The Witching Hour - Anne Rice

I found this to be an incredibly well written book. The story of the Mayfair Witches spans centuries, has dozens of remarkable characters, convoluted plot twists, and an intriguing, but frightening spirit who follows and haunts the family from start to finish. The sequels to this book, Lasher and Taltos, were also very enjoyable, but The Witching Hour is still my favourite.

Other Anne Rice books I have enjoyed are Interview With The Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The Servant of the Bones, and The Mummy.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Dr. Seuss

This book was my favourite for most of my childhood. I used to borrow it so often from the school library that I was finally told to let some of the other kids have a chance! Funny, but nobody thought to buy it for me when I was a kid. And I never thought to buy it as an adult. But a few years ago, I received it as a gift from my co-workers and was so happy to sit and enjoy it again!  Now I'm having lots of fun sharing it with my daughter.

Les Misérables - Victor Hugo

This book is a very involved character story that depicts post-Napoleon life in France. It has everything: love, political intrigue, violence, rogue criminals, family disputes, and religious struggles. This book involves a large number of characters who, in the beginning, are not at all connected. As the book goes on, however, the characters are brought together and linked in ways you might never expect.

Heaven - V.C. Andrews

Okay, I know, V.C. Andrews is not exactly top-of-the-line fiction, but I enjoy it. Of all of her books, this one is my favourite. Heaven, a poor girl from the hills, goes through so much after her father sells her and her brothers and sisters to different families. The rest of the series is just as good (Dark Angel, Fallen Hearts, Gates of Paradise, and Web of Dreams).

I have read all of the V.C. Andrews books, and I won't list them all here. See her website for a full list.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

This trilogy of five books (no I'm not making a mistake, that's how Adams describes it) is a hilarious sci-fi series that follows the misadventures of Arthur Dent, a human who was rescued from Earth five minutes before it was demolished to make way for a new hyper-space by-pass. Meet Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed, three-armed president of the galaxy. Discover why mice and dolphins are superior to man. Learn how to fly by throwing yourself at the ground and then just simply missing. And above all, DON'T PANIC!

Sequels: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Life the Universe and Everything, So Long and Thanks For All the Fish, and Mostly Harmless.

A Time To Kill - John Grisham

A black man is arrested and put on trial for the murder of two white boys after they beat and rape his young daughter.

I have read most of the John Grisham novels, and have enjoyed most of them, but this is my favourite one. Grisham has a way of creating a cast of characters that are memorable, right down to the most minor of characters. The movies made from his books can't possibly do them justice, since they would require an extraordinarily large cast and a crystal ball to see inside each of their heads. Read the books - they're so much better than the movies.

Other John Grisham books I have read are The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, The Chamber, The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury, The Street Lawyer, and The Partner

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - JK Rowling

I am completely addicted to this series and I'm so excited that book 7 is coming out this summer.

The other books in the series are: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix; Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.