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.

Mary wrote: "I finished:

Always Watching: This one was not my favorite by Chevy Stevens, and I'm a pretty big fan of hers. I am a sucker for books about cults, but there were two other content issues for me. Any book that (I'm not going to say what so that I don't spoil, but we would all agree probably that it is awful) is going to lose major points from me.

Never Saw Me Coming: I enjoyed this one. I had some issues with the twist. I think, if you like this genre, this is one of those books that you can really enjoy if you don't think about it too much.

Currently reading:

Follow Me: I am still making no progress with this one, but I will not give up.

All Eyes on Her: I am not sure that I'm going to finish this one. It has multiple pov's and I'm not sure that there is enough delineation between them for me to follow the story in audiobook form."
I think you enjoy much creepier mysteries than I do, Mary! I doubt I would attempt reading these... I am such a wuss! 😁

"The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life: I think I would enjoy an audiobook version of this more, but someone gifted me the physical book, so I feel required to read it that way."
How nice to have someone gift a book to you! I love it when my friends do that! I wouldn't feel obligated to read the actual book if you really wanted to listen to the audiobook. But that is definitely your call.

QOTW:
I feel that all of my books met the prompts, but I feel I missed the intention of some of the prompts. For example, for the prompt "a book by a Muslim American author," I read a comic book written by G. Willow Wilson, but I think in doing so, I missed an opportunity to learn and raise raise my cultural awareness, which seemed like an overarching theme for a lot of the prompts this year. I wish that I had chosen a memoir or something a bit more informational instead. This was an example of my lazy approach to filling prompts at times."
Ah, well, that's one big reason my TBR is WAY longer than
any one person's probably should be. I would be adding other books of hers immediately! Oh, and she is going to be in Indianapolis at the Butler University Visiting Writer series on November 9! So I am planning to read at least two of her books before then. I ordered a copy of The Butterfly Mosque: A Young American Woman's Journey to Love and Islam and have Alif the Unseen in my cart to order next week. I am fascinated by what little I've read about her.

Ellie wrote: "Usually Thursday creeps up on me but this week is dragging, probably because I have next week off work! I don't have any plans, just get some reading done and potter round in a relaxing manner."
While I am happy for you, I am also jealous! LOL

"I have not had a great reading week, everything has seemed a bit of a slog. I at least ticked off a few of the less appealing prompts."
Even if not especially enjoyable, it sounds as if you were very productive!

"Finished:
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune for a book everyone seems to have read. This finally came out in the UK and, well I just do not think I like his style of writing. It's very children's books for adults, and I'd rather just read the kids book tbh. Less, weird "inspirational" speeches. I liked all the magical kids, wish it focused more on them than Linus."
I loved this book and am glad to see you didn't hate it at least! 😊

"Q by Christina Dalcher for a title beginning with Q, Z or X. This was a bit overly obvious, I don't know how the supposedly smart main character didn't understand what she and her husband were doing. It seemed like it was being written assuming the reader did not know about eugenics, so it would all be a big surprise. It also contained a domestic abuse storyline, so that instantly makes me enjoy a book less,"
I agree about the domestic abuse. It's difficult to experience even if vicariously as a reader. Another one I'll leave for others to read...

"I'm Not Scared by Niccolò Ammaniti for oldest book on my TBR. This had an awful choice of narrator for a serious book, he kept doing silly voices and it was so annoying. I felt the whole book was quite old fashioned, maybe because it's meant to be set in the 70s. I feel like I need to go get all the old books off my TBR and take them to the charity shop, this prompt has been such a nightmare, that I just did the audiobook on high speed to get through one!"
Ha! Ha! I have yet to complete this prompt because I am still searching for the book! LOL This may be a sign that I may, just may, have too many books in my house! Wait! On second thought...nah...that's impossible, isn't it? 😊

Funny you should mention audiobooks and speed. I just listened to a couple over the past few weeks and I have no clue how any of you can listen faster than 1.1 or 1.2 times faster. My brain just can't do it! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

"QOTW:
Well I'm definitely at the "that'll do" stage of the challenge, I probably have lots. I have read three books with small aspects of locked room mystery so by the third, I just accepted I wasn't going to fill the prompt fully. I used Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder for it, where at least the murder happened in a "lock room"."
That works!

"A book in a different format was tricky because I already read in print, ebook, audio, graphic novels, etc. So I ended up using a novel in verse on audio, Clap When You Land and I ended up wishing I'd just read it."
Huh. Well, I typically only read a real book, not even ebooks, unless I must, so probably not much chance I would choose to listen to this one, but always good to know someone else's recommendation regarding format!

Chandie wrote: "Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas. Historical romance. The reviews on this one are a roller coaster. Of course, there are a ton of 5 star reviews because Kleypas could write anything and her diehard fans will give it 5 stars but there are a lot of people are very upset about a revel about Sebastian from Devil in the Winter but it totally makes sense...."

I always THINK I like Lisa Kleypas, but then I look up the books I've read by her, and I gave them one or two stars. So maybe I don't actually like her writing! I've only read three books by her though, so maybe I just haven't found the right book.

The problem is I get her confused with Loretta Chase, whose books I HAVE liked. (Mostly)"
I typically only give an author two books to win me over or not...
Though I have made an exception for Gabriel García Márquez since I'm determined to give Love in the Time of Cholera a try. And if I'm not satisfied with it, then I'm done with his books... 😁

Chandie wrote: "A book with your dream job

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson. YA mystery. Main character has a true crime podcast. Didn't love it as much as I liked the first but it was still an enjoyable read."
What was the dream job?

"Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas. Historical romance. The reviews on this one are a roller coaster. Of course, there are a ton of 5 star reviews because Kleypas could write anything and her diehard fans will give it 5 stars but there are a lot of people are very upset about a revel about Sebastian from Devil in the Winter but it totally makes sense....I love Kleypas but I gave this a 2-star because of the above reasons."
I have not read any of her books...

