Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2024 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 49: 11/28 - 12/5
Happy Thursday, all!So I was going to get some writing done this week and be productive, and instead I spent the entire week planning my list for the 2025 challenge. Whoops. At least I have a plan of action for next year's reading...
Our library re-opens next week. Whoo-hoo! But as a librarian, that means I have to go into work today and help put the library back together, and deal with the absolute rush of people we're bound to have on Monday. Boo.
Books read this week:
The Liar's Daughter -- a heartrending but eye-opening look at a cult and just how it can mess with a person’s mind, especially a child’s and/or teenager’s.
The Gawgon and the Boy -- cute, but not Lloyd Alexander’s best
After the Forest -- what happened to Hansel and Gretel after their encounter with the witch? A grim but ultimately hopeful fairy tale retelling
DNF:
City of Bones -- I picked this up because I loved Martha Wells’ Murderbot series and wanted to read more by her. This one just didn’t grip me like Murderbot did.
Currently reading:
Airwoman
Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time
We'll Always Have Paris: Stories
Shadow Weaver
QOTW:
It always happens that I happen to be reading or have just finished a book that would be perfect for a certain prompt RIGHT as the challenge is announced. Just this week I finished both The Liar's Daughter and The Gawgon and the Boy, both of which could have worked for the "book about a cult" and "book about an unconventional education" prompts respectively.
Also our library got in The Teller of Small Fortunes, which looks REALLY good, but I already have it slotted for the "happily single woman" prompt.
Happy Thursday. It is officially winter here. Every winter, I'm reminded how one of my favourite books as a kid was The Penguin Who Hated the Cold
I finished 2 books this week. I think it's funny that one satisfied a PS prompt and one a ATY prompt. And I finished my Nobel books and 13 mystery/thriller book prompts. I did like both of them. I wish Gravel Heart had more of a conclusion. I wish Sometimes I Lie didn't fall into the trope of author placed a detail at the end to keep the mystery going. In my head, I figured out a way for the thing to be true with no further mystery.
Don't forget with all the shiny 2025 prompts that we have a group read! The Picture of Dorian Gray
Finished:
Gravel Heart
ATY prompt: A book by an author from an African country
Popsugar prompt: none
Sometimes I Lie
ATY prompt: none
Popsugar prompt: A book in which a character sleeps for more than 24 hours
Series - 11/12
Nobel laureates - 6/5 - Finished!
Mysteries/Thrillers - 13/13 - Finished!
ATY - 50/45 - finished!
PS - 33/30 - finished!
Summer - 12/12 - Finished!
Currently reading:
Dog Days - 60%
The Man in the Brown Suit - 25%
Buddy Reads:
none at present
QOTW: I haven't, but I don't read as many books as the rest of you. I sometimes regret where a prompt has only 2 good books that suit it and I've read both of them - but usually years before.
Too distracted by the new list to do much reading this week! I did finish ATY though and ticked off another PS prompt.Finished The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton for unreliable narrator and ATY (long title). The mystery was compelling but the worldbuilding let it down. You were only really told about things the moment it was important to the plot, so it didn't feel like a fully realised world.
Currently reading Mirrored Heavens and listening to The Legacy of Arniston House.
QOTW:
I've not been picking up enough books for this to happen yet. My current read fits a few prompts that are going to be almost-freebies for me, so no reason to put it aside.
Mod
and if you happen to read another "single woman" book first, Small Fortunes also fits "chosen family"!
Mod
I started that book a few months ago and it was such a STRUGGLE for me, because I couldn't remember who anyone was or where they were or what they wanted to happen next. I really needed a recap at the start. So I lost interest and set it down, which of course means I'll just have the same problem next time I pick it up.
Happy Thursday! I've been having fun this week starting to plan my challenge reading for 2025. I'm definitely only doing one challenge next year, though. This year I also did most of ATY incidentally and grabbed a few books to finish that up, too, so I technically did three challenges. I don't think I have multiple challenges in me in 2025, unless I dumb into mostly finishing ATY again. *lol* I need a bit more room to read non-challenge books.Finished:
Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths by Natalie Haynes - 4 stars - for Robot Librarian's Nonfiction: The 200s. I enjoyed this look at the women of Greek myths. They're all relatively well-known figures, but Haynes delves into the versions of myths we may not know, and a lot about how the ancient Greek playwrights and poets shaped the stories that survived. Interesting, and not just retellings of the myths but also looking at them through both how the ancient world would have viewed them, and through a more modern, feminist lens.
Comics/manga:
Queen's Quality, Vol. 20
Daytime Shooting Star, Vol. 8
Currently reading:
My final 2024 prompt: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story by Alexander Freed - for Robot Librarian's novelization of a film
Upcoming/Planned:
Nothing right now...
QOTW:
I haven't postponed any as of right now, because I'm just finishing up my other 2024 challenge. I have suspended my library holds on a few books with an eye toward using them for the 2025 challenge, though.
Hi all! I've been enjoying decorating the house for the season but we're all battling a bit of a cold too. Such is life with a kid in daycare - he's always bringing home something. Finished:
Winter Hours: Prose, Prose Poems, and Poems: not my favorite from Mary Oliver but still enjoyed it
Letters from Father Christmas: wonderful to get to read these sweet letters Tolkien wrote to his children as Father Christmas
Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things: this just didn't do much for me
QOTW: Not specifically; I have plenty to read as it is!
PS 2025 Challenge: 3/50 (Once I know the prompts, I can't help starting!)Purchased TBR: 11/19
Library TBR: 5/11
SLCPL 30 book challenge: 15/30
Nonfiction November: 12/22 I know it's no longer November, but I feel like finishing the challenge anyway!
Storygraph Nonfiction: 2/4
I finished a bunch of books yesterday! YAY.
Finished: Darkly for PS prompt about a cult.
Impeachment: A Citizen's Guide
Philosophers Take On the World
The Message
Started: The Nocturnal Brain: Nightmares, Neuroscience, and the Secret World of Sleep This one I'm reading as a non-fiction swap from Discord's bookish reality channel.
