Comfort Reads discussion
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What are you reading right now? (SEE NEW THREAD)
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Lee, Mod Mama
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Jul 11, 2010 09:37PM
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I just finished Sacrifice by S.J. Bolton, and it was one of the best books I've read so far this year. I loved it! If you love mysteries, Scotland (Shetland Islands, and lots of intrigue, grab this one fast.
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Kathy wrote: "I just finished Sacrifice by S.J. Bolton, and it was one of the best books I've read so far this year. I loved it! If you love mysteries, Scotland (Shetland Islands, and lots of in..."Just added it!
Lisa wrote: "Kathy wrote: "I just finished Sacrifice by S.J. Bolton, and it was one of the best books I've read so far this year. I loved it! If you love mysteries, Scotland (Shetland Islands, ..."Yay!
Last night I started Moloka'i
by Alan Brennert. It's historical fiction about the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Molokai and the life of Rachel Kalama who is sent there as a 7-yr.-old to live. There is some really interesting information about this place of exile in the back of the book. Just amazing.
Lisa wrote: "Kathy wrote: "I just finished Sacrifice by S.J. Bolton, and it was one of the best books I've read so far this year. I loved it! If you love mysteries, Scotland (Shetland Islands, ..."I've also added it! And Kathy, I loved Moloka'i. I hear that his new one Honolulu is excellent as well.
I finished City of Thieves which disappointed me. A page turner, yes, but I was put off by the graphic language. I am now reading Sharp Objects. So far it is creepy and good but I will definitely need something lighter after this!
Mary wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Kathy wrote: "I just finished Sacrifice by S.J. Bolton, and it was one of the best books I've read so far this year. I loved it! If you love mysteries, Scotland (Shetl..."Oh good, Mary. I hope you enjoy Sacrifice as much as I did. Let me know. So glad to hear you loved Moloka'i. It's a fascinating piece of history to me. I, also, have Honolulu sitting on my shelf waiting. Maybe we could read it together sometime.
Kathy wrote: "Last night I started Moloka'i by Alan Brennert. It's historical fiction about the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Molokai and the life of Rach..."
I loved this book! Honolulu was also very good.
by Alan Brennert. It's historical fiction about the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Molokai and the life of Rach..."I loved this book! Honolulu was also very good.
Christine wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Last night I started Moloka'i by Alan Brennert. It's historical fiction about the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Molokai and th..."Oh, I'm so excited about continuing this book. All of my favorite goodreads friends have loved it. Yay!
Kathy wrote: "Last night I started Moloka'i by Alan Brennert. It's historical fiction about the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Molokai and the life of Rach..."I've been wanting to read this since I heard about it around the time of publication. It's one I've suggested for my book club, but I'll probably have to read it on my own. My club has a long list of books, and we meet only 8 x a year.
Lisa, You need to add another book club. My book club meets every two weeks so we meet about 24 times a year - we won't meet around Xmas and/or Thanksgiving.
I've just started "The Secret History of the Pink Carnation." I'm not sure if I'll finish it, but I am intrigued so far.
Maude wrote: "Lisa, You need to add another book club. My book club meets every two weeks so we meet about 24 times a year - we won't meet around Xmas and/or Thanksgiving."Every two weeks would be too much stress for me, I sometimes read very quickly, but often I read very slowly as well. Having to meet every two weeks would feel like being at university and having to get the book read and ready to discuss, or else.
Maude wrote: "Lisa, You need to add another book club. My book club meets every two weeks so we meet about 24 times a year - we won't meet around Xmas and/or Thanksgiving."We have 2 months on, 1 off: January, March, April, June, July, September, October, early December.
I belong to so many online book clubs here, most with multiple books every month, I don't think I could handle more. Also, we meet at restaurants and most members in my group are very, very busy. 8 x a year for the last 4-1/2 years has worked out really well. There has been a companion club that I attended several times too.
Lisa, I agree. You do so much as it is you want to have time for yourself. My book club is very laid back = one of the members never reads the book, and if someone gets busy they might not read it, either, so we also discuss many other subjects. It is as much a social club as it is a book club.
