Week 3 Prompt Response

1. I am looking for a book by Laurell K. Hamilton. I just read the third book in the Anita Blake series and I can’t figure out which one comes next!

The Lunatic Café is the next book in the Anita Blake series.

2. What have I read recently? Well, I just finished this great book by Barbara Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer. I really liked the way it was written, you know, the way she used language. I wouldn't mind something a bit faster paced though.

If you liked her writing style, I would suggest you read Margaret Atwood and Kristin Hannah; specifically The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah. Both books are well written but are going have a quicker pace than Prodigal Summer.

3. I like reading books set in different countries. I just read one set in China, could you help me find one set in Japan? No, not modern – historical. I like it when the author describes it so much it feels like I was there!

I love historical fiction books as well! There are so many books centered around Japan, but I can recommend a couple of my favorite ones. I love Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.  Golden’s detailed description throughout the novel will suck you in. I also recommend Shōgun by James Clavell. Shōgun is a book set in the 1600s and depicts the story of a ship pilot that wrecked on Japan. It is a very long novel so make sure you’re ready to take on the challenge! If you're looking for a lot of description, you can't beat Shōgun.

4. I read this great mystery by Elizabeth George called Well-Schooled in Murder and I loved it. Then my dentist said that if I liked mysteries I would probably like John Sandford, but boy was he creepy I couldn't finish it! Do you have any suggestions?

I always suggest reading more books by the book you last enjoyed. Try A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George. It is in the same Inspector Lynley series as Well-Schooled in Murder and just as fun. I also suggest Deborah Crombie. Try No Mark Upon Her written by Crombie to get the mystery novel without the creep factor.

5. My husband has really gotten into zombies lately. He’s already read The Walking Dead and World War Z, is there anything else you can recommend?

If your husband wants to read another zombie comic, he should try iZombie by Chris Roberson. It is short lived series, and is more comedic, but you can find it around thanks to the new television show adaption. For a novel, he should try Feed by Mira Grant. Feed it a book about zombies, but it also delves into conspiracies and twists. It is a more serious zombie read than the fun iZombie.

Second, after you get a chance to do the readings and explore Mary Chelton's list of tools, I want to hear about how you find books to read. It could be a site or a resource you've just discovered or one you've used for years, one you use for yourself or for your patrons or family and friends.

I’ve always used two different sites, Fantastic Fiction (fantasticfiction.com) and Goodreads (goodreads.com). I never had access to NoveList unfortunately. I use Fantastic Fiction mainly for the “similar book” section and the genre pages at the bottom of the home page to find new novels in genres I enjoy. 

I would say I get about 10% of books from Fantastic Fiction and 90% from Goodreads. I’ve been using Goodreads for about 4 years now. I mainly use it to find out how well I may enjoy a book. I love looking up a book and finding out that it has over a 3.5-star rating. 3.5 stars is normally my threshold for buying a book if I am wavering on a purchase or deciding if I want to read it at all (even through the library!). I have definitely read and enjoyed books below the 3.5 rating, but every book I have given 5 stars to have been above a 3.5.

Goodreads also involves a lot of community input which is more important to me than professional lists or opinions. If everyone I am friends with dislikes a book, the chances of me liking it are so slim that I will most likely not spend the time reading it. Community input makes reading more personal and fun, and I love reading reviews on books I love (and hate!).