Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2018 Challenge - General
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2018 Challenge - I Didn't Finish!
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Johanne wrote: "@Kim, I read 'The Old Man and the Sea' for set at sea. It is a very short book and I really liked it (even though I sometimes struggle with classics). You don't use the library, for 'borrowed'?"That's a great recommendation, but I know I've read that one before. My husband suggested Moby Dick, but I've read that one, too. Jules Verne would be good, but, ditto.
As far as the library book thing goes... just about EVERY book I've read this year has come from the library. I guess, on Dec. 31, if I don't find something else, I could slide one from another prompt into that slot. I have several in some of my categories.
@Kacey, I might try that book about the Titanic. I don't mind the occasional children's book on my challenge! I used, A Greyhound, A Groundhog, for my alliteration prompt. (If you haven't seen that one, I got it on Overdrive, as an ebook (not audio... if it's even available that way). It's got the most beautiful illustrations! And it's fun to read out loud, because the whole (little) book is alliteration. If you HAVE gotten your alliteration prompt out of the way, you could always double up with this one.
Kacey wrote: "Set at sea: If you dont mind childrens books I read The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912Green : Green with Envy: A Heather’s Forge Cozy Mystery Which is free on Amazon ..."
Kacey, thanks so much for that suggestion of The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912! I found it in one of my libraries on Overdrive, and it's audio!
I've kind of put off my True Crime prompt because it's an ebook ("eye" read), and not available on audio (and I have two "eye" read books on my computer right now). I really, really needed an audio book, because I also have a lot of knitting deadlines this week! I only have two small projects I can work on if I need to have my eyes free for reading.
I'll keep your Green with Envy: A Heather’s Forge Cozy Mystery and Greensmith Girls on my "Green" list for next year (I have my PopSugar 2019 list up and ready to go, but haven't even peeked at the prompts yet! (If there's one for a suggestion by another PopSugar or Goodreads reader, these would be perfect!)
Kim wrote: "Brittany wrote: "I only have 3 left:female author who uses a male pseudonym
book with a heist
related to your ancestry
give me all of the best recommendations because I'm trying to finish!!"
F..."
Thanks for the suggestions! I read The Girl from Everywhere for my set at sea book. Some was set on land, but the main premise of the book involved time travel and all of the time traveling happened on a ship. It is a YA book though.
Rachelnyc wrote: "Brittany wrote: "I only have 3 left:female author who uses a male pseudonym
book with a heist
related to your ancestry
give me all of the best recommendations because I'm trying to finish!!"
N..."
My dad recently did the whole ancestry dna thing and the most he was of any one thing was 12% from Great Britain. He was 5-8% of a bunch of things so it was really not helpful for this lol. His DNA breakdown was like 8% from Scandinavia so I might just read a Nordic noir and count it here.
Soph wrote: "Turns out I need to read at least 60 pages a day to complete the challenge. It's made things seem a lot more do-able and I'm feeling more positives ..."wooo!! you can do it!!
I'm not really planning to finish this year's Popsugar challenge. Never was - there's a couple of prompts I just don't fancy, such as "Nordic noir". Still got a few prompts left that I do want to do though:#2, True crime
#23, time travel
Advanced #7, author with same first or last name
Advanced #8, microhistory
And the ones I'm not planning to complete: #4 heist, #5 Nordic noir, Advanced #1 bestseller from year you graduated high school, and Advanced #4 tied to your ancestry.
I'm actually almost done at 42/50, so I'm quite happy with myself. 😁
This year I discovered this challenge. And it hooked me instantly!I will not finish it most likely as there are still 18 of 52 on my list, but still this adventure is just stunning. I never read this many different genres. I picked up books I would have not even given a second thought and over all I really enjoyed those. I'll be at home the whole december, so I already see myself cuddled up in a blanket, the cat sleeping next to the big baby belly and towered by books, but still 18 is massive!
