Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

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2021 Challenge - General > The list is out!!!

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message 1: by Nadine in NY (last edited Dec 01, 2020 09:02AM) (new)

Nadine in NY Jones | 9680 comments Mod
Go nuts.

https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/fi...


I'm getting a Goodreads error when I try to create new discussion posts for each category - if everyone can contain their excitement to the few posts I was able to create for now, that will help minimize chaos later!!! I've got a help request out to Goodreads on this problem.


message 2: by poshpenny (new)

poshpenny | 1916 comments :::muppet flail:::


message 3: by Victoria (new)

Victoria | 21 comments so excited! can't wait to plan my tbr and read with you all again in 2021


message 4: by Johanne (last edited Dec 01, 2020 08:46AM) (new)

Johanne *the biblionaut* | 1301 comments Oh maaan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a great list!
I especially love the advanced prompts :)
I gave up this year's popsugar challenge and I was absolutely certain not to do it next year, but this looks just too good!

I do anticipate a slight problem with reading a book in another format than I usually do. I usually read all the formats: ebooks on both e-reader and phone, audio, paperback, hardcover, graphic novels, comics, picture books, board books, all the books all the formats. Except large print for visually challenged, but not going to go there (yet). Maybe something that mixes formats in a unique way.

And - I rarely DNF so when I do they promptly get removed from my TBR.


message 5: by Laura (new)

Laura Miles | 244 comments Love the TBR theme for the advanced list!


message 6: by Tara (new)

Tara Block (tarablock) | 13 comments Love the positive feedback about the new challenge! Thank you!


message 7: by Jamie (new)

Jamie Ghione (jannghi) | 30 comments Johanne wrote: "Oh maaan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a great list!
I especially love the advanced prompts :)
I gave up this year's popsugar challenge and I was absolutely certain not to do it next year, but this looks jus..."


I thought the same thing. I read all formats listed, and cannot think of a book I did not finish.


message 8: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 263 comments I love the advanced list too. I have to say- the prompt for book by a blogger/vlogger/booktuber/online personality I am not just unexcited about but flat out noped it.

I'm thinking about generalizing it to celebrity author or something.


message 9: by Jessica (new)

Jessica (soromantical) | 13 comments Johanne wrote: "Oh maaan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a great list!
I especially love the advanced prompts :)
I gave up this year's popsugar challenge and I was absolutely certain not to do it next year, but this looks jus..."


For the different format prompt - I am going in this direction: typically I only listen to non-fiction on audio, so instead I am going to read a physical non-fiction book. I also read all different formats of books.


message 10: by Charlotte (new)

Charlotte Weber | 270 comments poshpenny wrote: ":::muppet flail:::"

OMG, I love this.


message 11: by Erica (last edited Dec 01, 2020 08:57AM) (new)

Erica | 1256 comments Sarah wrote: "I love the advanced list too. I have to say- the prompt for book by a blogger/vlogger/booktuber/online personality I am not just unexcited about but flat out noped it.

I'm thinking about generali..."


I don't like that prompt very much either. I'm just going to use a book recommended by one of the book reviewers I follow on goodreads. Some of them have booktube channels I never watch.


message 12: by poshpenny (new)

poshpenny | 1916 comments Sarah wrote: "I love the advanced list too. I have to say- the prompt for book by a blogger/vlogger/booktuber/online personality I am not just unexcited about but flat out noped it."

There are some good authors who fit at least one of these.


message 13: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 91 comments Oh gosh, so many of these are love at first sight for me!

- ALL the advanced prompts, because I love anything TBR-related
- dark academia
- locked-room mystery
- book about forgetting
- genre hybrid
- magical realism
- fewer than 1000 reviews

There are a few that will be a stretch for me, but that's why it's a challenge!


message 14: by Kristy (last edited Dec 01, 2020 09:38AM) (new)

Kristy Moore (llamalluv) | 81 comments Most of these look like good stretches for me.

I see "another format" made the list despite many, MANY people here and on the FB group asking them to not do it because it's ableism.

:: angry emoji face ::

Well, it's not like the world ever goes more than zero days without disability being ignored. lolsob.

ETA: Thanks for all the help, folks. I don't need it. My particular disabilities don't affect (much) what format I "read" in. (I do usually opt for Kindle over paper books because I can change the font size when my eyes get tired.)

