Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2020 Weekly Checkins
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Week 11: 3/5 - 3/12
Mod
As I recall it was her maternal grandmother. And I do know it was in the western US. Arizona sounds about right... She was quite the woman!
Jessica wrote: "Ali wrote: "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 tha..."
I put off reading it until the weekend before our bookclub meeting as it wasn't calling to me but I was surprised how much I loved it. Historical fiction isn't usually my thing. We all loved it, first book in a while with such a positive reaction.
Theresa wrote: "Very late reporting after a long busy work day. Work for (most) lawyers increases on so many levels when all is going wrong in the world. Finished - none for challenge: EDITED: ACTUALLY ONE CHALL..."
Julie of the Wolves is SO GOOD! It was a touchstone book in my childhood.
Jackie wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Well, my husband and I were going to go on a cruise next week, but that had to get cancelled. We got credits to rebook a cruise within the year, and the same thing wi..."I agree on his Poirot and I basically pretend its not Poiroit but just some other detective. Then I can be amused by his performance. In truth, I love the movie in spite of it not being particularly good adaptation. I let it be what it is.
That Death on the Nile has so much wrong with it ... Ustinov as Poirot is almost the least of its flaws. Let's discuss how they have the various sites visited completely out of order to how you reach them whether travelling up or down the Nile...
And there were a slew of terrible, over-acted, scenery chewing performances.
I'll stop now. I'll be curious how Branagh's adaptation does. I thought the Murder on the Orient Express was flat if beautiful; I still prefer the original film version.
Lynn wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Our school system just shut down indefinitely :/I put in 10,257 library holds in case that shuts down too....."
OMG! You almost made me laugh out loud at work!! Stop it!!"
Sorry LOL. We could all use some humor right now though, yes??
No books finished this week due to deep personal family issues as both my wife and I had to say goodbye not only to our Boxer baby Aurora but my mother-in-law as well. But have startedSwords & Steam Short Stories with short story collections I tend to read it slower to ruminate on the stories more.QoTW
I'm trying to think of books I've read that are upbeat....
Andrew wrote: "No books finished this week due to deep personal family issues as both my wife and I had to say goodbye not only to our Boxer baby Aurora but my mother-in-law as well. But have started[book:Swords ..."So sorry.
I work in a drugstore and these days the situation is absolutely crazy, people are buying anything and everything. I'm so tired after work, that I fall asleep when I try to read something. But at the same time, with everything being closed, I literally have nothing to do on my off days, other than read books.
Finished:
Beware Beware - for ATY, 18th prompt - 4 stars, I really want to read the final one in the series to find out what happens. I like the MC and it's also a mystery, one of my favorite genres.
Monsieur Ibrahim and The Flowers of the Qur'an - not for a reading challenge, it's a short story (42 p.). 4 stars also, liked it very much, I probably would read something else from the author in the next few months.
Milk and Honey - currently not for a reading challenge, 2 stars. Uff, not my type of poetry. There were some good ones, but the format gets repetitive and I found myself skipping a few because I just couldn't read them.
Currently reading:
The Time Traveler's Wife - I have like an hour and a half of this left
The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman - very strange one
QOTW:
I can't think of anything right now, most of my favorite books have a sad and heavy part with a mostly happy ending. I'm a sucker for murder mysteries and sobbing-halfway-through books
Andrew wrote: "No books finished this week due to deep personal family issues as both my wife and I had to say goodbye not only to our Boxer baby Aurora but my mother-in-law as well. But have started[book:Swords ..."I am so, so sorry for your loss. I can't even imagine what you must be going through.
Andrew wrote: "No books finished this week due to deep personal family issues as both my wife and I had to say goodbye not only to our Boxer baby Aurora but my mother-in-law as well. But have started[book:Swords ..."So sorry to hear about your losses. Take care.
This month I am taking a break (Mostly) from popsugar for March mystery Madness. If I read a mystery which ends up fitting both challenges all the better but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. I did read one non mystery for this challenge:The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai. I’m using it for the pink cover but would also work for social media book.