Anyways I'm in on 2019's challenge and I will try to work out a list before I start this time, as far as possible. Did this for the second half this year and it worked a lot better for me than just stumbling into the library with no plan whatsoever ^^
Hang in there fellow strugglers, and keep on enjoying this journey :)
I won’t finish the challenge. I started a few books year that ended up on my DNF pile sadly. I’ve had work and writing duties so I’ve been so caught up with that and my other hobbies. 2019 I’m starting fresh!!
I am not sure I will finish. I am very close but I don’t know if I’ll have the time to plow through my last 6 books. About half of them I am very eager to read, but the other half has me feeling apathetic; they’re on the list because they piqued my interest and I was trying to branch out. I’m currently working on “a book with song lyrics in the title” and have these left as well:- a book about death or grief
- a book about feminism
- a book about or set on Halloween
- a book with characters who are twins
- a cyberpunk book
Fingers crossed I can make the final push! But if not, I’m pretty pleased that I made it through 44/50, plus some other books mixed in as well. It has been a good reading year :)
I will not finish either. I discovered this challenge and used it to kickstart my reading year, which has worked beautifully. I have read 62 books already but a number of them don't fit prompts. I started picking up things I wanted to read instead of reading things just to fit the prompts. I'm still all in for 2019 though. Those prompts also seem to fit my hopeful TBR for the year anyway.
I still have 4 left. 3 of them I believe I can finish. The 4th is a book you saw someone reading in a public place. I literally have been unable to pay attention for 11 months now to see anyone reading anything. I am sure people are reading around me, but I seem incapable of noticing them. Even for the last 3 months that I go out and think, oh, I should pay attention to see if anyone is reading, I come back home and realize I still saw nothing. I know a lot of people took the creative approach to this one (something you saw someone reading in a movie or TV show, something someone else saw something reading, etc.), but I was really hoping that I'd be able to stay true to the prompt. Now I have 30 days left to figure this one out; or else I'll be short one for finishing the challenge.
Tania wrote: "I still have 4 left. 3 of them I believe I can finish. The 4th is a book you saw someone reading in a public place. I literally have been unable to pay attention for 11 months now to see anyone rea..."Hint: Go to the mall. No really. During my holiday shopping today, I must have seen a dozen bored men reading while sitting on those benches they stick everywhere.
Jackie wrote: "Tania wrote: "I still have 4 left. 3 of them I believe I can finish. The 4th is a book you saw someone reading in a public place. I literally have been unable to pay attention for 11 months now to see anyone reading..."I'm going to second Jackie's suggestion Tania, I was thinking last night take a day trip to a book store and see what people are reading or a coffee shop. Make it a trip specifically for your prompt so you don't forget to look around. Also, you''ll get to browse books and have a coffee break ;-)
Tania wrote: "I still have 4 left. 3 of them I believe I can finish. The 4th is a book you saw someone reading in a public place. I literally have been unable to pay attention for 11 months now to see anyone rea..."Well technically the prompt doesn’t say “you saw”... I ended up using the subways reads Instagram. I figure that counts because there’s concrete evidence they, a stranger, were reading a physical book on a subway. It took a most of the year until I saw one I was interested in but i finally got that one checked off!
Miranda wrote: "I am not sure I will finish. I am very close but I don’t know if I’ll have the time to plow through my last 6 books. About half of them I am very eager to read, but the other half has me feeling ap..."If you want a very quick (and very good) book about feminism, check out We Should All Be Feminists.
I am currently reading The Thirteenth Tale which fits for the twins prompt and is amazing!
At the rate I'm going, and based on what I have left, I'll likely end up with 36/50. Which isn't horrible, I think. I read the regular/advanced prompts simultaneous, and I am excited that I managed to do 7/10 of the advanced prompts this year.I'm most proud of the fact that I was able to really use the prompts this year to branch out and really read some things I wouldn't have otherwise (Philip K. Dick and the Paper Girls comic series--which I loved so much I have the newest book on reserve at the library already for when it comes out next week!).
I likely will end up having read about 55 total books this year (at least 1 over my 54 book goal). Although I definitely picked some books based on wanting to do prompts and the Challenge, I also didn't let the Challenge stop me from reading some things I wanted to read even if they didn't fit a prompt.
