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Original poster

Need a 'can't put down'

85 replies

Munzle · 23/06/2011 12:37

You know what I mean... where you pretend that you need the loo loads just so you can go and read your book?! On holiday next week and it's ages since I've read a book that had me furiously turning the pages. Don't like chick/lit, murder/mystery. Last book I read that had me gripped like this was Time Traveller's Wife, and We need to Talk about Kevin. Any suggestions?

OP posts:
tudorrose · 24/06/2011 21:44

The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett. I carried it everywhere, could not put it down.

CelebratedMonkey · 24/06/2011 21:38

Afterwards by Rosemary Lupton is definitely a page turner. Woman in a coma after rescuing her daughter from a fire. Narrates while having out of body experience. Sounds naff (and it is a mystery as she figures out who started the fire), but works and is oddly compelling.

ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 24/06/2011 21:36

I thought Room was okay only. The 2nd half is really quite silly imho. Then again, I loved the first half of The Help and thought the second half was stupid too.

Noooooooooooo to Owen Meany. Soooooo dull for so much of it, with little flashes of brilliance.

I liked The Book Thief though. Also one I can't remember who by - is it called White Tiger? That was pretty good.

chocolateyclur · 24/06/2011 19:46

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky. Can't recommend it highly enough.

mrsravelstein · 24/06/2011 19:38

can't believe nobody has mentioned john irving 'a prayer for owen meany' yet! offficially the best book ever written!

HippyHippopotamus · 24/06/2011 19:37

'The tin drum' is good too

HippyHippopotamus · 24/06/2011 19:36

I've skim read and i agree with most of the syggestions.

Not sure if it has been suggested already but i just read 'the book thief' in two days whilst looking after two young dcs Blush they may have been a little neglected Blush

LillianGish · 24/06/2011 19:36

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie OFarrell. I also loved her Fearful Symmetry - Niffenegger's follow-up to The Time Traveller's Wife. I second those who recommend The Help and I'd add that if you liked that you might also like Mudbound (can't remember the author) - couldn't put it down and neither could DH. Currently reading Falling Angels by Tracey Chevalier and finding that pretty gripping as well.

Pussinflatboots · 24/06/2011 19:27

Another vote for Room (esp as you liked 'we need to talk about kevin'). Also recommend When god was a rabbit.

nevergoogle · 24/06/2011 19:25

the 19th wife

MintyB · 24/06/2011 19:23

Hello! First Mums net message ever! I too loved The Help - best thing I've read in ages. Perfume also good and I'm a bid fan of the No1 Ladies Dectective book - they're absolutely charming

transferbalance · 24/06/2011 19:22

I like Vikras Swarup a lot, thought Q&A was much better than the film

ginmakesitallok · 24/06/2011 19:18

Have just finished Six Suspects by Vikas Swarup - it was one of those that I snuck into the toilet with me Blush

Jofo · 24/06/2011 19:18

The Tent, The Bucket and Me - Emma Kennedy
The Slap

roundandroundincircles · 24/06/2011 19:11

Room, The Island (Victoria Hislop), When will there be good news (Kate Atkinson) - just been on tv.

BikeRunSki · 24/06/2011 19:04

No, Douglas Kennedy is not like Lesley Pearce smaltzy crap at all (have only read Stolen, and only finsihed it to see if it would get better). Douglas K writes well, deals with "issues", hs strong female leads and is gripping, real page turner stuff. Try one, and you'll be straight on Amazon to order the rest. I suspect that the titles and covers are a publisher's marketing ploy to attract female readers because of the female leads.

argghh · 24/06/2011 12:09

Great thread, just marking my spot !

Bandwitch · 24/06/2011 12:02

Bikerunski, interesting you say that because the extremely romantic titles do put me off. I imagine them being like Leslie Pearse books. (i've read a couple and enjoyed some and raised my eyes at others).

Bandwitch · 24/06/2011 12:00

Strivingtosmile, which comes first in that trilogy. is it tatiana or the bronze horseman? I have a secondhand copy of T&A but I can't find any clue as to whether it's the first in the trilogy or not. I want to read them in the right order.

I read Perfume years ago. Very good but you'd be finished it very quickly.

Harriet81 · 23/06/2011 22:33

Room, One Day, A Thousand Splendid Sunsets, The Dressmaker, We Are all Made of Glue, Kafka on the Shore, to name but a few. I was involved in world book night so could send you a copy of One Day as I still have a few left. It's a beautiful story and the film is out in August. If you would like a copy then just message your address.

ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 23/06/2011 22:26

Yes to Perfume.
Yes to The Passage.
Yes to Shardlake but you won't like those because they are murder/mystery - bloody good ones though.

Strivingtosmile · 23/06/2011 21:27

Another Paullina Simons from me - The Bronze horseman. Fave book ever

BikeRunSki · 23/06/2011 21:21

Anything by Douglas Kennedy. Especially "A Special Relationship" and "The Pursuit of Happiness". Don't let the naff names and girly covers put you off.

Bandwitch · 23/06/2011 21:20

I just finished The Girl in Times Square by Paullina Simons yesterday. Big thick book and I practically brought it in to the bathroom with me. sorry, tmi!

Haribojoe · 23/06/2011 21:17

Plain truth by Jodi Picoult, Killing Floor by Lee Child, Room by Emma Donoghue, loads of others but can't think right now.