Response to Week Three Prompt

Reading Suggestions

Q: 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!

A: The series is called Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter the fourth book is The laughing Corpse Book 2: Necromancer.

Q: 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.

A: I would suggest Star Lake Saloon and Housekeeping Cottages by Sara Roth because it is mainstream fiction, lyrical, and subject of nature conservation the same as Prodigal Summer and it is engaging. My other suggestion is Anthill by Edward Wilson because it is lyrical, lush and richly detailed similarly to Prodigal Summer and it is an ecofiction as well. 

Q: 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! 

A: Here are three suggestions that all take place in Japan and are historical fiction. 

• The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Michell, it is richly detailed and intricately plotted and was rated 4 stars out of 5 on Novelist.
• The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery, it is descriptive, richly detailed, leisurely paced and sweeping. Rated 3 stars out of 5 on Novelist.
• The Final Storm by Jeff Shaara, it is descriptive, richly detailed and compelling. It is rated 4 stars out of 5 on Novelist.

Q: 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?

A: I would suggest A Possibility of Violence by Dror Mishani it has all the same appeal mystery stories, police procedural, intricately plotted, suspenseful and both have psychologically tense investigations into violent crimes. It does not have the gritty appeal that the John Sandford novels tend to have and it does not appear to be creepy based on the description. 

Q: 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?

A: Try these two titles:

• The First Days by Rhiannan Frater the 1st book in a new series that has zombies and is apocalyptic fiction, fast-paced, gruesome, and compelling.
• Blackout by Mira Grant is described as a post-zombie America that is fast-paced, action-packed, suspenseful and violent.

My Readers' Advisory Sources

When looking for the next book in a series or other books by the same author I always use Novelist and I have been for years. Novelist is great for finding series and helping others find books as well. One time a library user was trying to find a book but didn't know the title or author, she only knew a little about the plot. I used the advanced search and searched keywords from the plot and found the book she was looking for. Another good source is Goodreads, it is a social networking site that you can track and rate what you have read. I like it because there are always lots of reviews from readers that I can read to determine if a book is worth my time. It is a social network site in the sense that you can see what your friends are reading. If I am looking for a new book to read I like to use the the old fashioned readers' advisory I ask a friend or co-worker for a recommendation. So far I have not been lacking of books I want to read I keep a list because I cannot read them as fast as they are recommended to me.