It's just frustrating that even in the middle of a pandemic which is disabling many people that survive the virus, the world will not go even one day without ignoring disabled people saying, "Please don't do this thing that is dismissive of disabled people."


message 15: by Nadine in NY (new)

Nadine in NY Jones | 9680 comments Mod
I'm getting a Goodreads error when I try to create new discussion posts for each category - if everyone can contain their excitement to the few posts I was able to create for now, that will help minimize chaos later!!! I've got a help request out to Goodreads on this problem.


message 16: by Lauren (last edited Dec 01, 2020 12:54PM) (new)

Lauren Oertel | 764 comments Woo! Very happy with this list overall. I also appreciate the TBR focus for the advanced prompts. I'm grateful for anything that will help me chip away at that mountain. ;)

Favorites besides all the TBR ones:
-Afrofuturist (hoping to work in Octavia Butler for this)
-Dream job (even though I technically have some form of my dream job, I'll go with the secondary dream of working at a bookstore or publisher, or being a writer for this :)
-Indigenous author
-Subject you're passionate about
-Body positivity (I HIGHLY recommend The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love for this!)
-BLM reading list
-Outdoors
-Muslim American author
-Social justice issue


message 17: by Lauren (new)

Lauren Oertel | 764 comments Nadine wrote: "I'm getting a Goodreads error when I try to create new discussion posts for each category - if everyone can contain their excitement to the few posts I was able to create for now, that will help mi..."

No worries - thanks for working on that, Nadine!


message 18: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 263 comments poshpenny wrote: "There are some good authors who fit at least one of these."

I'd love recs - I'll definitely check out the individual thread when it opens. Just for some reason the prompt doesn't sit well with me at all.

Erica wrote: "I don't like that prompt very much either. I'm just going to use a book recommended by one of the book reviewers I follow on goodreads. Some of them have booktube channels I never watch."

That's a good idea!


message 19: by Lauren (last edited Dec 01, 2020 09:14AM) (new)

Lauren Oertel | 764 comments Kristy wrote: "Most of these look like good stretches for me.

I see "another format" made the list despite many, MANY people here and on the FB group asking them to not do it because it's ableism.

:: angry emo..."


Yes, that's frustrating. Maybe we can come up with alternative interpretations of this one that are more inclusive? Like "different format" could include audiobooks from a different source (ex. free trial of libro.fm or audiobooks.com if you normally get audiobooks from the library), or listening to a book that has an ensemble cast if most books you listen to typically have just one narrator. Other suggestions for this?


message 20: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 263 comments Lauren wrote: "Kristy wrote: "Most of these look like good stretches for me.

I see "another format" made the list despite many, MANY people here and on the FB group asking them to not do it because it's ableism...."


A book outside your comfort zone?


message 21: by poshpenny (last edited Dec 01, 2020 09:28AM) (new)

poshpenny | 1916 comments Have someone read one to you?

Picture book instead of novel? (Many picture books are available on audio, no idea about Braille)


message 22: by poshpenny (new)

poshpenny | 1916 comments Sarah wrote: "poshpenny wrote: "There are some good authors who fit at least one of these."

I'd love recs - I'll definitely check out the individual thread when it opens. Just for some reason the prompt doesn't..."


I can think of a few off the top of my head. I'm sure the thread will have lots of choices. If nothing else, you can always read Franklin's Flying Bookshop and be done with it quickly. I watch Jen Campbell on Booktube. She's lovely.


message 23: by Erica (new)

Erica | 1256 comments I see how a different format can be impossible if you have a disability but I think it's important to promote other formats so publishers make them to be more accessible in the long run.

I think maybe if something is translated it could work. Also you could pick fiction or non-fiction depending on what you read the most.


message 24: by SarahKat (new)

SarahKat | 171 comments Nadine wrote: "I'm getting a Goodreads error when I try to create new discussion posts for each category - if everyone can contain their excitement to the few posts I was able to create for now, that will help mi..."