Question of the week:
My feel good read would be any JD Robb In Death book. I judge how rough the year has been at the end by how many in Death books I’ve read. I’m hoping my next one becomes available soon because life=stress right now.
Like most, my kids are doing online school right now. Work is strange because I’m a housekeeper in a university residential village that is nearly deserted but I go in everyday and clean it anyway fighting any Germ or virus that might be there. Reading in my spare time is my happy place.
Samantha wrote: "I work in sales in a hotel and it has been a crazy week with cancellations so I'm posting late. I finished 3 books this week and all of them were for the challenge. Finished:
You Are Not Al..."</i>
Oh yeah [author:Janet Evanovich's Stephanie plum series is great. Her Fox and O'Hare series is really good too; there's no murder just cons to catch criminals.
Welp, I stocked up on books just in time. Our libraries close on Sunday!
Hi all! Hope everyone is healthy and not too stressed! We haven't had any cases locally, yet, that we know of. The universities closed down today and the county schools are closed for a month! My boss informed me I'm not to meet with clients in their homes until a better plan can be put in place, so I might have time to read at work next week... I'm bummed all sports are canceled, though of course I understand it, because sports are my mindless don't let the world get you down form of escapism (even more than books, cause I tend to read serious stuff, too!!).I finished 2 books this week! That's a lot for me!!
Siddhartha Not sure if/where I might use this for a prompt. It was pretty boring to me. Thankfully, it was short.
Fed Up: Emotional Labor, Women, and the Way Forward book with only words on the cover. Most of the book was a longer explanation of her article, but the last few chapters were about how the heck do you change this stuff, so that was good.
Still reading:
Anna Karenina, the current section I'm in has slowed way down, but I hear it picks back up soon. Generally enjoying it much more than I thought I would.
Miracle Creek oh man, loving this!
Just started The Mercury Visions of Louis Daguerre not yet sure about this one, though one of Daguerre's friends is quite the character.
Going to restart Love in the Time of Cholera. No! Really! I mean it this time! (cause, ya know, nothing takes the edge off worrying about a pandemic like cholera!!)
QOTW: I have a whole shelf called "fun reads" because I do spend so much of my time reading serious stuff that I felt the need to catalog some happy stuff. Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Narnia all come to mind. Hyperbole and a Half also never fails to send me into hysterical giggles. And I did just read Gmorning, Gnight, and some of those were so sweet they brought tears to my eyes.
Be well and peace to all of you!
I finished The Brass City and The Secret Chord which takes care of 2 challenges - A book with the same title as a movie and A book with a map. I hope to finish The magical life long tack sam by Ann Marie Fleming - A book you picked because the title caught your attention.
Late to check in this week. It's been a long week with a sick baby, work, exhaustion, stressed over only wanting to do casual teaching, but being constantly asked by a school to accept a contract (which is flattering, but I REALLY like the freedom of casual/sub teaching at the moment). I don't want to take on too much of a workload. I'm enjoying having the chance of spending the afternoons with my little one. This week I finished listening to The Perks of Being a Wallflower. This was a 5 star listen for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't know whether I would think it is 5 stars had I read it and not listened to it, and maybe I'll never know. But I thought Noah Galvin as the narrator made it one of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to. I have used this book for the over 4 star rating prompt.
Currently reading:
The Night Circus. Despite the hype and great reviews this book has received, I personally am not loving it. I don't hate it either, but it's not really what I thought it was.
The Diary of a Young Girl this was supposed to be an April buddy read, but after rejecting it once from the library because of timing, I wasn't going to risk it again, so have downloaded the audio. So far, so good.
QotW
The Harry Potter series is always my go to!
Mod
wow! the public high schools, etc, in Tompkins? or TC^3? I haven't heard of any schools closing in Onondaga County yet (and our libraries are still open - for now!), although our school district has cancelled a lot of after school activities, the sports seasons have been ended, school plays postponed indefinitely, etc. I have heard that schools in Oneida County are starting to close.
