Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
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2017 Popsugar Challenge checklist: Discussion thread
That makes me want to substitute the "cat on the cover" to "something else on the cover ", so that I can use a book from my TBR list! LOL
Mod
LOL! I admit, "cat on the cover" is not my favorite category. But I'm enjoying the difficulty of finding a qualifying book that looks interesting to me - I'm considering books with cat-like aliens, mountain lions, cat silhouettes, and so on. Turns out there are a lot of old sci-fi books with cat-like aliens!
Mie wrote: "That makes me want to substitute the "cat on the cover" to "something else on the cover ", so that I can use a book from my TBR list! LOL"There are several cozy mystery series with cats. There is one set in a bookstore in NYC with a black cat that solves mysteries (Double-Booked for Death by Ali Brandon). I know of one set in the south where a Maine coon cat is owned by a gentleman who is a college rare books librarian (Murder Past Due by Miranda James). There is one set in the northern part of the lower peninsula a Michigan in which a cat rides along on a bookmobile (Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass) . There is another where an entire town is devoted to tourists who bring their cats and dogs along on vacation and are welcomed in every restaurant and store in town (Murder, She Barked by Krista Davis).
Nadine wrote: "Okay, last post of the evening, I promise i won't keep hitting this thread all night.These are books I had found for "unreliable narrator" (for the AtY challenge - I didn't come up with this enti..."
These are the ones I've read from that list, and I would definitely say they would all qualify as unreliable narrators. Hope that helps!
Fight Club (Palahniuk),
We Have Always Lived in the Castle (Jackson),
The Widow (Barton),
Rebecca (du Maurier),
The Ice Twinss (Tremayne),
The Good Girl (Kubica),
The Night Sister (McMahon).
Fingersmith (Waters),
All the Missing Girls (Miranda),
Night Film(Pessl)
Mod
Yes, that is super helpful, thank you!
This will be my first Popsugar reading challenge. I'm a big bookworm and want to start reading some different genres etc to what I normally read. But no idea where to start! Any help will be appreciated!
For a cat on the cover have you considered bigger cat breeds? I'm using Life of Pi for this category and it has a Tiger on the cover
A couple of my favorites are Cleo by Helen Brown & Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper, the latter I absolutely love – changed my life.
Mod
The Challenge can be so fun! Each category has its own post here, go down to the 2017 folder and click on each one for ideas. Enjoy!
Marilyn wrote: "Mie wrote: "That makes me want to substitute the "cat on the cover" to "something else on the cover ", so that I can use a book from my TBR list! LOL"There are several cozy mystery series with ca..."
Also, the "Cats and Curios" series by Rebecca M. Hale.
I just want to say that I love the list this year. I have been able to fit so many books from my TBR and I'm excited to get started.
Patricia wrote: "I'm looking at some of my TBR books trying to define "Wilderness". Would a western themed book meet this category? I own "My Antonia" by Willa Cather although I haven't read it yet. Are Kansas, Neb..."For something set in Alaska: Tisha: The Wonderful True Love Story of a Young Teacher in the Alaskan Wilderness & A Schoolteacher in Old Alaska: The Story of Hannah Breece are both about women who went to Alaska to teach and both lived in very remote areas.
The Call of the Wild & White Fang
I have read all of these as well as Michener's Alaska, but there are lots of books set in Alaska's wilderness.
Sara wrote: "What about a book set in a hotel? All I can think is The Shining. I'm not necessarily opposed to reading it again, but I would rather find something I haven't read before and maybe not..."Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet
For unreliable narrators, I wonder if something told from the point of view of a thief, or better yet, a politician.
Nadine wrote: "Okay, last post of the evening, I promise i won't keep hitting this thread all night.These are books I had found for "unreliable narrator" (for the AtY challenge - I didn't come up with this enti..."
I wouldn't classify "Rebecca" as an unreliable narrator. The book is narrated by the 2nd Mrs. de Winter, and she is made to believe different things by different people about the 1st Mrs. de Winter, the titular Rebecca, but she does find out the truth by the end of the book. The narrator isn't unreliable. She has no mental issues. It's just the people around her who are keeping secrets and lying.
Megan wrote: "Does Heartless have a red spine?"No, it's the same as the cover itself, black with red vines.
Rebecca wrote: "Megan wrote: "Does Heartless have a red spine?"No, it's the same as the cover itself, black with red vines."
Thanks. It would have been too good to be true - I want to read that but I don't know where else it could fit.
Sara wrote: "What about a book set in a hotel? All I can think is The Shining. I'm not necessarily opposed to reading it again, but I would rather find something I haven't read before and maybe not..."Friends!! I have never read The Shining so this might be a good time.
I have read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. It doesn't really take place in a hotel. The hotel is a setting but it's secondary to the rest of the plot.
Laura wrote: "This will be my first Popsugar reading challenge. I'm a big bookworm and want to start reading some different genres etc to what I normally read. But no idea where to start! Any help will be apprec..."It will be mine as well! I'm just curious what a "prompt" is...?
