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Book recommendations please :)

19 replies

MissBax · 29/06/2017 09:47

My favourite ever book is A Thousand Splendid Suns, and also enjoyed Half of a Yellow Sun.
Also enjoy easy read page turners - Girl on a Train etc.

Can anyone recommend any books I might like based on these? Thanks

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curlyLJ · 29/06/2017 14:06

I have just read these 2 which I would recommend:

The A to Z of everything by Debbie Johnson
Before I let you in by Jenny Blackhurst

I also loved A Thousand Splendid Suns - I presume you've also read his other books?
Also try:

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay (be aware that this is a very emotional, shocking story about a a jewish family's deportation in the holocaust told from the viewpoint of a 10 year old girl. I found it pretty un-putdownable but some of my friends found it too upsetting to read)
The Secrets between Us by Louise Douglas
Before i go to Sleep by SJ Watson
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

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MissBax · 29/06/2017 14:15

Hey curly :) Thanks for the reply!
Yes, read his other books too - I think in order of fave I'd say Suns, Kite Runner and Mountains, what about you?
Those recommendations sound good - I'm a bit weird in the fact that I like quite depressing / emotional reads. My DH thinks I'm very odd when I'm sat wailing over a book!
I've just ordered 3 books off Abebooks (I'm sure you've probably used it but if not then you MUST - so so cheap):

  • Everything I Never Told You
  • The Year of Magical Thinking
  • The Girls


Hadn't heard of any before but they were in an article of 21 best page turners, or something along those lines. Have you read any of them?
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curlyLJ · 29/06/2017 14:24

No I haven't read any of them, I will have a look though...thanks!

I haven't actually read the Mountains one (no idea why! Confused ) but I have just ordered it!! I think Suns is marginally better that the Kite Runner but there's not much in it - I loved them both.

I read on a Kindle so I tend to buy off Amazon, but I will have a look at Abebooks.

If you like depressing/emotional stuff you will definitely like Sarah's Key. Room (Emma Donoghue) is also good, but that's been made into a film now so you may have already seen it.
I'm sure there are more (depressing/emotional) books that I have read that you would like, if I think of them I will let you know!

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MissBax · 29/06/2017 14:27

Ahh I'm sure you'll like it (And so the Mountains Echoed), he's just an incredible story teller!
I read Room and really enjoyed it, haven't seen the adaptation yet though.
Will check out Sarah's Key too :) Thanks!
I'd also recommend The Glass Castle - excellent book!!

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NewMumSoon · 29/06/2017 14:52

I have similar likes to you and really enjoyed 'I Let You Go' and 'I See You' by Clare Macintosh. Also really enjoyed 'Room' and enjoyed the film too, although it doesn't quite live up.

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MissBax · 29/06/2017 14:59

Thanks NewMum - I'm handing in my final essay tomorrow and want to get back on the reading waggon. How I've missed it so!
I'll check out Clare Macintosh :)

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RedComet · 01/07/2017 07:05

I second the Glass Castle... probably won't bother with the movie, think it would spoil it for me.

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PlayingSardines · 01/07/2017 07:08

If you like 'depressing' and 'emotional', you could try Hana Yanagihara's A Little Life, which crams in more misery than most.

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MissBax · 02/07/2017 09:26

RedComet - I didn't know they'd made a film of The Glass Castle! I loved the book!

PlayingSardines - ooooh I'll check that one out, thanks :)

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RubyRoseRing · 03/07/2017 14:53

Seeing The Glass Castle reminds me of The Glass Room. It's a quite different story but you might like it. Written by Simon Mawer. He has done other good novels, such as The Girl Who Fell from the Sky. It has a sequel, Tightrope, which IMO is less good but okay. I was told by an elderly lady in our local library that Swimming to Ithaca is v good too, but l've not read it yet. The same lady put me onto Sarah's Key which l liked.

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macnab · 03/07/2017 16:10

Currently reading "The Couple Next Door" which is about a couple who leave their baby girl in her cot while they go next door for a meal with neighbours, they bring the monitor with them and go back and check on her every half hour but of course when they get home she's gone. Thoroughly enjoying it, it's an easy read with lots of suspects (I've not finished) and I'd definitely recommend it. PS: A Thousand Splendid Suns is in my top 10 list!

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SquirrelWatcher · 03/07/2017 16:23

If you haven't read Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche's other books, I've enjoyed everything I've read of hers so far. Gone Girl for a good page turner, going off the crossover of what I like, I'd recommend Margaret Atwood and Hilary Mantel. Water for Elephants was a good, emotional read too, though can't remember who wrote it.

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Cherrypi · 03/07/2017 18:23

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.

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TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 03/07/2017 18:29

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is one of the few books to make me literally sob (as opposed to feeling a bit teary). Also loved Half of a Yellow Sun.

Lovely Bones is marmite - some love it, others hate it. I also thought The Virgin Suicides was a fascinating read.

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KatsutheClockworkOctopus · 03/07/2017 22:22

I loved Maps for Lost Lovers by Nadeem Aslam.

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penny14 · 05/07/2017 21:22

I'm loving his thread as I think I have similar reading taste to you all. I loved;

A Thousand Splendid Suns / The Kite Runner
The Help
Water For Elephants

I also really enjoyed;

The Shadow of the Wind
The Time Traveller's Wife
The Book Thief
The Light Between Oceans
Chocolate / The Lollipop Shoes

Looking forward to checking out some of the other recommendations Smile

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Natalieevans79 · 09/07/2017 21:03

The Help, the colour Purple, we are all completely beside ourselves, Small Island Smile

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Cloudhopping · 09/07/2017 21:15

I second 'A Little Life'. Very long, very sad but very good.

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fruitpastille · 09/07/2017 21:25

All the light we cannot see - can't remember author.

Also for easy going but emotional I really like all of Jojo Moyes books.

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