What are your top 5 must reads?

Discussion in 'General' started by DATJMom, Jun 14, 2011.

  1. DATJMom

    DATJMom Well-Known Member

    I am a new reader. I have just decided to make reading a part of my nighttime routine and I love it. I wish I could read a bit during the day, but that doesnt work for me.

    So far, I am reading the second book in the "Dragon Tattoo" series and loving it.
    Then I have Water for Elephants and The Help on my must read.

    I have a friend who is begging me to read the Twilight series. Not sure if I want to invest in that or not. So, keeping your list short what are your top 5?
     
  2. Utopia122

    Utopia122 Well-Known Member

    I did love the Twilight Series, thought it was wonderful and could never put down a book, however, i would not rank it in my top 5, but it is definitely worth the read. I consider my top 5 those books that I never get tired of reading over and over:


    The Hobbit
    Jane Eyre
    Pride and Prejudice
    Mayor of Casterbridge

    I love 19th century works so, of course, I'm heavy into that. I know you said 5, but these are the 4 books that I have read multiple times...For a long time I would read The Hobbit first thing every summer, and I have Pride and Prejudice on my Ipod so that anytime I'm at the doc's office or waiting I will pull it out and read it. Love these books.
     
  3. lovelylily

    lovelylily Well-Known Member

    In no particular order:

    1) Outlander series by Dianna Gabaldon
    2) Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
    3) Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
    4) Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
    5) Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

    I don't know if I would call that my top 5. I love reading almost more than I love my husband so it's hard for me to narrow it down. But that's 5 books/series that I like a lot and would highly recommend.
     
  4. megkc03

    megkc03 Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I don't necessarily have a top 5 as I just started reading again when I got a Kindle. But I've read quite a few lately, and these would be on my list:
    1) The Hunger Games trilogy
    2) The Help
    3) Water for Elephants

    I just read Something Borrowed and I have started Something Blue. Man do I hate Darcy! Lol! But the first book was really good and so far the second is pretty good too. Happy reading!
     
  5. Mama_Kim

    Mama_Kim Well-Known Member

    I'd say ditch Twilight. But that's just me. I read the first and hated it.

    Are we talking strictly fiction?

    1. The Secret Life of Bees
    2. The Time Traveler's Wife
    3. The Harry Potter series
    4. any of Jen Lancaster's books - not fiction, but funnier than hell!
    5. The Lovely Bones

    Here is another thread where good books were discussed: What books do you consider must reads?
     
  6. becasquared

    becasquared Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I don't read girly books. Here are my suggestions!

    Historical Fiction?

    The Thorn Birds
    Shogun
    Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
    A Song of Fire and Ice

    Science Fiction?

    The Callahan Chronicles
    The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
    Starship Troopers


    Teen Fiction

    Harry Potter series
    His Dark Materials series
    Matilda
    Hobbit/Lord of the Rings series

    Crime Fiction
    John Sandford novels - can't go wrong with either the Prey series or the Virgil Flowers series


    My favorite books of all times?

    American Gods by Neil Gaiman followed by
    Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman.

    His Dark materials Trilogy - Philip Pullman

    I could read those five books over and over again.
     
    1 person likes this.
  7. moski

    moski Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I'm really enjoying Shanghai Girls. Loved The Help. I agree with Kim on Jen Lancaster, she's a riot.

    I also like the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich.
    The Shopaholic books by Sophie Kinsella.
    Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
    Those who Save Us by Jenna Blum
    I like Elin Hilderbrand for a quick summer read, too.
     
  8. Leighann

    Leighann Well-Known Member

    Red Tent- Anita Diamante
    Time Traveler's Wife- Audrey Niffenager
    Pope Joan- Donna Woolfolk
    Memoirs of a Geisha- Arthur Golden
    Anything by Jodi Picoult.
     
  9. kingeomer

    kingeomer Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I tend to go for more of a sci-fi/fantasy bent...so here are mine:
    1. The Stand-Stephen King
    2. The Harry Potter Series
    3. Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit
    4. A Song of Fire and Ice Series (Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings, Storm of Swords and A Feast For Crows) by George RR Martin
    5. the Secret Life of Bees (I cried at the end of that book)

    I'd add the The Help as #6 and I second Jen Lancaster's books-she's funny. Another funny author is Christopher Moore.

