Comfort Reads discussion

I was just sitting here trying to decide whether I should order the latest book in the Lisa Lutz series because I don't know when or if she will be writing any more.

So is anyone looking forward to an upcoming release of either a stand alone book or part of a series? Is there anything you are excited about and can't wait to get your hands on in the next few months? Tell us!

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. Third in a trilogy. Due out 8/24 this year. I'm going nuts.

Can't be assured of a copy on the 24th so ordered a one day shipment (shipping costs much more than the book) for it to arrive on the 25th.

But if I can get a copy on the 24th, I will, even if there's not time to cancel the book that is scheduled to arrive on the 25th.

I also have it on reserve at the library but they have a lousy track record about having books ready for borrowing day of, or even having it past on order status.

Have called every bookstore, independent and chain, and none can guarantee having it the morning of the 24th.

Yes, I am crazy. ;-)

I'm prepared to take the 24th and 25th off to get/wait for the book and to start reading it, finishing it as soon as I can.

Lee, I think Lisa Lutz has said there will be at least one more but not until at least 2012. Book 4 ends in such a satisfying way that, while I hope there are more books, and I think there will be, if it ended there, I'd be happy with what's been done with the story.

Wow, I didn't realize that Mockingjay would be out so soon. That's fantastic! I look forward to reading it too. I'm not quite as crazy over the series as you are but the books are certainly enjoyable.

Thanks for the info on the Lisa Lutz books. I think I will go ahead and read the fourth book soon because they make me laugh so much.

Lee, I have loved all 4 of the Spellman books but so far the 4th is my very favorite. If you need some hilarity, definitely read that book! And I love what's going on with the characters! Can't wait to talk about it with you.

Lisa and Lee both of those series sound great.

I am looking forward to The Distant Hours, Kate Morton's newest, coming out in November.

Oh, so am I. I've already pre-ordered it from Amazon!

There have been so many great new books so far this year. I, too, am counting the days until Mockingjay comes out. Linger, Maggie Stiefvater's sequel to Shiver, comes out, oh my, it came out today. I was near a Border's and had no idea it was out today, or I would have zoomed in there and bought it. Well, there's always tomorrow, Scarlett. I'm, also, looking forward to Connie Willis' part two of the latest time traveling historians, All Clear, will be out this fall (I think September). The first part of it, Blackout, was out in February and was wonderful. The first two books in this series, Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog, are two of the best books I've ever read.

Kathy wrote: "There have been so many great new books so far this year. I, too, am counting the days until Mockingjay comes out. Linger, Maggie Stiefvater's sequel to [book:Shive..."

Kathy, is "Doomsday Book" related to "Blackout?" I always thought that it sort of stood on its own.

Barbara wrote: "Oh, so am I. I've already pre-ordered it from Amazon!"

Oh I need to do that and then have someone give it to me for Christmas!

I'm looking forward to By Nightfall: A Novel by Michael Cunningham and Mary Ann in Autumn: A Tales of the City Novel by Armistead Maupin.

Gundula wrote: "Kathy wrote: "There have been so many great new books so far this year. I, too, am counting the days until Mockingjay comes out. Linger, Maggie Stiefvater's sequel t..."

Gundula, it's related in that the books I mentioned all deal with time traveling historians from the same London research center in the future. Mr. Dunsworthy is present in all of them, too, plus the "net" where they come in and out of the past. However, I do think that you could read any one of them without having read the others, with the exception of All Clear, which is actually the 2nd part of Blackout. Have you read some of them, Gundula?

I've only read "Doomsday Book," which I loved. I have "Blackout" on my to-read list, but as the reviews state that it sort of stops in the middle, I think I will wait until "All Clear" comes out, I know I would be furious having to wait for the ending. There are times when I think traveling back in time to do research would be great, but look at all the problems etc. that it can cause. Also, personally, I know that I could not and would not be able to just sit and observe. For example, if someone sent me back in time to let's say Germany before the Nazis came to power, I would not be able to simply observe, I would try to prevent them getting into power etc., even if that were not allowed. Just like in "The Doomsday Book" Kyra cannot stop the plaque, but she does try to help as much as possible.

Gundula, Doomsday Book is still my favorite one of them. Wise decision on waiting for All Clear to come out before reading Blackout.

Lisa, are you gearing up for Mockingjay? I have it ordered from Amazon, but I didn't check to see when it would actually arrive at my house. I have a feeling it won't be until the 25th.

