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.

Happy Easter to those who celebrate this coming Sunday and Happy Orthodox Easter to those who celebrate the following Sunday! EDITED TO ADD: Happy Passover to those celebrating!! (It is difficult to keep up with all these religious holidays!! LOL) And Happy Ramadan (not sure that is the way I should state it or not…) to Muslims observing that religious celebration. (Also spelled Ramazan, Ramzan, Ramadhan, Ramathan.) I initially first researched this religious celebration while working in a certification program in which we had 3 Muslim students. It is fascinating to me! Each day of this month involves fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. All of this in commemoration of Muhammad’s “first revelation.” It lasts 29-30 days, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next. The fasting lasts each day from dawn to sunset and is required of all adult believers unless they qualify for an exemption due to advanced age, traveling, acute or chronic illness, breastfeeding, menstruating, or diabetes (I can only imagine that has been added rather recently…) This information is all from Wikipedia! I simply admire anyone who can endure that type of restraint every single day for one whole month! And I apologize if I’ve missed any other religious observations during this time period! 😊 For me, it is simply “Happy Spring”! This week, it is perhaps most accurately, “Happy Murderbot”! LOL

As soon as I felt ‘recovered’ from the pure exhaustion of my full-time job and long daily commute, I evidently contracted what I will term a “stomach bug” from somewhere and was ill for two days with that! Yikes! But I was able to keep reading through most of this past week, so that’s a good thing!

ADMIN STUFF:
Sherri is our “guru guide” for April’s discussion of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson for prompt #26 A book with a misleading title, in honor of April Fools’ Day! Thank you, Sherri! I am looking forward to this one. I have no idea what to expect… Well, other than a mystery! You can post any other book you've read to fulfill this prompt here.

Thank you to those group members who voted selected Piranesi by Susanna Clarke for our July 2022 Monthly Group Read to fulfill prompt #47 A book featuring a parallel reality. Are you the “terrific team leader” needed to guide this discussion?

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

We will need a “vivacious volunteer” to lead June’s monthly group read discussion of Beloved as well as a “terrific team leader” to guide July’s monthly group read discussion of Piranesi!! Please message either Nadine or myself to help with this!

Question of the Week:
Did you ever binge-read a series through in sequence? If so, what one? Did you enjoy it as much as you thought you would?
The first time I ever did this was with the Harry Potter series which I have now read straight through three times and am itching for a fourth! I loved it! Each and every time!

Then years ago the book club I facilitated read through Marie Bostwick’s Cobbled Court Quilt series, reading one each month. I need to see if there are any newer installments in that one… I really enjoyed that series, very much character-driven writing!

The most recent was this past week…well, over the past 4 days! I received my Bookshop order which included all the remaining Murderbot Diaries installments (#3-6). I kept telling myself that I really should read some other books BEFORE starting (Actually, restarting, since I had already read the first two installments over the past two years!), but… Yeah, there are times when I have absolutely no self-control! As evidenced by the fact that I immediately read the first 4 books over three days! Admittedly, these are all short at just over 150 pages or so, but I am so glad I did read through one after the other, because then I had the details of previous installments in my memory to better understand what I was currently reading. I’m just so very grateful to all of you (and other Goodreads friends/members) who wrote glowing reviews which encouraged me to begin this series! It is definitely one of my favorites! I have decided to try at least one more of her books outside the Murderbot series to see if it will be as enjoyable to me. Can anyone make a recommendation?

Book listing is on posting #3. Once I had completed all the challenge prompt listings, this posting was too large. (I feared that would happen, hence, I reserved posting #3! 😁

All I can say is my body (and mind) needed to leave that job about 9 months to one year earlier than I did. It took 6 days to just feel halfway human again. I did not realize just how stressed out I was… But my body certainly let me know! I slept off and on every single day (and through the night) the first 5 days! I was starting to get a bit worried that I would never begin to regain energy until Tuesday. Then finally yesterday I felt much better. (I realize this is actually now Friday, but I got distracted and neglected to post this until today...so the yesterday to which I was referring was Wednesday! LOL) I’m still not totally back to “normal” but feel as if I will be soon! (To clarify—that would be “normal” for me! It is a relative term and certainly not the same for everyone, is it? LOL)

ADMIN STUFF:
I will be finishing up the March discussion over the weekend for The Island of Sea Women. March was incredibly busy for me and then I've been absolutely down and out with no energy to spare. But I did finally get to finish reading it. It's an amazing book, IMO, though it proved a bit difficult for me to push through some of it...due to the senseless murders/mass killings.

