Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

I hope everyone is safe and healthy. NY is getting hit hard, even my podunk county up here in the middle of the state has hundreds of cases, but my family is still safe and healthy. Schools have extended the time they will be closed through the end of this month. (Our school year runs through til the end of June, so they haven’t called it for the year yet like some places have.)

My older daughter is now 17! She still doesn’t have her drivers license because we aren’t sure if it’s safe to take a road test right now, or even if it’s possible. I’ve been working from home and I’m a little worried about my job. Last week they announced no raises this year, and I figured it was just a ploy for them to shortchange us, but this week they announced mandatory furloughs for salaried workers. I don’t mind the extra time off without pay, but I’m worried about what they’ll announce next week!

Admin stuff
Our April group read is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, discussion group here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

If anyone would like to lead discussions for May (The Tattooist of Auschwitz), or August (The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society), PM Sara or me.


This week I finished 2 books, none for this Challenge.

Black Water Rising by Attica Locke- this was on my personal challenge list of books I need to read this year. It started off really strong, but it sagged in the middle. I wanted a taut page turner but instead I got an extended character study. It was good enough that I’ll read more from Locke, though. But maybe not the next book in this series.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston- my audiobook this week. This was a re-read for me, i last read it back in my college days so I had forgotten almost everything about it except that it was fantastic. It’s still fantastic. Ruby Dee is amazing reading it.



Everything is so strange and unpredictable, it’s hard to decide on a good QOTW. I didn’t know if I wanted to focus on our present situation, or pick a question that takes our minds off it.


Question of the Week
Which book character would you want to be quarantined with? (Or, if that’s too difficult to narrow down for an answer, which book character would you NOT want to be quarantined with?)

I think I would like to be quarantined with Cinder (from the Cinder series), she seems interesting and capable in a bad situation!

And I would NOT want to be quarantined with Flavia de Luce (from the The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie series) - she would drive me bonkers!!!

Blackwater Rising is a book I read last year. I really like everything I've read by Attica Locke but this one wasn't my favorite. I'm from Houston and to that end there is some local politics stuff that felt very real to me in a way I'm not sure would be for the general population but of her books it is probably the one I found least engaging.

Awww I adore Flavia but yes too much time cooped up and I imagine she'd try to poison you, so... No.

I haven't checked in for a bit because I haven't much been able to concentrate on much outside of my new favorite game of is my persistent cough allergies or Covid 19. It is totally allergies (and allergy season which has been brutal this year is finally ebbing) but the just whole AHHHHHH of everything had me pretty unable to concentrate even on Audio for about a month.

My suburb isn't realeasing Data but the two towns next to it are. according to our Mayor it is because they have testing sites and we don't so they don't get the information directly and have to get it from the county... I'm not sure it matters I think it is probably safest to assume everybody has it and take precautions accordingly, but the lack of data in our town is pretty much all the towns facebook/next door groups talk about... Like all the time. Like 47 posts a day. So clearly I'm the only one who doesn't particularly care how many are in the immediate vicinity.

A couple weeks ago I finally finished Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner which I liked.

And nothing again until this week where I went with

Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell because I assumed that would be funk busting. IT has really iffy reviews compared to Carry On but Simon and Baz go to a Cheesecake Factory and a Renaissance Festival is exactly the kind of fanfic I would write if I wrote Simon and Baz fanfic which I don't and now don't need to because it is cannon and it was exactly the amount mental engagement I could manage the day I read it.

Chances Are... by Richard Russo Richard Russo can write but I just didn't really need a story about late middle aged white men right now. I mean it is what Richard Russo writes because it is what Richard Russo is and Empire Falls nd Nobody's Fool are two of my favorite books, but I'm just sort of done with it. It was a 3 star read for me. But I wonder if it is because I've read his earlier, better books or if I'm a different person than the person who read those books.

Like would I still love Pat Conroy if I reread him now? All of his main characters are pretty much my dad... and his use of language so... maybe? But.... I don't think I want to risk it.

And finally the graphic novel Smile by Raina Telgemeier because she makes me smile. And because it was a lucky day book yesterday. Not my favorite of hers but so real to the experience of being a middle-schooler and totally charming.

Currently Reading:
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson.

QOTW:

I'm not sure which ,if any, literary character I wouldn't be annoyed by after about 3 days but lets go with Hermione Granger because you know she'd have some magic face masks and she would totally lecture anybody not abiding by the social distancing suggestions without my having to engage in it.

As for not wanting to be stuck in my house with loads, loads, loads and loads. But since we're on a potter Theme lets go with Hagrid. Love him but I can't get those kind of groceries and I really can't have a dragon in here.

Things seem to be looking up for the time being, for me - the government has revised their list of essential businesses to include e-commerce, which is what I do. In other news, I worked in the yard one afternoon and now I'm dealing with poison ivy (this happens every year, I try to keep an eye out but I never see the plant anywhere). Okay, maybe not every year, but for the past probably 3-4 years I've become particularly susceptible. Got a nice spot on my wrist right now, and a line down my nose (???).

ANYWAY. Onward to better things, like books. I read three this week!

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - 4 stars. I veered back and forth between an audiobook and my hardcover at home. The writing was stellar, I just wish the story had been a tad better. I didn't care about the old soldier's storyline one bit.

The Red Threads of Fortune by JY Neon Yang - 4 stars. I probably should've read this sooner after I'd finished Black Tides of Heaven last year, but life gets in the way. This was an excellent companion though. Book by a trans/NB author

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle - 4 stars. My favorite Holmes story thus far.

