Blogging Book Club

I love books and what is better than cuddling in your favorite blanket or lounging in the summer sun with a great book? I also love reading books that have or will become movies because I like to see my favorite books played out on the big screen and how accurate I think the movie is in relation to the book. A lot of my recommended reads and those on my list to read books like this. Either I saw the movie and found out it was based on a novel or I saw a trailer or I heard gossip about an upcoming move. Funny enough in the case of “The Host” and “The Hunger Games” I just picked them up at the book store and read them before I knew they were going to become movies. I also get some ideas from suggested readings in magazines, radio, shows, Pinterest, or other book clubs. I am open to any and all suggestions so comment and if anyone has read a good book please let me know!

My recommendations are books that I have read recently that I really enjoyed. I have also included a little description of what the book is about and why I liked it.

Recommended:

Hunger games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

If you haven’t heard the hype (you’re living under a rock) this is an amazing series full of suspense and I liked this trilogy because I could not put them down. It is about a futuristic society with a tyrannical government and a suppressed and controlled society. Every year one male and one female (children) are chosen from each district to participate in a televised event called the Hunger Games. The children are put into an arena to fight to the death as an example of the power of the government. Will a young girl start an uprising after being sent to the Hunger Games? 

Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth

Another book about a futuristic society set in Chicago where the people are separated into “factions” where they are expected to live a certain and different way in each. If you like a bad ass heroine like in the Hunger Games you will like this book. Unfortunately the third book is not due to be released until fall of next year and the second book leaves you at such a thrilling cliff-hanger I am dying in wait. This trilogy follows a teen who has reached the age at which she will choose her faction and thus choose her fate. In doing so she discovers something in herself that is different from everyone else and must keep it this secret in the face of certain death but this simple task becomes difficult as she is finding it difficult to suppress her uniqueness from others around her.

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy by Steig Larsson

I have never really been into murder mystery novels but I picked up this one before there was talk of a movie because I kept seeing it on the bestsellers shelf everywhere I went. I am so glad I picked it up and found a new love for this genre of books. I could not put this book down and with all my guesses of how the mystery would be solved I was surprised and the conclusion left me with chills. It follows a journalist and a very eccentric woman who is a hacker and private investigator of sorts in which the journalist is contracted to solve a 40 year old mystery that one very wealthy man cannot give up. Soon the girl with the dragon tattoo is also contracted to assist in the case that sends chills up your spine at every new discovery as they get closer and closer to finding the truth along the way uncovering deadly secrets about the wealthy family that has employed the main characters.

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

This Sci-Fi fantasy thriller is a look into the after math of an alien invasion of earth in which the invading alien race has won and has started to settle the planet. These aliens are not able to live without a host body and thus use humans to walk the earth. This story follows one alien as it takes over one woman but cannot suppress her spirit completely. This alien’s job is to seek out the hidden human rebels but in doing so has to fight the limitations of the human body it possesses. Will the woman inside break through and sway the alien to do what is right? This is another book I could not put down and I cannot wait for the movie to release. I also hope that Meyer writes up a sequel to this book since the ending leaves it so open.

The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld

If you like The Hunger Games and Divergent you will like this series. It plays with the same idea of a futuristic society different than our own where a young teen discovers more than they should and get themselves into trouble. In this society children grow up “ugly” until they reach a certain age and are surgically modified to be “pretty” and are moved to the city and enjoy a life of carelessness and parties. Their whole life is influenced by those around them and what the most “popular pretties” are doing. I like this set because I thought it is scary to think how close our society is to this fantasy in that we look to celebrities to see what to wear or what to do. We surgically modify our bodies to look what media has taught us is “pretty.”

So Far From the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Karvashima Watkins

This book is very different from the other books on my recommended list. It has been years since I have last read it but this book had such an impact that I will always remember it. I will try and summarize the best I can from memory. It follows a girl and her family as they have to leave their home at the beginning of the Vietnam War (I think). They must travel from their village to safety in a city at times dressing up like male soldiers so they are not killed and meeting other refugees along the way. The book switches from the girls story to her brothers in the city and how they are desperately trying to find each other. I do remember that the ending made me cry and I do plan to read it again for a third time.

