Reader's Advisory Prompt 1

For my current class, I am doing some practice Reader's Advisory exercises. Any feedback on any of these particular titles?

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!

Lunatic Cafe and Bloody Bones are the next two books in the series! Other books you might enjoy are Mind over Monsters (F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad Investigation #1) by Jennifer Harlow for its fast-paced action and female heroine with supernatural powers, and Dancing with Werewolves (Delilah Street Series #1) because it has the same combination of action and romance that you liked in the books by Hamilton. 

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.

For a lyrical novel with a faster pace, you might try Frog Music by Emma Donoghue. Under the Poppy (Under the Poppy #1) uses lush and descriptive language but is also more quickly paced than the Kingsolver book. 

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 have not read Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, you may enjoy checking it out! It is an intoxicating historical fiction novel that is hard to put down. It has come under some criticism for cultural appropriation, so if that is an issue for you, take note, however it is still an excellent book. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is another of my favorites that you might enjoy. It goes back and forth between several decades of Japanese-American history. If you decide to branch out to another part of the world, I suggest A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Be emotionally prepared for a heart-wrenching read with that one. 

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?

You might enjoy Whose Body? (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries #1) by Dorothy L. Sayers. Some readers find George’s books evocative of police mysteries from past authors like Sayers. If you would like to read something new, Deborah Crombie has a new mystery coming out in February called Garden of Lamentations that you might enjoy.

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?

Another graphic novel series he may enjoy is the short Rage series by Pierre Boiserrie. He may also like Blackout by Mira Grant an apocalyptic thriller like World War Z.

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.

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly is an acclaimed film that came out recently. The book was published last year. The Martian was also a popular book in 2014 and movie in 2015. If you can tell me more about what other book-t0-movies you’ve enjoyed I can find some more suggestions for you!

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

If you don’t mind a Christian perspective, Frank Peretti might be an author you enjoy. He writes thrillers that are clean, chilling, and from a Christian worldview. Mary Higgins Clark also writes fast-paced suspense novels without sex or gore.