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.

It looks as if a wonky cable may be the culprit in my lack of online access yesterday. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to mess with it yesterday morning as I spent the whole day with my friend taking her to a doctor appointment and grocery shopping, etc. By the time I did all of that and did my own grocery shopping, I was pooped and it was beyond business hours. So…I am hoping that replacing the cable is all that I need to do to keep consistent online access. (Okay, yes, I know I really need to upgrade my phone and my laptop is not in the best of health…but…$$$$$! That’s all I lack! LOL) The better news is that this same friend just turned 80!! I’m so glad she made it to this milestone! :)

Thank you once again to Nadine who stepped in and kept the group going! :)

This week has been incredibly busy and also very satisfying. I feel as if my efforts paid off overall!

The second meeting of the IRL book club I facilitate occurred on Tuesday and it was such a success! I’m so glad this group of people has been reunited! We read Erin Morgenstern’s second novel, The Starless Sea and our overall consensus was it was a difficult read that we enjoyed to varying degrees and we hoped to never have to work that hard to read a book again for quite a while! :) I typically love complicated and complex plots, but this one was even out there a bit too far for me. That woman’s imagination knows no bounds! Amazing.

Our weather is seesawing back and forth. We were at almost 80 degreees Fahrenheit for several days and now just above freezing at night. Although I dislike winter here for many reasons, I would appreciate a bit of consistency! LOL My body would definitely be better off!

ADMIN STUFF:
Thank you to Sherri for being the “knowledgeable navigator” leading the October Monthly Group Read discussion of The Ex Hex (Ex Hex #1) by Erin Sterling! This book was selected to satisfy prompt #16 A book about witches for “Spooktober”/Halloween! That discussion is HERE. She is amazingly creative with original discussion prompts! Fun stuff! The thread to post the book you have read to satisfy prompt #16 is HERE.

Since we are almost into November, I’ll move the discussion for The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune into the Current Monthly Group Read folder this weekend. This book could be used to fulfill rompt #9 A book about a “found family.” So much gratitude to Jennifer W for volunteering to serve as the "official organizer" for November's discussion! This is a favorite read for me. I will also move the November posting thread for books you have completed to fulfill this prompt.

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, just a 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:
Do you have any specific books planned for the end of October? Any spooky reads (or otherwise)?
I was hoping to get to Strange Sight this month, but that’s not happening. Though I'm not sure just how "spooky" it will be, it is an enjoyable series for me. I have been way too busy and now I’m trying to catch up on scheduled October reads. I am currently finishing The Moonstone which reminds me of an Agatha Christie. I just can't imagine who did it, unless it is one of the trusted people staying in the house. Then on to Blue Lightning and Cross Fire. I still had 3 more for October: If Beale Street Could Talk, The Night Tiger, and Carrie Soto Is Back. Hoping this next week is a bit quieter and provides more reading time!

Popsugar: 46/50 ACK! Nadine is ahead of me now! LOL :)
ATY: 50/52
RHC: 18/24

FINISHED:
*The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow (5 STARS) was quite thought-provoking and so enjoyable! It read like a suspense novel to me. I simply never wanted to put it down and it addressed so many feminist issues as well as mixing in historical references. It definitely made for a great book club discussion! Harrow’s writing is superb, IMO!
POPSUGAR: #5, #9, #16, #25, #31-the burning of “witches”!, #33-the burning of “witches” was a social horror, IMO!, #34, #36, #40-2015: prompt #1 A book with more than 500 pages (544 pages), #46, #47
ATY: #1-Agnes Amaranth and August, #3, #4- A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): …passion…desolation…despair—except with sacrifice there is sometimes hope!, #7, #11, #15, #17, #19, #25-544 pages, #30, #34-they were all teachers, #35, #36, #37, #40-The Magician, The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, The Tower, Justice, Death, The Moon, Judgment, The World, #41, #44, #46-Gideon was a soul inhabiting other bodies, #49, #50, #52
RHC: 2020: prompt #16 Read a doorstopper (over 500 pages) published after 1950, written by a woman