Hi everyone! I hope you all are managing to avoid stress and are doing well! Work has been busy and stressful as we've had employees be unable to come back to work due to university closures and needing to go back to their home states. I did manage to get loads of reading in mostly due to the day the Internet was unconnected while we the Internet service provider was reviewing it, most of them for books that I picked up at the library while browsing and not for any challenges.
I'm still reading Romancing the Dukeand am about halfway done with it. I've been loving it and swooning over Ransom more than I ought to. It's for Book Riot's Reader Harder task of a book with a main character with a disability.
I also started on the 12th (and finished on the 13th which doesn't really count for the dates listed here but c'est la vie, The Girls at 17 Swann Streetfor the challenge of 'A Book You Meant To Read In 2019' and this book was definitely worth the wait and I have nothing but good things to say about it.
Now onto the random books I got from the library....
How to Not Wear Black: Find Your Style and Create Your Forever Wardrobe most of the fashion and styling advice given here isn't groundbreaking or presented in a new one and there aren't a lot of tips or exercises to do to help you go through your closet (which I don't mind but I know some people do like) but I did enjoy the quotes throughout the books from various big names in fashion and literature.
The last book is The Budget-Savvy Wedding Planner & Organizer: Checklists, Worksheets, and Essential Tools to Plan the Perfect Wedding on a Small Budget I've seen a lot of my clients carry this book around and I was intrigued. I can't speak to much of the advice other than it sounded reasonable and the worksheets looked helpful as I don't have my own wedding to worry about but I liked how there was the overarching theme that even when dealing with a small budget that it was OK to spend more on something that most budget advice says to cut if you view it as important. The wedding dress section, which was what I really wanted to read as that is what I work with, was particularly of note and I adored that they included a list of common silhouettes and materials.
An upbeat everything is fine book I love is Dreaming Sun Revision 1 It's not exactly that happy (the main character struggles with family life and decides to move into a boarding house) but the found family and aspect of hope and that life is in your control makes my heart warm.
This week, I've begun to see some of the effects of Covid-19 in my community, like the lack of toilet paper on grocery store shelves. Schools are also going to be closing at the beginning of next week, and I just received an email from my local library that they will be closed until the second week of April. It's a good thing I have plenty of books to read at home.This week I managed to make it to 50% POPSUGAR Reading Challenge completion! I'm really pleased with my progress so far, and I'm looking forward to tackling some of the "Advanced" prompts next week.
POPSUGAR: 25/50
Goodreads: 39/150
Finished:
Girling Up: How to Be Strong, Smart and Spectacular - "a book about or by a woman in STEM"
The Little World of Liz Climo - "a book with a bird on the cover"
Uprooted - "a book that has a book on the cover"
A Royal Pain - "a book published in the 20th Century"
If you'd like to read my thoughts about these books, you can find them at https://theunapologeticbookworm.com/2....
Currently Reading:
Venomnibus Vol. 1
Steeped in Murder: A Tea and Tarot Cozy Mystery
Flying Too High
QOTW:
When it comes to comfort reading, I tend to re-read old favorites, like A Royal Pain, Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast, Get a Clue, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and the Harry Potter series.
Nadine wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! Hope everyone is healthy and not too stressed! We haven't had any cases locally, yet, that we know of. The universities closed down today and the county schools are close..."All of the above! Colleges are going online and sending students home. High schools etc are closing, don't know if they're going online or what. Library's still open, so I should stock up while I can.
My state has declared a state of emergency and banned all gatherings larger than 250 people. But, they're not closing the schools. Which seems odd, because I would think some schools would have more than 250 people in them. but, I guess not per class. Whatever. I think they should put the whole country on lockdown and we can be done with this business in a month or so. Instead, they'll maybe slow the spread (which is good as you don't want everyone having it at once), but this will go on into next year.
Mod
Onondaga County just closed their schools too ... I guess I "spoke too soon" this morning ...
Our libraries are still open! Don't know for how much longer ... Luckily I read a lot of ebooks.
