Can you recommend a good book?

Question

Hi, please help me find a good book im only 21 so am not into grand books like war and peace and im not really into things like catherine cookson. I do like books with a romantic theme but doesnt have to be. Or do you know of a free book review website? Thanks for your help xxxx

Answer 1

I would highly recommend "Mother Night" by Kurt Vonnegut.

It's less than 270 pages, but there are a few blank pages between the chapters, the text is rather big, and is spaced quite far apart so it's a real short book. I'm a slow reader and it took me three days to finish. I started it one night, read a bit the next day, then finished it the next morning, and I wasn't spending the whole day reading or anything like that. So that fulfills the criteria of it not being lengthy or anything like War and Peace.

If you do read it however, be sure to read both introductions (they're only 10 or so pages long, and they go by fast), as it'll tie in later.

I'm 20 myself, and my 18 year old friend loved it, and it was recommended to me by a friend my age (who was probably around 18 when he read it).

So enough about the technical stuff, you're probably wonder what it's about. This is the plot summary from Wikipedia:

"It is the story of Howard W. Campbell Jr., an American, who moved to Germany directly after World War I and then later became alternately a well-known German language playwright and a Nazi propagandist. The action of the novel is narrated (through the use of metafiction) by Campbell himself. The premise is that he is writing his memoirs while awaiting trial for war crimes in an Israeli prison."

Basically it tells of the protagonists life, and what he does after he leaves Germany, and after his wife is presmuably dead. He was supposedly helping both the American and the Germans indirectly, and he was spewing out all this anti-semetic pro-Nazi party stuff that he didn't really believe in just as his job, since he found it entertaining perhaps, but when it reall comes down to it, he doesn't believe in countries, he just believes in his own private "nation of two," which belongs just to himself and his wife, who is now either dead or lost after the war. His memories about his wife (and some later surprise turns) bring a Romance element into the story that you'll probably enjoy, even though the story is not in the Romance genre.

After finish it, you can reflect back on a lot of interesting moral question, and there's a lot to think about, but while you're reading it, the style is very easy going, and you'll find that it's quite a page turner. It's not all serious either, there are a lot of funny bits and pieces peppered throughout. And there are some interesting twists too. I'd recommend this book to pretty much anyone over the age of 16 who wants to read a good book.


If you're feeling a bit more adventurous and want to tackle something a bit more difficult and a bit more literary (not that "Mother Night" is a dumb book by any means), I'd highly suggest Vladimir Nabokov's "Lolita."

It was a very controversial book upon its release, as it's more or less about pedophilia, as it's an unconventional, though highly convincing love story, about a European academic in his late thirties, who falls in love with a twelve-year-old American girl. Of course the "love" is a bit one-sided, as you may imagine, but he narrarates the story so passionately that you almost feel that you're on his side, seeing things through his eyes, and agreeing with him. But as soon as you take a look back you're reminded of how disgusting it all really is. The book is a tragedy on the large scale, but in the small scale it's quite comedic with lots of funny bits peppered throughout.

What makes it one of the top five books of the twentieth century though, is it's fantastic prose style. It's not a long book, at about 300 pages, but it's one you should read slowly to absorb the beauty of it's lyrical words. Lots of wordplay, lots of puns, lots of love, oh, and it's never too graphic or anything, so don't be afraid of that if you're on the conservative side.

Answer 2

A Certain Slant of Light - Laura Whitcomb A Kiss In Time, Beastly, Cloaked - Alex Finn Anna Dressed in Blood - Blake Blood and Chocolate - Annette Klause Carrier of the Mark - Fallon Dark Lover – Ward Falling Under - Gwen Hayes Grave Mercy - LaFevers Haven - Kristi Cook Sea Witch - Kantra Sookie Stackhouse Series - Charlaine Harris Vampire Academy – Mead

Answer 3

The green Mile by Stephen King. Brill film and Excellent book. Also Hannibal is really good. Whether or not you've read or seen the Da Vinci Code, it's a good book and so is Angels and Demons, also by Dan Brown.

For escapism (fantasy) try David Eddings Belgariad, or the Terry Brooks Shannara series - both very good.

My partner likes Marion Keys for funny chic-lit.

Answer 4

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
By Douglas Adams

The story of a British earthling plucked from his planet, and his subsequent adventures elsewhere in the universe.

The Golden Compass,
The Subtle Knife,
and The Amber Spyglass
By Philip Pullman

Good books and you should read them soon before the movie comes out and spoilers start to pop up.

Answer 5

I'm 23 and even I'm a book lover but I also think war and peace a bit to much for me, at least right now.
But there's so much book you can read.
Agatha Christie's book for example. There's mystery, murder, love, psychology, and a bit of twist where you wondering who's the actual killer is.
Paulo Coelho and Jostein Gaarder if you like philosophy. The Alchemist by Coelho is brilliant and Sophie's World by Gaarder is a smart way to understand philosophy without blow your head.
LOTR, Harry Potter, Narnia, His Dark Materials could be the one you like if you prefer fantasy.
John Grisham, Dan Brown, many more.
And not to mention Victor Hugo's Les Misrables. That's my favorite book. The story bold but easily to understand.

Answer 6

Well I can't say what books you would class as being good-I can only recommend what I personally like.Try reading any books by Augusten Burroughs,Kelley Armstrong,Karin Slaughter,Jeff Abbot,Harlen Coben and Kathy Reichs-they tend to be more serious though,if you want romantic fiction with humour then Sophie Kinsella,Chris Manby,Jill Mansell & Belinda Jones are good.

Answer 7

Go to Amazon.com and search
"Lost from Atlantis Book 1" - book 2 is coming out in the next month or two, and 3 is already written and in editing.
"Death by Murder David Lindsay" - you have to search that way for it to come up. There's a lot of sex and violence in it but it's good, not gratuitous.
and "Super Spaghetti."

They're free on Amazon's Kindle Unlimited, and you can Google how to get a free trial of that. And you can get a free Kindle app for your phone or just read them online.

Answer 8

Try something a bit different....

Phillip Pullman - The Northern Lights Trilogy

vol.1 northern lights
vol.2 subtle knife
vol.3 amber spyglass

OR try... Jeff Noon
titles such as classic's....
Vurt
Pollen

OR if you will insist on a romantic line.... this is a heart gripper, but subtly done....

Bridges Of Madison County - By Robert James Waller

Answer 9

Read "The Dinosaur Club"--I forget the author.
It's humorous and gripping. Try "Boogie up the River" by Mark Wallis or Wallace--a great read with a romance, satire, comedy, and tragedy (esp. when Boogie, the dog, buries his girl friend's mobile phone and stinks up the whole rowboat with his farting when Mark wants to get amorous).
How about Larry Niven's "Ringworld", or Farmer's series about the resurrection planet--lots of suspense there.
There is Martha Grimes series with Richard Jury, with really comical character in the barmy Brit tradition.

Answer 10

Log On To Amazon Most Of Their Books Have Reviews
You Just Have to find the right one so be patient and enjoy the hunt