book s/o - well-written fluff?

[fivi2]

I want some light reading rec's, but I am pretty picky... I get annoyed with so many books that are poorly written, or the characters are two dimensional, etc.

I am open to any genre. I don't necessarily need humorous, just nothing heavy or depressing

TIA

[rlu]

I like the Phyrne Fisher books by Kerry Greenwood. Independant women private investigator in the 1920s, based in Australia.

[anonomom]

anything by Marian Keyes (especially Rachel's Holiday).
The Undead and... series by Maryjanice Davidson
The Women of the Underworld series by Kelley Armstrong
The Monkeywrench series (forget the author, though)
Rhys Bowen's Lady Georgianna mysteries.
not fluffy, but quick and well-written --- Sara Paretsky's VI Warshawsky books. New one just came out.

[cilantromapuche]

I recently read What Alice Forgot and loved it!

[vonfirmath]

I just finished The Narrow Path by Gail Sattler and it was pretty good.

[fivi2]

Thanks!

I was stealth typing from work on my Kindle before, so I was pretty brief...


It doesn't have to be a humorous or a total beach read, I just don't want to read anything depressing or that takes serious brain power. I want the equivalent of a popcorn movie, but one that doesn't make me throw it across the room because of the writing.

I usually read YA for that sort of thing, but I am done with teen romantic angst for a bit. I read anything - paranormal, fantasy, scifi, horror, mystery...

The other book thread had some good ones, but it seemed to have several that sounded depressing or heavy.

Thanks!

[larig]

I second Marian Keyes. I also like Morag Prunty (an Irish writer, I just happened to pick up in the airport in Ireland--Irish chick lit).

ETA: and I don't know if it's exactly light, but I love love love Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins.

[kcimato]

Anything by Adriana Trigiani. I loved Queen of the Big time, Lucia,Lucia,Bravo Valentine and Very Valentine. These are all about very strong women. She also has about 4 books that are a series Big Stone Gap. I have not yet read these.

I am on the middle of Saving Cece Honeycutt.. Love it.

[Meatball Mommie]

I liked Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt too.

How about books by Kristin Hannah...romance/relationship but pretty well written. Easy reads...

I also like Maeve Binchy but I think I've read all her books now...

[Indianamom2]

I like Harlan Coben for semi-fluffy but decently written mysteries. I've only read 3 or 4 but I liked them all.

I also like David Baldacci, but some a little more in-depth than others. I think the characters are engaging and they aren't beach reads, but not heavy either.

[Meatball Mommie]

The book Friendship Bread (see other thread for author, because I forget!) is a really good read. I think there will be more books with the same characters, but that's the first. I really enjoyed it and it was more about relationships and character flaws than romance or fluff. I keep recommending it to people...

Harlan Coben is one of my favorite popular authors :)

[babystuffbuff]

I really enjoy Gil McNeil's books. I have the UK versions but I think most of them are available in the U.S. - I know for sure that her Jo Mackenzie series is.

[karstmama]

jennifer crusie! *so* well written, i wish i'd said her lines but they're still reasonable lines for someone to say, ya know?

charlaine harris. if you're not into the possibility of the long sookie series, try the 'grave secrets' series - only 4 books.

[anamika]

I posted this on the other thread too. Just finished Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Pettigrew-Lives-Persephone-Classics/dp/190646202X). Charming book - just a nice light read.
I also enjoyed Major Pettigrew's last stand. Very well-written and for a nice break from the YA (which I also devour), the characters are actually likable and mature. I found it refreshing.

Now in the middle of "I want to buy a vowel (http://www.amazon.com/Want-Buy-Vowel-John-Welter/dp/0425160815/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327935458&sr=1-1)" and The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil (http://www.amazon.com/Brief-Frightening-Reign-Phil/dp/1594481520/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327935503&sr=1-1) and Bitten from the Otherworld series.
I want to buy a vowel seems interesting - liking it so far.

For real romantic comedies, I :heartbeat::heartbeat::heartbeat::heartbeat: Georgette Heyer. She writes period romances and she is funny! Her dialogue sparkles, her characters are brilliantly drawn. Like a funny Jane Austen.

[rin]

I really loved Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series (the most recent one is "A Red Herring w/out Mustard"). They're cute, well-written mysteries.

[ehmom]

i really like kate mortenson's books. my favorite was the forgotten garden. they are sort of romantic mysteries that usually span several generations and involve an english castle :)

[sntm]

These are an old series, but I love "the Cat Who..." mysteries. Good but simple writing, not gory, not a lot of sex, simple mysteries. They are the book equivalent of chamomile tea.

[mjs64]

My recent faves:

The night circus
Game of thrones (I'm well into te series now)

[elephantmeg]

I am totally in love with nora roberts bride quartet

http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/features/bride-quartet/index.html

[elephantmeg]

Anything by Adriana Trigiani. I loved Queen of the Big time, Lucia,Lucia,Bravo Valentine and Very Valentine. These are all about very strong women. She also has about 4 books that are a series Big Stone Gap. I have not yet read these.

I am on the middle of Saving Cece Honeycutt.. Love it.

yes love them too-and the big stone gap books as well(I'll admit some predjudice as my parents lived in BSG before I was born and we visited friends there often)

[new_mommy25]

These are an old series, but I love "the Cat Who..." mysteries. Good but simple writing, not gory, not a lot of sex, simple mysteries. They are the book equivalent of chamomile tea.

Loved those!! I went through a phase as a teen where I read every single one. :bighand:

[fivi2]

I've read many of the Charlaine Harris books, and the Flavia de Luce, but those are great ideas, thanks!


Thanks for the other suggestions!

Game of Thrones is pretty much what I don't want right now, lol. :) I don't want a huge doorstop of a book with hundreds of characters and lots of death and depression. And I threw the 4th book across the room and refuse to read another word of that series, but you couldn't have known that!

I saw the movie of Miss Pettigrew (I assume it is the same) and it was cute.

Thanks for the ideas! Off to check for Kindle versions!

[missym]

I'm not sure if they qualify as fluff, but to me they're light reading because they make me laugh and I seem to fly through them... any of the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett. The Tiffany Aching books are particularly good. I just finished I Shall Wear Midnight and I think it's one of his best.

We also like to listen to his books on audio when we are driving on long trips.

[cvanbrunt]

I enjoy the Spellman family mysteries by Lisa Lutz and the Lomax and Biggs books by Marshall Karp. The first one is titled The Rabbit Factory. Loved it!

[artvandalay]

I just read Garden Spells.. I think the author's name is Sarah Addison something or other. Somone on these boards recommended it. It is sort of chick-lit-y, but I really liked it. It's a nice break from dystopia.

[lowrioh]

I like Philippa Gregory's books when I'm in the mood for an easy read.....but I can't tell my book club friends or they may vote me off the island.

[kcimato]

Another easy read is Wonderlust by Brian Selznick. Half the story is told in illustrations(which are beautiful) the other half in prose. The two stories come together in the end. The book is 600 or so pages but you can read it in about 3 days. He also wrote The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I liked Wonderlust better.