i reccomend that you try reading the series Harry Potter starting with either the first book or starting with watching the movies

You should also try get haunted i never read it but lots of other ppl like it.

And if your a girl/woman kinda person you shoul read shopaholic series because it is DEFINITALY girly.

Im not sure if this will help but you should try going to Ebay tosearch for some good books.

Also A good read is Jared Boy From The Bottom its REALLY GOOD.One of the best books i've EVER read hands down.

You may have already gotten this suggestion, but The Sword of Truth series is pretty fantastic. It's a fantasy book, but has so much strategy, history, and just plan good knowledge in it that is could well be historical, lol. It is by Terry Goodkind.
One good quote from the first book, Wizard's First Rule
"Wizard's First Rule: A person will believe any lie, either because they are afraid it is true, or wish that it were."

Lately i've had a growing intrest for psychology...though i'm not a freak about it yet!
could anyone recommend some interesting books about this subject?
are there any specification??

thank you

Vampire:
The Southern Vampire Series
Twilight
Vampirates
Vampire Diaries

Werewolf
Blood and Chocolate

Manga
Mars
Boys Over Flowers
Ceres
Crossroad
Hot Gimmick
Peach Girl
Kare Kano
Snow Drop
Wild Act

Others
Host
The Outsiders
Wolf Star

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy and Look For me by Moonlight by Mary Downing Hahn (it's a creepy book, but it's sooooo good!!).

I recommend The Tangle Box and The Halfblood Chronicles. They were very good books.

I recommend the Wolf Tower series by Tanith Lee. The story is a mix of adventure and romance, but a pretty easy read. The books following the series is Wolf Star, Wolf Queen, and Wolf Wing.

An author that I ABSOLUTELY recommend for everyone is Diana Wynne Jones. Any time you have a chance to read one of her books, TAKE IT!!!

I would recommend Harry Potter, but I know probably almost most of the people on the thread have read the books!!! ^^ Anyways, go J.K. Rowling!!!

The manga I totally recommend is Ouran High School Host Club, Yotsuba, Fairy Tail, Naruto (Duh...), Immortal Rain, Fruits Basket, Alive the final evolution, Kaichou wa Maid-sama, and Special A. I'm mostly a shoujo fan, but I do like some shonen manga.

I have TONS of books I could recommend to you, but i'll just give you a few:

Teen Idol - Meg Cabot
Sun Signs - Shelley Hrdlitschka
Skulduggery Pleasant - Derek Landy
Cindy Ella - Robin Palmer
Uninvited - Justine Musk

I recommend reading the book A Million Little Pieces by James Frey.

It follows the life of an addict going through rehab and the adventures that ensue.

It's very realistic, and is a true story.

Very gripping and keeps you on the edge.

Oh, and it's written in 1st person, not 3rd, which is why it puts you in the characters shoes easily.

Historical Fantsy-thing:
Airbourne by Kenneth Oppel. It's about a teenager that wants to become the captain of an airship, and then there are these creatures (not gonna ruin it) that a girl is trying to prove they exist. *insert movie voice* And what hepens when the airship crashes on an island with sky pirates on the tail? *end epic voice*

Mystery:
The Mephisto Club, forgot the author. It's too awesome for words; just check it out.

Unfortunately all my book recommendations are for readers 18+...
But nonetheless...worth it!

Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon:
Absolutely amazing author. She has a gift, a rare gift, and I've never gotten more enjoyment out of reading than I did with this series.
It has a little something for everyone.
Time travel, kilts, sexy scotsmen, adventure, danger, horror, romance, travel, intrigue, suspense, mystery. Everything is in this book! Well, except for fantasy genre bits.

the other is
Meredith Gentry novels by Laurell K. Hamilton...starting with A Kiss of Shadows:
If you like sex, gore, adventure, and creatures of intensely fantastical nature, it's a very good series.

