L Y N N’s Comments (group member since Nov 10, 2018)

L Y N N’s comments from the Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge group.

Theresa wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "Theresa wrote: "L Y N N wrote: "Theresa wrote: "@Lynn - your comment posted twice - you want to delete one."
It just shows up once for me..."

It's now been locked by someone s..."
I did that. 😁

Theresa wrote: "Theresa wrote: "@Lynn - your comment posted twice - you want to delete one."
It just shows up once for me..."

It's now been locked by someone so no one besides the 2 who already updated there can do so.

But definitely 2 identical threads by you still there! The more Lynn the merrier!"
So, Goodreads didn't show my posting the first time this morning, so I went ahead and resubmitted it, and then somehow, for everyone except me, there were two separate postings! EGADS!!

I had to shutdown and restart my computer and THEN it showed me two postings! But now I feel badly about Dubhease and Ron's posts...maybe I can copy and paste them into this thread? I'm gonna try...

Theresa wrote: "@Lynn - your comment posted twice - you want to delete one."
It just shows up once for me...

It’s a list New releases in February!! https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/th...

Weather so unpredictable that I’ve given up trying to track it! LOL

I trust you-all are well or at least able to cope with life’s challenges!!

***
ADMIN STUFF:
APRIL MONTHLY GROUP READ HAS BEEN SELECTED!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #29 A book with a neurodivergent main character. April is Autism Awareness Month! The Mystery Guest (Molly the Maid #2) by Nita Prose was selected! This is the second in a series. I own but have not yet read The Maid which is the first installment.

The February Monthly Group Read is Lucky Leap Day by Ann Marie Walker!! This book could be used to fulfill 2024 prompt #1 A book with the word "leap" in the title. (Since “Leap Day”/February 29 does occur in February!) 😊 The discussion thread is HERE! Hooray for Kimberly Barker, the “leaping literary luminar” who is valiantly leading this discussion! Thank you, Kimberly! You will find the thread to list the book you read for prompt #1 HERE!

The March Monthly Group Read is Call Us What We Carry: Poems by Amanda Gorman! This book could be used to fulfill 2024 prompt #48 A collection of at least 24 poems. World Poetry Day is celebrated on March 21!
Joanna is the "marvelous manager" who has volunteered to lead this discussion! Kudos to her!! THANK YOU, Joanna! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

MAY MONTHLY GROUP READ NOMINATION POLL!!
Nadine has created a nomination poll for the May Monthly Group Read HERE! This book could be used to fulfill prompt #41 A memoir that explores queerness. A total of 12 books have been nominated thus far:
Ordinary Girls
All Boys Aren't Blue
Not My Father's Son
Beautiful on the Outside
Gender Queer
Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World
The House of Hidden Meanings
Love Lives Here: A Story of Thriving in a Transgender Family
Pageboy
On Top of Glass: My Stories as a Queer Girl in Figure Skating
Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place
Please do NOT forget to check the listing of books NOT eligible for nomination >HERE before writing in a title!! THANK YOU!!

The comprehensive listing of 2024 Monthly Group Reads resides HERE for your perusal and reference throughout 2024!
***
Question of the Week:
Have you read a book published in the past with limited/outdated technology that you felt still held up in our modern world with regard to characters, plot, etc.?
I ask because last week I finally read a book published in 1965 from the Perry Mason mystery series authored by Erle Stanley Gardner. I found the outdated technology to be surprisingly poignant to me while the plot and character-building felt very genuine and real in the modern world. When Mason mentioned a “car phone” I had an immediate image of the HUGE (think at least shoebox-sized or larger) bags that contained those phones. And reception? Iffy, at best! I cannot believe I had never before read a book in this series, after avidly watching the TV shows when younger. Now I am hopeful to obtain copies of other installments to read, especially those published decades earlier! Anyhow, it got me thinking about technology vs. plot, etc.