Ashley Marie wrote: "Happy Thursday! The autumnal equinox brought another torrent of rain yesterday afternoon and evening, resulting in decidedly chillier temperatures today. I'm fine with it, autumn is my favorite season, but it does make productivity at work pretty rough when all I want to do is snuggle on the couch with a book."
Ditto here! Much cooler and off-and-on rain, though not much water accumulation, which is good! No flooding!

"A bit of rough luck with books this week, I finished one and DNF'd a pair:"
Not every week can be full of favorite reads, I guess!

"The House of the Spirits - DNF. I'd been so looking forward to this but by the 30% mark it wasn't doing anything for me. I'm holding onto my paperback and may attempt it again in the future."
I'm not having the best of luck with LatinX authors thus far...

"The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - DNF. I was hoping I'd zip through this because it's so short, but I found it repetitive and dull. Whoops."
Huh. I assumed this would be quick and humorous!

"Currently reading:
The Hummingbird's Daughter - Another chunkster for Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month!"
I have two of his books on my TBR...

"The Woman Who Died a Lot - Mind-bending, as usual"
I now own a copy of the first installment in this series but don't know if I can get it read this year or not...though it is on my list for this year... 😁

"Circe - Finally got back to this yesterday and 😍😍😍"
I think what made me love this book was her in-depth characterization. I typically have only a mild interest in mythological-related books... But her writing really grabs me!

"Is there a book you read for the 2021 Popsugar challenge that you didn’t feel was a perfect representative for that prompt, but it fit well enough to serve your purposes and you used it for that prompt? What was the book and the prompt?
Shōgun, for Longest Book on your TBR, was a DNF but I'm keeping it because the alternative is to read War and Peace, and... not this year. I don't have enough time for that commitment right now!"
Hey, whatever works for you! 👍🤗

Katy wrote: "Almost done with The Last Full Measure

qotw: Yeah I think I was pretty lax this year.

I read Dead Poets Society for dark academia I'm not sure what dark academia is exac..."
I absolutely loved reading about all these! IMO, these prompts are almost always open to individual interpretation. And that is what makes it so much fun to see what others use to fulfill prompts!

Nadine wrote: "Happy Thursday!! I hope your week is going well. My morning post was a bit delayed today because I had to run outside and admire the gorgeous sunrise."
Sunrises and sunsets can be so gorgeous! Thanks for the reminder!

"Admin stuff
1. Goodreads is quietly messing with things again. They are terrible at communicating with us. Result currently is: sometimes the GR page won't load, some people can no longer post any external links, everyone's privacy settings were changed without notification, & now only your GR friends can send you a message via GR. (I’ve also heard that friend requests are not always going through.)"
Goodreads is forever glitching on me. There is no discernible pattern, just the unexpected. As long as I'm not in the process of entering something rather long and tedious, I just do whatever I must to redo whatever I was doing... I contend Amazon could care less about this system, but perhaps it is more complicated and complex than I can begin to understand...

"There is an easy way to change your privacy settings. For me, on Chrome, it's: Profile menu > Account Settings > Settings tab > scroll down to: "Who Can Send Me Private Messages" and choose "Anyone" I'm trying to make this change, because there are about 30,000 of you and I can't have 30,000 GR friends, so sometimes people who are not my "friend" need to send me a note. The thrilling twist to my story is: I got an ERROR message that says:
1 error prohibited this profile from being saved:
Please check the “I’m not a robot” box
but I didn't have that option! (I checked, in case I just wasn't seeing it, I searched the page for "robot" and got ONE instance of it, in that error message.) Instead, I had: "Sorry, something went wrong. Please try reloading the page" (It goes without saying that reloading the page does NOT solve the problem.)"
It's ever-so-thrilling when you enter these nonproductive cycles, isn't it? 😳 And thank you so much for posting this. I had left my settings that only GR friends could message me! Ugh! I had no idea it was set that way over these years! As a moderator I should allow anyone to message me, so I have now updated it appropriately and anyone can message me. THANK YOU, NADINE! 👍🤗

"2. Our September group read of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is ongoing here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."
My copy is due to be delivered today! Fingers crossed since shipments have not been working well for me this week!

"3. We still have an opening for a discussion leader for December (Malibu Rising)! If you can't message us, then just speak up here :-) DONE! It's Teri!!"
Whoo! Whoo! I'll update this weekend! THANK YOU, TERI!!

"This week I finished 2 books, one was for this Challenge, so I am now 42/50. I've got a few more Challenge reads in progress, most notably I'm 30% complete with my longest book, so I'm feeling pretty good about my Challenge now."
YAY!!

"The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore - this was my "oxymoron in the title" (a small stretch, I think, but not too bad!) and I LOVED this book! It was so funny!! It's possible that only engineers will find it funny. Also, CW for animal abuse: (view spoiler)"
Yep. I'll leave that one for others. Thanks for the warning!

"I think I forgot to mention that I joined an online book club a few weeks ago! And our first book was Before We Were Yours, which I finished a week or two ago, although the book club isn't supposed to be finished for a few weeks yet (they broke the discussion up into a few chapters at a time). It wasn't really my kind of book, so I thought it was just okay. A lot of the other members seem to really like it, and to find it really confusing. I'm surprised that they find it confusing."
This sounds like one I would like, but you might not...

"Question of the Week
Is there a book you read for the 2021 Popsugar challenge that you didn’t feel was a perfect representative for that prompt, but it fit well enough to serve your purposes and you used it for that prompt? What was the book and the prompt?

LOL yes! That would be the book I just finished: The Last Days of Night. I don't think it's really an oxymoron, but ... it's close."
And I would say, close enough!

