Hello! The fourth book in the Anita Blake series is called “The Lunatic Cafe”. A great resource for following book series is KDL’s What’s Next. You can search by your favorite author’s name, or by the series/book title!
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.
Another book you might be interested in is Anna Quindlen’s “Blessings”. Anna’s writing, like Barbara, is descriptive and lyrical, and the plot is about an elderly couple who find a baby on their doorstep and decide to raise it in secret. The plot definitely seems fast-paced! If “Blessings” is too dramatic, another book you might be interested in is “The Little Paris Bookshop” by Nina George. Nina’s writing style is also descriptive, and the plot is a heartwarming love story.
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!
“The Teahouse Fire” by Ellis Avery seems like it would be right up your alley. It is told from an American orphan’s point of view when she is adopted into a Japanese family in 19th century Japan. The writing is descriptive and engaging, and told at a leisurely pace.
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?
I’m not sure if you are aware, but Well-Schooled in Murder is actually part of a series (book 3) by Elizabeth George - Inspector Lynley Series. If you’d like, I could print you out a list of all the books in this series. If you’re looking for something different, “The Man With a Load of Mischief” by Martha Grimes could be fun. Similar to “Well-Schooled in Murder” this book is also a murder mystery, but with a little bit of humor to counteract the scary!
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?
“Feed” by Mira Grant is part of a trilogy of zombie books. It’s fast paced, suspenseful, and violent, like all good zombie reads. If he hasn’t read “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson it is a great read, and was made into a movie in 2007 that gained a lot of popular attention.
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.
- “The Children Act” by Ian McEwan is about a Judge who is forced to rule on if a seventeen year old boy must get a blood transfusion that might possibly save his life, or respect his religion and let him die. This book was made into a film in 2017.
- “Bel Canto” by Ann Patchett is another one you might be interested in. This one is based on a true story about terrorists hijacking a politicians party. The film came out in 2018.
- “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman is the story of a grumpy old man who, after the death of his wife, decides he no longer wishes to live. He is set on taking his own life, until quirky neighbors move in to the house next door and give him a new outlook on life. This book was adapted into a film in 2015, and received raving reviews!
Two authors that come to mind are Agatha Christie and Mary Higgins Clark. How about you try “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” by Mary Higgins Clark. It is book one of her popular Under Suspicion series, and I think you will really enjoy this series! If you want to try Agatha Christie, she has a few books that have been recently made into movies - “Crooked House” and “Murder on the Orient Express”. Once you finish reading these you can check out the movies and see how well they compare!
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I personally use Goodreads for my book recommendations. I like to see what my friends are reading, and see if any titles just jump out at me. I love and trust the GoodReads rating system, and I feel like this website never lets me down. Another way I find books is by looking on Amazon’s best sellers list for anything that stands out. Sometimes, I just browse the shelves at local bookstores or libraries and just see if a cover grabs my attention. I’m guilty of pre-judging books by their covers when browsing like this. If a cover looks interesting and well done, I’ll likely check it out!