The Book Thread!!

[BrightSide]

I know that recently on the arena there has been a book swap (fantastic idea!!).. so why not a thread for books in general?

What is your current / all time favourite book / author?

What genres do you tend to read, and is there anything literature-wise you stay away from?

Any book recommendations for arena folk?

I recently ordered a number of books from eBay and Amazon.. the first of which, 'Thirteen Reasons Why' by Jay Asher, arrived today.. I've finished it, and it was quite gripping. I found it a tiiiiny bit longwinded, but definitely some nice twists and turns in there.

On the way are:
'The Bell Jar' by Sylvia Plath
'Girl, Interrupted' by Susanna Kaysen
'The Book Thief' by Marcus Zusak (love that book!!)
and the one I'm looking forward to most.. 'Wintergirls' by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Some of my favourite books to date are:
'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' (Stephen Chbosky)
'The Catcher in the Rye' (J.D. Salinger)
'Kitchen' (Banana Yoshimoto)
'The Giraffe, The Pelly and Me' (Roald Dahl)
'Looking For Alaska' (John Green)
and '1984' by George Orwell.

My favourite author at present is Trudi Canavan.. the Black Magician trilogy is truly enthralling, her work is brilliant. I also like a couple of Jodi Picoult's novels.. although they kind of follow a monotonous format which pains me a little. I am also fond of the likes of Oscar Wilde, and some of the other classics. Fantasy, thriller and psychological tend to be my favourites - the more complex the better. I hate simple, cliched plots.. *cough* Twilight *splutter*. Also, the majority of shallow young adult novels.

I'm looking for some medical novels.. and ones along the same sort of lines as 'Wintergirls'.

Your turn..

[Calico_Star]

Oooh a book thread!

I can never pick a favorite book or author ;A; The Harry Potter books were pretty hard to beat though. Right now I'm really enjoying Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices series (Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince) as well as Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series (The Iron King/Daughter/Queen/Knight) and Colleen Houck's Tiger Saga (Tiger's Curse/Quest/Voyage).

Right now I'm finishing up The Iron Knight, and I have three more books newly-arrived from Amazon waiting once I'm done-- Tiger Lily (Jodi Andersen), Die For Me (Amy Plum), and The Immortal Rules (Julie Kagawa). A Peter Pan book, a sort-of zombie book, and a vampire book

I read YA fantasy almost exclusively. If it doesn't have magic of some kind in it, I just can't stay interested. I read books to escape from reality, so I don't like my books to be about dull, everyday things. I absolutely hate reading about real people and their problems, and "adult" books are too dull and wordy for me, so I like to stick to YA.

For other fantasy/YA fans, I'd recommend the Infernal Devices series and the Tiger's Saga. The Infernal Devices is a 19th century (I think?) urban fantasy with steampunk elements. It has a compelling story and some great characters. (And it's much better than Clare's more famous Mortal Instruments series.)

Tiger's Saga is...kind of like Twilight (I know, I know, but I swear it's enjoyable!) and Indiana Jones combined. And with cursed tiger-princes instead of vampires. It's fun because the series integrates myths and legends from all kinds of cultures and parts of the world, from Odin's two ravens in Norse mythology to the Japanese Tanabata festival to Noah's Ark itself. You never know what old legend will pop up next on their quest.

[Yurusumaji]

I am in love with Eoin Colfer and his Artemis Fowl series. I still have to read the last one, but the whole series has been amazing so far and I'm going to re-read them in preparation for the movies.

I'm kind of reading The Fault in Our Stars right now by John Green, but have been on a hiatus due to life being all up in my grill.

My favorite genre is actually Non-Fiction. I love all kinds of fiction, but what's crazier than the truth? I love reading true stories about animals, wars, etc. I cannot even begin to stand old horror. I got through Dracula, barely, and gave up completely on Frankenstein. They are so slow, I just can't keep my head in them.

[LadyStarCatcher]

I love fantasy books. Currently in Love with the Allie Beckstrom series by Devon monk. Only one book to go! (I met the author this year and won an early copy of her steam punk series). I also love the Anita Blake vampire hunter series by laurel k. Hamilton. Just amazing! There's many others too. I just love books!

[Corona]

I adore historical and sociological non-fiction, especially having to do with Asia, epidemiology, the occult, and the macabre. I know, weirdo little assortment. I don't really like novels and fiction, I stick with the mantra "truth is stranger than fiction" in my reading list. I also sometimes read scholarly articles when I can get them for free.

