Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2022 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 2: 1/6 - 1/13
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Really cherishing having a long weekend with the MLK holiday tomorrow. My place is finally (almost) settled and unpacked. I still need to order a few pieces- hello coffee table, but I'm terrible about committing to decisions and stuff just sits in my cart until I finally make a decision. It's cold and snowy here but the sun is shining, so I'll take it!2/80 GoodReads Challenge
2/50 PopSugar Challenge
Finished:
1.) The Sisters Sweet by Elizabeth Weiss (#49- Sister City #1 - Chicago) ⭐⭐⭐: This was an ARC from November that I didn't get to and it happened to be set in my city, so knocked that one out! It wasn't great-- the premise was interesting but just dragged out way too long for me.
2.) A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (#20 - Starts with T from previous book ends) ⭐⭐⭐⭐: I think this might be my very favorite book in the series so far. Clara finally gets a gallery show and then a dead body shows up creating chaos.
Currently Reading:
1.) Heard It in a Love Song
2.) Verity
3.) Nowhere Girl: A Memoir of a Fugitive Childhood
QoTW: Are there any books that have sequels, but you wish they didn't?
Oh, most definitely. I hate long series that lose steam midway through- I have quitting series in the middle, but so many I have had to finally walk away from. I'm drawing a total blank in sequels and trilogies that were frustrating right now, but looking forward to reading through the other comments.
Mary wrote: "I'm sure there are, but I can only think of times when a sequel was necessary but poorly executed, like the Divergent series"I IMMEDIATELY thought of this series too, but I agree with you. She had to write the sequels to finish the trilogy, but it made me so DANG angry.
Harmke wrote: "peanut butter and 'hagelslag' or 'vlokken' (little pieces of chocolate)... aaahhh.... I'm no chocolate fan, but oh, the peanut butter..."That sounds amazing. I sometimes just dip a piece of chocolate in peanut butter.
Katelyn wrote: "Checking in a few days late. I finally got boosted! The night-of and the whole next day was awful. My lymph node in my armpit is still swollen and my shot-arm hurts but other than that the pain has..."I use powdered peanut butter in smoothies and oatmeal. It makes much less of a mess than regular peanut butter.
Jessica wrote: "Also, no one has mentioned "ants on a log" (celery, peanut butter and raisins) no raisins for me please."I loved 'ants on a log'! But then I'd go places and people would try to make it with cheeze whiz *shudders*
Nadine in NY wrote: "Tatra wrote: "I've read 7 of these cruise ship mysteries: ... So far I haven't counted them for a challenge. ..."I'm curious why you don't use one of them for "set on a plane, train, or cruise s..."
I used the first one for that prompt, Undercover On The Calypso: Book One: The Cozy Cruise Mysteries, but then continued the series. They're short and light, so I've been going through them quick.
Happy MLK Jr. Day Eve!Looking forward to our second (proper) winter storm of the season tonight. Perfect evening to make tea, curl up and read!
I’ve been busy reading and doing continuing ed work for renewing my pharm tech license, so I haven’t read much else this week. Why am I even doing this? Is there any likelihood that I will be able to stand on my feet for more than 5 minutes? No. Is there any likelihood that I will be able to live on the miniscule salary, even if I find a desk job? No. But I do love bio, chem, and biochem journals and articles, and who knows? It may even help me with emigration visa one day. Hope springs eternal.
Finished:
The Kwanzaa Brunch: A Holiday Novella. I liked this holiday romance. It had just enough steam/smut, if that is your thing, and cute story, although I didn't buy one of the 2 MCs getting into a relationship in 4 days. I do love Kwanzaa, and I did love the supporting characters, Faith and Anthony; if I can find the novel with their backstory, I’ll definitely read it.
Works for: book with 2 POVs. I read a lot of books with multiple POVs, and not too many with 2 POVs, so I think I am slotting this here.
