Most all-consuming novel ever?

[katiegolightly]

Yes this is lazy, but Amazon recommendations aren't cutting it for me today. I'm hoping to stock up on a few can't-put-down-totally-all-engrossing novels to occupy the coming days and nights!

Nothing too clever or stretchy but nothing too airport trash vomit-inducing. Can't be doing with something that takes 8 chapters to get into. Anyone read anything recently worth writing home about?

Things that recently went down well were Time Travellers Wife, The Help, Go To Sleep and yes, embarrassingly I did like all the Harry Potter books.

One Day was just a bit too naff for me, couldn't put my finger on it :-/ (yes I know that's hard to say following my last admission...)

Thanks ladies! p.s. I'm sorry if there is a book section I should probably be posting this in...?

The Count of Monte Cristo if you haven't read it. Fits the requirements of your thread title anyway!

I loved "Into the Darkest Corner" by Elizabeth Haynes. It's so gripping I couldn't put it down. In fact when I got to a very exciting part of the book I leapt out of my seat (at home!) but maybe that's just me!

I also love anything by Jodi Picoult.

Oh Room was good. I found myself (somewhat shamefully) engrossed in the Hunger Games trilogy! Not literature at its best but great for baby brain. I'm reading The Secret River atm, still unsure. I loved The Help too. If you like Harry Potter you might like the Northern Lights trilogy too (again light reading of a slightly older age group but not much)

The secret life of bees is fab, and for an easy read I love anything by Jill Mansell,

Oooooh I am a proper bookworm and here is a list of ones I just could not put down:

• Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell
• Of Human Bondage, Somerset Maughan
• Les Miserables, Victor Hugo
• Twenties Girl, Sophie Kinsella
• Vile Bodies, Evelyn Waugh
• Pride and Prejudice, Austen
• The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, can't remember which Bronte
• Any Jeeves and Wooster book, PG Wodehouse
• Moulin Rouge, Pierre La Mure
• The Kite runner
• If I'm in the mood for utter trash I read Jilly Cooper or one of Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouses
• The Devil Wears Prada
• Wild Swans, Jung Chan
• The Duchess, Amanda Foreman

Forgot to add The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

Kate Atkinson, not too heavy but engrossing and very readable

Have read and enjoyed all the books you mentioned so seem to have similar taste. I agree with Room- great book
Sister- Roseamund Lupton
Afterwards- Roseamund Lupton
The midwife's confession-Diane Chamberlain
The lost daughter-Diane Chamberlain
or any other books by either of these authors

I second the Hunger Games trilogy.. Easy to read/pick up etc enough book/story to last a few days/nights too!
I've read and enjoyed all you name in your OP and I loved the HGs so I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy!

I'm another Room fan... Very clever and original. I also second the His Dark Materials trilogy... 3 of my favourite ever books. I would also recommend anything by Maggie O'Farrell... After You'd Gone especially, but it did make me cry my eyes out on public transport so maybe not good for pg ladies
And if you're after all consuming... I read the whole of A Week in December by Sebastian Faulkes today, literally couldn't put it down, it's amazing. As is Birdsong. I could go on all day, I love books!

ooh, what a good thread! I second 'Room' but also enjoyed 'Slammerkin', also by Emma Donoghue, a well written novel about prostitutes in 19th century London.

The 'His Dark Materials' trilogy by Philip Pullman is AMAZING. I loved Harry Potter too, but these are much better. Darker and more adult. I have read them lots of times. The first one is called 'Northern Lights'

I am in a book club, and the things we've read over the last year that have been good include:

• Any Human Heart by William Boyd
• Captain Correlli's Mandolin, by Louis de Bernieres (cliche but it's brill)
• Fingersmith or Tipping the Velvet, both by Sarah Waters
• Hearts and Minds by Amanda Craig
• Book of Human Skin, by Michelle Lovric
• Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. It's a real tome but if you get into it, you won't be able to put it down. Enjoy!

Of what I've read recently I loved The Little Stranger by SArah Waters and Other People's Money by Justin Cartwright. have just started The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet which my DH claims is the best book he's ever read, but am only a little way in so can't promise that yet...

PregnantCappucinoDrinker I read The Little Stranger a while back and found it intensely frustrating and was left feeling it wasn't complete as a story. It felt like it was building to a crescendo but then the author changed her mind and decided to finish it ASAP.

I absolutely loved Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd. I was not a big fan of Snowdrops by A.D. Miller, I didn't feel that it had any real depth. I adored A Week In December by Sebastian Faulks; tightly woven, complex, thrilling, unpredictable - pretty much perfect.

Ooh good thread!!

I've really got into the Phillipa Gregory trilogy - the white queen, the red queen and the lady of the rivers (especially if you like historical novels)

Yes to the secret life of bees.

Another one I read that was a complete treat was called Tiger Hills but I can't remember the author and have given it to my mum.

Next on my list is the latest Jeffrey eugenides book cos I loved his previous book. Can't think of the title (baby brain has kicked in!)

Another vote for Gone With The Wind, His Dark Materials, Birdsong and The White Queen. I also found One Day a bit of a damp squib.

Child 44 is very absorbing but not terribly cheerful, and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series is great too. I still think you have to go a long way to beat Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre.

tomatoplantproject if you like Philippa Gregory's writing, may I suggest Fallen Skies? It's compelling and extraordinary. I loved it and have read it so many times, thoroughly enjoying it every time.

I second Tiger Hills which is by Sarita Mandanna - great book! Also sticking with the Indian theme is A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth which is my all time fave and a proper doorstop of a book. We gave copies away as wedding favours last year along with Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Count of Monte Cristo, Atonement, Shadow of the Wind (from where I took my nn) and Five People you Meet in Heaven. DH both met and still work in Publishing so wedding was very book-themed! Currently wrestling with my soul over whether to get a kindle for maternity leave...

Fermin I love my Kindle! I used to think that I wouldn't go for it as I love a proper book but they are just terrific. Recommended!

OP, I also loved the Helen Dunmore books about the prelude to the second world war (novel based in Leningrad) and then the siege of Leningrad.

YY to Kate Atkinson

Also the Wallander books, and the Camel Club series by David Baldacci

All of Terry Pratchett's books are unputdownable (especially Lords And Ladies and Men At Arms)
Sunshine by Robin McKinley
The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson, if you don't mind an ambiguous (but still very appropriate) ending

Fermin I love A Suitable Boy too. And on the India topic (and even better imho) is A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. I also read and enjoyed the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan, Freedom by Jonathan Frantzen and The Final Testament of the Holy Bible.
I got a kindle for my travels and having been quite anti them, I now love it. I can see how it would be good for maternity leave as you can hold it and turn the pages using only onehand. Plus it's really light and you canget ay book you want (within reason) within a few moments of deciding you want to read it.

Also liked Gone with the wind, Child 44, Dark Materials and Millenium Trilogy (Dragon Tattoo, Played with fire, hornet's nest).

Quirky one - Pillars of the Earth and sequel World without End both by Ken Follett - read after C4 adaptation which was great. Really enjoyed them and interesting without being heavy.

First 2 Game of Thrones books are good, started to go downhill after that tbh.

Half Of A Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi.
A fantastic and engrossing book.

The Way We Live Now, Anthony Trollope. I've read it about 10 times and each time I can barely stop.