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 101-120 of 4,907
Laura Z wrote: Project Hail Mary: Reasonable Doubt Book Club. (52 Books #42 – a nonhuman antagonist/ATY Spring #15 - PASTELS: Project) ★★★★★"
I loved this book!
"What Happened to the McCrays?: I wanted to read something hopeful, so I checked the last sentence… and it made me smile. (52 Books #33 – a standalone novel/Booklist Queen #19 – a heartwarming story/Popsugar #2 – want to read based on the last sentence) ★★★★★"
Oohhh...this looks like one I would enjoy!
"Black Woods, Blue Sky: It pales in comparison to The Snow Child, but I still really liked it. (ATY Spring #2 – BLOOM: Black/BGG Book Lovers #3 – a modern retelling) ★★★★"
I loved The Snow Child and wondered about this one...
"Julia (ATY Spring #7 – JELLYBEANS: Julia)"
I keep meaning to get to this one!
"The Last Bookstore on Earth (ATY Spring #4 – BABY ANIMALS: Lily Braun-Arnold/Booklist Queen #18 – a debut novel)"
Interesting premise, especially given that I'm reading Station Eleven now.
"QOTW: If nonfiction books are no longer offered in a paperback version, I'll probably buy fewer of them. (I already tend to borrow them from the library.) I think publishers would do better to offer them only as paperbacks... except for a few exceptional titles."
That's an idea!
Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday! Welcome to Spring!! We have been having very spring-like weather, which means we are having ALLLL the extremes: excessively warm days, cold days, rain, snow, sun, overcast skies, blue skies, wind, strong wind, extra strong wind, and even tornado warnings."Definitely a mixed bag!
"My ex had a tree come down which took out his power, which meant his sump pump didn't rum and his entire lower floor flooded, so he's a stressed out mess right now dealing with tree removal and insurance and cleaning up, which means (yes let me make this all about MEEEE!) he can't come over and see if he can fix my dryer which just stopped working. I guess we are lucky temps are above freezing so we can hang our laundry outside on the line now while we wait for the dryer to be repaired."
You make me laugh! I still cannot imagine having such an amicable relationship with my ex! Glad that can work for others though!
"James by Percival Everett- I didn't expect much from this book, even though I've loved other books from Everett, I'm not a fan of Huck Finn. I only read this because it was in ToB. It surprised me by feeling fresh and new and fierce. I checked off "unlikely friends" with this one."
I am anxious to read this, but only after rereading HF. I listened to a portion of an interview with Everett about this book and he was emphatic that this book is not just a reworking of the original or a retelling from a different character's perspective or a response to the original, but rather, just as Twain was uniquely equipped to write the book from HF's perspective, so is he uniquely qualified to write the story from Jim's perspective. He literally read HF 15 times until it became "nonsense" to him as preparation for writing James. Everett is quite a unique entity among authors, IMO. 🙂 I find him to be fascinating, perhaps because we are the same age...
"Liars by Sarah Manguso - I never would have read this if not for ToB, and I enjoyed it. I didn't LOVE the writing style, but the story will probably stick with me. I could not find a challenge category for this one."
Ooof! This book seriously hit too close to home for me. I enjoyed it enough I would definitely read others written by her. Want to know how my first marriage ended? Read my review! LOL I'd forgotten just how forthcoming I was in writing it in the immediate aftermath of reading the book! LOL
"Nowadays, in the rare instances when I buy a book for myself, I do not have a strong hardcover/softcover preference. Quite often now I notice that a book is more or less the same price on Amazon for hard or soft cover, which is always a surprise, because when I was younger the paperback was around $2 and the hardcover was around $20."
I suspect that may be more related to the fact that Bezos forces publishers to sell at lower prices than the hardcover real prices being that low.
"(I often read e-books, and sometimes I even prefer the e-book format, because it takes up less space in my home, and for comics I can easily zoom in to read that teeny tiny print that comic book letterers seem to love ... but my kids dislike e-books!)"
Hah! The exact opposite of what I would expect! LOL
"BUT ... MOST of the books that I buy these days are for gifts, primarily gifts for my daughters, and my daughters both prefer hardcover, so I seek out the hardcover versions whenever possible. I'm trying to buy a book right now for my older kid's birthday - the hardcover is no longer in print, I guess, because only used copies are available on Amazon. If publishers don't bother keeping a version in print, then it must not be a real moneymaker for them."
Just curious. What book?
AF wrote: "Hello from the PNW! Rain, rain, rain. That's all we get for days on end.Last weekend I made a goal to read ten books by the end of March. I want to be halfway done with the popsugar challenge by ..."
