Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening to you all! There are three months left in the year and the 2018 challenge! This year has flown by.

***Admin stuff:

We are hoping to see the 2019 reading challenge around the beginning of November. As soon as the list is posted we will open discussion threads for each prompt. Please be patient as it takes time to set up so many threads. I know you are all going to be ready to start discussing so we will try to get things open just as soon as we can.

Group discussions: The discussion for October's group read of Hallowe'en Party has started if you'd like to join. Looking ahead, November's book is The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin with discussion being led by Heather. December is Circe by Madeline Miller and we still need a leader for this one!

Books finished:

Drums of Autumn – finished up a reread just in time for the new season of Outlander that starts next month!

Warcross by Marie Lu – I was unexpectedly delighted with this book! I picked it up for the cyberpunk prompt thinking it was enough like Ready Player One that I could get through it. Honestly, I liked it more than RPO! I’m looking forward to reading book 2 soon.

Notes from a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World – I’ve been a Tsh follower for years, and I’ve posted before about how much I love her At Home in the World. Notes is a bit more “how-to” with plenty of thoughts on living with intention, but she scatters them within stories of her family’s life in Turkey and Oregon with flashbacks to her early adulthood. Enjoyed very much.

Currently reading:

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han – I adored this movie on Netflix so it works perfectly as the book made into a movie I’ve already seen.

At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson – Using this for my microhistory. It’s been on my TBR for a while.


Question of the week:

Do you like to browse at libraries and bookstores, or do you arrive with a specific list?

I don't usually arrive with a list. If I want a specific book from the library I almost always put in a hold request. In a big bookstore like Barnes & Noble, it's usually a spur of the moment stop and I will browse the tables for interesting books. My local used bookstore is my favorite place to visit, but the nature of a used bookstore makes it tough to come in with a list :)

Only one book this week but I finally ticked off another prompt

Book with fruit or vegetable in the title

The Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke.
Cozy mysteries are really not my genre. However, I really, really like the Hallmark Movie and Mysteries movies that are based on cozy mysteries. And I like the movies based on these books. But I really did not like this book. I found the main character to be somewhat unlikeable (although I love her in the movies) and there were a couple of instances of fat shaming that came out of nowhere and seemed just really mean spirited.

Although, this did send my looking for a cozy mystery series that I loved about a bookstore owner who solves mysteries with the help of a ghost (haunted bookshop mysteries). There hadn’t been a new one in 9 years so I had stopped looking but I took a jaunt to check them out and a new one was published last month.

QOTW:
I live in the boonies and the two cities closest to me no longer have bookstores. There are 100,000 people in the biggest one and it only has one really rundown unorganized used bookstore.
So, I always hit a bookstore when I’m further away from home but I never go in with a list. I just wander around for about an hour and then whittle my choices down.

Sara wrote: "
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han – I adored this movie on Netflix so it works perfectly as the book made into a movie I’ve already seen."

I will stan Jenny Han and her YA romances always and forever. They are adorable and sweet and just delightful.

No progress on the challenge this week other than the fact I now have Muse of Nightmares which I'll be using for time of day in the title.

I finished Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes?, which had a lovely central message. I'm not sure it's as good as her spinster club books though.

I also devoured Saga, Vol. 9 and am sad they are now on hiatus. I'm not sure I felt that is was all about fake news though. I finished listening to Thunderhead and want the next book to be out already.

I'm currently reading Rituals, I want to see how the series finishes even though the last couple of books weren't amazing. It feels very drawn out and could have been 3 books instead of 5.

I'm currently listening to Sawkill Girls which I hoped would be an atmospheric but not too scary listen for my commute. I'm not a fan of the narration style and keep zoning out. I have it sped up much faster than usual and it still seems too slow, except for now and again where she must talk at normal speed. So I can't speed up any more.

48/50 | 96/100

QOTW:
I love browsing in bookshops but I don't usually buy books without prior knowledge of them. I usually go on an annual London bookshop crawl and end up buying books spur of the moment. I have read hardly any of them.

I do pop into Waterstones some lunches as it's near my office but it's more just to see what's getting attention versus what's being talked about online. It's only a little shop so I usually order in advance to collect. I do most my browsing online.

I finished Circe this week which finishes the challenge for me! I'm pretty excited because I didn't think I'd finish 50 books this year, and some categories seemed like a real stretch for me. I've found some great books and an excited to have finished early!

QOTW: I do my library browsing in their online catalogue which has book descriptions and ratings. I like borrowing from their e books on overdrive, but do pick up holds on books with better availability for the physical book. At bookstores I like to browse.

QOTW: I browse. Sometimes I will be looking for a specific book. A list seems silly, though, because who has enough money to buy more than one or two books. They're expensive.

Hello, October! I'm so excited for autumn. I'm ready for some frosty mornings. I've decided that all the books I read in October will be spooky/suspenseful/supernatural. I don't like horror or being scared, so I'm going for edge-of-my-seat or witchy instead.

Finished
Until It Fades - This book saved me from a reading slump. It was my second KA Tucker book, and I really liked it, but it's not as good as The Simple Wild. Still, I love her writing style and characters and I'll read more of her books in the future. I've already ordered two more from Barnes & Noble.

Reading
Frankenstein - I've always felt guilty that my high school English teacher assigned this book and I didn't read it, so I decided to read it now. I'm only 16 years late .... The beginning is really slow and difficult to get into, which is probably why high school me stopped reading. Now that the story has picked up, though, I'm enjoying it.

Circe - I'm listening to a chapter a day in the evenings. The writing and narration is wonderful, and I really like the character Circe. And hate pretty much everyone else for the way they treat her.

QOTW
I usually have a specific book in mind when I go to a library or bookstore like Barnes & Noble. I prefer to borrow/buy books as I want to read them instead of pile them up on a TBR shelf. But I like browsing at used bookstores or book sales. It feels like a treasure hunt. I almost always discover a hidden gem.

