Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2019 Weekly Checkins
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Week 21: 5/16 - 5/23
I finished the challenge this week - yay! When I updated my list on the thread (that I made in December) I realized that I deviated quite a bit from my original plan. I think less than a third of my books were the original picks for each prompt. That was mainly due to the books clubs I'm in (six or seven now, oops) and the Tournament of Books moved those ones as priorities, and I was able to make most of them fit into prompts. This week I finished Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage for the final prompt I needed to fill. I listened to There Will Be No Miracles Here: A Memoir, and the writing was impressive. I think I'll read the hard copy version I have next year to revisit his story and the beautiful way he shares it. Not an easy read though.
I'm currently reading Until We Reckon: Violence, Mass Incarceration, and a Road to Repair and How to Read Literature Like a Professor on kindle, and Doctor Zhivago on audio.
QOTW: For some reason the two things that come to mind first are actually the movie adaptations of books - I read Thirteen Reasons Why and didn't have much of an issue with the book, but the show completely destroyed me. Both seasons. They really hit those hard subjects HARD. Yikes.
I was also pretty messed up after watching the movie from Gerald's Game. I've read some Stephen King that worked for me (On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft being my favorite) but after watching that movie I will never read "Gerald's Game."
As for books, sometimes the sexual violence scenes get to me, but I also don't do well with books that include scenes with dogs being killed. Not that it's a personal experience trigger, but I still have strong reactions to those, even if it's small parts of the books.
Does anyone else feel like they read slower when they are bouncing between multiple books? I typically stick to one at a time but sometimes I read one fiction and one nonfiction, as I did this week. And I only finished one of the two.Finished
The Salt Roads - For prompt #22, "salty" in the title. I have read a book of Nalo Hopkinson's short stories before and enjoyed those more. This book jumps all over the place between characters and time. While I ultimately ended up liking it, it took getting through 75% of the book for it to really start coming together for me.
I'm at 23/50 for the challenge.
Currently Reading
Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger - Not for the challenge. So far this book has exceeded my expectations. I'm a little more than halfway through and have been pleasantly surprised at the way the author pieces together history, interviews with women leaders, and current events to paint a full and nuanced picture.
Priestdaddy: A Memoir - This is next up once I finish Good and Mad, for #11 a book with an accessory on the cover.
Question of the Week
I definitely read some challenging books in high school and even before then, although I can't really recall what was assigned versus what I picked up on my own. I was typically reading above grade level. There are a lot of "classics" that depict violence against Black people, hate speech, sexual assault, abuse, etc. that could be difficult for some readers.
I think a warning is a fair request for those who want to be emotionally prepared for what they're getting into or avoid books that would overwhelm them. But I definitely don't think the answer is that schools should avoid books with difficult content. I think literature is one of the ways we can process and think about these difficult social issues.
Still in my reading slump which is likely to continue since they just dissolved my entire department (I'm retained for now) at the university. Too depressed to deal.I did manage to read two things, one for the challenge.
for A book about a family I read By Fire Above
by Robyn Bennis which I enjoy but you must read book one for this to make sense. Also this was bending the prompt a bit but not entirely breaking it. I could care less about reading about families but at the heart of this military steampunk were the two main characters and the conflicts with their familes plus the found family of their airship so it fits and was interesting to me.
and for fun I read Witch Hat Atelier Vol. 1 by Kamome Shirahama which in a way is about family too.
QOTW they didn't exist then
Hi Everyone!Still slogging through lots of home improvements, but getting plenty read.
This week I finished:
Onyx and Ivory - finally finished the audio for this. I liked it fine, but i think i'd have liked it better reading. It was such a long audio book, I got tired of listening to it. I tend to skim through parts that I find less interesting when I read, harder to do that with audio.
Persuasion - book published posthumously, as well as book published before 1950 for ATY. I am not really a Jane Austen fan but was looking for something my library had digitally without a wait list I hadn't already read. I liked it better than the other Austen I read, but it was still just ok for me.
Jane, Unlimited - counting this as my choose your own adventure even though it's a bit of a stretch. From the author note at the end, she said she started trying to write it as a choose your own adventure, but as the book evolved, it wanted to be a book that was read straight through. However it does involve the narrator coming to a point where she has five options, and ventures down each path. It did feel a lot like reading a choose your own adventure where you do all the paths back to back. However the main difference, aside from the lack of choice, was each one sort of nodded towards the previous paths indicating how things were changing because Jane was in a different place each time around. They also got increasingly fantastical as each one progressed. It went from a kind of weird general fiction book to outright scifi/fantasy, which I thought was kind of neat. I decided to count it because I really enjoyed it, while I really hated my original choice that was a proper choose your own adventure. I wouldn't have read this book if not for thinking it was choose your own adventure, so it still served the purpose of making me read things I woudn't have found otherwise. I don't see the point of trying to find another book that fits the prompt better that I might not like at all. I'm also counting this for ATY's prompt that was a polarizing/close call choice, for Portal/dimensional fiction.
Currently reading:
How Long 'til Black Future Month? - book with a question in the title. I really enjoy NK Jenson's writing, although short story books are always hit and miss for me. I rarely love all the stories, but it should still be interesting overall.
QOTW:
I don't know if I can really answer the question. I don't have the kind of trauma in my past that would make a content warning necessary. I accept that some people do need them, that it can be very damaging if they don't have the proper preparation before being exposed to a trigger, I just don't know the best way to handle it as a whole, or what books would fall under "should have a warning".
Juanita wrote: "You guys! I read two books this week! It's a reading miracle. :)Technically, I finished two books because I started Becoming by Michelle Obama in November and did..."
I used it for the challenge this year and put used it for a book about family. I thought it was a nice pick for that category.
Jennifer W wrote: "Raquel wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: ". I'm not a fan. I worry it's a step away from ratings on books (PG, R etc) and/or censorship. I thin if there's going to be a warning, it should be in the form of..."For one thing, I guess it depends on how you define censorship. To me, it's completely fair for a school to decide that a specific book is not helpful or appropriate for a certain age level in general, but it doesn't seem like true censorship if the student could still access that book on their own, outside of the school system.
