Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2025 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 28: 7/4 - 7/10
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Happy Thursday all!Work continues to be stupidly busy. Summer is the busiest time of the year for most libraries, and ours is no exception. I'm super glad I can just go home and chill after work instead of having to do schoolwork on top of it...
Books read this week:
Any Other City -- this book was messy, painful, and gloriously profane, and I loved it for being all those things. I know that sounds contradictory, but we NEED more books like this. Books that capture queer identity and the way gender transition isn’t a linear process but is just as messy and full of obstacles, both emotional and physical, as any other life change.
Out to Get You: 13 Tales of Weirdness and Woe -- a collection of short stories that feel like they were written to cater to fans of the Goosebumps books. Creepy without crossing the line into disturbing.
More Good Dogs: More Stories About Good Dogs and the People Who Love Them -- I came in expecting dog stories, but in most of these stories the dogs barely featured in them. Gimmie the dogs, dangit…
DNF:
Living In Italy: Hilarious Expat Adventures - How To Survive The Good Life -- Got this as a free e-book years ago, wanted to give it a shot after actually going to Italy this year. Sadly, it was dull. I don’t know if something was lost in translation or not (the original was in Dutch) but I’m putting it down.
Currently reading:
The Best of Catherynne M. Valente, Volume One
Gone South
Bloomability
The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom
Shop and Let Die
QOTW:
Do you like fantasy? Are you tired of fantasy full of archetypical characters who have no sense of humor and talk so formally it sucks the life out of you? Do you want to see some tired tropes of the genre skewered? T Kingfisher is the author for you!
Kingfisher writes with a wicked sense of humor, giving her characters life beyond the tired cliches of the fantasy genre. And she isn't afraid to take familiar tales and look at them from another angle, or just look at conventional tropes of the genre and go "okay, but what if..."
Wow, I'm first up after the admin to post for the 2nd week in a row I think! Last time it was because I am a night owl and updating in the wee hours works for me. But today .... it's middle of a work day!PS - 36/60 ATY 50/62
Finished - I finished several actually over the long weekend:
The Boric Acid Murder - ATY periodic table prompt
Ozland - PS dystopian apocalyptic with happy ending -- third and last in trilogy - can't believe my lucky timing on this one to fill that prompt!
The Best Bad Things
A Christmas Journey
How Snowball Stole Christmas
Those last 2 were set in cold snow ice freezing temps - one of the ways I escape NYC hazy hot humid 90+ days.
Currently Reading:
The Lovely Bones
Bleak House - continuing the slow buddy read.
QOTW: I have so many favorite authors. Lately I've been promoting Cara Black and her Aimee Leduc series - Experience the excitement of Paris in the 1990s with the Leduc Detective Agency as Aimee and her partner Rene not only show off their computer forensic wizardry, but also take on solving murders and other crimes, many with political or historical connections.
Purchased TBR: 12/27Library TBR: 11/24
Powells: 9/25
Finished: The United States and Canada: How Two Democracies Differ and Why It Matters
City of Ghosts
A Fellowship of Librarians & Dragons read for prompt about dragons. This was a cute story, though I thought the purpose of why the dragon selected the guardian she did was underwhelming.
Started: A Sideways Look at Time
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work a re-read
QotW: I love this question. The hardest part about it is selecting an author though. I don't have a single favorite author. Today I'm going to answer with Karen Thompson Walker because her books are very thought-provoking in a way that sticks with me for a long time.
Happy Thursday!Finished:
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust - 3.5 stars - for Popsugar's book with a snake on the cover or in the title. Fairy tale fantasy inspired by Persian legends and mythology. I really enjoyed this.
Comics & manga:
Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc., Vol. 8
Komi Can't Communicate, Vol. 34
I am currently at 36/50 for Popsugar (30/40 and 6/10).
Currently reading:
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - not currently for a prompt.
Upcoming/Planned:
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 14 by Natsu Hyuuga
QOTW:
Someone already did a pitch for T. Kingfisher, so I'll do one for one of my favorite YA fantasy authors. :)
Do you enjoy fantasy with heart, humor, and chaotic gremlin girls? Do you like complex characters who sometimes make bad decisions for complicated reasons? Do you like YA fantasy that doesn't talk down to or sugarcoat things for its audience?
If you said yes to any of those things, I think you will enjoy the work of Margaret Owen. Her first duology, The Merciful Crow, involves a fantasy world with a very different sort of magic system, and a group of outcast characters. Her most recently finished trilogy, Little Thieves, features a main character who is not a good person at the start, but grows into a fantastic, complex heroine. She also has a book coming out soon based on Disney's Rapunzel movie, Tangled.
L Y N N wrote: "And I have so many friends enduring illness, surgeries, etc. I don't know when I have sent so many cards to so many people to try to cheer them up and give them hope... That takes a toll on my mental well-being as well as theirs!Although last Friday was "Independence Day"/July 4th here in the U.S., I admit I pretty much ignored it. My feelings about this country and the current leadership do not lend themselves to celebration of the present day, but rather a hope for improvement in the future, if indeed our 249-year-old democratic experiment does somehow survive..."
I am very glad that there are caring people like you in this world. It is a breath of fresh air amidst all the news. However, do take time to be kind to yourself.
And, regarding our current political status, I agree with your hope for future improvement. I didn't celebrate this fourth either. And, to be honest, I didn't miss it at all.
Happy Thursday, y’allWeather: Hot and humid. Very hard to do anything outside, even sitting on the porch. But, the week is cooling down now as it moves toward the weekend. I do welcome this break.
Exercise/Health: I hit some milestones this week. I was able to increase the dumb bell weight on my left arm to 10# for overhead lifts as well as get that arm to straighten on those lifts. And, I was able to do a plank from a 6 inch elevation, the lowest that I have achieved thus far. And, I completed a 2 mile ride on the indoor bike. None of that is shout worthy except for me. It represents progress that I have not achieved before now and is something I could not do in March, before I started this program.
