Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
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2017 Popsugar Challenge checklist: Discussion thread
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Lisa
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Jan 02, 2017 08:36AM
Tanelle - That's wonderful. Which 5 prompts does the Zookeepers Wife fill? Thanks!
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I hope I have better luck this year. I read/listened to 110 books last year (I read the last few pages of number 110 while watching the New Year's Eve countdown on television!) but left 16 items on this challenge list undone as well as a number of items on the Book Riot challenge. I guess I found some of the categories uninspiring, although mostly it was just difficult to juggle all of the different books I wanted to read for the challenges along with those that fit with my own reading goals or simply grabbed my attention and made it to the top of my stack. I'll be reading some of the 2016 books this year while moving on to the new list. I'm in the midst of an audiobook in a favorite series (Flavia de Luce), so I can mark that challenge off the list right away!
Hi! I have recommendation for a book about interesting woman. It is Spy by Paulo Coelho. It is about female spy Mata Hari. ALso, I have question, what is meant for book with a red spine? A biik with red cover, maybe?
Just finished "Another Brooklyn" by Jacqueline Woodson. It could fill several prompts for me though I will most likely use it for A Book by a person of color. This book was a fairly quick read. An adult tale I felt, about the lives of children growing up. This author does a wonderful job of putting the reader in the emotions of children/youth. A moving read.
Helena wrote: "Hi! I have recommendation for a book about interesting woman. It is Spy by Paulo Coelho. It is about female spy Mata Hari. ALso, I have question, what is meant for book with a red spine?"If you are reading a hardcover book, when you remove the book jacket (the paper that covers the book and has a decorative picture on it), the spine of the book is where the pages are attached. Hardcover books are typically bound in cloth and the spine is different color from the front/back of the cover. You could also interpret it as the spine of any book (paperback, trade, etc.)
I'm reading my second book for 2017 and it doesn't fit a prompt. Already! Ugh! It's my book club pick so that's how it made it to the top of the list. And I'm enjoying it but grr argh! It's The Highest Tide.Lisa wrote: "Tanelle - That's wonderful. Which 5 prompts does The Zookeeper's Wife fill? Thanks!"
I read this last year, my guess would be:
* about an interesting woman
* with a subtitle "The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story" is the full title
* becoming a movie in 2017 (Jessica Chastain to star)
I thought about the "wartime" prompt but this is a true story not a novel. Will be interested in Tanelle's thoughts since I can't figure out the other two.
I did use it as a novel set during wartime (although I do see the point in not counting it for this one. It also fits a book with pictures. Book about an interesting woman. Book that's becoming a movie in 2017. And a book about a difficult topic.
Juanita wrote: "I'm reading my second book for 2017 and it doesn't fit a prompt. Already! Ugh! It's my book club pick so that's how it made it to the top of the list. And I'm enjoying it but grr argh! It's [book:T..."Maybe once you finish it is will fit some category.
Juanita wrote: "Helena wrote: "Hi! I have recommendation for a book about interesting woman. It is Spy by Paulo Coelho. It is about female spy Mata Hari. ALso, I have question, what is meant for book with a red sp..."thank you
What do we consider a book with pictures?
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 loved The Unbecoming of Mara Dyar! The entire series was great, but the first book was awesome. I highly recommend it.
Angie wrote: "Bill wrote: "What kind of books are told by a nonhuman perspective?"One of my favorites from 2016 that is told from a nonhuman perspective (and also spans the main character's lifetime!) is The M..."
I will second this choice. It was an excellent read, but if I say something is a good read, then you would probably have to have similar reading tastes. I don't know whether this would be the case or not, but nonetheless I thoroughly enjoyed this book last year.
I finished In the Woods, I think it would fit for a few different prompts, so I'm going to decide later once I've filled more on the list. I just started A Monster Calls, I'm thinking of counting it as a book with pictures, because I got the edition with illustrations. It's really good so far!!
PopSugar Challenge Read - Updated 01/27/17√ 1. A Whole New World by Liz Braswell - 3/5 stars
√ 2. Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carraiger - 5/5 stars
√ 3. Splintered by A.G. Howard - 5/5 stars
√ 4. Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs - 5/5 stars
5. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Currently reading
Mod
These are books I had found for "unreliable narrator" (for the AtY challenge - I didn't come up..."