"I've been trying to find a true locked room mystery to listen to on audio, but the books I've considered are not available on Overdrive. I've got Nine Perfect Strangers on hold now, and I hope that turns out to be a true locked room. Otherwise, that will be my second "almost but not quite" book for this Challenge!"
Ooohhh...I just bought a copy of this!

It is that glorious day of the week yet once again! Thursday! When we all get to reconnect after one week’s wait… And I hate to admit this, but I didn’t realize until very late this afternoon it was actually THURSDAY! TODAY! And that I should be posting in this thread! LOL Weird how that can happen…

I participated in the 2021 ATY Fall Read-a-Thon from September 11-19 and although I didn’t have as much reading time as I would have liked this past weekend, I still managed to read 1949 pages and listen to 3.25 hours of audiobooks! Not too shabby! One book was over 500 pages in length! I typically read only shorter books during a read-a-thon, but I had just started A Gathering of Shadows before the read-a-thon so I finished it. Didn’t have time to list it here, so I’ll include it next week.

Question of the Week:
Is there a book you read for the 2021 Popsugar challenge that you didn’t feel was a perfect representative for that prompt, but it fit well enough to serve your purposes and you used it for that prompt? What was the book and the prompt?

Uhm…I guess I read enough books throughout the year that I rarely have to “squeeze” a book into a prompt. Although I am sometimes pleasantly surprised by a book I hadn’t planned to fulfill a specific prompt fits perfectly! This is the result of my participating in multiple challenges and still reading self-chosen books throughout the year…

Some examples:
Although I had already fulfilled prompt #13 A locked-room mystery with Cards on the Table (Hercule Poirot #15) by Agatha Christie in January, I later realized that Fredrik Backman’s Anxious People would have fulfilled it as well when I read it in April.

I had planned to read The Central Park Five: The Untold Story Behind One of New York's Most Infamous Crimes by Sarah Burns for prompt #15 A book with a black-and-white cover, I inadvertently satisfied it with Black Klansman: Race, Hate, and the Undercover Investigation of a Lifetime by Ron Stallworth on April 12 and Of Mice and Men on September 12. But I still plan to read it for a different challenge.

Popsugar: 44/50
ATY: 48/52
RHC: 16/24
Reading Women: 12/28

FINISHED:
The Lady Matador's Hotel by Cristina García ⭐️⭐️ proved to be more enjoyable than I feared it might be, though that didn’t matter much. While I appreciated the way she interwove the characters’ lives, given the somewhat explicit sexual scene(s) and the details of the abuse of bulls by literally torturing them to death in a public event, overall didn’t appeal to me much…
POPSUGAR: #21-Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Latin America, Magical Realism, #27, #28, #34-Bullfighting is cruel and inhumane, #36-146 reviews on Goodreads, #48
ATY: #10- I would consider Suki to be a villain as a bullfighter. And then there’s Gertrudis as the criminal attorney for international infant adoptions. And finally, Aura, the ex-guerilla and murderer., #14, #16, #20-Hopefully, the future will be better…, #23-Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Latin America, Magical Realism, #26, #31, #34, #35, #39, #45-Hotel, #49, #51, #52-In the end there are many different reasons for people’s actions!

Interestingly, I didn’t notice until I was finished reading it, that Jade Green by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was classified by many as a “horror” book. I typically would never read a ‘horror’ book, but I found this to be so obvious and rather childish as to not be truly scary for me overall. I had rather guessed the mystery’s solution but I once again enjoyed Naylor’s writing nonetheless.
POPSUGAR: NEW #6, #18-Protection of children from abuse/sexual assault, #21-Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Juvenile, Mystery, Paranormal, Young Adult, #27, #30-South Carolina, #34-Child abuse, #36-336 reviews on Goodreads, #44, #47-Naylor is one of my favorite authors!, #48
ATY: #8-South Carolina, #9-Hurricane season, #13-I reread Shiloh in 2020, #14, #19-Jade’s ghost saves Judith in the present, granting her a future!, #23-Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Juvenile, Mystery, Paranormal, Young Adult, #27-Death, Temperance, Judgment, The World, #31, #34, #43, #52-In the end the scariest thing saved her!

I found P.S. Be Eleven (Gaither Sisters #2) by Rita Williams-Garcia ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ to be just as enjoyable as the first book, One Crazy Summer! The Jackson Five! I remember getting to see them when I was about Fern/Vonetta’s age! I loved them! And I was just a white girl! I can only imagine how much more enthralled black girls might have been! I think that is one reason I connect so fully with this series, I was coming of age in this same time period.
POPSUGAR: #18-Children having a loving home and caregivers who love and guide them, #19-Dephine is the tallest girl in her 6th-grade class, #21-African-American, Family, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Juvenile, War, Young Adult, #27, #30-New York, #33, #37, #43
ATY: #1-In the beginning Delphine fantasized about Cecile and Pa getting back together, #8-New York, #15, #17-Rukia is Muslim, #19- The first book is now the past, this second book is the present, and I’m anxious to read the third and final book which is now in the future!, #23- African-American, Family, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Juvenile, War, Young Adult, #29, #31, #32, #49
RHC: #17, #19

CONTINUING:
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

PLANNED:
Our September Monthly Group Read:
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
(My copy is due to arrive tomorrow!)
September Buddy Reads:
Children of the Mind (Ender’s Saga #4) by Orson Scott Card
Cat & Mouse (Alex Cross #4) by James Patterson
And…
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
Eva Luna by Isabel Allende to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #26 A book written by Isabel Allende.
Paradise by Toni Morrison to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #25 A book written by Toni Morrison.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

Thursday yet once again!

National Hispanic Heritage Month is technically September 15-October 15 in the U.S. I rarely pull books specifically for these months, but I will be reading Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz to fulfill the 2021 Read Harder prompt #15 Read a memoir by a LatinX author. Though her life sounds anything but ordinary... I received a free copy via a Goodreads giveaway and really should have read it long before now…

I will also be reading The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez to satisfy the 2021 Reading Women prompt #12 A young adult novel by a LatinX author.

