Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2023 Challenge - General
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Excited chatter while we wait for the 2023 list to post!!!
At first, I was a bit disappointed but the more I go through the prompts the more I see the possibility.2023 will be my 2nd year so whatever is repeated doesn't bother me because they're firsts in my book. Sorry, it's that way for a lot of you though. Wish things were better for you, I genuinely mean that.
Gotta say though, I'm actually looking forward to some of these.
Melody wrote: "I was just curious and it looks like 23 prompts are exactly the same, which is almost half! I do like a lot of the new prompts though!5. A book with mythical creatures (2017)
9. A book with a col..."
Wow. That is a LOT of repeats! It's like they just put all the old challenges in a pot and drew out 23 (I assume for 2023) to recycle.
I for one do not like the prompts having to do with recs from friends or a book my best friend would like, my friends don't read (sad, but true). What am I supposed to do with those?
Aren't *we* your friends??? Now I'm sad... :'( just kidding! But I'm *sure* the group can recommend lotsa stuff!
Is anyone going to add a personal challenge to the challenge? Like only reading women authors? Or BIPOC? Or authors from other countries? Or something else to make it more challenging? I'm just curious.
Mod
LOL I'm doing the opposite, I'm adding a personal NON-challenge, because I dislike some of these categories so much, but I can't just skip them or change them because I just can't: I'll give each category a fair try, and if I hate the book I chose, I will DNF without guilt and still count the category as completed.
My only personal element is that I want as many books as possible to come from my physical or Goodreads TBRs. Of course, that's already proving challenging, because while I can fit them in for many prompts, I'm also seeing other suggestions in the various threads that are more enticing!
Nadine in NY wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Is anyone going to add a personal challenge to the challenge? Like only reading women authors? Or BIPOC? Or authors from other countries? Or something else to make it more challe..."I'm still going to try reading mostly BIPOC authors - Nadine, can we please get a separate list to suggest BIPOC authors to fulfill the prompts like we have the past couple years? TIA!!!
Mod
Yes!! https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Kelly wrote: "I really don't like this list 😞 Too many repeats, too many pop culture-centered prompts. It's so... materialistic. Tiktok is a waste of time, I don't usually buy new books unless it's an absolute f..."I too find this years list a huge disappointment. And some prompts are irritating, like 38 and 39, that are almost the same challenge!
But when it comes to celebrities and Booktok - and I certainly do agree with you on that, I'm not interested in having TikTok and I'm not in the slightest interested in celebrates - I've got a solution ready from previous challenges in other groups. Booktok - there are list even here on Goodreads with books from Booktok and they include classics. Celebreties - I go for Oprah's book club lists that's easy to google and there are a treasure of qualitative literature and classics. Apart from that I will pursue ATY 2023 with really fun and interesting prompts and use books from there to fit in with this list. ATY's list is much more varied. (Or Varying? Which English word is correct here, I apologize - normally I found my ability to express myself in your language to be good enough but now I can't seem to decide whether it's right to use varied or varying here.)
Nadine in NY wrote: "Nike wrote: "I've got a question about prompt 18. It says state, not country and I immediately think of states in the US. Is that how I shall interpret this? As a state in the US or as a country wo..."Thank you!
Mandy wrote: "Nike wrote: "I've got a question about prompt 18. It says state, not country and I immediately think of states in the US. Is that how I shall interpret this? As a state in the US or as a country wo..."Thanks!
For those wanting to avoid 3 romance books you can use the Legendborn series for forbidden romance in these ya fantasy books.
Mod
You had it right - varied.
I can see why it's confusing, because "varying" would work there, too, but it sounds awkward and isn't the word most people would pick.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Is anyone going to add a personal challenge to the challenge? Like only reading women authors? Or BIPOC? Or authors from other countries? Or something else to make it more challe..."Lol, my "must finish all books and reading tasks as ordered" OCD just got a little triggered there.... So I wish you well and hope you can stick to it!
I would like to pick all banned books to complete the challenge, but I won't complete it as it is so I don't need to add on.... :)
Mod
Hahaha this is as far as I can bend. I can't skip any prompts and I can't change any prompts but I DO feel comfortable now deciding that I don't have to finish the book. Of course, I'm saying this now. I may not feel this way at all when it actually comes time to DNF something. But the only way to ensure that this stays FUN for me is to give myself permission to bow out when the book is not fun.
It's just a few categories (like NaNoWriMo and a book based on a movie) that have me worried. I don't see anything I WANT to read (that I haven't already read). So, sure, I'll give one of those books a try. But if I hate it? I give myself permission to quit it and move on.
I am confused with discussion threads including several prompts for the 2023 Popsugar ichallenge in the lower forty. Are these teasers for the entire list which hasn't been released yet. Does Popsugar define the advanced list or is this one that this discussion group creates on their own? Any idea when the full list will be released?