Also works for:
*BIPOC Romance by BIPOC writer
*Romance set over a holiday
*Favorite season – if your favorite season is winter or the solstice holiday season.
*Book set in Atlanta, if you need it for a sister city
Currently Reading:
Words on the Move: Why English Won't—and Can't—Sit Still
Letter from Birmingham Jail for honoring the Martin Luther King Jr.tomorrow
QOTW:
Hmm, I tend to read stand-alone books. Maybe Go Set a Watchman? To Kill a Mockingbirdwas a masterpiece for me, and didn’t need a sequel. Then again, To Kill a Mockingbirdwas written as a stand-alone, IIRC, and Go Set a Watchmanwas just part of the writer’s process.
So far so good into the challenge, at least compared to last year! I've read 4 books so far, with two in progress as I usually read one book and listen to audiobooks when out and about.Finished:
A book I know nothing about
Leave the World Behind An interesting study on how humans react when there's an apocalypse in the background. Annoyingly enough, I liked the setup/slow burn of what was to come but without spoiling anything I finished the book out of obligation to see how it would end rather than actually enjoying it.
A book that starts with last letter of previous read
The Dutch House Amazing, especially its audiobook format with Tom Hanks who narrates it wonderfully. I actually got through the book about 75% before stopping for some reason, and listen to its entirety by audiobook instead to make it seem new and I'm glad I did
A book published in 2022
Honor by Thrity Umrigar, a good read that I picked at random as I'm also trying to read Reese Witherspoon picks more this year. it took me only two days as I had trouble putting it down.
In Progress, and likely to be there for a couple weeks haha
Pride and Prejudice - specifically audiobook format, doubt it'll fit a prompt so more of a personal fun read
Cloud Cuckoo Land - ahh wish me luck. most of my reads are 300-400 pgs and this one is a beast.
Mod
where are you hoping to emigrate to?
Hello! Checking in late as I am visiting my parents in Port Aransas, Texas. My parents usually come here every winter, but didn't last year as they waited to get vaccinated. With Omnicron, I felt very apprehensive about the whole trip, but we're here, and I'm trying not to dwell.Finished This Week:
Love Is a Revolution by Renée Watson. This was my 2021 Read Harder pick for fat-positive romance. I did not like it. The main character is makes bad decisions and I don't enjoy reading about people being embarrassed.
Deerskin by Robin McKinley. This is my favorite book, and I finally got the chance to listen to the audiobook read by Xe Sands. Highly enjoyed the audio version, and I've apparently been mispronouncing Ossin all this time.
I still haven't finished my 2022 challenge spreadsheet, so I continue to not know where I stand on challenge reading.
Currently Reading:
Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende. Returned the physical book to the library and got the ebook for the trip here.
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. Book club pick from a few months ago. Finally got it from the library. Was not expecting the multiple POVs.
Are there any books that have sequels, but you wish they didn't?
Ignite the Stars by Maura Milan. The first book was so good, and the second felt like she only had an idea for one of the characters, and had to find something to do with the others until they could interact with the first character again. It was such a disappointment after the first one was so good.
Also, the Study series that starts with Poison Study. The first book is so good, the second and third are okay, and everything after that I pretend never happened. I hated the Glass series, and I strongly disagreed with Shadow Study. I never read the last two in that part, and pretend everything after Magic Study never happened.
Mod
That series really just grew and grew, didn't it? I finished the first trilogy and loved it. Then more came out. A few years went by. I read one in the Glass series, and while I don't hate them, I'm not exactly captivated either, so that's where I stalled. I still want to read all of them.
Ohhh I thought of a series! The Vampire Diaries! It really should have ended after they fired LJ Smith. It only went downhill from there and I eventually stopped reading.I am aware it's not the sequel that's the problem, but like book 9+ but still, haha! They just had to cash in on the success of the TV show. Poor LJ. (I am still very bitter over what happened not gonna lie)
Shannon wrote: "Some other options: peanut butter and honey sammiches or peanut butter and banana (sometimes throwing in some honey). OR a grilled peanut butter sandwich (like a grilled cheese but with peanut butter instead).Also, a sliced apple and peanut butter is one of my all-time favorite snacks.."