I loved The Unbecoming of Mara Dyar! The entire series was great, but the first book was awesome. I highly recommend it."
Cool! I will push it up higher on my TBR list!
Megan wrote: "What do we consider a book with pictures?"
Any book with pictures: a picture book, a graphic novel or comic book, a photography book or other "coffee table book," a children's book with illustrations, a biography or non-fiction book that includes photos, a cook book with photos of the food, etc. See this discussion post for more ideas: A book with pictures
Nikki wrote: "For the reading lists can we put links to videos? I read out loud my reading list, and don't really want to type it all up if I can avoid it :)"
you can track your list in any way that works for you - you don't need to post the list here, that's optional.
Plus there's a google doc and you can post as you go.
Juanita wrote: "The list has been released. Post here to continue your discussions and dissection of the list. 2017 Popsugar Ultimate Reading Challenge
A book recommended by a librarian
A book that's been on you..."
Can I interpret Career Book - as any book that has a way of seeing my life and the things I do? I am a stay at home mom, and a philosophy of life type book is more applicable to me now. What do you think? I am reading Radical by David Platt and that seems to be the best category I can place that in. Any thoughts?
Mod
It doesn't say it has to be your career. If you see living a good life as a career, then that works for you. Or you could read about a career you once had, or an interesting career, or a career you want, or just some really general motivational stuff that applies to any career. I think this one is very open ended.
Megan wrote: "What do we consider a book with pictures?"
Nightfilm by Marisha Pessel, House of Leaves or The Familiar series by Mark Danielewski, all of which I highly recommend.
Nightfilm by Marisha Pessel, House of Leaves or The Familiar series by Mark Danielewski, all of which I highly recommend.
Rubi wrote: "Hi everyone! It's my first time ever joining a reading challenge. I have a couple of questions. Can I check off two prompts with one book? and a steampunk novel...which should I read?"You can do the challenge however you want, try to read a separate book for each prompt or use multiple prompts for a single book--- completely up to you.
There is a section on the board that has a discussion for each prompt, the Steampunk one would have recommendations for you.
Juanita wrote: "Sara wrote: "What, exactly, is meant by an "unreliable narrator"? How are you supposed to know if a story's narrator is reliable until you have read the book?It's like you're in my head! I had th..."
Definitely read The Girl on the Train for this category!! She is an extremely unreliable narrator!!! And it was a great book!
Bill wrote: "What kind of books are told by a nonhuman perspective?"The Art of Racing in the Rain is the one I picked for the non-human perspective. The story is told by a dog.
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 don't know if I will either. Last year I read all the Harry Potter books for the first time and a bunch of those are really long with one of them being over 800 pages. I may just have to skip this one... we will see.
The 800-page prompt is the reason I am not committing to the advanced challenge ... yet.
Mod
I'm doing the 800 page prompt now, I'm reading Stephen King's 11/22/63. It's been about 30 years since I last read a Stephen King book, and based on how I'm feeling about this book, it's going to be at least another 30 years before I read one by him again.
I have The Shining slotted for my "based in a hotel." It will be my first King.
The list has been released. Post here to continue your discussions and dissection of the list. 2017 Popsugar Ultimate Reading Challenge
A book recommended by a librarian
A book that's been on your TBR list for way too long
A book of letters
An audiobook
A book by a person of color
A book with one of the four seasons in the title
A book that is a story within a story
A book with multiple authors
An espionage thriller
A book with a cat on the cover
A book by an author who uses a pseudonym
A bestseller from a genre you don't normally read
A book by or about a person who has a disability
A book involving travel
A book with a subtitle
A book that's published in 2017
A book involving a mythical creature
A book you've read before that never fails to make you smile
A book about food
A book with career advice
A book from a nonhuman perspective
A steampunk novel
A book with a red spine
A book seet in the wilderness
A book you loved as a child
A book by an author from a country you've never visited
A book with a title that's a character's name
A novel set during wartime
A book with an unreliable narrator
A book with pictures
A book where the main character is a different ethnicity than you
A book about an interesting woman
A book set in two different time periods
A book with a month or day of the week in the title
A book set in a hotel
A book written by someone you admire
A book that's becoming a movie in 2017
A book set around a holiday other than Christmas
The first book in a series you haven't read before
A book you bought on a trip
Advanced
A book recommended by an author you love
A bestseller from 2016
A book with a family member term in the title
A book that takes place over a character's life span
A book about an immigrant or refugee
A book from a genre/subgenre you've never heard of
A book with an eccentric character
A book that's more than 800 pages
A book you got from a used book sale
A book that's been mentioned in another book
A book about a difficult topic
A book based on mythology
I was hoping that more of my TBR list would fit prompts this year. My biggest problem last year was that I kept reading books that didn't fit the prompts and so while I met my personal # of books reading challenge, I didn't manage to finish this one.
