Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

I know that all members have been given a wild card to be used throughout the challenge. One of the popular suggestions was "a book recommended by another member". So please use this space for receiving recommendations. It can also be used for more general recommendations that do not fit into the other threads (i.e. opening lines or creepy books)

Maybe you post a few of your favorite books, a genre of interest, or just ask that others view some of your shelves. Either way, please post what you're asking the recommendation for.

Hopefully we can all discover some great new books!

Can anyone recommend a good series? I've already read several such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Outlander, Chronicles of Narnia, Divergent, Hunger Games. And am currently working on Game of Thrones and the Chet and Bernie mysteries. I need a new series to start for the 2016 challenge. I'm open to most genres other than corset-ripping romances.

What series have you loved?

Someone recommended Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series (fantasy) and Neal Shusterman's Unwind series (YA dystopia-type series) to me. I've started the Shusterman series; it's ok but not really my thing. Do you like mysteries? You could try Sue Grafton's alphabet mystery series (starts with A Is For Alibi) or Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.

Here are some really good series:

The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss - Based on the series you stated you've read already, you'll enjoy this series. Hands down some of the best writing I've ever read. Absolutely stunning storytelling; Rothfuss makes the most ordinary tasks or objects seem magical. Two books are out so far with a third planned (hopefully) to come out in 2016. Extremely highly recommended for anyone.

The Gentleman Bastards by Scott Lynch - Also highly recommended. Incredible characterization and witty dialogue, the series is about the exploits of a band of thieves and their heists. A little harder to get into as the first half of each book tends to be "set up" and events do not become clear until later in the book. Some interesting twists and turns.

The First Law by Joe Abercrombie - Sword and sorcery epic. Different POVs throughout the story. I found some of the characters more interesting than others, but I've only read the first book so far. I feel like the first book did a lot of set up for the whole series and the following books will pick up a fair bit. That said, the action in this book is intense and fast.

Red Rising by Pierce Brown - Sci-fi/dystopia series. I like the first book a lot more than I thought I would and plan on reading the others this year. Interesting concept and good character building.

Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett - Reading book two right now and REALLY enjoying this series. Very interesting concept and really great characters. Some really good action scenes as well.

The Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko - Mondern day supernatural series. Absolutely incredible. A very unique concept of magic and supernatural beings. Really well written - each book is split into three parts that are seemingly unrelated until the final chapters when everything comes together. Highly recommended series.

*Edited to include author of each series

I actually own most of the Sue Grafton books. Found them super cheap at a garage sale. Started A and for some reason couldn't get pulled in to it. But I am considering trying it again for the series weeks during the challenge. Thanks for the input!

Peter wrote: "Here are some really good series:

The Kingkiller Chronicles - Based on the series you stated you've read already, you'll enjoy this series. Hands down some of the best writing I've ever read. Abso..."


Oh wow, lots to check out. Thanks! I actually just heard about the Kingkiller series on another thread. Awesome reviews on it. I will check out the others you mentioned as well.

A friend recommended the Pendergast series by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child to me. I've only read the first two, Relic and Reliquary, so I can't say how good the entire series is. But the first two books are fantastic! I'm hooked and can't wait to start book three.

I've read the entire Unwind series that Ellen mentioned and I really liked it. That series is definitely not an easy read. Since it deals with some pretty heavy moral issues, it can be uncomfortable to get through at certain parts. But I ended up enjoying it very much.

I don't know if you like graphic novels at all, but Batman: No Man's Land, Vol. 1 is amazing. It's a four volume collection, so it doesn't even take all that long to get through. Gotham City is shut off from the rest of the world, making it a no man's land, and has fallen into complete chaos. It's a great read for anyone who likes dystopian stories.

I can only agree with everything Peter said about The Kingkiller Chronicles, they're some of the best books I ever read!

Kingkiller Chronicles can go for "high rated" week, Gentleman Bastards for "anti-hero" and Night Watch for "other language than english". I added this last in my TBR, I haven't heard of it before.

In fantasy, I'll add The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley (3rd and last book will be released in 2016) and Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb (the full series is a must read).

