Karli’s Comments (group member since Feb 23, 2010)

Karli’s comments from the Busy as a Bee Books group.

I have Mexican Gothic, Home Before Dark, The Luminaries and A Thread of Grace - I'm planning on starting American Gothic and A Thread of Grace soon. (Mexican Gothic is actually sitting next to me right now.)

Here we all are - almost 2 months later and seeing more and more cases locally. I don't know what the new school year will look like for my kids...I really didn't think the virus would still be such a huge force all these months later, but things appear to be getting worse. I have told my son that if it's all distance learning that we should really just look at having him take a GED, because he has ZERO motivation for the online learning and I cannot yell at him for 9 straight months. (This is supposed to be his senior year.)

I'm still teleworking and there is no plan for us going back any time soon. I've finally gotten into the grove with the telework, and feel like I"m probably more productive since I'm not getting up and walking around for various things, I just plug away. It is still a bit surreal that I've been working from home for nearly 4 months.

No one in our circle has tested positive yet, but I read about what's going on in Texas and Arizona and think of my friends and family (Bees included) and hope that you're all safe and well.

I try not to start a series that isn't finished, because waiting for the next installments would drive me crazy. But, I do love some series for the "homey" feeling I get when I sink back into those worlds (Anne of Green Gables and Harry Potter are the two series I really find comforting.)

I read the Black Dagger Brotherhood series for awhile, and then I totally OD'd on them and really haven't read any of them since.

I have a wall in my library that is shelved by author, and with series in publication order. I have another shelf that is done for rainbow colors, a shelf for my Stephen King collection, and another bookshelf for my autographed copies.

Then, there is another bookshelf in my bedroom which is filled with books I haven't read yet, also sorted by color.

And, there is a stack of books in my library that I mean to shelve, but I don't have a lot of room, and so I'm procrastinating while I decide if these are keepers or if there are other books I should donate to make room for these....

It is pretty much poorly controlled chaos.

Welcome! We had a thread on cozies awhile back, there may be some titles that you will enjoy there. Feel free to comment anywhere - sometimes the old topics get dusted off with new people and new books.

Welcome! I'm glad you found us!

Welcome! At the start of quarantine I wasn't very good at reading - the missing brain syndrome hit me too. However, I've really increased my reading in the past few months and have read some good books.

We are happy to have you on board!

Elizabeth☮ wrote: "I will say On Lighthouses (new book).

and A Thread of Grace."

I am going to grab A Thread of Grace off my bookshelf now. I love Mary Doria Russell, and for some reason I haven't read that one yet. I follow her Facebook page, and she had posted a review of this book just today - I will find it and post a link in the thread for the book.

@Margie - It seems crazy they won't let your son be in the delivery room...I mean, obviously he's been with her constantly until the hospital...what is so different at that point???

There are just so many things I don't understand.

In ND there hasn't been as many mandatory closures as probably should be, thus we've had a couple of manufacturers which have had serious outbreaks. In one in our town, of about 450 tested, 125 were positive - so about 1 in 4! My father in law is battling cancer and is very immunocomprimised, so Mike took an 8 week family medical leave because he doesn't want to bring it to his dad, or to us.

I'm glad it seems that the majority of people are like Elizabeth's in-laws and have a mild case and get better. It's just that scary part that no one knows who is going to get it bad and why it can become so deadly. I made the mistake of reading about it's affects on some patient's brains...and that is terrifying too.

I haven't been tempted to read anything too serious as the news gives me plenty of that.

Hello all -

We are entering month two of the new world. My kids started "distance learning" on March 23, which was the same day I started telework. It's been bumpy. I had a very different idea of what telework would look like, but a reality implemented in days instead of having time to prepare found me tucked in a corner of our downstairs family room. That room has always been more of my kids' domain - the big couch, the gaming systems...and now Mom! I have finally gotten good use out of the fireplace, as winter will NOT relent. It snowed again today. I am not impressed.

I've found a lot of time for reading, although I've found I have to find the right books. I want to be entertained...so I've finished some fantasy as well as some humorous chick lit kinds of reads.

How are you all doing? Is everyone well? Are you reading? Cooking up a storm? Looking to run away? Check in!

I think I would have enjoyed this one more as a mini-series than a book. Maybe Reese will pick this one up too?

One of my other favorites was - we had an ancient copy that my mom read to me before I learned to read, and then after I learned I read it several times myself. I always wanted to try goat's milk and sleep in a hay loft after that!

Welcome! Where in Texas are you from? I have visited Dallas, Houston, San Antonio (and the surrounding area) a few times each. There are tons of great books on our shelves...any particular time period you enjoy? A few of my favorite historical fiction are

Welcome! We have lots of books on our shelves and are happy to have a new reader among us.

I just finished , which was really good - I gave it 5 stars - I read it in 1 and a half sittings....and the reason there was a "half" is because I wasn't emotionally ready for the more difficult part this book had to offer. But today I sat down and finished...and Bryn Greenwood is just amazing. She relates parts of America that most of us are utterly oblivious to. She doesn't shy away from the humanity that is left behind the drug busts, the people who have done equal parts wrong with the right...or unequal parts...but there is always a price. I will keep reading anything she publishes.

Would this be a good one on audio? I have 3 credits, and was thinking I need to find a new one.

Yes - I think that the constant background in my brain thinking of COVID is distracting from my reading enjoyment.

I finished last night, and the ending was fantastic, but I didn't find it to be a page-turner that I couldn't put down. I thought that it was a bit longer than it needed to be.

I finished last night. It was interesting...but I felt like it had a lot of preaching in it. I guess I know in my head what some women feel they have to do to succeed. I think we've all felt the "I'm supposed to do it all" that careers, kids, clean houses, healthy home-cooked meals...and it's just impossible to do and be everything.

The ending WAS very good.

I will pick it up next. I'm about 1/3 through .