Maude, We do have some meetings where we discuss life more than the book. It depends on the book & our moods & what's going on in life.
I need to laugh and practice my French, so I am reading Astérix chez les Bretons; it promises to be hilarious, the Asterix comics are great in any language, but the French original absolutely takes the cake (even if/when I cannot understand all of the text).
Gundula wrote: "I need to laugh and practice my French, so I am reading Astérix chez les Bretons; it promises to be hilarious, the Asterix comics are great in any language, but the French original ab..."
Is this the one with the Brits? I think I know all of the punch lines in German! Very funny!
Is this the one with the Brits? I think I know all of the punch lines in German! Very funny!
Jeannette wrote: "Gundula wrote: "I need to laugh and practice my French, so I am reading Astérix chez les Bretons; it promises to be hilarious, the Asterix comics are great in any language, but the Fr..."Yeah, it's the one with the Brits, I've read it in German and ENglish, now for the French. And, it is extremely funny.
Gundula, you have to read something by Philippe Geluck. He writes comic strips in French about "le Chat". He is Belgian. Hysterical. Comics are a cult thing here in Belgium. Tintin is of national pride. But I adore Geluck. Forget the others. Geluck's are more like funny cartoons than comic strips. We have a Comic Strip Museum.It has taken me three hours to rmember this guy's name and them wham I knew it......
Chrissie wrote: "Gundula, you have to read something by Philippe Geluck. He writes comic strips in French about "le chat". He is Belgian. Hysterical. Comics are a cult thing here in Belgian. Tinti..."
I know that many people really enjoy "Tintin" and I read a lot of these comics in German when I was younger. But, recently I have noticed just how Euro-centric, stereotypical, and in some cases, racist, some of the "Tintin" books are, especially Tintin Au Congo and Tintin en Amérique. I just find "Asterix" funnier, and because it's meant to be satire, everyone gets criticised and made fun of. I will have to try out "Philippe Geluck" he looks great.
Gundula, I don't like comics. i never have. I don't like Tintin, Asterix, none of them but Geluck is not so much a comic strip but rather a joke with one picture at a time. This is funny stuff. And it is in French. I have just about all of his books. To read when I need to laugh, but they are in France.
Chrissie wrote: "Gundula, I don't like comics. i never have. I don't like Tintin, Asterix, none of them but Geluck is not so much a comic strip but rather a joke with one picture at a time. This is funny stuff. And..."That's why I read Asterix, for a laugh, even though I don't always get all of the sly humour. I am going to check out Geluck and add a few of his books to my comic book shelf. I'm actually not that much of a comic book fan either, just a few that I like (and, I think they are mostly French).
Gundula, the cat is funny. There are tons of cards with his jokes and adds in the metro and museum exhibitions. I like "le Chat". Try and get it at the library. OK, I finished The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom. All I have to say is I don't know how much of it is true. I had to put a spoiler alert on my review b/c otherwise how could I explain my disbelief?! If you don't like spoilers but are scared of reading a book and then being disappointed, maybe read what I have to say, decide if you want to read the book and then wait a year or two so you can forget my words...... That is an idea!
I have started The Bielski Brothers: The True Story of Three Men Who Defied the Nazis, Built a Village in the Forest, and Saved 1,200 Jews. What a relief, something I can trust. I so want to read about this group of Jews who fought back against the Nazis!!! So many people say the Jews just gave up. Well that is not true; they didn't. Here is an example of the opposite.
Chrissie, I LOVED that Bielski Brothers book. (There are others too and others where they're mentioned in passing.) It wasn't a comfort read for me though, but I thought it was great. So interesting. I hope you enjoy it.
Curtains for Three by Rex Stout. It's not the one Gundula recommended I start with, but I like the writing style so far. I hope to get the other one at the library this week.
Jeannette wrote: "Curtains for Three by Rex Stout. It's not the one Gundula recommended I start with, but I like the writing style so far. I hope to get the other one at the library this week."I should try that one, I've only read the three I mentioned. Thanks for pointing it out.
