Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Happy Thursday to you all! I hope you have each found plenty of leisure time to indulge in our favorite activity – reading!

I have been making very slow progress lately. I think I hit a major slowdown in my reading last summer too. I managed to finish one book this week:

How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny

I’m working on:

The Long Way Home
The Big Sleep

I did some rearranging which brought me to 28/40 & 8/12

Question of the week:

We all have our favorite genres, but is there a specific genre you are actively trying to read more of?

I would say I am actively trying to read more nonfiction and, to a lesser degree, some fantasy. I've been pretty successful with reading more nonfiction this year. I have read 13 so far this year.

Hello from overcast Nova Scotia! It's been lovely but today is a bit chilly.
I have made good progress this week, I finished Murder on the Orient Express for a book whose movie is coming out in 2017 and also have made great progress on Killer of the Flower Moon and Station Eleven which I keep switching between because they're due about the same time at the library and I can't focus on one knowing the other is due too lol

QOTW I read a variety of books but I'm making a conscious effort to read more books by and about people of colour and generally different cultures than my own.

It's Thursday checkin time and I have progress to report! Woo hoo! Sara and I must be on opposite schedules because after a long period of having no attention span for reading, I have been back in the game and have picked up my reading pace!

In the last week I have finished Paris for One and Other Stories, which I may use as a 2016 best seller once I determine if it hit the best seller list. I also finished Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton, who is the blogger for Momastery. I've been reading this book since I bought it in December and just committed to it in the last few weeks. It helped that when I got to the lake it was the only book I had with me. I didn't think this would fit a prompt but the jacket has a red spine so I'm going with that. Even though I intended to have the physical book have a red spine for that prompt, I've promised myself I would cut me some slack on interpretation if it means getting my reading mojo back.

Last night I started The Golem and the Jinni, which I heard about last year from Emily May's review on Goodreads (love her if you haven't discovered her yet). I am going to use this one as "first in a series you haven't read before." I didn't know it was a series until I picked it up at the library.

This brings me to 18/40 and 2/12, which is 8 behind schedule if I do both challenges. Yikes!

Question of the week:
I've been really trying to read more classics, even modern classics like The Alchemist, which I read two years ago and hated incidentally.

This is an area of my reading that I didn't delve into much in college or high school so there's a big gap. I need to shore up my literature knowledge if I'm ever selected for Jeopardy. ;-)

Hope everyone has a great week. This is becoming the longest week in my life and I can't wait until the weekend is here. How about you?

I only finished one story and this close to finishing a 2nd but didn't make it in time for the check in.

Finished The Magnolia Story best seller from a genre you don't normally read. I enjoyed it and I definitely liked the audio version read by Chip and Joanna.

I started The Siren but my weekend was unbelievably busy (everything always happens on the same weekend) so it took me a while to get in to the story even though its a short(ish) book. I'm currently at 88% done so I'll have that wrapped up today.

So I'm at 24/40 and 6/12.

QOTW I can't say that I'm actively trying to read more of anything. I should probably say read more adult books or classics but I'm happy with what I'm reading. And this challenge gives me the little bit of diversity that I need.

Good morning! I've been moving at a nice, brisk clip despite it being the dead of summer, so I'm pretty pleased.

This week I finished up Pride and Prejudice for my book mentioned in another book (Austenland) and After I'm Gone for book club (and also a book set in two different time periods). Also just finished Fitness Junkie (an ARC but also a book with multiple authors).

Currently reading The Hate U Give and expecting to cry a lot. It's quite good but a hard read.

QOTW: I'm trying to read more of my Book of the Month Club books. I just renewed my subscription but have a bit of a backlog because library books and others seem to take precedence! I really want to breeze through a few of them this summer.

Juanita wrote: "Sara and I must be on opposite schedules because after a long period of having no attention span for reading, I have been back in the game and have picked up my reading pace!"

So you're basically saying you stole my mojo ;) Really glad you've found your reading momentum, my friend!! :)

Hi! Summer has been a good reading time for me - last year it was after summer that I lost my steam, hopefully that won't happen this year. In the meantime, I've gotten quite a few books on my TBR checked off.

A few that I read this past week:
The 27-Ingredient Chili Con Carne Murders by Nancy Pickard - used for the prompt #19 "a book about food"

I read a few different books on the public domain about Girl Scouts - to be honest, I picked up the ebooks because I needed to find S'mores for a scavenger hunt challenge, but none of them referenced s'mores. These books were interesting from a historical perspective.
Girl Scouts at Dandelion Camp by Lillian Elizabeth Roy
The Girl Scouts Their History and Practice by Girl Scouts of the USA
Girl Scouts Their Works, Ways and Plays by unknown

Outlaw on Horseback by Will Ermine
Winter Prey by John Sanford
Whack A Mole by Chris Grabenstein

QOTW: I like to spread my reading out across genres so that I don't get bored. I don't have any that I'm targeting at the moment, just looking to read books that keep my interest.

