Melissa's comments (member since Feb 23, 2009)

Melissa's comments from the The Next Best Book Club group.

I definitely second Artemis Fowl. Not as "epic" as Harry Potter, but it's one of the most entertaining series I've come across.

I'm thinking early like from 1900 - 1930s maybe?

Nonfiction is fine, but I'm not looking for information books. I want some good stories :)

I've always just loved the idea of this time period, though I haven't read many books set in it. For some reason I'm also particularly interested in the US alcohol prohibition that went on during the 20s, so any books about that would be great.

Thanks so much to everyone who recommended! My to-read list is now substantially longer, but that doesn't mean I don't want any more! ;)

That...must sound oddly specific, aha. Honestly, it's just that I love fantasy, and usually find myself enjoying books with male protagonists more than female, for what ever reason. "Young" simply meaning I don't want a book about a 68 year old, but I'm thinking of a wide range of ages being fine.

Books I've already read:
The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
The Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer
The Sea of Trolls Trilogy by Nancy Farmer
Jumper by Steven Gould
The Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini
Hero's Song by Edith Pattou

I haven't read much romance, so I don't really need to worry about being seen in public with those ;) But I'm always so embarrassed of being seen with one of those young adult books that are so obviously aimed at teenage girls (even though I am one), either pink and sparkly with heels or a handbag on it, or just a stock picture of a pretty girl. I know most people couldn't care less, but it still just makes me feel like such a stereotypical teenage girl that can't read anything past a Twilight level XD

I'm also more than a little embarrassed of my love of fanfiction. I don't even know what I would say if my friends or family approached me about it. It's just too good of an opportunity to pass up! You finish a really good series and are sorry to see the characters go...but there's a whole bundle of further stories online free for the taking! Who wouldn't love that? (If you can sort through all the horrible, eye-buring writing.)

I'm a bit nervous about posting my first thread (aside from my post in the Newbies Corner). I realize there's already a thread for listing our favorite sci-fi and fantasy books, but I thought it'd be nice to have one devoted simply to fantasy books and series. If that's alright, that is. Don't hesitate to berate me, I'm still a bit clueless :)

Anyway, mine would probably be
1. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
2. The Redwall series by Brian Jacques
3. East by Edith Pattou
4. The Pellinor series by Alison Croggon
5. The Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini (yeah, yeah, say what you will. I love them.)

Those were the ones I found looking through my "read" shelf, and as you can see I haven't ventured far from my safe, warm, "young-adult-fantasy" corner. But for some reason I feel like something's missing. I'm sure someone else will point it out on their list and remind me.

Interesting question. I don't really have a strict guideline I follow, I just decide when I finish a book whether it deserves to be on my list or not. I've omitted a lot that were just silly, couple-hour reads that weren't very good and I probably found and some yard-sale or second hand bookstore. There's also the books that I just completely forgot about, which is probably a good handful. And then there's the hundreds of children's books that I was reading not so long ago that I would just feel silly entering. I've kept it to only the most "special", like Little House on the Prairie and The Cricket in Times Square. These are also noticeably different from the 50+ Berenstein Bears books I gushed over 10 years ago. :)

I guess it just all depends. Most of the books I'm reading now are entered, as I'm past the stage where I'll find some random, not very well written and completely unknown young adult book and read it.

I just finished watching La Vie En Rose, which was...well, it was a good movie but not entirely to my taste. However, Marion Cotillard, who won the best actress Oscar, was fantastic as Edith Piaf. Truly an amazing actress.

Next on the Netflix queue is December Boys (which I decided to get after seeing a preview of it on La Vie En Rose, hah) and Tarzan, a long time Disney favorite of mine. I can't wait :)

All of the books I'm not currently reading get stowed away onto the bookshelf in my room - which is way too small and is starting to gather piles on top of it :) Once I finally get around to it, however, I'm going to clean off the "shelf" that's kind of just an extension of the wall (I don't really know how to explain it to people who haven't seen one, it's like a bend right in the middle of a wall that forms a shelf) and use that as one long bookshelf. Books that I'm currently reading have a semi-permanent home on my nightstand, but get carried around most of the day to school, and around the house to where ever I feel like reading (which is usually on the couch in front of the fire in the wintertime. I'm so pampered :)).

