Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

1) Do re-reads count? For example, the prompt about "a book with characters that are twins" I wanted to read The Secret History for it. It's one of my all-time faves.
2) Do children books count? I have manic depression, and some days I cannot focus on long novels, so I've been reading Magic Treehouse books and the like.
3) Do audiobooks count? Again, I cannot focus on long novels some days - especially classics. But a few weeks ago I listened to The Odyssey as I was cleaning, and found it much easier to understand and follow than if I was actually reading it. I count audiobooks as reading, but I don't know what the general rule on them are.
Thanks for reading this! (And thank you even more if you answer any of these!)

All of these can and are counted by some and not by others. It’s an individual challenge so there aren’t any rules set in stone. If these work for you then count them!

Nobody is going to judge you for counting any of these!

I personally count audiobooks as reading. I can still understand the story and grasp symbols/ themes while I drive or do housework; I just can't read a physical book while driving or doing housework!
However, I'm trying to use the challenge as a way to read books that I might not have encountered otherwise. So rereading a book would count towards my personal goodreads challenge, but not my popsugar challenge.

I count audiobooks and this year I’ve decided to count reread as well. I’m finding that rereading books I read 10-20 years ago is often a completely different experience - I’m older, I’ve lived on three continents and now I’m a parent and my outlook has changed. I counted picture books for one prompt last year, the non-Christmas holiday book- I read a bunch about Halloween, Thanksgiving, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah and just counted them all for that prompt. I don’t intend to do it often, but I totally think any book counts.

I absolutely count re-reads! I read a ton as a child and then had a dry spell for reading as I hit adult life and health issues and had to figure out how to read with less time and energy, so there are a lot of books I've starting wanting to go back and read again and compare to my childhood experiences of them.

I primarily try to fill my challenge from my TBR list, but if there's a book I'd like to re-read that fits one of the prompts, I see no reason not to count it.

For children's books, I think it depends on the situation. I personally wouldn't count picture books for instance, but some do if they are very slow readers or otherwise have a hard time reading enough longer books in a year to fill the challenge. I do count young adult and even middle grade books because I read and enjoy these anyway--as long as they're well written. In your particular case, it sounds very reasonable for you to include children's books.

And in my opinon, audiobooks completely count as reading the book. :-) I find audiobooks slightly harder to focus on and absorb than a print book, but I do like them for getting books in while I'm working on chores. Last year there was even a specific prompt to listen to an audiobook.

I think in general if it's helping you personally to expand your reading and get out of reading ruts it's completely in the spirit of the challenge, no matter what anyone else does!

someone here said in another thread that it's your challenge- so you decide. I'm personally using a mixture of adult, YA, children's books and different genres for this challenge. I think it's fun to see how different the books are that you can fit into the categories of the challenge.

Wow, thank you all so much for responding!! I didn't expect it!

I have read all of your comments, and I feel much better now about my reading choices. I will continue reading as I have been and I will definitely be re-reading The Secret History sometime soon. Again, thank you! :)

I count re-reads. If it's worth my time to read the book again, then I count it again. But if I find a "new to me" book that fits a prompt better, I'll count that one instead.

I freely count adult, YA, and middle grade books, because they're "real books" and I enjoy reading them, and I would read them even if I wasn't doing any reading challenges at all.

I even count some picture books, but they're not my first choice. Last year I counted a few; one for the "book you loved as a child" prompt, and the rest only for prompts I was struggling with. If I could have found a "real book" that met the prompt, I wouldn't have counted the picture book, but I was unable to do so for a few prompts.

I personally don't like using one book for more than one prompt, but that's just because I read enough books that I can fill each prompt and still have books to spare. If I had less time or energy for reading, I would let each book count for 2-3 prompts if it fill both/all of them, or maybe I wouldn't restrict the number of prompts each book could fill (depending on just how little reading I was able to get done.)

I would count audiobooks as reading, if I could follow the plot in an audiobook. I have an auditory processing disorder, and have trouble following dialogue if I can't look at the words on the page, or at least view the faces of people talking I use the captions when I watch TV or movies at home. But it's essentially like having somebody read the book to you- no words are omitted. That's "reading the book." And e-books are the same- I don't personally like them, but you're still reading the same book!

Hey guys...I’m looking to order Beartown for the feb group read and noticed in my local bookshop it’s either $45 or $85. Anyone have any idea why it’s so much more expensive than normal books??

Jennifer wrote: "Hey guys...I’m looking to order Beartown for the feb group read and noticed in my local bookshop it’s either $45 or $85. Anyone have any idea why it’s so much more expensive than normal books??"