Mod
"prompt" and "category" and "task" are all used synonymously here to refer to each line item on the checklist. Juanita set up a post for each prompt/category, so you can go to each to get ideas. And as we link to books using the "add book" feature, Goodreads will helpfully compile a list of all books mentioned in each post, over in the right margin. So each category will develop a list of ideas you can quickly look at if you don't have time to read through the entire thread.
I found a cozy that i downloaded to my kindle,
. I love mysteries.
If anyone is looking for a book that takes place over a holiday other than Christmas I can recommend The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty.It takes place over Easter.
Tricia wrote: "If anyone is looking for a book that takes place over a holiday other than Christmas I can recommend The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty.It takes place over Easter."
Thank you! It is on my TBR list and I was going to use it for the family member prompt, but I think I'll switch it in case I don't make it to the advanced list.
In the advanced list, one of the prompts is to read a book from a genre/subgenre you've never heard of'. What if you've never heard of the genre, but already read a few books in it?
Nadine wrote: "And as we link to books using the "add book" feature, Goodreads will helpfully compile a list of all books mentioned in each post, over in the right margin. So each category will develop a list of ideas you can quickly look at if you don't have time to read through the entire thread."I never noticed this before! Again, learned something new from this group.
I'm loving all the suggestions everyone is sharing for the trickier prompts! Since so many of you have asked about steampunk, I went ahead and compiled some of your suggestions into a post on the site. I hope it helps! We plan on doing more prompt-specific roundups in the coming months.
Mod
That list looks so pretty!! Somehow you make all the covers look so beautiful, more than they usually look. I'm always happy to see Elizabeth Bear and Cherie Priest get mentions
Patricia wrote: "I found a cozy that i downloaded to my kindle, . I love mysteries."The Lucy Stone cozy mysteries series by Leslie Meier. each of the books takes place on a different holiday.
Jamie wrote: "Patricia wrote: "I found a cozy that i downloaded to my kindle, . I love mysteries."The Lucy Stone cozy mysteries series by Leslie Meier. each of the books takes pla..."
I am going to check those out. Using cozies to meet the various criteria sounds like fun.
While picking up a book tonight I compiled a big list of books with red spines for those who have a hard time physically getting someplace to see them. I'll post in the prompt thread when I get the chance.
Linnie wrote: "I'm going to go out on a limb now and say I won't be finishing the 800 page book prompt :)"
I'm going to assume my textbook counts. Lol
I'm going to assume my textbook counts. Lol
Tricia wrote: "If anyone is looking for a book that takes place over a holiday other than Christmas I can recommend The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty.It takes place over Easter."
I got super excited about the prospect of reading a "new-to-me" Liane Moriarty book and then realized, I've read this one. *sigh* So many books, so little time.
Donna wrote: "I am going to try hard to use this challenge to read only books I already own (Except a book published in 2017, of course). I'm becoming a book hoarder and need to start truly reading them rather truly reading them rather than just buying them. LOL "Same here!
Donna wrote: "am I the only one struggling with a book with career advise?? "
No, that's the one that has caused me most head-scratching so far. Whilst I'm aiming to base my list mostly on non-fiction (the bulk of books in my collection), I'm determined not to read what's effectively a self-improvement book - I just hate that genre with a passion!
Donna wrote: "I am going to try hard to use this challenge to read only books I already own (Except a book published in 2017, of course). I'm becoming a book hoarder and need to start truly reading them rather t..."I am doing the same thing. I have about 62 physical copies that are on my list, and even then I still have books spilling out of my cabinet, and piled on surfaces. They don't all fit the categories, but I need to start reading them and moving forward.
I'm excited to do this year's challenge. My 15 year old daughter and I will be doing it together, reading the same books. We planned out our list last night (with a few left to choose) and are both going to be stepping out of our comfort zone. She is more into manga and fantasy and I love suspense and non fiction.
Mod
That is awesome!!! I've tried to get my daughter to do the Challenge with me, but she's just not as excited about reading as I am. She's 13, so maybe when she's 15 I have hope?
For 2016 I got pregnant and needed to take it easy on myself because I get so sick and have no attention span for reading so I had a 30 book goal with a list of about 20 prompts I borrowed from popsugar and another challenge. I'm looking forward to getting back into it although probably won't make it to the advanced ones with a toddler and newborn :) we'll see!
Nadine wrote: "Karen wrote: "I'm excited to do this year's challenge. My 15 year old daughter and I will be doing it together, reading the same books. We planned out our list last night (with a few left to choose..."Maybe you could get her interested in a shorter challenge. How about 12 books, one per month. Baltimore County (MD) Public Library did a 2016 challenge with just 12 as did the Ukazoo Bookstore. Maybe the two of you could create your own challenge for HER with categories that would expand her reading. For example: a book set in the state/country where you live, a fantasy, a sci-fi, a book that became a movie, a book recommended by a librarian, a book set in a place she has never been, a book set on an island, etc.
Tricia wrote: "If anyone is looking for a book that takes place over a holiday other than Christmas I can recommend The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty.It takes place over Easter."
