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Hello book people! Summer is here! Have you been having fun with your reading or vacation planning or just getting kids out of school and figuring out a summer routine? We have been doing well. Still working with the in-laws on their upcoming move. That should be accomplished in the next couple of weeks, maybe. As many of you know, it takes a while and there are always lots of things to do. Hoping they will be able to be in their new place this month and then their house can be cleared, cleaned, etc. We're not planning any trips until September, so otherwise just having our usual stuff - golf for him, books, book groups, library volunteering for me.
I did manage to read 7 books in May. Still a low-ish number for me, but glad I'm reading better. I did decide definitely on a 'Comfort Read' summer. So, the woman reading above, think of that as me 'comfort reading' - ha! I have read books for my June book groups and hope to enjoy discussing those. I am currently reading Heaven and Earth, the 2nd in the Three Sisters Island trilogy by Nora Roberts. Remembering why I have loved this series in the past. I'll continue with the 3rd book and then decide if I want to stick with Nora Roberts or go on to another favorite author. I also decided to re-read or rather re-listen to the first two Aaron Falk books by Jane Harper. The Dry is the first and Force of Nature is the second. I have not yet read or listened to the third book, Exiles, and am really looking forward to that one after re-reading the first two. Have you tried any of the books I've mentioned above? Would love to hear your thoughts about them. I think Exiles will be the last Aaron Falk book, but I'm not sure about that. Guess we will see.
Oh, another book I've been considering re-reading is Outlander and perhaps the many books that follow in that series by Diana Gabaldon. I read that initial book way, way back in the mid-90's. I liked it a lot, but I just never continued with the next or any in the series. I've been thinking about trying them for quite some time and maybe this is the right time. I know that so many have read those books or watched the TV adaptation. If you've read them, what do you think? Should I take myself off to Scotland for a bit? They are very long books, but....I honestly like long books if I get involved in the story and with the characters. Maybe if I decide 'yes', I should make it a year-long project.
Think that's about it for this week. Again, hope you have a nice first week of June. I'll try to stop by soon with the selections for both the book groups I regularly attend. This is the time of year that the 2nd half of the year's books are chosen. Take care and enjoy your summer reading!!
Happy Summer to you, Kay! We just got back from a 2+ week trip and it was so relaxing. I love those unscheduled days of doing nothing or whatever we want whenever we want. Feeling very refreshed now.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed the Aaron Falk books, but Exiles was my least favorite. Harper's other books have been hit-or-miss. Loved The Lost Man, but didn't care for The Survivors. I hope to read her latest (Last One Out) later this year.
Les, as I just commented on your blog, glad you guys got to have such a nice trip and are feeling refreshed. Ok, I'm just about to finish my re-read of The Dry and will move on to the next book. Will keep your thoughts about Exiles in mind. I did like The Survivors, but don't think I'll re-read that one. Still pondering the Outlander question....ha!
DeleteHey Kay! I just finished a book and I loved it. "Kitchen Privileges" by Mary Higgins Clark. It is her memoir and what a delightful, intelligent, funny lady she was! I think she only wrote 2 books of non fiction and this is one of them. (The other one is about George and Martha Washington. It was "discovered " by the Washington descendants and is now sold through the Mt Vernon website!) She wrote lots of books of scary fiction but you know I am the non fiction Queen!
ReplyDeleteKay, thank you for such a nice suggestion. I have read many, many books by Mary Higgins Clark, but no non-fic from her. Yes, you are the non-fic Queen and I'm the mystery enthusiast. Ha!
DeleteI’ve been tempted by the Outlander series for a while, but they are so darn long that I’ve still not read any of them. I did watch several seasons of the television adaptation, even bought the DVDs of five seasons, but I kind of lost interest in the storyline after everyone ended up in Revolutionary War era America. Those Scotland years, however, were just fascinating.
ReplyDeleteSam, thanks for your thoughts on the Outlander series. We have not watched the TV adaptation and probably won't, but I am always drawn to books set in Scotland. Still pondering, but I will likely at least try the first book again.
DeleteLove your summer reading plan! You need comfort reads when you're dealing with stressful things like moving parents and clearing out houses. Good luck with everything. :D
ReplyDeleteLark, thanks for the nice thoughts. Yes, when one is distracted by stressful things, some fun, comfortable, easy reading is best.
