Category: Weekly Book Memes

Top Ten Tuesday | Rainy Books

Posted April 1, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 42 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is April Showers

These are all just random books that I found when I looked for books that have anything to do with the rain. Some I’ve read or heard of, some I want to read, others I have no interest in but just like the covers. Or to be more accurate, I do have some interest in all of these books, but if I added every book I came across to my TBR… well, you know the perils, my fellow book lovers.

Top Ten Rainy Books

  1. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein – I read this book years ago and loved it, and I also watched the movie adaptation recently and loved it. I have no idea if it stayed true to the story because there was so much time in between, but enjoying both experiences is a win, I think!
  2. The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard – I haven’t read this one but it sounds really interesting and I’m struggling to not add it to the TBR.
  3. The Rainmaker by John Grisham – I don’t love all of John Grisham’s books, but his books are really great for fast-paced, bite-sized reading, and I really enjoyed this one.
  4. The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger – I’ve read this and watched the movie, but I don’t remember a single thing! I remember liking them both though.
  5. All The Little Raindrops by Mia Sheridan – I’m sorry but despite my resistance, this one is going into my TBR. It sounds too interesting to just forget about.
  6. Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie – This is another one I’m trying not to add to the TBR, but it just sounds so good!
  7. The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan – This one is already on my TBR. It’s a story set in Malaya (Malaysia) by a Malaysian author, and I must read it!
  8. If It Rains by Jennifer L. Wright – I have a slight fascination with the Dust Bowl so I really want to read this, and it sounds so good but I’m trying to talk myself out of it.
  9. History of the Rain by Niall Williams – I think by now, we’ve established that I don’t have much self-control when it comes to not adding books to my TBR, but luckily, I have no desire to read this one. If you’ve read this book and loved it, please don’t tell me! I don’t need to know!
  10. Wisdom from a Rainforest by Stuart A. Schlegel – This one sounds interesting too, but it’s a really old book and I can’t find it in my library and it’s probably going to be hard to find anywhere, so too bad.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?

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Sunday Post | Spring Cleaning, Sorta

Posted March 30, 2024 by Haze in Sunday Post, Weekly Book Memes / 21 Comments

Welcome to the Sunday Post, a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer to share weekly news and updates on what we’ve been up to on our blog, with our books, and book-related happenings. 

Spring Cleaning, Sorta

I cannot believe it’s the end of March already! Where did the month go? I feel like I didn’t get much done this month, and I didn’t get a lot of books read either.

It’s the first week of Spring Break, and I’ve been taking it as an opportunity to do a little spring cleaning. See, when I imagined it in my head, I was all super-powered and I was able to clean and organize the whole house to make it look like one of those model homes. The reality though… I cleaned my kitchen. Only the kitchen. Ah well, better than nothing.

In regards to the weather, since everyone’s invested now; the beginning of the week started out promising. There was still snow on the ground but it was melting and the weather was getting warmer. Cut to Friday, and it’s snowing again. A lot.

Sigh… I am resigned to my fate and I have decided to embrace it.

All the happy things:

  1. I got the kitchen cleaned and somewhat organized!
  2. I signed up for a few buddy reads on my online book club, and I’m excited about those books!
  3. A friend from the USA may be visiting for a couple of days in May, and I’m excited to see her!
  4. My in-person book club met for the second time, and we had a great discussion about our book of the month, The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell.
  5. We are talking about a road trip for the summer! Nothing’s confirmed, but it makes me happy to have that possibility.

The Books

Books I read last week:

  1. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell – It took me the whole week to read this one. It’s dense, and a little bleak, but it’s really good and there’s so much to think about. This one took up a lot of my time and energy, so I didn’t get to read a lot of other books last week, but it’s for my book club and I’m glad I read it. I haven’t written a review because I wanted to have our book club discussion first, which happened this morning (at the time of writing). I’ll write a review soon!
  2. Bear by Marian Engel – This was a sort of gag buddy read for my online book club. It’s short and I managed to finish it in a couple of hours. It’s…interesting. Weird, confusing, and I’m still waiting on others to read it so we can talk about it.