I feel like summer just started and it's almost done. I think I need to come to terms with the fact that summer is only a month and a half long here. At the same time that the summer is racing by me, I feel like this week is moving so slow. How can it only be Thursday? Feels like it should be Saturday. Except I'm at work, so, clearly it's not Saturday. Sigh.

This week I finished five books (though two were very short), none for the Challenge, so I remain 49/52.

The Boy on the Bridge by Mike Carey, a prequel to The Girl with All the Gifts (although there is an epilogue that takes place after TGWATG). I loved this book, I devoured it, and I thought it was even better than TGWATG (opinions are mixed on that).

The Last Place You Look, a debut detective mystery by Kristen Lepionka . This was SO GOOD. This was everything I want in a mystery. Roxane Weary, daughter of deceased cop Frank Weary, is a private detective (and an alcoholic in denial) working to find a missing woman who can be a key witness in an old murder case, potentially exonerating the suspect who is currently on death row and scheduled to be executed in two months. The clock is ticking, the pressure is on, but Roxane is good at what she does. I can hardly stand the wait for Lepionka's next book.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau - this is a sort of modern classic children's book that was published too late for me to read it as a child. I was disappointed in this one, I found it does not have all-ages appeal, I would only recommend to children and tweens.

And the two shorties I read:
The Underwater Welder, a graphic novel by Jeff Lemireabout a guy in deep denial about his impending fatherhood. I did not like this.

The Terracotta Bride, a short novella by Zen Cho that is everything I could want in an afterlife story. My only complaint is that it was so good I wanted more. Why won't Zen Cho publish more books for me?!?

QOTW Great question!

I keep a pie chart of genres I read, so I can tell at a glance if it's balanced. Charting what I read in various ways is ridiculously satisfying, almost as great as the reading itself.

I read a lot of science fiction & fantasy these days, and I'm working to get more of a balance so that it's about 20% from each of five groups: sci-fi/fantasy, mystery & thrillers, romance, general fiction, and everything else that isn't fiction (poetry, non-fiction, memoirs & biographies). A few years ago I read a lot of romance and I worked to change that balance, but I can see I've swung too far over to the sci-fi side, and poor romance has dwindled down to 8%. The "problem" (and of course it's not really a problem) is that I also like to read a lot of graphic novels, and they are usually science fiction type stories, so that's tipping my scales.

I also try to read at least ten books each year from Boxall's 1001 list. And I also make sure to read books from non-American authors and from authors of color; I think I'm doing well on that this year.

Week 28 - 33/40 & 10/12 (43/52)

Good morning, all! I had such a productive reading week, so I'm super happy!

I finally finished A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles for prompt #35, a book set in a hotel. You guys, I started that book on April 12, and it was only 462 pages. I mean, there's no reason for it to take me three months to read it, but it did. I really liked it, and I recommend it, but it was one of those that I had to be in the mood to read. I would read a little for two or three days, then put it down for a week or two. Weird, but hooray, I'm finished!

I also finished Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford for prompt #4 on the advanced list, a book that takes place over a character's life span. It wasn't quite the full life span, and maybe would have fit better in the prompt for a book set in two different time periods, but I think it worked for this one, too.

I also started & finished The Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis for prompt #8, a book with multiple authors.

Currently, the only book I have going is The Tin Snail by Cameron McAllister for prompt #28, a novel set during war time. My son and I are reading that together in the evenings, but we've have VBS at our church in the evenings this week, so haven't gotten much read lately. Tonight is the last night, so hopefully we'll make faster progress after that.

QOTW: I don't really have favorite genres, but I do have least favorites. I just can't get into the classics at all (I know, I need to, but I have yet to find a "classic" that I have enjoyed and didn't have to force myself to keep reading), and non-fiction has often been difficult for me, too. I guess I have read some more non-fiction lately with this challenge, and have found some that weren't so boring, so I've added some other recommended non-fiction to my TBR list & hopefully I will expand my horizons a little there.

Here's what I read for June: https://theninethrealm.blogspot.com/2...

QOTW: I did an analysis of what kinds of books I tend to read, and I'm trying to branch out more. I've been reading more books by non-American, non-British, non-white authors, since those are my least-read categories. I also want to read more science fiction.

Aida wrote: "Here's what I read for June: https://theninethrealm.blogspot.com/2...

QOTW: I did an analysis of what kinds of books I tend to read, and I'm trying to branch ou..."

Interesting! I'm trying to tick boxes in Bustle's 2015 challenge for this purpose -- goal is to read more diversely and it's definitely pushed me to some good finds!

Hey, I actually finished some books this week!

Good Charts was great - super helpful, written in a very down to earth style, and beautiful to look at too.

The Shambling Guide to New York City was fun but suffered from epic tonal confusion. I might check out the next book to see if she got her sea legs after more experience.

July is a slow reading month so far for me!

Finished: The Bear and the Nightingale for a book about mythology. LOVED this book!

Big Little Lies read for fun as an audiobook. I really enjoyed this book and I'm working through watching the HBO show. The show is a little different, but still good.