You are welcome! I chose it because it is a collection of 3 short stories, and I have it on my bookshelf, in English. I have Fer-de-Lance on hold at the library.
Jeannette wrote: "You are welcome! I chose it because it is a collection of 3 short stories, and I have it on my bookshelf, in English. I have Fer-de-Lance on hold at the library."I think you will like "Fer-de-Lance" It's quite interesting and very suspenseful. And, if you do like short stories, you would also like one of the other books I suggested, Black Orchids. I remember it being very good.
I finished my first Nero Wolfe story. I see why Sherlock Holmes comes to mind: Wolfe solves the murder and you never see it coming. But, the solution fits perfectly. I like the first-person writing style, too. And the language they use. An enjoyable read.
I'm almost done with Hannah's List by Debbie Macomber. It's a great story and I'm really enjoying this new Macomber book as always!!
I'm just over half-way finished with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I'm really looking forward to the last HP book. I heard it's great and full of twists, turns and surprises.
Beth wrote: "I'm just over half-way finished with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I'm really looking forward to the last HP book. I heard it's great and full of twists, turns and surprises."
You haven't read it yet? Enjoy!! :)
You haven't read it yet? Enjoy!! :)
Beth wrote: "I'm just over half-way finished with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I'm really looking forward to the last HP book. I heard it's great and full of twists, turns and surprises."The last HP book is excellent, but I LOVED Half-Blood Prince almost as much...maybe more?? I don't know, close call :)
Jo wrote: "I'm reading The God of Small Things"I am reading The God of Small Things also. Definitely NOT a comfort read, but I love it.
Yesterday I started (and tomorrow I'll probably finish) Scout, Atticus, and Boo: A Celebration of Fifty Years of To Kill a Mockingbird. It's wonderful to immerse myself in all things To Kill a Mockingbird.
Diane D. wrote: "Hi LisaMy live bookclub is reading To Kill a Mockingbird for our August meeting. I'm very excited!"
Diane, It's a great book club book. Have you read it before? I read it for the first time when I was 12 (saw the movie when it first came out brand new when I was 9) and it's one of my all time favorite books. But, I always wonder about coming to it for the first time as an adult, whether it feels as powerful as it does to a kid. I've read (I think) only 4 books more than 100 times each and To Kill a Mockingbird is one of them. It was my favorite book the year I was 12 and it's always been in my top 25, probably my top 5.
Hi Lisa, No I've not read it before. I've seen the movie a few times, any time it comes on I catch it. And I love the movie. Your concern about reading it the first time as an adult is interesting to me, because I had never considered it a YA story, but saw it classified on GR as such, and again with your comment here. I'll let you know what I think of it as an adult when I read it. Maybe we can have a thread with all the notice it's getting?
Diane, Well, it was written as an adult novel, but almost everybody I know read it for the first time when they were between the ages of 9 and 17. I was 12, but I'd known the movie since I was 9. The movie is also excellent. But, as with all movies, it's not as detailed as the book. You're in for a treat meeting "new" characters and having other characters more fleshed out. I'm just wild about the book.
As soon as I finish this book I want to see the movie again, then, in August, I plan to read TKAM yet again with 2 GR friends. I can't wait! (Are you one of the two? I can't remember. Aging brain!!)
No, you're not. One is someone who's also read it and one is Lee, who also hasn't read it yet.Well, we can still all talk about it together!!
Lisa, I adored To Kill a Mockingbird, and I read it as a kid too. Here it is a little after 8 in the morning, what time is it for you now????
Chrissie wrote: "Lisa, I adored To Kill a Mockingbird, and I read it as a kid too. Here it is a little after 8 in the morning, what time is it for you now????"Chrissie, It's 11:09 pm in the evening.
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Lee wrote: "Oh cool, are we on for reading TKAM in August? I'll put it officially in the line up. :-)"Yes, but I can't remember with who else. :-( Do you remember? If not, hopefully she'll remind us!!
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Lee wrote: "Was it Kathy? I seem to remember her saying that she might be reading it with a group. Where are the comments we left??? I can't remember."Yes, I'm nearly certain it's Kathy.
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