Week 6: 2/2 - 2/8

[Michael]

Good morning PSRC.

The crud has taken hold! I finally got the cold everyone else in the family had. :-(

This is the first week of 2018 that I didn't finish a book, not the last I'm sure.

I'm almost done with The Secret History by Donna Tartt

I started Sing, Unburied, Sing

But mostly I was distracted by Twentieth-Century Harmony: Creative Aspects and Practice which is a textbook with homework at the end of each chapter.

QOTW

Not the "In person" kind of book club. Just online discussion groups.

Now I'm going back to bed.

[Jessica]

I finally had significant amounts of free time over the weekend, so I got through a few of the books on my list.

This weekend I read Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board for my book about sports, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them for a book mentioned in another book, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for a book made into a movie that I've already seen. I also started Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith for my true crime book. It's much more of a rough read than I expected and is taking a little longer to finish than I would like.

Are you in a "real life" book club?

I am not in a real life book club. I'm introverted enough that it was never something that appealed to me.

[Taylor]

Happy Friday! This morning I sent in my application for grad school to become a library media specialist!! Such a weight lifted off my chest but now it's all a waiting game. Fingers crossed!

I finished five books this week:

The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well - terrible book with not much substance

Norse Mythology - just ok

She Persisted - great book! using for book about feminism

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - using for prompt with a weather phenomenon in the title

Silverlicious - best of all the Pinkalicious sequels

Currently reading too many books to mention because I can't seem to pick one and stick with it!

QOTW:

I am not in a "real life" book club but have always wanted to be. One of my best friends and I like to read the same books before they become a movie and then go see the movie together but I wouldn't call it a club.

[Sarah]

Tricia wrote: "Hi everyone from Brisbane Australia. We are bracing for a heat wave this week so air con might be the go.

This week I finished:



You're not the only one who struggled with Moby-Dick or, The Whale. I'm a pretty fast reader and it took me over a year to read it because I kept putting it off for a more enjoyable book. In the end I only finished it because a friend was struggling to read it around the same time and we decided to race to see who could get to the end first.

[Carmen]

Taylor wrote: "Happy Friday! This morning I sent in my application for grad school to become a library media specialist!! Such a weight lifted off my chest but now it's all a waiting game."

Ohhh I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

[Jessica]

This week I finished Beartown. I loved it! I picked it up for the book about sports prompt, a prompt I wasn't really looking forward to, and this turned out to be one of the best books I've read this year!

QOTW: I'm not in any real-life book clubs, though I would be interested if the right one came along. I generally like a have a lot of freedom with what I read, but if I found one that aligned to my reading interests, it could be fun.

[Baroness Ekat]

I was on a roll this week and got 3 finished.

The Just City for the book involving time travel

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened for past Goodreads choice winner
Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons for book by a local author.

I have 4 books going at the moment

Mary Poppins for my childhood classic that I never read

An Extraordinary Union for book byan author of a different ethincity than you

Gil's All Fright Diner for book from a celebrity book club

and I'm still working my way through my e-book that is my "waiting in line book"

Bloodline that I still haven't settled on a category for yet.

QOTW

No. the closest is a FaceBook group that my coworker started just so that a bunch of us that do this reading challenge can share what we are reading.

[Rebecca]

3/50

FINISHED
This week I have a lot of books in motion but little time to focus on them. I just finished Wicked, the 5th book in the Pretty Little Liars series. I was a huge fan of the show and now that it is over I am reading the books. A lot of the plotlines are different so it is like a whole new story but I get to picture the actors while I read which is fun.

READING
I am still working on finishing The Perfect Stranger for Prompt #37 A book meant to read in 2017. I borrow everything on my overdrive app. With a 1 year old, and a full time job, it is hard to find more than 30 minutes to read every night so I've had to renew it quite a few times. I should be done with it soon though!!

Today, I just started The Great Alone: A Novel for prompt #34, a book published in 2018. I am listening to the audiobook of that at work.

On my bookshelf in the Overdrive app, I also have Red Rising for prompt #27 A book set on a different planet. Hoping to start that this weekend.

