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Post by filingjointly on Jul 20, 2017 15:33:58 GMT -6
I know this is basically an impossible question to ask a reader. But I'm going to ask it anyway because I need some reading inspiration.
So tell me your favorite book(s). And a book you wish you'd never read.
Please?
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Post by filingjointly on Jul 20, 2017 15:47:03 GMT -6
Favorites:
Lonesome Dove - definitely not a typical genre for me but I've read this book ten times and I love it every single time.
Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher - This is one of those flowery epic, spans decades books and it's amazing. Maybe not literary fiction but it's well-written and you can lose yourself in it. I love the North and South series by John Jakes for the same reason.
The Poisonwood Bible
Half Broke Horses
The Shadow of the Wind
East of Eden
Harry Potter, P&P, Anne of Green Gables (chronic rereads)
Honorable mentions: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Wao, Middlesex, One Thousand White Women, Roots, Gone With The Wind, Don't Let's Go To The Dogs Tonight,
I hated A Taxonomy of Barnacles and Wild
I am really bad at answering my own question. Sorry.
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Post by billyhorrible on Jul 20, 2017 16:40:05 GMT -6
Favorites:
Alice in Wonderland
Autobiography of Malcolm X
Turn of the Screw
The Thirteenth Tale
The Rook
American Gods
The Egg and the Spoon
Books I've hated:
The Iliad
Twilight
Girl on the Train
The Commitments
The Magicians
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Post by filingjointly on Jul 20, 2017 16:46:39 GMT -6
Favorites: Alice in Wonderland Autobiography of Malcolm X Turn of the Screw The Thirteenth Tale The Rook American Gods The Egg and the Spoon Books I've hated: The Iliad Twilight Girl on the Train The Commitments The Magicians Oh I love the thirteenth tale! I just made my sister read it. And I completely agree on Girl on the Train. I actually just read her second book and didn't care for it either. I feel like she tries to write different characters and they all come out a little bit the same maybe? I think it was more pronounced in the second book since there were male points of view. And it's hard to like any of Hawkins' characters. I'm torn on The Magicians. Didn't love the story but enjoyed the actual writing. |
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Post by angelashly on Jul 20, 2017 16:52:28 GMT -6
My favorites change a lot with time
Favorites:
The hate you give
Harry Potter series
The truth about forever-Sarah dessen
Ugly Love
Night road-Kristin Hannah
I know there are more
I'll have to think about least favorite
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loony
Emerald
Posts: 12,592 Likes: 45,060 
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Post by loony on Jul 20, 2017 17:38:56 GMT -6
Favorites:
The World According to Garp and A Widow for One Year, John Irving (I like most of his, but these are favorites).
Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffeneger
I can also pick up Elizabeth Peters at any time for a light read.
I also really like Kim Harrison's Hallow's series and have read all of them more than a few times.
Loathed:
Anything by Robbins or Pratchet. It just doesn't get me.
I also can't handle anything that is super fantasy, like I can't read Tolkins or the Gunslinger series.
I like fantasy and paranormal, but it has to be sort of based in reality. Like I could handle Marion Zimmer Bradley, because there's some historical elements that tie to real stories.
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Post by filingjointly on Jul 20, 2017 17:50:59 GMT -6
I have a visceral reaction to Heart of Darkness. Least favorite for sure. I disliked Gone Girl. The Scarlet Letter. Hop on Pop. But Marlow! And skepticism! And civilization is a farce! Just kidding, I hated that book too. I also have a soft spot for Island of the Blue Dolphins. Withering Heights confuses me? Do I like it? Do I hate everyone? I do think the moors are an exquisite backdrop. |
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Post by filingjointly on Jul 20, 2017 17:52:41 GMT -6
Favorites: The World According to Garp and A Widow for One Year, John Irving (I like most of his, but these are favorites). Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffeneger I can also pick up Elizabeth Peters at any time for a light read. I also really like Kim Harrison's Hallow's series and have read all of them more than a few times. Loathed: Anything by Robbins or Pratchet. It just doesn't get me. I also can't handle anything that is super fantasy, like I can't read Tolkins or the Gunslinger series. I like fantasy and paranormal, but it has to be sort of based in reality. Like I could handle Marion Zimmer Bradley, because there's some historical elements that tie to real stories. Have you read The Mists of Avalon? I have it but I'm afraid to read it because it's a commitment and it's a little out of my wheelhouse. |
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Post by filingjointly on Jul 20, 2017 17:53:41 GMT -6
Oh, you know what else I hate? A Confederacy of Dunces. It is quite literally the only book I started and did not finish.
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loony
Emerald
Posts: 12,592 Likes: 45,060
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Post by loony on Jul 20, 2017 18:09:41 GMT -6
filingjointly - that's the only one I have read. It has been many years, but I remember liking it. I made a challenge to myself to read 57 new books this year, before re-reading anything. I'm already at 47, so maybe I'll pick it up after I meet my challenge.
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Post by grumpycat on Jul 20, 2017 20:02:36 GMT -6
filingjointly I read the mists of avalon years ago. I loved it. It's totally on my re-read list. It's very long but totally worth it especially if you are into King Arthur type stuff ... it's the stories of the females involved.
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Post by filingjointly on Jul 20, 2017 20:08:40 GMT -6
filingjointly I read the mists of avalon years ago. I loved it. It's totally on my re-read list. It's very long but totally worth it especially if you are into King Arthur type stuff ... it's the stories of the females involved. Ooh. Yes. I'll move it up my TBR stack. |
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Post by mintyblueair on Jul 20, 2017 20:24:13 GMT -6
My favourites (or at least the ones that come to mind right now):
The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas
The Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake
Macroscope by Piers Anthony
The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad
Pilgrim by Timothy Findley
Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol
Crime and Punishment and The Idiot by Dostoevsky
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
The Rainbow, Women in Love, and Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence
Books that were a waste of time:
Larry's Party by Carol Shields. This is the only book I never managed to finish.
