Week 51: 12/12 - 12/19

[Ellie]

Nadine wrote: "@Ellie - I’ve picked up Pet twice now, and I just can’t get past the first few pages. Tell me why you loved it so I’m motivated to pick it up a third time!!!"

Has the monster appeared yet? I just loved it as a moral take, that we shouldn't forget bad things or shelter children too much, otherwise they won't be able to spot the signs of abuse.

Here's my review: http://www.curiositykilledthebookworm...

[Nadine in NY]

Sarah wrote: "Hi everyone. On a high from coming back from seeing the new Star Wars movie. No spoilers from me though *zips mouth*..."


I'm seeing it on Monday. It's a little awkward, since after my ex and I made plans to see it w the kids, my mom invited herself up to my house for the week.


Sarah wrote: "@Teri, I skipped the prequels but rewatched the other five plus Rogue One over the past couple of weeks to get hyped up 😄"

what prequels? there weren't any prequels! I don't know anything about a prequel ;-)

[Nadine in NY]

Drakeryn wrote: "It's that festive time of year where every book I pick up would fulfill a bunch of 2020 prompts :P ..."


I laughed so hard at this!! It's so true! Also, after you've filled a tough prompt, suddenly everything you read would fit ...

[Nadine in NY]

Ellie wrote: "Nadine wrote: "@Ellie - I’ve picked up Pet twice now, and I just can’t get past the first few pages. Tell me why you loved it so I’m motivated to pick it up a third time!!!"

Has the monster appeared yet? I just loved it as a moral take, that we shouldn't forget bad things or shelter children too much, otherwise they won't be able to spot the signs of abuse.
..."

No! I really didn't get past the first two pages. It was just so off-putting, somehow. It was confusing and dull all at the same time. I really loved Freshwater so I haven't completely given up on this one yet (I mean, I can't DNF a book based on "the first page was boring" - right? I need to give it a better chance than that).

[Jen]

A very stressful week again. Biggest freak out was today. I was up late with a friend who is having major health dramas and needed to vent without ruining her family's Christmas. Then my doctor called me this morning to say some test results had come back and I had to go in TODAY to talk them over with him. I already had an appointment booked for Monday so was really freaked out by the urgency of the message. Turned out my immunity for Hep B has disappeared despite the fact I've had the full course of jabs twice already. Way to go doc, freak me out over nothing.
Is it just me or would a call like that freak others out too?

On the plus side EVERY child in both my Psychology classes and my Chemistry class passed their exams and course work (results came out Tuesday) so all the extra tutes etc were worth it. (y12 end of high school)

Completed only 2 books due to ending up at school and the doctor, dentist and optician way more than expected in 1 week (Holidays so only at school because nobody else went and stuff needed sorting).
Burial Rites for based on a true story
Ender's Game for set in space

Unlikely to finish PS and ATY but the end of the year but my adjusted goal is to finish them before we start the 2020 school year since school is pretty much my life. May finish one by the end of the calendar year but not both.

QOTW
I am apparently reflecting the year I have had in my ratings. Only gave 2 X 5 star ratings out of 131.
The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark just a perfect little book I have loved since I started reading and found again when I visited Mum's house.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life Just honest and straight forward the way I wish life could be.

[Theresa]

Greetings from NYC. Brrr, it's cold! And I missed the epuc snow squall that ate Manhattan completely. I was in my office through the whole thing and by the time I headed home, you could not even tell in Midtown that it had happened!

No finishes this week for me. Alas. I thought I would finish the 2nd Proust book, Within the Budding Grove, but alas all work makes me with 50 pages still left to read. And thus that is what I am currently reading.

QOTW: I had a number of terrific 5 star reads this year, with the highlights being:
The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise
The Usual Santas: A Soho Crime Holiday Anthology
Cheerful Weather for the Wedding
The Leopard
Educated
The Sun Also RisesTo Keep the Sun Alive
The Bookshop
A Hundred and One Days: A Baghdad Journal
Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia
Venetia- a reread but always 5 star!

[Sara]

This week has been crazy (and the last two days especially bonkers) so I'm only just now sitting down to check in for the week.

Finished:
My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren. I have continued my binge-reading of all their books and am loving it! This one was cute, but The Unhoneymooners is still my favorite!

Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe. I read this book slowly and enjoyed it. I felt like he spent most of the book talking about his childhood and early years of acting (which was fine), but then he glossed over his scandal (understandable) and his time on The West Wing. I feel like he should have just cut the book off before reaching that time period rather than cramming it in at the end. Otherwise it was an enjoyable read. I really didn't know much about him prior to reading it.

Currently Reading:

The Mists of Avalon - I dove in to the 50 hour audiobook this week. I hope I can keep going through the holidays and not lose my momentum (or the plotline!) of this massive tome.

