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.
Showing 861-880 of 4,909
Kenya wrote: "...I feel compelled to add that the Robot Librarian challenge has a LOT of prompts I personally either enjoy or think could be compelling. Link to the Goodreads group here:https://www.goodreads.c..."
Oh, boy. this looks interesting, but I just don't think I can handle yet another year-long challenge!! :)
Ashley Marie wrote: "It IS Thursday again, isn't it? I've been working late this week so my sense of time is wildly off, and I keep getting distracted by real life to the point where I've switched books repeatedly, unable to settle on any one title until this afternoon."I go through that every once in awhile as well...
"Finished:
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper - 4 stars. I applaud Hallie Rubenhold for shining a light on these five women, and to do so with barely anything in the way of primary source material is frankly astonishing."
I'm still undecided about reading this one. Not sure why...
"On pause:
The Once and Future Witches reread"
Loved that one!
"Currently:
Starling House - moving slower with this than I'd planned; this is my most anticipated book of the year, and my subconscious must want to savor it because I've made it through 50 pages in several days. Regardless, it's excellent so far!"
Sometimes it just feels better to read more slowly...
"Why Did You Leave the Horse Alone? - another poetry collection"
The title alone is eye-catching!
"The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine - the audio I finally settled on today. Crisis demands self-education."
I need to educate myself more about this conflict...
"QOTW: What category do you hope to find on the 2024 list?
I'm looking forward to the "advanced" section as well. I'm betting we'll get "book that takes place in one day" again, because 24 hours."
I hadn't thought of that, but I bet you're right!
Katy wrote: "I finished Black Girl / White Girl. This is the second book I read by this author. The first was years ago. I didn't care for either one, so I think she's now on my no-fly list."I have yet to read one of hers...
"QOTW: I like your advanced theme ideas. A book that takes place in Brazil (the 24th country in alpha order). I don't know I just like the prompts taking place in certain times or place. So, if not that one, I liked the prompt a few years ago that takes place in a country that begins with the letter C. So, any other letter."
Great idea!
Oh, my! It is so good to be able to document my books once again as soon as I read them!! I am so behind on that for this year! But determined to catch up by year’s end! While I am excited about upcoming 2024 challenges, I am doing my best NOT to begin planning until much later. I have so much reading I wish to finish by the end of 2023 and I am doing my best to remain focused on that! For example, I do have the comprehensive listing of all 52 AtY 2024 prompts in a Word document, but am holding off selecting any books for specific prompts. I’ve never had that much self-control in past years!! (I’m either too old or just too tired, I guess! LOL) 😁
ADMIN STUFF:
The October Monthly Group Read discussion for The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman is posted in the Current Monthly Group Read folder HERE. This book can be used to fulfill prompt #18 A book that’s been banned or challenged in 2022. Banned Books Week is October 1-7, 2023! Website: https://bannedbooksweek.org/#:~:text=... I’m hoping my copy arrives within the next week! Jennifer is the "official organizer" who graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! THANK YOU, JENNIFER! 👏👏👏👏
The November Monthly Group Read will be The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern! (I and the IRL book club I facilitate LOVED this book so much!) This book could be used to fulfill prompt #41 A book written during NaNoWriMo! We are now searching for a “marvelous manager” to lead this discussion! Please message either myself or Nadine to volunteer!
The December Monthly Group Read will be Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes #0) by Travis Baldree. This book could be used to fulfill prompt #32 A book published in the last half of 2023. We are seeking a “cool captain” to facilitate this discussion! Please message either myself or Nadine to volunteer!
Just a reminder that the comprehensive listing of 2023 Monthly Group Reads can be found HERE
Question of the Week:
What category do you hope to find on the 2024 list?
I really like all Nadine’s 2024 prompt suggestions! I am always leaning toward diversity prompts so I guess mine would be the prompt I proposed for the 2024 AtY challenge and due to technical difficulties never had an opportunity to suggest it again!
A book related to “civil rights” or “human rights”
According to the US Institute of diplomacy and Human Rights:
(https://usidhr.org/human-rights-vs-ci...)
Human rights and Civil Rights. Two key terms within the sphere of diplomacy and development which you have probably heard of, but what do they actually stand for and what are the differences between them?
A simple definition is that “human rights” are the rights you have simply for being a human being. Comparatively, “civil rights” are contextual, meaning you are entitled to specific civil rights through being a citizen of a particular country, nation, or state. Civil rights are proclaimed by the government for the citizens of that country, while human rights are derived from natural law and are universally protected and applied.
Pertinent Goodreads Listopias:
CIVIL RIGHTS: https://www.goodreads.com/genres/civi...
Civil Rights refer to the class of rights that protect an individual's freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations and private individuals. They ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the society and state without discrimination or repression.
Civil rights include the ensuring of peoples' physical and mental integrity, life, and safety; protection from discrimination on grounds such as race, gender, national origin, color, age, political affiliation, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability; and individual rights such as privacy and the freedoms of thought, speech, religion, press, assembly, and movement
HUMAN RIGHTS: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
A collection of novels, testimonials, diaries, poetry, and other types of literature related to human rights (and abuses) around the world.