This week at the grocery store I splurged on myself and bought a brand spanking new book, something I rarely do (though it's probably gonna sit on my to-be-read shelf for two years, I just know it...). At the register I had to duck away to get something else, and when I got back the cashier had bagged the book alongside the meat! The book lover in me was incensed, though I didn't call her out on it right there. (Seriously though, do they teach cashiers how to properly bag things anymore?)

Hopefully the book, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, is worth the price...

Only two books completed this week:

Goldenhand -- last book (so far) in the Old Kingdom series. Better than the previous book, Clariel, but I still prefer the original trilogy.

The Prince and the Dressmaker -- this is the most adorable graphic novel I've read in a long time! Not only is the story charming and the illustrations lovely, but it's a fantastic story about finding and accepting oneself. I don't know if it would fit the LGBTQ prompt, as it deals with crossdressing instead of actual gender issues, but still worth the read seeing as crossdressing is rarely addressed seriously in a lot of books.

Currently reading:

The Dreaming Jewels -- hope to finish this one today

Swan Song -- halfway done with this monster!

And yes, still slogging through Lovecraft...

QOTW:

I work at a library, so I'm constantly browsing on the job. And my "books to read" list just keeps growing, either because we get in a new shipment of books or an old title re-catches my eye and I decide to give it a shot.

As for bookstores... I browse and/or impulse buy. XD Though if I recognize a book as being on my to-read list I tend to buy it first. Usually I walk out with a mix of books already on my TBR list and new titles.

Hello, holding at 42/50 books for the challenge. I finished 2 books this week; neither for this challenge.

Books finished:
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, it's annoying when a supposed must-read classic is this unpleasant, but there it is; I really didn't like this book

Lassie Come-Home by Eric Knight, a childhood favorite which has held its charm for me

I've started a few more challenge books, hope to get at least one finished this week.

QOTW: Sometimes I go to the library or bookstore with a specific book in mind, but more often I like to just browse. Even if I go with a book in mind, I end up browsing. It's just fun to see what's out there.

Just finished:

The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland (made into a stage play or musical)
Mary Poppins (female author using a male pseudonym)

Currently reading:
The Night Circus (Book with Twins/August Group Read)
Hallowe'en Party (Halloween/October Group Read)

Currently at 42/52, which leaves me three months to read 10 books. Not too daunting a task, right?

Well....The MLB postseason has arrived, and that usually puts a dent in my reading time because I love postseason baseball. However, this year is worse (for reading, but better overall) because my small-town Milwaukee Brewers, who never make the playoffs, are actually in the playoffs this year and expected to go deep. So I will be glued to the TV set whenever they are on. And paying closer attention to other series looking at potential future matchups. And just generally being a big fanboy about the whole thing. Go Brew Crew!!

QOTW
Same as Sara. If I have a specific book in mind I reserve it and it's waiting for me by the front desk. I do enjoy browsing when I have time, though.

Sara wrote: "To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han – I adored this movie on Netflix so it works perfectly as the book made into a movie I’ve already seen. ..."

I watched that movie with my daughter and it was delightful! She had read the book but I have not. Should I? Is it different enough from the movie to be worth a read?

How is it October already??

I finished two books this week (and one of them is a graphic novel, so I don't know why I'm moving so slowly!!). Neither of them for the Challenge, so I remain 49/50.

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (audiobook) - I hated this.

America, Vol. 1: The Life and Times of America Chavez - graphic novel written by Gabby Rivera, part of my Hispanic Heritage reading for the month - this was really disappointing and I won't continue the series.

All of the books I've read specifically for Hispanic heritage month have been disappointing (excluding the books of poetry by Ada Limon because I already love her and was planning to read her new book anyway) so I think I'm just going to bag it with the other two I have and return them to the library. I need to focus on my last Challenge read now, just get that DONE.

QOTW

I am not a browser! We used to have a fabulous used book warehouse nearby, and THERE I would browse (pre-kids, so I had entire Saturday afternoons free to myself!). But that store is gone, and new books are SO expensive these days, so I rarely buy books, and when I do I buy on-line, it's so much more convenient and they have exactly what I want, and we don't have a local independent bookstore anyway so it's not like there are local stores I could support. I do all my browsing on-line, then I go to my library's website and put them on hold, and then I just pop into my library to pick them up (or go into Overdrive to check it out). I rarely browse at my library because they usually don't have what I want, most of my books come from other branch libraries in the county.

Browsing on-line is better anyway because I like to read the reviews people post before I make my decision. And I usually go straight for the negative reviews! They are most informative - if what they hated won't bother me, I figure it's worth reading.

Hello from Columbus! Why is it still 80 degrees? I want to go on a hay ride and wear sweaters, get with it Ohio.

Then and Always - A book with an author that has the same name as me. I thought this was going to be a very standard chic-lit book; girl is in love, girl’s love dies, girl learns about life and moving on. It actually was a bit more interesting than that. The main character is involved in an accident where her best friend dies saving her, she blames herself and secludes herself accordingly. One night years later she has an accident and wakes up in the hospital living life as if the accident never happened, but she doesn’t remember this new life, only the one after the accident. It was still a bit too lifetime movie for me but I didn’t hate it. I was very invested in unfolding the mystery.

Agnes Grey I. Love. The Brontë sisters. This was my pick for the woman using a male pseudonym. It really bums me out that Anne’s books never get the same love her sisters’ books do, because hers are so endearing. Agnes Grey is based a lot on Anne’s own life as a governess. She’s really good at painting a scene that makes me want to slap some fictional characters across the face for being so awful.

I’m at 39/40; 3/10

I started Les Misérables this week, so hopefully I have something to report as finished next week!

QOTW: I’m a browser, for sure. Even when I have a list, I browse. So many of my favorite books have been books I picked based on cool covers and titles alone.

Nadine wrote: "I watched that movie with my daughter and it was delightful! She had read the book but I have not. Should I? Is it different enough from the movie to be worth a read?"

