Preface: I responded to these questions as if I were actually writing/speaking to a patron, thus the direct-address writing style! I used NoveList to find recommendations for almost all of these imaginary patrons, as I hadn't used the resource before and wanted to familiarize myself with it. For Number 7, however, I consulted Goodreads' Clean Reads discussion group, as they have a thread particularly devoted to Clean Suspense/Thrillers.
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 the Anita Blake series is called “The Lunatic Cafe.” There’s many more which come after this one, too, so let us know if you want the titles of the fifth and sixth books 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 try out Church of Marvels, by Leslie Parry. It’s not on the same subject matter, but if you liked Kingsolver’s beautiful writing style, I think you might like this! The reviews say that Parry’s writing style is “smooth and descriptive,” plus the novel seems to offer a few more twists and turns to make the pacing a little speedier.
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!
You might try out The Shogun’s Daughter by Laura Joh Rowland. It’s set in Feudal Japan and is written with a real attention to historical detail. It’s also a mystery, so if you’re not super into mysteries, you could try The Translation of Love by Lynne Kutsukake. This one is set in post-World War II Japan, and while it’s also historically detailed, it follows two young girls as they try to make sense of the world around them.
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?
Maybe you could try out Louise Penny’s novels. She’s got many, but Still Life could be one to start with--it’s gotten some great reviews! It’s still suspenseful and mysterious, but it’s got that more police procedural focus that you might’ve liked from Elizabeth George--instead of focusing on just scaring your senseless!
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?
The Zombie Autopsies by Steven C. Schlozman looks like one good option-- it’s about some doctors who are attempting to research the zombie virus and zombie anatomy, so it could be an interesting way for him to get into some new details! Another one he might try is Passage by Justin Cronin. This one’s a little more on the Walking Dead side of things: It’s also set in New Orleans, and it’s also a part of a series, though if he’s a zombie purist he might be frustrated, because this one features a zombie-esque epidemic, rather than straight zombies.
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.
Absolutely! Some good ones recently include The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, which got many starred reviews from all the major reviewers and was made into a movie in 2016, and The History of Love by Nicole Krauss, which won some national and international fiction awards and was also made into a movie in 2016.
7. I love thrillers but I hate foul language and sex scenes. I want something clean and fast paced.
A few options you could try out are Playing Saint by Zachary Bartels, which is a Christian suspense novel published in 2014 that’s gotten great reviews, or Ted Dekker’s novels--readers on Goodreads praised both of these authors for writing such page turners and for interesting them even if they weren’t practicing in the Christian church.
(Note: Wasn’t sure whether I should assume this patron meant “clean” to be taken as Christian, which is why I picked books that were reviewed as being appealing to a broader audience)
- Second, after you get a chance to do the readings and explore Mary Chelton's list of tools, 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.
When finding books for myself, I tend to use Goodreads, as well as a variety of book lists. I like the list of Lamda Literary Award winners and honors, the list from A Year of Reading the World blog, and Bitch Magazine’s book reviews. I will often also just search things that I’ve liked on Amazon and then see what comes up under the “People Who Looked at this Item Also Bought…” suggestions. :0
When finding books for others (which, in my life so far, has mostly meant finding books for children and young adults), my first stop is always School Library Journal. Other favorite resources of mine are The Brown Bookshelf and the Cooperative Children’s Book Center.