This is quite a thread, isn't it? :)

Currently I am re-reading Hush by Donna Jo Napoli, a favorite of mine. It's a quick, (small) 300 page read.

I'm also attempting to branch out from my usual reading comfort zone and try some non-fiction, specifically Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. It's quite interesting, actually, though doesn't quite capture my attention like the fantasy stories I'm so used to.

There's also the "soon-to-be-read" (as in: they're checked out from the library and on my bedside table) The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer, A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson, and the ever so daunting A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. I'm a little scared of the last one, but I'm sure I'll survive if I take it nice and slow.

Thank you for the warm welcomes everyone!

Leora: Quite a storm indeed. We were literally snowed in, as our "driveway" is way too huge to shovel, the plow didn't come until the late evening, and the cars couldn't even get over the snow (not that my parents risked trying). I did get the day off school though, which was pretty great :)

Fiona: Oh dear, I should hope not. I'm quite a wimp (especially when it comes to scary books), so I've never even attempted to read one of Stephen King's stories. It's probably for the best. XD

First of all I'd just like to say I absolutely loved it, and I think I have a bit of a crush on Zusak. He's amazing. Hah.

The ending certainly confused me as I was reading (and immediately after), but (like someone above), I came to interpret it as his life was all written by an author (essentially: God)...which makes sense, and is really quite clever. However, I kind of liked the first conclusion Ed came to, that his father had planned it all before his death, and basically orchestrated the whole thing from "beyond the grave". Though it's not quite as interesting an ending, I liked it, maybe better than the actual ending. Did anyone else?

Thanks for the warning. I'm pretty sure I can handle it, though I guess the most "disturbing" books I've read have simply been young-adult books involving rape (Speak, Daughter of the Forest, etc). I'm fairly confident in myself, however. ..I think. :)

Definitely The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It's possibly one of the most fabulous books I've ever read. If you're interested in more, I'd also suggest another one of his books, I Am the Messenger (no relation to TBT). While most people don't think of it quite as good as TBT, it's still an incredible book. Zusak is a magician.

However, that's the only book I've read from your list. Other than that I'd have to just go with The Kite Runner, as it's been recommended to me and I've heard people rave about how good it is.

Happy reading!

Unfortunately, I seem to have a severe case of this whenever school starts back up. I read tons of books over summer vacation, and then my desire suddenly shriveled up and blew away right as school started. It returned full force this week, as I had it off for February vacation and was bed-ridden most of the time because of a nasty cold. I'm not letting it get away this time though, you'd better believe that.

It's never a great idea to recommend a book you haven't read, but both Nefertiti A Novel and The Heretic Queen A Novel by Michelle Moran are on my to-read list, and look amazing.

Thank you so much for the recommendations! I put The Kite Runner on my to-read list. As it's more of an adult book, I'm a bit wary, but that's what this is all about right? :)

Does anyone know of any non-fiction books that aren't...stories, I guess? I'm having a hard time explaining this. Kind of like Silent Spring. I'm not a fan of that book (I never read the whole thing, but we did a project on parts of it in science class last year), but it's the best example I could think of. I don't mean books about the environment..just books like that in general. Am I making any sense?

Over the years I feel like I've fallen into a rut, of reading all young-adult books, mostly fantasy or "girly" books (i.e. anything by Sarah Dessen) and I'm really looking to read more...intelligent material, I guess. I'm particularly interested in non-fiction material, as I've really never touched it outside of school. If you need more help..I love ancient history. Maybe something on that? (Though don't hold back on other subjects.) Recommend me something! And thank you. :)

The Book Thief make me tear up something awful. I'm sure I would've let go and sobbed my heart out - if I hadn't finished it half way through study hall. I made a note to myself to never, ever finish a potentially sad book in school again! I'm still wondering how people would've reacted if I burst out in tears in the middle of class, ahah.

I cried my heart out at the end of The Order of the Phoenix when Sirius died (sure hope I didn't spoil that for anyone, heh). I was really devastated, and for a while convinced myself Rowling couldn't possibly be so cruel, and would bring him back in one of the last books, but alas she did not.

And of course, at the end of a Walk to Remember. That was such a depressing book.

I just remember pronouncing Sirius (from Harry Potter) like "cy-rus". I have no idea why I did, it's spelt like it sounds, that's just how I read it in my head XD I don't think I ever had a problem with Hermione though.