You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain listened to the audiobook (not for a prompt). Pretty entertaining but kinda felt like the last 1/4 of the book derailed?

QOTW
I'm working on reading more horror. Although once I started I immediately loved it :) so I'm not having to work too hard on trying to read more of it!

After weeks of having nothing to report, I can finally cross another book off. It was my 800-pager, and it seems to have brought my reading to a (I hope) temporary hiatus because I had enough time to finish another book at least before check in, but I wasn't motivated. Plus, work has been insane (reorg = extra work for me) and I happen to be watching my niece while her parents are in Greece and Italy (must be nice). So I've got real stuff going on, and maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself. ;)

Currently at 39/52 (34/40 + 5/12)

Completed
48. A book that's more than 800 pages: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Trigger Word Warning re: Rape
I pretty much hated this, guys. I saw the miniseries when it came out and quite enjoyed it, and I love cathedral architecture, but this was bad. I hated Follett's writing style (seriously, what should have been emotionally-charged scenes had me either laughing or cringing) and I could have really done without all the graphic depictions of rape and/or men thinking about rape. Medieval England was not a great period for women--I get that--but this seemed like something else--almost like some guy's rape fantasy. I don't know. It wasn't for me. But I wasn't bored. It was interesting. I just didn't think it was very good.

In Progress
42. A bestseller from 2016: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Considering I live in Canada (though I'm not Canadian), I should probably read some of their classics. I'm surprised I haven't read this before. I've only just begun, but I'm intrigued so far. Hoping to get more time to read this after the work week.

44. A book that takes place over a character's life span: Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
Early stages on this one. I don't think it fully qualifies for the category, but we know enough about Jesus' birth anyway. It starts when Jesus is quite young though.

40. A book you bought on a trip California: A History by Kevin Starr
No progress to report other than it's "in progress". Haha

QotW
Great question! I do challenges like this to force me to read widely, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't try to fit as many LGBTQ (specifically ones with FF romances or those centering on the female queer experience) into this challenge as possible. After years of reading heterosexual love stories (and nothing wrong with those), I really crave to read love stories that are more applicable to me. In fact, I read very little last year (not including fan fiction, which I read obsessively, in part because queer storytelling is alive and well there) because there just wasn't much in the FF category I hadn't read (after going through lists and weeding out ones I didn't want to read). Representation matters, y'all! In that vein, I really try to read works by women and WOC where I can, so I'm thrilled that more than half of my PopSugar list is female authors.

I definitely have genres I am more likely to avoid, like fantasy, but that's not a hard-set rule. If a premise interests me enough, I'll read just about anything.

Happy Thursday check-in everybody! I love when I get into the office and remember it's Thursday morning.

I didn't finish anything this week, but I'm working my way through Atonement. Which I am LOVING. The writing is beautiful and I don't find myself bored with the extensive detail. Should have more to report next week.

Still 13/40, 0/12.

QOTW: This is a great question! I find myself skewing towards romance and historical-fiction quite often. So I've been trying to read more of the classics. As well as more of the "buzz" books that everyone is talking about.

Good morning, everyone!

I finished two books this week, though neither fits a prompt I haven't filled already:

Saints for All Occasions - I read this for my book club and found it well plotted, so it kept me reading, but I wasn't much taken with it otherwise. It's a family saga about an Irish American family, not the sort of book I would have chosen on my own.

Scarlet - Really enjoyed this! I read Cinder last year as part of a challenge and never expected to enjoy it as much as I did. Now I'm looking forward to the rest of the books in the series.

I'm still working on The Mummies of Ürümchi. It's fascinating, but I have it in paperback and that's harder to carry around with me or read in the middle of the night than books on my kindle are.

Question of the Week
I used to read more nonfiction than anything else, but the past few years I have made it a goal to read more broadly and it's been great! The challenges have really helped here as I never would have ventured into graphic novels or science fiction or all sorts of other genres without a push. If there's any genre I'm particularly working on, I guess it would be recently published fiction.

Hello from very soggy Columbus, OH! My poor dog is going to have a nervous breakdown if these thunderstorms don't stop soon!

This past week I have finished 3 books.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms fulfills the "book by a person of color" prompt. This was incredibly interesting, the world building was fantastic, and the characters were brought to life.

The Neverending Story was my audiobook selection for this week. By the end, I was actually READY for the end. Not sure what my deal was. This displaced The Lorax for my "book that is a story within a story" prompt.

Dangerous Minds I read a real book folks! I mostly read kindle because of nerve issues in my elbows, but I borrowed this from a coworker.

I'm currently reading The Invention of Everything Else (book set in a hotel) and listening to John Dies at the End (book from a genre you've never heard of [bizarro fiction]).

QOTW: I've been trying to read more non-fiction as well! My goal was 12 this year. I'm currently behind with 5.

ETA: I've also been working on "books everyone has read" and using those to fill my prompts when I can. I've always been a strict Fantasy and Historical Romance reader, so I'm trying to branch out!