Nike wrote: "I've got a solution ready from previous challenges in other groups. Booktok - there are list even here on Goodreads with books from Booktok and they include classics..."Yeah, I did this challenge last year and ended up liking the Booktok selection I picked! I did need to wait until others told me what was trending on there though!
I have done ATY in the past and I agree, I tend to like the prompts there better. But I just prefer the vibe of this group 🤷🏻♀️ Can't explain why, really!
John wrote: "I am confused with discussion threads including several prompts for the 2023 Popsugar ichallenge in the lower forty. Are these teasers for the entire list which hasn't been released yet. Does Popsu..."The entire list has been released. The mods separate the regular forty prompts from the advanced ten. All of the discussion threads for the full fifty are now open.
Regular prompts:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...
Advanced prompts:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...
Heather L wrote: "John wrote: "I am confused with discussion threads including several prompts for the 2023 Popsugar ichallenge in the lower forty. Are these teasers for the entire list which hasn't been released ye..."Has the spreadsheet been posted yet to record your readings?
I don’t think the mods have had time to set it up yet.
The spreadsheet has always been unofficial, although if Mahi isn't around to do it this year, I'm happy to do it next week.
Unfortunate that a lot of them are repeats for all of you. Personally, this is my second year participating so I'm okay with the list, but maybe that's just me (*shoulder shrug*)
That said, I'm going to do my best on my list. There are already a few that I've crossed off because they just don't hold interest but I'm looking forward to a lot of the other ones.
Kelly wrote: "Yeah, I did this challenge last year and ended up liking the Booktok selection I picked! I did need to wait until others told me what was trending on there though!I have done ATY in the past and I agree, I tend to like the prompts there better. But I just prefer the vibe of this group 🤷🏻♀️ Can't explain why, really!"
Kelly, I have only been on both groups for about a week (PopSugar and ATY), and I agree with your comment.
Mod
Yes, I do not do the spreadsheet, because I use Excel far more than I use GoogleSheets, so I have never used the group spreadsheet and I'm not really sure what the format tends to be.
Mahi hasn't been as active this year; they showed up last year almost solely to create the spreadsheet for us, and then they popped in only one other time last year to solve a spreadsheet problem, and that was it (unless they've been lurking all year without commenting), so they might appreciate it if you step up and do it this year! I nominate you!! :-)
Robynne wrote: "I'm wondering about the first prompt in the advanced section. A book written during Nanowrimo?
Not everyone writes during Nanowrimo let alone completes a book and gets it published.
I did Nano..."
I dread this prompt every single time it comes up. It's such a limited pool of options, and I always seem to see the same 5 or 6 books mentioned.
Ron wrote: "At first, I was a bit disappointed but the more I go through the prompts the more I see the possibility.2023 will be my 2nd year so whatever is repeated doesn't bother me because they're firsts i..."
I struggled with this too, and then realized that it never said the friend I pick has to be a reader. So I think I'll just choose a book that I *think* my friend would like *if* they liked reading, and go with that.
As a more general comment, I was completely unaware of the "nostalgia" theme for the list. I'm not sure where/when that was mentioned by PopSugar themselves. I think that theme probably could have worked if they had organized it a bit differently, and maybe given the community a bit more control over which prompts they loved from previous challenges, which prompts trigger nostalgia (maybe that's why the rereads and two connected to the year you were born?), etc.
Without that background knowledge that the theme was intentional, the list comes across repetitive and not nearly as creative as usual, which makes it seem underwhelming. With a bit more context and intentional promotion of the theme, I could potentially see it working. On the other hand, what does 2023 have to do with nostalgia? Is there a specific reason that was the theme this time around?
I'm with those that feel the nostalgia theme was cover for them not spending much effort on the list. Knowing there were staff cuts, I don't blame them, but I hope this year is just a blip.
Yeaaaah, I looked at the list and have the same complaint everyone else does with the repetition of prompts. I sat 2022’s challenge out and may sit this next one out, too. I have too many books on my TBR to spend time trying to find books that fill so many prompts I just don’t like, and didn’t like the first time they were offered. Alternatively, I may take Nadine’s list and do a mini challenge and then just work on my TBR. That said, I am happy to be interacting with this group again as y’all are lovely to read and respond to.
Mod
As always, no one is checking on you, make the challenge your own, do all, some, one, or none of the categories.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Just a general question about this challenge...is it allowed to read one book for many prompts? I want to find books that'll knock off a lot of the prompts at once!
Mod
Yes!
Most members choose one category per book, but there is a significant minority who like to use one book for multiple categories. Some members enjoy the challenge of finding books that meet MANY categories.