I love your bucket list! Fascinating!
It’s as if winter is rearing its ugly head again here in central Indiana. Ugh. I had gotten a good start working outside, but today is too damp and cold. I realize that sooner rather than later spring will arrive for good. I await that return to higher temperatures! In case you missed it, here is a listing of the 84 Most Anticipated Books of Spring as listed by Goodreads readers: https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/2...
I’m uncertain how they compile this…it would be interesting to know.
ADMIN STUFF:
THE FINAL SELECTION POLL TO SELECT THE MAY MONTHLY GROUP READ IS LIVE! This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #3 A book about space tourism. National Space Day is May 2, 2025! https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...
There are 4 titles under consideration:
Floating Hotel
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void
Red Rising (Red Rising #1)
The Spare Man
VOTE HERE! This poll will be open through March 25. Just 19 members have voted thus far!
THE APRIL MONTHLY GROUP READ SELECTION IS Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Before the Coffee Gets Cold, #1) by Toshikazu Kwaguchi, translated by Geoffrey Trousselot!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #23 A book that is considered healing fiction
World Health Day is April 7, 2025: https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...
Which of you is the "humble hero" to lead this discussion? Message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!
I adore this book and series and have been telling myself I want to sit down and read all of them and take some notes. These are interconnected stories and some of the characters recur throughout the series… I and all the members of my book club found it to be fascinating!
THE MARCH 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ IS…Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. This book could be used to fulfill prompt #31 A book where music plays an integral part of the storyline. World Music Therapy Day is March 1, 2025! No one has volunteered and I am leading a discussion HERE. I am over halfway through and enthralled to uncover all the suspected connections!
THE LISTING OF 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ TOPICS IS HERE!
***
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
What about paperbacks?
Short question but a long paragraph of details! 😊
https://103gbfrocks.com/indiana-reade...
https://www.texasstandard.org/stories...
Following up on last week’s posting with Audie Award winners, I discovered a couple of articles regarding some publishers supposedly considering no longer releasing some nonfiction books in a paperback format. Traditionally, publishers make much more profit from hardcover sales. Hence the 6-month to one-year wait for a paperback edition to be released. However, I wondered if this first article was just one independent bookstore owner over-emphasizing a threat to paperback publication. But the second article is an interview with Jeffrey Trachtenberg, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal who covers book publishing and media. Interestingly, he specifically mentions Turner Publishing in Nashville, Tennessee, which is releasing everything (hardcover, paperpack, ebook, and audiobook) simultaneously on the official release date. Their strategy? The best window for marketing a book is within the first four weeks following its release. They believe the loss they may experience in hardcover sales will be more than made up in increased paperback/ebook/audiobook sales. And this article mentions the increase in audiobook sales.
What do you think? If only hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats were available, would that force you to change your purchasing habits? I have seen several members state they tend to read a paperback and then perhaps purchase a hardcover to keep on their shelves.
Of course, I realize this may change very little for those of you who use libraries to borrow books. (Of course, here in the U.S., library funding from the federal government is now under threat…)
***
My answer: Honestly, any time my options are limited, I am angry. I rarely ever purchase brand-new books and am always thrilled to obtain a paperback for $3-$5! Though I believe I am in the minority regarding my love of reading hardcover books as well. I strictly avoid digital format, probably mostly due to my age and having only become accustomed to computers, etc., as a young adult. I may well have felt differently if I had been exposed to the electronics as a young child onward. But I wasn't, so I still much much much prefer a book in my hand. While I have listened to a few audiobooks and enjoyed them, I am not an aural learner and find I retain much less in the aftermath, compared to reading an actual book. My learning preference is tactile and hands-on, hence my preference for the physical book. I would be sad to lose the option of paperbacks. Definitely. But publishers and the world will do what it does and I will somehow adjust! 🙄😃😉
2025 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 33/50
Around the Year (AtY): 50/52
AtY 2025 Anniversary List: 10/10 FINISHED
Read Harder: 15/24
52 Book Club: 42/52
2024 Popsugar: 47/50
FINISHED:
None. A very frustrating week for me.
CONTINUING:
*Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is absolutely fascinating thus far!
*Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power by RebeccaSolnit
*Personal Days by Ed Park is entertaining, yet seemingly rather pointless overall.
*Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park is a very uniquely formatted book a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
*Parable of the Talents (Earthseed #2) by Octavia E. Butler
*Shift (Silo #2) by Hugh Howey
*Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T.J. Klune
*The Trees by Percival Everett (#40)
*Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (#42)
*Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
*The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
*Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking has me thinking so very much that I have delayed reviewing it until I can finalize my thoughts…
*The Birthing House by Kathy Taylor
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
PLANNED:
*21st Birthday (Women’s Murder Club #21) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*22 Seconds (Women’s Murder Club #22) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23rd Midnight (Women’s Murder Club #23) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23 1/2 Lies (Women’s Murder Club #23.5) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*The 24th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #24) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
Ron wrote: "Yes, I was surprised this turned out to be one of my favorite fictions as well. I'm not really into theater stuff which is why it surprised me. Last year when I read it was the first time I annotated the book so it really added to my perspective."You know, I truly enjoyed composing very detailed reviews on a blog, but it just took up so much of my "reading" time that I decided I would prefer to read more and review less as I entered old age! 😉 I feel as if time is running out! LOL
"1. Do you agree with Jeevan's decisions in the wake of his conversation with Hua? Would you have (view spoiler)
This is a complicated issue. (view spoiler) so in Jeevan's case I would certainly go with family because boyfriends/girlfriends are sometimes not in it for the long haul. If she had been his wife that would be a different issue."
Then I would agree with the interpretation of their relationship as evidenced in the series since that was my impression just from reading the book. Agreed about family taking precedence.
"2. I am immediately questioning his brother's circumstances. (view spoiler) (An effective tension builder in the story!) What is your guess at this point?
I was curious too. I do wish the book had gone more into it.
(view spoiler)"
Interesting that this was better delineated in the series adaptation. We are left wondering in the book, IMO.
"3. Do you have a friend you would trust as much as Jeevan is trusting Hua? Especially with regard to such a deadly evaluation?
2 years ago I would have said 'yes, absolutely.' Now though having cut them off (long story), I sadly don't have any close friends that I can truly trust or turn to anymore. After that fallout I had with my friends, I have a harder time trusting people I'm close to. I had that issue prior to the fallout, but it got worse after I ended things with them. Let's just say they weren't there when I needed them in my darkest time so I could no longer depend on them when I needed them most."
Oh, my! We have that in common. My breakup came after 30 years of being BFFs. It was tough and yet I had kinda seen it coming for the last 5 years or so. In my case it was her complete lack of respect for me and my own beliefs. Ugh. We had dealt with those differences successfully for so long and then all of a sudden she was determined to convert me to her way of thinking. And she knew that any relationship I had in the wake of my divorce was based upon mutual respect or it was over. So...it was over! Rather than deleting her from my cell phone contacts, I had to block her since she kept texting me with her attempts to convert me. Strange... I would say in the wake of my divorce I learned to never again trust any person as much as I had my ex-husband. And perhaps it was a good thing for me to learn to keep more of myself to myself...
"On a side note, I find it another interesting contrast between the book and the series adaptation. In the series (view spoiler)"
Oh, my! That puts a totally different spin on it!
"4. It's obvious Jeevan has been prone to panic attacks in the past. Why do you think he was able to avoid panic and remain capable of rational thought and decision-making now? Or are his decisions "rational," in your opinion?
I loved this aspect of Jeevan. It reminded me of the days back during our pandemic and how I had an anxiety attack. It was barely within the first day or 2 of lockdown. I was already in my room for the evening and I was freaking out since my sister and her spouse had people over (I was terrified of others around because not knowing if they had the virus). I left my room and was freaking out in the dark. My sister tried to rationalize but I got in my car. I yelled at her (something I never do). I called my parents in the car and they were the only ones who could get me to calm down enough (we lived in separate cities at the time.) - Going back to the book, Jeevan's panic attacks were certainly something I could relate to.
As for his actions, there is nothing rational when it comes to panic attacks. Like I said, I yelled at my sister and that's something I never do and I felt so guilty after. I told her I didn't know what happened and why I just lost it even though she didn't deserve it.
Jeevan acted like many of us probably did during our pandemic in some ways, getting prepared with supplies (remember those long lines at the stores with only a certain amount of people going in at a time?) and stocking up for those 'just-in-case' moments. Some people may have handled things calmly and rationally, and others like me and Jeevan who went through it with occasional mental breakdowns."
Rationality is a fairly subjective evaluation, IMO. To be determined by each unique person. Your answer made me re-evaluate Jeevan's reaction as somewhat panic-stricken and perhaps not completely "rational." Perhaps it is not so rational to purchase SEVEN whole grocery carts full of food and then wheel them into the hallway outside your brother's apartment! All past midnight and unannounced! 😃
"5. This book was first released in September 2014. Definitely “pre-COVID.” We are reading it in the “post-COVID” world. Do you think your reaction might be different depending upon which time period you read it—Pre-COVID vs Post-COVID?