I had a very off week this week. Last Friday I had an accident where I tripped backwards into our firepit and ended up with a concussion and whiplash so I haven't had a lot of opportunity to read this week as a result.

I had two books from the library due without options of renew so I had to return them before reading them (Essex Serpent and Bear and the Nightingale). Hopefully I'll have a chance to take them out again later.

I did read Cafe by the Sea by Jenny Colgan. I wouldn't say this was my favourite by her, I can't quite put my finger on it but there was something about the character development that I didn't like.

Now I'm reading The Lat Neanderthal and throughly enjoying it.

QOTW:
I usually read across a broad spectrum of genres (except horror and scifi). One that I'm actively trying to read more of is CanLit. There are some amazing books in this genre and it's not as well known as other countries writings. I've recently discovered a love of Joseph Boyden's books; I currently have two on my TBR pile.

Nadine wrote: "Charting what I read in various ways is ridiculously satisfying, almost as great as the reading itself. ..."

I hear you, Nadine! Finding books that fit the categories and arranging and rearranging them is half the fun! I have several lists and charts -- and am thinking of starting a map! :)

Oh I forgot to mention, in my praise for The Last Place You Look: it's set in Columbus, OH! I remember we have a few Columbus residents in our group!!

Hello from gloomy rainy Chicago! Last week I was on vacation at the beach and I wish I could go back to all that sunshine. This update will cover the last two weeks.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone : A reread in honor of its 20th anniversary. Every time I go back I fall in love all over again.

This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl : This is not a great book. It probably would not have been published or have sold many copies if it were not for John Green's association with it. It had good moments, just not enough of them.

The Last Detective : Do you like trope-filled detective mysteries starring old-school macho-men? This may be the book for you! It was not the book for me. Meh/10

Pym : This was weird and entertaining and different. Would recommend.

Track of the Cat : This has a great premise for a murder mystery series: a ranger in a national park discovers a body, but she doesn't believe it's as accidental as it looks. The book just doesn't deliver on that potential.

The Clocks : I burned through this, like I usually do with Agatha Christie, but I wouldn't put in her top 10.

The Night Circus : Enough of you had talked about how good this was that I finally read it. It was beautiful and I loved it and you were right.


Now of course I have to catch up on my Les Mis reading, but at least the end is in sight on that one.

QOTW: I don't necessarily have a genre I'm trying to read more of, but I am trying to be more mindful of the variety of authors I'm choosing. Last year I made a chart looking at the nationalities and ethnicities of the authors I read and I was a little surprised at just how few non-white non-western authors I read. It wasn't even really that broadly western; mostly just American and British. So I'm trying to branch out a bit more this year.

(28/40, 40/52)

I've been on a bit of a slow down too with a sick pup to focus on, but I'm starting to get back into my reading in part due to a heat wave and not a lot to do in the one room in the house with AC.

I finished off two this week, The Song of Achilles for my book based on mythology. I enjoyed it, didn't love it, but it did keep my attention once I actually got into it.

The second I finished was The Rosie Project which I found to be a quick, enjoyable read. I'm using this one for my eccentric character book. These two books actually finish off my advanced reading list.

QOTW: I don't really have a genre I'm going after, but this challenge has definitely widened the scope of books I'm reading which I love!

Sara Grace wrote: "July is a slow reading month so far for me!

Finished: The Bear and the Nightingale for a book about mythology. LOVED this book!

I also read The Bear and the Nightingale this week and loved it!!!! I am so looking forward to the next one on the series!!!

Count me in with the folks who are slumping hardcore! Until last night, I'd barely glanced at a book since Saturday, which is for me a VERY long gap.

Finished

Lincoln in the Bardo - I suspect this book is to blame for my slump. It was so astoundingly wonderful that I don't want to read anything else. My third 5-star read of the year, which I completed for Modern Mrs. Darcy's "a book recommended by someone with great taste."

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Polished off the last of this one on audio for Modern Mrs. Darcy's prompt of "a book in a genre you normally avoid" (mysteries), and while the story was nothing special, the performance on audio was great! If I decide to continue with this series, I'll definitely listen to them. I'm now at 9/12 for the MMD Challenge.

In Progress

I'm slowly plugging away at The Mothers, which is very good, and You're the Only One I Can Tell This to: Women, Friendship, and the Power of Conversation, which is both very interesting and very troubling in the assertions it makes without providing nearly sufficient evidence to support.

Jackie wrote: "Hello from gloomy rainy Chicago! Last week I was on vacation at the beach and I wish I could go back to all that sunshine. This update will cover the last two weeks.

Harry Potter and the So..."</i>

I really like the Anna Pigeon series, and [book:Track of the Cat is one of the weakest in the series. (Except for the most recent ones when they've sort of gone off the rails....) If the concept appealed to you, I would recommend trying the next one. I almost didn't after being so underwhelmed by the first book, but I tried again because of the hype, and I'm glad I did!