2024 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 15/50
Around the Year (AtY): 41/52
Read Harder: 7/24
52 Book Club: 31/52

FINISHED:
*The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was heart wrenching and beautifully written! I just can’t recommend it enough!! Such a realistic example of generational divides, especially as first-generation children of immigrants into a culture that is literally foreign, strange, and unknown to their parents who retain their own cultural norms into the unfamiliar setting. I can’t imagine not sympathizing with Xiomara…
POPSUGAR: #2, #4, #11-Poetry, #14, #17-Harlem, NY
ATY: #3-A cultural book, #11, #12, NEW #13, #14, #15, #17, #24-Purple, #36, #41
RHC: #16, #24-2015: prompt #14 Read a National Book Award, Man Booker Prize, or Pulitzer Prize Winner from the last decade
52 Book Club: #9, #14, #23-Both have Latina teens not following parental/familial expectations, #26-Fiction/Young Adult/Poetry, #30, #41-National Book Award Winner, NLA Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, Pura Belpré Award for Author, #43

*With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was so very well written and realistic, IMO! Emoni is such a hard worker and has determination, plus! She will make it! Whatever she decides to do she will work hard enough to succeed! Of course, it will be easier for her since she does have much natural aptitude! I would love a sequel to know just how her life goes from now into the future.
POPSUGAR: #2
ATY: #3-A book that features at least three generations of a family, #12, #13, #14, #15, #17, #23, #24, #33, #34-Happy, #36, #49
RHC: #24-2015: prompt #11 Read a YA novel
52 Book Club: #9, #10, #14, #23-Both have Latina teens not following parental/familial expectations, #25, #26-Fiction/Young Adult/Romance, #30, #43

*Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum #30) by Janet Evanovich ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was an okay read. Nothing fantastic and nothing disappointing. I did laugh, but not as often or loudly as in the past, like the first 25 installments in this series. But it will be interesting to see how Stephanie handles herself in the aftermath… 😊
ATY: #1, #3-A book you could read in 24 hours, #14, #15, #16-Nutsy’s mom has (literally) a house full of cats!, #17, #25, #32, #33, #37, #46, #49-Grandma Mazur!
RHC: #23, #24-2020: prompt #3 A mystery where the victim(s) is not a woman
52 Book Club: #24, #30, NEW #32, #33

CONTINUING:
*The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
A priority for later in February!

PLANNED:
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*11th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #11) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin

Nadine in NY wrote: "Our Dutch members may be amused to hear that today I learned that Americans completely mispronounce "gouda." In the US, we say a hard G and an oo, so it's "GOOOO-dah" But in Dutch it is a guttural ..."
Amazing...

Nadine in NY wrote: "L Y N N wrote: "I would most likely select the name Julie or Julia. I have always wished that had been my given name. ...

I'm surprised your mom worked for a woman named Lynn. I thought that name only became popular for women in the 50s."
Ah. I think you got a bit confused...or I was unclear in my posting. My "first" name is NOT Lynn! It is the same as my mother's first name. And no, I will not divulge what that is. I never used it. I have always disliked it. I'm sure there are many reasons for that...some of which years of therapy have helped me overcome! LOL

Her boss at the time was a male. Though I have seen Lynn used as a middle name for males, even back in my day--eons ago! LOL

Nadine in NY wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Deaf Republic: the heck did I just read......"


LOL I wonder if your experience was like mine. I had read that One Poem by him (We Lived Happily During the War) and I thought "wow t..."
Oh, my...definitely not for me! LOL

JessicaMHR wrote: "Milena wrote: "Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone for set in the snow. Set at a ski resort in Australia, which I feel like is a pretty unusual setting. Wish the book had lived...

OMG thank you soo much! This made me realize I have a book for this prompt sitting on my bookshelf. The Sanatorium, also at a ski resort."
That book is on top of a stack and I keep thinking I really need to just read it already! LOL

Jackie wrote: "Well hi everybody! I have some pretty good news: this week we brought home our baby! We are adopting and so after a lengthy stay out of state we are finally home. Everybody is healthy and happy, an..."
Good for you!! I wanted to adopt, but my (EX-)husband wouldn't hear of it...

