Week 3: NoveList RA

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!

That’s tricky! The third book, Circus of the Damned, came out in 1995, but in 1996 Hamilton released 2 new books in that series. It looks like the fourth one is The Lunatic Cafe, published in January 1996.

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.

Bloodroot by Amy Greene has similar themes and use of language, is fast-paced, and is a good choice if you are interested in stories set in Appalachia. If you are looking for a suspenseful, intense read, House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus is a popular book with complex characters and lyrical language. The Bird House  by Kelly Simmons is fast-paced, thought-provoking, and uses complex language like Kingsolver.

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!

If you’re in the mood for a mystery, try A Scandal in Japan by Keisuke Matsuoka, who resurrects the Sherlock Holmes character. The Shogun, the first book in the Asian Saga series by James Clavell, is set in 17th century Japan. For a more recent setting, try Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, which is set in the early 20th century through World War II.

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?

If you like Elizabeth George, you might like Ruth Rendell or Tana French - I’ve read both authors and like them because of their descriptive language, but they can both trend kind of dark. If you want a lighter read, I’d try the Peter Wimsey series by Dorothy L. Sayers. They are older novels, but the characters are appealing and modern. The first book in the series is Whose Body?, published in 1923.

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?

He might really like The First Days, the first in the series As the World Dies by Rhiannon Frater. Stephen Barnes’  Devil’s Wake series might be a good fit as well - Devil’s Wake is the first book. Both series are gruesome and set in the zombie apocalypse.

6. I love books that get turned into movies, especially literary ones. Can you recommend some? Nothing too old, maybe just those from the last 5 years or so.

The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock is a crime novel, set in Appalachia between WWII and 1960s. If you are in the mood for magical realism, try The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman; it’s a prequel to Practical Magic. For something more realistic, Nico Walker’s Cherry has a main character who is a veteran suffering from PTSD and addiction to opioids, and is set in present day Cleveland. French Exit by Patrick deWitt is a dark comedy about a widow who moves to Paris and gets into some wacky situations.

7. I love thrillers but I hate foul language and sex scenes. I want something clean and fast paced.

James Patterson is well known for his fast paced thrillers, and he tends to avoid profanity and explicit content. Jonathan Kellerman is another author to consider - his Alex Delaware series is popular.

How do I find books to read? In the past, I’ve relied on the recommendations of friends and family. While I lived in Alabama, I had a friend and neighbor who read mysteries and thrillers and would always lend me her books when she was done. A librarian at my university there would load my arms with books when I brought my classes to her instructional workshops. Now that I live in Muncie, I don’t have quite the network I did then, despite working in a library (most of my colleagues are fantasy and science fiction readers, two genres I’ve never enjoyed). So I’ve turned to other resources. While I don’t do a very good job keeping my Goodreads list updated, I do mine my friends’ lists for ideas from time to time - one of my good friends is a great resource for graphic novels, while another friend is well-versed in memoirs. I get a lot of suggestions from NPR book reviews on the radio, and recently have discovered NoveList and appreciate the filtering capabilities.