I'm only partway through the book so far, but I am finding it just as delightful! I am listening to the audiobook, and there are times when the narrator speaks almost exactly the way the actress does for Lara Jean!

Good morning! The news was getting to me last week so I abandoned my downer read and tore through some romances all weekend. Good choices.

Finished:
About That Kiss (fine, I enjoy this series, more excited about the next one coming out, which is CHRISTMAS THEMED).

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover, a DELIGHTFUL historical read and I want to get to the rest in this series.

One for the Rogue... lady geologist! Hero who respects her intellect and snaps at men who are dismissive of her! Mystery and intrigue! Fossil hunting! This was fun.

The Great Alone (the downer I had to walk away from for a few days). I finished last night and damn but Kristin Hannah just gets better and better.

Currently reading:
The Secret Wife for book club. This is a good old fashioned "what ACTUALLY happened to the Romanovs?" story with dual time/perspectives. I'm enjoying it so far.

QOTW: I usually browse but have some that I'm looking for (a series I'm slowly collecting, author I want to stock up on, etc) at bookstores. I browse in the YA section at the library because those are the books I'm less likely to hear about and it's more manageable to tackle.

Finally finished both the planned challenges. GR sits at 83/75 and PS at 52/52 with double ups for many of the prompts I would read normally like cyberpunk (which apparently I have been reading for a while but had no idea what it was before this challenge).

Completed 5 this week (mid-semester break so only 1 day at school):

The Kite Runner: Took ages to get into this one but really enjoyed? (enjoyed is the wrong word since mostly I cried lots but it was cathartic) it once I did and I'm glad I stuck with it. Still think Amir sucks and the world needs more Hassans. I made the mistake of continuing reading it while the builders were fixing stuff they messed up and sat blubbing the whole time they were here. I'm waiting for white coats to knock on the door.

The Cuckoo's Calling: Another one which took ages to get going and my last PS challenge one. It was OK but unless I was stuck in an airport or something I wouldn't read more by this author. Just made me feel that I'm glad I'm not rich.

Also finished re-reading 2 I loved as a kid which are now very dated. The Wishing Chair Again and More Wishing Chair Stories.

And for school I finished The Walking Dead Psychology which is a re-read too but since the kids assignments come in soon I need to remember the book to check for plagiarism. Their assignment is to determine if a character of their choice has a healthy mind or not by evaluating their behaviours, risk and protective factors based on the 4 levels of explanation. TWD was chosen because obviously they are not qualified to analyse a real human and to get an A on this curriculum they have to show perceptive awareness of culture and context and since TWD is very different to our culture and society here on most levels it gives them the chance.

QOTW:
I am a terrible browser and have been known to leave myself with enough money to feed the dog for the week and buy myself 2 minute noodles.
This week was a very naughty week because my lovely solar panels which feed back excess to the grid earned me $227 for the quarter after my own electricity supply and use was paid for. The sensible choice would have been to pay off extra on the mortgage but no not me. It was over a year since I had bought any new clothes (the same is not true for books) so I got a new dress in a sale and spent the rest on new books online. Now I am awaiting their arrival which is very exciting and waiting for my next power bill. I love my solar panels!

Another very slow reading week for me. I did finish Red Hot Murder by Joanne Pence (if someone still needed a color) but I wasn't particularly impressed by it.

I also finished Piper by Jay Asher which was a sad retelling of the Pied Piper (and quite good, nice art which is key in a graphic novel as far as I'm concerned).

QOTW I'm a browser by nature which is a very dangerous thing. Occasionally I have a list (mostly to meet challenges or in the case of the library a list of mysteries or SF/F books from my book clubs that I don't want to buy per se but would still like to read.

Four books read this week, two for the challenge, which brings me to 47/50.

Finished:
Six of Crows (A book with a heist)- Everyone seems to love this book and this author but me lol. I didn't dislike the book, but I never connected or felt anything for the characters. It was plotted great and would make a great movie, but for me it was devoid of all emotion. I'm thinking the author's writing style just isn't for me. Tbh I liked the Grisha series better, despite hating Alina and Mal (at least I felt something for them, right?!).

The Best Halloween Ever (A book about or set on Halloween)- I loved this. It was more of a series of events than actual plot, but the Herdmans and their antics are great.

The Best School Year Ever- same as above. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever had more of an actual centralized plot, but the whole series is charming.

The Metamorphosis- I'm not sure how I felt about this. It was a great allegory and sadly often true about what happens to a family when one suffers a debilitating illness, but man I hope that family all die horrible deaths. (Except maybe the mother. She tried.)

Currently reading:
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir
The Cobra King of Kathmandu

QOTW:
I do both. Usually in the bookstore I'll browse to see what looks interesting, then write the titles down and look for them at the library. At the library I might look for a certain book, then browse the new titles for something interesting. For ebooks they tend to be more impulse buys/borrows lol. I only really browse the ebook deals so if its $3 or less, the cover looks cool and the description is interesting, I hit buy. I've regretted this many times after starting books I'd bought this way and instantly realizing I dislike the writing style so I've mostly stopped doing this.

Tania wrote: "Books finished:
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, it's annoying when a supposed must-read classic is this unpleasant, but there it is; I really didn't like this book"

I teach high school English and I hate this book and won't teach with it but I do have a couple of copies in my classroom and it's an option for the AP Lit kid's independent book project and I always have a couple who pick it for their project. Part of their project is a reading journal and their journals are mostly about how much they have Caulfield....which, same.

Finished one book - The Rose Society. Chipping away at this series. Not using this for the challenge.

Listening to The Midnight Star (which is dragging).
And Reading Undead Girl Gang. Neither are for the challenge :(

34 Regular, 7 Advanced, 16 non-challenge.

If I have time I like to browse the Library. but 9 times out of 10 I'm there to pick up something specific.