And, I have a smaller waist as evident in that I can button a pair of shorts that I could not do before…and my hysterectomy belly (age 40) is now flatter than it has been for over 37 years! My balance is improving, also. So pleased.
Garden: I am such a hit or miss gardener! This week I pulled some potato plants that were wilting and dying. And, I tried digging to see if those plants had produced any potatoes. I found a few very small ones but otherwise nothing. Well, on Sunday, I was weeding in my compost pile and saw a couple of small potatoes peeking out of the soil. After harvesting them, I went to the potato plot next over and, lo and behold, there was a medium one peeking out of the same place I had dug before without finding anything as big.
And, my big boy tomato plant that has had green tomatoes on it forever, is now ripening them!
Yard: Since the tree work was done last week, my front yard now really looks bare. More sunshine is getting to the yard, but so far, no advance in grass is discernible. And, the horizon is so bare, so wide. I haven’t figured out yet what I can afford to do to improve it…other than pray.
Reading: I’ve been enjoying reading more lately, although my reading has been a mix of novels and spiritual reading. The problem is that so much of what I am reading doesn’t fit open prompts! I really wish that I were further in PS reading than I am. (Still not quite half-way.)
Finished:
Running with Sherman – PS #17 (run club). 4*. I adored this book…and, yes, it really wasn’t about an established running club but rather a group of runners who formed a team…even if the team contained both people and donkeys. Marvelous story.
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead – ATY #5 (intriguing/weird title), PAS. 3*. Definitely a weird title. At times I struggled to figure out what was happening, and the ending caught me flat-footed. Still, I enjoyed it.
The Power of Myth – PAS. 4*. I suspect that I would have gained even more by having read other of Joseph Campbell’s books before this one. Still it was intriguing and fascinating.
Small Miracles for the Jewish Heart: Extraordinary Coincidences from Yesterday and Today – No prompt. 4*. Delightful stories.
The Teller of Small Fortunes – PS #20 (cozy fantasy). 4*. What fun this was! Definitely a found family story with good resolutions of the issues brought up.
Currently Reading:
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All - ATY #30 (monster), PAS, PS #44 (book I have avoided). 49%.
Navigating the Bible: The 5-Minute Guide to Understanding God's Word – I am using this book as a brief overview of whatever Bible book I am reading. Currently it is Hebrews.
Smith Wigglesworth on Prayer, Power, and Miracles – No prompt. I am reading one essay a day. 55%
Sister Snake – PS #5 (snake on cover). 76%
A 5th Portion of Chicken Soup for the Soul: 101 More Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit – no prompt. Devotional reading. 14%
The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare – PAS. 34%
Just Starting:
Shaman – PS #38/#39 (same title). 6%. This is book #2 for these prompts. I read the other several months ago.
Sandwich – ATY seasonal.
On Deck: (library)
In the Clearing – PS #7(cult). (due 7/20 with no renewal)
The Little French Bistro – PAS. (due 7/26 with no renewal)
The Woman in Cabin 10 – ATY #25 (waves on cover), PAS. (due 7/26 with no renewal)
Happiness Falls – PS #43 (nonverbal character), PAS. (due 7/13 with renewal)
A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World – PS #49 (dystopia with happy ending). (due 7/13 with renewal)
PS 24/50
ATY 32/52, Anniversary 9/10, Summer 4200/5000 points
GR 108/200
Happy Thursday!I am in a terrific mood as I got a clean bill of health today!
I finished 2 books last week. My sad Quebec book and a mystery/thriller. Both were great and I'd recommend them, depending if you want to read about how hard life was in the depression in Montreal or you want to read a locked room mystery (or in this case a non-stop train mystery).
And I started a new book because I always read 2 at the same time.
Finished:
The Tin Flute
Popsugar prompt: A classic you've never read
ATY prompt:
Anniversary prompt: A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name
Summer prompt: A book with challenging subject matter - 500
With a Vengeance
Popsugar prompt: A highly anticipated read of 2025
ATY prompt: Two books with a connection from different genres
Summer prompt: A book with a military character (serving, retired, or adjacent) - 300 points
Series - 5/10
Reading Across Canada - 6/10
Nobel laureates - 2/5
PS - 26/40
Regular ATY - 23/40
Anniversary ATY - 7/10
Summer Challenge - 1900/5000 - 38%
Currently reading:
Interior Castle - 25%
Sunrise on the Reaping - 35%
To You Shall All Flesh Come - 10%
Buddy Reads:
we are trying to review the second Miss Peregrine book so that we can read the third.
QOTW: Picking a favourite author is hard. I'm going to come back to this question and try for someone who isn't super famous, like Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, JJR Tolkien.
Happy Thursday! Trying to get packed for a trip to Wisconsin... Todd's got a conference, and I'm just tagging along.2025 Reading Challenges:
52 Book Club: 44/52 (Connections Challenge: 9/21)
ATY: 38/52 (ATY Anniversary Challenge: 8/10, ATY Summer Challenge: 23/25)
The Book Girls’ Guide: 39/74
Booklist Queen: 45/52
Popsugar: 37/50
My Ever-Growing TBR: 80/292 – 27.4% (My goal is 33.3%. I went backwards this week… I bought so many books!)
Recently Completed:
Fractured (52 Books Connections #7 – shares a narrative technique with the previous book: uses electronic messages to frame the story) ★★★
When the Earth Was Green: Plants, Animals, and Evolution's Greatest Romance ★★★★
Run for the Hills ★★★★
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald ★★★★
Fall Back Down When I Die ★★★★
Crown ★★★★
The Summer of Yes ★★★
Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories ★★★
XX: Poems for the Twentieth Century ★★★
The Museum of Failures (BGG Book Voyage #7 – Southern Asia) ★★★★★
The Dutch House: Read with Jenna. (BGG ICYMI Backlist #7 – published in 2019/Popsugar #11 – book mentioned in another book: The Sentence) ★★★★
The Ideological Brain: The Radical Science of Flexible Thinking: Goodreads Giveaway. ★★★★
Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties (BGG Lifetime of Reading #7 – 50-somethings) ★★★
Currently Reading:
Jane Austen, the Secret Radical: Jane Austen Book Club.