These are all my very favorites!! I do love a good crunchy PB, and when I was little I didn't like jelly with my PB, instead I did PB & Fluff (marshmellow) and PB & Lettuce. I know it sounds disgusting, but it was so good.
Katelyn wrote: "has anyone tried powdered peanut butter? ."The powder is good for smoothies, protein shakes, cool whip addition, icing and you can mix in with ice cream.
Erica wrote: "K.L. wrote: "Weird question, but has anyone else ever tried dipping Oreo cookies in peanut butter? They're not healthy by any stretch of the imagination, but they remind me a little of the Girl Sco..."Same! I think that movie got a lot of young people to try that combo haha
Melissa wrote: "Also, the Study series that starts with Poison Study. The first book is so good, the second and third are okay, and everything after that I pretend never happened. I hated the Glass series, and I strongly disagreed with Shadow Study. I never read the last two in that part, and pretend everything after Magic Study never happened...."Good luck with your visit to your parents.
I do love Maria V. Snyder, and I loved the Poison Study series, but I agree that as the series expanded and branched off I became less satisfied with the direction she was taking some of my favorite characters in and I dropped off reading at some point. The first two books in the series were 5 stars for me, and I did enjoy the short stories she published from the series between books. I think I left off on book 4, and I don't remember needing any further sequels, but I wouldn't mind going back and finishing just to see what happens. The Glass series was good but not as good as the first two Study books, so far the only Snyder books I've liked better than that was the Insider Duology.
Carmen wrote: "Ohhh I thought of a series! The Vampire Diaries! It really should have ended after they fired LJ Smith. It only went downhill from there and I eventually stopped reading.I am aware it's not the s..."
I've only read books 1 - 4, so I didn't realize the author had changed - that's sad.
Tania wrote: "I've only read books 1 - 4, so I didn't realize the author had changed - that's sad"I don't know if you are/were aware of the two camps of who Elena should be with, Stefan (Stelena) or Damon (Delena), but of course LJ had a vision of her series' ending.
I'm gonna put the rest in spoiler tags in case people still want to watch the show and care about who Elena ends up with!
(view spoiler)
Mod
Make sure you keep it there, please! LOL
"The heating element in our oven peaced out last week (in the middle of making steak for dinner, no less); we ended up finishing dinner with the toaster oven and it actually turned out pretty good! Heating element has been replaced and everything is back in working order."
I use our toaster oven all the time unless I need to use a pan large enough that it won't fit. Hope your oven gets fixed though!
"Still waiting for my car to get out of the shop (it was supposed to be done yesterday), but trying not to be impatient."
That can seem to take forever, can't it?
"In Important Bird News, this morning I have discovered the great eared nightjar: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_e...
He looks like a tiny fluffy dragon! :D"
Does that mean you sited one?
"My reading brain has decided to go all in on Pendergast, so those are the two books I've finished this week:
Brimstone - 4 stars Features two languages
Dance of Death - 4 stars Takes place during your favorite season - I bent this one to Takes place during the current season because the book kept mentioning that it was January. Calling it done!"
Good!
"The Bone Shard Emperor - DNF. I'm still in shock over this one, because I ADORED the first book. This one was dragging, and the pairing didn't make sense, and sloppy editing, and and and..."
Sounds like a good lead-in to Nadine's QotW!
"I've also quietly tucked Amra Thetys back on the TBR shelf and hope that my friend who highly recommended it hasn't noticed. It's an indie fantasy but it feels very middle-of-the-road to me so far. It's short, so I'll try it again eventually."
Hopefully you'll enjoy it better later!
"Currently reading:
Women, Race & Class Different book by an author you read in 2021"
I imagine this is a good read!