Books I’m (still) reading:

  1. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas – The readalong is ongoing and the next check-in is Saturday. We’re reading Chapters 60-86 for this check-in. I’m currently at Ch 78.
  2. Blitz by Daniel O’Malley – I stopped at Chapter 19 (of about 30?) because the audiobook had expired and had to be returned. I have the physical book, so I’ll probably continue with it instead of waiting for the audiobook.
  3. A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal – I just started this as a buddy read! I’m only a couple of chapters in.

Last Week on The Blog

This Week

I’d like to finish Blitz and A Tempest of Tea this week. I’m losing a bit of momentum on Blitz to be honest, and I’m contemplating dnf-ing it. It’s not bad though, I’m enjoying the story, it’s just that I’m itching to read other lighter books at the moment, and there have been too many dense ones.

How was your week? I hope you had a great week last week, and I hope you have a great one again this week!

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Time Travel Thursday | March 28

Posted March 28, 2024 by Haze in Time Travel Thursday, Weekly Book Memes / 0 Comments

It’s Time Travel Thursday! Hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog, this is where you get to take a look back at what you were reading this time last year (or the year before or the year before that…) and get to relive those bookish memories!

This time last year I was reading:

The Last Mile by David Baldacci (Amos Decker #2)

Convicted murderer Melvin Mars is counting down the last hours before his execution–for the violent killing of his parents twenty years earlier–when he’s granted an unexpected reprieve. Another man has confessed to the crime.

Amos Decker, newly hired on an FBI special task force, takes an interest in Mars’s case after discovering the striking similarities to his own life: Both men were talented football players with promising careers cut short by tragedy. Both men’s families were brutally murdered. And in both cases, another suspect came forward, years after the killing, to confess to the crime. A suspect who may or may not have been telling the truth.

The confession has the potential to make Melvin Mars–guilty or not–a free man. Who wants Mars out of prison? And why now?

But when a member of Decker’s team disappears, it becomes clear that something much larger–and more sinister–than just one convicted criminal’s life hangs in the balance. Decker will need all of his extraordinary brainpower to stop an innocent man from being executed.

My thoughts:
There are a lot of problems with the story, but they don’t matter too much because of its incredible readability. The feeling I get when I read this book is almost like I’m on a white water rapids ride and honestly the ride just takes you and it’s thrilling and exciting and there’s no time to stop and wonder if it makes sense. You have no time to take in the scenery, or enjoy the company, or really do anything except hang on for the ride. At the end of the book, I’m left wondering what happened because the only thing I remember is the thrill of the ride.

Which isn’t to say the story isn’t good, it’s actually a pretty good story, just with a lot of implausibility and loose ends, but that’s another part of my awe – the storytelling skill it takes to make an okay story sound amazing. It’s also just what I need at this time; books that are easy to read and easy to get lost in.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? What were you reading this time last year?

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Top Ten Tuesday | Books Beginning with A

Posted March 25, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 29 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Movies/TV Shows That Would Have Made Amazing Books

I can’t think of very many ideas for today’s topic, so from now on I’m going to go with books in alphabetical order every time I need an easy go-to topic, an idea I’m stealing from Pam @ Read! Bake! Create! I think it’s genius!

So here are the Top Ten Books on my TBR beginning with A. These are all books I intend to read, hopefully soon, but definitely eventually.