Oh, this is such a fascinating question!
I first read this book in 2022 when the HBO series adaptation came out. It was supposed to have been released a little earlier if I remember correctly but the pandemic pushed the release date back a bit and people weren't in the mood for pandemic storylines at the time.
To answer the question more directly, I do think it would have changed things for sure.
I don't think I would have seen Jeevan as a nut-case. I've been dealing with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks my entire life. We once had a threat of a gunman on campus (turned out to be a false alarm.) when I was in high school and I remember having a panic attack then. I was hyper-ventilating (I had to use a bag to breathe into and my teacher helped me get distracted by telling me to focus on the book I was reading. I remember the exact Star Wars book I was reading at the time and that was over 15 years ago.)"
Well, I didn't feel Jeevan was a nut case. In fact, I felt he was reacting in a very practical manner. Much moreso than I might have... Anxiety and panic attacks can be so debilitating! Scary stuff! Glad your teacher was able to help you cope at that time.
"I've also been a germaphobe since my high school days so I didn't have a problem with all of the precautions that they were requiring us to do. Wearing a mask was just an extension of my germ rituals so I didn't have an issue the way most people did."
While I have not been that careful earlier in my life, I had absolutely no problem with masking and wearing gloves/using a handwipe as I shopped, etc. That all made total sense to me. But I usually try to do what I can on my own to stay healthy and avoid western medicine/pills whenever possible! 😊
"I do think had I read this pre-Pandemic though I would have viewed this book along the lines of any other science fiction or medical horror novel. In my sophomore year of high school year I had to read The Cobra Event . It was a book I did not want to read because pandemics and what they do to the human body terrified me. I tried to get out of the assignment but my teacher did not want to create a new lesson plan so I was forced to read it and I had nightmares for weeks. So I would have put 'Station Eleven' along the lines of 'The Cobra Event' only without all the gore and creepy stuff.
Reading it post-Pandemic though adds a new layer because it almost makes it real since we've been through our own. There's so much that speaks to the humanity of it all within this book."
What a poor example of a teacher! Yikes! I'm so sorry you were forced to do that! I think for me personally, reading this prior to COVID would have changed my perception in quite a few ways. But having lived through a pandemic helped me relate much better to this book without freaking out or feeling it was a bit over the top...
"-Comfort
-Fear/Pain
-Art/Reality
-Creation/Destruction
-Sacred/Beauty"
Each its own subject for discussion!! How perceptive of you!
Okay, let's get started... (Sorry for all the spoiler notations, but I try to be sensitive to those who haven't read this yet but plan to do so in the future...) 😊
1. Do you believe Charlie and the sixth guitar/Jeremy and their daughter Annabel (view spoiler)
I do! I refuse to give up hope!
2. Arthur and Miranda both grew up on Delano Island, a somewhat isolated small rural community. At dinner, Arthur asks Miranda whether she enjoys living in Toronto: “The revelation of privacy, she can walk down the street and absolutely no one knows who she is. It’s possible that no one who didn’t grow up in a small place can understand how beautiful this is, how the anonymity of city life feels like freedom.” This is echoed in the Symphony where all members travel, live, and perform together 24/7, much like living in a small rather isolated community. What do you believe may be some of the pros and cons of “small town” vs “big city” life?
Having lived in small rural communities all but the first 4 years of my life, I would agree with this sentiment. I can relate to how difficult it might be to literally live, eat, and breathe with the same group of people 24/7 as the Symphony members do. Whew! That would be tough, especially for me! Though I do appreciate that instant anonymity that comes with visiting a large urban environment. It does feel freeing to me in many ways. There can be more of a sense of community among residents of a smaller more isolated environment, but it can also be a good thing to feel freer to be yourself among those who don’t know you as well. I think you can explore who you really are or might be when among more people. Plus it gives you a broader range of behaviors to observe and perhaps imitate, if you desire to do so.
3. How would you describe Miranda and Paul’s relationship?
Ugh. In my opinion, (view spoiler) But perhaps this is just based upon my own past experiences.
4. Do you agree with Elizabeth when she says to Miranda, “I think this is happening because it was supposed to happen.”
Oh, my. This is SUCH a loaded question for me! My gut reaction? “Hell, no I don’t agree with her!” In my opinion and life experience, you either make yourself available for an intimate relationship or you don’t. It’s truly just that simple for me. I had this discussion with my ex-husband about 10 years prior to my divorcing him. Evidently, that was only MY opinion, and obviously, not his opinion, since he more than made himself available to someone else! Hence, the divorce which was the best thing I’ve ever done for myself!
