How To Pick a Book as a Gift (Part 4): My Recommended

So here are my personal preferences if I am buying a book for a present. I know that some of these are listed in previous posts, but I hope that instead of boring you (and I'm sorry if I am), my persistance to try a book may help you expand the reading experience for yourself or someone else.

Kids:

• Ages 3-5: Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino
• Ages 5-8: The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey (I have even purchased this book for a gift already this year!)
• Ages 9-12: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
• Teen: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Paranormal Romance:

• Dark Prince by Christine Feehan (this is the first book in the series called the Carpathians)
• Note: This series I recommend to any who will listen. This series is enormous and a thrill to read. I have also reread this series more times than I can count and still enjoy it as much as when I first turned its pages.

Romance:

• The Velvet Promise by Jude Devereaux 
• Note: This is a series that is also very large but highly entertaining and a classic romance series. This series starts in the Highlands with the Montgomery family and follows them and their cousins the Taggarts to America and then to the present. It is a full and delightful series. 

Mystery:

• Orchid Beach by Stuart Woods
• Note: I own each book in the series and usually have the new books as soon as they are on the shelf for sale. This author is detailed and a great read, even if you are reading the book for the 15th time!

Science-Fiction:

• Hammerfall by C.J. Cherryh
• Note: This book a colorful and entertaining sci-fi with much mystery and spunk.

Fantasy:

• Rhapsody by Elizabeth Haydon
• Note: This is one of my favorite books (the series is called the Symphony of Ages). I have worn out 3 separate copies of these books by simply reading them. I would recommend this novel and series to anyone who likes fantasy novels.

Non-Fiction:

• Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
• Note: This book is amazing and so informational. There is more culturally and emotionally to being a Geisha and this book is very enlightening and emotionally tuned.

Fiction:

• The Labryinth by Kate Mosse

Classic:

• The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

Historical Fiction:

• The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
• Note: There was an old movie made of this, if you watched it, trust me....the book is way better, and is part of a series, so the story continues, and develops so beautifully and delightfully that you become immersed in the books.

I hope you have been able to find the perfect gift for whomever you like. I hope that if you aren't buying a gift for someone but just want a recommended read, that you try those listed above. If they don't seem like a book you would enjoy, be sure to check out the previous posts for Amazon.com's and Barnes and Nobles recommended, plus some of my own buy genre!

How To Pick a Book as a Gift (Part 3): Amazon's Recommended

So here are Amazon.com's "Recommended" in each genre, plus some of my notes on them. Enjoy!

Kids:

• Age 3-5: Leonardo, The Terrible Monster by Mo Willems
• Age 5-8: The Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osbourne
• Age 9-12: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book by Jeff Kinney
• Teen: Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Paranormal Romance:

• A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole
• Note: I especially enjoy this author. I own most of her books (including this one) myself. She is very creative and fun and I highly recommend reading her novels if you haven't. 

Romance:

• Mr. Maybe by Jane Green

Mystery:

• Lethal by Sandra Brown

Science-Fiction:

• The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
• Note: Reading the synopsis on Amazon, this looks like a great read. I even put it on my "Xmas List."

Fantasy:

• The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers

Non-Fiction:

• Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Fiction:

• While I Was Gone by Sue Miller

Classics:

• Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
• Note: My grandmother had me read this book, and it flared my love for romances and intrigue in a book. So if somehow you have managed to miss reading this book, make sure that you find the time to read it. 

Historical Fiction:

• 30 Pieces of Silver by Carolyn McCray

My Most Recommended up Next! Thanks again for your patience between posts!

How To Pick a Book as a Gift (Part 2): Barnes and Noble's Recommended

I apologize for the delay in posting, and the once two-part, now four-part blogs. There is way too much information to try and put into one blog: you would be asleep long before the end. So, I am going to spread these out across this and the next 2 blogs, according to source. This blog will be about Barnes and Noble's Top Books in each Genre, the next (Part 3), will be Amazon.com's, and the third will be my own!

Kids:

• Ages 3-5: No Two Alike by Keith Baker
• Ages 5-8: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney
• Ages 9-12: The Lost Hero series by Rick Riordan
• Teen: The Future of Us by Jay Ashner and Carolyn Mackler

Paranormal Romance:

• The Guardian by Sherrilyn Kenyon (this is part of a series called the Dark-Hunters/Dream-Hunters/Were-Hunters)
• Note: This author is renowned for her creativity, detail, and characters, and I myself enjoy many of her books,including this series.

Romance:

• The Next Always by Nora Roberts

Mystery:

• V is for Vengence by Sue Grafton (this is part of a series called the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Series)
• Note: I also own quite a few books from this author, and enjoy her unique talents in writing.

Science-Fiction:

• Micro by Michael Chrichton

Fantasy:

• Inheritance by Christopher Paolini (this is part of the 'Eragon' series, called the Inheritance Cycle)
• Note: I love this series. It is one of my favorites to read on my own or with my son.

Non-Fiction:

• Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard

Fiction:

• The Litigators by John Grisham

Classics:

• Hans Christian Anderson: The Complete Fairy Tales

Historical Fiction:

• 11/22/63 by Stephen King

How To Pick a Book as a Gift (Part 1):

With the Holidays looming in, we are set up for "Secret Santa," company parties, and "drawing names" with our friends, family members, and co-workers. But what do you get the person who only wants books if you just don't want to get a gift card? I thought about how I pick out a book for one of my friends or siblings, and came up with an excellent list:

1. Do you see the person reading? Ask them to talk about the book or its author. Find out what genre it is and if it is a series. Do they recommend the author/book to you? Then try to find a book that is by that author, either a singular novel or a later book in the series they are currently reading.

