I love Amy Tan. And Edith Hamilton's Mythology, one of my oldest and most favorite books. I became obsessed with Greek mythology when I was a kid, and I never really let it go.

Alison Weir writes wonderful historical books, especially her Tudor related works. Jean Plaidy is alright, not fantastic, but readable. I read her Katharine of Aragon novel years and years ago, and it wasn't terrible or anything, but she's really not my favorite writer. For Tudor related fiction, I tend to prefer Philippa Gregory. The Other Boleyn girl was the first Tudor related book I ever read, fact or fiction, and it started my love for english history. Margaret George is pretty good with historical fiction, as well. She has "autobiographies" of Henry VII and Mary, Queen of Scots, and a really excellent one about Cleopatra.

I'm not a big sci fi/fantasy reader, even though I love TV and movies in the genre. One of ones I did love, though, was Sherri S. Tepper's The Gate to Women's Country. Brilliant book, all about gender and equality.