The main thing though, is that in an ideal situation I think the parents would be overseeing the child's reading life and suggesting books that would be helpful and appropriate to the sensitivities of that specific child. I realize there are a lot of not ideal parents out there, so it's not an across the board solution.
The thing is, any general solution is NOT going to be helpful to everyone. Whether no content warnings at all, or content warnings that could slide into restrictions--no one solution is going to be best for everyone. The only 'best' is to have someone, whether parent or teacher or other mentor figure who knows the child well enough to make specific suggestions.
I guess I lean toward protecting children (to an age appropriate level) being the general rule, and then making exceptions for the individuals who have a higher tolerance, as otherwise, the most sensitive and traumatized people end up suffering.
Happy Thursday All!It's a pretty warm day today in Northern Indiana. We actually finally changed over our office HVAC system to the AC this afternoon. It's nice that it's actually starting to feel like summer.
I did pretty well earlier this week and slacked off a bit towards the end.
Finished:
The Hunting Party for a book that's published in 2019. I enjoyed this read. A mystery thriller shouldn't make me want to go to the place the book took place but now more than ever I want to go to the Highlands of Scotland.
The Bride Test for a book told from multiple POVs. I loved Helen Hoang's first book and I loved the second one. And I honestly cannot wait for the third (which will be about Quan!) It's such a fun, light read. I started it late Saturday night and finished it Sunday.
Currently Reading:
Severance for a debut novel. I'm not that far into it, so I can't really judge it yet. I've been too busy every night this week to really dig in and have only read about 20 pages during lunch at work. I'm hoping to get a bit read tonight and finish up the rest this weekend.
QOTW:
I don't think any of the books I read in high school needed a trigger warning but I wasn't really thinking about things like that back than.
I think they are a good idea and I've found that I can avoid them if I want and they don't really spoil anything for me if I do read them.
I finished 7 books this week, including 2 for PS.Books finished:
Ready Player One - I read this for LitPRG prompt. This is a prompt I had not wanted to read, but the book was at least better than I had expected.
The Beautiful and Damned - used for inspired a common phrase of idiom. It was ok, but it is not a book I’ll ever read again.
The Pianist: The Extraordinary Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939–45 - used for ATY. I’d owned this book for a few years but not got around to reading it.
The Nightingale - used for RW, picked because of the cover. I loved this book and it’s a time period and plot I’ve read quite a lot recently.
Becoming - I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t think it was amazing like quite a few reviews seem to do.
Between Shades of Gray - a really enjoyable YA novel telling a story that is often neglected from ww2
Mr. Churchill's Secretary - 1st book in a series. I’ll definitely continue with this series when I have completed my challenges.
Currently Reading:
I have 17 books out from the library, so I’m trying to read them in the order they are due back. Solar is up next for the cli-fi prompt.
QOTW:
I don’t remember reading any books that would have needed trigger warnings.
Lisa wrote: "I used the prompt of a book from the 2018 goodreads awards."Thanks! I'm reading in order and that looks a long way down but good to keep in mind :)
Lynn wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Hi all. Weather has finally turned to spring here (at least for a couple of days). I am still at 54/56 for this years challenge- waiting for summer and fall to finish my last 2 books. ..."That’s the prompt I used it for. It was originally written in Spanish and translated.
READI finally check in after months & it happens to be the week where I read a bunch of children’s books. I am don’t usually finish this many books in one week.
Inspired by AAPI heritage month and the Read Harder prompt about folklore, I read a several kids books about Monkey King last weekend. I can see why he has a following.
The Monkey King: A Classic Chinese Tale for Children
The Monkey King: A Superhero Tale of China, Retold from the Journey to the West
Monkey King
The Magical Monkey King: Mischief in Heaven
The Monkey King (actually a different Monkey King, but still interesting
The Night Tiger – #12: myth - I really liked this & I am in for whatever Yangze Choo writes next
Anna Dressed in Blood – #36: ghost story - I wasn’t sure I was going to like this as horror isn’t my favorite genre & I wasn’t wild about the audiobook narrator. But I got sucked in…maybe if was because there was a black cat named Tybalt. (I had a little black kitten named Tybalt.)
My So-Called Bollywood Life – #25: debut - Very cute YA tale with lots of references & reviews of Bollywood movies. It has me in the mood to watch some Bollywood.
Pop Sugar 20/42 (& 3/10 extended) -- Read Harder 14/24 – AtY 26/52
CURRENTLY READING
Warcross – switching between audio book & actual book
Things I Learned From Knitting – reading a chapter here and there. It’s helping me get my knitting mojo back.
QotW
I am lucky enough to not be super sensitive to things that need trigger warnings. Though I do find myself gravitating to fluffier books when I don’t feel so great. There is no particular book I can think of that needed a trigger warning in school. That said, for many of the books I read with difficult themes, I went in aware that there were difficult themes.
Somewhat related to trigger warnings... Working at a high school, I got hear students talk about an independent study they did on literary criticism. They talked about problematic content in children’s books. They recently re-read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and noticed, among other things, the colonial issues with the Oompa Loompas. I totally missed that as a grade schooler!
I finally have some books to report for PS. Hurray!I read How Not to Die Alone (published 2019). This was a lovely and very sweet book. I didn’t realize when I picked it up that it was set in the U.K. which gave me nostalgia (beans on toast etc) for when I lived over there a while many years ago. 3 stars.
I also read The Emperor's Handbook (recommended by celeb). My interest in philosophy is on very general level so this probably wasn’t the best choice for me. Even though it was short it was a bit more than I needed to know about stoicism or was interested in. 2 stars
Not for this challenge-
Relief Map
QOTW- I can’t think of any books that I encountered in high school that needed any trigger warnings.
Finished:Heidi for childhood classic I never read for some other challenges, not Popsugar. I listened to the audiobook. Charming and heartwarming and just made me happy.