This past weekend I somehow ended up with a half dozen NYPL ebooks to read in next 21 days...some from holds and some new to fit a specific goal. Now 6 books in 3 weeks is easy, even when average 400 pages per book....except my schedule during that time is likely to make it difficult if not impossible! Oh well, will plunge ahead and not obsess!

Oh and of course, it was several days after the library ebooks downloaded before I could start any of them because I was finishing:

Beautiful Exiles - another fictionalized telling of Martha Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway. I found it a bit of a slog and only gave it 3 stars. Still good and decently written but it was a first person (from Marty's POV) reminiscence from end of her life with an overly critical even unforgiving (of herself) eye. I think this suffered from my reading of McLain's Love and Ruin, which was so beautifully written, just 2 months ago. Yet they actually complement each other because they go into detail on different events. Glad I read this but should have spaced farther apart.

Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas - Ruggle gives us fireman Steve's happy ending finally! And at Christmas! Loved it, just published, and perked me up after my slog with Marty and Hem. Great treatment also of Steve's quirky, gifted, non-conforming kids.

Read penultimate in the Military K-9 series which was best in series but that is not saying a lot. However, it set me up to start on all the library ebooks which are far more intellectually stimulating.

Currently Reading:
Artemis - I. LOVE. THIS! Sci fi is not my thing, did not read or see The Martian, but heist, humor and interesting female protagonist are. Only a quarter through but I have already added Weir to my 'next by author' shelf.

Where I stand in challenges: finished 2018 Pop Sugar in August, only have 2 more to read to finish 2018 ATY (Artemis fits one of the last 2 prompts)(yes I doubled up between challenges), still have 10 or so on 2015 Pop Sugar (no rush on that one), and at 142/150 for annual GR challenge.

QOTW: Browser, and proud of it. Example - yesterday the new building at Barnard College had its grand opening which I attended as an alumnae class officer. Building has the new design center and computational sciences department, but also the new expanded library. My first tour was the library stacks where I browsed happily for some time! Often after a long work day, I stop at a bookstore to browse as a way to calm. Sometimes I have a list but then I always have a list! That is not why I go to the bookstore, usually. One of my great browsing finds in 2017 was The Book of Emma Reyes, in 2016 Year of the Fat Knight: The Falstaff Diaries. I would never have found them but for browsing independent bookstores wherever I find myself.

We got the remnants of Hurricane Rosa here in Phoenix this week and it was glorious! It brought rain and cooler temperatures and I love it so much.

Finished
I did it! I finished The Count of Monte Cristo! I read the Penguin edition translated by Robin Buss, which I found to be a very readable translation. It was hella long, but I think I'm glad I read the unabridged version. This now takes the place of Atlas Shrugged as the longest book I've ever read. My take on the book: it was a compelling story, super melodramatic, the first and last quarter were fantastic and the middle 50% could have been way shorter. I've decided that I prefer British novels from that time period, but I did enjoy it.

The Lido I really loved this book. It's about a group of unlikely friends that come together to try and save a beloved public pool in London. If you enjoyed A Man Called Ove or Eleanor Oliphant, you might like this one too.

Currently Reading
Sex, Murder And A Double Latte One of the challenges in the Reading Women Challenge is "a genre you've never read before." I'm a total wimp and I don't do mysteries or horror at all, but I thought this was a good opportunity to try a cozy mystery. I asked a friend for a recommendation and the Sophie Katz series was her top pick. I'm about half way through. It's about a mystery writer who finds herself in the middle of a real-life murder mystery where she might be the target. I'm finding it to be a little less "cozy" than I expected, but again, I'm a total wimp. I'm enjoying it, but reading it slowly because I can't read it once the sun goes down because I get too freaked out. (Ridiculous, I know.)

The Heart's Invisible Furies This is what I'm reading once the sun goes down. It's fantastic so far.

Ready from Within: Septima Clark and the Civil Rights Movement

QOTW
Sometimes both. I often go to the library with a list, but also always look through the new book shelves. When I go to a bookstore I usually just look and see what I can find. My favorite place to buy books in the Phoenix area is the Friends of the Tempe Public Library bookstore. It's right inside the door of the Tempe Public Library, and it's not big, but they always have stacks of books I want to buy. And so cheap! $1.00 for paperbacks and $2.00 for hardbacks. Plus, they always have amazing sales. I don't go in with a list, and I leave once my arms are so full I can't physically carry a single other book. It's amazing.

Only 1 book finished this week, but it did fulfil a prompt, which is good. (Currently 34/50.)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - This was a really fascinating book, I definitely feel like it was a valuable read and I did learn from it. But emotionally it was extremely tough to get through. The whole thing is about medical/scientific malpractise and practically every page there is another case of a doctor abusing their patients' trust, stealing cells, tissues, and even organs, and/or performing barbaric and unethical experiments on other humans. The penultimate chapters were particularly difficult since they covered an investigation into the fate of Henrietta Lacks' older daughter Elsie, who was severely disabled and incarcerated in a mental hospital since childhood. The stories of that place made me shake with fear and horror and anger - honestly, if I hadn't been at the very end of the book anyway I quite possibly would not have kept reading.
(Fulfilled Popsugar prompt #35, "A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner" - Best Nonfiction and Best Debut Author in 2010.)

Currently reading Wives and Daughters. Not very far in but enjoying it. It's quite gentle and humorous although I think it'll get more dramatic shortly.

QOTW: I do generally enter a bookshop with something in mind but once in, I am incapable of not browsing. Displays have a magnetic pull.
Case in point, yesterday I went out looking for 2 specific books, only found one of them, and still purchased 6... 😳📚📚

Yay, checking in on time rather than tackling any of the 234354096 things I have to do right now... I'm so snowed under than I actually just want to go nap and pretend it's all gone away!


I finished two books this week, taking me to 47/52 (39/42, 8/10).

Neither of my books this week were for the challenge as they were random NetGalleys. But I've forced them into prompts. I decided to do prompt #40 your favourite prompt for each of the past three years rather than just one, so that I could count this week's reads! I already ticked off 2016 (The Book of Lost Things for based on a fairy tale).