*The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (4 STARS) was a reread for me after almost 3 years. I was anxious to reread it since I felt I missed much the first time around. And I had. Of the 4 of us in the IRL book club I facilitate, 1 really enjoyed it and wanted it to continue, 2 enjoyed it but felt it was a lot of work to read it and try to fully understand it, and 1 simply could not get into it at all. Although I typically adore complicated/complex story arcs, this one felt a bit bizarre. I would state the overall theme as: our stories are never-ending and all about change(s)…which is continual. We can never fully know the unintended consequences of any one decision… Lots to discuss!
POPSUGAR: #5, #9, #20-read immediately after The Once and Future Witches, #25, #38, #40-2019: prompt #26 A book published in 2019, #46-the moon
ATY: #4-A book whose author is younger than you, #7-mindblowing, #15, #19, #23, #25-498 pages, #29, #36-cats, owls, stag, mouse, #40-The Lovers, Strength, Death, The Moon, Judgment, The World, #41, #44, #46-Maribel, #49, #50
RHC: #7, #24-2017: prompt #12 A fantasy novel

CONTINUING:
*The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
*The Perfectionist by Lane Kauffmann for a Read Harder prompt.
*Mrs. 'Arris Goes to New York (Mrs. ‘Arris #2) by Paul Gallico for the sister cities prompt.
I also purchased 3 other books written by him. I'm interested to read more...
*Beloved by Toni Morrison
*The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed This will definitely NOT be finished by the end of October, so it will be an appropriate book for Nonfiction November! :)

PLANNED:
*Cross Fire (Alex Cross #17) by James Patterson
*Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
*If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin
*The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
*Blue Lightning (Shetland Island #4) by Ann Cleeves
*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

Ellie wrote: "I just click the write a review button when I finish a book instead of changing the status and then nothing has changed about that page. You can update everything in one place."
That's what I have found as well.

Ellie wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "Giveaways are not listed on the book page...."

We're not even allowed giveaways in the UK so I didn't know they were shown on the book page."
What?!? Why not?

"I can't even read the local newspaper because there are ads and pop-ups all over the place. So I have low expectations of Goodreads, but people seem to take offense that I don't mind the changes. I didn't have anything to do with it!"
Oh, my! Talk about "shooting the messenger"! I am becoming accustomed to the new pages.

One aspect I do like is that I can have the tags open so I can select my own tags and the page will scroll so I can see the common tags while I am entering my own. That is rather handy.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Ellie wrote: "And they have fixed some of the grievances I had during beta..."


My big complaints about the new page were:
* It's harder to see the list of other books this author wrote (and harder to find the link to see the full series if this book is part of a series)."
This is the same for me, I just click on the author's name. Never did know a different way to do it.

"* You can't enlarge the cover art."
Ugh. You are correct. No zooming in on the cover image. :(

"* Giveaways are not listed on the book page."
They are on mine. In fact, the giveaway link is directly under the cover image. It was on Michelle Obama's newest release. Which I blame all of you for me being totally unaware of a new book written by her. LOL ;)

Did they fix these??? (I still have the original book page.)."

Ellie wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "lovely. NOT looking forward to seeing that...."

There's an unobtrusive link to "book statistics" under the additional info bit, which was previously on the top right on the ol..."

Hey, I am always grateful to someone who can point to positive aspects of...well, anything! LOL

Sarah wrote: "There are now graphs on the actual book pages which I think is what Lynn was referencing rather than the personal stats. They're a bunch of zig-zags telling you how many people added a book on each..."
Yes, Sarah! Thank you for figuring me out! LOL

I never knew about any graphs, so these were the ones I discovered as I explored this new format.

One positive thing I will say about the new format is that the print is larger and, IMO, much easier to read, though that means a lot of scrolling to get to other areas of the page...

Nadine in NY wrote: "Heather L wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "L Y N N wrote: "If you click on Book Statistics it gives you graphs. They were basically undecipherable IMO, and certainly not pertinent to my interests........."
I have no idea about any of the graphs. I had never even seen the graphs before, so that tells you I didn't search for them. I think this is an area where we have very different preferences. :) You like graphs and I could not care less about them. ;)

Heather L wrote: "Lynn — Ugh, okay. Found the graphs under stats. Ick. Didn’t that used to tell you most-read authors? That was of more interest to me than all of these graphs.

Here’s the video I referred to, in c..."
Thanks for the link but honestly, I'm not wasting my time. Even 12 minutes is valuable to me! :)

Nadine in NY wrote: "L Y N N wrote: "Attention: Amazon administrators and employees maintaining Goodreads! (I realize I am simply making an assumption that there are actually some Amazon employees specifically tasked w...