Sherri is our “guru guide” for April’s discussion of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson for prompt #26 A book with a misleading title, in honor of April Fools’ Day! Thank you, Sherri! I just picked up my copy from the post office this morning! You can post any other book you've read to fulfill this prompt here.

Nadine posted the final selection poll in her initial message for the July monthly group read. I will be very interested to see what wins!

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

We will need a “vivacious volunteer” to lead June’s monthly group read discussion of Beloved! And as Nadine mentioned--you can always volunteer before the book is selected!

Question of the Week:
Today (April 7th) is: Celebrate Teen Literature Day; What's the last YA book you read and loved?
That’s so cool! I had no idea!

Although it isn’t the most recent YA book I’ve read, Last Night at the Telegraph Club was such an amazing read for me! I can’t imagine ever forgetting it! And my massage therapist is reading it now. I just saw her for a wonderfully relaxing and releasing 90-minute massage and she admitted she hasn't yet finished it. But then as we were talking, she admitted we are probably at opposite extremes when it comes to reading. She only typically read 6-10 pages any time she picks up a book... I had to laugh! I don't consider 6-10 pages to even be a decent start for a reading session! LOL

And the Black Stallion series is very enjoyable to me! I just completed the third installment and plan to continue on… There are 24 books in the series! YAY!!

Jean Webster’s duology (Daddy-Long-Legs and Dear Enemy) is the most recent YA reading I have completed and very enjoyable, IMO! These are both in epistolary format which I enjoy. I hope to read more of her writing.

But I was blown away by Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling and am very anxious to read the first installment in this Life of a Cactus series, Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus. And then I will plan to continue reading any future books in this series!

Popsugar: 30/50
ATY: 41/52
RHC: 12/24

FINISHED:
*The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was unbelievable… I just cannot imagine living through such senseless killings. I realize these actions are still occurring around the world but it just makes my heart hurt. I literally didn’t pick this up for 3 days after getting to a part I knew would describe unprovoked and random murders. I was too exhausted to even contemplate reading it at that time. I thought this was excellently written and will definitely plan to read more of Lisa See’s writing!
POPSUGAR: NEW #3, #9, #25, #31-war/unprovoked murders, #33, #37-In many ways typical gender roles were reversed on Jeju, #38, #40-2016: prompt #37 A culture you’re unfamiliar with, #42, #46-Mi-ja, #48-Mi-ja and Young-sook
ATY: #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): describes Mi-ja and Young-sook’s relationship--Nothing beside remains. Round the decay/Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare, #11, NEW #16-The need to cooperate with nature to retain a sustainable food supply as well as personal safety of the divers, #29, #34-Jung-bu, #35, #36, #40- Strength, Justice, Death, Temperance, The Moon, Judgment, The World, #41, #43, #44, #49, #50
RHC: #22, #24-2017: prompt #14 Read a book about war

*Dear Enemy (Daddy-Long-Legs #2) by Jean Webster ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ is the second half of my duology! I didn’t love this one quite as much as Daddy-Long-Legs, but it was a good read! I particularly enjoy epistolary novels!
POPSUGAR: #9, #25-the good doctor’s wife and daughter, #26, #31-A fire started by a candle, #36, #40-2015: prompt #23 A book published more than 100 years ago (1915), NEW #45, #46-the dear doctor
ATY: #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): Could describe aspects of the doctor and superintendent’s relationship…, #7-The doctor’s wife and daughter, as well as the orphans, #11, #20, #25-213 pages, #31, #33, #34-the orphan asylum also served as a school, for both academics and life, #40- Strength, Justice, Death, Judgment, The World, #41, #43
RHC: #24-2017: prompt #7 Read a book published between 1900 and 1950 (1915)

Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens (Wrexford & Sloane #5) by Andrea Penrose ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is one of the very most enjoyable series I’ve ever read! I just love each and every book, story line, and character! The interpersonal relationships are depicted so precisely! And the mystery is always complex and complicated but makes sense. I also love the bits of real history. And now I must wait for the next installment which is scheduled to release September 27th!
POPSUGAR: #9, #25, #40-2017: prompt #32 A book with an interesting woman, #46-Charlotte and Daggett
ATY: #1-Tyler, #3, #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): we are finally getting to see some public show of passion between Charlotte and Wrexford, #6, #11, #12-the discarded glass was very important evidence, #14-2,404 ratings, #26/27, #29, #33, #35, #37, #40-Strength, Justice, Death, Judgment, The World, #41, #44, #49,
RHC: #24-2020: prompt #3 Read a mystery where the victim is not a woman

CONTINUING:
*Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep. Hoping to finish this over the weekend.
*Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson
*Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.
*Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
*Paradise by Toni Morrison

PLANNED:
1 more for March Buddy Reads:
*London Bridges (Alex Cross #10) by James Patterson
1 for April Buddy Reads:
Mary, Mary (Alex Cross #11) by James Patterson
POPSUGAR April Monthly Group Read:
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
To complete some 2021 year-long challenges:
1) *Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
2) *The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
To complete the 2021 Read Harder Challenge:
*Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
*Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
*Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

One thing I do know is that I love Lisa See's writing!

I apologize to everyone here. I ended up losing much of Thursday and virtually all of Friday. The weather changed here from 70s on Wednesday to freezing on Thursday evening and my neck literally locked up. This hasn't happened to me for several years but when it does I have to get to a chiropractor asap. Fortunately, I was able to get in on Friday afternoon but then had to come home and rest with a heating pad and was unable to focus and read. I mostly slept. I am just now finishing the book and will cheat keep this thread posted in the Current Monthly Group Read folder for a few more days to give us all a chance to further our discussion.

Again, I apologize. This month was unusually busy for me and I just wasn't able to keep up!

Just to let you know I opened the April group readd discussion and placed it in the Currently Monthly Group Read folder. Included is the April discussion thread to post other books you've read for this same prompt.

I am leaving the two March threads there momentarily because we've had a massive weather change with temps at and below freezing and snow on the ground and my back/neck are out so much that I'm in agony. I have an emergency appointment with my chiropractor this afternoon and a massage tomorrow and hopefully I'll finish readingThe Island of Sea Women today or tomorrow and we can continue discussion.

I am so sorry for my delays, but my body feels as if I've been beaten up (I think, since I've never really been beaten up before!) and I'm miserable right now... 😫😣 Ugh...

Nadine in NY wrote: "Lynn wrote: "I must meet with Social Security folks so I will ask then ..."

There are Social Security folks to meet with??? Where do you find these folks? I have so much to learn about retiring."
There are local offices! 😁 I've been in there a couple of times but now I don't even remember what my reason was. It was at least 35-40 years ago...

Nadine in NY wrote: "Christine wrote: "The Kaiju Preservation Society - super fun, loved it!..."


This one is waiting for me at the library, so I will start it soon!! I'm happy to hear it's good."

I immediately added this one to my TBR listing!!

Nadine in NY wrote: "Lynn wrote: "HAPPY THURSDAY! HAPPY MARCH 31st!

Okay…drum roll please! Now for my "big reveal"!

Today happens to be memorable for more than the fact it happens to be my 66th birthday! *bows to audience and dof..."

Happy Birthday and Congratulations!!!"
Thank you!

"So I wasn't too far off last week when I speculated that you were quitting your job to become a dairy goat herder and soap maker? ;-) Minus the soap & goats. It's never too late to buy the goats. (I did learn about MacBath soaps, however)"
You were not! LOL Honestly, I would love to still be living in the country gardening, etc., however, these "titanium sports-model" knee joints that were installed almost 5 years ago just weren't made for as much of that activity as I was accustomed to in the past which has disappointed me. But...I'm able to walk and am not confined to a wheelchair, so I'm all kinds of good with that limitation. (All depends upon your perspective!) Fortunately we live on the very edge of a very small town, so it's typically not too bad.