And, of course, I need to finish Eva Luna by Isabel Allende! And, finally, there is my copy of Love in the Time of Cholera simply so I can say I’ve tried reading all three of the most well-known (at least as far as I know) Gabriel García Márquez books. Who knows if I’ll be able to make it through this one or not? Do you have any books specifically earmarked to read that qualify? Honestly, I feel as if I’ve not had very good luck with LatinX authors thus far, so am ready for some suggestions! I can’t say I am overly-impressed by Eva Luna thus far, but will definitely plan to read more of Allende’s books in the future.

As you'll see, I am participating in the ATY Fall Read-a-Thon with the last day being this coming Sunday. I do love reading mainly shorter books for a while!

ADMIN STUFF:
The monthly group read for September is
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. And the discussion is here.

Don't forget to post the book(s) you've read to fulfill prompt #11 A book forgetting which was #2 in the selection poll here.

WE NEED JUST ONE MORE DISCUSSION LEADER FOR THE VERY LAST 2021 MONTHLY GROUP READ IN DECEMBER!:
December: #1 A book published in 2021
(Because it’s the end of the year!)
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
There is need of a "gifted guide" to lead this discussion!
Message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!

Question of the Week:
Are there any books you might consider writing in for the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards nominations? What are the titles and genres?

Oh, boy. I never used to pay attention to the Goodreads Choice Awards at all, but have had more interest in them these past two years or so. Any books that have been my favorites or the ones I most wanted to read, are usually included in the nominations, but this year I will be purposefully hoping that Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo is nominated and if not, may well do a write-in nomination. I think this is the only book I’ve read that would qualify for the 2021 Goodreads Awards, and it is one of my all-time favorites. It is Historical Fiction with LGBTQ+ Romance.

How about you?

Popsugar: 43/50
ATY: 48/52
RHC: 16/24
Reading Women: 12/28

FINISHED:
Love Story by Erich Segal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ held up quite well as a reread 50 years later! Though I admit that after a 22-year marriage, then a divorce, and another 22-year relationship/marriage, I do NOT agree with the sentiment “Love means you never have to say you’re sorry.” It’s catchy and when I was young I didn’t realize that in reality, at least IMO, you need to treat your partner just as well as you do/would your best friend. That means communicating with kindness, caring, and respect, whenever possible. And, yes, that includes saying “I’m sorry,” when appropriate and sincerely meant.
POPSUGAR: #18-Death with dignity, #27-Fresh start without daddy’s money, #30-Massachusetts and New York, #38-Jenny is a musician, #47-I loved this book the first time I read it at age 16 and loved the movie adaptation
ATY: #1-In the beginning Jenny and Ollie thought they would be together for a long time, #4, #6, #8-Massachusetts, #20-The future looks bleak to Ollie, #27-The Lovers, Death, Judgment, The World, #31, #34, #45-glad OB III was not my father!
RHC: #1-I wasn’t sure this would hold up for me 50 years later!

Elsewhere, Home by Leila Aboulela ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was an excellent collection of stories dealing with marginalization due to immigration and/or mixed ethnic heritage. Each story had a unique perspective and unique characters, but many recurring themes.
POPSUGAR: #18, #21-Africa, Contemporary Fiction, Cross-Cultural, Fiction, Islam, Prejudice/Discrimination, Religion, Short Stories, #27, #29-Egypt, Scotland, Sudan, #30-Egypt, Scotland, Sudan, #34-Welcoming, accepting, appreciating, and respecting immigrants, #36-122 reviews on Goodreads, #37, #43
ATY: #1-In the beginning it seems life will be so much better, #8-Egypt, Scotland, Sudan, #11-Partially set in Egypt, #17-Muslim author and characters, #19-Often challenging to reconcile the past with the present for a promising future, #23- Africa, Contemporary Fiction, Cross-Cultural, Fiction, Islam, Prejudice/Discrimination, Religion, Short Stories, #24, #33-Short stories, #34, #39, #40, #41, #49
Reading Women: #14, NEW #27

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was the classic work I thought it would be. I remember enjoying the movie and it was very loyal to the book. Steinbeck was an absolute genius, IMO. I look forward to reading more of his writing. This was, IMO, just about as good as The Grapes of Wrath which is one of my favorite reads of all time!
POPSUGAR: #15, #18-Accepting, appreciating, and respecting those who appear to be “different”, #21-Classics, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mental Health, Young Adult, #27-Fresh start for George. No do-overs for Lennie, unfortunately, #34-Accessibility of treatment for mental health, #47-One of my favorite authors
ATY: #10-Curley’s wife, #19-Unfortunately, Lennie’s past repeats itself, and precludes any future, #23- Classics, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mental Health, Young Adult, #24, #31, #34, #51, #52-In the end no one could save Lennie from himself

Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Daniel Wallace ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ proved to end very differently than I thought it might…though it did seem appropriate! The ending actually saved it from being only a 3-star rating.
POPSUGAR: #21-Fiction, Humor, Magical Realism, #28
ATY: #20-Will William’s father be in his future after all?, #23-Fiction, Humor, Magical Relaism, #26, #52-In the end, no one died…kinda…sorta!
RHC: #1-I didn’t think I would find this to be super enjoyable…

I listened to The Original by Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and it was great! I really enjoyed it!
POPSUGAR: #21-Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, #23, #27, #31, #35, #36-753 reviews on Goodreads, #38-Holly is an orange carver, #47-Kowal is one of my favorite writers!, #48
ATY: #1-In the beginning Holly remembered nothing, #10, #14, #18-What Holly thought of as her past was a lie, #23-Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, #31, #42, #51

