Week 10: 3/4-3/10

[Juanita]

Here we are in week 10. My reading has slowly tapered off (well technically, I had to trade pleasure reading for work-related reading for a week so that explains a lot. I still read 600 pages just no prompts to check off. Hahaha.)

Hope you are where you want to be in your progress. And welcome to the new members who have joined in the last week. I've seen a lot of first-time posters and we're so very happy to have you.

I'm still at 12/41 with two books in progress.

Remember to nominate a satirical book for our group read in April. Today is the last day to submit your nomination. I'll close that folder and publish the poll for official voting at the end of the day. Link to the nomination thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

To clarify: I am only seeking nominations for the satirical book (not for book by a comedian). Those who wish to participate in the Monthly Challenge may pick from either a satirical book (and choose the group read or another book) or a book by a comedian. We will have discussions and "I finished!" threads for both prompts.

Happy to answer any questions or hear any suggestions. Hope you are experiencing warmer weather where you are (we are in Michigan!)

[Thegirlintheafternoon]

Made it through one book this week, so now I'm up to 14/41. I finished The Martian for "a science-fiction novel." I really enjoyed the movie version, so I was expecting to like the book more than I ultimately did - it had a great plot but the writing was pretty clunky. Enjoyable enough, but nothing I'd ever read again. 3/5 stars.

[Sara]

We are having our first "heat" wave here in Virginia - upper 70's. It's awesome until the cold temps return (which they always do this early in the season).

I'm at 16/41

This week I finished Tears of the Desert: A Memoir of Survival in Darfur for my book about another culture (it could also work, I think, for a political memoir). It was a very good, eye-opening book about the genocide in Darfur/Sudan around 2004.

I also finished a read-aloud (and reread for me) of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban with my daughter. This likely won't count for the challenge (trying to do mostly first time reads), but it will still count for my yearly goals :)

I gave up on The Lord of the Rings for now. It's a slow read for me, and I just need some books I can really power through right now. I still plan to read it at some point.

I've been switching between 3 different audiobooks, and I think if I would just settle down and pick one I would actually make some progress!

I am also reading The Invention of Wings for my Oprah Book Club book.

[Jaimee]

I'm ramping up my reading now and have checked off 2 from the list over the last couple days (Ready Player One, Career of Evil). Looking forward to whatever the April satirical book is, it'll be fun to read with everyone! Is anyone else having trouble coming up with a profession book (I'm a Business Analyst)? I've posted in the jobs folder, but so far haven't heard anything.

[Kaci]

7/41 for me. Since last check in I've read Breakfast of Champions and Blue is the Warmest Color. These filled my Satirical and Graphic Novel categories. You either love or hate Vonnegut. Blue is the Warmest Color is a graphic novel set in France about a teen girl struggling with her sexuality in the 90s. It was fine, I'm not crazy about graphic novels so it wasn't my favorite. So many books I want to read right now so we'll see what's next!

[Megan]

I continued with the Lunar Chronicles with re-reading Cress. Again, I'm glad I re-read it because I liked it more than I remembered - I had only remembered the desert part dragging on and on and really it doesn't. Just waiting on my copy of Winter to become available for my fairy tale!!

So I only checked off my book less than 150 pages. I read The Grownup. I was very underwhelmed. I finished it last night and thought "ok..what was the point?" The point, I determined, was to bring me to 8 out of 41 categories completed.

Tonight I'm going to start with my book and prequel category with reading The Selection Series Collection.

[Christi]

I'm at 11 / 41.
I haven't really read anything terrific so I feel like I'm going through the motions.
Maybe I'm burned out on getting all the sci-fi/future/dystopian stuff off the list over and done with early in the year.
And I'm wondering when I'll meet someone new who will just happen to have a good book recommendation!

[Charlotte]

I started Inferno by Dan Brown for my murder mystery (though it's a stretch for the category, definite mystery but more thriller). I haven't finished any books this week though so I'm still at 9/41.

[Jaimee]

Christi wrote: "I'm at 11 / 41.
I haven't really read anything terrific so I feel like I'm going through the motions.
Maybe I'm burned out on getting all the sci-fi/future/dystopian stuff off the list over and don..."

Have you read Fates and Furies? I loved it and it's my go-to recommendation right now.