Hello everyone!!!
I finished 2 books this week:

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay for a book by a person of color category and I have to say I loved it. I was left with no words whatsoever. Thee way she introduced me to her life was so moving and I truly felt like I was living inside her head. A touching memoir. This one, btw I finished in less than 24 hours.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden was another great finding!!! I don't think I can use it for the challenge but I really liked it and will keep up with the series.

QOTW: I read mostly fantasy and mystery/thriller books but I am working on my non-fiction TBR list and I have to say I am very glad because just like I loved, and I mean LOVED Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body I am loving a lot of other books in this category.

Have a great week everyone!!!

Hello from rainy Cleveland. Just like Tallyho, we have been having daily thunderstorms. The canal was flooded on Tuesday, and I'm hoping the Towpath isn't underwater today after two more days of rain!

No finishes for me this week. I had big plans to bang out a finish last night and then ended up dealing with several difficult people during the day and did nonograms instead to unwind. It doesn't help that the book I'm working on, ostensibly about a rare type of bear, is a word vomit of nautical terms (not relevant or needed) and tiring to read through. I don't really care what line you tied off with...let's talk about bears!

QOTW: I'm making a big effort to read more Classics, since I feel like I really didn't read that many in school. I think starting in parochial school and then shifting into a gifted public school program and no English classes in college left me with a rather bizarre reading curriculum. I'm also working on the Around the World challenge, doing the "strict" version based on the author's country of origin, rather than setting, and I'm enjoying that a lot.

Nadine wrote: "I feel like summer just started and it's almost done. I think I need to come to terms with the fact that summer is only a month and a half long here. At the same time that the summer is racing by m..."

Agreed! Zen Cho needs more books published. Especially the sequel to Sorcerer to the Crown

First, the books that actually fulfill a prompt.

The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn. Delightful romance that ticks off the family member prompt.

Stuffed: A Thanksgiving Romance by Jennifer Gadziala. Thank you to whomever recommended this in a check-in thread or the dedicated holiday thread. This book was absolutely delightful. I loved all the characters, it was low angst and they have a conversation to clear things up. That’s important because I’m about to be ranty.

And books that fulfill a prompt I’ve already ticked off:

Love, Rosie by Cecilia Ahern. I bought this book to use as the book of letters but I’ve already ticked it off. I liked the main characters and I like the premise but it would be nice if they had a conversation. Even when she demands that her best friend just tells her what was in the letter that was “lost,” he doesn’t. He just tells her to find the letter and there’s many, many instances of this miscommunication. Decades of it! It would be nice if the characters would just have an honest conversation about their relationship like adults. It was annoying and frustrating and if I had brought another book along with me to the hospital while my mom was having a procedure, I would’ve DNF’d it.

Summer Knight by Jim Butcher. It’s the fourth book in the Dresden Files series. I like the books but I will admit that I liked the short-lived tv series better.

And books that don’t fulfill a prompt:

White Heat by Ilona Andrews. The second in the Urban Fantasy series. I like the first one better but I’ll still be buying the third next month.

QOTW: Graphic novels. If only to have some to recommend to my students.

Chrandra - what age students for the graphic novels? Maybe I can suggest a few for you to look at.

Hi everybody. It is a cloudy day today in Yorkshire. Hopefully the sunshine will be back in time for my weekend off work.

This week I finished Vicious which I absolutely loved. I am now forcing my Dad to read it so I have someone to talk to about it! I don't have a category for it though. Any suggestions?

I also started Chosen (which I am really not liking - will probably DNF) and The Lies of Locke Lamora (which I am completely loving and want my commute to be longer so that I have more time to read it).

QOTW: I don't really keep track of which genres I am reading. I just read what looks interesting. If they're all the same genre I am not too fussed

I didn't finish any challenge books this week, but on the side I read Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith.

I just started The Bronze Horseman. Those of you who have read it, have any strong opinions about it? I've only just started it but I'm really underwhelmed so far. It came highly recommended by a friend. It's long so I am not sure if I want to push through only to have it not get any better.

QOTW: I actually have the opposite goal from many of you, and that is to read more fiction. Last year I think about 80% of what I read was non-fiction. I'm aiming for a 50/50 split this year. I am also trying to fit in 3-4 classics.

Bonjour groupe,

I am in vacation right now for a week. We are just back from a night in the mountain. It was great.

I have one book to report for last week: Still Life for the holiday book. Many of you recommend that serie and I am happy that I finally read it. The mystery was ok, but what I really liked was the setting. The places, the names (even one of the people in the book has the same name as a friend), the food, the political events...

QOTW: I don't try to read books from any genre, but I like to try new things.

Hello everyone! This has been a long week. I am counting down the minutes until tomorrow after work so I can relax and finally get some sleep! I had 2 long travel days that both started way too early for me (both around 3:00am). It is a struggle to keep my eyes open right now, which is unfortunate because I have a major project for work I have to complete by noon tomorrow.

I crossed off 2 prompts for PopSugar this week, so I’m now at 32/40, 8/12 or 40/52.