The Mighty Red: Read with Jenna. (BGG Book Lovers #7: books about book clubs)
The Lightning Bottles (Popsugar #31 – music is an integral part of the storyline)
Can't Get Enough (Popsugar #1 – POC experiencing joy)
The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A Memoir of Friendship, Loyalty, and War
California Golden (BGG Read Around the USA #7 – Pacific)
The Sum of All Kisses
A Death in Door County: Goodreads Giveaway.
Coven: A Graphic Novel
Sunny Side Up
As You Like It
First-Time Caller
The Age of Loneliness: Essays
QOTW: I have many favorite authors, so I'll pick one that I don't think many other people read. Tom Perrotta is an autobuy for me. Why? Well, his characters are relatable. They're flawed and vulnerable, and his books put them in situations that are sometimes familiar and sometimes extraordinary. Perrotta has a dark sense of humor, and he uses it to incisively examine suburban life and social dynamics.
Happy Thursday! We're leaving for vacation tomorrow! I can't wait. We were gone last week to the family cabin while my daughter was at summer camp, and now we're going on a family vacation, which will be nice. I feel you about "Independence Day". I pretty much ignored it too. Same reasons.Finished 27/50
My Beautiful Sisters: A Memoir of Courage, Hope, and the Afghan Women's Soccer Team for "book about soccer". This book was amazing. And so heartbreaking. We have got to do better about helping the oppressed. A woman shouldn't have to flee for her life just because she plays soccer. That's ridiculous.
Project Hail Mary for "book where an adult character changes careers". I enjoyed this! So great to see someone put the SCIENCE in science-fiction. The ending was great too.
And Then There Were None for "book set at a luxury resort". Eh. I'm not a big mystery fan. The writing was good and it was a fast read though.
Currently Reading
No idea yet. I have two holds in at the library, one purchase I'm waiting to be shipped, and one I'm waiting for the local bookstore to order for me. So, we'll see what gets here first by the time I'm back from vacation!
QotW
Fyoder Dostoyevsky. Literary genius. Deep psychology. Fantastic characters. Beautiful writing. Not for the action-based reader, but if you like classics and especially character development and drama (and aren't intimidated by long books), I think he needs to be more widely read.
Happy Thursday, everyone! I’m excited to share that one of the interviews I had last week led to a job offer! I’m really looking forward to this new opportunity and am now anxiously waiting for the official onboarding details. I know I’ll probably have less time to read once I start the job, so I’m trying to squeeze in as much reading as I can while I still have the time!I finished the ATY challenge and accomplished my Goodreads Reading Goal this week! I'm close to completing the others too, so I joined some new ones to sustain me until the end of the year, haha!
2025 Reading Challenges
Popsugar- 47/50
52 Book Club- 46/52; Connections- 4/21
Barnes & Noble- 46/52
Booklist Queen- 48/52
Buzzword- 6/12; Cover- 6/12
1001 Books- 9/10
Finished
A Room of One's Own & The Voyage Out- I finished A Room of One's Own back in March and I liked it for the most part. However, it took me months to complete The Voyage Out. I kept dozing off and having to reread certain sections. It also read as kind of snobbish if I'm being honest. The latter half did pick up a bit, but not enough to make up for the first half. ☆☆
1001 Books #8
52 BC #34- direction in the title
B&N #13- avoided
BQ #20- book that took a while to read
Chlorine- went into this expecting a horror, but got a psychological literary story instead. I'm not mad about it. It was fine. ☆☆☆ 1/2
ATY Summer #5D- a book with challenging subject matter
52 BC #37- genre chosen for you by someone else
Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You'd Rather Cancel- solid read ☆☆☆ 1/2
City Sister Silver- this novel was a little difficult to follow. The protagonist hops from one group to another, engaging in seedy behavior, all while contemplating his past, his dreams and those of the people around him. Once I found its rhythm, I was able to glide through it but I did have questions afterwards. ☆☆☆ 1/2
1001 Books #9
ATY Anniversary 2019- a book related to one of the elements on the periodic table of elements
ATY Summer #4E- a book originally written in a language other than English
PS #36- a book with silver on the cover or in the title
52 BC #40- stream-of-consciousness narrative
Currently Reading
Great Big Beautiful Life
QOTW
It was hard to chose one, but I went with Jane Harper only because I recently finished all her published novels.
Are you burnt out from the recycled plot twists in today's bestselling mystery/thrillers? If so, give Jane Harper a try! Her mysteries feature complex characters and have a strong sense of place, usually small-town Australia, which feels practically like another character. She’s great at building tension without relying on cheap tricks, and her books always feel immersive. Perfect if you like slow-building, atmospheric mysteries with emotional depth. I'd start with The Lost Man, as it's a standalone and her best in my opinion, but The Dry (the first in her Aaron Falk series) is also great!
It feels a little surreal that it's July already. Summer reading is halfway over already, and it feels like it just began! My library makes heavy use of teen volunteers to keep the program running, and while the help is appreciated, it can be tricky finding tasks for them to do during slower periods.Finished reading:
Pearl - I easily get burned out on WWII fiction, but this presented a perspective I've yet to see, and in a interesting graphic style.
The Wishkeeper's Apprentice - Despite my dislike for certain elements of The Magician Next Door, I gave this a try and found it a much better story all around. It went in a few directions I wasn't expecting, and had a much more satisfactory climax.
The Happy Shop - a quick read, and an interesting concept. The overall story was a bit lackluster, though.
Merry Witches' Life, Volume 1: The Three Widows of Berlebagille - A cute story, but I'm not 100% convinced to continue the series.
Currently reading:
The Sound of Music Story: How A Beguiling Young Novice, A Handsome Austrian Captain, and Ten Singing von Trapp Children Inspired the Most Beloved Film of All Time
It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror
Uncharmed
Spent: A Comic Novel
The Guardian Test
Happy Thursday, everyone! This has been a really tough week, both mentally and physically. My OCD symptoms have been really difficult to handle, but I’ve also been dealing with migraines for the past few days.