Kathy wrote: "Lisa, are you gearing up for Mockingjay? I have it ordered from Amazon, but I didn't check to see when it would actually arrive at my house. I have a feeling it won't be until the ..."

Hi Kathy, I have it ordered too. Unfortunately, the stores aren't treating it like Harry Potter: no same day deliveries from the online stores. I have it on order to arrive on the 25th but I also have it on reserve at a local independent store, but I told them I want it on the morning of the 24th. I'll call them the day before, and if they don't/won't have it, and they said they might not until late in the day or the next day, I'll start calling the other independent stores in my area. Last night I just finished my rereads of the first two books. I can't wait!!!

Lisa wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Lisa, are you gearing up for Mockingjay? I have it ordered from Amazon, but I didn't check to see when it would actually arrive at my house. I have a feeling it won't..."

Good idea about the rereads. I am going to give them a look, too. I may not completely reread them, but I do need to refresh my memory before the new one.

On Sept. 28th, the Diana Gabaldon's graphic version of The Outlander comes out, entitled The Exile: An Outlander Graphic Novel It's the story from Jamie's point of view. Here is a link to Gabaldon's Web page, where her entry entitled "Unexpurgated Wedding-Night Artwork" shows a mature, emphasis on mature, content illustration from the book's illustrator, Hoang Nguyen.

Here are some new releases for 2011 I thought some of you might be interested in hearing about:

JAN:
Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Call Me Irresistible - J. D. Robb - Treachery in Death

FEB:
Peter Firstbrook - The Obamas: The Untold Story of an African Family
Michael Oher - I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness to The Blind Side and
Beyond (he was the young football player in The Blind Side

MAR:
Jean Auel - The Land of Painted Caves (long-awaited Book 6 in the Earth's Children)
Maeve Binchy - Minding Frankie
Jonathan Kellerman - Mystery (Alex Delaware)
Alexander McCall Smith - The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency)
James Patterson & Neil McMahon - Toys
Geneen Roth - Lost and Found: Unexpected Revelations About Food and Money
Sarah Vowell - Unfamiliar Fishes

APR:
David Baldacci - The Sixth Man (King and Maxwell)
Elizabeth Berg - Once Upon a Time, There Was You
Mary Higgins Clark - I'll Walk Alone
Jackie Collins - Goddess of Vengeance
Michael Connelly - The Fifth Witness
Iris Johansen - Eve
Sherrilyn Kenyon - Born of Shadows
Lisa Scottoline - Save Me
Sister Souljah - Midnight and the Meaning of Love
David Foster Wallace - The Pale King
Stuart Woods - Bel-Air Dead (Stone Barrington)
Jennet Conant - A Covert Affair
Julia Child and Paul Child: Love, Loyalty and Betrayal in the OSS
Tina Fey - Bossypants
Melissa Fay Greene - No Biking in the House Without a Helmet
Mark Kurlansky - What?: Are These the 20 Most Important Questions in Human History-Or is This a Game of 20 Questions?

MAY:
Geraldine Brooks - Caleb's Crossing
Ursula Hegi - Children and Fire
China Miéville - Embassytown
Robert B. Parker - Sixkill (Spenser Mystery)
Richard North Patterson - The Devil's Light
Mary Doria Russell - Doc
John Sandford - Buried Prey
Lisa See - Dreams of Joy
Jeff Shaara - The Final Storm: A Novel of World War II in the Pacific (Book 3 of WWII trilogy)
Wilbur Smith - Those in Peril
Chelsea's Family, Friends, & Others - Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me
Wyclef Jean - Purpose: An Immigrant's Story
Henry Kissinger - On China
Paul Theroux - The Tao of Travel: Enlightenments from Lives on the Road
Dick Van Dyke - My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business: A Memoir
Betty White - If You Ask Me: (And Of Course You Won't)

JUN:
David Baldacci - One Summer
Clive Cussler and Grant Blackwood - The Kingdom (A Fargo Adventure)
Janet Evanovich - Smokin' Seventeen
Joseph Finder - Buried Secrets
Tess Gerritsen - The Silent Girl (Rizzoli & Isles)
Ann Patchett - State of Wonder
James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge - Now You See Her
James Rollins - The Devil Colony
Sapphire - The Kid
Michael Lewis - Boomerang: Travels in the Third World

JUL:
Catherine Coulter - Split Second (An FBI Thriller)

Thanks, Lee. I'm especially looking forward to the Geraldine Brooks one, as well as Ursula Hegi, Mary Doria Russell, and Ann Patchett.