I read:
Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon for a book set in 2 different time periods (33). Anyone who enjoyed The Winter People will like this one. In my opinion it is creepier, and it kept me awake on a 5am flight when I planned to sleep.

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs for a book with a month or day of the week in the title (34). I enjoyed this and found it had more depth than I expected. Each character had a backstory that demonstrated that people often have a lot going on behind the scenes that we don’t know.

Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by H.G. Bissinger. This took longer than necessary to read since I could never get through more than 30 pages in a sitting. Part of it was because of the constant descriptions of racism in West Texas, which is always difficult to read. I never watched the TV show, but I’ve always wanted to.

We are Never Meeting in Real Life. by Samantha Irby. I absolutely loved this. Her essays are raw, real and show a lot of emotion without getting mopey or sappy.

The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line (Veronica Mars #1) by Rob Thomas. I learned about this book from a previous weekly check-in discussion. I loved it, so thank you to whoever mentioned it!! It is just like reading an episode of the show, or it could very well be a sequel to the movie from a couple of years ago. And I was lucky enough to get the audiobook from my library, which is narrated by Kristin Bell. She is awesome.

I am currently reading:
Fly Away by Kristin Hannah. This is a sequel to Firefly Lane, which I read a couple of weeks ago.

QOTW: I set 2 reading goals for myself this year, both of which are major fails. One was to read more classics, and to date I’ve only read 2. When it is time to start a new book, I have great intentions, but they keep getting bumped for something else either because of a challenge prompt or my mood at the time. The other goal was to read books I already own and to stop purchasing books. While I have read a few that have been on my shelves for months/years, a majority of what I’ve read have been acquired either through purchase or the library in 2017. Ugh.

Chrandra,

I also read a lot of comics, I could probably suggest some too :)

Rebecca wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Hello from gloomy rainy Chicago! Last week I was on vacation at the beach and I wish I could go back to all that sunshine. This update will cover the last two weeks.

[book:Harry Po..."

Thanks! I will give the series another chance. This is why I love goodreads; people can tell you whether or not it's worth continuing.

Nadine wrote: "Chrandra - what age students for the graphic novels? Maybe I can suggest a few for you to look at."

Sheri wrote: "Chrandra,

I also read a lot of comics, I could probably suggest some too :)"

I teach 8-12 grade and graphic novels are admittedly the genre that I'm least familiar with so any help is appreciated.

Hello from Denver - yesterday my husband's work picnic was rained out, but it's a nice sunny day today.

I was in a big reading slump at the last check-in and have partially come out of it. I finished The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics as my book that covers a character's life span and it was so good. I learned a lot and not just about rowing, but about the lead up to the Nazi's hosting the Olympics and the Great Depression in the US. It might be a bit of a stretch of the challenge since the epilogue is what covers everything after university, but it does technically cover from birth to death. I also finished The Three-Body Problem, which I'm also stretching a category a bit for - I've never been to mainland China so I'm putting it under country I've never visited, though I have been to Hong Kong. It was a book that I'm not so sure of how much I liked it - much of it was really, really good but I got bogged down in some of the long descriptions of the science and without it being a book club book I might have stalled several times while reading. But I might read the next two in the trilogy- I've heard the first had a lot set up and that the next two are a bit more plot driven.

I'm currently listening to Not My Father's Son and it's good (but very difficult in terms of subject matter). No idea where it might fit.

QOTW: In theory, my goal is to read more Boxall's 1001 lost books but that hasn't really happened - I've read a few, but nothing impressive. I'm also working my way through Poirot, Louise Penny's series and the Discworld novels, so in theory I should also end up with a fair chunk of mystery and fantasy reads. Plus I'm in a sci-fi and fantasy book club. I often find myself reading a certain type of books in a clump - this year it has been memoirs by female comedians, which has been the result of increasing audiobooks and the fact that I prefer non-fiction for audiobooks so far. I'm going to have to see how I'm doing at diverse, balanced reading, since we're halfway through the year.

Hello from rainy Columbus! You'd think with tha crappy weather we've been having I'd have gotten more done but alas. I only finished two books I've been reading for a few weeks and were already mostly finished with. Family has been keeping me busy lately.

The Pianist: The Extraordinary Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939–45 was my war time pick. I really struggle with kids getting hurt so I had to walk away from this a few times to keep myself composed. It's very sombering and alarming to think how quickly things can get to that point and how little it takes for otherwise normal people to commit such atrocities. Overall I did enjoy how succinct and powerful the book was.

Marie Antoinette: The Journey was my book about an interesting woman. I've had it since 2006, I got it because Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette was based on this book but I never got around to reading it until now. I'd say all in all it's a very detailed biography from a sympathetic view point. Another book that ultimately bummed me out, but most instances of execution are really depressing for me.

So that brings me to 32/40; 4/12 with 50 books read this year.

QOTW: I feel like I should be reading more non-fiction and biographies I've managed to pick a few nonfiction and biographies this year for the challenge.

My reading is starting to pick up again, although I still have many moments in which I'm too tired to read. I've read two books since the last check in: Karen Memory for my steampunk novel and A Gentleman in Moscow for my book that is set in a hotel. This puts me at 29/52.

