Comfort Reads discussion
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What are you reading right now? (SEE NEW THREAD)
Lee wrote: "And I've decided that if I do nothing else before the end of the year, I'm clearing off my currently reading shelf which has 6 or 7 titles on it, mostly non-fiction! I don't know how that happened!"That's a good goal!
Lee wrote: "And I've decided that if I do nothing else before the end of the year, I'm clearing off my currently reading shelf which has 6 or 7 titles on it, mostly non-fiction! I don't know how that happened!"I know the feeling ...
I've finished reading
by Kate Morton today. I thought it was beautifully written with just enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested. It was obviously very well researched - I loved the WW2 bits. Those scenes were so vivid that I felt I was actually there! I found the pace of the novel, especially in the first half, to be rather slow. I thought the author spent too much time describing the various settings in the novel. It got really tiresome in places but the pace does pick up again in the second half. I loved the ending! The twist at the end completely surprised me. I wasn't expecting that! I'm usually quite good at predicting what's going to happen next in novels but that twist was a huge surprise! http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Now I'm a couple of chapters into
by Karen Kingsbury.
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Just started "Hard Eight" by Janet Evanovich
Sorry! I have become a Stephanie Plum addict.
Sorry! I have become a Stephanie Plum addict.
I'm 1/5th of the way through The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling - it's beginning to get interesting now that I've met all the characters.
Lorraine wrote: "I'm 1/5th of the way through The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling - it's beginning to get interesting now that I've met all the characters."Lorraine, I just finished! And I have no idea what to read after having read it. Enjoy! I feel as if I just left all of my friends.
I'm reading
by J.K Rowling. I read half of it when I was a kid but I never did finish it.
Lorraine wrote: "I'm 1/5th of the way through The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling - it's beginning to get interesting now that I've met all the characters."It took me until all the characters were introduced to get into it, but from then on I loved it.
I just finished The Fault in Our Stars which I loved and it might end up on my favorites shelf.My next book, that I probably won't start until tomorrow, is The Woman Who Died a Lot. I think it will be great fun. I love Jasper Fforde's books.
Lisa wrote: "I just finished The Fault in Our Stars which I loved and it might end up on my favorites shelf.My next book, that I probably won't start until tomorrow, is The Woman Who Died a Lot. I think it wi..."
I am so behind with my Jasper Fforde books, but one day, I will get back to them, ha (I love them).
Gundula, You have much to look forward to. He's a hoot. I love the literary references and the general wackiness.
Lorraine wrote: "I'm 1/5th of the way through The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling - it's beginning to get interesting now that I've met all the characters."I read it and loved it but it did take a while to keep all the characters straight in my head.
I am going to finish up my book of short stories,
. I put it aside a few months ago, read a story last night, and have 3 to go. She's such a beautiful writer. Want to tie up loose ends before end of year.
I'm reading
..got it from the boo fair today at my sons school ..my 10 year old went on and on about wow g00d of a book it is and that her teacher read it at school..she's in 5th and so far..she was right!!
I have just tucked myself nicely into Trust Your Eyesby Linwood Barclay. It has caught my full attention already.
I have a few things on the go at the moment. I'm listening to a chapter a day of the Moby Dick Big Read, to a few chapters a week of AS Byatt's The Children's Book for a group read and to Jo Walton's Among Others for entertainment while commuting. My before-bed reading is Steinbeck: A Life in Letters and Louis de Berniere's Birds Without Wings.
Kim, I absolutely adored Birds Without Wings. I hope you are listening to the audiobook narrated by John Lee. The narration could not be better.
Lisa wrote: "Beth, I LOVED Out of My Mind!"I think I will too
I really, really did enjoy listening to The Book of Ebenezer le Page. If you cannot listen to it, then I guess you must read it instead. If you have never listened to audiobooks this is a great one to start with. I adored the lines and the humor and the people I met. It was perfect until the very last chapter. Two things were not quite right with that very last chapter, so the book went from a five to a four star book.My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Have started The Bluest Eye. It will be quite hard for Toni Morrison to come up to the narrative ability of Roy Dotrice, speaking for Ebenezer! The tone is so dramatically different.
Chrissie wrote: "Kim, I absolutely adored Birds Without Wings. I hope you are listening to the audiobook narrated by John Lee. The narration could not be better."I'm reading it, Chrissie, which is a bit of a shame, because I really like John Lee (can't remember what I've heard him read, but I know i liked it!!).
Kim wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Kim, I absolutely adored Birds Without Wings. I hope you are listening to the audiobook narrated by John Lee. The narration could not be better."I'm reading it, Chrissie, which i..."
Well, the words are good too.
Been traveling this week and teaching. And reading: Finished Painted Ladies
and Sixkill
, which I could hardly bear to read because Parker died and finishing his unread books gets me closer to none left, Death of a Kingfisher
(probably her best book in several years), Flowering Wilderness
, Maid in Waiting
and Over the River
, (the last 3 of the 9-volume series, my favorite series, and a rare reread), and a dazzling book called The Age of Desire
. It's a novel about Edith Wharton in middle age and the writing was spellbinding in places.
I just finished reading
Bride of New France by Suzanne Desrochers and it was good read. I liked it but felt it lacked depth and the writing had little flow. The story once I got past that was enjoyable enough though. 3 stars.Now I'm starting
River Marked by Patricia Briggs.
I am now reading "When Horses Had Wings" by Diana Estill
Gundula wrote: "I am so behind with my Jasper Fforde books, but one day, I will get back to them, ha (I love them). "I'm quite annoyed with Audible in regards to the Jasper Fforde books. In Canada, they only have the latest two books available. However, they had Lost in a Good Book at one point, so I have a copy of that from them, but it's not available any more.