I guess you've got the NEW new book page? I have not been transitioned back to it yet. There are graphs now? Yeah they definitely did that because so many people are moving to StoryGraph. But they are just going to piss off the rest of us who decided we liked Goodreads better!"
The graphs are under book statistics. I guess I have the NEW new page. It's the first time it's changed and it was a complete change!

Yeah, it's as if they really don't care about us. :) But that's okay, we're tough! Right?!? :)

Heather L wrote: "L Y N N wrote: “Rather than changing the whole format into something much less user-friendly and, IMO, ugly, how about just making sure the whole thing works first?!?"

Hear, hear! Since they changed to the new (beta) version of the book info pages this week, I have been unable to actually view book info pages. As it did last time they switched over, it tells me that “an error has occurred.” Like most GR members, I abhor their new format there anyway, but do they actually listen to us? Of course not.

Also — there are graphs? I have not seen those anywhere, at least so far. Like you, I am not interested in Storygraph. I watched a YouTube vlog of someone joining and the entire process they put you through just to set up an account turned me off."
If you click on Book Statistics it gives you graphs. They were basically undecipherable IMO, and certainly not pertinent to my interests...

Good to know about the StoryGraph process. I won't be finding out. :)

Attention: Amazon administrators and employees maintaining Goodreads! (I realize I am simply making an assumption that there are actually some Amazon employees specifically tasked with maintaining Goodreads. And I realize that may be a misperception or simply a hope on my part…) Rather than changing the whole format into something much less user-friendly and, IMO, ugly, how about just making sure the whole thing works first?!? For example, make sure the edition I selected stays put, make sure the tags remain as I have set them, and finally, no more status updates as I read? Must I simply enter a “comment” instead? (Please enlighten me if I’ve simply missed something in this new formatting that still allows for “status updates”!) I find this new format clunky and much less inviting… Ugh.

And what is up with these graphs? Ugh. If I wanted graphs, I could create those myself. I suspect that may be in response to StoryGraph which is some new program for tracking reading that evidently provides and emphasizes graphs (Hence the name! LOL) and recommendations. I’m sorry, but I do NOT need a program to make recommendations to me for future reading. I much prefer to get ideas for books to read in the future from actual people with whom I interact, whether in person or online. I know a couple of participants in one of my IRL book clubs have switched to StoryGraph and no longer use Goodreads, but I don’t understand the attraction. I’m not even interested enough to create an account to try it out. I just don’t like the idea of reducing my reading to a graph. Although Amazon owns Goodreads and I am certainly no fan of Amazon, I am sticking with Goodreads. There are many reasons for this, but mainly it is for the interactions with other readers and especially groups. So now I no longer have much contact with those two people regarding reading, etc., and while that makes me a bit sad, it doesn’t seem to bother them. We all have different preferences and desires which makes the world go ‘round…

There is a Dewey Fall Readathon this weekend! It begins at 8AM on Saturday, October 22, and ends at 8AM on Sunday, October 23 (EST). I never actually participate in these Dewey events as far as posting, etc., but I do try to use them as an added incentive to concentrate on reading as much as possible. And…I NEVER miss sleep to try to stay up later! I’m too old to go without sleep! Only for an emergency medical situation for myself or a loved one! LOL

For once, I purposefully waited to post until I could describe The Guilded Leaf event I attended Thursday. Firstly, the venue was nothing special, unlike the Indiana Roof Ballroom where the Indy Book Author event is held in April each year. And my friend and I were both amazed at how much older were the attendees overall. Though as my husband later commented, only those with money can live in Carmel… True. So perhaps it does make sense that the attendees were older overall. And there were about 400 people in attendance, whereas there are now almost 800 attendees at the Indy Book Author luncheon. The real attraction for me is always the authors and their books. Though I know for a fact that the majority of Christamore House Guild members (the organization sponsoring the Indy Book Author event) are also mostly located in Carmel. Perhaps it is simply a difference in emphasis. The Indy Book Author event supports a community center and its many programs as well as perpetual college scholarships for the local students in a low SES area just west of the IUPUI campus in downtown Indianapolis. I consider that organization to be purely philanthropic in helping others who probably need it most. Whereas the Carmel/Clay County Public Library Association supports programs for that library whose tax base support alone is HUGE compared to the financial wherewithal of the Christamore House area. But I digress…