    And I am with Mama Kim on Twilight. I will never get those wasted hours of my life back.
     
  10. ckreh

    ckreh Well-Known Member

    1. Twilight - every book except the official guide...total waste of money & time
    2. Hunger Games series
    3. Anything by Jennifer Weiner - she writes for real women who are not a size 0 and life still turns out pretty normal for her characters.
    4. Lord of the Flies - one of my favorites from high school

    I struggle for a #5 because I have been re-reading the top two for the last year and have not found a new favorite yet. The Twilight Saga including The Short Life of Bree Tanner I am just finishing for the 4th time and I have read the Hunger Games Series twice. It drives DH nuts, but when I get hooked on characters I like to re-read a book to make sure I have fully understood the character development. Plus I am a fast reader and he is only 80% of the way through the 2nd book of the Hunger Games (I got him hooked :ibiggrin: ). He started reading the Hunger Games series when I started the Twilight Saga so he is frustrated that I am almost done with 4 books to his 2 that are much shorter than mine.

    I am thinking of starting something new soon for a change, but I am still stumped as to what. I am 85% of the way through Twilight Breaking Dawn according to my Kindle last night as I shut it off and then I have Bree Tanner to finish again before I decide :FIFblush: .
     
  11. Mama_Kim

    Mama_Kim Well-Known Member

    Oh yes, forgot about The Red Tent and Memoirs of a Geisha. Both excellent!
     
  12. Mama_Kim

    Mama_Kim Well-Known Member

    Oh thank God I am not alone. I just don't get the appeal, For teens, yes, but for adults not so much.They are just poorly written teen novels, imo. C'mon, Edward glitters in the sun? Oh for Pete's sake! :lol: But they do have a certain mass appeal. Just not my thing I guess.
     
    2 people like this.
  13. momofangels

    momofangels Well-Known Member

    This has been my secret in my neighborhood of Twilight book fans -- that I don't like them. I think it was Stephen King, when asked what the difference was between J. K. Rowling and the author of Twilight, said something like "Jo can write."

    I know a lot of people like them, and that's fine. I guess what part of the draw of Twilight books is that they're easy-to-read stories about attractive characters.
    In a similar "fun" vein, I like to read books sometimes that were meant for YA -- The Mortal Instruments series, or the Percy Jackson series, or the Kane Chronicles. I use them to get my fix of easy-to-read story lines. But I think those books should be mixed in with some novel you can get your teeth into -- The Help, or The Hobbitt, or The Wheel of Time.

    I've also heard that books by Jasper FForde are very good. And I've been reading The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher (that's a series.)

    I think any books that are pleasurable to read -- whatever the topic -- are neat! To each his own.
     
  14. moski

    moski Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    Not alone at all. I haven't read any of them and have not intention of doing so.

    And Memoirs of a Geisha was very good!!! I also just read Shanghai Girls which was another really good one.
     
  15. Mama_Kim

    Mama_Kim Well-Known Member

    Bingo! Love it.

    But I am all for the "if you enjoy them, read them" theme. They just aren't my thing but lots of people really love the series. Who am I to say?

    I need to re-try Jasper Fforde. I am pretty certain I would enjoy his writing but the one book I tried was just not at the right time. Anyone else have to be in the mood to read certain books?
     
  16. double-or-nothing

    double-or-nothing Well-Known Member

    1. The Mortal Instrument series by Cassandra Clare
    2. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
    3. Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
    4. The Absolute True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexi
    5. Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
     
  17. TwinxesMom

    TwinxesMom Well-Known Member

    I don't like twilight. I thunk it sets a bad example for girls as far as what behavior they should expect from a guy.

    I second:
    Water for elephants
    Lovely bones
    Any thing Janet evanovich

    I suggest:
    Lyndsay sands (historical romance or vampires very light reads)
    Jd Robb (In death series)
    Charlaine Harris (Sookie sackhouse/trueblood)
    Kathy reichs (her books are what bones is based off)
     
  18. rrodman

    rrodman Well-Known Member

    The entire Harry Potter series
    Of Mice and Men
    Pride and Prejudice
    Frankenstein
    The Sookie Stackhouse novels (although going downhill and I HATE the show)
     
  19. Mellizos

    Mellizos Well-Known Member

    Must reads for pleasure? Or must reads because it's great literature?

