Comfort Reads discussion
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What are you reading right now? (SEE NEW THREAD)
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[deleted user]
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Oct 12, 2011 05:48AM
I was in a book slump a couple weeks back, and all of the books I am enjoying now are new to the queue. Go figure!
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Well, I have group discussions and a new book. This helps!
, Terry Pratchett's new book.
I didn't get to start it yet. I love Pratchett's books, so I have high hopes for this one.
Lee wrote: "The Laurie King series is another I'm curious about. Are you enjoying them Kim? You're reading a lot of books at once!"
Lee, I don't like to be didactic about recommending books, but you have to read the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie R. King. Seriously, you have to, no excuses. LOL! I recommended them to a friend of mine, and she is loving them. I'm jealous when she talks about them because I envy her reading them for the first time. The only reason I've yet to read the latest one, Pirate King, is that I became obsessed with the Inspector Gamache series and have to get up to date on it. Now, didn't I steer you right with the Falvia de Luce books? So, keep reading those and then read the Laurie King books. Not that I'm trying to tell you what to do. LOL!
Kim wrote: "So did I. It made me cry. I'm listening to Rebecca on audiobook for a buddy read. I haven't read it since I was a teenager and had forgotten how very good it is.
Also [book:Unc..."
Wow, Kim, you are doing some great reading. You've made me want to listen to Rebecca on audio now. Time for a reread or listen on that one soon. So glad you are back to the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie King. Please let us know which one you're on and how you're enjoying them.
Kimberly wrote: "I'm starting 
"Yep, I thoroughly enjoyed this one, too, Kimberly. Thanks for letting me know you loved the Inspector Gamache series, too.
Jeannette wrote: "I am hoping to start Terry Pratchett's new book tomorrow. Amazon says it is on its way!"
OK, I am going to have to read Terry Pratchett sometime. He's on my list of authors to read, but for some reason I haven't gotten to him yet. Suggestions for a first read by him, Jeannette?
Lauren wrote: "Currently reading The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb and LOVING it - I recommend it at only 100 pages in."Sounds very interesting, Lauren!
Simran and Kimberly, I have had the Black Dagger Brotherhood books in the back of my mind for quite a while. Hoping to get to this series next year. Iain, thanks for giving me a couple more to check out, like I need that. LOL!
Lisa wrote: "Lee wrote: "Kathy will be happy to know that I'm finally reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie! So far so good!"Oh, I love that book. But have yet to read the sequels, bu..."
Lisa, repeat after me, "Must read Falvia de Luce sequels, must read sequels now!"
Simran wrote: "Kim, I tried the Rickman audiobook ( Return of the Native) and while I liked listening to his voice, it just couldn't hold my attention. My mind wandered & my hands wanted to hold a book lol."Simran, the place I like listening to books is in the car, where holding one often interferes with my driving (lol). It's a great way to get in some extra reading or to test out a book I might want to read in print. Of course, I think there are some books that lend themselves to audio better than others.
Simran wrote: "Ooo Kathy, I have a feeling you'll enjoy them !! I can't wait to get my books out of storage so I can reread the 1st one, maybe a few more after that lol."Well, I do love my vamps, so it should be a good fit for me.
Simran wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Simran wrote: "Kim, I tried the Rickman audiobook ( Return of the Native) and while I liked listening to his voice, it just couldn't hold my attention. My mind wandered & my hands wan..."Ha, ha, ha! I do sometimes get a little too into the book.
Kathy wrote: "OK, I am going to have to read Terry Pratchett sometime. He'..."
Guards! Guards! -- the first in the Watch series
Moving Pictures
The Truth
Going Postal
Thief of Time
Monstrous Regiment
The last 5 are stand-alone. Or you could start with the juvenile/YA books:
The Wee Free Men: A Story of Discworld -- first in a series
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents
Guards! Guards! -- the first in the Watch series
Moving Pictures
The Truth
Going Postal
Thief of Time
Monstrous Regiment
The last 5 are stand-alone. Or you could start with the juvenile/YA books:
The Wee Free Men: A Story of Discworld -- first in a series
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents
Kathy wrote: "Lisa, repeat after me, "Must read Falvia de Luce sequels, must read sequels now!."I know! It's Goodreads' fault, and the fault of all you members. You've swollen my Mt. TBR to the sky and the books I most want to read get lost in a sea of books. But, yes, I'm dying to read the sequels and can't believe I haven't done so already!
Edited to add: The second book is on my on-deck shelf, but that shelf has gotten so, so long!!!
Kathy wrote: "So glad you are back to the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie King. Please let us know which one you're on and how you're enjoying them. ..."Kathy, I'm up to #3, (A Letter of Mary) and liking it very much so far. I loved the first book and was less keen on the second, but not enough to put me off the series. I have #4 at home and I'm going to re-read The Hound of the Baskervilles before I embark on it.