The Prince The polar opposite of Heidi. I listened to the audiobook, and I think I took in about 10% of it. Not because it was difficult, I just didn't care. Oh well, now I can say I read it.
Eleanor & Park A lot of serious stuff in this book, I was just expecting a teen romance. I liked it.
The Night Tiger This was really good.
Currently reading:
The Bride Test
Carpentaria
New and Selected Poems, Volume One
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl for book by a musician
QOTW:
There was no such thing as trigger warnings when I was in school. I don't think anything we read required any, but I am not the best person to judge.
Happy Thursday all! I read 4 books this week, 1 for the challenge which brings me to 44/50.Finished:
Knife's Edge- Satisfactory conclusion to this children's historical adventure on the high seas.
The Lost Colony- I continue to enjoy this re-read (well, listening this time).
The Time Paradox- I just want to adopt Artemis. I love watching my little baby grow up and grow a heart and a conscious. You've come so far since book 1, Arty.
Becoming Mrs. Lewis- (A book based on a true story) While I wasn't a fan of the writing style (it felt- I dunno- silted?) by the end I did get emotionally invested in this late- life and tragic romance between Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis. Now I want to watch the Anthony Hopkins movie on their romance.
Currently Reading:
Inkspell
Grey Sister
QOTW:
No, I can't remember any books I personally would have put a trigger warning on but I don't really have triggers- just subjects I might want to avoid but that's it.
I read things this week! Yay AAPI Month!Finished:
Front Desk - Once again I read a book expecting an unfamiliar story only to have it set where I grew up. One day I'll realize stories about Asian refugees and immigrants are likely to be set where I grew up, surrounded by Asian refugees and immigrants. *shakes head at myself*
The Night Diary - I find the Partition of India terribly sad. Words fail me on how to express that today, though.
I had planned to finish the book in my bag today, but there was a dude at the park blasting Kid Rock, so... I hightailed it out of there.
Currently Reading:
You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P! - Nearly done!
Good Evening fellow book enthusiasts! It has been a cold and rainy week here in the Twin Cities MN so am looking forward to the sun and warmer temperatures it looks like we'll be getting for the long Memorial Day Weekend!Books Completed:
Goodnight June- This book weaves together themes of sisterhood, forgiveness and discovering what you really want in life for a truly beautiful story involving a successful VP (June) at a prominent NY bank returning to her childhood home of Seattle to settle the affairs, including the children’s bookstore called Bluebird Books she has just inherited from her great aunt Ruby. While clearing out the store she discovers two secrets in a set of letters with one of them involving Margaret Wise Brown the author of the beloved classic Goodnight Moon. There are a few farfetched plot points but overall loved the letter friendship between Ruby and Margaret and how June’s heart and attitude change throughout the story.
Prompt: Night-oriented title (Booked Seasonal Challenge)
Prompt: A book with a title, subtitle or cover related to an astronomical term (ATY)
Prompt: A book by a journalist or about journalism (Read Harder)
Prompt: Read a book during the season it is set in- Spring (Popsugar)
The One and Only Ivan- This book is based on the true story of Ivan, a gorilla who for 27 years lived in a cage in a shopping mall. I have another book I want to use for the true story prompt for Popsugar so am not slotting this in but found this to be a moving story with vivid animal and human characters that is ultimately a story of friendship and hope while dealing with the serious subject of animal treatment in captivity.
Prompt: A book that was nominated for or won an award in a genre you enjoy (AY)
Prompt: A book in which an animal or inanimate object is a point-of-view character (Read Harder)
Currently Reading:
Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon
The Personality Brokers: The Strange History of Myers-Briggs and the Birth of Personality Testing
Raquel wrote: "The thing is, any general solution is NOT going to be helpful to everyone. Whether no content warnings at all, or content warnings that could slide into restrictions--no one solution is going to be best for everyone...."This is very true. I didn't go to a school that was the censoring type, we were encouraged to read whatever we liked, just as long as we were reading! So I don't tend to think about schools doing that when it comes to trigger warnings... I see them more used for adults who have experienced a trauma and would like to avoid it in their leisure reading.
Ideally for schools, people surrounding the children should have an idea of what they are reading and what they have gone through, and give those children a choice. I definitely don't think books should be blanket removed because of difficult subjects, but I also wouldn't want a child to sit through a class discussion of a subject that causes them true distress.
Regarding learning about difficult subjects, you can do that without them ambushing you in a story. I don't think anyone is suggesting we don't learn about such things.
Mod
If people have not been through trauma, then they don’t need trigger warnings. But you can’t tell who might need them, trauma usually does not physically mark you.
Happy Friday! I was so busy at work yesterday that I didn't get a chance to post. Finished:
The Last Thing She Remembers - not for the challenge. I got this from NetGalley and was confused most of the book. It started off strong, but too many characters were introduced in too many countries and I was like "huh" most of the book.
Wonder Woman: Warbringer - I read this for prompt #18 - a book about someone with a superpower. This is not my typical genre so it really wasn't for me, but people who like reading superhero books would probably really like it.
Challenge Progress:
Regular Challenge - 28/40
Advanced Challenge - 5/10
Currently Reading:
The Clockmaker's Daughter slow and steady on this one! I hope to get some reading done this weekend to finish it, but we're expecting nice weather so we shall see. This is for prompt #36 - a ghost story.
Keep You Close not for the challenge. I got an ARC from NetGalley and just started this yesterday so no opinion yet.
The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line I just started listening to this this morning. I loved the series and the movie so I'm using this for prompt #2 - a book that makes you nostalgic.
QOTW - Is there a book you read in high school or your children have read in high school which you think should have had a trigger warning?
Nothing is really coming to mind, but we didn't have trigger warnings when I was in high school.
Mod
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing for ATY and PS15."
Can I ask which ATY prompt you used this one for? I have a copy from the library and was trying to figure out if I could use it for ..."
