Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2019 Challenge - General
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2019 Challenge list is posted!
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Sara
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Nov 10, 2018 08:19AM
Stina, we will post one soon. For now we just wanted to get the discussion threads up 😊
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Is it just me, or does the list seem particularly difficult this year? If this is what PopSugar comes up with, I'm kind of dreading (but also excited to see) Book Riot's Read Harder challenge! Starting to find options for many of the prompts that I wasn't thrilled about, so I'll see how the final list shapes up. I've already committed to doing ATY and I have 2 other challenges in mind already, but this one looks like fun too. Probably biting off more than I can chew (again), but you never know.
Rachel wrote: "Is it just me, or does the list seem particularly difficult this year? If this is what PopSugar comes up with, I'm kind of dreading (but also excited to see) Book Riot's Read Harder challenge! St..."
Between this, ATY and ATY rejects, I am definitely worried I'm biting off more than I can chew. I think I'm going to make the advanced prompts here more of a bonus and hold off until I see how my reading goes.
This would be my second year of doing reading challenges, and I am excited, though I am having mixed feelings on the list itself. I haven’t really thought about it yet, though, as I want to finish this year’s challenge first. Only 10 more books to go! I might do all years again for the previous prompt, but not sure as I’ve done that this year already. I might just do the 2018 one, but we’ll see!
Also hoping I won’t regret the suggestions I made that ended up in the list haha!
This year Back to the Classics ended up a disaster (only read one book so far) but I am hoping for a rematch next year. Perhaps I should also check out ATY this time around, especially hearing so many good things about it. It will be way too much for me, but maybe I’ll get over wanting to read seperate books for the seperate challenger and make it doable.
Mod
(Slow reader)"
LOL same! I hated all of those prompts!
Mod
Haha which one was yours?!
@Nadine, at this point I barely remember, but from the top of my head, I think the first and last name of the author being the same. I’d have to look at the list again! And go through the ideas thread again xDI also realized for the two authors prompt this year the book was written by two women. Fml.
Sara wrote: "Stina, we will post one soon. For now we just wanted to get the discussion threads up 😊"Great, thanks! I just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed it somehow.
I just squeal at my husband and he rolled his eyes.I can't wait to make the list, it may be my favorite part of the challenge.
Love the prompts! 2019 is gonna be a good one
I probably won't be finishing this year's prompt list so I'm looking forward to planning out this one, also thinking of doing AtY as well but wondering if that is a going to stretch me a bit much (I use books across both challenges like I did this year with Read Harder and Popsugar)
Anna wrote: "Soo... I was going to spend the afternoon reading, but it's quickly turning into a reading-planning afternoon :D"SAME. It's a living XD
Stina wrote: "Mike wrote: "Super excited that there are no "Read a book that's over 10,000 pages long" prompts.(Slow reader)"
:-) Same here! I was worried when the page-counts kept inching upward every year."
I thought I was going to jinx the 2019 reading challenge because I'm finally reading The Count of Monte Cristo (1,300-ish pages) this year, not for a prompt. I thought for sure there would be a prompt for a book over 1,000 pages and it would be all my fault.
Next year will be my first year doing the Challenge, so I'm a little excited and at the same time a little scared. I'm doing a couple of challenges next year, so I'm hoping to get some books to do double duty. And, I'm also limiting myself to books I currently own.
This would be posted while I'm in the middle of traveling. Lol. Excited though!
I said I wasn't going to look at the new list until I'd finished this year's challenge (less than 200 pages to go)...but I also said I have no willpower!I'm actually glad I have had a peek, as pretty much nothing is springing to mind for most of the prompts. I'm going to need to research!
Erica wrote: "Next year will be my first year doing the Challenge, so I'm a little excited and at the same time a little scared. I'm doing a couple of challenges next year, so I'm hoping to get some books to do ..."This is always my aim too, as I own way too many unread books. This year I also had to add in library books as it wasn't possible to fill all the prompts, but I only had to buy one book (a couple of others I bought because I'd planned to anyway) to finish the challenge. I'm going to take that approach again this year. Good luck!
Mod
Great, thanks! I just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed it somehow."
Mercedes wrote: "All right, I'm ready to post my partial list. Is that thread up yet?"
it's up! Post Your 2019 Reading Lists!
Nadine wrote: "Stina wrote: "Sara wrote: "Stina, we will post one soon. For now we just wanted to get the discussion threads up 😊"Great, thanks! I just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed it somehow."
Mercedes..."
Yay!!!! Thank you!
Is anyone else having trouble deciding whether to do this challenge or ATY? I don't read enough to do both, and while I like the ATY prompts better, I would miss the weekly discussions with you all.
Kelly wrote: "Is anyone else having trouble deciding whether to do this challenge or ATY? I don't read enough to do both, and while I like the ATY prompts better, I would miss the weekly discussions with you all."Do both and double-dip! Think of it as part of the challenge to find a book that works for a prompt from each. The discussions over there are a lot of fun as well!
