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.

Wow! I inhaled this book! Loved it! Realistic without being depressing, IMO! Anxious to see what others think of it.

Definitely hoping to read more of Draper's writing!

Erin wrote: "Slowly working through this book- I just have to say, I think Lord Henry would do well in modern times as one of those podcaster/YouTubers who always tells young men that women are the problem and ..."

Ugh. You are so right!

Have you read this book or author before?
No to both.

Are you reading it for this prompt?
Yes, I am. Though I have owned a copy for years...

What are your expectations for this book? Do you think it will be easy or difficult to relate to a main character who is nonverbal?
I trust Draper will make it easy to relate to the MC and her challenges. I cannot even imagine how frustrating life would be if I had very little physical mobility AND could not communicate verbally.

Ugh. All I can say is that I am glad to now have a familiarity with this classic. It was drudgery to finish, but I am done!

I guess I would shelve this in horror.

#5 No. (view spoiler)[Although I suspected there would be a connection that would end with Gray's death. (hide spoiler)]

Thank you so much, Dubhease, for leading!!

I have not yet completed this one, so will wait to comment on the ending!

Might I just say, I only chose to read this since it was selected as a Monthly Group Read and I still needed a book to fulfill prompt #36. I was fairly certain this was not going to be in my wheelhouse and I was correct.

Thus far, I have found this book to be incredibly tedious and boring overall. I would never voluntarily reread it. Though at least now this is another "classic" with which I am now familiar...

I have never before read Wilde's work and venture to say I will probably not read any more of his writing...

Great question regarding the genre. My "I did not enjoy reading these classics"! LOL

Maybe I'll finally finish this thing later today!

What was your reaction to the book?
I truly enjoyed this book. I loved the relationships and the quirky characters!

Any favorite parts?
I loved the way August would go to the train at night-time to be with Jane.

Anything that you felt was beyond your ability to "suspend your disbelief"?
I actually had no trouble believing everything. I did think it quite interesting that Jane somehow managed to telephone in a song request to the radio station while she was missing... It was, IMO, a nice touch of detail that helped create suspense and made me wonder even more where she was...

I fell down on facilitating this discussion.
What was your reaction to the book?
Any favorite parts?
Anything that you felt was beyond your ability to "suspend your disbelief"?

Third time's charm, I hope! Goodreads refused to post my first two attempts at this...

Well, folks! This is it! Next Thursday will put us into a new year. The older I get the more I concentrate on each and every day. I note the “special” days/”holidays” but each day is truly a gift and I do my best to make the most of it. Every. Single. Day. None of us knows if we will get another one, so why not make this one “special”? 😊 My first thought with the beginning of 2025 is how to survive and thrive during “four more years” and then I concentrate on me and what I want to do with this day… How can I make myself happy and perhaps brighten up someone else’s world as I progress through the day? Because any little way I can influence another’s life in a positive aspect is ever so valuable to me!

Gratitude is my overall emotion to start each day. Listing the people and things for which I am grateful in my life seems to get my day started on a positive note and helps me overlook negative aspects that may be present or appear later…

I get to spend some time with a former coworker from Borders this afternoon and I’m delighted to visit with him again! He is one of my absolute favorite people!

Help for planning 2025 reads is below!!
Barack Obama’s favorite books, movies, and music of 2024:
https://barackobama.medium.com/here-a...

Here is a listing of 2024 favorite reads from Maria Popova’s Marginalia newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/themarginalian/boo... Quite an interesting list that includes quite a few nonfiction books.

And some more favorite 2024 reads, from Becca Freeman and Olivia Muenter’s BAD ON PAPER podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Bookperk:
https://link.harpercollins.com/view/5...

You know me! I love lists of books!!

ADMIN STUFF:
THE DECEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #36 A Book Written By an Incarcerated Or Formerly Incarcerated Person
National Mudd Day is December 20! What is National Mudd Day, you may ask? It references a fascinating bit of history I doubt many of us know. Dr. Samuel Mudd was a doctor who helped John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirator David Herold immediately following Lincoln’s assassination on the night of April 14, 1865. Mudd performed surgery on Booth and allowed them to spend the night. He didn’t report the men’s visit for another 24 hours, though it was assumed he would have heard of the assassination well before that time. Mudd was arrested 12 days later and eventually convicted to a life sentence by a military commission for the crime of aiding and conspiring in a murder, missing the death penalty by only one vote!
Dubhease is the "End-of-Year Innovator" who has graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! YAY Dubhease! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

THE JANUARY 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ IS Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #43 A book that includes a nonverbal character!
National Dress Up Your Pet Day is January 14, 2025
Surely there is a member out there whose New Year's resolution list includes facilitating the first 2025 Monthly Group Read discussion!?! Message either Nadine or Lynn to volunteer!

