Group Reads 2017/2018

[Barbara]

Kim wrote: "I like Charles Finch's works as well, Barb. Much shorter than most of Trollope's works, though.

It was my right leg, spent so long in hospital/trauma rehab center. My first day coming into my tr ..."

I have been mostly lurking on these threads being more taken up with Norah Lofts but couldn't resist adding my 'hospital tale'

I had a heart attack a couple of years ago (such a surprise, especially to me ! ) Anyway, some wards in public hospitals in South Australia are now ( also to my surprise ) mixed sex. I was the only woman in my six bed ward and every single one of the five men snored, all in different registers and all at different volumes, all night. At least two had sport on the television - seriously loud.. And the one next to me - I mean there were curtains of course , but not always pulled round - had a penchant for wanting to show his angiogram site . In his groin.
I got better SO quickly.............and recuperated with dear GH , who never has groins in her books.

[Abigail]

Great story, Barbara! Yikes about the one next to you. Men can be such children! I can see why you were motivated to make a swift recovery.

[Cheryl]

They sometimes have mixed sex rooms in my part of Canada. A few years ago during what turned out to be my mother's final hospitalization I desperately wanted her moved out of the ER. They said they had a bed in a men's room. I thought of my mother, so confused then, completely isolated by the curtains and knowing that outside them she was surrounded by strange men...I refused, and they did find her a bed in a women's ward and even, when she was clearly dying, a bed in a private room.

I must say I also had a salutory lesson in prejudices. I eyed a young male nurse with tattoos and piercings, but he proved to be extremely kind and gentle and good at his job. The old ladies loved him!

[Susan in NC]

Wow, some adventures in healthcare here - it's sad that you don't know until you yourself or a loved one enter the system, what is exactly in store.

I guess as in Barbara's case it could egg you on to swifter recovery, but what about those poor souls like my mom and Cheryl's where they won't be leaving the hospital? I'm glad we were able to get mom a spot in hospice care for the last few days, but had to fight for that - I think we all have a way to go toward recovering in positive (not just cost-effective) surroundings and dying with dignity. Sorry to be so heavy on a Sunday, but the healthcare debate rages on here in the US!

[Teresa]

Here in Ireland we have had mixed wards for everyone for a long time. My mother had two stints in our local hospital in 2015. The guy beside her turned out to be a bit of a peeping tom. Any time she had the curtains drawn for privacy he would be caught looking in or he would pull the curtains back completely when it was most unappropriate. My mother is in her late eighties and of the old school. It's disgraceful the way they have to share with men at this time of their lives.

[Susan in NC]

Teresa wrote: "Here in Ireland we have had mixed wards for everyone for a long time. My mother had two stints in our local hospital in 2015. The guy beside her turned out to be a bit of a peeping tom. Any time sh..."

Oh that is awful! My mother was the same - old-school Irish Catholic and very outspoken with it, she would've hurled a bed pan at that fella...I'm so sorry your mother had to go through that, especially at that vulnerable time.

[Karlyne]

"Texts from the Trauma Center" - Kim, there's your title!

[Kim]

Thanks, Karlyne! The new hospital in Oakland has single rooms, and allowed my husband to sleep there with me. The trauma center had 2 of us to a room, same sex--women with women. But I had male nurses and nurses aids washing my bits, helping me with bed pans, taking me to the shower room and washing me from head to toe. Some were fine, but one was kind of creepy. Think he was the one whose ring tone was the music from Kill Bill when they tried to smother the Bride with a pillow in the hospital, that ran a shiver down my spine every time I heard it...my son could not believe anyone would have that as a ring tone...dark sense of humor.

[Karlyne]

Kim wrote: "Thanks, Karlyne! The new hospital in Oakland has single rooms, and allowed my husband to sleep there with me. The trauma center had 2 of us to a room, same sex--women with women. But I had male nur..."

Oh, my word, Kim - that gave me goose bumps! I laughed, but I had goose bumps, too!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Hi Everyone I hope everyone is either well or on the road to recovery.

It's time to think about our April read!

I'll just copy part of what I wrote in an earlier post

I will also just mention that we have 3 non Regency romances that we should consider reading in 2017 as we haven't done them as a group read yet. The Convenient Marriage, The Masqueraders & Beauvallet.

2014 romances that are back in the mix as far as nominations are concerned are;

Cotillion **
Frederica
Sylvester
The Nonesuch
The Unknown Ajax*
The Foundling.