Also coming out in July 2011 us Maggie Stiefvater's 3rd and final novel in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, Forever.

Thanks Lee! The Julia Child book looks interesting.

Thanks Lee, great to have them listted here. I can go back each month and check out as more info is available. One good book by an author doesn't mean they are all good, so for me,each has to be checked out. I am way to careful....

Your welcome! Sorry I didn't add all the links but it was just too many.

That's a great list Lee! Thanks!

I wouldn't have put all the links in either. :)

this was an awesome series the ending last sacrifice will determine if I like it more than the twilight series...yes that good it comes on 12/7/10

Thanks for the post, I really enjoyed the series by Jean Auel and didn't know about the upcoming book The Land of Painted Caves.

Your welcome Brenda!

Here's my list so far of new books of 2011 that I'm looking forward to:

New Releases in 2011

Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards (Jan. 4th)
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova (Jan. 4th)
Death of a Chimney Sweep (Hamish Macbeth) by M.C. Beaton (Feb. )
Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley (March 8th)
Where She Went by Gayle Forman (April 5th)
Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks (May 3rd)
Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris (May 3rd)
Now You See Me by S.J. Bolton (May 11th)
A Murder for Macaroni and Cheese by Ellen Raskin (May 17th)
The Dark Inquiry by Deanna Raybourn (June 21st)
The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen (July 5th)
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater (July 12th)

Great list, Kathy! Left Neglected was very good, you'll enjoy it. I also want to read the books by Kim Edwards, Geraldine Brooks, and Alan Bradley. I have to look up a few of these others. But not Tess Gerritsen...she freaks me out (a lot).

Christine wrote: "Great list, Kathy! Left Neglected was very good, you'll enjoy it. I also want to read the books by Kim Edwards, Geraldine Brooks, and Alan Bradley. I have to look up a few of these others. But not ..."

Tess is a little strong for some, but I think she is such a great writer that I am hooked on her books.

Totally agree with Lisa Genova. I loved Still Alice, and now that Left Neglected was released can´t wait to read it.

Allon 3 - Heir Apparent, April 2011

Excerpt and video at http://www.allonbooks.com

In November Robert Massie will come out with Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman

Chrissie wrote: "In November Robert Massie will come out with Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman"

Thanks, Chrissie. You mentioned it earlier but this mention in this group reminded me to add it. I loved Nicholas and Alexandra so much.

I thought I should mention it in the proper thread.

Chrissie wrote: "I thought I should mention it in the proper thread."

Yes. Good idea. More likely to be seen by those interested!

Allon Book 2 - Insurrection is now available on KINDLE.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TGUH4A

Love the Beastie: A Spin-and-Play Book, the sequel to Pat the Beastie, is planned to come out in December of 2011.

Ronyell wrote: "Love the Beastie: A Spin-and-Play Book, the sequel to Pat the Beastie, is planned to come out in December of 2011."

Thanks, Ronyell. I love Pat the Beastie! Looking forward to the new one.

Some more new releases this fall are:

Pirate King by Laurie R. King (Sept. 6th)
The Taker by Alma Katsu (Sept. 6th)
Wicked Autumn: A Max Tudor Novel by G.M. Malliet (Sept. 13th)
As The Pig Turns An Agatha Raisin Mystery by M.C. Beaton (Oct. 11th)

The Huguenot Sword, scheduled for Nov. 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dXW5M...

Kathy wrote: "Ronyell wrote: "Love the Beastie: A Spin-and-Play Book, the sequel to Pat the Beastie, is planned to come out in December of 2011."

Thanks, Ronyell. I love Pat the ..."

You're welcome Kathy!! I loved reading Pat the Beastie too!! I really can't wait for the sequel!!

A new Flavia de Luce book by Alan Bradley is coming out Nov. 1st and is entitled I Am Half-Sick of Shadows. Also, the latest in the alphabet series with Kinsey Milhone by Sue Grafton will be out Nov. 14th, V is for Vengeance.

Cool, thanks Kathy!

Lee wrote: "Cool, thanks Kathy!"

I love Flavia! Can't believe we're getting two of them in a year's time.

The author must be working hard!

A couple of more upcoming are As The Pig Turns and Falling Together.

Okay, I just ordered the first book in the series. I can't believe I haven't read it yet considering how much you seem to love these books!

Lee wrote: "Okay, I just ordered the first book in the series. I can't believe I haven't read it yet considering how much you seem to love these books!"

Yay, Lee! I really think you are going to love them, too. Please let me know.

I will definitely let you know.