The event was quite enjoyable, regardless of the fact I saw only one darker-than-VERY-light-skinned person in the whole facility. (I agree with Ta-Nehisi Coates that in order to believe that some people are “white,” we must believe in others who are lesser than and NOT “white.” I am trying to incorporate that belief into my everyday language.) The authors were truly amazing to speak with and their presentations were fascinating. All but 2 of the books were historical fiction set during WW II. I was amazed at the never-before-written-about subjects and facts that they had unearthed during their research. With regard to last week’s Question of the Week, I simply thanked each author for participating in the event and signing books and then asked, “What is your favorite thing about this book?” That stumped most of them and made them stop to think before answering. And I got many varied answers! Each of which was quite personal to that author and book. It was fun! Several of them commented that my question was “insightful,” but actually, since I was unfamiliar with any of their books or writing, I simply knew I didn’t have enough experience with their work to ask any specific questions about it. And, amazingly, I think this will be my first question to any author in the future, unless I have read their work beforehand…or maybe even if I am familiar with their writing. It gave each of them an opportunity to express themselves about their “babies,” as many authors refer to their newly released books!

ADMIN STUFF:
Thank you to Sherri for being the “knowledgeable navigator” leading the October Monthly Group Read discussion of The Ex Hex (Ex Hex #1) by Erin Sterling! This book was selected to satisfy prompt #16 A book about witches for “Spooktober”/Halloween! That discussion is HERE. She is amazingly creative with original discussion prompts! Fun stuff! The thread to post the book you have read to satisfy prompt #16 is HERE.

Upcoming Monthly Group Reads:
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune for November
(Prompt #9 A book about a “found family”)
Book Lovers by Emily Henry for December
(Prompt #1 A book published in 2022)

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

Also, just a 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:
This week's question was just suggested by JessicaMHR!
Have you ever read an author who sets their novels in the same location(s) as another author you read/favorite author? And has this enhanced or ruined your perception of the place/location it is set?
I cannot recall this ever happening to me. However, I find I do get rather excited when an author sets a book in a location that is familiar to me. I had to laugh at some of the other comments noting discrepancies. I think I can get so caught up in a book that I might not even notice such details, or I might just make note of them, as long as the writing is compelling, I doubt it would bother me much. So I am either (1) clueless or (2) I might consider it to be negligible. Maybe I’m just every author’s ‘dream reader’! LOL 

Popsugar: 46/50
ATY: 50/52
RHC: 18/24

It was a busy week and I had two days when I felt like I was coming down with something, so didn’t do much of anything! I’m finishing The Once and Future Witches now for book club tomorrow and then will finish The Moonstone. Two very different books! :)

FINISHED:
*Big Sky (Jackson Brodie #5) by Kate Atkinson (5 STARS) was yet another excellent read in this series! Atkinson incorporates characters from past installments and she doesn’t hesitate to jump ahead in time! She tackled sex trafficking/child enslavement in this installment. Brave, IMO. Just enough details for me without overdoing it, IMO. I love the way Jackson doesn’t hesitate to commit a few crimes of his own to enable true justice being meted out to the actual criminals while protecting the innocent victims and those who are simply protecting themselves.
POPSUGAR: #25, #26, #31, #36, #40-2016: prompt #30 A book with a blue cover, #46, #47
ATY: #1-Andrew/Andy, #4-A book written by an author you might like to meet, #7, #19, #29, #33, #40-The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, Justice, Death, Judgment, The World, #41, #43, #44, #49
RHC: #24-2020: prompt #9 Read the last book in a series

CONTINUING:
*The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
*The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
*The Perfectionist by Lane Kauffmann for a Read Harder prompt.
*Mrs. 'Arris Goes to New York (Mrs. ‘Arris #2) by Paul Gallico 2nd of the sister cities prompt.
*Beloved by Toni Morrison
*The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed I am betting this isn’t going to be finished by the end of October, so it will be an appropriate book for Nonfiction November! :)

PLANNED:
*Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
*If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin
*The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
*Blue Lightning (Shetland Island #4) by Ann Cleeves
*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

Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday! It's damp, balmy, and blustery here today, with brightly colored leaves flying everywhere. (It is SUPER windy right now!! Tomorrow is trash pick up day, so I hope this wind dies down overnight or we will have recyclables and trash cans blowing all over the neighborhood.)"
At least you live somewhere that recycling pickup is available. I have to sort and haul mine. But I've been doing that for so long it is automatic. :) It was so windy several nights driving home from the gym that I made sure I had both hands on the steering wheel!