QOTW
I am not currently in a book club but I would like to be. Any tips on starting one? Do you do digital like Skype? In person? Weekly meetings? Monthly?

[Luna]

Charlsa wrote: "Ok, so Tuesday was my birthday, but I was sick and spent all day in bed. To make matters worse, I felt so bad I slept all day so didn't even get to take advantage of some reading time. Boohoo!


Co..."

Happy Birthday! Hope you get well soon :)

[Kenya]

Heather wrote: "Shaylee wrote: I read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for the "book set on a different plant". I'm not a fan of sci-fi books so it was a tough read.

I love, love, love science fiction. But I ..."

Another sci-fi lover who didn't like Hitchhiker here. I enjoy a good humorous take on any subject, sci-fi included, but Hitchhiker felt like one long setup for a joke, and I didn't get the punchline.

[Lisa]

Happy Friday!

This week I finished The Dry and loved it. I have Force of Nature on hold at the library but I may buy a copy because I'm not sure I want to wait. Will likely use this for a fascinating country (Australia).

Then I started The Good Daughter and I'm loving it! I'll likely be done tonight and can't wait to finish it! Categories wise, I'll probably use this for the borrow or gift prompt (kind of a freebie for me since I get 90% of my books from the library).

I'm also listening to Forty Acres on audiobook (recommended on the Read or Dead podcast) and it's not what I was expecting but I did take the long way home last night to listen to more so it's fair I'll probably finish that up this week too.

QOTW: I'm not in a book club but I'd love to be! About twice a year for the last 5 years or so I go on a hunt for one and I've yet to find one that makes sense. Anyone want to start a mystery book club in LA?

[Shannon]

This week I finished two books.

I read The Boy in the Suitcase for the "nordic noir prompt". This was better than I was expecting once I got into the flow of it. I'm not a huge thriller fan but the different setting and culture made it more appealing to me.

I also read Every Heart a Doorway for the "LQBTQ+ protagonist" prompt. This wasn't my favorite even though the premise was great. It was one of the rare books I felt would have benefited with being longer. I didn't like the kids and thought the mystery aspect of the plot seemed tacked on.

QOTW- I am not a member of a real life book club though the idea definitely appeals to me.

[Sara]

I'm finally back to post my update for the week. It's been insanely busy lately and I have not had much time for my social media groups.

I finished two books last week:

Beartown by Frederik Backman. It took until almost the halfway point for this one to really pick up, BUT WOW once it did! Such a good book! This was my book about sports.

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler. Sorry, Nadine, but I just didn't get into this one! I can appreciate his skill at descriptions, but I simply didn't like anyone and couldn't care less what was happening. It was a gift from my fiance. I think he's rather disappointed that I didn't love it, but he is starting to realize that we just have different taste in books :) I may use this for a book that was a gift.

Currently reading:

Victoria by Daisy Goodwin. I'm listening to the audio and it's moving along great! I just recently watched the PBS series that was based on this book. It wasn't my planned book for a novel based on a real person, but I think I will go ahead and use it there.

A Little Life. I'm actually scared to dive into this one. Everyone I know who has read it (whether or not they managed to finish it) says it is really emotional and tough to read. We'll see how that goes.

QOTW

I have never been in a real life book club. I've always wanted to, but the older I get the more I think (like many of you said) that I would not enjoy having others selecting the book I have to read. Maybe someday...

[Traci]

I've been reading Invisible Man for 3 weeks now, almost done! I'll likely use it for the mentioned in another book prompt. While I mostly find it interesting while reading, I'm just not that excited to pick it up and find myself looking at my list of what I can read next.

I did finish Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit on audio for the prompt on a microhistory, which was a very interesting look into the culture of tomatoes.

I also started listening to A Spool of Blue Thread for favorite color in title. So far I'm enjoying it.

I'm getting a slow start this year and am done with 2/40 and 2/10.

QOTW
I'm in a bookclub with 4 good friends. We started using it as our way to see each other when lives got busier and I love it. We usually all discuss the next month's book, which takes longer, but I think we all get more of what we want to read! Because of different tastes, I've read a lot more sci-fi, but I've found it enjoyable. My past bookclub didn't work for me, too large, too many people I didn't share tastes with, and not enough talk of the actual book.

