What is your go-to book?

[Sommer Leigh]

I'm in a bit of a funk.

I suspect part of it is NaNoWriMo but not entirely because while I've found time to write and research, I have also found time to play and finish Fable 3 and start Dragon Age: Origins on my XBox, so I'm not at a loss for free time. And come to think of it, my problem started in October, not November.

I'm not reading much lately.

On average I tackle 7-12 books a month. I read during every scrap of time I can get my hands on. I always have a book on hand. But since the beginning of October, nothing has been able to hold my attention. Nothing is really nagging at me to be read. I have plenty in my To-Be-Read Pile, but none of it is calling to me.

I managed to finish:
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld in October
Crescendo by Becca Fitzgerald in October
The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty in November

Two books in one month. So far one book in November and the month is more than half over. It's freaking me out a little.

Does this happen to you? Do you have any go-to books you can pick up any time and re-fall in love with over and over again? I have two, Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, but they aren't helping. I skimmed Jellicoe Road the other day for my favorite parts, but the whole time I felt kind of anxious. I think I'm looking for something to make a big impression on me to refill my reading engines. Does that make sense?

90% of what I read is YA or "classics." The only book that has made me kind of want to buy it was a review I read of The Unidentified by Rae Mariz. But, I don't know. In the past week I've started two books I knew I wasn't going to finish. The Court of the Air by Stephen Hunt and The Cabinet of Wonders by Marie Rutkoski and I don't want another book to fall prey to this.

Does anyone have any really fantastic recommendations? Anything at all. The best of the best.

[sierramcconnell]

Crescendo by Becca Fitzgerald in October

Fitzpatrick.

I read that in five hours while laying in bed. She is amazing and I love her. I read the first one in less than a day while waiting for surgery. XD

Nothing like a hot fallen angel before being knocked out. XD

I haven't anything to offer you, I haven't a go to book, but I did read Hush Hush twice. XD

I really only read angel books anymore. I was thinking of giving The Fallen by Thomas E Sniegoski another read through. It wasn't THAT great on the writing, a lot of errors and stuff and people dying, but he made great characters I think. Aside from the main character's mary sueish tendancies for a boy. XD It's been calling to me from the shelf. Darn hot Nephilim boys. Oh, and he researched a lot obviously since the angels he used were real and stuck to what their names meant from the encyclopedia I have. XD

[Robin]

(hangs head in shame)
The usual suspects when I just want something (anything) to read are trashy romance novels. They are cheap (to read on my Ipad), short, and I can usually knock one out within a few hours. Plus, they are such a great escape.

[sierramcconnell]

(hangs head in shame)
The usual suspects when I just want something (anything) to read are trashy romance novels. They are cheap (to read on my Ipad), short, and I can usually knock one out within a few hours. Plus, they are such a great escape.

Have you read the Demonica Series by Larissa Ione? It's the only romance series I've read. I got dragged into it by friends and the fact that it involved demons and fallen angels kept me. At least until their sister turned into such a whiner. XD Thankfully, that was the last book. XD (Of course, I would have liked to see more from the werewolf village. That was kinda cool... XD)

[Down the well]

Always, for me, my go-to is Jane Austen. Love her.

And I'm stuck too. Nothing has captured my imagination lately. It's been at least six months since I've read anything I've really wanted to recommend. Sad. I'm almost desperate enough to read FREEDOM.

[Sommer Leigh]

Crescendo by Becca Fitzgerald in October

Fitzpatrick.

urk. I knew that. I was thinking about The Great Gatsby I think. I like Becca Fitzpatrick a lot too. I loved Hush Hush and Crescendo wasn't half as good but it was ok. I like her characters and I think her covers are the most beautiful ever.

[sierramcconnell]

urk. I knew that. I was thinking about The Great Gatsby I think. I like Becca Fitzpatrick a lot too. I loved Hush Hush and Crescendo wasn't half as good but it was ok. I like her characters and I think her covers are the most beautiful ever.