"This week I finished 4 books, 3 for this Challenge, so I am now 46/50 for this Challenge. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!!"
We are tied! :) I have the brick The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family to finish or I would offer to race you! :)

"All These Monsters by Amy Tintera - this was book #1 in my duology, and it was just what the doctor ordered! I DEVOURED this and immediately put the second book on hold. It's a real relief to have my duology selected and started - all year that's been a big question mark on my list."
Sounds like one I would enjoy, too!

"Didn't Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta by James Hannaham - I had SUPER high expectations for this book (I mean ... that title alone indicates greatness!) but it let me down. Turns out I also did not give a shit about what happened to Carlotta. Sorry, Carlotta! You are a great character! It's not you, it's me."
This looks like one a reader would either LOVE or HATE. Points for making me laugh! :)

"Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier - this book is the perfect example of why I'm often reluctant to DNF, because I was NOT feeling it with this book for the first half, the story was over the top, the characterizations were ridiculous, the writing was not great, the audiobook reader was terrible ... but at some point this book GRABBED me, and I could NOT put it down for the last 25%. I ended up loving it. This was my "same title as a board game" book - I went and bought the game Jamaica, for the full well-rounded Challenge experience, but we've not played it yet."
Good reminder that since I finally read Rebecca I really want to read this one!

"Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships by Sarah Grunder Ruiz - I had really been looking forward to this book, as soon as the 2022 list came out, I knew this would be my "cruise ship" book (a super-yacht is close enough to a cruise ship for me!!). And what a disappointment this book was!!! I liked the slow-burn quality of the romance, but all of the characters were idiots, meddlers, and jerks, so I didn't care about any of them. I probably won't read any more books by Ruiz."
Ugh. That experience wasn't a very good one. :(

"(At Lynn's urging, I also combed through all the books I've read this year and found that I am 45/52 for Around the Year! Forty-four of those books just happened to fit an AtY category, only one was read intentionally for that challenge (The Guncle for "Monopoly token")! Three that I'm currently reading will fit open slots, so that leaves four books that I will need to intentionally seek out to finish AtY this year.)"
Cool! I have just two to go!

"QotW
That's a tough one. There are so many authors I would love to meet, but I tend to idolize them and I get really intimidated in their presence. Like, I could NEVER ask Colson Whitehead or Bryn Greenwood or Stephen Graham Jones questions, I would just be awed in their presence. I'd probably just hyperventilate and pass out. I met Kate DiCamillo once and I was a giggly mess, I could barely talk to her. (And she's not even one of my "favorite" authors!)"
OMG! So jealous that you met Kate DiCamillo! I LOVE her writing!

"Lauren Willig, Kristen Lepionka, and Emma Lord seem approachable, I think I could have a discussion with them.

What I most want to know is: what do they like to hear from their readers? what are their favorite comments? Like, I want to tell them that I love their books, but I don't know if they want to hear it! Whatever they want to hear, that's what I want to tell them!!!"
Most authors I've met absolutely adore hearing that readers loved their books! They really lap it up! But I think most of them are particularly appreciative if you can give them specific reasons you enjoy their writing.

"After that, what I'd want to know is how difficult was it to find a publisher for their first book? Did they have to search for an agent for a long time? Did they get many rejections before the first offer?"
Good questions. I have never asked about any of that... :)

K.L. wrote: "Happy Thursday, everyone!

My Halloween Horror Movie-thon continued this week with a mixture of movies and television series. I ended up watching several episodes of the old Addams Family television series along with the following movies: Sleepy Hollow, The Bat (1959), White Zombie (1932), The Munsters, and House of Wax (1953).

Of the movies I watched this week, my favorite was definitely The Bat, which starred Vincent Price. I would describe it as more of a murder mystery than a horror movie, but it did have some spooky moments. I also really enjoyed re-watching Sleepy Hollow."
The Munsters and The Addams Family were two of my favorite TV shows when I was a kid!

"I also managed to do a lot of reading this week, and was able to get caught up on some of the books from my Kindle app.
~Marple: Twelve New Mysteries"
Oohhh...count me in for that one! Interesting...

