Other than JP

[Kathy McC]

When you are not reading Jodi Picoult, what other contemporary authors do you all like to read?
I love Charles Martin, Anne LaMott, Anna Quindlen, and Hosseine, to name a few.
Would be interested to know other books that you have enjoyed.

[Ashley]

I like Julie Anne Peters, Augusten Burroughs, Gerri Hill, and KG MacGregor

[Jaime]

I like Richard Russo, Christopher Moore, Sarah Waters and Tom Robbins, to name a few. They are all very different from Jodi's style of writing. I like to mix it up a bit so that I don't get too bored with one author or style!

[Alissa]

Chris Bohjalian is also very good. I've only read The Double Bind, which I loved. (Haven't yet read his most well-known Midwives).

I like Elizabeth Berg as well. Her books are good, quick reads. They tend toward the light and fluffy side. Great for the beach.

Also I just read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It was an amazing book. It's a YA title, but an engrossing read.

[Clare]

The Book Thief is one of my favorite books of all time! I loved, loved, loved it!
I love James Lee Burke too. I also enjoy anything by Anne Perry.
Actually I will read nearly anything that teaches me something new.
I recommend The Scent of God by Beryl Singleton Bissell to everyone. It is absolutely wonderful. It's the true story of Beryl who joined the convent at age 18 and her life afterward (she didn't stay a nun forever). It's amazing!
Another favorite author is Patry Francis. Her book, The Liar's Diary, about a mother and a terrible crime. I have actually met Patry and she is a somewhat shy woman who wrote this amazing book and is such a sweet and lovely person.

[Kathy McC]

The Book Thief was an awesome book. It is on my top 10 list. I also enjoyed Double Bind. I still think about the ending of that book and I read it last summer. I read some early E. Berg novels and enjoyed them, but I haven't gotten around to reading her latest editions. Interesting that the responses that I have read about this question indicate that all of us "Jodi people" read similar books.

[Kathy McC]

I like to read an eclectic mix as well. Just started a Russo book. Have a Robbins book on my need to read list. Am always willing to try new authors, but I generally read a lot of the same authors I've been reading for years.

[Kami]

I love the Book Thief too! i just finished it last week- and is now my favorite book. It's one that I will keep forever, and read over and over.
Other than that, I love Nicholas Sparks- I've read all but two or three of his- and every one of them have been emotional and incredibly romantic. Although I must admit a person can only take the North Carolina backdrop so far- a change of scenery once in a while would be nice. =)

[Anna]

I tend to read a mixture. I am reading non-fiction at the present--Annie Lamott's Grace Eventually and Greg Mortenson's Ten Cups of Tea. Annie is a good car book--I can read snippets while waiting for my daughter.

I am actually reading/skimming 15 children's books tonight for a Battle of the Book competition!

[Robin]

I just finished Change of Heart and loved it. My first Jodi book was My Sister's Keeper and I read it in one day and although I loved the book, I cried uncontrolably at the end. So it has taken a few years to read another of her books.
BUT what got me to join this club was the talk of The Book Thief, which I just started this weekend and almost put down because I don't think it was what I expected. I'm glad I fell on this discussion and saw so many posts claiming that you loved this book. I am 1/2 way through and don't want to put it down.
Some of my favorites include Katherine Neville The Eight, Diane Setterfield The Thrirtheenth Tale, Stephanie Meyer Twilight Series, and John Grishim, etc.

[Lauren]

Can anyone recommend an author that is similar to Jodi...like with the family issues and/or trials and/or current issues, with a little love story thrown in??

[Jen Manning]

Not as controversial as JP, but Debbie Maccomber's Cedar Cove Series or Jim Kraus-Can We Dance?

[alisonwonderland (Alison)]

Chris Bohjalian's are similar in terms of current, possibly controverial issues. I love his work!

I've only read a couple of Anita Shreve's books - but I found Light on Snow to be somewhat similar in style to JP.

[Rene Glendening]

I love Jodi Picoult! She has listed some of her favorite authors in an interview I read somewhere...:
Chris Bojhalian
Jacquelyn Mitchard
Alice Walker...
and since she mentioned those authors I've picked up a few of each author. Michard has a very similar writing style and her books are great! Walker is similar as well but her books are somewhat older and still very good. I also like Anita Shreve and if you haven't read "The Pilot's Wife" you should read that next! I've read every single one of Shreve's books. They are all good!

[Kathy]

Jodi Picoult has also mentioned that she loves Alice Hoffman. Once when Jodi came to the bookstore for a signing she was so excited that Alice Hoffman was coming for a signing, but also disappointed that she wasn't going to be able to see her.

[Kathy McC]

(This is Kathy M) I made a trip to the library on Friday to ceck out some books by Hoffman, but they were all out. I read a list of books recommended by fav. authors and JP's choice was Alice Hoffman. Just finished Tenth Circle. It was another excellent Picoult read.

[Sheryl]

I've only read her debut novel, Swimming.... but Joanna Hershon is awesome! I could not put it down. Her other two books are on my "to-read" list: The Outside of August and The German Bride. I can't wait to dive into those.

If you like Jodi Picoult, I am almost certain you would like Joanna's book Swimming.

[Miss Kim]

I really like Jodi, but I can't read her books one after other because they are so serious and sometimes emotionally draining. I like to take a break. I've not read Alice Hoffman, but she's been in my TBR pile for awhile. So many books, so little time.

[Allison]

I really like Jodi, and Joy Fielding and Kristin Hannah are definitely the most like her. Joy Fielding is more a mystery writer, she always has that element of surprise in her stories, like a twist I never expected. But she has love stories intertwined as well. I loved See Jane Run and Charley's Web. Kristin Hannah doesn't really write about timely issues necessarily, but I think the topics she covers and the stories she builds around them are still really interesting. I loved Magic Hour and Between Sisters. Those are the two that I would recommend to JP readers!

[Leena]

I don't stick to anyone but her! I usually hate reading, but JP is the one who made me change my mind. I think true stories are a little bit interesting, such as Ugly by Constance Brisco. I read Shame by Jasvender Sanghera,but I didn't really like it. It's also a true story. I want to read Behind Closed Doors.

[Anna]

I read a lot of different authors--for comedy I like Lorna Landvik, for non-fiction Annie Lamott, for mystery--Nevada Barr and Janet Evanovich. I also read quite a bit of Young Adult--I have read Robert Cormier which is actually quite depressing. Young adult that is a little lighter I like Avi.