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.

Our weather has changed for the better here! (At least IMO!)

Nadine announced last week that the 2023 POPSUGAR challenge prompts will drop on December 1st! Yay!! With a preview to be posted this next Monday! Here is the posting verbatim:
Hi, POPSUGAR Book Club! We have exciting news for you — the 2023 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge will be released on Dec. 1 at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET. In the meantime, we wanted to give you a sneak peek at this year’s design. We’ll be back here next Monday to reveal a prompt. What do you think it might be?
I am so excited! Nadine and I will work to get all the prompts posted with Listopias on that day! (She’s actually taking a vacation day!) I’ll work to organize the monthly reads just as soon as the list posts. My plan is to have something posted on that Thursday for check-in and we can begin nominating for January and February Monthly Group Reads…of 2023! Yikes! Just doesn’t seem possible that the year is nearing an end already!

I had a very nice texting exchange with my next-door neighbor this morning. That was a very pleasant start to the day. I told him that I prefer to celebrate “Native American Heritage Day” for those whose ancestors survived and thrived despite all the genocide, kidnappings, etc. He totally surprised me by replying “Well said and so thoughtful.” Interesting… Most people around here just give me a nasty look when I say that! LOL

My friend fell last Saturday and broke her ankle. She is currently in a boot and I will take her to her ortho appointment this coming Tuesday. Ugh. It just never ends for her… Another friend of mine was talking about an Indiana program that will pay you to oversee someone else's care, especially the elderly. She stated that she felt I wouldn't necessarily want to be paid for my time spent caring for my friend, but just in case... I actually have another much younger friend who benefits from that exact same program. Her one son suffers from a disease which will likely end his life very prematurely, and she is able to make enough money through the program to stay-at-home with her children and oversee his care 24/7. I am amazed and very relieved that this state has such a program.

Insurance company is acting as if they’re going to total Myrtle, my car. Ugh. I’m just putting it out of my mind for now. Whatever they decide is what I will deal with at that time. :( In the meantime she is running! That’s a very good thing! :)

ADMIN STUFF:
Much gratitude to Jennifer W for volunteering to serve as the “official organizer” for November's discussion of The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. This book could be used to fulfill prompt #9 A book about a “found family.” You can find that discussion as well as the thread to post the book you read to fulfill prompt #9 in the Current Monthly Group Read folder HERE. I still have to dig out my copy to reread.

Just a reminder that we are reading Book Lovers by Emily Henry for December. This could be used to fulfill prompt #1 A book published in 2022. JessicaMHR will be the "rambunctious reader" facilitating that discussion! The December discussion threads will be moved to the Current Monthly Group Read folder early next week.

The comprehensive listing of Monthly Group Reads for 2022 is HERE.

Also, another reminder that every single past 2022 Monthly Group Read discussion and “I Finished!” thread is open and available to all in the 2022 Monthly Group Reads folder HERE.

Question of the Week:
In keeping with the US holiday of “Thanksgiving” which is celebrated today, what are YOU most thankful for in your life?
I have so very much to be thankful for! And I’m thankful for that!! LOL ;)
My health and well-being!
My friend’s recent celebration of her 80th birthday!
My husband’s continued good physical health!
My children’s health and well-being and that of their wives and children! (Though one granddaughter did break her arm rather recently—it healed well!)
My home!
My ability to purchase food, gas, etc.—the daily essentials!
My fur-babies!
My geographic location—far from any of the many war zones around the world!
My financial wherewithal. It could always be better, but at least it is sufficient for my needs!
My books!
My fellow reader communities! (The IRL book clubs and the online book groups, especially those on Goodreads! Especially POPSUGAR!)
And last, but by no means least... An ever-growing appreciation and respect for others among the world’s population! I firmly believe that we are approaching a critical mass of people around this world who are sick and tired of oppression and war and are coming around to this way of thinking. (Fingers crossed!)

