2. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister - I just discovered the audio version of this book and absolutely fell in love. The characters meet on Mondays for a cooking class and with each class we understand each person better. The comforting quality of food comes through beautifully as well.
3. Secrets of the Lighthouse by Santa Montefiore - Ellen's growth as a person and figuring out who she really wants to be is really what this book centers around. Ireland itself is a fully developed character in this one as well.
5. The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C. Carleson - Watching the main character adjust from being a Dictator's daughter in a strict country in the Middle East to being a regular American high school student is fascinating.
6. The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn - I know I'm in the minority here but I really enjoyed this book. This isn't her typical humorous adventure romance. Instead we watch two characters who are meant to be figure out how to be.
7. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery - One of my favorite Montgomery books. I love watching Valancy stop being afraid and start being herself.
9. The Apple Orchard by Susan Wiggs - Tess runs this book with Isabel a close second.
10. One Little Sin by Liz Carlyle - This book has either really high ratings or really low ratings on Goodreads with not much in between. One of the major complaints? That nothing really happens. I don't disagree that nothing major happens but for me that's okay because I love the relationship between Alasdair and Esmee and watching Alasdair grow up a bit is pretty fun too.
Oh, I love Rosamunde Pilcher's novels! I haven't read The Shell Seekers though. My favorite is Coming Home.
ReplyDeleteI do love Coming Home. I think if you liked that one you would enjoy The Shell Seekers though it occurs over a much larger time line.
DeleteSecret Garden is a great book and I love how Mary matures throughout it. :)
ReplyDeletehttp://youmeandacupofteablog.blogspot.com/2014/10/top-ten-books-for-readers-who-like.html
I do too. I think I enjoyed it more as an adult than I did as a child!
DeleteThe only book I have but haven't read yet, is The Apple Orchard. I haven't read any of these though I've heard of most of them. Time for me to do some further research online and see if they are a good fit for me. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI hope you find a couple for you. I really enjoyed The Apple Orchard. I think I even liked it better than Beekeeper's Ball.
DeleteThe Secret Garden is one of those books that I can't believe I still haven't ever read. And I probably won't until one of the girls is old enough to listen to me read it (even though I would love to read it!)
ReplyDeleteThe Secret Garden was one of my favorite books as a child but I think I liked it even more when I reread it as adult. I'll definitely be interested to hear what you think of it!
DeleteThe Secret Garden is a good one; I didn't think of that when I was making my list. All of the characters are pretty good, actually!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I loved The Secret Garden.
DeleteI think if a character stays with you, than that's the sign of a very developed character. Or one that has made an impact on you. So I think interpreting a character driven novel is different for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI've only read The Secret Garden on your list(one of my fave child hood books) and really need to get a beautiful copy to display of my shelf. Thanks for reminding me. :)
Happy reading!
Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life
Have you read The Secret Garden as an adult? I think I enjoyed it even more this time around! I need to get a beautiful copy as well! I have one of Anne of Green Gables that I just love having!
DeleteOh wow, that is an old Nora Roberts book. It was one of my favorites for many years. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely an older one but some of her newer ones have fallen a little flat for me!
DeleteI've always liked The Secret Garden .. such a great read for young and young once ;)
ReplyDeleteIt really is! I think I enjoyed it more as an adult than I did as a child.
DeleteThe Shell Seekers is one of my all time favorite books....love, love, love it!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a great book. I really do need to reread it.
DeleteI've read two from the list. I like Pilcher's books very much myself.
ReplyDeleteMe too! She has so many great books to choose from!
DeleteI have only read The Secret Garden from your list (so good!), but several are ones I hope to read one day. I have heard great things about The School of Essential Ingredients.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the audio of The School of Essential Ingredients so I definitely recommend that one. I was really surprised with how much I enjoyed The Secret Garden when I reread it as an adult!
DeleteJust finished reading Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - now there is a character-driven book! Great read with surprises. I love Rosamunde Pilcher and agree with you about The Secret Garden, but have to admit ignorance of the other books. More to add to my tottering pile of TBRs.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to read anything by Liane Moriarty but I'm really looking forward to trying her. These TBRs are getting to be a hazard! If I stacked mine up I think it'd be taller than my house!
DeleteWonderful choices, Katherine! I've loved several of these books for years and years - The Shell Seekers, The Blue Castle, The Apple Orchard, The Secret Garden. (Well, OK, I've only loved The Apple Orchard for two years.) All of them have wonderful characters who truly drive the plot.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I like Julia Quinn, I've never read The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever, so that's now a must-read. And I should check out some of the others, too - especially the Nora Roberts book, since I really enjoy most of her books.
That's one of my favorite Nora Roberts trilogies. I've reread it in the last few years and really enjoyed it. I know lots of people who really didn't like Miranda Cheever but I loved it. I'm definitely the oddball on that one!
DeleteI haven't read most of these but I'd definitely agree abut The School of Essential Ingredients (the same could be said of it's followup, The Lost Art of Mixing).
ReplyDelete