I think it could work for the following ATY prompts: #1 (Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fiction & Debut Author 2018), #4 (PP/Jen Putnam, "Defenders"), #7 or #8 (Science Fiction/Fantasy), #9 (Science Fiction/Fantasy), #17 (Science Fiction), #24 (Carl), #41 (Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fiction & Debut Author 2018), #42 (PP & Jen Putnam), #42 (social science), #50 (spiritual, sexual), #52
Heather wrote: "Shannon, your answer to the QOTW is beautiful and brave. Thank you for sharing that. It wasn't rambling at all and it makes perfect sense. My own feelings about trigger warnings are so complex and wrapped up in own psychological abuse (side effect: feeling like your opinion is always wrong and invalid) that I was really struggling to find the "right" words. "I appreciate the vote of confidence! It's hard to bring up such things to strangers online, especially because it's so easy to judge somebody for being highly sensitive or even for having triggers.
I do want to add that I don't regret any of the reads from high school, just because they were mostly on important topics and I think it was good for me to learn fairly early what I enjoyed/could handle and what I couldn't. If it weren't for it being assigned, I would have avoided The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as being "too scary," but we had to read it for class and I LOVED it. I've read it several times now. The only reason I skipped reading Lord of the Flies was because both my siblings had talked so much about it when they read it that I already knew enough to get through the assignments without actually reading it. And I don't regret skipping it (I had terrible nightmares from when I was in elementary school and my sister talked about the book--she never had trouble with violent stories).
I don't necessarily avoid books with tough topics, but I do like to know it's going to be heavy. And, of course, I just avoid horror, but I don't feel like reading horror is necessary to understand the world.
Since I am a person who can be "triggered," I guess my two cents are that I in no way think these things should be censored (book censorship is NOT okay), but I do think there can be a certain delicacy of approach or mindfulness when asking students to read things. Most of the time, high school books are assigned to help kids understand the world as well as the art of literature, so the triggering subjects are for a purpose. Now if it's something where rape, incest, abuse, etc. are just there for a shock value? That's different. But those are also not the type of things that get assigned (in my experience).
I was lucky enough to have parents who did pay attention to what I read and watched (when your mom is the town librarian, she's always going to know), and they did a good job discussing things with me that might be difficult or suggesting I hold off on reading a book until I was older. They also accepted me when I was too disturbed by something instead of telling me to just grow up and deal with it. And that's what it all comes down to: having somebody to actually parent the kid and help them through if something is difficult.
As an adult, I don't mind the idea of trigger warnings. But I do understand not wanting a huge part of the plot to be revealed. I like the idea of them being there, but in a way that can be avoided by those who aren't worried about triggers.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk haha!
Happy Friday all!I have spent the week in Indiana house and dog sitting plus watching my 7-year-old nephew for my sister who is lucky enough to be on a trip to Europe. It's a big change for this single, no-kids auntie to be watching a kid all week but I've been having a blast.
Books I finished this week:
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren for prompt #34, a book that includes a wedding. I adored this contemporary "hate-to-love" romance. The back and forth between the main characters had me laughing out loud multiple times.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern for prompt #39, a book revolving around a puzzle or game. Magical and beautifully written.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry for prompt #14, a book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie (seen in Fear of the Walking Dead). This I read to my nephew each night before he went to sleep. Was a nice bonding experience for the both of us.
The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy for prompt #4, a book you think should be turned into a movie. This in fact was optioned for a movie starring Kerry Washington. It's a good page turner with lots of secrets that get uncovered which reminded me of Big Little Lies.
Currently reading The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth for prompt #19, a book told from multiple character points of view. Enjoying it so far and excited for what twists will turn up.
Question of the Week
Is there a book you read in high school or your children have read in high school which you think should have had a trigger warning? No I never read an assigned book for school and felt it should have had a trigger warning.
I am someone who does get triggered by certain things. Especially abandonment issues and when animals get hurt and or are abandoned. I don't deal with neglect very well. However it's a common theme in many books and sometimes I find the journey of the neglected person to be very healing as I read through their successes. Animal abuse I just can't tolerate at all though.
poshpenny wrote: "I read things this week! Yay AAPI Month!Finished:
Front Desk - Once again I read a book expecting an unfamiliar story only to have it set where I grew up. One day I'll realize sto..."
Poshpenny, are you in Nebraska reading for the Golden Sower? I literally just read every one of these books for that committee.
Hi everyone!I finished 2 books this week and both are for the challenge (yea!), so I'm now 26/50. I feel like I'm behind but I keep reminding myself that I still have plenty of time. I have this next week off and my library's Summer Reading Program starts so hopefully I can finish a few books for the next check-in.
Finished reading:
The Ice-Cream Makers by Ernest van der Kwast for a book about a family.
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by A.J. Hartley for a retelling of a classic.
Currently reading:
The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory...I'll use it for a book that includes a wedding.
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo...I might use it for a book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature unless I find a prompt from a previous year.
QOTW: There aren't any books that I can think of.
Thinking more about the QOTW, I do kind of feel that it's up to an individual to self-advocate should they be a person who needs a trigger warning. If a student has a food allergy, it's reasonable to ask a school to accommodate it by providing nutritional information to look out for it or food options that are allergen free. But that school isn't going to have their lunch people telling every single person who comes in line "this contains gluten". So I think it's reasonable for someone to go to a teacher and say "I don't want to go into why, but could you please let me know if any of our assigned reading is going to mention ___________" . And then if it comes up, the teacher can let that student know privately that the next selection may cause an issue, and the student can do what they need to do to complete the assignment.
I do realize I'm thinking of this in terms of someone who hasn't had that kind of trauma, so it's possible that in itself could be a problem? but maybe a parent or other person in the know could help advocate?
Mod
Great! Thanks!
Hello everyone. Vegas is being particularly wonky in the wx dept. It's in the 60's, which is preferable to 115 but the constant shifting gets me sick. Literally. Just make up your mind. I am behind in my checking in and reading in general. I have been working on enrolling in the summer semester for college. I am super excited to go back to school! It has been my priority though. Ok let's get to the good stuff.