This was my 2nd year attempting the Challenge. Hoping that year 3 is the charm :)
Robyn wrote: "This was my 2nd year attempting the Challenge. Hoping that year 3 is the charm :) "It was for me. This year is the first time I've finished, and my third year at doing it.
I was totally convinced that I wouldn't finish this challenge, and mad at myself because it is the first year I have participated. BUT... I am now on my last book!
I personally don't think I am going to finish by the end of the year, but I'm going to try. I have about six books left, and I don't really read at that fast of a pace. I am totally okay with finishing up 2018 books in January however. I am actually really excited about all of the books I have left. I will start 2019 as soon as I finish 2018.
I'm still working on my list. I have 7 prompts left on the regular list. A Book with a weather element in the title
A book with song lyrics in the title
A book with a female author who uses a male pseudonym
A book by two authors
A book mentioned in another book
A childhood classic you've never read
A book set in the decade you were born
Hopefully I can get at least one of these in audiobook form and find short ones for the others :)
Jk Rowling writes under a male pseudonym.
Jessica wrote: "I'm still working on my list. I have 7 prompts left on the regular list. A Book with a weather element in the title
A book with song lyrics in the title
A book with a female author who uses a mal..."
The Art of Racing in the Rain for your first one on the list.
Ariel wrote: "Tania wrote: "I still have 4 left. 3 of them I believe I can finish. The 4th is a book you saw someone reading in a public place. I literally have been unable to pay attention for 11 months now to ..." Well technically the prompt doesn’t say “you saw”... I ended up using the subways reads Instagram. I figure that counts because there’s concrete evidence they, a stranger, were reading a physical book on a subway. It took a most of the year until I saw one I was interested in but i finally got that one checked off!
"
OK so first I tried the suggestion to go to the bookstore and look at people reading. As soon as I tried to do that I felt like everyone knew what I was doing and then I nearly had a panic attack, so I had to abort mission. :-)
I went to Instagram and started paging through pictures of people reading on the subway and saw someone reading The Pearl... which I read this year. So, I'm putting that in for now, unless I manage to see someone in public reading something I can read the title of and want to read, without appearing or feeling like a stalker and running away. That leaves me with the weather prompt, which I'm reading now!
I have 14 left, 10 regular prompts and 4 advanced. Stephen King's It took up too much of my time this summer and I got way behind schedule! I won't finish, but I think I can knock at least another four off of my list by NYE (I'm powering through audiobooks and graphic novels) and at least get to 40/50 for the year. Not bad for my first challenge, and still more than I read last year, so I consider it a win!
I'm probably going to finish with 47/52 (including the advanced challenge.) I'm a little disappointed not to finish, but I was trying to mine my considerably long TBR and if I couldn't find something on there that would fit, the prompt was less of a priority unless it was something in and of itself I really wanted to do.I was probably never going to do "Stage play or musical," so possibly this year was doomed from the start. I also didn't manage to come up with books for the "Fruit or vegetable in the title" (from the advanced list) and "Childhood classic you've never read."
I'm disappointed about two prompts - "Book with animal in the title" and "Book with female author using a male pseudonym." I had books picked out for those, but I ran out of time for the former and couldn't find the book I wanted at the library for the latter.
Overall, I enjoy doing the challenge since there is some fun to gamifying my reading a bit, but I think I'm going to skip it next year. I have a few different reading commitments, so to speak, and I'm trying to simplify the rules I impose on myself.
I “finished” in that I’ve done all I’m going to for this year’s prompt. I read all of the regular prompts except Nordic Noir and I just flat-out refused. I have enough darkness in my life without inviting people bleeding to death in the snow to my party. Instead, I substituted one of the advanced topics for that one and called it a year.
I also read another 7 or 8 books that didn’t qualify for anything, and did another few re-reads, so I definitely consider it a successful year - and I did branch out a bit from my normal habits, and that’s what I was hoping for.
My new reading year starts on Christmas Eve with the book flood so looking forward to the newest prompts!
