date: 3/30/12 12:59 pm (UTC)I honestly don't know what you mean. Can you clarify what sort of content you object to? Are there specific acts you're trying to avoid, or levels of detail, or what? It'll help with the recommendations!
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Date: 3/30/12 02:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 3/30/12 06:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 3/30/12 01:48 pm (UTC)Others:
The Tripods Trilogy by John Christopher (read "The White Mountains" and sequels first, and THEN read the prequel called "When The Tripods Came")
"Sabriel" by Garth Nix
"Graceling" by Kristen Cashore
"Winter of Fire" by Sheryl Jordan
"The Decoy Princess" by Dawn Cook
"The Goose Girl" by Shannon Hale
"Enchantress From the Stars" by Sylvia Louise Engdahl
"Bloody Jack" by L.A. Meyer. I listened to this whole series on CD. Some instances in later books get slightly "adult", though the first book only has one brief instance.
"Mr. Was" by Pete Hautman
"The Darkangel" by Meredith Ann Pierce
"Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine
"Summers at Castle Auburn" by Sharon Shinn
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Date: 3/30/12 02:30 pm (UTC)Also - If you liked Decoy Princess, have you read her other series? The Truth Series is very good, and if you have read them, I moderate a comm to discuss them, and we love new people!!
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From: (Anonymous) - Date: 3/31/12 12:51 pm (UTC) - Expand(no subject)
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Date: 3/30/12 01:50 pm (UTC)The Hotel Under the Sand, by Kage Baker
Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (and the more Greek mythology you know the funnier you'll find them)
And if you want really funny, to keep yourself cheered up, Wodehouse's Jeeves books.
And I've always loved James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small and its sequels.
I hope that the surgery your father is having isn't for anything serious, and that all goes well.
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Date: 3/30/12 02:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 3/30/12 01:51 pm (UTC)Elizabeth E. Wein's THE SUNBIRD, THE LION HUNTER, and THE EMPTY KINGDOM have also been recommended right here in this community by Megan Whalen Turner herself as books that should appeal to MWT fans, and I heartily second those recommendations. (There are two earlier books in the series, but they're hard to obtain, they don't have the same central character, they aren't essential to understanding the later books, and they do have some "content" I think you may find questionable, so I left them out.)
Catherine Fisher's INCARCERON and SAPPHIQUE are a little different and may or may not be to your taste, but I thought the premise was fantastic -- a sentient prison that's a whole world unto itself, with a boy trapped on the inside trying to get out and a curious young woman and her tutor on the outside trying to find the way in. The characters are prickly and complicated and the relationships between them are complex; it's a fantasy novel and a quasi-historical novel and a sci-fi novel all at the same time; and I think Fisher's writing is lovely. (Also, Jared Sapiens = my smart, brave, humble, selfless, unfailingly loyal literary boyfriend. Forever.) No grossness, no sexytimes.
Aaaaaaaand I'll shut up now and let others do some reccing.
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Date: 3/30/12 02:25 pm (UTC)Thanks for your other recs - I've seen 'Incarceron' before, and it always looked a little strange, but you're description sound really interesting...And best of all, I know my local library has it!
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Date: 3/30/12 02:47 pm (UTC)I loved Sarah Rees Brennan's Demon's Lexicon series, especially the way it depicts sibling relationship (it has a brother pair and a sister/brother pair, and both are fiercely loyal to each other).
My waiting room reread book is L.M. Montgomery's The Blue Castle, but the above two fit the same brain space as your other favorite books.
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Date: 3/30/12 10:13 pm (UTC)I didn't know L.M.Montgomery had any other books beside the Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon books ... I'm curious ...
Thanks!!
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Date: 3/30/12 02:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 3/30/12 06:41 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 3/30/12 03:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 3/30/12 10:25 pm (UTC)To Say Nothing of the Dog....I've never heard of it before, but with that title, I think I have to check it out (we have 3 dogs ... except when they're bad ... than they're somebody's elses dogs !! :)
*Off to check the library*
Thanks!! :)
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Date: 3/30/12 04:16 pm (UTC)For darker fare (and if you prefer to read about the "villains"), you can try Nancy Springer's I AM MORGAN LE FAY and I AM MORDRED. It's actually been quite a while since I've read those but I don't think they contain anything excessive. Much more serious than my first rec but I remember enjoying how she developed her background stories for them.