DeleteHappy summer, Kay! I think comfort reading is a perfect theme, given what you have going on. Hope your in-laws move continues to go as smoothly as possible... so many associated stressors as we found out moving my father-in-law. Good luck and enjoy your summer reading!
ReplyDeleteThanks, JoAnn! I do appreciate your good wishes for our summer stuff. I think it will go OK, but it's a big change for them. You are right that there are things that come up during that time that are unexpected and we just need to 'roll with the punches' - ha!
DeleteI hope your in-laws will like their new place. It can be hard at first but my parents were happy after the first 6 months. And I liked the early Aaron Falk books ... vivid and good. I was sad that the author was retiring him as a character ... argh. I came to picture him as actor Eric Bana since he played him in the movie ... lovely man.
ReplyDeleteSusan, thanks for the good wishes! I think that they will like it once they settle in. Just a lot of change, you know. Yes, I have very much enjoyed the Aaron Falk books I've read and I also was sad to know that Exiles would be the last book. Have not watched the TV adaptation - maybe later this summer.
DeleteI loved Outlander! I've read almost all of the series and I enjoyed them, but not as much as the first book.
ReplyDeleteAngela, thanks for your thoughts on Outlander. And you've read almost all the series? That's a lot of reading! Ha! I'm still considering, but will likely at least re-read the first book and then we shall see what I think. :-)
DeleteWe are going to the beach for July 4th but other than that no trips until December. This is the longest we've gone without travel for awhile and I'm torn between really loving being home and feeling a little stir crazy. I'm really looking forward to reading The Dry this year. It looks really good and I've heard such good things about it. I love the idea of a comfort read summer and so glad your reading is getting better. I've read the first book in the Nora Roberts trilogy a number of times but somehow never really reread the 2nd and 3rd books. I need to fix that!
ReplyDeleteKatherine, good luck with your July 4th vacation. We usually travel in the summer some, but decided this year to wait a bit. Probably a good thing with the family move that is coming up very soon. Hope you will try The Dry and see what you think. I will say that it is 'dry and hot' in the book. Ha! And the second and third books in the Sisters Island trilogy are really good too. A very nice story.
DeleteI like your summer reading plans, Kay. I'm going to be doing pretty much the same. I have several crime series I want to catch up on and have just started a new one - the Mrs. Pargeter series by Simon Brett, very much enjoying book 1. I'll look up that Nora Roberts series, I have book 3 of her Inheritance series in my summer plans.
ReplyDeleteCath, thanks for your nice words about my summer reading. I've heard of the Mrs. Pargeter series, but have not read any of the books. Will watch for what you think about it. If you like an extended story (like the trilogies) by Roberts, I think you might like the Sisters Island books. Have a good weekend!
DeleteRereading the Falk books is a great idea! I might follow suit. They're my favorites of Harper's and EXILES is my favorite of the Falk series. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteGood to know that you liked Exiles. Have been hearing that some did like it very well and some not quite as much. We'll see where my opinion falls - ha! Thanks for coming by!
DeleteI've read almost nothing so far this summer (!) since I've been off in the wilderness without access to my books. But I plan to get busy soon.
ReplyDeleteI get it, Deb. We have been very, very busy this week with the actual move and clear out of the in-laws house. More to go, but they are in their new apartment and will likely adjust over time. I keep meaning to read, but....
DeleteI finished two books today (!) so I'm making up for lost time. lol
DeleteYay! I'm close to finishing one myself. Maybe tomorrow.
DeleteI recently read Jane Harper's Last One Out and need to share it on my blog because it's one of my Best Reads of 2026.
ReplyDeleteI read a few books in the Outlander series but lost interest once Jamie and Claire left Scotland.
Cathy, I think that someone else said that about the Outlander series. Good to hear your experience with Last One Out. I'll be on to Exiles hopefully soon. And then perhaps will get to Last One Out.
DeleteI highly recommend a reread of Outlander and then moving on to books 2 and 3. After that, I think Diana was too big to be edited and the writing suffered or rather became repetitious. I like long books but not books that meander and I got tired of all the rapes or near rapes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughts on my wish to revisit Outlander. Still a bit on the fence about that, but I'm also still considering it. :-)
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