Had a good long while reading "chick lit" and am now bored with that whole thing but can`t find anything that is inspiring me. Love a good historical novel and have enjoyed all of Kate Atkinsons books. Have just finished reading the "Twilight" saga which I really enjoyed but i was glad when it finished the last book was about 1/2 book too long! want something to really get my teeth into please help!!

Have you read Marcia Willett's books? E.g. The Chadwick chronicle or Those who serv with sequels. Not exactly chick lit, but books about women - well, there are men as well, and children, but the women are the main characters. I love them!

Hi Rebecca,
Try "When the Gods Stop Smiling" by Ken Fryer

New novel, just out Virgin and the Crab - Robert Parry. Worth a try. http://astore.amazon.com/virginandthecrab-20
rubydo

Loads of books out there to stop you being bored.I am a grandmother and love Lee Child books. Stephen Leather and have you read Ken Follet,Pillars of the Earth and World without End. wonderful

"A Woman in Berlin" by Anonymous - not hard to read and gives you much to think about. I found "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson one of the most inspiring books I have read - about the difference an ordinary person can make.

A bit more "gripping" than chick lit but still "female" are all the Lesley Pearse books, and also Barbara Erskine books. The Jean M Auel Earth's Children series are great as are the Manda Scott Boudica books. I have recently read "An Air that Kills" by Andrew Taylor, set in a small town in the 1950s where a female journalist has gone to recover from an "event" that we do not discover until near the end of the book, and a new police inspector. Their path's collide when demolition of a local hostelry uncovers some bones which are thought to be the remains of an infamous female murderer's baby. But is it that straightforward .......

Turns out this is the first in a series of books, set in the same small town.

If you like historical James Clavel's 'Shogun' is a work of genius. 'The last English King' by Julian Rathbone will let you know when it all went wrong or 'The autobiography of Henry VIII' by Margret George is also utterly gripping. If you want something different I guarantee you've read nothing like Solomon's Angel which is also a work of genius and my impartiality is completely uncompromised by the fact that I wrote it!

he he he well i be sure to read that one then, a personal recommendation by the author!!

Well you have to try ;-)

Katharine Kerr. Deverry series.

What about 'The Given Day' by Denis Lehane? A fantastic, sprawling epic - and endorsed by Kate Atkinson. Also endorsed by Kate are two fab books by the same author, Karen Campbell: 'The Twilight Time' and 'After the Fire'. Or try 'Dead Lovely' by Helen Fitzgerald - although it's about two female friends, chick lit this is not!

I am in a book club - about 15 fortysomething girls, with varying literary tastes. The unanimous greatest hit of the last three years was "This Thing of Darkness" by Harry Thompson - the story of Capt Fitzroy and his struggle with depression in the southern oceans...and it is about 700 pages long!!! None of us would have picked it from the above description, but it is just the most well written, fascinating, gripping, thought provoking, rattling good read I can think of. There is not a dull page in it. Please check out the Amazon reviews, then read the book! Another surprise to me was "The Moonstone" by Wilkie Collins.(Until this, I would have thought that anyone claiming to have laughed out loud at a Victorian novel was a bit affected) Enjoy!

'Splintered' by Andrea Howarth-Salazar is a contemporary novel, which is romantic but not chick-lit. It blends themes of love, redemption and friendship. The characters come to life easily and are easy to sympathise with.

I'd have to go with Robert Oram's suggestion of James Clavell's "Shogun". It is a huge book, but don't be put off by the size. If you enjoy a good read - this is it. The end will still come too soon and leave you wanting more - which fortunately there is in "Gai Jin" and "Noble House". Now - I don't expect to hear from you again for at least 3 months!!

Thank you all for taking the time to recommend some of your favourite books!! Have ordered some of them already and have a good long list of more when i have devoured these!! Much appreciated xx

Also add 'A Friend Laughs' by Jo Freeman to your list - again, not really chick-lit but 'female' and thoroughly compelling and you will be anything but bored. 'Wild Swans' also amazing although a while ago now.

Try 'Climbing A Ladder Backwards' by Kal Bonner. She's new and very funny. More Chick Noir than Chick Lit.

How about THE OBSERVATIONS by Jane Harris? It's written recently, although historically set, and is written from the viewpoint of a sharp witted servant so the 'voice' is interesting. The story is a bit of a mystery, keeps the reader curious, is an unusual premise but a good read.

Any books by Penny Vincenzi, Erica James and Cathy Kelly are worth a read

On the history front I can recommend Child 44 which I have just finished reading, and The 19th Wife, which I am two thirds of the way through and really enjoying :-)

'jeans big bang theory' and 'mindbomb'............ certainly not boring, funny yes, devious yes, but boring no.

If you like chick-lit, you might like my book - just out: Singleholic. Sarah is a black Bridget Jones. She goes out with black men, white men, brown men. Who makes the better husband? Who is better in bed? And most importantly, who has the biggest packet?? Find out at www.singleholic.com where you can read a few chapters! Also available on Amazon!

Hello Eva Yes I have read all Marcia Willetts book and enjoyed them.Did you know she writes also as Willa March. Debbie Malcomber I think are a good read also. Jean Weller

One of the most original books on the market has to be: One Love Two Colours: The unlikely marriage of a Punk Rocker & his African Queen, by Margaret Oshindele and Bobby Smith. Okay, I am biased as I co-wrote the book with my wife - the gorgeous Margaret - but I can guarantee you will go through every emotion possible when reading our true story. In case any are curious it is a positive book that shows how a Nigerian woman can marry an Englishman and make a success of a marriage - even though he is a hardcore punk rocker! Oh, and it will make you laugh as well. You can check it out via amazon.co.uk (including some lovely pictures of the two of us!)