Books for pure enjoyment

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lotusblossom

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Okay, so I have five weeks left until I’m due to have this baby! In the meantime, I’d love to fill my time reading and will maybe want to do this after the baby too.

I am looking for recommendations for entertaining books that are more secular, I guess - ones that I can find at a public library, since right now I’m too poor to buy books. I’d like fiction or interesting non-fiction…I’m a girly-girl and used to spend my teenage years reading Christian romances. I don’t want trash - just something that isn’t too thought-provoking or scary.

Any ideas?
 
I just finished “The Last Stand of Father Felix” by Leonard Wibberley. It was about 150 pages or so… about a missionary priest during a tribal war in Africa. Very engrossing read. 🙂
 
Is it “brain candy” you’re wanting then? Try these!

Beverly Lewis’ Amish series–“Heritage of Lancaster County”, “Abram’s Daughters”, “Annie’s People”. There are three to five books in each series and she has a couple others (“The Postcard”, “The Crossroad”, “Sanctuary”) that stand alone.

If you want a suspense story (with a Catholic flavor, a little romance, and little if any gore), read anything by Mary Higgins Clark (well, almost… I had problems with “Weep No More, My Lady” and “Stillwatch”, mainly because the characters were involved in fornication or an extramarital affair. Nothing blatant, but still…) Even her memoir, “Kitchen Privileges” was a fun read!

And I don’t know about any of her other books, but Danielle Steel wrote one called “The Gift” that was just a wonderful sweet story. Check it out!

That’s my 2 cents worth!
 
If you want some light and easy, fun reads I suggest Terry Pratchett, Barbara Michaels, James Patterson, Nora Roberts.

Pratchett does fantasy–he has a world called Discworld, his books are just hilarious and fun. Michaels I like for her mysteries, though there is a thread of 70s style feminism running through them; it’s hard for me to relate to, but interesting none the less. Patterson–pretty good mystery novels, not complex, but fun. I also like Nora Roberts; I’m not much of a romance reader, but she has some good plots. There are usually a couple of sex scenes, but it’s easy to skip over them and get back to the story.

Hope that helps! I hope the last few weeks of your pregnancy go well!
 
The all time most entertaining book ever - Gone With The Wind!!
With 5 weeks, you can easily read it.
It’s got everything; romance, war, family disfunction, unrequited love, you name it.
I love this book so much that since I first read it at 18, if since read it about 15 more times.
I know what’s going to happen and I just can’t wait.
 
bluerose said:
Is it “brain candy” you’re wanting then? Try these!

Beverly Lewis’ Amish series–“Heritage of Lancaster County”, “Abram’s Daughters”, “Annie’s People”. There are three to five books in each series and she has a couple others (“The Postcard”, “The Crossroad”, “Sanctuary”) that stand alone…!
Click to expand...
You will not be disappointed with these. And some Jodi Picoult to round it out
Kathy
 
Have you read any of the Number 1 Ladie’s Detective Agency series by Alexander Mc Call Smith? Very enjoyable (and easy) reading about a Botswanian detective. I read somewhere that there is going to be a movie soon!

Whenever I need a good laugh I pull out my Erma Bombeck collection. If you can find Four of a Kind, I highly recommend it - esp her essays on Motherhood.

Have you read *A Tree Grows in Brooklyn *by Betty Smith?
 
Maeve Binchy. She has novels and short stories.

Irish author - books are set in Ireland. Very easy to read and very likable characters.
 
catsrus said:
The all time most entertaining book ever - Gone With The Wind!!
With 5 weeks, you can easily read it.
It’s got everything; romance, war, family disfunction, unrequited love, you name it.
I love this book so much that since I first read it at 18, if since read it about 15 more times.
I know what’s going to happen and I just can’t wait.
Click to expand...
I second the vote. It’s one of my favorites too.If you like your love stories epic, here is another :Quo Vadis?
by Hendrik Sienkewicz. It’s set during the early Christian Days, about a young Roman learning about the Christian faith through the love of a woman.
Or try: Shadow of the Moon by M.M. Kaye
The Far Pavillions by M.M. Kaye
both are epic love stories set in Colonial Indian times;absolutely riveting!
Good luck and God’s blessings for you and your baby.
 
If I may recommend what author to stay away from (IMO), do not purchase anything by Debbie Macomber. She is extremely anti-Catholic and she weaves it into her stories. She’s not subtle about it either.

:twocents:
 
Thanks so much for all your replies! 🙂 This has given me a good list, I think :)…to begin with anyway ;). I went to the library this evening to pick up tax forms and look into books - I picked out a Mary Higgins Clark book and a couple other ones that were recommended by friends before. I will definitely look into the rest when I finish these…I’m SOO excited! 😃 Reading has always been a favorite pasttime, but since I’ve been in college and then life just got way too busy (marriage, work, and now baby…along with tons of other commitments), I haven’t had much time. Now that I do, I’m looking forward to sticking my nose in a book or several and not coming out for a while :). Thanks again!

Any more recommendations are welcome too :).
 
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