Top Ten Books Beginning with A

  1. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy – I actually got about 30% into this audiobook but stopped because I was getting confused with the names and characters and wanted to switch over to a printed copy. I’m not sure if I’ll pick up where I left off or start over again. Or maybe I should just keep going with the audiobook and not worry about getting all the details right.
  2. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint – It’s been on my TBR since a Greek mythology binge a few years ago. I’d love to finally read it some time really soon!
  3. A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan – I’ve read this, but not the other books in the series. And I read it long enough ago that I don’t remember a thing and have to reread before diving into the next books.
  4. All That’s Left to Say by Emery Lord – I’ve read a few of Emery Lord’s books and enjoyed them, so I really want to read this one too.
  5. Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter – I’ve heard so many good things about this author but haven’t read a single book by her. I thinking I have to remedy this and also possibly use it for the 52 Book Club Prompt 25: An author “everyone” has read except me.
  6. A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal – Another author I’ve heard good things about, and another possibility for the same prompt.
  7. A Theory of Haunting by Sarah Monette – So this books sounds really scary and satisfyingly creepy, and for some reason I feel the need to give myself some sleepless nights.
  8. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells – The second book in the Murderbot series. I read the first and loved it and I wanna read the rest of it!
  9. A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross – The second book in the Elements of Cadence series. I read the first one and I really want to know what happens next.
  10. A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid – I love fairy tales and tales about faes. How can I resist?

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?

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Sunday Post | You Know Nothing, Spring Snow

Posted March 23, 2024 by Haze in Sunday Post, Weekly Book Memes / 26 Comments

Welcome to the Sunday Post, a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer to share weekly news and updates on what we’ve been up to on our blog, with our books, and book-related happenings. 

You Know Nothing, Spring Snow

I am not happy that it’s snowing again, I just want to get that out of the way. I can’t believe how much I talk about and fixate on the weather, but I wouldn’t if it would only do what I want! Or maybe it’s time for me to toughen up and get friendly with Canadian weather.

One good thing about cold weather is having soups to warm you up! My husband made Bak Kut Teh and it was soooo good. The picture below is not the actual dish he made. I was too hungry and we weren’t thinking of plating for aesthetic purposes so we didn’t take pictures. It’s just a random picture taken off the internet for illustration purposes only.

Bak Kut Teh is a Chinese herbal pork soup/stew that’s sweet and savory. The main focus of it is the pork, but we often add tofu, different kinds of mushrooms, some vegetables, and we usually eat it with rice and garlic in soy sauce. The garlic is the best part for me!

I’ve often wondered if a vampire gave me the choice of eternal life but I’d have to give up garlic forever, would I do it? Such a dilemma; garlic vs. eternal life. What would you choose? 🧄or🧛‍♀️

On my husband reading The Count of Monte Cristo, he managed five chapters and decided it was too verbose for him right now, so he’s putting it aside. I can’t say I blame him; I tend to skip flowery descriptions most of the time and just focus on important events that happen in the book, but he likes to pay attention to details and there were just so much here.

On the bright side, he’s still open to taking recommendations from me and reading the books I love! He’s on The Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher right now, because it’s the only one currently available from the library, but I hope to get him on the other Kingfisher books as well.

Unfortunately, a couple of days ago I somehow sprained my right shoulder. It hurts to move it or to spend too much time on the computer – I think because of the height of the table and the way my arm/elbow rests on the table and the position when using the mouse, so I have to take frequent breaks. Thank goodness I did most of my blog posts earlier in the week! I’ve been trying to rest it more, but it seems to be hurting more today than when it started. Hopefully it will get better soon.

All the happy things:

  1. I got more blog posts than usual up last week! A few reviews, and other fun memes.
  2. I finally got caught up with updating my books read on Goodreads and The Story Graph.
  3. My husband and I had a really fun night dancing and singing to music while he made Bak Kut Teh.
  4. The fact that he made Bak Kut Teh!
  5. I bought some new stickers for my journal!
  6. Tax is all done!
  7. My library had a webinar with Madeline Miller : On Retelling Greek Classics: An Exploration of the Modern Epics with Madeline Miller. We’re encouraged to share the link to the replay, so here it is if you’re interested.
  8. We watched The Greatest Night in Pop, and it was so amazing to see how it all came about. I loved it!