My first one was Can You Tolerate This?: Essays, which slotted into the 2015 prompt author from a country you've never visited (New Zealand). This collection of personal essays is such a mixed bag. I really connected with about half of them, but found it took me a while to warm to the meandering writing style, trying to figure out where a tangent was going and if we'd ever make it back to where we had veered off from. I think the stronger essays were in the later half of the collection, and I really enjoyed the honesty and introspection of them. There were often sentences that I wanted to read more than once because of their stand out lyricism, but then there were whole essays that I just didn't get. I did like the format though - rather than a straight up memoir Young has curated tales of oddities and studies of the mundane to make a collection that really makes her stand out as a person and as a writer. I just thought that it could have been a bit more refined, though judging from other reviews there are those who loved the bits I didn't so maybe there is something in here for everyone.

My second read was Women of the Dunes, which I slotted into the 2017 prompt by a female author. I really enjoyed this book, which is odd as it brings together things I wouldn't usually be drawn to - romance, mystery and historical fiction (I don't usually venture much further back than the 20th century!). It was the setting that hooked me in - the harsh west coast of Scotland is one I know well, and is so tangible in the writing that you can feel the wind whipping your hair. And after capturing me with that, the story then kept me locked in. With three stories running parallel but all linked, there was never a dull moment and I was constantly trying to figure out the next twist and find the connections. I really enjoyed how the story played out, quite a slow burner but never losing pace. I'd have liked to see some of the supporting characters be fleshed out a little more, but I don't think that took away from the story. Great read.


Do you like to browse at libraries and bookstores, or do you arrive with a specific list?

I'm mostly a browser, as I don't tend to follow new releases or series. I don't tend to buy books new either, so if I'm in a bookshop it's purely to have a nosey (unless they have a good sale/deal on). I mostly buy my books second hand or if I see one I like on a Kindle deal, so it's usually the luck of the browse. I do have a list (my enormous TBR on here), and I love it when I find one of those books in a charity shop or whatever, but equally I love a good rummage of whatever is on the shelves.

Good afternoon from still-steamy Louisville. I'm pretty pissed admit this weather--my husband and I are going back to our hometown this weekend to attend the Feast of the Hunter's Moon, which is traditionally held on a gray and drizzly weekend. That's great weather to walk around eating turkey legs and meat pies and watch drum and fire corps. Not so fun to do when it's 82°! I don't want to eat chili when it's hot enough to wear a sundress! Normally I hate when people complain about the weather but it's getting to me this weekend.
I only finished one book this week, A Feast for Crows. I did, however, get some more read in Dragonfly in Amber, and only have ~200 pages left now. Best case scenario, I can finish it and start on my creepy October reads by this time next week. Let The Right One In just came in at the library, and I also have my annual reread of The Shining to do!

It's been a long while since I've updated (due to university) which was way back in March, I think. Anyway hopefully I can get back into these weekly check ins.

This week I finished:
The Thousandth Floor for local author
I liked this book however, I have an issue with one of the main characters. I want to see how this plays out though so I'm waiting for my library to send me the next book.

It's All Absolutely Fine for same first/last name
This book, I just could not with it. I was so close to DNFing it but i pushed through it. I liked the written parts of it but not the comics the author included. Some of the comics were funny but for the most part I didn't really enjoy it.

I'm thinking about re-doing same first/last name with one of Laura Ruby's books. I'm hoping my library doesn't have a long waiting period for her books.

Currently reading:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

QOTW:

It depends. When I go to bookstores I tend to browse and usually this is where I figure out what books I want to get from the library. Also the only books I actually by are the ones I'm collecting from Barnes and Noble, which are the leather bound editions that they sell. For libraries I sometimes take a list but I don't always stick to it. I'll usually walk straight to the YA section and from there I go to the adult section looking for biographies, memoirs, politics, history (sometimes), historical fiction, and whatever I might find interesting.

Finished 3 this week:
The Cuckoo's Calling for a female writing under a male pseudonym. Unfortunately I listened on audio which is never a good idea for me. I probably would have liked it more if I had read it and knew half of what was going on. I was surprised at the ending though.

War Horse for a book made into a stage play or musical. I loved this one! It made me cry in a few places, and its on my mental list of books that I can't wait for my daughters to read in a few years.

Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick for my micro history . Ok well, I have 2 chapters to finish but close enough. I haven't actually picked up anything to read in quite a few days ( all week)because Im just not feeling well enough to focus. Also, I have to keep putting this one down because its hitting home a little too hard at the moment. Im so fed up with doctors in general....and dr appointments. Its also overdue now along with the rest of my stack that I thought Id be able to fly through, so yea, my library fees are going to suck :/

Next up:

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe for LGBTQ protagonist

Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return for book riot ( A comic by a person of color? I don't remember which one I have left, I think its this one)

Embroideries for ATY a book by a person of another ethnicity

American War for ATY a book with a map
( ALLLLL of these need to go back to the library like last week)

The final half of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine for ATY, I can't believe I haven't finished this yet because its GOOD! Again, just a testament to how crappy i'm feeling lately. Im having trouble even making coherent sentences for this post ( lol, instead of searching for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe my brain came up with The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, which isn't even on any of my plans this year so there you go...)

I started The Snow Queen on audio for the weather prompt but Ive already had to go back to the beginning 3 x for not paying attention, so I'll possibly try and read The Mist for this. I need to hold off on this challenge though and catch up on ATY since its the one challenge I managed to finish last year and I'd like to be 2 for 2.

and then
Frankenstein for my IRL book club, and probably will use it for the Halloween prompt here as a stretch, close enough... and

Sing, Unburied, Sing for the ATY book of the month read, which I will also probably use here as a stretch for A past GR choice awards winner even though it was a nominee.

