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.

Katy wrote: "Mary wrote: "Wow. This week flew by and I'm going to be teaching sexting class all morning, so I think today will go by fast as well. .."

Sexting class? Do I want to know?"

My thought as well!! LOL

I feel the need to mention the people of Ukraine who are, in my opinion, enduring most people’s worst nightmare right now. I am hopeful that somehow such unbridled aggression at empire-building can be stopped in its tracks with no more loss of life. I realize this is not the only place in our world where people are being attacked and driven from their homes and homeland, but this is definitely, in my opinion, a threat to our world as we know it in so many ways… I keep sending positive energy to all who are affected, including the Russian civilians. I have always been very unrealistic in wanting “war” to simply go away and never be needed again. I keep reminding myself to be grateful for what I have, especially the peace and relative stability of my own existence. My daily frustrations are nothing in comparison…

Other than that, I am happy to be reconnecting with this group on another Thursday! I hope each of you is relatively safe and secure!

This week brings us Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Ash Wednesday for those who celebrate these events!

ADMIN STUFF:
A new month, a new monthly group read! And a new month of celebration—Women’s History in Australia, the UK, and the US! (Check out the QotW!) Here is the discussion thread for the March monthly group read of The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See. I will do my best to facilitate this month’s discussion since no one else expressed an interest in doing so! You can also list any book you’ve read to fulfill prompt #3 A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society here.

Thank you so much to Sherri for leading this month’s discussion! Way to go!!

Just a reminder that the comprehensive listing of Monthly Group Reads for 2022 is here.

And for your consideration we have a new poll! Might as well move right along with selecting monthly group reads for 2022, hadn’t we? 😊 The monthly group read for June is to fulfill prompt #10 An Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winner. This award “recognizes books that have made important contributions to our understanding of racism and human diversity." This is quite compatible with Juneteenth on June 19, 2022, also known as African American Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. And is the most recently declared National Holiday in the US! Please vote HERE!

Question of the Week:
We have another month’s celebration for March: Women’s History in Australia, the UK, and the US. Are you planning to read any specific books in honor of this celebration during March? If so, what are those? And…are there any specific books you would recommend?
The first book that came to mind was Casey Cep's Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee. I have been telling myself I MUST read this for at least two years! Time to do so!
*Gene Stratton-Porter: Novelist and Naturalist by Judith Reick Long
Porter was one of my former mother-in-law’s absolute favorite authors and I know virtually nothing about her so I picked up this biography cheap from my favorite used bookstore and I have a couple of her books to read. I guess as an homage to this woman who greatly influenced my young adult life…
*Maeve Binchy: The Biography by Piers Dudgeon
An author whose work I always enjoy very much!
*Writers & Lovers by Lily King
*The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
*Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
*The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar
*Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry
*The Stories of Eva Luna Luna by Isabel Allende
*The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike #1) by Robert Galbraith
*The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike #2) by Robert Galbraith

Popsugar: 24/50
ATY: 39/52
RHC: 10/24

I have not even had time to document these books into appropriate prompts yet! I’ve been so busy at work that I’m exhausted and doing little else other than working out 3 nights a week and waiting for the weekend to try to recover and prepare for the week ahead! I'll finish this whenever I can find the time and energy!

FINISHED:
Granta 148: Summer Fiction edited by Sigrid Rausing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A collection of short stories from diverse authors:
Nuar Alsadir (poetry)
Julia Armfield
Jem Calder
Te-Ping Chen
Matthieu Gafsou (photoessay on transhumanism with introduction by Daisy Hildyard)
Ben Lerner
Sara Majika
Magogodi oa Mphela Makhene
David Means
Haruki Murakami
Thomas Pierce
Adam O’Fallon Price
Amor Towles
This is now my favorite short story collection! I found all but 2 or 3 to be compelling reading! I would definitely read any Granta publications! I also loved the cover!
POPSUGAR: #24, #36, #40-2016: prompt #14 A book you can read in a day
ATY: #14-119 ratings, #15
RHC: NEW #5, NEW #15, #24-2020: prompt #23 Read an edition of a literary magazine

*So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for my University’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group read. This is a good read with practical suggestions for communication. I appreciate Oluo’s openness. My only additional comment is that I have learned through experience to simply approach those who appear to be “different” from myself the same as I would approach anyone else. Additionally, I am a bit proud that I have evidently mellowed a bit in my interactions with other white folks who are still mired in prejudicial discriminatory biases and behaviors. I no longer have an immediate anger-filled response where I am obviously trying to keep from yelling at them! Rather, I am able to calm myself somewhat and communicate much more respectfully and calmly than in the past. This is probably a good thing. Though I wonder if it is more or less effective in the aftermath. 😉
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:

Back Bay (Peter Fallon #1) by William Martin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I could have definitely used a Family Tree for this book. There were sooooo many characters to track and many had the same first names in different generations! But…this was an excellent mystery, IMO! I love William Martin’s writing!
POPSUGAR: #9, #25, #40-2015: prompt #1 A book containing more than 500 pages
ATY: #4-Near them, on the sand,/Half sunk a shattered visage lies-
Unfortunately, this “treasure” was finally unearthed and then totally buried/lost at sea, #6, #11, #14-2,010 ratings, #15, #25-532 pages, #29, #31-1979, #40-The Lovers, Strength, Justice, Death, Judgment, The World, #44, #49, #50
RHC: #24-2020: prompt #7 A historical fiction novel not set in WWII

The Chase (Lionboy #2) by Zizou Corder ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was another purely enjoyable read. I cannot imagine not enjoying this trilogy as a child. I’m pretty sure I would have loved it! Anxious to finish it.
POPSUGAR: #9, #19-summer, #25, #40-2015: prompt #7 A book with nonhuman characters, #49-set in Venice, Italy
ATY: #1-Aneba, Charlie’s father, #4- A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): Near them, on the sand,/Half sunk a shattered visage lies,…Round the decay/Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare/The lone and level sands stretch far away. Charlie and the lions were shipwrecked and washed up on a sandy beach!, #14-2,653 ratings, #29, #31-2004, #33, #36, #40-Strength, Justice, Death, Judgment, The World, #41, #44, #46, #49
RHC: #13, #24-2016: Read a middle grade novel

CONTINUING:
*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:
For Literary Wives review March 7: I'm Fine and Neither Are You by Camille Pagán
For the POPSUGAR March Monthly Group Read: The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
4 for March Buddy Reads:
*Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs #1) by Jean Webster
Murder at Queen's Landing (Wrexford & Sloane #4) by Andrea Penrose
*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

Kenya wrote: "Happy Thursday, y’all.

Library was closed Monday for President's Day, which means Tuesday and Wednesday were spent playing mad catch-up after the long weekend. It's Thursday and I'm still exhausted from Tuesday... thank goodness I get Fridays off."
Sometimes it seems like a whirlwind when you return after extra time off, doesn't it?

"Also found myself hooked on Pokemon lately -- not the new game, the previous game (Sword and Shield). I wish I could say it hasn't affected my reading/writing time, but... yeah."
There are times when you just want to play a game! I get that!

"Books read this week:
When You Trap a Tiger -- for “a book with a tiger on the cover or the word ‘tiger’ in the title.” Beautiful but heartbreaking story about family bonds and the importance of stories, even the stories that are hard to hear."
I thought this looked like one I would enjoy.

"'Salem's Lot -- for “a book being made into a movie or TV series in 2022.” I sure read a lot of vampire books for someone who claims not to like vampires, haha… But at least this book makes the vampires freaking terrifying, which the genre frankly needs after Anne Rice and Stephanie Meyer de-monster-ized them (not that there’s anything wrong with that, but let’s have some monstrous vampires again please)..."
You crack me up! LOL 😂

"The House in the Cerulean Sea -- for “a BookTok recommendation.” I DNFed this last year, but gave it another shot this year… and I’m super-glad I did. I LOVED it! Funny, gorgeous, and heartbreaking all at once."
So glad when someone else loves this one! One of my all-time faves!

"DNF:
They Both Die at the End -- for “a BookTok recommendation.” Don’t like the writing style, and my sci-fi-loving brain wants to know more about the Deathcast technology instead of focusing on the characters. Not for me."
I've been wondering about this one. Though I might like it since I appreciate good characterization.

"Currently Reading:
The Housekeeper and the Professor -- for “book featuring a party”"
Hope you enjoy this one. I loved it!

"QOTW:
I want there to be a fantasy/sci-fi book club in my area so badly... I think the first book we'd read would be Project Hail Mary. Andy Weir's books tend to be science-heavy but accessible enough for even non-sci-fi readers to enjoy."
You could start one! In my experience, the toughest part of facilitating an IRL book club is finding a place to meet. And I learned that after a while everyone became friends so it was best to meet for lunch prior to the book club meeting which allowed us all to get our visiting out of the way before we discussed the book!

