I've finished the latest distraction and on to a new one (the Thursday Next series, by Jasper Fforde). I've been very tired, lately, and it's been really nice to go back to old favorites. I can skip around in them to bits that fire me up or make me feel amused and use it to help keep going in the face of fatigue.

Oh you skip around in them? I never do that in books, only if I am doing a literary analysis.

I started reading that Swedish book and so far the vocabulary is understandable. It's called "Utvandrarna" by Vilhelm Moberg.

I've read two (or three?) different book series by Lisa J. Smith, the author of "Vampire Diaries". A lot of romance involved and a few flat rather than round characters, but a very easy-read and a nice distraction.

I still haven't read any of the Vampire Diaries. Would you recommend them?


Yes, I skip around in books, but usually only after I've reread them several times all the way through, first.

Sounds interestin, Alice!

Well...
Have you seen the tv series? If, then you can expect something different from that. The first book is a little similar to be series, but that's it. There are many characters which are taken from the book, but some have different roles in the series.
& it's a lot more cheesy in the books.
But better than twilight.
I think she wrote 4 books first and added book after book, I don't even know how many there are by now. I think I have 7 or 8. The first 4 are definitely worth reading, but the rest... it feels like she wanted to continue with the story no matter what so that the later books are really weird kinda... I heard somebody of my friends say the same about them.

I haven't seen the series, no.


And "better than twilight" is a pretty low bar to clear....


But you say the first 4 are worth reading? Okay. I'll add them to my library list. (I have a small notebook of books I want to read that I call my 'library list' because it's the list that goes to the library, like grocery lists go to the grocery store. It's not a list of interesting libraries. Naming choices can be odd that way)

Alice, maybe go for something easy like fairy tales :) ?
Nevertheless, I know how you feel, it might be different in a few days already, give yourself some time.

Akili,
yes, indeed, it is not that difficult to write a series better than twilight. But I think Vampire Diaries is better, it is a little more mature. Still cheesy, but less cheesy than Twilight.
& yes, I'd say read the first 4 books only. If you should feel like you want the complete story you can read the rest, but the first 4 should be enough :)