Julie wrote: "I “finished” in that I’ve done all I’m going to for this year’s prompt. I read all of the regular prompts except Nordic Noir and I just flat-out refused. I have enough darkness in my life without i..."I'm right there with you. I've finished all the regular prompts except for Nordic Noir. I tried, I started two different novels but put them both down. I have a couple of advanced left, can't remember which, but I'm no longer working on it. If I mark them off good for me, if not I'm okay with it. I got 40 done which was my goal.
Well, I didn't finish the challenge, but considering I started it a little late in the year I'm proud of the progress I made for this challenge. Plus I'm really proud of the amount of reading I managed this year. Hopefully 2019 will see me read more and finish the challenge.Completed Tasks
1. A book made into a movie you've already seen: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Richard Howard (Translator)
3. The next book in a series you started: White Knight by Jim Butcher
7. A book set in a country that fascinates you: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
8. A book with a time of day in the title: Nighttime in Caeli-Amur by Rjurik Davidson
9. A book about a villain or antihero: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
10. A book about death or grief: Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher
12. A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist: The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso
14. A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you: The Duchess War by Courtney Milan
15. A book about feminism: Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
16. A book about mental health: Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher
17. A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift: Sunshine by Robin McKinley
19. A book about or involving a sport: The House That George Guilty by Harry Turtledove & The Star and the Rockets by Harry Turtledove
23. A book about time travel: The Girl Who Stepped Into the Past by Sophie Barnes
24. A book with a weather element in the title: Sunshine by Robin McKinley
25. A book set at sea: Titanic 1912: The original news reporting of the sinking of the Titanic by Ken Rossignol
26. A book with an animal in the title: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
28. A book with song lyrics in the title: The Walking Dead Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore (Illustrator)
31. A book mentioned in another book: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Richard Howard (Translator)
32. A book from a celebrity book club: The Duchess War by Courtney Milan
33. A childhood classic you've never read: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Richard Howard (Translator)
34. A book that's published in 2018: The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark
35. A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner: The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
37. A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn't get to: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
38. A book with an ugly cover: A Springtide Meeting by Emily Murdoch
39. A book that involves a bookstore or library: The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso
40. Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges - 2016: A Book Under 150 pages.: The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark
1Adv. A bestseller from the year you graduated high school: The Walking Dead Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore (Illustrator)
2Adv. A cyberpunk book: Party Discipline by Cory Doctorow
3Adv. A book that was being read by a stranger in a public place: Sunshine by Robin McKinley
5Adv. A book with a fruit or vegetable in the title
Variations on an Apple by Yoon Ha Lee & The Golden Apple of Shangri-La by David Barnett
6Adv. An allegory: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Richard Howard (Translator)
9Adv. A book about a problem facing society today: Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
10Adv. A book recommended by someone else taking the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: Lumberjanes Vol. 1 by Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis
I know for sure now that I will not finish the challenge. I will be able to finish one more book by the end of the year, making my progress at 37/40. The prompts I did not finish:
23. A book about time travel
26. A book with an animal in the title (this REALLY surprises me as I usually read animal books all the time. I guess I was too busy expanding my horizons???)
30. A book with characters who are twins
Message number of list: 141
Favorite prompt: "7. A book set in a country that fascinates you"- I read Inheritance from Mother for this prompt and it was absolutely amazing! I am glad there is a similar prompt for next year, because I had so much fun looking for books for this.
Favorite book: Six of Crows. I read this for "4. Book involving a heist". This was so awesome and lived up to the hype!
Book I LOVED that I never would have read if not for the Challenge?: Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream. The sports prompt that everyone seemed to dread drove me to find something that I hoped I would love.I found this gem that was full of the technical aspect of sports in the descriptions of the games, as well as the everyday drama. This was a wonderful book and I HAD to buy it. I also want to read more about sports.....
I am in for 2019! I picked up a couple of books from the library today so that I'm ready to go once the New Year is here! Yay I'm so happy I found this last year!
I was so close! I only have one regular prompt to complete, book published in 2018. I was over half way through Circe when my ebook copy was taken back by Libby :( It won't be available again for 2 weeks so I'll be finishing with one prompt left to fill.
