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Original poster

Fiction recommendations please

57 replies

Beauregard · 07/02/2009 20:55

I am off to the libary on monday.
I dont like anything too heavy going to read as i read to relax so possibly lighthearted fiction.

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Original poster
Beauregard · 08/02/2009 23:09

this is the Joanna Bell book i enjoyed a few years back

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LurkerOfTheUniverse · 08/02/2009 22:07

even though it's sort of crime, Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series is very funny

think the first one is 'one for the money'

peachface · 08/02/2009 22:01

I think if the parents read a lot, it's almost inevitable that the children will develop a similar love of books. This is probably worth another thread one day!

janeite · 08/02/2009 21:53

My proudest moment as a book-loving parent was when dd1 (14 today) read "Pride And Prejudice" earlier this year. She's now read them all bar "Mansfield Park" and she's working her way through that now. You have lots of wonderful literary moments to look forward too!

Now I just need to work on dd2.

Original poster
Beauregard · 08/02/2009 21:52

Thanks for all the suggestions i shall make a list to take.

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peachface · 08/02/2009 21:52

Hope you enjoy your trip to the library tomorrow Pelvicfloornomore!

peachface · 08/02/2009 21:51

Yes, that's something to look forward to! At 4yrs and 18mths we're not yet in the realms of all the fantastic stories out there and we're hooked on the Julia Donaldson rhyming verse and Harry and the Dinosaurs BUT my 4yr old ds loved me reading Ponder and William to him (Barbara Softly) so I have high hopes he'll continue his love of books as he grows!

janeite · 08/02/2009 21:48

Thanks again PeachFace. It's not a huge book, so I suspect it's just the first one.

Maybe your two sons will enjoy things like "The Princess Bride" instead, which my two dds are too wimpy to watch with me because they don't like the fire swamp!

peachface · 08/02/2009 21:46

We're doing our best to give you a good range of options!! haha!
janeite - you'll have to post on here agin if you get to the end of the set and it's not concluded as fully as you think it might and I can then give you more info on the series...I can't tell you what the theme in the last book is or it'll give stuff away really!!! The book you're reading is the same as Anne of Avonlea so obviously they maybe changed title to match that of the film (have you seen the film? It is great! Def one to watch with your dds -= I watched with my mum and sisters years ago and ended up buying the video in the end! Got 2 sons now though so doubt they'll watch it with me when they're bigger....!

Original poster
Beauregard · 08/02/2009 21:42

You bookworms move fast

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wrinklytum · 08/02/2009 21:39

I am currently enjoying "Behind the scenes at the museum" by Kate Atkinson.

peachface · 08/02/2009 21:38

Fishie - great choice with the Maupassant short stories

janeite · 08/02/2009 21:37

Really? The one I'm reading (was in a classics box set that sil bought for dds) is called "Anne Of Green Gables" and Anne has arrived at the farm and so far it's been decided that they'll keep her: she's just learned how to say her prayers!

peachface · 08/02/2009 21:36

Janeite - well, when I read the tales there were 5 books charting her life from young girl right through to adulthood BUT looking at my books on the shelf, they are Puffin books so they're quite old now (!) and maybe now the book publishers have just put them all into one mammoth tome? Anne of Avonlea is the first book and Anne of Ingleside is the last.

fishie · 08/02/2009 21:35

marian keyes
yy weiner
kate atkinson

you could try short stories too, very undemanding but enjoyable

katherine mansfield
saki
maupassant

NancysGarden · 08/02/2009 21:35

I didn't actually find it odd, the style seemed very much in keeping with (older) children's writing, maybe it's just me then

Timbuktu · 08/02/2009 21:33

I would very much recommend any Iris Murdoch, in particular I love 'The sea, the sea'. Also apart from 'Rebecca', 'Frenchman's Creek' is a great Daphne du Maurier read.

NancysGarden · 08/02/2009 21:33

Well, when I say children's I do of course mean the upper bracket, but that's kind of obvious from the subject matter (some of which is very grown-up: rape, witch-doctors etc)

Same goes for all the other "children's" books I mentioned (apart from alice in wonderland of course)

peachface · 08/02/2009 21:32

How bizarre to put it in children's literature section - McCall Smith does write children's fiction but the No1 Ladies Detective series is his crime fiction work! Maybe the bookshop staff lumped all his work together not realising that not all his stuff is children's literature!

NancysGarden · 08/02/2009 21:30

Pelvicfloor - you weren't thinking of catherine cookson were you? heheh, just kidding

chipmonkey · 08/02/2009 21:30

No, by and large, Maeve Binchy writes down-to-earth realistic stories about modern women in Ireland and Britain! I loved "Light a Penny Candle"

janeite · 08/02/2009 21:30

Are you talking about "The ladies' Detective" books, Nancy? They are deffo not children's books but a lot of bookshops have a sort of crossover section for teenagers to encourage them into adult fiction.

Peachface - I didn't realise there was more than one "Anne" book. Am still trying to hunt down the next in the Flambards series!

NancysGarden · 08/02/2009 21:27

(I'm not looking for an argument slayerette but I won't ignore you as that's rude. I have bought it in the children's section of waterstones. Is that ok?)

peachface · 08/02/2009 21:27

I LOVE Anne of Green Gables - have all the books in the series and have read them over and over - good choice!

Pelvicfloor - I won't jump on you, but no Binchy's characters aren't all enduring hellish lives!!! If you want a taster of her style, how about trying a book of her short stories ? "This year it will be different" (crap title I know but great tales!) and "Victoria Line, Central Line" are common library fodder!

Original poster
Beauregard · 08/02/2009 21:22

Maeve Binchy
Are her books full of poor irish down trodden women enduring hellish lives or am i thinking of someone else?

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