[Anne]

Lisa wrote: "Happy Friday!

This week I finished The Dry and loved it. I have Force of Nature on hold at the library but I may buy a copy because I'm not sure I want to wait. Wil..."

Loved The Good Daughter!!! One of my librarians and I were both raving over it the other day. Enjoy!!!

[Carmen]

Hey guys!

I've got a question. The whole Nordic Noir term was new to me, so I was a bit confused as to what counted. Eventually (after I already changed my slotted book once) I remembered a book I bought a couple years ago at the book fair. I figured if I used that one, I'd be killing two birds with one stone, as it's been on my TBR for ages, but just now I've started to doubt if it would actually fit the prompt? Could you guys help me?

It's about Acts of Vanishing.

Thanks in advance!

[Sheri]

Carmen, looks like it would count! As far as I’m aware, the genre basically just means an author from a Nordic country writing a thriller. That author is Swedish, looks like a thriller. :)

[Carmen]

Sheri wrote: "Carmen, looks like it would count! As far as I’m aware, the genre basically just means an author from a Nordic country writing a thriller. That author is Swedish, looks like a thriller. :)"

Thanks! That's what I thought too, but then I saw something of it having to be from a cop's POV, and I wasn't sure this guy would count with his previous profession. I'll just stick with it then, can't wait to read it soon!

[Sheri]

Carmen,

I haven't heard that, if that's the case than my pick didn't count either, since it was a lawyer as the PoV. But really the challenge is supposed to be fun, and I think everyone ends up stretching the prompts to fit books they want to read. If you want to read the book, read it and count it :)

[Eujean2]

Finished:
I'm Just a Person – For the “book about death or grief” prompt & for the Read Harder “celebrity memoir”. I listed to the audiobook & loved it! It’s subtitled “My year of death, cancer and epiphany.” Tig Notaro is a fabulous story teller.
Saga, Vol. 8 – For the “next book in a series” prompt. Another great addition to the Saga story – also the February pick for my book club.
We're All Wonders – For the “past Goodreads Choice Awards winner” A little bit of an easy choice, but I am feeling annoyed with this prompt. I had picked out another book for this, but current news made me change my mind. So I went with this sweet book, on the knowledge that my meatier choice was only a Goodreads Choice nominee. (We Were Eight Years in Power)

Finished – Inspired by Black History Month:
Home – For the “next book in a series” prompt. Also for AtY “a book with a location in the title” prompt.
Nutmeg Volume 1 - Early Fall: Taste Buddies – Not for a prompt, but I needed to refresh my memory before I read the next two books.
Nutmeg Vol. 2: Late Fall-Brownie Points – For the “favorite prompt from 2017 – food”
Nutmeg Volume 3: Early Winter: Femme Brulee – For the Read Harder prompt “a comic not published by Marvel, DC, or Image”
Black History In Its Own Words – It’s a stretch, but for the Read Harder “book of social science” prompt (I was having trouble finding a social science comic book.)
Bingo Love – Either for the Read Harder prompt “a comic written or illustrated by a person of color” or “a book with a female protagonist over the age of 60.” I kickstarted this book, “a LGBTQ romance that spans over 60 years,” and it was even better than I imagined. I was crying by the end.


Currently Reading:
Jane Eyre – I made it through one more chapter.
Her Body and Other Parties – I read somewhere that I shouldn’t read this before bed, so it is slow going. Luckily it is a book of short stories so it is ok to have time between each reading. I hope to make progress on it this weekend as I won’t be able to renew it from the library.
We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy – a book of essays that I am just reading a lunch.
Devil in a Blue Dress – Just started yesterday, but enjoying it so far.
Plus, since it is Black History Month, I am planning to read a bunch of new-to-me comics by black creators (writers, illustrators, etc.)


QotW:
My in real life book club is a graphic novel reading group at my favorite comic book store. We’re going on four years now & I am the only original member still attending. The nice thing about comics is that they are short, so even if I don’t like a book, it doesn’t take too long to read it.

[Cendaquenta]

I don't really understand the "Nordic noir" genre either, I think it might be a prompt I'll just skip.

