I am a huge fan the "dear diary", journal style books, have been as long as I can remember, does anyone have any favorites that you would recommend reading? Thanks!

If you are a fan of historical fiction, you may like THE SECRET DIARY OF ANNE BOLEYN by Robin Maxwell.  I found it fascinating as well as a little lurid and graphic.....just what one would expect from a diary.  The author spent 12 years researching and writing this novel.  I loved her detailed descriptions of court life.

Oh that sounds good...thank you!

I liked Up the Down Staircase alot, when I read it years ago.  It's diary entries, memos, notes, etc., from (and to!) a high school teacher's perspective. 

Sandra Dallas has written a couple of books in that format. The Diary of Mattie Spenser was in diary format and Alice's Tulips is written in correspondence format.

Also Bridget Jones Diary by Fielding. Chick lit genre.

Sams Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson. I'm not a fan of Patterson . . . very sappy

Diary of a Confederate Soldier: John S. Jackman of the Orphan Brigade 

"These is My Words" by Nancy Turner

the life of a girl who moves west with her family to the Arizona territory. It begins as she learns to write, and follows her life through adulthood.

a favorite book of mine is "ella minnow pea" by mark dunn.  it is made of clever letters written back and forth between characters in the book. i would highly recommend!

If you are a fan of chick lit, you will enjoy THE DIARY OF A MAD BRIDE and THE DIARY OF A MAD MOM-TO-BE, by Laura Wolf.  These are funny novels full of " what NOT to do" advice!

(These novels also make cute bridal shower and baby shower gifts......along with a mug, cookies and gourmet herbal tea or coffee beans.)

I just recently read "Extra Virgin: a Young Woman Discovers the Italian Riviera" by Annie Hawes.  It's her autobiography.  It's fun.  Quite a pleasure to read.   

If you like historical fiction, Isuggest the Josephine Bonaparte triology by Sandra Gulland.  The titles are Last Great Dance on Earth, Tales of Passion Tales of Woe, and The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.  I really enjoyed them.

Possession. Film Tie-in. :: Antonia S. Byatt

This book is written based on letters so the letters are included. It is highly rated, A lot of people loved it, I had a hard time getting into it myself.

Yes!  I loved A WOMAN OF INDEPENDENT MEANS.  A timeless classic!  The letters read very much like a diary.

Well, I just finished reading The Notebook Girls....  I was really glad I found it very cheap as the list price is over 20 dollars....  I was able to get a "Used" copy (looked like it had never been read just sat on a shelf a good while) for a penny plus 3.99 shipping from a seller on amazon.....  and while it was ok, it is very disjointed at times and since it is being passed between 4 girls there are times when you are "left out" on the details and confused because they are writing it amongst each other and know what has been going on, but since the reader does not, it's "off" in a way to me...  anyway......  it's a decent read if you can get it cheap or here at PBS.......