My Guilty Pleasure

Review

Bad Sheriff: Murder, Lies And Southern Fried Catfish

September 26, 2012 • Pop. 1280 is the perfect noir thriller, featuring a murderous, corn bread-loving sheriff from a small town in the South. Author Stephen Marche explains why the book is genre fiction at its best. Do you have a favorite tale of twisted justice? Tell us in the comments.

Review

You'd Have To Be Psycho To Not Pass This 'Test'

August 13, 2012 • The Psychopath Test is a fascinating look into the minds of the deranged, but author Carol Rifka Brunt says she read it not to understand the psychology of madness, but to prove she wasn't mad herself. When have you compared yourself to books or characters in them? Tell us in the comments.

Review

Unicorns And Witches And Wild Mood Swings, Oh My!

July 2, 2012 • The Black Jewels trilogy flips everything you thought you knew about fantasy on its head. But NPR editor Petra Mayer says it's still a wild ride of mystery, erotica, violence and even true love. What is your favorite book that defies the conventions of its genre? Tell us in the comments below.

Review

A Passage To India: From The Annals Of The Raj

June 1, 2012 • NPR editor Krishnadev Calamur didn't expect to like Hindoo Holiday. It looked like a tedious colonial book about India, full of dust and poverty and elephants. But the book's charm and silly characters made it a favorite guilty pleasure.

Review

'The Magus': A Thrilling, Chilling Guilty Pleasure

April 30, 2012 • The Magus is the story of a man who wished for adventure — only to be disappointed when that wish comes true. Author Nick Dybek says he identified with the book when he read it at age 20. Was there ever a time you longed for a more interesting life? Tell us about it in the comments.

'The Magus': A Thrilling, Chilling Guilty Pleasure

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Review

Lives Of The Rich And Shallow: A Socialite's Tale

March 19, 2012 • Bergdorf Blondes is a book about the lives of New York socialites. It might not be the most highbrow of novels, but when author Cristina Alger suffered a bad breakup, she found this fluffy tale comforting. Have you ever gotten over an ex with a great book? Tell us your story in the comments section.

Two Boov Aliens from Adam Rex's The True Meaning of Smekday. Adam Rex hide caption

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Adam Rex

Review

Sci-Fi Invasion: A Weird, Brilliant Vision Of Earth

February 27, 2012 • Get ready: In 2013, an alien race called the Boov are going to invade Earth. Or, at least, that's what happens in Adam Rex's vision of the future. Author Gin Phillips says that The True Meaning of Smekday stuck with her. Do you have a favorite book about aliens? Let us know in the comments below.

Review

Action, Sex And A '70s Vibe: The World Of 'Amber'

January 25, 2012 • Howard A. Jones isn't just a geek — he's a fantasy geek, and his favorite book is packed with violence, romance and metafictional conceits. It's Roger Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber series.

someday

Opinion

Teenage Struggles In A Painful Post-Sept. 11 World

December 26, 2011 • We're often told that our teenage years are for forging our identities — even if it doesn't feel so great at the time. Author Jennifer Hubbard recommends a book that charts the complexities of growing up.

Review

The Wrong Crowd: A Tale Of Teens Behaving Badly

November 21, 2011 • Long after the final bell has rung, the echoes of high school hold a fascination for us, even into adulthood. Author Meg Wolitzer recommends a guilty pleasure read that reminds her of the pain of being a teenager. Do you have a favorite book you read as a teen? Let us know in the comments.

The Wrong Crowd: A Tale Of Teens Behaving Badly

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An Earth-Shattering Tale With An Otherwordly Air

September 28, 2011 • Is there life beyond high school? Better yet, is there life beyond Earth? Author Stefan Block recommends Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End, a guilty pleasure that has the power to transcend the terrestrial mediocrity of everyday life.

Review

'Endless' Amour: A Steamy Story Of Teenage Passion

August 24, 2011 • Being a teenager is hard. You're misunderstood, your hormones are surging, and you just know that the girl down the street is the one. Author Ben Dolnick recommends revisiting this time with Scott Spencer's romance, Endless Love — a novel that brings you back to that amorous teenage angst.

Review

A Novel So Graphic You Can't Look Away ... For Kids

July 27, 2011 • Can a graphic novel written for children, about children be worthy of the time and critique of an intellectual writer? Though he keeps it a bit of a secret, author Darin Strauss believes the Amulet series is so thrilling, you won't be able to put it down.

Review

Raising 'Hell' In Dramatic Richard Burton Style

June 29, 2011 • What could be more embarrassing than an obsession with a star? For author Jon Reiner, it's not the glamorous Elizabeth Taylor who occupies his thoughts — it's her sometimes husband, Richard Burton. In Hellraisers, Reiner finds his boundless hunger for the leading man satisfied — almost.

Review

Outer Space Awaits: A Sci-Fi Escape To 'The Stars'

April 18, 2011 • Based on The Count of Monte Cristo, Alfred Bester's saga The Stars My Destination will transport you off the couch and into a roiling world of futuristic teleportation. Author John Baxter says the book injects new life and energy into a classic tale.

Outer Space Awaits: A Sci-Fi Escape To 'The Stars'

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