"My tentative goal is to retire as soon as I qualify for MediCare, which I thought was 65? My youngest child should be out of college by then, and I've got some money saved up so I should be okay. I've heard MediCare is wonderful! I know Cobra is not, I've had to pay into that when I've been laid off. Why do you need to wrangle with Cobra if you're over 65?"
So, I believe you are correct that 65 is the qualifying age for Medicare. However, once we have that as our primary coverage, there is a possibility of my purchasing Cobra if I desire. But they will not tell me the extent of Cobra coverage until I'm fully covered by Medicare as the primary provider. My one main reason to consider Cobra coverage is for the dental benefit. We are way behind on dental and I'm pretty sure I'm going to require a root canal. If I can go through my (now) old insurance it would save a ton of money and might well pay me to use Cobra for 1-2 months. But time will tell... I refuse to worry about it. I'll just pursue it when the time comes and then decide. I'm totally trusting the Universe to align...

Here is an interesting question. Perhaps someone here knows the answer. One of my (now) former coworkers needs to retire for health reasons. He will require chemotherapy treatments periodically throughout the remainder of his life. He does not have cancer but after many months of diagnostics they determined chemo is the only way to try to regulate his body for a very rare (I have no idea what the official name is) disease for which there is currently no cure. He believes that Medicare offers no protection for a maximum out-of-pocket total. His chemo treatments are at minimum $40,000 each. He is currently undergoing a 9-dose regimen, one treatment every few weeks. With his employer-provided coverage there is an out-of-pocket maximum of $6,800 after which 100% is covered. (Needless to say John and I have reached that several out of the past 5 years!) I can't imagine Medicare doesn't provide a similar protection for each year, but I don't know and I haven't yet begun researching it, so I'll throw it out there for all you smart people to consider! LOL
I must meet with Social Security folks so I will ask then if I've not discovered the answer on my own prior to that. I really would love to be able to prove to him he can retire now. As he said the other day, "Life is too short to keep working if I don't have to..." But he's scared due to healthcare costs. I gave him some bits of information I had discovered recently that helped encourage him. He tends not to be an assertive person and I honestly believe that the stress of his job and his refusal to stand up to and set boundaries for the department chair has caused him so much internal stress that the result is this rare illness. I could definitely be wrong, but I can't imagine that his health wouldn't improve greatly if he just retired. Anyway...there's your TMI for today! 😉

HAPPY THURSDAY! HAPPY MARCH 31st!

Okay…drum roll please! Now for my "big reveal"!

Today happens to be memorable for more than the fact it happens to be my 66th birthday! *bows to audience and doffs top hat*

But…even more than that…this is my first full day of freedom. Freedom from the full-time job I’ve had for the past 12 years. I simply quit. 😊 There are many factors that contributed to this life-changing decision: my body is no longer capable of a one-hour commute one way twice a day for 5 days in a row (osteoarthritis is making its constant presence known all over my body…), I’m pretty sure my husband is going to burn the house down or fall and lie here all day/evening until I come home someday, and although I want to keep working full time, I lack the energy to job-hunt AND work full-time AND deal with the stress of worrying about my husband AND deal with constant pain and discomfort. So. I “took the bull by the horns,” so to speak and just did what I knew in my heart I should have done at least 6-9 months ago.