[Johanne]

@Sheri and Carmen. I definitily don't agree that it has to be from a policeman's viewpoint. I read the Wikipedia article too, but even if that's often the case it's not a must for the genre. The main thing is that it's set in a Nordic country and has a dark (noir) vibe concerning society (and literal winter darkness). Think about 'the girl with the dragon tattoo' - it's about a woman who stands outside society and a journalist, an that's definitely Nordic noir. (even though here in the Nordic countries we don't call it that, we just call it 'crime novels'. but that's another story). In short - I would count that book as Nordic noir.

[Johanne]

So to shorten my post and not contribute to confusion; Nordic noir is basically contemporary crime novels (and tv-series) set in the Nordic countries, written by authors from (t)here. The books will more or less automatically be Noir, if they fit those other criteria.

[Mel]

Howdy guys! I'm checking in quickly before I head to work so I don't forget to like I did last week. (Oops!)

Read:
This week I only read one book for the Popsugar challenge, but it was a really good one: Vicious by V.E. Schwab. I read it like many others are for prompt 9 ("a book about a villain or anti-hero"). I've always liked the complex morality of Schwab's characters, and I felt like she did a great job with the characters of Vicious. Eli was terrifying, and Victor, despite being nearly as terrifying, was oddly charming to read around.

Currently Reading:
Never Fade for #3, "the next book in a series you started". I'm hoping to finish it this weekend since I need to get it back to the library.

Up Next:
I'm hoping to start The Other Einstein soon; it's my book club's pick for February. I've heard a lot of good about it so I'm intrigued! I like reading about women I've never heard much about in history. I'm using this for #6, "a novel based on a real person".
Also hoping to start Midnight Blue-Light Special for #8, "a book with a time of day in the title". I love Seanan McGuire's writing, and I'm really excited to see what happens in book 2 of her Incryptid series. Gotta see what Verity does next! (And how her mice are doing.)

[Aileen]

Finished:
The Hate U Give - A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn't get to
Amazing book and highly recommend it to anyone (especially if you're looking for one about death/grief or one with song lyrics in the title)

Currently Reading:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - A book with characters who are twins
Was feeling nostalgic lately, so I wanted to pick this series up again.

A Wild and Unremarkable Thing - A Book that's published in 2018
Sent this book by Parliament Publishing House to review and the premise sounded intriguing.

Also hoping to start Columbine - True Crime
I'm trying to start ticking off the challenges that I don't usually read and I just happened to see this in the library today.

Question of the Week
Unfortunately not. As a high school student, I find it hard to predict when I'm going to have a lot of time to read, and I don't want to feel constrained by a book club's pace.

[Karen]

This week I finishedI Am Alfonso Jones. A graphic novel, so a quick read. This covers the black lives matter movement, and could work for a number of prompts, but I plan to use it for book about death, and to read The Hate U Give for book about an issue facing society today.

I'm currently readingThe Golden Tulip, and really enjoying it. Getting close to halfway and the story has really picked up nicely.

I'm also listening to The Handmaid's Tale on audiobook. The society presented is a bit crazy, so I'm really glad to have the golden tulip to act as a balance against this distopian universe in my reading life.

QOTW: I'm not in any real life book clubs/groups, I enjoy reading, and talking about books with my family, but as an introvert, I'd much rather spend time reading more good books than discussing them. I do enjoy seeing what other people have to say about them, which is why I enjoy goodreads :)

[Stina]

Crazy weather as usual in Northern Colorado. Yesterday was a beautiful day in the 60s (F). Today is freezing fog heading towards freezing drizzle. Yay.

I didn't finish anything last week, unless you count Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, which I started yesterday and finished around 5 this morning. I should probably sleep soon.

