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...?

I love this thread!!! Getting lots of new ideas for books, thanks OP!!! I second Millennium Trilogy, Half of a Yellow Sun and Captain Correlli and I too hated One Day
Also remembered Never Let Me Go by the same author who wrote the Remains of the Day - baby brain in action as it's one of my favourite all time books - what's his name?!
Also the Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns if you haven't read them - although again, they're heartbreaking so maybe not for pregnancy!

I second the Secret Life of Bees. I'm also enjoying Game of Thrones a lot if that's your cup of tea :)

Oh and another massive yes to the Shadow of the Wind, Fermin and also the Book Thief... I read the latter on my honeymoon and literally spent a day in bed reading - it was raining really heavily, in my defence but hubby still ventured out without me

YY to Book Thief too, nenehooo! That was also one of our wedding favours and the one we had most feedback about. Wonderful book. Was also just thinking about my honeymoon reads and I really enjoyed The Rules of Civility which is very Breakfast at Tiffany's and The Best of Everything which is set in 50's New York and very Mad Men.

I know this much is true - Wally lamb - a big fat juicy read, I loved it
What she loved - siri hustvedt
the first Stieg Larsson was better than the other 2
The secret History - Donna Tartt
7 Types of Ambiguity - Elliot Perlman - interesting novel with a slightly financial bent. I am not remotely interested in finance but found this easy to understand/follow

My amazon account is about to get a battering I think!!
YY to Phillipa Gregory too, have loved everything she's written (and you feel a bit intelligent reading it too due to the historical element!!!)

Ann Patchett is pretty good, Bel Canto and more recently, State of Grace

When home after having my gallbladder op. My kindle was amazing. I recommend the harry potter books, the twilight saga, the host. In fact i keep re-reading the same ones over and over again lol. I wouldnt mind getting the confessions of a shopaholic series. xx

I second Donna Tartt's A Secret History - terrific book, totally gripping and quite dark. Also, any book by William Boyd, but loved Brazzaville Beach. And most books by Douglas Kennedy. Ghost by Robert Harris.

Download a sample of "A Primate's Memoir: Love, Death and Baboons in East Africa" by Robert Sapolsky :)

If you like the sample, you'll like the novel :)

www.amazon.co.uk/Primates-Memoir-Baboons-Africa-ebook/dp/B004VSMEMY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1334147866&sr=8-2

I don't have a kindle, but I downloaded the kindle reading computer programme.

Anything by Terry Pratchett - Men at arms is really good, so is Jingo.
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley is fab, it's the Arthurian legends told by the women involved.
Do not pass go by Tim Moore is good (not a novel though) he travels around London going to every square on the Monopoly board.

I couldn't put down The Thread by Victoria Hislop, I'd recommend it if you like epic stories that interweave real historical events with fictional characters

I liked quite a lot of Jojo Moyes books - Me before you is the most recent one, Ship of Brides I also really liked. Not difficult to read but still interesting.
Dorothy Koomson I also like.

Just remembered, White Teeth by Zadie Smith is another good one. Also, the Da Vinci Code is a good gripper (wouldn't recommend the others though).

Gone With the Wind, definitely.

My FAVOURITE book of all time, and definitely an engrossing one (its massive!) is Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, but I know its a bit of a marmite book - its like if Jane Austen wrote a book about magicians. Very difficult to explain, but just incredible if its up your street.

Nenehoo means zkazuo Ishiguro (author of Never Let Me Go) v good suggestion also!

kazuo Ishiguro I mean ! Stupid iPad

Another vote for Room and We Need to Talk about Kevin (though maybe not the best when you're pregnant?!)

Other recent reads include:
Brick Lane
A Spot of Bother
The Help
The Kite Runner
The Millenium Trilogy
Catch 22
Lovely Bones

Also like books by Nick Hornby, Tony Parsons and Marina Lewycka

Next on the list are Thousand Splendid Suns, Life of Pi, The Book Thief, and Water for Elephants.

Another vote for The Pillars Of The Earth. It's the last book I read before having DS, and it took me about 3 months as I kept falling asleep (because I was pregnant and knackered, not because it was boring!). Anything by Margaret Atwood, but especially The Handmaid's Tale and Cat's Eye. Or Bill Bryson for non fiction. Touching The Void by Joe Simpson is also a really good read, it's about mountaineering but you don't have to know about the subject - it's just an amazing story.

Thank you PregnantCappucino!!! It's been driving me mad all day!!!

I just finished The Hunger Games trilogy, and I highly recommend it...it has a good story line and good writing, but nothing really complicated that you have to seriously think about. As I'm having some concentration issues at the moment, I thought it was perfect!

Wow, you lot are fantastic - I now have a fully stocked and dangerously expensive Amazon basket! Might have to go see what I can find in new and used

This is a great list, plenty of lovely absorbing reads. Especially given I intend to apply a 'no TV before 6pm' maternity leave rule. Let's see how long that lasts... lol (anyone else feel massive guilt putting the TV on whilst they are off? Unless of course it's a very good film or box set you've just bought...

Half of a yellow sun also recommended, plus Gone with the Wind - very easy but enjoyable read. Actually contemplating Katie Scarlett as name for baby due in 5 weeks!
Ones to add:
We need to talk about Kevin (majorly miserable but compelling)
Katherine by Anya Seton
Most of Georgette Heyer
Anne Rice series - though stick to Interview with a Vampire, Vampire Lestat and the other early ones - it got pretty tired towards the end.

One Day was such a let down, don't know why everyone raved about it.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton was really good and I loved the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. The Book Thief is amazing.

The Other Hand is very powerful: moving and funny all at the same time.

The Tigers Wife is probably the best book I have read this side of christmas.