Milena wrote: "Work has been so busy. Getting this in here before the day really gets going."
Glad you made it! 😊

"Finished:
Homicide and Halo-Halo for book with two languages (Tagalog). There's even a glossary of the Tagalog terms in the book."
This looks like a fun series!

"Firekeeper's Daughter"
What did you think of this one? I was impressed with it, especially as a debut novel!

"Songs in Ursa Major for constellation"
Ooohhh...I added this to my TBR listing!

"Currently reading:
Bullet Train"
Wow. This looks like a good one. It would seem that he wrote this one in English himself without the need for it to be translated like others...

"QOTW:
I'm with Katy, too worried my suggestion wouldn't be liked. When I was in a book club, we made anonymous suggestions and one would be picked. Books that made for good discussion were divisive or controversial. Or maybe a book being made into a movie or TV show, those were always popular choices."
I would agree that those books should always encourage good discussion!

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

I thought I have read quite a few, but it turns out I just put them on the TBR list. I have read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan but that was a while ago"
Ha! Ha! I have done the same thing before. I think I've read something but then discover it is still just on my TBR listing!

"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 know nothing about this book, so I will be interested."
Me as well.

"3. Have you already fulfilled this prompt? Or do you have a different book selected for prompt #3?

I have not planned anything for this prompt. I'm flying by the seat of my pants"
LOL I hear ya!

"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?

Ooo, yeah. I have thoughts. I often wonder if societies are turning into Ghost patriarchies, where woman run the "behind the scenes". I feel like society feels more comfortable with the status quo, and that is males of a certain demographic"
Uhm. I would agree that we humans seem to be adverse to change overall in so many ways.

"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 don't know how much power men ever did hold. I think a lot of issues come from "this is how its always been". If you are busy doing "women's work", ie. cooking, cleaning, raising children, then how much effort can you put into whether you are acknowledged? And a lot of people have felt that "women's work" is lessor by some means. But now that situations are changing, are we saying that a man that does those same things is lessor? Also, what about a man that does both? Can the leader of a tribe command his people, and also care for his home? Would a woman be less efficient, or more apt to balance both command and compassion? That has yet to be seen."
You raise some very interesting, pertinent, and thought-provoking questions and issues, Allie! I have watched as my own sons setup households with spouses and children. It is very interesting to me to note that they all three do much of the housework, cooking, and caring for children, in addition to working full-time and volunteering in the community. This, although their father refused to ever do "women's work," even after I was working full-time outside the home... (That is just one of many reasons why he is my "ex"-husband!! LOL)

I read somewhere that Hibbert also suffers from a condition causing her constant pain, so that probably means her descriptions of Chloe were more realistic than they might have been with another author.

Thanks so much Sherri for leading February's book discussion! GREAT job!

1. Did you like Get a Life, Chloe Brown?
By the halfway mark I really wanted to DNF this book. Just the explicit sex scenes. Then in the last half I discovered several places to appreciate Hibbert's writing talents so very much that I began to change my mind about this book. Though I will not pick up any more of her books unless I feel they are much more of a "closed door" format regarding the sexually explicit scenes.

2. Will you read more of the series?
No.

3. Did you like the end?
I did.

4. What are other books you read for Black History month?
This February I've read Raybearer,Bluebird, Bluebird, So You Want to Talk About Race, Granta 148: Summer Fiction which included some short stories from diverse authors, Lionboy and The Chase (Lionboy #1 and #2) by Zizou Corder which a mother-daughter duo, one of whom is a black female.

I can highly recommend these from prior reading:
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois
And especially When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors, et al.

1. Do you regularly read books during heritage months related to that identity?
I do now much more so than in the past.

2. During heritage months do you read only books related to those histories & identities?
No. Never.

3. Are heritage months important to your reading life?
Yes, definitely! The importance to me is that I add so many diverse books to my TBR that when I obtain books now they represent so many more diverse authors (other than white females and especially white males!) than ever before. So my reading overall is greatly diversified!! That satisfies me!

1. Did you have a clue what a Knicker Whisperer was?
I did not except that I immediately thought of knickers and then underwear and then guessed that perhaps she was selling underwear or "lingerie" to use the more 'sophisticated' term! LOL

2. Do you feel this book is too predictable?
Well, it IS romance and so is predictable to a great degree in that you know they end up together. But, I felt Hibbert developed more complex characters than usual in typical romance books and that greatly improved my enjoyment of and appreciation for the book.