Nadine wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Nadine wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! Hope everyone is healthy and not too stressed! We haven't had any cases locally, yet, that we know of. The universities closed down toda..."A few of the libraries in our area closed, but the one I work at is planning to remain open for now (though we've cancelled all programs). I'm taking home a stack of books just in case, though...
Kenya wrote: "Nadine wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Nadine wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! Hope everyone is healthy and not too stressed! We haven't had any cases locally, yet, that we know of. The universities c..."That's what our library is doing. I think when I finish the four books I have checked out, I'll return them and just go with the books I own. I had 3 shelves of unread books. I told my friend today that I would run out of food before books. And I'm def going to run out of TP before either.
LOL, Agreed, Katy!Yep, our library just closed for a month. Good thing I have a pile of books out already and many, many more owned books I've never read!
Someone once posted that she could justify buying books and not reading them because someday when she was old and infirm, she would have lots of books at her fingertips. I always liked that idea, just didn't think "someday" would come so soon!!
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm checking off the medical thriller prompt and just writing in The News.
poshpenny wrote: "I don't know about anyone else, but I'm checking off the medical thriller prompt and just writing in The News."🤣🤣🤣.
That works for me!
Shannon wrote: "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 ent..."
Shannon, if you are still looking for recommendations, I've read Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower and I have the second one from the series, Prose and Cons, on my TBR. Looking through the author's GR page, many more have puns in the titles.
Lynn wrote: "Christine wrote: "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..."Aw, thanks! This really brightened my day!
Somewhat late-ish again, another good reading week:Menschenkind by Toni Morrison, not for this year´s challenge,
Die Verlobung des Monsieur Hire by Georges Simenon, prompt no. 48, book published in the 20th century (and a prime number year),
Todsünde by Tess Gerritsen, not for Popsugar,
Tripwire (Reacher 3) by Lee Child, for no. 13, same title as, but unrelated to a movie or tv series, and
Scrapbooking Slaying, Tea Room Toxin and Exercise Expired by Brianna Bates, just to finish the 6 book bundle.
QotW:
I have no go-to, upbeat, fluffy favourite, but for comfort and joy I usually (re)read The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien and Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare.
Trying to understand why my parents aren't taking this self quarantine seriously, so instead they booked brunch for my dad's birthday today. Insert major eye roll.13/40 PopSugar
3/10 Advanced PopSugar
16/100 GoodReads
Finished Reading:
1.) Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: An Introvert's Year of Living Dangerously by Jessica Pan ⭐️⭐️⭐️(#20 - Interesting Title) - this was good, not great but happy to have read it. Narrated by the author on audio.
2.) This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 (#35: 3 Word Title) - I didn't love this as much as everyone else seemed to. I enjoyed it, but it took me forever to get through and I ultimately didn't connect to the narrator as much as I hoped.
Currently Reading:
1.) The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
2.) Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
3.) The Two Lives of Lydia Bird
QOTW:
Name your favorite upbeat, everything-is-wonderful book!!!
One is too difficult, here are a few that come to mind:
1.) One Day in December
2.) The Jane Austen Marriage Manual
3.) The City Baker's Guide to Country Living
I finished two books this week, but couldn't come up with a prompt for either. I'm still at 9/40 and 5/10 for this challenge, and am now at 24/100 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge.Finished:
* Home: A Memoir of My Early Years by Julie Andrews Edwards, which was one of my book club's picks for March -- not sure if we'll meet, or postpone; and,
* Behind the Red Door by Megan Collins, which was my latest Giveaways win.
Currently Reading:
* The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea, which is my other book club's pick for March -- ditto on whether we'll meet or delay; I started reading the hard copy, which had a bird on the cover, but switched to the ebook and haven't taken a close look at the cover to see if it also has a bird on it yet; and,
* Trailblazer: A Pioneering Journalist's Fight to Make the Media Look More Like America by Dorothy Butler Gilliam, which I'll use for a book by or about a journalist.
QotW:
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!!!
A few books that I came up with are:
* Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick;
* the Ramona Quimby series by Beverly Cleary;
* the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde;
* the non-fiction essay collections by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella;
* Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable-Path Adventure by Ryan North; and,
* Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal.
