EPBOT Readers discussion
Reading Challenges 2018
>
Week 4 Check In
date
newest »
newest »
Mod
I've got a busy day tomorrow, so I'm posting tonight instead. I made it through a few things this past week and checked off two Popsugar prompts.
For my audiobook, I've been listening to--and finished tonight--Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians. I loved this audiobook! It was literally laughing out loud on the street as I was walking back and forth to work listening to this. Sometimes I laughed uncontrollably and for extended periods of time. I actually wouldn't mind recommending this for our next book club read. I mean, it's about a young boy who finds out he has kind of magical powers--so there's a Harry Potter element to it--but it's also a satire by Brandon Sanderson, where he pokes fun at all of the conventions of writing, librarians, reading books, and how we see the world around us. That does sound right up our alley. My library doesn't have the rest of this series on audiobook, so I'm going to check out the physical books to finish up the series. I could probably also fit this into the "anti-hero" prompt for Popsugar, since the narrator is always going on about what a not-nice person he is, but I've got another book for that.
For physical books, I finished reading The Night Circus as my book recommended by someone else doing the Popsugar challenge. This book has been on my TBR shelf for a long time, and I know so many people who love it, so I was really looking forward to it. Sadly, I seem to be in the group of people who did not like this book. I just found it all rather superficial. Yes, there were beautiful images, but I found it never focused in enough depth on the characters and system of magic and also didn't connect enough with the world outside the circus to really make me care enough about the characters and happenings. I found it (ducks and runs) kind of boring.
I've been waiting for my next read to come in as a digital library loan, so when I finished The Night Circus on Monday, I went searching for some shorter reads to fill the gap. The first book I read was Wenjack. This is a novella really, and I used it for the "novel based on a real person" prompt. Even though it only took me about 90 minutes to read, I'm definitely counting it because of how intense and powerful it is. It's a novelization of the story of Charlie Wenjack, who was taken from his family as a child and forced--as so many indigenous children in Canada have been--to live in a residential school hundred of miles away. He escaped and died trying to get home, and his death caused the first inquest into the residential school system and began the process of shutting them down. Canada is still struggling with the legacy of these schools today. I'm actually starting an online course called "Reconciliation through Indigenous Education" next week as part of my professional development, so this is why I chose this book. I'm not ashamed to say I wept when I finished it and it's still haunting me.
After that, I read another novella, Binti, which I quite enjoyed. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. It's kind of a hard work to describe, but it's sci-fi by an African American author whose work is underpinned by issues of race and belonging. This didn't count toward any challenge--I just wanted a quick read and to explore some things on my TBR list that aren't on the Popsugar challenge.
I got tired of waiting for my digital hold, so I stopped by one of the campus libraries today and checked out a physical copy of Kindred, so that leads me to Sheri's question. Apparently, I'm on a reading path exploring issues of race, oppression, colonialism, and cultural genocide. Not light stuff! I do like to try and group a few books by themes at once and think about how the next book might compliment or help me gain insight into the previous one (and vice versa). When I finish Kindred, I'm going to read some civil war era books, although they'll be from a white perspective. After that, however, I will definitely be ready for something lighter! I also love long fantasy and sci-fi series, and I've been know to read all the books in series such as A Song of Ice and Fire, or Outlander, or The Wheel of Time back to back so that I can experience it as one long, uninterrupted story.
Good reading week for me. I finished Murder on the Orient Express, which I really liked. I often don't like older pieces of writing because the writing conventions were so different that I have a hard time getting through them, but that wasn't a problem here. I did find it a bit amusing at first how on the nose some things could be, that would be done much more subtly today (e.g. the line about what if there were a murder on the train? Then everyone would be linked together by death). Definitely enjoyable and I will for sure put more Agatha Christie on my to-read list.I started As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride and am enjoying it fairly well so far. I am definitely planning to watch the movie after I finish!
Finally, I started my "read at lunch business book" for this month, Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It. So far I am really liking it, and it has already influenced how I speak to my 3 year old when she's having a meltdown (apparently I was speaking the exact wrong way before, and I need to use the "late night FM DJ" voice).
After I finish As You Wish, I think I will start Armada. I LOVED Ready Player One and am really looking forward to Cline's next work.
Mod
I was really surprised by how much I liked Murder on the Orient Express too! I still haven't read more by her, but I wouldn't be opposed.
Stephanie, Glad you liked Binti since most my recommendations don't work for you haha
I want to get her Akata Witch series now, I think it'd be good.
I feel like I am falling behind in my reading. I have a two audio books from the library waiting, and I am listening to two.This week is finished Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between It is my popsugar goodreads choice winner.
I am currently listening to Stardust in the car, and The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective in the house.