3. Did you expect more conflict after the camping trip?
Kinda.

4. Do you like Chloe & Red? Do you want Chloe & Red to have their happily ever after with each other?
I sure do!

Ashley Marie wrote: "1. Have you read any other of Lisa See's books? If so, what was your reaction to it/them?
Yessss I love Lisa See's work! The most recent one I read was The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, which I enjoyed very much. I think my favorite continues to be the duology (winknudge) Shanghai Girls/Dreams of Joy."
I love that nudge! I had no idea she had written a duology!

I'm so glad you're participating! Welcome!

"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?
Considering I've already read it, good expectations haha. I like the way this community is presented."
Good encouragement!

"3. Have you already fulfilled this prompt? Or do you have a different book selected for prompt #3?
I'm planning on using Unmanned for this prompt!"
Thanks for the suggestion!

"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'm among the crowd who believes the world would be an inherently better place (in a wish-fulfillment way, for sure, because there are plenty of women who buy into patriarchal ideals) with more women in leadership positions, mainly because I choose to believe that we wouldn't still be fighting for things like healthcare, childcare, higher minimum wages, etc in the US."
I imagine there are quite a few who would agree...

"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 think it's a definite possibility!"
I am hopeful...

I'll start us off...

1. Have you read any other of Lisa See's books? If so, what was your reaction to it/them?
I own at least 2 (maybe 3?) of her books but have yet to read any of them...

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?
My first thought is that this must be a book about a matriarchal society where women hold and wield the power and control. Then I thought, wait! How about those not identifying as either male or female? (I just realized I have evolved from the norm of considering there to be only two possibilities: male OR female! 😁) And, given that I have begun reading fantasy and science fiction more in the past several years, I realize it could also mean some sort of post-human or nonhuman 'being' could hold the power within a society! (That one seems very scary...)

3. Have you already fulfilled this prompt? Or do you have a different book selected for prompt #3?
I have not fulfilled it and will definitely use this book to do so! That doesn't mean I might not read another one that could be used to fulfill this prompt, but not on purpose! "One and done" works for me! LOL 😂

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 have often wondered about this... Why/how did men come to 'rule the world'? Not sure there is any definitive answer to that, though I believe male personalities have historically been more prone to competition and using physical prowess and intimidation to control others and satisfy their desires and/or the needs of their society for food and other resources. Perhaps this is a somewhat natural progression if males were the hunters/gatherers who must protect themselves, etc., while obtaining resources. I don't know...

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 do hold out the hope that the power within our worldwide societies will evolve into more egalitarian systems where men and women as well as those who identify outside the typical nonbinary demarcations will share power and control so all voices can be heard and every single person can participate fully and be safe. In other words, gender/sexual orientation should not be a prerequisite to have power in society--it should not matter. A person's skills, abilities, knowledge, and compassion for others should be the determining factors.

Welcome to the March discussion!

It would appear that you are stuck with me to facilitate this month's discussion. I am very excited to read this book and I have my fingers crossed that it will prove to be enjoyable for me! I haven't yet started reading this book and since I've appreciated other leaders' 'pre-reading' questions, I'll follow that pattern!

I had no idea that this book was the "One Maryland One Book 2020" selection! That's pretty cool, IMO! (And I'm grateful since I can now plagiarize reference (*cough*) their materials! LOL)

1. Have you read any other of Lisa See's books? If so, what was your reaction to it/them?
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?
3. Have you already fulfilled this prompt? Or do you have a different book selected for prompt #3?
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?
5. Do you believe societies around the world could evolve into nonpatriarchal societies? Or do you believe men will retain power, and thereby control?

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

My Covid test came back negative, and after two weeks of being sick, I am finally starting to feel better!"
I'm so glad for the negative result and the fact that your health is returning!

"This turned out to be a great week for reading! I had the opportunity to finish a couple of series this week (The Custard Protocol and The Mysterious Benedict Society), both of which were really good. I also started the Vampire Knight manga, which I’ve owned for years but hadn’t gotten around to reading before now."
Great!

"Goodreads: 153/200
TBR checklist: 119/962"
Amazing!

"Finished Reading:
~Reticence
~Cosy: The British Art of Comfort
~The Mysterious Benedict Society
~Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory
~The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey
~The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 7
~Vampire Knight, Vol. 1
~The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma
~The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages
~Vampire Knight, Vol. 2
~Vampire Knight, Vol. 3
~The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict"
I have a copy of The Mysterious Benedict Society at home and have yet to read it.