2. B.S. it. Yep, tell them you are buying a book for your friend or family member and ask them if there is a book they would recommend or that they know is a good book? Ask them if there is a particular one they think is amazing that may be coming out soon.

3. If those 3 ideas don't work, then try to go to their house to see their bookshelf (of course, going into a house may not work for a coworker) for recommendations, or ask them to loan you a book that they enjoyed reading. Using the title/author that they provide, you can find out what genre they make be currently reading or enjoy. Then find a book store and their most recommended novel in that genre (make sure it is not a series unless you know the specific number that the person wants, or it is the first book). This may not be the exact book that the person is looking for, but most people will read and enjoy a book (even if its an author that they have never heard of) that is within the genre that they provide you with.

4. Barring these steps, if you still cannot find a book that a person wants, just try your local bookstore and find a book seller. They can help, and refer you to all different kinds of novels. Sometimes you may not want to work this hard with the other 3 ideas (such as a co worker that you hardly know), so a good book may be recommended by the book seller that is fun/relaxing and is appropriate for the workplace, such as a book of business jokes.

With these rules in mind, I am creating a "Recommended Reads of 2011" in all major genres. I will include the recommendations from 2 major booksellers, and then my own personal recommendation in each genre. As this list will take time to complete (and would make this post MILES longer), I will post the list tomorrow.

Book Club and Read-of-the Month!

I enjoy discussing a book I've read with my family and friends, and sometimes even complete strangers! I truly enjoy discussing the ins and outs and interesting plots lines, characters, etc. So, I started a book club on Facebook. I will NOT designate a genre, as I hope to expand some genre horizons with the club. If you want to join the forums and chats, please check out the "Read-of-the-Month" below, and click the link on the left to join us on Facebook. Otherwise, if you have a request/recommendation, feel free to post it there! Thanks!

Read-of-the-Month (Dec. 2011):

          The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Note: Don't like the genre or book suggested? Don't worry! Make a recommendation and we might read it for the next month! I will not put 2 books of the same genre/series for back-to-back months, to be sure that we are not always (or often) reading the same genre.

Great Book for Dog Training!

I have a 1 1/2 year old healthy, happy weimaraner. She is well trained and obedient. If you don't know much about this breed of dog, there are a few things to remember...they are very energetic and intelligent dogs. My weimaraner needs complex and new tricks to do constantly, and if weimaraners become bored, things get destroyed. So I do daily training with her, and I found 2 books that have saved our lives, because they have easy to follow training steps and complex tricks to do, and they take up lots of time and training and help with a dog that needs daily mental stimulation like weimaraners, terriers, etc. These are the best books I have found to help with training:

1. 51 Puppy Tricks by Kyra Sundance

• This is for puppies 0-2 years. There are all kinds of cool tricks to do in here, from just starting clicker training to complex tricks like putting away their own toys! 

2. 101 Dog Tricks by Kyra Sundance

• This one says for dogs 2 and older, but some of the tricks are simple enough to do with puppies. This has additional tricks to teach your dog if you find that you cannot teach your dog some of the "puppy" tricks (some require steps that I haven't started training with my dog yet), this is a good alternative until you do/can.

Note:  You do not need to worry if you did not train your dog with clicker training, these tricks do not necessarily need that specific type of training to complete. Use what works best as motivation with your pup.

Plot Lines to Blow You Away!

Do you enjoy the twisting and turning plot lines that never end or absolutely shock you? I do! I love them! So here are a few of my favorite reads when I want a book that makes my brain keep processing information even after the book is read!

1. Christine Feehan's GhostWalkers series (Paranormal Romance).

• This series takes so many twists and turns that you cannot even follow all the paths (and I've reread this series many times and still find myself lost). Warning though: do NOT  read this series out of order, or you cannot make sense of things and will spoil the rest of the series! But if you read it in order, it will sure take you for many, many turns and twists.

2. Trudi Canavan's Age of the Five trilogy (Fantasy).

• Wow, what a shocker at the end. The characters provide all the twists and turns, and the author makes it obvious that she wants you to understand why the character made their decision, and that her story changes as often as people do. This is a series you cannot miss!

3. Stan Nichols The Dreamtime trilogy (Fantasy).

• This series you cannot skip. The ending is not quite what you expect, and you cannot know the ending until it hits. This is also a "page-turner" series, one that is very hard to put down once you have picked it up. 

4. Tad Williams' Otherworld series (Sci-Fi).

• This series spans time, space, and electronics. This series is so complicated and technical that you can't help but get lost. The author does an amazing job of bringing all of his characters and plots together into an unforseen twist!

5. Patricia McKillip's The Riddlemaster trilogy/book (Fantasy).

• What a creative and emotional novel with all the twists you would expect from a real riddle. I have this book in one single bound volume, but I believe it was originally released in individual books. This series is so colorfully written and you have to use your brain so much in this book that you can't help but think about it for weeks after!

Note: I also have other books/series that I would have placed in this post, but they have already been mentioned (and I don't want to repeat myself), so check out the previous posts if you want more!