I just finished the Rob Lowe book before I went to sleep last night so we'll see what book I pick up when I get home tonight (and start my Christmas vacation!). I have several new library books to choose from.

QOTW

I read a lot of great books this year. I started to say I didn't have that many 5 star reads this year, but once I actually counted...holy cow! Of my 118 books so far this year, 11% are new 5-star reads (plus there were several rereads). It's been a good year!

House of Salt and Sorrows
Kingdom of the Blind
Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
The Unhoneymooners
I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life
The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic
Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You
Becoming
The Nature of the Beast
Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination
Glass Houses
A Great Reckoning

[Sheri]

Hi everyone!

I totally blanked on yesterday being Thursday. So frazzled this week!

This week I finished:

A Gentleman in Moscow - this seriously took me all week. I know it's unpopular opinion, but man did i dislike this book. I rarely give 1 stars, and I just had to by the end. It was tedious, felt unending, zero character development, and frankly I can't even remember half of it and I just finished yesterday.

Currently reading:

The Mermaid's Voice Returns in This One - Read an Amanda Lovelace poetry book earlier this year and loved it, so got this from hoopla. Still good, although I think I liked the witch one a bit more.

For a Few Demons More - Hallows re-read

QOTW:

Read quite a few good books this year, will try to narrow it down.

Saga: Compendium One
Circe
The Song of Achilles
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
Middlegame
Educated
A Closed and Common Orbit

[Lauren]

Lynn wrote: "Question of the Week (A repeat from last year!)
What are your favorite books that you read this year? (Any book you read, not just for this challenge.)

Favorites are always a challenge for me. Jus..."

Great list here! I agree on everyone needing to read When They Call You a Terrorist - I also recommend My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Mending of Our Bodies and Hearts if you haven't read it already. Be prepared for some tough parts though...

I have The Fire This Time on my shelf and am definitely looking forward to that one too.

And I thought Anonymous Girl was even better than The Wife Between Us - enjoy! :)

[Cornerofmadness]

I've read nothing this week but it's been a busy one. I'm signing in just to do the question of the week because it's fun.

My faves this year are:

1. Why Kill the Innocent by C.S. Harris

2. Smoke and Ashesby Abir Mukherjee

3. The Hollow Boyby Jonathan Stroud

4. A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting by Joe Ballarini

5. Angel: The Endby Bill Willingham

6. Marvel 1602 by Neil Gaiman

7. Noragami 1 by Adachitoka

8. Vinland Saga, Tome 1by Makoto Yukimura

9. Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse (my absolute fave)

10 Nine of Stars by Laura Bickle

11 The Black Tides of Heavenby J.Y. Yang

and to make it an even dozen 12 The Stark Divide by J. Scott Coatsworth

[Christy]

Brandon wrote: "I DNF'd Death Comes for the Archbishop. There is a difference between having a slow pace and not really having a plot at all, and this ended up being more the latter option. If you ar..."

This made me laugh out loud because I adore a literary painting! Give me that quiet experimental writing that goes almost nowhere, give it to me now!

[L Y N N]

Lauren wrote: "Lynn wrote: "Question of the Week (A repeat from last year!)
What are your favorite books that you read this year? (Any book you read, not just for this challenge.)

Favorites are always a challeng..."

Cool! Thanks for the recs!

[Sarah]

Nadine wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Hi everyone. On a high from coming back from seeing the new Star Wars movie. No spoilers from me though *zips mouth*..."


I'm seeing it on Monday. It's a little awkward, since after ..."

That does sound awkward! Hope you enjoy the film at least

And as for the prequels, I think they were just urban legends. Definitely do not remember them ;)

[Johanne]

I have finished the challenge!!!!
Update will come later :)

[Jen]

Christy wrote: "Brandon wrote: "I DNF'd Death Comes for the Archbishop. There is a difference between having a slow pace and not really having a plot at all, and this ended up being more the latter o..."

I'm in the Brandon camp....I want a story and to be entertained. Interesting how different we all are in this group. My mum is like Christy in her taste in books so I look at Christy's reads to find ideas for mum. Thank you for you inadvertent help! If I got mum what I like she'd hate it.

[Sarah]

Well done Johanne!

[Nadine in NY]

Because I am a fool for Listopia, I started creating a list of our favorite reads of 2019, based on your answers. In some cases, if you listed a lot of books, I just grabbed the first five or six. I confess I may have been a bit distracted at times, so I may have missed some titles, so check to see if your favorites are on there.

Each person can only add 100 titles to a List, I ran out in the middle of Ashley's list, message #34 (I was unable to add The Chestnut Man).

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

go add more titles to it!!