Rachelnyc wrote: "Kelly wrote: "Is anyone else having trouble deciding whether to do this challenge or ATY? I don't read enough to do both, and while I like the ATY prompts better, I would miss the weekly discussion..."I'm planning on doing both and using mostly graphic novels for ATY, as well as double dip on novels that work for both. You could do something like that so you're not committing to 104 full novels. If you don't like graphic novels, use children's books or short stories.
Ohhh, I suppose you've convinced me, Rachelnyc and SarahKat :) I don't really do graphic novels or YA (no shade at those who do, just not my thing) but I like the idea of doubling up. There seems to be a lot of overlap between the lists this year!Got to grab me a spreadsheet to plan this time, instead of plunging in blind like last year. This sounds like a good activity to distract me from watching the Colts lose this afternoon... sigh...
Kelly wrote: "Is anyone else having trouble deciding whether to do this challenge or ATY? I don't read enough to do both, and while I like the ATY prompts better, I would miss the weekly discussions with you all."Kelly, while I was anxiously awaiting the release of the 2019 popsugar prompts, I started making a list for 2019 ATY just to kill time. But now that I've see the popsugar prompts (and there are just so many that I'm not "feeling"), I'm definitely going to make ATY my primary challenge -- it just works better for me, since I like to have lots of flexibility and don't really like highly specific prompts that feel like they're forcing me to read something I don't find interesting. I'll keep popsugar as a secondary challenge for the year, meaning, if I check things off the list that's great, but I'm not going to exert a lot of effort to complete the full challenge. I will still follow discussions here, and hopefully next year's list will have me back in the saddle.
I do Popsugar and Book Riot, as well as shorter group ones around GR. I am actually excited for many of the advanced ones. I have done the normal list twice now so I want to try advanced next year.
Monkiecat wrote: "Erica wrote: "Next year will be my first year doing the Challenge, so I'm a little excited and at the same time a little scared. I'm doing a couple of challenges next year, so I'm hoping to get som..."I just went through my list and wrote out everything I'm going to need to borrow from the library and its basically everything.
And I have Bookcases full in every room of my house. It is shameful 😩
I was mostly offline for the weekend and I cannot believe I missed the list coming out!I'm a bit disappointed to see more movie, celebrity and posthumous prompts but there are plenty of really good ones. I recognise a few from the AtY voting.
I like the advanced prompts a lot more this time (cli-fi, yay). I was going to do just the main ones and AtY but I will have to try and do them all now. I just have to work out ways to bend the ones I don't like.
I am a noob. What is ATY? Can someone provide a link? I am interested in it but couldn't find anything online using the acronym :(
Sara Grace wrote: "I am a noob. What is ATY? Can someone provide a link? I am interested in it but couldn't find anything online using the acronym :("It's a goodreads group: Around the Year
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I must admit I was a little disappointed in Pop Sugar's list at first. I feel like a few a the prompts are either repeats or ones that ATY had for this year. 'A book set in space' is like the one from this year 'book that takes place on another planet' and the LitRPG book almost seems like cyberpunk. With that being said, as I went through the list, I was able to fit in a lot of books I already own so I am happy about that. I feel more excited about it and actually have my prompts filled with the exception of a couple that I have a few choices I will have to decide.
I'm not sure how i feel about the list. it doesnt seem to be pushing me outside my zone as much. more scavenger hunt for words or titles. which i dont mind as i do that when playing some of the AMMP games but its not really what i want from Popsugar. though there are some that probably will push me since i dont even know what they are. Cli-fi? no idea.But since Popsugar is really a secondary goal for me, i'll see how much i can do. My main thing is AMMP which isnt a list of prompts but games/monthly challenges.
But i see no reason why i cant fill at least some of the prompts with books that fit my games. Its what i did this year.
AMMP for anyone who wants to know is a GR group: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I might be in the minority, but I started doing reading challenges a couple of years ago to help me decide what to read next from my personal library. I have a huge pile of physical books scattered around my house and an embarrassing number of unread books on my Kindle, and yet I continue to buy new books. Buying the new (or new-to-me via a used bookstore down the street) books has unfortunately caused me to forget the books I already own, primarily on my Kindle. I'm trying really hard to not buy new books in 2019, so prompts like the litRPG one most likely won't get completed unless I use a wildcard and change it to a different prompt altogether.Either way I will find a way to finish the challenge, even if I have to bend it a bit here and there.
(And of course I will end up buying some books in 2019, but I am going to do everything I can to limit that to my book-of-the-month.)
This is my first year doing this challenge and I'm super excited! I like the prompts, even the more difficult ones, just because it will stretch my reading a little bit.I also am trying to find books that fit the prompts that I already own. At last count, I had about 900 unread books in my house. And that was several months ago, I've bought more! (I've also read a lot too of course) And don't get me started on my out of control Kindle books!
I am not opposed to buying more books, though, or finding some from the library. I think there's about 12 books on my planning list right now that I don't own.
I am not really feeling this list because I don’t feel like there is going to be enough flexibility if I find something I want to read spur of the moment and need to fit it in.My 2 dealbreaker books for this year are The Great Gatsby (fits Goodreads over 1M ratings) and Their Eyes Were Watching God (Help! I need suggestions!).