Kenya wrote: "...the admin of the Facebook group for the challenge have started approving posts now. I feel like an idiot for declaring the FB group dead now..."
You made me laugh! You just never know...what time will bring!

Jen wrote: "QOTW:
I think I would probably use a pseudonym, just because my full name is one of the most common first names and one of the most common last names in the US. Just a quick search on GR yields at least five authors with some variation on my name with different middle names or initials just on page 1 of search results."
And if I had had a female child, I was going to name her...Jennifer! LOL Not exactly original, huh? But her middle name would have been Margaret, in honor of my grandmother! Ah, well...I ended up with 3 sons and I doubt any of them would have been overly thrilled with "Jennifer" as a name...

As promised!
2024 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 15/50
Around the Year (AtY): 40/52
Read Harder: 7/24
52 Book Club: 30/52

FINISHED:
*10th Anniversary (Women’s Murder Club #9) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ is definitely one of my favorites in this series thus far! I particularly appreciated the character development as well as the lack of grisly details! 😊
POPSUGAR: #17-San Francisco, CA, #34
ATY:#1, #2, #3-A book you could read within 24 hours, NEW #5-San Francisco, CA, #14-Claire, #15, #17, #25, NEW #32, #33, #37, #48-favorite prompt: #3 A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list--A book related to “civil rights” or “human rights”
RHC: #23, #24-2015: prompt #18 Read a book someone else has recommended to you
52 Book Club: NEW #3, #6, #14, #24, #30, #38, #44

*Emily Climbs (Emily #2) by L.M. Montgomery ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I only wish I had discovered this series as a young reader! I relate more to Emily of New Moon than I did to Anne of Green Gables, but I also first read these books as an older adult. I can only imagine I might have felt differently when younger…
POPSUGAR: #2, #4
ATY: #2, #3-A book connected to Anne of Green Gables (same author), #4-Emily writes about nature/natural scenes, NEW #8, #10-Historical Fiction, #16-Miss Royal’s chow Chu-Chin, #17, #24-Purple, NEW #26, #27-New Moon, #33, #36, #38/#39-Person set against the background scenery, #49
RHC: #24-2020: prompt #7 Read a historical fiction novel not set in WWII
52 Book Club: #4, #9, #26-Classical Literature/Historical Fiction, #30, #43, NEW #47, #51-Ilse!

*Emily's Quest (Emily #3) by L.M. Montgomery⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was such an enjoyable ending to this trilogy! I loved the fact that Montgomery didn’t have Emily just meet someone, fall in love, get married, and live happily ever after. This was much more than that ‘perfect’ scenario and much more realistic, IMO! I enjoyed it so much!
POPSUGAR: #2, NEW #3, #4
ATY: #1, #2, #3-A book you could read within 24 hours, #8-Canada, #10-Historical Fiction, #17, #24-Green, #26, #27, #28, #33, #34-Bashful (Teddy), #38/#39-Couple set against the background scenery, #44, #49
RHC: NEW #14, #20, #24-2017: prompt #3 Read a book about books
52 Book Club: #4, #5, #9, #14, NEW #18, #26- Classical Literature/Historical Fiction, #30, #43, #44

*I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for an IRL book club meeting this past Tuesday. This book. Her life. We all are amazed and so gratified that despite all she has endured and is still dealing with, she has managed to be “successful” as an adult. I admit I can very easily relate to this title. The fact that my own mother is no longer living is such a relief to me. In so many ways. But…her life was so much worse and her mother’s abuse was a thousand times worse than I endured. Kudos to her and I wish her nothing but the best and will certainly work to support her future career however I can—buying books she authors, watching media in which she is involved, etc. Some people should just never be parents…
POPSUGAR: #2, #4, #17-California, #31
ATY: #3-A book that helps you reflect or recharge, #7, #15, #17, #25, #33, #41, #45, #48, #49, #50
RHC: #16, #24-2023: prompt #10 Read a book you know nothing about based solely on the cover image
52 Book Club: #3, #4, #9, #14, #18, NEW #25, NEW #28, #30, NEW #39, #43