Simran wrote: "Kim, I tried the Rickman audiobook ( Return of the Native) and while I liked listening to his voice, it just couldn't hold my attention. My mind wandered & my hands wanted to hold a book lol."Simran, I cannot just sit and listen to an audiobook. I need to be doing something else at the same time, even if it's just sitting on the bus, cooking dinner or brushing my teeth. I have no problem concentrating. If anything, I probably concentrate on the spoken word more easily than on the written word.
This is possibly because I am very used to processing information aurally. In fact in some ways I prefer it, even though I love reading text. I listen to radio news and current affairs rather than television news and current affairs and I prefer radio documentaries to film documentaries. Before I started listening to audiobooks I listened to public radio non-music channels whenever I was doing something on my own, so making the switch to audiobooks was easy. Now, if I have a long commute, I actually start hoping for traffic jams or red lights so that I can listen just that bit longer!
Also, with The Return of the Native, the first few chapters are mostly description: beautiful imagery but not that easy to get through. It becomes much more interesting once the action starts!
Jeannette wrote: "Kathy wrote: "OK, I am going to have to read Terry Pratchett sometime. HGuards! Guards! -- the first in the Watch series
Moving Pictures
The Truth..."
Thanks so much, Jeannette.
Lisa wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Lisa, repeat after me, "Must read Falvia de Luce sequels, must read sequels now!."I know! It's Goodreads' fault, and the fault of all you members. You've swollen my Mt. TBR to the s..."
I love your use of on-deck shelf. I may have to borrow that one.
Kim wrote: "Kathy wrote: "So glad you are back to the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie King. Please let us know which one you're on and how you're enjoying them. ..."Kathy, I'm up to #3, (A Le..."
Be still my heart! The Hound of the Baskervilles is in my top 5 favorites of all time.
Christine wrote: "Christine wrote: "Starting The Blue Notebook
"This book is making my stomach hurt."
Why?
Mod
You're reading a lot of books at once!"
Lee, I don't like to be didactic about recommending books, b..."
Kathy, you can tell me what to do anytime! I did love the Flavia book and I have a feeling I will like the Laurie King books. I've read and enjoyed one of her stand alone novels so I'm sure you're right to recommend the series to me. :-)
Kathy wrote: "Be still my heart! The Hound of the Baskervilles is in my top 5 favorites of all time..."I'm looking forward to it, Kathy. I haven't read it since I was a teenager.
Christine wrote: "Christine wrote: "Starting The Blue Notebook"
This book is making my stomach hurt."
The reviews I read said this was not a pleasant read -- not even anything positive in it.
"This book is making my stomach hurt."
The reviews I read said this was not a pleasant read -- not even anything positive in it.
Kathy wrote: "I love your use of on-deck shelf. I may have to borrow that one. "It worked really well when I was able to limit it to 20 or maybe 30 books but now it's gotten almost as crazy as my to-read shelf. Ideally, I wouldn't have any more than one to two dozen books on it. Ah well.
Having completed From the Land of the Moon (spoiler free review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...) in just one day, I have moved on to Mosaic: A Chronicle of Five Generations. I wanted to read this book for ages, and then it was kindlized :0). It is about a Jewish Polish family. It is not fiction. There is a map and two family trees, but, as usual, these are impossible to read on Kindles. I will make my own family trees and uses Wikipedia for maps. Best of all, I will be reading with my dear friend Lynne. Our views very often overlap! She will be listening to an audio. I wonder how the two will compare?!
Kathy wrote: "Christine wrote: "Christine wrote: "Starting The Blue Notebook"
This book is making my stomach hurt."
Why?"
It's so graphic (sooooooo graphic) about a girl who was sold into prostitution at 9 by her father in India. It's the most upsetting thing I've ever read.
"This book is making my stomach hurt."
Why?"
It's so graphic (sooooooo graphic) about a girl who was sold into prostitution at 9 by her father in India. It's the most upsetting thing I've ever read.
Simran wrote: "Bloody Hell, I just read the synopsis. I'm not suprised it's making your stomach hurt. I couldn't read anything like that..."
It was recommended to me by a friend. I understand what he is trying to do with the book, and it is impressive that all of the money goes to the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, but I won't be able to suggest it to anyone. The violence is so intense.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say NOT a comfort read.
It was recommended to me by a friend. I understand what he is trying to do with the book, and it is impressive that all of the money goes to the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, but I won't be able to suggest it to anyone. The violence is so intense.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say NOT a comfort read.
Jeannette wrote: "I love revisiting old favorites. That's true comfort reading for me. :)"Same here and while I like all Austen's books, i'm partial to persuaion because I like Anne so much and don't really mind Mr. Elliot.
Hayes wrote: "Chrissie, let us know how the book about Sardinia is. Looks fascinating. It's a strange and beautiful place, well worth the trip to get there.Jeannette wrote: "I love revisiting old favorites. Th..."
Hayes, I've always loved A tree... and its not so much the words as the general coming of age theme. I always thought the choppiness was intended as memories are like that aren't they?
Kim and I agree that Persuasion is the best!
At the moment I'm reading
It's brill so far,I haven't read all Jane Austen novels but the other day browsing in a second hand bookstore I came across all the Jane Austen novels in one leather bound book for €2.50 so now I have no reason to not read them all Best purchase so far :)
Clark wrote: "How would you classify Persuasion?"