[Nadine in NY]

I did not finish ANY books for this Challenge this week, so I'm still holding steady at 20/41. I'm currently slogging through the book 100 years older than me, The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins, published in 1859 so it's actually 108 years older than me, but what's eight years between friends?! Is it just me, or am I reading the wrong books, or what? Because I invariably find 19thC and older books to be long dreadful slogs! Anyway, in a few more days I'll be done with this book, and I can check that box and move on with my life, satisfied in my accomplishment.

[Sara]

Nadine wrote: "Is it just me, or am I reading the wrong books, or what? Because I invariably find 19thC and older books to be long dreadful slogs!..."

I do too, but I often find that the second read is much easier because I have a general idea of where the story is going. Trying to follow the story AND untangle the language is a bit much sometimes.

[Jillian]

Just one book this week 34/40. For a different group we are reading books around the world as a group and I picked Seychelles as the location. This book fit that category and the island one here otherwise I would not have read it.

39. A book that takes place on an island- Butler Did It! by Keith Pomeroy 3/6/16

[Katherine]

I only completed one book this week, which didn't even count for this challenge. As much as I love my friends giving me books to read, it's really taken a toll on my TBR shelf. I'm also reading longer books right now, so my impressive (for me) four books last week will not be happening again for some time.

Anyway, this week, I read Funny Girl which I enjoyed more than I thought I would, considering it's not my usual genre. Although I was unable to use it for this challenge, it would fit under several categories, if anyone else it interested.

[Tracey]

Only 1 book for the challenge this week:

[x] 25. A book that takes place during summer - Atonement

25/41

[Juanita]

I finished Cress tonight. I think I'm going to take a break from The Lunar Chronicles before attempting Winter and Stars Above.

This puts me at 13/41.

Christi wrote: I haven't really read anything terrific so I feel like I'm going through the motions.

I sooooo feel you on this one. It takes the joy out of the accomplishment and the pleasure of reading. I might have to pick a few books that are impulsive reads whether they fit prompts or not for me to get back in the groove. And we're not even mid-way through the year.

[Ana]

I'm new to this group, coming in with my science fiction (Decision at Doona by Anne McCaffrey), fairy tale retelling (Goose Chase by Patricia Kindl), and a book by a celebrity (In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd).

This past week I have finished my road trip novel (Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck) and my romance that takes place in the future (The Rowan by Anne McCaffrey). Now I'm going to read another Discworld novel that I'm not counting for the challenge so that I can read the new ones that do count. :)

I'm at 6/41 for the challenge. :)

[Fannie]

I missed last weekly checkin because i didn't finish any books. Here I am this week with not a lot of improvement. 11/41 for now.

I read Le bleu est une couleur chaude for the graphic novel prompt.

I am also halfway The Bone Clocks that I will use for blue cover or book suggested by someone you just met.

I am also reading The Hobbit to my son and I will use it for the prompt guaranteed to make me happy.

[Katewegner]

It was a productive reading week, but housework week ... not so much lol.

#5, home state WI, Benefit of the Doubt: A Novel
#11, book becoming a movie, Allegiant
#15, book by celebrity As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride
#28, book by comedian Yes Please
#38, satirical book Cat's Cradle

[Mike]

Still working on Book Guaranteed to Bring Me Joy (The Princess Bride) and would have finished it already, but I got sidetracked.

Finished The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic: How Engaging 1% of Catholics Could Change the World for my Self-Improvement Book.

13/41

[Michele]

This week I only finished 2 books. Red Queen which was good, waiting for book 2 from the library, and Animal Farm for my satirical since it was a quick read.

Not too much reading this week. Been having lots of bad headaches lately. I'm worried it's from eye strain from reading so much. I'm afraid to go to the doctor, I don't want to be told I can't read. I'll DIE! LOL

[Alex]

PHEW. Finished my book and it's prequel with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and A Dance with Dragons! Which also catches me up with A Song of Ice and Fire. Now to eagerly await the next book...

[Jessica]

I'm 6/41 now. I finished A Little Princess and am still slowly working my way through A Little Life.

[Christophe]

Two books this week...

✅37. A book about a culture you're unfamiliar with: Jose Maria Arguedas, Les fleuves profonds , Gallimard, 1966 (traduit de l’espagnol, ed. orig. 1958).

Takes place in the Peruvian Andes; pretty much a Bildungsroman. Great book.

✅5. A book set in your home state: Gertrude Stein, Paris France , Liverlight, 2013 (ed. orig. 1940).

A bit of a disappointment; style's great, but pretty much a string of lieux communs about France.

That put me at 20 (on 82); read the graphic novel since then, and made good inroads into my "book taking place on an island".