The Next Best Book Club discussion

I have come to the realisation that, as much as I love to pretend that I am a book snob, I can't help but love those books that are just plain bad.

This would include books with corny characters, painful plots, ghastly grammar and a cherished place in your heart.

I guess I may as well start; I love L.J Smith's Forbidden Game Omnibus. Sure, it has plot holes the size of the Pacific Ocean and I can't deny the evidence of heinously misplaced exclamation marks(!!!).
And yet I find myself continuously pulling it out of it's hiding spot under my bed (a book snob like myself can't be seen with that in my bookcase) and devouring the story once more.

So don't be shy, tell us what books are under your bed.

Twilight, twilight, twilight...the whole series. i secretly love it and i am ashamed. what a dirty, rotten, guilty pleasure. :)

its all the things that make me not read a book..but i love it and i am sucked in to the story.

I have to admit, I loved the Twilight series too! It's shameful to admit but I have a collection of very old Harlequin romances written by Essie Summers. I know they're drivel, but I love her descriptions of New Zealand!

There is a book by Laura Black, called Wild Cat. Silly, romantic, entirely unbelievable, but... I think I have read it about 20 times since I was 12. Maybe it's nostalgia, but whenever I am searching my shelves and can't decide, I can ALWAYS read that book.

Interesting thread.

I read and liked two Mitch Albom books, which I am slightly embarrassed to admit to. 5 People You Meet in Heaven, and For One More Day.

ooh Lori..i'm with you on that one..i liked his books haha.

and I admire you all for admiting to your 'secret' books.

I'm somewhat guilty on the Twilight front - I did devour Twilight - still can't figure out why - On an intellectual level it makes no sense.

Reading New moon cured me - I thought it was slow - I'm still undecided on the last two I know if I read Eclipse (which I hear is better than New Moon) I'll have to read Breaking Dawn which I hear is really bad.

So I'll continue to put it off.

Wife of GR author: Michael J. Sullivan | The Crown Conspiracy (10/08) | Avempartha (04/09)

It's kinda hard for me to read "bad" books now, but I did have bad taste as a kid. I used to devour Animorphs and Goosebumps books. Also, my entry into adult reading was Stephen King's Insomnia. I was disappointed to learn later that even King didn't like this book. I loved every King novel that I read, even the ones that weren't very good.

I'm still going to read the Gunslinger series when I get around to it.

Bianca - I loved LJ Smith when I was younger! I've actually been afraid to go back and reread them, because I'm sure I won't enjoy them as much as I did then.

I have recently fallen in love with Lilian Jackson Braun's "The Cat Who..." series, which I find slightly embarrassing. However, I justify it by telling myself that everyone needs to enjoy some light reading between the heavier stuff!

I liked those too, bianca. Read a bunch of them one summer when I was near a library and my brain needed a break.

I've loved pretty much every Stephen King book I've read too. My other guilty pleasures are English text books (for no apparent reason other than I like to read about reading and writing) and manga. I'm really picky about my manga though.

I adored the Twilight series. I also am guilty of reading a fair number of "The Cat Who..." series.

I loved LJ Smith too. And I can't go back and read them for the same reason, I'm scared to realize how bad they actually are! I feel like those are books I should leave in the fond spot they have in my memory.

I absolutly loved the Twlight serise and am awaiting the release of Meyer's new book! (And the New Moon movie NEXT November!)

I also have a love for V.C. Andrews! My grandmother got me hooked when I was in high school and I have continuted to read everything that she has wrote or continues to write. (Kinda weird since she is suposed to be dead!)

monica,
im with you on the V.C Andrews! I used to LOVE those books. I started reading them in middleschool and i thought they were so scandalous and dirty! haha

she died way back then, i though. weird for sure.

V.C. Andrews wrote the first 8 books beginning with Flowers in the Attic and sadly died of cancer in 1986. Since then something like 60 books have been ghost-written by Andrew Neiderman and published under the name of V.C. Andrews. Neiderman has written over 30 books under his own name, of which four were made into films. I wonder where he gets the time to do all that writing?

maybe she left A LOT of notes behind...

I've read a few of V.C Andrews, there's a lot of mixed relationships and hidden family connections which lead to disturbing events in the books.

I thought about the leaving a lot of notes... but that is a LOT of notes!! Either way... the books are still good.

Do you think you would mind if someone took over your name to write more books? I would be scared that they would change how I wanted a story to be told.