5. Was the identification of “Station Eleven” what you expected? What significance do you think this may have in the rest of the story?
Not at all! Though I admit I am now fascinated to imagine what possible connection this may have with the remainder of the book! (view spoiler) Yes, you set those limits, girlfriend!! 😊 Claim your life for yourself! And now I am anxious to know (view spoiler)
Second set of questions, after reading Section 2 "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and Section 3 "I Prefer You with a Crown"!1. Do you believe Charlie and the sixth guitar/Jeremy and their daughter Annabel are still alive?
2. Arthur and Miranda both grew up on Delano Island, a somewhat isolated small rural community. At dinner, Arthur asks Miranda whether she enjoys living in Toronto: “The revelation of privacy, she can walk down the street and absolutely no one knows who she is. It’s possible that no one who didn’t grow up in a small place can understand how beautiful this is, how the anonymity of city life feels like freedom.” This is echoed in the Symphony where all members travel, live, and perform together 24/7, much like living in a small rather isolated community. What do you believe may be some of the pros and cons of “small town” vs “big city” life?
3. How would you describe Miranda and Paul’s relationship?
4. Do you agree with Elizabeth when she says to Miranda, “I think this is happening because it was supposed to happen.”
5. Was the identification of “Station Eleven” what you expected? What significance do you think this may have in the rest of the story?
Oh, my! I just finished reading the third section and am so excited! I adore books that weave interconnectedness throughout the story line! More questions tonight or tomorrow. And replies to Ron's answers to come as well! Your connections to this book are so intriguing!
Ron wrote: "In one of your posts I could only see the first question.Unbelievable...
I see all 5 in the next so I'll answer those either later today or tomorrow :)"
Looking forward to it. I am intrigued that this is one of the few fiction books that you love!
I'll go first! (Hopefully this is all visible to others!) 🙄🙂1. Do you agree with Javeen's decisions in the wake of his conversation with Hua? Would you have (view spoiler)
I was a bit surprised by this initially, although it doesn't appear that he is necessarily intensely committed to their relationship. I can certainly understand that he is unable to rent an appropriate vehicle to transport his wheelchair-bound brother late at night, etc., and applaud his foresight in obtaining water and other groceries, preparing for isolation.
2. I am immediately questioning his brother's circumstances. (view spoiler) (An effective tension builder in the story!) What is your guess at this point?
Is it possible that an incident occurred in their past that makes Javeen feel especially guilty and/or beholden to his brother? Was Javeen somehow inadvertently involved in the cause of his brother's disability?
3. Do you have a friend you would trust as much as Javeen is trusting Hua? Especially with regard to such a deadly evaluation?
Wow. I guess if my D.O. called me with this information, I would be all in for following his instructions. Or perhaps a couple of friends who are also medical professionals, but it would be so disruptive to up and leave all of a sudden. That would be a very tough decision for me to make with only one person's input...
4. It's obvious Javeen has been prone to panic attacks in the past. Why do you think he was able to avoid panic and remain capable of rational thought and decision-making now? Or are his decisions "rational," in your opinion?
I think there are those who would consider Javeen to be delusional and/or easily manipulated, rather than rational. But I thought he was being very rational and decisive in the wake of mind-blowing information!
5. This book was first released in September 2014. Definitely “pre-COVID.” We are reading it in the “post-COVID” world. Do you think your reaction might be different depending upon which time period you read it—Pre-COVID vs Post-COVID?
For me, I think this makes a huge difference. If I had read this within those first 6 years following its release, prior to the COVID outbreak, I think I would consider Javeen to be a nut-case! Someone easily threatened and scared into spontaneous knee-jerk reactions.
Can anyone else see all five questions in the above posting? I see only one! I have even rekeyed this in 3 different times and tried again and again to copy and paste it in the comment, to no avail. But I know in the past, my computer doesn't display a full comment when it is visible to others. Thanks in advance for your help!
I read the first section "The Theater" last night. Wow. Some scary stuff. (view spoiler)1. Do you agree with Javeen's decisions in the wake of his conversation with Hua? Would you have (view spoiler)
This week has been almost impossibly busy. Each day has been jam-packed! I’m too old for this fast pace! LOL 😉Add to that this ridiculous (IMO) “springing forward” an hour has truly wrecked me! I arrived home on Thursday afternoon and slept for 4 hours!! Yet on Tuesday night I got such a strong second wind, I ended staying awake until 3:45AM on Wednesday! Very weird…I rarely ever listen to audiobooks, but I know many of you do, so here ya go!
