Tell Me Something Tuesday: Comfort Reads

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. 

It is co-hosted by (Linda from Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell, Roberta from Offbeat YA, Jen from That’s What I’m Talking About, Berl's from Because Reading is Better than Real Life  and me) 

Join in by answering this weeks question in the comments or on your own blog.

If you would like to join TMST and receive periodic emails of upcoming topics, please fill out this GOOGLE FORM. TMST is a laid back meme – join in or opt out depending on your interest in topics or schedule.

Question: What are the books/authors you pick up when you need a comfy read?

Answer: I don't really have any go-to, comforting reads these days. I haven't re-read a book in years and I tend to read new authors and just jump around genres now. 

Years ago, I would say all the PNR series. I would read and re-read the Sookie Stackhouse, BDB, Night Huntress, WVMP Radio vampire series several times per week!

Then it was romance. Any romance - YA, adult, series, stand-alones, anything. I just like the easiness and guaranteed HEA of the genre and they tend to be quick reads for me. 

Then I got bogged down by arc's, schedules reading slumps and I'm barely reading at all lol It's hard for me to find a book that makes me go ahhhhh. I'm kind of afraid to go back to some of the series I've loved int he past incase I now see all the flaws. 

So, I'll just say that I find any reading comforting right now. Whatever it is, because I'm back to reading for fun so it's whatever I am enjoying at this moment - no pressure - therefore making it a comfy read. 

It's A Wrap(up): Life, reading, watching...

LIFE

Hello everyone! It's still raining here. We're getting close to  1 1/2 - 2 inches a week. I know some of this is good going into fire season but good lord I'm done. DONE!

My weather guy keeps getting yelled at for the rain (humorously) and he tweeted this out, which made me laugh.

I still have my shoulder pain. It's been just over a month. It's not horrible, at least, and I was finally able to get hold of a live person and make a physical therapy appointment for next week. I am so looking forward to it. I'm kind of afraid to move too much  a) the area gets inflamed the pain has moved up my neck b) I'm afraid I'll do more damage and want to learn how to move my arm safely while it heals.

Kevin's boss just tested positive for COVID so we're on watch for that now. I'm vaccinated and boosted and I know the vast majority of cases are mild but I have a few pre-existing issues and also know a few people who died or have long COVID (who were healthy previously) from it so it's still nerve-wracking to me. You just don't know until it happens which one you are. 

WATCHING

We finished watching Moon Knight on Disney+. It was a strange show but we really liked it. It was a little different with Egyptian mythology and mental health issues.

I think I forgot mention that we watched Our Flag Means Death on HBO Max - starring & produced by Taika Waititi - a few months ago. It's such a fun, weird little pirate show. Part swashbuckler, part (queer) romcom and soooo good.

On Amazon Prime we're watching Outer Range starring Josh Brolin and I really can't tell you if I like it or not lol Kind of an alien/sci-fi, western, thriller vibe. Lots of secrets with weird twists. 

Val - a documentary about Val Kilmer using Kilmer's own footage he's accumulated throughout his life and career. Kilmer lost his voice to throat cancer and it's an interesting look at how he navigates nostalgic fame (we want our stars to stay beautiful) and chronic pain through determination, humor and art. This is told through Kilmer's lens, so a little biased but still raw and poignant. 

And I save the best for last... Heartstopper - Netflix CUTEST. SHOW. EVER. They broached difficult topics (bullying, coming out for example) but in such a sweet, heartwarming way. The acting is A+, the pacing superb and I was sooo sad that it ended. There better be a season 2! It's been several years since I read the first graphic novel but it seemed to follow it pretty closely and definitely captured the essence of Charlie, Nick and the story. 

The looks, the small touches, the friends...perfection. I wish all all romances, YA and adaptations were this good. The world sucks and this made me happy. 

READING

I don't know if I'll ever be able to read at my former pace but I'm reading so I guess that's good enough.

Kindle - Death by Dumpling (A Noodle Shop Mystery #1) by Vivien Chien ~ goodreads Cute cozy mystery so far. 

Hardcover - August of the Zombies (Zombie Problems #3) by K.G. Campbell ~ goodreads I'm just over 1/2 way and finally getting long awaited answers from the series. Fun so far.

Audiobook - Book Lovers by Emily Henry ~ goodreads I was super excited to see this on the Libro.fm ALC (audio arc) list for May. I'll be starting it the next time I run errands. 

What have you all been reading, watching, doing?

TMST: I'm playing topic catch-up! Book sitting the longest on my TBR pile, Blogging platforms, bookish memorabilia, and being the odd one out

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. 

It is co-hosted by (Linda from Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell, Roberta from Offbeat YA, Jen from That’s What I’m Talking About, Berl's from Because Reading is Better than Real Life  and me) 

Join in by answering this weeks question in the comments or on your own blog.

If you would like to join TMST and receive periodic emails of upcoming topics, please fill out this GOOGLE FORM. TMST is a laid back meme – join in or opt out depending on your interest in topics or schedule.

I'm playing catch up with TMST. Life got in the way and I missed several weeks worth of questions. So here we go!

4/12 Question: What book has been sitting on your TBR pile the longest?

Answer: I believe these two - there might be a few more but I couldn't find them. They are both from the 2010  Borders bookstore closing sale lol I'm not even sure why I haven't read them yet.

4/19 Question: How did you choose your blogging platform?

Answer: I don't really remember. I had a free WP blog before this one (in 2009 I think) - about politics if you can imagine lol Not one single soul ever saw it and I had no idea how to blog anyway so I quickly abandoned it. 

Then I think I saw the Blogger platform somewhere and they made it really easy to set up and find other blogs so I gave it a shot and somehow it took off so here I am. I've often thought of switching over to WP but I co-blogged on there years ago and hated it. I do love all the customizable plug-ins but I just don't blog enough (or get enough views anymore) to make paying for a host and migrating worth it. 

4/26 Question: Do you still own any books/comics/toys/memorabilia from when you were a kid?

Answer: I do not. I wasn't really a reader back when I was a kid. The few books I was interested in were more animal books - like identification guides, dinosaur books. For awhile I was obsessed with reincarnation and had a few really weird books about that (it got me thinking - did my mother have those books and I found them? Or was I obsessed and she bought them for a very young girl?? lol) I also I found my parents copy of Helter Skelter that had pages and pages or gruesome pictures and I would hide and read it over and over and freak myself out. 

But anyway - after I got married, my father decided to clean out our attic and threw all my stuff out without telling me so whatever I may have had is long gone.

Kevin on the other hand, has lots of cool stuff still in his childhood attic. His mom has sent a few things to us over the years. 

She also gave me a very old Winnie-the-Pooh book because I LOVE him and her copy of a 1996 Better Homes & Garden cookbook. As you can see it's battered but I love looking at the old recipes. 

5/3 Question: How do you feel when everyone loves a book except for you? 

Question: Umm....this used to make me feel like something was wrong with me but over the years I realized that the bloggerverse can be pretty insular and you tend to hear how everyone is hyped about a certain book but not from the people who don't. No one wants to be THAT person shitting on the popular thing. lol

Readers tastes vary so much and we can't all love everything so it doesn't really bother me anymore. 

I also try to stay away from any book that's hyped until it dies down and I can come to it without expectations. 

I'm all caught up! Let me know what you think about any and all of the subjects above!