Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2020 Weekly Checkins
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Week 11: 3/5 - 3/12
Finished: Star Trek: Picard: The Last Best Hope by Una McCormack (a book published in 2020)
If you watch the show, you will probably like this book. Even though I haven't been able to see the show yet, I still enjoyed this setup and meeting some new characters. Raffi and the blunt Romulan child were my favorite additions to the TNG people I knew beforehand. 3/5 (much profanity involved, part of the reason the score is lower)
Texts from Jane Eyre: And Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters by Mallory Ortberg (a book by a trans or nonbinary author)
This one was okay. It would make a good gift book for the right person. Like many reviewers have said, the parodies of the stories you remember well will have much more entertainment value than the ones you vaguely remember from school. 2/5
Challenge progress: 42/50 (this counts good faith attempts with some books that fit prompts and also contains double-dipping)
Currently reading: Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson (possibly fits the book with a made-up language prompt)
I gave this trilogy a pass when it first came out, but I have the Dune itch again. So far, it's about what I expect from this writing duo, for better or worse.
QotW: For a totally upbeat book, I might go for Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan. The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson is another.
Good morning all! I hope everyone is safe and healthy. For those in highly affected areas right now know that our thoughts and prayers are with you, your families, communities and community leaders as we all work to find a way through. Several local universities here have switched to online classes, telling students not to return from spring break. I expect the local schools will follow before too long so I'm trying to prepare for my daughter to be at home doing school, while I try to work from home as much as I am able. We haven't gotten there yet, but the schools are preparing so I think it's only a matter of time. If only I could just take the vacation time and stay home reading.Finished
I finished 4 books in the last week. I'm continuing with Middle Grade March which means some shorter books.
Matilda by Roald Dahl. Delightful, just delightful. I don't know why I waited so long to read this! Using for a book by an author with more than 20 books. I'm basing it on the count I found on Goodreads and I think it's right at 20. Good enough for me.
Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier. This book is charming. Nan is a chimney sweep in Victorian London who find a friend in an unexpected place. The thing that surprised me about this book is the glimpse into the dark world of child labor - in particular for children who climb chimneys to clean them. For anyone else like me who envisions happy-go-lucky sweeps like Burt from Mary Poppins I think this book is quite eye opening. It handles the topic with a delicate touch. The content is there, but it isn't too harsh for a middle grade reader.
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien. I LOVE THIS BOOK! This is a reread for me, and before I ever read the book it was a favorite childhood movie (which I rewatched the other night after finishing this reading). Mrs. Frisby is just an ordinary field mouse with a big problem. How to get her children to safety before the farmer plows the garden containing their winter home. One of her children is sick with pneumonia and cannot be moved. She is told to visit the rats in the rosebush who seem different from normal rats and have a strange connection to a place called NIMH.
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren. I didn't love this as much as I thought I would. I think, in this case, having grown up watching a film adaptation actually ruined the reading experience. Maybe if I'd read the book first I would have liked it more. Using for a book with an upside-down image on the cover.
Currently reading
Harry Potter: A History of Magic - weaving together the magical elements of Harry Potter with historical documents and items relating to magical beliefs throughout history. This is based on the exhibit set up by the British Library.
Winterhouse by Ben Guterson. Elizabeth is sent off by her grouchy aunt and uncle to spend her Christmas holidays at a grand hotel called Winterhouse. There seems to be a mystery afoot. I am enjoying it so far!
26/50
QOTW
Whenever I need a pick-me-up I turn to:
Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Harry Potter - the ultimate comfort read
Romances like Bringing Down the Duke and books by Christina Lauren
I missed at least two weeks - life has been super busy! We have auditors coming mid-April at work, plus several people quit, so it just keeps heating up. Ah well, it's better than being bored.Finished in the last few weeks:
Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language - A book about or involving social media - Liked it quite a bit, but not sure it rises to 4-star level. I recommend the book-book, not the audio, as the typography is important, and the author talks way too fast!
Emma - A bildungsroman - Not my favorite Austen, just as I found my first time through. Where P&P's meanderings never feel tedious to me, this seems like it could use some trimming of repetitive ideas/scenes.
All Systems Red - A book with at least a four-star rating on Goodreads - Aw yiss Murderbot!
Artificial Condition - A book with a character with a vision impairment or enhancement (a nod to 20/20 vision) - I'd like to share my personal testimony about Murderbot - do you have a few minutes?
Rogue Protocol - A book with more than 20 letters in its title - I'm counting "the Murderbot Diaries #3" as part of the title - fight me!
Exit Strategy - couldn't shoehorn this into any prompts, but I'm now prepped for the May publication of Network Effect!
Currently reading:
Ancillary Justice - A book with a made-up language - I have no idea what's going on or what 50% of these words mean. But I'm amused by this ship/AI calling every human "she" while also being painfully aware of touchy gender elements of language. I will persevere and hope I get in the swing of it.
Finna - not sure what prompt for this. I know Nino Cipri is nonbinary, and they look like they might be in their 20s still, and Ava sounds like she's in her 20s - any opinions on prompts for this?
QOTW:
Wow, I'm coming to terms with the fact that my "comfort reads" seem to have a lot of apocalypse in them! I was like, "Oh, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch - wait, no, it's about Armageddon . . . yes, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy! Nope, literal end of the world . . . of course, I read A Night in the Lonesome October every year -- crap, also about a coming apocalypse. Ooh, Space Team was goofy and fun . . . but . . . also . . . involves the end of the world as we know it. Hmm. Is there actually something wrong with me?"
But no, I do have some cozy reads without too much eschatological content. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone of course. Stardust is lovely. Guards! Guards! and the following Watch books are a delight. And if I ever need belly laughs, Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened is the old reliable.
I finished Buffalo Girls as my Western. I was pleasantly surprised.I read My Sister, the Serial Killer as my book recommended by an online book club.
I have just started The Diplomat's Daughter as my book by a WOC.
QOTW:
I know a lot of people didn't like it, but I remember just laughing my guts out reading Gump and Co.
Mod
I’m laughing that you read all the awesome MurderBot books but didn’t need to use any of them for “AI/robot” - you clearly read a lot of SFF :-). (I am also excited for the next book!!!)
Hello! I've been reading entirely too much news this past week. I'm torn between I need to know what's going on (and what's been cancelled as we continue to rearrange schedules, etc.) and being completely overwhelmed by the situation. I probably need to stay off ebooks, since everytime I pick my tablet up I ended up reading news instead of my book. For that reason I ended up reading a lot of short reads this week.I'm at 15/50 for the challenge.
Finished this week:
Roquefort, A History by Robert Wernick - I thought I was reading this for a BR prompt, but that prompt says cuisine and not food so I'm not really sure this fits anymore. It was interesting, though, a nice history of the area, the invention of this particular cheese, and the methods used to make it.
The Museum by Susan Verde - I stumbled across this one on Libby and checked it out on impulse. It's a cute picture book with whimsical drawings and a nice message. It was a much needed break.
Second Best Thing: Marilyn, JFK, and a Night to Remember by James L. Swanson - I read this expecting a new revelation, but as it turns out this is just something the author published during his research, in hopes of getting feedback from a wider audience to put towards a longer book. If you know nothing about the subject, this is a good summary to bring you up to date. Otherwise, I don't feel there was anything new here. Luckily it was free with Prime.