19/40 Regular
4/10 Advanced
Finished:
Not for the challenge. Very meh
All for ATY Picture Book Challenge, got behind.
Currently Reading:
DNF
Question of the Week
(From Jen) Is there a book you read in high school or your children have read in high school which you think should have had a trigger warning?
I agree with a lot of the comments of concern that schools or parents would use trigger warnings as a reason to ban books. Censorship does make me weary. However I feel like people need to be aware of situations in the case of triggers. Like extreme situations. Graphic things. I agree with disturbing content just being something that will create censorship. Too answer the question, the only book I can think of that may have been triggering that I read in high school (that I recall) was Hiroshima.
Hiiiiii friends. Late check-in because I didn't know what day of the week it was yesterday (we've all been there, I think). This is the first week in like three weeks that I've actually finished a challenge book, so life is exciting! Challenge book:
The Power (audio) for a book about someone with a superpower. Really detested this, first book I've given one star to all year I think. None of the characters were engaging at all, the plot barely made sense, and present tense was the killing blow for me. The concept of women suddenly developing electrical superpowers is amazing, but what is the point of shaking up the power structures of society and putting women in charge of everything only to say, "Look, the world would be even WORSE than it is today!!" That's just pessimistic and sad.
Non-challenge books:
When Katie Met Cassidy: didn't like this either. Katie's 28, living in NYC, and has seemingly never heard of lesbians? Absurd.
Influencer: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Media: I didn't doubt that being an influencer is actual work, but wow is it a lot. Good tips for running your social media, but I'd never want this as my actual job.
Picnic at Hanging Rock: I read this because I loved the miniseries, but found it a little hard to get into. Still good, but takes some concentration.
Oranges are Not the Only Fruit: I just read Educated and The Glass Castle and I think I'm officially burnt out on books about super religious upbringings. I liked this well enough but confess I skipped over the myth bits, because they were boring.
Currently reading:
The Secrets of Drearcliff Grange School (book you meant to read in 2018)
Ready Player One (litRPG book)
Speaking from Among the Bones (on audio)
The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
QOTW: I don't recall being assigned anything that ever fazed me in school, but when I was 13 or 14 I really liked musicals and saw the touring production of Wicked, so I decided to read Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, and that was uh....very scarring and not okay. I kind of wish someone had warned me about that, but knowing me I probably wouldn't have listened.
Mod
I was totally on it again this past weekend! I read a total of 724 pages for the Bookworm Bitches Readathon for the third weekend of May! Yay! And I had extra reading time throughout the week and read another 400 pages Monday-Friday!
Current status on challenges: Popsugar—31/50, ATY—47/52, Reading Women—9/26, RHC—6/24
I am so anxious to see how much I can satisfy all these prompts in just one year! I have now read 34 books for 2019 and hope to finish out the year averaging at least one book per week with at least a total of 52 books read. So far, so good!
Completed:
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. I was a bit put-off during the first 1/3-1/2 of this book. Was I supposed to like/appreciate this 12-year-old multimillionaire criminal mastermind? But, the ending saved it for me and now I will at least read another couple of books in this series to determine my full opinion about the series. Mainly to decide if I feel it’s worth sending to the grandkids or not… *5/5 stars* Popsugar: NEW #1, #4, #9, #18-Captain Holly Short and all fairies have magic, #27-fairies, trolls, etc., #30-Artemis, #31, #37, #40.
ATY: #1-Garden State Book Award for Fiction (Grades 6-8) 2004, Massachusetts Children Book Award 2003, Blue Hen Book Award for Chapter Book 2003, Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee 2002, Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader’s Choice Award for Intermediate 2004, #4-Artemis and his cronies, #7 or #8-Science Fiction/Fantasy, #9-Science Fiction/Fantasy, #17-Fantasy, #19, #23, #24-a wish, #25-the book, #33, #34, #39, #40, #50, #52.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. This book! I loved it. I have read several books dealing with Japanese occupation (The Piano Teacher and Elephant Run are two I remember), but none dealing with Korean immigrants to Japan. This was so vivid and informative but in a very readable story that flows. I love Lee’s attention to detail, creating a very real feeling of place and well-drawn characters.
Popsugar: #9, #31, NEW #32, #34, #39-Pachinko, #40 (author of different ethnicity from me).
ATY: #1-National Book Award Finalist for Fiction 2017, Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Historical Fiction 2017, International DUBLIN Literary Award Nominee 2019, Litsy Award for Historical Fiction 2017, #4-Hansu, #7 or #8-Historical Fiction, Political/Social Oppression, LGBTQ, #19, #20, #23-the game Pachinko, war/occupation, immigration, #23-the game Pachinko, war/occupation, immigration, political/social oppression, #24-Japan, new culture, #30-Yangjin, Hansu, #32, #39, #42-Hansu, NEW #45, #48-National Book Award Finalist for Fiction 2017, NEW #49-Korea, Japan, Lee emigrated to US from Korea at age 7 with her family, #50-physical, interpersonal, #52.
Reading Women: NEW #6, #20.
Currently reading:
Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede & Carline Stevermer. A very simple writing style that I wasn’t expecting. Goodreads classifies this as YA and due to themes I guess that is correct—all about gossip regarding couples, etc., but I feel as if it is written at a juvenile level. I am about 60 % done and wondering how I’ll feel by the end of the book. Hope to finish it yet this evening. I love epistolary novels!
Soul on Ice by Eldridge Cleaver. This is a reread from about 50 years ago. I initially read this when I was 14. And yes, I was so inexperienced and oblivious I missed much of what Cleaver was saying…but not now. He is so intellectual! I really appreciate his writing and ruminations. A very different mindset from mine at 14 years of age as a “white” person born and raised in rural redneck Indiana. That is why I so appreciate others writing of their own experiences, thoughts, and beliefs! I endeavor to expand my own understanding of the world and others. I’m about halfway through this and should finish this weekend.
Up next on my “reading schedule”:
This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel. I just received my copy from Better World Books so will read it over this long weekend just in time to participate in the Popsugar May discussion.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. I have NEVER read this book and hope to complete it this weekend so I can participate in the Bookworm Bitches May discussion of it.