Chrandra wrote: "I teach 8-12 grade and graphic novels are admittedly the genre that I'm least familiar with so any help is appreciated."

My kids are going into 9th grade and 6th grade, and I love graphic novels! They're not home right now, they're at their dad's; when they come back I will ask them for their recommendations. What I can tell you right now:

For younger kids (8th graders, mostly):
The Amulet series - my older daughter RAVES about this series, and it's sitting in a pile next to my bed waiting for me to read it, but I haven't yet, so I can't give a personal opinion. But MOST DEFINITELY check it out and see what you think for your classrooms.
Roller Girl - I think this may have been written for tweens, but I'm in my 40s and I gave it 5 stars.
Raina Telgemeier's books: Sisters, Smile, & Drama - both of my daughters LOVE these books. Really, they would appeal to all ages, because I like them too. I've only read Sisters & Smile so far, they were great coming of age stories. I haven't read Drama yet, I've seen it gets listed as a "banned book" sometimes but my older daughter has no idea why.

All ages:
Bone series - this is a classic, people rave about them all the time. I have not read the entire series. My impressions: it's nice minimal art, will give kids an introduction to classic black & white comics. My older daughter liked these, younger daughter wasn't crazy about them. They are kind of weird, and on the surface seem very simple, but that's deceiving.
The Compleat Moonshadow - THE BEST comic book series I have ever read. This is old now and may not be easy to find, but it's still in print. (I hope!) Absolutely gorgeous artwork, sophisticated themes. A young boy in Brooklyn is basically abducted by aliens, and his long adventure ensues. This is a very quiet comic, not action-packed.
Robot Dreams a very quiet almost dreamy graphic novel about friendship; it's almost wordless though, so not a good choice if you want them to read!
Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant - first in a short series of Delilah Dirk books. Delilah is a fun, well-meaning, kickass James-Bond-esque heroine, set in some semi-alternate Victorian period; starts in Turkey, obviously, but she's British. (There are flying boats, so this isn't exactly historical, but ... close?)
Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir - exactly what it says it is: Stan Lee's autobiography, in comic form.* He really likes himself! But this is a nice history of how Golden Age comics got their start.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind - for your environmentalists and anime fans (Miyazaki is their god! and he wrote this BEFORE he made the movie)

Maybe only for the older grades (or maybe completely inappropriate for the classroom - you be the judge, obviously!)
March from Rep Lewis, great "own voices" account of the civil rights movement. Lewis is very honest about the violence, hate, threats and bad language he encountered.
The Complete Maus - deeply moving account of the author's father's experience in concentration camps during the Holocaust. This would be an excellent companion read to Night.
Planetary - a neat, short superhero series, with all original characters - will appeal to kids who like Batman, X-Men, etc, but are looking for something new.
Watchmen - this is a classic, so I assume everyone's heard of it.
Ex Machina - another graphic novel with a "superhero" type character - Mitchell Hundred, a civil engineer, is hit, somehow, with ... something, possibly alien in origin; he gains the power to communicate with ANY mechanical device (including guns, radios, etc), and he ends up mayor of NYC. Might be good for discussions of politics. Also, this has fantastic artwork, the characters are based on real people. uh ... I think there's probably sex, but it's not graphic.
The Complete Persepolis - Satrapi's autobiography during Iran's Islamic Revolution. I tried to get my older daughter to read this last year but she found it dull and she didn't like the black & white art, so I think it only appeals to older kids. Also, in the second part Satrapi ends up briefly (and voluntarily) homeless, there are some drugs mentioned, and so on - enough that I wouldn't offer this to 8th grade class just for fear of their parents' (although I'm a parent and I gave it to my 8th grader to read, so ... ymmv)
Dracula: A Symphony In Moonlight and Nightmares - it's a classic! and Muth's artwork is always gorgeous. Maybe too much blood for a classroom?
The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Computer - there's nothing objectionable in here, but I think it might not appeal the younger kids. This is a webcomic originally, and it is NOT an accurate history, but Padua generally makes it clear when she is making stuff up and when she is referencing historical documents.

One note: one of the BEST graphic novel series going today is Saga, but this is absolutely NOT for kids. My public library shelves this in the "teen" section and I think they're nuts.

* If you're not a comic book fan, maybe you don't know Stan Lee. He is the co-creator of Spider-Man, the Hulk, Doctor Strange, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Daredevil, Thor, the X-Men, and many others. He often appears in a quick cameo (a la Hitchcock!) in the Marvel superhero films.

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
It wasn't bad, wasn't all that great either. It was simply a quick read.

Whiskey, Words, and a Shovel by R.H. Sin
I found some poems relatable. Over all, it was okay. Not my favorite poetry book.

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
It was a sweet and charming book. I read Rainbow Rowell's other adult book Landline and found Attachments to be more entertaining

For the challenge:
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie - A book by an author from a country you’ve never visited (He was born in Scotland)
A book full of child-like wonder that isn't afraid to be dark.