Target by Alex Wheeler - I read books 2 and 3 in this series before I realized the order, so I went back for book 1. Good start to the series, and a great read for Star Wars fans. I enjoyed the way they set up relationships that will continue to build over the series. I plan to continue with this series, I already borrowed book 4.
The Disneyland Quest by Matt Ainsworth - Loved this, even more than Deadliest Cast Member. A day at Disneyland, with some true fans, was so much fun. Two teen boys (and their younger sister) are trying to win a contest via scavenger hunt through Disneyland. I was solving the riddles along with them, and though I've only been to Disney World and this was set in Disneyland, I did OK. If you love Disney, you will love this book. It was fast paced and the characters (the book's characters, not the park's, lol) were enjoyable.
QOTW: Good question. I need some upbeat books, unfortunately usually when I pick one that I think will be upbeat it is exactly the opposite. Honestly when I need something happy I steer towards children's or middle grade books. I could probably use a reread of My Side of the Mountain or A Horse Called Bonnie right about now. In the adult section, I would go with something hopeful like Seabiscuit: An American Legend, or something fun like One for the Money (I'm behind on that series, and I have some of the 20's planned for the challenge, so maybe I should pick up a few of those).
This week has been interesting. We had to write a pandemic protocol at work, which was really just a tweaking of the one we had during the ebola situation a few years ago. Plus we're preparing everything so that our entire staff can work from home. Then yesterday the NCAA said that all championships are closed to fans, and that was what I was supposed to be doing next week, traveling to the NCAA wrestling championships with my dad. So, vacation cancelled. But, I'm still going to take the days off and just go stay with my parents, and my dad and I will watch the championships on TV. Not quite the same, but what can you do. I can't really complain, with the way things are right now. Just keep washing my hands while singing a Prince song for 20 seconds, I guess.This week I only finished one book, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird. This was my March book of the month selection and I used it as a book with an upside down image on the cover. I had a little bit of a hard time getting into it, but then I ended up really enjoying it. It was a nice emotional journey. I do wish there had been a little bit more epilogue, though. It didn't really feel like enough for me. But overall, four stars.
QOTW: When I want a happy book, I usually pick up a romance. Lisa Kleypas has a new one out in her Ravenels series that I'm looking forward to reading soon. I'm just waiting to get it from the library.
Ugh, I only finished one book this week. Both the books I am reading are not very distracting, so the question of the week is very timely.Finished:
The Sun Down Motel for a book that passes the Bechdel test. I listened to the audiobook and it was good and nice and distracting.
Currently reading:
Beloved How is this relatively short book taking so long to finish?
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Friend Zone
QOTW:
My usual comfort reads are gritty murder mysteries, so I don't know if anyone would want those recommendations. They are just very distracting. For books that make you feel good I would recommend Heidi, Matilda, Anne of Green Gables for children's books. For YA romance I really liked The Way You Make Me Feel. I have read some really distracting adult romances lately too: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, The Flatshare, Red, White & Royal Blue, and anything by Jenny Colgan.
Spent the morning setting things up so we can all work from home, so I'll be disappointed if the (UK) advice continues to be carry on as normal and wash your hands.Finished:
Grief Angels for bird on the cover and I thought the main story was excellent and covering topics for teen boys that are sadly absent from a lot of YA books. I did not care for the supernatural bit at all though, and it could easily have been cut.
The Secrets We Kept for ATY (previous prompt) which had an interesting premise but seemed to not know what it wanted to do or be. I felt having the typing pool narrate some key events meant that I was left wondering what had happened, as they didn't know either. I guess it was meant to represent gossip? I dunno, this felt like a first draft.
Currently reading The City We Became for review.
PS: 16/50 | ATY: 13/52 | BR: 4/24 | GR: 34/100
QOTW:
I'm not sure my favourite books are all that upbeat, I mean I love reading about pandemics, fact or fiction.
Maybe things like Discworld, Thursday Next and Geek Girl series, at least I can laugh and they are familiar.
The cats all got their flea medicine this morning before I left for work, so I feel accomplished.On the book front...
Finished:
The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and the Beautiful Killers who Inspired Chicago - 2.5 stars. I had high hopes for this one because I'm a sucker for nonfiction and musicals, and while you could really see how certain people informed the characters of Chicago, the narrative was all over the place and ended up being more about a reporter than the murderesses. Seven deadly sins
Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype - 5 stars. I listened to the original (pre-physical publication) version of this which only took 2-3 hours out of my day and loved it. Estes has a very soothing, matter-of-fact tone.
Now I Rise - 4.5 stars. A siege is a difficult thing to fictionalize because any way you slice it, it gets repetitive. White really nailed this one though, and by the end I was filled with excitement for the final volume. Book you meant to read in 2019
The Sea Wolf - 3 stars. Stuart Whitman, the narrator, did a fantastic job but for as short as the story was it just didn't stick with me. I may try a physical reread eventually.
The Capture (Animorphs #6) - 5 stars. Back on my Animorphs reread now that February is over and WHOA I forgot how intense this one is.
22/50
Currently reading:
The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L'Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution - a carryover from Black History Month, and I'm still in the very early pages. I've never read anything to do with Haiti's history unless you count Wikipedia, so I'm looking forward to this one. It's extremely well researched and written but I might have to switch it to my afternoon book, rather than bedtime, because the scholarly approach puts me to sleep quickly.
Foundryside - a reread with one of my other groups to prep for the sequel next month! The world-building is so imaginative and I love Sancia, the MC.
The Tokaido Road - book set in Japan, assuming we are still able to have the Olympics this summer *crosses fingers* I'm not a fan of the audio narrator - her voices are rather over the top, but I don't have time for my print copy right now so I'm powering through.
QOTW: Name your favorite upbeat, everything-is-wonderful book!!!
With the Fire on High was a very sweet book with a positive message.
Hi everyone! We are definitely experiencing spring here in north Texas. My allergies are a mess and there is rain in the forecast for the next 10 days. But, on the non-windy, non-rainy days it is nice to eat lunch on a patio or take an evening walk. Hooray for the extra hour of daylight!I had a fantastic reading week thanks to a work trip getting cancelled for coronavirus reasons and wanting to avoid the news as much as possible. I do want to stay updated since things seem to be changing by the hour in the U.S., but the non-stop coverage is stressful! I do hope everyone is taking precautions and being safe.
22/50 for Popsugar
19/52 for Around the Year
3/26 for Reading Women
Books I finished:
The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai (Popsugar #29: A book involving social media) I liked the idea of this one and thought it was good, just not great. But I did like the main character's ambition and work ethic, and the fact that she was proud of it rather than apologetic.
Purity in Death by J.D. Robb (Popsugar #40: Favorite prompt from a past challenge – 2016 prompt “a book from the library”) The personal stories of nearly all of the characters really advanced in this one. And the mystery was interesting, too!
Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller (Popsugar #41: A book by an author in their 20’s) - Wow. This was fantastic and deserves every rave review. I remember reading her Impact Statement online when it went viral a couple of years ago, but hearing her entire story about the experience was heart-breaking and relatable. She was so brave to write this and speak for all the other women (or men) who have gone through assault.
Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center (Popsugar #43: A book with a character that has a vision impairment/enhancement) This wasn't as good as her recent books, but it was okay. It started abruptly but grew on on me as the story progressed.