"QOTW:
I’m not currently in a book club, but if I was I would recommend Finlay Donovan Is Killing It for next month’s read. I haven’t read it yet, but I’ve heard really good things about it on BookTube, and the sequel just came out at the beginning of the month."
Ooohhh, yes! I really need to get this read because the author will be at the CHG Book Author luncheon in April (https://indybookandauthor.org/)! I hope I enjoy it as much as I think I will!

Heather wrote: "It’s been a couple weeks since I’ve checked in because I’m taking a challenge break this year. But I’ve missed this group too much to not check in and read your posts. I’m not reading very much these days, but apparently I have subconsciously decided to continue my goal to read one Agatha Christie book a month because that’s all I have to report!"
I''m so glad you're here!! 👏👍

"Finished
Peril at End House by Agatha Christie. This wasn’t my favorite Poirot, but I did enjoy the twist and reveal of the murderer.

Reading
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie"
Christie is just a go-to win for me!

"QOTW
I haven’t ever really been part of a book club. I did think about joining a few times, and I read both selections but didn’t join the actual discussion. I’m not sure what kind of books are usually chosen. Following Nadine’s criteria, maybe The Queen of Hearts. It would be an interesting discussion on friendship, loyalty, and forgiveness."
It's been my experience that some of the most unexpected discussions can result from books you would never suspect of sparking interesting comments. Just depends upon the group and the book...

Ashley Marie wrote: "Happy Thursday! We're gearing up for another (hopefully smaller) winter storm tonight and tomorrow. In the meantime, I've been reading a bunch :D"
Yeah, we're supposed to get snow and mixed precipitation. We already had an inch of snow on the ground at my house this morning so I'm hoping for just a bit more snow and none of the icy stuff!

"Read:
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky - 4 stars. My first Rick Riordan Presents title! Lots of fun OwnVoices SFF"
This looks so interesting! I guess I missed the Rick Riordan connection!

"Currently:
The Silmarillion - I came back to this and read another chapter last night. Creeping along, slowly but surely.
The Story of the Irish Race: A Popular History of Ireland - Another one to take my time with. Maybe I should finish Silmarillion first.
The Long Way Down - Everything in me wants to fly through this but it's been a busy week, so I'm just past halfway but I am in LOVE.
Parable of the Sower - Taking my time with this bc I'm supposed to be BRing it with a friend Duology #1
Sing, Unburied, Sing - Alternating this with Parable of the Sower Palindrome in the title"
Those look like some intense reads!

"QOTW: What book would you recommend to your book club to read next month? (This can be hypothetical, if you’re not in a book club).
I still find myself recommending Legendborn to everyone, book club or otherwise. I know it's not your typical book club fare, but it's so well-written that I can't ignore it."
Is that a King Arthur retelling?

Tania wrote: "Good morning! Last weekend we were able to watch our nephews finish off their (middle school) basketball season undefeated, that was exciting! After having had our trip cancelled a few weeks prior to see them play (their entire league cancelled that weekend, so we assume it was a shortage of referees for whatever reason), we were happy to get up there to catch a game before the season ended."
Fun!

"Spiked Snowballs & Flaming Cats by John C. Daly - a heartfelt memoir written after a bout with cancer, Daly paints a vivid picture of his life and reflects on where he's been and how far he's come."
That title! Unique and definitely attention-grabbing!

"Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt - The Tillerman Cycle is such a great series; I read book 2 (Dicey's Song) a few years ago and then went on a hunt through used book shops to find all the others in the series. Homecoming is the first book in the series, and even more heartbreaking than I imagined, but also hopeful. I just love these kids."
I feel as if I've read a book written by her through the years, but can't locate a title that sounds right. Ah, on further investigation I evidently had her confused with Cynthia Rylant! But I added this one as it sounds like one I would enjoy and a series I might enjoy!

"The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by H.P. Lovecraft - a classic of the horror genre"
Glad you like it! I cannot do horror...

"QOTW: What an interesting question - I'm partway through The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green and I love it enough that I think everyone should read it, so I'll say that one. Libby has taken it back for the moment, so I have a hold on it, it will be a while before I get it back. It's basically John Green's review on random things in life - putting the 5 star rating system to use against everything from Diet Dr Pepper to the Plague, and giving us an essay explaining his rating for each one. It feels like there's lots to discuss on the topics he raises, on his rating system, etc."
This is one I would like to read yet this year as well! I love his writing and assume I would appreciate his thoughts and considerations on the world...