Once again, I need to post that I did not FINISH but I did better than I did in 2017. I completed 29 out of the 40. I have already planned my books for the 2019 challenge. I'm a sucker for challenges even if I don't complete them. I completed my GoodReads challenge of reading of 60 books, actually read 80. Doing these type of challenges help me whittle down by TBR list and also gets me to read different types of books. Good luck to everyone for next year.
Now that I have officially read my final book of the year, I can confidently post my DNF categories:Nordic Noir (although I did read a thriller set in the Netherlands)
A Book with a Time of Day in the Title (although I read a book with a number in the title AND a book with the word "Clock" in the title)
A Book by a Local Author
A Book with Your Favorite Color in the Title
A Book about or Set on Halloween
A Cyberpunk Book
A Book Being Read by a Stranger in a Public Place (this is probably untrue, but I stopped paying attention when I knew I wouldn't complete the Challenge)
A Book with a Fruit or Vegetable in the Title
I am SO thankful to this challenge however for kickstarting my best year of reading (possibly ever), and I am going to work harder to make sure I finish in 2019!
I've done this three years now and have never finished, but I love it so much, I keep going. I'm definitely participating again in 2019. Even though I haven't finished, I've read a lot of great books because of this challenge.
It is only 4 topics I did not get to finish - given that I was not well a lot in 2018, I still feel proud about it. This year, I read a lot, but cut down a bit on challenges. Come 2019!
So this was my first attempt with the popsugar challenge. By the beginning of December I was 18 books behind.. I finished this year with an amazing 45/50. I don't remember any year I read that much and that diversely. It was a great journey and I'm all cheery to start right off to the next year. Improvements I'll make to get through this time:
# Firstly, plan out a lot more in advance. This helped me stay focused in the end of 2018.
# Second, I'll stick to the regular prompts first and do the advanced ones in the end, except for when I run into something fascinating by occassion that would fit there.
# And last, I found a friend of mine who will also join in this years challenge. Sometimes I felt if only I could find some recommendations from fellow German readers that would have helped a lot. I was struggeling to plot out stuff that is on the one hand published in Germany or at least available in my libray either in German or English.. Some prompts were vey hard to fill in this way.
Happy New Year.
2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge1.A book made into a movie you've already seen- A Good Marriage by Stephen King
2.True Crime-Let that be the reason by Vicki Stringer
3. The next book in a series you started-Somebody's gotta be on top by Mary B. Morrison (Darius Jones series)
4.A book involving a heist-Heist KiKi Swinson
5.Nordic noire
6.A novel based on a real person- Imagine this by Vickie Stringer
7.A book set in a country that fascinates you-
8.A book with a time of day in the title- The Night's Baby: A Black Vampire story by Stina
9.A book about a villain or antihero- The gingerbread girl by Stephen King
10.A book about death or grief- Ethic by Ashley Antoinette
11.A book with a female author who uses a male pseudonym
12.A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist- Mina's joint by Keisha Ervin
13.A book that is also a stage play or musical-
14.A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you-
15.A book about feminism- Sisters of APF 2: Head Bangerz by Zane
16.A book about mental health- When Somebody loves you back by Mary B. Morrison (postpartum depression)
17.A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift- Victoria's secret by Jason Poole (gift) He's just a friend by Mary B. Morrison (borrowed)
18.A book by two authors- Carter Diamond Part 2 by Ashley & Jaquavis
19.A book about or involving a sport-Nothing has ever felt like this by Mary B. Morrison
20.A book by a local author- Heist2 by KiKi Swinson
21.A book with your favorite color in the title- The bluest eye by Toni Morrison
22.A book with alliteration in the title- Debbie doesn't do it anymore by Walter Mosley
23.A book about time travel-
24.A book with a weather element in the title- Harlem heat by Mark Anthony
25.A book set at sea- The Dune by Stephen King
26.A book with an animal in the title- Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones
27.A book set on a different planet- Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
28.A book with song lyrics in the title- I don't wanna be right Alisha Yvonne
29.A book about or set on Halloween-You got a rock, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz
30.A book with characters who are twins-Dirty Money by Ashley & Jaquavis
31.A book mentioned in another book-
32.A book from a celebrity book club- No one is coming to save us by Stephanie Powell Watts from Sarah Jessica Parker's book club
33.A childhood classic you've never read-The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis
34.A book that's published in 2018- Mina's joint 2 by Keshia Ervin
35.A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner-The hate u give by Angie Thomas
36.A book set in the decade you were born- Carter Diamond Part 1 by Ashley & Jaquavis
37.A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn't get to- The First Lady by Carl Weber
38.A book with an ugly cover- Fright Time #1 by Rochelle Larkin (Editor), Elaine A. Kule (Contributor), Terry Patrick (Contributor), Jane Ehlers (Contributor)
39.A book that involves a bookstore or library- Ethic II by Ashley Antoinette
40.Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges:
A book published in 2017- Man on the run by Carl Weber, A book with the title of the characters name- Darius Jones by Mary B. Morrison, A book by female author - Never again once more by Mary B. Morrison, A book set in 2 time periods- Love by Night: A Black Vampire Story by Stina, A book by a person of color- Reckless by Keisha Ervin, A book that's a story within a story- Reckless 2 by Keisha Ervin, A book of letters- An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, A book involving a love triangle- Lovin you is Wrong by Alisha Yvonne, A book with bad reviews- Return to Flint by Treasure Hernandez, A book where the main character is a different ethnicity than you- Heaven's Fury by Meta Smith, A classic romance- Ethic III by Ashley Antoinette, A book with more than 500 pages- The Choir Director Large Print Edition by Carl Weber,
Advanced Reading Challenge
1.A bestseller from the year you graduated high school-
2.A cyberpunk book-UR by Stephen King
3.A book that was being read by a stranger in a public
4.A book tied to your ancestry
5.A book with a fruit or vegetable in the title
6.An allegory
7.A book by an author with the same first or last name as you
8.A microhistory
9.A book about a problem facing society today- The Mothers by Brit Bennett (abortion)
10.A book recommended by someone else
taking the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge-
Finished only 24 of 50. I will not list them as the list is just too long. I did have some that I knew I would not do, even from week 1, but others I planned to read and just did not get to. I also had a goal of reading 52 books and I only read 40. Making plans for 2019, much more excited about the list this year, and hoping I'll have more success.
Well, I didn’t finish. It turns out that adding the Goodreads Summer Challenge was the challenge that broke the camel’s back. And since I originally tried to finish it off in the summer, it was all I read for over those three months. Oops. Nordic noir
Play/musical
Local author
Celebrity book club
Cyberpunk
Ancestry
Fruit/veggie
First-last name same
Microhistory
Those are the ones I didn’t get to. None of them are things I’m actively avoiding.
Last year was my first year reading to a challenge list and I decided as I went to try and slot things into the past year’s lists just as I go. So the unfinished from this year will just become the first list I check when I read something that won’t fit into any 2019 lists. And I’m only 4 away from finishing up 2015, so yay!
You guys are awesome! I truly hope you each found the experience to be a blessing for your reading life regardless of the numbers outcome. Reading should be, first and foremost, about pleasure, learning, growing and just plain enjoying. The numbers are secondary.
I was soooo close with only 35. A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner to go. I started Into the Water by Paula Hawkins for it but didn't get it finished in time! 😞
I think anyone who finished all but one should consider themselves a finisher! That's a great accomplishment!
I finished the main challenged but have four of the advanced prompts left (cyberpunk, read by stranger in public place, fruit or vegetable and recommended by someone else doing the challenge). I’m going to try and tick these off this year using books for the 2019 challenge that somehow match the prompts. Is anyone else doing that?
I knew I would not finish once I decided to take my certification test for my job, because from June through mid-December I was spending a lot of time reviewing information for that. All paid off though, because my coworker/study buddy and I both passed, and that was far more important than finishing the reading challenge. Plus, I like to read whatever I'm in the mood for, and of the 66 books I read in 2018, 33 didn't fit one of the prompts (2 were books I started for 2017's challenge but didn't finish until 2018). I did get 31 of the prompts completed, 32 if books can count for more than 1, since all of the books I read that were recommended by other Goodreads users were ones I'd assigned other prompts. Some were a bit of a stretch as I tried matching books I read to prompts, but other prompts I knew there was no chance of getting.2 of the prompts ('LGBTQ protagonist' and 'Book mentioned in another book') will be fulfilled in 2019 by books I started in 2018 but didn't finish. So my goal for 2019 will be to get more than 33 of those prompts ticked off.