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire. A very different take on Cinderella, but I needed a book set in The Netherlands for another challenge, and this fit. It was just okay.
Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death By Caitlin Doughty (AtY: A book from the 2019 Goodreads Awards) This was quite funny. Doughty took the most often asked questions she gets when people find out she is a mortician and answers them in a very light-hearted way.
I Like to Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution by Emily Nussbaum (Popsugar #34: A book with a title that caught your attention) These essays based on Nussbaum's TV reviews were interesting. It was written a few years ago, so it doesn't cover a lot of the currently popular shows on streaming services. But it did give a lot of insight on Ryan Murphy's shows and how he changed TV, the series Lost, The Sopranos, etc.
I am currently reading:
The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys (AtY: A book related to the arts)
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson (AtY: A history or historical fiction)
Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich. Good timing with this weeks question!
You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen (AtY: A book that is a collaboration by 2 or more people) I got this in Feb as my Book of the Month and had to wait 30 days to start it as it is a buddy read with a couple of friends. I'm about 25% in and intrigued.
QOTW:
When I want something light or distracting, I tend to turn to a favorite series like "In Death" by J.D. Robb. After the 15 books I've read so far, the characters are well known and lovable. And even though they all have a somewhat frantic pace as they solve a murder (or several), there is a lot of witty banter and some romance thrown in.
Other than that series, I'll look for a cutesy rom-com style book that will either make me roll my eyes at the bad decisions the characters make, or laugh along with the dialogue and situations they get themselves into. Books by authors like Sophie Kinsella fit that bill for me.
We've had our first confirmed case of COVID-19 in my area. Somehow, I'm really not that worried, though? I mean, I'm keeping things clean and sanitized, like I always do, so...I feel like a lot of what they're telling us to do is sort of common sense/stuff we should be doing anyway (like keeping things CLEAN). But I digress...My boss already mentioned that my job can't be done from home, so I don't see much of a change in my future.Finished:
Nothing :(
Currently Reading:
The Neddiad: How Neddie Took the Train, Went to Hollywood, and Saved Civilization: This is my book I picked up because the title caught my attention. I'm enjoying it so far! It's been on my shelf for YEARS, so I'm glad to finally be reading it.
The Prodigal Tongue: Dispatches from the Future of English: I finally picked this back up. I'm so close to finishing it!
Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning: This won't be for the challenge; I'm reading this for work.
QOTW:
I like going back to Jane Austen for some laughs combined with nostalgia. Georgette Heyer is good, as well (definitely a bit easier to get through quickly). I also like picking up Agatha Christie, Dick Francis, or Rex Stout books for fun, thrilling reads (although sometimes the violence does get brutal in Dick Francis books).
Then, of course, anything by PG Wodehouse is going to be goofy, light, and fun! James Herriot books are nice for non-fiction--his descriptions of the Yorkshire countryside are so beautiful, and many of his stories are heartwarming or humorous. Be warned--there is the occasional sad story, though!
For middle grade, I highly recommend The Secret Garden, anything by Louis Sachar, the Artemis Fowl series, and The Mysterious Benedict Society series. I could keep going, so I'll stop here haha.
None of my books this week fit the challenge (and none of the ones I'm currently reading fit it either) - opps! But I have a bunch on deck from the library for my remaining challenge books. I listened to Life After Life which wasn't quite what I expected. My engagement ebbed and flowed, but at least I was able to stick with the last hour or two. 3 stars
I finished Arrested Justice: Black Women, Violence, and America's Prison Nation for a book club and it was not an easy read. It was a mix of horrible stories of violence against black women and the rest of it felt like an academic paper. BUT, it was important information and I'm glad I got through it. 4 stars
I listened to Final Girls and it captivated me throughout every minute. I kept changing my mind on what might have been going on. I had an inkling about the final twist at the beginning, but wasn't able to make all of the connections. I enjoyed it, but sometimes these thriller/mystery stories have too much of a predictable format. There's always a (view spoiler) Overall I enjoyed the story though. It didn't end up being as scary as I expected, given the context of the "final girls." 4 stars
I'm currently listening to My Life, My Love, My Legacy and The Island of Sea Women, while reading Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza in print. These all work for women's history month reads.
QOTW: I like this question! I don't read enough happy things so I'm enjoying seeing everyone's recommendations. I think With the Fire on High counts for this, even though it seems like it shouldn't. Rules for Visiting was also nice and light. And for nonfiction, The Greatest Love Story Ever Told and other comedian memoirs might work for this question as well. :)
Challenge Progress: 24/50I've actually read 33 books for this challenge so far (and 43 books altogether). I keep breaking the prompts up into small bits. I've read pride and greed and have a lust book on hold at the library. I've read gold and silver and have chosen a book for bronze. I've broken many prompts into separate fiction and nonfiction prompts. I may be taking this just a bit too far.
Completed:
She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement: Trump, Kavanaugh, Weinstein. I thought I knew a lot about the sexual harassment scandals surrounding these three men, but Kantor and Twohey's account of their investigative journalism was so well done that it made fascinating reading. They shed so much light onto the subject and onto the lives of the many, many women affected. I'm still sorting out my anger over how nondisclosure agreements have been used to protect perpetrators (both the men and their organizations/institutions) and silence women. (A book with only words on the cover, no images or graphics) ★★★★
Mostly Void, Partially Stars: Absurd... in the best way. I had a lot of fun listening along to the podcasts as I was reading, and the introductions to each episode were a nice touch that added a bit of insight into the workings behind the scenes. (Cecil Baldwin has an amazing voice!) ★★★★
Sorority: This series of vignettes (it doesn't really have a plot...) paints an ugly portrait of sorority life. Judgmental, unkind, drug-hazed, unhappy. I hope this doesn't really represent the author's own experience. That's really sad. (A favorite past prompt: 2019 - a debut novel) ★★
A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America: "Unleashed, unchained, unhinged." Unfortunately this isn't fiction. (A fiction or nonfiction book about a world leader) ★★★★
The Goldfinch: Reads like a modern-day Dickens novel - homeless orphans, art thieves, unrequited love. Beautifully written, but also quite repetitive at times. Like Dickens, Tartt could have used a more heavy-handed editor. (A book with gold, silver, or bronze in the title) ★★★★
The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here: Not only is Jahren's work well-researched, it is also beautifully written. She explains scientific principles in language that is easily understandable. Best of all, I appreciated that it wasn't simply a diatribe about climate change and how we've ruined the earth, but she also provided suggestions for steps that we, as individuals, can take to lessen our own impact. (A book by or about a woman in STEM) ★★★★★
Royal Holiday: This is my least favorite in Guillory's "Wedding Date" series. I loved the idea of a middle-age romance, but somehow this one just fell flat... at least compared to Guillory's other titles. ★★★
Currently Reading: The Operator, The Library of the Unwritten (a book with more than 20 letters in its title), Little Fires Everywhere (a book with a three-word title), The Right Swipe, The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper (a book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics), Know My Name: A Memoir (a book you meant to read in 2019), Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope, and The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction (a book by an author who has written more than 20 books - Neil Gaiman)
QOTW: Post-apocalyptic/post-pandemic books are some of my favorites! Station Eleven and The Stand spring immediately to mind. But when I really need a break, I grab a regency romance. I know I can always count on them to be predictable, sappy, sexy, and fun.