QOTW: I've been trying to push myself into reading more poetry books

Throwback to an older post, my town got a little free library by our waterfront ❤️

Finished my red spine earlier this week. Currently reading Seven Deadly Sins: Settling the Argument Between Born Bad and Damaged Good. Love that man. I'll probably do my audiobook after. Reading, writing, and wedding planning together is hard, man!

Hi all,

I have a really annoying summer cold. Maybe that explains the late check-in.

I'm at 30/40.

Currently, I'm just reading for fun, not specifically for the challenge. I found an author that I loved as a teen, Gordon Korman. I think my fav is out of print, Who is Bugs Potter?. But I'm reading No More Dead Dogs. And it's light and fun...I like the humor.

I've also been planning for the challenge, based on what I own & what options the local library has. If I keep up this pace, I will finish the challenge and maybe get into the advanced challenge!

QOTW: I used to be quite a narrow reader; this challenge has expanded my horizons, greatly. This year, I've read more classics than I've read in the last 20 years! As for genres, I am reading more dystopian novels. I always have enjoyed these. And also more survival stories / personal memoirs.

I read so much Gordon Korman as a kid! Love his books.

Hi to everyone! I've hit a major slump in my reading life... I don't know if it's the books or my summer television addiction, but I'm not as excited to read as I used to be. Regardless, here's what I've been reading:

Everything, Everything (Audiobook)
The One-in-a-Million Boy (Paperback)
Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman (Audiobook)

Question of the week:

I've been enjoying thrillers a lot more, so I've been on the lookout for those. However, I'm also trying to expand my reading genres, so I've listened to a few more essay-style books and books that deal with current issues.

Hi from Brisbane Australia.

I haven't made much movement on my list (although I am only 2 off finishing)

Something that I read off prompt was The Illustrated Man. It would be a good choice for a story within a story if people are still looking for a prompt in this area.

QOTW: I read a variety of genres so there is nothing I am trying to read more of. I was surprised to enjoy the book I chose for a Bestseller from a genre I don't normally read (The Hunt for Red October) I would never read it without this challenge so I guess that is the purpose of it.

Paige wrote: "Finished my red spine earlier this week. Currently reading Seven Deadly Sins: Settling the Argument Between Born Bad and Damaged Good. Love that man. I'll probably do my audiobook a..."

Is it good? Do you have to be a huge fan of his to enjoy it, or would anyone like it? I like his music, and I like a few things I've heard him say, but I'm not all fangirly over him or anything. I don't want to read 200 pages about how drinking is not actually a Christian sin, and I can't tell if that's what this is.

Wow, he's written several books! I had no idea! They look like they are all rehashing the same thing though.

Ok Hi Everyone for real!

I admit I cheated a bit this week and put off writing my check in so I could finish the book I was working on. Partly, because it was so good I was having trouble putting it down.

So finished this week:

Tricked - this was just for fun, I like the Iron Druid series.

Saga, Vol. 1 - A breather while my kindle charged. I'd started this a while ago, then got distracted and never finished. So I started over, and now I need to go find vol2. I think I have 3-5 I picked up in a humble bundle. So good!

Their Eyes Were Watching God - for read harder's classic by a person of color. This was good, although it started a bit slow for me.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry - A book with a family member in the title. I really loved this, it was a great story about a young girl learning about family, loving, and dealing with loss. It was also written in a pretty fascinating fashion where I had a hard time telling if the book was actually a fantasy novel or not. I won't go into my conclusions because I think that's part of the story.

Which brings me to 52/52 so I am FINISHED! Woo! I admit that while I like reading challenges, they also kind of stress me out as I feel guilty when I read stuff that doesn't count for them. I'm still doing Read Harder but I care less about that one so it's less stressful. It's also much shorter and I'm halfway done with it so I know I'll have no problem finishing. So it'll be nice to go back to feeling like I can just read whatever catches my interest without trying to figure out if I can count it in some way.

I'll probably keep posting what i'm reading here anyhow, if people don't mind. I like talking about books and seeing what people are reading!

QOTW: I've been trying to read books with more substance, the last few years. From high school through college and a bit beyond, most of my "not for class" reading was just light fluffy sci-fi and fantasy stuff. Not even broadly within those genres, I had a handful of authors that I mostly just stuck to reading their entire collections and then kept up with their new stuff. Partially this was due to finances, I could only afford to buy so many books and it was a way to self-limit. I know libraries are a thing, but mine is NOT convenient to get to, so it's only been in the last year I've been making myself actually go. So Id mostly just endlessly re-read the books I owned while slowly growing my pile. I ended up feeling that while I read a lot, I was not well read.

So since I got my kindle, I figured out the whole digital library thing and have been able to greatly expand both my author pool and what I will read. I've been trying to make a point of reading more classics, more of the "buzz" books people talk about, and more books by people of color or who come from countries that are not America or England. I'm also a part of Emma Watson's feminist book club on goodreads, so I read those books every other month.