"Currently Reading:
~Killers of a Certain Age"
The IRL book club I facilitate has vote this one onto our reading list. I hope it proves to be as enjoyable as it sounds! :)

"QOTW:
There are several authors that I’d love to have a chance to talk to specifically about the world building and characterization in their novels, including: J.R.R. Tolkien, Andrzej Sapkowski, Seanan McGuire, and Martha Wells.."
Yes!

Katy wrote: "I finished City of Dreams: A Novel of Nieuw Amsterdam and Early Manhattan. I liked the last half better than the first, but all in all, I would call it so-so. I've read much better epic historical fiction, namely, Michener, Rutherford, and Jakes.

I'm almost 3/4 the way through The Matchmaker of Kenmare. Started out slow, but I really got into it. Can't wait to find out what happens."
Both of these sound like books I would enjoy!

"QOTW: Gee, I don't know. I kind of want to ask GRR Martin why he won't finish his stinking stupid books, but I might end up getting a big too ragey. JK. I'm probably not intellectual enough to have a conversation with an author. So, I'll go with nobody."
Kinda glad I don't read GRR Martin since so many readers seem to have the same complaint! :)

I find authors are really just people, like you and me. There are a few exceptions to that, but most I've met simple enjoy talking to readers!

Dubhease wrote: "Autumn is in bloom. Even when I've been driving around doing some pretty draggy errands, the month is so pretty where I am."
I agree. "Pretty" weather helps!

"I had to move some books around for PS prompts. I know there are some people who think that once you assign a prompt to a book, it shouldn't be moved. But sometimes books can fit more than one prompt and I already shuffled AYT prompts once as well.

I moved The House in the Cerulean Sea from Found Family to "Own Voices SSF". It fit found family so well, but I can't think of a SSF I'm reading before the end of the year.

I moved Insurgent from "About a secret" to "Found Family". Your faction is supposed to be your family.

Although Terabithia may not be as big a secret as what the Erudites were protecting, it was Jesse and Leslie's secret.

This means I've technically finished my 35 PS prompts, but I'm going to keep going."
Oh, I would NEVER assume my prompts were all set. I always end up with other books that fit. In fact, I have just started assigning specific books to some prompts in ATY, Popsugar, and Read Harder Challenges. I'm trying to be better about filling those in on Goodreads. I always have a Word document for each challenge where I track each and every book throughout the year, then my intention is to complete the Goodreads postings at year's end. Good for you!

"Finished:

James and the Giant Peach
ATY prompt: A book with a theme of food or drink
Popsugar prompt: Can't find one"
Having never read this book, nor any other Roald Dahl book. I am of no help. Sorry!

"Bridge to Terabithia
ATY prompt:
Popsugar prompt: A book about a secret"
I just purchased a copy of this to reread. I have it planned for next year. It has been forever since I read it with my kids!

"QOTW: Some of the authors I love were either sexist (Oscar Wilde) or didn't have a lot of experiences of female writers (Lewis and Tolkien). I'm not sure I'd have any fun with them.

I'd love to talk to Jane Austen and find out what it meant to be a female writer in her day. Or else meet with someone like Ruth Ware or Jan Karon and hear about their writing process."
Cool!

Kenya wrote: "Been fighting something all this week that might be my first fall/winter cold or might be allergies (lots of smoke in this area from wildfires). I doubt it's covid -- I took a test and it came back negative -- but today I finally felt lousy enough to stay home. Gonna mostly read and nap today, heh..."
Glad you're able to take some time off and hopefully recover. Sometimes I've wished I actually had a ddefinitive diagnosis rather than just feeling "puny" as I've always termed it. Here's to a full recovery from whatever it is! :)

"Books read this week:

Second Hunger: Attack of the Paleo Panda! A Fast Fiction Technothriller -- reading this book feels like I watched an episode from the middle of a series without any context. The summary says the books in this collection can be read in any order, but it feels like I was expected to already know who all the characters were and what everyone’s history with one another was. At least the premise (a team of mercenaries trying to catch a giant mutant panda) was so goofy and stupid it was fun."
This description almost has me wanting to read this! LOL

"A Rover's Story -- a very cute story focused on the Mars rovers and their mission. Who would have thought the relationship between a rover, a drone, and a satellite could be so adorable?"
Oohhh...added that one!

"Currently Reading:

Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts"
This one is on my TBR. I'll await your reaction to it...