ESSENTIAL NON-FICTION READING RE: HUMAN RIGHTS:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...
Essential non-fiction reading that expands one´s understanding of human rights and social justice.
MY COUNTRY, THE ENEMY: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
A list about books that opened our eyes to our own countries' darker sides -- whether seen through the eyes of victims, through the lens of a novelist, or by way of historical analysis. It's a list about books that initiated or contributed to a thought process about our respective nations -- and about the question of how we deal with our nations' historic legacy in our own lives.
WAR HAS NO WINNERS: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Genocide, war rape, torture, betrayal, bombing, famine, misery, alienation, trauma, PTSD, being a puppet for the interests of big business.
Is it true, like Plato said, that only the dead see the end of war?
That is not the place for acts of heroism. There are other lists for that. This is a list for the reports, memoirs and fiction works that show how the dark side of mankind can really surface in wartime.
BEST BOOKS FOR FREEDOM LOVERS: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
Books on what true freedom is and how to preserve and perpetuate it.
Popsugar: 44/50
Nadine’s Q1 Mini-Challenge: 7/10
AtY: 52/52 DONE!
RHC: 13/24
FINISHED:
*Ali Cross: Like Father, Like Son (Ali Cross #2) by James Patterson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was even more enjoyable than the initial book in this series, IMO! Much more realistic portrayal of an adolescent and I admit I relished Ali finally showing himself to be more of a typical kid. I had begun reading The Three-Body Problem and decided I wasn’t really in the mood for it, so read this instead!) Posted last week without the information below, so now it has been completed! 😊
POPSUGAR: #16, #19-2021: prompt #1 A book published in 2021, #28, #31
ATY: #2, #3-A book involving friends, family, or a found family, #14, #22, #33, #37, #43, #45
RHC:#3, #23, #24-2021: Read a middle grade mystery
*The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth proved to⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ be a quite sinister read, IMO! Kinda made me appreciate the fact that I am an only child!! 😉 It provided many great discussion points for the book club I facilitate which met this past Tuesday! I have been wanting to read one of Hepworth’s books and I certainly plan to read more of them in the future!
POPSUGAR: #4, #19-2020: prompt #35 A book with a three-word title, #28, #29, #31, #36, #39
ATY: #3-A book one of your Goodreads friends is reading, #5, #6, #10-Scary, Baby, #11, #12, #13-flowers, #14, #28, #43, #45
RHC: #23, #24-2015: A book that someone else has recommended to you
*The Raging Storm (Two Rivers #3) by Ann Cleeves ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was amazing, as usual! I love this newest series and this installment was just excellent, IMO! And, a rare occurrence for me, I actually figured out part of the mystery’s solution, though certainly not all! I adore Cleeves’ writing!
POPSUGAR: #19-2022: prompt #20 A book whose title begins the last letter of the previous book you read (The Good Sister), #22, #23, #29, #31, #32, #36, #39, #46
ATY: #2, #3-A book which includes addictive behavior, #5, #14, #18, #26, #27, #28, #37, #43, #45, #51
RHC: #23, #24-2020: prompt #3 Read a mystery where the victim is not a woman
*Detective Cross (Alex Cross #24.5) by James Patterson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was a nice between-the-installments/BookShots read. Very short, so exceedingly fast to read. I kept it at my bedside and read it in spurts just before going to sleep. Unusual for Patterson in this series, it was a rather poignant story arc.
POPSUGAR: #16, #19-2022: prompt #24 A book you can read in one sitting, #28, #31, #36
ATY: #2, #3-A book including a justice-impacted character or person, #5, #10-Scary, #11, #14, #18, #22, #24, #33, #34, #37, #45
RHC: #3, #18, #23, #24-A book written by someone over the age of 65
CONTINUING:
*Murder at the Merton Library (Wrexford & Sloan #7) by Andrea Penrose I LOVE THIS SERIES SOOOO MUCH!
* The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
PLANNED:
*Mrs. Pollifax and the Hong Kong Buddha (Mrs. Pollifax #7) by Dorothy Gilman DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE US OLDER (BUT WISER?) WOMEN!!
*The 9th Judgment (Women’s Murder Club #9) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday! Sorry this is super late!! I completely forgot that today is Thursday, and I guess Lynn still has computer access problems, and the ball dropped right between us like we are two sad volleyball players ... "OH, MY GOODNESS!! I'M HERE TO ANNOUNCE I AM B-B-B-A-A-A-C-C-K-K-K!! New laptop and back online!! YAY!! Got a heck of a deal on one that is basically the same as my old one (HP Envy) but of course with the latest technology AND it folds over so I can use it many different ways, which will be so helpful to avoid repetitive stress disorders in my hands and arms!! WHEW!!! We'll have to work out how many times I need to start the Weekly Check-Ins to repay you. Nadine!!! 😁👍 And I would just like to clarify that prior to receiving two titanium knee joint replacements, I was one heck of a volleyball player!!! Now I am not allowed to "jump" so had to relinquish playing volleyball. Otherwise, I doubt we would have allowed it to land between us!! 😉
"On Tuesday I finished the Popsugar challenge AND the AtY challenge, with the same book! I didn't actually realize I had only one book left in both challenges until I checked my spreadsheet, so that was a happy surprise!! I am a dork, and I'm all alone in the room, so yes I did sing "ding! ding! ding! ding!" as if a winning buzzer went off for me :-)"
Wow!! You are amazing! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! (Well deserved!)