As a result, I haven’t felt like doing much other than reading or sleeping. I’ve managed to finish quite a few books since last week’s update though, so I suppose I can’t complain too much.
Here are my current challenge and TBR totals…
Goodreads Challenge: 239/250 (95% complete)
Mount TBR Challenge: 126/150 (84% complete)
📚Physical TBR: 103/731
📱Ebook TBR: 12/218
🎧Audiobook TBR: 11/12
TBR Checklist Total: 126/961 (13% complete)
TBR Books DNFed in 2025: 3
This week I bought The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World, 3rd Edition: Over 600 Secrets of the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom, by Susan Veness; and You Can't Live All on Your Own!, Volume 1, by Mizoko Tsuno.
“New” Books Bought in 2025: 121
“New” Books Read in 2025: 106
“New” Books DNFed in 2025: 0
”New” Books Checklist Total: 87% complete
Here are the books I finished this week…
Finished Reading (Fiction):
~Dead Tired 1 — This is the first book in the Dead Tired series. To be honest, I really wasn’t all that impressed with this book. I thought the story was okay, but didn’t like the main character/narrator very much. I don’t currently plan to continue this series. 📱: ⭐️⭐️
~The Tainted Cup — This is the first book in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. I thought this was a great mystery, and really liked the characters. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Killing Time — This is the thirty-fifth book in the Agatha Raisin Mystery series. I thought this was a really good story, and liked how the author gave Agatha a chance to draw her own conclusions about a real-life murder mystery from the 1600s. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Rules for Ruin — This is the first book in The Crinoline Academy series. I thought this was a good story, and liked the main characters, but I don’t know if I’m interested in continuing the series. I guess we’ll see how I’m feeling when the next book is released. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I also had a chance to listen to the audiobook editions of the last three books in The Murderbot Diaries series. I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading (re-listening to) these books! The books I finished this week include:
~Network Effect — This is the fifth book in The Murderbot Diaries series. 🎧: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Fugitive Telemetry — This is the sixth book in The Murderbot Diaries series. This is definitely one of my favorite books in the series, because I love the combination of SciFi and mystery. 🎧: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~System Collapse — This is the seventh book in The Murderbot Diaries series. 🎧: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
None
Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
~Otaku Vampire's Love Bite, Vol. 4 — This was a cute continuation of the series. I’m already looking forward to the next volume. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Fushigi Yûgi: Byakko Senki, Vol. 2 — I had a little trouble getting back into this series, because it’s been so long since the release of volume 1, but I am really enjoying the story. I also love the artwork! 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Disney Manga: Stitch and the Samurai: The Complete Collection — This book includes all three volumes of the Stitch and the Samurai manga. I loved the concept and thought it was a fun read. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~You Can't Live All on Your Own!, Volume 1 — I thought this was a cute manga, and I’m already looking forward to reading the next volume when it’s released later this year. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished Reading (Poetry and Drama):
None
DNFed:
None
Currently Reading:
~MASH: An Army Surgeon in Korea — I’m currently about halfway through this book, and I’m finding it really interesting so far. 📚
~Dungeons & Dragons Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd — I have about 50 pages left of this book, and intend to finish it this evening. I’ve really enjoyed the story so far, and I like the characters. 📚
~Ghosts of Salem: Haunts of the Witch City — I’m currently only two chapters into this book, but it has been an interesting read so far. I’ll be really curious to see if any of these ghost stories are included in the tour I plan to take when I visit Salem later this summer. 📚
~The Last Wish — This is the first book in The Witcher series, which I’ve read a couple times already. I’m enjoying listening to the audiobook before bed each night, and I’m currently about three chapters into the story. 🎧
~The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World, 3rd Edition: Over 600 Secrets of the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom — I've only had a chance to read the first section of this book (which was on the Magic Kingdom), but I am finding it fascinating. I highly recommend checking this book out if you're interested in learning more about Florida's Disney parks. 📚
QOTW:
I’m having a terrible time trying to decide on just one author, so I’ll have to come back to this question at another time.
The first week back to work after a vacation is always rough, but it feels like double the struggle this week. Getting back into a routine has been a lot harder than usual. I’m so happy tomorrow is Friday. I have plans to see a play at our local civic theatre tomorrow night, and I’m looking forward to that a lot. They’re doing a comedy season, which I think was a great choice.Finished
Inheritors (a book that fills your favorite prompt from the 2015 PS reading challenge - a book based on a tv series). This is a Stargate tie-in novel, and not every character sounded like themselves in this one, unfortunately. The story was really good, though, and I like stories about building alliances and finding common ground. This book feels like a natural conclusion to the series, but there are several more books to go. I’m curious what those books will be about.
Yellow Jessamine (a book that begins with the letter y). As much as I love epic fantasy where the fate of the world hangs in the balance, it’s always nice to find a fantasy story with a smaller scope. This one is about a city-state and the political intrigue (with supernatural elements) that will decide its fate.
Geneva (a book that fills a 2024 prompt you'd like to do over). This was a pretty good debut novel. It was just a little overwritten. The Cut is much better, so I think Richard Armitage will be an author that gets better with every book he writes.
Reading
The Arctic Fury (a book with silver in the title or on the cover)
Crime and Punishment
QOTW
I’m having a hard time picking an author. There are so many I love. I’ll have to think about this some more.
L Y N N wrote: "Although last Friday was "Independence Day"/July 4th here in the U.S., I admit I pretty much ignored it. My feelings about this country and the current leadership do not lend themselves to celebration of the present day, but rather a hope for improvement in the future, if indeed our 249-year-old democratic experiment does somehow survive..."Same here. I'm borrowing from others here to express my feelings -- it's hard to celebrate Independence Day when it feels like we're losing our freedom. I hope a day comes again when I don't feel that way.
