L Y N N’s
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(group member since Nov 10, 2018)
L Y N N’s
comments
from the Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge group.
Showing 1,521-1,540 of 4,909
1. Get A Life, Chloe Brown starts with an author's note. Have you read other books before that starts with a trigger alert? Did the note give you pause about reading the book?A couple of books I've read included a warning about content though I cannot now remember which books! LOL
2. The first sentence in the prologue grabs your attention. Were you expecting a romance book to begin with a life changing event?
I try to begin a book with few expectations. It was surprising, but at the beginning of any book I think it would surprise me. Not just because this is a "romance"...
3. Once Chloe is home we get a glimpse into her family life. Is this a safe & healthy environment for Chloe?
Her mother obviously makes her life miserable by over-protecting and over-reacting!
1. Do you regularly read books during heritage months related to that identity?
I have begun to fit in 2-3 books during that specific month, if I can. I find that I mainly add these more diverse books to my TBR listing and then when I acquire books they are much more diverse than in the past. So while I may not read 5-6 or more books during that month, the goal of adding more diverse books to my reading life is accomplished! And that makes me very happy!
2. During heritage months do you read only books related to those histories & identities?
No. Definitely not. Mainly because I probably already have several books planned for each month to fulfill Buddy Reads or Group Reads or Book Club reads.
3. Are heritage months important to your reading life?
I have found them to be important for diversifying my reading overall as noted above.
K.L. wrote: "Good morning, everyone!It has been a pretty busy week! I am continuing to work on clearing out the junk that has accumulated in my home over the years, and I’ve made some decent progress.
I’ve also managed to get in a few days of exercise this week, despite some pretty lousy weather. It’s been so cold lately that I’m having to use the elliptical instead of walking outside, and I have to say that I would much rather take a walk instead. My legs feel almost as bad as they did after I tried a CrossFit class on “leg day.”"
I'm gathering CrossFit was not for you! But you are accomplishing great thing!! Purging and exercising! 👍😀
"I decided to continue reading mostly manga this week, and ended up crossing off a considerable number of books from my TBR list as a result, including the entire Inuyasha manga series. I’ve still got 70 books left to go before I can lift my book buying ban, but I’m moving along a lot faster than I anticipated."
You are a dynamo!
"Finished Reading:"
A ton of books! 😁
"Currently Reading:
~The Princess Spy"
Oohhh...added this to my TBR listing. Looks like a good one!
"QOTW:
Since I’m currently focusing on my TBR list, I haven’t selected any specific books to read during February."
You are very focused and achieving so much! Good for you!
Nadine in NY wrote: "It's been another cold week. Yesterday the temps finally rose above freezing, my dogs had a blast playing in the snow, and my driveway is FINALLY clear ... just in time for tonight's storm coming in."Your turn!! 😋
"This week I finished 2 books, none for this Challenge, so I remain 12/50."
12 books for the challenge in just the first month! Whoo! Whoo!
"The Bees poems by Carol Ann Duffy- not for me."
Too bad...
"Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney - I was surprised by how much I liked this (finally! a Tournament of Books book that I really enjoyed!!). I'm one of those contrary grumps who hates liking popular things, but, hello! I'm on the Sally Rooney Fan Wagon now!!"
I enjoyed Normal People though I did miss QUOTATION MARKS! Come on... I have this on my TBR since you enjoyed it! I really want to read her Conversations with Friends too.
"QotW
Yes!! Every year I like to select books to read for various Cultural Appreciation months. Come on over to Black History Month reading!"
And I depend upon that!! LOL 👍😀
"This month I'm hoping to read:
general fiction:
Passing by Nella Larsen - this is on my list of books I must read in 2022"
Oohhh...I'm planning to read Quicksand this year!
"A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry - this is also on my list of books I must read in 2022 (maybe I can read this in one sitting?)"
I would definitely think this could be read in one sitting! I read this about 2 1/2 years ago and was so impressed! Such a masterpiece, IMO! I would like to read more about Hansberry herself.
"romance:
Can't Escape Love by Alyssa Cole - my mobility aid book (I am currently reading this and expect to finish today or tomorrow)"
I have yet to read one of her books.
"Seven Days in June by Tia Williams - my BIPOC romance. I have this book borrowed from the library right now."
This one really piques my interest! I'll be anxious to see what you think of it!
"SFF:
Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi - I've been meaning to read this for two years now. No time like the present?"
Another one I'm interested in reading!
"graphic novel:
Making Our Way Home: The Great Migration and the Black American Dream by Blair Imani - a copy is waiting for me at the library."
Cool!