They did that with the Oz books after L. Frank Baum died - hired a ghostwriter who churned out something like 27 volumes, under his name.

I run a writer's group and have guest authors come in and talk - I once had in a ghost writer who has written many of a children's series where the "original" author had written a few and then all the others were written by 20 different ghost writers. These were the "Sweet Valley" series. To me it sounded like a terrible job - they give the ghost writers the plot, and a big notebook of what they can and cannot do then make them write in a very controlled manner. Would not be something I would like to do - would seem very frustrating.

To me, it would defeat the purpose of writing. Writing is supposed to be about freedom of expression and getting your own values across to your readers. There shouldn't be guidelines and rules to regulate your imagination.

I agree, being a ghost writer of a pre-existing series would be very frustrating. It would take the enjoyment and freedom out of writing.

The way you described the Sweet Valley series made me think of the publishing syndicates of the 1920-50s. Learned about it when I read a history of the authors of the Nancy Drew books. The publishing company came up with the titles, the author personna and basic story lines and then hired writers to fill in the story. The company owned the story and name and the actual authors just got a one-time payment.

Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her

Very interesting....I might just pick up that book - thanks for pointing it out.

I read a whole lot of Christopher Pike as a kid. How many spooky ways can a girl with absentee parents find herself in mortal peril?

I don't think that having a plot and a list of rules negates creativity at all. Its a different type of creativity for sure. But the majority of writers earning a living from their art are writing to a brief whether it be for a newspaper, magazine, tv show or book.

As it happens, the Niederman did write the first three series to the publisher's guidelines (I don't know how formulaic they were) but after that was given free reign to write what he wanted.

I guess my secret obsession that I tell no one about is that I read the Star Wars novels. I follow the storyline after the movies and I've read pretty much every single one. I'm such a geek haha. I don't tell ANYONE about it.(It's easier to do anonymously over the internet lol) The only people that know are my family. Though the books aren't badly written. The people who run the show get some of the leading sci-fi writers to pen them...pretty cool...but I still get embarrassed. I hate that there's a whole stigma to the Sci-fi/Fantasy genre, the Star Wars novels shouldn't be guilty pleasures, but for now they are.

You shouldn't be embarrassed, but I understand about the whole 'Sci-Fi genre being thought of as geeky by narrow-minded people' thing.
Not only that but I still come across people who try and put others down who read. Whenever I see someone like that I try to understand why they think it's such a nerdy thing, I feel sorry for people who don't read.

It used to make me mad when teachers or others would tell me that their child reads, but just that "trash" (usually referring to something like Goosebumps, R.L.Stine, or fantasy!) i always told parents to encourage their children to read anything, and they will develop as readers and get tired of Goosebumps someday. As long as they are reading, it's all good.

There is nothing wrong with R.L. Stine or Christopher Pike's books! I still read them to this day and I'm 26.

But, admittedly, I'll read almost anything with words in it.

I'm a total sucker for the Shopaholic series. Total fluff but I love them!

Isn't that series being turned in to a movie?
Then again, everything is being made in to a movie these days.
I'm not really in to books being used as movie scripts, because I'm more often than not disappointed.

stephanie re the Shopaholic series:

I've always been tempted by these, but the price tag here has always put me off. If I'm going to shell out 15 Euros (and more!) for a book, it can't be fluff. Next time I get to the states I'll see if I can pick them up somewhere!

Bianca re movie/books - I think they write them directly as screenplays, publish them first knowing htat a lot of people read the book first, get feedback from the book sites, and in the meantime make the movie.

I love the Stephanie Plum series and read anything written by Crusie. Sure they're just romances, but they have great characters, and make me laugh!

Hayes wrote: "stephanie re the Shopaholic series:

I've always been tempted by these, but the price tag here has always put me off. If I'm going to shell out 15 Euros (and more!) for a book, it can't be fluff..."

They really are so much fun. I would think you could pick them up pretty easily on one of the swapping sites - a much less expensive option. I love the main character because (sadly!) I identify with her so much - although not to the horrible extremes which make the series so funny. I laugh out loud at those books - guilty pleasure!

Biana - yes they are making a movie out of it, although I don't know if there will be multiple movies or if they'll try to cram a bunch into one. Isla Fisher plays Becky (the Shopaholic). I'm going to see the movie when it comes out because I love the book so much, but I have a feeling I'm going to be sorely disappointed.

I hate to admit that my "guilty pleasure" reading is anything by James Patterson. I enjoy these cheesy books but I would never admit this to my book club group. LOL!

