Jess’s Comments (group member since Oct 04, 2017)

Jess’s comments from the Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge group.

Does anyone have any idea Roadside Picnic by Arkady Strugatsky would fit? I've completed 17 so far which is making it complicated. (All three previous years for favorite prompts have been done) Any ideas?

Hello from Vegas. It's starting to get warm here. I am trying to keep my pace up on my reading but Im stating to get burnt out. Does anybody else have this problem? 52 is a significant change from my normal goal of 24 for the year. I am adding audiobooks to my repertoire so that helps a little. Maybe I'll read a few shorter books soon. So, into the good stuff.

17/52

Currently Reading




Finished

Used this for the prompt 30. Book with Characters that are twins. The twins are minimal characters but I'm doing what I can at this point to find things that fit both challenges.

Gave Up On

This is the second book this year that I have started and put down. I may return to it but as of now I'm not feeling it.

QotW:

How have your reading tastes changed as you've gotten older? (or have they not changed at all?)

I think I started out with Goosebumps and Boxcar Children, then I upgraded to Harry Potter and during the years I haf to wait for it to be finished I did some gothic murder mysteries and alot of dystopian classics. In my 20's (still waiting for Harry Potter to finish) I only read young adult. A lot of dystopian or rom com kind of things. I always have been bad about judging a book by its cover and I still pick books in about the same way. Like the title ✔, like the cover ✔, like the excerpt ✔, alright I'll give it a try. But if I didn't like the first few pages I didn't bother for the most part. In my 30's I have branched out a bit more. I've done a lot of supernatural stuff. I've been trying to get further outside of my zone with these challenges. I have been giving books about 50 pages before I give up on them which is the most significant change.

Hello everybody. Weather is getting warmer in Vegas. Very shortly it will be sweltering no doubt.

16/52

Just Finished

12. LGBTQ+ Protagonist

25. Set at Sea


Currently Working On


Need to finish this so we can start a new bedtime story. My stupid work schedule is not condusive for bedtime stories. 😝

I don't know how I feel about this. It strikes me so similar to IT in the first few chapters both with the characters and the layout.

QotW:

Have you ever looked at a book on Goodreads, or other website, and accidentally found out the ending of a book? Or some key information to the plot? Did you finish the book or keep reading?

Aaaaaaahhhhh! Pinterest! Pinterest is guilty of spoilers a plenty. Fandom memes always have spoilers. Both Divergent and The Maze Runner trilogies have been spoiled for me. I intended to go back to Insurgent one day but The Death Cure I was more pissed off for spoiling the film for me.

Hey guys. Terrible day today. Husband's car and our garage got broken into today. Really frustrating not being able to feel safe in your own home. Anyway any distraction is a good distraction.

14/52

Completed

48. Allegory

27. Set on a different planet

Currently Reading

Audiobook



I was doing very well on the challenge but now I'm starting to fade out. Gotta keep up.

Hope everyone has a fantastic week.

Hello from Vegas. I'm slow going on some of these books and after adding 2 classes to my schedule and softball for my daughter I'm pinched for time but I will keep pressing on.

12/52

Finished

For Favorite prompt from 2015 list. Book with Magic. The book itself was magic and I enjoyed every second of it.

Currently Reading
Just added

Still Working On




QOTW:
What surprises (good and bad) have you found when researching book for year graduated?
I have never been super partial to best seller lists. I looked but I may have been looking in the wrong spot. I'm not sure what I will read. I will get to that prompt when I get there

I have made about zero progress this week. I spent my weekend in California which was lovely and somehow warmer than Las Vegas. I wish I was still there.

11/52

I didn't finish anything this week.
Boooo!!!

Currently Reading

Reading to my daughter

For Bookclub

Rereading before checking out the movie

Audiobook during workouts

QotW

Do I generally read the "IT" books?
As a whole I have generally avoided super buzzy books. I recently joined the BOTM club which opens me up to those types of books a little more. I don't really have any rhyme or reason to the way I choose books. I have in the past ACTIVELY avoided super popular books but now I'm just reading what interests me despite where or how I came across it.

Hello all. It seems like everyone I know has a cough that will not die. The weather here in Vegas keeps fluctuating back and forth between cold and nice so that certainly is not helping.

11/52
Completed Reading

#34. Book Published in 2018

Currently Reading



QotW:

What was your favorite assigned reading book in school?
I'm honestly not sure I had the warm and fuzzies for any assigned reading. I remember having to read To Kill a Mockingbird twice. I enjoyed that. I have always loved reading but have never really cared for being told what to read. Didn't like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and I absolutely HATED The Old Man and the SeaAlot of books on high school reading lists I read on my own. I think I was assigned Animal Farm freshman year of HS and I do love me some Orwell.

I read Wars in Toyland for this prompt. I had been looking forward to it for a while and was pretty disappointed. It's a graphic novel in case you are interested.

Completed 2/18

I'm going to have to start picking my books based on my list instead of picking one and then finding where it fits. I'm already having trouble finding fits for my picks.

