Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
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2016 challenge checklist
Mod
You know I started last year's challenge really late so unfortunately it doesn't look like I'll finish this years. But I am totally on board for next years!
These look great! The mistake I made with this year's challenge was picking my books ahead of time. By the time I got to that particular challenge, I didn't want to read or didn't like the book I had chosen. Next year I'll be a little more open with my choices.
I did the same thing. As tempting as it is to plan everything at the beginning of the year, I think I'm just gonna go with the flow this year. I'll try to, at least.
I am considering knocking out the "hard" categories first. I am struggling with "a book you started but never finished." Guess what? There's a reason I never finished these books!
Juanita wrote: "I am considering knocking out the "hard" categories first. I am struggling with "a book you started but never finished." Guess what? There's a reason I never finished these books!"LOL! So true!
Nadine wrote: "I just saw this new list on Popsugar and came here to see what the comments are! I'm kind of disappointed that it's only 41 books for next year (and I'll say right now that I hate some of the categ..."Here you go! 10 Satirical Novels That Could Teach You to Survive the Future: http://io9.com/5867637/10-satirical-n...
or
The Top 10 Political Memoirs Nobody Remembers Anymore: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06...
Mod
And yes, ALWAYS knock out the hard categories first!!
I liked the book MADAM SECRETARY by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. She's written several. I'm not sure what I'll write for this one. Definitely not HARD CHOICES. But, you're right, maybe one by a Supreme Court justice, like Stephen Breyer or Sonia Sotomayor.
Personally I think this can be a pretty broad topic. A president or other political leader could work but so could anyone who worked within the political sphere, including activists.
I've been eyeing "The Notorious RBG" because I love the title but it's a biography not a memoir.Personally, I think you could make a case for a book like "I am Malala" in the political memoir category.
Juanita wrote: "I've been eyeing "The Notorious RBG" because I love the title but it's a biography not a memoir.Personally, I think you could make a case for a book like "I am Malala" in the political memoir cat..."
YES! "I Am Malala" should definitely count.
I'm actually excited it's shorter this year. I've read 40 books, but 8 didn't count for the challenge.
I think that these categories are more specific (a book set in europe instead of a book set in a different country), and some are easier to fulfil as they are broather (a book set in your home state instead of a book set in your hometown!).Generally I think that this list makes more sense than the 2015's one.
I'm not very excited with some of the categories too. Like a book with a blue cover (what is the point?) or a book wrote by a celebrity, and the self-improvement one - probably there is no way I would read something to fulfil this one.
I think you might need to relax lol, what is the point of any of them?
Mod
I just reread that and realized it sounds snarky at best. I apologize, I didn't mean it like that at all. I just mean, like Nadine said, it's supposed to be fun and the broad categories are good for people who have long tbr lists they'd like to tackle: and the other, more specific ones, for me, help you to go outside your normal comfort zone. But it's a personal challenge so if you don't like a category then switch it out for something you'd prefer :)
Anonymous John Green wrote: "I'm not very excited with some of the categories too. Like a book with a blue cover (what is the point?) or a book wrote by a celebrity, and the self-improvement one - probably there is no way I would read something to fulfil this one. "Some of the categories, on the surface, aren't very appealing to me either. I have done some digging though and have come across some unexpected options!
For example, there are a lot of celebrity books - Kardashians, Paris Hilton, etc - none of which I would read. But there are some books that actually look good. Take a look at this list: http://airshipdaily.com/blog/03052014...
I was planning to read Jewel's memoir Never Broken: Songs Are Only Half the Story, but I may switch it out for Shop Girl by Steve Martin.
Self-improvement, for me, immediately brings to mind "self-help" books which I am not a big fan of. But consider ways you would like to improve yourself. Is there a particular subject you wish you knew more about? A period in history? A particular person? A means of life? Find a book covering that topic. I am planning to read The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun, but an easy substitution for me would be a book about a particular historical event (I just finished reading Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania which was great. Expanding your knowledge is a great means of self-improvement :)
Good luck finding books, but don't be afraid to color outside the lines a little!