QotW: Oh, dear. I've lost count of my IRL book clubs. Okay...
1. Strange Worlds. Science fiction and fantasy.
2. Traps & Trenchcoats (though I often have a schedule conflict with rehearsals).
3. The World in Books. This one just started last month with Burial Rites. Seems like a good bunch with good taste.
4. LHRS. (It's a secret society, so that's all you get.)
5. Old Town Library. It meets on an odd schedule, like every 6 weeks, but not exactly. So I tend to miss it a lot because it never makes it into my calendar.
6. GenreLand. This started as a library-based reading challenge online, but one of my friends is on the staff, so she started hosting little parties every month and we've kept it going even though the library hasn't. Our GR group is public and super-low-pressure, so feel free to join in! https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
7. Brunch with Books. This is an irregular book-swap meeting loosely based around BookCrossing.
8. Trail Head. The HOA's Social Committee polled the community and determined that we needed a book club. My husband voluntold me to lead it. Thanks, hon'. We've had one meeting, and three other people showed up, so.... ??
9. Stranger Than Fiction. (Nonfiction.) I swear, I do not get enough credit for not killing people.
10 & 11. Two more groups that I have yet to attend. One because I never seem to want to leave the house that night. The other because they keep picking crap books.
12. The F*cked-Up Book Club. We read pretty much what you might expect from a book club with a name like this. :-) I regret that my attendance here also suffers from rehearsal conflicts.

[Stina]

Stina wrote: "Crazy weather as usual in Northern Colorado. Yesterday was a beautiful day in the 60s (F). Today is freezing fog heading towards freezing drizzle. Yay.

I didn't finish anything last week, unless y..."

Oh, 13: High Tea Book Club. Which did actually start out as a high tea meeting. Now it's afternoon tea, or whatever restaurant we feel like trying. And sometimes we even discuss the book.

[Cindy]

Hello! It has been snowing for two days. We have 6 inches of snow to shovel. Wind chill warnings for the night. I am ready for spring.
This week I finished Four Day Planet. I liked the story, even though it was predictable. I read it for the prompt, a book set on a different planet.
For the next week I will start This Side of Paradise by F.Scott Fitzgerald. A book that mentions another book.

QOTW: I am not in a book club. I am very introverted and do not like being in clubs where you have to participate in discussions.

[Carmen]

Sheri wrote: "Carmen,

I haven't heard that, if that's the case than my pick didn't count either, since it was a lawyer as the PoV. But really the challenge is supposed to be fun, and I think everyone ends up s..."

Will do, thanks <3

Johanne wrote: "@Sheri and Carmen. I definitily don't agree that it has to be from a policeman's viewpoint. I read the Wikipedia article too, but even if that's often the case it's not a must for the genre. The ma..."

Thanks! That is a huge relief!

[Wendy]

No real life book club although the idea is one I'd explore for sure. I day late in posting but I was only a few pages from finishing that I wanted to count it in last week's update.

This novel was my "anti-hero" choice, and I'm so pleased with my selection. It was dark, disturbing, and unexpectedly poetic:

We wrap up our violent and mysterious world in a pretence of understanding...We skim across surfaces, heedless of the depths below. Dragonflies flitting over a lake, miles deep, pursuing erratic paths to pointless ends.

The story begins with the protagonist only 10 years old, wise and strong beyond his years. These traits grow by leaps and bounds through wanton raping, pillaging and destruction until he reaches the highest levels in this medievalesque society of feuding kingdoms.

Yet the reader is oddly drawn to the young Prince Jorg, who possesses a dram of humanity hidden beneath a duality of violence and intellectual curiosity.

Prince is a trilogy that I'll finish.

[Trish]

Hello! Hope everyone is starting February out strong! I was worried starting knitting baby shower things would keep me from reading as much, but I've surprised myself.

Finished:

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - A book with an animal in the title
Coraline

Currently reading:

Quidditch Through the Ages
Just started Henry V
Technically started and finished it today, but during this week's dates I was "currently" reading it: Stitches

QOTW:

I'm in a book club that's affiliated with my uni, but I haven't gone to meetings since last school year. Didn't go last semester because of a night class being at the same time, tried going again and not a lot of people I recognized were there anymore and I was out of the loop with inside jokes. Miss the "old days," kind of miss it since I was in it for 3 years and it was my one extracurricular I participated in during college.

[Laura]

I just finished up the ice twins, probably the best book I’ve read this year so that was fun… Definitely keeps you thinking And guessing

[poshpenny]

Ellie wrote: "Dani wrote: "Lily and the Octopus was my lgbt protagonist prompt pick. This book made me ugly cry. But I loved it regardless. It has that small dash of magical realism..."