Another week has flown by! Since the last check-in, I finished a short story, two short audiobooks, and a non-fiction book. None fit any of my empty prompts, so no change on my PS totals (12/40 and 0/10). I'm now at 39/85 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge. Finished:
* Natural Selection by Elin Hilderbrand, which was a bonus short story FirstReads option several months ago;
* The Shark and the Goldfish: Positive Ways to Thrive During Waves of Change written and narrated by Jon Gordon, which I borrowed from the Audible catalog;
* Pronoun Trouble: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words written and narrated by John McWhorter, which I really thought would fit an open prompt for at least one of the reading challenges I'm working on -- the Libro.fm Audiobook challenge came through for me!; and,
* The Simple Path to Wealth (Revised & Expanded 2025 Edition): Your Road Map to Financial Independence and a Rich, Free Life by J.L. Collins, which was recommended to me by my financial coach. Excellent!!
Currently Reading:
* The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims;
* The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis, which is a book club read;
* A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Best Investment Guide That Money Can Buy by Burton G. Malkiel, which is the other book my financial coach recommended - it is also excellent so far; and,
* The Briar Club written by Kate Quinn and narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, which was a Libby Lucky Day pick that showed up when I returned The Simple Path to Wealth (Revised & Expanded 2025 Edition): Your Road Map to Financial Independence and a Rich, Free Life.
QotW:
Give us your two-paragraph ‘elevator pitch’ for your favorite author! As others have said, picking just one favorite author is super-hard. So! I'm just going to randomly pick one of my favorite authors and go with it 🤓
Do you like immersive mysteries set in locations that feel like main characters, have complicated characters who you root for even when they frustrate you, and make you think about what you just read long after you turn the final page (and also make you want to immediately run out and find a bookish friend who has also completed the book so you can dive head-first into discussion)? I do and I have JUST the author for you...Attica Locke!
As an Attica Locke completist, I promise you will not be disappointed if you decide to join me in this elite club. Whether it's her debut duology featuring attorney Jay Porter set in Houston, the stellar Highway 59 trilogy featuring Texas Ranger Darren Matthews, or her magnificent stand-alone novel set on a historic plantation house in Louisiana, you will not be disappointed. Run, do not walk, to pick one up today. And then come find me because there is SO. MUCH. TO. DISCUSS!
Hello hello and happy Thursday from yet another humid and hot Columbus, but now with added rain! I finally got to use our pool yesterday, my son’s grandparents (childcare) are out of state so I had to take a couple days off to watch him so since I was forced to not work I had time to swim! Our 4th was really nice. I made cherry cobbler (Claire Saffitz recipe) and strawberry shortcake (Jeni from Jeni’s ice cream recipe) that were both a huge hit. I also always make an elote pasta salad that I never have leftovers to take home lol. Finished:
Saltwater not for a prompt, but for my bookclub. I really loved Katy Hays’ The Cloisters, this had less of a dark academia vibe and more something goes criminally wrong on a rich family’s vacation to Italy vibes. Both I enjoy lol. I did not see the little twist at the end coming and I always enjoy a little nonlinear storytelling.
The Covenant of Water for a read harder prompt. This book was so long but not in a way that made it hard to get through. It follows a family through a few generations as they live with a mysterious condition that causes someone from every generation to die in water. I enjoyed the journey with this book.
Ghostsitter - A Crazy Inheritancethis was a free audiobook I got on audible that I thought my son would like. I guess this author is German and all the other titles in this series are listed in German, potentially bad news for my monolingual son who wants to listen to the other books lol. The audio production was fun because it had a cast and sound effects, he got very invested in the plot.
Felicity's Surprise
Happy Birthday, Felicity! A Springtime Story
Felicity Saves the Day: A Summer Story
Changes for Felicity: A Winter Story
Very Funny, Elizabeth
Felicity's Dancing Shoes
not for the challenge, just continuing the AG read-a-thon I started last week.
Currently Reading:
Babel
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Great Adventure Catholic Bible
Challenges:
Popsugar - 18/40; 0/4; 0/3; 2/3
Read Harder - 12/24
Classics - 5/12
European Tour - 6/10
12 Friends - 5/12
Yearly Goal - 64/180
Recently Watched nothing at all this week, except some game play of one of the Kingdom Hearts games.
QOTW:
I’m typing one handed while drying an annoyed freshly bathed cat so no answer today.
We also had difficulty celebrating Independence Day this year, but Eli is 7. He's not disillusioned yet and thinks that the 4th of July is just about cookouts and fireworks. So we persevered, but there weren't any hotdogs this year. We had chicken tacos!
I can't believe it's the second week of July. That means my "summer break" is already almost over.I finished no books this week because I have too many in progress. I'm kinda reading all over the place, a chapter of this, two chapters of that, so I will end up completing a bunch of books at once at the middle or end of the month right before returning to work
Currently reading:
A Passage to India
James
Hitch 22: A Memoir
Fabric: The Hidden History of the Material World
Ducks, Newburyport
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Snowdrops in Spring: A Tale of the Sleeping Beauty
1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
War and Peace
Knickerbocker's History of New York
QOTW: I don't like to convince people to read authors I like, because I often don't like the authors other people do, but as long as people read, it shouldn't matter who you choose.
My favorites are Jane Austen, Elizabeth Strout, Elizabeth Berg, Douglas Adams, Chitra Divakaruni, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Abby Waxman, Bill Bryson, Christopher Hitchens, and many others. I just really like books so it's hard to narrow it down.
Hi all! I typed up a response, then had to deal with a fraud alert from my bank- which turned out wasn't fraud- and then closed out my internet before remembering to hit send! Anyways, it's been a long week at work, and then I found out that a coworker I worked closely with Monday and Tuesday has covid, so now it's just fingers crossed I don;t have it too! Luckily the books have been goodFinished:
The Jasad Crown- loved this, perfect conclusion to the duology. I love this world and all the characters
-no prompt
Anywhere With You- I really liked this romcom, but thought it wrapped up a bit too easily at the end. still a fun time
-road trip prompt
My Instructor Won't Yield- fun manga that could be a good show
-no prompt
Currently reading:
Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space: A Literary Mixtape- finally picking this up again. It was a bit bleak, so I had to set it down for a while
QotW:
I'll go with Naomi Novik since I'm on a bit of a kick reading her again:
Interesting magical systems. Prickly lead characters that seem unlikable at first, but who learn to open up to others and are really great. Unlikely friendships. Complicated situations that take ingenuity to figure out. Fantasy with a dusting of romance, but a stronger focus on character growth.