In Dystopias, The Darkest Minds and The 5th Wave are pretty popular around me, The Giver series is good if you want quick reads.

Debra, have you read the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett? It's my second favourite series after Harry Potter, and what I really love about them is that they are more like stand-alone books linked under one umbrella rather than a traditional series.

Also, if you are looking for something light & easy, the Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood) are fun - at least, the first four or five are. I'm reading No. 10 at the moment, and I think she's run out of ideas/milking the cash cow/possibly both.

I've also been recommended to read Redwall by Brian Jacques - I'm reading that as my highest-rated on my TBR list for 2016.

Debra wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good series?"

I'm a member of another GR group where we have a year-long challenge of reading only books that belong to a series, so I've read a fair amount this year. My favorites have been (in no particular order):
- The Ender Quartet by Orson Scoot Card, YA/scifi (I've read Ender's Game and Ender in Exile, not the full series yet)
- Tomorrow by James Marsden, YA (read only the first one, intend to continue, so can't vouch for the whole series)
- Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, YA/fantasy
- Insignia by S.J. Kincaid YA/scifi
- Earth Girl by Janet Edwards, YA/scifi
- Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, YA/fantasy
- Bartimaeus Sequence by Jonathan Stroud, fantasy
- MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood, scifi
- Penryn & the End of Days by Susan Ee, YA/fantasy
- The Magicians by Lew Grossman, fantasy
- Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, YA/fantasy
- Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs, fantasy
- Ashes by Ilsa J. Blick, zombies
- The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon, fantasy
- Chaos Walking by Patrick Ness (I enjoyed the first book quite a lot, the following two weren't quite as good IMO)
- Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi, YA/dystopia
- All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness, fantasy
- if you want to try historical fiction: the Emperor and the Conqueror series by Conn Iggulden

The Pendergast series by Preston/Child was already mentioned, as was the Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry; I've enjoyed both. I've read the Watch series by Lukyanenko and wasn't too thrilled about it; again, the first one was okay, the rest got tedious.

For thrillers/mystery, have you tried the Alex Cross series by James Patterson, the Body Farm series by Jefferson Bass or the Sigma Force series by James Rollins?

Thank you, everyone, for a ton of great looking series to consider.

I think I am going to give The Kingkiller Chronicles a try for the "new to you" category. These are really long books so I may be shooting myself in the foot as far as being able to complete the challenge. I've chosen TONS of long books for 2016. Oh well, will see how it goes!

Peter wrote: "Here are some really good series:

The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss - Based on the series you stated you've read already, you'll enjoy this series. Hands down some of the best writing ..."

Lots of interesting ideas, thanks!

Camilla wrote: "Debra wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good series?"

I'm a member of another GR group where we have a year-long challenge of reading only books that belong to a series, so I've read a fair amount th..."

I really liked the Mortal Instruments series and All Souls trilogy.

@Zaz - Emperor's Blades and Assassin's Apprentice are both on my list for this year! I've heard really good things about both. Before I start them though my goal is to get caught up in some of the other series I'm reading.

I hope you enjoy Night Watch! It is one of my favourite series. It takes the age old "good vs evil" and puts a bit of a twist on it. I found there were a few "translational" errors mainly in grammar and a few oddly worded sentences, but they were all translated from Russian. It was never anything that affected the story though. If things seem confusing at first, just push through; things often get explained in more detail after the fact as characters process events, and the ending wraps things up and makes everything clear.

Also - the Gentleman Bastards series was the inspiration behind me suggesting the anti hero theme twice in the polls...it never made it in when I made the suggestion so I'm glad someone else suggested it and it was chosen!

@Peter, I hope you'll enjoy them. I preferred Hobb's Liveship series, but as everything is crossover, it's necessary to read in order. She has very interesting characters, same for the Emperor's Blades.

Ok, I need a recommendation!
Of course, I want something you can't google for my "profession week". I'm searching a book where one of the main characters is an author (like in King's Misery). If it's fantasy (yey, write magical things in a book!) or contemporary, it's better. Any suggestions?