My Reading List: I will not include descriptions of the books I want to read only because it will take far too long. Also as I read and blog I plan to update my list since I am sure I will come across more good books and suggestions.

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

I wanted to read this book because it plays on the same concept as The Hunger Games does.

Girl Who Played with Fire and Girl who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest by Stieg Larsson

I have read the first book as noted above and have not finished the trilogy because I was interested in other books at the time.

Crossover Trilogy by Joel Shepherd

I have this written down and I do not remember why but I know I wrote it down for a reason.

Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi

I loved the movie Goodfellas and because I loved it so much I have to read the book that inspired it.

War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

Again loved the movie and the idea. I know alien invasion is cheesy and overused but I kinda like it.

Devil’s Playground by Jenna Black

Another one I wrote down but don’t know why.

Fear of Flying by Erica Jong

Another one I wrote down but don’t know why. But will find out.

Fallen Trilogy by Lauren Kate

A lot of hype and I keep seeing this everywhere. These are tale tale signs of a good book.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

I read the Davinci Code and I enjoyed the movies. I love a little conspiracy theory/history/fantasy book. I also like the book The Marks of Cain by Tom Knox (turns out he has other interesting books I want to include to my reading list) which uses a similar plot using the bible and historic events to solve a mystery about a biblical curse. It has been a while since I have read this book and I do not remember details but I do recommend it.

The Lost Goddess by Tom Knox

The “Lost Goddess” is a modern day tale of Frankenstein and is called the book of the dead in the UK

The Genesis Secret by Tom Knox

Weaves together historical cults and bible puzzles

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahane Smith

Now a movie, this book uses historical event to tell an “untold” fantasy story of the secret life of one of America’s most famous presidents.

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

An entertaining movie and I have heard good things about the book. Not on the top of my list but I am interested.

Blood Red Road by Moira Yound

Found on pinterest. Sounds like Hunger Games .

Matched by Ally Condic

Like Divergent and Hunger Games where civilians lives are determined by the government right down to marriage.

Red Riding Quartet (1974) by David Peace

About police corruption, sounded interesting, this is a trilogy

Atonement by Ian McEwan

A girl aspiring to become a writer is forced to run away into the forest where she writes about her adventures.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Now a movie I believe this follows African American house slaves. I hear nothing but good things about it.

The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald

I am only adding his because I saw a trailer for a movie that looked very interesting.

I wanted to do this because I enjoy reading and recently my best friend Cari Shoemaker and I have been reading the same books and I had no idea how much more fun it can be with a friend! She and I will be reading together and we thought it would be fun to blog about our reading adventures. She also has a list of interesting books she wants to read:

The Giver by Lois Lowry

I have read this a while ago and it’s a great book I would like to read again.

Graceling by Kirstin Cashore

The cover looks interesting. I have not looked into what it is about yet.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

I keep seeing this everywhere and I do believe it is a series.

Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon

Cari told me it is about a nurse who accidently goes back in time to Scotland. Did a little research and turns out to be a series where each book can be read independently and has some of the same characters but not necessarily need to be read in a specific order.

I was going to include cover pictures but that was before this blog post got super long. I have changed my mind since.

I am planning on taking a trip to my local library to see what is available but I will update with our next read if anyone would like to join in. I will also be blogging about each book and give recommendations. I like this idea because I do enjoy re-reading my favorite books and I can easily go over my past recommendations and be reminded about what I enjoyed. Also I know those who read my blog may have some good reads on their mind and I hope they will share them with meJ.

UPDATE: Cari and I plan to start Outlander. I have gotten through half the first chapter so far and I do like it but seems like it could be slow going. MaybeI will post more updates as we get through this one.