"mystery:
Children of the Street by Kwei Quartey - part 2 in the Darko Dawson series (I need part 3 for this Challenge, but I don't have a category for this one).
Blonde Faith by Walter Mosley - (I'm currently listening to this one) The Easy Rawlins series books are always good for an audiobook
The Big Gold Dream by Chester Himes - I'm slowly making my way through Himes' Harlem cycle; haven't read any in just over a year now."
I have some of the better known Harlem Renaissance books that are waiting for me. Hoping to read them in 2022!
"general non-fiction:
Memorial Drive: A Daughter's Memoir by Natasha Trethewey - this is an Ainsley-Wolfe award winner; I'm definitely going to read it this year, and use it for the Challenge, but I'm not sure if I'll fit it in February."
Oohh, this looks like a good one! I also want to read Somebody's Daughter. For some reason I have associated these books with each other... 😊
"poetry:
For Christmas I bought myself some poetry books (because my library has a crappy selection). I now own, and I know I won't have time to read all of these in one month (but, yay! they are all women! Women's History Month is right around the corner):
Rita Dove - Playlist for the Apocalypse: Poems (currently reading this one)
Amanda Gorman - Call Us What We Carry
Yona Harvey - Hemming the Water
Tracy K. Smith - Eternity: Selected Poems"
Ah. Amanda Gorman. Can't imagine whatever she writes won't be wonderful!
"And books to suggest? SO MANY!!! But I'll keep my list short, because this is already long enough."
Nah. Go ahead! LOL
"Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America- this was so well-written, comprehensive, and informative."
Another one I hope to finally get to this year!
"The classics:
Their Eyes Were Watching God - it doesn't get any better than this; one of the few books I've re-read. (Audiobook is fantastic, too.)"
I pulled this one out for 2022!
"The Street - this deserves a re-discovery in the 21st century."
And there's a new edition published in 2020 with an introduction by Tayari Jones.
"Zami: A New Spelling of My Name- I read in a women's studies class in the 80s; it blew me away, and it deserves a much wider audience."
I have yet to read one of Lorde's books.
"Contemporary fiction:
The Hate U Give for a contemporary YA voice.
Anything by Colson Whitehead, especially The Underground Railroad, The Nickel Boys, and Harlem Shuffle.
The Mothers or The Vanishing Half - both were wonderful
Homegoing - one of the best books I've ever read, an amazing debut."
I've read about half of these and hope to get to the others. Excellent recommendations!
"Crime fiction:
A Rage in Harlem by Chester Himes"
That's a new one for me! Added to my TBR listing!
"Fear Itself by Walter Mosley (audiobook is read by Don Cheadle!)"
I always thought his writing might be a bit too gory for me. But I think John owns some of his, so I might try one just to see...
"If you like graphic novels, the March series was wonderful."
Not particularly a graphic novel fan, but I think these would be worth it!
"... and there are SO MANY books I still want to read!!! In particular: Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Renaissance and Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America. I'll get to them someday ..."
Two more that look to be excellent reads!
Dubhease wrote: "Happy Thursday. Our city did not get the major snowstorm, and we're probably the only city disappointed by that. We have an infestation of protestors right now, who are not the peaceful, civil disobedience types. They are are terrorizing women, POC, the homeless, and the disabled. Some hoped a storm would snow them in. Too bad, we can't swap weather and you could send us your snow."I would GLADLY give you all the snow! Just got another couple of inches overnight and it was only 10 degrees F this morning when I got up. So grateful to be able to work remotely for these few days!
What kind of protest is this? I forget where you are located, if I did know. I trust you are safe! I wish all of us were safe...
"In book news, I finished 3 books. And I'm reading a cute middle school story that fits a PS and ATY prompt."
Cool!
"Finished:
Eragon
ATY prompt: A book connected to the phrase "Here (There) Be Dragons"
Popsugar prompt: A book that features two languages"
Literally...DRAGONS! 😊
"The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories
ATY prompt: A book with 22 or more letters in the title
Popsugar prompt: A book you know nothing about"
Ooohhh...Dr. Seuss stories! Yes!!
"Currently reading:
Jelly Bean Summer"
Oh, yeah, this definitely looks like my jam! Added to my TBR listing!
Nadine in NY wrote: "Lynn wrote: "The Black Stallion Returns (Black Stallion #2) by Walter Farley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was excellent, IMO! I know some of you here did not enjoy it at all. I think maybe I’m still capable of readi..."It is my first time. I have no idea how I missed them as a child/teen! Although I was limited to whatever our rather small rural library had available...