QotW: As you can see, I'm not really waiting, but I'm looking at reading Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop It fits under three categories: healing fiction, book where an adult character changes careers, and Goodreads choice. Oh! That last prompt was for another challenge. Good thing I noticed!
Nadine in NY wrote: "I started that book a few months ago and it was such a STRUGGLE for me, because I couldn't remember who anyone was or where they were or what they wanted to happen next. I really needed a recap at the start...."I feel like I know what's going on about 50% of the time. I found a recap for the first book but not the second, so I guess I'm on my own.
QOTW:I haven’t stopped myself from reading anything for the new list. However I’ve stopped myself from reading so many things because there is a readathon in ATY that starts Saturday and all the books could be useful. ;)
Happy Thursday! I’m excited about all the new reading challenges. I think I’ll start by reading books from my TBR and my book clubs and slotting them wherever they fit. I know there are some prompts that’ll be tough to fulfill, but I think they can wait a little while.2024 Reading Challenges: I’ve read 457 books and completed 37.4% of my ever-growing TBR.
52 Book Club: 52/52 – Yay!!! (December Mini-Challenge 2/3)
ATY: 51/52 (Winter Challenge 1/15 – I plan to finish the first 5 of these this year. The challenge doesn’t need to be completed until the end of February 2025)
Booklist Queen: 52/52 – Yay!!!
Diverse Baseline: 34/36
Popsugar: 50/50 – Yay!!!
Robot Librarian: 52/52 – Yay!!!
ICYMI Backlist: 11/12
Recently Completed:
Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens: We live about 140 miles away (as the crow flies – or as the ash disperses!) from Mount St. Helens. After years living in the Midwest, it’s fascinating to think that we live so close to an active volcano! ★★★★
Lady Macbeth ★★★★
Christmas Eve Love Story: Time loop Christmas romance. ★★★
This Disaster Loves You ★★★★
Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs: I am very interested in these new drugs. I was always very skinny when I was younger, but when I hit 40, the pounds just started accumulating. Now I’ll put on 10-20 pounds a year even while exercising regularly. If exercise and diet don’t work, what other choice do I have? ★★★★★
Society of Lies ★★★
A December to Remember (52 Books December Mini-Challenge #1 - December captured on the cover/ATY Winter Challenge #2 – fits one of the first four prompts of the 2025 challenge: a tree on the cover) ★★★
A Holly Jolly Diwali (Diverse Baseline #35 – holiday romance by a BIPOC author) ★★★★
Three Holidays and a Wedding: I mean, it’s a holiday romance, but it hit the right spot for me. (52 Book December Mini-Challenge #3 – related to festive flavors) ★★★★★
Currently Reading:
Among the Bros: A Fraternity Crime Story
Private Revolutions: Four Women Face China's New Social Order
One Big Happy Family (52 Books December Mini-Challenge #2 – related to holiday harmonies)
We Will Be Jaguars (Reese's Book Club Pick): A Memoir of My People
The Wishing Game (ICYMI Backlist #12 – published in 2023)
Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America (Diverse Baseline #34 – book about intersectional feminism by a BIPOC author)
Looking for Smoke (ATY Winter Challenge #1 – a book that fits one of the last four prompts of the 2024 challenge: published in 2024)
The Perfect Marriage
Our Infinite Fates: Goodreads Giveaway.
QOTW: I checked my TBR against the new list(s), but I haven't actively put anything off.
Happy Thursday! Dec. 5th. 20 days till Christmas. Even though the month just started it feels like it is flying. Nice cold, cloudy day today. We're supposed to get rain and the skies are dark enough so I hope we do. This year whenever it has rained it's mainly been in the night so I miss it.
*****
2025 Reading Challenge:
Let's talk about that major bombshell. The list was released. I went through the list and highlighted the ones I'm most looking forward to.
First the positive: for 2025 it seems that there is more flexibility for more nonfiction reads. I struggled with 2024 because of the lack of diversity when it came to nonfiction. And given that 80% of what I read is NF it was a bit difficult. 2025 seems slightly easier so that's a plus.
Now the prompts I'm most excited for:
-Highly anticipated read of 2025: I got my book chosen for this one. It's going to be released in April. Morphenomenal: How the Power Rangers Conquered the World . A book on the Power Rangers franchise, how could I pass something like that up?
An overlooked woman in history: For this one it's giving me a chance to read about something I've been wanting to read more of. Space history. So for this one I'm choosing The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts
About space tourism: Perfect, able to read a nonfiction that's been on my bookshelf. A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?
A book you got for free: Really hoping I get books for Christmas this year so if that happens I'll roll them over into 2025.
Nontraditional education: Don't know what this means exactly but I look forward to figuring it out.
*****
There are a few others I like thankfully.
*****
Now the prompts that I'm not excited about because as Nadine said in her post, "It's the most wonderful time of the year: the week when we all get to chew through the new list and complain about how much we hate it".
- Chosen family: Too overdone.
- Going through menopause: Seriously?
AI chatbot recommends: Initially I thought this was cool, but where's the fun in that? It's better to get recommendations from actual people rather than SkyNet (Terminator reference).
Based on the last sentence: No thanks, don't like spoilers sometimes with books.
About a cult: I recently DNF'd a book about a cult (Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show. Not my thing so I'll probably avoid this one in the future.
*- Character is a politician: On the fence about this one. After this election, I've had enough politics. If I'm really in the mood then I'll consider it.
About a food truck: One of my least favorite reading topics is food. I avoid it at all costs so this is a definite no.
****
Bookish News:
Starting to plan my January TBR. Most will come from my TBR jar, but I do have one book planned which will be Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage . A group is reading this for January. I see it every time I got to the bookstore and always contemplate it. Now this gives me the perfect excuse. Other than that most of my books will be unplanned, at least for January.
*****
Finished:
Sincerely, Your Autistic Child - Love this book! 4 stars.
