I ordered the Kindle 2 last week and am really looking forward to getting my hands on it next Wednesday. I purchased the original model for Rob and he wrote an excellent review at the end of 2007. I have had one at my house too because a couple of months ago, Oprah featured the Kindle on her talk show and Jeanne decided to order one. She really likes it, which surprised me because she’s always been the type to shun eBook readers. Now when I get mine I’ll be able to do a review comparing both models. Yay 🙂 In the mean time, I’m going to make a list of books to read and would love your help. I’m in the mood for some really good action adventure, suspense and romance stories. When I say romance, I’m not talking about the type with Fabio on the cover. I’m thinking more along the lines of a good story with a little lerve thown in. So if you have some favorite books that fit these genres, let me know.
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The Real Person!
The Real Person!
If you ask me, no book collection (paper or otherwise) is complete with Harry Potter.
@Claire: Agreed, but I’ve already read the whole series. I want to try something new 🙂
Ted Dekker is the greatest author living on this earth. Very suspenseful with a bit of romance. I would suggest starting with Blink, or Adam if you like books as dark as TDK.
I recommend Bllodsucking Fiends and its followup You Suck (A love story) by Christopher Moore. As if you couldn’t tell also vampire books.
There’s this guy, Jasper Fforde, who write really off-the-wall alternative history and various other type novels. The first I read was called The Big Over Easy, a CSI-meets-Bones-meets-Mother-Goose-meets-Monty-Python-meets-Dragnet mashup that was funny, interesting (it’s a crime novel), and fast moving all at once. (We know the story of Humpty Dumpty, right? Now, imagine he was a ladies’ man, a day-trading bon vivant, and a drunk. Did he fall off the wall, or was he pushed? And is that a bullet hole in his shell?) Jack Spratt (yes, that one) handles the case with his new partner, Mary Mary (who can be tough to work with), when she’s assigned to the Nursery Crimes Division.
Fforde also has a heroine named Thursday Next. I read The Eyre Affair, about Thursday’s case involving someone changing the plot of famous literary works. (She’s a literary detective in Special Ops.) Crazy things have happened to history as we know it: the Crimean War has never ended, Hitler briefly occupied Great Britain near the end of WW II (in 1947-49), jet aircraft have not been invented (so travel is by airship), and cloning has been perfected to the point that pet dodos are a fad.
While there’s not a lot of publicity about his books (look at all the titles he has on Amazon!), many are NY Times bestsellers. The NYT Book Review called one of his books “Harry Potter just for adults.” Thursday has a few romantic interests at times, but nothing graphic, so there is a touch of romance. They’re quirky enough that I think you’ll like them.
As I mentioned before.. as soon as I know that Otterbox will be making a Kindle 2 case, I’m totally buying one.
Otherwise, I fear that you’ll be running my obit on the homepage: “Beloved Gadgeteer Contributor Dies in Freak Bathtub/Kindle Accident”
I’ve been cruising eBay for a Kindle 2 and can hardly wait. Here are some recent reads that I think you will like:
-Slumdog Millionaire aka Q & A by Vikas Swarup
-Touching the Void by Joe Simpson
-The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
-The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
Then there are always the numerous David Baldacci, Vince Flynn and Clive Cussler novels that are always entertaining.
‘Looking forward to your review.
Hard to go wrong with any of the Dan Brown books. They’re all page-turners! Might be worth reading “Angels & Demons” in anticipation of the movie due out this Summer.
On a non-fiction note, I’ve gotta recommend Michael Pollan’s “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” for a very thought-provoking read with some fascinating insights on our food & its origins! Its a bit of a dense book, packed with details & info, so it’s a good one to work on a few pages or a chapter at a time.
Have you ever gotten into historical romances? Try The Flame and The Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. It came out years ago. I recommended it to my daughter after she got into reading the Twilight series and she read it and has gone bonkers. Her spare time is now being taken up entirely by reading. Although of all the books and new authors she’s read she still goes back to The Flame and The Flower as her favorite. There’s romance with a little lust thrown in. It’s an easy read.
J –
Long time reader, first time poster. Thanks for all the great stuff – I read both of your blogs.
I’d go with the Bourne Identity – its a great page-turner (makes the movies silly in comparison) and the action is great.
Cheers!
– d
Ditto for “Slumdog Millionaire aka Q & A by Vikas Swarup” just finished reading it on my kindle (1) a fun read. Before that Middlesex – also a great read (first 3 chapters are a little slow – but stick it out). Before that Little Book… any of those I know you would enjoy… waiting for my kindle 2 (my kindle 1 is heading to my daughter).
my recommendation would be the time travels wife by Audrey Neffeneger wonderful inventive story and very romantic.
If I can be forgiven for posting twice, I’ll second Dave’s recommendation: the Bourne movies are personal favorites (I own the first 2 on DVD), but reading Identity this summer made me wish they’d remake them with the book’s plot. A fantastic read!
Hi Julie,
I’ve been reading here for years. Thanks for all the great gadget information!
As for books, if you want great suspense, great writing, and just a little romance, you can’t go wrong with Dean Koontz. He doesn’t write “horror” in the vein of Stephen King. He does have some elements of sci fi or the supernatural, but usually just a bit. His books often have humor, as well as just a little bit of “lerve”, as you say. He says he doesn’t write horror, because his books don’t end on a depressing note.
Start with “Watchers” and continue with the “Odd Thomas” series and then anything newer than “Watchers”. His older stuff is good, too, but the newer stuff fits your criteria better.
Excellent EXCELLENT! Books by Brad Thor and Vince Flynn are adventurous stories about Navy Seals, the CIA, corrupted politicians (are there any others?) and assassians.
Brad Thor: Blowback, The Last Patriot, Lions of Lucerne, Path of the Assassin, State of the Union, Takedown.
Vince Flynn: Act of Treason, Consent to Kill, Executive Power, Extreme Measures, Memorial Day, Protect and Defend, Separation of Power, Term Limits, The Third Option, Transfer of Power.
Unfortunately, the Harry Potter books are not available to read on the Kindle (from Amazon).
Hope you enjoy your Kindle as much as I enjoy mine.