"QOTW:

Man, there are so many. I'd love to talk to Andy Weir and talk space and nerd with him, or Anne McCaffrey (I know, she's deceased, but you said ANY author) about the worldbuilding of her Dragonriders of Pern series."
I have a very good friend who loved that series! And yes, I did mean to include authors who are no longer in this world via physical body! :) I have yet to try this series.

Ron wrote: "Lynn wrote: I may if I haven't yet finished The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family!! :)

Are you participating in the Goodreads group? I haven't visited there in forever.

Yeah, I've been posting there frequently now.

With only 2 weeks to go I want to have my books ready just incase I have time to read them despite my English books I have to read for class.

I just spent over an hour listing some possibilities on the Nonfiction November group site. All your fault! LOL :)

Thanks much for this reminder! And I didn't realize so much of your reading is nonfiction. Good for you!

Ron wrote: "Teri wrote: Did I hear you right? You never wanted to read the Dame? I'm not sure we can be friends now. haha

Hope the short story wins you over

LOL! Yeah it's because she's just everywhere like Colleen Hoover (no offense to any CH fans), so it kind of becomes a turn-off for me.

The short story I'll be reading is The Strange Case of Sir Arthur Carmichel from the book The Golden Ball And Other Stories. I read the first page and so far, I can't form an opinion. I might have a better one once I get into the assignment which won't be for a few weeks.
"
Interestingly, when I searched for that title I got The Last Seance: Tales of the Supernatural.
This link mentions The Golden Ball and Other Stories:
https://www.agathachristie.com/storie...

I have never heard of this story. If you don't like it, I would give her another try, however. I admit I do appreciate other mystery writers from that same era, Dorothy L Sayers and Ngaio Marsh, to name two I have read, but she is a staple of the mystery genre.

I do have 3-4 more nonfiction books I wanted to read in 2022, so I may venture over to Nonfiction November group and make a concentrated effort to include more nonfiction in my November reading rotation. I don't have nearly as many buddy/book club reads for November so that would work. Thanks for the reminder about this!

L Y N N's 2022 POPSUGAR READING CHALLENGE

7/50

REGULAR

1. A book published in 2022
2. A book set on a plane, train, or cruise ship
3. A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society
4. A book with a tiger on the cover or "tiger" in the title
5. A sapphic book
6. A book by a Latinx author
7. A book with an onomatopoeia in its title
8. A book with a protagonist who uses a mobility aid
9. A book about a "found family"
10. An Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winner
11. A #BookTok recommendation
12. A book about the afterlife
13. A book set in the 1980s
14. A book with cutlery on the cover or in the title
15. A book by a Pacific Islander author
16. A book about witches
17. A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2022
18. A romance novel by a BIPOC author
19. A book that takes place during your favorite season
20. A book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read
21. A book about a band or musical group
22. A book with a character on the ace spectrum
23. A book with a recipe in it
24. A book you can read in one sitting
25. A book about a secret
26. A book with a misleading title
27. A Hugo Award winner
28. A book set during a holiday
29. A different book by an author you read in 2021
30. A book with the name of a board game in the title
31. A book featuring a man-made disaster
32. A book with a quote from your favorite author on the cover or Amazon page
33. A social-horror book
34. A book set in Victorian times
35. A book with a constellation on the cover or in the title
36. A book you know nothing about
37. A book about gender identity
38. A book featuring a party
39. An #OwnVoices SFF (science fiction and fantasy) book
40. A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


Advanced

41. A book with a reflected image on the cover or "mirror" in the title
*Mary, Mary (Alex Cross #11) by James Patterson
April 26 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

42. A book that features two languages

43. A book with a palindromic title
*Bob by Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead, illustrated by Nicholas Gannon
July 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

44. A duology (1)
*Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs #1) by Jean Webster
March 25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

45. A duology (2)
*Dear Enemy (Daddy-Long-Legs #2) by Jean Webster
April 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

46. A book about someone leading a double life

47. A book featuring a parallel reality
*The Christmas Pig by J.K. Rowling
May 18 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

48. A book with two POVs
*Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert
February 21 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

49. Two books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities" (1)
Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris (Mrs. 'Arris #1) by Paul Gallico
August 17 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

50. Two books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities" (2)
Mrs. 'Arris Goes to New York (Mrs. 'Arris #2) by Paul Gallico

Ron wrote: "Just curious but will anyone be participating in Nonfiction November this year?"
I may if I haven't yet finished The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family!! :)

Are you participating in the Goodreads group? I haven't visited there in forever.