Then A Separation by Katie Kitamura for the Literary Wives June review posting.
And finally, for the campus book club, Becoming by Michelle Obama, which I have been dying to read!
Question of the Week
(From Jen) Is there a book you read in high school or your children have read in high school which you think should have had a trigger warning?
I agree that trigger warnings should be made available for those who wish to see them. However, with that said, it seems you would need to research a book to death before deciding if you could read it or not, and I much prefer reading without researching much. That said, I have had books shock me, but with things that don’t bother most people. I’m not sure you can ever be certain something you read won’t surprise and shock or traumatize you.
I don’t recall reading much in high school that might have required trigger warnings, but as most have stated here, that was in the “dark ages” before the existence of “triggers” or “trigger warnings” and most reading assignments were directly from textbooks, I don’t recall any novels being assigned. (Sad…) Plus this was in the rural Midwestern U.S., so VERY conservative where I doubt any teacher would have dared assign anything the least bit controversial. But this was also prior to Young Adult literature being a thing, so once I pretty much exhausted my library’s juvenile/children’s book holdings, I launched into westerns and other “adult” reading material, including Agatha Christie mysteries, Katherine Porter’s Ship of Fools, George Orwell's Animal Farm, Eldridge Cleaver’s Soul on Ice, and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyin’s Cancer Ward, The First Circle, The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956: An Experiment in Literary Investigation, Books I-II, and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, as well as other “classics.” To say I was reading way beyond my maturity level is a definite understatement. And…I cannot believe my mother didn’t censure my choices! I am certain she would have, if she had known what these books were. (She typically watched over me like a hawk. Fortunately she had to work full-time or she would have been one of the original “helicopter parents”!) I guess she figured if they were in the library, they were okay. :) I believe Solzhenitsyin’s books rather ruined me for the typical Holocaust novels I would read later in life Frankl’s Man's Search for Meaning, Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, etc. I read some of the most mind-blowing descriptions of death camp/gulag institutions when in my early teens! Now I can barely handle reading such torture, etc. (Ironic, huh?) The last book like that I read was An Untamed State by Roxane Gay and I only got through it because fortunately she concentrated the last third or so of the book on the woman’s recovery and challenges she faced in that process.
I worked at the Borders store in West Lafayette, Indiana, just off the Purdue University campus the last 4 ½ years the company was in existence, and I did my best to forewarn readers of books that I knew contained some scenes or language that might be offensive… Language was especially of concern since it was such a “conservative” area. Not sure you can always forewarn everyone so that each individual reader avoids any and all possible reminders of trauma, but you can at least try. BTW, I just noticed that I have another 6 Vonnegut’s novels on my TBR listing. I really dislike his writing style, so I may remove those and be satisfied with having read two of his books. :) I think I’ll call it done!
I've lost my reading mojo, and I'm now six books behind where I wanted to be by now. I'm trying to pick it back up again, but I feel as if I'm wading through tar most days...I can't remember when I last checked in. I think I've read two books since then. One of which was for PS so I'm now at 23/55 (18/45, 5/10).
The first book I read was Educated, by Tara Westover. Although at the surface this is the story is of a young woman escaping a survivalist background with no formal education to achieve a PhD at Cambridge, the education aspect wasn't what grabbed me with this book. You can tell from her writing that Tara is a naturally intelligent person, and if nothing else her pitiful "homeschooling" at least gave her the ability to read. Her educational journey is incredible, but with those two foundational components I wasn't shocked that she made it. It is the exploration of a family trapped in the stranglehold of one man's dangerous religious doctrine, and Tara's emancipation from that, which is the real meat of this book. As someone who has lived in a stable family with no childhood trauma, I think it is important to hear the stories of those who faced adversity in their upbringings. Tara's is an extreme story, but it has the hallmarks all levels of abuse and neglect share. Even being as openly eccentric as they were, no one in their community or extended family stood up for those children. We can't turn blind eyes once we know the warning signs. That Tara was able to craft a well-paced, insightfully written account of the injuries, bullying and lack of care for health or wellbeing that she and her siblings were subjected to makes this an important read.
My second book was for prompt #28 recommended by a celebrity you admire, because this GR list said it was part of the Between Two Books recommendations (the book club of Florence Welch, of Florence and the Machine). It was How to Breathe Underwater by Julie Orringer. Now that I've finished it, I actually don't see it on any of the book club stuff on the rest of the web...but I'm still counting it for the prompt because even if Florence hasn't recommended it, I'm sure she'd love it. This is probably the best short story collection I've ever read. Often with collections, even in good ones, there are some stories that don't meet the same standard as others. That isn't the case here. Every single story is strong, moving, well paced and with brilliant characters and plots. I'd be hard pushed to pick a favourite, because I was totally captivated by the melancholia and bittersweet beauty of the stories. The common thread through all of them is how Orringer so perfectly captures the pivot point in her female protagonists' lives from which nothing will be the same. From the burden of guilt of surviving a car crash in which her brother's girlfriend dies, to watching her terminally ill mother say goodbye to a lifelong unrequited love, to being harshly initiated into the world of sexuality, the girls in these stories are not spared the full force of life. But the telling is beautiful and almost gentle enough to soften the blow. I loved this collection.
QOTW - Is there a book you read in high school or your children have read in high school which you think should have had a trigger warning?
I'm going to say no. And that's not because I didn't read any books that didn't deal with hard stuff when I was younger, but just that from a personal point of view I didn't have any trauma in my life at that point where I could have been triggered. In later life, I have read books which could be classed as triggering, but for some reason I find it almost cathartic to explore those topics in books, in a way I couldn't do in, say, film. I do think that trigger warnings are very subjective and I'd be worried about the wrong sort of censors using that as a means to remove books from libraries and reading lists. I read books which dealt with adult themes (like Junk, and I even wrote my final English specialist study on Trainspotting), and those books pushed me out of my usual reading vein and are probably a big part of why I am the reader I am today.