Hey all. Stressing some about COVID-19 here -- it hasn't hit my area yet, but everyone's saying it's only a matter of time. And since I can't really do my job from home, I'm kind of stuck working through it unless they decide to close the library. The fact that I live with a school nurse who spends every evening quoting statistics on the virus doesn't help either...
Also, debating whether to cancel a planned vacation or not doesn't help things. Said vacation is in July, so I guess we see how things pan out.
Whew, sorry for the dump. Moving on to book stuff...
Books read this week:
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea -- for “book with ‘twenty’ in the title.” Having read abridged versions of this as a child, I was already familiar with the story to some degree… but boy, the full version of this novel is padded like nobody’s business. I don’t always agree with abridged versions of books, but this is one that could really benefit from having a lot of the scientific rambling and listing off of various fish species trimmed out…
Dogsbody -- for “book with a pun in the title.” My first time reading anything by Diana Wynne Jones, and it was delightful! There are some moments of animal cruelty that can be hard to read, but this is still a very good YA fantasy, and it makes me want to read more of Jones’ work.
Speak Easy -- for “book that takes place in the 1920s.” A Jazz-Age retelling of the fairy tale of “Twelve Dancing Princesses,” one that somehow involves Zelda Fitzgerald and Al Capone… but somehow the author makes it work. At this point I think Catherynne Valente could write a phone book and I’d read and enjoy it…
A Darker Shade of Magic -- for “book written by an author in their twenties.” I LOVED the worldbuilding, and the story moved at a brisk pace that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. New trilogy to finish!
Isle of 100,000 Graves -- graphic novel, not for the challenge. Part adventure story and part dark humor, I enjoyed this one more than I expected to, and Jason’s deadpan illustrations were perfect.
Regular challenge -- 21/44 (split the last prompt into five)
Advanced challenge -- 4/10
Not for challenge -- 17
DNF:
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close -- was going to be for “book written by an author in their 20s.” I did NOT like the writing style. And the narrator is supposed to be a nine-year-old boy but does NOT sound like one. Is he supposed to be on the autistic spectrum? Or is the author just bad at capturing a child’s voice? I’m gonna guess the latter…
Miracle Creek -- not for the challenge. Just couldn’t get into this one.
Currently Reading:
I Sing the Body Electric! & Other Stories -- for “favorite prompt from 2018” (book with song lyrics in the title)
Just a Couple of Days -- for “the first book on a shelf you touch with your eyes closed”
Storm Front -- for “book with a main character in their 20s”
QOTW:
The Last Unicorn, Into the Wild Nerd Yonder, Fangirl, anything by Anne McCaffrey or Mercedes Lackey...
Be safe and well friends.Well, I’m finding I have little compunction against using short stories and a picture book for some of the prompts. I’m using the term “book” loosely, as in it has an entry on goodreads. I have a GR goal of completing 100 books this year and I have other reading goals, including podcast recs, IRL book club picks, BOTMC picks and allowing for rabbit trailing intriguing topics or subjects. So I don’t feel too bad as long as I am stretching myself some and my picks reasonably fit in with the prompts. And I am reading some chunksters as well like Wives and Daughters
Maybe I feel a bit guilty after all….
Ahem. Anyway here is what I completed this week-
“Western”- Faster Gun- Thanks to whoever mentioned this Tor short story as a possibility for a short western. I was a bit nonplussed by the ending, but liked it overall. Made me a bit curious about the actual Doc Holliday of whom I have only the vaguest of recollections. 3 stars
“+20 book series”- The Veiled Lady: Hercule Poirot Mystery- Poirot short story that I found an audio version of on Hoopla. Had a nice twist ending and overall enjoyable. 3 stars.
“Set in the 1920s”-The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge- Another Poirot short from Hoopla. This was originally published in 1923 and seems to be set in the same time period. A decent bite-sized locked room mystery. 3 stars.
“Gold in title”- Worth Her Weight in Gold- Humorous Tor short featuring a robbery and hippo dentistry. 3 stars.
“Banned book”- The Story of Ferdinand- (Like others I am going to be a rebel and ignore the bit about reading it on banned books week) This was a childhood favorite that was delightful to revisit and put a smile on my face on an otherwise difficult day. 4 stars.
“Bird on cover”-In the Sight of Akresa: A Tor.Com Original- Another Tor short. Melodramatic story about a princess/noblewoman who moons over a mute freed slave woman but complications ensue. Left me absolutely cold. 1 star.
“20 in title”- Four and Twenty Blackbirds-Yet another Poirot short on audio. Maybe I expected more from the story because it was slightly longer, but I didn’t enjoy this one as much. The ending seemed kind of confusing/unconvincing but that may have been my lack of sleep. 2 stars.
I have a book recommendation request. I am looking for a cozy mystery that features a pun in the title. Does anyone have any recommendations for someone who is relatively new to the cozy mystery genre?
QOTW- Pride and Prejudice! Which I am in the process of reading again right now. Low-key hilarious with a happy ending.
Mod
Nadine wrote: "The Story of Ferdinand was once banned??????? Why in the world???? Isnt that just a nice bucolic story of friendship?"LOL, exactly what I was just thinking Nadine
No prompts filled this weekAnd I Darken by Kiersten White. YA alternative history. The book focuses on teens in the Ottoman Empire. Nothing happens, it’s way too long, the “romance” comes from nowhere.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. It’s written as a letter from a son to his mother and it addresses race and sexuality and life and honestly, it’s so beautiful.
DNF
Tangerine by Edward Bloor. Middle grade novel and I DNF’d at less than 100 pages because things were really irritating me like the kids having football practice during lightening storms and the main character being kicked off the school’s soccer team because he was on an IEP. Just truly irritated because 10 seconds of research would see it’s not that way.
QOTW:
Simon v. the Homo Sapien Agenda: cute YA romance. One I couldn’t keep on my shelf in my classroom. It just kept getting passed around. Came back a lot tattered but obviously well loved.
Ok so I'm gonna vent a little about Corona ( not the beer) because OMG, I honestly don't know how I feel about it. I haven't been feeling the panic until the last few days. They are just starting to confirm cases here in CT, and things are starting to shut down. I mean, if I was working right now I'd be up to my ears in exposure at the hospital and not much worried at all ( been there done that with SARS etc), I ignore most of the news feeds and just go look directly at the CDC website when I feel curious.....but IDK, last night I could feel it starting to get to me a little. I think its just the waiting for when school closes ( because it will ). We have had parent conferences cancelled this month, we already had half days scheduled every friday for March, and they just made Monday a half day so the teachers can plan for impending school closure. Moving on to the QOTW..... I love dystopian, I just don't really want to live it. My comfort reads this month are the stack of middle grade and YA novels I just brought home from the library. I did recently read With the Fire on High and I agree that's a good light read, also Dumplin'. I'm right in the middle of the Game of Thrones series right now though so.....
which brings me to what I've read this week:
Dumplin'
One of Us Is Next
Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death
and
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Also made a huge chunk of progress with A Storm of Swords, and some with Becoming on audio, and Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother and Daughter Journey to the Sacred Places of Greece, Turkey, and France on my kindle. Still working on Maggie & Abby and the Shipwreck Treehouse with the girls every night.
