20 friend-recommended must-read page-turners

February 28, 2013

I love a book I can’t put down. The kind that has me sneaking away to read it because I’m expecting the unexpected and curious and excited and practically licking the pages. (What?)

I recently had no such books waiting on my nightstand, so I asked my facebook friends to suggest page-turners and, as they so faithfully do, they came through in spades! (What does that really mean? In spades? Is it a saying about cards? Just checking.) (Don’t mind me, I’m a little delirious. My dear husband is working out of town this week and then this week decided to be extra weird to me and now Elsie Jane has the sickness and wow that’s a lot of vomiting and I am so tired you’re welcome for the run-on sentence.)

Maybe we should both just go read stuff that we can’t stop reading…

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Have you read any of these? What page-turners aren’t here that you loved so much you could have licked them? Or maybe just loved a lot, in a non-licking kind of way. (what is WRONG with me?) (Let’s just say that I’m sleep-deprived and the only way I put together this post was by typing over the top of my very sick Elsie Jane. Her temp is now 103. That, my friends, is not my favorite.

My poor girl.

Here’s to getting well and licking (or not licking) books!

(Book cover photo credits: Amazon.com, with the exception of those with out the little arrow thing–those are from Goodreads.)

{ 26 comments }

Fionnuala February 28, 2013 at 8:57 pm

Loved, “This is how to lose her.” The list is missing, “Brining up the Bodies” and “Gone Girl”

Heather February 28, 2013 at 9:03 pm

I might need to start with “This is how to lose her” because people keep raving. I love that. I haven’t heard of bringing up the bodies, but I’ll check it out.

I read Gone Girl, and honestly, i didn’t add it to the list because (I might lose friends over this next part) I didn’t like it.

I just admitted that in public! No, but really, it isn’t a favorite of my recent reads. I have to admit it IS a page-turner, but through most of the second half I was turning the pages hoping it would redeem itself. For me, it just kept going after it could have wrapped up…I don’t know…it’s hard to explain and I’m not expert so I’ll stop now. :)

Thank you for chiming in…

Leslie March 4, 2013 at 10:24 am

Heather,
I agree with you on Gone Girl. First part of the book was very intriguing and I was into it and couldn’t wait to keep reading. But then it just kept twisting in so many directions and it kind of turned on itself. Definitely could have wrapped up much sooner and been more interesting!
A friend of mine just recommended Divergent, but I haven’t read it yet. I think it is along the lines of Hunger Games.
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Becky March 5, 2013 at 11:05 am

I also agree about Gone Girl. Very overrated.

Herb of Grace February 28, 2013 at 9:04 pm

Loved The Night Circus. My current fav– and I originally read it based on the title alone: “The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making”. We listened to it on cd as a family during a long trip, and it’s a YA FIC, but one must prepare an appropriate reading list for one’s Elsie Jane, no? So….
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Heather February 28, 2013 at 9:06 pm

Best title ever.

And yes, one MUST create that list of future books for the kiddos to read.

Looking forward to The Night Circus!

pamela February 28, 2013 at 9:20 pm

you do know there’s a sequel to “the girl”, right, herb of grace?
and it is equally awesome.
perhaps awesomer, because there is a duchess of coffee or some such character.
i wish to be the duchess of coffee when i grow up.

Heather February 28, 2013 at 9:24 pm

pamela, you have the best goal I’ve ever heard of…other than duchess of desserts.

Herb of Grace March 1, 2013 at 1:48 pm

On my nightstand as I write! :) Sofi (my fifth grader) hooked me up :)
Herb of Grace recently posted..Yummy Gluten-free "Pancakes", Or How I Get My Children To Eat Squash For Breakfast

Gina February 28, 2013 at 9:09 pm

I really liked “This is How You Lose Her” but my favorite books have been “The Sense of an Ending” and “Sharp Objects” (by “Gone Girl” author).

Lisa February 28, 2013 at 9:56 pm

I started The Night Circus but just couldn’t get into it so I put it back down. That doesn’t happen often- where I turn away a book. However, The Book Thief is one of my current favorites as is The Passage and it’s sequel, The Twelve. I am waiting on book three in that series to come out so that I can read that, too.

Sabrina February 28, 2013 at 10:01 pm

I saw what you said about Gone Girl and I agree… It was a page turner but the characters were so messed up! The whole story was messed up, not something I want in my head. YIKES!
I just finished, IF you Lived Here by Dana Sachs and also Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos. Both very good books! Lots of crying… maybe it’s the postpartum weird hormone thing, but very touching books.

HopefulLeigh February 28, 2013 at 10:29 pm

Glad to see a few of my recommendations made it on there! I’m always happy to pass along my favorite reads. You’ll have to let me know what you think!
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Brandee February 28, 2013 at 10:54 pm

Thank you so much. I just blew up my goodreads. :)
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Stephanie Precourt February 28, 2013 at 11:37 pm

How have I not read so many of these?! One I just thought of that I loved : This Is How by Augusten Burroughs. Also I loved the Night Circus, I read it at the perfect time.

Steph
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Susan March 1, 2013 at 12:53 am

I enjoyed The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry very much.

I tried to like JK Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy (I adore all things HP) but could not finish it. Well written of course but so sad and gritty.

Varda (SquashedMom) March 1, 2013 at 7:55 am

MUST read: ‘The Fault in our Stars’ by John Green – luminous and moving.
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Korinthia Klein March 1, 2013 at 8:09 am

The last book I had trouble putting down was State of Wonder by Ann Patchett.

Thanks for the list! Always nice to have more recommendations so I don’t get overwhelmed in the bookstore.
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Lindsey March 1, 2013 at 8:17 am

Such good suggestions here! The Age of Miracles and The Light Between Oceans are among my favorite books I’ve read in a long time. I also loved The Fault In Our Stars. Will check your other books out! xox

Kate March 1, 2013 at 10:38 am

I loved ‘The Light between Oceans’ even though it just broke my heart. I couldn’t put it down, because in my shadows of memory, I could so relate to the female lead. I actually read it twice in the time I had it from the library, and I never do that.
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Stacy March 1, 2013 at 12:48 pm

The Unwanted: A Memoir of Childhood, by Kien Nguyen

Cheairs March 1, 2013 at 1:50 pm

I am so sorry your sweet girl is sick. My little guy is sick too…..something going around…..blew their sweet hearts……thank you for this post! I was just getting to sit down to try and find a good book to read….so I thank,you. I will have to say I Loved Gone Girl. So I thank you for the list……one of my favorite all time books is….The Memory Keepers Daughter……just an amazing beautiful book…have you read it…..hope your little gal feels better soon!

Ami March 4, 2013 at 8:23 am

I really enjoyed reading Coop. It had some lovely reminisces and good writing- plus I love pretty much anything with chickens in it.
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Becky March 5, 2013 at 11:05 am

The One Is Mine by Maria Semple. The author of Bernadette. FANTASTIC!!!
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liz albritton March 7, 2013 at 3:46 pm

“Sarah’s Key” had me absolutely captivated. I couldn’t put it down and highly recommend it. I love a little real history with my stories.

Katie March 9, 2013 at 5:52 pm

Thank you for posting a listing of great reads! I’m always looking for new book suggestions.

Although, I disagree about Gone Girl.. I really liked it.

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