Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
2017 archive
>
2017 Popsugar Challenge checklist: Discussion thread
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..."That is FRIENDS!! :)
Magnus Chase Book one is set in a hotel
Also there's a new memoir about living in the Chelsea hotel
This has been fun, making my list of books that meet the different requirements. Right now, I am just finishing up the one about someone of a different ethnicity than me and it is: Adnans Story: The Search for Truth and Justice after Serial by Rabia ChaudryI loved the Serial podcasts, and this is definitely shedding more light on the case. After this, I'll do the January reading book - with Winter in the title.
Loved writing the books out too, a friend and I are doing it together and made a google spreadsheet with the books we're going to read per prompt (mostly different books).We have a key:
Red= not red
Yellow = reading
Green= read
Orange = read before
Black = one in mind but most likely change
We're currently mostly read and challenged ourselves not to have a read before unless the prompt tells us it has to be read before.
Might be an idea for some of you.
I put my list on Evernote - so I have access to the list on my different devices - Plus, I was able to put checkmarks and highlight the book titles. Here's an example if anyone is interestedhttps://www.evernote.com/shard/s496/s...
Marisa 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 ..."Must now find books about sociopaths....
Along with a spreadsheet, I'm also putting my list on Pinterest. Here's a link: https://www.pinterest.com/rfinchertay...Also have a folder on my Facebook page where I'm putting in the books as I begin to read them. Using the comment section to mark when read and any other thoughts.
Megan wrote: "What do we consider a book with pictures?"I enjoy cooking and love how cookbooks today are almost half stories and half recipes, all with incredibly beautiful food photography. I will either use a children's book for this category (I read to my nephew every time I see him) or else a cookbook. I read cookbooks all the time and never use them for credit in my annual book tally, so this is finally an opportunity to do so!
I would say anything with pictures...anything from a picture book to a cookbook or graphic novel.
Renee wrote: "Along with a spreadsheet, I'm also putting my list on Pinterest. Here's a link: https://www.pinterest.com/rfinchertay...Also have a folder on my Facebook page whe..."
What a good idea! I don't use Pinterest much so I didn't even think of this. I'm going to try it out. Thanks for the idea!
Birthe wrote: "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 ..."A Gentleman in Moscow
The entire book takes place in a hotel and it is an excellent book.
I want to do a reread 'A Dance with Dragons: After the Feast', as I read the 'Dreams of Dust' late last year...but does it count as one book since the story technically comes in a single 'A Dance with Dragons' copy?Also I was wondering the subtitle prompt - would the 'After the Feast' be considered a subtitle for 'A Dance with Dragons'??
For those looking for a book with pictures I just read "A Monster Calls" by Ness. I'm hoping it'll work.
I really want to read Flowers for Algernon but I'm not quite sure which category should I use it for. I was thinking about the " A book by or about a person who has a disability" one...Any suggestions?
Any suggestions on which prompts "Hidden Figures" would check off?
Tanelle wrote: "Any suggestions on which prompts "Hidden Figures" would check off?"Hidden Figures would check off prompts: A book by a person of color, A book with a subtitle, A book where the main character is a different ethnicity than you, and A book that' becoming a movie in 2017.
Bianka Varga wrote: "I really want to read Flowers for Algernon but I'm not quite sure which category should I use it for. I was thinking about the " A book by or about a person who has a disability" one....."It is definitely one that would fit disability.
Alternatively you could get an audio copy or see if it is illustrated . It can also fit the letters one
Hi guys, a friend bought me Amy & Matthew for Christmas I know it fits in the disability category but I've already read that section, does anyone else know a category it could fit in thanks.
Categories completed:
A book of letters
An audiobook
A book by or about a person who has a disability
A book with a red spine
A book with a title that’s a character’s name
(AKA Addie Pray)A novel set during wartime
A book you bought on a trip
A book that's becoming a Movie in 2017
A book with an eccentric character
Espionage-Exposure-Helen DunmoreBook with a red spine-The Russia House-John le Carre
Used book sale-House of Cards-Michael Dobbs (published 1987!!!)
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?And I would love to find a book about a holiday fr..."
Unreliable narrator is basically someone whose viewpoint cannot be trusted for some reason, usually because they use drugs, are alcoholics, are somehow emotionally or mentally unstable, or are suffering from a diagnosed medical or mental condition affecting their ability to observe and process what they are seeing. You can usually rely on a psychological thriller to meet this requirement, and in fact there will be many points during the story where the narrator is described as an unreliable witness. Three very recent best sellers (2 ultimately made into movies) that are known to have classic unreliable narrators are Gone Girl, The Girl On The Train, and The Woman in Cabin 10. Another option is someone suffering memory loss or altered memories - like the Jason Bourne series by Robert Ludlum or a vintage favorite of mine - Assignment in Brittany by Helen MacInnes.