Currently Reading:
Station Eleven- Haven't read this in a while, but it's one of my favorites.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone - I have never read HP but it came up during my TBR jar draw so I figured why not.
The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How it Changed America- Been wanting to read this one and it's been great.
*****
Question of the Week
How many books have you already postponed reading because you've discovered they are PERFECT for a 2025 category?
Haven't gotten around to that yet. I'm barely making ideas for my 2025 reads so I haven't had a chance to really sit with the prompts. The furthest I've managed to get is writing out the prompts in a journal I keep for my various reading challenges and printing out copies of the list.
Hi all! Snow? What is this snow you speak of? We had a quick inch fall this morning while we were getting ready, it stopped, and about half of it has melted. So, my boyfriend's car... had an unfixable problem in the engine and the dealership took it back and exchanged it for something else!! We picked up the new car last night. The first car was an SUV, and this is a hatchback car. He's kind of bummed about getting something smaller, but they gave us a heck of a deal to keep us happy, so I guess happy we will be!
I love December and the Christmas season, but all of my weekends up until Christmas are already booked solid! I just have to try to remember to stay in the moment and not wish for it to be over already!
I finished The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism Wow. I had expected to come out of that book horribly depressed, but the complete opposite happened. It may have even spurred me to look for a faith group that matches my beliefs.
I've been reading Pointe since finishing that, as it's due in a week or whatever. I have *got* to stop pushing books to their deadline, it's dictating what I can read! lol Anyway, an interesting twist just happened and I'm not even a 3rd of the way through.
QOTW: Lol, nah. With as busy as this time of year is, I'll be lucky if I finish 1 maybe 2 more books as it is.
I actually really like the 2025 challenge. There's a few prompts that are going to be tough to find books for and will push me out of my comfort zone, but that's part of the fun of doing challenges. The only one I'm really tweaking is AI. I'll either do GR recs or a literature map- where you plug in an author you've liked and it gives you other similar authors (literature-map.com if you're interested).
Happy Thursday! Finally a weekend ahead with me-time. I think I’m going to decorate our house, read and read and read.I don’t know what to think about the new list. I was trying to fill in prompts last night, but I only managed to fill in 7 out of the 30 I tried to fill. I think of quitting Popsugar and focussing on Dutch challenges. My reading is becoming more and more Dutch and European, so an American challenge is a, well, challenge. And meanwhile there are multiple challenges over here, so choices, choices...
FNL: 39/40
PS: 20/40
Total: 64/52
DNF: 1
Finished
Bloedlijn by Simone van der Vlugt ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Currently reading
What's Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service
Terra di Sicilia. De terugkeer van de Patriarch
QOTW
None, I get tired of planning my reads around summer. So no planning, no postponing.
Mod
Hahaha this is the difference between living in NY state, and living in NY state inside the lake effect belt. We've had steady snow cover, but luckily the roads are clear. Big love for the plow drivers ❤
So, my boyfriend's car... had an unfixable problem in the engine and the dealership took it back and exchanged it for something else!!
WHOA - this was the car you just bought??? kinda shocking that the dealer didn't notice this beforehand!
Nadine in NY wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! Snow? What is this snow you speak of? We had a quick inch fall this morning while we were getting ready, it stopped, and about half of it has melted. ..."Hahaha this i..."
Hehe, exactly.
Regarding the car, it's a wiring issue, I guess. So it's not something you would notice unless you took a deep dive into the engine. It affected the AC and my BF runs hot, so after he helped his brother move a couple weekends ago, he went to turn on the AC and only got hot air. Otherwise, we wouldn't have noticed it until spring! Honestly, the dealership got really screwed, cause they bought this car used from someone, and now they have to send it to auction (I suggested blowing it up on the back lot, they looked like they might consider it!) and then they gave us $5000 off a different car.
You made me laugh, Nadine. Okay here's me complaining. I was ready to through in the towel with this list then calmed my hot temper down and realized honestly it was only a few prompts I really hated and I have books on myself without trying hard to fill 90% of the prompts.But seriously I'm not keen on the whole AI thing but at the end of the day that's what Amazon does if you buy something from them so that won't be too hard.
On the other hand, reading something under 3 stars is one I won't be doing unless i happen on a brand new unreviewed book (not impossible, I get a lot of self pubs at cons) Otherwise, if it has lots of reviews and is still under 3 stars it either got review bombed for reasons (I see that a lot with LGBT books and anything written by women of color) or the thing sucks. Why would I want to read that?
Also i have to reimagine a book you're avoiding to something i haven't had time for in my TBR pile. If I'm actively avoiding something there's no prompt in this world that will make me pick it up.
I doubt I'm the only one disappointed in all the repeats yet again (I mean look at how many prompts were offered just in this group) I mean . A book mentioned in another book, two books with the same title, A book about chosen family and that's just 4 off the top of my head. There might be others.
And the one about politicians, shudder. There are several queens and princesses that are sleuths so that's probably where this prompt is taking me. Its that or don't do it
And personally I could do with soccer or run clubs but I get that's someone else's jam. I'm not mad about them like i am about using chat AI bots or reading badly rated books.
I did finish one book this week Wormwood by Susan Witting ALbert. i was not as enamored with The Shakers as she obviously was in this mystery (It wasn't much of that either since nothing happens modern day until the 50% mark)
QOTW Oh there are a few I'm holding to January for sure but not as many as I expected.
Happy Thursday, y’all.I made it through Thanksgiving and dog-sitting in fair shape. I must admit that the dog, my neighbor’s dog, was a bit too clingy by the time the visit was over, even though I only left my home once in the week I had him with me. I was definitely ready for him to go home!
My last educational thing finished yesterday. It was part of the community discussions led by professors of USC-Aiken. I was a bit unsure if I would like it as the topic was Christmas music, but the professor gave a lecture (which included the audience singing) about the history of carols. Very interesting and fun!
I have been actively trying to plan for PS since the list was posted. So far I have 35 planned. Then today I realized that I had only planned about 8 for ATY, so now I am working on both at the same time. Then I also have the Winter ATY challenge, of which 9 are already on my desk either as library books or owned books.