Here is the full listing of 2025 Audie Award winners and finalists: https://www.audiopub.org/2025audies-1
A podcast about the 2025 Audie awards from NPR’s Andrew Limbong:
https://view.nl.npr.org/?qs=108cbb132...
I do enjoy this podcast!
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY WAS MARCH 8! This is a bit off-topic from books/reading, but I found this article regarding Female artists at work between the 16th and 19th centuries to be very interesting:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/t...
If I had the money and physical wellness, I would travel to Italy, France, and London for some of these! One was located in New York, but it ended March 9. (Sorry! 🙄)
A list of Empowering Movies About Sisterhood:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news...
ADMIN STUFF:
THE FINAL SELECTION POLL TO SELECT THE MAY MONTHLY GROUP READ IS LIVE! This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #3 A book about space tourism. National Space Day is May 2, 2025! https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...
There are 4 titles under consideration:
Floating Hotel
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void
Red Rising (Red Rising #1)
The Spare Man
VOTE HERE! This poll will be open through March 25.
THE APRIL MONTHLY GROUP READ SELECTION IS Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Before the Coffee Gets Cold, #1) by Toshikazu Kwaguchi, translated by Geoffrey Trousselot!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #23 A book that is considered healing fiction
World Health Day is April 7, 2025: https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...
I adore this book and series and have been telling myself I want to sit down and read all of them and take some notes. These are interconnected stories and some of the characters recur throughout the series… I and all the members of my book club found it to be fascinating!
THE MARCH 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ IS…Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. This book could be used to fulfill prompt #31 A book where music plays an integral part of the storyline. World Music Therapy Day is March 1, 2025!
No one has volunteered and I JUST received my copy!! I will be reading this over the weekend. (FINALLY!) I have posted some introductory questions to begin some discussion HERE.
THE LISTING OF 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ TOPICS IS HERE!
***
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Have you decided what is on your bucket list?
All I can really do is laugh about this question! I guess I am currently doing the main item on my bucket list—reading just as much as I can! 😊
Regarding my selection to fulfill this prompt, I read the first installment in Jennifer Chiaverini’s Elm Creek Quilt series, The Quilter's Apprentice, and enjoyed it enough I will continue with the series. Ironically, after having sewn a lot of clothing when younger, and completed projects using knitting, crocheting, embroidery, basket weaving, and macrame throughout the years, I always planned to do hand-quilting in my old age. However, that has proven impossible given the arthritis in my hands, but it was on my bucket list all along, so that counts, IMO! LOL 😁👍
BTW, what do you mean by the phrase “cleaning house”? I am unfamiliar with that… 😉
2025 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 33/50
Around the Year (AtY): 50/52
AtY 2025 Anniversary List: 10/10 FINISHED
Read Harder: 15/24
52 Book Club: 42/52
2024 Popsugar: 47/50
FINISHED:
*I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman, translated by Ros Schwartz ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for an IRL book club meeting Tuesday. Wow. I debated awarding this 10 stars. I doubt this book will ever leave my brain. This is a mind-bender. To say this book is thought-provoking is a vast understatement. Good? Bad? I think this is one of the few books I doubt anyone could read without having a distinct reaction to it and, if possible, even more questions than posed within Harpman’s simple and direct prose makes it even more enthralling, IMO. Great for initiating discussion!
POPSUGAR: #2, #6, #8, #14, #20, #31, #35
ATY: #2, #3, #4, #5, #13, #14, #15, #16, #23-singing, #24, #26, #36, #37, #44, #45, #46, #48, NEW #52
RHC: #4, #16, #19, #24
52 Book Club: #12, NEW #25, #33, #37, #38, NEW #40, #43, #48
*Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus (Life of a Cactus #1) by Dusti Bowling ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was just as amazing as I expected it to be after having read the sequel, Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus, almost 3 years ago. This is a phenomenal depiction of those of us who are not considered “normal”/differently-abled banding together to support each other and just provide companionship and friendship! Highly highly recommended! Especially for younger folk, the intended audience.
POPSUGAR: #2, #6, #23, #26, #28, #40, #43
ATY: #2, #5, #15, #20, #23, #24, #26, #32, #33, #40, #41, #45, #48
RHC: NEW #20
52 Book Club: #2, #19, #22, #25, #36, #43
CONTINUING:
*Personal Days by Ed Park is entertaining, yet seemingly rather pointless overall. I’m a bit bored about halfway through, so taking a break to read Station Eleven for the monthly group read discussion. (I'm already all in on SE at only 11 pages in!)
*Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park looks to be a very unique book in format and story line…
I plan to attend an author event with Mr. Park this next week.
*Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power by RebeccaSolnit
*Parable of the Talents (Earthseed #2) by Octavia E. Butler
*Shift (Silo #2) by Hugh Howey
*Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T.J. Klune
*The Trees by Percival Everett (#40)
*Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (#42)
*Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
*The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
*Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking has me thinking so very much that I have delayed reviewing it until I can finalize my thoughts…
*The Birthing House by Kathy Taylor
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
PLANNED:
*21st Birthday (Women’s Murder Club #21) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*22 Seconds (Women’s Murder Club #22) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23rd Midnight (Women’s Murder Club #23) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23 1/2 Lies (Women’s Murder Club #23.5) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*The 24th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #24) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
My book finally arrived! YAY! I will plan to read it over the weekend!
And...I am still waiting! I finally emailed about the delay today. According to shipping data this one book has been sitting in the same facility for 6 days! Ugh...It is Sunday and I just checked the tracking. Evidently, my email to Better World Books got someone's attention because this book just moved on yesterday from the facility where it had been for 6 days. 👏👏👏👏👏 It should arrive by Tuesday. Fingers crossed!
Happy THURSDAY!! Happy to report I’ve had no more harrowing 'near-death' experiences on the road since two weeks ago. I much prefer it that way! LOL We’ve had some rain, but temperatures appear to be finally spring-like most days. Glad for that. Freezing and below is just no fun for me! 😊As I posted in the monthly group discussion thread for Station Eleven, I am still awaiting the arrival of my copy! Other books I ordered arrived, but not that one! Of course!
In reading The Left-Handed Booksellers of London, I discovered many books listed that could be used to satisfy prompt #11 A book mentioned in another book. Many of the titles listed on page 75 in my paperback copy are juvenile literature written by (to me) more obscure writers from the late 19th/early 20th Century! Of course, that means I am now searching for some of those books! I did locate a few on Gutenberg…
I found this to be an amazing list of Stories About Women Who Changed the World!
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/th...
New Historical Fiction for 2025:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/th...
Did you hear that?!? It was my TBR listing blowing up!! 😊 Yet again…
ADMIN STUFF:
THE MAY MONTHLY GROUP READ NOMINATION POLL IS LIVE! This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #3 A book about space tourism. National Space Day is May 2, 2025!
https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...
There are currently 8 titles under consideration:
Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #1)
Red Rising (Red Rising #1)
The Spare Man
Escape Velocity
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy #1)
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void
The Princess and the Scoundrel
Floating Hotel
If you do not see the title you would like to nominate, please write it in. Please check the book's eligibility first! Only books that have NOT been discussed within the past two years (2023-present) are eligible. Remember to consult the listing of these books that are NOT eligible for this month HERE before nominating! :) There is an alphabetized listing by title as well as a chronological listing.
VOTE HERE! This poll will be open through March 11.
THE APRIL MONTHLY GROUP READ SELECTION IS Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Before the Coffee Gets Cold, #1) by Toshikazu Kwaguchi, translated by Geoffrey Trousselot!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #23 A book that is considered healing fiction
World Health Day is April 7, 2025: https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...
I adore this book and series and have been telling myself I want to sit down and read all of them and take some notes. These are interconnected stories and some of the characters recur throughout the series… Fascinating!
THE MARCH 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ IS…Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. This book could be used to fulfill prompt #31 A book where music plays an integral part of the storyline. World Music Therapy Day is March 1, 2025!
No one has volunteered and I have a copy on its way to me, so will be reading this and have posted some introductory questions to begin some discussion HERE.
THE LISTING OF 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ TOPICS IS HERE!
***
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Do you have one author whose books you just KNOW you will LOVE? You know, you just HAVE to have their newest release as soon as it is published? What is it that attracts you to this person’s writing?
For me, characterization is of the utmost importance! I want to KNOW these characters. I can forgive a less-than-exciting or less-than-well-detailed plot...
I ask this because I have been reading through Taylor Jenkins Reid’s backlist over the past 2-3 years and realize every book she has authored is a very enjoyable read for me! It got me thinking about those authors I enjoy enough to literally read anything they’ve written!
I have quite a list, but here are a few more…
*Janet Evanovich was one of the first! I read one of Stephanie Plum novels years ago and then immediately read through her backlist for that series and even read her earlier romance novels originally published under a pseudonym! I would literally schedule myself off work on the day of release of the next Stephanie Plum novel for quite a few years. I would purchase and read it that day and laugh out loud so much!
