1. I am looking for a book by Laurell K. Hamilton. I just read the third book in the Anita Blake series and I can’t figure out which one comes next!

This series is printed in plain text and graphic novel format. If the patron is looking for the series in plain text I would suggest,  "The Lunatic Cafe". If she would like the graphic novel format I would suggest, "The Laughing Corpse Book 1".

2. What have I read recently? Well, I just finished this great book by Barbara Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer. I really liked the way it was written, you know, the way she used language. I wouldn't mind something a bit faster paced though.

I would recommend "Anthill" by Edward Wilson. It has a lush and lyrical writing style and a Ecofiction genre like "Prodigal Summer".

3. I like reading books set in different countries. I just read one set in China, could you help me find one set in Japan? No, not modern – historical. I like it when the author describes it so much it feels like I was there!

I would recommend "The Teahouse fire" by Ellis Avery. The writing style is descriptive and richly detailed.

4. I read this great mystery by Elizabeth George called Well-Schooled in Murder and I loved it. Then my dentist said that if I liked mysteries I would probably like John Sandford, but boy was he creepy I couldn't finish it! Do you have any suggestions?

I would recommend "Capital Crimes Series" by Margaret Truman. It is fast-paced, a mystery and suspenseful.

5. My husband has really gotten into zombies lately. He’s already read The Walking Dead and World War Z, is there anything else you can recommend?

I would recommend "I am Legend" by Richard Matheson. It has the same tone, bleak and the same pace, fast.

6. I love books that get turned into movies, especially literary ones. Can you recommend some? Nothing too old, maybe just those from the last 5 years or so.

"The Martian" by Andy Weir
"The Yellow Birds" by Kevin Powers
"Room" by Emma Donoghue
"Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn

7. I love thrillers but I hate foul language and sex scenes. I want something clean and fast paced.

I would recommend T. Davis Bunn. His series, "Marcus Glenwood is a fast-paced legal thriller full of  suspense.


How I find books to read:

I find books with Novelist, GoodReads, recommendations, browsing the shelves and even sometimes I pick a book up because the cover has peeked my interest. Finding read-alikes are easy to find in Novelist but I use GoodReads to read recommendations from friends or others who enjoy the same type of books. Often a patron will talk about a book that they have read when they return them. I take these recommendations also.