Life update: I finally managed to get the dog groomed, and both of us are much happier as a result. Other than that, not a great deal has happened, but I will report some words of wisdom from my grandson, aged 5, after I apologised to him for grumpily refusing him something that was actually fine for him to have: "That's okay, grandma. That just means you're still learning and growing." My heart!Reading update: I finished two books this week:
Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community for Pride Season Reading Challenge: non-fiction about lesbian history. It was okay, but the authors evidently had some trouble empathising with their interviewees, which doesn't make for great oral history.
Deep Wheel Orcadia for Pride Season Reading Challenge: queer poetry. It's a novel in verse form, presented as an Orcadian Scots/British English dual language edition. The language is great, and it does a great job of demonstrating that Scots is a living language that can adapt to a science fiction setting; but the plot is somewhat lacking.
I also DNF'd Goodbye, Wisconsin, which was one of the books my friend left with me to dispose of. The narrator of the first story was too snobbish and judgmental for my liking, and I got the impression that this was not deliberate, but reflected the author's own attitudes. Then the second story had way too much exposition for my taste, so I concluded that I just was not going to enjoy this book.
Stats:
PopSugar Challenge: 0 this week, 46/50 total
Star Trek Series Challenge: 0 this week, 16/18 total
Readers of the Wild Moor: 0 this week, 17/30 total
Pride Season Challenge: 2 this week, 7/15 total
Queer Reads Bracket Challenge: 0 this week, 1/6 total
Cosmere Challenge: 0 this week, 2/48 total
Outside the challenges: 0 this week, 18 total
All books finished this year: 2 this week, 90 total
DNF or paused: 1 this week, 19 total
Challenges completed this year:
GR Community Favorites, GR Seasonal Bookmarks
Currently reading:
Changewar for interconnected short stories
Trans Historical: Gender Plurality before the Modern for Pride Season Reading Challenge: nonfiction about transgender history
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, vol. 2, for my current audiobook
The Valmiki Ramayana Vol. 3 for spiritual bedtime reading
QOTW: If you like queer romance and historical fiction, give K J Charles a try. She combines both genres beautifully. Her stories are well researched and historically plausible, her characters diverse in racial background, class and ability as well as sexuality. The British class system in particular is something that I find authors often get wrong, so this is refreshing.
Most of her books are part of a series, but they don't end on cliffhangers, so they are satisfying to read individually. A good starting point to see if you like her style would be Wanted: A Gentleman, which is a standalone m/m novella with a POC protagonist, set in 1805. After that, I'm very fond of The Sins of the Cities Series and The Charm of Magpies Series, but there's plenty more to choose from. She has a helpful reading order list on her website; GR won't allow me to link to it, but it's easy to find.
I finally finished Caribbean as my book that takes place around water. I love most of Michener's books, but this one was just OK. And a book that long needs to be AMAZING.I started A Better Class of Murder as my book set at a luxury resort. Pretty boring so far.
QOTW: My favorite author? I don't know. And I probably can't write a proper blurb for one, so I won't try.
Mod
I started dabbling in tie dye again - I just dyed some hats and I'm excited waiting to see how they turn out. I think I can rinse them out today - I've never tried hats before! I'm also trying some new dye blends from my favorite dye company (https://www.dharmatrading.com/dyes/dh...) so this is a double experiment, and I hope I like at least one of the hats enough that I'm happy to wear it to the farmer's market.
UPDATE: all four hats look fantastic!! I'm so excited, I don't know which one I will wear first.
I actually managed to finish ONE book this week. Still incredibly slow progress that I'm disappointed by; I guess this is that "book slump" that people talk about - it's never happened to me before.
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry - wow, so Emily Henry has finally managed to publish a book I don't like!! This was two stories in one, similar to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: there's the romance between two authors, which felt like a very standard, run-of-the-mill romance involving insta-lust, I didn't see any chemistry between the two of them, and usually Henry's romances are better than this. Felt like she was just phoning it in with this one. And then there's the story the authors are researching, about an aging starlet and her famous family, which was very boring and I did not care. No Popsugar challenge category, but I'll probably use this for one of my two books with opposites in the title for AtY, for "Big" (I've got Small Game on deck to read this year).
Popsugar 80% 40 /50
Must Reads 20% 2 /10
AtY 81% 42 /52
AtY bonus 10% 1 /10
2025 pub 60% 30 /50
NetGalley ratio 83%
QotW
Oh I'm not very good at elevator pitches, I have no idea what I'd say!!
Mod
Congrats on the new job!!! what will you be doing?
Mod
Weather: Hot and humid. Very hard to do anything outside, even sitting on the porch. But, the week is cooling down now as it moves toward the weekend. I do welcome this break..."
Congrats on your health milestones and gardening surprises!!
Back when I had my act together, I grew potatoes. It was SO MUCH fun to dig them out! Like a little mini easter egg hunt :-)
Nadine in NY wrote: "Congrats on the new job!!! what will you be doing?"Thank you! It's a Library Assistant job!
Mod
Thank you! It's a Library Assistant job!"
Oh that sounds awesome. I applied to work as a front desk clerk at my library but they did not extend an offer. I am so curious as to WHY, but I guess I'll never know.
Mod
..."
What a coincidence! My daughter just got back from a weeklong vacation in Wisconsin!!! She went to Milwaukee (SummerFest!), Kenosha, Racine, Lake Geneva, Bristol, Paris, Madison, and also down to Chicago.