Mod
This will be my first time doing PopSugar Reading Challenge. For this challenge I'm going to write down the categories and put them in a TBR Jar. Some books on my TBR Shelf will also count for some categories, so I don't have to ignore those books.I had to look up satirical and from a goodreads list, it has two books I own. Choke by Chuck Palahniuk and Soulless by Gail Carriger.
For Self-Improvement I got Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain, The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy: A Handbook for Girl Geeks by Sam Maggs, and The Girl's Guide: Getting the hang of your whole complicated, unpredictable, impossibly amazing life by Melissa Kirsch.
I know I'm not going to read a political memoir and a book from Oprah's Book Club. Those are not the type of books I read.
Take a look at the list I posted from Oprah's there are loads, you'd probably find something you like. If not then whatever :) have fun! Glad to have you!
Mod
And speaking of author controversies I wouldn't mind reading a million little pieces to see what all the fuss was about!! Lol
Tara wrote: "And speaking of author controversies I wouldn't mind reading a million little pieces to see what all the fuss was about!! Lol"Don't give that idiot any money. The fuss was he purported it to be a memoir and he made the whole thing up. The thing so soured Oprah (well that and Jonathan "Diva" Franzen) that she stopped the book club for a while.
Yes I remember, I meant I'd like to read it because she was so into it when it first started. It was actually kind of hilarious. I mean, Oprah completely wigged out! I'll see if the library has it :) also I think she totally over reacted anyway, so I don't mind buying it.
Kerri wrote: "These look great! The mistake I made with this year's challenge was picking my books ahead of time. By the time I got to that particular challenge, I didn't want to read or didn't like the book I h..."I plan ahead of time, but then move and replace as needed.
Ashly wrote: "This will be my first time doing PopSugar Reading Challenge. For this challenge I'm going to write down the categories and put them in a TBR Jar. Some books on my TBR Shelf will also count for some..."Sam Maggs' Fangirl's Guide for self-improvement is a great idea, was worried about that catergory!
I didn't plan ahead last year and I realize that I should have. Or at least a little. I started reading books and sort them in the 2015 categories, but now I have 10 books written in another language an none in non-fiction. I think I'll try to write a few suggestions for each categories.
This is my first time participating in any reading challenge, and I am so excited! I'm really struggling with the romance that happens in the future category (I'm a planner, so I'm trying to have at least one book for each category but have the caveat that I can change my mind anytime) Anyone have suggestions for that one? I agree that I Am Malala is perfect for the political memoir - totally what I plan on reading. For self help I'm trying Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, by Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat, Pray, Love fame.
I never got to do the challenge last year but would like to give it a try in 2016. Some of the prompts I'm not too crazy about but will figure those out. I need to read other books than my usual, would love to use what I own already. So I'm in for all. Will keep a watch on the board for when the threads are ready and how too's.
I'm not planning to do the 2016 challenge. For one thing, I'm ready to read whatever I want and not worry about fitting it to one of the prompts! For another, there are several 2016 prompts I'm really not interested in--there's a lot more nonfiction, and while I wanted to (and did!) read more than one nonfiction book for 2015, nonfiction in specific categories like political memoir isn't something I'm very excited about.
We've got the same year. :) I think I'm going to read 20 years after by Alexandre Dumas since I really loved The Three Musketeers. If you like Jane Austen, it's old enough. Or the Bronte sisters.
Mod
I'm about 15 years older than you and this is what I've got for ideas: Ivanhoe, Count of Monte Cristo, North and South (Gaskell), Madame Bovary, The Woman in White (Collins). You could also look at Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, the Brontes, or George Elliot
here's a wiki page with some other ideas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...
I Picked out all my books for this challenge. Im so excited!!