CONTINUING:
For the ATY Fall Read-a-Thon:
A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab
P.S. Be Eleven (Gaither Sisters #2) by Rita Williams-Garcia
The Lady Matador’s Hotel by Cristina Garcia
City of Silver by Annamaria Alfieri

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

PLANNED:
For August Buddy Reads:
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
The Alchemistby Paulo Coelho
September Buddy Reads:
Children of the Mind (Ender’s Saga #4) by Orson Scott Card
Cat & Mouse (Alex Cross #4) by James Patterson
And…
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
Eva Luna by Isabel Allende to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #26 A book written by Isabel Allende.
Paradise by Toni Morrison to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #25 A book written by Toni Morrison.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

Theresa wrote: "@Lynn - have you tried ABE books online to find a used copy? I've had great success getting print copies in beautiful condition for very little money, including all 3 Proust volumes in paperback of In Search of Lost Time for a mere $15.00 including shipping. (retail was $50 or more)."
I have found Better World Books to have really good deals! A copy should be coming to me sometime next week...

"For any curious - the case I've been working on since April 2019 and have about a year's work on relates to a 54 unit condominium that was destroyed by a fire. It's the first time such a complete destruction of a condominium ever happend in NYS, and thus provisions of relevant statutes and governing documetns are being interpreted for the first time, process being established, and unfortunately lots of litigation. Of course, Surfside in FL is an even worse situation involving the same legal complexities and lack of prior model or process. So while it seems crazy to have one case take so long, it's not that uncommon given the complexity and it being one of 'first impression'. It's a constantly changing and evolving landscape."
Oh, my! I hope no one was killed or injured... Though I'm not familiar with your case, I have listened to some of the reporting about Surfside. So very sad and unbelievable...

"And I have other clients."
I bet!

Sheri wrote: "...been a very migraine-y week, boo. But I had a nice long weekend, so at least the Migraine waited until that was mostly over."
Ugh. Those darned headaches! 😒

This week I finished:
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant - my books & brew pick for September. I was NOT a fan. This is one of those books were most the reviews are so gushing and loving it and I just...didn't enjoy it at all."
I have yet to read an Anne Tyler book. Perhaps this shouldn't be the first one I try! LOL

"You Should See Me in a Crown - my book with the same name as a song - Billie Eilish' You Should See Me In A Crown. Also counted for ATY book with at least 6 words in the title, read harder book set in the midwest, book nerds book about hope. I really enjoyed this, refreshing after the homesick restaurant book. There was a bit in the middle that got cringey with the expected "Ugh just COMMUNICATE" type blow up, but I thought it resolved well."
I really enjoyed this as well!

"Currently reading:
Final Girls - counting this as my tbr ugly cover. I didn't have anything really hideous on my list so just went for something i wanted to read but i didn't really like the cover."
Oohh...yeah, ugly AND creepy! And since it is first and foremost horror I put it on my "do not read" shelf! LOL

"QOTW:
Eh I didn't HATE assigned reading, but I didn't really enjoy it either. I've always been more of a genre fiction fan, and get kinda tired of what schools think is "important" reading. My school maybe did better than some about having SOME diversity in reading, but still a lot of dead white guy classics. I'm really glad that I already had a solid love of reading well before the real assigned reading kicked in. I think that so many people end up hating reading by the end of high school because SO MUCH of the required reading is tired classics and not really picked to relate to modern interests and concerns. Frankly, in my attempts to become better read I've forced myself to read more classics I never covered in school. Very few of them have left me glad I read them, most are just "well, at least I can mark that off my list and say I read it."
Yep! There are those that I'm just glad I read to have the background experience and knowledge of the book/story. As with any genre, some are more enjoyable to me than others!

Kenya wrote: "We can tell summer is over at the library, because EVERYONE is returning their kids' books at once. It's like they think that now that school is starting, the kids aren't going to have time to read. Which I suppose might be true..."
Well, hopefully they still have some time to read for pleasure!

"Books read this week:
Starship Troopers -- my fourth Robert A. Heinlein novel, and in all honesty his most boring."
I've never really been drawn to Heinlein...

"The Hidden Girl and Other Stories -- I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as I did The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories, Ken Liu’s other short-story collection, but it was still thought-provoking and often lovely, though occasionally devastating. And I did like how a lot of the stories linked together in their own shared universe."
I did a buddy read with the first two installments of his Dandelion Dynasty series. Those books were so amazing with the inclusion of technology, etc. He has such talent. I'm really anxious to read this collection!

"The Legacy Human -- oh look, a Singularity sci-fi novel, haha… Not bad, but got weirdly spiritual in the last third or so, which I wasn’t expecting."
Well that piqued my interest! LOL

"The Lion of Mars -- I seem to like books about the Red Planet, hehe… This was unexpectedly cute! Aimed at kids, but delightful for adults as well. Content warning: this book DOES contain a pandemic, though it’s not the central focus of the plot."
That definitely looks like one I would probably enjoy.

"Currently Reading:
They Threw Us Away"
Awwwww...what a sad premise!

"QOTW:
My favorite book I was ever assigned to read in school was Fahrenheit 451. We were supposed to read the first fifty pages over a weekend, and when the teacher asked us who'd done the assigned reading I raised my hand and said "I finished the book." She told me to read it again, with the class this time. XD It sparked a lifelong love of Bradbury in me, and I got a lot more out of that second reading."
Oh, yeah, especially reading that as a teen. I can definitely understand getting much more out of it the second time around.

Ellie wrote: "Happy Thursday! I'm down to ten prompts left for Popsugar, but nothing I really want to read right now fits any of them."
Ah, but you're whittling it down! 👍

Finished:
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas for my longest book. I went in with low expectations and ended up really enjoying it."
Cool!

