Book Rec Meme

[apple_pathways]

How does a book rec meme work?

5 EASY STEPS TO REC SUCCESS:

1. Find the genre/type of book you're looking for in the comments! The following genre/types are listed in alphabetical order:
   
   Chick Lit
   Children's and Young Adult Lit
   Classics
   Contemporary Literature
   Fantasy
   Historical Fiction
   Horror
   Manga, Comics, and Graphic Novels
   Mystery/Detective/Crime
   Non-Fiction
   Romance
   Science Fiction
   Thrillers
   and "Other" (For any genre or type not already listed.)
   
   
2. Click 'reply to this' on the comment with the genre you're looking for. If you're recommending a book, type "RECCING" in the Subject line of your comment. If you're requesting a recommendation, type "REQUESTING".
   
3. Either copy, paste, and fill out the handy forms provided, or describe in your own words the book you're recommending or looking to read.
   
4. Browse the other recommendations that have already been left. Read the rec requests other participants have left, and make suggestions for books you think they might like.
   
5. Share the love! ♥ Copy and paste the following code into your journal to send your friends to the meme:
   
   <a href="http://apple-pathways.livejournal.com/76281.html"><img src="http://pics.livejournal.com/apple_pathways/pic/000akqeh"></a>
   
   

It's that easy! ;)

Just remember:

* Keep it civil, or suffer the consequences! (Consequences TBD, but may include deletion, bannination, or unsightly rash.)
* DO NOT "Post a new comment"! To keep things tidy, please post all comments as a reply to an existing comment. Misplaced comments will be removed: it doesn't mean you're a bad person. :P
* If you need to ask me something or get my attention, either PM me or post a reply under the "Questions" thread, otherwise I may not see it.

Happy Reading! ♥

Comments

HISTORICAL FICTION

[apple-pathways.livejournal.com]

Please include either "Reccing" or "Requesting" in the Subject line of your comment!

(Optional) Copy and paste these handy templates for:

RECS
<b>SUBGENRE</b>: (if applicable) <b>Title</b>: <b>Author</b>: <b>Length</b>: (It's ok to estimate: i.e. 'longish', 'quick read', etc.) <b>Summary</b>: (Three sentences or so should do it!) <b>Books it's similar to</b>: <b>Why I'd rec it</b>:

REC REQUESTS
Fill out as much information as you can about the kind of book you'd like to read! <b>Sub-genre</b>: <b>Length</b>: (It's OK to estimate: i.e. 'longish', 'quick read', etc.) <b>Genre tropes I enjoy</b>: <b>Genre tropes I dislike</b>: <b>I'm looking for a book like</b>: (List some books or authors in the genre you enjoy!) <b>Other factors to consider</b>:

RECCING

[roh-wyn.livejournal.com]

SUBGENRE: Tudor Era
Title: Wolf Hall
Author: Hilary Mantel
Length: Definitely a long read, but so engaging you won't even notice
Summary: A biography of Thomas Cromwell, sometime-great-friend-and-counselor to Henry VIII, and naturally therefore, later executed by Henry VIII, and a brilliant response to the Thomas More hagiography, A Man for All Seasons).
Books it's similar to: I'd compare it favorably to most non-fiction works about the Tudor era, including Antonia Fraser's Six Wives of Henry VIII.
Why I'd rec it: I loved this book, because it turns what we think we know about Cromwell completely on its head. There is a lot of invention here, but it's always credible. The writing is brilliant, even if the length of the book might be an initial hurdle.