This week i finished the book Into the Water by Paula Hawkins I havent stuck it into a challenge yet but it would work for the 4 star rating or the caught my eye when i saw it on the Libby app Shelf.Currently reading
The World That We Knew for a book with a bird on the cover. I think Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors
Will be starting today
Skeletons at the Feast As a book i meant to read in 2019.
For some reason i didnt read much at all last year and a just stopped reading and tracking on here.
As for the question of the week -- I dont know that i have one. I do not like to reread books so i guess i dont have a favorite feel good book.
Happy Ideas of March! Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.Due to the coronavirus, I was laid off Friday afternoon. The travel and hospitality industry has taken a major hit -ouch!!
Self-quarantining, mostly to do lots of arithmetic to see how I can streeeeeetch what I have. Doing advanced calculus, as there's not much, thanks to the Recession of 2009. Still healthy, knock on wood! even though I fit the "vulnerable" demographic, so that's a bright spot !
I have been reading quite bit, but finished nothing which qualifies for the challenge. On the bright side, my math and research skills are off the charts :)
QOTW
I don't really do fluffy, happy, everything-is-great books.
I highly recommend if you want to laugh out loud (and I do):
Sh*t My Dad Says
The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America
Between the Bridge and the River
Anything by Craig Ferguson
Our library is only open for two more hours, so off I go! They plan to be closed through at least April 5th... I'm already getting the shakes.
Mod
I love that idea of registering for a video to follow at home for working out!
Mod
What did you think of Pax and Strange the Dreamer? I plan to read them soon...
Mod
Monday: we are informed via email we are to work remotely as of Wednesday. Tuesday: we are informed via email that the university is not closed. The only change is that instruction will be only online for the two weeks following spring break (March 14-22). No face-to-face classes, but all other facets of the university are to be fully operational. Thursday: we are informed via email there will only be online instruction for the remainder of this semester, and staff and faculty are expected to work remotely with the exception of research labs where graduate students, research faculty, and research staff are to continue on. So I have officially worked my last day in the office until we are invited back! :)
The instructors and lab techs in my department (Chemistry) are scrambling to determine how best to adapt the laboratory classes into online format. It will necessarily be demonstrations and the students will be given data to use to complete lab reports. Not ideal, but if the students apply themselves it should work. Also, there is now an issue with Teaching Assistants (both graduate and undergraduate students) since they won't be teaching on campus, etc., etc., etc. YIKES! So much to consider and decide!
I figure I have enough work to keep me busy for at least one week. But then I was worried about paid leave time since I don't have much saved up, but the university has granted us "unlimited sick leave" to use during the time period when we are not to report to campus and we don't have work to be completed remotely. I thought that was very generous, myself. I guess for them it is better than just officially closing campus and paying all of us outright. But we are lucky! Others not so much and I feel for them. :(
Currently:
Popsugar: 31/50
ATY: 31/52
RHC: 5/24
Reading Women: 6/26
Finished:
Appleblossom the Possum by Holly Goldberg Sloan, illustrated by Gary A. Rosen. This is a husband-wife team. And they knocked it out of the park with this one! It is adorable and also has some adult humor incuded… I purchased this on a whim from my favorite used bookstore due to the title and cover image.Popsugar: #3-“One moment she’s calm and cozy with a knee in her nose and a tail around her neck.”, NEW #14, NEW #20, #35, #47
ATY: #2, #9, #12, #22, #29-I would label this a “hidden gem” and “lesser known” book, #36-on a whim—I saw it in my favorite used bookstore and couldn’t resist!
Reading Women: #20
An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. I loved their debut novel, The Wife Between Us, and was so anxious to read this one! This is for the 2020 Reading Challenge Buddy Read in February. Yes, I am a bit late. But, oh, my goodness! I loved this second novel just as much…maybe even a bit better. Their third novel, You Are Not Alone, was released March 3rd! And I have a birthday coming up! Hmmmm… ;)
Popsugar: #12, NEW #15, #34, #35, #50
ATY: NEW #3, #9, #12, #15-New York City, NEW #26, #41, #43, #45
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf. This is actually an extended essay first published in 1929 which was fashioned from two presentations Woolf made in 1928. She was quite an intellectual and I truly enjoyed her writing style. Though I have never read one of her other books, I will!
