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By the lovely Grace Farris.
P.S. Evening signs, and mom glossary.
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I am a bedtime talent for sure. My oldest child begins to read alone but still enjoy listening with his siblings !
I couldn’t tell. I used to read only classic litterature and nothing after 1950. Then I stopped reading male writers during 10 years. Then only contemporary litt (like printed yesterday). And I never thought I would read romance but here I am, on my way to Smith & Sons rue des rosiers to get Rachel Reid’s Heated rivalry. Reading is breathing, that’s all. Love from Paris.
mostly dense history (not even for school, though its led me to going back to school, at 42, next september. ;-)), occasional other-non fiction, 1-2 fiction books a year (they better be good).
also, book talk/recs as flirtation/entire relationship
The Bedtime Talent except I never said
” final ” and I’m glad. <3
I am the “still reading Charlotte’s Web” before bedtime reader. Every night. Since 4 yrs old. She is now 12, and insists! After that works, I am a “read every single one in a series with a compelling protagonist” mystery reader. Foreign locations preferred, historical when possible, must be clever and not actually gory. Plus for descriptions of food and wine and homes and gardens. (Dona Leon’s Brunetti series set in Venice is a great one, Brother Cadfael got me thru many break ups in my 30’s, Alexander McCall Smith is always reliably enjoyable, currently working my way thru the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths. Ruth is a single mom teaching forensic archaeology, solving crimes with the local detective who is married and also the father of her daughter…lots of emotional deep dives along with the mystery itself).
I’m the reader who has a stack of purchased-used books and a stack of library holds and I will probably get to 1-2 out of the bunch. Why am I like this? :)
I am you, you are me.
At least we’re optimistic! I too return many books to the library unread. I like to think that at least I’m boosting their circulation numbers.
I’m definitely the new poetry collection reader. In fact, going to a Friends of the Library book sale tomorrow with a friend and my MIL in hopes of finding exactly that. Haha
“The Garage” as a generic thriller title is making me laugh so much.
Me too!!! Lol
I love to read everything and I really hate people who censor what others read. AND YES I am thinking about that group of people who totally shamed Joanna into taking down her recommendation for a book she enjoyed because they are the gatekeepers to whose stories get told. Believe it or not, but in a free world even women who have sex with older men do get to write a story, and most people are mature enough to be able to read about things they don’t want to live, and recognise that fiction is made up. Seriously, that women would censor the writing of another woman is so bloody ugly. It is hard for writers out there, that group of control freaks did what the fascists do best – they censor our choice and do it under the banner of shame.
Right on !
I am still thinking about it, too, and I stand by my opinion. You get an opinion, Joanna gets an opinion, I get an opinion. Opinions can change.
I am not a control freak, nor a fascist, nor a censor; I do understand that fiction is made up; I do realize a woman wrote it. I still found it repulsive.
I’m still thinking I have the right to that opinion.
Agree. Something about them asking her to pull the whole article or recommendation because they didn’t feel comfortable about it felt so off to me.
I have to say this because I’m reading this book right now, and it’s wonderful. It helped me see a relationship that I had as a consenting 19 year old with a 25 year old in a WHOLE different light and wow, I love how books can totally change our perspectives on things after yearssss (I’m 35 now). Wouldn’t have known it existed without Jo’s rec and I’m so glad I picked it up.
I read the book based on the mention from this site after finding a signed copy in Iocal book shop. I looked for the post here afterwards, and couldn’t find it thinking I was mistaken. I didn’t see the comments and clearly the post has been deleted. The book was hard to read at times and warrants discussion. I came back here for the dialog about how people reacted and was disappointed to find seemingly none.
What was the name of the novel or memoir in question?
@Lindsay the book was Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy
I’m pretty much only reading historical romance right now. I’m writing it, too. Every now and then, another genre sneaks in, but give me all the books with duke, earl, prince, count, marquis, etc. in the title.
If you’re also seeking this sort of escapism: Victoria Alexander, Jo Beverley, Mary Balogh, Sarah MacLean, Julia London, Julia Quinn (she has lots of other books besides the Bridgerton series), Eloisa James.