Beartown appears to be the U.S. title, so those might be imports for you. Perhaps finding a copy titled The Scandal would be cheaper. Also here in the States the more expensive copy is large print.

I'm sure people who are blind or have low vision would argue that listening to audiobooks is equivalent to reading.

Hmm, what to do when the book you've just read doesn't really fulfill the category?

I read Simon's Amstell's autobiographical HELP for "A book about mental health" but it turned out to be quite a slight book and not as focused on his mental health and therapy as I'd expected.

I'll probably tick it off for now but come back to the category if/when I've finished.

Audiobooks are definitely the same as reading the book. I like physical books, ebooks and audiobooks equally and think they all have their benefits in different circumstances. Ebooks are great for travel as you can take hundreds of books with you without weighing yourself down and I find audiobooks great for multitasking.

Yes, yes, and yes!

I usually don't count a reread unless it specifically asks for one, but if I found something I had read and loved and it fit a category, I would totally re-read it!

I have to kids and we always read, so I definitely count children's books. Last year I read Crenshaw for a book with a cat on the cover and Wonder for a book about a person with a disability. I actually have a post under something about how the magic tree house books would tick off so many prompts this year.

I had never listed to an audio book until last year and only because it was one of the prompts. I think I completed 4 or 5 other prompts using audio books. It definitely makes my commute a lot better!

I definitely count audiobooks. I always have one in my car.

I also use re-reads, although I don't re-read much as my TBR list is so very long.

I usually wouldn't count a book for this challenge if it had less than 100 pages, but I've done it a time or two, including one already for this year because it was so amazing (...I never saw another butterfly.... I do read middle and high school age books on occasion (love Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull).

I believe everyone gets to make their own rules. Whatever helps someone read more and expand their horizons is all good.

Joyce wrote: "Hmm, what to do when the book you've just read doesn't really fulfill the category?..."

yeah that's always a pickle, isn't it?! If I read it with the intent of filling a category, I'll check it off, and replace it with something better later if I get to it. I read a lot of non-challenge books through the year, so if I started it without any particular challenge intents, and it fills a prompt, I use it, but if it doesn't, I don't count it towards anything.

I count any book I read, if it's a re-read (I RARELY re-read anything, and when I do, usually decades have passed since the last read) or an audiobook or a picture book or a free short story on-line, if it fulfills the prompt, I count it. Last year, the book that always makes me laugh was a picture book - it HAD to be, because those are the only books that (a) I regularly re-read, and (b) always make me laugh!

I really like audiobooks, I always have one going. At the beginning of the year I check off which categories I can fill with autiobooks. Right now I'm listening to alliteration (American Assassin)

What do people think about the "celebrity book club" prompt, in terms of reading a book that was on a book club Many years ago.

I’ll use any that has been chosen regardless of when but I’m limiting to actual book club picks not just celeb recommendations or lists of celeb faves.

If someone should want to stick close to the book club part of the prompt, but doesn't care too much for celebrities, we have a lot of book clubs connected to my work place (large public library). if one-to-one wants me to post a list of what they're reading?

damn autocorrect... *someone*

I don't mind the celebrity book club prompt. Emma Watson and Reece Witherspoon have actually picked some decent books that I was going to read anyway so they can be slotted into that prompt easily.

Emma has The Shared Shelf here on Goodreads. You can find Reece's picks in the RW unofficial (I think it's called that anyway) bookclub here. They use Reece's picks as well as making up their own.

Hi.
I keep counting the prompts and they keep totaling 40 regular and 10 advanced. Yet people keep noting in updates that they are x/52.

52?

Why do some consider this challenge to have 52 prompts?

Michael wrote: "Hi.
I keep counting the prompts and they keep totaling 40 regular and 10 advanced. Yet people keep noting in updates that they are x/52.

52?

Why do some consider this challenge to have 52 prompts?"

Some people are choosing to do one favorite prompt from EACH previous year instead of one favorite prompt from all the previous years put together.

Raquel wrote: "Some people are choosing to do one favorite prompt from EACH previous year instead of one favorite prompt from all the previous years put together. "

That makes sense, thanks!

It’s so it gives us one book a week for the year :)

Hi Mackenzie. I've seen others in your situation doing the year they graduated middle school or year they started high school. We are also quite a few non-Americans, and in Denmark where I live, for instance, we don't have high school, so I'm doing the year I graduated gymnasium, which is kind of like high school but not quite. So it's up for interpretation.