Books I read last week:

I did not finish a single book last week but I did finish a short story that Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl highly recommended; Signal Moon by Kate Quinn.

From the title and cover, I thought it might be some futuristic scifi story, but it wasn’t what I expected at all. I’d say it’s more of a historical fiction with paranormal elements, and I loved it. It’s short and sweet, and I thought it was perfect on its own, but it also made me really want to read Kate Quinn’s other books. I’ve never read any of her books before and I need to remedy that.

Other than that, I’ve been reading a few books;
The Count of Monte Cristo is still ongoing – the timeline is until the end of April and we have multiple check-ins,
Blitz by Daniel O’Malley – the final book in the Checquy Files, and
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell – for my book club discussion next week.

They are all relatively thicker/denser books, so I can’t just breeze through them. I’ve been wanting to take a break and read something light, but I also feel like I don’t want to add another story into my mental space until I’ve finished at least one of these. I’ll probably take some time this weekend to make a dent in one or two of them.

Last Week on The Blog

This Week

Working on Blitz, The Sparrow, and The Count of Monte Cristo!

How was your week? I hope you had a great week last week, and I hope you have a great one again this week!

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Time Travel Thursday | March 21

Posted March 21, 2024 by Haze in Time Travel Thursday, Weekly Book Memes / 2 Comments

It’s Time Travel Thursday! Hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog, this is where you get to take a look back at what you were reading this time last year (or the year before or the year before that…) and get to relive those bookish memories!

This time last year I was reading:

The Rooster Bar by John Grisham

Mark, Todd, and Zola came to law school to change the world, to make it a better place. But now, as third-year students, these close friends realize they have been duped. They all borrowed heavily to attend a third-tier, for-profit law school so mediocre that its graduates rarely pass the bar exam, let alone get good jobs. And when they learn that their school is one of a chain owned by a shady New York hedge-fund operator who also happens to own a bank specializing in student loans, the three know they have been caught up in The Great Law School Scam.

But maybe there’s a way out. Maybe there’s a way to escape their crushing debt, expose the bank and the scam, and make a few bucks in the process. But to do so, they would first have to quit school. And leaving law school a few short months before graduation would be completely crazy, right? Well, yes and no . . .

Pull up a stool, grab a cold one, and get ready to spend some time at The Rooster Bar.

My thoughts:
It was okay. Great storytelling, but not so great story – I like the depth of the characters, but the story and the circumstances were kinda far-fetched and irreverent, and I don’t like the moralities on either side. I can’t root for anyone, and the MCs made a lot of stupid decisions. Just because it worked out for them (unrealistically), doesn’t make it smart. They could’ve played it so many different ways. Or maybe just have a different story to bring down the bad guys.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? What were you reading this time last year?

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Top Ten Tuesday | Books on My Spring 2024 TBR

Posted March 18, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 42 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Books on my Spring 2024 TBR

Well, it’s time for the Spring 2024 TBR list! I only finished 4/10 of my Winter 2023-2024 TBR list, so if I was a good girl, I would’ve brought them forward to this list. But I’m not a good girl, and the heart wants what the heart wants, when the heart wants it.

Disclaimer: This Spring 2024 TBR list is non-binding and I reserve the right to change my mind and this list at any time.

I would like to finish all of these if I can because at the time of compiling this list, I assure you, I am very excited for all of them, but I am constantly distracted by new and shinier books all the time, so we’ll see how I end up doing!