"And also on Tuesday, Popsugar finally remembered us (after months of dead silence, not a peep from a group admin on that FB group) and officially assured us that there WILL be a 2024 challenge. Hooray!!"
YAY!! I am hopeful there are fewer repeated prompts from previous POPSUGAR challenges in this year's listing!
"The Shamshine Blind by Paz Pardo - this book blew me away with its originality, and I loved it. I'm so glad I decided to pick this one up for Hispanic Heritage Month (the author is Argentinia-American) - I might not have read it otherwise. I used this for "related to a geometric shape" in AtY."
Love it when that happens!!
"A Children's Bible by Lydia Millet - I loved Millet's recent book, Dinosaurs, which I read earlier this year, and this was highly praised and in the running for many awards, so when I saw it on a discount shelf, I bought it ... and OMG I HATED it. It was a quick read, and I kept expecting it to make sense and it never did. I am angry at this book because it disappointed me so much. To add insult to injury, I BOUGHT this book. I bought it in a little shop in the seaside town where my mom lives, so I used this for "independent bookstore.""
I guess the good news is it proved to be useful to fuilfill a prompt? 👍
"Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo - this book lived up to all the hype!! Isn't it nice when that happens?? (Which was especially nice because the book I finished earlier that day did NOT live up to my expectations at ALL. One star full of anger at that stupid book.) I used this for my secondhand bookstore book (well, I got it from the library sale shelf - it's secondhand, it counts!) for Popsugar, and my book about pride for AtY. So, with this one book, I finished both of my main reading challenges for 2023!"
I am thrilled that you enjoyed this one! It is one of my favorite books EVER!!
"I still have to finish my "must read in 2023" list and the little mini "winter" challenge, so I still have a few more books I need to read for the year!"
But you got the main ones done!!
"Question of the Week
What category do you hope to find on the 2024 list?
Popsugar has asked for suggestions over on their FB page. (Who knows if they will actually use any next year ... but they asked!)
I'm hoping they have a "24" theme in the "advanced" section, with categories connected to 24, such as 24 hours in the day (a book you can read in a day, and a book with a timepiece on the cover), 24 karat (a book with gold on the cover), 1924 (a book from the Harlem Renaissance), the periodic table (a book with chrome on the cover, since chromium is the 24th element), and the alphabet (a book with X on the cover or in the title).."
What a great question and list of answers!! Let's hope they're listening!!
Been working on this for two days! Finally got a posting together!! Just one more week and I should have a new laptop. Whew! You never realize how much you rely on something until it is gone! :) I am determined to be a much more responsible co-moderator in the wake of that purchase!! :)I finally got to update the monthly group reads listings! I cannot believe we are in the final quarter of 2023!
We have a new monthly group read discussion and I’m awaiting delivery of the book so I can read it… I enjoyed Longbourn so very much and I am hopeful to enjoy this one as well!
ADMIN STUFF:
This is the October Monthly Group Read discussion for The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman is posted in the Current Monthly Group Read folder HERE. This book can be used to fulfill prompt #18 A book that’s been banned or challenged in 2022. Banned Books Week is October 1-7, 2023! Website: https://bannedbooksweek.org/#:~:text=...
Jennifer is the "official organizer" who graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! THANK YOU, JENNIFER!
The November Monthly Group Read will be The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern! (I and the IRL book club I facilitate LOVED this book so much!) This book could be used to fulfill prompt #41 A book written during NaNoWriMo! We are now searching for a “marvelous manager” to lead this discussion! Please message either myself or Nadine to volunteer!
The December Monthly Group Read will be Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes #0) by Travis Baldree. This book could be used to fulfill prompt #32 A book published in the last half of 2023. We are seeking a “cool captain” to facilitate this discussion! Please message either myself or Nadine to volunteer!
Just a reminder that the comprehensive listing of 2023 Monthly Group Reads can be found HERE
Question of the Week:
Is there any particular book that you still intend to read before the end of 2023?
For October—Strange Sight (Essex Witch Museum Mystery #2) by Syd Moore. I really enjoyed the first in this series and am hopeful I’ll enjoy the further installments. This is my one read for Halloween/October. Then I’ll need to select a book representative of Hispanic Heritage also for October!
FINISHED:Ali Cross: Like Father, Like Son (Ali Cross #2) by James Patterson ✶✶✶✶✶ was even more enjoyable than the initial book in this series, IMO! Much more realistic portrayal of an adolescent and I admit I relished Ali finally showing himself to be more of a typical kid. I had begun reading The Three-Body Problem and decided I wasn’t really in the mood for it, so read this instead! :))
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
CONTINUING:
The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
PLANNED:
The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth
Stopping by briefly to let you know I managed to move the October Monthly Group Read postings to the Current Monthly Group Read folder.I will start the Weekly Check-In later this week and look forward to having a new computer mid-October! I'm never online a whole lot, but boy do I miss not having a computer!! LOL :)
I reread P&P just before reading this and truly adored this book! I thought Baker's retelling was brilliant and so very interesting. I admit I tend to get bored with books like P&P. I have to keep shaking my head and reminding myself these people indeed had NO JOBS!! Unless they're clergy, which brings a whole 'nother dimension to them for me...and not in a positive way. It was all about finding a rich person to sponsor you, whether in marriage or as a local clergy, etc. totally different world. I was thrilled at the end to realize that (view spoiler)
Sep 09, 2023 02:33PM
I did read this in August but due to computer issues hadn't been able to access this discussion! At halfway through I went back and made rather extensive notes so that I could continue that as I read further and try to figure out what was happening!