Woolf cites all the social, financial, and political repression women have withstood and the need for a woman to (1) make her own choices regarding family planning and thereby have fewer children (2-3 rather than 10-12), (2) be able to retain her own wealth to support herself and be financially independent (rather than any money she has or inherits being immediately “owned” and controlled by her husband or a male relative), and (3) actually have time and a place to herself to be creative, whether that be writing, painting, playing music, composing, etc. What I realized is that although our society has advanced in certain ways beyond 1929, there is still much room for improvement and those who would retain total patriarchy and still trample all over women’s rights need to get over it. Yes, I’m talkin’ to you, certain white males! She discusses androgyny and how no matter what a creator’s sex, they should use both sides of the brain…be a “womanly-man” or “manly-woman.”
Popsugar: #3-“But, you may say, we asked you to speak about women and fiction—what, has that got to do with a room of one’s own?” [What indeed…? ], #33-4.14, NEW #44-1928/1929, #48
ATY: #2, #4, #9, #15-London, NEW #25, #34-Nonfiction,
Reading Women:
War of the Wives by Tamar Cohen. This is for the Literary Wives online book discussion group review. I really should have read this book a month before the review. I almost started it that early, then decided not to. I hope my lesson was learned! No reason to delay.
This was an excellent read! Simon had two wives and families for 17 years and none of them knew of his duplicity…until his funeral, that is… Needless to say, both wives lose it as well as their children. It is sad to see neither mother able to truly be there for her children due to her own emotional turmoil. This book certainly has much to say about financial security, parenting, love, and marriage.
Popsugar: #5, #12, #27-Pride, Greed, Envy, Wrath, #50
ATY: #9, #15-London, #33-Nontraditional in the sense that Simon had TWO wives/families!, #41, #43-Death
RHC: #3, #21-Felix is a sociopath/psychopath
Reading Women: #22-new-to-me publisher--Mira
Continuing:
Just started Us Against You by Fredrik Backman for a mini-challenge ending March 18. I have read all his translated-into-English books except this one. I have loved them all. And this one just draws me in immediately, as have all the others.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. This is for a mini-challenge. I watched the current movie in the theater with my BFF and loved it, prompting me to reread this after 50+ years. I’m hooked after only 10 pages!
Falsipedies and Fibsiennes by Ali Eteraz. Continuing with this collection of short stories. I have not been overly-impressed thus far, but hope I’ll find at least a couple I truly enjoy! And this is still waiting for me to pick it up again! It is for a challenge, so that should encourage me to finish it…soon!
You Had Me at Woof: How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness by Julie Klam. I picked this up from one of my stacks, mainly because I had a vague memory of a reading challenge prompt for a book with a nonhuman animal on the cover. This one has a dog on it, as you would expect, given the title.
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!!!
Firstly, and perhaps fortunately, I do not share your fondness for post-pandemic books! ;) Secondly, as so many others have mentioned, a book does not have to be happy and uplifting to provide me with a pleasurable reading experience.
*Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
I love to grab this out and reread sections periodically. After having read about her life, I have so much respect for this woman! And I love her writing.