Top Ten Books on my Spring 2024 TBR

  1. Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett – Because I loved the first book and want to continue with any and all sequels!
  2. Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree – Same as above, and even more so because I love it so much!
  3. The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin – I’ve read two of the author’s books and loved them. I’m sure I’ll love this one too.
  4. Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson – It sounds so intriguing and I must know what everyone is raving about!
  5. The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed – I need this book, it sounds right up my alley. It gives me chills! In a good way.
  6. Shark Heart by Emily Habeck – I’ve been so curious ever since the TTT prompt for things you googled because of a book.
  7. Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman – This would be a reread, but I’ve been wanting to reread the whole series.
  8. Funny Story by Emily Henry – I am very, very, impatiently waiting for this one to be released!
  9. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie – My online book club seems to be having a disagreement about whether this book is good or not, and we are required to choose sides, so I have to read it before making my decision!
  10. The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan – A story set in Malaysia, written by a Malaysian author. I must support my countrywoman, and besides, the book sounds really good!

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? What’s on your Spring 2024 TBR?

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Sunday Post | Good Food, Good Week

Posted March 16, 2024 by Haze in Sunday Post, Weekly Book Memes / 28 Comments

Welcome to the Sunday Post, a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer to share weekly news and updates on what we’ve been up to on our blog, with our books, and book-related happenings. 

Good Food, Good Week

I made dim sum from scratch last week! I made a bunch of siu mai and crispy wontons and they were delicious. My husband made stewed pork hock too for the first time and it was pretty good. There was no special occasion except to feed our cravings. It might have backfired because now I’m craving them even more!

I know the pictures are kind of brown, but we made veggie dishes too; we had steamed okra and shiitake mushrooms, I just didn’t take pictures of them because I was more excited about these ones! I’ll be sure to take better pictures next time.

We watched a couple of movies; Argylle and Ricky Stanicky. They were both really cheesy, but just so much fun! And coincidentally, John Cena acts in both of them. I promise we didn’t watch either shows just because of him, but his performance on Ricky Stanicky was really something. I especially loved him in his Britney Spears costume!

I am also taking a page out of several blogs I’ve seen do this happiness/gratitude list thing. I haven’t been mindful about all the good things happening in my life, so I’d like to start incorporating it into my weekly updates.

All the happy things:

  1. My husband finished The Storyteller by Dave Grohl! I’m so happy and I loved that we got to discuss it together!
  2. He asked for recommendations for his next book, and I said The Count of Monte Cristo, and he’s actually willing to give it a try! I’m so excited for him! And for me because then I’ll get to talk about it with him!
  3. We took a walk around the neighborhood because the weather was nice.
  4. I had some chocolate this week! Yum!
  5. My online bookclub is doing a readalong for The Count of Monte Cristo; we had a midpoint discussion for the book yesterday and it was fun!
  6. I made cookies!

Books I read last week:

I finished The Bodyguard by Katherine Center in two days! Yayy! So it did kind of get me out of my slump, and then I started reading The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo next. It completely lived up to expectations and more. I loved the story so much! I haven’t written reviews for either of these books yet, but I’ll do it soon!

The Count of Monte Cristo is ongoing because of the readalong, and I’m enjoying it more because of hearing other readers’ thoughts. I am also really enjoying Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday right now. As of this writing I am 72% in, but I’m sure that by the time you read this, I’d have finish the book because I fully intend on going back to reading it after I finish writing this post!

Last Week on The Blog

This Week

I have the final book in The Checquy Files, Blitz by Daniel O’Malley, ready for me on audiobook, so I’ll be reading that. I also intend to start The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell before the end of the week for my book club’s BOTM.

How was your week? I hope you had a great week last week, and I hope you have a great one again this week!

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Time Travel Thursday | March 14

Posted March 14, 2024 by Haze in Time Travel Thursday, Weekly Book Memes / 4 Comments

It’s Time Travel Thursday! Hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog, this is where you get to take a look back at what you were reading this time last year (or the year before or the year before that…) and get to relive those bookish memories!

This time last year I was reading:

Sadie by Courtney Summers

A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial-like podcast following the clues she’s left behind. And an ending you won’t be able to stop talking about.

Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.

Courtney Summers has written the breakout book of her career. Sadie is propulsive and harrowing and will keep you riveted until the last page.