QOTW: I don't browse the library, unless Im in the children section with the girls. I order what I need online as holds and most of them come from our interlibrary loan system. I used to browse book stores a lot and then come home with all new books but that hasn't been happening lately and the last few times I tried I came up empty handed because I got overwhelmed and also because I realized I had started buying things I already own but forgot about because I have way too many books here that I haven't read. I do love to browse and buy though. Miss those days. When I can I do preorder new releases from my favorite authors so I have those to look forward to. Otherwise my browsing is limited to threads and my feed here and I just "shop" by adding books to my never-ending TBR.

Still at 50/52

Finished:

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman not for the challenge

QOTW:
I go with a list to library. I browse in book shops.

No real update for this week. I didn't do any reading for the challenge so I'm still sitting at 38/50. I need to get a move on if I'm going to finish in time! I did read a bunch of children's books in the past week for class. A couple of Cinderella retellings which are interesting to compare. Villette is still waiting for me to gain interest again. I'm trying to get an audio version and maybe that will help me get through it on my commutes.

QOTW:
If I'm alone, I will never just browse in a store. I need a list or a specific need in mind. If I'm with someone else, then I will likely browse until the other person is ready to leave though. I like having a purpose when I go into stores and my budget has been such lately that I can't really impulse buy anyway.

Hey Challengers!
I have only five books remaining, and I am so energized by all of the GOOD books this challenge has brought into my life!

Cyberpunk: I finished Leviathan, and really enjoyed it. This was my first cyberpunk book, and probably not the last.

Currently Reading: Lots of books, but none for the challenge, specifically. This month I plan to finish the following prompts: Halloween, Stage Play, and Villain.

QOTW: I love browsing bookstores and libraries, but that doesn't happen a lot will small children in tow. I place lots of library holds, and order ebook versions. Once my kids are old enough to read, I hope I can get back to spending lots of leisure time browsing books.

It’s Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend! And it sounds like the Denver weather may cooperate by cooling down a little and making it feel like fall. Since we are out of country, we invite pretty much everyone local that we know and have a Friendsgiving, including our fav librarian! My traditional thanksgiving foods differ a little from the standard American classics - we don’t do sweet potatoes with marshmallows or green bean casserole, but we do every vegetable under the sun. I love turkey with all the trimmings, so yay!

Dietland - I loved this and was also super disappointed. I wanted Jennifer to be so much more than it turned out to be. But if the news is making you feel like a little female revenge would be a nice antidote to reality, this is where I’d start.

Aimless Love: New and Selected Poems - I almost never read poetry after I finished high school until I discovered challenges. Mostly I still dislike it but there have been a few real gems and this was one of them.


The Only Harmless Great Thing - I loved this novella. It’s so good! I now have The Radium Girls on hold at the library. Such a great main character, such a great look at what communicating with elephants might look like.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - my first reread it since I initially read it in 2001. I liked it a lot more this time - I was expecting the level of the book this time and knowing where the series goes made the more childish level of the book more interesting to me this time round. In my first read of the series, I wasn’t a fan until book 3. In random other Harry Potter news, Target has some awesome Harry Potter clothes right now. Family matching pjs, dresses, shirts etc. I spent a small fortune at Target the other day.

Weetzie Bat - I don’t know how I didn’t know about this book in the 90’s because so many of my contemporaries seem to have loved this book back then. It hasn’t aged well at all. The American Indian cultural appropriation is really, really jarring.

Daughters of the North - I so loved this until the end, where the author uses a narrative technique of having the book be recovered data files and the part that is “lost” at the end didn’t feel like a good choice, it felt more like she didn’t know how to write that bit and so she just bailed on the story. It’s a fascinating environmental dystopia set in northern England and I really liked the world building until then.

Presently I’m just finishing up Carpet Diem: or How to Save the World by Accident. Very British. Very amusing. Sort of Good Omens like.

QOTW: After a decade of living in a country where English language books weren’t hard to get exactly, but also weren’t super easy to get, I got used to mostly used book shopping and I really like the browsing involved in that. So in a bookstore I usually just wander and see what catches my eye.

At the library, though, I usually only put specific things on hold or ILL and then go pick them up. I also browse Overdrive and click on interesting covers, but at the physical library we are mostly there for storytime and to borrow kids books.

Happy October!

Trail of Lightning – #24: weather element in the title – I really enjoyed this book. A wonderful and diverse voice to add to list of favorite, bad-ass yet flawed, urban fantasy heroines. (Maggie is joining October Daye & Kate Daniels.) I love that the basis of this world is that most of the country perished in “the big waters” and the people that survived are the indigenous tribes. I also love the incorporation of mythology/legend. I am very much ready for the next book in the series!

In the Night Kitchen – No prompt. My annual banned book week read – I still love it. My copy is from the 70’s. I just wish my mom had made an inscription.

Trick or Treat: A Peanuts Halloween – #29: Halloween - Peanuts Halloween strips through the ages interspersed with Halloween recipes and craft projects. It was cute.

Hero Cats: Midnight Over Stellar City, Volume 1 - #8: time of day in the title - I loved the art. (I can’t resist a black cat, even if my black cats have all be a lot sweeter than the ones in most literature.) And I enjoyed the characters. The choppy plot might have made more sense if I had read the original series (this is a spin-off).


Currently Reading:
The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra – (My audiobook for my walks.) There is a murder and a baby elephant. (Not related, as far as I can tell.) The murder part is ok, but I want more elephant! I can feel myself perk up the more they talk about the elephant and the more the elephant gets to do.

Record of a Spaceborn Few – I’ve only read a few pages so far.

Technically I have finished the challenge, but I am still moving around books and catching up on my graphic novels.
Books: 42/42, Graphic Novels: 28/42, Extended 10/10

QotW
I do enjoy browsing. Occasionally when I need more steps, I’ll walk up to the used book store near me and wander around. When I worked closer to the public library, I would go over at lunch to read my books or peruse the shelves. Plus, I always love to see what is on the new shelf at the school library. Though I rarely come home with a book.