Finished:
The American Agent – ALCM. 4*. Continued series in the Maisie Dobbs stories.
The Devil Amongst the Lawyers – ATY, PAS. 4*. I liked this book but it was not what I had expected. Still very engaging and set in an area of the country that I am familiar with.
The Nun's Tale – ATY #48. 4* Another continued series for me.
Ghost Hunt, Vol. 8 – GN. PAS. 2* I spent most of my time trying to figure out who was who and what was happening. I got the gist, but I did not enjoy the process enough to continue with this story.
Wynnona Earp: Tales from Purgatory – Audiobook. 3*. A lot of hype that amounted to a so-so series of stories.
Currently Reading:
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies – ALCM, PS #28. 73%
The Barren Grounds – 33%
Just Starting:
Palindrome – PAS
One Good Turn – ALCM, PAS. 1%
On Deck:
Kate: The Journal of A Confederate Nurse – PAS.
The Pony Wife – PAS
Moving Target - PAS
Aunt Bessie Goes – Audible. ATY #49
Lessons in Chemistry – ATY #50
PS 38/50
ATY 48/52
GR 203/200 Finished!
QotW: How many books have you already postponed reading because you've discovered they are PERFECT for a 2025 category?
None, although I have discovered that I had planned a book for ATY that I am reading this month for ATY and for Winter ATY, so I had to find another book for the 52 challenge.
So I was checking out the PS '25 prompt, "About a nontraditional education." I googled what that meant and quite a few things came up, one in particular that could be broken down and that refers to "lifelong learning" so that can be anything from reading to music, creativity, picking up a new activity,----- so basically anything related to learning. This opens up so many possibilities!I could read a book about books, about a topic I'm not familiar with, and so forth.
Happy Thursday!Hope everyone in the earthquake zones are okay <3
Finally finished decorating the Christmas tree today. Stupid cold. Still got a bunch of things to do, but at least the tree is full of baubles, haha!
Very, very excited for my trip to Disney next week. It is of course no longer a chill trip, but one full of limited time things, so wish me luck. It's so cool they're celebrating the reopening of the Notre-Dame, though! I'm very grateful to be there for it.
I also watched Quiet on Set, which was so disturbing. Poor kids. I read I'm Glad My Mom Died and this just tied in. Wow. Also started a new documentary on National Geographic about the tsunami back in 2004; first two eps have been aired and I've just been speechless.
I love seeing that most of the prompts I don't like, or full blown take issue with, seem to be the consensus. The AI one is one I am actually quite angry about existing, but two sports? Last line? Rated under 3?
We'll see how it goes, haha!
Read
Hooked
My readathon's Weekender got me to read, and I finally started this sequel! Ohmygod. It has the same editing issues as the first, which is a true shame, but the way I was invested in James (Hook) and Samuel!
Currently Reading
Fractured
I mean. I took it off the shelf. For the December bingo of my readathon. It ticks off several prompts (snow on the cover, winter colors on the cover. It might cover new beginnings, and several others, but we'll see. I could have picked up a cheesy Christmas read to tick off more, but I'm not yet in the mood.
QOTW
That would require me planning, Or even really thinking about it. It comes as it comes!
QOTW:I stopped listening to The Marriage Bureau for Rich People because it can be used for an adult who changes careers (one of the characters retires and opens the marriage bureau).
Happy Thursday! It's been busy at work, trying to get everything done before people start taking off for the holidays. But I've been having a lot of fun trying to think up books for next years prompts! I thought run club and food truck would be rough, but I already have picks for them, so hopefully this year isn't too badAnd then after not winning a goodreads giveaway in almost 2 years, I won 2 giveaways in just a couple weeks! The Family Recipe and Cat's People- very excited for both
Finished:
Mickey Chambers Shakes It Up- this was a fun romcom about two adults in the process of making some big life changes, who work together at a bar for a summer. I really liked this. It could also work for the "adult making career change" prompt for next year
-47 A book with 24 letters in the title
Currently reading:
After That Night- I love Karin Slaughter, but her books always deal with the worst of humanity. I'm not allowed to read this after 9pm anymore- it gave me some pretty unpleasant dreams. I do really like the book though, just upsetting topic
-24th book by author
First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers-another difficult topic to read about. But it is very well written
-written 24 yrs ago
QotW
I'm reading so slowly right now, that I don't think it's going to be an issue. I'm just focused on finishing up the last 3 prompts for this year- almost there, but I'm really slowing down.
But I have a few netgalley arcs that I haven't gotten to yet, and I was feeling a little guilty about it. But now they all fit for the new prompts, so I can relax about them until next year!
Greetings from NYC in December! This is when NYC is at its best -- with all the christmas decorations and windows, music, and outdoor skating. The air is crisp and clear - and sometimes there is snow though not yet. Keeps suggesting there will be snow tonight but the buildings and streets are too warm still and I predict it will be rain by the time it gets to lower levels. I'm still at PS 2024 49/50. I've now moved that book of poetry to the living room sofa from the kitchen where I no longer seem to pick it up to read a poem or two while waiting for dinner to heat up or pasta water to boil. I've read most of the shorter poems but need to read the longer ones to finish. I am in the 'let's finish this!' frame of mind. It will be finished. It's been my last book for months. I've been reading for other challenges instead.
Finished:
The Hostile Hospital and The Slippery Slope - the Baudelaires and their adventures grew on me. I was reading these for another groups challenge that ended Nov. 30th. Tim Curry reading them was terrific background from some tedious work, so I made it through 10 volumes. I have 3 left and at some point I will read them to see how it all ends and if all mysteries solved. I would have adored these when I was 10.
Embassytown - also for another group's challenge, but it is a serious scifi read and rewards taking time with it. It's only 350 pages or so but reads like a 600 pager. It didn't get finished - not even close - for the other group's deadline of Nov 30th but is my first December finish!