Other than Mr. Lemoncello in my classroom, I am not reading a physical book right now, though I did get my book flood book and am hoping I will have time to start it this week.
Mod
Yes, Neil Gaiman narrates it. He does have a lovely voice.
Didn't get much read this week. I finished Oathbringer, which I guess at almost 1300 pages must count for something. I really enjoyed it, but that was pretty much a given since I like everything Brandon Sanderson writes.I also read Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Lord Verse. It was short and fun, though some of the poems went over my head since I haven't seen many of the original Doctors. Also, I didn't get that it was a take on A. A. Milne's Now We Are Six, since I've never read that one either. It probably would have meant more if I'd understood that from the get-go.
I'm on vacation now, where I usually get all sorts of reading done, but for some reason I can't bring myself to bury my face in a book when I could be staring out at the beautiful Hawaiian scenery. I might get one or two read this week, but not much else!
Mod
I'm still working on selective parts of The Perfect Cookie: Your Ultimate Guide to Foolproof Cookies, Brownies, and Bars. My kid in college has graciously accepted to taste test anything I'd want to mail out. I'm eager to try homemade Oreos and homemade thin mints.
I came upon this interesting article/link yesterday that describes me well. "Why We Forget Most Of The Books We Read". https://www.theatlantic.com/science/a...
I want to give a shout-out to Sheri for driving a new discussion each week here. I look forward to reading it and participating, but I'm not the one generating the initial message, ever. Thanks! Per Sheri's question, I mostly just go on what I feel like at the moment. I don't think too hard about it. I do tend to gravitate to non-fiction so I definitely am cognizant of interspersing fiction in there.
This week I finished Imzadi II: Triangle. It's a Star Trek: The Next Generation non-canon bok that follows Counselor Troi's relationship with Worf and how Commander Riker reacts to said relationship. I read Imzadi as part of a reading challenge last year and really enjoyed it. I liked this one too, but not quite as much. It's fun to read new stories involving known characters and places.I started reading Outlander as an e-book. My library only has a small paperback copy and the print was too small to read comfortably, so I'm trying the e-book version. It'll be the longest book I've tried to read on a screen. We'll see if I can finish it that way. Otherwise I'll seek out a used hard cover version.
As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride just arrived at the library, so I'll be starting that this week after I watch the movie again.
As far as picking next books, it's whatever seems interesting at the time. I like to browse my bookshelves at home, my library lists, and, when I have time, the library stacks. While I was doing the Goodreads challenge last year, it was much more about finishing the books for the prompts and less about what looked interesting. By the end, it was almost stressful as I tried to get through the last of the books. There were other books I wanted to read, but I felt compelled to finish the list even though those books weren't resonating with me. Now, I'm reading whatever strikes my fancy and it's wonderful! And now, post-challenge, I'm now choosing a more diverse range of books.
Happy reading!
Mod
Is your e-reader e-ink or a tablet? I find the e-ink doesn't bother my eyes any more than a paperback. If anything, it's a little easier since i don't have awkward lighting with trying to balance my cell phone light when reading in the dark or in the evening. But I don't really like reading on my tablet or phone, due to the screen.
Sheri wrote: "Sara, Is your e-reader e-ink or a tablet? I find the e-ink doesn't bother my eyes any more than a paperback. If anything, it's a little easier since i don't have awkward lighting with trying to b..."
I read e-books on my phone or my tablet. I've been debating getting an e-ink reader, but I'm hesitant to carry around another device. Maybe it's time to think about it again. Do you have a recommendation on a specific e-reader?
Mod
Stephanie has a Kobo, so might be able to answer questions on that one?
I know it's another device, but I'm personally willing to go with it since it means I carry a tablet + kindle, not tablet + 15 books when i go on vacation. So I figure it's still saving me packing room!
I still read comics on my tablet, because the kindle can't do color, and it's smaller.
I don't know if that was actually helpful or not!
It's been a chaotic week for me, but I had a long drive on Friday, so I listened to Animal Farm and The Great Taxicab Robbery: A True Detective Story. Next up in the audiobook queue is Moby-Dick or, The Whale. I won't have a chance to physically read much until the end of the week. I might go for the Nordic Noir challenge next.
Mod
As for it being another device, I don't have a tablet, but I do like that it is compact enough to fit in my purse and really lightweight. I can take it pretty much anywhere. My only other complaint is that it's not colour, so I don't read graphic novels on it since I don't get the full effect of the illustrations.
That cool moment when GoodReads send you a new releases email that features two promising books in categories you hadn't even begun to explore! Embers of War for an author who shares your name and Freshwater for a book written by someone of a different ethnicity!