THE FEBRUARY 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ NOMINATION POLL IS
HERE!
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO TIME LIMITATIONS, this nomination poll will only be available through New Year’s Eve Day NEXT Tuesday, December 31! We’ll return to keeping polls live for two weeks once we have a February selection finalized! (We just need to hurry these first two month selections along so members can have an opportunity to obtain the book if they wish to participate.)

THE LISTING OF 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ TOPICS IS HERE!

The comprehensive listing of 2024 Monthly Group Reads resides HERE for your perusal and reference throughout 2024!
***

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Do you have one specific book that you plan to read FIRST in 2025? If so, which one? And why that one? :) Or, if you will just read whatever book strikes your fancy at the time, what might that be?
Provided I finish the 2024 challenge by January 1, the first book I plan to read in 2025 is Somewhere Beyond the Sea (Cerulean Chronicles #2) by T.J. Klune. And there are about 20-30 more I could list! But I’ll concentrate on this ONE! I adore this world and these characters! So much so that I wish a new book in the series could be released every few months!! LOL 😁😃 Yes, I know that's impossible! But a girl can dream...

2024 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 46/50
Around the Year (AtY): 52/52 DONE!
Read Harder: 19/24
52 Book Club: 47/52

FINISHED:
*XAIPE by E.E. Cummings ⭐⭐ was…uhm…poetry? Honestly, if not for the Popsugar prompt I needed to fulfill I would not have fit this in at the last minute this year. But I definitely will steer away from Cummings’ poetry in the future. I’m only documenting for that one Popsugar prompt since I didn’t “get” enough from this collection to even know how it might fulfill other prompts! Ugh…
POPSUGAR: #11, NEW #30, #48, #50
ATY: #3-A book related to X marks the spot, #9-286 ratings, #11, #20, #26, #45
RHC: #24-2015: prompt #17 A collection of poetry
52 Book Club: #4, #24, #30, #51-This is some “wild” poetry!

*Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o, illustrated by Vashti Harrison ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was just as gorgeous and beautifully written as the first time I read it!
POPSUGAR: #2, #24
ATY: #3-A book related to “civil rights” or “human rights,” #14, #17, #20, #22, #24, #29, #33, #36, #44, #46, #48
RHC: NEW #11, #24-2020: prompt #18 Read a picture book with a human main character from a marginalized community
52 Book Club: #9, #26-Fiction, Picture Book, Fantasy, Juvenile, Diversity, #30, #31, #32, #43

Documenting these later so we can get started on this final 2024 weekly check-in!
*The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (#36)
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
52 Book Club:

*Shift (Wool #2) by Hugh Howey (#46)
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
52 Book Club:

CONTINUING:
*The Trees by Percival Everett (#40)
*Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (#42)
*Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
*The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
*Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking has me thinking so very much that I have delayed reviewing it until I can finalize my thoughts…
*The Birthing House by Kathy Taylor
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer

PLANNED:
*21st Birthday (Women’s Murder Club #21) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*22 Seconds (Women’s Murder Club #22) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23rd Midnight (Women’s Murder Club #23) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23 1/2 Lies (Women’s Murder Club #23.5) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*The 24th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #24) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin

Nadine in NY wrote: "Question of the Week
It's that time of year when we reflect back on what we've done and what we've loved.
Which books have been your FAVORITE reads this year? They don't have to be 2024 publications or Challenge reads, just any books that you LOVED. (Try to keep your list to fifteen or fewer so we aren't all overwhelmed!)"
No way! Only 15? LOL Ha! Ha! Ha! 😯🙄😃😁👏👏👏👏

Jai wrote: "Hello All, I haven't been posting much since I decided not to finish the challenge and I'm not too sure of 2025's challenge either."
That is not what matters, however, at least not to me! Always happy to read what you've been up to.

Harmke wrote: "Happy Friday!

This is my final check-in this year. I also decided to focus on another challenge next year, so I won’t be posting or checking-in much here next year. I’ve found a good Dutch challe..."
While I understand and applaud your willingness to switch things up next year, please feel free to stop by any time and catch us up with your life! It has been wonderful to read your posts!