And I also watched the 1983 film adaptation of the movie immediately after reading the book. The movie used some of the characters and few scenes, but other than that didn't follow the book much at all. A real disappointment for me... But then there is the fact that after several of the Harry Potter movies, I would complain to my husband about all the what-I-felt-to-be very important and pertinent things omitted from the movie adaptation, and he would inform me that nobody would sit through a 4-6 hour long movie just to see all those things added... Humph! He may be right, but still... LOL
Nadine in NY wrote: "Lynn wrote: "Happy Thursday yet once again!! The Percival Everett author event has been rescheduled to March 15, so now I’ll have time to read at least one more of his books before the event!"The plumbing was so cumbersome. I love to cook and do so quite often, but having to NOT run any water down the kitchen sink was such a drawback and what a hassle! Ugh... Glad it's over!
"I really enjoyed this book!! I liked it a lot more than Black Water Rising. I definitely plan to read Heaven, My Home and I hope she continues the series.."
I'm so glad you posted this, 'cause I thought you hadn't liked it for some reason. (I'm old and my memory is not always reliable!)
Popsugar: 13/50ATY: 34/52
RHC: 5/24
FINISHED:
*The Careful Use of Compliments (Isabel Dalhousie #4) by Alexander McCall Smith ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I adore Isabel’s philosophical moments as well as her sharp observational skills, and particularly her perseverance! Even Jamie had to admit her ‘interference’ was a good thing this time around!
POPSUGAR: NEW #19-summer, #25, #28-In certain parts of the world “holiday” means “vacation”!, #29, #40-A book you own but had never read, #46-the painter
ATY: #2-Read another Alexander McCall Smith book in 2021!, #3, #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): The hand that mocked them, Isabel thought the painting was a fraud, #5, #6, #7, #15, #31-2007, #33, #34, #36-Brother Fox, #37, #40-The Lovers, Strength, Justice, Hermit, Death, Judgment, The World
RHC: #7-Isabel is 42 and Jamie is 28!
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for a January Buddy Read. Oh, my goodness! Isaacson’s writing was absolutely excellent, IMO! I never thought I would be interested in reading his other books, but I would definitely consider them now given that I love his writing! If you are at all interested in the science behind mRNA technology and how we got here, you should read this!
POPSUGAR: #36, #40-2015: prompt #1 A book with more than 500 pages
ATY: #3, #4-Although this technology can be used to alleviate illness, it could also be used to create “designer babies”, NEW #13, NEW #25, #34, #37, #40-Judgment, The World, #49
RHC: #22, #24-2016: Read a nonfiction science book
The Black Stallion Returns(Black Stallion #2) by Walter Farley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was excellent, IMO! I know some of you here did not enjoy it at all. I think maybe I’m still capable of reading like a ‘kid’! (I probably still think like a child as well! LOL) This was a perfect adventure story with horses, IMO! I rather enjoyed the travel described in that time period. The Bedouin culture and characters were so interesting! I’ll definitely keep reading these!
POPSUGAR: #19-summer, NEW #24, #25, #26-the Black Stallion doesn’t return to Alec, #29, #40-2015: prompt #27 A book you can finish in a day
ATY: #1-Alec, #2-Read the first installment in 2021, #3, #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): …sneer of cold command…The main villain and The lone and level sands stretch far away-Lots of sand in the desert!, NEW #10-Morocco = Africa, #20, #25-199 pages, #31-1945, #33, #36, #37, #40-Strength, Justice, Death, The Sun, NEW #41, #43, NEW #46, #49
RHC: #24-2016: Read a book that was adapted into a movie, then watch the movie. Debate which is better. The movie was nothing like the book, just used some of the same characters and a few of the same scenes. Book definitely better IMO! Movie just so very dramatic! Overly so…
CONTINUING:
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo for my University’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group read. Our facilitator is a black female and I believe that helps a lot!
*Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. I think this will be next! Along with *Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert for our February Group Read!
*Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson to complete two 2021 challenges!
*Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
*Paradise by Toni Morrison to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #25 A book written by Toni Morrison
PLANNED:
The Big Bad Wolf (Alex Cross #9) by James Patterson for a February Buddy Read.
Murder at Kensington Palace(Wrexford & Sloane #3) by Andrea Penrose for a February Buddy Read.
*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 This second one for the ATY winter challenge—I need Ls!
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:
*Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert (our February Group Read! How convenient! LOL)
*Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
*Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
*Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
Happy Thursday yet once again!! The Percival Everett author event has been rescheduled to March 15, so now I’ll have time to read at least one more of his books before the event! I'm having trouble posting anything on Goodreads this morning (yet again!) so will keep working on links, etc., for this posting IF I can ever get it posted!