Zaz, have you read La Vérité sur l'affaire Harry Quebert? (The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair for our English speaking friends). It's a very good book from a young Swiss author (yay for once) in which the main character is a struggling author trying to innocent his mentor from a crime. It is long, but keeps you on edge as you suspect about everybody!

Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore - I read it this year, it's fun & easy to read, and the main dude is an author. And the main girl is called Jody too.

I'm thinking about reading Neil Gaiman for Week 10 (an author you should have read by now). I know that there are some huge fans in the group.

Does anyone have recommendations for which book to start with?

Laura wrote: "I'm thinking about reading Neil Gaiman for Week 10 (an author you should have read by now). I know that there are some huge fans in the group.

Does anyone have recommendations fo..."

I've read only two of his books, American Gods and The Ocean at the End of the Lane. The first I found utterly boring, plus it's quite long, so unless you're looking for a long book, I would probably not start with it. I know many people love it though. The Ocean I absolutely loved, gave it five stars. It's also a short and quickly read book, so I would recommend that one to start with. You will probably get more recs from people who are more familiar with him.

Laura wrote: "I'm thinking about reading Neil Gaiman for Week 10 (an author you should have read by now). I know that there are some huge fans in the group.

Does anyone have recommendations fo..."

I read Neverwhere this year for the challenge and really enjoyed the book. It was the first one of his I had ever read and because I enjoyed it I plan to read Stardust this year.

I second the recommendation of The Ocean at the End of the Lane - it is so beautiful. I loved it. My first of his was Coraline, which I really liked, next was The Graveyard Book which I really, really liked but Ocean made me fall head over heels in love with him.

For Gaiman, The Ocean or The Graveyard Book (audiobook for this one if you can, as the narrator is Gaiman).

Thanks for the recommendations Jody and Sophie, I'll look at the books!

Debra wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good series? I've already read several such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Outlander, Chronicles of Narnia, Divergent, Hunger Games. And am currently working on Game of ..."

Sue Grafton's series is excellent. I also enjoyed Dirty Little Secrets and the rest of the books in that series.

Thanks for the recommendations! I think I'll go with Ocean and then listen to The Graveyard Book :) I'm always looking for good audiobooks since some just are more enjoyable to see on print.

I just got The Ocean at the End of the Lane from the library yesterday. I've never read Gaiman, but based on the number of fans in the 2015 group, I'm interested to read some of his books!

Laura, Gaiman is a perfect narrator and he does "voices" for some characters, which works very well!

Peter, have fun! Gaiman's stories really have his own touch and unique atmospheres, it's always a very interesting discovery for me.

lets try this again, my inter net is acting up, my book recommendations are books that are on my all time top 2015 book list:their in no order at all
1: Heartless(Derek Cole Suspense Thriller Book 1)
2: Those of the Margin (Derek Cole Suspense Thriller Book 2)
3: Burial Ground
4: Dinosaur Lake
5: The Unknown Element(Challenged World Book 1)
6: Pretty Little CreaturesThe Challenged World Book 2)
7: In a Dark, Dark Wood
8: Armada
9: The Clip Killer
10: Nefertiti's Heart(The Artifact Hunters Book 1)
11: The Montauk Monster

I loved reading the Wool omnibus, Shift and Dust by Hugh Howey. Hope I got his name right.

Caitlin wrote: "I used the recommended button on the top of the page. I thought that's what you meant. Does that work or do I have to get someone here to recommend a book?"

That's a specific week, but the wild card is for when you don't want to read according to a particular week's topic. Hope I make sense?

You're searching a beautiful cover? You like Young Adult books? Or you like choosing by covers and want to increase your YA TBR?
Have a look here:
http://www.thenovelhermit.com/design/...
:D

@Zazz, if you are looking for books with an author as the main character you can try The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and this one is about a book historian People of the Book. I am sure that I have read some more about authors, but I just can not think of one just now. HTH

Thanks Anastasia to remind me of The Guernsey Literary Society, I completely forgot that I read (and loved) it a few years back. Zaz, this is a very good recommendation.