I'm sure it's a rights issue, but I have Audible credits I'd happily spend on the books, but I can't.
On a side note, I love audiobooks. They're perfect for commutes, housework, and listening right before sleep.
Tim wrote: "Gundula wrote: "I am so behind with my Jasper Fforde books, but one day, I will get back to them, ha (I love them). "I'm quite annoyed with Audible in regards to the Jasper Fforde books. In Canad..."
And you don't run the risk of falling asleep with a book on your face (something that happens quite a lot with me), ha.
Gundula wrote: "And you don't run the risk of falling asleep with a book on your face (something that happens quite a lot with me), ha. "The Audible app for iOS even has a sleep timer so you can tell it to shut off after a specific time has passed or after a chapter. I assume the ones for the other platforms do as well. It's very handy.
Tim wrote: "The Audible app for iOS even has a sleep timer so you can tell it to shut off after a specific time has passed or after a chapter."Oh, that is really nice!
I just finished The Bluest Eye. This is a difficult book to get through, but I am glad I tackled it.Review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
My next audiobook will be The English Patient. I have seen the movie ages ago and now I want to listen to every word of the book.
I am also reading The Visible World, but the beginning isn't so great. I have heard it does improve.
Simran, I am glad I read The Bluest Eye. Toni Morrison can certainly write, but... When she got the Pulitzer for Beloved I tried to read that and could not, absolutely could not get through to the end. It is a matter of style. Rough reading, not in any way comforting, so I could not add it to the group's bookshelves.
Fun to know you will soon be on the plane, on the way to a beach and relaxation. :0)
But what did you think of the ending of North and South? No, it is not my kind of book; another writer that can clearly write but does not please me.
Even Higgins, the philosopher? Margaret did go through quite a lot in a short period of time, didn't she? I'm glad you liked it!
I finished reading
by Karen Kingsbury last night and I really disappointed with it. The plot was very predictable, irritatingly repetitive, contrived and not very well-written. The concept of the story was interesting but the author is not a good enough writer to pull it off. This novel was simply too formulaic, too sweet, too predictable, too simplistic, too everything I don't like. The entire novel had that 'la-la-land' feel to it. My full review is here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Today I've started reading
by Stef Penney.
Brenda wrote: "Has anyone read A Game of Thrones ? I just started this and I'm really enjoying it."I've been reading the A Song of Ice and Fire since the beginning - it's tremendous. I haven't read the latest book yet; I need to find the time to start from the beginning and read all the way through.
Just starting
A Eclipse Novella (The Twilight Series) by Stephenie Meyer This was suggested by a reader from Goodreads. Thanks.
A Eclipse Novella (The Twilight Series) by Stephenie Meyer This was suggested by a reader from Goodreads. Thanks.
Tracey wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Has anyone read A Game of Thrones ? I just started this and I'm really enjoying it."I've been reading the A Song of Ice and Fire since the beginning - it's tremendous. I haven't r..."
Glad to hear you liked it. I'm still trying to follow the names/associations but getting the hang of it. I am really enjoying it as well.
I have completed The Visible World and the audiobook The English Patient. These are my reviews: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... and
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
On the back cover of "The Visible World" the author's writing is compared to Ondaatje's. I don't agree.
I have started I, Mona Lisa. It grabs you right away! I will start Matterhorn tomorrow.
Just started The Secret Christmas Ciphersby Carolynn Careyon Kindle. And The Lawman's Christmas Wish by Linda Goodnight in paperback
I am reading Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery.
I finished
and gave it 5 stars. I really love this writing duo.I've since started
Late last night I started
; it is set in the early 60's and mid 70's (goes back and forth I think) and the setting is Vietnam and the War. I had the purchase receipt in the book, and I bought it in 2010! About time to read it!
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Diane D. wrote: "Late last night I started ; it is set in the early 60's and mid 70's (goes back and forth I think) and the setting is Vietnam and the War. I had the purchase re..."Diane, I am listening to Matterhorn, also set in Vietnam. Everybody loves the book I am reading, but so far I do not. Tons of military jargon and billions of names. They are in the jungle and this is the men fighting and yes you do feel you are there but it is a world that is so yucky, a world of men and swearing and filth and leeches and.... I have a hard time relating. The worst is that I do not understand what they are saying with all the acronyms, 10 in a sentence! Tell me about yours please. Maybe I will try that when I have finished this, but I do have to continue; everyone says it is really good. I have only listened to three chapters.
Hi Lee and Chrissie, I will definitely let you both know. I'm only on Chapter 2, but so far it is definitely not filled with military jargon. The primary character is a war photographer named Ellen, and we also meet her lover (not sure if they are married) a Vietnamese man named Linh. It seems to be much more of characters and their stories, even though the war is definitely 'there'.
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It's been a while since I read some space opera - Leviathan Wakes. Not bad, fast moving and fun comfort reading.
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Comfort Reads
Books mentioned in this topic
Forever (other topics)The Big Sky (other topics)
Anil's Ghost (other topics)
Burial Rites (other topics)
Goodbye Sarajevo: A True Story of Courage, Love and Survival (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Michael Ondaatje (other topics)Wendell Berry (other topics)
Robert K. Massie (other topics)
Edmund Morris (other topics)
Susan Fromberg Schaeffer (other topics)
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My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I do recommend this book. Good historical fiction about life during the Depression and being Japanese in the US during the war. You learn interesting things about the Japanese language too.
Now I will start The Book of Ebenezer le Page. I want to know more about life on Guernsey, one of the channel Islands.