I am working remotely due to back-to-back snowstorms. We got 4-5 inches yesterday and I'm not sure how much more is expected today. I'll have to dig out this afternoon... A good workout since the gym closed early yesterday and I wasn't going to drive anywhere anyway!
Tuesday was a very happy day for me! Not so much for our savings… But, we have a working plumbing system again! We can flush toilets to our heart’s desire and I have a washing machine that is usable once more!! YAY!! No more toting to the laundromat. And they were able to clear everything in less than 2 hours AND they didn’t have to locate a clean out or do anything else more than clearing all the drains here in the house. It was buildup of grease from the kitchen sink over the years that caused all the trouble. I was appalled, because I try to be so careful of that! He reassured me this is what happens over the years and that the best thing to do is always run lots of hot water. Which I thought I was doing… I’m just so grateful to have working drains again! I shed a few tears of relief after they’d gone. Fortunately, the bill was much much less than I expected and feared, so it’s a win win! I kinda feel human again!
I think I’ve mentioned it once before, but Roxane Gay has established a podcast, and regular newsletters, book discussion group, etc., kinda all located under “The Audacity.” The most recent posting was packed with so many interesting links! It is here (https://audacity.substack.com/p/the-a...) if you are interested… I discovered it Saturday morning and realized I could probably spend 2 hours or so reading everything she lists. But I picked up my book instead and decided to share the link with you-all!
I guess this last Saturday, January 29, was National Puzzle Day, at least according to a Half Price Books email I received. I do miss jigsaw puzzles in my life, but with 4 cats I dare not try to tackle a large puzzle! 😊 I do use a puzzle app on my phone every once in a while though!
Admin Stuff:
It is a new month and a new monthly group read! YAY!! You can find the February discussion thread for Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert here. And, you can post the book(s) you have read to fulfill prompt #18 A romance novel written by a BIPOC author here. Sherri is our "gracious gifted guide" who has volunteered to facilitate February’s discussion! Thank you, Sherri! I just started this last night and so far, so good!
I waited until this morning to move the People We Meet on Vacation thread to the 2022 Monthly Group Reads folder. Please remember that all of the past monthly discussion threads are archived and available for your reading pleasure at any time in the future! Erica facilitated a very participatory group of readers for this discussion. It proved to be a great start for 2022! THANK YOU, Erica!!
We have a tie in the voting for the April monthly group read poll that just ended! So now we have a tiebreaker poll setup here. Such a Fun Age and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder both garnered 16 votes each! Please help us with this final final selection! 😉
We are still in search of a “literary luminar” for the March discussion of The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See and a “guru guide” for the April discussion of either A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #1) by Holly Jackson or Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid. I’m anxious to see which of these is selected!
Next week, Nadine will get us started with a nomination poll for May’s Monthly Group Read to fulfill prompt #15 A book written by a Pacific Islander author. And thanks to Nadine’s detailed information for that prompt, you should have no problem selecting a book to nominate. I’m sure the Listopia has some good suggestions as well. Then the following week the poll for a final selection will be posted. That means that by the end of February we’ll have books selected for the first 6 months of 2022, hopefully allowing plenty of time for everyone interested to obtain a copy and be ready to read and discuss!
Question of the Week:
Are you planning to read any specific books during February in honor of Black History Month being celebrated in the US and Canada? And/or, do you have any books to recommend?
I am sure Nadine and others will have tons of suggestions for us. What I have realized is that although I don’t necessarily tend to focus on such representative books/authors during a limited time period, I do incorporate these books into my TBR listing and then they are included in my reading much more so than ever before. Of course, it is extremely helpful that publishers appear to have finally diversified their authors much more so than in the past! I am always thrilled to see non-white authors listed! It just makes me smile and nod my head, “Yes! Finally…”
I will definitely be reading Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert since that is our monthly group read!
And since I’ve been dying to read it, I’m going to pickup Bluebird, Bluebird (Highway 59 #1) by Attica Locke. Finally!
I will also be reading Raybearer (Raybearer #1) by Jordan Ifueko for my favorite used bookstore’s book club.
I will hope to finish book:Yes, Chef|13069213] by Marcus Samuelsson.
I read Black Water Rising (Jay Porter #1) 9 years ago and although I remember much of it, if time allows in February, I am going to reread it before launching into Pleasantville, the second installment in Attica Locke's Jay Porter series.
That’s probably all I can possibly fit in along with other planned reads for February! (And may not get that far!)
Powell Books has a listing of New Fiction and Nonfiction for Black History month: https://www.powells.com/post/lists/ce.... Also a listing celebrating books written by Black authors and centering Black life: https://www.powells.com/black-history...