Popsugar: 46/50
ATY: 51/52
RHC: 19/24

FINISHED:
*Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger (2 STARS) for my favorite used bookstore’s IRL book club meeting. Others enjoyed reading this much more than I did. I’m glad for that! It did prompt some good discussion, though not much. Several conjectured that perhaps this is just the first installment of a series. I realize Badger has another book published, but I doubt I’ll read it.
POPSUGAR: #12, #20-Read immediately after Going Rogue, #22, #25, #28-summer break from school, #36, #38, #40-2017: prompt #17 A book involving a mythical creature, #46-Allerton, #47
ATY: #1-Abe Allerton, #4-Author is younger than you, #7, #17, #19, #30, #36, #40-The Chariot, Strength, Death, Justice, Judgment, The World, #43, #44, #46-Kirby, #47, #49, #50-Six-Great
RHC: #11, #24-2020: prompt #24 A book written by an indigenous author

*A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot #1) by Becky Chambers (5 STARS) is a reread for a new IRL book club. So glad to have reread this! I love Chambers and her writing! I don’t believe she can write something I won’t be overjoyed to read. This provided fodder for great discussion as well for this newly formed IRL book club! There were 7 people in attendance and it was lively!
POPSUGAR: #9, #22, #24, #31, #32-Quote on cover from Martha Wells: An optimistic vision of a lush, beautiful world, #36, #40-2021: prompt #1 A book published in 2021
ATY: #4-A book written by an author you might like to meet, #7, #19, #25-147 pages, #37, #40-Strength, Chariot, The Moon, Judgment, The World, #41-tea, #43, #46
RHC: #11, #24-2017: prompt #12 A fantasy novel

*Dead Water (Shetland Island #5) by Ann Cleeves for a Buddy Read (5 STARS) was yet another excellent mystery! I was scared she was going to kill off another recurring character, but she didn’t…
(I’ll finish the prompt listing and edit this post later.)
POPSUGAR: #9, #25, #40-2017: prompt #46 A book from a subgenre I’ve never heard of—solarpunk, #47
ATY: #4-A book written by an author you might like to meet, #5, #7, #15, #29, #33, #40-The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, Justice, Death, Judgment, The World, #43, #44, #49
RHC: #24-2020: prompt #3 A mystery where the victim is not a woman

CONTINUING:
*A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (Monk & Robot #2) by Becky Chambers for the second part of my duology for POPSUGAR. Tor commissioned Chambers write two books (a duology) that were “Solarpunk” which is a subgenre of Hopeful Science Fiction. https://www.tor.com/2020/04/16/introd...
I’ve just read the first few pages, but this is my book to finish today!
*The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones
*Mrs. 'Arris Goes to New York (Mrs. ‘Arris #2) by Paul Gallico for the sister cities prompt.
*Beloved by Toni Morrison
*The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed. Nonfiction November is here!

PLANNED:
*Kill Alex Cross (Alex Cross #18) by James Patterson for a Buddy Read
*Strange Sight (Essex Museum Witch Mystery #2) by Syd Moore
*The Winners (Beartown #3) by Fredrik Backman
*Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
*The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
*Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
*Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
*Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

Katy wrote: "I have less than 100 pages left to go in Foucault's Pendulum. It is seriously weird.

QOTW: I don't really collect books, so I don't care."
Interestingly, my DO and I were discussing books and he stated that one of Eco's books absolutely destroyed him at the end. I think it was this one. So now I'm anxious to know how you feel by the book's end! I have yet to read one of Eco's but have always assumed his writing is very dense and intense...

Good for you. Probably better NOT to collect books. I'm sure my husband would agree with that statement! :)

Katy wrote: "I have less than 100 pages left to go in Foucault's Pendulum. It is seriously weird.

QOTW: I don't really collect books, so I don't care."
Interestingly, my DO and I were discussing books and he stated that one of Eco's books absolutely destroyed him at the end. I think it was this one. So now I'm anxious to know how you feel by the book's end! I have yet to read one of Eco's but have always assumed his writing is very dense and intense...

Good for you. Probably better NOT to collect books. I'm sure my husband would agree with that statement! :)

Katy wrote: "I have less than 100 pages left to go in Foucault's Pendulum. It is seriously weird.

QOTW: I don't really collect books, so I don't care."
Interestingly, my DO and I were discussing books and he stated that one of Eco's books absolutely destroyed him at the end. I think it was this one. So now I'm anxious to know how you feel by the book's end! I have yet to read one of Eco's but have always assumed his writing is very dense and intense...

Good for you. Probably better NOT to collect books. I'm sure my husband would agree with that statement! :)

Katy wrote: "I have less than 100 pages left to go in Foucault's Pendulum. It is seriously weird.