Currently Reading

I'm on day shifts for the next week so I will try to knock out a few extra chapters. I want to read my daughter The Princess Bride next, which will take considerably longer.


Finished

18. Two Authors Prompt

39. Involves a bookstore or library prompt

QOTW
I do not listen to ANY podcasts. I don't really keep up with blogs or watch much youtube either. I'm behind the times. Maybe I will start. I like the what you should read next website, maybe I will start there!

Hello from Vegas. I'm subjected to bronchitis currently so plenty of time to read (in theory)

I'm logging in at 8/52 so far

Finished

Which didn't fit any categories that I could find on this challenge but worked for my other challenge (If you see something that I missed please let me know)

For a book featuring a sport

Currently Reading




QOTW:

For books made into movies, do you prefer to read the book first or see the movie first? What is your favorite movie made from a book? Have you read that book yet?

If I know that a movie being made was based off a book I will try to read it first. I have tried on 2 occasions to read a book I have already seen and I didn't care for either of them. They were both Neil Gaiman books (Coraline and Stardust which is one of my favorite movies) so maybe I just don't like him. I don't know. I would say my favorite movie from a book is the Hobbit Trilogy which I actually enjoyed more than the book. (I promise that's not the norm) I am excited for the read the book second challenge as there are a lot that fit. There are actually a few movies I might watch just because I heard they are books too. Snowpiercer: The Escape being the main example there. I have the movie in my collection but want to give it my undivided attention.

Other ones I have already seen that I might try to read include
The Princess Bride
Let the Right One In
Me Before You
How to Train Your Dragon
Strangers on a Train
Water for Elephants

to name a few

Happy Reading!!!

I read

for this prompt. Completed 2/4/18

Hello from Las Vegas. I've been experimenting with reading more than one book at once, which is something that I never have really done. It's working for me. The weather here is really nice this week which is super lovely.

QOTW:
Are you in a "real life" book club?
I am. I actually have organized a book club with my girlfriends we call it Girls Night Book Bash. We have themes for every month. So far we have read the The Bear and the Nightingale for winter magic and The Light We Lost for love is in the air. It's pretty fun.

Finished

for 22. A Book with an Alliteration in the Title

Currently Reading

Happy February! We don't get too much winter in Vegas so Spring is already inbound.

This week I'm working on

and


I fininshed

this was for the 2015 Favorite Prompt - book with a nonhuman character.

Currently 6/52

QotW:

What is your favorite source to learn about new books coming out?
I actually don't keep up that well. I do wander around Barnes and Noble a couple times a month so that helps keep up a little bit.

So I have turned this prompt into 3. I am doing one for each year to make in 52.
From the 2016 Challenge I chose the prompt Self-Improvement.

I generally avoid non-fiction but this book caught my eye and this prompt fit it perfectly.
Completed 1/24/18

I meant to read this last year but I just wasn't in the mood for it. I started but quit after 50 pages. I definitely wanted to read it this year so I made it the first choice for a book club I was organizing. It was so beautiful and fun to read.

Completed 1/10/18

This book was set in 1988. Great book. I absolutely loved it

Completed 1/22/18

I read


There are many songs called Can You Keep a Secret?
The Cab, Brother Beyond and even a Barbie movie has a song with this title/lyrics.
Completed 1/28/18

Hello. This has been a good reading week for me. I'm currently done with 5 of my 52 book goal.

This week I finished

for #28. Song lyrics in the title


for my favorite prompt from 2016 challenge - self improvement (I'm doing one from each year)

This week I am reading

which I am reading to my daughter



QOTW:
Do you enjoy reading aloud to others? Do you enjoy having someone read aloud to you?
I don't like reading out loud or being read to. I talk for a living so I like quiet. That being said I have a kid so I do read to her quite a bit and will continue for as long as she wants me to.

Hello. I'm currently down 3.

This week I finished

for 36 Set in the decade that I was born

This week I am trying to read



QOTW
Is there a particular book or series you associate most with your childhood?
Harry Potter!!!!! Also I read a lot of Goosebumps
How do your picks compare with New York Public Library's 100 Great Children's Books
I looked at the list after I answered the 1st question and it reminded me of 3 of my other favorite books as a kid. The Bridge to Teribithia, The Phantom Tollbooth and Tuck Everlasting. Tuck and Goosebumps are not on the list. The rest are. Formula for greatness.

Wow! You guys are amazing. So now that I know the check ins open of Thursdays I will try to actually get to one near the timeline.

I have not finished any more books since the first week.

I am currently reading

which so far I am loving. This will either hit the ugly cover prompt or published in 2018. Not sure yet.

QOTW:
Aside from the Popsugar challenge do you have any reading goals for 2018?
In addition to Popsugar (and making it 52 prompts instead of 50 with the previous year favorites) , I have taken on Around the Year in 52 books. My personal goal is 52 which is a far cry from my normal 24 which is only attained every other year most of the time. I made a book club with my friends so that will at least get me through 12. I hope to combine the challenges and club as best i can and try to get through the challenges and hitting my goal without falling over from exhaustion.