Erica’s Comments (group member since Apr 05, 2019)

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

So just starting this.

1) According to Goodreads, this book is classified by readers as Science Fiction, Mystery, Fantasy, Fiction, Queer, Cozy, LBGT.
Would you typically choose to read a book with these classifications?

SSF but mainly Fantasy is my happy place. Cozy tends to be something I avoid.

2) Was this already on your TBR listing? Or have you chosen to read it to fulfill prompt #3 or simply because it was selected for this Monthly Group Read?

It was not on the tbr and I had not heard of it until the group polls. I think I voted for it because I've been getting it confused with The Floating World by Axie Oh whom I'm a fan of. I've already completed space tourism with The Innkeeper Chronicles: Clean Sweep The Graphic Novel, Volume 2 earlier in the year. This is listed for the one bookmark achievement from goodreads, it's the BOTM, my sister read it and said I should try it, and it was available.

3) Have you read either of Curtis's other books? Frontier was released in 2023 and the third book, Idolfire, was just released in March. (Note: Idolfire is about a "road trip," so would fulfill prompt #12)

No and I probably won't unless this turns out to be something special.

4) Does the cover image speak to you in any way?

It's pretty but it's kinda of giving literary fiction vibes which is not so appealing to me.

Jennifer W wrote: "Sigh... I stopped in the library for *just a minute*.... lol

I checked out The Magic Fish and Angel & Hannah. Both of them have been on my radar for a while, but I ..."

I love both of those books, happy reading.

Read Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame and gave it four stars. A good fantasy novella with dragons.
This was already on my tbr when the goodreads heritage bookmark list popped up with this on it, so I read sooner than expected. Usually I don't read things specifically for heritage months but I do go through the suggestions lists and add to the tbr.

@Nadine I like epistolary books so the format was my thing too. Some of the humour comes from building on previous conversations/meetings so skimming through would make some things make no sense. If you go back to it I hope you enjoy it.

Happy check-in!

Finished Reading:

The Westing Game ⭐⭐⭐ (ATY 2nd book different genre but connected)
It was good to read a classic that lead to The Inheritance Games. It also randomly fit my requirement for a book with a turtle connection.

The Haunted Blizzard ⭐⭐⭐
Short middle grade horror comic. I liked the artwork but the story was sparse.

Long Island ⭐⭐⭐ (ATY Irish author)
I loved Brooklyn and I'm a little sad I read this sequel even though the characters are still well done and I liked the writing. This book is set 20 years after the first book and it sort of undid everything that happened in the first book.

Several People Are Typing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY anniversary debut)
This was hilarious. Set in a PR company's Slack app. The humour is dry, random and a little dark. You could maybe squeeze this into dystopian with a happy ending.

XOXO ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS Kpop redo)
This was adorable and I will be reading the sequel.

Mr. Villain's Day Off 06
Cute manga series but repetitive.

QOTW:
Saga, Volume 11

Happy check-in! There's a new set of goodreads bookmarks to earn, fortunately no self-help lists to read from yet.

Finished Reading:

Burn For Me Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Now to wait for the rest of the series to be published.

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins ⭐⭐ (ATY zombies)
This had good characters and humour but I kept getting lost for some reason.

The Night Eaters, Vol. 3: Their Kingdom Come ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS dystopian with happy ending)
This was a great ending for the series. It started off so dark and then the humour kicked in. Lui and Tanaka are such an amazing creative partnership.

Network Effect: Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Rom-Commers ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS non traditional education)
This was quite funny and sad. Emma ends up teaching a successful screen writer how to write a rom-com. I'll read more from this author.

QOTW:
I think they needed a higher bar for what constitutes a reader than one book read in the last year. Audiobooks count as reading!
I also was confused that fantasy and romance were so low down.

It'd be interesting to compare people's answer about reading genres vs. their streaming genres.

Jennifer W wrote: "I also listened to a chapter of Red Rising, but the narrator kind of threw me. To others who have read the book, is it an important plot point that the MC is of Irish descent? Cause the narrator is, and I'm not liking it... I might just get a copy from the library and read it. (and YES audiobooks count as reading!!!)..."

I don't remember that being a part of the book. The main character is supposed to have an accent and dialect that make him clearly red class that he works to change to pretend to be gold class. I wonder if the audio reader will have to change how they speak as the chapters go?

It’s a federal election day in Canada so Canadians go out and vote!!!

Thanks Nadine I’ve added it to the tbr.

Happy check-in! It waited until after Easter for the snow and then back to spring here. 🙃
I got the best fortune cookie this past week "read a new book to expand your horizons". You'll be shocked to know I read more than one.