QOTW: I don't really collect books, so I don't care."
Interestingly, my DO and I were discussing books and he stated that one of Eco's books absolutely destroyed him at the end. I think it was this one. So now I'm anxious to know how you feel by the book's end! I have yet to read one of Eco's but have always assumed his writing is very dense and intense...

Good for you. Probably better NOT to collect books. I'm sure my husband would agree with that statement! :)

Nadine in NY wrote: "Admin stuff

It's quiet at this time of year as we eagerly await the new list (ETA UNKNOWN sob!)"
I keep trying to focus on finishing this year's challenge! Congratulations, BTW, on finishing! Even if it was before I did! LOL

"The November group read is going on now, discussing The House in the Cerulean Sea
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."
Trying to finish other reads before really looking for this one to reread. I just loved this book! I'm hoping Under the Whispering Door will be just as enjoyable!

"I'm done with the Popsugar challenge, chipping away at the last few I need for the AtY challenge."
I only need one more for the AtY Challenge. Trying not to pick it up and read it before finishing Popsugar! :)

"We Lie Here by Rachel Howzell Hall - wow I hated this. I barely finished it. In fact, I was so bored I just skipped ahead about 100 pages to see if it got better. (It did not.)"
Ugh... :(

"Shutter by Ramona Emerson - I loved this!!! This is a murder mystery featuring a Navajo woman who is a forensic photographer in Albuquerque (who can see ghosts), and it just hit all the right notes for me."
Added to my Do Not Read shelf. Horror. Glad you enjoyed it though! :)

"When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon - I chose this book specifically to fill the AtY category "one of Time magazine's 100 best YA novels." I expected to love it, since my GR friends did, and at first I found it quite charming, but it sagged in the middle, and it irritated me with all the "engineering will suck out my soul" nonsense."
I have a copy and keep meaning to read it!

"Thursday caught me by surprise again this week, and I haven't been able to decide on a QUESTION for our week. So let's use the question suggested last week by Heather!!

Question of the Week
How do you feel when series switch format (ex: from MMP to HC) mid-series? How much does it matter to you?
My house is a wreck, I no longer have nice tidy bookshelves (I really need more bookshelves), books are piled up here, there, in every room. It doesn't matter if a series matches, because it's rare for an entire series to even appear in the same room. So I usually don't care any more."
Ditto!!

"That said, YES I have purchased box sets of books I really loved. So I still care a little bit. I get immense joy from seeing the pristine box set sitting in a tower of books in my bedroom, waiting for a shelf.."
I keep meaning to purchase the Harry Potter box set of hardcovers in the treasure chest for myself...but never do! :)

Teri wrote: "Shows what I know - I expected this thread to be about some big fight in the group. haha"

Exactly my thought! :) Glad I was wrong!

It is winter here, folks! Three snowfalls already. Fortunately, none over an inch or so! But snow on the ground in the rural areas. (Where I am…) Oh, joy! (NOT! LOL) I’m trying not to complain about the cold. After all, I’m still living here. Though if I had the money to just move wherever I would like to, I certainly would not choose this place! LOL

My nose has healed well. Not broken. Interestingly, on the third day I had what appeared to be an open wound on the bridge of my nose and it scabbed over and healed over the next 3 days or so. Weird that it took so long to appear, isn’t it? LOL “Myrtle” (my VW Jetta) is due to get an estimate to repair damages from the deer jumping onto her this coming Tuesday. Just so grateful she is operable in the meantime!

Spent all day yesterday with my friend. We started at her GPs office for an appointment and ended up in the ER for the day. Fortunately, they were able to finally get her heart rate/AFIB under control with medication…again. I keep hoping she’ll finally get a stretch longer than 2-3 weeks of feeling decent. I keep reminding her (and myself) that the surgeon stated a full recovery from the TAVR procedure could require up to 9 months. We are at 5 months and counting!

This Off the Shelf article was emailed to me-“10 Long-Running Series to Last You All Winter”: https://offtheshelf.com/2022/11/long-...
I took time to review the recommendations...
My husband has read the Robicheaux series by James Lee BurkeJames Lee Burke and I read a couple of them. They were just “okay” for me… (Though I love his daughter's writing! Alafair Burke) I read one book by Walter Mosley years ago and it was a bit too grisly for me. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of C.J. Sansom before and his books look to be a bit too grisly for me… I only know of Richard Paul Evans as a Christian fiction (The Christmas Box) author. From skimming a few reviews, I assume I would either love or despise his Micheal Vey series. Doubt that I’ll bother to find out. I know Kathy Reichs’ Temperance Brennan series is well-liked and very popular, but I read one years ago and it just didn’t grab me… John Connolly strikes me as an author whose writing I would not enjoy. Typical conspiracy-with-high-body-count-lots-of-action story arc?

I have yet to read a William Kent Krueger book and hope to get to one next year. Of course, I am sticking with Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. The newest installment was much more enjoyable, IMO! Martin Cruz Smith I need to try. My husband owns some of his books. I doubt I’ll like his writing, hence this is not a priority for me. I need to concentrate on Louise Erdrich’s books. The two I’ve read I really enjoyed!

ADMIN STUFF:
Much gratitude to Jennifer W for volunteering to serve as the “official organizer” for November's discussion of The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. This book could be used to fulfill prompt #9 A book about a “found family.” You can find that discussion as well as the thread to post the book you read to fulfill prompt #9 in the Current Monthly Group Read folder HERE. I still have to dig out my copy to reread.

Just a reminder that we are reading Book Lovers by Emily Henry for December. This could be used to fulfill prompt #1 A book published in 2022. JessicaMHR will be the "rambunctious reader" facilitating that discussion!

The comprehensive listing of Monthly Group Reads for 2022 is HERE.

Also, another reminder that every single past 2022 Monthly Group Read discussion and “I Finished!” thread is open and available to all in the 2022 Monthly Group Reads folder HERE.

AND…we are ready and waiting for that 2023 listing!! Placeholders for each prompt have been created! I am always excited to see what the reading prompts will be for the next year! Though I need to concentrate on simply finishing this year’s challenge! ;)

Question of the Week:
How do you feel when series switch format (ex: from MMP to HC) mid-series? How much does it matter to you?
I could not care less about this. I guess if I had the money to be picky I would be, but I don’t. I purchase my books because I love (literally) being surrounded by books and I’m terrible at coordinating library loans. I just don’t want the hassle of library loans, especially since I avoid ebooks in any way possible! I buy books for the words on the pages, not how they look on the outside. :)

Popsugar: 46/50
ATY: 51/52
RHC: 19/24

FINISHED:
*Cross Fire (Alex Cross #17) by James Patterson (3 STARS) should qualify as “fantasy.’ Patterson made me roll my eyes quite a few times with this one. I had real trouble “suspending my disbelief” to believe someone could be magically transformed via plastic surgery to imitate/substitute for an FBI agent and no one ever the wiser… At least he finally (view spoiler)[killed off this villainous character who is totally outrageous. Good riddance, KC! LOL I cheered for that bit of good news! (hide spoiler)] There was a wedding and almost another kidnapping while on vacation in the islands… I’ll say it again. Thank goodness these are such quick reads!
POPSUGAR: #9, #25, #29, #40-2015: prompt #7 A book you can finish in one day, #46, #48
ATY: #1-Alex and Ali, #2, #4- A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): It seemed hopeless near the end, #7, #15, #19, #31-2010, #33, #40-The Chariot, Strength, Justice, Death, Judgment, The World, #44, #49, #50
RHC: #24-2020: prompt #3 A mystery where the victim is not a woman (multiple victims-some are males

*Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid (10 STARS) is at least an all-time favorite read for me for this year, if not all-time forever! I am not a sports fan. I feared there might be too much technical detail about tennis to hold my attention, etc., etc. I needn’t have worried. Reid is absolutely excellent at pacing for tension and suspense as well as detailed intense characterization. I am determined to finish reading her backlist in 2023. I love her writing soooooooo much!
POPSUGAR: #1, #5, #29, #40-2018: prompt #20 A book about or involving a sport, #42, #47
ATY: #2-I read Malibu Rising in 2021, #4-A book whose author is younger than you, #7, #19, #34, #40-The Lovers, Strength, Judgment, The World, #41, #49, #50, #51
RHC: #24-2017: prompt #1 A book about sports