Library borrows are very directed. The challenge is helping me complete books before I start another one. Some part of me wants to read all the books right now! But that same part makes me anxious when I have too many books on the go at the same time. (One novel, one audiobook, and one comic at once is my max.)

My shopping is even more directed. I borrow a lot from the library and I don’t feel like I need to own too many books, so the ones I buy are very specific. Primarily I buy books by artists that I really love and where I feel like my purchase can make a difference to their bottom line. Those selections are planned out (& budgeted) before I leave the house. The folks at my comic book store are continually amused by my very specific lists. They do this thing called "mystery date" where they wrap a graphic novel in brown paper & give a general distraction on the front. If it looks interesting, you buy the book. It drives me crazy, I read the descriptions and want to add the book to my tbr, but I don't know the title! Apparently I am not the target audience.

Kenya wrote: "This week at the grocery store I splurged on myself and bought a brand spanking new book, something I rarely do (though it's probably gonna sit on my to-be-read shelf for two years, I just know it...."

I was the opposite. I much preferred Clariel over Goldenhand (but Sabriel is much better than both!)

Chrandra wrote: "Tania wrote: "Books finished:
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, it's annoying when a supposed must-read classic is this unpleasant, but there it is; I really didn't like this book"

I teach ..."

I just saw someone reading The Catcher in the Rye on the train but I wasn't going to post it in the "read in public" thread because I didn't want to inflict it on a fellow reader

Sarah wrote: I was the opposite. I much preferred Clariel over Goldenhand (but Sabriel is much better than both!)

I guess Clariel's constant WHINING and single-minded obsession with the forest led me to not really sympathize with her as a character, even if the author did it on purpose. But yes, "Sabriel" really is the best of the series. I guess it's a case of "First Installment Wins," huh?

This week I reached my goal I started the challenge with, plus 2 more books (#40 for 2015,2016 and 2017), so I'm feeling quite acomplished right now.

I finished:
#10, death or grief: Gevatter Tod / Wachen! Wachen!, that's Mort by Terry Pratchett in german. I didn't re-read Guards! Guards!
#11, female author/male name: Adam Bede by Mary Ann Evans as George Eliot
#35, past Goodreads Choice Awards winner: The Martian by Andy Weir
#34, published in 2018: Nefertiti’s Curse by J. Cato, also counting for my A-Z SciFi/Fantasy challenge
#40b, favourite prompt 2016, written by a celebrity: Bonfire by Krysten Ritter

That's me at 42/42! Woot!

I started with #41/Advanced #01, bestseller from 1982, the year I finished the german equivalent to high school: Deutschland umsonst: Zu Fuß und ohne Geld durch ein Wohlstandsland by Michael Holzach. It's on youtube as an audio book and I caught myself drifting near the end of the first of five parts, so I guess I need to space it out some.

QotW:
I have a specific list on me at all times, which is an actual little notebook full of titles that caught my interest at one time or another but I usually can't help but browse. And I usually can't just walk by a bookstore without peeking at least a little... if my time allows it.

Happy October everyone! Isn't fall supposed to be crisp? Every time I ask Alexa for the current humidity, it's like 96%.

Finished:
Saga, Vol. 1 for book set on another planet
Where the Crawdads Sing
Notes from Underground This book is really short and has a really ugly cover, if anyone is still looking to fill that prompt. I really liked it, it was quite funny in parts. I love the first few opening lines:
"I am a sick man....I am a spiteful man. An unattractive man. I think that my liver hurts."
That is just so Russian.

Currently reading:
It audiobook for bestseller from the year I graduated high school (1987). The audiobook is almost 45 hours. There is no way I will be able to tolerate that, will switch to the Kindle version once it becomes available.
Milkman
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine

I am home sick today, and barely had the energy to write this post. I will get back to the QOTW later.

Milena wrote: "Happy October everyone! Isn't fall supposed to be crisp? Every time I ask Alexa for the current humidity, it's like 96%.

Finished:
Saga, Vol. 1 for book set on another planet
[book..."

I LOVED the It audiobook! I found the book itself too daunting so listening to the book at 2x speed helped me to read it while not spending forever on it. I actually listened to it in just a couple of days I loved it so much. I do plan on going back and physically reading the book though so that I can read the parts that I missed or where I spaced out.

Taylor wrote: "Milena wrote: "Happy October everyone! Isn't fall supposed to be crisp? Every time I ask Alexa for the current humidity, it's like 96%.

Finished:
Saga, Vol. 1 for book set on anoth..."

Thanks for the tip. This is my first year ever listening to audiobooks and I keep it at 1.25X. Good to know I can speed it up a bit. I do really like Steven Weber's narration.

Woops. Just realised that I read everyone else's updates and never posted my own.

This week I finished Silas Marner. I loved the set up of this book but the ending felt so rushed. I would have liked a lot more of Eppie growing up and more of how things changed after (view spoiler)[ the identity of her real father was revealed (hide spoiler)]

Currently reading: The Girl in the Tower. So far I actually prefer this to The Bear and the Nightingale.

QOTW: I'm 50/50. I will browse in charity shops and second hand book shops but for the library and new books, I put what I want on hold and pick it up without much browsing.

Kenya wrote: "Sarah wrote: I was the opposite. I much preferred Clariel over Goldenhand (but Sabriel is much better than both!)

I guess Clariel's constant WHINING and single-minded obsession with the forest led..."

I don't particularly like Lirael as a character so having her front and centre (again) in Goldenhand annoyed me

Cornerofmadness wrote: "Another very slow reading week for me. I did finish Red Hot Murder by Joanne Pence (if someone still needed a color) but I wasn't particularly impressed by it.

I also finished [book:..."

I found the very first 2 or 3 in that series by Pence to be fun, but lost interest after that.

Hi everyone!

Didn't accomplish a lot this week, been busy with Inktober and other projects.

