NCEP: Need Some Light-Hearted Fiction Suggestions

[berrysweet]

I have a friend that's starting chemo this week and asked for a list of fiction that is fun, light-hearted, and/or feel good. She doesn't want heavy, tragic, or really anything with major medical issues (particularly cancer). When she asked on Facebook, she was getting suggestions like Gone Girl, The Nightingale, All the Light We Cannot See, When Breath Becomes Air, Mr. Mercedes, etc. Basically, not at all what she's looking for. I'd like to give her a better list.

I've got:
The Martian
Where'd You Go Bernadette
The Rosie Project
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff
Wonder
Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore

And I'm stuck there. Anyone else have any suggestions?

[fortnightlily]

I not too long ago started a similar thread over on ML, you can take a look at the suggestions in there: pandce.proboards.com/thread/509948/favorite-fun-novels

[berrysweet]

Feb 5, 2016 13:04:32 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

I not too long ago started a similar thread over on ML, you can take a look at the suggestions in there: pandce.proboards.com/thread/509948/favorite-fun-novels

Great! Thanks! I'm trying to be really sensitive to her request about not including books with cancer story-lines, which actually pops up a lot even in "fun" fiction, and is my main concern in recommending books I haven't read. Do any come to mind for you that definitely don't include cancer as a story-line?

[alexis]

I suggested The Ghost Bride in the other thread and I recommend it again.

Also, Redshirts is hilarious if she has any familiarity with Star Trek.

I'm reading Ready Player One and enjoying it.

It's juvenile fiction, but the Alcatraz series by Brandon Sanderson is really lighthearted, fun and funny. I highly recommended the audio book as the voice actor did a fantastic job with it and really added to the experience. It's not about the prison, the main character's name is Alcatraz.

[TR]

Anything by Emily Giffin, Jane Green, or Jennifer Weiner (I really love Good in Bed and the sequel Certain Girls). I can't think of any cancer storylines in those.

The Royal We
First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria (it's a memoir, but is a fun easy read)
The Godmother
The Stepmother (read The Godmother first)

I'm sure I'll think of more.

[2curlydogs]

What sort of idiots were recommending "Gone Girl" as light-hearted fiction? I mean, I read mostly serious stuff but I'm not that fucking stupid.

Does she like mysteries? I always recommend the Lady Emily series by Tasha Alexander as an easy, slightly frivolous mystery series.

[fortnightlily]

Sadly I haven't gotten to read much in the past couple years since my son was born, so all I've got is Ready Player One. Hence my thread looking for other recommendations. Though the more chick-lit-esque stuff is not my style.

So I look forward to what people suggest in here too!

[fortnightlily]

Oh, I remembered one, Souless by Gail Carriger was suitable for a quick fun read if she likes supernatural (werewolves, vampires) stuff at all.

And maybe something like Stardust by Neil Gaiman. Or the original book of "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman.

Cary Elwes also recently published a memoir of his time filming Princess Bride called "As You Wish" that was enjoyable.

[berrysweet]

Feb 5, 2016 13:15:22 GMT -5 2curlydogs said:

What sort of idiots were recommending "Gone Girl" as light-hearted fiction? I mean, I read mostly serious stuff but I'm not that fucking stupid.

Does she like mysteries? I always recommend the Lady Emily series by Tasha Alexander as an easy, slightly frivolous mystery series.

Right?!!! I told her that Gone Girl was an absolutely crazy suggestion.

[leeba25]

Light contemporary romance, well written and fun: Macy Beckett. I particularly like the Sultry Springs series (starts with Sultry with a Twist). Pretty steamy too.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green - YA with some good teen angst, including coming out.

Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris - the books that "True Blood" (on HBO) was based on. First book is called Dead until Dark

YA romance: Anything by Stephanie Perkins

Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts -this is the first in a 3 book series - romance and paranormal

[fortnightlily]

Also, this is not a fiction suggestion, but if your friend likes musicals or hip hop or American History at all, the cast album for the new broadway show "Hamilton" is energizing and awesome (I mean, there are moments of sadness 'cause duel, duh, but it's not like it catches you by surprise), and like 2.5 hours long if she's just looking for something to kill time and relax during treatments.

[AJL]

The Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid) series by Richelle Mead

[alexis]

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series.

[2doxies]

The "Amelia Peabody" series by Elizabeth Peters is fun. It's about a female Egyptologist. I heard about it from an article about Chelsea Clinton; she said that she and her mom and grandmother read them together

[Skyesthelimit1212]

I don't read a lot of light hearted books, lol, but if she likes fictional historical murder mysteries she might like the Gaslight Murders by Victoria Thompson www.victoriathompson.com/

[iamali]

Hester Browne is my favorite "chick lit" (do we still call it that?) author. She wrote The Little Lady Agency series which is fun and not heavy. Her other books are cute too.

Best wishes to her.


Sent from my Fortress of Snatchiness

[pixy0stix]

Where'd you go Bernadette depressed me. Her mom obviously had some severe mental issues that weren't addressed. I just couldn't laugh at it.