My thoughts:
I’ve liked Courtney Summers’ books before but I wasn’t sure about this one at first. I ended up loving it. It’s good in so many ways, and it hits so hard in the feels. I don’t even know where to begin with all the emotions I felt. It started slow at first, and I was distracted with real life stuff so I wasn’t paying a lot of attention, but as we went along, I got more and more invested. The ending got me still thinking about it. Ugh, my heart.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? What were you reading this time last year?

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Top Ten Tuesday | Books I Love to Reread

Posted March 11, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 32 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Books I’m Worried I Might Not Love as Much the Second Time Around

I love to reread and most of the time I enjoy the books just as much, if not more, on the second/nth read. However, there are a few books I used to love that haven’t aged well and/or that I’m worried I might not like the next time I read them (Gone With The Wind, and Mists of Avalon), but I can’t think of enough to make a top ten list, so I have decided to go with the Top Ten Books I Love to Reread instead.

Most of these are books I’ve reread multiple times, some of them even in the double digits. There are a few more books I love to reread as well, but these are my favorite comfort reads.

Top Ten Books I Love to Reread

  1. The Light Bearer by Donna Gillespie – This is probably the most underrated one on my list, and the most read. For a time, ever since I read the book for the first time as a pre-teen, I would reread it every year for many years. I’ve lost count but I’m sure it’s been at least 10 times, probably closer to 20. It’s a book set in ancient Roman and Germanic times, with a badass female protagonist, and it’s one I always recommend any time I can.
  2. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas – I’ve also lost count on this one, I’m currently rereading it on what might be the 9th or 10th time, I’m not sure. It’s one of my favorite classics and somehow despite the intensity and subject matter, it’s a comfort read.
  3. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins – I remember the first three times I read this series was first on physical copy, then e-book, then audiobook. After that, the rereads were mostly on audio, but I love it every single time and keep getting something out of it.
  4. Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster – This is such a sweet and comforting book. It’s a shorter book, and filled with illustrations, and just a nice read for whenever I need a comfort snack. I’ve read it more times than the others simply because it’s so easy to pick up and read quickly.
  5. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery – Another sweet and comforting book. I very hardly reread the rest of the series for some reason, but I always enjoy this first one.
  6. On Writing by Stephen King – I have read this book on print, and have a hardcopy of it, but it’s just better when you listen to it on audio with the author himself narrating. It really feels like he’s a friend talking to you and it’s so inspiring to listen to. I respect his work ethic and his approach to writing so much. Sometimes when I’m in between audiobooks and if this one is available, I borrow it just to listen to his voice lull me to sleep.
  7. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley – I probably wouldn’t classify this horror story as a comfort read, but it’s one of my favorite stories to come back to when I want a chill down the spine. I don’t come back to it as often as the other ones on this list, but I love that this is a story about flawed humans (and monsters). I get so much out of it, and more, every time I read it.
  8. Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck – This particular book has the dubious honor of being my favorite, most-read book that I’ve never finished. I don’t see it as a dnf, but as one of the best stories that should’ve ended sooner than it did. I love this book from beginning until 99% of it and I just never finished the last few pages, even with all my rereads! Maybe on my next reread, but I don’t feel a need to read the last 1%, so we’ll see.
  9. The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown – Technically, I read and reread all of Brene Brown’s works indiscriminately, because they’re all just so good. She also tends to repeat her stories in many of her talks/videos/platforms and I love hearing them over and over again because they inspire me and make me feel less alone. Her works are lifesavers, and I read them any time I need a boost.
  10. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – I’ve probably done the 12-week course three times (or 2.5 times, I don’t remember if I finished the third), but I listen to the audio every once in a while without doing the exercises, and there was a time when I was taking walks every night while listening to this audio. It’s one of my favorite memories because I was going through something, and just listening to this book helped me get my mind off things and gave me so much peace.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read or reread any of these books?

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