I finished the audio book for Moon Called

I re-read The Night Circus because I needed a break from another book, and I wanted to get into a proper Halloween/artistic mood.

Still reading The Shadow of the Wind. I'm in a weird place with this book. I don't actively dislike it, and I do want to know how it ends...but I'm just so tired of reading it. It's taking forever, and I keep having trouble getting engaged. In times I normally grab a few minutes to read, I find I only get through a sentence or two before deciding to check my phone or stare off into space instead. So my progress is not how I'd like. Hopefully I can finish it tomorrow or so, just to get past it.

Still reading The Best Paranormal Crime Stories Ever Told but didn't actually make any progress.


QOTW:

I don't really go to bookstores anymore, most the ones that were convenient for me closed. But when I go to Portland I always make a point of going to Powells and then I browse and go a little nuts. If I'm actually going to the physical library, it's usually to pick up a hold. But while I'm there I usually do at least a skim of the new releases shelf, and if I have time I might skim through the fiction to see if anything grabs my attention.

Chrandra wrote: "Tania wrote: "Books finished:
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, it's annoying when a supposed must-read classic is this unpleasant, but there it is; I really didn't like this book"

I teach ..."

I read this for the first time for Pop Sugar a year or 2 ago and absolutely hated it. I also fail to see how it could possibly still be relevant and of interest to teens today, even in private schools. But then I am 63 years old and a tad removed from those years myself. I agree that it is a very negative book and that whole ending! What gives - ending up in a TB sanitarium??? Seriously?

Tara wrote: "We got the remnants of Hurricane Rosa here in Phoenix this week and it was glorious! It brought rain and cooler temperatures and I love it so much.

I am a cozy mystery reader and I suggest you try the following authors and series (many are very humorous and I don't think they will be a problem for a self-proclaimed 'wimp' - and these are more like solving puzzles) - and also I suspect you can find copies of these in your local library:

Charlotte MacLeod - Start with Rest You Merry and The Family Vault
Joan Hess - Maggody series - start with Malice in Maggody and Claire Malloy series starts with Strangled Prose
Lynn Cahoon - Toursit Trap series - start with Guidebook to Murder.

If you have a hobby like glass making or needlework or candle-making or beading or doll houses or whatever, there are some very fun cozies featuring your hobby that you might enjoy.

Kelly wrote: "Good afternoon from still-steamy Louisville. I'm pretty pissed admit this weather--my husband and I are going back to our hometown this weekend to attend the Feast of the Hunter's Moon, which is tr..."

I'm with you in the grumbling. I wore a summer dress and sandals to a meeting on Tuesday night because it is still summer weather here in NYC - I mean it is OCTOBER! In the Northeast! It is ridiculous that I am still in sandals and summer clothing. I hate hot humid weather anyway, so to endure it for months longer than necessary...no!

Hi everyone.
This week I read a handful of picture books, a graphic novel and finished two "regular" books.

Skæbnemageren (The Fate Maker) - for twins. By two of my favourite Danish writers and illustrators. It´s about a boy who is so envious of his twin that he wishes he never existed. And we all know you have to be careful what you wish for...

Pride and Prejudice - alliteration. I have managed to live 43 years without reading Austen. Not because I didn´t want to. Guess there was just too much fantasy, steampunk, sci-fi etc to be read instead. And I may have been afraid I didn´t like it. This book really grew on me, I thought it was a bit boring in the beginning, but then I gradually understood there was a purpose to all the gossipy parts, that it´s a part of a semi-satirical take on British society at the time (at least that´s what I thought). At the same time it´s like the Mother of all romance. I am now no longer afraid to try some more Austen :)

Jeg ser dig (I see you) - not for challenge. YA about a girl who feels invisible and a blind boy who "sees" her.

Picture book challenge:
The Day the Crayons Came Home - past GR winner (picture book 2015)
Shrek! - movie you have already seen
Hej med dig Bjørn (Introducing Teddy) - LGBTQ. Love this book. About gender issues for little ones, completely on a childs level. No extraordinary complications, no unnecessary explanations/moralisation.
Sallys fars fede ferie (Sally´s Dad´s cool holiday) - alliteration
Glemmestedet (The Forgetting place) - takes place in a library. I have others lined up for this as well.

ETA: Forgot question of the week.

I browse every day at work (library)...

I browse in book stores...

I browse the internet...

I will even browse your brain (don´t worry, it´s called talking about books).

I am always on the lookout for great books!

I sometimes go for something specific, like a new release I want to own or a present for someone, but then I´ll also browse...

I don´t always take piles home, but I like to look. I also play a game of "how many books on this exhibit have I read" with myself. You can also extend it to "and how many of the rest of the books do I want to read". That´s fun if you are me.

Yanira wrote: "Finished The President is Missing and I'm scared s#$tless now. Super fast read. I couldn't put it down. And seriously thinking of stowing money inside my mattress.

That puts me at 29/50. Hoping to..."

OOH that sounds good! Heading to OverDrive to see how long the waitlist is...
As for your comment about money in mattress, I remember being in Nice, France in 1987 on vacation and reading Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising which essentially is based on the concept of a Third World War ravaging Europe. It was so atmospheric and real and I was so caught up that I really thought I'd look out my hotel window and see tanks rolling down the streets!

Ruby wrote: "...I'm thinking about re-doing same first/last name with one of Laura Ruby's books. I'm hoping my library doesn't have a long waiting period for her books...."

I really enjoyed and recommend Bone Gap by Laura Ruby.

Only one book this week. An Agatha Raisin cozy mystery. I enjoyed it and will continue to read the series. I am in a real slump right now and that makes me sad, but the book to cure the slump is out there somewhere and I will find it.

QOTW: I browse. I will go in with lists, and I do put a lot of books on hold at the library, but I love to browse. Whenever I am having a tough day I do "Barnes & Noble Therapy" and will spend an hour there. Sometimes I walk out with books, and sometimes the smell is enough.