"Love in Colour: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalola for ATY (short story collection). This was a pretty decent collection, only a couple of stories I didn't care for. Will maybe check out her debut novel next year."
This is on my TBR listing. Good to know you enjoyed it!

"QOTW:
I never really like the assigned reading, but remember we were given a lot of freedom to choose what to read, unless it was for an exam. The year we had to do Shakespeare, someone very smart at the exam board had chosen Romeo & Juliet, it was when Baz Luhrman's version came out and everyone was much more engaged in it!"
Hmmm...a "lucky coincidence" or maybe that was the plan? 😊

Ashley Marie wrote: "Happy Thursday! Popping in quickly so I don't forget to post before our overnighter to Lake Erie. Sister's wedding went beautifully last weekend and we all made it through. My mom is still grouchy about a few things, but that's to be expected with her."
So glad it all went well!

"Anyway, I've only finished one book in that time.
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents - 5 stars. Phenomenal narration by Robin Miles (as always), and I think this would pair well with Ibram X Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. Looking ever forward to picking up The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration!"
A good motivator for me to read these!

"Currently:
The Rise of Wolf 8: Witnessing the Triumph of Yellowstone's Underdog - I was hoping to finish this last night but I zonked out with 15 pages left! Grrr! Finishing tomorrow once we're back home."
Or...you could possibly cheat as I did this week! LOL 😁

"Sense and Sensibility - Marianne is driving me and Elinor up a wall."
Ha! Ha! 😂

Circe - Hoping to get through more this weekend!!
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this one!

"QOTW: Did you look forward to assigned reading in school, or did you dread it and wish you could choose your own books?
It depended on which books were chosen; I wasn't a huge fan of Romeo & Juliet in freshman year of high school, but we read Macbeth senior year and I loved it. I unexpectedly loved Beowulf. Sophomore year we were allowed to choose either the Hobbit or Lord of the Flies - I went with the Hobbit and liked it. Didn't read Flies til only a few years ago, disliked it, and don't think I would've enjoyed it in school either. I liked To Kill a Mockingbird and 1984. Frankenstein was and still is a slog, unfortunately."
That's so cool that you really enjoyed so many! Oops. I'm still planning to read Frankenstein this year!

"I recently checked in with my freshman year English teacher online; his syllabus still includes R&J but also, happily, The Hate U Give! I'm so glad to see more recent/current books on syllabi."
Good for him!

Katy wrote: "this week I read Anna and the King of Siam"
Oh, my gosh! I loved the movie adaptation with Yul Brynner. And as a teenager my mother treated us to tickets to see him in the live theater event and he ended up with laryngitis so they piped in his recorded songs during the production. I was sooooo disappointed! Did you enjoy the book?

"qotw: So long ago it's hard to remember. In 10th grade I hated the assigned reading, partly because I only liked 2 or 3 books we read that year, but mostly because it was all symbolism symbolism symbolism and I'm a literal kind of girl."
Instructors and critics can get carried away with symbolism at times...

In case anyone else is interested...

I plan to participate in the next ATY Read-a-thon that begins Saturday, September 11 and ends Sunday, September 19! Here is the information!

Wow, Nadine! Talk about frustrations! I can’t tell you how glad I am to be beyond all that!! Now my sons and their spouses must deal! Ah, and fair warning about Dominicana's lack of quotation marks! (I personally believe it is just laziness, but I may be misjudging...)

I am still trying to survive the first few weeks of fall semester. It seems I’ve forgotten everything I used to know about my job! LOL Plus my institution keeps changing all the internal processes and programs every 12-18 months and that really gets old. You think you know what to do and then, WHOOPS! There’s a brand-new system to learn! LOL I’m probably just too old and set in my ways for all this change! But it is good to be back to helping students, etc. I thrive on that energy.

EDITED TO ADD: So, of course I plan to participate in the next ATY Read-a-thon that begins Saturday, September 11 and ends Sunday, September 19! Here is the information!

Question of the Week:
Did you look forward to assigned reading in school, or did you dread it and wish you could choose your own books?
I am such a nerd that I loved pretty much any reading, assigned or otherwise! Though I admit Shakespeare was not something I would have ever picked up to read on my own. While I can’t say I enjoyed the several plays we read, I have been grateful to have that knowledge base later in life. Interestingly, my oldest son found his reading niche via Homer and Shakespeare during his junior year of high school. Unfortunately, my high school was smaller and didn’t offer much in the way of literature courses. I don’t even remember reading any other books, though perhaps we did. It’s been 50 years, so my memories have most likely dissipated over time…

I am trying to slowly but surely add to my knowledge base of “classics” over time as an older adult. I have recently read Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Donna Tartt’s The Secret History. And I am midway through Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women series and I’m finishing up Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Saga series this month. I have begun and plan to finish reading Lois Lowry’s The Giver series.

I have also been rereading or reading for the first time Agatha Christie mysteries while also exploring some other mysteries written by female authors in the same era such as Dorothy Sayers and Ngaio Marsh. I find it interesting that all of their books are basically stand-alones with no real development for the main investigators. It seems that at least some of the more recent mystery series do feature character development for the main investigators!

So while I didn’t have much exposure to classics beyond Shakespeare in high school I keep trying to read some of the books others had to endure in high school! I appreciate having the background knowledge with which to connect when reading other books using these references! I will even research and search out critical writings about some of them. I usually skim those so that I have a feel for what an instructor might have stressed. For example, I read the Norton Critical Edition of The Age of Innocence and do intend to at least skim all the critical text following the actual book, but that book bored me so thoroughly simply because I despise all the hypocritical societal interactions of the time, that I haven’t yet done that. But the book will be there when I’m ready! 😊

Popsugar: 43/50
ATY: 48/52
RHC: 16/24
Reading Women: 11/28
I’m getting closer on POPSUGAR and ATY. Need to concentrate on the other two as well! But I’m excited for my progress thus far!