I am definitely bumping this onto my POPSUGAR list, it fits at least 3 prompts I haven't done yet"


I loved Lily and the Octopus! It did make me cry but not as much as it made me smile. From the very beginning.

"I know that it's Thursday because Thursday nights are the nights my dog, Lily, and I set aside to talk about boys we think are cute."

I mean, c'mon!

"IT’S! A! GREAT! TIME! TO! BE! ALIVE!"

[Patricia]

Just finished "The Bat" for my Nordic Noir. Not bad - started pretty slow - I've heard this series gets better, Not sure if I'll read another - still thinking about it.

Also finished "The Hate U Give" for the Past Goodreads Choice Awards winner. Listened to the audiobook and LOVED it! try well done - I totally understand why it was selected as one of the 2016 Choice Awards. Highly recommend it!

Just started "Underground Railroad" also on audiobook and plan to start "Beartown" this weekend.

I don't currently belong to a book club but used to - I miss it!

[Matt]

Michael wrote: "Good morning PSRC.

The crud has taken hold! I finally got the cold everyone else in the family had. :-(

This is the first week of 2018 that I didn't finish a book, not the last I'm sure.

I'm al..."

Just curious what prompt you are using The Secret History for? My niece recommended this book and I want to read it but not sure where it would fit.

[Julie]

Hi everyone!

I managed to finish up two more books this week, bringing me to 9/50.

I finished The Neverending Story, which I think I'm using as a childhood classic you've never read, although it also fits the movie prompt for me. It was good, although I was really surprised that the movie only encompasses the first 150-200 pages of the book and the second half almost makes it into an entirely different story.

I also finished Binti on audio, which was quick (it's a novella) but has been on my TBR for ages and I did enjoy it. I'm wanting to read the other two in the series now as well. It was for the celebrity book club prompt as it's from Felicia Day's book club. However, it would certainly fit the different ethnicity prompt as well.

In progress:

I'm currently about halfway through the audio of My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, which I'm really enjoying. It's such a sweet book and it's funny, especially on audio. But, I'm not sure where it'll fit in for the challenge yet. I saw it listed as anti-hero somewhere, but that might be a stretch. I'm thinking perhaps death/grief, or, if nothing else, it was definitely a book I meant to read in 2017 but didn't.

I've also just gotten The Program from the library for the local author prompt but haven't started it yet.

QOTW: No, I don't belong to any real life book clubs, but it's something I consider every so often.

[Matt]

Hello!

I only finished one book last week. I read A Wrinkle in Time for my book about time travel but I also believe this one could be used for the allegory prompt as there is a lot of religious language in the book as well.

I am currently reading Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan for my microhistory prompt. After this one I am hoping to read Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House for my alliteration prompt.

I am in a real life book club. It actually just started as I always wanted to be in one so I decided to start it. It consists of my wife and I and about six other friends that are avid readers. For our first book we read All the Light We Cannot See and for February we are going to read Room by Emma Donghue. We have not met yet to discuss the books due to scheduling problems but we are going to meet in March and discuss both books.

[Carissa]

Hey everyone! This week I finished my fourth book of the year and I’m on to my fifth. I participated in the February monthly challenge Beartown, (a book about sports) and my fifth book will be The Stranger Beside Me (true crime).

I’m so thankful to this challenge for helping me to read more and reading a wider variety of books. I’m turning off the TV more and being inspired.

I’m not a part of a real life book club but I would love find one. I think they are pretty nonexistent where I live.

Happy Reading everyone!

Carissa

[Jacqueline]

Love love loved Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. And the other 4 books (5 if you count Eoin Colfers). Read all of them as they came out. And I reread them often. Hitchhikers Guide and Harry Potter are like safe blankies that I wrap myself up in when I'm having a bad time of it.

Moby Dick on the other hand....not a fan. It and Huckleberry Finn are the only two books I never finished at school. Or at any time actually.

