Hello from the ice block formerly known as Fort Worth! Brr its cold!
So every year my family does a gift exchange. For the last several years we have had a theme for our gift exchanges. For example, as seen on tv, ugly sweater, thrift store. Things like that. This year we are doing a book exchange and, being a self professed book worm/nerd, I am super excited about this year.
I have many great books to choose from, but I also like getting ideas from others who may have a book that has really touched them maybe spiritually, emotionally, or just because it took you to an awesome place that you can't forget (besides, isn't that one of the greatest reasons to read, you know besides education and all that)
So my question, what books would you recommend? You know, because there is no way I am actually giving up one MY books! No way. They're my babies and I love them. ;)
Thanks!
I love ALL of these and want to read every one of them!!!
Sorry I didn't give more details about who will be involved in the book exchange: basically we are planning to do it like we would a "Chinese" gift exchange where we draw numbers (or in our case we use a deck of cards because there is rarely more than 15 of us...the joker being the wild card that can end up taking whatever he/she wants at the end regardless of how many times its been "stolen") and we pick and steal and all that fun stuff. So it involves the adults ranging from 20 yrs old and up, male and female. We have discussed that it would also be great if we could pass the books around after we read them to keep everyone in the loop and give us something fun to discuss when we manage to gather for dinner throughout the year.
Although most of us are avid readers, some are not. So I love the wide variety of options from you all. I especially love the idea of the blog-turned-into-a-book idea!
Also, not to leave the kiddos out, we are all including a book or two with our gifts to them. (The kids get their own separate gifts from all the aunts and uncles (and of course the grandparents spoil them all with gobs of gifts too!)
Thanks again and Merry Christmas!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines
Little Bee by Chris Cleve
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Series by Alexander McCall Smith
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
Redefining Girly by Melissa Atkins Wardy
Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein
The Maid
It's historical fiction about Joan of Arc. I didn't think it would be my kind of book when it was recommended to me (I usually read mysteries), but I really liked it.
Some of my favs:
THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeannette Walls. So good I'm afraid to read her others bc my expectations are so high.
WINTERGARDEN by Kristin Hannah. Read it almost a year ago and still haunted by it.
THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS by Katrina Kittle. It is so good I store it in a ziplock bag with favorite sweaters. I have only borrowed this book once, and she had to sign for it LOL!
THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS by Rebecca Skloot. You can thank this poor woman for all we know about cancer research, and she didn't even know.
THE KITCHEN HOUSE by Kathleen Grissom. kind of like the help but with indentured servants.
I would love a book exchange holiday present! Hope you get a good book. Happy Holidays!
I second, Lightening by Dean Koontz...it is my all time favorite book ever!! I have read it like over 10 times. I love most of his books, but that one is the one that sealed the deal for him being my favorite author ever!! His Odd Thomas series is good...I also enjoyed his series on the story of Frankenstein continued. also, Life Expectancy, Dark River of the Heart, and Watchers.
I like series so,
Robert Crais: (Elvis Cole series that turns into the Joe Pike series),
Michael Connolly (Harry Bosch series),
John Sandford (Lucas Davenport series that morphs into the Virgil Flowers series),
Faye Kellerman (Peter Deker series) and her husband
John Kellerman (Can't think of the characters name).
Janet Evonovitch (Stephanie Plum series...it is so funny I laugh out loud while reading them, bugs my husband).
J.A.Jance has two series and a bunch of stand alone books they are all good.
Sue Grafton (A is for Alibi, B is for...series)
The Woods by Harlen Coben...really good mystery.
Patricia Cornwell (series and stand alones)
Kathy Riechs (Temperance Brennan series)
Oh oh oh...one of my all time favorite scary books that everyone should read...In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.
Okay enough of my mystery loving self...nothing deep or spiritual in my reading just mystery fiction. Good luck!!
Depends :) I love Nora Roberts - romance, all different types (also writes as JD Robb - future crime mystery with a bit of romance). Fiction/fantasy - Mercedes Lackey. P. Briggs - warewolf/vampire mystery/romancey. And there's a Dean Koontz book called Lightning that I've read 4 times.
