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

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

Lynn wrote: "Erica wrote: "Happy Thursday! October is a fun time of year but I too think it was just August. I struggled with being able to focus and read this week so I only managed a couple of graphic novels...."

Well all of the Lord of the Rings movies, Snakes on a Plane and The Hangover. :)

Happy Thursday! October is a fun time of year but I too think it was just August. I struggled with being able to focus and read this week so I only managed a couple of graphic novels.

Finished Reading:

March: Book Two 5 stars
Another perfect match up of art and story. But not just any story, true and important events from a primary resource.

Shades of Magic Vol. 3: The Rebel Army 4 stars
I love this world V.E. Schwab created and I hope there are more graphic novels to come. I also really love when there is continuity in the artwork between comics.

PS 2020 48/50
PS Summer 20/20
PS Fall 1/10
PS 2016 36/40
goodreads 165/200 (I've reset my goal twice this year but I think I'll leave it at 200 now)

Currently Reading:
Heat Stroke (so sad the author is now in end of life care)
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You

QOTW:
The only time I schedule when I'm going to read something is when I reread a series leading up to a new release. But you can add me to the list of people that watch movies on theme with the holidays. I do have a bad habit of associating weird movies with Christmas though...

Elaine wrote: "Hi everyone! I'm so happy October is here. Halloween is my favorite holiday of all.

Finished

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid for "seven deadly sins." It was great! I'..."

So keep in mind I don't read a lot of horror or watch a lot of horror movies but I just read The Girl in Red by Christina Henry and I think it is quite a good horror novel. It is a retelling of little red riding hood but there's a coughing plague that forces her to go through the woods to her grandmother's house. The main character is 20 and she's paranoid/prepared. If you're looking for Halloween reads I'd recommend this one.

Title: Black Heart

Author: Holly Black

Would you recommend this book?
Yes. Holly Black is a favourite author of mine and I enjoyed this series even though it's not her best.

Which of the 7 sins did this book include?
So I read this pre-covid and now I kinda forget the book. :)
Anyway I think I went with lust. (view spoiler)[ Ultimately, Cassel chooses a girl over everything else. (hide spoiler)]

Theresa wrote: "Erica wrote: "It's not good that Patterson was taking sole credit for books but I would be curious about how much control he had over the cover. But at least that error has been corrected. From wha..."

For sure.

It's not good that Patterson was taking sole credit for books but I would be curious about how much control he had over the cover. But at least that error has been corrected. From what some of my favourite authors have said about their book covers, publishing companies decide the covers. So I wonder if the publisher is at fault for a marketing decision.

Happy Friday! (I'm glad I read through everybody's posts before posting myself because I totally thought it was Saturday) :) Been busy with family this week. Ooh don't know if I'm going to do the fall challenge yet.

Finished Reading:

Girl, Serpent, Thorn 3 stars
Book club book. The first few chapters were unputdownable and there was a good twist I didn't see coming. It slowed down for me when the main character was indecisive and having trust issues. For ya it has a good message and it was nice to read a character that was bi but that wasn't the point of the book. It was just the way she was like she had dark hair. The best part of the book were the author's notes at the end. She explained her choices of terms pertaining to old, mid and new Persian culture.

Extra Scenes 5 stars
This was free on the author's website and I found out about thanks to this check-in last week. (I can't remember who mentioned S.A. Chakraborty's untitled new series, but thank you!) I loved this series so going back with some new characters and beloved favourites perspectives was a joy.

The Girl in Red 4 stars
Why finish my library books that I've started and are due soon? Why start something new that's in my tbr pile when there are other books in the world? :) This was oddly scary for me due to the coughing plague aspect of this book. It didn't help that I started reading this the day it actually became smoky here, from all the fires, and I started coughing. Thanks covid.

PS 2020 48/50
PS Summer 20/20
PS Fall ??
PS 2016 35/40
goodreads 161/200

Currently Reading:

Library books... maybe.