Finished Reading:

Reflection ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS childhood)
A Mulan retelling from a fave young adult author. This takes place mid disney movie.

The Twisted Throne ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I can't wait for the final book in the series.

Last Chance to Save the World ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS climate antagonist)
I loved this and I'm very sad it's over. I hope the open ending leads to more books. This series definitely needs to be read in order.

Sweep of the Heart Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Now I'm through this series. I think this one is my favourite because the idea to have a bachelor inspired event at the inn is great.

The Phantom Tollbooth ⭐⭐⭐
A clever idea for a kids book.

Reckless ⭐⭐
This is not good ya but this book was the best so far.

Great Big Beautiful Life ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Her books always make me laugh and cry. This would work for the cult or music prompts fyi.

PS 25/50
ATY 32/52 Anniversary 2/10
Goodreads 110/250

QOTW:
I'm waiting for Six Days in Bombay to be published soon. I loved the The Henna Artist series by the same author.
I've got The Night Eaters, Vol. 3: Their Kingdom Come to read next.

@Doni my first thought was to be jealous... so went to the library today and got more than usual. 😁

Happy Birthday btw!

Happy check-in! It snowed yesterday so it's an okay time to be stuck inside with a cold.

Finished Reading:

Elektra ⭐⭐⭐
This got me the final goodreads bookmark. Anyway this is actually 3 povs and Elektra's was not really interesting.

Mabuhay! ⭐⭐⭐ (PS food truck)
Thank you @Joanna for suggesting this for a tough prompt. It was a cute graphic novel that I wanted to eat all the food mentioned within.

Swept Away ⭐⭐ (ATY sunset vibes)
A dud book from an author I like. I got bored and the ending jumped the shark.

Exit Strategy Dramatized Adaptation : The Murderbot Diaries 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
No Art :(

Sweep of the Blade Sweep with Me Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐
One more in the series left.

A Crown This Cold and Heavy ⭐⭐
Not much plot progression for the overall series.

PS 23/50
ATY 32/52 Anniversary 2/10
Goodreads 104/250

QOTW:
Mostly I've been reading what calls to me and fitting it in.
I never would have read Mabuhay! and I might not have read Ghost which I really recommend for the run club prompt.

Happy check-in! I actually sat on the deck and read outside for a bit this week. Spring might be here.

Finished Reading:

The Red Pencil ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS refugee)
Middle grade novel in verse about a girl in Darfur who wants to learn to read.

Ghost ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS run club)
I actually read a book I picked/planned for a popsugar prompt before the start of the year. Anyway I will be reading the other books about the other rookie runners on the team.

Magic Binds Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
One more left in the series reread.

Bone Crossed dramatized adaption ⭐⭐⭐⭐
So a wait until the next graphic audio in this series is published.

Huda F Wants to Know?: A Graphic Novel ⭐⭐⭐⭐
It's hard to make divorce funny, but the author managed.

PS 22/50
ATY 31/52 Anniversary 2/10
Goodreads 100/250

QOWT:
I found that pushing myself to read classics doesn't work as well as setting a goal to read books published before I was born.
I read The Old Man and the Sea last year and did like the writing but it was mostly boring. Fortunately it was short.

Happy check-in! It's been a few weeks.

Finished Reading:

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY anniversary TBR for over a year)
This was interesting and maddening.

Hello Darkness Vol. 1 ⭐⭐
A horror comic anthology that had a short story from a series I'm reading. I did not like the rest of the volume.

Dinosaur Sanctuary Vol. 6 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY translated from Asia)
More please. I love how this series is a collaboration of a manga artist and a paleontologist.

Bridge to Terabithia ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY character dealing with death)
Another classic/banned book down. Surprisingly this fits the run club prompt.

Hera ⭐⭐⭐ (ATY under 10 letter title)
Hera is definitely a complicated character in Greek mythology.

PS 20/50
ATY 31/52 Anniversary 2/10
Goodreads 92/250

QOTW:
I like being on time because I know a few people who are rudely early. Mostly I avoid setting exact times for things because I don't want to rush or be late.

For Pride and Prejudice and Zombies non traditional education works the best. You could maybe use the dystopian with a happy ending because a zombie plague to me is a dystopian thing. You could also consider it a classic you’ve never read. Then there are the two fill in prompts.

Happy check-in and happy Pi Day! Snowy day here. I really enjoyed the ATY read-a-thon.

Finished Reading:

A Coupe of Thorns and Rosé: Romantasy Cocktails to Quench Your Thirst—A Cocktail Recipe Book ⭐⭐⭐ (ATY weird or intriguing title)
I had read most of the books that were paired with a recipe. There were a few things that looked worth trying and some ingredients I had never heard of too.

