I just finished "Rain Gods" by James Lee Burke and it was wonderful. I'm reading "As I Lay Dying" by Wm. Faulkner. I don't know how I got through college w/o having to read that--or high school either. I love James Lee Burke. Highly recommend him.

"Safe Haven" by Nicholas Sparks.

Very good. A love story.

For this month's bookclub, our selection was Backseat Saints written by Joshilyn Jackson. She takes a minor character from her first book, Gods in Alabama, and tells her story. The subject matter, spousal abuse, is dark and upsetting but it's tempered by some offbeat characters along with some dark humor. It's a good book and worth reading although her first book would be my preference if I had to choose.

I read a first novel by Beth Hoffman called Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt. I absolutely adored this book. Great writing and great off kilter but kind characters. Some of them reminded me of long ago family and friends and the south I grew up knowing. This was a "feel good" book for me.

Last week I finished Brimstone, last book in the trilogy by Robert B. Parker. It's a western trilogy that began with Appaloosa (which was made into a movie) and the second book, Resolution. All three books were very enjoyable.

I've just started Pat Conroy's first book, The Water is Wide. It's his memoir of his experiences teaching the Gullah children that lived on Daufuskie Island off the coast of South Carolina. I'm sure I'll enjoy it as much as I did South of Broad and Beach Music. His writing style just "sings" to me. I love the way he puts words and sentences together.

I'm currently reading "The Last Surgeon" by Michael Palmer. He writes medical thrillers, and they are all great.

"Dog," by Peter Mayle. A very quick read and funny.

I've read
Say You Love Me by Johanna Lindsey
Game Over by Fern Michaels
Now reading Someday Soon by Debbie Macomber

I am SO bummed, all the garage sales we stopped at yesterday and didn't see a book worth buying! In fact, I think there was only one sale with a few books and nothing I'd read.
Some days I hit the jackpot and other days not. I love reading and I would love buying books at garage sale prices vs new.

The girl with the dragon tattoo, by Stieg Larrsson. Just started it and it's loooong. I am so tired by the time I go to bed, which is where I read, that it takes me forever to finish a book.

I loved the "girl with the"... trilogy. Each book had such a different feel, but all were hard to put down once you got into the story.

I have read all of Ken Follett's books (except World Without End) and I have loved all except 2. i can't remember which 2 though. Sorry. Definitely try "Flight Over Water". That was my first of his books and it got me hooked.

If you liked Pillars of the Earth, check out the mini-series. It was on Starz channel and just ended a few weeks ago and is still available On Demand. It was really well done.

I am taking part in our library summer reading program for adults...I just finished reading My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult. I am now reading Black Hills by Nora Roberts. Only 3 more days to go!

Michael Palmer is an awesome writer, isn't he Wanda?

I'm reading Smash Cut by Sandra Brown.

I love reading, but have to get back into it again. I'm afraid the time I used to spend reading, I spend on the computer on the forums. I have to get back into the reading again.

Currently reading ...

The Girl Who Played with Fire
An Inconvenient Wife
Eat, Pray, Love

Yes, simultaneously. My "to be read" list is so long I had to get serious about shortening it.

Jodi-

Thanks for the many recommendations..now that the cold weather is heading our way..this is the best time to read..no distractions.

june

If you like Jane Austen novels, you'll like Jude Morgan's "An Accomplished Woman". Very much in the vein of "Pride and Prejudice", "Emma", etc. The main character is SO Jane Austen, only sassier and wittier. Awesome book! And she's written 3 others that I'll request from inter-library loan this evening.

Sjerin: I loved "Dog"! -- it's been a while since I read it. I also really liked Peter Mayle's other books about life in France. (Hated it when they made it into a PBS miniseries, tho...)

I just finished "Fearless Fourteen" by Janet Evanovich (got a few more "numbers" to catch up!), and I am breezing through "Alone in the Kitchen With an Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone." Very interesting. Hope to follow it up with something called "What People Eat When They Eat Alone" (as I usually do!) One of the interesting quandaries many, like me, face is how to go to a restaurant alone --not fast-food or diners -- and enjoying it!

I just finished The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran, which I enjoyed.

Last night I started Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith. I think I have read all the books in this series.

I would like to read more by Smith. Has anyone read any other of his series?

I finally finished Zookeeper's Wife. It was hard to get through, almost boring at times, but it felt kind of like it would be immoral to stop and put it down since it was a historical novel about the Hitler era. So I finished it in honor of the author's experience.

Now I want to read something easy.

Right now I am reading "A Woman's Place" by Lynn Austin. She is a christian fiction author. I really love her books.

Gemini, I read Pillars of the Earth years ago and loved it too. (Sorry to say, I cannot remember much about it, though.)

I've been reading Patrick Taylor's series of books which starts with An Irish Country Doctor. They are very pleasant reading, along the line of James Herriot's veterinary series.

I've always been a sucker for epics like "Pillars" and Garbon's time-traveling Scot.

Just started Olen Steinhauer's "The Nearest Exit", in which he continues the story of Milo Weaver from "The Tourist". "Tourist" is under option by Warner Bros. for Clooney. (It may please movie audiences more than the art piece "American"; it's more 'action' than 'character study'.)

You guys are getting me back to reading again with all the great suggestions.

I'm into non-fiction mainly and recently read "Pearl Buck in China" by Hilary Spurling. Very interesting! Now I'm reading "Quiet Hero" by Rita Cosby about her Dad's life in Poland before and during the war. Excellent book IMHO. I've read most of Ken Folliet's books getting hooked on "Eye of The Needle" years ago. I'm a Lee Child fan and "61 Hours" was long awaited, I wish he could write even faster!

Tobygirl: I like the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, too (I alternate with other "series").

Another series I have "tested" is his series featuring Isabel Dalhousie (the Sunday Philosophy Club series). I enjoyed the first book in the series. I'll link you to his home page and a description of the first book (you can click on other titles there, too).

Here is a link that might be useful: alexander mccall smith

I love these book threads and I usually make a list of things that sound good for when I go to the library. Someone on here recommended Picking Cotton and I just finished that. It was a good read. Now I'm reading Indigoslam by Robert Crais.

I started a mystery series by Lindsey Davis. Her hero is Marcus Didius Falco, a private eye in ancient Rome. There are 21 books altogether, and I'm on the second one titled "Shadow in Bronze".

I've just started "Life of Pi", and I'm loving it. Don't know why I hadn't read it yet. I do love the Alexander Mcall Smith books, and have read most of his "Ladies' No. 1 Detective" series, and one of the Isobel Delhousie ones, and want to read them all. I'm always reading two or three books at a time, so along with "pi", I'm reading "The White Road" by John Connolly, and another up under my pillow, the name of which eludes me.

Phyllis, Life of Pi is one of my all time favorite books. The ending will really make you think.

Jodi-

Who wrote "Picking Cotton" and what's it about?

I'm not reading anything right now. I came to ask about "The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo." my friend just finished and LOVED it. Said it was dry at first, but once she muddled through the boring beginning, she couldn't put it down.
Sounds like it was the same for a couple if you.

I read more in the winter after it gets cold.

You can check link for a review.

Here is a link that might be useful: Picking Cotton

I'm reading Someone Knows My Name, the story of a slave girl.

I just finished reading Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn and had forgotten how much I'd enjoyed them before.