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Thursday, September 10, 2009

A Sick Day & Book Review!

Hi friends & happy Thursday to ya! I am super sick w/ something nasty that has given me a fever & the yuckies, so no projects for ya today. I thought I'd just share some of my favorite books with you which is hard to do because I've been reading for soooo long (one of my favorite things to do) that it's hard to remember them all & there have been so many good ones! I read pretty much anything, I like most genres of books but I don't read horror books any longer although I used to--gives me too many nightmares!! I've never gotten into the Harry Potter series although I did read the first 2 w/ my daughter and I've not "bitten" into the Twilight series either--the premises of both do not really appeal to me. I prefer reading about people in the here and now I guess, but I love a great mystery, tragedy and perseverance of spirit, twists & turns & a story that stays with me always! Doesn't always have to have a happy ending but I have read some books that depressed me for days which is never fun but the experience of reading them is always worth it! And I always, always read the book before the movie--the movie can never compare to the words & emotions written in a story!

At the moment I have 4 library books, 14 new books I bought & a pile of magazines sitting by my bed in my "floor library" as my hubby likes to call it, LOL! I read every night before I go to bed and if it's really good I have been known to read until 3 am--reading NEVER puts me to sleep but most always keeps me up, LOL! I read everything from People magazine, health mags, newspapers, fiction & non-fiction---I love to learn about anything & everything!!

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My favorite books as a kid/teen:

-Nancy Drew series (all of them)
-Anne of Green Gables series
-Little House on the Prairie Series
-The Wind in the Willows
-Any of the Narnia books
-The Bridge to Terabithia (1st book I ever read that made me cry)
-Where the Red Fern Grows
-Grimm's FairyTales
-The Secret Garden (1 of the only books I ever re-read)
-Heidi
-Flowers in the Attic series by VC Andrews (creepy but good)
-Judy Blume books of course (from Ramona to the teen ones)
-Little Women
-Charlotte's Web
-The Diary of Anne Frank
-Great Gatsby,Lord of the Flies, Animal Farm, Scarlet Letter, The Odyssey, The Atlas Shrugged, A Farewell to Arms, Invisible Man, any Shakespeare and To Kill a Mockingbird in High School

Non-Fiction Books I Love:

-Bobby & Jackie (eye opening)
-Eat, Pray, Love (inspiring)
-The Water is Wide (Conrack) by Pat Conroy
-Biography of Martha Washington (love strong women)
-Charlotte's Story
-Biography of Jackie Kennedy
-The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
-Leap of Faith by Queen Noor
-Angela's Ashes
-90 Minutes in Heaven

My Favorite Fiction (this list could go on & on & on, hee hee):
-The Red Tent
-The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue (my fave book ever)
-The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
-Emma by Jane Austen
-The Lost Hours and The Color of Light by Karen White
-The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant
-The Kite Runner (eye opening)
-The Secret Life of Bees (book is sooo much better than the movie)
-The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (oh love this one so)
-Demons & Angels by Dan Brown (loved the twists)
-Lovely Bones (haunting)
-Raymond Khoury's The Last Templar
-On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah
-The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd
-James Rollins books (love a great adventure)
-Pelican Brief by John Grisham
-Memoirs of a Geisha
-The Time Traveler's Wife
-Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosney (awesome in every way)
-Certain Girls (made me cry) by Jennifer Weiner (love her books)
-Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
-The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards
-Women's Murder Club series and Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson
-The Shining and Carrie by Stephen King (scared the pants off of me)
-when I want an easy-breezy read I will pick up a Nora Roberts book (my fave triology of hers was the "Key Series") & she was a neighbor of mine when we lived in Boonsboro, MD!!
-Kathy Reich's books (love the TV show as well, but books were better of course)
-For a good laugh any of David Sedaris's books!!
-some of David Balducci's but my fave of his is "The Winner" & "The Camel Club"
-not a huge fan of Danielle Steele simply because they're all too predictable but "A Good Woman" was excellent and so unlike her usual writings--I love good historical fiction!
-Sullivan's Island by Dorthea Benton Frank
-Patricia Cornwall's books (all of them)

What am I reading right now:

-Shem's Creek by Dorthea Benton Frank
-The Memory of Water by Karen White
-The Month of Summer by Lisa Wingate
-Dune Road by Jane Green
-The Girl w/ the Dragon Tattoo
-Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels

I'm waiting impatiently for (LOL) Dan Brown's new book due Sept.15th and Karen White's sequel to "The House on Tradd Street" due on Nov.3rd!!

Well that's enough sharing from me, hee hee! And yes, I keep a journal that I've had since a teen of my favorite books that I read so I never lose track of them & trust me it's 100's of pages long but I won't share them all, lol! Books are my comfort food I guess I would say, something about losing yourself in a story is just one of the best things in the world!!

hugz,
Suzanne

21 comments:

  1. Suzanne, hope you are feeling better soon, we like many of the same books, I am currently reading "FireFly Lane" by Kristin Hannah, it is a pretty good read. Take care. Sandi

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  2. I too love to read...I discovered a new author to me. Mindy Starns Clark. I find books at Wal-Mart and then go to the library and borrow them. ;) Mindy wrote one on the Lancaster, PA area...nearby to where I live!