Woah, forgot yesterday was Thursday. It was a busy week. Took a day trip which was fun. Ended up going to lunch followed by a trip to a 2-story Barnes and Noble. I gotta say, I'm glad where I live ours are only one floor. If they were more than that I would spend twice as much time there.I did come out with a good book haul which was great. And OMG their Native American history was the best! 3 rows/shelves worth. The one where I live is only 1 row of books, sometimes only half which is always a let down since I own most of the books my BN has anyway.
Yesterday was nice. My sister had a work thing so got to help babysit my nephew. Uh-oh he's close to the terrible two's. Great little kid though. I never thought I'd be interested as I've become so that's shown my growth.
*****
Book News:
Been getting a lot of new books recently. The sales online have helped. Then I'll be participating in the Sealey Challenge and that focuses on poetry in the month of August. I've read most of the poetry I own so I've been wanting to stock up on new material.
******
In terms of reading I've finished several books already for this month. I'm looking to finish 18 books at the end of July. We've still got nearly 3 weeks so it's doable for me.
******
And even though November is still months away, I'm starting to plan out ideas as to what I'll read for Native American History Month. Even though I read in that genre and by Indigenous authors throughout the year anyway, I still like to focus on that. I've all ready got 3 books chosen so far.
******
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Give us your two-paragraph ‘elevator pitch’ for your favorite author!
I don't have a particular favorite author so I can't really say. I just read a lot of different nonfiction genres and sometimes I come across and read books by the same author, other times I don't.
Hi all! It's been hectic this week. Kiddo has had swimming lessons Mon-Thur, today was a trip sponsored by the school, gymnastics lesson Tuesday afternoon, tomorrow is her bestie's birthday party.... While she was with classmates on the trip today, I returned 400 pounds of scrap metal for a whopping $25! Then I had to spend $15 of that to have them remove refrigerant from a water cooler, $15 on gas for borrowing a truck, plus I bought and cooked dinner last night for everyone who helped load up our stuff! None of my get rich quick schemes ever work....We had a picnic on July 4. There were several protests around here, but I decided to prioritize spending time with extended family. (I was planning on rewatching Hamilton on Disney to see if they added an extra scene of the Founding Fathers and Mothers rolling in their graves, but I didn't get to it! ;)
Kiddo has another week of swimming lessons and then things will settle down for us. She's doing much better this year than last!
I finished 2 books this week! I held off on posting until I finished Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness. Excellent medical mystery, so scary! It's been a while since I couldn't put a book down, but this had me hooked.
I also finished Bone, Vol. 8: Treasure Hunters. Things are coming to a head, and I can't wait to see how it all ends. If I wasn't running all over the kingdom this week, I would have immediately gone to the library to get the next (last, I believe) book.
Not sure what I will pick up next... I'm still partway through Hanging Mary and Chasing Fireflies, both are very good, so hopefully at least one of them, but I suspect something new and shiny will call me.
QOTW: Even though I haven't read her in a while (years?), I'll go with Jodi Picoult: Medical and/or legal issues get foisted on everyday people with no easy ethical answers. Boundaries and lines get crossed leaving the reader wondering, "what would I do in those circumstances?" As you're trying to figure out your own morality on the issues presented, meanwhile, the plot and pages fly by as you're also trying to figure out whodunnit or will the characters survive?
This week was chaotic, late to posting but I did read a bitI read The Witch of Mansfield: The Tetched Life of Phebe Wiseby Mark S. Jordan (PS 32. A book about an overlooked woman in history) I should have made this one of my lady doctors from my sabbatical research but I haven't finished one of those books yet. Phebe is much more local color than anything else but it was a good read.
everything else I read aren't for the challenge
Verses for the Dead by Preston & Child This is another Pendergast mystery and I always find them enjoyabl
Chasing Evil: Shocking Crimes, Supernatural Forces, and an FBI Agent’s Search for Hope and Justice by Robert Hilland & John Edward this is one of my good read arcs from netgalley, true crime/ memoir by an FBI agent (Hilland) and his working relationship with the psychic John Edward
I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell, a decent mystery with an ending that was a bit eye rolling
Kill You Twice by Chelsea Cain I picked this one up for the letter K (which are tougher for my alphabet challenge). This was cringeworthy, like book 5 about a detective intertwined with a female serial killer.
QOTW
Boy this is tough because my favorite author changes daily. Let's see.
C.S. Harris' Napoleonic era mysteries are well research and filled with complex fascinating characters. Her lead, Sebastian St. Cyr's life has enough drama to satisfy and his wife, Hero, is a strong woman with her own agency. These mysteries hit hard and work in social justice themes that haven't changed much in the last 200 years.
Does anybody else get Ann Patchett, Annie Dillard, and Anne Lamott confused?
Mod
Ann Patchett, Annie Dillard, & Anne Tyler in my case. I've never read any of them but they all seem to write the same kind of book?
Mod
LOL darn it!!
But seriously I'm shocked that you get so little for scrap metal. Where I used to work, they had special bins for scrap metal - for a big company to take the time to sort out metal, I just assumed there was some serious profit in it. (We did have a lot of scrap metal though, nature of the job.) And when the "garbage picker" guys come around and pick up our scrap from the curb the night before garbage day, I just assumed those guys were getting some serious $$$ for it or they wouldn't bother driving through various neighborhoods each week to pick it up.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Doni wrote: "Does anybody else get Ann Patchett, Annie Dillard, and Anne Lamott confused?"Ann Patchett, Annie Dillard, & Anne Tyler in my case. I've never read any of them but they ..."
I confuse Ann Patchett and Ann Napolitano
Nadine in NY wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "None of my get rich quick schemes ever work........."LOL darn it!!
But seriously I'm shocked that you get so little for scrap metal. Where I used to work, they had special ..."
Yeah, me too. I didn't know what I'd get, but I at least thought I'd get double that.
Hello All, I have been a member of this group for quite awhile and was semi active about 3+ years ago. I have not been reading much the past little bit as I went back to school to become a massage therapist (my semi retirement job) and have not had alot of extra time. But after 18 long months of reading nothing but text books. I am finished and am looking quite forward to getting back into reading for pleasure.