Erica Bauermeister and Alexander McCall Smith are two more…
2025 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 33/50
Around the Year (AtY): 48/52
AtY 2025 Anniversary List: 9/10
Read Harder: 14/24
52 Book Club: 40/52
2024 Popsugar: 47/50
FINISHED:
*Running with Sherman; The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero by Christopher McDougall ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was amazing! I am ever-so-grateful for prompt #17—A book about a run club. Even if I did groan a bit upon first reading it! I adore McDougall’s writing style and this is simply put—one of the very best books I’ve ever read! There is so much packed into it, beyond just the story of Sherman! Excellent bits of information sprinkled throughout that depict the sometimes harrowing experiences of being human! Poignant, informative, and just a beautifully entertaining read! I can’t remember the last book I laughed and chuckled over as much as this one! I remember seeing Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen being touted all over the place, but didn’t feel as if I really wanted to read it, but now I do!
POPSUGAR: #2, #6, #14, NEW #17, #20, #26, #28. #40, #43
ATY: #2, #3, #5, #16, #18, #20, #24, NEW #28/#29, #37, #40, #45, #48
RHC: #4, #17, #24
52 Book Club: #21, #22, #38, #39, #41, #51
*The Left-Handed Booksellers of London (Left-Handed Booksellers of London #1) by Garth Nix ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was a solidly good read. I enjoyed the first half a bit more than the second half. I would recommend this book for those who love adventure—action, action, action! Glad I read it and if I happen across a cheap copy of the second in the series, I might read it, too!
POPSUGAR: #6, #14, #18, #28, #40, NEW #45
ATY: #2, #5, #15, #16, #21, #23, #32, #37, #41, #45, #46, $48, #49
RHC: #4, #16, #24
52 Book Club: #2, #7, #18, #22, #27, #39, #42, $51
*Furia by ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was a beautiful read, addressing so very many issues for females in Argentina in very realistic voices of well-defined feel-as-if-I-know-you in real life characters! And while I have grandchildren who play soccer, I never had and I really don’t know much about it, so I found that part of the book to be very interesting as well!
POPSUGAR: #2, #6, #20, NEW #22, #24, #25, #43,
ATY: #2, #3, #5, #7, #15, #16, #24, #43, #48
RHC: #4, #24
52 Book Club: #13, NEW #15, #22, #33, #41-Red, #43, #45, #51-368 pages
CONTINUING:
*Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power by RebeccaSolnit
*Parable of the Talents (Earthseed #2) by Octavia E. Butler
*Shift (Silo #2) by Hugh Howey
*Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T.J. Klune
*The Trees by Percival Everett (#40)
*Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (#42)
*Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
*The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
*Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking has me thinking so very much that I have delayed reviewing it until I can finalize my thoughts…
*The Birthing House by Kathy Taylor
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
PLANNED:
*21st Birthday (Women’s Murder Club #21) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*22 Seconds (Women’s Murder Club #22) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23rd Midnight (Women’s Murder Club #23) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23 1/2 Lies (Women’s Murder Club #23.5) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*The 24th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #24) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
Checking in with an update. I ordered books last week which turned into four different shipments, one of which was this book by itself...All the other books have been delivered, and this is still slowly (but surely?!?) working its way to me! Ugh. As soon as it arrives, which I hope will be no later than tomorrow, I'll read it! LOL
Ron wrote: "Lynn wrote:Cool! I remember you typically read nonfiction! Glad for your hearty recommendation
LOL yes, as a nonfiction reader, me rating this book as a 5-star read says quite a lot. I loved it so much that last year when I did a re-read of it, I got a new copy so I could annotate it and I went crazy with annotations!
This is one of those cases where I can't decide which I like more: the book or the series adaptation"
Ah. I rarely watch adaptations unless it is in a movie format since I don't have TV. And I do take your high rating of this seriously, especially given that it is fiction! 😁
Doni wrote: "Guys! Pre-ordering new releases drives me nuts! I've been waiting anxiously for The Strange Case of Jane O. to come out, which it did on Tuesday. But I had forgotten that I pre-ordered it from Powells, so now, instead of being able to read it right when it comes out, I'm having to wait for it to ship. I know, first world problems, but I thought you guys could relate."I learned to pre-order through my local independent bookstore so that I can pick it up on the day of publication!
"The Cruelty Is the Point: The Past, Present, and Future of Trump's America read for politician is main character."
Too true...