Both of these books are written in 1st p.o.v....which can be a little offsetting to readers at first, but the authors are so good at what they do that it's hard to not get swept up in the worlds they describe and create.

Here's a recommendation list for you! If you like good fantasy, with a pg-13 rating or below....(nothing too detailed) Also nothing too dry, (like too much politics etc) with good characters and fun scenes, here's my recommendations.

(Adult)
Mercedes Lackey (Valdemar books, tales of 500 kingdoms, Bedlam bards)
Robin Mckinley
Elizabeth Kerner (song in the silence) Fall in love with a dragon!
Joanne Bertin The last dragonlord (one of the best meet your soulmate scenes ever, so funny)
terry pratchet (discworld books...specially hat full of sky trilogy)
Robert Asprain (myth books)

(young adult)
Patricia c werde (dealing with dragons)
susan cooper (dark is rising series)

howl's moving Castle (quite different than the movie)
Eragon
Ella enchanted series (theres more!)
inkheart, inkspell, inkdeath

Originally Posted by Alegretto

George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series:
Book 1- A Game of Thrones
Book 2- A Clash of Kings
Book 3- A Storm of Swords
Book 4- A Feast for Crows
Book 5- A Dance of Dragons (not yet released; supposed release date is sometime in 2007, but as of Feb. 15 '07, the book has yet to be finished)
Book 6- The Winds of Winter (not yet released)
Book 7- A Dream of Spring (not yet released)

Basic summary: 15 years a go, a war shook across the continent of Westeros, destroying the 300-year reign of the Targaryen household. Now, after a long reign of uncertain peace, the king is dead, and all of Westeros has erupted into a war, with most every noble household, be they major or minor, vying for the iron throne. Meanwhile, Daenerys Targaryen, last of the rightful royal family, slowly amasses a force to reclaim the throne that is hers by rights. But she also has what th rest of the world wants: three dragons, creatures thought to have been extinct for more than a century...

Sounds boring? HAH. As if. The war in this is not one fought all across in battlefields and with swords. Well, okay, there ARE battles. But truth be told, we actually see very little of the action on the battlefield. What the story focuses on is the internal politics of the matter, and of how the characters react and handle things. It has twists, turns, and all sorts of amazing "WTF?!" moments, many good, some bad.

The story is told in the POV (Point of View) style of several characters, usually about 8-9 people, all spread through the various regions and sides. You don't see one side of the war; you see it all. It ranges from the struggle in the north to the capital city of King's Landing; from Danerys' army across the sea to the plight of Arya as she flees and fights across Westeros. All the characters provide their own unique insights and opinions to the turmoil, both nationwide and the immediate personal turmoil that they must face. Martin almost always ends the chapters on some vicious cliffhanger or another, so you want to skip ahead and read the next time that certain character appears. Yet lo and behold! The next chapter is just as fascinating and unique as the last.

Now here's my rundown and take on it all....

THE PROS:
+Characterization. Martin throws at us a vast array of characters, and each one is a vibrant, unique, and deep individual. Yes, even the obscure people you see for only three chapters is unique in some way. There are no rank-and-file stereoytpes to be found in this. The characters are all given a sense of depth I have yet to find in any other fantasy series. And even if you hate a specific character, most of the time you can't help but be interested in them and what they add to the story.
+The World. Westeros and the lands beyond the narrow sea, and all aspects have been given a rich flavor and texture that make every civilization, region, and nation unique.
+History and Culture. Oh. My. GOD. You would not believe how much thought Martin has put into the history and culture of Westeros and the other lands. The various religions are clearly defined, the family trees are intricate and long-reaching, and just... AUGH. I can't tell you how much book-scouring and heated internet discussions I've done to piece together the histories of several of the houses and the major events. of Westeros.
+Plot Twists. To be honest, you can never quite expect what this guy will throw at you next. Everyone has their own agenda, and they can reveal it in a flash to throw things all into a mess. A sunny situation can turn hopeless within the span of three sentences, and the exact opposite can happen in just as little time. Best of all, he can do it in a way that doesn't seem hokey or random. It all fits seamlessly. nd then of course it makes you want to skip ahead just to see how it's resolved, but the next chapter proves to be just as interesting.
+Realism. Okay, this one's a double-edged sword, to be honest. Life isn't all happy and cherry-picking in Westeros. There's murder, there's death, there's grief, there are a million unsavory things about war and backstabbing politics. Yet the characters bend and fold and go with the flow as best as they can adapt to, either be it seamlessly or not at all. Just like real people. Aside from the few fantasy elements thrown into the story, the book is almost a pure look at what war and politics and the people were like in the Middle Ages. There's no mage or wizard to make everything right here. Just because you win the battles doesn't mean you win the war. You either win the game of thrones, or you die.