Progress:Popsugar - 24/50
ATY - 18/52
Goodreads - 32/100
Finished:
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens POP. Book meant to read in 2019/ATY . Set in Rural place Great book, good mix of history, mystery and romance. Sad story about a girl that is left by her entire family and lives alone and survives in the marsh of South Carolina.
Legend by Marie Lu Quick read and good start to series.
Currently Reading:
Final Girls by Riley Sager ATY Published in a Prime year.
Away from the Dark by Aleatha Romig
The Wives by Tarryn Fisher
QotW: I love the post-apocalyptic genre The 5th Wave and Life As We Knew It ! I'm not sure I have a go to author for upbeat reads, probably any of Jennifer Weiner or the Crazy Rich Asian series.
Nadine wrote: "The Story of Ferdinand was once banned??????? Why in the world???? Isnt that just a nice bucolic story of friendship?"I had no idea until recently but it was! Apparently it was taken by some as a pro-communist political allegory and consequently banned by Francisco Franco and Adolf Hitler. I take even greater joy reading it knowing it ticked them off.
Sara wrote: "Good morning all! I hope everyone is safe and healthy. For those in highly affected areas right now know that our thoughts and prayers are with you, your families, communities and community leaders..."I loved Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You!!! When you listen to it on audio, it's like Lin is telling you how amazing you are and everything is going to be alright in the world.
Hope everyone is having a good week and is keeping well, plenty of toilet roll on hand etc...I've had a great time reading this week just worked out to get through a load of stuff that I was enjoying. I've read 8 books this week which is honestly insane for me!? Mostly not currently planned for the challenge but I'm pleased to get to a third done for Pop Sugar this week as well!
Finished
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys - picked up for my book club but saw a map in the front so will use for that one - loved this book. Definitely my favourite read so far this year. Such a different perspective on WW2 that we don't often get in my country (I'm British). So interesting to think about the impact of the Eastern front on the people in Baltic states.
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys - loved Salt to the Sea so much that I decided to pick this up. Again focused on Lithuanians and their experience with the Soviets. I did really like this as well and am keen to track down her other book about Spain which my library doesn't yet have
I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel - got this free with her newer book and it just really spoke to me. Such an easy feel-good read for someone who loves books
The Man Who Didn't Call by Rosie Walsh - this was constantly coming up on my library's ebook homepage so read it on a whim. Slightly daft but overall a quick romance read
The Holiday by TM Logan - picked up for unrelated book with same title as a film. Another daft but enjoyable one. I listened to this basically in one day while doing some DIY/cleaning at home
The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond - another book I picked up on a whim from the library. Pretty creepy book about basically a cult that 'encourage' you to maintain a healthy marriage
The Line Between by Tosca Lee - having enjoyed the previous cult book, picked this up about a girl leaving a cult and learning about how she had been manipulated. This one actually features a disease causing early onset dementia spreading across the US
Don't Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life by Anne Bogel - book with a pink covoer. I really enjoyed this book by Anne. I love her podcast What Should I Read Next and love hearing anything from her
Currently Reading
I've started The Secret History by Donna Tartt so that should soon put a stop to the pace I was getting through books. Not far into it but enjoying it so far!
QOTW
I also enjoy apocalyptic books and often read things where disease spread is a major plot point. I read something this week in fact (The Line Between)
I guess I'm at a point where I haven't yet had to change the way I live because of the virus and I might feel differently about them if I was cooped up at home or was around people who were becoming seriously ill. I would say that I generally enjoy quite dark books and find that they help me to appreciate what's good in my life rather than sparking anxiety
I was trying to think about a cheerful read - things I find uplifting do seem to be about pretty grim topics. I do love a strong female lead that makes you feel like you can do anything. The book that comes to mind is How to Walk Away by Katherine Center which I really loved. But that focuses on a woman paralysed in a plane crash so maybe not all that cheery haha.
Good Morning,I've been slacking a bit in my reading but I'm ahead of schedule, so I'm not too worried about reaching my goal.
Finished:
In Cold Blood for a book published in the 20th century. Of course this was good but I guess I could have done with less background on the killers...
The Whisper Man for a book that won an award in 2019. I really liked this one. It felt like an actual mystery thriller and the creepy kid adds a little something extra.
Currently Reading:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo for a book that passes the Bechdel test. I'm still really early in the book but I love old school Hollywood stories so I'm excited to dig into this one.
Hope Never Dies for a fiction or nonfiction book about a world leader. Still early in this on too but it's so odd, I love it.
Under the Dome for a book featuring one of the seven deadly sins. I think this will fit, I'm really early in the audio of this but there has for sure been some wrath already. I really started listening to this because it's read by my favorite person ever, Raul Esparza and I'm really enjoying it.
QOTW:
My favorite upbeat books tend to be romance. Red, White and Royal Blue, Candy Hearts, Ayesha at Last, The Weight of it All.
A few non-romance books that are fun and upbeat that I love are - Sourdough, Who Thought This Was a Good Idea, Born a Crime, Redshirts.
Kenya wrote: "A Darker Shade of Magic -- for “book written by an author in their twenties.” I LOVED the worldbuilding, and the story moved at a brisk pace that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. New trilogy to finish!"Yes! I really enjoyed this series too! I thought that the second and third books start off a little more slowly but are very exciting after the halfway points and I was completely sucked in to the story! I'm excited for you to get to read about The Element Games/Essen Tasch for the first time in book 2; that was by far my favourite part of the series! =)
Shannon wrote: "Nadine wrote: "The Story of Ferdinand was once banned??????? Why in the world???? Isnt that just a nice bucolic story of friendship?"I had no idea until recently but it was! Apparently it was tak..."
Always read things that infuriate Hitler. XDDDDDD
Hey all! Nothing new read this week. I'm not all that worried about Covid-19 for myself, but I live with someone high-risk so that does concern me. We've had confirmed cases in the city for a couple weeks now. I wonder if we're going to get a work-from-home order, since I could do 90%+ of my job from home.Currently reading:
The Poppy War (WOC author, author in her 20s, a book I meant to read in 2019)
QotW: Oh man this is a tough one, I don't read many upbeat books haha
The Clockwork Boys duology is a hilarious fantasy romcom; the characters have great chemistry and it's just a lot of fun. (But it's a wartime book about a team sent on a suicide mission behind enemy lines.) (But it still manages to be good lighthearted fun! I am not selling this book well, I know)
And...that's all I can think of.
Laura wrote: "I keep breaking the prompts up into small bits. I've read pride and greed and have a lust book on hold at the library."I also thought about having a book for each deadly sin! Though last year I barely completed the challenge, so I don't know if I can take on six extra books. I guess I'll see how the year goes.
Alex wrote: "Always read things that infuriate Hitler. XDDDDDD"
great life advice haha
Birds have moved in here too and the wild daffodils have appeared everywhere (yes, they grow wild here. It's really cool). So, as much as I hate to admit it, spring is here. Winter needs to take this extra time to plan out a nice Nor'easter for us next year to make up for the abysmal winter we had this year. ANYWAY. Lent is upon us, so my reading has slowed a bit. Aaand I'm getting a Nintendo Switch tomorrow (to prep for the new Animal Crossing). So. Yeah. It ain't gonna get better, lol. I am determined to finish this challenge though, so hopefully I don't fall behind too badly!