FINISHED:
The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ proved to be one of my favorite reads! Hoffman is amazing at interweaving story lines and characters! And I love that! So grateful for this gift from a very very good (if long-distance) friend!! What a gorgeous reading experience. I believe the main theme is that we each need to sustain enough faith and hope to perform both random and targeted acts of kindness. You may never know the extent of positive impact you may have on another person…you may even save someone’s life and never know!
POPSUGAR: #4, #18-Unconditional positive regard and enough faith and hope in humanity to give both random and targeted acts of kindness to those we may or may not “know”, #27, #28, #33, #37, #47-A favorite long-distance friend who gifted a copy of this, her favorite book, to me!, #50-a gift from one of my favorite people!
ATY: #3-Brown paper packages tied up with strings-the books Lucy purchased were wrapped like this!, #6, #8-UK, #15, #20-Your actions in the “here and now” can help others in the future, #23-Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance, #27-The Lovers, Strength, Death, Temperance, Judgement, The World, #29, #31, #34, #39, #49, #51, #52-In the end, it is kindness that matters most.

Jack & Jill (Alex Cross #3) by James Patterson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ has restored my faith in this series and I will continue it! This book made me gasp several times while reading it, but in good ways, not bad ways. 😊 There was a “high body count,” as my husband would say, but almost no grisly details! YAY! That’s how I like it. Though I prefer a lower body count overall...
POPSUGAR: #4, #27, #30-Washington, DC and Virginia, #33, #34-Investigative resources for crimes committed against black people
ATY: #3-whiskers on kittens-Rosie the cat, #9, #10-Jeanne/Jill and Sara/Jill, #18-the U.S. has experienced a few other similar assassinations, #24,#27-Jack, #31, #40, #42, #52-In the end, we may never know who really killed him…
RHC: #1-I felt brave tackling the third installment after that second one!, #24

Our Harlem: Seven Days of Cooking, Music and Soul at the Red Rooster by Marcus Samuelsson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ proved to be absolutely excellent! This is only available as an audiobook on Audible. It was so very worth my time and effort to listen to it. I took 5 pages of notes. It is so informative, educational, and fun!
POPSUGAR: #7-A celebrity chef and restaurateur, #14, #16, #18-Food/cooking, African-American history, prejudice/discrimination, #21-Cooking, Diversity, Historical Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Prejudice/Discrimination, #27-Fresh starts with the Great Migration!, #30-Harlem, NY, #34-Diversity and respect, NEW #35-Audiobook on Audible, #36-114 reviews on Goodreads, #38-Marcus is a culinary artist, #47-I think I am in love with Marcus Samuelsson!,
ATY: #1-In the beginning, Harlem was to be a white community, #3-bright copper kettles-I’m sure there are copy pans in the Red Rooster kitchen, #8-Harlem, NY, #13-I read The Red Rooster Cookbook in 2020, #20-Marcus combines his past experiences with his current skills to build a better future for many others, #21, #23-Cooking, Historical Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Prejudice/Discrimination, #24, #33, #34, #36, #39, #47, #49, #51
RHC: NEW #11

Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism by Temple Grandin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I had picked this up many months ago and read the first 30 pages then set it aside for other books. I picked it up this weekend and sped through most of it, to the last chapter, which I will easily finish this evening, so I’m counting it. (What a cheat I am! LOL) This is such an amazingly eye-opening and informative read! Any educator would benefit from reading this book, IMO, since it describes so many different ways in which individuals interpret and understand their world. We think every person learns the same way and the same teaching strategies are successful for each student. We are short-sighted and very wrong! Whether a child qualifies on the autistic spectrum or not, there is much more variation within the supposedly “normal” folks than we might believe possible.
POPSUGAR: #7-working for the betterment of animal welfare, #18-Equitable treatment for all!, #19, #21-Activism, Autobiography, Health/Well-Being, Medical, Neurodiversity, Nonfiction, #27, #34-Respect, acceptance, and appreciation for diverse individuals!, #37, #38-Temple is quite the artist!, #46, #47-I am so appreciative of Temple’s activism, professionalism, and most of all her passion!
ATY: #8-New Hampshire, #20- There is a better future out there for others dealing with autism thanks to Temple for documenting her past experiences in the present day, #23- Activism, Autobiography, Health/Well-Being, Medical, Neurodiversity, Nonfiction, #27-Judgment, The World, #29, #31, #36, #51, #52-In the end Temple has achieved so much more than most “normal” people!
RHC: NEW #16
Reading Women: #9

Hazel and Grayby Nic Stone ⭐️⭐️⭐️. This is a Hansel & Gretel retelling. I’m not a huge fan of retellings in general, and especially not this one. It was a short story available on Audible. While I adored Dear Martin and am very anxious to read Dear Justyce, this just wasn’t my jam. Not using for a challenge.

CONTINUING:
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

PLANNED:
For August Buddy Reads:
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
The Alchemistby Paulo Coelho
September Buddy Reads:
Children of the Mind (Ender’s Saga #4) by Orson Scott Card

And…
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
Eva Luna by Isabel Allende to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #26 A book written by Isabel Allende.
Paradise by Toni Morrison to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #25 A book written by Toni Morrison.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

Harmke wrote: "I hope everyone who was in the path of Ida is safe. It is said that Ida brings sunny weather over here (the Netherlands) in some strange ways I don’t understand, but I do know I like a bit of sunshine after a week of grey clouds."
It is amazing how weather in one location can affect so many other places.

"I am home alone this week. My hubbie is in Switzerland with his BFF who is having a hard time with sick parents. The house feels pretty empty without him, so I'm counting the days... 2 days to go…
Anyways, I spent my me-time well and filled in the last blanks in my spreadsheet for the challenge."
That's so exciting about the spreadsheet completion! YAY! And I adore time alone.