I did manage to guess everything but the last two revelations, and I suspected one of those. That is unusual for me. But I definitely enjoyed the puzzle of piecing it all together over time. I am amazed at writers' ability to configure such complicated an complex story arcs while making it believable and easy to understand!
I plan to read more of her writing!
Yes, I would definitely try to help my child/family. Damn the consequences! ;)
- Have you read anything by Jo Baker before?I have not.
- With this being a Pride and Prejudice retelling, it bears asking: Have you read Pride and Prejudice, or anything else by Jane Austen? What are your feelings about her work?
I am just now rereading P&P after 50+ years! And before I tackle Longbourn. I have read Sense and Sensibility (5 stars), Emma (5 stars), and Northanger Abbey (4 stars). Her work is more diverse than I would have thought. I felt Northanger Abbey was a diversion from the other two I've read. I admit I typically get bored a bit here and there with these books recounting the Victorian/Regency elitists whose females typically only concern themselves with gossip and manipulation...but I find Austen's writing to be engaging.
- This is touted specifically as a belowstairs Pride and Prejudice retelling, which automatically puts me in mind of Downton Abbey, the more recent Gilded Age, and Gosford Park - so, Julian Fellowes’s work. Are you familiar with any of that material? Does it make you more or less interested to read this?
I am not familiar with anything you've mentioned, but I am ALWAYS very interested to read of/about characters who do not represent the privileged class. Perhaps because I am not of the US 'privileged class'! :)
- I looked over some of the questions Jo Baker has answered on her GR author page and this point stood out: I love Austen's work - I am a massive, daydreaming fan of her stuff - I love the wish-fulfilment and the wit and the brilliantly structured, totally satisfying stories. But coming from working class roots, I struggle [to] see myself in her characters' shoes. Writing Longbourn was, more than anything else, an attempt to 'locate' myself within Austen's world in a way that felt true to me. So the class issue was important, but the book would never have been written if I hadn't been a total nerd for Austen's work.
This seems like an excellent reminder that representation matters across the board, and we all want to see ourselves in the stories we consume. Have you read any other retellings featuring stronger representation of a marginalized group?
Ugh. I feel as if I have, but cannot recall titles right now. Wide Sargasso Sea probably qualifies. I read it 7 years ago and didn't realize at that time I had actually never read Jane Eyre as a teen! So now that I recently read Jane Eyre I intend to reread WSS now for a much better understanding and/or connection to the story arc.
There is, IMO, much to be said for characters exhibiting familiar actions, behaviors, etc., and the reader's ability to identify with them, I think. However, I very much enjoy books that I don't necessarily connect with in that way. I'm thinking of Sloane in Andrea Penrose's Wrexford and Sloane series which I absolutely adore. I connect with her very much, but simply on the basis of her personality characteristics, more than anything.
Yes! It is Thursday!! :)I have finally gotten my laptop working again online…at least momentarily. Definitely must replace the laptop asap. A friend of mine purchased an HP for just $200. I intend to check that out. At this point, with no more than I use a computer (not for gaming, just streaming a movie once in a while, and creating Word documents) that may suit my purposes just fine! It is now saying “no battery detected.” At least it is working while plugged in!
I haven’t been reading as much as I intend to every day but am getting into more of a regular routine similar to the recent past when we still had 4 felines! :( I truly hope to lose no more furbabies for a while. I am having a real struggle getting over our loss. When I think of Tigger now I can heave a sigh and toss my “I miss you!” out into the Universe to her, and then proceed. So there is improvement. It just takes time. (Seemingly forever…) And I am very proud of myself for resisting temptation since one of my friends at the gym has a friend with a litter of kitties to be adopted out and she asked if I wanted one. I said, “Of course I do! But I am going to restrain myself and say, ‘No thank you!’’ Whew!
ADMIN STUFF:
The November Monthly Group Read will be The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern! (The IRL book club I facilitate LOVED this book so much!) Thanks to the 29 members who voted in this poll! This book could be used to fulfill prompt #41 A book written during NaNoWriMo! We are now searching for a “marvelous manager” to lead this discussion! Please message either myself or Nadine to volunteer!
The December Monthly Group Read will be a book that could be used to fulfill prompt #32 A book published in the last half of 2023. HERE is the nomination poll. No need to consult the listing of books NOT eligible, the only qualification is that the book has a release date of July 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023. However, it probably makes sense to go for a book being released as early as possible, to give a better chance of members being able to obtain a copy. Though I guess it doesn’t matter with ebooks! (Yes, I’m old and still prefer a real book in my hand! LOL) There is a Goodreads listing of Reader’s Most Anticipated Books of 2023 HERE, but there are only a few listed with a July release date. If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, there are other listings available as well. Happy nominating!