"QOTW: Are there any books that have sequels, but you wish they didn't?
To Kill a Mockingbird comes to mind, although I suppose Go Set a Watchman isn't actually a proper sequel."
I broke down and read Go Set a Watchman and actually enjoyed it. All I can say is if the publisher set Harper the task of changing it to To Kill a Mockingbird they certainly improved it mightily! I definitely don't consider GSaW to be sequel though I guess some might...
Another really late check-in. This now feels so long ago that I cannot remember anything interesting I did during this timeframe, except reading.Finished
20 Minutes In Court, 20 Minutes Behind Bars and 20 Minutes To Midnight by Daniel Hurst
I'm trying to read more from my Kindle, and so I'm doing a blitz of Daniel Hurst books as they are pretty quick reads. The 20 Minutes series (books 15 to 17) is getting a little stale, but it will finish at 20 books so I'll stick with it. I used the 20 Minutes to Midnight book for Prompt #28 set during a holiday [New Year's Eve]
The Tutor by Daniel Hurst - 4 stars (should really be 3.5)
This is the first of his psychological thrillers that appears to be his new focus. He isn't writing great literature and cranks out new books every month, but the ideas are quite intriguing and they are fun and quick reads.
Goodreads: 5/100
Popsugar: 2/50
QOTW: I'm sure I've felt this way when reading a sequel but can't for the life of me remember one.
Lynn wrote: "Ashley Marie wrote: "Good morning from Akron! Still not much snow up this way, although apparently we should be expecting anywhere from .05" to 3ft of snow this weekend. We'll see how that pans out..."We ended up getting a little more than a foot of snow, which is bonkers in a single night -- I'm not unaccustomed to snow here in NE Ohio, but usually we've got an inch or two before we get fully dumped on like that; not this time!
"In Important Bird News, this morning I have discovered the great eared nightjar:"
Does that mean you sited one?
No, unfortunately! These birds are native to southeast Asia from what I read. I may have stumbled upon a picture of one on Instagram :D
Mod
Wow! That's a lot of snow in one night, even in places that are used to a lot of snow!!
Hi All, checking in a little late this week but have managed to finally finish my 4th book of the challenge Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure for a book that takes place on a train / plane / ship. This had so much promise but was quite disappointing. I wanted more detail about the journey, the trains. It was more like a summary of someone's thoughts on international train travel. Some bits were quite interesting (North Korea for example) but overall, as I said, a little disappointing.I'm now on to Half of a Yellow Sun as my choice for an Ainsfield-Wolf award winner and luckily its the next book for my off-line book club and just so happens to also be on the 1001 list that I'm trying to work through too.
I've also discovered that my library has an app for audiobooks now so I've just downloaded a bunch of the books that were on my list so I have something to listen to on my daily walks. Starting with Cinder as a choice for a protagonist who uses a mobility aid.
In response to the questions; I have no idea why the Emily Henry book has a different title in the UK, other than it could be that People we meet on vacation may come across as quite an American title. I can't quite explain it but to a UK person, it just sounds...American. So they might have decided to change it to make it appeal more to the UK audience?
Secondly, yes too many series that didn't need sequels - one of which I read last year; Rosewater was an interesting book but the last instalment was definitely not needed. I missed the main character from the first book who was almost an afterthought in the later novels.
Mod
So... I'm going back to school this fall. Decided that it's finally time I went to college, and am planning on finally pursuing a degree in either library science or creative writing (haven't decided which yet). Feels weird planning on going to college at 38, but hey, better late than never, right?"
Good for you! I returned to college in my 30s! You can do it!
"I know this is going to eat into my reading time, though... ah well. Sacrifices for the greater good, right?"
Yes, it probably will. You'll be reading, but not for pleasure, most likely! LOL
"Books read this week:
Hidden Figures -- for “an Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winner.” I never realized just how closely enmeshed the stories of the Space Race, the Cold War, and the Civil Rights movements were. I just wish the book we'd gotten to tell these girls' stories had been better written... it was a slog at times."