*The Case of the Beautiful Beggar (Perry Mason #76) by Erle Stanley Gardner ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was excellent! I picked this book up very cheaply at a library sale and was rather blown away that I’ve never read a book from this series before! I will definitely be reading more!
POPSUGAR: #17-California, #31
ATY: #3-A book title that seemingly refers to one or more characters in the book, #9-549 ratings, #12, #17, #21, #25, #28-ocean voyage, #33, #37, #48, #49
RHC: #16, #23, #24-2015: prompt #2 A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65
52 Book Club: #2-musty, #10, #14, #25, #29-initially published in 1965, #30, #43

CONTINUING:
*With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
*The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
*The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
A priority for later in February!

PLANNED:
*Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum #30) by Janet Evanovich
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*11th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #11) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin

Yes, I am VERY late with this check-in! But at least I am checking in!! (Better late than never!)

And...this is the first of two postings! Yes, I am long-winded and loquacious! LOL

We had a snowstorm last Friday. It took me 2 hours to cover the 40 miles to my gym! Yikes!! But at least most all drivers were being very cautious and careful! It only took 1½ hours to get home that evening. 😊 And although I arrived for the (1-hour) class I teach 30 minutes late, 5 students were waiting. Then the instructor for the class scheduled immediately after mine canceled, so we ended up working out for 1½ hours! I was so grateful I didn’t have to work out on my own! I can do that, but it’s much more fun to have others along for the ride!!

Last Thursday, I got to meet and speak with Leah Johnson! While she inscribed and signed each of her four books for me: You Should See Me in a Crown, Rise to the Sun, Ellie Engle Saves Herself, and Cool. Awkward. Black.. She was part of the Butler Visiting Writers series for this semester. She is an excellent speaker and brings so much personality into her presentation and conversations! If I had been told she was from Indiana, I had forgotten it. And…brave soul that she obviously is, after living in New York and having completed her MFA at Sarah Lawrence College, she actually chose to move back to Indiana! Wow. Trust me. This state is not friendly overall to anyone who is NOT white and heterosexual. Granted, Indianapolis is more integrated than most areas, but still… And she just opened an independent bookstore here that I didn’t know about. Another friend of mine was telling me of a couple more independent bookstores that have recently opened in the Indianapolis area. I sense a road trip or two ahead!! 😊

It has been a rather busy week for me with appointments, IRL book club meetings, an author event, etc., as well as participating in the AtY Feb24 Team Readathon. LOVE readathons!!

***
ADMIN STUFF:
APRIL MONTHLY GROUP READ HAS BEEN SELECTED!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #29 A book with a neurodivergent main character. April is Autism Awareness Month! The Mystery Guest (Molly the Maid #2) by Nita Prose was selected! As Nadine noted, this is the second in a series. I own but have not yet read The Maid which is the first installment. I have no idea if it would be beneficial to have read that book first or whether the reading experience would be spoiled by reading the second installment first. I plan to read both in March and see what I think. Nadine has read the first and feels there are details that would most likely contribute to enjoyment of the second installment. Anyone else with thoughts on this who may have already read both?

I moved the January Monthly Group Read discussion thread to the 2024 Monthly Group Reads folder and noted that several members were very glad to have read Chain-Gang All-Stars who might never have picked it up if it hadn’t been selected as a monthly group read! YAY!!

The February Monthly Group Read is Lucky Leap Day by Ann Marie Walker!! This book could be used to fulfill 2024 prompt #1 A book with the word "leap" in the title. (Since “Leap Day”/February 29 does occur in February!) 😊 The discussion thread is HERE! Hooray for Kimberly Barker, the “leaping literary luminar” who is valiantly leading this discussion! Thank you, Kimberly! You will find the thread to list the book you read for prompt #1 HERE!