The September Monthly Group Read has begun! HERE is the discussion of Longbourn by Jo Baker. This book can be used to fulfill prompt #14 A modern retelling of a classic. Since September is typically a time for returning to school and reading "classics"! This is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen from the servants' point of view. I just started my reread of P&P before launching into Longbourn! I first read P&P over 50 years ago! (I am OLD!) And HERE is the thread to list any books you’ve read to satisfy prompt #14!
Just a reminder that the comprehensive listing of 2023 Monthly Group Reads can be found HERE
Question of the Week:
What book are you really excited to read before the end of 2023? Why are you so excited for it?
The Raging Storm (Two Rivers #3) by Ann Cleeves
I am so anxious to delve back into Matthew Venn's world! He has a very thoughtful husband and is kept busy with murder investigations in Greystone, Devon. Excellent writing, IMO! I love Cleeves!
FINISHED:
I’m making it a priority to at least get these documented this weekend! Fingers crossed! ;) Update: One down and many more to go! :)
*Target: Alex Cross (Alex Cross #26) by James Patterson ✶✶✶✶ was an okay entry into this series. Not exceptionally enjoyable, but didn’t have me rolling my eyes every few pages either!
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
*No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai ✶✶ was bizarre. That is the most diplomatic evaluation I can give…Not impressed. It was confusing and did not, in my opinion, hang together well to create a story arc.
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
*7th Heaven (Women's Murder Club #7) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro ✶✶was not very enjoyable at all. Too much grisly detail and two teens binding and gagging adults in their own homes and then setting the houses on fire was just too much evil for me! Ugh.
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
*Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro ✶✶✶✶✶ was quite thought-provoking and a little scary, considering current technology is definitely capable of this. I do believe Ishiguro is fast becoming a favorite writer for me!
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
*Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartnerss by Gretchen Anthony ✶✶✶✶✶ was, IMO, an excellent debut novel! I laughed and laughed. This main character reminded me somewhat of Olive in Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge. Though I much prefer Anthony’s writing. Anxious to read her other books.
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
*The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah ✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶Any Kristin Hannah book I read is awesome! I doubt she would ever disappoint. However, unbeknownst to the other four members of the book club I facilitate, our newest member has suffered domestic abuse from a stepfather and then her first/now-ex husband. Unfortunately, we didn’t realize this book contains so much domestic abuse! Hence, we didn’t include any warning about that. Fortunately, she ended up feeling as if she had further processed and improved her mindset regarding her own personal experiences as a result of our discussion. But it could have turned out very differently for her and I felt terrible that we hadn’t been warned and hadn’t in turn warned her! She and I talked it over for an hour that evening. We are now going to be more thorough in our research of each possible book we consider in the future to hopefully at least warn others of possible triggers… Whew! This was such an INTENSE read! For all of us. It was very interesting to note our varied responses to this book. It was a favorite read for all of us, but also quite emotional… Book hangover to be expected! Excellent for prompting discussion!
POPSUGAR: #1, #2, #6, #17, #19-2018: prompt #34 A book published in 2018, #29, #31, #34, #36, #39
ATY: #1-Alaska, #3- A cultural book that depicts a place or time and its culture, #5, #6, #10-Scary, #11-Ernt-PTSD/Addiction, #12-Leni’s pregnancy and hunting rabbits for food, #14-Cora and Leni’s fake identities, #20-Cover-winding road. #28, #37, #43, #45, #52
RHC: #24-2015: A book someone else has recommended to you
CONTINUING:
*Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
PLANNED:
*Longbourn by Jo Baker
*While Justice Sleeps (Avery Keene #1) by Stacey Abrams
*The Old Woman with the Knife by Gu Byeong-mo for an IRL book club
*An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten for an IRL book club
*The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton for an IRL book club
I am using my husband's desktop and had a posting all typed up, but Goodreads lost it. Geeminy!I'll try to get something posted tomorrow. His computer setup is NOT ergonomically correct for me and my shoulders and neck are already killing me... :(
I have moved both September Monthly Group Read discussions to the Currently Monthly Group Read folder. Thank you to Ashley Marie for leading this month's discussion!
Later...
Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday! Wow this week flew by, I feel like I just got home, and now the week is almost over and on Saturday it's time to take my kid back to college. I am not ready! I will miss her so much when she leaves!"Awww... Time does fly... :)
"The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters - This book got under my skin and it’s going to stay with me for a long time. On the surface, it’s a murder mystery, but it's set during an apocalypse, because Earth is about to collide with a giant comet. No challenge categories, but I've been wanting to read this for a while and I'm glad I did. I have loved every book I've read by Winters, and this book seals it: he's one of my favorite authors now."
I have this one on my TBR listing, but after my rather "disruptive" reading experience with Underground Airlines two years ago I am hesitant to read another of his... I guess not at the top of my list. Glad to know his writing works so well for you!!
"Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney - I have now read everything Sally Rooney has published, and this was my least favorite of the three. I checked off "recommended on BookTok" with this one, and "set in a UNESCO city of literature" for AtY. This was also one of my "must read in 2023" books, because my daughter wanted to talk to me about how much she hated the ending - I ALSO hated the ending, so she and I continue to be in complete agreement on books!!"
So cool that you agree! :)
"Popsugar 84% 42/50
Must Reads 58% 7/12
Nay's Winter 70% 7/10
AtY 77% 40/52"
I had to laugh! Of course you have included percentages!! ;)
"I was hoping to be done with my reading Challenges in September, but I don't think I'm going to make that deadline!!"
That was a very courageous goal!
"QotW
I don't usually take many notes while I read. If I come across a great quote, I might mark it, and if I come across something that enrages me that I need to complain about (example: flowers blooming at the same time that would NEVER actually be blooming at the same time), I will mark it to include in a review. If I'm reading a Kindle book, I'll just highlight the passages. Highlighting passages is easiest when reading an ebook, because then I can just copy / paste it right into my review. If it's an audio book, I'll bookmark it and hope I can find it again. If it's a paper book, I'll tear off part of my bookmark and stick it in the pages there. (I put my library books on hold, so each book comes with a slip of paper w/ part of my name & library card number, so they can shelve it on the holds shelf for me - and these slips of paper make PERFECT bookmarks. I have a zillion of them now LOL)
If I'm REALLY into a book, I take no notes at all!"
That is one huge advantage of ebooks, as I see it. But I'm still going to resist whenever possible! :)
Love the fact that the library provides your bookmarks! ;)
Mandy wrote: "Happy Thursday.It's been muggy here with a chance of rain. So it hasn't been cooling down the last two nights.
On the bright side, I'm done weeding my YA section. I didn't get the room I wanted, but at least there are no books stacked on top of books anymore. It's all been shifted and evened out with room on the shelves for growth again."
That's quite an accomplishment! Congratulations!
"It was a workout especially since I'm still coughing from my cold of last week. I'm as still a bit stuffy too, but I'm at work this week. And I finally can sleep laying down again, which is a plus."
Not being able to sleep lying down is such a bummer! Glad you've regained that ability at least! Here's to a full recovery--soon!
"Here's a list for three weeks of posts.
Finished:
Zhara
Raven of the Inner Palace (Light Novel) Vol. 3
A Tale of the Secret Saint (Light Novel) Vol. 2
The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior (Light Novel) Vol. 3
The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor Vol.1
Revolutionary Reprise of the Blue Rose Princess Vol.1
Chronicles of the Hidden World: How I Became a Doctor for the Gods, Vol. 1 (light novel) (Chronicles of the Hidden World: How I Became a Doctor for the Gods
My Unique Skill Makes Me OP Even at Level 1 vol 1
Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion, Vol. 4
Villains Are Destined to Die, Vol. 1
Dear Mr. Dad Bod
The Grump of the Mountain
Chef's Kiss
Hiding Out In The Mountains
Breeding the Babysitter: A forbidden age gap pregnancy romance
Bred By Her Sugar Daddy"
That's a ton!
"QOTW:
Nope. I don't mark my books for passages. I either remember what book they came out of and search for them, which makes me start rereading the book at some midpoint, or I don't find anything to remember."
Perhaps I'm just too old to remember any more without markers!! :)
Nadine in NY wrote: "L Y N N wrote: "Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. ... at halfway through, I am now going back and skimming and marking to better track the story arc. I admit this is one I want to really try to figure out for myself and need to review certain parts to better remember and organize my thoughts! It is fascinating!..."I still haven't read a book for the "celebrity book list" - maybe I should read this one!! It is not even on my TBR, not my usual kind of book.."
I "think" you may enjoy this one...? The premise just seemed so bizarre that I couldn't imagine McAllister making it work, but I am finding it to be enthralling, though a bit confusing. It just may be my mood right now...
Dubhease wrote: "Happy Thursday.I was on vacation for 2 weeks. I missed two weeks of this group and two sessions of voting for ATY, but I got to go on vacation for the first time since 2019."
Welcome back! I will live vicariously through you. I can't even remember the last time I got a "vacation"! Not for at least 7-8 years. But I find as I age I have less interest in traveling much or very far, even if I did have the opportunity to do so. Less energy and less mobility than when I was younger. So enjoy!!!
"I took 3 books on vacation, which was a mistake, especially since one is 700 pages. I managed to finish one. One took me a while to get into. The Apollo Murders starts really slow, which is ironic since it's about the fictitious Apollo 18 moon voyage - and space travel has to accelerate fast not be a slow burn. :)"
Sounds like something I would do! :)
"The Silmarillion was the only book I ever took notes while reading, although in my defense I was pregnant and pregnancy brain is real."
Ha! Ha! You made me laugh! I didn't notice that so much with pregnancy, but definitely with menopause. I had 2-3 years when all I could read were magazines or short stories. Couldn't concentrate enough to read a book. Weird...