I already feel so much better!! Seriously. It is unbelievable… My workouts were becoming bothersome. It seemed as if my body could never relax enough to truly get the full benefit. I just felt coiled up all the time. Turns out I was correct! I taught last night and then worked out for another hour in the heated therapy pool and it felt as if my body was not “my” body of these past 6 months plus! I am so grateful to have just finally made the change I felt was needed for my own health and well-being. Now I get to deal with bureaucracy! Medicare! Yay! Cobra insurance? Yay? And to turn my full efforts into job-hunting since I would prefer to not claim Social Security until full retirement age of 70. (If I live that long!) So there ya go! The big reveal! May not seem like much to others, but, trust me, it is HUGE to me! LOL 😳😲😁

As one of my best friends at the gym said, "Now everything is a possibility!" Never have I given myself a bigger present! LOL Although, on considering that thought further, my divorce may even outrank this positive change! 😋

ADMIN STUFF:
In celebration of Women’s History Month in Australia, the UK, and the US, our monthly group read for March is The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See. That discussion is here. Questions are posted, but it seems we have spontaneous discussion going just as well! (I love it when that happens!) This book can be used to fulfill prompt #3 A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society. (Though, as See notes, this book is about a “matrifocal” society, not a “matriarchal” society, per se. Interesting!) You can post other books you’ve read to fulfill that prompt here.

Sherri has graciously volunteered to serve as our “guru guide” for April’s discussion of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson for prompt #26 A book with a misleading title, in honor of April Fools’ Day! Thank you, Sherri! I will open up the April discussion and move it to the current folder this morning!

And HERE is the nomination poll for July’s monthly group read which will fulfill prompt #47 A book featuring a parallel reality prepared by Nadine! Next week we’ll have the final selection poll! I have already selected a book for this prompt, but Nadine nominated some great books! As always, I’m anxious to see the end result!

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

We will need a “vivacious volunteer” to lead June’s monthly group read discussion of Beloved!

Question of the Week:
If you had $300 to spend on any books you wanted, what would you purchase?
The departmental graduate students, staff, and faculty all ended up giving me so many gifts, one of which is a HUGE (almost $300) gift certificate to Bookshop.org (https://bookshop.org/). One of the huge advantages of this site is that you can select a bookstore to support and they will receive a portion of the profits from your order! How cool is that?!? They only sell new books which means they cost way more than I usually pay for books ($1-5), but I already know of some newer releases I’ll splurge and get. Honestly, it will probably be a challenge for me not to spend it all at once, but I’m determined to control myself… Stay tuned to see how that plays out!! LOL

I’m going to purchase the next 4 books in Martha Wells’ Murderbot series. (I’ve read the first two!)

And then there are at least two newer releases by Becky Chambers that I’m desperate to read: A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot #1) and The Galaxy, and the Ground Within (Wayfarers #4).

These seem to be books that are more difficult to locate used, hence, I'll load up on them first!

I’m sure there are others, but I will stop there… What would you purchase first and foremost?

Popsugar: 28/50
ATY: 40/52
RHC: 12/24

FINISHED:
*Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs #1) by Jean Webster ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was such a sweet book! I do have a definite appreciation for epistolary novels. This was a “happyily ever after” trope which I like every once in a while! Webster’s sense of humor in the character of Judy was so engaging! This was the first half of my duology…
POPSUGAR: #9, #25, #26, #40-2015: prompt #23 A book more than 100 years old (first published in 1912), NEW #44 (the first of a duology), #46-Jervis
ATY: #4-A book where the page count of any edition is a multiple of 22—132 pages, #7-providing opportunities, #20, #25, #31, #34, #35-Judy receives flowers!, #40-Justice, The World
RHC: #24-2019: prompt #1 An epistolary novel or collection of letters

CONTINUING:
*The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See is fascinating. I can’t wait to finish it today and continue our monthly group read discussion!
*Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep Having just read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil I was rather shocked when this book started out much the same way! (It never ceases to amaze me how randomly selected books can be so similar!)
*Dear Enemy (Daddy-Long-Legs #2) by Jean Webster is the second half of my duology!
*Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson I read 5-10 pages every once in a while and find this to be enthralling, though I like spreading it out a bit at a time.
*Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.
*Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
*Paradise by Toni Morrison

PLANNED:
1 more for March Buddy Reads:
*London Bridges (Alex Cross #10) by James Patterson
To complete some 2021 year-long challenges:
1) *Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
2) *The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
To complete the 2021 Read Harder Challenge:
*Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
*Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
*Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

Teri wrote: "Megan wrote: "4. Unpopular opinion: I do not identify as a feminist. I do understand the benefits of women rights. On the other hand, I do not really want to be ‘in charge’. Innately, I want to ‘be’ not ‘do’. For instance, take care of the household, cook, clean, etc. whilst the husband is the source of income. I am wistful for a time when this worked well. (Maybe the 50s?)"