Thought I would try to be a bit more social this year, so I’ll start by checking in. I’ve had a fruitful January reading, with my most recent being Anya’s Ghost. This one of my two book flood books, and way outside the norm of what I usually read, but since I’m trying to explore more graphic novels, it was a welcome gift. I enjoyed it, though I didn’t love it- a bit heavy on the high school drama flashbacks. It had a great twist at the end that I really enjoyed though. Saga #1 accompanied it from my flooder, and I plan to try and sneak it in sometime this week. I also have Fellowship of the Ring in the works, otherwise I’m holding off on starting much new for a few days- I’m teaching a class at my church in two weeks and most of my reading until then will need be to build my lesson.
Stephanie- Alcatraz for book club would be hilarious! That is one of my favorite series, and my nerdy little librarian self may (or may not) be currently using the name of a local mountain as an avatar name when I game. The rest of the series is a hoot too (there is one more to be written to finish it off).
Sarah, if you are looking for more graphic novels, you might like Agatha: The Real Life of Agatha Christie. It's got wonderful graphics, and an interesting narrator.
Hi all, This week had been a slow reading week for me. I am reading The Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession for my True Crime for Pop Sugar, and I think Read Harder also has the same prompt. It started out really interestingly, and it takes place in South Florida which was interesting. But then it got kind of bogged down in too much about the history of orchids and orchid collecting. While it was interesting stuff I just wanted to know more about where the story was going. Although now I want to buy some orchids. I'm very susceptible to advertising. Or just mentions of things that sound cool and then I want one. Anyway, I will probably start As You Wish next. I need to figure out what I'm going to try to read for February beyond that.
Figuring out what to read next......I tend to skip around a little bit. Sometimes I find a series that I can't help but binge through. I usually try to break them up though because otherwise, the books run together for me. I try to vary genres from book to book. Sometimes I just flip back and forth between urban fantasy and mystery. And I sometimes have a nonfiction audio book that I'm listening to in my car. I can't listen to fiction and drive in Miami traffic.
I switch up styles as well. As for audiobooks, I tend to reach for the classics first, the ones you kind of already know the story to, simply because I don't get as immersed into the story while I'm driving. Non fiction is good for that too.
EPBOT Readers
Books mentioned in this topic
The Orchid Thief (other topics)Embers of War (other topics)
Freshwater (other topics)
The Great Taxicab Robbery: A True Detective Story (other topics)
Animal Farm (other topics)
More...
Had a pretty good reading week this week.
I finished:
Deadline which I'm counting for popsugar's book about death or grief. The main character was dealing with some pretty major losses. There was also a big conspiracy and lots of zombies, so more people also die. Also counted it for ATY's book written in first person.
I tried to read Middlemarch but it took me 3 days to get through 75 pages. I decided to put it down for a while. It was supposed to be my female using a male pseudonym prompt. We'll see if I come back or find something new!
Black - I read this partially to feel like i was accomplishing anything while spinning my wheels on Middlemarch. It'll count for book riot's comic written or illustrated by a person of color. I kickstarted it a while ago and just recently got the printed trade of it. It was pretty good. Wished it was in color, I had a little trouble following all the action in greyscale.
Artemis - counting this as my popsugar book about a villain or antihero. Jazz is a smuggler and moves to greater criminal acts in order to get rich quick, which I figure makes her an antihero.
Sleeping Giants - this came up on my library digital holds unexpectedly. Apparently i recommended it long enough ago that I forgot that i did, or why i put it there. It was really good though! It was done in a sort of World War Z style, being told through interviews and journal entries and such, but followed specific characters so it had a more narrative arc. It didn't work for anything in popsugar, but I'm counting it for ATY's earth prompt. All the big hunks of robot were buried deep within the earth.
I'm currently kind of in reading limbo. My library book on physical hold is marked as "in transit" and I need to take my other books back by tomorrow. I have books I really want to start, but I don't want to feel rushed to get through them. I know I can probably easily finish them long before the library due dates become an issue, but I don't like them hanging over my head haha. But seeing as it's almost lunch and I still haven't got the hold notice, I'll probably start The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter at lunch. I got it and another book for my FoE book flood and I just am so excited to start one :)
How do you space out what types of books you read? Do you like to dive into a genre or series and really get into it a while? Or do you prefer to read one book, and then make sure your next is something completely different? Do you base it on tone of book, page length, ease of reading?
Personally, I like to try to make sure I'm breaking up what I read. I can easily slide into a sci-fi fantasy groove and just read nothing but that. That's partially why I was hoping my library book would come up by lunch, it's Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race. I've read sci-fi for my last three books, and while I certainly don't mind that, I really feel like I should break it up with something more serious. (not really counting Middlemarh in there since I barely made it 10% into the book) Also I don't want to bunch up my serious stuff too much or I get bummed out, so the book flood books would be a good mental break after something that made me do a lot of self-introspection.