And finally...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
What are your favorite books that you read this year? (Any book you read, not just for this challenge)
Ugh. You all know how terrible I am at these “favorite” questions! LOL
*Mother-Daughter Murder Night-Nina Simon
*Finlay Donovan Is Killing It (Finlay Donovan #1)-Elle Cosimano
I look forward to finally reading/rereading through this series in 2025! I’ve read the first 3, own the 4th installment, and the 5th book is due to be released March 4, 2025!
*As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow-Zoulfa Katouh
*Emily of New Moon, Emily Climbs, Emily's Quest-L.M. Montgomery
I enjoyed this series at least as much as the Anne of Green Gable series…perhaps even more!
*I’m Glad My Mom Died-Jennette McCurdy
My own mother was not a nice person in so many ways, but she was an angel compared to Jennette’s mother! I am so sorry for Jennette’s many challenges in adulthood caused by her own mother’s abuse.
*The Poet X-Elizabeth Acevedo
This was such a phenomenal reading experience! I loved it on so many levels!
*Miss Benson's Beetle-Rachel Joyce
I love Joyce’s writing, but I thought this book was soooooo good! Quite a unique reading experience, IMO!
*Legends & Lattes, Bookshops & Bonedust-Travis Baldree
I adored L&L when I first read it and made sure to read the prequel asap! I adore Klune’s writing, at least in this series and am preparing to read some of his other books!
*Days at the Morisaki Bookshop (Days at the Morisaki Bookshop #1)-Satoshi Yagisawa
I look forward to reading More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop!
*The Maid, The Mystery Guest-Nita Prose
I adore this series and definitely plan to read them as published! The third installment, The Maid's Secret, is due to be released April 8, 2025! And I meant to read the in-between (#2.5) novella The Mistletoe Mystery before the end of 2024. But it will be there next year as well!
*Agatha Christie’s Tommy & Tuppence series: The Secret Adversary, Partners in Crime, N or M?, By the Pricking of My Thumbs, and Postern of Fate
I’m pretty sure I enjoy these more than the Hercule Poirot books, and probably just as much as I adore the Miss Marple books!
*Mitz: The Marmoset of Bloomsbury and The Friend-Sigrid Nunez
Nunez is a new favorite author for me and I have two more of his books I plan to read in 2025: The Vulnerables and What Are You Going Through
*Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind (Miss Julia #1)-Ann B. Ross
I now own several more in this series and plan to read them all!
*I finally finished Margery Sharp’s Rescuers series and loved them all!
*The Pull of the Stars-Emma Donoghue
This woman can write! This book is just phenomenal, IMO! LOVED it!
*The Thief Lord-Cornelia Funke
I was so very impressed with this book that I am determined to read more of her writing!
*Jason Reynolds’ Track series: Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu
I cannot imagine this man writing something I would not be thrilled to read! His characterization skills are so amazing and I always gain so much perspective from his books!
*Educated-Tara Westover
This woman actually not only survived, but has thrived as an adult regardless of the immense challenges she had to overcome as a result of her “raisin’”! This memoir also made me much more appreciative of my own “raisin’”!
*D.R. Meredith’s Megan Clark series: Murder in Volume, By Hook or By Book, Murder Past Due, Murder By the Book, and Tome of Death
I own and have read all 5 books in this series and have already loaned them out to two other readers! I look forward to investigating more of her books!
*Donna Andrews’ Meg Langslow series is, IMO, quite unique! I have now read the first 5 books, and own the next 5 which I intend to read in 2025! I will continue with the series! I always appreciate the unique mystery and the inclusion of references to an avian species. Plus, Andrews’ characterization skills are amazing, IMO!
*Ms. Demeanor-Elinor Lipman
This book was an excellent read. And I have now read 7 of Lipman’s books and wouldn’t hesitate to read anything she writes. And if you ever have the opportunity to attend an author event with her, just do it! She could easily work as a successful stand-up comedian, IMO! She’s so funny!
*The Wishing Game-Meg Shaffer
I really enjoyed this one and am anxious to read her latest release, The Lost Story.
*Wool Omnibus (Silo #1)-Hugh Howey
I am now halfway through the second installment in this trilogy, Shift, and definitely plan to read the third book as well. I cannot imagine having such an outrageous imagination as to come up with this world and these characters! But I am enjoying it!
*Miranda James’ Cat in the Stacks series! I adored Murder Past Due and plan to keep buying and reading them all! I now have through the 10th book waiting!
*The Last Brother-Nathacha Appanah
The most poignant book I’ve read. Beautifully written! I am anxious to read Waiting for Tomorrow!
*The Lion Women of Tehran-Marjan Kamali
I own her other two books and hope to get to them in 2025! This book was amazing and all 5 of our book club members felt it was a favorite read for them!
*Silent Sister-Megan Davidhizar
A mind-blowing debut novel! Definitely ready to read whatever she might publish in the future!
*Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series! I have now reread the first installment and want to make it a priority to read the next 3 to prepare for the 5th installment set to release in 2025! I love these characters, probably moreso because I am also old! 😊
*Andrea Penrose’s Wrexford & Sloane series is one of my absolute favorites! And this year’s Murder at King’s Crossing was the 8th installment! Anxious for #9 next year!
*Brace for Impact-Gabe Montesanti
I admit I have always been fascinated by roller derby and wondered about how you actually play, etc. I admire the hell out of Gabe for their persistence and determination.
*The Conjure-Man Dies: A Harlem Mystery-Rudolph Fisher
I hope to continue reading more books identified as belonging to the Harlem Renaissance movement in 2025. This was a very complicated mystery with an extremely complex (IMO) yet believable solution.
*XOXO-Axie Oh
Excellent! Even if it is a rather typical “romance” novel! I plan to read ASAP early in 2025!
*The Christmas Orphans Club-Becca Freeman
Another romance, though this involved the “found family” trope and I really enjoyed it! I will gladly read whatever she may publish in the future!
*XYZ - A Detective Story-Anna Katharine Green
This woman has been called the “American Agatha Christie”! ‘Nuff said! I will definitely try to read more of her writing. She had 37 novels published in 40 years! Quite prolific!

