Recommend a good book

[TrickyBob]

with conditions;

I'm not into murder books but I will read a good mystery. 

I am sick to death of romance books; as a teenager and up until last year, I was all about them but my God, they all end the same way. For once, I'd like the chick to go "you know what? I've been a nitwit through this entire thing, GTFO." 

I'd prefer light hearted/possibly funny. 

If there are any interesting non-fiction recommendations, feel free to toss those in as well. 

Or disregard all of the above and tell me any way. 

[balletofangels]

I just read Where'd You Go, Bernadette and eleanor & park. Both were great. I think Where'd You Go, Bernadette is pretty aligned with what you are looking for.

[hopecounts]

Throwing some things out there
Anna and the French Kiss
Divergent and Insurgent
A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night

These two romance but they are fun light reads that'll entertain you and they made me laugh (in a good way): Beautiful Bastard and Beautiful Stranger.

In the thought provoking category The Panted Girls was amazing.

[DaisyCakes]

Have you read any Jen Lancaster? Her memoirs are so funny. Start with Bitter is the New Black.

[underwaterrhymes]

My favorite book does not meet your criteria.

"Shantaram" is funny and sad and very dense and long. But amazing.

If you're looking for lighthearted and often hysterical nonfiction, "The Sex Lives of Cannibals" is a fun read about a guy and his wife who move to the nation of Kiribati (Tarawa) in the South Pacific.

[TrickyBob]

Oh, I'll read funny/sad/dark/depressing, etc. I just got done with 3,096 Days and that's depressing as all get out, considering it actually happened.

[mollz007]

I just read "The next best thing" by Jennifer Weiner. I would recommend it. She's one of my favorite authors.

[eb777888]

A Widow For A Year- John Irving

[BieberMyBalls]

What Alice Forgot
The Hypnotist's Love Story (its not overly sappy. Its a decent read, I promise) both by Liane Moriarty

Anything by Elizabeth Berg (Talk Before Sleep, Open House, Until the Real Thing Comes Along are some of my favorites)

[MrsAxilla]

My favorite book ever is The World According to Garp by John Irving. It's more dark humor than light-hearted.

[melindafelinda]

Recommended this already but highly recommend The Drunken Botanist. Fantastic non-fiction.

[shostakovich]

For a good, cleverly written, funny mystery, try Brenner and God by Wolf Haas. He has a whole Detective Brenner series already out in German, but just the first two of the series have been translated so far. It's definitely good stuff.

[Deleted]

Currently reading Defending Jacob and loving it. But it's a murder mystery.

[crazycakes]

I'll second Where'd You Go, Bernadette? I read it a few months ago and it's a fun book.

[Deleted]

I know, I know, why am I in a book thread? LOL.

But I wanted to recommend a new book by my friend from college. We worked on our school magazine together.

Obviously, I haven't read it yet, but I'm so proud of her. It was featured in the L.A. Times today, and there was also a write-up in People Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, and Oprah's website.

Visitation Street by Ivy Pochoda.

I'm going to her L.A. book reading on Thursday.

Everybody buy it!

[feistypants]

These totally don't meet your criteria:
Still Alice and Left Neglected by Lisa Genova.

Nonfiction, but occasionally funny: Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

[Deleted]

Jul 14, 2013 21:13:03 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

The Boleyn King by Laura Andersen

It was really great.. It's the first book in a trilogy about what if Anne Boleyn had actually given Henry VIII a son. Really, really good. @utahlove13 read it as well, and I think she liked it too.

I loved it! 

[Gato]

I am currently reading Carry the One by Carol Anshaw and really like it.  Lots of funny stuff but it is a heavy subject (death of a child).  I could see being friends with all the siblings in this book.

[leancuisine]

Jul 14, 2013 20:15:01 GMT -5 DaisyCakes said:

Have you read any Jen Lancaster? Her memoirs are so funny. Start with Bitter is the New Black.

:Y: Agree. I read Bitter is the New Black and I just found 3 of her other books for $3 a piece! 

[snipsnsnails]

A Shirt History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

Quirky & fun

[alare]

Nonfiction: poor economics. Fascinating read on how people use money in developing countries. completely turned my mind around.

[Jalapeñomel]

I'm reading a British YA novel called A Monster Calls. So far, so good.

[sugarbear]

Jul 14, 2013 21:21:17 GMT -5 @wonderred said:

Currently reading Defending Jacob and loving it. But it's a murder mystery.

Curious to hear what you think about this when you finish. I thought it was a good read, in that it was entertaining, but I didn't like the end.

[emsumm]

You might like Night Circus...

[thinklikeajellyfish]

Jul 14, 2013 21:29:59 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

I know, I know, why am I in a book thread? LOL.

But I wanted to recommend a new book by my friend from college. We worked on our school magazine together.

Obviously, I haven't read it yet, but I'm so proud of her. It was featured in the L.A. Times today, and there was also a write-up in People Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, and Oprah's website.

Visitation Street by Ivy Pochoda.

I'm going to her L.A. book reading on Thursday.

Everybody buy it!

This book sounds interesting. I have Thursday off...hmmmm a book reading might be fun!

I second A Short History of Nearly Everything. It is one of my (mostest ) favorite books. I've read a few of Mary Roach's books and they are funny and interesting.