Have you read any thing by Jane Austen, Clark?
Persuasion is her best work, in my opinion, because while Austen wrote primarily about the social customs of her time, with regard to women marrying well, or not, in Persuasion the heroine is 27, and considered almost too old to find a husband. She rejected her first love, because she was persuaded he was not a suitable match for a 19 year old woman from a good family. They are thrown together eight years later, and it is a bittersweet story of regret and lost chances, with just a bit of hope. Austen skewers society along the way -- something she is very good at. But this story is deeper, and richer, perhaps owing to the age and situation of the characters.
So, it's not strictly a romance story, but it is a story about love, and family, and finally being persuaded to listen to your own heart.
(Gee, that sounds like a dust jacket blurb. I hope that is what you were asking.) :)
Have you read any thing by Jane Austen, Clark?
Persuasion is her best work, in my opinion, because while Austen wrote primarily about the social customs of her time, with regard to women marrying well, or not, in Persuasion the heroine is 27, and considered almost too old to find a husband. She rejected her first love, because she was persuaded he was not a suitable match for a 19 year old woman from a good family. They are thrown together eight years later, and it is a bittersweet story of regret and lost chances, with just a bit of hope. Austen skewers society along the way -- something she is very good at. But this story is deeper, and richer, perhaps owing to the age and situation of the characters.
So, it's not strictly a romance story, but it is a story about love, and family, and finally being persuaded to listen to your own heart.
(Gee, that sounds like a dust jacket blurb. I hope that is what you were asking.) :)
Catherine wrote: "At the moment I'm readingIt's brill so far,I haven't read all Jane Austen novels but the other day browsing in a second hand bookstore I came across all the Jane..."
That was a fantastic find, Catherine! Do you have a favorite by Austen, or will you decide when you've read them all? Enjoy!
It's brill so far,I haven't read all Jane Austen novels but the other day browsing in a second hand bookstore I came across all the Jane..."That was a fantastic find, Catherine! Do you have a favorite by Austen, or will you decide when you've read them all? Enjoy!
Mod
Kim and I are big fans of Persuasion! As soon as I clear my reading slate, I might remind you to read it again.
Christine wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Christine wrote: "Christine wrote: "Starting The Blue Notebook"This book is making my stomach hurt."
Why?"
It's so graphi..."
Yikes! I clicked on the book and read about it. It's no wonder that your stomach hurts.
Lisa wrote: "Kathy wrote: "I love your use of on-deck shelf. I may have to borrow that one. "It worked really well when I was able to limit it to 20 or maybe 30 books but now it's gotten almost as crazy as my..."
LOL! I can identify with that. I have a "next-up" shelf, and it is getting rather crowded, too.
Mod
Sure! I have a copy here so I can re-read it anytime if you're up for a buddy read.
Jeannette wrote: "Clark wrote: "How would you classify Persuasion?"Have you read any thing by Jane Austen, Clark?
Persuasion is her best work, in my opinion, because while Austen wrote primarily about the social..."
I'm going to re-read Persuasion as I recently went to Bath, England where the novel was set. I'd also like to re-read Northanger Abbey
Jeannette, Kim, and Lee, how have I not read Persuasion yet? I plan to rectify that omission in the near future, well next year at the latest.
Lauren wrote: "Jeannette wrote: "Clark wrote: "How would you classify Persuasion?"Have you read any thing by Jane Austen, Clark?
Persuasion is her best work, in my opinion, because while Austen wrote primaril..."
Lauren, PM me sometime and tell me all about your trip to England. I am planning to go there sometime in the next two years.
Jeannette wrote: "Gee, that sounds like a dust jacket blurb. ..."A very superior dust jacket blurb, Jeannette! I naturally agree with everything you wrote.
Persuasion is not only my favourite Jane Austen novel, it is probably my favourite novel ever. I have even been to Lyme Regis and to Bath on a Persuasion pilgrimage!
Great minds, Kim.... (It's good to know we share at least one favorite!)
@Lauren: Bath and Lyme Regis are on my someday soon list. I almost had it lined up for 2012.
Northanger Abbey has really grown on me over time; it is a pretty close tie for second favorite along side Pride and Prejudice.
@Lee: I have one of those big volumes with all of Austen's finished works. I only have a few must-reads in my queue. I'll let you know. Maybe we'll get Kim and Lauren to join us. We'll catch Kathy next year!
I just read Love and Friendship, written by Jane when she was 14. It was really over-the-top, but in a good way.
@Lauren: Bath and Lyme Regis are on my someday soon list. I almost had it lined up for 2012.
Northanger Abbey has really grown on me over time; it is a pretty close tie for second favorite along side Pride and Prejudice.
@Lee: I have one of those big volumes with all of Austen's finished works. I only have a few must-reads in my queue. I'll let you know. Maybe we'll get Kim and Lauren to join us. We'll catch Kathy next year!
I just read Love and Friendship, written by Jane when she was 14. It was really over-the-top, but in a good way.
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