Oh, they are, they are. I agree that it wasn't near as good as Hush Hush. I think Nora was acting a little stupid in parts and I wish Patch would have smacked her. But now I really can't wait for the next one, since they ended on a cliffie like that!

Patch is just so geniune and honest. He's probably one of the only book guys I've actually ever wanted to know. Because he's real. He doesn't lie.

[Sommer Leigh]

urk. I knew that. I was thinking about The Great Gatsby I think. I like Becca Fitzpatrick a lot too. I loved Hush Hush and Crescendo wasn't half as good but it was ok. I like her characters and I think her covers are the most beautiful ever.

Oh, they are, they are. I agree that it wasn't near as good as Hush Hush. I think Nora was acting a little stupid in parts and I wish Patch would have smacked her. But now I really can't wait for the next one, since they ended on a cliffie like that!

Patch is just so geniune and honest. He's probably one of the only book guys I've actually ever wanted to know. Because he's real. He doesn't lie.

I also like that he's not always very nice and heroic. He's all complicated :-) I also liked, especially so in Hush, Hush, how Patch didn't put up with much of Nora's teenager stupidity. His patience with her was sometimes quite limited, which I think is missing from a lot of literary boys. They put up with a lot more than I think most would. I mean, I know girls and boys can do and act incredibly stupid, but I also know we are (mostly) good at calling each other on it when it's gotten out of hand.

I liked Crescendo but I spent a lot of the book banging my head over the incredibly bad communication going on between characters. Most of the problems were completely self imposed and self created. If the characters would have just talked much of the conflict would have disappeared.

I also LOVED the twist in Hush Hush. It was one of the few I didn't really see coming. It made me really love the book.

[sierramcconnell]

I also like that he's not always very nice and heroic. He's all complicated :-) I also liked, especially so in Hush, Hush, how Patch didn't put up with much of Nora's teenager stupidity. His patience with her was sometimes quite limited, which I think is missing from a lot of literary boys.

TOTALLY. Why can't they make boys like this?

[dios4vida]

For a classic, my go-to is The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. I don't know how many times I've read it but it's just an amazing book. It's full of darkness and revenge and all things twisted but somehow it's just beautiful. I also love The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco and Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Since I'm primarily a fantasy girl, my go-tos are Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Demon Awakens by R.A. Salvatore (first of my favorite series), and any of the Dresden Files novels.

[Mira]

So, you're looking for YA recommendations? I assume you've read the Book Thief, since you like steampunk? You didn't say what genres you like.

Need more information. :)

My go to books are old favorites - like Down the Well, Jane Austen is a safe bet. Harry Potter, LOTR. LIghthearted YA and chick lit.

But I need more genre info! :)

[Leonidas]

My go-to books are anything by Jack London, The IceMark Chronicles, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, and The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson.

So much love for those books.

[Fenris]

I like Call of Wild by Jack London, but I haven't read any of his other works (sorry, Leonidas!). I think my primary "go-to" book, or in this case series, would be Harry Potter, for two reasons: it's a great series, and it's my genre, so I go back to it frequently to see if I can pick up any writing tips. I don't think I'd be too far off the mark if I said that series was what inspired me to write in the first place. I also like The Olympians by Rick Riordan, because I like the sass its characters have that is absent from a lot of other fantasy. It's refreshing after all the heavy, somber dialogue you see in some of the "higher" fantasy like LOTR (though the Hobbit was one of my favorite books ever).

I also liked Homer's Odyssey, but that's a whole 'nother ball game. :)

[androidblues]

Kira-Kira and Love, Stargirl. I can read those any day.

[Cookie]

I would have to say LOTR or anything by Anne Rice. But for YA or Children's, I really liked Beastly and of course Howl's Moving Castle. I highly recommend both of those.
I am on a pretty big paranormal/fantasy YA kick lately. Does anyone have any recommendations besides Crescendo (which I was eying Hush Hush anyways, and now I think I have to check out based upon the raves in this thread)?