Week 3 Prompt Response

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!

The fourth book in Hamilton’s Anita Blake series is The Lunatic Cafe. If you aren’t able to find a copy of that one and you’re dying to keep reading in the series, you can choose any other title in the series if you want to, because each works as a standalone novel as well.

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.

You might want to try a Margaret Atwood book, as she writes with a similarly lyrical, thought-provoking style, but tends to be more fast-paced than Kingsolver. Or, you could try Love and Ruin by Paula McClain, which is a fast-paced historical fiction/romance, or Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, which is contemporary, richly detailed and descriptive.

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!

Memoirs of a Geisha is one of the most popular historical fiction novels set in Japan, and it’s full of descriptive detail. You might also like Gai-Jin: A Novel of Japan by James Clavell, or Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. Each of these are atmospheric, immersive stories that should make you feel like you’re present in the time period.

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 should try the Inspector Armand Gamache mystery series by Lousie Penny. They are exciting, intricate, and atmospheric but without getting too gruesome or creepy.

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 like The Zombie Autopsies by Steven C. Schlozman, which is a little more humorous in tone, but still full of action. He should also check out The Last of Us (the TV show, but also the graphic novel series entitled The Last of Us: American Dreams, which function as prequels to events in the original video game.

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.

You should try Normal People by Sally Rooney, Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson, or Foster by Claire Keegan. All three of these are popular, well-reviewed literary works that have been turned into tv shows or movies recently.

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

You should definitely try something by Mary Higgins Clark. She was one of the most popular suspense writers for decades, and she does not include sex scenes or foul language in her books.

Second, after you get a chance to do the readings, I want to hear about how you find books to read. It could be a site or a resource you've just discovered or one you've used for years, one you use for yourself or for your patrons or family and friends. It could even be the New York Times or Tiktok!

Honestly, I basically only find books to read through my friends and family (especially my mom), and by wandering around Barnes and Noble constantly. I am surrounded by people who read like crazy, so it’s never been hard to add books to my TBR list. I don’t think I’ve ever actually used a site like Novelist or NYT for my own reading.