I had one in my TBR (totally forgot about it), so I chose this one, but I'll have a look at the other titles, thanks :)

Debra wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good series? I've already read several such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Outlander, Chronicles of Narnia, Divergent, Hunger Games. And am currently working on Game of ..."

Have you read Ann Bishops Black jewels series, they're pretty good.Daughter of the Blood is the first one in the series

Debra wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good series? I've already read several such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Outlander, Chronicles of Narnia, Divergent, Hunger Games. And am currently working on Game of ..."
This year I came across David Estes and have loved everything I have read. The Dwellers series (The Earth Dwellers) I've read all but the last (as I need to read the country series first as the books merge and the last book is the last for both of the series). I've read the first of the Slip series (Slip) and am waiting for the 2016 challenge to finish this off! Definitely recommend!

Opinions needed....Would you put A Tree Grows in Brooklyn under your YA category or classic children's category?

Amanda wrote: "Opinions needed....Would you put A Tree Grows in Brooklyn under your YA category or classic children's category?"

Probably just classics, and young adult, both in other words. I haven't read it but time-wise it sort of is a classic now (1940), and plot/character-wise apparently young adult (coming of age). Whatever makes it fit your list if you want to read it :)

I need a recommendation for the Popsugar 2016 challenge category of a book with a protagonist that has your occupation. I'm a psychotherapist. Does anyone know of a book with the protagonist as a therapist, counselor, or psychologist? Or a social worker?

Michelle I can't believe it, I'm in psychology too! I have a master's degree in work and organizational psychology and I'm currently doing assessments and testings for selection processes in an hr department. Maybe that's why we have so many books in common ;)

I also struggle with this one, so even though our fields are quite different, maybe other's suggestions for your question will help me.

Sophie, that must be why we are reading so many of the same books! I have a Masters degree in clinical psychology. I've found books with psychologists in them, but never as a protagonist.

I did a quick search, and apparently Alex Cross from some of James Patterson's books (Kiss the Girls is one) is a psychologist. I'm not sure of speciality, but it could work!

(Also, I did psychology as the minor study in my degree!)

The only books I can recall even remotely psychologisty are from profiling in crime novels. But I don't read those, so no better suggestions.

A movie I thought of is the one with Meryl Streep as the mother slash therapist, and Uma Thurman as love interest of her son. Don't know if it is a book, though.

Really sad input... Lol.

The Alienist by Caleb Carr is an excellent book where the protagonist is a psychologist. He works along side Theodore Roosevelt, while Roosevelt was the police Chief in New York city, to locate a serial killer. He is not a profiler, but a psychologist who works with children when psychology was just starting out as a profession. A long book, but a very good one.

Thanks for all the recommendations! The Alienist sounds appealing to me.

Oh. Torey Hayden. But they are sort of a mix of memoir and novel.

Anastasia beat me ti it! The Alienist by Caleb Carr is amazing. It's a historical crime fiction and one of the main characters is an "alienist" an early term for psychologists when the field was just being developed.

I highly recommend it!

Debra wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good series? I've already read several such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Outlander, Chronicles of Narnia, Divergent, Hunger Games. And am currently working on Game of ..."

My teens love the Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children trilogy/series.

My cousin has read every book in the Sookie Stackhouse series (Dead Until Dark). She loves them.

Of course, Lemony Snicket is cool The Bad Beginning and The Hunger Games.

For week 10 of 2016's challenge (A book by an author you feel you should have read by now) I chose Under the Dome by Stephen King. But I was advised that this is not a good book to know King's work.

So, can someone recommend a good book to get to know his work?

My favourite's by King are Dreamcatcher and The Eyes of the Dragon. That said, neither of those are especially "King" in the sense most people think.

The Dead Zone is a more traditional King novel that I've read.

I haven't read Under the Dome, but from what I know about it, it's not what I would start with as an introduction. If you're looking for classic King, go with Carrie, Kujo, Salem's Lot, Misery or The Shining. Keep in mind, I haven't actually read any of those, but I know the stories.

For some of his more recent books, Cell and Mr. Mercedes are both interesting and I enjoyed them a lot.