One of the best books I've read in the last 6 months is .

[Onward]

I just finished Madame Tussaud. Loved it and enjoyed (not sure if that is the right word for the event) learning about the French Revolution.

The other book that I also had a hard time putting down was Nothing to Envy about life in North Korea. Heartbreaking and fascinating. A look at how the poor regular people have had to live in that country.

[worrywart]

ELY, DH and I really enjoyed the movie, Lincoln Lawyer, and would recommend it to all.

[ELY]

^ I’m looking forward to seeing the movie. Have you read any of his books? The follow-up book to LINCOLN LAWYER is THE BRASS VERDICT (I have it loaded on my IPad, ready to read next.)

[3bysmom]

I just finished “The Invisible Bridge” by Julie Orringer - a story about a Hungarian Jewish family during WWII. really long but a great read! Now I am re-reading Jane Eyre before I get to go see the movie!

[Onward]

mamom and alwaysamom, Maeve Binchy is my guilty pleasure too. Whenever I feel really stressed, I like to take one of her books, a glass of wine and take a bubble bath. I let myself become immersed in the lives of the people in a little town of Ireland. I haven’t bought the new one yet. I will have to get it in print as I can’t take the Nook in the bathtub.

[worrywart]

ELY, I’ve just placed a hold at my library on The Brass Verdict. Thanks for the tip. We’ll have to compare notes.

[ignatius]

@LasMa

I’m about halfway through Shanghai Girls about two Depression-era Chinese sisters who are sold as brides to Chinese-American men. Excellent.

@CBBBlinker

Read “Shanghai Girls” for my local Book Club last month. Enjoyed it and learned quite a bit. As is often the case in many novels, some of the events were a little too improbable/coincidental. But, all in all, a good read.

The sequel to Shanghai Girls comes out in May: Dreams of Joy.

[dbwes]

The Mickey Haller series continues after Brass Verdict with the Reversal and the new one, the Fifth Witness. Haller also makes a cameo in one of Connelly’s Harry Bosch books, Nine Dragons.

[worrywart]

Thanks for the heads up, dbwes. I’m about 20% into Brass Verdict and enjoying it as a light “summer” read.

[CBBBlinker]

3bysmom – I’m about 85% of the way through The Invisible Bridge (on my Kindle). I’m enjoying it a lot! You’re right-- it is long. And every once a while there’s some little “side” plot line that makes me wonder, “Why did the author include that?” Not enough to detract from the book, but still …

[SodiumFree]

@garland

Just read Swamplandia! by Karen Russell. Interesting characters and story, and absolutely gorgeous writing–one great line after another.

I’m so glad you recommended this book, garland. I had read a positive review of it somewhere, which got me to download a sample onto my Kindle. I do that with a lot of books, though, and having a sample on my Kindle does not necessarily mean I will actually get around to reading the book.

But when I read your recommendation here, I decided to give it a try. I’m so glad I did. You are right about the writing – it is gorgeous. The story itself gets quite intense, and I found I was reading fast, wanting to find out what happened to Ava and Osceola. But then I realized I needed to slow down, to savor those beautiful sentences.

So I second garland’s recommendation; this is a wonderful book.

Now I have a sample of Karen Russell’s book of short stories, St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves, on my Kindle, and I look forward to reading that as well.

[SodiumFree]

To enjoy after having read Swamplandia!: [an</a> interview of the author](<a href=“http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2011/02/the-exchange-karen-russell-on-swamplandia.html]an”>The Exchange: Karen Russell on “Swamplandia!” | The New Yorker).

[SWTCAT]

“Night Road” by Kristen Hannah..as a mom or parent..it will haunt you..I could not put it down!
Also agree that “Breaking Night” by Liz Murray is wonderful..a memoir about a homeless girl who makes it to Harvard..another must read!

[garland]

Sodiumfree–that’s great to hear that a recommendation found a reader. I’m so glad you liked the book. I’ll have to check out the interview, thanks.

[FallGirl]

I never read “The Memory Keepers Daughter” but I enjoyed “The Lake of Dreams” also by Kim Edwards, so now it’s on my must read list.

[SDonCC]

So glad I looked at this thread, because it brought me to “Peace like a River.” Loved it. What a beautiful writer!!

[Amesie]

Maeve Binchy is my guilty pleasure too. Whenever I feel really stressed, I like to take one of her books, a glass of wine and take a bubble bath.

I need a good read-in-the-bathtub book, too. Which Maeve Binchy would be best to start with?

[MomLive]

Glad to hear some people loved * Peace Like a River*. I loved it, thought it was a beautiful story, well written… enthusiastically recommended it to my book club and they hated it. I think it is too literary for a lot of people. I’ve found the reading world is divided into two camps - those who appreciate fine writing and those who don’t ‘get’ it.

I will have to get it in print as I can’t take the Nook in the bathtub.

FWIW, I take my Kindle into the bathtub every night. They sell splash-proof cases for it, though a big zip lock baggie also works.

[fourkidsmom]

the earlier Maeve Binchy’s were much better then her last two, in my opinion.
Reading The Lake of Dreams, by Edwards who wrote the Memory Keepers Daughter. Good start

[mafool]

Speaking of Peace Like a River, any opinions about Leif Enger’s other books?