A few days ago I released an article recommending a group of novels to specific kinds of readers. Did you find that you belong to more than one of the categories previously listed? Personally, I find myself to be somewhat of an escapist – sometimes this corporate marketing professional needs an escape from her stressful work life.

Below is part 2 of this series of articles. If you didn’t relate to any of the categories from before, you may find your reading group listed here.

The Detailer

It doesn’t matter that it takes you 6 months to read a novel. All that matters is that all the details are present and make sense to the storyline. You thrive on details and so the more elaborate or long a story, the happier you are to read it.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (2003) This story is filled with both actual and fictitious facts related to European art and history. When a museum curator is murdered at the Louvre in Paris, France, local police rely on American symbologist Robert Langdon. Together Langdon and a local cryptologis find themselves seeking the Holy Grail. (Be careful as not all facts in this book are actually real. When it doubt, check it out.)

The Last Juror by John Grisham (2004) In true form, Grisham takes his time introducing us to newspaper owner Willie Traynor and his town Clanton, MS. The story begins when a woman is murdered in 1970 and Traynor covers the story. Ten years later, the jurors in the murder trial are dropping dead one by one.

Memoirs of a Geisha by Aurthur Golden (1999) (A Fave of Mine) Chiyo is a young girl who lives in a Japanese fishing village with her elder father and ailing mother. After her mother dies, Chiyo and her sister, Satsu, are sold to a Geisha house by their father and Chiyo finds herself alone in the foreign Kyoto, Japan. We follow Chiyo from Geisha school, to her enslavement in the house, to her debut as the Geisha Sayuri. Although elegant, the life of a Geisha is enslavement and Sayuri longs for true love and survival after World War II breaks out. Will she ever be happy?

Thrill Seekers

Both in life and in reading, you’re looking for a thrilling ride. You seek emotional stories of mystery and intrigue and non-stop action. These books are sure to deliver everything you want.

Bag of Bones by Stephen King (1998) Author Mike Noonan is still grieving for his wife four years after her death. He escapes to their cabin in western Maine to try and clear his head but finds himself haunted by his wife instead. As he is drawn into a local custody battle, Mike finds that the hauntings of his lake house and the fate of his new friends are intertwined.

Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz (2004) Jimmy Tock’s grandfather has predicted that Jimmy will face 5 days dark days in his life from age 20 to age 30. As Jimmy prepares for each day, his fate takes him on an unexpected road that will take love, humor and courage to survive. I love that the book description says: “Life Expectancy… enjoy it while you can.”

The Witching Hour by Anne Rice (1990) A Mayfair witch of old Scotland has conjured a being, named Lasher, to do her bidding. Centuries later, Rowan Mayfair, the last of a line of powerful incestuous witches inherits Lasher from her mentally ill mother who dies in New Orleans. Raised by an aunt and uncle in California, Rowan is ignorant to Lasher’s purpose and her family’s tragic history with the unworldly being. Will Rowan fulfill her purpose and give life to Lasher? Or will she put an end to the curse that he has been brought on her family for centuries? (This is part of a series, but stands alone as well.)

The Romantic

You seek stories of romance and chivalry. You can’t resist a good love story and also seek stories that paint a picture of idealistic family life.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett (2009) Although not a traditional romance novel, love stories are portrayed in this piece of historical fiction and the friendships that are created are more than any romantic could ask for.

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks  (1996) We first fell in love with Nicholas Sparks when we read The Notebook, the story of a man who lost his wife to dementia and so every day he reads their love story to her as if it’s a piece of fiction hoping that one day she’ll remember. Make sure to have a box of tissues handy for this one.

On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah (1999) Annie Bourne’s daughter has just headed off to Europe for a semester abroad, her husband has left her for a younger woman and her best friend from high school recently committed suicide. As Annie heads home to rural Washington in order to escape her woes, she meets the husband and daughter her friend left behind. Will Annie let her romantic feelings for Nick take her away forever, or will she return to the husband that’s decided he wants her back?

The Know-It-All

You know all the gossip at the office and you relish in every detail of celebrity news you can find. When it comes to reading, you save this rare occasion for what everyone is talking about. These controversial stories will have you entertained in no time.

The Man in the Rockefeller Suit by Mark Seal (2011) One of the most widely known custody battles (outside of Suri Cruise) is that of Snooks Rockefeller. In 2008, Clark Rockefeller kidnapped his daughter and as a result left his life an open book to be discovered. What they didn’t realize was that this prominent Boston socialite was actually a poor German boy by the name of Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter. Mark Seal chronicles this man’s transformation for Christian in 1978 to Clark 30 years later – A true story.

Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller (2003) This story chronicles Donald’s own self-discovery of faith when he goes from a Bible-thumping town in Texas to attend college as one of the self-proclaimed “most God-less campuses in the U.S.” Through his experiences on the campus of Reed University, Donald comes to terms with his own faith and ultimately finds the need to share his story with others. This is now a motion picture of the same title and was controversial for Christians because of its use of language and depicting certain circumstances in which Donald found himself.

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey (2003) This book was once inducted into Oprah’s Book Club for its unapologetic following of James and his experiences during his stent in rehab. Unfortunately, some of the circumstances were exaggerated and others were completely fictional, so Oprah invited James to the couch once more to explain himself.

Don’t Hassle the Hoff by David Hasslehoff (2006) After a video of Hasslehoff drunk in his bathroom eating hamburgers while his daughter filmed him went viral, everyone was vying for a copy of David’s autobiography where he talks about everything from his crazy German fans to his career launching role on Baywatch to his recent endeavors on Broadway and everything in between. Could these pages hold answers as to his bizarre behavior?

Rare Reader

You may not have time for reading or you may have read it all before. Either way you’re looking for an unusual read; something that doesn’t come along very often. These rare reads might just have your name on it.

Blaze by Richard Bachman (aka: Stephen King) (2007) This is one of the first novels Stephen King ever wrote and was not even published until years after Carrie, his first published novel. As part of a series of stories he wrote from 1966 – 1973, he published it under his other pseudonym Richard Bachman. This is the story of a sympathetic criminal who pulls off the crime of the century, the kidnapping of a wealthy baby for ransom, thanks to the help of his dead partner, the brains of the operation.

Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (2007) Completely outside of Grisham’s normal range of law and order novels, this is the story of Ricky, a washed up NFL player, who finds himself heading to Parma, Italy to play for the Parma Panthers, the only football team on Earth willing to give him a chance.

Go Ask Alice by Anonymous (later credited to Beatrice Sparks) (1967) Originally thought to be a real diary of a 15 year old girl in the 1960’s these diary entries follow a year in the life of Alice, who first takes drugs at a party, tripping on acid. Alice’s life goes out of control as her drug life consumes more and more of her life; she eventually leaves home to live in a beach town with a group of kids who pay their rent by selling pot to tourists. Eventually Alice makes it back home where she is then sent to rehab. Will hospitalization help Alice to sober up? Or is it too late for this little girl to turn her life around?

The Moonlit Mind (A Novella) by Dean Koontz (2011) The first novella from Dean Koontz I’ve come across this is the story of Crispin, a boy who escapes his home where everyone from his mother to his nanny is part of weird cult in which children are killed and consumed. Crispin isn’t safe though, as people from the organization are always after him. Eventually, Crispin knows he will have to return to the house in order to release the souls of his younger siblings and free himself from their pursuit?

Did I mention a reading group who you think you belong to? If not, stay tuned as I’ve got one more posts coming soon.