Sunday, July 1, 2007

Sunday Sixteen

Since I forgot to do my THURSDAY THIRTEEN, I decided to do a Sunday Sixteen

Here are sixteen of my favorite books at the moment. In no particular order. And don't make snide remarks about how they're not all great works by classic authors because I can hear you.

1.Valley of the Dolls- I have read this book more times than once. I just love it. I know it's a guilty pleasure and not a major literary piece or anything but, I love it and recommend it highly. And, like most, I did not like the movie NEARLY as much as the book.

2.Gone with the Wind- I love this book. I love this movie. The book is very descriptive, I find, overly so at times. I saw the movie first. I've seen this movie hundreds of times, no joke. It's my all time favorite EVER. I can recite most of it. I am fascinated with the Old South. I love plantations and ladies and gentlemen and gorgeous dresses and manners. I am from the south and proud of it. No, I do not love the slavery part. But, I love Scarlet, with all her faults. I have a touch of her in me. I wish I had the 17 inch waist! And I love the bad boy in Rhett Butler. The book/movie also has wonderful characters like Aunt Pity, Ashley, India, Mammy, and Melanie.

3. Memoirs of a Geisha- This one was a surprise hit for me. It started out slow and ended up grabbing me and pulling me in and not letting go. I was drawn in by the characters and by the imagery. The tragedy and the triumph. I was SO let down by the movie. The cinematography was breathtaking and that's it.

4.The Pact- The first Jodi Picoult book I ever read and my favorite. It's so haunting. It made me rethink the question- would I really do anything for the person I love? You will be haunted by it for days. It was a page-turner for me. I couldn't put it down. I love that it was thought provoking. It's not a "light read". J. Picoult never is.

5.Plain Truth- Another Jodi Picoult, my second favorite, this one is set in Amish territory. It deals with an Amish teen whose baby is found dead but, she swears never to have been pregnant. It also has a twist at the end and a quick paced feel. I enjoyed learning more about the Amish people through this work and I felt like Ms. Picoult was successful in telling the tale sensitively and entertainingly.

6.Little Earthquakes- A book by Jennifer Weiner all about 4 (I think) pregnant ladies who meet at a yoga class and bond. They have virtually nothing else in common on the outside but, their babies bring them together. Jennifer Weiner is the author of Good in Bed (which I loved) and In Her Shoes (also loved). I just really liked this one the best. The other two are great, too.

7. Million Little Pieces- I don't care that some of his information was a lie. I don't care if the whole damn book was a lie. I've been close to real street drug addiction and rehab. Not my own but, people very close to me and I didn't want to read it at first. I'd heard it was hard core and very descriptive. When I eventually got the nerve it drove me crazy because he uses NO PUNCTUATION. It took forever for me to get used to that. The format was very weird. Then, I got the hang of it and got into the groove. It was very real (even if it wasn't, ya know), it was very raw and so good. I loved it. And it's follow-up My Friend Leonard.

8. Bookends- Love this chick-lit book by British author Jane Green. It's about friends and love and growing together and apart. It's something I can relate to and I liked that a lot.

9. The Other Woman- Is her mother-in-law... a great read

10. Tara Road- I love Maeve Binchy. I read my first one by default and loved it soooo much (Scarlet Feather). I don't know really why I chose this one to actually list because they are all so good. I loved all the ones I've read including: Quentins, The Silver Wedding, The Glass Lake, Evening Classes, The Lilac Bus and Circle of Friends. I'm about to order more of her books when my stack goes down a little.

11.Last Chance Saloon- I love this book because it introduced me to one of my very favorite chick-lit authors, Marion Keys. She is Irish, too, like Maeve Binchy. I just like her style and think she's funny and smart.

12.Watermelon- This is a Marion Keys book about a woman named Claire who has just given birth. She's in love with her daughter and in love with her husband and la, la, la... 2 hours after her child is born, her husband leaves her for an older woman! Claire is forced to take her newborn and move back in with her family (who are crazy funny) at 29 years-old. Hilarity ensues.

13. Summer Sisters- This is an "adult" book by Judy Blume. It's about two girls who are very different make friends. They spend summers together and the book follows them through to adulthood. Very captivating

14. To Kill a Mockingbird- Just an awesome book that everybody should read. I've read it countless times. I think it's just so great.

15.The Glass Castle: A Memoir- I love memoirs. This one is a goodie

16. Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum Series- This series has it all: danger, suspense, whodunit, HILARITY, and a little romance. Stephanie Plum is a New Jersey bounty hunter and this series follows her blunders. Other wonderful, important and funny characters are: Grandma Mazer (a hoot!), Joe Morelli, Ranger, and Lula. Must read.

*I own most of these. If you'd like them, just ask! Some I will give away, some I'll loan.

*Currently reading- Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult
*What are some of your favorites? What are you reading?

Labels: books, favorite stuff, Thursday Thirteen

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