Katy wrote: "I finished 1812: A Novel as my book with a blurb by a favorite author. It was OK. There were some interesting parts, but there were also some boring parts."
I tend to be very picky about nonfiction, especially with regard to author since the writing style can make such a difference for me between "interesting" and "boring"! At least there were some "interesting" parts! 😀

"I'm reading The Mask of Apollo as the second of my sister cities books. Athens, although it only partly takes place there. About 1/4 of the way through, and somewhat interesting. WAiting to see where it's going."
That looks intriguing! Hope it is!

"QOTW: If I were in a book club, I would be afraid to recommend a book because what if nobody else liked it? It's like back when Blockbuster was a thing, I would refuse to actually picke a movie and only retain veto power."
Ah, well, in my experience, there is almost always at least one book club member who is not thrilled with a specific book, or even hated it! No one book will satisfy every reader, so you just have to be ready for some negative reactions, IMO! It's all good and what I have found is that so many times, in the course of discussing a book, those who didn't particularly enjoy it may end up appreciating it a bit more...

Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday! We had a thaw, and one day of Muddy Paws, but now it's back to winter in northern NY. I can't say I'm disappointed that the ground is frozen again and there are no muddy paws today. I took the pups for their pawdicures yesterday, so now they are nice and pretty and no longer stabbing me with their talons."
Ha! "Pawdicures"! Cute! I can see how the frozen ground would be advantageous to a canine caregiver! How many canine housemates do you have? (I think you've mentioned the number before, but I'm old and forgetful!)

"Admin stuff
Our May group read for a book by a Pacific Islander will be: Year of the Reaper

We still have openings for group discussion leaders for March (The Island of Sea Women) & April (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder ) - Let us know if you're interested! We are getting down to the wire for MARCH! Don't be afraid, step on up."
Yep! Boy do we! Have openings!! HELP!! LOL

"Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi - I'd been wanting to read this novella for a while, and I'm glad I finally got around to reading it, but it felt a bit confusing and unfinished. Looking back to my review of the other book I read by Onyebuchi, I felt the same way about that one, too, so maybe this is just his style."
Hope to get to this one yet this year...

"Seven Days in June by Tia Williams - I liked the characters and story, but I didn't like the way the author wrote. This was my romance by a BIPOC author."
Huh. This is another I'd like to read this year. Was it "open door" or "closed door"?

"Catwoman, Vol. 4: Wild Ride written by Ed Brubaker- just finished last night. This was fun, but I am not enough of a DC fangirl to get a kick out of seeing all the other DC characters. Also, I need a magnifying glass when I read paper graphic novels - those tan text boxes with little words, and Holly's diary entries with even littler words (these were really annoying, honestly - why write so tiny???) ... too much for me."Oohhh...tiny print = BAD!! Even with my glasses there is some tiny print I just cannot focus in any more...

"Question of the Week
What book would you recommend to your book club to read next month? (This can be hypothetical, if you’re not in a book club).

My own question is a tough one for me! A good book club book should be readily available and a bit controversial so there are plenty of discussion points. Seven Days in June is a good example - it came out last year, so the wait times at a library shouldn't be too bad now, and there are a lot of things the characters do that I disagree with, so there's plenty to talk about!"
Good points! And such a great question!

"Of course, for a book club, you want it to be a book you haven't read yet. Beatriz Williams is usually good for some interesting characters doing questionable things. I got a copy of The Summer Wives from my library's book sale shelf, I'm thinking that might be a good book club book too! (And I'm hoping it's set in the summer.)"
It is a good book club book! Should prompt great discussion! And it is set in summer, as the title implies! LOL I hope you enjoy it!

The two Beatriz Williams books I've read I really enjoyed. She is on my list to read more of her backlist!

Happy Happy THURSDAY! (Almost Friday! Is that “ATGIF”? LOL) 😳

The ATY February Read-A-Thon is progressing nicely. It looks as if our team will complete all the prompts, so that’s always fun! Some of these prompts were pretty tough! As a result, I’m reading very few from my extensive listing of shorter books I had pulled aside to consider! But that makes it even more fun when it is more challenging, I think. 😊 This event finishes on Sunday. My reading time was less than I had expected this past weekend, but I plan to “catch up” this coming weekend!