QOTW:
Well I definitely don't read memoirs/bios of politician's whose politics are wrong :)
Other than MZB and JKR I didn't know about the controversies mentioned in earlier posts. I don't pay that much attention to authors. On a bright note my favourite authors have been showing themselves to be decent people throughout covid and all the on going protesting.
I read tons of fantasy and The Mists of Avalon is highly rated but having read an article about what her daughter had to say I'm never going to read anything by her.
JKR is a very disappointing situation. Harry Potter made me a reader and with the movies creating the visual the characters became close to real. I cannot drop Harry Potter because of her hurtful behaviour, it has become so much more than one person. However I did not know about her pseudonym's meaning until this group discussion. I've read the first in the series and watched the mini series and loved them. I'm now on the fence on whether I can continue.
Overall I think making a case by case judgement call is important to avoid erasing history and learning.

Sheri wrote: "Hi all, late check in this week!

I took the week off this week, and yesterday we took advantage of doing so to see the Marvel exhibit at the Henry Ford while it was not busy. It was a really cool ..."

Happy Birthday!

Brittany wrote: "Lilith wrote: "I'm so sorry the loss of your grandmother, and hope good memories are helping you and your loved one. Oh noooo, on all the evacuating! Hope you and your loved one are safe. 2020 has ..."

Wow I totally missed your post talking about your family's near miss. So glad you all are safe.

Ellie wrote: "My dog decided to celebrate her being with us 4 years by squishing my hand on the gate. No real damage done but it's bruised and hurts when I hold things like big hardback books.

Finished:
T..."</i>

So I didn't know about her knew series and I went to go check it out and discovered [book:Extra Scenes which is free on her website. This has spoilers if you haven't read the series fyi.

Melissa wrote: "Hello. Our new fridge arrived finally (after a week and a half and one cancelled-without-notice delivery), and then our marriage license came in yesterday's mail. Those were the two things I've bee..."

Cook Korean!: A Comic Book with Recipes this is so intriguing.

Melissa wrote: "Hello. Our new fridge arrived finally (after a week and a half and one cancelled-without-notice delivery), and then our marriage license came in yesterday's mail. Those were the two things I've bee..."

That's nice your license came in. My cousin got married last week and they spelt his name wrong on the license so I'm still waiting to hear when it's changed and he's actually married.

Happy Thursday! We have two brand new decks into our house so that safety issue is gone. :) However I'm having problems trying to step down out of the house when the deck is now flush with the entrance. I'm so good with change. :p
So here's a poll for people that like pumpkin spice. Are the pumpkin spice cherios worth it? The peanut butter ones were a disappointment to me.
Anyway just enjoying the last few days of summer. :(

Finished Reading:

Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet 3 stars
This series is funny and unique for urban fantasy series and I'm hooked now so I'll be reading the next 9 books and any of the novellas I can get ahold of.

The Near Witch 2 stars
This was Victoria Schwab's first book, that she wrote when she was 21 for those with that prompt left. It took me a month to read it but I did. It was a good idea but she took way to long to tell her story. The main character kept doing to stupid things just so it would take longer to vanquish the Near Witch. Her writing style is still really enjoyable so if your a fan of hers you may enjoy this book.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol. 1: The Crucible 3 stars
I like the darker take on Sabrina but I'll take the netflix series instead of the comics.

The Heist 4 stars
I just felt like a comforting reread and this ebook was available. I like this series a lot more than the Stephanie Plum series.

Things My Son Needs to Know about the World 5 stars
I finally read something by my sister's favourite author and it didn't disappoint. This is a quick read that had me laughing out loud. It's all one big letter to his son and it's super cute.

PS 2020 48/50
PS Summer 20/20
PS 2016 35/40
goodreads 159/200

Currently Reading:
Girl, Serpent, Thorn
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You

QOTW:
Mostly I find literary award nominees and winners to be unappealing. (they always look so depressing)
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler I think this has one many awards in Canada at least. This was forced reading in school and it's very long, depressing, with a detestable main character. Oh yeah nothing happens over many many many pages.

I don't count goodreads as a literary award because they are popularity based. Literary awards don't seem to have diversity in reading tastes so I put more stock in the goodreads awards because fantasy and science fiction books actually get noticed a bit. Are the winners going to be what I would pick? No, but I find a bunch of good books to read from the nominees every year.

Heather wrote: "It drives me nuts when people wear masks below their nose! If I can avoid the improper mask wearers, I do. But I refuse to interact with people who don't wear them properly. I ask students, cashier..."

