July 25, 2021

August Book Suggestions?


I am SO TIRED that I can't even organize my thoughts into a blog post, so I am really going to keep this short (I know I always say that, but this time I mean it). I want to have a super quiet evening with no computer or phone. I'm just going to read and (hopefully!) get some sleep.

Anyway, I wanted to ask for some suggestions for an August book. I'm doing a Friends-themed read-athon for 2021, and I haven't picked a book yet. The theme for August is:

Ross: "PIVOT! PIVOT! PIVOT!" - Read a funny book.

Jerry and I actually use the "PIVOT!" line kind of often. Just today, we were moving a piece of furniture and Jerry starting calling out, "PIVOT!" Here is the scene, if you haven't seen it:


Anyway, I never read funny books! So I have no idea what to pick. However, I do have a single stipulation: I want to read a novel; no self-help books or memoirs or anything like that. Just a funny fiction story!

If you have any suggestions, please feel free :)

Oh! This is a good place to mention that when Jerry was looking for a show to watch on Peacock yesterday, I glanced up, did a double take, and yelled "STOP!! Go back!" (scaring Jerry half to death at my outburst). I saw the teaser cover of 'One of Us Is Lying' among upcoming shows. I read that book in June (here is my review) and I LOVED IT SO MUCH. I even said that it needs to be a TV series. And now it will be!

I don't know when it will premiere--all I can find is "later this year". I'm sure I won't like it as much as the book, considering I already know the ending, but I still can't wait to watch it!

23 comments:

  1. Try Janet Evanovich. Fast reading and funny fiction and you will surely find one in the library.

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  2. I haven't read this one but it was recommended to me so it's on my list:

    Anxious People: A Novel, Frederik Backman

    This book is funny and relatable: Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist's Quest to Discover If Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big, or Why Pie Is Not the Answer by Jen Lancaster.

    Excited to see what you pick.

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  3. The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich is light, easy reading, and funny :) There are over 20-somwthong books in the series.

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  4. I really love the Welcome to Nightvale novels by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor. Their humor is so cleaver! Their books are based on the world created in their podcast (also very funny and clever). The books might be more entertaining if you know the podcast but you don't need to have listened to follow along. I would put them in a YA-ish humor genre.

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  5. Read "The Rosie Project"!

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  6. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett is a stand alone funny book. It's been made into a tv show recently. Its not your usual style but as more of a youth book it's fun. Its fantasy and British so probably not what you're looking for. Good luck finding something good and American, books with humour are great. Sounds like a good holiday, they can be the exhausting ones.

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  7. I just went through my Goodreads to see what comedy novels I’ve read. I know you said no memoirs but if you’ve never read any David Sedaris books I’d highly recommend Me Talk Pretty One Day. All his books are hilarious, but that ones my favorite!
    For a novel I recommend Janet Evanovich One For The Money. It’s basically a rom com as a novel. I read up to book 16. At some point you figure out her formula and they aren’t as exciting, but I loved the series. The first one was made into a movie that was okay, but doesn’t really do the characters justice. I love the books though!

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  8. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich! It’s a rom com type novel. It has suspense so it’ll keep you reading. The characters are really funny. I’ve read through book 16 in the series. At some point you figure out her formula and they aren’t as exciting, but I really loved the series overall! There is a movie version of book one. It was okay but didn’t do the characters justice.

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  9. The first books that came to mind for me for funny fiction stories are "Class Mom" and "You've Been Volunteered" by Laurie Gelman. They both have the same characters, so I would recommend reading Class Mom first. Really cute, breezy reads.

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  10. I always thought the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich were funny! Its one of my favorite series. It's mostly crime/mystery but not your typical crime stories. Definitely has humor in it and they get funnier as they go along. I think she's already up to book 26 in the series! I'm a few behind now but the first one is One For The Money. They're an older series, I think this first one came out around 1994 so you might have read it already! It's always a comfort read series for me :)

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  11. (a) Looking at my list of books I've read in the past 10 years, evidently I don't often go for Funny. Weird I'd never noticed that.
    (b) I kinda hate recommending things, because people are so different, taste-wise, and I feel guilty when I recommend something and someone doesn't like it.

    Which somehow is not stopping me from making a really controversial recommendation, which is Christopher Moore's Lamb. Everyone I've recommended it to has loved it, BUT it's also.. religious? No, it's anti-religious? No, not that either. It's.. irreverent. Basically if you're a very religious person, it might offend you. But I haven't gotten that feel from you, so I'm recommending it. It's silly and funny and pokes fun at lots of things.

    https://www.amazon.com/Lamb-Gospel-According-Christs-Childhood-ebook/dp/B000OVLK2W/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

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  12. I don't have any funny book suggestions and recently I've been taking my book suggestions from you! I just finished "One of Us is Lying" and I'm so excited to hear that a show coming! I haven't seen you mention "The Silent Patient" but I loved, loved, loved it and we seem to like the same story lines. Sorry it doesn't fit the funny one you need this month, but it should be on your to-read list.

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  13. Obviously, read the Kindle descriptions:
    One to Watch -- Kate Stayman-London (Bachelorette-style TV show--BUT pressured to use a plus-size woman as the bachelorette--she's a hoot, but it's a great story about societal norms, too)
    Neanderthal Seeks Human -- Penny Reid (romance, hilarious main character)
    The Summer Job -- Lizzy Dent (a little slow to start, but really good--it's set in Ireland and is about wine!)

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  14. The Crimes of Fashion series by Ellen Byerrum is pretty good. It is a mystery series, but it has quite a bit of comedy in it.

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  15. I found the Stephanie Plum series (Starts with "One for the Money") to be super quick funny reads with a little bit of suspense/mystery (which I know you like). Author is Janet Evanovich. I have listened to I think four of them so far (hard to get from my library as their is always a waiting list - actually skipped 4th book and am still waiting to get it). I have been doing audiobooks on my commute more lately and I have literally laughed out loud at a few of the crazy moments in the book (I think her grandmother is freaking hysterical).

    I also had a friend recommend "Where did you go Bernadette" which also has some laugh out loud parts. I think I saw they are making it into a movie or tv show? Can't recall - anyway...when I did a quick search on "funny fiction", it came up and I was like "Oh yeah - I read that and it was pretty good". Hope this helps.

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  16. The Class Mom series by Laurie Gelman is pretty funny! I never read humorous books and at first I found the narrator to be a little abrasive, but once I let go of my expectations for a more serious book, it was a fun, at times satirical read.

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  17. The Crimes of Fashion series by Ellen Byerrum is great! It's a mystery series, but so funny. It's got a great cast of characters.

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  18. I strongly recommend Louisiana Longshot Miss Fortune Mystery Series, Book 1 by Jana DeLeon. These books are the most hilarious mysteries that I've read and are available in eBook format from my public library. I'm a voracious reader and I've never laughed so hard.

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  19. I strongly recommend Louisiana Longshot. Miss Fortune Mystery Series, by Jana DeLeon. These are hilarious mysteries and available in eBook format from my public library.

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  20. The Shopaholic books are hilarious! There are a lot of them, so if you do try the series, start with Confessions of a Shopaholic.

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  21. I second The Rosie Project and Where'd You Go Bernadette? Another book, which is YA that I just read and LOVED, like, had to go to the library and get the other 2 books in the series was Trouble is a Friend of Mine. Really witty dialog, enjoyable characters and a fun plot.

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    Replies
    1. Where'd You Go Bernadette? was a great book!

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  22. Last week I read The Last Flight and it was riveting. Now I am loving Emily Giffin's first novel, Something Borrowed, also awesome and charming! She has written 10 books so far.

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