[StrawberryBlondie]

It's YA but I liked Please Ignore Vera Dietz.

*disclaimer - it may have a small cancer storyline. I read it like 5 years ago.

I also liked Something Borrowed and Something Blue - both by Emily Giffin.

I also liked the Beautiful Creatures series.

[imojoebunny]

Crazy Rich Asians is super fun.

I sent BFF a singing pickle because there really is no great gift for cancer, and you might as well be ridiculous, when she was going through cancer treatment in the fall, the day before her surgery, and it was a light hearted fun thing, I think she really appreciated. We have many "what would the singing pickle say?" jokes now, at least. It helped that it malfunctions often, so is really an annoying singing pickle.

Sending thoughts of good health to your friend.

[Velvetshady]

Feb 5, 2016 13:15:22 GMT -5 2curlydogs said:

Does she like mysteries? I always recommend the Lady Emily series by Tasha Alexander as an easy, slightly frivolous mystery series.

Along with the above and the Victoria Thompson and Elizabeth Peters suggestions, I'd add the Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourn (cozy, historical mysteries with humor and a bit of romance) and the Pink Carnation series by Lauren Willig (cozy, historical mysteries with romance and a bit of humor).

[chedifuen]

Anything Marian Keyes. They're light and funny while still being readable.

I just read Modern Romance by Aziz Azari and it was suprisingly fun.

What Alice Forgot is total fluff but I enjoyed reading it when I needed some brain candy.

[Miss Phryne Fisher]

GAH do I understand what she is going through. I started chemo in June and it was hard to find anything I really liked. First thing she should get is Kindle Unlimited (if she has a Kindle). Unlimited treasure trove of books for $9.99. I ended up becoming obsessed with Jane Austen fanfiction. If she is a P&P/Sense and Sensibility/Persuasion fan at all, there is a TON out there on KU that is wonderful. It isn't for everyone and it was my first delve into fanfiction but familiar characters + original stories was really comforting for me. Maybe suggest she give the fanfiction genre (of any show/movie/book she happens to like since there seems to be a fandom for every damn story out there) a try.

[winecat]

Jennifer Lancaster's first 2-3 books are hysterically funny.

[alleinesein]

Feb 5, 2016 20:49:32 GMT -5 winecat said:

Jennifer Lancaster's first 2-3 books are hysterically funny.

Another vote for Jen Lancaster.  Bitter, Bright Lights, Pretty Fat and Pretty In Plaid are funny.  Her fiction stuff is a quick light hearted read.  The past few memoirs are ok but they aren't as hysterical as the first few.

The Bill The Vampire series is funny.  Its by Rick Gualtieri.  If she has an e-reader that isn't a kindle he is pretty cool about sending out free books via email if you contact him on FB.  He sent me the first 4 books since they aren't avaible for Nooks yet.  Pretty cool guy  (hot)

[fumbalina]

For light reading I like the Stephenie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I also enjoy the Myth series by Robert Aspirin. I really like Christopher Stasheff as well. A little heavier but still fun is The Cat Who series by Lillian Jackson Braun. The Xanth series by Piers Antony was good up to a certain point as well, although in a certain book a character with cancer is introduced but I do not remember which it is. The Pretty Little Liars books also dragged me in but they are not light. Same goes for Percy Jackson and The Chronicles of Berenfell.

Those books are all over genres so hopefully one might appeal to her.

[winecat]

Feb 5, 2016 21:56:17 GMT -5 alleinesein said:

Feb 5, 2016 20:49:32 GMT -5 winecat said:

Jennifer Lancaster's first 2-3 books are hysterically funny.

Another vote for Jen Lancaster.  Bitter, Bright Lights, Pretty Fat and Pretty In Plaid are funny.  Her fiction stuff is a quick light hearted read.  The past few memoirs are ok but they aren't as hysterical as the first few.

The Bill The Vampire series is funny.  Its by Rick Gualtieri.  If she has an e-reader that isn't a kindle he is pretty cool about sending out free books via email if you contact him on FB.  He sent me the first 4 books since they aren't avaible for Nooks yet.  Pretty cool guy  (hot)

Bitter is the New Black and Bright Lights, Big Ass made me laugh out loud.  Super funny.  

[picksthemusic]

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. I didn't want it to end. So good.

[MrsAxilla]

Would she enjoy hot vampire porn*? If so, I'd suggest the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

*like skinamax porn, not internet porn - lol.

[scout8]

Feb 5, 2016 17:58:19 GMT -5 chedifuen said:

Anything Marian Keyes. They're light and funny while still being readable.

I just read Modern Romance by Aziz Azari and it was suprisingly fun.

What Alice Forgot is total fluff but I enjoyed reading it when I needed some brain candy.

I love Marian Keyes, but OP stick with her earlier books. Her later stuff has dealt with some pretty serious issues. 

[mrspez07]

Anything by Sarah Addison Allen. They are easy fun reads.