I'm in the middle of reading The Great Influenza, an amazingly indepth book about the history of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. It's pretty thick but I've been working on it.

I just finished Only Hope: Coming of Age Under China's One-Child Policy, which is a study on the first generation of children born under the one-child policy of China. If you're into Asian culture I'd for sure recommend it.

[kaoskat]

What is your current / all time favourite book / author?
The Inheritance Cycle, Christopher Paolini

What genres do you tend to read, and is there anything literature-wise you stay away from?
I tend to prefer children/young adult books. Adult fiction typically. They tend to either bore me or disgust me or both. Though I do enjoy classics.

Any book recommendations for arena folk?
I dunno. Ask me later when my meds aren't making me sleepy.

[MikaylaIsSoCoolLike]

My favorite genre is realistic fiction, but YA in general. I read all types of books though (expect non-fiction).

I love everything by John Green. I own all of his books (I have two copies of the same book, both are signed! One by just him and one by him and his brother.) and they're all really awesome. My favorite is Paper Towns, but my least favorite is Will Grayson, Will Grayson (it's still good though). ~cool fact~ WG,WG mentions MLP! It's not used in the nicest way, but hey, ponies. (they're singing a song in a musical about how the writer, Tiny, is a raging homosexual. one of the examples another character, Will, uses to show how gay Tiny is "you have a thousand my little ponies!" or something similar.)

I also liked The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the rest of the series by Douglas Adams. I don't recommend the "last" one by Eoin Colfer though. I couldn't get past page 50 because I was so angry.

Something that was also pretty rad was  13 Little Blue Envelopes and The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson. Girl At Sea was pretty good too. While not a book, I do love her twitter feed. It's the best person I followed on there.

omg guys im so good at book reviews and recommendations.

[Vampasaurus]

What is your current / all time favourite book / author?
All time favorite author? Easy. Poppy Z Brite. Hands down. Although I really like Scott Sigler, and  Akif Pirincci.
My favorite book of all time is Drawing Blood by Poppy Z Brite. I read A TON  of horror books and I really don’t scare easy. But this haunted house book really gave me the creeps. It scared me in a really good way. I’d recommend her books to anyone who can stomach some gore and like horror. I also really loved her Lost Souls, and Exquisite Corpse. (that last one is inly for steel stomachs. It’s very intensely violent to say the least)
Scott Sigler’s Infected is a great science fiction. It will make your skin crawl! It’s packed to the brim with wonderful violence that’s so realistic and heavy that I got phantom pains reading it. The characters are great, I really couldn’t put this one or the sequel Contagious down.
Akif Pirincci wrote the Felidae series. A book series about a smart-aleck cat who solves grim cat related crimes. Amazing detective stores, but it’s sometimes a little hard to stomach the animal cruelty. All the characters are talking cats, and some of the cruelties they face just breaks my heart.

What genres do you tend to read, and is there anything literature-wise you stay away from?

Horror, Mystery and gorey fiction I like my stomach to churn and my skin to itch after I read a good scary book.
I also read books my girlfriend suggests to me. I read The Hunger Games Series and I loved them all. I also read Twilight… and hated it. We read it for laughs and that made it better. I’m also reading the Darksider’s book, The Abomination Vault. It’s ok, Nothing special. I love the games though.

[shockponie]

I loved The Hunger Games series. My favorite book of all time is The Great Gatsby. I'm currently working on House of Leaves.

[starrypawz]

What is your current / all time favourite book / author?
Terry Pratchett, C.S. Lewis, David Eddings, George RR Martin to name a few.

What genres do you tend to read, and is there anything literature-wise you stay away from?

Mostly tend to read fantasy, tend to steer away from what's marketed as 'dark fantasy/romance' right now since most of it tends to be Twilight type stuff which I don't find interesting, I'm just generally not a 'romance' fan, I don't mind it I just don't like it when it's the main focus of the book. I've found some pretty good stuff in the 9-13 year old aimed books as well.

Any book recommendations for arena folk?
Hmm...
Anything by Terry Pratchett, Phillp Reeve's 'Mortal Engines' and 'Larklight' series is good if you want a bit of steampunk type stuff, David Eddings is pretty good.