Finished: 9/50
Stranger Moon for "book that passes the Bechdel test". I *think* it does? It had one conversation between the main protagonist and the main antagonist (both girls) which had nothing to do with men (just apologies and talking about their lack of having a mom in their lives). It's a really short conversation though, so I hope it still counts. Honestly, this book had zero romance in it and most of the action was done by the female characters (the men in this story were all side characters), so I appreciated that! It's a middle-grade book so fairly below my reading level, but still a nice read.
Currently Reading
Frozen for "book with the same title as a movie/tv show but is unrelated to it". Took me a loooong time to find something named after a movie/show I knew that wasn't a trashy romance novel or horror story. But! I think this will do.
Father Arseny, 1893-1973: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father still doing this for my church's book club. It is so inspiring. This guy was amazing and what he lived through was NUTS. Soviet Russia was a nightmare. Incredible what went on in that regime.
The Wilderness Journal: 365 Days with the Philokalia for "book with title that caught your attention". It's getting better!
QotW
I freaked out a bit when it first started, but after researching it and the symptoms, I don't think it will harm my daughter (which was my main concern) and my husband and I are pretty healthy, and he can work from home, so I think we'll be ok. My grandparents and Dad are my main concerns though. They aren't very healthy and my grandparents are in their 80s. But the virus hasn't hit us yet, so I'm not going to worry until it does. Just keep cleaning and taking that vitamin C!
As for happy books, The Chronicles of Narnia never fails to bring me joy and happiness. A mental escape to Narnia is just so soothing and inspiring! I've got one of the books on my list to read for the challenge this year, and I'm so excited to go back into that world. I've read the series so many times over the course of my life, but it never gets old. I feel like I discover something new in every reread!
Nadine wrote: "Christine - Ancillary Justice was SO CONFUSING for me. I didn’t really know what was going on until somewhere in the second half. But this series ended up becoming one of my favorite series! So it’..."Good to know it's worth some investment!
And for shits and giggles I surveyed my last 3 years of the challenge and 13% of my books involved an AI or cyborg! :P
Happy Thursday!I'm still keeping a pretty good pace on reading this week. Audiobooks are the best!
Finished:
Opal (no prompt) - The third book in the Lux series and it was still fun but a little bit slower than the first two. It also might have slowed my momentum down on rereading the entire series. I don't know when I'll pick up the next one but probably not for a couple weeks.
Dark Places (A book with a great first line) - I loved Gillian Flynn's writing. I did watch the movie before I read this but I don't feel like that impacted my enjoyment of this at all!
Currently Reading:
An Enchantment of Ravens (The first book you touch on a shelf with your eyes closed) - I didn't know what to pick next so I decided to fill this prompt! I'm glad I did because this has been sitting on my shelf for years! I'm about halfway through and I'm having fun reading it! It's a nice light fantasy so it's easy to get through. I'll probably finish this one by the end of the week.
An Unwanted Guest (no prompt) - I am listening to this on audio and I'm only about one chapter in so I don't have much to say about this one.
Regular: 11/40
Advanced: 2/10
QOTW
I'm trying to think of some fun, upbeat books that I like to read but there isn't many! The Unhoneymooners is one of my favorite fun, romance books. For something fun, I usually read comics. My friend recently gifted me War and Peas: Funny Comics for Dirty Lovers and I have a great time flipping though it and reading a random comic or two. Strange Planet is also pretty good for a chuckle!
Mod
Fin..."
Your posting made me laugh so much! Please don't miss so much time between them! lol :)
Good Morning! I had a mixed reading week. I finished one book, which I loved. I’m challenged getting through an audiobook (seems to put me to sleep). Finished.
The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian. I’m using it for the prompt, book with a title that caught my attention. The story, I’m ashamed to say, is a subject I know little about. Growing up in Philadelphia my next door neighbors were Armenian. I thought of this wonderful Kalalian family often while reading. It’s a very sad story, yet filled with kindness and love.
Currently reading:
Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman audio - I’m almost finished, but almost DNF several times.
The Family Upstairs
QOTW
This is a hard one. I really dont have a particular book, but would lean toward anything by Isabel Allende.
I’m at 17 of 50.
Hi all! I haven't updated in a few weeks so prepare for a longer-than-usual post. Our Costco is out of toilet paper and water because apparently the apocalypse is coming. I work at a gym and attendance has definitely dropped :(In other news, I'm now at 33/50 for the challenge! These past few weeks I read:
All Systems Red for a book with a robot, cyborg, or AI character: whoever was reading Murderbot in these threads, THANK YOU because I love Murderbot now. So much.
Artificial Condition for a book that won an award in 2019: again, love, sped through these in a week and gave them all 5 stars.
Rogue Protocol: I didn't have any open categories for this one.
Exit Strategy for a book with a great first line.
Furious Thing for a book published in 2020: technically first published in 2019 in the UK but over here it's 2020 so I'll count it. This hit really hard for me but it got a happy ending!! Loved it. 5 stars.
Truth in Comedy: The Manual for Improvisation: not for challenge. Improv books can be very dry. It's best to learn improv just by doing it.
The Light Between Worlds for a book you meant to read in 2019: this is the Narnia fanfic you should read if you thought The Magicians was awful ((I did)). It deals with what happens after the characters return from their magical otherworld and have to live normal lives in postwar Britain. Really good. 4 stars.
Vanity Fair's Women on Women for an anthology: this was...okay? I appreciate what they were trying to do but some of the articles were downright terrible and it seemed oddly organized. I did skip a few pieces I had no interest in, though. 3 stars.
Currently reading:
The City in the Middle of the Night
QOTW: I don't know if I have a lot of fluffy comfort reads? I take comfort by reading books where horrible things happen and having schadenfreude. I do really like Monstrous Regiment though, that's probably the most upbeat I get in terms of things I return to.
Mod
Although I was glad to have read it and aspects of it still haunt me, I did not find Beloved to be an easy read. It felt dense to me...
"My usual comfort reads are gritty murder mysteries, so I don't know if anyone would want those recommendations. They are just very distracting."
I have several mystery series from which I will read a book or two periodically just to "cleanse my palate"! However, mine are definitely not "gritty" and typically not considered "cozy" either! :)
Mod
Oh, my! I know how you feel! I am awaiting delivery of the flea protection for our five felines. Honestly, when we were initially told we must start working remotely (which has since been rescinded), my immediate thought was, "Oh no! The flea protection is supposed to be delivered to my work address! Yikes!" Yep! Very important in our lives!
Happy Thursday Everyone! :)So far I haven't been effected at all by COVID, but I live in a rural area that is decently far from any city (over an hour of driving) and everything is business as usual. The only evidence I have seen at all is that some stores have employees wearing gloves wiping down shopping cart handles with lysol wipes for people (and of course since the NBA cancelled its' season, the Toronto Raptors aren't playing anymore).
So far in Canada, as of yesterday we've only had 103 cases, 79% of those were travelers, 12% were in close contact with travelers (family etc.) and only 1 death (but it was an elderly gentleman in a long term care facility). So we've definitely been beating the mortality rate - yay! Here the media has been advising anyone with even mild symptoms to stay home and phone their province's public health authority for instructions on what to do and some people returning to Canada (from certain areas) have been put into a 14 day quarantine and because of these most people here who have contracted the virus have been isolated at home/the quarantine facilities instead of spreading it further (they hospitalized only a few cases because of age or immune system etc). Everything is still available at our local stores and the only people here freaking out are the media. xD I'm guessing that if things get worse, it will be handled the same way that SARS was here (which basically means that for anyone who contracts the virus, they and their families entire schools/workplaces/daycares etc. go into quarantine at home for 14 days and get telephoned by a nurse everyday to ask if they are experiencing any symptoms) and things then return to normal for those who didn't have any symptoms after the 14 days.