Since I am wanting to complete the 2022 POPSUGAR Challenge MUCH earlier than I finished in 2021, here is a listing of books I will try to concentrate on reading in March for specific Popsugar prompts remaining:
(1) *Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
*The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar
POPSUGAR #5: a sapphic book
(2) *Life of Pi by Yann Martel
*Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry
POPSUGAR #4: Tiger on cover or in title
(3) *The Stories of Eva Luna Luna by Isabel Allende
POPSUGAR #6: LatinX author
(4) *The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike #1) by Robert Galbraith
POPSUGAR #7 Onomatopoeia
(5) *The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike #2) by Robert Galbraith
POPSUGAR #8 Mobility Aid

Admin Stuff:
Just want to reiterate Nadine’s request for March and April monthly group read leaders!! Please help by facilitating discussion! Simply message either Nadine or myself or comment here if you’re interested! It really is fun! And rewarding! And you will receive the participants’ eternal gratitude and appreciation! And you will also get to know some of the Popsugar members better! And…we need YOU!! LOL 😊 You could ✔ off a good deed done for 2022!

Results of the final selection poll for May’s monthly group read:
Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier! I’m kinda excited for this one! It could be used to fulfill prompt #15 A book written by a Pacific Islander author. In celebration of AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) Appreciation month in the US!

Just a reminder that the comprehensive listing of Monthly Group Reads for 2022 is here.

You can find the ongoing February discussion thread for Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert here. You can post the book(s) you have read to fulfill prompt #18 A romance novel written by a BIPOC author here. Thank you for facilitating discussion this month, Sherri! I finished this and have yet to return to the discussion. I am rather amazed at my change in attitude toward it after reading the last half… Though I still won’t continue the series since explicit sexual details are NOT my preference…

Since March 1st is next Tuesday, I’ll open and move the two March monthly group read threads to the Current Monthly Group Read folder on Sunday and then move the two February threads to the 2020 Monthly Group Read folder on Tuesday where they will be available in the future. We are reading The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See in March, which can be used to fulfill the 2022 Popsugar prompt #3 A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society. In celebration of Women’s History Month in Australia, the U.K., and the U.S.! Join us if you are interested in reading this one!

Question of the Week:
b>What book would you recommend to your book club to read next month? (This can be hypothetical, if you’re not in a book club).
Ugh. Only ONE?!? We all know I appear to be totally inept at narrowing any answer down to just ONE book… *sigh*

As Nadine mentioned, I think it depends greatly upon the book club members and their reading preferences, as well as what is easily available for all members to obtain… In my IRL book club which has been disbanded since the onset of COVID, we created a list of nominated books with at least 3-5 suggestions from each member and then each of us voted, selecting 4 books we REALLY wanted to read. I would list the top 12 vote-getters and we would work together as a group to schedule each book in a specific month for that next year. We always tried to create a variety in the sequence of books to be read, for example, a historical fiction book, then a nonfiction book, then a romance, etc. Because we all desired variety within the sequence of our reading. But enough of that!

I have seen these titles work well in book club discussions:

Nonfiction
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois
The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony
A Lion Called Christian: The True Story of the Remarkable Bond Between Two Friends and a Lion by Anthony Bourke and John Rendall

Fiction
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

Historical Fiction
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Mystery
Maisie Dobbs(Maisie Dobbs #1) by Jacqueline Winspear
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #1) by Alexander McCall Smith

Fantasy
The Night Circusby Erin Morgenstern
Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy or Orïsha #1) by Tomi Adeyemi

Science Fiction
Ender's Game (Ender’s Saga #1) by Orson Scott Card

Just know that I could, of course, add tons more, but I will quit there! (Thirteen rather than just one, but ONLY thirteen! LOL)

Popsugar: 24/50
ATY: 39/52
RHC: 10/24
Unexpected progress made!

FINISHED:
Please note: there is no 5-star read this week! Shocking, isn't it? LOL
*The Big Bad Wolf (Alex Cross #9) by James Patterson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was okay. Nothing great, nothing awful! I sometimes wonder why I keep reading these. 😊 One reason? They are very fast reads. Most chapters are only 1-2 pages in length. And although I now find myself rolling my eyes at some of the common tropes Patterson repeats throughout this series—the head/main villain has at least 2-3 other guys claiming to be him, etc. But the amount of characterization for Alex and his family is enough to satisfy me for the time spent… And there were surprises in this one! Both good and bad.
POPSUGAR: #25, #26, #29, #46-the Federal judge
ATY: #1, #2, #3- Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! The Wolf leaves a trail of dead mutilated bodies behind…, #7-Alex holds a PhD in psychology, #15, #21-Car, #31-2003, #33, #36-the main criminal is known as “The Wolf,” #39-Strength, Justice, Death, Judgment, The World, #49, #50-Nana Mama
RHC: #24-2020: #3 Read a mystery where the victim is not a female