I just finished Snuff by Terry Pratchett in the last few weeks, first book I honestly read to completion in probably a year. X.x

[NumiTuziNeru]

avourite book of all time? GOOD OMENS GOOD OMENS GOOD OMENS

I really like Roald Dahl, Debi Gliori, Terrp Pratchett, JK Rowling, Philip Reeve, that sort of thing. I just have a thing for snarky narration.

I finished Game of Thrones recently. It's great, but it's kinda hard for me to read it because i have zero attention span...

[VanillaBean]

What is your current / all time favourite book / author?
Stephen King, Michael Crichton & Sue Townsend are my favourite authors.
I have too many favourite books to pick just one: Jurassic Park, The Shining, Misery, American Psycho, Gobbolino the Witch's cat, the Adrian Mole series... the list goes on.
I currently have a huge pile of King books to sink my teeth into. Just about to start The Dead Zone. 

What genres do you tend to read, and is there anything literature-wise you stay away from?
I'm an avid horror fan, & obsessed with true crime books too, I find serial killers fascinating for some reason. Im a sucker for non-fiction involving the paranormal too.
Weirdly, I also love children's books. xD Quite a contrast there.
I tend to avoid romance, & anything vaguely resembling 'Twilight.'

Any book recommendations for arena folk?
I can't recommend Meredith Ann Pierce's Firebringer trilogy enough. It's the best fantasy series I've read yet. Anybody with even a slight interest in unicorns should check these out. The books are beautifully written, poetic & compelling, & you'll really grow to care about the characters.
The trilogy can be a little tricky to get hold of, but trust me, it's worth the hassle. 

[Beldarna]

What is your current / all time favourite book / author?
I love the Black Jewel Trilogy by Anne Bishop. I hihgly recommend it. It's such a unique storyline with a unique world that amazes me. And she leaves a lot for my own imagination to explore which I think is great.
I can not just have one favorite. I've been a fan of George RR Martin since I read A Game of Thrones first time 14 years ago. He's such a slow writer tho, and I really hope he doesn't make a Jordan and dies before the series is finnished.
And the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. READ IT! All I say about it..
And the Vampirechronicles by Anne Rice. I always get a familiar warm fuzzy feeling inside when I read her books. Favorite ones are the Vampire Lestat, Queen of the Damned and Armand.

What genres do you tend to read, and is there anything literature-wise you stay away from?
I prefer fantasy. I avoid Horrorstories.

Any book recommendations for arena folk?
Everything I've listed in the favoritesection as well as other works from the same authors. Except Soldier Son Trilogy by Hobb. Avoid at all costs!
Also, read anything Practhett and Neil Gaiman. Their collaboration Good Omens is highly recommended.

[BrightSide]

Bookworm bump

Yaaaay, I've got some more books! I found 'The Memory Keeper's Daughter' (Kim Edwards) and 'Never Let Me Go' (Kazuo Ishiguro) in charity shops, and we picked up "Great Expectations" (Charles Dickens) and "Wuthering Heights" (Emily Bronte) also. All of my books apart from Wintergirls arrived too!!

Has anyone ever been to the home of an author / where a book was written?

I've been to Beatrix Potter's house (and the exhibit) in Ambleside, the Lake District, numerous times.. both in childhood and recent years. I've also been to Haworth, where the Bronte sisters lived and wrote their novels. There is such a strange, eerie feel to Haworth.. when we were there it was incredibly misty and bleak, it's peculiar in the most enchanting way possible.

My friend has been to Stratford Upon Avon, where Shakespeare was born.. it's an annual trip at college, unfortunately I'm not studying English so I don't think I'll have that opportunity.

[Eluluu]

ill post about my favorite books when i have the energy to talk pretty like. =P but just had to make a suggestion =]

numi, if you like the feel of GoT but cant quite get thru them (i havent read them personally but everyone i know has, so i know theyre a bit... dry and long... in quite a few parts) do me and yourself a favor and track down Joe Abercrombie's THE BLADE ITSELF. trust me. lol just... wow.
thats the first one in the series, fantastic characters and the fighting style is so realistic. there is a splash of magic and stuffs in it but its more lower fantasy liike GoT is, but without the random unneccessary chapters that go nowhere.

Glokta and Logen Nine Fingers are my favorite characters in them... hahahahaha

*end rant*
...now i wanna read it again. =P