Becky wrote: "But, admittedly, I'll read almost anything with words in it. "

I'm with you Becky. I like a little fluff now and again too; the Shopaholic series and Stephanie Plum series are faves. I love to re-read books from my childhood. Earlier this year I read a bunch of the Ramona Quimby books by Beverly Cleary. I also love true crime. My best friend thinks it's creepy that I enjoy reading about serial killers. Those are definitely my guilty pleasures. I always feel like I should be reading a classic or something. But I love them all anyway. :)

My horrible confession is that I have come to realise I am a book snob. I don't want to be but it kinda sneaked up on me.
I used to be a totally indiscriminate book worm, chowing down on anything put in front of me: detective fiction, science fiction, literary fiction, romance soft porn, car manuals, nursing journals, the back of cereal packets ....

Then I went through a couple of non-reading years (don't ask me how I survived) and when I returned to the fold I had no money and only read other people's cast-offs - mainly 60s-70s fiction and classics.

Eventually I had a little disposable income and after joining a few online book clubs I got into the literary fiction on the best selllers list.
Now I can't get away from them.

Even though I think that Kathy Reichs and the Kellermans write well I feel strangely unsatisfied after reading their books. Even Maeve Binchy didn't move me.
It's like the feeling you get eating candy floss: first bite is fun, second is sweet and sticky, and by the 3rd you are feeling both hollow and nauseated and wondering if their is any 'real' food around.

I disliked the last books I read of both Kim Edwards and Barbara Kingsolver but they didn't leave me feeling so empty.

Like so many of you, I was bitten by the Twilight bug. I read the entire series in a week. I also love the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. Chick Lit is definitely a skeleton in my closet.

Katie wrote: "I guess my secret obsession that I tell no one about is that I read the Star Wars novels. I follow the storyline after the movies and I've read pretty much every single one. I'm such a geek haha...."

Thanks for coming out of the closet! You think it is hard reading sci-fi fantasy - try being a fantasy author..When people find out my husband is a writer the conversation usually goes....

"Oh so you are an author...What do you write"
"Novels"
"What kind of novels?"
"Fantasy - you know Lord of the Rings kind of stuff"?"
"Oh..." said with sadnesss in their voices as they quickly wander off.

-- Wife of GR author Michael J. Sullivan: The Crown Conspiracy (10/08) | Avempartha (04/09)

Jessica wrote: "Like so many of you, I was bitten by the Twilight bug. I read the entire series in a week. I also love the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. Chick Lit is definitely a skeleton in my closet."

Ah the Twilight bug....Was bite by Twilight - got cured by New Moon - but the winter challend wants a romance so I'm being forced into Eclipse (Which I heard is pretty good). Once I do three i'm sure I'll finish with Breaking Dawn just because I can't stop at 3 of 4.

Robin wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Like so many of you, I was bitten by the Twilight bug. I read the entire series in a week. I also love the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. Chick Lit is definitely a skeleton i..."

Robin wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Like so many of you, I was bitten by the Twilight bug. I read the entire series in a week. I also love the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. Chick Lit is definitely a skeleton i..."

I will warn you that book 4 wasn't my favorite. It took me longer to get through, but like you I couldn't stop at 3.

I actually liked all of the Twilight series except New Moon. I kept wanting to slap Bella and tell her to get over herself!

Yeah, my guilty pleasure is definitely Twilght. I acutally hated the rest of the series but I continue to re-read that one book over and over again- it's strangely addicting!

A friend of mine just sent me a message... she's reading Twilight. A young friend of hers likens it to "crack". I must say Vampire lit never did it for me - I started but didn't finish Rice's Interview with a vampire, but the whole phenomenon intrigues me.

I'm a mystery addict, myself, and for a while would read anything by dick francis (double pleasure of horse books!), agatha christie or anything else mysterious!

Hayes just read a Donna Leon story...felt sooo good to read that again between all the unknown stories.

Hayes - I loved the Dick Francis mysteries too - and what makes it really strange is, I don't even like horses or riding. But he let me see what it's like for people who do.

Rebecca - His stories were really good, whether or not you were interested in the horses. The fact that he was really knowledgeable was a plus... He did a really good one, Reflex, with these great photografic puzzles. I may have to read that one again.

Jeane - Don't know Donna Leon. Must look into!!
...went to look... I think I have read one or two of these... now that I'll be going to the library again I can indulge!!