Some of the categories are offensive, like " a person of color", "a person who has a disability", " a different ethnicity", why is necessary to categorize, why we to add label and put stereotypes on others?!
Alek wrote: "Some of the categories are offensive, like " a person of color", "a person who has a disability", " a different ethnicity", why is necessary to categorize, why we to add label and put stereotypes o..."The intent, I think, is to encourage readers to diversify their reading. Some do that better on their own than others. Maybe some of the wording could have been adjusted, but the idea is just to try new things.
Mod
We are all different, and I don't think it's offensive to acknowledge that difference. Each book we read allows us to see the world briefly through someone else's eyes. Each experience enhances us. The more eyes we look through, the clearer our own vision can be.
Nadine wrote: "We are all different, and I don't think it's offensive to acknowledge that difference. Each book we read allows us to see the world briefly through someone else's eyes. Each experience enhances us. The more eyes we look through, the clearer our own vision can be."The devil is in the detail, like they say. If I want to encourage you to read "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" or "Home rules", I will told you these books are for boys which have spectacular kind of thinking emphasizing of the details. Or Nick Vujicic is a author with remarkable spirit and gift of oratory. Sorry but this is unordinary strong character ,not "a disability".
''Keyshia & Friends Novel'' are just another teenage girls like so much other. Keyshia or Clay or Krystal , they all are just a teenage characters. What is matter of their eye color, hairstyle or other colors. This definition is useless for the storyline, just a ornament. ''to see the world through someone else's eyes'' is possible when they have different experience than me not different color of skin, eyes or hair (all 3 are equal criteria).
Alek wrote: "Some of the categories are offensive, like " a person of color", "a person who has a disability", " a different ethnicity", why is necessary to categorize, why we to add label and put stereotypes o..."I completely disagree...there are whole entire categories and genres of these categories. As a librarian, there's classes that teach these types of literature. I completely disagree that these categories are stereotypes. I like this list. For example: Wonder by RJ Palacio is about someone who has a disability. How is that stereotypical? Also the novel Hurt Go Happy is a novel about a disability...how is that stereotypical??
Nadine wrote: "Alek wrote: "Some of the categories are offensive, like " a person of color", "a person who has a disability", " a different ethnicity", why is necessary to categorize, why we to add label and put ..."completely agree.
Alek wrote: "Some of the categories are offensive, like " a person of color", "a person who has a disability", " a different ethnicity", why is necessary to categorize, why we to add label and put stereotypes o..."
If you don't like this reading challenge find another one.
If you don't like this reading challenge find another one.
Amanda wrote: "I was hoping that more of my TBR list would fit prompts this year. My biggest problem last year was that I kept reading books that didn't fit the prompts and so while I met my personal # of books r..."I can totally see this happening this year for me. I'm more about spontaneous reading than TBR lists but I wan't the freedom to choose my books. We'll see. I might do far fetched interpretations of the prompts in the end. I'm pretty good at that.
Alek wrote: "The devil is in the detail, like they say. If I want to encourage you to read "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" or "Home rules", I will told you these books are for boys which have spectacular kind of thinking emphasizing of the details."This reminded my that I've been meaning to read The Curious Incident for a really long time. I might use it for this promt.