    Literature:
    Pride and Prejudice (really anything Jane Austen)
    Uncle Tom's Cabin
    Anything John Steinbeck
    Anything Mark Twain
    Age of Innocence (and the movie is absolutely delicious. Most sensual sex scene ever, but no clothes removed. :give_rose: )

    Pleasure, more recent books:
    Sarah's Key
    Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns (same author)
    Shopaholic series (although the story line is starting to get old).
    Something Borrowed - I've like all of Emily Giffin's books
    Marian Keyes - contemporary Irish author British friends introduced me to
    Harry Potter
     
  20. MrsBirch

    MrsBirch Well-Known Member

    Because of this list I've started Game of Thrones....not bad, I think I am so tired by the time I get to bed I'm finding it slow, but I'll keep reading

    No one has mentioned Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett...definately in my top 5!
     
  21. Danibell

    Danibell Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    Love this list! I'll ditto Twilight, very very simple writing style, I ploughed through two books before I gave it up, and only watched the first movie ;)

    I'm also a fantasy/fiction geek so here's my top list

    Anything Anne McCaffrey (these will keep you busy for years, I think I have 30 of her books and not quite all of them yet)
    Anything Terry Brooks (Love the sword of Shannara series)
    Harry Potter Series
    Chronicles of Narnia
    Anything by Robert Feist (another one with many many books)
     
  22. lianyla

    lianyla Well-Known Member

    Love the John Grisham books.
    HATED "The Help" more than just about anything.
    LOVED the Twilight books A LOT. I JUST read them a few months ago after fighting it for all these years. My friends finally talked me into it and I am SOOO happy I gave in! They were GREAT! I read all 3 in a weekend! Hated the stupid movie.
    LOVE Fern Michaels books.
    I love romance novels.
    HATED the Dragon Tattoo books.
    Hated the book "ROOM".

    I consider myself an avid reader but I do NOT like most books that other people like. I am not into "high brow" books that are on most lists. That's why I'm sooo shocked at my reaction to Twilight! I think Edward is adorable and I thought their romance was GREAT! :)
     
  23. Mama_Kim

    Mama_Kim Well-Known Member

    Hated it? Really? You are the only person I've ever heard say they didn't absolutely love this book! :lol: And Twilight "high brow?" Hardly. Popular, yes. High brow, no.(And I am not a fan.) John Grisham books are almost always good, I'd have to agree.
     
    1 person likes this.
  24. Trishandthegirls

    Trishandthegirls Well-Known Member

    My top five are:

    1. American Gods by Neil Gaimon
    2. Lord of the Rings trilogy
    3. The Kite Runner
    4. Time Enough For Love by Richard Heinlein
    5. Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

    I read Twilight obsessively but the writing was just awful. It was like eating an entire chocolate cake - feels awesome with each bite and then you're slightly sick when it's all done. I couldn't make it through Hunger Games or the Dragon Tattoo books. For light reading I agree that Jennifer Weiner and Anne McCaffrey are good.

    And thanks to all of you - I now have 16 new books for my list! Yipee!
     
  25. lianyla

    lianyla Well-Known Member

    LOL. I wasn't saying "Twilight" was high brow. Quite the opposite which is why I kept saying I was/am soo shocked that I loved it! I don't think anyone would refer to Twilight as anything but cute and fun to read. I think that maybe I said that wrong the first time. silly me.

    And I did not like "The Help" at all. I know everyone else on the planet just "LOVED IT." But I can't read things written in a different way, I guess?

    Anyway. That's it!
     
  26. rrodman

    rrodman Well-Known Member

    Just reread Jane Eyre and have to add it. Good Lord, is Rochester hot.
     
  27. moski

    moski Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I haven't read that since high school and I definitely know I didn't give it the attention it deserved. I should put it on my list.
     
  28. rrodman

    rrodman Well-Known Member

    Yes, you should!
     
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