Book of the month begins again in March 2011!

[Steve]

How do I suggest a book?

[Michelle]

Hi! I just joined after seeing the twitter feed. Is there any sort of genre that is preferred for the redcommendation? I'm a big fan of romance and I don't normally read anything else.

[Rossy]

Yay, the group is coming back to life!LOL

Here are my recommendations on a few genres:
Starting from Scratch: A Novel
Perfect Chemistry
No Place Like Home
Wedding Ring (Shenandoah Album)
Cypress Point
The Last Time I Was Me

Upcoming:
Lover Unleashed
Welcome to Last Chance
The Peach Keeper: A Novel
Breaking the Rules
Hummingbird Lake: An Eternity Springs Novel or Angel's Rest: An Eternity Springs Novel

Sorry couldn't pick just one. Also added the upcoming novel am most looking forward to because we can all just read along.

[Ivy]

Unearthly
The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos
The Hangman's Daughter

Upcoming
The Quantum Thief

[Erin]

Maybe we should group our recommendations by genre?!? Just thinking how to cut down looking at other's recommendations.

Shadowfever - Paranormal, maybe romance

Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back - Christian Non Fiction (I think)

Upcoming:
The Republic of Thieves - Fantasy
Lover Unleashed - Romance

[Erin]

Read up recommendations!!! What do you think ladies? Really, I willing to take any of these for a march book group. The others looked good too but these 3 caught my interest.

1st choice! The Hangman's Daughter
2nd choice! Starting from Scratch: A Novel
3rd Choice!! Cypress Point

[Beth]

Hi Everyone,

Starting from Scratch: A Novel sounds like a really interesting choice. If you end up choosing that one count me in. I'm really looking forward to when Lover Unleashed comes out. I've enjoyed reading JR Ward's other books.

Happy reading.

[Michelle]

If I could suggest, if you are recommending a book and it is apart of a series, that the recommendation be a Book1 suggestion? I don't think it would be good to recommend a Book 6 in a series when there many books previous. So instead of Lover Unleashed, perhaps Dark Lover? Instead of The Peach Keeper start with the Garden Spells? (which I have not read that series btw)

Sorry I'm new person here but it is so annoying when I pick up a book and then find out there is a huge history behind the story.

[Rossy]

The Peach Keeper is not part of a series though, at least the only similarities was the abilities in one or two characters.

As for BDB, most people have already started the series, so it can be optional which book to read depending on where you are in the series?

[Michelle]

LOL Ok but those were just examples. My comment is in the general sense, is if a book is apart of a series, would it not make sense to have a Book 1 for the selection.Just a suggestion.
At the very least if a book was selected and it is apart of a series, to make it clear that this book is Book 6 (or whatever)

Sorry but it has happened to me before with Janet Evanvich and Ten Big Ones. That was the book selection and it was just assumed that everyone had read JE. I had not, so to have Ten Big Ones be my first book was really annoying. I didnt even know that "Ten" meant that it was the 10th book in the series.

[Rossy]

I agree with you Michelle. I'm a little OCD about reading books in order, so perhaps all series should be optional as to which book the person reads to discuss.
In those cases the books discussions will have to be separated by folder though due to spoilers and such.

[Erin]

I'm fine with doing reading order. if most of the group has read 1-4 though, maybe we'll push that #5 or whatever back a few months so you can catch up. I ordered the books previous to the peach keeper even though the books aren't necessarily related. Good to update the backstory. I'd be up for doing one of her earlier ones, the moon one? Rossy, you'd have to let us know which one would be best first...

[Rossy]

You know it's hard to pick one that you think would be a favorite for everyone. They all have that "magic/ability" in the story, and the small community feeling, yet the characters for all 3 books are very different.

There are a few key elements that will draw to one book more than the others though:

In Garden Spells, most people will like the family dynamic, i think.

The Sugar Queen, provides a heroine whose personality and confidence, blossom' as you read on. There is also a bit of mystery where you know the who early on, but not the why or how, so you have to keep on reading to find out.

For The Girl Who Chased the Moon, you have a young adult heroine/hero....yet the story at no point has that young adult feeling. It's almost reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, without the tragedy.

I tend to like the family/legacy feeling more than anything in the stories i read, so Garden Spell is my favorite. You'll have to decide for yourself once you read the books!LOL

[Erin]

So we have 3 interested in Starting from Scratch: A Novel

Michelle, Ivy... any takers?

If we do Sarah Addison Allen's books, lets start with this one: Garden Spells although I will probably read this one this month anyway.

[Michelle]

I havent read any Sarah Addison Allen but so many of my friends have and they just love her. She was on my TBR list. I'd love to read Garden Spells.

The Starting from Scratch book doesn't really interest me. At least reading the blurb and seeing the cover does nothing for me at all.

[Rossy]

Erin wrote: "So we have 3 interested in Starting from Scratch: A Novel"

That book is perfect for fiction foodies or those looking for a good lit book on family dynamics. There's no real romance there though.

[Rossy]

I read both books, so i can discuss them at any time next month.

[Beth]

Just read the blurb for Garden Spells. Sounds intriging. I'm thinking I might read both so whichever gets picked for the discussion is good with me.

[Michelle]

I've got Garden Spells all downloaded and ready to go. I am really looking forward to finally reading it! Even if it wasn't selected, I think I'll read it in March anyhow.

[Rossy]

If anybody is buying the books by Sarah Addison Allen. I suggest buying it within the next few hours. Seems like the publisher Random House has began to implement the pricing model. If they did not already....

[Erin]

yikes, thanks! I'm finishing shadowfever tonight and I'll make sure to get it!

[Rossy]

I had to buy the rest of the Fever series which i did not own, just because of that too.

[Erin]

you'll really like that series, it's a really great! I'm getting sarah addison allen's tonight and starting garden spells tonight. really excited about that too.

[Rossy]

I pre-ordered Allan's upcoming release too, in case it goes any higher.

[Michelle]

Oooooh! I just finished Garden Spells and it was magical. I just loved it. What an awesome recommendation.

[Rossy]

Glad to hear you liked it Michelle. You should also get her second book The Sugar Queen. Different type of characters but just as enjoyable.