Mackenzie wrote: "Hi! This is my first time doing a POPSUGAR Reading Challenge and as I was looking across the prompts I noticed the one: "A bestseller from the year you graduated". Now, this is listed in the Advanc..."

Agreed, you're forced to be flexible with this prompt - using the year you graduated middle school is a perfect compromise. My daughter is in the same boat since she is currently a freshman. I suggested she just read a book on the best-seller list NOW. (She pointed out that she probably wouldn't finish all 50 prompts anyway so she's just going to skip that one.) I've interpreted this prompt to mean: "a book that was part of the zeitgeist when you were young" and they just happened to choose the year we graduated high school, since that is a big milestone for most people in the US, but I think that's not the important part of the category. The key is "best seller list" [when you were a teen].

I have a question for the list makers out there- I made a list at the beginning of the year. I swore up and down I'd stick to it.

Only now I'm halfway through the year and I've read more non-list stuff than list stuff. So I went through and updated my challenge with books I've actually read. I know it's not "cheating" per se (if it ticks a prompt and I read it, it should count right?!) but I still feel icky about it!

How do other list makers treat your lists? Strictly sticking by them so far?

I always make a list but very rarely stick to it rigidly. I'll sometimes list two or three for a prompt and then read something completely different altogether! As long as it fits, I'll count it regardless of whether it was on original list.

Likewise, I'll move a book to another prompt after I've read it if it is a better fit than the one I listed it as.

Sarah wrote: "I have a question for the list makers out there- I made a list at the beginning of the year. I swore up and down I'd stick to it.

Only now I'm halfway through the year and I've read more non-list ..."

I make a list for ideas, but I also fill in the first book I read that fits a prompt, whether it was the one I planned to read or not.

Sarah wrote: "I have a question for the list makers out there- I made a list at the beginning of the year. I swore up and down I'd stick to it.

Only now I'm halfway through the year and I've read more non-list ..."

I've actually found that the best way to read a book not on my list is to make a list, lol. It seems like half the time as soon as I decide on a book to read for a prompt, I end up reading another one instead. So my list is more like a good luck charm than anything.

Tania I know exactly what you mean! It feels like putting it on the list makes the shiny newness of the book wear off and I just want to read something else. So I make the list because I like making the list and it gets me thinking about the prompt but so far my original list doesn’t look anything like my current list.

Thanks everyone for the answers! I felt like I was cheating because my total shot up from an abysmal 15 to 29 or something but I don’t feel too bad now.

I make a list at the beginning of the year because I'm trying to get through my TBR books, but I leave it open to changes. There have been multiple times that I've been really excited about a book and kicked another off the list in order to put another one in its place. I think of my list as an outline, but it's not a hard-and-fast rule that I follow.

Laura wrote: "I make a list at the beginning of the year because I'm trying to get through my TBR books, but I leave it open to changes. There have been multiple times that I've been really excited about a book and kicked another off the list in order to put another one in its place. I think of my list as an outline, but it's not a hard-and-fast rule that I follow."

This!! But also I get really excited when the new list gets posted and can't help myself! The only time I feel 'guilty' for moving a book is if its been sitting on my goodreads shelf for a really long time. Then I stop and think should I really bounce this book off the challenge for a new release book? haha. Regardless, I love reading and I love making lists - so its a win-win for me.

Not really about this list, but ...
Has anyone else gotten a notification that YOU (whoever you are) posted to Sarah Jessica Parkers book group Follow Me list?

Allegra Lagani Follow Sarah Jessica Parker and be inspired to read more from her latest book picks
12 minutes ago

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I don't follow her. I haven't tried to follow her. I didn't look at that page today until I started looking into this.

Anyone else? What's up with Goodreads? Stealing tips from FB?

Allegra wrote: "Not really about this list, but ...
Has anyone else gotten a notification that YOU (whoever you are) posted to Sarah Jessica Parkers book group Follow Me list?

Allegra Lagani Follow Sarah Jessica ..."

I got this notification too. It's not saying that you actually did anything. I think it's saying "Erin, follow SJP and be inspired!", not "Erin followed SJP and was inspired".

Sarah wrote: "I have a question for the list makers out there- I made a list at the beginning of the year. I swore up and down I'd stick to it.

Only now I'm halfway through the year and I've read more non-list ..."
I don't make my lists so far in advance. I select books that look interesting- either by wandering through the library aisles, or by going to the message board for each prompt, getting suggestions, and reserving them from the library. Then I read the library books when they come in.

I usually find a way to make books fit a prompt I haven't yet read, especially early in the year. It gets harder once I've filled more of the prompts.