* Our May read.
** Will definitely be read in 2018 under either my or Margaret's reading order.

This post will get a bit unwieldy if I list the 2015/6 reads, so if unsure just look through the Group Reads folder before nominating. (as IMO it is too soon to reread)

Just take a look at the proposed reading schedule for 2018 before making a nomination.

I would like to nominate The Convenient Marriage.

Looking forward to hearing from the rest of you! :)

[Barb in Maryland]

For non Regency I nominate 'The Masqueraders'--it is one of my top 5 GH titles.

From the 2014 list I nominate Sylvester, which I love, but haven't re-read in far too long.

[Teresa]

That one is fine by me Carol. I need to reread most of them anyway.

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review)]

I would like to put Frederica forward :D

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Barb in Maryland wrote: "For non Regency I nominate 'The Masqueraders'--it is one of my top 5 GH titles.

From the 2014 list I nominate Sylvester, which I love, but haven't re-read in far too long."

Oh sorry Barb I should have mentioned only one nomination per person. Which would you prefer to nominate. It isn't obligatory to nominate from the 2014 list - just as long as no one nominates anything we read 2015 or 2016 as we still have some good titles unread. :) Have I made things too complicated?

[Abigail]

Whichever one of the books Barb decides to nominate, The Masqueraders or Sylvester, I’ll nominate the other one!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Well that gives us 4. Bear in mind the non Regencies probably won't get a group read till 2020 if they don't get read this year as we are intending to read the Regencies in order.

One more nomination & I will close it for voting! :)

[Susan in NC]

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "Hi Everyone I hope everyone is either well or on the road to recovery.

It's time to think about our April read!

I'll just copy part of what I wrote in an earlier post

I will also just mention th..."

I haven't read Masqueraders or Beauvallet so I'm fine with either of those; I read Convenient Marriage once years ago and enjoyed it very much, so I'd love a reread with the group...I know, I'm as decisive as a bowl of Jello but I really would enjoy any of those three!

And thanks for everyone's kind wishes, I am back home after surgery and doing well. Everyone was lovely in hospital but there's no place like home!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Susan in NC wrote: "I haven't read Masqueraders or Beauvallet so I'm fine with either of those;

So I will put you down as nominating Beauvallet! Perfect! Nominations closed & it's time for voting!

We have
The Inconvenient Marriage
The Masqueraders
Sylvester
Frederica
Beauvallet.

I probably won't reread Frederica as I just read it last year, so if someone else wants to lead the discussion that would be great! Otherwise I'm sure after about 30 reads I will remember it well enough to lead! :)

My vote is for The Inconvenient Marriage

[Barb in Maryland]

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "Barb in Maryland wrote: "For non Regency I nominate 'The Masqueraders'--it is one of my top 5 GH titles.

From the 2014 list I nominate Sylvester, which I love, but haven't re-read in far too long...."

Oops, my bad. I'll go with 'The Masqueraders' because I love it sooo much.

[Barb in Maryland]

Susan in NC wrote: "Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "Hi Everyone I hope everyone is either well or on the road to recovery.

It's time to think about our April read!

I'll just copy part of what I wrote in an earlier p..."

Susan
Welcome back! Glad everything went well and that you are home again.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Barb in Maryland wrote: "Oops, my bad. I'll go with 'The Masqueraders' because I love it sooo much.

It's my fault for making things so ridiculously complicated! Ex public body employee - can anyone tell? :D

But we have ended up with an awesome list. Three never read by this group, two not read since 2014!

[Susan in NC]

Barb in Maryland wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "Hi Everyone I hope everyone is either well or on the road to recovery.

It's time to think about our April read!

I'll just copy part of what I w..."

Thanks so much! And Carol, I'm happy to nominate Beauvallet but I'm not really a swashbuckling kind of gal, so please put my vote down for Convenient Marriage - it's been so long and I remember it being very funny, I'd love to reread it with the group!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

glad to have you back Susan!

[Susan in NC]

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "glad to have you back Susan!"

Thanks, I'm so glad to be back and feeling better already! ;-)

[Louise Sparrow]

I know I didn't like The Convenient Marriage and have never re-read it, so I'm going to vote for that, because it's time I did.

[Teresa]

Glad you're better Susan. You're right, there's no place like home!!

[Susan in NC]

Teresa wrote: "Glad you're better Susan. You're right, there's no place like home!!"

