Do you read me??

So I warned you that I was gonna do a little book review post and since my friend Megan said Ok - that was all the encouragement I needed! So, here ya go Megan! And, yk, anyone else that's interested. ;-)

I like different kinds of books but I don't generally read non-fiction. I read to escape not to be made aware of other reality. Also, I almost never re-read a book. Read it once and then I'm done. Finished. Kaput. I already know how it ends so what's the point in reading it again?!?

Friday Night Knitting Club - good chick lit about friends and life. I was not enamored with the ending (I may have thrown the book, who knows.) but I still really liked the book and am on the wait list for the sequel. 4 out of 5 stars.

Sweet Ruin - I picked this book up on a whim at Borders in the discount bin one day. It was ok. There were aspects of it that I liked but I felt like the author tried to cram too many disasters into the book and didn't fully address them, yk? The writing wasn't terrible, I just thought the author was a little overambitious with the subject matter. 3 out of 5 stars.

Good in Bed - NOT a porn book, I promise. LOL I really liked this book. I love Jennifer's writing - she's quick witted and sarcastic and funny. But she goes to that deep, dark place and isn't scared of shadows, either. Good stuff. On the wait list for the sequel, Certain Girls. 4 out of 5 stars. Also, if you like chick lit that isn't too fluffy then you should definitely read any of Jennifer's books!

Ask Again Later - This was a good book - I enjoyed reading it. I picked it up because I really liked her first book, Girls' Poker Club. It didn't make me think or anything, it was just a good, quick read. 4 out of 5 stars.

Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me? - oddly enough, this is non-fiction. A memoir of sorts, you could say. I had heard about this author/blogger from a friend and the title of the book was fabulous, so I picked it up. I liked the book. It was pretty good - and definitely had funny parts. I picked up the next book from her, Bitter is the New Black : Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass,Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office and didn't finish it. It was sarcastic and witty at the beginning, like her first book, but petered out at the end. I ended up taking myself OFF the wait list for her other two books. But, people have RAVED about her books and how funny she is so who knows, you might like her. 3 out of 5 stars for the first book, 2 out of 5 for the second.

Slummy Mummy - couldn't get into it. Didn't even get halfway through it before I put it up on Paperback Swap. No stars.

Liar's Diary - Great book. I really liked it and am looking forward to reading more from this author! 5 out of 5 stars. Publish another book SOON Ms. Francis!

The Almost Moon - I picked this book up because I thoroughly enjoyed reading this author in her previous books The Lovely Bones and Lucky. I did not enjoy this book at all, and found it to be tedious to read, so I didn't finish. I highly recommend her other books, but not this one.

Comfort Food - this book is by the same author of The Friday Night Knitting Club and the reason I picked that book up. It was a good, fun, quick read. 4 out of 5 stars.

Turning Tables - Kind of like a fiction Nanny Diaries of the restaurant business. It was witty, funny and a quick read. (Sense a theme with me, yet? HA!) 4 out of 5 stars.

Good Gravy, this is getting long, isn't it? Ok - how about this - the following are authors that I NEVER miss. I read everything (well, nearly) they put out:

Jodi Picoult - duh, You knew that was coming, right? She's brilliant. There are times I have to put the book I'm reading down and walk away, to remind myself that what is happening in the book is NOT happening in my life. I am currently awaiting the arrival of her newest book, House Rules and I can not WAIT. Her most recent novels Handle With Care, Nineteen Minutes, Change of Heart, and Vanishing Acts are amazing. I didn't love Tenth Circle and didn't read Wonder Woman. Her early stuff is just as good as the most recent things. I will STRONGLY encourage you, though, to actually read the book My Sister's Keeper if you've only seen the movie. I promise, it's worth it.

Amanda Eyre Ward - she's a newer author for me. I read one of her books, based on a review I read in People magazine, and then I quickly snatched up everything she's written and devoured it. LOVE her. How to Be Lost, Sleep Toward Heaven, Forgive Me and even the short story compilation of Love Stories in this Town. Loved them ALL, but How to Be Lost was my favorite. Can't wait for her to write something else!

Elizabeth Berg - oh, How I love Ms. Berg. These aren't light reads - like Jodi Picoult and Amanda Eyre Ward. These are books you invest in. Stories you get tangled in. Open House was my first read. Please don't let the fact that it was an Oprah pick detour you. It is a fabulous book. From there I read everything previous and continued to read whatever novels she put out. I've currently got The Last Time I Saw You on my Wish List to read.

Jill Kargman - she's not deep. Quite the contrary, she's fluffy. She's a fun read. She delves into the lives of the uber-rich and utterly spoiled in New York with a caustic tongue. It's pure fantasy for me. Trash. HA! GOOD trash - don't take that wrong! I started with Momzillas and then read The Ex-Mrs. Hedgefund. Then I went back and read the books she wrote with Carrie Karasyov, Wolves in Chic Clothing and The Right Address. I haven't read her teen-lit stuff, though. And, just by going to her site right now, I discovered there's a new book and I'm gonna run and place it on my wish list right quick!

So, you know I like fluffy chick lit stuff and I like the deep, dark twisty stories that rip your guts out. But, I also like books by men. HA! HA HA! Like these:

James Patterson - I heart him. I wish he'd stop partnering with people to write, though. I want to see something from HIM and just him, again. I specifically like his Alex Cross series (you might've seen the movies Along Came a Spider or Kiss the Girls). I NEVER miss those. And I really like the Women's Murder Club series. His newer series featuring Michael Bennett is fab, too. His books are the fastes reads EVER. You speed through the book to get to the end. I don't read his Maximum Ride or Daniel X series and probably won't read his Witch & Wizard book. I'm just not into the sci-fi-ish stuff, but if you are you might really like them!

John Sandford - LOVE the Prey series. but have read every single one of his fiction books published to date. I'm currently waiting to receive Storm Prey so I can eat that one up!

Jeffrey Deaver - I started with his Lincoln Rhyme series and went from there. Remember the movie The Bone Collector? Based on his first Lincoln Rhyme novel. I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of Roadside Crosses from his Kathryn Dance series and just put The Burning Wire on my wish list.

Johnathan Kellerman - Another series love. LOL Alex Delaware. LOVE those books. I also enjoy reading his wife, Faye Kellerman's, books. In fact, my blog name is the name of one of her novels and one of my very first blogs was called Milk & Honey which is also the name of one of her novels.

Harlan Coben - he writes twisty, turny, suspenseful mystery. Oh look, another series author - HA! Myron Bolitar is awesome. Harlan's stand alone books are great, too. I've got his newest novel, Caught, on my wish list.

Michael Connelly - Another mystery series (Harry Bosch is my favorite) writer that's just too good to pass up! I've got his 9 Dragons on my wish list and just added The Reversal, as well.

I guess that's enough. I could still go on! These are just books from the past 6-9 months. Well, except my favorite authors - those span over the years.

I just realized I didn't even mention my favorite Christian Fiction like Terri Blackstock, Dee Henderson, the Yada Yada Prayer Group series. Just to mention a few.

What do you think? Got an author or book to recommend? Have you read any of the above books? Got an opinion to add?? What're you reading RIGHT NOW??