*Raybearer (Raybearer #1) by Jordan Ifueko ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for my favorite used bookstore’s book club meeting this past Sunday. At 50 pages in I was not overly-thrilled with this one and it took 100 pages before I decided to go ahead and keep reading… I finished it and admittedly, there were a few parts where I was intensely focused as with other YA Fantasy books I’ve read in the past, but too few and too far between were those moments. I won’t continue the series… I could appreciate the mirroring of our current (and continuing) controversy in the US of allowing and even encouraging different subcultures to retain their own myths, etc., rather than forcing everyone to burn their books and not to pass along such diverse historical cultural knowledge/information. This IS the way Hitler took over in the beginning of Nazi domination… Beware!
POPSUGAR: #9, NEW #22-Dayo admits he has no interest in sex with either gender!, #25, #40-2015: prompt #6 Author under 30 years of age, #46
ATY: #1-Tarisai, #4-A book whose author is younger than you, #7-the Ray enabled telepathic communication, #12-The Lady tracked Tarisai’s life through a handheld mirror, NEW #17, #34-Judge Thaddace—Tarisai’s tutor, #37-author, #40-The Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Lovers, Strength, The Hermit, Justice, Death, Judgment, The World, #49
RHC: NEW #11, #13, #24-2017:prompt #12 Read a fantasy novel

*Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for our February Group Read! I wanted to DNF this and then as I picked it up to read the last 150 pages or so, I was blown away by several analogies and then just Hibbert’s characterization. I do not like “open door” sexual encounters and that was what turned me off. It just didn't work for me, though I did enjoy the last half much more than the first half. I won’t continue with this series though.
POPSUGAR: #9, NEW #18, #25, NEW #30, #40-2015: prompt #6 Author under 30 years of age, NEW #48
ATY: #4-well those passions read/Eventually Red and Chloe were able to ‘read’ their passion for each other, #7-Red had begun therapy, #12-Chloe was able to spy on Red through the windows in both of their apartments, #36-Smudge!, #40-The Lovers, Strength, The World, #41-Red cooked for Chloe, #50-Chloe’s Grandma, Gigi!
RHC: NEW #4-Though there is some ‘trauma’/’traumatic’ scenes, overall, there is joy!, NEW #23-Hibbert suffers from chronic pain. #24-2021: Read an own voices book about disability

I finished two more but don’t have the time to document right now, so I’ll include those next week!

CONTINUING:
For the Read-A-Thon:
The Chase (Lionboy #2) by Zizou Corder
Back Bay (Peter Fallon #1) by William Martin
And maybe one more short book if I finish these in time!

*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:
4 for March Buddy Reads:
*Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs #1) by Jean Webster
Murder at Queen's Landing (Wrexford & Sloane #4) by Andrea Penrose
*London Bridges (Alex Cross #10) by James Patterson

*The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday (Isabel Dalhousie #5) by Alexander McCall Smith
*The Lost Art of Gratitude (Isabel Dalhousie #6) by Alexander McCall Smith
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

Kenya wrote: "HHappy Thursday, y’all.

Well, as of last weekend I am officially a college student! :D Enrolled at my local community college and aiming to get my Associate's Degree in English with a focus on creative writing. I take my placement tests tomorrow to determine what math and English courses I take.

It's been twenty years since I graduated high school (my last bit of schooling), and I'm nervous but excited. Wish me luck, y'all."
YAY for YOU!! Congrats!

"Year of the Reaper -- for “a book by a Pacific Islander author.” I haven’t read a traditional fantasy book like this in awhile, and I really enjoyed this one. I liked that, though it hints at a grander history of the land it’s set in, it doesn’t get hugely weighty like some “epic” fantasies do but focuses on the characters and on its murdery-mystery-esque plot instead."
This is encouraging! I've added it to my TBR

"Sorry Please Thank You -- for “a book with the name of a board game in the title.” I usually enjoy at least one story in a short-story collection… but this one was just painful to read."
Sounds like one I could definitely pass on...

"Light from Uncommon Stars -- for “a book about gender identity.” How the heck does a book that involves both deals with the devil and aliens from outer space manage to not only be good but wrench my heart to pieces in the process? This was so GOOD!"
This is already on my TBR listing but sounds as if I need to boot it up higher on my list!

"QOTW:
Probably Catherynne M. Valente. Not only do I love her writing, but I follow her on social media and her personality seems to align nicely with mine. And she's a delight to listen to. (If you happen to see this, Cath, I promise I'm not a creepy stalker...)"
Definitely not! We allow no creepy stalkering in POPSUGAR!! LOL