Yeah it would be tough to have to wear a mask the entire time you are working but you could have no job or be a health care worker with 8 to 12 h shifts that can only take a mask off at lunch. Or worse covid.

Happy check-in! It's been a weird week here. It was hot over the weekend but come Monday the furnace came on, it went to -4 ugh. Fortunately it's back to being hot again.

Thank you to Sara for all that she has done and thank you to Lynn for stepping up!

I too mainly use the desktop instead of the app. Has anyone else had the problem that if you use the app to designate when you start a book it won't show up in your reading challenge when you finish it? People's posts are cutoff and book links and images won't load. I have to use the website on my phone often to access my group books when at the library. Yes my app updated this week but I haven't seen a difference.

Finished Reading:

Blood & Honey 4 stars
This held up. The love/hate relationship still worked. There's still a lot of humour to balance the darkness of the overall story.

I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor's Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity 5 stars
This was a really powerful memoir that I would recommend to everyone.

Black Panther, Vol. 1: A Nation Under Our Feet, Book 1 2 stars
Black Panther, Vol. 2: A Nation Under Our Feet, Book 2 3 stars
Black Panther, Vol. 3: A Nation Under Our Feet, Book 3 4 stars
I'm glad I pushed myself to read all three because the first was a chore but Coates found his way by the end.

PS 2020 47/50
PS Summer 20/20
PS 2016 35/40
goodreads 154/200

Currently Reading:
The Near Witch (I did actually make progress on it this week)

QOTW:
The Maze Runner vs. The Hunger Games

Happy check-in. I miss August and I'm so confused about how we're in September already. It's labour day weekend coming up and it doesn't feel right due to no football. :( The labour day classic is a big deal to the CFL and to my province. Other labour day festivities that happen at the park in my city were cancelled way back in lockdown. So I guess there's always yard work.
I managed to complete the summer challenge by the end of august like I wanted so I'm happy about that. If popsugar comes out with another mini challenge I'll probably take part.

Finished Reading:
Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story 3 stars
Book Love is still her best work, but this is enjoyable.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? 3 stars
I'm a big fan of hers and this book has been sitting in my room for years judging me for not reading it.

March: Book One 5 stars
John Lewis' story is fascinating. I loved the way they told the story of his youth. Impatiently waiting for volumes 2 and 3.

Midnight Sun 4 stars
So I was obsessed with twilight when the movies were coming out. I tried rereading the series last year and I just couldn't stand Bella. So I didn't think this would be as entertaining to read as it was. I guess I'm not over Twilight like I thought.

Ill Wind 4 stars
I read 6-9 of this series so I thought I should start at the beginning. It was great to see things unfold that had been alluded to in the later books. Definitely an interesting world Rachel Caine has created.

PS 2020 47/50
PS Summer 20/20 (June 1 - Aug 31)
PS 2016 44/50
goodreads 149/175

Currently Reading:
Blood & Honey
The Near Witch

QOTW:
First and foremost Harry Potter. Hogwarts beats all other fictional schools.
I also really enjoyed the mediator series by Meg Cabot. I reread this a couple years ago ended up regretting the fact that I got rid of my copies because I wasn't a kid anymore. Facepalm.

Lilith wrote: "Good afternoon all,

Spent the last week in hospital, and glad to be home!

My feline child is relieved I'm back.

Not exactly doing great yet, and limiting screen time, so I’ll get to the books I ..."

Wow can't imagine the extra stress to be in hospital at times like these. I'm glad your back home.

Melissa wrote: "I got married on Saturday, with only my husband, the pastor and the pastor's kid in attendance. All my family and friends were watching on Zoom, so it doesn't feel real. No dress, flowers, music, d..."

Congratulations! On the upside you had a unique wedding that will be hard to forget. My cousin is set to get married next week but as far as I know it's only immediate family and no zoom.

Sheri wrote: "Hi everyone,

Sunny and low 80s as a high here, so basically my ideal weather! Will have to get out in it later.

This week I finished:

We're Gonna Die - This was my Read Harder ..."

The Old Guard movie was so awesome. Definitely the best movie I've seen all year. I'm currently waiting on the graphic novel from the library.

Well non sequitur here, who else has a shelf of "Pumpkin Spice Cozy Mysteries" on overdrive? It's making my day.