I would love to have a book exchange Christmas!! My family has all gone digital-so I have no one left to pass my books along to. I found that Mitch Albom's books make good gifts. I bought them for my father and brother and they loved them. He has a new one out called the time keeper.I believe the one I gifted was the five people you meet in heaven.
I may be partial since he is local.
I really liked Memoires of a Geisha.
City of Bones (first in the Mortal Instuments series.)
Eragon. (VERY underrated series for the sci-fi lover on your list...)
You could do 50 shades of Gray, just to liven things up a bit. ;) (haven't read it yet, but I have heard stories. Lol.)
The best life changing book I have read recently is Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero. The devotional that goes with it is amazing. I would wake up every morning looking forward to reading them and would cheat and do more than 2 a day just because I loved them so much. This devotional is like nothing I have ever read before. It is called Daily Office by Peter Scazzero. Be Blessed this Holiday Season.
You have to give up your books. The pages turn yellow in time and they get a funny dusty feel to them.
I like autobiographies of people who have truly survived a tragedy. I always like something that puts me back in my place.
Night by Elie Eiesel
Diaries of Anne Frank
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
Tis by Frank McCourt
I'm Ripping through "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tart. It is amazing. Her book, "The Little Friend" was my favorite book EVER, and apparently her first novel, "The Secret History" was even better, so I'm reading that when I finish "The Goldfinch".
Any of the books by John Hart. He only has 4, but pick any of them.
I also love all the stuff by James Lee Burke. Pick one of those...especially the ones more recent that are not Dave Robicheaux novels. Billy Bob Holland or the other guy... they are good. :)
ETA:
Depending upon what ages you are exchanging with, you could go with some classics, too. Gone With the Wind for the older teen set (who probably hasn't read it or seen the movie before). Pride and Prejudice for teen girls, who perhaps haven't been exposed. Crime and Punishment for the adults.
:)
illusions by richard bach.
the once and future king by t.h.white.
where the wild things are by maurice sendak.
pretty much anything by suess.
watership down by richard adams.
alice in wonderland by lewis carroll.
wuthering heights by the bronte chick.
khairete
S.
I just re-read The Good Earth by Pearl Buck . . . I had forgotten how good it was. It's one of my favorite books of all time. It could be relevant today with all our discussion about China.
I also love the biography about Pearl Buck - it's excellent. She had an amazing life.
Currently I am re-reading The Joy Luck Club (love it too).
Good luck with the gift exchange - sounds neat!
So depending on who you are shopping for....
I love(!!!!!)...
Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum series)
James Patterson (anything)
Mary Kay Andrews (everything -- super funny)
Nicholas Sparks (everything, most of them are pretty sad.)
Sophia Kinsella (Shopaholic series and others)
also writes as Madeleine Wickham
Dean Koontz (Odd Series is fantatstic)
Meg Cabot (Heather Wells series)
Tori Carrington
The Hunger Games series
Jennifer Weiner
Lauren Weisberger
Alice Hoffman
also if you have a religious person on your list...
Christine Caine
Beth Moore
Jonathan Cahn (the Harbinger)
Robert Morris
Debbie Morris
if you have someone that likes blogs turned into books...
The Honest Toddler by Bunmi Laditan (me and my husband read these to each other and laugh our butts off)
Confessions of a Scary Mommy by Jill Smokler
A Bump in Life by Amy Ford (HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMEND)
This is where I would start...
I recently read "Call the Mid-Wife," which was just excellent.
A kind of random book that I loved to pieces and recommend to certain people is "Madam Secretary," the autobiography of Madeleine Albright. The story of her life is nothing short of riveting. The book is huge but I couldn't put it down. I recommended it to a co-worker for a gift for his mother, who is a reader and history buff, and she loved it so much that it became her book club selection and all of her friends have passed on the recommendation as well as they were all raving fans.
My favorite ever autobiography was Leap of Faith by Queen Noor.
Books that I've really enjoyed this year?
Somebody Knows My Name - Lawrence Hill
The Promise of Stardust - Priscille Sibley
The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton
Orphan Train - Christina Baker Kline
Clara and Mr Tiffany - Susan Vreeland
Tell the Wolves I'm Home - Carol Rifka Blunt.
It's really fun to select a book for someone else and imagine them enjoying it. My book club does this every year at our holiday gathering.