Thank you, thank you! I was struggling with this category and The Husband's Secret was on my To Read List!
Nadine wrote: "What are some ideas for "spans a lifetime"? I usually avoid longer books, and thus I rarely read the long, sweeping family saga types that would possibly fulfill this category."My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult is another book that spans a character's lifespan.
Karen wrote: "I'm excited to do this year's challenge. My 15 year old daughter and I will be doing it together, reading the same books. We planned out our list last night (with a few left to choose) and are both..."I could use manga as the genre I have never heard of before, but I don't have a clue as to where to begin. Do you or your daughter have any suggestions? This is really going out of my comfort zone… Thanks.
We posted some career advice book recommendations for anyone struggling with that prompt! Hope it helps! http://www.popsugar.com/career/Best-C...
Nadine wrote: "Non-human can be animal, robot, or alien. Animal would be maybe Watership Down or Tailchaser's Song (neither of which I've read, so I'm just guessing ).Ann Leckie's [boo..."
"The Host" by Stephanie Meyer is also one that I think would fit this category, right?
Heather wrote: "Sara wrote: "What about a book set in a hotel? ..."I would highly recommend A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, the entire book is set in a hotel.
Juanita wrote: "I have 11 books slotted already that are on my Kindle. That's not too bad."That's what I'm trying to do too! I have so many books on my kindle that I haven't read yet and I feel guilty whenever I read something else. lol
Cindy wrote: "Juanita wrote: "I have 11 books slotted already that are on my Kindle. That's not too bad."That's what I'm trying to do too! I have so many books on my kindle that I haven't read yet and I feel g..."
I have more books on my Kindle than I will ever read, and I know I won't read all of them. I started downloading them right after I got my Kindle without realizing how many books there are for free and/or very little cost wise. And yet I still keep purchasing them, but not as many. I'm trying to fit books that I already have into this reading challenge, and so far I think I'm doing fairly well. I've also bought a few, but they were on sale :-)
Hi, Here are my 40 books for those of you looking for suggestions. About 3/4 of them were already on my TBR list, so it was great to be able to plug them in! I am excited for 2017 to get here, I have so many books I want to read and deciding which to read next is always hard, so this narrows it down some. 8-)
1. A book recommended by a librarian - Faithful
2. A book that's been on your TBR list for way too long - Into the Sea of Qi
3. A book of letters - Secret Scribbled Notebooks
4. An audiobook - Things We Set On Fire
5. A book by a person of color - Zeely
6. A book with one of the four seasons in the title - The Winter People
7. A book that is a story within a story - The Name of the Wind
8. A book with multiple authors - Riptide
9. An espionage thriller - The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of Friendship & Espionage
10. A book with a cat on the cover - Tailchaser's Song
11. A book by an author who uses a pseudonym - The Eyes of the Dragon
12. A bestseller from a genre you don't normally read - The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness ( I don't often read Non -Fiction)
13. A book by or about a person who has a disability - All the Light We Cannot See
14. A book involving travel - Follow the River
15. A book with a subtitle - Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home
16. A book that's published in 2017 - Norse Mythology
17. A book involving a mythical creature - Kachina
18. A book you've read before that never fails to make you smile - Out of the Closet and Nothing to Wear
19. A book about food - The Seafront Tea Rooms
20. A book with career advice -Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's "Learned"
21. A book from a nonhuman perspective - Lily and the Octopus
22. A steampunk novel - Spare and Found Parts
23. A book with a red spine - The Scorpio Races
24. A book set in the wilderness - The Snow Child
25. A book you loved as a child - Phantom: Son of the Gray Ghost
26. A book by an author from a country you've never visited - The Great Zoo of China
27. A book with a title that's a character's name - Georgia: A Novel of Georgia O'Keeffe
28. A novel set during wartime - The Women of the Wars of the Roses: Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret Beaufort and Elizabeth of York
29. A book with an unreliable narrator - Elizabeth Is Missing
30. A book with pictures - Harlow & Sage (and Indiana): A True Story About Best Friends
31. A book where the main character is a different ethnicity than you - Ceremony
32. A book about an interesting woman - Lab Girl
33. A book set in two different time periods - The Shadow of the Wind
34. A book with a month or day of the week in the title - Tory's Tuesday
35. A book set in a hotel - Buried Thunder
36. A book written by someone you admire - Hag-Seed
37. A book that's becoming a movie in 2017 - The Giant Under the Snow
38. A book set around a holiday other than Christmas - Black Easter
39. The first book in a series you haven't read before - Ink and Bone
40. A book you bought on a trip - Prodigal Summer
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Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
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I am old and retired so I figure I don't need career advice. I've chosen to substitute my own category. However, I don't want to make it easy on myself since I'm choosing the category. Therefore, I will be reading Jane Austen. I find the language in her works daunting/difficult to follow. And I am going to TRY to read 6 of her novels. Though I am going to cheat and watch movies first (when available) so I have some idea of the plot. I tried to read Emma this year and only got to about page 35. The language!