novel recommendations

I'm looking for something that will keep my attention the entire time. I will be honest - I am the type of person who can put a book down and never go back to it if it is boring, even I'm 100 or 150 pages in when it starts to drag. Life's too short to read boring books!

I don't like Sci Fi, fantasy, or romance novels. (I do like horror, though!) I also have ZERO interest in the Twilight books. Mysteries aren't usually my thing and I absolutely DON'T want to read legal thrillers. I live legal drama every day at work. It's the last thing I want to read about in my spare time.

That said, I do love to read, but haven't had much time over the past few years... The books I've read in the past few years that I have really liked are as follows:

I'm reading Water for Elephants right and will probably finish it this weekend. I am really enjoying it. Before that I read Hot Blood. It's not the best written book, but I loved it. It is based on a true story I knew about something that happened in the horse industry a few decades ago. I didn't read much I really liked before that excet A Million Little Pieces and My Friend Leonard. (I'll admit, though, I didn't read a ton of fiction books other than these 4 in that timeframe.)

Any suggestions? I really am open to anything that will keep my attention.

Re: novel recommendations

Have you read The Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns? Both are excellent! Another one of my favorites is The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

ETA: Do you have any interest in true crime stories? Ann Rule has written some excellent books.

Message edited 3/13/2009 11:37:44 AM.

Re: novel recommendations

I haven't read any of those actually! My mom also recommended the Kite Runner, so maybe I will start there. I have also heard good things (maybe here?) about A Thousand Splendid Suns.

I do like true crime stories, too! Were any of her books particularly good?

Re: novel recommendations

Re: novel recommendations

I am an Ann Rule/true crime fan. I love all of her books!

Re: novel recommendations

If you like Horror John Saul has soom pretty scary books that have kept me up at night! In the Dark of the Night was one of his scariest.....

Re: novel recommendations

Thanks guys! I picked up A Thousand Splendid Suns at BJs this weekend and will start it on the train tonight. My mom also has the Kite Runner and is going to lend that to me when I'm done with this one.

I commute, so I can literally read a book in a week / week and a half... so I will definitely take these suggestions to heart when deciding what to read next.

I also am thinking about reading Riding Lessons by the woman who wrote Water for Elephants. Has anyone read that?

Re: novel recommendations

I just finished Loving Frank (about Frank Lloyd Wright from his mistress' perspective) which was very good. I am about to start Devil in the White City which you may like.

Re: novel recommendations