French Language Book Recommendations, Please?

I'm looking for French language books but really don't know where to start. I've been advised to get translations of English novels I already know fit what I'm looking for, but I get so bored reading translations of things I've already read!

So, could I get some suggestions, please?

I'm not looking for anything terribly "literary," since I don't have any trouble finding those on my own. I prefer comedy and satire to serious stuff usually, and I like historical fiction and light fantasy and most YA.

I've tried poking around at different book-seller sites, but I've never really enjoyed looking for books on them, and it's more annoying when I'm not completely familiar with all the terms. I mean, part of my goal in getting more books (or e-books) in French is to improve my vocabulary and keep my reading comprehension from deteriorating now that I've graduated from university and no longer have French class to force me to practice.

Thanks for any suggestions y'all can provide. :)

They're perhaps not quite your taste, and even less contemporary than they were thirty years ago(!), but I enjoyed reading Simenon detective stories when I was in that situation. Fairly accessible, apart from the criminal slang which was easy to pick up, and there were a lot of them in our local library.

Simenon is still great, I have travelled to a couple of the places mentioned in his books and the place descriptions are still good today! You've reminded me to replace my French copy that wandered off somewhere.

For more contemporary writers I like

Jan-Patrick Manchette http://www.librarything.com/author/manchettejeanpatrick&norefer=1
(Touchstone not working) very gritty and terse

The Belleville novels by Daniel Pennac are funny and real
http://www.librarything.com/author/pennacdaniel
The Fairy Gunmother (La Fée Carabine) is a good one to start with.

Amazon Canada carries the Pennac books in French, probably the Manchette too.

J'adore Le Petite Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. I try to read it every year to keep my French at least mildly serviceable since I have no occasion to ever use it.

You could also try the French language version of 50 book challenge here on LT (I just found this)!
http://www.librarything.com/groups/challenge50livres#forums

You might enjoy the books written by Françoise Dorin they are very easy to read.

Have you tried 'Le petit Nicolas' from Goscinny (he from the Asterix comics) / Sempe? They are lovely stories of French childhood with a wonderful subtle sense of humour.
My French is not good enough to read them in the original, but I read German translations and absolutely love them.

There is a French audio (cassette or CD) language magazine, "Champs-Elysées", . See this site: http://www.eurocosm.com/Application/Products/Champs/ce2GB.asp

I guess a print magazine comes with it, too. It is designed for English speakers.

Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery was written in French and I think so was Hunting and Gathering by Anna Gavalda ... they are both fiction, now translated to English for the U.S. crowd (and released over here). I'm sure you'll be able to find some French versions (and reviews) floating around here.

Good luck!