Anyhow, onto books!
Current Progress
PS: 18/50 | HP: 22/56 | ATY: 22/52 | GR: 22/100
Finished This Week
The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (2.5 Stars) I wasn't really invested in this book until the last 1/3rd of the story or so and that's why I've chosen to give it an in-between rating. This was pretty predictable and disappointing after having read The Glass Castle (and I know that it was a memoir and that this is fiction but still). Thankfully it was a quick read. I think the jury's still out on whether or not I'll pick up Half Broke Horses at some point.
Used for: PS - 31. A Book with "Gold", "Silver" or "Bronze" in the Title
HP - 35. Read a book that includes a trip
ATY - 18. A Book by an author you've only read once before
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (2.5 Stars) This was definitely something that's outside my typical wheelhouse but it held my interest and I read it fairly quickly. The Epilogue and Postscript sections were my favourite out of the whole book; it was really interesting to read about how these girls stories and cases have affected various things moving forward and even today.
Used for: PS - 45. A Book set in the 1920's (about 250 pgs of it were set in the 20's but it does encompass other decades too).
HP - 25. Read a book related to art OR a poetry book (The girls jobs were to paint in a studio so I considered that related to art.)
ATY - 52. A Book related to time (They painted watch dials & also clock on cover)
Difficult Women by Roxane Gay ⭐️⭐️ As with most collections of stories, some were better than others but I found in this case that the majority of the stories didn't hold my interest and weren't memorable.
Used for: PS - 11. An Anthology
HP - 19. Read a book with a dark cover
ATY - 23. A Book featuring an LGBTQIA+ character or by an LGBTQIA+ author (mainly author in this case, but there was some LGBT content in a couple of the short stories too.)
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I liked this so much more than I anticipated that I would based on the synopsis! I especially liked that there was a bit of a twist near the end that I hadn't anticipated either!
Used for: PS - 29. A Book with a Bird on the Cover
HP - 47. Read a book where the dust jacket & cover are different colours
ATY - 51. A Book with an "-ing" word in the title
Currently Reading
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
QotW
Hmm I tend to have two distinctly different moods when I want something "happy". The first (and the one I experience way more often) is the I-want-to-escape-into-a-great-story-that-sucks-me-in kind of mood and for that I usually turn to a new or ongoing Fantasy (maybe with some Sci-Fi too) series! Some of the ones I've read/started in the last while were:
-Sarah J. Maas's ACOTAR series
-V.E. Schwab's Shades of Magic series
-Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles
-Travis Bagwell's Awaken Online series
-Kass Morgan's The 100 series
-Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series
-Kiera Cass's The Selection series
-Marie Lu's The Young Elites series
I have a few series on deck for when this mood strikes again too:
-George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series
-Holly Black's Folk of the Air series
-Neil Shusterman's Arc of a Scythe series
-Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me series
The second is the I-want-something-that's-completely-light-and-fluffy-and-that-will-probably-make-me-laugh kind of mood and for that I usually turn to some Chick Lit/Romance. In this case I would probably pick up a book by someone like Sophie Kinsella, Christina Lauren, Jenny Han, Jill Mansell, Emily Giffin or Sheila O'Flanagan etc.
Howdy all. We're enjoying the first signs of spring here in London, too, although the sunshine is losing to the rain by about 33%/67%. Since the beginning of the year, I've been taking walks most days as part of the rehab for a knee injury from last year, and its been fun watching the first blossom come out and the trees beginning to green. Well, I've finished four books this week, but only one of them actually worked for any of the prompts: Monsignor Quixote, by Graham Green, for 16. Book with a book on the cover.
Not much else to report, though. We're due to fly out on holiday Saturday, but goodness knows if we'll ever manage to leave. Still, if we do, I should get some reading in on the plane.
QotW: Name your favorite upbeat, everything-is-wonderful book!!!
Boy, that's a hard one. Especially as most of what I've read lately has been a bit grim. However, there are some series I haven't finished yet which I go to when I need cheering up: Donna Andrews' bird mysteries, Andrea Camilleri's Montalbano books (for the food!), Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity series, and the No.1 Detective Agency books.
Alex wrote: "Aaand I'm getting a Nintendo Switch tomorrow (to prep for the new Animal Crossing)."Ooooooh exciting! I highly recommend Zelda: Breath of the Wild on switch, it was fantastic and I got sucked into it for weeks when I first got my switch, haha! =D
Some of my other faves on switch are: MarioKart 8 (as an added challenge, play with friends when Tipsy!), Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Super Mario Odyssey, Pokemon Let's Go: Eevee & Just Dance (any year really haha, I have a really fun group of friends and we like to break it out sometimes and play together, plus my niece and nephew love it when they come over too.)
QOTW Ha! Severance is on my list for the challenge! I'm wondering if I should read it now, before things get worse here in the US, or cross my fingers we will be over this by the end of the year and read it then.
I couldn't think of one until someone above mentioned Pride and Prejudice and that just gave me the same feeling that comfort food does, so that's my pick!
READ
Gods of Jade and Shadow-A book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics - 5 Stars
It took me a while, but I was not disappointed! Set in Mexico during the roaring 20’s, the book tells the story of a poor girl living as an indentured servant to her own grandfather who accidentally frees a Mayan Death God. Having no choice but to help him on his quest to regain his kingdom, she leaves her home and travels with him both in the human world as well as the Mayan underworld, Xibalba. Romantic, tragic, and with great hints at the socio-political, Moreno-Garcia does a wondrous job of breaking your heart.
READING
My Lady's Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel - How many times do i have to do a choose-your-own-adventure until I can count it as read? I'm not even done on my first round, but still a girl needs to know.
Bad Feminist - Some of these are bland, unimportant. Other ones make me mad, cry, wail. It's gonna be an odd review.
I read 5 books this week, but none for Popsugar. I'm quite far ahead in my challenges (26/50 for PS, 22/52 for ATY), so I'm happy to add in some side reads. Books Finished:
Sword of Kings - Used for ATY, a book you meant to read based on something you read in 2019. This was another well-written, enjoyable story in this series with lots of historical details. It does get quite bloody and violent with vivid details provided about battles and shield walls, but having read the other books in the series previously, it was a bit of a comfort read.
Dear Martin - Used for ATY, a book inspired by a news story. I was fully engrossed in this book, and read it in one sitting, staying up late into the night to finish it. One of the main focuses of the book was on racism and racial profiling, and there were side focuses on gangs and racial privilege. I really enjoyed the humour that this book brought to these serious issues, and that we saw the story from the perspective of an intelligent, socially aware teenager who tries to do the right thing. I really hope people don’t ignore this book because of the amount of attention The Hate U Give received. Whilst the two books about #blacklivesmatter, they have a different focus and deal with different facets of racism in very different ways.