Harbour Street (Vera Stanhope #6) by Ann Cleeves (5 STARS) was yet another excellent mystery! I love this series. Though this installment was a bit more unsettling than others, it was still very well done. Difficult to read about psychopaths with no empathy for anyone… I have no idea how Cleeves gets all these ideas for mysteries, but I’m so glad she does! :)
POPSUGAR: #9, #25, #38, #40-2017: prompt #14 A book involving travel (Margaret’s body discovered on the train), #46-Ryan, a well-behaved teenager/psychopath, #47, #48
ATY: #4-A book written by an author you might like to meet, #5, #7, #15, #19, #29, #32, #33, #34, #40-The Lovers, Strength, Justice, Death, Temperance, Judgment, The World, #41, #44, #49, #50

*Going Rogue (Sephanie Plum #29) by Janet Evanovich (5 STARS) was finally almost up to Evanovich’s past standards in this series with ridiculous (yet believable) humor as well as a solid mystery! YAY!! I was back to literally laughing out loud multiple times and having to force myself to stop laughing a couple of times so I could continue reading! Love still having both Ranger and Joe in Stephanie’s life! Glad I stuck with this series!
POPSUGAR: #1, #9, #25, #29, #40-2016: prompt #14 A book you can finish reading in one day, #46, #47
ATY: #2-I read Game On in 2021, #4-A book written by an author you might like to meet, #15, #19, #33, #40-The Lovers, Justice, Judgment, The World, #41, #49, #50, #51
RHC: 24-2019: prompt #4 A humorous book

CONTINUING:
*Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger for my favorite used bookstore’s IRL book club meeting later today.
*The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones
*Mrs. 'Arris Goes to New York (Mrs. ‘Arris #2) by Paul Gallico for the sister cities prompt.
*Beloved by Toni Morrison
*The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed. Nonfiction November is here!

PLANNED:
*Strange Sight (Essex Museum Witch Mystery #2) by Syd Moore
*The Winners (Beartown #3) by Fredrik Backman
*Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
*The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
*Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
*Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
*Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list

I suppose it could be argued that this is an individualized prompt, but a listopia might help others discover a shorter book they would enjoy...so I'm including a listopia! :)

Listopia is HERE

A #BookTok recommendation

Oh, boy! Here we go again! I am depending upon you-all for excellent recommendations! :)

HERE is the Listopia from Popsugar 2022 prompt #11! For your reference and convenience!

Listopia for Popsugar 2023 is HERE

A book you bought secondhand

This is almost every single book I purchase! I buy few brand-new books.

This is definitely too individualized to create a Listopia.

A book your friend recommended

This happens a lot in the Weekly Check-In discussions! Also, any book recommended for a book club read, either IRL or online. I would also count Buddy Reads.

As Nadine noted, a listing of this group's favorite reads is created each year. These could serve as a great resource for this prompt! (She's so smart!) :)
2018: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
2019: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
2020: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
2021: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
2022: To be created at the end of December!

And this listopia is HERE

A book about a family

Even if you read nonfiction, this should be fairly easy...I think!

Listopia is Here

A book that’s on a celebrity book club list

Wow. So many of these now... I guess I always think of Oprah and Barack Obama. Also Bill Gates, Reese Witherspoon, and others... I also love it when I discover recommendations from authors! This should be a giant listing with a lot of diversity, I would think...

It might be nice to note which celebrity recommended each title you add to the Listopia...just so we all know.

Listopia is HERE

A book released during the second half of 2023

Okay. I can't say I was all excited about this one when I read it, but I can think of a couple of my favorite author's books that are due to be released July-December of 2023.

Listopia is HERE

A book about an athlete/sport

I rarely read about sports or athletes but I have a few on my TBR that I'm sure will be easy to obtain...

Listopia is HERE

A historical fiction book

Ohh! Ooohhh! One of my absolute favorite genres!! (Sorry if that isn't true for you.)

Listopia is HERE

A book about divorce

I feel as if I could write one... :) But I haven't. I admit I'm kinda drawing a blank with this one. But I know you-all will come through with great recommendations!

There is a Goodreads listopia for "Best Divorce Related Books" HERE with 76 books that might help.

Listopia is HERE

Emma Lou wrote: "I haven't even finished this year's challenge yet and already I'm chomping at the bit for the 2023 list 😆"
Ditto!

A book you think your best friend would like

This is very easy for me now. The two people who are my "bestest" friends are in my book club! :)

Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett
The London House by Katherine Reay

This is so personal to each individual, I'm not creating a Listopia for this one...

But it would be interesting to hear what you're planning to fulfill this prompt and why you believe that person will enjoy it!