I'm trying to think of a difficult topic book I've got three in mind: 13 reasons why, Lovely Bones and
Kite runner, but I've read 2 and the other I am using in another category
Shannon wrote: "I'm trying to think of a difficult topic book I've got three in mind: 13 reasons why, Lovely Bones and
Kite runner, but I've read 2 and the other I am using in another category"
I'm not sure I'm going to do the advanced challenge but for this topic, I considered the following books: Wave written by a woman who lost her entire family in the south Pacific tsunami or When Breath Becomes Air, memoir of a doctor diagnosed with terminal cancer.
I have read The Lovely Bones as well as the author's memoir Lucky, which recounts when she was raped in college. Both are VERY well written and definitely fit the category.
Remember to check out the thread for the prompt as well.
Alek wrote: "What is matter of their eye color, hairstyle or other colors. This definition is useless for the storyline, just a ornament. ''to see the world through someone else's eyes'' is possible when they have different experience than me not different color of skin, eyes or hair (all 3 are equal criteria)"I wish we lived in a world where things like skin colour didn't matter to how we experience life. Unfortunately, it's a reality that a person of colour encounters things in their life that alters the way that they experience the same things that I, as a white person, do. It's important to acknowledge the challenges that others face in life that we don't experience and can't understand. It's not racist, or offensive.
Sofie wrote: "I can totally see this happening this year for me. I'm more about spontaneous reading than TBR lists but I wan't the freedom to choose my books. We'll see. I might do far fetched interpretations of the prompts in the end. I'm pretty good at that"I've definitely been more loose in my interpretation of the challenge prompts this year. As long as it fits the spirit of the prompt, I'm using it.
Mod
Agreed. You put that really well.
Can I put Atonement in the book with an eccentric character category or set in two different time periods? Somebody please tell me that. I really want to read this book.
I cannot put it in the novel set during wartime as I have put A Farewell to Arms already in it.
I cannot put it in the novel set during wartime as I have put A Farewell to Arms already in it.
Megha wrote: "Can I put Atonement in the book with an eccentric character category or set in two different time periods? Somebody please tell me that. I really want to read this book.I cannot put it..."
Hi Megha! While I'm not sure I would consider "Atonement" to have an eccentric character, I definitely think it can count for two different time periods. Majority of the story takes place during WWII, but another part happens in "present day". Read to your heart's content, and enjoy! I loved that book (and the film, actually) :)
Amanda wrote: "I wish we lived in a world where things like skin colour didn't matter to how we experience life. Unfortunately, it's a reality that a person of colour encounters things in their life that alters the way that they experience the same things that I, as a white person, do. It's important to acknowledge the challenges that others face in life that we don't experience and can't understand. It's not racist, or offensive."
Exactly.
Exactly.
Alek wrote: "Some of the categories are offensive, like " a person of color", "a person who has a disability", " a different ethnicity", why is necessary to categorize, why we to add label and put stereotypes o..."I don't see how it is stereotyping to identify that an author or character is a person of colour, a person with a disability, etc. The intent behind these categories is not to be offensive. It is just to broaden people's horizons a bit. People of colour and who have disabilities tend to be underrepresented in books, so these kinds of categories push people to look for books that have something a little different.
I agree in a sense that it can be offensive if we assume that a person of colour, for example, necessarily writes books or characters in a different way than other people. But I think it's a stretch to call these categories stereotypical or offensive.
Rachel wrote: "Alek wrote: "Some of the categories are offensive, like " a person of color", "a person who has a disability", " a different ethnicity", why is necessary to categorize, why we to add label and put ..."I completely agree.
Speaking of Someone who has a disability I don't see the term "disability" as offensive. I find terms like "special needs" as more offensive. I prefer someone to refer to my disability as a disability if need be rather than bear around the bush so this category is fine for me.My friend and I are doing this challenge together and when I saw ... person of colour I changed it to "person with a different ethnicity"
However, I doubt the poster meant no harm and there are cultural differences everywhere so what one might find offence, another might not.
As a disabled person and A person of color, I don't find either category offensive. I guess too each it's own. I much prefer that people might read a book outside of their comfort zone. I know I will take the opportunity with both categories.
I've only seen the movie, but I think Atonement might also fit unreliable narrator?
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