Yes, how lovely. But like every piece of work, there are some flaws. Let's take a look, shall we?

THE CONS:
-Realism. Like I said, double-edged sword. While Martin's eye for detail are lovely, he does also show a lot of unsavory behavior that make the more timid cringe. Rape, murder, brutality... Such things are present in war and battle, and he does NOT turn a blind eye to it. In fact, he often seems to put an emphasis on the more unsavory aspects of reality. I personally have no problem with such things, but I know there are people who go squeamish at the thought of sex, let alone rape and murder. And with some characters, there's quite a bit of sex going on with them. I just stuck it here for good measure.
-Character Death. Martin is a man who has no problem killing off or maiming his characters. While I personally find it awesome, there are many who dislike the notion that he likes to kill off prominent figures, or maims them in a way that they have no choice but to retreat into the background. He also seems to enjoy killing off the good guys.... or my favorite characters. ;_;
-Repetition. Yeah, yeah, everyone likes to repeat themselves. Martin is no exception, but sometimes he repeats a fact or line so often that it makes me cringe. If I hear the line "You know nothing, Jon Snow," one more time, I swear I'm going to stab that person in the face.
-When it's filler, you KNOW it's filler. To be honest, this is mostly the publisher's fault. Originally, the series was supposed to be only 3 books in length. However, when they looked it all over, they realized that there would be so many flashbacks and references to the past that it would be a mess. So what do they do? Yup. Filler. However, as pissingly annoying as filler can be, Martin actually manages to keep most of his filler quite badass and seamlessly integrated into everything. The worst issue of this is in A Feast For Crows, and most likely as well as in A Dance of Dragons when it comes out. Why? Originally the two books were going to be released as one book, but it was going to be quite long. 1500 pages or so, if my sources are correct. Naturally, the publishing company threw a fit and split the book. The result? Martin had to pull a lot of filler out of his arse and chuck it into the book. And it's obvious. Like, REALLY obvious. Yes, there's unglodly amounts of badassery (particularly near the end), but there are some chunks where it's just... UGH. I expect Dance of Dragons to be plagued with a similar result. But Theon Greyjoy will be in book 5, and that will make everything better. =D

... wow. I ranted a bit on that filler bit, didn't I? NO MATTER. The books are excellent, the characters as rich and deep as any real person can hope to be, and there has just been a STUNNING amount of detail put into this series. And the unexpected twists...! Oh, the twists...!

Wow @_@ You really wrote a lot! But it makes me want to read the books!

Hmmm... I have quite a few recomendations. I read a LOT so, yeah :sweat:]
Cirque Du' Freak series[fantasy] byDarren Shan.
*Yeah, I know it's about vampires, but it's a good series. Basically, Darren Shan [The author used his name for his main character] becomes a vampires assistant to save a friends life, becoming half vampire. He has to leave his friends and family, and the series is a tale of his life after he posed his death.

The Inheritence series[fantasy] by Christopher Paolini.
*For anyone who hasn't seen the movie [Eragon] it's about a boy who finds a dragon egg and becomes a rider. The evil king sends his cronies after him for being a rider and kills his Uncle. That's when Eragon [the boy] decides to run away with the village storyteller and avenge his uncle.