Nadine in NY wrote: "L Y N N wrote: "I had the migraine from hell on Monday afternoon! I haven't had a migraine like that in so many years!! I even had to cancel my class at the gym. That's only twice I've canceled for sickness in over 5 years, so I guess that not's bad...but that headache! I took 4 Aleve over 45 minutes along with 6 probiotics and my head pounded so badly when I was lying in bed I couldn't stand it and had to sit up. I ended up taking two more Aleve and 2 more probiotic capsules and after a couple of hours I could at least lie down in bed comfortably enough to sleep...

That's terrible!!! I used to get migraines often, but menopause ended that, which is nice! Now they are very rare for me. Aleve does nothing for me, I swear by motrin and a cold washcloth on my forehead. For really bad headaches, I would drink a Coke. (I don't know if it was the sugar or the extra caffeine or something else, but it had to be coke, coffee or sweet tea didn't help much, only a cold Coke. ) My mom swears by Excedrin, motrin never works for her. Do the probiotics held with the pain, or do they help you absorb the Aleve?"
Actually, the nutritional program I use is, I believe, the main reason I no longer suffer from migraines. That, and making sure I get regular manipulations by my D.O. (I used chiropractic adjustments and massage in the past...) Ever since I contracted thrush about 10 years ago due to all the antibiotics I'd taken for infections, I discovered probiotics. Much of our "immune system" is contained in the "gut"/gastrointestinal system. Antibiotics work to kill off all the good bacteria (as well as sugar consumption) and after almost 3 hours going down rabbit holes on the internet one night, I determined my gut bacteria has always been "off" and not working well...even as a child. Which makes sense since back when I was born my body was sensitive to milk/formula so my mother/grandmother made a "formula" which including karo syrup. Talk about sugar!! Anyway, it is all that was known to do at the time... So now, any time I feel sick, which is very rarely any more, my first move is to take probiotics, 'cause I know my immune system is not operating at full capacity!

"*XYZ - A Detective Story by Anna Katharine Green ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was very enjoyable for me! Especially immediately after All the Colors of the Dark! 😊 How had I never before heard of this “American Agatha Christie”/”mother of the detective novel” before? She is one of the first writers of detective fiction in America and distinguished herself by writing well plotted and legally accurate stories.

I never heard of her either!!!"
I know! There are always more authors out there to be discovered! And not just contemporary/new ones!

I was halfway done adding links and my posting disappeared! So tomorrow!!