Sorry it didn't read well for you. I was enthralled by it! I also thought the movie was a good adaptation...
"Where the Drowned Girls Go -- for “a book published in 2022.” The Wayward Children series is one of my favorite series ever, and while this one leaves some unanswered questions, it’s still great to see where certain characters have ended up and what they’re doing now."
Maybe they'll be answered in the next installment!
"A Study in Scarlet -- for “a book set in Victorian times.” I’m finding I really enjoy Sherlock Holmes… though having the second half of this one (view spoiler) kind of threw me off. Wasn’t expecting that…"
I have yet to read these...
"DNF:
Whispers in Autumn -- originally for the “book with an onomatopoeia in the title.” The writing was overdone and the book was falling into some tropes that bug me (insta-love, super-special protagonist who has to keep her powers hidden, etc.), but I was going to stick with it… until it got weird regarding people of color. Not sure why the book had to make an excuse for why the population is predominantly white or not, but it came across as uncomfortable and I had to quit."
Sounds like smart move to DNF that one. It wasn't working for you...
"Currently Reading:
Carmen Miranda's Ghost is Haunting Space Station Three -- for “a book about the afterlife”"
That title alone is intriguing!
"QOTW:
Ready Player One, full stop. That book is a guilty pleasure for me -- not the best but still enjoyable. I don't see why it needed a sequel, except that the author was buoyed up by the success of the book and the movie adaptation and decided to milk the cash cow again.."
I enjoyed the sequel! Not as much as the first installment, but I definitely liked it. Sorry it didn't work for you... 🙁
Nadine in NY wrote: "Lilith wrote: "... and who knows? It may even help me with emigration visa one day. Hope springs eternal. ..."where are you hoping to emigrate to?"
Denmark! Originally, back to the UK where my partner is from, but for a variety of reasons, Denmark is looking better.
I'm also game for Canada, particularly the Deep North. We'll see!
Mod
where are you hoping to emigrate to?"
Denmark! Originally, ba..."
I thought you were from Canada originally! Maybe you just talk about it a lot so I assumed.
My college boyfriend did study abroad in Denmark, and I guess he liked it a lot because he moved there after we graduated, and he's still there.
Haha! No, I wish, but I have extended family in Eastern maritime Canada. I have loved all the time I have spent in the north. I'm from very Northwest Maine, about 10 miles from the border of Quebec.
Denmark truly does seem to have a lot of happy and creatively fulfilled people :)
PROMPT #25: Book about a secret - Finished The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty 1/5/2022 thru 1/10/2022
PROMPT #30: Book with the name of a board game in the title - Read At Risk by Patricia Cornwell 1/10/2022 thru 1/11/2022
PROMPT #17: Book becoming a TV series or movie in 2022 - Read Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen 1/11/2022 thru 1/13/2022
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
At Risk (other topics)The Husband's Secret (other topics)
Along for the Ride (other topics)
Half of a Yellow Sun (other topics)
Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Liane Moriarty (other topics)Patricia Cornwell (other topics)
Sarah Dessen (other topics)
Daniel Hurst (other topics)
Isabel Allende (other topics)
More...
I'm really enjoying my 2022 reads so far! I think they've all been five stars. I finished Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo and my god she just skewered my heart! I'm officially Grisha obsessed! I can't wait to watch the show. Ben Barnes as the Darkling is *heart eyes*
I wanted to go right onto Six of Crows but am instead currently reading Godshot by Chelsea Bieker for a book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read. I like it so far! It's weird, different, but immensely intriguing.
Nothing springs to mind as a book I wish didn't have a sequel, as I'm quite the series junkie. But I'm sure I'll encounter one on my reading journey, maybe even this year. I have a bunch of series crammed into the two challenges I'm doing.