Nadine, Goodreads changed a thing so now we can only post 3 topics every hour.


message 25: by Ellie (new)

Ellie (patchworkbunny) | 1756 comments How frustrating, you would think they'd let group mods have a higher limit.


message 26: by Brittany (new)

Brittany | 187 comments Yay! Honestly not sure if I'm going to finish this year's challenge because of life but I'm really excited for next year! These prompts look so fun! A little hesitant about the advance challenge being from your TBR list just because in general I don't add a ton of fiction to that list. I typically just see something I like and read it immediately. So my TBR is generally more serious non-fiction books that I'd like to get to someday but weren't in the mood for when I learned about them or they weren't available through my library or the online resources I use. Thinking my next year is going to be pretty heavy with social justice books - not a bad thing!


message 27: by L Y N N (new)

L Y N N (book_music_lvr) | 4901 comments Mod
I'll try and see what I can do...


message 28: by Johanne (last edited Dec 01, 2020 09:43AM) (new)

Johanne *the biblionaut* | 1301 comments Jessica wrote: "Johanne wrote: "Oh maaan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a great list!
I especially love the advanced prompts :)
I gave up this year's popsugar challenge and I was absolutely certain not to do it next year, bu..."


I'm thinking along the lines of more unusual formats: wordless picture books like Journey, or picture books without pictures, ok I only know one: The Book with No Pictures. Or a "you are the hero"-book, which is both a format and a genre in my mind - those could also work if you have poor eyesight (per Kristy's comment). Kristy I guess you're thinking of eyesight right? There are disabilities that prevents you from reading in general, but that's the whole challenge you can't participate in then. If you have a hearing disability, it's possible to do all other reading formats than audio (and some people with lower hearing can still do that). Of course there are also different kinds of brain damage, like concussions, where you can listen to audio but can't read text.


message 29: by Drakeryn (new)

Drakeryn | 708 comments SarahKat wrote: "Nadine, Goodreads changed a thing so now we can only post 3 topics every hour."

time to make an army of alts just for posting the yearly Popsugar topics


message 30: by Doni (new)

Doni | 697 comments What the crap does "dark academia book" mean?


message 31: by Laura (new)

Laura Miles | 244 comments Is it just me or did the thread to post our 2021 lists disappear?


message 32: by Sarah (last edited Dec 01, 2020 09:41AM) (new)

Sarah | 91 comments Doni wrote: "What the crap does "dark academia book" mean?"

Any book that is about dark topics and set in a school/university setting. The Secret History is usually considered the classic of this genre. I personally recommend If We Were Villains, one of my favorite books of the last few years!

Edited to add that Vita Nostra is also an excellent book that would fit this topic perfectly.


message 33: by Carol (new)

Carol | 13 comments Laura wrote: "Is it just me or did the thread to post our 2021 lists disappear?"

It is not just you. It is gone.


message 34: by Jill (new)

Jill | 84 comments I love the list! I especially love the TBR prompts. I have spent the last couple of weeks cleaning up my TBR and this will help even more!


message 35: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sezziy) | 901 comments Lauren wrote: "Kristy wrote: "Most of these look like good stretches for me.

I see "another format" made the list despite many, MANY people here and on the FB group asking them to not do it because it's ableism...."


I was thinking of reading a play or poetry for that one because I don't want to read something in another physical format


message 36: by Krissy (new)

Krissy (krissyreadings) | 2 comments Sarah wrote: "I love the advanced list too. I have to say- the prompt for book by a blogger/vlogger/booktuber/online personality I am not just unexcited about but flat out noped it.

I'm thinking about generali..."


Check out An Absolutely Remarkable Thing to see if it is your kind of thing, It comes highly recommended to me and it is what i plan on reading


message 37: by Knight (new)

Knight (theknightgarden) | 25 comments i love the list! i especially love the advanced ones because it'll be the perfect opportunity to look through my tbr and see which ones i can finally cross out! excellent job this year!


message 38: by Chinook (new)

Chinook | 731 comments Are plays/screenplays/poetry a different format? I guess? Those would work for me, since I read at best one play a year.


message 39: by Denise (new)

Denise | 374 comments Kristy wrote: "Most of these look like good stretches for me.

I see "another format" made the list despite many, MANY people here and on the FB group asking them to not do it because it's ableism.

:: angry emo..."


I agree with you. I'm going to just use that one as a wild card and use whatever book I feel like, in whichever format works best for me.


message 40: by Doni (new)

Doni | 697 comments Sarah wrote: "Doni wrote: "What the crap does "dark academia book" mean?"

Any book that is about dark topics and set in a school/university setting. The Secret History is usually considered the cla..."


Does it have to be fiction? Wow, the challenge is already expanding my horizons. *mind blown*


message 41: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 91 comments Doni wrote: "Does it have to be fiction?"