What Happened - Not for a challenge. This book covered not only the events leading up to, during and after the 2016 Presidential election, but also Clinton’s family, friendships and self-care after her defeat. What really stood out was how personal the book felt, and how candid she was throughout, not shying away from analysing her devastating political defeat in a race she thought she would win.
The Giver of Stars - Not for a challenge. This is the story of five-women and their journeys through the mountains of Kentucky to ensure that people living in isolated areas can access books. Their leader, Margery O’Hare is a very independent woman who does not conform to societal expectations of women during the Depression-era. I loved how the women became friends and cared about and supported each other, sticking very close together and helping each other out when in need. This book didn’t receive a higher rating, as the first 250 pages were slower in pace and building up to the events of the final 100 pages, and it was only in the final 100 pages that I felt the plot really took off.
The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story - Not for a challenge. True crime is not something I usually read, but whilst I had previously heard of Ted Bundy, I didn’t know anything about him, and so I was curious to read about him in a book written by someone who knew him. Whilst I can’t say I enjoyed it, gruesome details are combined with eyewitness statements to produce a gripping true crime book.
Currently Reading:
Remembering Babylon - I should finish this tomorrow.
Middlesex - I own this, so it's been put on hold whilst I've been reading my library books. I'll pick this up again when I've read most of the library books.
QOTW:
I don't really have a book that fits this. If I need something light, I'll probably read a thriller, a cozy mystery or historical fiction.
I have been slow going on this challenge and I've had to kick my butt into gear again and start reading some more for pleasure (I've just been reading what's required for my classes lately). I just finished up Wilder Girls, which was AMAZING. I want more sapphic horror/thrillers, and I want them immediately.As far as the question, I absolutely loved Station Eleven! I especially loved the Star Trek quote that runs throughout it—I am unafraid to admit I am a complete and utter nerd.
That being said, I have a whole shelf for all the books that make me feel good (and yes, a lot of them are ya-romance because I am a simple creature).
Right now, from that shelf, I'm rereading the Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, because that's always been a good one for me. I also LOVE the Graceling series by Kristen Cashore—the women, the romance, all of it.
Hullo everyone! I'm writing from one of the hot spots in the US, and in news that possibly indicates terrible decisionmaking, life seems to be progressing fairly normally here. I mean, Trader Joe's is having record-breaking sales, but there hasn't been a Terrible Toilet Paper Shortage, which is apparently the barometer of people's level of panic? Like, we have to be constantly reminded to wash our hands properly during a global pandemic but the prospect of lacking buttwipe in the future gives us the howling fantods? Humans, man. Finished this week: Rebecca (great first line): HOW have I never read this book before? It's the best! I love how it starts with such a simple premise: what if you already felt pretty unsure of yourself and your place in the world, and then everyone (like, EVERYONE) agreed that your husband's first wife was better and cooler than you? What would that be like? Spoiler: not fun, y'all! Not fun.
Currently reading:
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead (seven deadly sins): I am a sucker for an eccentric, misanthropic old lady protagonist, so this one had me from the start.
Spinning Silver (silver in title): my progress has slowed down, but it's still great
QOTW: I had to think about this one, but I do have a few series that I find comforting. Anything by Tamora Pierce, because all her characters have so much agency and watching them Make Effective Decisions makes me feel less helpless. Her Royal Spyness series by Rhys Bowen because worrying about wobbling when you curtsy to the queen is not something that tends to be a problem for me in real life. Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch because they're snarky and fun, and also because urban magical policing is not one of my daily concerns.
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I had no idea until recently but it was! Apparently it was taken by some as a pro-communist political allegory and consequently banned by Francisco Franco and Adolf Hitler. I take even greater joy reading it knowing it ticked them off."
Ha! Ha! You made me laugh! This was one of my sons' favorites! I LOVE that book! But now I have even more appreciation for it! :)
Hi All, I only finished one book for the week. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I gave it 5 stars. I used it for a book you meant to read in 2019. I have had it on hold that long. For some reason I have decided to take a period of time & read doorstoppers. I’m now reading The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. Next I have The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel. Between those two I need to read Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips for book club. It will be awhile before I have much to check in about. QOTW: I have decided I don’t read everything is happy,everything is wonderful books. I went back a couple of years & nothing jumped out. So I am saying I enjoyed A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. Everything wasn’t always alright & wonderful but enough was that I felt good about it. I laughed out loud a couple of times. Good read.
Sherri wrote: "Hi All, I only finished one book for the week. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I gave it 5 stars. I used it for a book you meant to read in 2019. I have had it on hold that long. For some rea..."I have been meaning to read that book for years. I really need to get to it.
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I would like to encourage you to try Half Broke Horses, especially if you enjoy historical fiction. It relates her grandmother's life at the turn of the century and I found it fascinating. :) I have yet to read The Silver Star.
Hi everyone. Jumping on the coronavirus train, my work has been completely dead and the big bosses have asked us all to drop our hours because of all the lost business. I'm starting to wish I was ill because at least I'd get sick pay and be away from all of the drama (plus more time to read!).This week I didn't finish anything *hangs head in shame* but I am pretty close to finishing The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World. So far I've learnt everything I thought I knew about dinosaurs has been wrong (granted that it all came from watching The Land Before Time and Jurassic Park)
QOTW: Probably the light and fluffy Disney novels like the Twisted Tales.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise (other topics)The Undomestic Goddess (other topics)
Winter in Paradise (other topics)
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry (other topics)
Contraband (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Sarah J. Maas (other topics)Brandon Sanderson (other topics)
Kate DiCamillo (other topics)
Jean Craighead George (other topics)
Paula Hawkins (other topics)
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Admin stuff:
Polls are now open to vote for our Q3 monthly group reads.
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/1...
Our March group read of My Sister, the Serial Killer is ongoing.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I finished several books I’d been working on for a while, used two of them for the Challenge, so I am now 20/50.
A Lucky Man by Jamel Brinkley - this book of short stories was phenomenal! I don’t usually read collections of short stories, and I had never heard of this author. I read this only because it was recommended by Lauren Wilkinson (I didn’t even realize it was a collection of short stories until I started reading), and I’m so glad I read it. It’s not happy - most of these men seem very sad and lonely.
Lazaretto by Diane McKinney-Whetstone - this was okay, but it just wasn’t my kind of book. If you like that sort of historical fiction where the story meanders here and there and jumps from character to character, and you want to read about the black community in late 19th century Philadelphia, then you might like this. This was my book chosen from a shelf with my eyes closed.
Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim - I did not like this, at all. I thought the writing was clunky and overly larded with excess descriptive terms. (She can’t just take a drink, she had to have the cool liquid slide down her throat ... that sort of thing.). Fans of flowery prose and magical realism will enjoy this. After struggling through this I decided it had to count for something, so I looked closely at the cover, found a bird, and checked off “bird on the cover.”
Question of the Week:
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have an UNFORTUNATE fondness for post-pandemic books (Find Me, The Last One, Severance, An Ocean of Minutes, California, Station Eleven ... there are so many) and the current real world situation is causing my imagination to go too far, and I need to keep myself distracted. So!
Name your favorite upbeat, everything-is-wonderful book!!!
My current favorite is the book I’m currently reading: Tweet Cute - and it works as a Challenge book - it’s about social media! there's a pun in the title! it’s got a bird on the cover! the author is in her 20s! it was published this year! and it has a GR rating (slightly) greater than 4 stars (deservedly so).