Thank you! A bit tired but so much more comfortable - the first night you know how they wake you every two hours to check vital signs- I know they have to monitor patients after surgery but yikes, no sleep! That's harder for me than physical pain...;-)

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Aaaarrrggghhh the Convenient Marriage! Don't know where my brain is!!!

[Abigail]

I also read Frederica last year, so even though I love it I wouldn’t read it again. My vote goes to Sylvester.

[Linda]

I'll be happy with any of these as each one will be a first read for me. :)

[Lesley]

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "Aaaarrrggghhh the Convenient Marriage! Don't know where my brain is!!!"

Didn't even realise the blue. Just read it as it should have been.:) Still would've been interesting to see what sort of romance GH could have written about an inconvenient marriage!!

I'll go with any of them. It is such a long time since reading any of GH books, (not since my Nan died) they are all like a first read again.

[Sheila (in LA)]

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "Aaaarrrggghhh the Convenient Marriage! Don't know where my brain is!!!"

Lol, I thought it was deliberate!

I have read The Convenient Marriage and Sylvester, so I will vote for one I haven't read--The Masqueraders. But I will reread/join in the discussion of any of them!

Welcome back, Susan!

[Susan in Perthshire]

Great to have you back Susan - glad everything went so well!

My vote is for Sylvester.

[Susan in NC]

Thank you, Sheila and Susan - I'm looking forward to whichever book wins, any of the three will be like a new read for me.

[Barb in Maryland]

I will gladly re-read any of the books on the list. That said, my vote goes for The Masqueraders.

[Kim]

I will read any and all of the 3, but I loved The Masqueraders, & Sylvester gave both my mother and myself the whoops the first time through. ;-)

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Kim wrote: "I will read any and all of the 3, but I loved The Masqueraders, & Sylvester gave both my mother and myself the whoops the first time through. ;-)"

I will count you as one of the "happy to read any of them" voters Kim. :)

So, at the moment The Convenient Marriage & The Masqueraders are neck & neck.
Sylvester has 2 votes
& I'm counting Hilary's nomination of Frederica as 1 vote
0 votes forBeauvallet

I will leave voting open till sometime on Sunday (NZ time) :)

[QNPoohBear]

I'll third Sylvester

[Anna]

4th Sylvester. Hope to join.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Updated votes

Sylvester 4
The Convenient Marriage 3
The Masqueraders 3
Frederica 1
Beauvalet 0

[Amy]

Sylvester!

[Amy]

Sylvester!

[Barb in Maryland]

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "Updated votes

Sylvester 4
The Convenient Marriage 3
The Masqueraders 3
Frederica 1
Beauvallet 0"

Oh, poor 'Beauvallet' is not receiving any love. I always picture a young Errol Flynn as 'mad' Beauvallet. Blame the movie 'The Sea Hawk' (1940) (not to be confused with Rafael Sabatini's novel of the same name. However, as someone who read a lot of Sabatini as a teen, it is obvious that GH did the same.) Anywhoo, I've always found 'Beauvallet' to be quite charming.

[Jackie]

I like Beauvallet myself - very charming - but would be happy with any of them. are we voting in this thread??

if yes I will vote for The Masqueraders. if not, where do I click.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Jackie wrote: "I like Beauvallet myself - very charming - but would be happy with any of them. are we voting in this thread??

if yes I will vote for The Masqueraders. if not, where do I click."

Yes this is the thread to vote. :)
Barb I love Beauvallet too. :)

[Jay-me (Janet)]

I'm reading Beauvallet at the moment - slowly, as it is my current "bath paperback" ;)

My vote is for The Masqueraders

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review)]

do we not set up a poll?

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Hilary wrote: "do we not set up a poll?"

No we don't do polls as I found consensus easier. :) In message 187 I counted your nomination for Frederica as a vote. But if you want to change to one of the other nominations let me know! :) Votes close on Sunday (New Zealand time)

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Current standings

The Masqueraders 5
Sylvester 5
The Convenient Marriage 3
Frederica 1
Beauvallet 0

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review)]

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "Hilary wrote: "do we not set up a poll?"

No we don't do polls as I found consensus easier. :) In message 187 I counted your nomination for Frederica as a vote. But if you want to change to one of ..."

Nope stick with Frederica! and I ever realised about the consensus thingymewhatchamacallit - now I know for the future!