Musing Mondays, Book Recommendations
By APOOO • Dec 29th, 2008 • Category: Monday Musings •
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I recommend books on a regular basis to book club members and fellow bibliophiles. Just recommended several books within the last few minutes.
I recommend books primarily to fellow book lovers…but I have been known to add my two cents to conservations I’ve overheard in book stores…hehe.
For a book to make it to my recommendation list…it must go against the status quo…it needs to be UNIQUE, CREATIVELY CRAFTED and well-written. The editing must be superb (an error here or there is acceptable but if I start counting them…hmmm your book won’t be recommended), the plot must be visible and trackable, the characters must be developed, the pacing must be fluid, and the point of views should be stable (and not all over the place). Books that I recommend are those which made an impression on me, that I can’t stop thinking about, and that will be on my mind long after I close the last page.
Here’s my 2008 African American Book Recommendations List(hope to have several more before the end of the year; while all books might not have been by an African American author they all included African American characters):
How Did I Get So Busy by Valorie Burton
Once Upon a Project by Bettye Griffin
Conception by Kalisha Buckhanon
Slow Burn by Ebony Farashuu
Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice
Yellow Moon by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Run by Ann Patchett
You Gotta Sin to Get Saved by JD Mason
Going Down South by Bonnie Glover-
Song Yet Sung by James McBride
Cross Country by James Patterson
House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper
Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
God Gave Me Some Bad Advice by Byron Harmon
The Naked Truth by Marvelyn Brown
Sinful Too by Victor McGlothin
Book of Lies by Brad Metzer
The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent
Testimony by Anita Shreve
Murder on the Down Low by Pamela Samuels-Young
Something Like Beautiful by asha bandele
The Some Day List by Stacy Hawkins Adams
Red Light Green Light by Margaret Johnson Hodge
Too Much of a Good Thing by JJ Murray
DISCUSSION QUESTION
So what books made your 2008 Recommended Reads List?
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APOOO is an online author and reader community dedicated to advancing African American literature. Our mission is to expose readers of all ages to a good book in any genre; to support African American authors, books, literary events and bookclubs; to provide marketing resources, tools and tips to authors; and, to promote literacy within the African American community.
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I read heavily in Christian fiction and I don’t read nearly as much as you guys, only about 3 books a month, but here’s my list:
Gather Together In My Name by Tracy Price Thompson
Too Little, Too Late by Victoria Christopher Murray
Gotta Keep Trying by Deberry and Grant
Exorsistah by Claudia Mair Burney
Zora and Nicky by Claudia Mair Burney
Wounded by Claudia Mair Burney
Dance Into Destiny by Sherri Lewis
Watercolored Pearls by Stacy Hawkins Adams
Desperate Hoodwives by Mink and Diamond
Keeping Misery Company by Michelle Larks
Murder on the Down Low by Pamela Samuels Young
The Someday List is actually a 2009 title. Not released yet, so please keep Stacy on the 2009 list. She’ll appreciate it.
)
I recommend books to anyone who will listen, everyone on my Christmas list got books from me in addition to other gifts:
My list:
It’s All About Love by Susan Taylor
Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice
Rythms by Marilyn Griffith
Outside Beauty by Susan Kadahota
The Naked Truth by Marvelyn Brown
Something Like Beautiful asha Bandele
Testimony by Anita Shreve
AMercy by Toni Morrison
Midnight by Sistah Souljah
Joseph by Shelia P Moses
The Heretics Daughter by Kathleen Kent (Still reading but wonderful)
angelia
Angelia´s last blog post..MERRY CHRISTmas!!
I recommend books to my friends all the time. If you don’t shut me up, I won’t. Anyone who asks for it, gets it.
I don’t know if it takes a lot for me to recommend a book. I just have to like it a lot and you’ll get a recommendation. Unless I love, love, love the book, though, I usually qualify my recommendations. Like, for example, I would recommend “Stardust” by Neil Gaiman, but I would say that I liked his “Neverwhere” better because I thought the characters in “Neverwhere” more involving than “Stardust.” I always have a huge list to recommend, so it’s no easy task to list them.
Anna´s last blog post..Recession Resmession
Wow, I’m honored to be in such great company! Thanks Yasmin and Angelia! Happy New Year!!!! All my recommends are over at my blog.
