Caitlin’s Comments (group member since Jan 04, 2015)

Caitlin’s comments from the Pop Sugar's Annual Ultimate Reading Challenge group.

Stephanie wrote: "i'm reading Gregor the Overlander (Suzanne Collins undeniable first book). everything feels more right once i decided that.

and yeah, i had to review my list and found a lot of books that i knew ..."

Oh my goodness! Gregor the Overlander = perfect choice! I'll do that one too. THANKS!

Valerie wrote: "Caitlin wrote: "I've been thinking of doing Robin Hobb's for this but Robin Hobb is actually a pen name and the author previously published something under a..."

Thanks, I tend to be a stickler about rules for myself, even when they are completely arbitrary. I think I'll make this my "if you don't think of anything better" book for this category.

I'm glad all of you are doing this challenge too because otherwise I'd have let it slide/given up long ago!

I've been thinking of doing Robin Hobb's for this but Robin Hobb is actually a pen name and the author previously published something under a different pen name (I think). What do you guys think? Does it count?

I think you could totally count Anne of Green Gables, right?

Crystal wrote: "So I know this has been asked, but I'm just not sure. I just got this book Crooked, which I haven't read yet but in summary is about Richard Nixon and a fictional story surrounding the nonfictional..."

Sounds based on a true story to me!

What kinds of books have made you cry in the past? maybe we can make suggestions along those lines?

I'm not letting myself re-read or count for multiple categories but you bet your socks I'm counting audiobooks.

I love seeing the variety of ways we've shaped this challenge to make it personally challenging but also doable.

This list of top 100 Swoon Worthy Romances from NPR has some great options for Classic Romance if you're still struggling on what to read in that category like I was: http://www.npr.org/2015/07/29/4267318...

oh! Atwood is a good suggestion. If I've never read any of her work though is it a good place to start or should I start with The Handmaids Tale/something else?

Nicole wrote: "I was probably gonna do a true crime book, mostly cause I've got one in my stack of "books I own and haven't yet read." What else could Lizzie Bright count for, Caitlin?"

Well, Bonnie and I both officially recommend it (recommended by a friend?)

If you haven't read Gary D. Schmidt before it could be book by an author you've never read.

It made me cry so it could be a tear-jerker but honestly I liked Okay for Now a little bit more and it would also qualify for all of those areas. It's up to you.

Heather wrote: "Caitlin wrote: "You might also try A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Only a little bit of it is in High School, it's a coming of age novel but not YA (the novel predates YA as a genre, bt does feel adult...."

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a movie? WHAAAT!?!?! *goes to find it now*

I'm going to shamelessly plug the book I read for this category because it was so so good. Gary D. Schmidt's Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. I actually didn't know this was based on a true story until I hit the author's note at the end but it's basically a fictionalization of a specific historical event.

If you're still looking for something for this category, do consider this one. (It is Middle Grade which means it's technically written for 8-12 year-olds but guys, it's so good.)

I think you could also consider something true crime, like In Cold Blood. What do the rest of you think?

The theme of this group is, if you can plausibly make it fit, it fits so if you'd say time of release (an you've got back-up here!) then that's good, if you want to read something by someone currently under 30, there's options for that too!

You might also try A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Only a little bit of it is in High School, it's a coming of age novel but not YA (the novel predates YA as a genre, bt does feel adult.) Bonnie may have hit on something, I'm sure there are memoirs of teachers or books about high school teachers out there that are not YA!

I was able to delete a few but yeah, I have no idea why it posted so many times.

If you pick Sherman Alexie you can double duty because several of his books have been banned, IIRC.

Sheally wrote: "I have 1 more book to read for ARTBA, there are tons I could read, just wondered if it would work. Thanks!"

I read Glory O'Briens and thought it was very inventive and interesting BUT she's graduates almost immediately in the book and it all takes place outside of school and during the summer after graduation so I personally wouldn't count it but it might count for another category (published in 2015, female author, would History of the Future count as an antonym in the title?, set in the future (maybe))

Great Question!

Sheally wrote: "Yes, it brings me to the spreadsheet, but it won't let me add my name or anything."

I just added your name, it's in the Y column so you'll have to scroll or arrow quite a bit to the right before you can find it. I'm not sure why you wouldn't be able to edit.

Sheally wrote: "I want to be included! Thanks"

Hey Sheally, welcome! Does clicking on the link in the first post bring you to a spreadsheet? If so you should be able to edit that and add yourself and your books. We've just all been adding our own and not messing with the columns that belong to our fellow readers (except, you know, to check out their choices!)

Let us know if that doesn't work for you!

Athol-mary wrote: "I am giving you a bad review for a book I have just finished! "Where'd you go Bernadette?'. What began as an entertaining read lost its way by the last section. The writer made some incomprehensibl..."

I liked that one but I had a friend who said much the same thing as you! Sometimes preferences vary greatly by book.