My understanding of being a feminist means that I believe that all women should be allowed to live the life they want to live, the one that will make them the happiest, without being hampered by societal expectation and control. So wanting to be a homemaker is just as valid a choice as any other.

However, I don't agree that even in the 50s that this worked as well as you might think. Not everyone was cut out to be a full-time homemaker, and there was a lot of depression and drug abuse among those that felt unfulfilled by not being able to do what they wanted when their choices were limited to being a homemaker, a secretary, a nurse, or a teacher."
I think it makes a difference exactly what definition we grant to "feminism."

Per Merriam-Webster: FEMINISM = belief in and advocacy of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests

Per Dictionary.com: FEMINISM =
(1) the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.
(2) (sometimes initial capital letter) an organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women.

Per Britannica: FEMINISM = the belief in social, economic, and political equality of the sexes.

And...per Wikipedia: FEMINISM = a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes

Interesting...

Teri wrote: "1. Have you read any other of Lisa See's books? If so, what was your reaction to it/them?
I have not read any of her books. My Asian cultural reading has been sorely lacking."
I feel as if mine is the same!

"2. What expectations do you have for this book knowing that it could be used to fulfill POPSUGAR 2022 prompt #3 A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society?
I knew nothing about the book before I started reading it, other than it appeared to be a book about women on an island. So no other expectations."
I typically prefer not to know much about a book before reading it.

"3. Have you already fulfilled this prompt? Or do you have a different book selected for prompt #3?
I will be using this book for prompt #3. I considered reading The Power, but went with the monthly reading choice instead."
That's so cool! Good!

"4. Nonpatriarchal society: a society where men are not the ones holding power. Do you have any thoughts regarding the fact that there are very few such societies/cultures in our world today?
It is interesting to me that patriarchal societies are what have prevailed. I would have thought that more power would be granted to those who bring life into the world. But homo sapiens have tended to be an aggressive species, and physical strength apparently won out. And then they made sure they kept the power using control techniques like fear and manipulation.
I agree 100% with everything you just said!

"5. Do you believe societies around the world could evolve into nonpatriarchal societies? Or do you believe men will retain power, and thereby control?
I greatly admire all the women in our world, past and present, that work to make it better for all of us women. I do believe that the patriarchy will continue to fight against equality, but on an individual basis, I do think some men are willing to allow the changes. But I really wish that every step forward for women didn't have to happen because men finally allow it. That still gives them the power."
Oooff! You and me both! It truly gripes me. I feel as if white males need to just 'give it up'! The world has endured their reign and now it is way past time for others to at least share control! Hope that didn't offend anyone, but it is how I feel...

I’m preparing to make some big changes in my life in the near future. Fingers crossed that I am making the “right decisions”! Sometimes you just have to take a leap and hope for the best! More on that next week…

11 Beautifully Written Books Kate Quinn Recommends:
https://offtheshelf.com/2022/03/books...
And one of these is a fantasy novel set in a matriarchal society! Scorpica Just in case you need an additional suggestion for that prompt!

ADMIN STUFF:
In celebration of Women’s History Month in Australia, the UK, and the US, our monthly group read for March is The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See. That discussion is here and I plan to finish reading this over the weekend. We have questions posted, but it seems we have spontaneous discussion going just as well! (I love it when that happens!) This book can be used to fulfill prompt #3 A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society. (Though, as See notes, this book is about a “matrifocal” society, not a “matriarchal” society, per se. Interesting!) You can post other books you’ve read to fulfill that prompt here.

Sherri has graciously volunteered to serve as our “guru guide” for April’s discussion of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson for prompt #26 A book with a misleading title, in honor of April Fools’ Day! Thank you, Sherri!