[Rachel]

Completed:
The Railway Man by Eric Lomax - great read, harrowing but so insightful to his experiences during WW2 being a POW at the Thai Burma railway. Gave it 4 stars. Read for the prompt 'Book made into a movie you've already seen'.

Enduring Love by Ian McEwan - this was the third book of McEwan's I have read and had high hopes before starting it as a lot a good reviews. But for me it didn't grab me, and I found the main male protagonist frustrating at times. It got a 3 star rating from me. This was a non challenge book.

Currently reading:
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden - this has been on my TBR list a really long time. Only started reading it yesterday and 4 chapters in so far and enjoying the writing style. I've chosen this book for the prompt 'A book set in a country that fascinates you' (Japan).

[Anabell]

I am about a week and a half late for checking in...

Time move so fast; I realise its thursday but when I remember again that I was going to check-in its tuesday and then I might as well wait for Thursday. Now its Saturday! Well well...

Over the last 2 weeks I read:
Number! The Storm Sister (Its a spoiler if I tell you the prompt) (view spoiler)[ A book with twins (hide spoiler)]
No. 3 The next book in a series you've startedThe Shadow Sister Really liking this series.

And then it was a long time since I read something fluffy so I read:
Beautiful Player
Beautiful Bastard

Currently reading:
No. 12 -A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue Liking it so far.
No. 13 - A book that is also a stage play or musical The Taming of the Shrew

So not to much reading as it has been a few busy weeks.

QOTW: I am the only one in my family and amongst my friends that actually read. I am the annoying one always saying 'I just read a really good book, you should read it'' And no one does.

Would love to be in book club but like many of you I am vary of what books people would pick and 'force' me to read... But it would be fun to meet up for drinks or brunch and talk about books that you had read over the past month or week.

So glad I can come in here and get my dosage of nerding books with fellow people who love reading as much as I do...

[Carmen]

@Anabell; same! My mom reads, or so she says, but honestly, it’s infuriating how little she reads. She only read recently because she had to rest after her surgery, but now it’s only TV again. That blasted TV. It’s really getting on my nerves how the TV will be on, but she’ll be on her phone. Just. Turn. It. Of. (She can’t do both at the same time). I have recced books quite often but she just doesn’t read them, even when she seems quite interested. She started one of those books before her surgery, but she didn’t continue with it because ‘she wasn’t in the mood’. Which is fair, of course, but now I just kow that mood is never gonna come back. Sigh.

My sister, I only got into reading quite recently. However, she may be 18, mentally she is 13 at most, with an even lower intelligence, so she is reading children’s books right now. Which I am so proud of! Whenever she finishes a book, or sees she just read 10% she is so happy and proud of herself, I can’t help but join in. It’s a joy to see, and introducing her to Goodreads last year really got her going in terms of reading. She is currently taking a break from the series she is reading to read a 500 page book (Wildwoud; have to admit I don’t know the original title, or whatever) I saw during work and it’s a huge challenge for her, but she’s loving it and steadily making her way through. It’s a book for ages 9-12 instead of 6-8 (the series she was/is reading; Dolfje Weerwolfje- these are translated into English btw!) so she’s asking about words’ meaning quite offen, which just makes me even prouder haha!

Sorry for the overshare, I am just so proud of her. After all these years of ‘I don’t like reading! I’m not like you!’ to now be here, with her already talking about all the things/series she wants to read, including trying Harry Potter again.. *beams*

As for my dad.. yeah. No. Not a reader haha! When he was a kid he only read ‘Kruimeltje’ and ‘Pinkeltje’, and school wouldn’t let him use them for reports and such because they were too childish or whatever. Once on holiday he tried to read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (that photo is just too precious haha) and I don’t think he made it through even one chapter in those two weeks. He does think it’s amazing at how fast and how much I read, and he’s never told me to get my nose out of a book and do something else or whatever. He just doesn’t get it, but loves seeing me read. When I hadn’t been able to read for like two years due to depression, and he found me one evening, reading, he got quite emotional haha!

Other than that I don’t have a lot of family, and even less of them read, or when they do read, it’s something completely different from my own tastes. My aunt did ask me for some specific recs that I still need to give her. I just feel bad that so far I can only come up with two series, so I really need to start thinking about it more.