The March Monthly Group Read is Call Us What We Carry: Poems by Amanda Gorman! This book could be used to fulfill 2024 prompt #48 A collection of at least 24 poems. World Poetry Day is celebrated on March 21!
The search is on for a "marvelous manager" to lead the discussion! Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer! I am looking forward to this one! And I’m not even a huge fan of poetry!

NEW POLL!!
Nadine has created a nomination poll for the May Monthly Group Read HERE! This book could be used to fulfill prompt #41 A memoir that explores queerness. A total of 12 books have been nominated thus far:
Ordinary Girls
All Boys Aren't Blue
Not My Father's Son
Beautiful on the Outside
Gender Queer
Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
The House of Hidden Meanings
Love Lives Here: A Story of Thriving in a Transgender Family
Pageboy
On Top of Glass: My Stories as a Queer Girl in Figure Skating
Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place
Please do NOT forget to check the listing of books NOT eligible for nomination >HERE before writing in a title!! THANK YOU!!

The comprehensive listing of 2024 Monthly Group Reads resides HERE for your perusal and reference throughout 2024!
***
Question of the Week:
Suggested by Jennifer: If you were to publish a book (if you haven't already) would you use your real name or a pseudonym? If you were going to use a pseudonym, what one would you make up for yourself?

Definitely a pseudonym! I never would have considered such a thing if not for a friend who uses a pseudonym for “friends” (and coworkers, etc) vs. “family”! He does this so he immediately knows which group the person is in. I never even considered doing such a thing. But as a published author I think it would be valuable to immediately know if a person was part of your author/publishing life OR your personal life. That makes total sense to me!

I would most likely select the name Julie or Julia. I have always wished that had been my given name. I do not know why. When I was about 13 my mother and I were discussing names and I admitted to her that these were my favorite names and wished to have had one of them to use. (I have always used my “middle” name rather than my “first” name…) She then admitted that she had intended to name me Julia and that is evidently an old family name from ancestors on her mother’s side. But…then she let her boss at the time change her mind to name me after HER! And that is my “first” name, the name I never did use! Ironic, isn’t it? I also think our family found it better to use a different name for me since there would have been two people in the immediate household of the same name! Strange how life works out some times. She said her boss encouraged her to use her name for me so that I would “belong” to her. Interesting… So my mother’s boss at the time actually named me. Huh. That may explain some things... LOL 😉

2nd posting to follow with book lists...

Dani wrote: "Good morning from an unseasonably warm and sunny Columbus! Other busy week, I’ve been taking my son to school (usually his grandma does) because his grandparents are on a cruise. He is *very* attached to his grandma and his routines so it’s been an experience lol. I’ve been making really cute valentines shaped like books for my clients, so that’s been fun. I’m very much looking forward to Saturday, my boyfriend is coming to visit and we’re celebrating Valentine’s Day at a great Spanish restaurant. Valentine’s Day falls on Ash Wednesday this year so that meant we couldn’t do anything on the actual day of, but happy beginning of Lent to those who celebrate 🥰"
My grandmother served as my main caregiver. Her death is the one most poignant for me of all my deceased family members. I can relate to your son! 😋 Happy Valentine's Day a bit early! Sounds like fun! Thank you for mentioning the religious holiday. I don't do religion and was trying to mention many of those, but just gave up! LOL Too many! 😯

"Finished:
Eight Perfect Murders was for my friends recommendations challenge. This was really fun, but managed to spoil a lot of books I haven’t read yet 😅"
I made a note not to read that one until I had read the other 8 books first! I've read two of them...

"The House at Pooh Corner and When We Were Very Young neither for a challenge, me and my son have been listening to the Pooh audiobooks at bedtime. Very sweet, great narration. As someone who grew up on Winnie the Pooh cartoons this has been delightful."
Awwww...I love Pooh and friends!!

"Currently Reading:
The Snow Child"
Ooohhh...I liked that one! Definitely atmospheric...

"QOTW:
Unfortunately I don’t pay enough attention to know which books I read are by debut authors lol"
Ha! Ha! Fair enough!