This was my first year to do this particular challenge and I came up 4 prompts short! I didn’t quit though and finally finished the last one today. I’ve already started the 2019 since I do a mixture of audio, kindle, and kindle app on my phone. I attained 2 certifications at work this year and all that studying hindered my fun reading so hopefully I will finish by 12/31 this year!
I didn't finish - I read 101 books in 2018 but only ticked 41/52 off of my Popsugar list. Still, I REALLY enjoyed doing it. And if I hadn't read three books set at Halloween instead of just one, I might have done a bit better, hahaha! This year I hope to finish it - I've planned out already what I'll read from every category so I'm 100% prepared rather than trying to retro-fit into categories. And it feels really nice, actually, to have this massive list of books to read. It's got me all excited!
Forgive me if this is annoying, but here's my full 2018 list:
January
A book set on a different planet - Spellsinger by Sebastien de Castel
The next book in a series you started - One Dark Throne by Kendall Blake
A book about death or grief - My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga
A book set in a country that fascinates you - Kids Like Us by Hilary Reyl
A book with characters who are twins - The Twins by Saskia Sarginson
February
A book by a local author - Hero at the Fall by Alwyn Hamilton (we're in the same book group and I don't think you can get more local than that!)
A book by two authors - Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
A childhood classic you’ve never read - Five Children and It by E Nesbit
March
A book that’s published in 2018 - Whistle in the Dark by Emma Healey
A book with an ugly cover - Run Program by Scott Meyer
Nordic Noir - The Darkness by Ragnar Jonasson
A book mentioned in another book - Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
April
A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn’t get to - Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
A book by an author of different ethnicity - Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
May
A book with an animal in the title - The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
A microhistory - The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal
June
A novel based on a real person - Lillian BoxfishTakes A Walk
A book with song lyrics in the title - Our House by Louise Candlish
A book that was being read by a stranger in a public place - Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
A book about time travel - 11/22/63 by Stephen King
A cyberpunk book - Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
July
A book that involves a bookstore or library - The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon
A book made into a movie you’ve already seen - Simon vs the Home Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
A book about mental health - Tin Man by Sarah Winman
A past GoodReads Choice Awards winner - Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
A book from a celebrity book club - Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
August
A bestseller from the year you graduated high school - Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
A book recommend by someone else taking this reading challenge - The Cider House Rules by John Irving
A book with alliteration in the title - The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
A book with your favourite colour in the title - Yellow Cake by Margo Lanagan
September
A book involving a heist - Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
A book about a villain or antihero - The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist - The Wicked Cometh by Laura Carlin`
A book about or involving a sport - The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
October
A book about a problem facing society today - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
True Crime - I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
A book about or set on Halloween - Slade House by David Mitchell
A book with a time of day in the title - 4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie
A book borrowed or given as a gift - The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
None in November, whoops!
December
Your favourite old prompt - A book set at Christmas - My True Love Gave To me edited by Stephanie Perkins
A book set in the decade you were born - The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Circe (other topics)Inheritance from Mother (other topics)
Six of Crows (other topics)
Friday Night Lights (other topics)
It (other topics)
More...
I had two goals this year: to read 170 books and to do the Popsugar Challenge. For the first time in years I’m going to miss my volume goal, but I blame that on the Popsugar Challenge🤣🤣.
In the past, I have exceeded 170 books (by a lot!), no problem, but there were three Popsugar Prompts (cyborgs being my most frustrating nemesis) that wasted SO much of my time and turned me off to reading for an extended period of time. The result is this: I’m feeling like a loser —ridiculous since I will probably read 155+ books before 2019, I know—and bummed out.
I just put the 2019 Challenge into a spreadsheet and am optimistic that I’ll do better next year. None of the prompts turn me off. Fingers crossed that I’ll do better this time