Nevermind - I figured it out! I can use Their Eyes Were Watching God as my book with a plant on the cover.
I thought you originally meant you really didnt want to read those 2!! 😂 Glad you found a place to slot them 🙂
Brooke wrote: "I might be in the minority, but I started doing reading challenges a couple of years ago to help me decide what to read next from my personal library. I have a huge pile of physical books scattered..."There is no reason to be embarassed by owning large numbers of unread books! Says the pot...to the kettle!
I too try to read mostly from my existing library, whether print or ebook. That actually has been very successful for me and in the last 3 years of doing PS I have easily read 120 books I already owned, or if bought, I bought them because I wanted to own it. This year I added more public library ebooks - mostly new authors or books that caught my eye when browsing, or when I knew I had a print copy but could not find it.
My personal library is also quite eclecgic as my reading tastes have been pretty wide- ranging.
I say try to use public library if you can't fill prompt from your personal library. Then considrr borrowing ftom friend or family.
Only buy if all fails.
My 11th grader has to read them for English next semester. He is not a reader on the best of days and so I have started to read whatever he is reading in English with him. My 2018 Challenge includes: Cry, the Beloved Country (Celebrity Book Club); The Good Earth (Country that Fascinates); My Forbidden Face (Alliteration) and The Scarlet Letter (Movie). I did find places for those two but I am afraid that the 2019 list isn’t going to be elastic enough for the books that he will read next fall. And while it really shouldn’t matter, if I have to slog through something else like The Scarlett Letter, I really want it to count!
First time I'm joining the challenge ! can't wait :D
Mod
My 2 dealbreaker bo..."
backup choices in case you need to move things around:
Great Gatsby can be author with same first and last initials
Eyes can be "own voices"
Theresa wrote: "Brooke wrote: "I might be in the minority, but I started doing reading challenges a couple of years ago to help me decide what to read next from my personal library. I have a huge pile of physical ..."That's kind of the approach I'm taking. In general I use the library more to read books in a series so I don't have to buy the entire thing or a new release I don't care if I own.
And I'm not really embarrassed by the number of books on my Kindle. I don't think I've spent more than $4 (and in most cases under $2) on an ebook since 2012 when I realized how many daily/weekly/monthly deals there are out there. But people I know tend to gasp when I tell them how many I have, so I try to avoid the question. :-)
Huh. While some of these prompts are interesting, it's incredibly disappointing to see how many of them are pretty much repeats or variations of those from this year's challenge. Seems a bit...lazy.2018 - A book made into a movie you've already seen
2019 - A book becoming a movie in 2019 AND A book you think should be turned into a movie
2018 - Nordic noir
2019 - A book set in Scandinavia
2018 - A book set on a different planet
2019 - A book set in space
2018 - A book mentioned in another book
2019 - A book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie
2018 - A book from a celebrity book club
2019 - A book recommended by a celebrity you admire
...and many others I couldn't be bothered to type out. I mean not that anyone would really run out of book options for any of these, but I had looked forward to researching for something I haven't already explored this year.
Alicia wrote: "Here is a spreadsheet if anyone wants to use it (sorry, I figured out how to share it after I started adding titles)https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/......"
THANK YOU!!!!!
I'm so excited! Although I've paid some attention to the lists on previous years (and completed the challenge this year), this is the first time I'm in at the very beginning stages of the challenge.Happy reading to us all in 2019!
For those of you not liking how this list won’t push you out of your comfort zone- try to do so yourself! For example by making it more difficult, or only looking for books you wouldn’t read otherwise. I only just woke up and have a cat on my arm so typing is a struggle, but I’ll try to explain better if needed later!
Melody wrote: "Huh. While some of these prompts are interesting, it's incredibly disappointing to see how many of them are pretty much repeats or variations of those from this year's challenge. Seems a bit...lazy..."I suspect the problem is that if they make the list too unique, it's going to appeal to a lot less people. Just look at LitRPG, that's them attempting to be different.
I think the list strikes the right balance between being pretty inclusive but also with enough to push most readers. And your challenge is what you make it, at the end of the day.
I've been trying to print the list, but the printable version isn't very printable.. help!
Did anyone else find planning for this list super difficult? Last year my TBR was about half the size that it was this year (thanks Goodreads) but I still found it fairly easy to find something for most of the prompts. This is much more restrictive and forces a lot of things I don't really want to do like a reread (the only books I've ever reread are the Harry Potter books, I waited 10 years and read them last year, I won't be reading them again for a while) or a book by a musician (I really hate biographies). The particular word categories are also very restrictive. I like to fit my reading to the list, but if I were to take part in the challenge it will have to be the other way round. Sorry for the grumble, I'm just a bit disappointed.
i'm literally feeling the exact opposite! i'm much happier with the list this year because i felt like too many of them last year could only fit non-fiction or literary/classics reads (which is not my cup of tea). this year i felt like it really opened it upif you're looking for a musician, do you like seanan mcguire's books?? she's supposedly a famous filk singer so she counts for that challenge
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