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY digging up the past)
Another great book from Reese's picks. A famous movie star dies and leaves an inheritance to the neighbours next door.

Magic Shifts Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
There are two more books in this series, but they haven't been published yet.

Cat + Gamer Volume 3 (PS happily single mc) Cat + Gamer, Volume 4 ⭐⭐⭐
It's entertaining to have the mc viewing pet care like gaming.

Books of Slaughter Vol. 3 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Too many journal entries for a comic book.

A Court This Cruel & Lovely (PS mentioned in another book) A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty ⭐⭐⭐
This was mentioned in the cocktail book I read so why read what's already on the TBR when you can start a new series. These books are quite long due to the swapping POVs which wasn't needed.

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY set in nature)
This series is so cleverly thought out.

Blood Bound Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another fave series to reread via graphic audio.

PS 18/50
ATY 24/52 Anniversary 1/10
Goodreads 77/200

QOTW:
I don't have a bucket list. I used Accidentally Amy for this prompt because the meet cute happens over a pumpkin spice latte which I always want every fall season.

Happy check-in! I've read so much for the ATY read-a-thon, being stuck at home with a fever helped.

Finished Reading:

Christmas at Hogwarts ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Go the Fuck to Sleep ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Books of Slaughter Vol. 1 Books of Slaughter Vol. 2: Book of Butcher ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spinoff of a spinoff comic series.

Accidentally Amy ⭐⭐ (PS bucket list)
This romcom was a serial that was edited and published. It needed more editing. Went with the pumpkin spice latte addiction to fit the bucket list.

Magic Breaks Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

One Fell Sweep Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Betty: The Helen Betty Osborne Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
True crime comic looking at Betty's murder in 1970s Manitoba. I remember learning about Betty's murder in highschool as a case study.

This One Summer ⭐⭐
Slice of life graphic novel that was promoted for Freedom To Read Week. It was boring, but realistic. It's sad that it gets banned.

A Song for You and I ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS POC joy)
Middle grade graphic novel about training to be a protector of nature.

Listen for the Lie ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY lies)
Fantastic audiobook!! Follows Lucy going back home where everyone thinks she murdered her best friend and got away with it and the guy releasing a true crime podcast about the murder.

Sinatra: A Life Remembered ⭐⭐⭐ (PS music)
A good bio for a coffee table book, but I've seen a more in depth documentary about him so I knew a lot of what I read already.

The Favorites ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY music, art, dance, acting)
This was awesome! I think Taylor Jenkins Reid fans would love this.

A Business Proposal, Vol. 8 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Two more volumes to go.

Moon Called ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was from graphic audio but goodreads doesn't have it as a separate thing.

The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl 03 The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl 04 ⭐⭐⭐

Banned Book Club ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS book in title)
The author was in a banned book club in the 80s in South Korea. This is her graphic novel about that time.

PS 16/50
ATY 21/52 Anniversary 1/10
Goodreads 67/200

QOTW:
Illona Andrews and Emily Henry come to mind right away.

@Theresa thanks for the update, I don't follow authors and hadn't heard she had long covid. Last I saw she had a Shakespeare book and a Persephone/Hades book to come. Maybe they are scrapped for now.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Erica wrote: "The Last One ⭐ (PS less than 3 star rating)
This was awful and it earned a less than three star average rating. It reads like a bad video game. Way too many pages of repetitive chapte..."

It seemed like as a mystery writer she was told to cash in on romantasy and write something. Anyway the mystery of the book could have been solved with a question or two at the beginning, not in nearly 500 pages. I spent most of the book hoping the main character would die, spoiler alert she didn't and there's a sequel to come. 🤷‍♀️

Happy check-in! It's Freedom To Read Week here in Canada and I made sure to read at least one banned book.

I'm ready for the ATY read-a-thon to start on Saturday. So many books I'm waiting to start.

Finished Reading:

Sweep in Peace ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm enjoying rereading books in graphic audio.

The Last One ⭐ (PS less than 3 star rating)
This was awful and it earned a less than three star average rating. It reads like a bad video game. Way too many pages of repetitive chapters yet there wasn't enough detail sometimes.

Swamp Thing by Brian K. Vaughan, Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐ (ATY author 10+ year career)
This follows Swamp Thing's daughter who is half human.

Aurora's End ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY time travel)
I finally finished this series off. I'm happy with the ending and the time travel was interesting.

A Wrinkle in Time ⭐ (ATY fictional location)
I didn't like the characters and writing, but still more enjoyable than The Last One.

PS 12/50
ATY 19/52 Anniversary 1/10
Goodreads 48/200

QOTW:
SFF fan so made up or far away is preferable.