I had the migraine from hell on Monday afternoon! I haven't had a migraine like that in so many years!! I even had to cancel my class at the gym. That's only twice I've canceled for sickness in over 5 years, so I guess that not's bad...but that headache! I took 4 Aleve over 45 minutes along with 6 probiotics and my head pounded so badly when I was lying in bed I couldn't stand it and had to sit up. I ended up taking two more Aleve and 2 more probiotic capsules and after a couple of hours I could at least lie down in bed comfortably enough to sleep... Yikes! I'd forgotten just how painful those can be! And I'm just sorry for anyone who experiences them on a regular basis. You have my sympathy AND empathy! 😯😊

My Question of the Week answer was too long, so it is in a separate posting below!

ADMIN STUFF:
THE DECEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #36 A Book Written By an Incarcerated Or Formerly Incarcerated Person
National Mudd Day is December 20! What is National Mudd Day, you may ask? It references a fascinating bit of history I doubt many of us know. Dr. Samuel Mudd was a doctor who helped John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirator David Herold immediately following Lincoln’s assassination on the night of April 14, 1865. Mudd performed surgery on Booth and allowed them to spend the night. He didn’t report the men’s visit for another 24 hours, though it was assumed he would have heard of the assassination well before that time. Mudd was arrested 12 days later and eventually convicted to a life sentence by a military commission for the crime of aiding and conspiring in a murder, missing the death penalty by only one vote!
Dubhease is the "End-of-Year Innovator" who has graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! YAY Dubhease! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

THE JANUARY 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ IS Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #43 A book that includes a nonverbal character!
National Dress Up Your Pet Day is January 14, 2025
Surely there is a member out there whose New Year's resolution list includes facilitating the first 2025 Monthly Group Read discussion!?! Message either Nadine or Lynn to volunteer!

THE FEBRUARY 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ NOMINATION POLL IS
HERE!
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO TIME LIMITATIONS, this nomination poll will only be available through New Year’s Eve Day NEXT Tuesday, December 31! We’ll return to keeping polls live for two weeks once we have a February selection finalized! (We just need to hurry these first two month selections along so members can have an opportunity to obtain the book if they wish to participate.)

THE LISTING OF 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ TOPICS IS HERE!

The comprehensive listing of 2024 Monthly Group Reads resides HERE for your perusal and reference throughout 2024!
***
2024 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 46/50
Around the Year (AtY): 52/52 DONE!
Read Harder: 19/24
52 Book Club: 47/52

FINISHED:
*All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker ⭐⭐⭐⭐ for the IRL book club I facilitate. There were 6 members present at this discussion. Two loved it, one DNFd it, one was only 70 pages in but planned to abandon it, one was just 30 pages from the end, and I personally didn’t truly enjoy this one much. My enjoyment rating would be only 2 or 3 stars, but Whitaker’s writing skills and ability definitely lifted it much higher for me. I could appreciate so very much about his writing, but I felt as if I’d been run over with a steamroller and totally drained of all ability to emote by the time I finished… I don’t require HEA, but the teeny tiny bit of hopefulness at the VERY end of this 600+ page tome did not redeem it for me. To say this one is emotionally intense is, IMO, a vast understatement. HERE is my review, if you’re interested…
POPSUGAR: #2, #21-2024
ATY: #3-A book over 500 pages long, #10-Historical Fiction, #11, #16, #17, #21, #25, #27, #33, #34-Doc, #36, #41, #46, #48, #49, #51
RHC: #23, #24-2015: prompt #6 A book written by someone whose gender is different from your own
52 Book Club: #3, #14, #19, #20, #24, #25, #26-Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, #29-2024, #30, #31, #33, #41, #43, #44, #49, #51, #52

*XYZ - A Detective Story by Anna Katharine Green ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was very enjoyable for me! Especially immediately after All the Colors of the Dark! 😊 How had I never before heard of this “American Agatha Christie”/”mother of the detective novel” before? She is one of the first writers of detective fiction in America and distinguished herself by writing well plotted and legally accurate stories. (From Wikipedia article). Really enjoyed this short story/novella and am definitely up for reading more of her writing! She published 37 books in 40 years. Looks as if I’ll be able to get several on Gutenberg!
POPSUGAR: #24, NEW #50
ATY: #3-A book you could read within 24 hours, #9-438 ratings, #10-Historical Fiction, #11, #17, #24-Green, #25, #46, #48, #49
RHC: #23, #24-2023: prompt #14 A book with under 500 Goodreads ratings
52 Book Club: #14, #20, #26-Classic, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, #30, #32

