Book Recommendation Thread

[Juli, Moderator]

This is a place to ask your fellow book nerds for specific book recommendations! Please provide a link to the Goodreads page of the book you're recommending if possible.

[Juli, Moderator]

I'll start! I am planning an Ireland trip next May. Anyone who knows me is aware of my obsession with both Ireland and Maine, with rugged cliffs, with horror, with folklore, and with superstitions. Color me surprised (and beyond happy) when I opened an Ireland travel book not too long ago and on the first page, the author compares it to Maine!!!!!! Anyhow, I am looking for books that take place in Ireland, preferably fiction, but non-fiction will be considered if it centers around folklore or particularly beautiful places. I am hoping to come up with a list of places mentioned in books I read that I could visit during that trip.

[Elyse, Moderator]

Any Morgan Llywelyn! And she's got a TON. I own about 15 and haven't read any. lol.

[Juli, Moderator]

Elyse wrote: "Any Morgan Llywelyn! And she's got a TON. I own about 15 and haven't read any. lol."

Thanks, Elyse!!!!

[Carol]

Juli wrote: "I'll start! I am planning an Ireland trip next May. Anyone who knows me is aware of my obsession with both Ireland and Maine, with rugged cliffs, with horror, with folklore, and with superstitions...."

Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show (A Novel of Ireland, #1) by Frank Delaney. It is a great book. Also, Ireland by Frank Delaney. Have a great trip!

[Stacie]

Elyse wrote: "Any Morgan Llywelyn! And she's got a TON. I own about 15 and haven't read any. lol."

Yes! I went through a phase where I read everything I could get my hands on by her. The only two that stuck with me, though, were Bard: The Odyssey of the Irish and Red Branch (and I have fond memories of devouring those stories- they are both set in ancient Ireland and that was definitely jam then).

Angela's Ashes was good, whether or not you take it as gospel truth (he's been accused of engaging in a fair bit of exaggeration).

And then there's always Ulysses, which I fully admit to not being able to finish. There are folks that retrace the main character's day through Dublin each year on Bloomsday (I believe Bloomsday is in June, though, so you'll miss it)

[Juli, Moderator]

Carol wrote: "Juli wrote: "I'll start! I am planning an Ireland trip next May. Anyone who knows me is aware of my obsession with both Ireland and Maine, with rugged cliffs, with horror, with folklore, and with s..."

Oh, these sound great!

[Juli, Moderator]

Stacie wrote: "Elyse wrote: "Any Morgan Llywelyn! And she's got a TON. I own about 15 and haven't read any. lol."

Yes! I went through a phase where I read everything I could get my hands on by her..."

Ulysses is so intimidating to me!

[Juli, Moderator]

Katie wrote: "Yep, Bloomsday is in June, the 16th to be exact. I would recommend Ulysses, though I recommend an edition with explanatory notes or some kind of glossary for non-Irish (and even some Irish) readers..."

Wonderful suggestions. I had Yeats on my radar of course, but somehow glance over any other poetry options!

[Juli, Moderator]

Ok, another book recommendation needed. I am drawing a total blank. My book club does reading prompts (aka themes for the month) rather than read the same book. This month's prompt is "back to school - a book with a school/university/etc setting. Any must-reads maybe in the horror, fantasy, YA, graphic novel or literary fiction genres?

[Juli, Moderator]

Katie wrote: "Maybe The Secret History by Donna Tartt for the back to school prompt? I know that's probably the most obvious one!"

I feel like I've read this a long time ago in German. Might be fun to revisit in English.

[Carol]

Juli wrote: "Ok, another book recommendation needed. I am drawing a total blank. My book club does reading prompts (aka themes for the month) rather than read the same book. This month's prompt is "back to scho..."

Back to school, horror, fantasy, YA... my mind goes straight to Twilight. I know some people don't like it, but I just had fun with it.

[Stacie]

Juli wrote: "Ok, another book recommendation needed. I am drawing a total blank. My book club does reading prompts (aka themes for the month) rather than read the same book. This month's prompt is "back to scho..."

I really enjoyed Suee and the Shadow. It's a YA (more stress on the 'young' than the 'adult', horror graphic novel in a school setting and it was delightfully creepy.

[Juli, Moderator]

Carol wrote: "Juli wrote: "Ok, another book recommendation needed. I am drawing a total blank. My book club does reading prompts (aka themes for the month) rather than read the same book. This month's prompt is ..."

I enjoyed the books way back when they came out! They were fluffy and fun.

[Juli, Moderator]

Stacie wrote: "Juli wrote: "Ok, another book recommendation needed. I am drawing a total blank. My book club does reading prompts (aka themes for the month) rather than read the same book. This month's prompt is ..."

You're speaking my language!

[Carol]

I have a recommendation for ya'll, The Lager Queen of Minnesota.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

If you like books about women getting ahead, drinking beer, or making beer, you might enjoy this.

[Elyse, Moderator]

Carol wrote: "I have a recommendation for ya'll, The Lager Queen of Minnesota.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

If you like books about women getting ahead, drinking be..."

I have added this one to my TBR when I read your review! :)

[Juli, Moderator]

@Carol that sounds fascinating!!!!