Omg I’m in for anything with a duke too haha! At the moment I’m also obsessed with KJ Charles’ historicals (no dukes, but queer love stories that often touch on class dynamics). So good!!!
I’m into light hearted, well written erotic fiction these days, just to escape for a while. I do audiobooks on my bike ride to work (it’s safe and very low on traffic route) and feel quite naughty when there happens to be a sex scene, whahaha.
Any other fans of Olivia Dade, Thalia Hibbert, Ali Hazelwood and Sarah Hawley out there?
Love Ali Hazelwood- I just read my first one a few weeks ago and now I’m hooked! Loved Deep End! Will try the other authors too.
Oh yes I’m a big fan of the first 3, but I don’t know Sarah Hawley (adding to my list immediatly)! I hope Talia will publish a new book soon! Still not over how good Take a hint, Dani Brown was :) Do you like Tessa Bailey? Sometimes her heroes are too over the top for me, but when they’re good, they’re reaallly good haha
Probably the ‘bedtime talent’ – I live across the country from my nephew but we FaceTime almost every night before his bedtime and I have a stack of kids books I read to him over FaceTime. Right now In the Night Kitchen is the top choice. I sometimes get tired of reading the same books over and over but I know there will be a time when he doesn’t want Aunty to read to him anymore, so, I will do it with love and gusto til then!
I love In the Night Kitchen ! I bought this for myself not too long ago. Im 66. I love children’s books. I still buy them for my daughter and also my friends in their 60s and 70s. And also for kids. It’s neat you face time read with your nephew.
I love that!! He may always like it if you move up the books with his age. 😊
I still greet my daughter every morning reciting Sandra Boynton’s Happy Hippo, Angry Duck. She and I are reading and discussing Anne of Green Gables together.
My audiobook is currently Christine by Stephen King.
My car book is currently A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara.
At bedtime I am reading a history of the Romanov’s.
Hello little person! How are you today?? My goodness that’s a favorite in our house too
Which Romanov book? I am obsessed with the Romanovs! Have you read Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie? It is an EXCELLENT biography on the royal family.
The Last Days of the Romanov’s by Helen Rappaport.
Still hooked on Heated Rivalry and reading all the books in her series!
Those boys live rent free in my head, I need to start the books asap!
I’m the Time Lord (wish I could hop in a TARDIS to collar my past self and grill her about her gnostic library requests).
I am everything except the poetry one. Not that I don’t like poetry, I just don’t seek it out as often.
Yay Heated Rivalry! I love that my Canadian tax dollars contributed to that.
I’m the snobby, eternal English lit major. I graduated from college in the early 90s but still can’t enjoy a book unless the quality of writing is high. Which is funny, because I watch the trashiest TV. I will watch ALL the thrillers based on airport books but you’ll never find me reading one.
Saaaaame. I have a masters in Journalism, and write for my day job. I just can’t read books that aren’t well written. It’s not enough to just tell me a story; I need to enjoy the writing. My sister calls me a snob, but there are wayyyyy too many books out there with both to sacrifice! Sorry, CoHo and Frieda McFadden!
Usually the thrillers/ murder mysteries, but they can’t be too believable because I read before bed. I save intense novels and such for vacations.
Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver Book #1 was a real sexy thriller I wasn’t expecting.
The bedtime talent, for sure! My daughter is 10 and I’ve read to her every night since she was 1 or so! I absolutely love reading out loud, and it’s become more fun as she gets older. However, just recently she’s discovered the Wings of Fire series and is hooked on them, which is an answer to prayer in a way because I’ve been waiting for her to find her “breakout” books that would finally make her want to read on her own! BUT now she just wants to read those herself instead of me reading to her at bedtime. And just like that, the end of an era. Sob!
I read those out loud! – they were surprisingly good. It was the Warrior Cats that got my daughter reading alone and thank goodness for that. I could not read them without snarky commentary.
When this happened, we shifted to “Book Club” format. We all read silently and then wrote letters/drew pictures in a shared journal. And! Audiobooks are still an option in the car, even for my 15, -0, and 10-year-olds. With my oldest I have also shifted to read on your own then watch movie adaptation together.