CONTINUING:
*The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (#36)
I am finding this to be a rather strange reading experience!
*The Trees by Percival Everett (#40)
*Shift (Wool #2) by Hugh Howey (#46)
*Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
*The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
*Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking has me thinking so very much that I have delayed reviewing it until I can finalize my thoughts…
*The Birthing House by Kathy Taylor
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer

PLANNED:
*XAIPE by E.E. Cummings (#30)
*Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (#42)
*21st Birthday (Women’s Murder Club #21) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*22 Seconds (Women’s Murder Club #22) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23rd Midnight (Women’s Murder Club #23) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23 1/2 Lies (Women’s Murder Club #23.5) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*The 24th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #24) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin

Ashley Marie wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "That mug sounds perfect for next year's challenge!! What are some of the last sentences on it?"

Mug quotes!"
This list is amazing and so helpful! Thanks so much for posting!

I really want to reread Huckleberry Finn next year and then Percival Everett's James, so this is perfect!!

Happy Thursday!!

I have now driven through 3 different snowstorms in traveling to my gym these past 2-3 weeks! It is a 40-mile commute and twice I have left with snow on the ground, but there is no snow at all on the ground or coming down just 30 miles from my house! Yikes! I dislike winter weather anyway! Just stay away!! LOL 😯😉

I allowed myself to spend a lot of time planning for 2025 challenges the last few days. I just get so excited doing this!! But now I’m concentrating yet once again on completing the 2024 Popsugar Challenge, though I still have 2 more books to read for IRL book club meetings next week and one is fairly long… I already told myself that if I don’t finish the 2024 challenge until January, that’s okay! Permission from me to me to relax the deadline! 😋

The January 2025 Monthly Group Read nomination poll is only available through this Saturday, December 14! See the specific link and information below!

Just a reminder of the 2024 NPR’s Books We Love listing: https://apps.npr.org/best-books/?utm_... I still have not perused this in detail since I know it will be a very worthwhile and yet time-consuming review! Hopefully it will prove helpful to 2025 planning!

ADMIN STUFF:
THE DECEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #36 A Book Written By an Incarcerated Or Formerly Incarcerated Person
National Mudd Day is December 20! What is National Mudd Day, you may ask? It references a fascinating bit of history I doubt many of us know. Dr. Samuel Mudd was a doctor who helped John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirator David Herold immediately following Lincoln’s assassination on the night of April 14, 1865. Mudd performed surgery on Booth and allowed them to spend the night. He didn’t report the men’s visit for another 24 hours, though it was assumed he would have heard of the assassination well before that time. Mudd was arrested 12 days later and eventually convicted to a life sentence by a military commission for the crime of aiding and conspiring in a murder, missing the death penalty by only one vote!
Dubhease is the "End-of-Year Innovator" who has graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! YAY Dubhease! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 Fingers crossed that I can handle this book! (You know…I’m such a wuss about anything scary/horror-like!)

THE JANUARY 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ NOMINATION POLL IS HERE!
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO TIME LIMITATIONS, this nomination poll will only be available through THIS Saturday, December 14! So just one week from today!! Then a FINAL SELECTION poll will be posted and also only available for one week, through Saturday, December 21! I can’t help it! I just get so excited over creating the listing for the year and then watching to see which books are selected! I almost get goosebumps!! 😉

THE LISTING OF 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ TOPICS IS HERE!