Currently reading:
Murder in the Sentier
Something Christmas and a romance at that.
QOTW: I actually have 2 I think, one being the 3rd in the Everland trilogy, Ozland by Wendy Spinale. I was going to read it in December as I enjoyed this trilogy when I read the first 2 last month, but now will wait until January as it fits the prompt dystopian with a happy ending -- I have to believe given its YA and the general storytelling so far that it will have a HEA - it is a fairtyale and children classics retelling after all - this one The Wizard of Oz.
I can't remember off-hand what the other book was - but if any prompts will fit any of the last 3 Lemony Snickets, I'm doing it but as I didn't exactly plan those for December anyway, it's not firm.
Happy Friday! Last week was a wonderful getaway and I loved being on baby duty every day. We didn’t get to the beach but had fun shopping in downtown Norfolk and the warmer temps were nice too, 60* most days. We saw the Wicked movie on Tuesday and loved it so much! This next year is gonna be the longest intermission ever before we get part 2. Baby niece is 2 months old now and just the sweetest. My sister and BIL are planning on a chill Christmas at home, so the next time I see them may not be til the summer, when bby will be 9mos old. Sister is wonderful about sending photos and videos and FaceTiming though, so I very much doubt the rest of us will miss anything important. Thankfully I’m far enough south that we haven’t gotten blasted with snow as they have up on the shore of Lake Erie, but there’s been a good dusting so far. The poor cat is upset, she wants outside even though it’s cold as hell and it’s as if she expects the weather to be different each time she tries, even if she only waits ten minutes 😂
Recapping books for the past two weeks, because I definitely didn’t check in last week 😜
Finished:
Imaginary Numbers - 5 stars. I’m the polar opposite of Sarah’s math nerd self, but this was fantastic and I dove straight into the next volume.
Follow the Lady - 5 stars. Any chance to rejoin Annie & Co is deeply appreciated. This was great.
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West - 4.5/5 stars. Reread after nearly a decade, and my first time with the audiobook. Beautifully performed by John McDonough (RIP). I’ve never felt the need to continue past the first book in this series, but (view spoiler) << not true spoilers, just yappy lol
PS 46/50
ATY 50/52
Mount TBR 31/48
Currently:
Calculated Risks
Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy
QOTW: How many books have you already postponed reading because you've discovered they are PERFECT for a 2025 category?
I haven’t looked at the 2025 list yet 😅 off to do that now!
This is a two week check-in, which is good, since I didn't finish any books this week, and only finished two the week before (plenty of reading, just not much finishing).There was some snow where I was, but not very much. Just enough to make things feel Christmas-y, but not enough to get a snow day. The perfect day to put up my tree, though the lights are up to my husband, so those may not go up for another day or two.
I like this year's list a lot better than last year's, but I'm not doing too much planning because I was accepted to be on the committee for a local children's book award, so a lot of my reading next year will be accounted for. I'm looking forward to seeing what prompts I can fill this way!
Finished:
Mermaid Prince - I wasn't expecting this to be a short story collection. The titular one was the best of the three, but I liked the second a lot, too.
Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina, (Manga) Vol. 1 - This is a manga adaptation of a light novel, which is probably why the stories felt all over the place in tone. Still, it was an okay read, but not one I'll follow up on.
Currently reading:
The Monkey's Wrench
The Mythic Dream
The Elven Days of Christmas
QOTW: There are two: I literally checked out The Full Moon Coffee Shop the day before the list came out, and instantly pegged it as healing fiction. And my hold on Rejection just came in, so I'll still have it to start in January (honestly, I'm surprised I got it as soon as I did, considering the waitlist), but I might have started it a little earlier if it didn't fit the interconnected short stories prompt.
I had a mixed reaction to the 2025 prompts. I think this is probably an unpopular opinion, but I loved the 2024 prompts. Yes, the theme was overdone, but I loved the other prompts. This list isn't as inspiring, but I had no real objections other than “a dystopia with a happy ending.” (If it has a happy ending, I don’t really consider it a dystopia. The ending of a dystopian novel should be either escape from or destruction of the dystopian society, neither of which are really happy).For a minute, I wondered if I wanted to do the 2025 list. But I skipped a few other years, got stressed about the incomplete years, and got even more stressed by trying to get caught up. I decided falling behind again isn't an option. So I've got my lists, spreadsheets, graphics, and printouts all ready to go! I even got some new fine point colored Sharpies for my paper tracker. I do feel a lot more excited about the 2025 list now that I've fully committed.
Finished
The Yellow Wall-Paper, Herland, and Selected Writings. I loved The Yellow Wall-Paper when we read it in school, so I expected to love the short stories. I didn’t know what to expect from Herland. Ultimately, Herland is a feminist utopia that I imagine was shockingly progressive at the time, and sadly, parts of it still are. Like with the utopia that started it all, Utopia, I was pretty bored by the end though. What really surprised me was how much I loved the poetry. I’m not a huge fan of poetry, but I thoroughly enjoyed these.
Reading
Ghost Radio
Blood of Tyrants
QOTW
Actually, none so far. But I’ve only been actively reading one book this week, and the Libby loan ended, so I had to put my Kindle in airplane mode and read as quickly as I could. There will probably be some later this month though.
Finished:A Pocket Full of Lies (4/5, reread)
Kirsten Beyer has written a truly wonderful post-series set of adventures for Star Trek: Voyager. This installment follows up on the episodes "Year of Hell" and "Shattered" while also checking in on characters new and old and borrowing Tuvok from his post on the Titan.
Question of the Week:
This is why I just start a year's challenge right after they post it. I will apply anything I finish after that time toward the new year's challenge.
Brandon wrote: "This is why I just start a year's challenge right after they post it. I will apply anything I finish after that time toward the new year's challenge. ..." Same! I say it is similar to the fact that you can buy and drive the 2025 car models as soon as they come out - you don't have to wait for 2025 to buy/enjoy them. I always finish in less than 12 months so why not start as soon as the list comes out??