I have recently caught myself up with the Murderbot books, introduced to me by this group, Thank you.
I am currently reading:
Ravenstone The complete saga by M.S Versish
But I am most likely going to put that on hold as when I logged on I realized that the currently monthly read is Sunrise on the reaping by Suzanne Collins, which my daughter just finished, with high recommendations, and handed over to me to read.
QOTW:
It is quite hard to nail down a favorite authour as there is so many and I enjoy so many different generes plus, I am not a very good word smith (I leave that up to the writers of the world). So I am currently going to leave this blank
Happy reading everyone.
Sherry wrote: "Hello All, I have been a member of this group for quite awhile and was semi active about 3+ years ago. I have not been reading much the past little bit as I went back to school to become a massag..."
Welcome back, Sherry! Congrats on finishing the course.
Nadine in NY wrote: "UPDATE: all four hats look fantastic!! I'm so excited, I don't know which one I will wear first."WOOOOO this sounds awesome Nadine!! I love the updates on this hobby. ❤🤗
Doni wrote: "Does anybody else get Ann Patchett, Annie Dillard, and Anne Lamott confused?"I get Ann Patchett and Anne Tyler and Anna Quindlan confused.
Sherry wrote: "Hello All, I have been a member of this group for quite awhile and was semi active about 3+ years ago. I have not been reading much the past little bit as I went back to school to become a massag..."
Welcome back Sherry!
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
I Need You to Read This (other topics)The Witch of Mansfield: The Tetched Life of Phebe Wise (other topics)
Verses for the Dead (other topics)
Kill You Twice (other topics)
Chasing Evil: Shocking Crimes, Supernatural Forces, and an FBI Agent’s Search for Hope and Justice (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Anne Tyler (other topics)Anne Tyler (other topics)
Jodi Picoult (other topics)
Emily Henry (other topics)
Naomi Novik (other topics)
More...
My overall goal is try to have all the “junk” hauled off by sometime in the fall prior to cold weather hitting us full blast. But honestly, I think we’re going to need to simply pile it all up, rent a waste container, fill it in a day, and wave as all the junk moves off down the road! Ahhhh…just imagining that day is calming and such a relief for me! 😉
The good news is that she seems to have begun to recover somewhat from her husband’s death and is engaged in life again. I cannot imagine spending 53 years with one person and never having really developed any interests of your own, and then all of a sudden, no husband. It must be totally overwhelming and disorienting. And while I purposefully don't live my life that way, I can have sympathy for her loss and try to make her immediate surroundings more pleasant.
And I have so many friends enduring illness, surgeries, etc. I don't know when I have sent so many cards to so many people to try to cheer them up and give them hope... That takes a toll on my mental well-being as well as theirs!
Although last Friday was "Independence Day"/July 4th here in the U.S., I admit I pretty much ignored it. My feelings about this country and the current leadership do not lend themselves to celebration of the present day, but rather a hope for improvement in the future, if indeed our 249-year-old democratic experiment does somehow survive...
ADMIN STUFF:
THE JULY MONTHLY GROUP READ IS Sunrise on the Reaping (Hunger Games #0.5) by Suzanne Collins!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #5 A book with a snake on the cover or in the title
World Snake Day is July 16, 2025 (I had no idea there was one of these!!)
Dubhease is the “sibilant superstar” who is leading this discussion! Yay Dubhease! Thank you so much! 👏👏👏👏👏👏
THE AUGUST MONTHLY GROUP IS Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #28 A book with an unlikely friendship!
World UFO Day is July 2, 2025!!
https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...
Vaish B is the "fun-filled friend" who has graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! Thank you so very much!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏
I absolutely adored this book and wouldn’t mind rereading it, if I can make the time to do so.
THE SEPTEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ FINAL SELECTION POLL IS LIVE!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #32 A book about an overlooked woman in history
Emma M. Nutt Day is September 1, 2025
A fascinating story of the world’s very first woman/female telephone operator!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Nutt
The following four books are in consideration:
*Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery
*The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women by Kate Moore
*Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
*The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
This poll will be active through Tuesday, July 15!!
VOTE HERE!
THE LISTING OF 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ TOPICS IS HERE!
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QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Give us your two-paragraph ‘elevator pitch’ for your favorite author!
Honestly, I have so many favorites… However, one especially prolific author whom I adore is Alexander McCall Smith.
Alexander McCall Smith is an author who immediately immerses me into the setting of a book and the characters are not only ‘well-defined’, but their interactions are, IMO, genuine and real. The plot is always pertinent and yet the characterization is, IMO, the overall theme.
2025 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 39/50
Around the Year (AtY): 51/52
AtY 2025 Anniversary List: 10/10 FINISHED
Read Harder: 16/24
52 Book Club: 44/52
2024 Popsugar: 47/50
FINISHED:
Ugh. No time to document right now…and I’ve got to catch up!!
*Open Throat by Henry Hoke
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
52 Book Club:
*The Tale of Applebeck Orchard (The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter #6) by Susan Wittig Albert
*The Guncle (The Guncle #1) by Steven Rowley
*The Celebrants by Steven Rowley
*The Tale of Oat Cake Crag (The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter #7) by Susan Wittig Albert
*The Tale of Castle Cottage (The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter #8) by Susan Wittig Albert
*Classified as Murder (Cat in the Stacks #2) by Miranda James
*File M for Murder (Cat in the Stacks #3) by Miranda James
*Orbital by Samantha Harvey for an IRL book club
CONTINUING:
*Out of Circulation (Cat in the Stacks #4) by Miranda James
*Tom Lake by Ann Patchett for an IRL book club
*The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
*The Double Life of Benson Yu by Kevin Chong for an IRL book club meeting
*The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty
*Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power by RebeccaSolnit
PLANNED:
*The Wedding People by Alison Espach
*Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict
*The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley
*The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray*The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict