100+ Books in 2025 discussion

Can anyone recommend a good book that is not depressing? I am looking for something different. The last books I read that were really good were The Time Travelers Wife when it first came out and Three Cups of Tea. I like all types of books but I don't seem to get the "critically acclaimed". Thanks for your help!

I read a great book last year. It was 500+ pages but worth reading. I would recommend not reading what the book is about because it might ruin it for you. However to make a long story short it is about an Irish woman and her life...not based on a true story.

Tara Road by Maeve Binchy

Erin

A good series I found recently are the Five Hundred Kingdoms by Mercedes Lackey. She puts extreme twists on old fairy tales that can turn out be be quite funny. It starts out with Fairy Godmother based on Cinderella, One Good Knight includes a dragon and Fortune's Fool has a djinn.

Erin, Thanks for your reply. I loved Tara Road. It was great. At least Iknow we have similar taste!

Kate wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good book that is not depressing? I am looking for something different. The last books I read that were really good were The Time Travelers Wife when it first came out and ..."

Erin wrote: "I read a great book last year. It was 500+ pages but worth reading. I would recommend not reading what the book is about because it might ruin it for you. However to make a long story short it i..."

Thanks, I will try to get those at our library. Sounds interesting. Kate

I think the best nice and funny books is The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.

Kate wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good book that is not depressing? I am looking for something different. The last books I read that were really good were The Time Travelers Wife when it first came out and ..."

Try The Lovely Bones, its about a murder but it was not depressing. I really liked it.

Kate wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good book that is not depressing? I am looking for something different. The last books I read that were really good were The Time Travelers Wife when it first came out and ..."

Under the Dome by Stephen King was really good. I have read all of his books and really like his writing. Dome is not as bloody or scary as most of his early works. The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer was also very good and The Lovely Bones.

Lynne wrote: "Kate wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good book that is not depressing? I am looking for something different. The last books I read that were really good were The Time Travelers Wife when it first ..."

Thanks Lynne, Twilight is one of my guilty pleasures. I tried to read the lovely bones before but I was pregnant and couldn't get past the daughter dying. Maybe i'll try it again. Thanks!

Hey Kate -- I really enjoyed Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I consider myself a slow reader and was a little daunted by the 500+ pages, but got sucked in and finished it within 3 days!

You should check out Sarah Addison Allen- she has 2 books out right now: Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen. They're feel-good books so not depressing, but well-written. I picked them up on a whim at the bookstore and fell in love and then passed it on to my sisters and my mom. We all loved them!

If you want some fast and fun reads, the Sophie Katz series by Kyra Davis are great! There's 4 total.

Here's the first in the series: Sex, Murder And A Double Latte

Cheers!

Water for elephants- Loved this book. an elderly man recounts his days in the circus. One of my all time favorites.

Em wrote: "You should check out Sarah Addison Allen- she has 2 books out right now: Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen. They're feel-good books so not depressing, but well-written..."

Thank you for recommending these books. I just finished Garden Spells and it was AWESOME. I read it in one afernoon. It was so good. Like a combination of Practical Magic and Simply Irresistible with Sarah Michelle Gellar. I love love loved it.

Kiera wrote: "If you want some fast and fun reads, the Sophie Katz series by Kyra Davis are great! There's 4 total.

Here's the first in the series: Sex, Murder And A Double Latte

Cheers!"

They don't have it at my library! I am going to ask them to order these books. I read the reviews and they sound interesting. Thanks

the Shellseekers - can't remember author. If you liked Tara Road you will like Shellseekers.


Kate wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good book that is not depressing? I am looking for something different. The last books I read that were really good were The Time Travelers Wife when it first came out and ..."

akaellen wrote: "the Shellseekers - can't remember author. If you liked Tara Road you will like Shellseekers.


Kate wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good book that is not depressing? I am looking for something dif..."

Rosamunde Pilcher is the author of Shellseekers. My mom raves about that book. It is on mt TBR list.

A Woman Of Substance- by Barbara Taylor Bradford- long but wonderful book- one I did not want to see end.

Kate wrote: "Thank you for recommending these books. I just finished Garden Spells and it was AWESOME."i>

Yay! I'm so glad you liked it! She has a new book (The Girl Who Chased the Moon) coming out March 16. I can't wait to get it!

Cathy wrote: "Hey Kate -- I really enjoyed Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I consider myself a slow reader and was a little daunted by the 500+ pages, but got sucked in and finished it within 3 days! "

I am reading Shadow of the Wind now. It is very intriguing. It reminds me of an old black and white movie. Thanks for recommending it.

Wendy wrote: "Water for elephants- Loved this book. an elderly man recounts his days in the circus. One of my all time favorites."

I had this book on my shelf but hadn't read it. I picked it up at a yard sale for .25 It was good.

Hi Kate! I really liked The Hunger Games Series, they are really fast paced and intense! The second is called Catching Fire, it was just as good as the first!!

I am waiting for that series to come in at the library. I am also wating for The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo. Thanks for the tip.

Cathy wrote: "Hey Kate -- I really enjoyed Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I consider myself a slow reader and was a little daunted by the 500+ pages, but got sucked in and finished it within 3 days! "

Shadow of the Wind is a "teen" book at my library. I really didn't think it was a teen book. It had sex, violence, language. I was a little puzzled by the "teen" thing. I did like the book. It was like watching a black and white movie (if that makes sense)

Since so many people shared some good ideas with me I wanted to pass on a great author. I read 3 books by Anthony capella. I loved them. they were great books all with a food/cooking aspect to them. I can't wait for him to write another.

I really enjoyed Snow Crash and The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer by Neal Stephenson. They are both "Cyberpunk" books, but they are beautifully written stories. If you like his shorter works, Stephenson has a couple thousand-page monsters that are well worth the time and effort to read. I'm not suggesting those to start, because I don't want to scare you off!

If you like science fiction at all, check out John Scalzi. I was especially entertained by The Android's Dream.

I'd like to suggest that the members posting their lists in the "General" section be moved to the appropriate letter of the alphabet. I don't know if anyone can do this, or if it has to be the moderator?

Some unforgettable books I've read so far are?:The Glimmer Palace,The Book Thief, The Outcast andHow I Live Now. Some are pretty sad though, but the stories are fascinating

Lobstergirl wrote: "I'd like to suggest that the members posting their lists in the "General" section be moved to the appropriate letter of the alphabet. I don't know if anyone can do this, or if it has to be the mod..."

I believe that the original author of a post can move it too. I remember doing so at least once.

Well, since members are continually posting their lists in "General", I'd like to ask the moderator do move them.

Carrie, can you do that?

Kate,
If you have never read it "West with the Night: by Beryl Markham is one of my all time favorite books. Full of good writing, adventure, and great humor, and it's non fiction.
Any in the "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series, as they are all a laugh riot.
If you like old fashioned fluff and romance: "The Buccaneers"
by Edith Wharton is hard to beat.
I also 2nd the recommendation of "Shadow of the Wind", a really interesting book.
Enjoy your new list of books! - Shell

akaellen wrote: "the Shellseekers - can't remember author. If you liked Tara Road you will like Shellseekers."

I read 'The Shellseekers' years ago. I remember it being a wonderful book. Thanks for the reminder, as I may now hunt up a copy to read again!

Kate wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good book that is not depressing? I am looking for something different. The last books I read that were really good were The Time Travelers Wife when it first came out and ..."

"To Be Frank Diego" is a brand new one that's being called a funny and thoughtful read. I recommend checking out the previews and reviews on Amazon.

Saira wrote: "A good series I found recently are the Five Hundred Kingdoms by Mercedes Lackey. She puts extreme twists on old fairy tales that can turn out be be quite funny. It starts out with Fairy Godmother b..."

I agree. I have read most of these and I think the only one I didn't care for was the Snow Queen.

Kate wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good book that is not depressing? I am looking for something different. The last books I read that were really good were The Time Travelers Wife when it first came out and ..."

try "The Archangel Project". I just read it and it was really a good read, well written with a solid ending.

Kate wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good book that is not depressing? I am looking for something different. The last books I read that were really good were The Time Travelers Wife when it first came out and ..."

I just started the Daughters of the Sea trilogy by Kathryn Lasky. The first was a little slow but good enough that I am planning on ordering the next 2. It is billed as young adult but is still interesting with what feels like a true historical bent.

Kate wrote: "Can anyone recommend a good book that is not depressing? I am looking for something different. The last books I read that were really good were The Time Travelers Wife when it first came out and ..."

Me Talk Pretty One Day, or anything by David Sedaris. His short stories are funny, but he doesn't write novels.