Make sure you stay reading out loud!! Even if it’s just a chapter of something else and then she can read on her own 😊 it’s so so good for them. My son (8) loves wings of fire and the “I survived” series
Joy, I feel your pain. It’s so sad when the reading aloud days end. I switched to reading chapter books aloud once they progressed to reading to themselves. Two big favorites were Danny Champion of the World and the Phantom Tollbooth. Then after reading a chapter aloud, we could all read out own books silently. Those were wonderful times. Maybe you can try that approach? P.S. The Wings of Fire series was a big hit in my house too.
I was bedtime talent, but now they’re just under the covers, reading their own books. Victim of my own success! I do hope to start a read aloud of The Westing Game next week for my 6th grader.
That’s one of my favorites!! Thanks for sharing it with the next generation <3
OH YES! Westing Game is STILL a favorite and it still chills me at times.
The Westing Game!!!
As much as I love Richard Scarry books, reading them out loud every day for years can be too much, so instead of reading the text, I make the noise of everything I see on the age—the vacuum, the jet engine, etc. kids of all ages still like it.
OMG!!! when the boys were little they LOVED Richard Scarry’s Great Steamboat Mystery. It needed to be read multiple times daily. It was painful As an adult now, I understand that repetition enhances comprehension and vocabulary development. But at the time it was painful!
E) All of the above.
How about Vintage Cookbook That Reads like a Novel, and takes days to finish? They had it all: weird recipe names, strange ingredients no longer available (#2 can Cream of Shrimp soup!), the mystery of wondering how the recipe would turn out, section illustrations by a local artist, and maybe a few professional photos all in saturated Kodachrome featuring several completed dishes and possibly the happy hostess. The best old cookbooks were the Junior Service League fundraisers from the 50s-60’s, but really, any old one will do. It’s a good read.
Nigella Lawson is a stunning writer and I love to read the introductions to her recipes. Truly lyrical!
Six California Kitchens and Coastal are two newish novel-cookbooks; both great reads. Highly rec.
“Leave Me Alone With the Recipes” by Cipe Pineles is a terrific one in this genre.
Oh my gosh, and Elizabeth Gilbert’s republish of her grandmothers cookbook is absolutely incredible. Like, “bake as long as it takes to finish your cigarette.” It’s called At Home on the Range.
Speed reader (work curse) that places considerable effort to slow it down. I love juicy character development in every genre. First 50-70 pages seal the deal. Fussy about poetry and tend to lean on male poets. Big rock bio/doc fan.
“USA Women’s ice hockey!!! So exciting!!”
I wouldn’t say I’m suddenly a hockey person, but I watched Heated Rivalry this week and now I’m emotionally compromised. How do you recover from that show? I was not prepared to love it as much as I did.
could not agree more. It destroyed me. I rewatched multiple times.
I had the same unexpected emotional reaction to Queer as Folk and the UK series, Skins.
Same! Would love to see more discussion about this on CoJ!
Yes! I got to episode 5 and thought, ok, 3 more episodes at least! Was very disappointed to see there was only ONE more! Still haven’t seen it bc I don’t want it to be overrrr
Love the show and the books!
I’m beginning to think I will never recover. In a Heated Rivalry prison I never want to be released from. Forever changed!! Such a beautiful love story. It’s just….everything.
Amanda, you are in for a treat.
Yes, I feel like we need a support group for this show?! Ha
rEcOveR? I don’t know what you mean by this word. I’m afraid we’re IN IT for life now.
The way it’s imprinted itself on the hearts of so many… For many reasons, it feels like we’re living in the darkest timeline, but then Heated Rivalry comes along and its pure unadulterated joy shines such a light. I’m so grateful to bask in the glow.
I’m fully in its thrall now. Their love is so pure, I’m so scared season 2 will ruin it!
If it has words printed on it, I’ll read it.
My father always said I would read cereal boxes if nothing else was available.
Yup. Bonus points for Latin script alphabet, but if Cyrillic is all that’s available in the AirBnB, I will make an attempt. Discriminating, I am not.
I think I am with you – though I do not warm to memoir (except for Maggie O’Farrell’s. But only hers).
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