Warmer here yesterday and today--into the 50s! Yowza!

I accompanied my good friend to her cardiac appointment last week and the echocardiogram and EKG results were NOT good… She has agreed to undergo surgery to insert a combination pacemaker/defibrillator as soon as it can be scheduled. Two valves are leaking pretty badly and her heart is only functioning at 34%. And once she has recovered from that, she will undergo surgery to clear her right carotid artery which was 85% occluded as of last July. They believe that blockage may well be causing her vertigo-like symptoms once she described them to her cardiologist. I adore her cardiologist. If I had to undergo everything she has in the past few years, I sure would want him by my side!

A LIST! Penguin Random House “New Books to Read in February”: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/th... I am not advocating for any specific book publisher but just skimming through this listing I decided I would need to give it a thorough perusal since many of these titles/authors looked intriguing! I thought some others might also find it interesting! 😊

***
ADMIN STUFF:
The February Monthly Group Read is Lucky Leap Day by Ann Marie Walker!! This book could be used to fulfill 2024 prompt #1 A book with the word "leap" in the title. (Since “Leap Day”/February 29 does occur in February!) 😊 The discussion thread is HERE! Hooray for Kimberly Barker, the “leaping literary luminar” who has volunteered to lead this discussion! Standing ovation!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏 You will find the thread to list the book you read for prompt #1 HERE!

The March Monthly Group Read is Call Us What We Carry: Poems by Amanda Gorman! This book could be used to fulfill 2024 prompt #48 A collection of at least 24 poems. World Poetry Day is celebrated on March 21!
The search is on for a "marvelous manager" to lead the discussion! Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer! I am looking forward to this one! And I’m not even a huge fan of poetry!

APRIL FINAL SELECTION POLL!
The April Final Selection poll for the Monthly Group Read is live HERE!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #29 A book with a neurodivergent main character. April is Autism Awareness Month!
These are the books to be considered:
The Mystery Guest (Molly the Maid #2) by Nita Prose
The Rosie Project (Don Tillman #1) by Graeme Simsion
The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan
This poll will be open through Tuesday, February 13!

Nadine and I have noted that keeping these polls open for two weeks, rather than only one week, does appear to encourage and/or enable more members to participate and vote. We will plan to continue the two-week voting period for the future. And thank you to those who do participate!

The comprehensive listing of 2024 Monthly Group Reads resides HERE for your perusal and reference throughout 2024!
***
Question of the Week:
Who is one of your current favorite debut authors? Sell their book to us!
Zoulfa Katouh! I just finished *As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow at the end of January and feel as if everyone should read it! Although it is a YA novel, as an adult I was perfectly comfortable reading it! (Though I know some people purposefully steer away from “YA”)

If you have ever wondered why someone/anyone would risk their life in an overcrowded rickety barely-held-together fishing boat to cross the Mediterranean Sea, this book is for you! Katouh depicts and demonstrates the roller-coaster type feelings and emotions of these characters as they weigh their few options and decide what to do with themselves and their families… So many people around our world are in such war zones and experiencing these same and/or very similar challenges. Through no fault of their own they are forced to risk their lives to stay or leave. Either way it is an unbelievably fraught situation, and those of us not in such situations (living in “peace”) are unable to realize just how helpless, hopeless, and desperate life is for such people.

2024 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 14/50
Around the Year (AtY): 36/52
Read Harder: 6/24
52 Book Club: 23/52

FINISHED:
*Quicksand by Nella Larsen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for my Harlem Renaissance challenge. I adore Larsen’s writing! She depicted Helga’s vacillating emotions excellently, IMO! Although the ending may not be at all what I had hoped for Helga, it is reflective of the title, IMO!
POPSUGAR: #2
ATY: #3-A book shelved as literary fiction, #10-Historical Fiction, #12, #14, #16, #17, NEW #20, #23-Helga crosses the ocean to and from the U.S. and Denmark, #28-Helga crosses the ocean to and from the U.S. and Denmark, #33, #36-Helga was a teacher, #38/#39-Female face on the cover, #48-favorite prompt: #3 A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list--A book related to “civil rights” or “human rights”
RHC: #24-2017: prompt #7-A book published 1900-1950
52 Book Club: #9, #43, #44

*Passing by Nella Larsen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was an amazingly dense text with a myriad of thought-provoking incidents and themes! And with all that, still extremely readable and relatable! The reader is left to surmise the truth of what really happened…and/or didn’t happen! And, predictably, our book club members’ reactions were quite diverse! That always makes for great discussion, IMO! We were all truly sorry that Larsen only wrote these two novels. Everyone felt her writing was quite good and that we actually ‘felt’ the characters’ feelings as we read!
POPSUGAR: #14, #17-Denmark & Harlem
ATY: #3-A book with a bilingual character, #10-Historical Fiction, #14, #17-Claire has little to no emotional intelligence, #20, #34-DOC, Irene’s husband is a doctor, #38/#39-Female face on the cover, #48-FAVORITE PROMPT: #3 A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list-A book related to “civil rights” or “human rights”
RHC: #24-2018: prompt #20 Read a book with a cover image you hate
52 Book Club: #9, #24, #29-1929, #30, #33, #43

I am currently reading up to 100 pages in several different books in preparation for the AtY Team Challenge that begins on the 10th. These books will fulfill some of the Individual Challenge prompts, so even if they don’t fulfill Team Challenge prompts, at least they will count! 😊

CONTINUING:
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
A priority for February!
*Emily Climbs (Emily #2) by L.M. Montgomery
*I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy for an IRL book club meeting this next week
*With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
*The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

PLANNED:
*Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum #30) by Janet Evanovich
*10th Anniversary (Women’s Murder Club #9) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
11th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #11) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin

Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday!!  Welcome to February!!!  But how is it February already???  wasn't it just October??  Also, this week feels like it's been three weeks long and it's not even over yet.  What is goi..."
Of course, I added The Auburn Conference to my TBR. Sounds like one I would enjoy! LOL

I do not have much experience using a crock pot, but I would hesitate to allow tomatoes to cook for 10 hours! Even if slowly! I sure wish you luck on getting the proportions of ingredients to create a spaghetti sauce you enjoy!

Nadine in NY wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "I discovered another library in the system has it in but won't ship it because it's a new book. I, however, put it on hold and can go pick it up at the other library in the next ..."
Almost everywhere I've lived in Indiana was just as mixed up as you are now! Living in a different county than where my kids' schools were. Living just across yet another county line road and that county was most convenient for store, post office, etc. Just weird...

And then my first teaching job was across the state line in a different time zone. Part of the year I would arrive at school before I left home and then it would take me an additional hour to get home! Talk about confusing!! LOL

Nadine in NY wrote: "L Y N N wrote: "CONTINUING:
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
A priority for February!..."

HOLY CROW that's 1184 pages long??? LOL oddly relevant to this week's QotW :-)"
Yes, it is, but I only put it down because it made me so angry! I'll have to describe what happened to incite so much anger in me. And I'm even more angry to realize this didn't hit me when I first read it in my early 30s. Time and life experience can change a reading experience so much!

Ron wrote: "Lynn wrote:

The March Monthly Group Read is Call Us What We Carry: Poems by Amanda Gorman!

Are you serious?!

Well okay then. I was going to read this for Feb. in honor of Black History Month, but I can hold off and read it then."
Hey! I am ALWAYS serious!! LOL

Cool!!

Carmen wrote: "Happy Thursday!!!!

And happy me checking in on Thursday!!

I've had the page open since before I had to leave, and after just finishing up some Bingo admin I remembered and here I am! A miracle!

..."
What a saga! I'm so glad it sounds like some time and rest should allow the knee to heal. Having titanium knee joints I know just how awful it can be to still maneuver through pain! You are definitely a trooper to go through all of that!