[Sherri]

Hello All, I can’t believe it is almost time to start a new reading year. I am so ready.
I completed 2 books for the week. Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes. Muffins & Mouring Tea by H Y Hanna. I liked both of the books. Nothing special. Good end of year reads when I didn’t want to read anything that could be used for challenges.
My favorite books were The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom. Running With Sherman by Christopher McDougall. These are both under the radar in my opinion even though The Yellow House won the 2019 National Book Award for non fiction.
Finally I can’t wait till 2020 to read Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips. I have heard so many good things about it. We are reading it in my face to face book club.

[Heather]

Nadine wrote: "Because I am a fool for Listopia, I started creating a list of our favorite reads of 2019, based on your answers. In some cases, if you listed a lot of books, I just grabbed the first five or six. ..."

Thanks! I've used our favorites of 2018 list to find recommendations. I'm happy to see some books I plan to read in 2020 on this list.

[Nadine in NY]

Sherri wrote: "Finally I can’t wait till 2020 to read Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips. I have heard so many good things about it. We are reading it in my face to face book club. ..."


This is a really good book club book!!! There is a lot to discuss. There's the location, how the American author immersed herself in the area and whether it felt like an authentic Russian novel, there are the characters and their interactions and relationships and choices, and there is the unusual structure of the novel.

I'm usually a reader who likes a lot of action and plot, and this book didn't really have a ton of that, but I LOVED it.

[L Y N N]

Jen wrote: "A very stressful week again. Biggest freak out was today. I was up late with a friend who is having major health dramas and needed to vent without ruining her family's Christmas. Then my doctor cal..."

Bad doctor! Bad! Bad! Bad! I would be very angry about that...

[Bree]

Well I once again completely missed Thursday. This is the problem with having a flexible job, I rarely know what day of the week it is. Read last week:

The Optimist's Daughter: this was weird but short and I enjoyed it. Pairs well with a face mask and contemplation of your parents' mortality.

They Called Us Enemy: holy wow. One of the most powerful graphic novels I've ever read. It's about George Takei's experience as a child in the Japanese internment camps. My favorite local bookstore made an appearance!

The Turn of the Key: this felt at many points like it forgot it was supposed to be a mystery. Enjoyed fine, but it was a bit of a let down.

Find Me: I did not like this at the beginning but the next two sections convinced me and in the end I really did enjoy it. Well written. If you liked Call Me By Your Name you'll probably like this too.

Tiny But Mighty: Kitten Lady's Guide to Saving the Most Vulnerable Felines: I don't have a cat but wish I did. And now I know all about cat diseases! Fun. I really enjoyed the stories of all the kittens the author has fostered.

Currently reading:
Page
Oathbringer (audio)
The Curated Closet: A Simple System for Discovering Your Personal Style and Building Your Dream Wardrobe
The Starless Sea

QOTW: My favorites of the year...that's hard!

The Queens of Innis Lear
Damsel
The Way of Kings
A Memory Called Empire
This Is How You Lose the Time War
Under the Pendulum Sun

[poshpenny]

Late check in! I still haven't wrapped a single thing. I was without my phone for days because it went missing when I was at a friend's and she couldn't find it. She finally did 30 minutes before I bought a replacement but couldn't let me know because, ya know, no phone. I'm currently in this weird limbo between I Want To Read All The Books Right Now and I'm Not Picking Up Any Books To Read. And I haven't seen Star Wars yet! Christmas in retail. Ugh.

Finished:
Warm Up

Picture books on audio. Weird.
The Bad Seed
The Good Egg
The Cool Bean
The Invisible Leash: A Story Celebrating Love After the Loss of a Pet

Currently Reading:
Meet Mr. Mulliner - Bedtime Wodehouse. This one is meh for me.

If on a Winter's Night a Traveller - Only getting a few minutes at a time to read, so slow going.

A Gathering of Shadows - Audio

I still need to re-read The Night Circus for both book club and my last prompt! I thought it would be no problem, but this time of year is bad for reading for me apparently.


QOTW: What are your favorite books that you read this year?
Fave Five
The Calculating Stars
Two Boys Kissing
Exit West
The Starless Sea
They Both Die at the End

Runners Up
The Word Is Murder
The Sentence is Death
How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems
Bernard Pepperlin
Cheshire Crossing

[poshpenny]

Nadine wrote: "Each person can only add 100 titles to a List, I ran out in the middle of Ashley's list, message #34 (I was unable to add The Chestnut Man)."

I'm on it!

Edit: I got through message 56 by Theresa

[Britta]

Just for completion, and because my internet is working at the moment...

That week I finally finished Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson, my year-long-massive-project for my A-Z SciFi/Fantasy challenge and Eleven by Carolyn Arnold for my A-Z Crime challenge.

QotW:
I gave 5 Stars to
The Player of Games
The Daughter of Time and
The Girl in Red,
but I also enjoyed everything I read by Leigh Bardugo, Warcross, Quicksilver, Stations of the Tide, Westside, The Gilded Wolves and a bunch of other books that for some reason or other only got 4 stars from me.