I would definitely recommend the following:
*So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
(I highly advise you watching some of her videos. She is very outspoken and forthright about the horror inflicted by White Supremacy "terrorists.")
*How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
*The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
*The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride
*There There by Tommy Orange
*Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala
Urban Tumbleweed: Notes from a Tanka Diary by Harryette Mullen
*How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
*A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology edited by Dhonielle Clayton
Great introduction to new-to-me SFF authors!
Black Klansman: Race, Hate, and the Undercover Investigation of a Lifetime by Ron Stallworth
*You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
**When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors
Any book written by Terry McMillan, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Rita Williams-Garcia (especially the Gaither Sisters trilogy), Marcus Samuelsson, Nic Stone, Roxane Gay.
cat herine wrote: "Ahhh, sorry fam but I just did not like this book. 🙈"Never a need to apologize for your reaction to a book IMO! There is no ONE book that every single reader adores! 😋
Erica wrote: "Thanks to all those who have participated over the past month."You did a marvelous job, Erica! Thank you so much!
Kelly wrote: "Lynn wrote: "One of the things I really liked about this book was the aspect of examining a relationship with an eye toward "similarities" rather than "compatibility," which IMO are two very differ...Lynn wrote: "One of the things I really liked about this book was the aspect of examining a relationship with an eye toward "similarities" rather than "compatibility," which IMO are two very different things. [..."
Lynn, I didn't read your spoilers as I haven't read it yet, but what you're saying here about similarities versus compatibility is interesting to me. Makes me look forward to reading it with that in mind!"
Anxious to see what you think...
Cat wrote: "Lynn wrote: "Cat wrote: "Check point 8 - 12In terms of this book and/or its characters, It Aspires...?
English it's not my first language and I'm not really sure how to reply to this, however som...
I liked the movie but (view spoiler) so i didn't read the book and i guess i won't in the future..."
As usual with me, overall I preferred the book. But, if you're uncomfortable with the ending, then maybe reading the book isn't a good idea... Though for me, (view spoiler)
"Ellie wrote: "How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu for ATY (prompt that didn't make the list - it's the end of the world as we know it). ..."This is on my short list of ideas for the "man-made disaster" category. I'm going to try to find non-fiction for the category, but if I can't, I've got a few fiction ideas. Do you think this book fits?"
I'm reading a nonfiction book for that prompt: Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital. If that helps!
Milena wrote: "Mary wrote: "So my dog and I were wrestling yesterday morning and he hit me in the eye with the back of his paw. I didn't get the lid closed in time, so it felt pretty terrible, but I bounced back fast, or so I..."My daughter scratched my cornea with her fingernail when she was a baby. It's so painful. Once you get the drops, it should feel better fairly soon. Back in those days they also used to tape gauze over your eye and give you an eyepatch, so that was fun."
ARRRRR, Matey! Perfect for "Talk Like a Pirate" Day!!!
I had to give up wearing contact lenses after only about 6 months. I had to use antihistamine drops in my eyes 2-3 times a day just to be able to wear them which my optometrist at the time was not thrilled about me doing...
And my prescription made "soft" contacts an impossibility so I had to wear the hard version...and due to my allergies and extra fluid in my eyes, the lenses would slip and slide all over my eye and as a result (You probably already guessed) I ended with a scratched cornea 4 times within those 6 months. I reverted to glasses and decided contacts just aren't for me... 😳😋
But I didn't get any cool eye patches to wear! Color me green with envy! LOL
Happy Thursday, all! So, we were without water in our house at least 24 hours… Yeah, exciting, huh?!? I was appalled when I arrived home at 10PM last Wednesday and no water came out of any faucet in the house. I immediately texted the plumber we had do work for us last time and received a message that they were closed throughout January. (I hope it’s not due to illness/COVID!) So I spent Thursday phoning other plumbers in the area. However, when I arrived home at 8:30PM on Thursday night, there was water! Turns out that my husband had gone outside to investigate on Thursday and discovered that the plumbers who were there last time neglected to close the hatch/small door that prevented outside air from directly blowing into the crawl space under the house and that was just enough to cause the water pipes located only 3 feet from the opening to freeze. (Not a great design...) Thankfully he caught it in time and it wasn’t cold enough to cause any pipes to burst! I have yet to text that plumber to let him know the trouble they almost caused us…I’m trying to allow my temper to dissipate a bit, but I honestly don’t know if I’ll reach a point of being able to communicate nicely or not. I guess time will tell! I’m just glad they’re closed so there was no chance of them coming out again! 😊 You just never know…And now we have much bigger plumbing problems! Two different companies were out and finally a third decided they could tackle our situation. Sounds as if we’ll have to have all kinds of repairs done to get everything working correctly again. Unbelievable. *sigh* But…the car is running!! LOL So there is that!!