The comprehensive listing of 2024 Monthly Group Reads resides HERE for your perusal and reference throughout 2024!
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QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
What is/are your favorite 2025 prompt(s)?
Wow. So many! Seriously. I am impressed with next year’s challenge prompts yet again! I think there may be only 4 or 5 that I couldn’t make a positive case for, at least from my perspective!
1 A book about a POC experiencing joy and not trauma
My interpretation: Not that there may not be some difficulties to overcome, but ending with joy/on a positive note.
6 A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from the 2015 PS Reading Challenge
Clever!
9 A book that features a character going through menopause
Yes! Let’s get some more representation for older than 20s/30s women!!
12 A book about a road trip
I would have never imagined this one myself, but I think it is a good one, especially given the fact that I have owned Kris Radish’s Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral for years and never yet read it!! I am fascinated by the premise!
13 A book rated less than three stars on Goodreads
I think we often overlook ‘lesser-rated’ books to our own peril!
23 A book that is considered healing fiction
Admittedly, my favorite, since I adore these books!! I want to emphasize Stacy Sivinski’s The Crescent Moon Tearoom as one of these I meant to read this year and will definitely get to in 2025! Though I’ve not yet read it, I have met the author at another author’s event at one of our local used bookstores. She is located locally to me and I just can’t imagine I won’t love this book! (I had to miss her own author event at the same store because I taught at the gym that evening! (Boo! 🙄)
24 A book with a happily single woman protagonist
Yes! Not everyone wants to or needs to be MARRIED to be happy!! I adored my time as a single woman!
25 A book where the main character is an immigrant or refugee
My second most favorite! I admit I feel as if this year’s challenge doesn’t include many specific prompts targeting what I think of as books concentrating on more ‘diverse’ characters, subjects, etc., (Though that may just be my own misinterpretation...) so was especially thrilled with this one! There are so many people totally displaced from their homes/homelands in this world and I cannot
imagine living through that...especially lacking financial resources...
29 A book about a food truck
Fun!
41 A book by the oldest author in your TBR pile
I love the way this is so open-ended and dependent upon a reader’s
own interpretation! Fun!
50 A book that features a character with chronic pain
So many people deal with chronic pain in their lives. Perhaps especially as they age, but this can also be a lifelong battle for many, though only their closest friends and family may be aware of that… Again, what I perceive to be an overlooked theme.

2024 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 44/50
Around the Year (AtY): 52/52 DONE!
Read Harder: 19/24
52 Book Club: 47/52

FINISHED:
*Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret (Ernest Cunningham #3) by Benjamin Stevenson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for an IRL book club meeting Tuesday. We all enjoyed this one. The two of us who had read at least one of the first two installments in this series agreed this third installment was a bit lighter than the first two which were a bit darker and “grittier” (my term!). Stevenson’s masterful use of language is superb, IMO! And I adore the intermittent humor throughout his books. I feel there are few authors who even try to break that fourth wall, let alone are as successful at it as he is!
POPSUGAR: #21, #27, #31
ATY: #1, #3-A book set mostly in or around a building, #8, #15, #17, #21, #24-Orange and Green, #25, #27, #33, #37, #41, #44, #48, #51
RHC: #23, #24-2022: prompt #16 Recommended by a friend with different reading tastes
52 Book Club: #2, #6, #14, #19, #24, #29, #30, #32, #40, #47, NEW #48, #52

*The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for an IRL book club meeting this coming Sunday. This book was amazing! And just a debut novel! Immensely satisfying diversity among the four main characters and unexpected twists and turns!
POPSUGAR: #2, #11, #14, #17, NEW #43, #45
ATY: #3- A book with at least 247 pages, #5, #14, #17, #23, #24-Orange, Green, Purple, #33, #49
RHC: #24-2015: prompt #5 A book written by or about someone who identifies as LGBTQ+
52 Book Club: #9, #10, #14, #19, #30, #40, #43, #45

CONTINUING:
*All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker for the IRL book club I facilitate. This is a behemoth, so am starting it much earlier prior to the meeting than usual! 😊
*Persuasion by Jane Austen (#43)
*The Trees by Percival Everett (#40)
*Shift (Wool #2) by Hugh Howey (#46)
*Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley (#28)
*Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
*The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
*Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking has me thinking so very much that I have delayed reviewing it until I can finalize my thoughts…
*The Birthing House by Kathy Taylor
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer

PLANNED:
*Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel (#30)
*Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (#42)
*The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (#36)
*21st Birthday (Women’s Murder Club #21) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*22 Seconds (Women’s Murder Club #22) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23rd Midnight (Women’s Murder Club #23) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23 1/2 Lies (Women’s Murder Club #23.5) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*The 24th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #24) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin

Kenzie wrote: "This is the prompt I recommended! I definitely used the NYT article to put a name to the types of books it describes :)"
I love it!

I have read quite a few books listed on the NYT listing, though there are some that I would heartily disagree with! (Of course, right?)

Jen W. wrote: "The Relentless Moon - the main character is the wife of a U.S. senator who's apparently getting ready to run for president. I haven't read it, but I'm trying to fit this series in a..."
I highly recommend the Lady Astronaut Universe series! The fourth installment, The Martian Contingency, is due to release March 18, 2025! Not that I'm anxious or anything!!

OMG! Running with Sherman was already on my TBR listing! This has to be a good one, doesn't it? Especially if you are an animal lover!