As for a holiday in another country -- look at Cara Black's mysteries for any set in Bastille Day or on May 1, the French labor day, many British cozies are set on uniquely British holidays like Boxing Day. A friend used this book taking place during Bastille Day for this category: 'A Tale of Two Biddies'.
An unreliable narrator doesn't have to be compromised by mental illness, drugs, etc. It can also be someone not telling the whole story or giving out misleading information. Webster's defines it as "A narrating character or storyteller in a literary or other artistic work—such as a novel, play, song, or film—who provides inaccurate, misleading, conflicting, or otherwise questionable information to the reader or audience." The problem is the best unreliable narrators don't show themselves right away. I'm a sucker for a good story with an unreliable narrator. One of my favorites is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. If you like detective fiction and classics, The Moonstone is great.
Here is a list I found on Goodreads of books with unreliable narrators. https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Another unreliable narrator could be something not mentioned yet. I used Geminia for this prompt; both it and the first book in the series (Illuminia) is written as a collection of "collected" documents and includes some narration by an AI computer that's been affected by a virus. It's very good and quick reads.
Mod
I agree with the first two, but I thought the narrator in The Woman in Cabin 10 was pretty reliable, she was just being deceived by the bad guy. So, she didn't know the whole story, but everything she relays to the reader about what she observes is as accurate as she can make it.
Rachel wrote: "I'm so excited for this list! There are a few prompts that I don't really like, but it is much more interesting to me on first glance than last year's list was initially. There are quite a few re..."
Diwali is pretty significant in Anita Desai's The Village by the Sea. It's not the main focus, but she describes the festival so prettily, and the culture is vibrant as ever and if you haven't read it yet it's a relaxing read.
I just thought of it when you mentioned Diwali.
Nadine wrote: "Sara wrote: "Nadine wrote: "So, the one category that has completely stumped me, and I KNOW some of you have an answer to it, is "book with subtitle." How do I find a list of books with subtitles??..."not sure about a book set in a hotel, but if you liked The Shining you could maybe read Doctor Sleep for 'a book with a cat on the cover'. Not sure about all the editions, but i bought my version purely for the cat cover, and it was worth it. It doesn't let you down.
Nadine wrote: "And, one of my LEAST favorite books this year (in fact, it was a DNF and I ended up having to choose something else) was the book I had recommended by a librarian. So I'm worried about that prompt."
I'm not an actual librarian, but I am a library asst. If you tell me 3 books & 3 TV shows you like, I would be happy to recommend something for you.
I'm not an actual librarian, but I am a library asst. If you tell me 3 books & 3 TV shows you like, I would be happy to recommend something for you.
If you are looking for a book taking place during a holiday other than Christmas, and you like a good mystery, take a look at the Gregor Demarkian series by Jane Haddam. Many of the earliest ones take place at different holidays, including St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Hannukah, Father's Day, just as an example. They are wonderful reads.
I have a question about "A book you bought on a trip". I'm on an INCREDIBLY tight budget. I don't typically buy books, and I don't go on vacations. The few books I own are mainly health books that I've taken out of the library repeatedly, and then I purchase them used online. Even buying a book on a "trip to the thrift store" would be more than I ever spend on a book I haven't read before.Last year I satisfied "the first book you see at a bookstore" by peeking at the books for sale in Costco, then requesting that book from the library. The prompt certainly implied that you'd buy the book, but didn't specify it. This one does.
I think you can bend this one. Perhaps a book about a place you'd like to take a trip?
Ruthla8 wrote: "I have a question about "A book you bought on a trip". I'm on an INCREDIBLY tight budget. I don't typically buy books, and I don't go on vacations. The few books I own are mainly health books that ..."If you don't feel comfortable spending money then I wouldn't! Change the prompt to fit your needs - maybe read another book about travel. Or all airports have bookstores - so you could rent a book out from the library that would be sold at an airport anyways (usually the best sellers).
I didn't buy the "first book seen at the book store" either. I just browsed and went to the library. A lot of people changed that prompt to "first book you see in the library". If you are doing the advanced section for the book sale one you could use the same theory for that.