Happy Thursday! I probably haven't posted in a month but I came back just in time for the new list. I like a lot of the prompts on this list. And I think I can work with the ones I don't like as much. Two that I really hate are the last sentence and a book I avoided reading. I don't care to read the last sentence before I read the book. Maybe I will just read a book randomly that will have a really great last sentence that I can slot there. And a book I avoided reading means I don't really want to read it. I think I will just go with the oldest book on my TBR. Finished:
One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon (PS leap in title) 4 stars. I really avoided this prompt because I could not find anything I would enjoy reading. I picked this one because I knew nothing about space but it turned out to be a very enjoyable read.
Thornhedge (PS sleeps for more than 24 hours) 3 stars. I really liked the main character however I think this book would have benefited from being a little longer. There were some things that I think should have been given more detail.
System Collapse (PS set in space) 4 stars. Murderbot!! I love this series.
Currently reading:
Iron Flame (ATY wings on cover)
QOTW: Luckily I'm still finishing my challenges for this year so I haven't had to put off any books for next year.
I finished no books this week because work is too busy (finals, and wrapping up the semester. But I hope to finish the 6 books I need to complete the challenge during the last 2 weeks of Dec when I don't work.QOTW:
None. I'll find books to satisfy the prompts without holding any over. I haven't planned many for next year due to the aforementioned work
The one prompt that does bother me is the "charcter is an immigrant". Not only is it overdone, but it's one I'm tired of. I get that those stories help people and that's amazing, I'm happy for them, for me it's the opposite. I live this storyline on a daily basis so I need a break from that stuff. I'll probably skip it.It's pretty much why I gave up on the show Supergirl. They started the immigration storyline and I was like 'nope'. So I stopped watching. I need a break from immigrant stories. I might get to this prompt if it really comes down to it, but other than that it's certainly not going to be a priority.
Ron wrote: "The one prompt that does bother me is the "charcter is an immigrant". Not only is it overdone, but it's one I'm tired of. I get that those stories help people and that's amazing, I'm happy for them..."Maybe focus on the refugee part? I know you're mostly into nonfiction, but maybe fiction here could help you. Maybe there's a book where someone fled from their kingdom due to an evil ruler or whatever. Or maybe there's a nonfiction out there of someone who fled a long long time ago in history. It might be a way to circumnavigate what you don't want to read about
Carmen wrote: "Ron wrote: "The one prompt that does bother me is the "charcter is an immigrant". Not only is it overdone, but it's one I'm tired of. I get that those stories help people and that's amazing, I'm ha..."It also doesn't have to be a "sad" story or a heart wrenching one. Royalty immigrates all the time- Eleanor of Aquitaine who became Queen of England, was from France, Tsarina Alexandra, the last in Russia executed by the Communist Revolution was from Germany. Prince Harry is an immigrant to the US.
Mod
I'd be excited too if I got myself a new set of Sharpies!!! enjoy
Jennifer W wrote: "It also doesn't have to be a "sad" story or a heart wrenching one. Royalty immigrates all the time- Eleanor of Aquitaine who became Queen of England, was from France, Tsarina Alexandra, the last in Russia executed by the Communist Revolution was from Germany. Prince Harry is an immigrant to the US"Exactly! :D
Happy Friday. It's a 2 week check in for me. First off, the new list is out🥳 Nadine, I will try to indulge with complaints, but mostly I'm pretty happy with the list. I'm straight up not doing the AI one, and I'm interpreting the 'oldest author' as just an older author, so anything written by an author later in their life is fair game to me. I also had to remind myself that history books about European royalty work for politics and that technically the Kate Daniels series is dystopian (and the 3rd Wilmington book is supposed to be out sometime in 2025), which made those 2 prompts much less hateful to me. Now the only one that's slightly bothering me is the menopause one. I also have to laugh, because I basically did the last line prompt this year, but I just used a book I thought had a really good last line (no planning ahead on that one), and it took me forever to find one that worked.
Books I finished:
The Atlas Six ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I loved it, but I decided to hold off on the rest of the trilogy for next year.
Perfect World, Vol. 2, Perfect World, Vol. 3 & Perfect World, Vol. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ each
A sweet little romance manga series. I saw it in an ad in The Yakuza's Bias, Volume 1, and I'm glad I decided to check it out.
The Lost Hero ⭐⭐⭐⭐
It was fun to get back to Percy Jackson's world. I don't think I can wait until next year for the next book.
An Offer From a Gentleman ⭐⭐⭐
I didn't like this one quite as much as the previous 2 books. The second epilogue though was great.
Almost Just Friends ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I just felt like rereading this. I ended up trying out the audiobook. I seem to be able to handle it if I already know the book fairly well first.
In Progress:
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Agnes Grey
QotW
I'd already decide to hold off on a bunch of books in case they'd work for prompts, but the only one that I had planned to read this year that I've moved to next is Fourth Wing because it works for the character with chronic pain prompt.
Ron wrote: "The one prompt that does bother me is the "charcter is an immigrant". Not only is it overdone, but it's one I'm tired of. I get that those stories help people and that's amazing, I'm happy for them..."My funny store is that last time this was a PS prompt, I ended up using Dracula for it. I didn't read it for the prompt. It was October and I was doing spooky reading and looked at unused prompts and thought "I know this is the antithesis of what this prompt intended, but technically he was an immigrant."
Mod
... last time this was a PS prompt, I ended up using Dracula for it. ... "
LOL that's perfect! the entire story STARTS when he choses to immigrate to England!!
Nadine in NY wrote: "LOL that's perfect! the entire story STARTS when he choses to immigrate to England!!.."Technically, Carlisle Cullen is another vampire immigrant since he was born in England, moved to Italy, and then came to America. But he's more of an asset to his community.
Also, technically, so is Vito Corelone.
Curious George, and Superman (or any alien) are also immigrants. (In case people want something easy.)