Another week of 9 books and I'm 30/50 for the challenge so far.The City of Ember was a really fun reread. I do love the world that is created here.
An American Princess was another one of the free books for World Literature Day. It was okay, the person that the book was about was one of those people that rubbed elbows with the famous people you always hear about.
The People of Sparks the sequel to City of Ember, what happens after they leave the city.
The Prophet of Yonwood was originally going to be my Cli-Fi book for the prompt, but it was set several years before, so it didn't fit as nicely. It was still a good story.
The Diamond of Darkhold is the fourth book in the city of ember series, and the one I actually decided to use for Cli-Fi. I might just change it out later, but this still deals with living after a major climate disaster.
Artemis Fowl a reread that is like visiting an old friend. I'm excited to see the movie and hope that the changes made are ones I can live with and still enjoy the movie. (Also, I find it amusing that so many of us read it this week).
The Cruel Prince I borrowed this from the library and enjoyed it. I'm still debating on whether I want to read the next one or not. In any case, I decided to use this one for the accessory on the cover, as the crown had a lot to do with the book.
Accidental Thief meh, it was free and a Lit RPG book, but just meh.
Jane and Prudence was another good reread, and one set at a vicarage. This is also my 100th book of the year!
QotW: I was before trigger warnings too. Homeschooled, but I still read the hard books. It's weird, there were certain books that I just glossed over what I didn't understand. But then, I didn't need trigger warnings.
Anne wrote: "Poshpenny, are you in Nebraska reading for the Golden Sower? I literally just read every one of these books for that committee."Nope I'm in Oregon and just like middle grade books.
Happy Memorial Day weekend to those in the US, and happy regular weekend to those who aren't :) My plan is to grill out in the backyard every day, drink a few IPA's, and maybe even tune in to some of the Indy 500 coverage. I'm not real big on cars, but there's usually some moderately interesting people-watching. And if it distracts my husband so I can get some uninterrupted reading time... all the better!Not a great reading week, still in a slump. It's for good reasons though! My childhood friend's wedding shower was last weekend so I went up to Indy to hang out with her and our other friends. Saw a lot of people I haven't seen in a long time, and refreshingly, not much has changed. Then I stayed on through Monday to work out of my old office (I work for a different local branch now), meet some co-workers who've started since I left, and have lunch with the attorney I work for. My husband and I ended the day with guacamole and vegetarian tacos when we got home. Perfect weekend! Then yesterday, I got a new nephew! So it's been crazy around here, but it's all happy and positive stuff.
Read this week:
Pet Sematary - For the "2019 movie adaptation" prompt. For as much as I like Stephen King, I'd never read this one before, and decided to pick it up after my sister-in-law and I went to see the movie. It was fine--not his best, not his worst. I do wish I'd read the book first. Interestingly (since we're talking about trigger warnings,) I know a lot of people won't read this book or see the movie because of the (view spoiler). I know my sister-in-law was bothered by it. Now, I had no problem with that part, but couldn't watch when Louis tried to euthanize his cat! I had to come home and give both of my fur babies big hugs. I guess it goes to show how we all have different things that hit close to home.
Currently reading:
The House of Mirth - Still reading this one, I could probably finish it today but would like to continue to read it in small portions and savor it. Not sure if it will fit a challenge prompt. There's a wedding in it, but we don't really see it.
Empire of Sand - Also not for a prompt. This started strong, and I appreciate the use of non-Western mythology as a basis for a fantasy story, but it has begun devolving into fanfictiony cliches in the second half. (view spoiler) I'll finish it, but probably will not continue with the series. I should really stop trying to read YA, I never enjoy it.
QOTW:
The only thing I can think of is The Jungle, which I think could be triggering for animal abuse or, like, general food safety grossness. As usual, I had no issue with that but found something else to be upset about instead (social injustice, which at least was the author's intent.) Of course, this wasn't assigned reading, but something I chose for myself and then wrote a book report on. I do remember some disturbing content in Johnny Tremain as well, and that's for much younger readers--not sure if teachers would give a trigger warning now, or just avoid the book altogether.
Lynn wrote: "I worked at the Borders store in West Lafayette, Indiana, just off the Purdue University campus the last 4 ½ years the company was in existence, and I did my best to forewarn readers of books that I knew contained some scenes or language that might be offensive…"If you worked at that Borders, we've probably met IRL! :) I used to be in there all the time when I was at Purdue, I even interviewed for a job there once.
Kelly wrote: "Then yesterday, I got a new nephew!"That's awesome! Congratulations to you and the new parents. :)
Mod
Hello all,Still waiting for summer to hit here, been teasing us with a couple of days of warm then cool cloudy with rain showers. So my gardening bug quite hasn't woken up yet.
I have no finishes for this week, I have been super busy at work as one of our main players is on holidays. He is back on Monday and things should slow down to a normal pace again.
I am slowly reading A Dangerous Collaboration and really enjoying it. I love the quick witted humour, "What do you mean you want to borrow Miss Speedwell, she is not an umbrella" " He looked at me like I had just told him I was going to ride the train stark naked with a pumpkin on my head" and the tension between Veronica and Stoker is delectable. I love how they play off each other. May continue milking this one for awhile or revisit the first books in the series.
I have not read Deanna Raybourn's Lady Julia Gray series, I am a bit leary of different series from the same authour as sometimes they try to write in a different style and it doesn't always work for me and I leave feeling disappointed. Maybe someone who has read both can advise if it is worth making the jump.
QOTW:
I can see how trigger warnings could be useful for some individuals. I think, as it has been suggested earlier, a listing on the inside cover of the book for someone who is concerned but easy to pass over if you liked to be surprised.
I know I have read a few books in my day that have placed images in my head I would rather not had but I was also reading about a detective chasing down a man who was known for his gruesome killing methods.
My daughter just read life of pi and was a quite grossed out about (view spoiler) but I think sometimes people need to be exposed to certain things so that they can form their own opinion and thoughts on them and I find high school reading lists are good for this, just going to the edge but not over the line for most students.