The Rosie Project (Don Tillman #1) by Graeme Simsion
One Day in December by Josie Silver
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
LessLess by Andrew Sean Greer
The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg
The Dress Shop of Dreams by Menna van Praag
Books by the following authors:
Kate DiCamillo
Jean Craighead George
Any of the following series:
*No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Isabel Dalhousie series, or any of the stand-alone novels by Alexander McCall Smith
*Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt
*Chet and Bernie Mystery series by Spencer Quinn
*Theodore Boone series by John Grisham
*Sarah Booth Delaney series by Carolyn Haines
The Cadillac Series by Carolyn Brown
Tales from Alcatraz series by Gennifer Choldenko
Cobbled Court Quilts series by Marie Bostwick
*Becky Chambers’ Wayfarer Series and stand-alone
Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear
And others... :)
I'm posting super late as this week was filled with a group of random occurrences such as hitting a tire just sitting on the highway! No finishes for me this week.Currently Reading:
The Lost Vintage
The Gallery
QOTW:
For Children's/Middle Grade
The Secret Garden
All Four Stars
Adult:
Frederica
The Whistling Season- This would be a great selection for anyone still looking for their Western!
Lynn wrote: "What did you think of Pax and Strange the Dreamer? I plan to read them soon..."Both 5 stars for me! Pax was much deeper than I expected for a middle grade book, but still accessible to younger kids. I read it aloud to my 8-year-old. It is a tough one to read aloud because of the way the foxes communicate.
Strange the Dreamer I read last year but it has stuck with me. It's beautifully written and the story itself is so unique.
Hi everyone!This is my first time posting so this is a little weird for me. I haven't finished any books yet this month but I'm hoping to finish at least two that I'm currently reading.
Currently Reading
Becoming
Know My Name
A Gentleman in Moscow
These are all books that I have checked out of my library and since my library is closed until further notice, I can take my time with them. I hope to finish Becoming and Know My Name this coming week so I can finish A Gentleman in Moscow and start My Sister, the Serial Killer next week. :)
QOTW
I really love the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy and also the Anna and the French Kiss trilogy. If I'm really trying to detach from the rest of the world, I'll pick up anything by Brandon Sanderson or Sarah J. Maas.
Welcome, Molly! What do you like by Sanderson? I have enjoyed Warbreaker and Steelheart so far.
I finished one book this week, so I am now 7/50.Perfect Silence, by Helen Fields
Currently reading...
Perfect Crime, by Helen Fields
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!!!
Playing the Moldovan at Tennis, by Tony Hawks.
Brandon wrote: "Welcome, Molly! What do you like by Sanderson? I have enjoyed Warbreaker and Steelheart so far."The fact that your name is Brandon makes me think you're him in disguise!
(I really loved The Final Empire)
I got through four books, but unfortunately, none of them counted for the Popsugar challenge. This week, I finished:
-Manga Classics: Les Misérables
-Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter
-The Mall
-Turtle under Ice
Of them, I would say that The Mall was my favorite, followed by the Scarlet Letter adaptation. Turtle Under Ice was my least favorite.
I'm going to be able to do a LOT more reading because I'm a substitute teacher and my job just closed for basically a month, so freaked out by that, but yay reading, I guess?
QOTW: Books that make me "happy" are not necessarily "everything is fine" books, so I'm not sure it fits the bill haha. But my favorite book is Six of Crows, which is always a fun time. My favorite book that fits the prompt the best is Fangirl, which is also very cute and uplifting. Hope everyone stays safe!
I am definitely not Sanderson. If you hover over the first name next to the message number, it will show a GoodReads user's full name.
poshpenny wrote: "I don't know about anyone else, but I'm checking off the medical thriller prompt and just writing in The News."What a brilliant idea!
This week I was able to read 4 books only 1 fit a challenge prompt though.Buried to the Brim by Jenn McKinlay met prompt 5- set in a city that has hosted the olympics (London)
this is latest in the Hat Shop Mysteries
https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The other books I read were
1- Winter in Paradiseby Elin Hilderbrand cannot wait for my hold to be up on the sequel
https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2- Mumbo Gumbo Murder by Laura Childs Scrapbook Mystery Series
https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3- Contraband by Stuart Woods Stone Barrington #50
https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Currently listening to
Loving it so far. It is narrated by the author Neil deGrasse Tyson- he does a wonderful job of keeping it understandable with humor tossed inAlso finishing
by Donna Tartt for book club- hopefully we can get together to discuss later this weekMy favorite uplifting stories for this year have been
Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
and Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl
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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Agreed! I love her writing!