Wendy wrote: "I decided to choose my first book by random. Org and got a book at least 100 years older than me which would be a book set around 1881 or earlier, i'm a bit stuck. Has anyone any suggestions?"Jules Verne would work too. Small and fun books,
Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "Juanita wrote: "I am considering knocking out the "hard" categories first. I am struggling with "a book you started but never finished." Guess what? There's a reason I never finished these books!"..."
Thanks so much! I'm going to save these lists to check out later when I need them.
Tara wrote: "https://killeryear.wordpress.com/2007...This pretty much sums up my feelings about it perfectly"
Pretty well said, IMO.
Ariel wrote: "I'm not planning to do the 2016 challenge. For one thing, I'm ready to read whatever I want and not worry about fitting it to one of the prompts! For another, there are several 2016 prompts I'm rea..."I'm planning on using the 2016 challenge to clean up my backlist.
Ashly wrote: "This will be my first time doing PopSugar Reading Challenge. For this challenge I'm going to write down the categories and put them in a TBR Jar. Some books on my TBR Shelf will also count for some..."Sara wrote: "Glad I could help :)"
Ashly wrote: "This will be my first time doing PopSugar Reading Challenge. For this challenge I'm going to write down the categories and put them in a TBR Jar. Some books on my TBR Shelf will also count for some..."
There are some great classic titles on Oprah's list. "love in the Time of Cholera", Great Expectations, "The Road", etc.
If anybody is interested I have made a printable version of the Popsugar list that has spaces to write down the title of the book you read for each prompt as well as the author, number of pages, start date and end date. I also created a blank template for the same list in case anybody wants to create their own challenge.Their are absolutely free and available here:
http://print-cut-paste-craft.com/pops...
Ashley wrote: "I Picked out all my books for this challenge. Im so excited!!"I picked out almost all mine as well :)
I don't know if this is the right place to put this, but I made a Spreadsheet with these on there for easy keeping that I can do on my phone as well! Feel free to use it if you'd like, or delete the comment if it's in the wrong spot. :)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
After failing 2015 reading challenge, I'm determined to get through this challenge! I've got all my books planned out too
Mod
Nadine, Is your spreadsheet on Google? https://www.google.com/sheets/about/.
I made mine within google's spreadsheet application and then once it's finished( or rather any time you want to share it really) there's the option to share under "file" or under your account info in the upper right corner. And it can be shared for specific people, or anyone with a link, or with anyone publicly.
Did any of that make sense?
I usually end up making any spreadsheets I need through Google because I can always export them to Microsoft when j need too. Otherwise, I always have a copy that I can get on my phone, laptop, and tablet if I need it. I have never tried to go the other way, from Microsoft to google's app.
Mod
I really like Google's spreadsheet function. This way if my computer dies I won't have to recreate my spreadsheet from scratch!
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
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1. A book based on a fairy tale
2. A National Book Award winner
3. A YA bestseller
4. A book you haven't read since high school
5. A book set in your home state
6. A book translated to English
7. A romance set in the future
8. A book set in Europe
9. A book under 150 pages
10. A New York Times bestseller
11. A book that's becoming a movie this year
12. A book recommended by someone you just met
13. A self-improvement book
14. A book you can finish in a day
15. A book written by a celebrity
16. A political memoir
17. A book at least 100 years older than you
18. A book that's more than 600 pages
19. A book from Oprah's Book Club
20. A science-fiction novel
21. A book recommended by a family member
22. A graphic novel
23. A book that is published in 2016
24. A book with a protagonist who has your occupation
25. A book that takes place during Summer
26. A book and its prequel
27. A murder mystery
28. A book written by a comedian
29. A dystopian novel
30. A book with a blue cover
31. A book of poetry
32. The first book you see in a bookstore
33. A classic from the 20th century
34. A book from the library
35. An autobiography
36. A book about a road trip
37. A book about a culture you're unfamiliar with
38. A satirical book
39. A book that takes place on an island
40. A book that's guaranteed to bring you joy