Bottom line - do what you feel comfortable with! :)
Ruthla8 wrote: "I have a question about "A book you bought on a trip". I'm on an INCREDIBLY tight budget. I don't typically buy books, and I don't go on vacations. The few books I own are mainly health books that ..."I don't buy books usually on trips either, with the exception of a couple of coffee table books years ago. I was either going to read The Power of One, which a friend highly recommended (and loaned) to me while on a recent girls weekend or a book I meant to read before I went to Florence 2 years ago called The Monster of Florence. I bought it but didn't get a chance to read it. And bonus: that book was written by 2 authors!
What if you borrow a book from a friend who bought a book on a trip? Or just wait on this one, in the summer here there are often sales where you can get books for under a dollar easily! And you can interpret a trip pretty much however you want to. Check out yard sales etc
Mod
Ruthla8 wrote: "I have a question about "A book you bought on a trip". I'm on an INCREDIBLY tight budget. I don't typically buy books, and I don't go on vacations. The few books I own are mainly health books that ..."Do what you feel comfortable with, I also don't have a lot to spend on books and utilize the library and other sources. Last years challenge about the first book seen in a bookstore, I bought the first book that I saw at the dollar store. For this year's challenge maybe count a "trip" to the mall (bookstore) or anywhere else you would see a book and use the library again like you did last year. There is also "trip" to the thrift or dollar stores which would be more budget friendly.
Ruthla8 wrote: "I have a question about "A book you bought on a trip". I'm on an INCREDIBLY tight budget. I don't typically buy books, and I don't go on vacations. The few books I own are mainly health books that ..."I'm the same way. If I buy books, I get them at the Dollar Tree. That way I can stay in budget and get a new book without feeling too guilty. I have found that the Dollar Tree will have books that are part of series, and they aren't always the first ones. I like to look a book up on goodreads, or fantasticfiction.com to make sure it's not #8 in a series I've never read. This year I went to Oregon for Christmas, and purchased a book at the Dollar Tree there to fill this slot.
You can also get books for less than $1 at Goodwill.
Ruth, a trip could be anything such as
Ruth, a trip could be anything such as "a trip to the shop" or any other place like a friends house that's a way around this prompt You could maybe make a detour to a charity shop or something
Looking for a book that takes place in a hotel? A Gentleman in Moscow. Delightful read. Another option: Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality
Ruthla8 wrote: "I have a question about "A book you bought on a trip". I'm on an INCREDIBLY tight budget. I don't typically buy books, and I don't go on vacations. The few books I own are mainly health books that ..."How about travelling to some garage or yard sales? Or go to a used book sale (public libraries and schools hold these as fund raisers). You can get books there for pennies, even a bag of books for a few bucks. Antique malls are another source of books for a few cents. They fit the category of a book bought when travelling, and a book from a used book sale if you do the Advanced Reads.
Tanelle wrote: "Oh and I forgot my Kobo list:With a day/month in the title: Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
Steampunk: Map of the Sky by Felix J Palma"
Around the World in 80 Days doesn't have a day or month in the title. Just the word 'day' which isn't the prompt.
Theresa wrote: "Looking for a book that takes place in a hotel? A Gentleman in Moscow. Delightful read.
Another option: [book:Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Ho..."
I loved Heads in Beds. I also have a job dealing with the public so I could relate.
Another option: [book:Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Ho..."
I loved Heads in Beds. I also have a job dealing with the public so I could relate.
I loved Heads in Beds. I also have a job dealing with the public so I could relate. Funny stuff.
What is a book of letters? And a steampunk novel??I dont get those 2 categories...
Issie wrote: "What is a book of letters? And a steampunk novel??I dont get those 2 categories..."
A book written in the form of letters to people instead of regular novel form.
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Steampunk is a "a genre of science fiction that has a historical setting and typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology."
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...
Hi everyone! I apologize in advance if this has already been discussed, but this is a really long thread and I couldn't find this question already. I just finished Wonder, which I absolutely loved!!! I'm struggling with where it'll fit in the challenge. I would put it in the "a book by or about a person with a disability" category, but the main character has a physical anomaly, not a disability. So I just wanted to see if anyone else had read it and where you put it? I may put it in that category for now and try to read something else to replace it later. Who knows! Thanks in advance!
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Wonder (other topics)Wonder (other topics)
A Gentleman in Moscow (other topics)
A Gentleman in Moscow (other topics)
Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Gail Carriger (other topics)Libba Bray (other topics)
Cary Elwes (other topics)
Susan Jacoby (other topics)
Paul Kalanithi (other topics)
More...
I..."
Thanks a lot Ashley :)