Reccing

[ctquill.livejournal.com]

SUBGENRE: IDK...This could maybe be listed under science fiction instead because of the more unusual elements, or possibly literature, but I'm going with historical fiction.
Title: The Last Witchfinder
Author: James Morrow
Length: Between 500 and 600 pages.
Summary: This is the singular tale of the life of Jennet Stearne, scientist and adventuress. In late 17th century England, young Jennet's father works as a witchfinder. Circumstances lead to him burning Jennet's beloved aunt at the stake, starting her lifelong quest to fulfil her aunt's dying wish by writing a book that will overturn the Parliamentary Witchcraft Act.
Books it's similar to: I've certainly never come across another book quite like this one! In it, Peter Straub is quoted as saying it will appeal to readers who like Neal Stephenson, John Barth and Thomas Pynchon, though, so let's go with that.
Why I'd rec it: This book is fascinating. It follows the rise of scientific thought and its effect on religious superstition in a thoroughly unique way. It chronicles some aspects of the growth of colonial America and Benjamin Franklin's biography (which it also takes quite some liberties with). Jennet is such a strong heroine, intelligent, uncompromising, charismatic, at times difficult. This is a rollicking adventure story, but it's ALSO a provocative, thoughtful exploration of scientific rationalism versus belief which doesn't offer simplistic answers. It's deftly written, entertaining, witty, quite brutal in places, and doesn't pull any punches when it comes to violence, sex or social commentary. The real twist, though, is the narrator. This book was apparently written by another book. It is sheer genius. You have to read it to see for yourself.

Reccing

[jobey-in-error.livejournal.com]

SUBGENRE: chick lit -- seriously, I was originally going to list it there; also frontier/Canadian
Title: Mrs. Mike
Author: Benedict and Nancy Freedman
Length: Mine's 250 pages, and they're cramming a lot of words onto each one.
Summary: Katherine Mary, a socialite from Boston, falls in love with Mike, a Canadian Mountie who lives in the middle of nowhere while she's visiting relatives. She leaves behind her old life for frontier living with all its hardships and freedoms (most of which you've seen before... but perhaps not all of them).
Books it's similar to: If you ever wanted Laura Ingalls Wilder to give you much more about her personal life (the highs... and the lows) and to be much friendlier with the Indians, then this is the book for you.
Why I'd rec it: Full disclosure about the axe I'm grinding in the rec below. But I love this book anyway. It's very vivid--vivid in its dialogue, scenes, descriptions, characters, you name it. I should warn you going in that Katherine Mary's characterization, next to all the big hearty men around her, is going to annoy some people. But I find it hard not to enjoy her for who she is. She's openly imperfect and wholly convincing. I've heard this is autobiographical, in which case I would call it "fearlessly honest."

Reccing

[jobey-in-error.livejournal.com]

SUBGENRE: WWII, Canadian, First Nation (and even more chick-litty than the first in this series)
Title: The Search for Joyful
Author: Benedict and Nancy Freedman
Length: A little shorter than Mrs. Mike (above) and feels very brisk
Summary: This is the story of Kathy, Mrs. Mike's adopted daughter, who moves to Montreal ("sin city") to train as a nurse when World War II breaks out. On her own for the first time, she grapples with her career, war angst, romantic drama (emphasis on drama!), and her identity as an Indian woman who is finding herself dissatisfied with her white upbringing.
Books it's similar to: Wow. Nothing at all. Even more so than Mrs. Mike, this is very much its own book, and it plays by its own rules. It does draw on some war/hospital melodrama tropes, though, so there is that. Closest bet is a much more modern follow-up to Rilla of Ingleside--and the easy go-as-you-will pace and plot is very L.M. Montgomery.
Why I'd rec it: Because I just saw that Publisher's Weekly trashed it in their review--based on the most dumbass reading I can imagine. There are lots of flaws in this book, but Kathy talking about unspeakable emotions ironically, and Mrs. Mike being out of the spotlight, are nowhere among them. Here's why it's good: it's got energy, it's unique, it's sweet/touching/funny whenever it wants to be, and, even fifty years later, the Freedmans have forgotten none of the tricks to creating a completely awesome leading man for their heroine:

... I saw to my horror he had a gun. He was quite drunk and, going up to Crazy Dancer, kept sticking it in his ribs and telling him to fork over his money.

Crazy Dancer pretended not to understand his accent, and asked politely if he would mind repeating what he had said. The guy repeated his demand for money, but Crazy Dancer only shook his head. "Sorry, I still don't understand. What is it you want?"

The scene only gets better and more epic from there. By the way, The Search for Joyful and Mrs. Mike are available as a convenient 2-in-1. ;)