Happy Thursday, each and every one of you!! :)The IRL book club I facilitate met this week and we had an amazing discussion, as well as an opportunity to help one of our members deal with lifetime trauma that was dredged up by our book selection…More about that below…
Other than that, life has been fairly mundane, though very busy! Unfortunately, I missed posting last week, though I did have a draft… *sigh* I find myself sliding into a lackadaisical sense of organization and am working hard to counteract that! I am discovering retirement can be a bit disorienting if I don’t work to retain some modicum of a routine. Honestly, I just want to read! ALL the time! LOL
Our house is still so extremely quiet, which I typically appreciate. Though I still get sad when I realize our Miss Tigger was at the heart of much of the raucous behaviors, noise, and chaos in our household and then I am back to missing all that she brought with her. But she was not meant to be with us as long as we would have liked, so I am able to accept that now. I MUST be getting old! This absence of a furbaby is hitting me so much harder than in the past.
Okay, on to the business of Popsugar!! Focus, Lynn! LOL
ADMIN STUFF
August Monthly Group Read has begun! HERE is the discussion of Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. This book can be used to fulfill prompt #30 A book that’s on a celebrity book club list. Celebrities are “august,” per the definition—respected, dignified, impressive! This book was a Reese’s Book Club selection. HERE is the posting to list any book(s) you have read that could also fulfill this prompt! I wasn’t necessarily going to read this, but ended up purchasing a used copy at Half Price Books (and using a coupon for an additional 10% off), decided to give it a try. I have yet to access the discussion, but at halfway through, I am now going back and skimming and marking to better track the story arc. I admit this is one I want to really try to figure out for myself and need to review certain parts to better remember and organize my thoughts! It is fascinating!
Just a reminder that the comprehensive listing of 2023 Monthly Group Reads can be found HERE
Question of the Week
Do you have a system for note-taking or otherwise marking a book so you can remember specific passages, etc?
When I began blogging book reviews years ago, I began using my phone to take notes as I read. Then I also began using Post-it strips to mark specific pages as well. Note-taking is a very time-consuming activity for me and I sometimes go overboard doing that… Using page markers seemed to help me immensely as I could return to those markers to decide what I would include in a review… This is a habit I have maintained even after abandoning my blog. (Blogging really cut into my reading time!)
The other day at the book club meeting for the group I facilitate one of our members handed me all kinds of Post-it page markers that she got for me! And now that I am in the middle of Wrong Place Wrong Time and desperate to better organize what I have already read so I can keep track of the story arc and try to figure out the solution, I am consumed with determining what color and style of marker to use for which story line, character, etc.!! LOL ;)
All of this made me wonder what, if anything, you all do to track specific things you wish to remember from a book…
Who knows? If you don’t have a system in place now, others’ ideas may motivate you to try one out! Or not... :)
Popsugar: 43/50
Nadine’s Q1 Mini-Challenge: 7/10
AtY: 52/52 DONE!
RHC: 13/24
I really will take a break and finish these today! REALLY! :)
As you can see it was quite a varied reading week for me. two of three books I could have done without having read! Ugh...
FINISHED:
*Target: Alex Cross (Alex Cross #26) by James Patterson ✶✶✶✶
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
*No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai ✶✶
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
*7th Heaven (Women's Murder Club #7) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro ✶✶
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
*The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah ✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶Any Kristin Hannah book I read is awesome! I doubt she would ever disappoint. However, unbeknownst to the other four members of the book club I facilitate, our newest member has suffered domestic abuse from a stepfather and then her first/now-ex husband. Unfortunately, we didn’t realize this book contains so much domestic abuse! Hence, we didn’t include any warning about that. Fortunately, she ended up feeling as if she had further processed and improved her mindset regarding her own personal experiences as a result of our discussion. But it could have turned out very differently for her and I felt terrible that we hadn’t been warned and hadn’t in turn warned her! She and I talked it over for an hour that evening. We are now going to be more thorough in our research of each possible book we consider in the future to hopefully at least warn others of possible triggers… Whew! This was such an INTENSE read! For all of us. It was very interesting to note our varied responses to this book. It was a favorite read for all of us, but also quite emotional… Book hangover to be expected! Excellent for prompting discussion!
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
CONTINUING:
*Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister for our Monthly Group Read. This is soooooo good!
PLANNED:
*Criss Cross (Alex Cross #27) by James Patterson
*The 8th Confession (Women's Murder Club #8) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday!! I have been having a great reading week. I walk the dogs, read my book, nap, read my book, maybe go to the beach, read my book, shower & have dinner, go to bed & read my book! (There’s other stuff in there too, board games and going out to cafes and museums - sadly I can’t always be reading! My family is so unreasonable!)"Yes, quite unreasonable! :) LOL
"Yesterday we visited Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton NJ for the fifth (sixth? seventh? No idea really) time, we love this place so much!!! It was 90 degrees and we felt like we were dying but at least the humidity wasn’t bad, we still had a great time. I highly recommend it.
https://www.groundsforsculpture.org/"
I'll just have to live vicariously through your visits and visit the website! :)
"The humidity is back again today. When I got back from walking my dogs just now, I checked my weather app: it is currently 97% humidity. NINETY SEVEN PERCENT. It’s soup. It’s going to rain with lightning this afternoon so I guess it’s not a beach day. Get out the Monopoly board!!"
