What is America reading this week? According to USA Today, it’s a fascinating mixture of books. At a glance we’ve got a couple of romancy type books (sorry Nicholas Sparks, I’ve included Safe Haven in that generalization), a psychological thriller, a non fiction book about a neurosurgeon’s life after death experience, a political thriller, three erotica novels, a kid’s book and a diet guide. Spans a gambit of interests, wouldn’t you say? Here’s a peek.
1. Safe Haven, love and a dark past combine in this romance.
2. Hopeless, 17-year-old girl struggles with a dangerous attraction (Interestingly, this was self published via Amazon’s Digital Service.)
3. Gone Girl, twisted relationships, a sinister disappearance, psychological thriller.
4. Proof of Heaven, a neurosurgeon’s journey into the afterlife.
5.The Fifth Assassin, An archivist must try to stop a serial killer re-creating the crimes of four presidential assassins
6, 7, 8, 50 Shades of…, erotic romance
9. Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Third Wheel, Greg’s life is turned upside down when his school has a Valentine’s Day dance and he has a date but his friend Rowley doesn’t.
10. Shred, a revolutionary diet approach.
So there you go! Have you read any of these books? Please post a comment. We’d love to hear your thoughts!
http://books.usatoday.com/list/index
Posted by Amy Deardon on February 3, 2013 at 12:18 am
I read Proof of Heaven about a month ago — I’ve been investigating NDEs for a story idea, and this book happened to fall in. Eben’s story wasn’t exactly “typical” of other NDE stories (riding a butterfly, root-like strange terrain, for example), but I’m imagining that super-reality is difficult to convey, just as explaining the color “red” would be to someone born blind. After doing some research I believe NDEs are real BTW — there are too many reports, and they are too consistent, to be a fabrication. I don’t believe the dying brain is capable of spinning such a super-consciousness, super-reality.
While Eben states he wasn’t particularly religious before the incident, he became so afterwards. This shift in values is quite common for those experiencing NDEs. Interesting stuff. Thanks for the post!
Posted by dana mentink on February 3, 2013 at 4:29 pm
I am finding the story very different from what I expected (I also read 90 Minutes in Heaven). Both are so different yet some of the strongest feelings are the same.
Posted by Lee Carver on February 2, 2013 at 8:50 pm
Proof of Heaven sounds interesting. Is it fiction or nonfiction? Who wrote it?
Posted by dana mentink on February 2, 2013 at 9:05 pm
It’s actually non fiction, Lee, I’m reading it right now. It was written by Dr. Eben Alexander, a neurosurgeon so it’s really fascinating to hear from a doctor’s perspective (and a man of only a distant faith) about his experiences in Heaven.
Posted by Laura on February 2, 2013 at 7:11 pm
I haven’t read any of them, although I read a LOT. Does that make me hopelessly out of touch?
I have no interest in reading any of the 50 Shades books. Another bandwagon that I’ll let pass me by.
Posted by dana mentink on February 2, 2013 at 8:14 pm
I’m with you on the 50 Shades thing, Laura! Thanks for the post.
Posted by Darlene Franklin on February 2, 2013 at 7:02 pm
I haven’t read any of these, but I have read Dead Even, by the same author as the Fifth Assassin. I wasn’t that impressed . . . not bad, just not spectacular.
Posted by dana mentink on February 2, 2013 at 8:17 pm
Thanks for the comment, Darlene! Good to hear from you!