I'm a big Sherwood Smith fan so it was nice seeing Crown Duel on your list. She released a prequel to it if you didn't know: A STRANGER TO COMMAND, which is about Vidanric. Apart from that, I liked her WREN series too, which currently has four books out. :)
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Date: 3/30/12 10:29 pm (UTC)Lady Jane suggested the Squire's tales to us recently, and we thinking of bringing the next one with us ... We want to see more adventures of Sir Wozzil!! :)
Thanks!! :)
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Date: 3/30/12 06:52 pm (UTC)Tempest by Julie Cross is good if you like time-travel, espionage, mystery and a little romance (there's some adult content, but I don't recall it being it too graphic).
It looks like the books listed as ones you like all seem to be fantasy, but would you be interested in some contemporary titles? Graffiti Moon and A Little Wanting Song, both by Cath Crowley, were great books (I've read the former three times and it only came out in the States last month). If you enjoy lovely, unique characters, snappy dialogue, and poetic narration, you might give these books a try.
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater and Divergent by Veronica Roth are both good, though they've been out for a while, so you might have read them already.
I wish I had more to offer, but I'm in a bit of a reading slump myself and it seems as if a lot of the books I've read here lately are a bit heavy.
I hope your father's surgery goes well!
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Date: 3/30/12 10:39 pm (UTC)You know, I've seen the Scorpio races a couple of times, so I think I'll have to check it out!! :)
Reading slumps are hard to get out of ... I hope you get some good books soon, too
Thank you!
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Date: 3/30/12 07:05 pm (UTC)Beauty (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/250317.Beauty) by Nancy Butcher
The Runaway Princess (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/332626.The_Runaway_Princess) by Kate Combs - Miss Combs is also a Sounis member.
Snow White Rose Red (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/81080.Snow_White_and_Rose_Red) by Regina Doman - Also goes by The Shadow of the Bear - I especially recommend this one, because it's about a couple of lovely and intelligent home-schooled girls. ;)
Wolf Tower (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/293395.Wolf_Tower) by Tanith Lee - Also check out her Unicorn series (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/377291.Black_Unicorn). It's not really about unicorns, you'll see...
The Hollow Kingdom (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/142776.The_Hollow_Kingdom) by Clare B. Dunkle
Kiki Strike (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/187753.Inside_the_Shadow_City) by Kirsten Miller
.Hack//Another_Birth (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/569674.Hack_Another_Birth_Volume_1) by Miu Kawasaki
Emily the Strange (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5355769-emily-the-strange) by Jessica Gruner - Emily has one of the most fantastic narrations I've ever seen. You must read this!
No gratuitous gore or sexuality to speak of in any of these. And there should be something here you haven't read yet. ;)
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Date: 3/30/12 11:32 pm (UTC)If Wishes Were Horses (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20073.If_Wishes_Were_Horses) by Anne McCaffrey
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Date: 3/30/12 07:17 pm (UTC)Patricia C. Wrede is a good writer, her Magic and Malice series is probably my favorite, although her Enchanted Forest Chronicles is also good if you need a light or a something to make you laugh read. The Discworld series is always good by Terry Pratchett (Guards, Guards is a favorite, but his Tiffany Aching series is good too.)
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Date: 3/31/12 01:33 pm (UTC)You know, I've seen Terry Pratchett books around, and never really picked them up, I like picking up books that are part of a series, becasue you get to spend more time with the characters you fall in love with!!
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Date: 3/30/12 07:38 pm (UTC)You might also try the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud, Going Bovine by Libba Bray, or East by Edith Pattou.
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Date: 3/31/12 01:50 am (UTC)Yes! I second this one.
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Date: 3/30/12 08:01 pm (UTC)Anything by Diana Wynne Jones is always good, for reading or re-(re-re-re-) reading.
Umm, other good ones are the Bartamaeus trilogy, re-reading Harry Potter, Hoot (it is a bit "younger" but I still like it), The Thief Lord, Reckless (according to my brother its good), and Artemis Fowl.
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Date: 3/31/12 07:09 pm (UTC)Never heard of Hoot, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with "younger" ... sometimes they're the best!!
Thanks!! :)
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Date: 3/30/12 10:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 3/31/12 12:21 pm (UTC)It helps to be a little nutty about Sherlock Holmes, of course, but even if you aren't, Mary Russell is a great character.