I have a bad cold again -- I fear that it just never left my body from a few weeks ago, and then I ran myself into the ground again and my immune system is like - GIRLFRIEND, what are you doing? Sunday - went to the Bucs / Panthers game and it is freezing here in NC this week, so being outside in this weather is probably not the best idea. Also, friends dating has paid off and I now have a boyfriend (who am I?) - trying to just take it slow and enjoy our time together. Challenges:
79/75 GoodReads Challenge
44/50 PopSugar Challenge
Finished:
1.) Fable by Adrienne Young (#6-Pirates) ⭐⭐: This was a YA tale about adventuring into the Narrows, and I felt a little outside the mark of the target audience, this didn't really resonate with me.
Currently Reading:
1.) If I Had Your Face
2.) Two Can Play
QoTW: How many books have you already postponed reading because you've discovered they are PERFECT for a 2025 category?
None so far - trying to still finish up the 2024 challenge with 6 books to go! Really hoping I can do it.
Mod
ALONG WITH THAT WE ALSO HAVE THE NOMINATION POLL FOR THE JANUARY 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ HERE
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO TIME LIMITATIONS, this nomination poll will only be available through Saturday, December 14! So just one week from today!! Then a FINAL SELECTION poll will be posted and also only available for one week, through Saturday, December 21!
In trying to get all the 2025 prompts posted, I had only three more to go late on Tuesday night/very early Wednesday morning when I inadvertently touched the X on my browser window and voila! All my entry text was gone! Ugh... That’s when I decided I was too tired to continue, shut my laptop down and went to bed! LOL
Something I discovered this year is that searching for Goodreads Listopias is much more effective and comprehensive using my browser rather than searching through Goodreads itself. Interesting…but I find Goodreads to be inefficient overall. I have lately discovered books that I KNOW I listed on my “own it” shelf, but they were no longer checked. And books that I’ve reviewed and still are not listed as “read.” I could go on…most frustrating!
I am a self-proclaimed NPR nerd! Hence, my mention of the 2024 NPR’s Books We Love listing: https://apps.npr.org/best-books/?utm_... I have yet to peruse through here, but certainly will as I plan for 2025 challenges!
And how did I NOT know about the NPR Book of the Day podcast? Thank goodness I do now! 😉😊 I listen to those in the car now!
ADMIN STUFF:
THE DECEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #36 A Book Written By an Incarcerated Or Formerly Incarcerated Person
National Mudd Day is December 20! What is National Mudd Day, you may ask? It references a fascinating bit of history I doubt many of us know. Dr. Samuel Mudd was a doctor who helped John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirator David Herold immediately following Lincoln’s assassination on the night of April 14, 1865. Mudd performed surgery on Booth and allowed them to spend the night. He didn’t report the men’s visit for another 24 hours, though it was assumed he would have heard of the assassination well before that time. Mudd was arrested 12 days later and eventually convicted to a life sentence by a military commission for the crime of aiding and conspiring in a murder, missing the death penalty by only one vote!
Dubhease is the "End-of-Year Innovator" who has graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! YAY Dubhease! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 Fingers crossed that I can handle this book! (You know…I’m such a wuss about anything scary/horror-like!)
THE NOVEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #39 A fiction book written by a trans or nonbinary author
I’m leaving this up because I have been too busy with life and the 2025 postings to get to finishing this discussion yet! (Sorry!)
The comprehensive listing of 2024 Monthly Group Reads resides HERE for your perusal and reference throughout 2024!
***
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
How many books have you already postponed reading because you've discovered they are PERFECT for a 2025 category?
What a PERFECT QotW, Nadine!! I can’t say I have actually purposefully delayed reading any, but I now have about 20 books labeled and set aside for the 2025 challenge! And I’m diligently still trying to complete the 2024 challenge!! Though admittedly, I have 4 books to read for IRL book club meetings in the first half of the month!! (Wish me luck!)
2024 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 44/50
Around the Year (AtY): 52/52 DONE!
Read Harder: 19/24
52 Book Club: 46/52
FINISHED:
*The Conjure-Man Dies: A Mystery Tale of Dark Harlem by Rudolph Fisher ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was, IMO, an excellent read! It just missed being a 10-star rating for me! I adore the way Fisher blended some of the African culture into the ‘modern-day’ 1930’s U.S. This is recognized as the first novel with a black detective as well as the first detective novel with only black characters, and (according to Wikipedia) he was the second African American to write a detective novel in the United States. (I have seen him credited elsewhere as having been the first.)
I am striving to read more of the Harlem Renaissance works in 2025!
POPSUGAR: NEW #16, #17, #27
ATY: #1, #3-A book related to masks or a masquerade, #9-1,061 ratings, #10-Historical Fiction, #12, #14, #17, #21, #24-Purple, #25, #33, #41, #46, #48
RHC: #16, #23, #24-2017: prompt #7 A book published between 1900-1950
52 Book Club: #14, #20, #26-Classic, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, #30, #32, #51
*XOXO (XOXO #1) by Axie Oh ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was an extremely enjoyable read for me! Even if it very much, IMO, is a ‘typical’ romance! Admittedly, there were times it was just a tad “too good to be believable,” but the intermittent humor and unique characters put it over the top for me! Definitely ready to read the second installment, ASAP…well, ASAP!! LOL
POPSUGAR: #2, NEW #5, #11
ATY: #3-A book title that seemingly refers to one or more characters in the book, #5-Seoul, South Korea, #11, #14, #15, #16, #17, #23, #24-Orange and Purple, #31, #33, #36, #37, #49
RHC: #16, #24-2015: prompt #7 A book set in Asia
52 Book Club: #14
CONTINUING:
*Persuasion by Jane Austen (#43)
*The Trees by Percival Everett (#40)
*Shift (Wool #2) by Hugh Howey (#46)
*Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley (#28)
*Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
*The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
*Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking has me thinking so very much that I have delayed reviewing it until I can finalize my thoughts…
*The Birthing House by Kathy Taylor
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
PLANNED:
*Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel (#30)
*Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (#42)
*The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (#36)
*21st Birthday (Women’s Murder Club #21) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*22 Seconds (Women’s Murder Club #22) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23rd Midnight (Women’s Murder Club #23) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23 1/2 Lies (Women’s Murder Club #23.5) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*The 24th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #24) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
Mod
Nadine in NY wrote: "I'm really super stuck on non-verbal character right now, so I'm hoping the group chooses a good book so I know what to read!!!"Have you read Happiness Falls? The father in a tight-knit biracial Korean-American family goes missing, and the only witness is his son Eugene, who has the rare genetic condition "Angelman Syndrome" and cannot speak.