Nadine will prepare a nomination poll for July’s monthly group read selection to be posted next week! This book will fulfill prompt #47 A book featuring a parallel reality. I’ll be anxious to see which books are nominated…

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

We will need a “vivacious volunteer” to lead June’s monthly group read discussion of Beloved!

Question of the Week:
Nadine posted: “March 21st was World Poetry Day”…I obviously had no clue about that! How cool!
What is the last poetry collection you read and enjoyed, that you might recommend to others?
I do not read much poetry. But…
I was rather fascinated by Urban Tumbleweed by Harryette Mullen which I obtained to fulfill the Read Harder 2021 prompt #20—Read a book of nature poems and prompt #13 for the 2021 Reading Women challenge—Read a poetry collection by a black woman. Mullen includes 366 poems written over the course of one year and one day, in a “tanka-like” format. Each poem is short, consisting of only 3 lines and typically 31 syllables. She uses nature and natural aspects of her surroundings on daily walks/hikes throughout California for the most part, as well as Texas and Sweden while visiting each of those regions. Easily read and enjoyable overall. Perfect for me, as I am not a huge poetry fan!

Other than that I do intend to purchase Amanda Gorman’s published poetry at some point in the future since I was blown away by her performance at the inauguration! What a talent!

Popsugar: 27/50
ATY: 40/52
RHC: 12/24

I only managed to finish one book this week! Every day has been jam-packed full of other stuff with none to very little reading time! Ugh. (I will reveal some of the reasons for this extra “busyness” next week! Stay tuned…LOL)

FINISHED:
Son of the Black Stallion (Black Stallion #3) by Walter Farley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I swear, I think this series improves with each installment! Farley’s writing style is very direct and concise. This book illustrates two very different philosophies for “training” animals: using force and control or using intuition and communication. The conflict between Henry and Alec is pulpable and endangers their ‘grandparent-like’ relationship. I am so anxious to continue the series!
POPSUGAR: #9, NEW 20-read immediately after Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus, #24, #25, #29, #40-2017: prompt #14 A book involving travel
ATY: #1, #2-Read the first installment in 2021, #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Both Satan and Henry felt like this at different times, I think!, #7-the psychology of training animals, #20, #31-Initially published in 1947, #33, #34-Henry was teaching Alec, #36, #40-Strength, The Devil (“Satan”), Judgment, The World, #43, #46, #49, #50
RHC: #24-2016: Read a middle grade novel

CONTINUING:
*The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See certainly starts off with a bang! I am so anxious to finish it this weekend so our discussion can continue.
*Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep Having just read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil I was rather shocked when this book started out much the same way! (It never ceases to amaze me how randomly selected books can be so similar!)
*Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs #1) by Jean Webster
*Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson I read 5-10 pages every once in a while and find this to be enthralling, though I like spreading it out a bit at a time.
*Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.
*Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
*Paradise by Toni Morrison

PLANNED:
1 more for March Buddy Reads:
*London Bridges (Alex Cross #10) by James Patterson
To complete some 2021 year-long challenges:
1) *Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
2) *The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
To complete the 2021 Read Harder Challenge:
*Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
*Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
*Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

Ack! You all have me so motivated to dig into this book and finish it! But this week is so freakin' busy... Though I should have some reading time tonight. I'll just have to finish this over the weekend...

Or...not! 😒 Visited with friends this past weekend and plan to finish this on Thursday. Yep! The very last day of this month!

I am about halfway through and mesmerized by the writing and story! Glad I own a few more Lisa See books 'cause now I want to read more of her writing!

K.L. wrote: "Good morning, everyone!

This week has been considerably less productive than last week, with respect to both reading and household projects. The reason for that is because I restarted Pokémon Shield…and ended up spending almost the entire weekend (and most of the week) obsessively playing it. The only times I did any significant amount reading over the weekend were right before bed each night, and while waiting for my Switch to charge."
I'm gathering a Switch is a device on which you play the game? (Yes, I am old and out of it! LOL)

"I am continuing to participate in March Mystery Madness, however, which is currently in its third week. I’ve really been enjoying Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot series."
Definitely enjoyable!

