What frivolous books do you enjoy reading?
So often discussions (not only on fluther) of what we’re reading devolve into who can present the most pretentious literary front, but really, don’t most of us enjoy reading for entertainment, too?
I’ve had too much on my plate this year, I love the lighter weight fare. There are a couple of fantasy authors I enjoy that don’t require heavy thought. A cozy, formulaic mystery or two that I can figure out whodunnit just before the Big Reveal, and women developing interesting friendships over shared tasks (a quilting series is my current go-to) really allow me to gently escape, and chuckle a bit.
What does it for you?
Not a yes-or-no Q, don’t bother if you only like Pulitzer or National Book Award winners.
Have a little fun, recommend some authors!
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Who done its are my favorite go to books. I like a good mystery with not a lot of blood and gore.
I don’t generally like romance novels, but I’ll throw one in just to read something that I don’t have to figure the characters out.
I used to be a big Stephen King fan, but burned myself out on his books years ago. I might pick up a couple of his most recent books though, just to see if he still can capture my attention and interest. I read to escape to other places and it’s gotten me through some rough times. I hope I never lose my eyesight, but if I do, I can always listen to books.
I’ve been reading and greatly enjoying gay romance. There’s humor and adventure and very light struggle and sex. A fun one was Glazing the Donut. I forget the author’s name. It was set in Portland, Oregon.
I love cross-over fanfiction.
Want to see Izuku Midoriya learn magic from Dr. Strange, instead of getting his Quirk from All might? No problem.
Want to see Louise from Zero no Tsukaima take command of a NOD base from Command and Conquer? We got that, too.
To bad that 99 percent of it gets abandoned in the middle.
@Hawaii_Jake You should get into Furry erotica. Check out Meesh on Patreon.
My frivolous list is mostly fantasy and light horror. Stephen King, Anne Rice, Charlaine Harris.
I also enjoy Amish lifestyle novels, the simplicity intrigues me.
Anything by Daniel Silva. Anything by Lee Child. Anything by the (late) Dick Francis. Most of the Tom Clancy books.
Escape reading
I read fanfic for fun and when I need something that requires little energy from me.
Light humour such as PG Wodehouse, fantasy writing as in Susanna Clarke and children’s’ books.
Sometimes I can’t resist buying children’s books, even though I don’t really read them, I just like to possess them. If they have personal memories, especially, I won’t be able to resist.
I was just looking in my Amazon account to see what books I’ve bought over the last ten years and I see some coloring books, even though I don’t really color, and I see one we read in the book group which was great. It’s an adult book but it’s cartoons, and it’s also a play now: Fun Home: A Tragicomic Novel. It’s well written and is about serious topics but it’s done in comic book form.
I’ll also buy books that are visually beautiful, to color copy and cut up for decoupage. I used to go to Barnes and Noble more than I do now, and their bargain book section was great for picking up books of beautiful art, cheap.
Value tale books. I bought some new ones, and will read at my own pace.
Star Trek books – they’re ridiculously easy for me to read, and are like deluxe Star Trek episodes.
I have always appreciated Louis L’amour. His prose is amazing, and as he grew in fame and had the time to do it, his newer books were well researched.
The Harry Potter books, and the Philip Marlowe stories.
Documentaries about musicians.
I’ve been all over the spectrum in my reading. I consider it all frivolous if I am reading for pleasure. If I pick up a book and lose interest in the first 50–100 pages I don’t push through because I started it. That sort of dedication is only reserved for “Have to” books…something I would read for a school assignment or a job requirement.
I like authors that develop and introduce good, creative characters. One of my favorite books is Boys Life by Robert McCammon. He creates very interesting characters in his books. He started off as sort of a horror writer but has moved on to mystery and drama. He did a book called Goin’ South. It was a story of a guy that accidentally killed another and decided to run away into the swamps of Louisiana. This book has introduced 2 of the most unlikely characters I’ve seen, but they work. In the book, the main character gets a contract put out on him and two hitmen are sent after him. One is a seasoned bounty hunter that has an extra arm in the center of his chest (generally kept hidden), and the other is a first timer that is an Elvis impersonator.
I did a stint of Stephen King and Dean Koontz for a while. Still enjoy them but haven’t kept up with their burgeoning catelogues. I’ve enjoyed Johnathan Kellerman, Michael Moorcock, James Clavell, Larry McMurtry, Bram Stoker, Jean Auel….a whole spectrum as I said.
I loved loved the Harry Potter books. I read them quite a bit later than other people, but it turned out to be just the right time. I was going through a bad spell and when I couldn’t get to sleep due to bad thoughts, I’d picture myself or Harry zooming around playing Quidditch. He also reintroduced me to reading; I hadn’t for some time due to the bad spell.
Having a bad spell again and am looking for something engaging. Something that’s easy to read with not tons of descriptions, but not too fluffy. I like horror, thrillers, mysteries and medical mysteries, etc. My go-to Stephen King is too hard right now, and Dean Koontz has always been a bit of a challenge.
@KNOWITALL I love watching and reading about the Amish, maybe I’ll look for something along those lines.
^^ Thank you! I’ll definitely check it out! I was hoping someone would suggest something. :)
@smudges I spent over a decade working retail books, recommending was my specialty. I am very rusty, it’s been a while, but it was favorite part of the job! I hope you find something, if not this one. Let me know how you like it, if you read it!
@canidmajor I see several that are peaking my interest. Just having trouble remembering how to order them using kindle. I don’t know if I have kindleunlimited or not. It’s free with that, otherwise is $9.99.
In looking at my kindle, I see some to recommend to others that are fun murder mysteries. Two series are by Jane Hinchley: The Witch Way (a witch solves crimes if I remember) and Ghost Mortem: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery Romance (Ghost Detective Book 1).
Another author along those lines is Leighann Dobbs. I read Ghostly Paws.
Neither was my usual fare, but someone recommended them and they were cute.
^ That’s not frivolous! That’s serious literature. lol. I used to read it to my granddaughter on Zoom.
Stephen Seitz’s “Sherlock Holmes and the Plague of Dracula”
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