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Date: 3/31/12 12:02 am (UTC)Best of luck to your dad. I'll be thinking of you and your family. Days spent in the hospital can be tough. Hang in there.
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Date: 3/31/12 07:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 3/31/12 01:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 3/31/12 05:55 am (UTC)Although I've only skimmed these entries, I have to add "nearly anything by Diana Wynne Jones," but particularly Deep Secret and its sequel The Merlin Conspiracy, Howl's Moving Castle and its sequels Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways, Hexwood, Fire and Hemlock and Ms. Jones' last YA novel Enchanted Glass, which I found very charming.
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From: (Anonymous) - Date: 4/1/12 09:07 pm (UTC) - Expandno subject
Date: 3/31/12 02:22 am (UTC)Goose Girl by Shannon Hale is definitely really good!!! It's my favourite book besides KoA, so... I hope that says something.
Imma echo Sabriel by Garth Nix, Patricia Wrede's A Matter of Magic and Kate and Cecilia series, and the two books by Elizabeth Marie Pope. Ooh, also East.
I know a few people have mentioned Kristin Cashore, and I agree that Graceling was pretty good, but seeing that our tastes in books are pretty similar, I'm not sure if Fire is right up your alley. I have... er, issues with that book. But go ahead and still try it if you want, it certainly wouldn't hurt.
Oh, I just thought of something. Can you please, please, please, plaese try The Healing Wars by Janice Hardy? They're some of the best books I've read within the last four months, and I can't seem to find any fellow fans. It has violence, but not that severe... not any worse than Eugenides getting his hand cut off, definitely.
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Date: 3/31/12 12:24 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 3/31/12 06:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 3/31/12 05:39 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 3/31/12 07:49 pm (UTC)I love Sounis. Sounisians are the nicest people, and I'm so glad to know you all. I really appreciate everyone's suggestions and support. You guys are the best! <3
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Date: 3/31/12 11:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 4/1/12 02:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 4/1/12 04:52 am (UTC)Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George (or any of her books)
Princess of the Midnight Ball (same author)
Princess of Glass (sequel to ^)
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (and it's three sequels)
Book of a Thousand Days (also by Hale. Really anything by her is good)
Entwined by Heather Dixon
Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marilier
Princess Ben
Sabriel by Garth Nix (and two sequels)
Divergent by Veronica Roth
These are the first ones I noticed on my bookshelf, but I enjoyed them all and all are clean.
-ballerina_222 (for some reason I'm getting an error message that my login cookies have disappeared... any advice?)
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Date: 4/1/12 02:48 pm (UTC)It's also nice to see other fans of Divergent here. I'm so excited that there is only one month left until Insurgent comes out!
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Date: 4/2/12 03:52 am (UTC)I haven't been here in forever -- I've missed all you Sounisians!
Great book recs, everybody -- I'm so happy to find other people who love Elizabeth Marie Pope, and Tanith Lee, and Sherryl Jordan (yay!), Terry Pratchett, Robin McKinley, R. J. Andersen, and so many other authors whose books I love.
Here are a couple more you might enjoy ( I second tons of recs, but I'm only going to list books nobody has mentioned yet)
The False Prince, by Jennifer Nielsen (a bit young, but lots of fun -- and I think you'll find the main character reminiscent of someone we know and love :-) )
The Hounds of the Morrigan, by Pat O'Shea. Just an awesome book!
The New Policeman, by Kate Thompson (1st of a trilogy -- all 3 are great)
Akata Witch, by Nnedi Okorafor -- one of my absolute faces this year. If you liked Nancy Farmer's The Ear, the Eye and the Arm, you'll really like this one.
I see that some people have recommended Robin MKinley. I just thought I'd mention that I thought her "Pegasus" was terrific, though frustrating. If you haven't read it yet, you might want to wait a little while -- I understand that the second half will be coming out next year. But it's beautiful.
Speaking of beautiful, there are a few classic writers you might enjoy, if you haven't read them already. I'm thinking particularly of Ursula Leguin (Earthsea), C. S. Lewis, and J. R. R. Tolkien.
Oh, I almost forgot -- Michelle Paver's Chonicles of Ancient Darkness are fantastic, too.
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Date: 4/2/12 03:54 am (UTC)(no subject)
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