"Currently reading
The Book of Lost Names"
This one definitely interests me!

"QOTW
Gabriel García Márquez… I remember it too, took me ages to finish One Hundred Years of Solitude and well, that was enough Marquez for a lifetime."
Yep. At least this one lifetime! 🙂

"I quitted the Clifton Chronicles by Jeffrey Archer. It was so poorly written and so much like ‘I need to write another 10 books so I’m going to write a soap opera’. I never read anything of Jeffrey Archer again."
I've not read any Archer books but assume I probably wouldn't enjoy them. My husband reads him and said he thought I wouldn't like them.

Heather L wrote: "Hi Lynn!

I wish the cooler temps translated to less pollen, but ragweed tends to be high in my area into October, until we get a good hard freeze. My eyes have been watering all night, even with allergy meds — but at least the meds mean I’m not sneezing nonstop. 😐"
I hear ya! Same here regarding a hard freeze. And ragweed is one of my worst allergies and our next-door neighbor has allowed the ragweed plants growing next to the house (They no longer live there, he's just been mowing the past 4-5 years since they moved out.) to grow all summer long and now they're blooming! Ugh.

"As for the book that had all the inconsistencies, I don’t mind mentioning it, since I did complain about it in other discussions on GR, as well as in a short review. The book was Murder and Marinara, which I used for my “book set at a restaurant.” Sadly, it isn’t the only book read this year with inconsistencies, but it was the worst offender."
Ahhh... Okay. I get so caught up in a book that many times I overlook such things that other readers catch! I'll try to get a copy of this since I was intending to read it anyway just to see... 😊 You are probably a much more astute reader than I!

"As for the main character, she was a writer who was supposedly knowledgeable about how Murder investigations are conducted due to consulting with a NYC police officer for a series of books she had written, yet did not behave as such. She made stupid decisions and repeatedly put herself and others in danger. So, yeah—not continuing that series."
I'm sure there are plenty more out there that will be much more enjoyable!

"ETA: Daryl Wood Gerber is a cozy mystery author — I’ve only just started on her “Cookbook Nook” series this year, and the first “Fairy Garden” book was good enough I would read book two. She also has a “Cheese Shop” series under the name Avery Aames which I enjoyed."
Cool! I will definitely try the Cookbook Nook series!

To start, introduce yourself and what genres you usually read.
I read a lot of mysteries, literary fiction, historical fiction, SFF, classics, some romance, and always intend to read way more nonfiction than I actually get read! 😁

Wow, Theresa! To work that long on one case. I'm not sure whether that would prove to be more frustrating to me or I would be gung-ho to get even more detailed, etc. I imagine you enjoy your work overall. I sure hope so! Those are teaching hours! 🙂

I am a self-proclaimed 'displaced teacher' with a degree in Elementary Education who has worked as an administrative assistant within higher education institutions for almost 25 years now. I've also worked as a substitute teacher (Which I loved!), teacher, librarian, bookseller for the last five years Borders was in business, admissions assistant, middle-manager, home-based case worker and mental health advocate, farm wife running parts and feeding field workers, and as a real estate broker. Quite a diverse work life. I also was a full-time stay-at-home mom for 13 years before returning to college to complete by BA. But, if I had had the time and money, I could easily have been a perpetual student! I LOVE to learn, which is, I imagine, much of the reason and motivation for my dedication to reading.

Reading status: How far are you?
I have yet to obtain a copy of this, so I haven't yet begun! Actually, I stopped at a Half Price Books last week, looking for a copy (they didn't have one) and discovered a copy of Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary for half price and purchased it to also read this month for another group's monthly group read!

Glad to know it prompted a lot of discussion in your groups, Theresa! That bodes well!

Has anyone else already read it? When and why?
Nope.

Is this a genre you frequently read? If not, what made you pick it up?
I imagine you are referring to fantasy. I actually just rediscovered SFF when I began participating in reading challenges 3 years ago. And am so glad I did!! I read quite a bit of Science Fiction as a pre-teen, but never read much fantasy before now. I am rather careful about the books/authors I select to read, because I do not like violence with grisly details.

I was mainly interested because I really enjoyed A Darker Shade of Magic and hope to read A Gathering of Shadows before this year ends...

Have you read any other V.E. Schwab?
As mentioned above, the first installment in the Shades of Magic series. And I am anxiously anticipate reading the second and third!

What prompt are you using it for?
I don't know. I always list every prompt a book can fulfill and then plan to select one book per prompt at the end of the year. I didn't quite get that far last year, so perhaps 2021 will change that for me! I currently have 43 of the 50 prompts fulfilled, so I have high hopes for completing the challenge in November and then can sort out which specific book for which prompt in December! 😁 I am ever the optimist!

What format are you reading?
Almost always a real-life book that I hold in my hands. Either hardcover or paperback. Rarely an audiobook or ebook, usually only when the real book is not easily obtained or nonextistent, as with Our Harlem: Seven Days of Cooking, Music and Soul at the Red Rooster which I just listened to this past weekend since it is only available on Audible.

Oh, that's such great information about the illustrations! How neat that there will be a special edition published. Is it out yet?

One last question: besides checking off a PS prompt and participating in this discussion, what led you to read this now?
Mainly the discussion, but also the fact that I enjoyed A Darker Shade of Magic, and the positive reviews I've seen. Also, the GR rating of 4.26 is none too shabby!

"A special treat: A spotify playlist to listen to while reading! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7mu...
Full disclosure - I did not create this, it was posted by someone in January I believe who was reading it then, possibly in this group even, with permission to all to enjoy it."
That's interesting!

"Let our journey begin! We are in Villon-sur-Sarthe, France, and it is July 29, 1714...."
Oh, my! I didn't realize this was set in the 18th Century! That means it fulfills a prompt for a completely different reading challenge and I hadn't yet selected a book for that one! Cool!