I looked at two stacks of books on my floor and immediately found ten I can use for the challenge. Took me two minutes to find, so I'm sure there is a lot more to be found on my shelves. My goal is to read as much as possible from my kindle books and my owned physical books. I'm pretty excited to get some of these books read and sent back out into the world for others to enjoy. I'm liking the idea of nostalgia. I always had so many books per prompt in the past that I'm happy to be able to use some of them again. And I always love re-read prompts. Not excited about all the romances, but I should be able to make it work.
I will not make the mistake again of waiting until later in the year to start my longest book. I bought War and Peace for 49 cents for my kindle and can read it slowly all year if need be.
I am another one less than thrilled about the 2023 list, I'm ok with repeats except that the seem to be repeating some of my least liked prompts (booktok, celebrity book club, year you were born etc) so I am just going to adapt the list by swapping out some of the prompts.Looking at the ATY list for 2023 I might just steal a bunch from there. Or maybe actually do their challenge as I quite like that list!
Frogli wrote: "I am another one less than thrilled about the 2023 list, I'm ok with repeats except that the seem to be repeating some of my least liked prompts (booktok, celebrity book club, year you were born et..."I'm thinking of doing this list, too, rather than PopSugar. Do you happen to know the group name that oversees this list?
John wrote: "Frogli wrote: "I am another one less than thrilled about the 2023 list, I'm ok with repeats except that the seem to be repeating some of my least liked prompts (booktok, celebrity book club, year y..."I just followed a link further up thread somewhere but here is the main page https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Mod
The Around the Year list is user-created. Every year at the end of the summer they start suggesting and voting on categories, and by fall they have their list for the next year. There are several mods who keep things organized over there.
Nadine in NY wrote: "YES. I am DEFINITELY looking for a "23" theme. Back when we weren't sure if there would be a list, I jotted down a bunch ..."Amazing prompt ideas, Nadine! I know I am late to the party here on going through this year's list. And I, like many others, am disappointed (but I do think it is interesting, as someone pointed out, that we have 23 repeat prompts in the year 2023). I was scrolling backwards seeing who thought what and came across your prompts. So creative! Wow! Kind of wish my mind worked like that. I seriously might sub these in.
*Stephen Colbert voice* Popsugar, you're on notice!Wow, co-signing with everyone in being rather underwhelmed and disappointed by the list. With the exception of one year (2020), I've done this challenge since it's inception, so it's really a bummer to see how phoned in the prompts are.
There are ways to use "nostalgia" as a prompt without the mass repeats. I'm gonna let it sit, but I may end up bowing out of this one and focus on some personal challenges I have.
I am jumping on late just to vent. This is the first day I really looked at the prompts. I hate so many of them! Love triangles irritate me to the core, I can’t imagine liking a book based on a popular movie, and I’m distressed that so many prompts are repeats from 2022. While I appreciate that there were staff cuts and the challenge is supposed to encourage broadening our reading, I may skip because I think reading books that will fulfill these prompts will make me unhappy.
Aimee Dars wrote: "I am jumping on late just to vent. This is the first day I really looked at the prompts. I hate so many of them! Love triangles irritate me to the core, I can’t imagine liking a book based on a pop..."Check out Nadine's Mini Challenge. You might like them better and keeps you in the group.
Initially as I was creating my list, I saw I included a couple Indigenous books. I then started to think about making the challenge a little more challenging by including mainly Indigenous authors/themes.So far I have 29/50 (58%) that fit.
If I could get more that would be awesome. At least hit the 30.
This list is not exciting AT ALL. Lots of repeats, nothing original...don't know that I will complete this one. Going to stick with 52 Books in 52 Weeks.
Jessica wrote: "This list is not exciting AT ALL. Lots of repeats, nothing original...don't know that I will complete this one. Going to stick with 52 Books in 52 Weeks."Check out Nadine's mini-challenge....
I share the attitude of someone who wrote that they will put as much effort into fulfilling the 2023 prompts as much effort was put into creating that list... I mapped out my upcoming challenge and I think I'll be able to finish pretty fast. Hopefully it will give me some amount of satisfaction and then leave enough time to do another reading challenge.
I remember one year there being a thread with picture books that fit the prompts. Anything like that for the 2023 list?
Just jumping in and agreeing with everyone, I'm also quite disappointed by the list :( Unsure why they decided to go with so many prompts we've had before. Not to mention quite a few in this year's list are similar to each other.
Mod
There is now!!!
Finding Children's Books for the 2023 Challenge
I’m new here and seeing several acronyms that I don’t understand. Could anyone please help me out? AtY? RHC? There are others…
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
War and Peace (other topics)Beartown (other topics)
Exit West (other topics)
Blood Heir (other topics)
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
T. Kingfisher (other topics)Ilona Andrews (other topics)
Shanna Swendson (other topics)
Great idea!