Struggling to find good books to read........

[LouisandLeonmum]

I wonder if anyone can help. Am really struggling to find good books to read. Enjoyed Time Traveller's Wife, Twilight Saga, historical novels and biographies, but whenever go the library with DS1 or 2, never get anywhere - wonder why LOL! Any recommendations would be gratefully received.

Have you read:
The shadow of the wind
The alienist
The curious incident of the dog in the night time
?
What kind of biography?

And the book thief?

I second The Shadow Of The Wind.

I would also recommed:

The Purple Hibisicus
Room
The 5 People You Meet In Heaven
The Handmaid's Tale
The Help
The White Tiger
Alias Grace might also appeal if you like historical novels.

Oh and Half of a Yellow Sun.

The 5 people you meet in heaven is v good

The House of the Spirits by Isabelle Allende is also excellent.

Melissa Marr - Wiked Lovely series

Cassandra Clare - Mortal Instruments series (but stop at book 3, book 4 is rubbish)

Fingersmith
Cloud Atlas
The Moonstone
The Woman in White

I have found searching for books on line on the library portal and ordering them helps hugely then you just have to dash in at the library and collect them (and pay 50p charge - that's in our area - I understand charges vary by local authority) so this might be worth looking into. TBH I think you're pretty amazing finding time to read at all. I don't think I read much/anything whilst mine were small.

if you like historical and autobiographical you might like
The Hare with the Amber Eyes
or less laboured/more witty is journalist Kate Adie's autobiography
The Kindness of Strangers

In our library, if you know the book you want, you just ask at the desk and if they have it they will order it in for you, free of charge.

It also helps just having a list of what you are looking for, as you don't get time to browse with little ones in tow.

It is great for little ones to see you reading - it builds it in their minds as a normal and enjoyable thing to do.

Yes shadow of the wind and angels game. Loved the help, not so much with the book thief. Wading though Game of thrones, but keep nipping off to read Caitlin morans how to be a woman- much lighter.

Also at the library ask the receptionist for a book of '' if you liked this book you may like that book''

It lists authors and books and ones that are similar.

read fairly recently on my Kindle (off the top of my head)

Giving up the Ghost - Hilary Mantel (biography)
Room
The Help
Last train to Liguiria
The Girl with Glass feet
Into the Darkest corner
That summer in Ischia
Never let me go

Thank you so much for all the books and advice. Am going to ask DH to have boys for a bit on Saturday morning and go and browse our local library. Will probably start with something like Cloud Atlas as have heard it is good......! :)

I would highly recommend The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Like Twilight, they are aimed at the 'young adult' market, but don't let that fool you. They are an absorbing read, and well worth checking out if you are after a page turner....

Don't know if you'd be interested but the new Wallis Simpson book is out end of August - think it's called That Woman. Historical-novel-based-loosely-on-real-events kind of thing, I'm going to give it a whirl on my (ahem!) new Kindle!

Am reading The Crimson Petal and the White at the moment, and I can't remember when I last enjoyed a book so much.

It's absolutely brilliant. I'm rationing myself because I don't want it to end!

Okay-time traveller's wife was my last book and before that Andrea levy's the long song, the help (forget the author) and an autobiography of a nurse called matron knows best. And the slap and one day before those. Enjoyed all. Hope that helps

try the trylle trilogy by Amanda Hocking on kindle. It not out in paperback until feb 2012. But if you like twilight and such you will enjoy this, I read them all one after the other on my kindle app on my Iphone. Really cheap which is always a bonus!!!

Moonlight on the Avenue of Faith - Gina B. Nahai

I really loved it and shall be looking out for her other book Cry of the Peacock

Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche (about Biafra)

The American Boy - Andrew Taylor (a cracking good story full of unexpected twists and turns, set in 1819 and written in the style of that time)

Galileo`s Daughter - Dava Sobel (fascinating biography, shall re-read it)

The Namesake - Jhumpa Lahiri (cross-cultural story)

I have just finished "The 19th Wife" and if you like historical fiction I think you might like it.

Have you found anything you like yet?

I loved the Namesake :)

My top books recently would be Fingersmith and the Help. Loved both, was left bereft when I finished them

Innocent Traitor - Alison Weir (story of Lady Jane Grey)
Wedlock - How Georgian Britain's worst husband met his match - Wendy Moore.......gripping page turner

Oh yes! Fingersmith is a good historical page turner snail - I loved it too