You guys are my reading family, whether you like it or not ;)!

[Johanne]

Glad to be a part of this extended reading family as well! And so glad to hear about your sister Carmen - it's not about wanting other people to read specific things, it's about wanting to open these fantastic worlds and experiences that books provide.

I have a large family and we all read. My friends read. My husband and children read. We all read some different, some similar books, and I feel lucky! just yesterday we had a family birthday and i discussed book reccs and different ways to listen to audiobooks without shutting off from the world (we both have kids) with my sister, and mom. The first time I went on a holiday with my in-laws and I asked them which books they brought (in my family we usually swap books on holidays so we have a lot to choose from). They didn't bring any. Zero. Nada. I was shocked. Still am, thinking about it.

[Biblio-Bound]

I didn't get much read this week... My 2 sons have been very sick all week and that leaves very little time to read or really do anything.

10/50

Completed:
Tower of Dawn - I really enjoyed this book. Chaol is one of my favorite characters in the series and I was very disappointed that he wasn't in the last book. This book made up for it!

Currently reading:
Beneath the Sugar Sky - for being a short book this is taking me a very long time to read haha. I'm almost done and hope to finish today or tomorrow.
Manners & Mutiny - This series is so much fun and I'm very sad that this is the last book. I will be picking up Gail Carriger other series soon!

QOTW:
I'm not in a real life book club but always thought about it. I will be going from full time to part time when my son starts school in the fall, maybe I will have time then...

[Nadine in NY]

Sara wrote: "... The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler. Sorry, Nadine, but I just didn't get into this one! I can appreciate his skill at descriptions, but I simply didn't like anyone and couldn't care less what was happening. ..."

LOL everyone is different! I was SO surprised by how much I loved Chandler, I'm going to read ALL his books now!!! I really hated Hammett though, I hated everyone in The Maltese Falcon and didn't care about any of them. So I definitely know how you feel!

Carmen wrote: "I've got a question. The whole Nordic Noir term was new to me, so I was a bit confused as to what counted. Eventually (after I already changed my slotted book once) I remembered a book I..."

It's definitely Nordic, and it involves a crime ... whether it's truly in the "noir" style is something you won't know until you read it. But either way I say you can count it, since you're reading it w/ good faith expecting it to be "Nordic noir." Originally, "noir" fiction was dark and brooding crime fiction with an almost nihilistic attitude towards life, a lot of violent action, and a protagonist/detective who laughed in the face of danger because he just didn't care any more (but he always bested the bad guys and solved the crime anyway). Think: Raymond Chandler (who, as it turns out, is NOT beloved by everyone ;-) ) But I think now that the big publishing houses have gotten wind of a trend, the term "Nordic noir" is being used to describe ANY crime fiction written by a Nordic author.

[SimitudeSims]

Sick this week and not the good kind of sick where you get to read and sleep all day. The kind where you can't watch TV, read, or sleep, yuk.

#3 The Snowman

#14 The Hate U Give

QOTW- I belong to three live book clubs and two online book clubs.

[Chris]

Yes I do belong to a real club - Inquiring Minds Book Club - we meet at the local public library - 5 -10 of us meet every month. We read a little bit of everything -- really enjoy most of the books that are chosen. I read books from another local library book club. Plus read books from 3 book clubs here on Goodreads.
Books read this week for the challenge:
Turtles All The Way Down
Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
Her one and only
Year of Yes

[Carmen]

Nadine wrote: " Originally, "noir" fiction was dark and brooding crime fiction with an almost nihilistic attitude towards life, a lot of violent action, and a protagonist/detective who laughed in the face of danger because he just didn't care any more (but he always bested the bad guys and solved the crime anyway)."

Thank you so much! Reading through the prompt list it was real obvious at times that I am not an English native, as there were quite a few prompts I had to look up to find what they meant, and with some, I still don't really know. Even my coworker, a librarian (like went to librarian school and all), had never heard of nordic noir, so basically my country just sucks haha! So I'm real grateful for the help on here!

[Cendaquenta]

Jealous of those of you with reader families... I don't really have anyone IRL to talk books with.