Admin Stuff:
You can post the book you read to satisfy January's prompt here.
And, we have a "bubbly bibliophile" to lead May's group read discussion! Stormie ~ Book Dragon ~ will have that honor. That is truly courageous, considering that book has yet to be selected! Thank you, Stormie!
Question of the Week:
What is your favorite reading genre?
I have loved mysteries from the beginning of my independent reading as a child. And as an adult I discovered historical fiction which is a favorite! But now I would say my overall absolute favorite genre is Historical Fiction-Mystery or would that be Mystery-Historical Fiction? LOL Whatever... Behind that is fiction/literary fiction overall. And as a result of broadening my reading horizons by participating more in Goodreads groups, etc. I now can add SFF (Science Fiction/Fantasy) as my third preference.
FINISHED:
*The Right Attitude to Rain (Isabel Dalhousie #3) by Alexander McCall Smith ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was absolutely adorable! I had totally forgotten exactly how calming and pleasantly entertaining this series is to me. Isabel is a self-proclaimed “philosopher” and I believe one of the most appealing aspects of this series is my frequent realization that her own philosophical musings mirror my own… Yeah. I’m not exactly a ‘party animal’!! LOL So glad I picked this up and read it and now, since I own the next 6 installments, I’ll be reading one of these every once in awhile throughout 2022! *Squee!* BTW, this series is definitely NOT for everyone. If you desire action avoid these books! LOL
POPSUGAR: #25, #29, #40-2019 #7 Reread a favorite book
ATY: #2-I read another Alexander McCall Smith book in 2021, #3, #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): Tell that its sculptor well those passions read-Jamie and Isabel’s passions are finally realized, #12-Jamie drops his glass and breaks it when Isabel tells him, #15, #31-2006, #33, #40-The Lovers, Strength, Justice, Judgment, The World, The Fool
RHC: NEW #7-Isabel is 42 and Jamie is 28
CONTINUING:
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson for a January Buddy Read. This weekend was much busier than I had planned, so I was unable to finish. I should this coming weekend, however! Definitely a 10-star read for me!
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo for my University’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group read. I have high hopes for the discussion group to which I have been assigned. The leader is a black female which I believe is VERY appropriate AND there are 22 members, but hopefully this will be better than the last group. I have my fingers crossed! We will discuss the introduction and first chapter today.
* The Careful Use of Compliments (Isabel Dalhousie #4) by Alexander McCall Smith. Almost halfway through this one. I adore this series!
*Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. I think this will be next!
*Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson to complete two 2021 challenges!
*Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
*Paradise by Toni Morrison to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #25 A book written by Toni Morrison
PLANNED:
The Big Bad Wolf (Alex Cross #9) by James Patterson for a February Buddy Read.
Murder at Kensington Palace(Wrexford & Sloane #3) by Andrea Penrose for a February Buddy Read.
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:
*Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert (our February Group Read! How convenient! LOL)
*Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
*Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
*Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
*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
Milena wrote: "Happy Thursday! Gray and depressing day here. Good working weather."I don't know...I kinda like sunshine even if I do have to work inside! Then there are other days when I think, "Oh, it's gloomy, so just as well that I have to work!" LOL ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
"Finished:
I only finished audiobooks this week. The two books I am reading are long, so those will take a while.
Lethal White for character that uses a mobility aid
The Unhoneymooners for BookTok recommendation
I enjoyed both."
Finishing is finishing! 👍 I am anxious to read The Cuckoo's Calling for the onomatopoeia prompt this year! Finally! I feel as if I've owned that book forever! LOL
"Currently reading:
Stalingrad
The Life of Charlotte Brontë
Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal on audio. Mental note: do not listen while eating."
Love your mental note! You made me laugh! LOL
"QOTW:
I didn't avoid them before, but I read a lot more narrative non-fiction and true crime since I started doing challenges. I particularly enjoy them as audiobooks. The more bizarre, the better. Some of my recent favorites:
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
That looks fascinating!
iI>"The Feather Thief"
I thought for sure this was already on my TBR listing, but it wasn't! It is now!
"Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts"
That one is already there!
"The Library Book"
And I meant to read this one last year. Hope I get to it this year!
"And classics. I've been reading way more classics. Purposely joined a classics group on Goodreads for just that purpose.."
Good for you!
Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday! It's still snowing here, and there's ice under the snow so that's fun. I'm going to have to be very very careful when I bring the trash can down to the curb tonight. My driveway has a slope that I don't even notice in the summer, but in the winter it feels deadly hahah! (and yes I've gotten stuck in my driveway many a time ... back before I started paying someone to plow my driveway, and it would be full of snow when I got home from work - George takes care of me now, and he's worth every penny)."Whew! Yeah, do not fall! Please! We need you!! 😊
"This week I finished 5 books, 4 for this Challenge, so I am now 8/50."
You are "bookin'" right along! LOL
"The Confession of Copeland Cane by Keenan Norris - I read this because it's on the Tournament of Books list, and I'm trying to read all the books on the short list this year (and I'm wondering if maybe that wasn't the best idea after all). I decided to check off the first "sister cities" with this book set in Oakland. It was memorable and powerful but not at all engaging. I ended up speed reading through much of it just to finish. (I'm on my third ToB book right now, and also not loving it, so I might end up deciding this whole ToB thing is not for me.)"
This one looks to be a little too "out there" for my taste... At least you're trying the ToB books out! Good for you!
"The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave - this was a book I really wanted to read last year, and my hold finally came in now. I checked off "about a secret." It was entertaining but the ending was just stupid."
LOL Guess I won't worry about reading that one right away! LOL
"Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey - another book I really wanted to read last year, and I finally got to it this month."
I read this 10 years ago and really don't remember much about it, but I evidently enjoyed it. I think I own the second book in the series, but I would definitely want to reread this first...
"Bubble written by Jordan Morris- this is my book that I could read in one sitting, although I will confess that I did NOT finish it in one sitting. But I COULD have."
And the prompt only states that you CAN read it in one sitting! So that works!
"Chew, Vol. 8: Family Recipes written by John Layman - this was completely ridiculous and a lot of fun. I'm reading volume 9 right now! I aim to have all 12 volumes completed by the end of February. There is actually a recipe in this volume! But it's not specific, it's not doable (it involves aliens), it's not safe (it's hallucinogenic), and I already checked off that category anyway."
This whole paragraph just made me laugh! 😀
"QotW
Not really "recently." Back in 2015 when I first started this challenge, I read Big Little Lies (for antonyms in the title) and Station Eleven (for number in the title) and I loved both of them, so I discovered that I do sometimes like what I considered "chick lit" and "literary fiction" and I started seeking out more of those.
In a later challenge, we had to read a Western, and I read The Sisters Brothers and enjoyed it (and I later read True Grit for some other challenge category that I can't remember now) so I discovered that sometimes I do like Westerns, but I haven't been seeking them out to read more."
Interesting discoveries!
"I pretty much have always read an equal number of: mystery, romance, & SFF; some years one or the other genre will pull ahead, but that varies. In the last few years I've started to intentionally seek out more "literary fiction" but it's not really because the Challenge pointed me in that direction, it's just sort of a gradual progression of my reading habits as I age."
I find I add in literary fiction many times so that I have the basic knowledge of it for future reference.
""Mhairi McFarlane"
That is a new one on me. I'll have to research... "
Actually, I have three of her books on my TBR listing!
Tania wrote: "Good morning!I agree - I think reading nonfiction tends to be a little slower going. I enjoy it, but I notice it takes longer to finish the same number of pages."
Ah...so maybe it's not just my imagination! LOL
"I finished two books this week. I'm still trying to decide whether to count one of them for the challenge - there was a description of a recipe in In This Mountain, but I'm not sure if it was enough to count for the prompt "a book with a recipe.""
I would say that is totally up to you!
"Both books that I read this week have sat on my TBR forever, so yay for clearing shelves."
Whoo! Whoo!
"The Freeholder by Joe David Brown - historical fiction, the Goodreads description of this book is not even close to being accurate - it was portrayed as a love triangle but thankfully it's not at all like that, though there is a love story involved (a nice one). Set during the 1800s. 5 stars."
That looks intense!
"QOTW: I would say there are some genres I've been more exposed to because of the reading challenges, like scifi and comics, and I've been encouraged to go back to reading genres that I used to read more of like romance."
Cool!
Christine wrote: "Hi everyone, from the bitter, snowy frontiers of . . . central North Carolina?!We had snow/ice last week, and then yesterday I had to run out to do a grocery fill-in to cover us for the coming weekend, since it’s supposed to start snowing overnight and go all day Friday into Saturday. This isn’t completely unprecedented in this area, but it is pretty unusual for us to get two snow events within two weeks.
I’m so over my skin being itchy and my sinuses being irritated by the dry air and constantly-running heat. Might need to look into a more southerly place to retire to!"
Yikes! And I thought North Carolina would be a place to get away from such weather! Ugh...