Ugh! I hate to tell you that we have been enjoying much more temperate summer weather than you have had. Sorry about that! But to be fair, living in Indiana should give me some kind of perk every once in awhile...
"Admin stuff? I have no idea! I’m on vacation!"
Oh, boy... Rolling my eyes. Shaking my head. Then chuckling to myself! You are so funny!! I'll post that stuff!
"Question of the Week
Do you wish you were reading more non fiction?"
Always. I just have to work so very hard to fit it in, but I love it when I do!
This is the December Monthly Group Read discussion for {TBD}. This book can be used to fulfill prompt #32 A book released during the second half of 2023. Because it’s the end of another great reading and book discussion year and we want to include a brand-new book!Please include the following information about this book:
Title:
Author:
Would you recommend this book?
Myrtle’s A/C has been operating just fine, so I am hopeful that one day of no A/C (when the temperature was in the 90s with high humidity) was a random glitch. Yes, eternal optimism is my go-to operating philosophy! LOL (Myrtle is my car!)My heated therapy pool classes at the gym have been averaging 10-15 students, way more than in the past, so I am thrilled with that!
Question of the Week
Non-reading question:
Have you ever met someone you felt was a “soulmate”? Someone with whom you had an immediate and intense connection?
This question arose from my IRL book club discussion of Sula by Toni Morrison. If you are unfamiliar with the story, Sula and Nel are childhood friends who are constantly together and share everything with each other. As adults, however, they each go their separate ways until they are reunited ten years later. Although they resume their close relationship, an occurrence threatens to destroy that long-term intense relationship…
One of the book club members stated, “You can never have that kind of close and intense relationship unless you have met and established it as children, when both people are very young.” I didn’t say anything, but she caught my expression (I would NEVER actually play poker for money, ‘cause you rarely have to ask what I’m thinking, it just appears on my face for everyone to see! LOL) and stated she felt I disagreed, asking what I was thinking. I nodded and stated that two of the most intense relationships I have experienced in this lifetime were initiated as an adult. I met each person as a stranger and we immediately talked for 5-6 hours! One of those people is my husband! The other was my BFF for 30 years. I stated that I didn’t know what you would call that…fate? Or luck? But I did feel very fortunate to have experienced this not just once, but twice. I believe it is simply the Universe aligning to provide me with these connections. But if I wasn’t ‘open’ to meeting new people, I might have missed out!
How about you? Any similar experiences?
ADMIN STUFF
August Monthly Group Read has begun! HERE is the discussion of Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. This book can be used to fulfill prompt #30 A book that’s on a celebrity book club list. Celebrities are “august,” per the definition—respected, dignified, impressive! This book was a Reese’s Book Club selection. HERE is the posting to list any book(s) you have read that could also fulfill this prompt! I inadvertently ran across a copy of this at Half Price Books the other day and went ahead and purchased it. I’m a bit hesitant, given the synopsis just how enjoyable I may find it to be, but am ready to launch in after finishing 2 other books.
Just a reminder that the comprehensive listing of 2023 Monthly Group Reads can be found HERE
I am currently compiling a listing of possible changes to the Monthly Group Read process that have been suggested for consideration… Stay tuned… ;)
Popsugar: 43/50
Nadine’s Q1 Mini-Challenge: 7/10
AtY: 52/52 DONE!
RHC: 13/24
I’ll finish these up today!
*The City Born Great (Great Cities #0.5) by N.K. Jemisin ✶✶✶ was just kinda meh for me. Maybe because I’m a US Midwestern rural gal born and bred? Never lived in a “city,” though I don’t discount doing so as I age and seemingly crave convenience! A short story as a series prequel. Not used for any challenges. Not planning to continue with the series. Just not my thing…
*Sula by Toni Morrison ✶✶✶✶ Morrison’s writing is never an easy read for me. I feel as if it is necessary for me to read her work, but it seems to always be intense and confusing, though I found this one to be less so than Beloved! This certainly prompted a lively and long discussion at book club, however! And I was able to provide some additional insights since I read an analytical text alongside the book!
POPSUGAR: #1, #6, #16, #17, #28, #29, #30-Oprah, #31, #34, #37
ATY: #2,
RHC:
*Infinite Country by Patricia Engel ✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶ was an amazingly realistic (IMO, at least!) depiction of immigration into the US and the trials and tribulations that can result. Ultimately, though, it seems that for most people the opportunity to stay here and work is imperative so they can not only support themselves sufficiently, but also send money back to family so they can live in adequate conditions and also eat regularly. The amount of money that goes to other countries from the US (especially Central and South American locations) is mind-blowing. I can certainly empathize with the imperative to remain in the US despite risks of deportation, etc. Hint: these people are NOT all rapists and criminals. Quite the opposite, IMO!
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
*The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley ✶✶✶✶✶
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
*The 6th Target (Women’s Murder Club #6) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro ✶✶✶✶✶
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
CONTINUING:
*Target: Alex Cross (Alex Cross #26) by James Patterson for a buddy read
PLANNED:
*No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai for an IRL book club
*The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah for an IRL book club
*Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister for our Monthly Group Read
*7th Heaven (Women's Murder Club #7) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro for a buddy read