Memorial by Bruce Wagner
The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I like his other book, The Shadow of the Wind, but The Angel's Game just comes across as hurried and unpolished.
The World Before Us by Alison Hunter
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Post by bethypoo83 on Jul 20, 2017 20:25:09 GMT -6
Loved:
The Iliad
The Odyssey
All of Austen, especially Northanger Abbey
HP, obviously
Some older Stephen King - Salem's Lot, Different Seasons (short stories and the basis for Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption)
The Handmaid's Tale
Born a Crime
Loathed:
The Catcher in the Rye
Lampshade (I think that was the title? It was a super weird fictional story about activities related to the Holocaust and it was poorly written and a little too disturbing)
The Nest - so much hype, everyone LOVED it and I just found it to be anticlimactic and disappointing.
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Post by cdnfroggy on Jul 20, 2017 20:32:40 GMT -6
Loved:
HP
The Night Circus
The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld
I'm Thinking of Ending things by Iain reed
Homegoing
Beartown
Station Eleven
Hated:
Lord of the Rings
The Magicians (hated it with a fiery death)
All of Austen (sorry)
The Rosie Effect-such a disappointing sequel to the Rosie Project
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Post by billyhorrible on Jul 20, 2017 20:46:59 GMT -6
mintyblueair - The Idiot is definitely up there for me. It's one of the first books I made DH read when we started dating. I think I had just finished it at the time.
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Post by billyhorrible on Jul 20, 2017 20:48:51 GMT -6
Can I add:
Love - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Hate - Anna Karenina
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Post by 4PrivetDrive on Jul 20, 2017 20:52:35 GMT -6
Loved:
All of HP
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Alienist
All of Austen, especially Pride and Prejudice
The Scarpetta Series by Patricia Cornwell
Hunger Games
LotR
Hate:
All the 50 shades of Grey
All of Divergent/Allegiant/whatever that was
My Sister's Keeper
I know there are more in both categories. I just can't think of them.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2017 20:59:03 GMT -6
Love:
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and most other Tom Robbins books.
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
The Dark Tower series
Hate:
The DaVinci Code. Woof.
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Post by grumpycat on Jul 20, 2017 21:09:13 GMT -6
The count of monte Cristo has been on my list FOREVER. I even bought it lol. It's just sitting sadly on my bookshelf. I must move it up in line.
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Post by leatherpants on Jul 20, 2017 22:42:46 GMT -6
filingjointly I read the mists of avalon years ago. I loved it. It's totally on my re-read list. It's very long but totally worth it especially if you are into King Arthur type stuff ... it's the stories of the females involved. This is my favourite book of all time. I get something different out of it every time. I've read it probably 6 times. So so so good |
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Post by leatherpants on Jul 20, 2017 22:44:07 GMT -6
The count of monte Cristo has been on my list FOREVER. I even bought it lol. It's just sitting sadly on my bookshelf. I must move it up in line. Oh I loved this one too! I think this might be my next read. I just love it. |
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Post by leatherpants on Jul 20, 2017 22:46:35 GMT -6
I'm super helpful in this thread.
I hated the DaVinci Code too.
Some of my other favourites are Miriam Toews' books but I can't remember the name of it right now. But I love them all.
I also really liked A Fine Balance, Gone with the Wind, Wuthering Heights, Defending Jacob and like a million more that I can't remember
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Post by yellowwallpaper on Jul 21, 2017 0:09:24 GMT -6
mintyblueair - The Idiot is definitely up there for me. It's one of the first books I made DH read when we started dating. I think I had just finished it at the time. I read this book the summer after I graduated high school. Loved. I need to reread it sometime. |
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Post by yellowwallpaper on Jul 21, 2017 0:11:56 GMT -6
Favorite
The Count of Monte Cristo
Hated
Outlander. This is probably my most unpopular book opinion.
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Post by filingjointly on Jul 21, 2017 5:49:59 GMT -6
Love: Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and most other Tom Robbins books. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb The Dark Tower series Hate: The DaVinci Code. Woof. I love She's Come Undone. It's crazy to me that he was able to write a female character so convincingly. |
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pesto
Sapphire
Posts: 3,229
Likes: 19,529
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Post by pesto on Jul 21, 2017 5:57:44 GMT -6
Favorites
The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
The Cider House Rules by John Irving
Lots of Steinbeck - the grapes of Wrath, east of Eden, of mice and Men
Harry Potter
Hated
Gone Girl
Divergent
Outlander
That new Liane Mortiary book, I am blanking on the name.
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michyme
Platinum
Posts: 2,118 Likes: 5,747
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Post by michyme on Jul 21, 2017 6:11:47 GMT -6
Fav book: Still Alice
Book I wish I never read: Let's Talk About Kevin
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Post by roguelily on Jul 21, 2017 7:04:25 GMT -6
Faves:
Prep
The Catcher In The Rye
All Grown Up
Carry On
An Abundance of Katherines
I'll Give You The Sun
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend
Exit West
The Giver
Twilight series (I'm just woman enough to admit it)
Sookie Stack house series - the first 7 or so
Various one direction fan fiction , Unbelievers being my fave
Least Faves:
Outlander
Wuthering Heights
This awful book i read this week called "Small admissions"
Flowers for Algernon
The Iliad and the odyssey .... ugh
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Post by filingjointly on Jul 21, 2017 8:39:45 GMT -6
Fav book: Still Alice Book I wish I never read: Let's Talk About Kevin We Need To Talk About Kevin was SO hard to read. I didn't hate it and I still think about it all the time but it's definitely not a book I love. |
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