"In other news, now that my book buying ban is over, I’ve acquired some new books! I’m going to continue including my TBR checklist numbers in each week’s update, since it’s really been helping me keep track of the books I own and need to read (both old and new). Hopefully I will end the year having read more books than I purchased…"
YAY YOU!!

"~That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Vol. 5"
That title kills me! LOL

"DNFed:
~Shadows of Swanford Abbey — I may try this book again in the future, but I just couldn’t get fully invested in the story this time around."
Sometimes it is just when you choose to try reading a specific book that doesn't work...

"QOTW:
I can’t think of any off the top of my head."
Fair enough!

I felt badly for the woman who was searching for information about her grandmother/mother/Mi-ja. I wonder exactly what happened between Young-sook and Mi-ja that Young-sook refuses to even acknowledge Mi-ja's existence to these relatives of hers... (Good foreshadowing, IMO!)

I appreciated that See made a point of the fact that this is a "matrifocal" society and NOT a matriarchal society. For me, this signals that the females do NOT hold and/or wield the true "power" in this society.

I read the first 35 pages last night. This book certainly starts off with a bang, doesn't it?

I forget who mentioned that the octopus scene was upsetting, and I assume that was due to the killing of the octopus? I agree, and yet, as I remembered the landscape, this is a volcanic island with not much other than boulders, hills, and ROCKS! LOTS of rocks! Then there is sand. But obviously not much "dirt" that would lend itself well to farming/raising crops for consumption. I was reminded of the phrase, "You don't know what you don't know." So while it may seem to US as we read this to be barbaric and extremely dangerous to harvest from the sea as they do, I feel as if it is one of the few food sources they have available to them.

Melissa wrote: "Lynn wrote: "Allie wrote: "Is anyone bothered by the phrase "a baby slipped right out of me"? Do you think the author chose to phrase it like that, since it brings to mind fluidity?"
Well, that nev..."
I'm so glad her children were all healthy! I have never heard of such a thing! Thanks for sharing that experience! It would be difficult to maintain my own common sense and control to help with such a situation, but I imagine you are well-equipped to do just that!

Seth Myers did say that they made a conscientious decision to have a home birth with the third baby! Which went very well.

Yes. Wouldn't that be a breeze to just have the baby slide right on out? LOL

Melissa wrote: "Once women are “freed” from childbearing and rearing - then things might change."
Do you foresee that ever happening

Yes. Currently poorer women are becoming rental wombs for wealthier women or me..."
All very good points. My main concern with all of this is "designer babies" which is already possible to a great degree. After reading The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race I realize this (what I think of as) "sci-fi" type world is already here to a great degree. Those who are in that upper 1% can afford to apply such technology to their progeny. Very scary, IMO, though any new technology brings with it both good and bad... It just depends on us humans to use it for good. (And that IS scary!!! LOL)

Melissa wrote: "1. Have you read any other of Lisa See's books? If so, what was your reaction to it/them?

Years ago I read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I remember struggling to get through it. I found The Island of Sea Women much easier to follow."
Oh, good! I'm glad this one proved to be an easier read!

"2. What expectations do you have for this book knowing that it could be used to fulfill POPSUGAR 2022 prompt #3 A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society?

I had chosen this book for this prompt back when this years’ topics were announced - mostly because it was already on my TBR thanks to a friend’s recommendation. I expected to like as my friend knows me well. I did like it."
Cool!

"4. Nonpatriarchal society: a society where men are not the ones holding power. Do you have any thoughts regarding the fact that there are very few such societies/cultures in our world today?

I think that Hemingway nailed with his comment about “the biological trap”. The fact that the female of our species are the ones who carry, nourish and provide the majority of childcare will always be a factor in the “balance of power”."
Interesting observation. It is true that biologically females do carry all that responsibility...

"5. Do you believe societies around the world could evolve into nonpatriarchal societies? Or do you believe men will retain power, and thereby control?

Answered above - more or less,

Once women are “freed” from childbearing and rearing - then things might change."
Do you foresee that ever happening?