Cheers and happy reading everyone.
poshpenny wrote: "Anne wrote: "Poshpenny, are you in Nebraska reading for the Golden Sower? I literally just read every one of these books for that committee."Nope I'm in Oregon and just like middle grade books."
I'll start flagging the ones I read that I like, since I am on the committee I read tons of middle grade books. I just finished Shouting at the Rain and recommend it. The disclaimer is that I am a fan of Lynda Mullaly Hunt so I might have been predisposed to like it.
Progress: 25/50Finished:
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban- read for prompt #27
This is How It Always Is- read for prompt #31
Currently reading:
Thinner Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
Woot! *middle grade book happy dance*
Hi, all!This was another good reading week for me.
I finished Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer for #41 - Cli-Fi,
Westside by W.M. Akers for #11 - clothing/accessory on cover,
The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Haunting of Torre Abbey by Carole Buggé for #50 - set in an abbey et all,
Accidental Ashes by Sara C. Roethle for #18 - someone with a superpower,
Broken Beasts by Sara C. Roethle for #40d - PS 2018 #03 - next book in a series,
so that finishes the 3-book-bundle I got for Kindle,
and for the fun of it I read Sweet Masterpiece by Connie Shelton. Then I decided to go for all 4 words in prompt #22... and maybe prompt #10 and #32!
I started The Cuckoo's Calling by You-Know-Who and now want to watch the series again!
Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson is still a work in progress.
QotW:
Germany has a different school system and I don't recall any asingned reading. I think we didn't have any? Not until grade 11?
Anyway, I don't recall any books I read for fun in that time period that made me uncomfortable with anything, so I guess the answer is no.
That said, as many others remaked, trigger warnings are useful and importatnt for some but also can be used to ban books. It's a double edged sword, I think.
I am now at 28 books read, although GoodReads says 27. I need to spend some time figuring out which book I didn't mark as "read".This week I finished:
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood- for my cli-fi book. It was interesting, disturbing and I feel like this could really happen.
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman for my book from a Scandinavian country. It's not my favorite Backman novel, but it was still sweet. It has Britt-Marie in it, which was fun because I have read Britt-Marie Was Here and didn't realize her character started in this book.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman for my debut novel. It has a Backman vibe to it, which I enjoyed.
All in all, a great week for reading for me. I'm hoping to finish the whole challenge by end of August so I need to pick up the pace a bit.
I'm reading The Racketeer by John Grisham (or, actually, will start it today) and I am enjoying listening to Michelle Obama read me her book, Becoming.
QotW: I honestly can't think of any books I thought should have a trigger warning. My daughter is reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, right now and warned her. But not because it'll trigger anything in her, but because it's content she hasn't read about before.
AF wrote: "I am now at 28 books read, although GoodReads says 27. I need to spend some time figuring out which book I didn't mark as "read".This week I finished:
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwo..I'm reading The Racketeer by John Grisham (or, actually, will start it today) and I am enjoying listening to Michelle Obama read me her book, Becoming.."
That is my least favorite John Grisham book. Good luck.
Nadine wrote: "Tell me more about your vegetarian taco recipe!!! We make vegetarian tacos a lot but sometimes want something a little different"Well, we went to a restaurant for these, but they should be easy to recreate at home; pan-fried zucchini, black beans, grilled corn, poblano peppers, and queso fresco! Those are also good enchilada fillings, with a little goat cheese to stick everything together...
Mod
Well, we went to a restaurant for these, but they s..."
that does sound good!
I didn't get to check in due to Memorial Day Weekend. My dad and I traveled to go celebrate my grandma's 80th birthday! It was a really wonderful time, and I'm lucky to still have her in my life.I finished From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon which was my book with "love" in the title. This was cute, but kind of juvenile. I definitely like Dimple more, but I'm still looking forward to reading her book that was just released!
QOTW: The only thing I can think of is Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, which was the book I chose from a list for AP English. I feel like that list of books could have had triggers listed. I will also say, I don't think triggers ruin books at all. They're normally really simple like 'suicide' 'child abuse' etc. I've never had the experience of reading a trigger warning in a review and then having my experience with the book being lessened.
Mod
I tried to read that book a few years ago, and I had to stop, it was too much.
Nadine wrote: "Ali wrote: "QOTW: The only thing I can think of is Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, which was the book I chose from a list for AP English. ..."I tried to read that book a few years ago, and I had ..."
I read it for the challenge this year. I'd been avoiding it for years because I was intimidated by it, and wish I had continued the avoidance.
Finished: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail for A book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover. Loved the film, loved the book! 5 stars!Started: Ready Player One for A LitRPG book. Liking this more than I expected to :)
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
My Husband's Wife (other topics)Crown of Midnight (other topics)
The Kite Runner (other topics)
The Assassin's Blade (other topics)
Year One (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Lynda Mullaly Hunt (other topics)Julie Orringer (other topics)
Tara Westover (other topics)
Ernest van der Kwast (other topics)
A.J. Hartley (other topics)
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Books I finished:
Iron Kissed & Bone Crossed - Books 3 & 4 of the Mercy Thompson series. I'm continuing my reread of the series. I ended up using them for 12. A book inspired off folklore or mythology and 36. A ghost story.
Bitter Greens - I finally finished this. It wasn't bad but it just didn't hold my attention. But I forced myself to power through this this week. It was interesting to read a bit about the French Huguenots because that's part of my ancestry but I'd never really read anything on them before. But I'm still using it for 22. A book with BITTER in the title.
This year's PS 30/50
Last year's PS 26/50
QOTW
I do appreciate the idea of having trigger warnings for people with PTSD or other mental health issues, but I don't like the idea of just having "disturbing content" warnings because I think they can be used to limit what people read. Part of a decent education is exposing people to things beyond their personal experience and hopefully being able to have empathy and compassion for people who are different. But by putting a ratings system, too many people would take advantage to prevent kids from ever learning about something that might make them question the status quo.