Nope, not by my definition! Plenty of dark real-life events happen in academic settings.


message 42: by Johanne (last edited Dec 01, 2020 09:57AM) (new)

Johanne *the biblionaut* | 1301 comments Chinook wrote: "Are plays/screenplays/poetry a different format? I guess? Those would work for me, since I read at best one play a year."

I would say so. It has a distinctly different structure, which is what I would call a different format. It's also a different genre. I'm pretty sure this is one of the things literature proffessors discuss, but I think we can decide it is :)


message 43: by Kristy (new)

Kristy Moore (llamalluv) | 81 comments Kristy I guess you're thinking of eyesight right? There are disabilities that prevents you from reading in general, but that's the whole challenge you can't participate in then. If you have a hearing disability, it's possible to do all other reading formats than audio (and some people with lower hearing can still do that). Of course there are also different kinds of brain damage, like concussions, where you can listen to audio but can't read text.

No, not just vision. I only brought up my aging eyesight because it's a totally common condition that affects nearly everyone with sight as they age, so it's not like no one's ever heard of needing cheaters or large print books.

I'm annoyed because ANY disability that makes books in a particular format inaccessible *compared to another* makes this particular prompt ableist. Whether that's a visual impairment, a hearing impairment, dyslexia, concussion or stroke, or even carpal tunnel syndrome or another physical ailment which makes it difficult to physically hold a book.

I feel like it's the equally bad flip side to the argument that "listening to audio books isn't reading" which (in case you can't tell) I think is bollocks.

At the end of the day, this is supposed to be for fun. I would just like to go ONE DAY without someone through words or actions telling disabled people they don't matter. (Especially after last week and the whole Sia/Shatner thing.)


message 44: by Johanne (last edited Dec 01, 2020 10:04AM) (new)

Johanne *the biblionaut* | 1301 comments Kristy wrote: "Kristy I guess you're thinking of eyesight right? There are disabilities that prevents you from reading in general, but that's the whole challenge you can't participate in then. If you have a heari..."

Kristy, I understand wat you're saying, and I don't disagree, I'm just taking a pragmatic approach. I'm a librarian and am used to helping people find books with all sorts of different abilities. The dyslexic kid who usually reads audio, I might try to give a good very visual graphic novel. The man who had a stroke that affected his concentration will get a good short audio, and so on.

I'm not familiar with the Sia/Shatner thing, I guess it's an American thing?
ETA: But you don't have to tell me about it, I can google.


Jenny Dahl Bakken | 34 comments It annoys me every time that they don't have a simpler list - I have my own system, I use another book tracking page (a Norwegian one) for all my challenges. I need to copy/paste the challenge into there, but it's difficult when there is no simpler list / text list.


message 46: by Karen (new)

Karen | 15 comments I haven't done this challenge for a few years, and was thinking of trying it again in 2021. However, at first glance at the list, I don't think I have many books that will fit the prompts. Since I do these challenges to read books that have been sitting on my shelves too long, I'm kind of disappointed.

Hopefully on further investigation, I will find that I have more books that fit than I think I do.


message 47: by Ellie (new)

Ellie (patchworkbunny) | 1756 comments Jenny Dahl Bakken wrote: "It annoys me every time that they don't have a simpler list - I have my own system, I use another book tracking page (a Norwegian one) for all my challenges. I need to copy/paste the challenge into..."

There was a link on the UK version that shows the list in text. It was just above the slideshow (which wouldn't load for me). Plus the mods here will post a numbered list.


message 48: by Whitney (new)

Whitney (whitneymouse) | 55 comments Erica wrote: "Sarah wrote: "I love the advanced list too. I have to say- the prompt for book by a blogger/vlogger/booktuber/online personality I am not just unexcited about but flat out noped it.

I'm thinking ..."


I have an idea for which book I want to read for this prompt, but I also was put off by the "read a BookTuber's book" essentially. The one I think I'm reading wasn't a book tuber, but an online vlogger, but still. Most of them aren't good from what I've heard :\


message 49: by Whitney (new)

Whitney (whitneymouse) | 55 comments Johanne wrote: "Kristy wrote: "Kristy I guess you're thinking of eyesight right? There are disabilities that prevents you from reading in general, but that's the whole challenge you can't participate in then. If y..."

The short version is that Sia is making a movie about Autism using neurotypical actors and was very defensive when people pointed out the problems with the trailer, the plot, and the process of getting the movie made.


message 50: by Johanne (new)

Johanne *the biblionaut* | 1301 comments Thanks Whitney.


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