Carleen´s last blog post..Guest post from The Bottom of Heaven
It takes a lot for me to recommend a book to people. it has to be unique and new. The story has to stay with me.
In general I know the type of readers my friends are so I have a general idea of the book I have read what they would like.
Just because I generally like a book does not mean I would recommend it.
I’m a pushy recommender especially in the bookstore. I find most browsers are looking for something new. Can’t tell you how many of my friends books I have sold just saying, “This was really good.” And don’t let it be a man looking for a gift, chile all you got to do is hand it to him and he’s off to the register before I say more.
Most of my friends are avid readers and writers and they don’t need any help. Those occassional readers call me and I tell them. Lately I’ve been really pushing Claudia Mair Burney’s work, because she is the bomb. Now I’ll be pushing The Someday List and Chosen by Pat Haley.
I try to help new authors. They need all the help they can get when they’re competing with the big guns who sell just because.
I recommend books to fellow lovers. I often know what they like to read and if I find a book that fits the bill I let them know. I have read alot of romance this year, stayed away from my norm of Urban Lit(My daughter is the only one in my circle who reads them with me). The books have read this year and passed on are:
Sweet Georgia Brown By Cheryl Robinson
Shameless Hoodwives By Meesha Mink and De’neesha Diamond
The HoodLife By Meesha Mink and De’neesha Diamond
Protect and Serve By Gwyneth Bolton
The Law of Desire By Gwyneth Bolton
Make it Hot By Gwyneth Bolton
Two Grooms and a Wedding By Adrianne Byrd
Pleasure By Eric Jerome DIckey
Waking with Enemies By Eric Jerome Dickey(But I think this was a 2007 read I can not remember)
Thug Matrimony By Wahida Clark
I’m posting my faves for the year on my blog tomorrow.
I recommend mostly to book lovers too but occasionally to anyone who I think might be interested based on the relationship I have with them (or if they ask for my opinion).
PatriciaW´s last blog post..Mortimer Literary Agency Mentor Contest Winner Announced
Rhonda–Gather Together in My Name was the May/APOOO BOM…it made for a lively discussion…lots of feedback. Hope APOOO get’s a review book of Pat’s The Chosen. A lot of the books I recommended were not only good but review books to boot.
Angelia–glad you’re enjoying The Heretic’s Daughter…as I read that one my mouth dropped a lot…lol.
Anna–I’ve heard a lot about Neil Garman books…I’m going to have to check one out from the library.
Carleen–Happy New Year right backatcha.
Kenae–hear you about liking a book and not recommending it…I have a few books on that list.
Lashonda–lots of good books on your list…wait what happened to Midnight…rotflmao…hehe.
Patricia–don’t forget to drop by tomorrow and leave the link to your list can’t wait to see what made it.
Pat – I’ll look for your list. I’ll be posting a list on Wednesday. The 5 best Christian Fiction for 2008 from 5 avid readers and then I’ll list my favorites.
Yasmin – I’m sure the Gather meeting was great. The book had soooooooo many things to talk about.
How often do you recommend books to others, and who do you recommend them to? Do you only recommend books to your “reading friends” or to anyone you think might find the book interesting? What does it take for a book to make it to your ‘recommendation’ list?
All the time and to whoever will listen. I look for creativity, a believable plot, character devolpment, and good pacing. Twists, turns, drama and good sex doesn’t hurt.
Ms. Toni´s last blog post..OOSA Online Book Club gave 5 stars to: Dutch 3
I was so disappointed in the overall story of Midnight. And I really looked forward to this book.My daughter and her roommate want to read it and I am sending it to her with no words from me tosee what she has to say.
I recommend books to people according to their taste or favorite genre. Not every recommendation is for everyone. I recommended The House at Sugar Beach to the African American Studies chair because it is about Africa– I did not know that her parents lived their for a while before she was born and one of her siblings was born there. I recommended From Harvey River to readers of Jamaican descent. I recommend Song Yet Sung and Sweetwsmoke to lovers of historical fiction. I recommend Beverly Jenkins books to those who love romance and black history.
Dera´s last blog post..Sister Souljah, Part III: The Creative Side