Nadine in NY wrote: "I'm really super stuck on non-verbal character right now, so I'm hoping the group chooses a good book so I know what to read!!!"This one isn't so bad. Just think, there was nothing in the prompt that specified whether the character had to be human. You could choose an animal like such as a science/biology book on whales, wolves, bears, etc.
Mod
Yeah it's always been that way. It's weird because Amazon is one of the first sites to have a really good search engine, but I guess they never gave that to Goodreads. Listopia search sucks.
*XOXO (XOXO #1) by Axie Oh ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was an extremely enjoyable read for me!
OMG it's a book we agree on!!! I loved XOXO & ASAP so much! they were so cute!!! I wish she would write a third one in that world. She's got a fantasy novel coming out in 2025, but I wasn't so crazy about The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea (I DNF'ed it, actually) so I'm not so sure if I'll like it.
Mod
Have you read Happiness Falls?..."
Yes that would have been perfect, but, alas, I read it already.
Mod
This one isn't so bad. Just think, there was n..."
Yeah, I just can't think of any books that work! In the Dog on It series (which I definitely want to read more from) the dog has a "voice", the book is from the dog's POV. I already read Open Throat & Hollow Kingdom (and can we really say the animals in Hollow Kingdom are non-verbal? It's from the crow's POV, he seems to have a voice).
I'd like to find a SFF book with a nonverbal alien, like Remnant Population.
So, to sum it up: I realize this category can be broad, but I can't think of ANY books that would work.
Ah okay and you're more of the fiction reader type right? Can't go wrong with nonfiction with regards to animals because they don't talk so when it comes to nonverbal that's pretty easy to deal with.
The Salt Grows Heavy could work for the nonverbal prompt. The main character can’t talk because she doesn’t have a tongue.It’s short and when I look at the rating average it’s over 2 stars which I had seen people suggest this book for.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? (other topics)The Reunion Dinner (other topics)
The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries (other topics)
Last Woman Standing (other topics)
The Menopause Brain: New Science Empowers Women to Navigate the Pivotal Transition with Knowledge and Confidence (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jesse Q. Sutanto (other topics)Lisa Mosconi (other topics)
Emma Rosenblum (other topics)
Amy Gentry (other topics)
Jesse Kirkwood (other topics)
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In other news, it's well and truly winter here in central NY, I've had snow every day for a week - it's snowing right now! and it's that fluffy stuff tht lands on all the tree branches and makes it look like a fairytale forest - my plow guy is wonderful and is plowing my driveway even though I haven't paid him yet. I also got my Covid booster, my flu shot, and the first of the shingles shots, so my arms are really sore.
Also, we watched Mr Plankton on Netflix and I have completely lost my mind and fallen in love with Woo Do-hwan. Even my 18 year old daughter is sick of hearing about it. Yes, that's right, I am currently less mature than an 18 year old. It's a sad state of affairs. But this actor is amazing!!! Now you all know the truth about me: I am a sappy Kdrama fangirl cleverly disguised as a middle-aged cynic. I'm not even embarrassed about it, this guy is too awesome and the world needs to know about him.
Admin stuff
2025 List is posted here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
The list of Listopias for 2025 is complete and available here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Please let me know if you find any broken or incorrect links.
Monthly categories for 2025 group reads are HERE!! Lynn chose a fascinating category for each week, with an eye to quirky calendar commemorations.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
January's category will be NONVERBAL CHARACTER. The first nomination poll is LIVE and moving fast! We want to make sure the January book is chosen in time to actually get it before January, so nominations will be open for just one week, until next Saturday, the 14th.
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...
The December group read of The Picture of Dorian Gray is happening here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
This week I finished one book - it has not been a good reading week, most of the books I'm reading are slogs, and one I set aside as soon as I realized it works for a 2025 category. It's the last month of the year and I still have TWO books left to read on my own little "must read in 2024 list" so I really need to get moving on that.
I finished:
The Stars at Noon written by Denis Johnson, audiobook read by Will Patton - at least I loved this one!!! I have NO IDEA what happened in this book, but I don't even care, I loved it anyway. I just love the way Johnson writes and the way Patton reads.
And I DNFed one book
How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler- I loved the other book I read by Wexler (Hard Reboot) and I wanted more of that, but this one was trying sooooo hard to be funny, and ... it was not funny. Not for me!
Popsugar 100% 50 /50
Must Reads 80% 8 /10
AtY 100% 52 /52
2024 pub 122% 61 /50
NetGalley ratio 81%
Question of the Week
How many books have you already postponed reading because you've discovered they are PERFECT for a 2025 category?
It's happened to me four times already!! Two books I had on hold, I realized would work well for connected short stories (Rejection) and menopause (All Fours), so I suspended the holds a few weeks, to make sure I dont' get them too soon.
One book I had JUST started reading on Dec 1st, and then Erica helpfully pointed out that it involves a running club (The Break-Up Pact) - back to the library with you, book! I'll borrow you again in a month!
And one book I had JUST borrowed on Libby yesterday afternoon, and less than a minute after downloading the audiobook, I discovered that the author is autistic (Exciting Times). Back to the library, audiobook! I'll see you again in a few weeks!! This was ridiculous timing and at this point I decided I needed to make it the QotW!!
Oh! And one of my NetGalley books is written by 80 year old Mary Balogh, who is one of the oldest authors on my TBR, so I'm wondering if I should wait a few weeks to read Remember When. So that's potentially five times ...