If I loved these books, what next....

[Hunning]

I'm really struggling to find a good book to read next. I've started a few that haven't grabbed me so I'm started to re-read old books now

What would you recommend if I loved these:

• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (I know there are mixed views on this on MN but I loved it. TBH, it ruined reading for me because I haven't found a book to match it)
• The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara
• Everything written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche
• Everything written by Donna Tartt
• Almost everything written by Isabelle Allende
• Almost everything written by Andrea Levy
• The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (hurry up the English translation of the final one for gawd sake)
• Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Attwood (but I've really struggled with her other books)

I also enjoy historical fiction but I find it a bit hit-and-miss. I like CJ Sansom's books and most of Karen Maitlain's.

Please help me find my next read.

Have you read The Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini? (Particularly Kite Runner)

The Bookseller of Kabul?

Memoirs of a Geisha?

For no good reason than that they're my favourite books, I will also recommend The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy and Take Me With You by Brad Newsham.

I've read The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Bookseller of Kabul but not Memoirs of a Geisha.

Thanks for those other two recommendations as well - will have a look

Should also say I've always enjoyed Daphne Du Maurier books as well.

Dorothy Dunnett is fantastic historical.

The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer, beautifully written novel set in Paris and Hungary during WW2, long and absorbing. Audre Lorde's Zami: a new spelling of my name, Maxine Hong Kingston The Woman Warrior, Michelle de Kretser The Lost Dog (the title doesn't do it justice), Jhumpa Lahiri The Namesake, Claire Messud The Emperor's Children, haven't read it yet but Pachinko has had good reviews, Ann Patchett State of Wonder, Rose Tremain The Colourand The Road Home.

Historical/crime:
Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobb's series, ignore the cover designs, much better than they look. S.J. Parris Giordano Bruno series often liked by Sansom fans. Manda Scott's Boudica series entertaining historical fiction four books; Colin Cotterill's Dr Siri series set in Laos in the 70s.

Oh wonderful suggestions both, thank you. I heard about The Namesake on Radio 4 the other week and thought it sounded great actually

The Magus by John Fowles. Absolutely amazing book.

What's Left Unsaid by Deborah Stone is new out. Really terrific read

Have you tried "Shadow of the Wind"? by Carlos Ruiz Zafon" I think that was the first of his that was translated, I read it years ago, I remember I enjoyed it.

Oh sorry see you said "Cemetery of Forgotten books" series, ignore my post.

I like most of the books on your list and have also enjoyed Rose Tremain, Joanne Harris, Helen Dunmore, Tracy Chevalier, Georgina Harding and Victoria Hislop. Have you tried any of Carlos Ruiz Zafon's other books? I think they are aimed at young adults but I enjoyed them as they have a similar mysterious vibe.

Adhaf Soueiff - The Map of Love.

I also like Kate Morton. The Forgotten Garden is one of my favourites of hers.

Loads of great ideas on this thread. I need to stop reading them - my wish list is growing exponentially and I'm supposed to be reading the books I have and thinning out, not expanding!

Absolutely The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. Brilliant books.

Sorry, just saw that you’ve read them already

I wonder if you’ve tried Margeret Atwoods Oryx and Crake trilogy? It’s a bit more like The Handmaids Tale than some of her other earlier stuff IMO. Dystopian future. I really enjoyed having never got in with The Blind Assassin and the like

The Heart’s invisible furies, John Boyne

Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami and The Housekeeper and The Professor by Yoko Ogawa.

Barbara Kingsolver
Siri Hustdvet
Sebastian Faulks

You might like The Manuscript Found in Saragossa - has got the original magic realism/hispanic vibe :)

Think you mentioned liking CJ Samson, he has a new book out on the 18th October (Shardlake series).

Try :

The Poisonwood Bible
Ghana Must Go
The Song Of Achilles
Bel Canto
Notes From An Exhibition
American Pastoral
A Spool Of Blue Thread

Have you read any Rose Tremain? Love her novels. Or William Boyd?

Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine by Gail Honeyman

Your taste os quite similar to mine - I also love isabelle Allende and Barbara Kingsolver, also Ann Patchett