"Lynn wrote: "Happy Thursday! I feel as if I’m late in posting since I got my laptop out at 7:30AM yesterday morning thinking, “Oh, I’ve got to post for the Weekly Check-In!” Then realized, “Oh, I don’t have to ..."
I feel like this week is really timey-wimey too. And it won't stop anytime soon - next week I'm taking Monday off yet again because I've learned that the day my 13yo goes back to school after a break needs to be a Mental Health Day for me!"
LOL That sounds smart to me! Enjoy that extra day!
"Finished
Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff - A book with the name of a board game in the title - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This book is changing my life! That sounds so corny, but she introduces a few key concepts for people who are not naturally good at reducing clutter. The best thing is, I’m now confident I can declutter my whole house without ever pulling all the contents of a drawer/closet/garage out and having to sort/organize it as a big, draining, time-eating project. And my house has already improved noticeably, just in a week! The audio book was great, too - let me DO some stuff with her walking me through it!"
That sounds exciting! Good for you!
"Currently Reading
Good Omens: A Full Cast Production - A book with a character on the ace spectrum - I put this on a 20 minute sleep timer every night, then the next night have to back up to where I fell asleep - so I’m averaging, like, 5 minutes of actual progress per day. :D But I kind of like that - I get to savor this.
Also, I didn’t really register this when watching the show, because Michael Sheen as Aziraphale looks like such a sweet cinnamon bun nerd, but Sheen actually has a very sexy voice! 😆 The benefits we get from trying different editions of favorites! (It goes without saying I already knew David Tennant has a sexy voice.)"
Sexy voices = GOOD!! I have learned through the years that I am a very voice-sensitive person. For instance, I can remember the very first time I heard my ex-husband's voice on the phone. I kinda melted... 😊
"The Consuming Fire - A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society - I’m having so much trouble getting through the setup and gaining momentum on this one! I know I will. It’s just it literally starts with religious bureaucracy and a committee meeting. I need Kiva Lagos being rude and manipulating people, stat!
Anyway, I tried a little more last night, since I was reminded how much I generally love Scalzi when I preordered The Kaiju Preservation Society and submitted my receipt to Tor to get a laptop decal and “officially” adopt a Kaiju. ❤"
I have the first book in this series on my TBR listing.
"QOTW
I wouldn’t say I’ve actively avoided mysteries, but I was never too keen on the genre - more like I’d read a specific one if it crossed my path. But I’ve read several mysteries for this challenge in the past few years, and I find I want to add the genre to my regular rotation. There’s just something about being drawn on to find out the solution! And as I think I said last week, I’m now actively searching for some good YA mystery, since I liked One of Us Is Lying so much!"
Cool! I LOVE mysteries! Glad to see a convert! 👍😊
K.L. wrote: "Good morning, everyone!It has been a pretty busy week so far! I’ve been focusing a lot of attention on cleaning out the junk that has accumulated in my home over the years. I’m planning to move either later this year or early next year, and I’d really like to have my pre-move garage sale sometime this summer. I’m currently in the beginning stages of my clean out, but I feel like I made some decent progress this week."
That's great! You sound very organized! 👍
"One of the other tasks I decided to tackle this week was typing up a TBR checklist. I decided to focus only on books I have physical copies of, so I’m going to be ignoring my ebook backlog for the time being. However, I did include the books I’ve read since the beginning of the year so I could get an accurate TBR count for 2022 as a whole.
I knew the final number would be high, but I had no idea that as of January 1st, I had 962 unread books on my shelves!"
Wow. That is a lot! Sounds as if you have a good plan for dealing with it though!
"Since it’s clear that my book buying has been out of control for way too long, I am now on a self-imposed book buying ban until I get at least 150 of my TBR titles read."
Uh. I wouldn't know anything about out-of-control-book-buying... No. Nothing... Okay. I may be lying... 😊 I applaud your strategy. I refuse to emulate it, but I applaud your efforts! LOL
"Goodreads: 32/200
TBR checklist: 20/962"
Wow. You're even listing it here. Good for you. I am impressed!
"Finished Reading:
~The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels"
Okay, that title alone intrigues me! LOL
"~Never Sleep with Strangers"
Ha! Ha! Not a problem for me since I'm old! LOL
"~Small Spaces"
I'm kinda torn on this one. I loved The Bear and the Nightingale but I 'fear' it might be too scary for my wussy self!
"DNFed:
~The Love Hypothesis — I stopped reading this one partway through the prologue. I just couldn’t get into it."
At least you but your losses and didn't waste more time!
"QOTW:
The only genre I really don’t read is westerns, and participating in reading challenges really hasn’t changed that."
Cool!