    I hope you feel better soon!

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  3. i love to read to!
    A have somewhere a list to, but where :-)
    i read very mush and mostly non fiction and storylines.
    i love them,...
    Sorry because my englisch is not so well :D
    Hugs Anneke

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  4. I hope you feel better soon! I looooove to read :) Our kid/teen lists look very much the same :) You have to read Harry Potter - so engrossing as they go. The first ones are more "fun" and I think they get deeper and such as the series develops.

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  5. I'm glad to see that Karen White is coming out with a sequel to House on Tradd Street. I'm currently reading Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews. Her books are fun!

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  6. Hi Suzanne, I always come here in the am to see what wonderful things you've created. I have to say I really enjoyed your list. I thought that I was the only human alive that bothers to write my books down, so that I know what I have read...lol. I can't tell you how many of your books are on my list. My comment would be too long. Thanks for sharing and I hope you feel better. We seem to have something at our house too. Lisa G

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  7. I will have to check out those bppks you are currently reading and I agree on the D Brown book!!!
    Hope you feel better :o) Take Care of you!!!
    Hearts and Hugs
    Susana

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  8. Take care sweetie and hope it't not the flu. Kram - Anki

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  9. sorry tp read you'r not feelin' well, hope it clears up soon,but it just ment for you to ketch up with you'r readdy. hihi hint hint

    hugs
    daisy

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  10. Suzanne, sorry to hear that you're under the weather. Just want to wish you a quick recovery.

    Hugs.
    Norma

    I'm anticipating Dan Brown's new book myself.

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  11. My favorite book (you'll hate my answer, but here goes) is my Bible. The author is Jesus and it means so much to me, because it changed me. I feel happier, free and content now.
    Pattyjo :+)
    rholschen@air-pipe.com

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  12. Sure hope you feel better soon! Nothing worse than a cold on a summer day! My favorite books were the Cherry Ames series - she was a nurse! It started as Cherry Ames, Student Nurse, Clinic Nurse, Cruise Nurse, etc. I wanted to be a nurse when I grew up! The other favorite of mine was Six White Horses - can't remember the author's name - but it was apoem written by a teenager after the assassination of JFK in 1963. Kerry Peasland peaslandk@yahoo.com

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  13. Feel better soon! In my life B.A. (before art), I read at least 3 books a week. My absolute favorite place to go to was the library. I've been keeping a list of the books I read. There just aren't enough hours in a day. Sure wish I didn't need to work ~ or sleep. Now that I'm making cards and doing other art (the last 7 years), I don't read as much. I'm more particular about what I read now and don't want to spend the time on a so-so book. Susan Elizabeth Phillips is one of my favorite authors. I can't imagine where you find the time to keep up the blog besides everything else you do. But I appreciate the fact that you do....

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  14. Hi Suzanne, Hope you feel better soon. My favourite book as a child was Anne of Green Gables. My Mum, who was orphaned at a young age, read it and felt a strong connection to 'Anne'. She recommended the book to me. We both cried buckets at the same bit (you know the one I mean!) - but there are also lots of laughs.
    XX

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  15. I hope you get better real quick. I am sorry to hear you are ill. At least you have lots of good company. I've read a lot of the books on your list. I read at least 3 books a week sometimes more, stamp, scrapbook and have a full time job. I just love to read.

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  16. Lots of good books in that list! Did you ever read the House Of Sand And Fog? You'd like that book too.

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  17. My eyes are tired tonight and I thought your caption said Booze Review...I thought YIKES...where is Suzanne going with this post...LOL
    I finally focused my eyes and read the "true" story. I wish I could stay awake at night to read...one page and I am out!

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  18. Sorry you are under the weather. Sending you healing powers so you are back on track to enjoy the weekend. If you like covert ops/terrorist on the seat of your pants books...try one of Vince Flynn's. I started from the beginning & they keep getting better & better. Good stuff.

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  19. Suzanne- I loved reading your book list. I, too, love to read. I spent all last Saturday on the couch with a book-those are the best kinda days, hehe. I am currently reading Pat Conroy's new book South of Broad-saw you had one of his on your list. This is a MUST read!

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  20. I enjoyed reading your list of favorites. I keep track of what I read and what I want to read on www.goodreads.com. I can also see what my friends read and get suggestions. i have enjoyed many of the books that you have enjoyed. I think that you would enjoy Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.

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  21. Great list! A lot of the books you have listed are books that I have read and loved, or books that I want to read. Historical fiction happens to be another of my favorite genres... just finished reading "My Splendid Concubine" by
    Lloyd Lofthouse. I love the way the author writes about such an intriguing story (China during the opium wars 19th Century)- such detail. It was the first book of his that I have read, but have to say that I can't wait to read the sequel to this book (Our Hart). Until the book is released I plan on checking out some of the books you have suggested. Thanks!

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I appreciate all your lovely comments and taking the time to stop by! hugz,Suzanne