Week Three Reading Response

Q: 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!

A:The next book in the series is The Lunatic Cafe. I found this book by searching the author’s name and then checking her series page. After locating the Anita Blake series, I was able to see which book is listed as the fourth in the series. 

 Q: 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.

A: There are a few books that I recommend. The first is The Legend of Charlie Fish by Josh Rountree. This book was recently published in July 2023 and has a writing style that is described as descriptive, lush, compelling, and lyrical. It is quicker paced than your most recent read, but is also on the scarier side. The second book is Yellow Emperor’s Cure by Kunal Basu. This book is a bit older and was published in 2011, but still has all of the aspects for which you seem to be looking. This book is lush, lyrical, descriptive, and richly detailed. It is a quick-paced historical fiction set in the late 1800s. The third book is Frog Music by Emma Donoghue. This book was published in 2014 and is a historical fiction and mystery. This book is set in the late 1800s as well, but is inspired by real events. It is described as compelling, lush, and lyrical. 

Q: 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!

A: I recommend Cloud of Sparrows by Takashi Matsuoka or A Boy Called H: A Childhood in Wartime Japan by Kappa Senoh. Cloud of Sparrows is a novel set in 1861 Japan. It follows a group containing an interesting mixture of people on their way to battle. This book was published in 2002, and along with being historical fiction, it is also considered a love story. A Boy Called H: A Childhood in Wartime Japan is a memoir about the author’s life and experiences as a child during World War II. If you are looking for something a little more accurate to history, then this book may work better for you.

Q: 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?

A: I suggest Still Life by Louise Penny, The Man with A Load of Mischief by Martha Grimes, or Gallows View by Peter Robinson. All three of these books are part of longer mystery series and none of them are too gruesome or creepy. They are not too quickly-paced, so you can enjoy thinking through the mystery as you read the book. 

Q: 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?

A: Some other books that I recommend are Day by Day Armageddon by J. L. Bourne, Feed by Mira Grant, Autumn by David Moody, Under a Graveyard Sky by John Ringo, and Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton. All of these books are centered around zombie apocalypses. All of them, except Hollow Kingdom, have a suspenseful tone just like The Walking Dead and World War Z. I have added Hollow Kingdom to this list because it is a zombie apocalypse novel from a different angle than normal. This book is written from the point of view of a pet crow while a zombie apocalypse is happening.

Q: 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.

A: The first book that I recommend is Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam. This book was published in 2020 and a movie adaptation was released in 2023. This book is suspenseful and follows a couple during a blackout. The second book that I recommend is Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. This book was released in 2019 and the movie adaptation was released in 2023. This is an LGBTQ+ book that includes royalty, love, mischievous behavior, and an enemies to lovers trope.

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

A: The first recommendation I have is The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda. This book is fast-paced, atmospheric, creepy, and suspenseful. It is also a fairly new title, published in July of 2022. Another recommendation is Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica. This book is a fast-paced thriller that is intricately plotted and compelling. This book is also fairly new and was published in May of 2021. 

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How I Choose What I Read 

First and foremost, I get A LOT of recommendations from my coworkers and even from patrons sometimes! Other than that, I use Goodreads to browse. I like to browse the giveaway page to find new books. I also really enjoy StoryGraph. I feel as though the site does a really great job of recommending similar reads. Although I have access to Novelist Plus at all times through my library, I often forget about it. I will definitely use it more after this assignment though.