The Olympian series[fantasy] by Rick Riordan. [first book, Lightning Theif]
*A boy named Perseus Jackson discovers his father is a Greek God, meaning he is a demi-god. He goes to Camp Half Blood to find out trouble is brewing in Olympus, and only he can save the Gods from a war.

The Twilight series is very good, although I won't bother describing it because it's a very popular series.

Does anyone know of books similar to House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski?

I've been rereading it a lot lately, I think I'm craving for something similar. :lol:
Also, I've already read Danielewski's other books.

How much do you wanna bet that Twilight and everyone of it's successors have been recommended at least 25 times in this thread?

It's sickening how much they've killed that series.

Anyways, I recommend Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver, plus it's following books Spirit Walker, Soul Eater, and Outcast. There are soon to be more, too.

Another one I recommend is The Percy Jackson and the Olympian series by Rick Riordan. Awesome 5 books, last one just came out a little bit ago. The Lightening Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, and The Last Olympian. So sad it ended.

God of small things.
Simple as that. It's brilliant!

Wicked and Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire. (Son of a Witch is Wicked's sequel) They're both spins of The Wizard of Oz, and they really give you a new perspective on the movie. All the witch wanted were those blasted shoes. ;)

Goodness, House of Leaves is such a unique book. I think you're going to have a hard time finding something similar to it honestly. I picked it up at 1/2 Price Books not long ago and though I haven't had time to sit down with it (because I know it's going to take a lot of focus to read -- not a 'fluffy' book if you will) it looks like it's going to be really good. :D

I agree that you're going to have a tough time finding something similar to House of Leaves. The very set-up of the words makes it a tough task. Plus the story with-in a story feel..

Originally Posted by xnozomichanx

Wicked and Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire. (Son of a Witch is Wicked's sequel) They're both spins of The Wizard of Oz, and they really give you a new perspective on the movie. All the witch wanted were those blasted shoes. ;)

Elphie doesnt deserve to die...the poor creature just wanted to stay away from everyone...and she actually thought Fieyro is coming back...I pitty her...

Fantasy:
Mercedes Lackey is an awesome author, she has come up with really good books, some of which would be: the Odsidian Trilogy which she wrote with James Mallory (i am currently reading the last book to this one). the Halfblood chronicles or the Elvenbane series as i tend to recall them as. She has alot more, a bardic series that i need to get the books to and also the valdian series too if i recall correctly.
Jennifer Roberson is another author, she happens to be my favorite because hers was the series that got me hooked on books. The series would be called "Chronicles of the Cheysuli" i started out on the 6th book (there are 8 of them) which is my favored of the 8. i ended up years later getting the rest of the series, i have to admit that the first few books aren't written as well as the later ones, but it was interesting to see her writing talent become better over the course of the series.
There is also Sara Douglas who is a interesting author to say the least. she has good books but they are more on the depressing darkish side.
L.E. Modesitt Jr. who is also a really good author. I have read most of his Saga of Recluce series, i say most because i think there are like 11 or so... ^_^
And then i will stop with one of my favorites, Juliet Marillier. she wrote the Sevenwaters Trilogy. It is based off of a old fairytale.. cant remember the fairytale very much. something about a girl and i think seven humans turned into swans. i donno but these books are really really good.

Well that is all i can remember right this min.. i know there are alot more but ehh... anyway, give these books a try if you are into fantasy!! ^___^

I recommend the alchemyst by Michael Scott.

I thought The Homing and Second Child by John Saul were some pretty good books and also I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith and Haunted by Kelly Armstrong.

The Airman by Eion Colfer.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Both of these are wonderful books from wonderful authors. Eion Colfer is known for Artemis Fowl, another amazing series of 7 books until now I think and Neil Gaiman wrote Coraline.