Currently reading:
Still on Cold Magic, but it's picked up (she says, at page 300) and I'm... idk if 'enjoying' is the proper term, but I'm invested.
Past prompt: Nonhuman characters

The Big Over Easy - I picked this up because I was in the mood for Fforde's absurdist escapism brilliance, and while it has been entertaining, I didn't think it would take me more than two days to read it. Here we are on day four. (It's my own fault, I've been playing computer games instead of reading.)
Title caught your attention

Starting the final Temeraire book, League of Dragons, this morning.

Edit because I forgot the QOTW!
I don't think I'd mind being quarantined with the Little Women sisters. I would HATE being quarantined with Gollum.

I finished Searching for Jesus: New Discoveries in the Quest for Jesus of Nazareth—and How They Confirm the Gospel Accounts as my book with a 3 word title. Excellent book.

I have just started The Map of Salt and Starsas my book by a trans or nonbinary. only on page 5, so no opinion thus far.

QOTW: I don't even want to think about quarantine, but I live completely alone, so maybe I should think about getting some fictional character in here with me. My fave book of all time is Lonesome Dove. So, maybe Newt. I don't think I could take close quarters with any of the other characters.

Brandy wrote: "Blackwater Rising is a book I read last year. I really like everything I've read by Attica Locke but this one wasn't my favorite. I'm from Houston and to that end there is some local politics stuff..."

I have never been to TX so I don't know much about local places/people. I was driven to distraction trying to find out if the "Cole Brothers" in the book represented real brothers who were oil tycoons??

The weeks are starting to blend together. I still go to work every day at my law firm (we've been deemed essential here), but most people are telecommuting. So, it's me and 5 other people in the office. The weekends are all the same. No sports, no theater, nothing. Although, I really appreciate the Met's live opera streams every day. And the sports replays aren't so bad, as long as I don't remember it too well. I've been watching a lot of historic figure skating on the Olympic Channel. Remember when Sale-Pelletier came in second and Scott Hamilton lost his mind!!

This week I finished 2 books: The A.B.C. Murders, which I've read before and enjoyed, and Wuthering Heights, which I read when I was a teenager and I think I loved it way more this time around. I've really been going back and reading a lot of classic books lately, and Wuthering Heights really exceeded my expectations. It was so beautiful and passionate and sad. I used it as a book by an author in their 20s.

QOTW: I think I would want to quarantine with a fictional character who could clean my house and cook dinner. So, stealing the Harry Potter theme from others, I would maybe choose Mrs. Weasley.

Good morning. Feeling blessed that my family continues to do well, but taking every precaution we can to keep it that way.

Still watching too much news and reading too many social media updates, but it seems like every time I forego there's major developments and we really don't want to feel lost in a time like this.

No books completed this week, but I am enjoying the one I'm reading. I just keep getting distracted and by the time I think to read it's time to sleep.

Question of the Week
Which book character would you want to be quarantined with?
I would like to be quarantined with a Hobbit - preferably Samwise because he can stay on the positive side of things and he doesn't talk all the time. This way when I eat second breakfast because I forgot there was a first breakfast, no one is judging me. :-) My second choice would be Cathy Dollanganger from Flowers in the Attic because she's a survivor. I suppose another good candidate is Ayla from The Clan of the Cave Bear.

Brandy wrote: "I haven't checked in for a bit because I haven't much been able to concentrate on much outside of my new favorite game of is my persistent cough allergies or Covid 19. It is totally allergies (and ..."

Oh yeah - I'm playing the same game. Relatively speaking, we're really in good shape - two adults who can work from home for fairly steady companies, two kids who can contribute rather than needing constant care, and we're all relatively healthy. But to be able to go outside would be so, so precious right now.

Anyway, my daughter is 16 and currently thinks she wants to study fashion in college, which is less . . . reassuring a choice than say, actuarial science or software architecture. But I'll tell you, it sure was nice yesterday to receive a custom-made face mask with a filter pocket and a wire sleeve on the nose, in my choice of fabric!

Anyway - reading continues to be a deep, strong foundation post for my life right now. I'm not blazing through books, but my bedtime reading is balm for the soul.

Finished:

A book with a pink cover - Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. I loved the beginning, and I really liked the audio of the sisters - they seem like cool, fun, smart people. But overall this fizzled a bit. 3 stars overall - check it out from the library if you're interested (once you have that chance again!)

An anthology - New Tales of the Yellow Sign. Liked this a lot. There were some clunkers and a couple puzzlers I might want to re-read. But "Full Bleed" and "Distressing Notification" are worth the price of admission for sure! Very modern, while still being true to the ultimate creep factor Chambers created in 1895.

Currently reading:

A book by an author with flora or fauna in their name - The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. I love Grady Hendrix, I love Bahni Turpin. Excited to get further into this!

A medical thriller - The Silent Patient. This came up available at the library (digitally speaking), so I'm giving it a shot. It seems long. I'm not engaged yet. And at about 15% of the way in, I paused and said, "Ugh these descriptions of women . . . this is a male author, right?" and checked, and yes. He seriously is close to an entry in the "Men writing female characters" Twitter thread. I'm giving it one more chapter to see if it can recover.

QOTW

At first I thought of Ma Ingalls - she has infinite patience, and knows everything about homesteading. She doesn't object to constant cooking and cleaning. She's brave and has tons of fortitude, and she's not afraid of a challenge.

However, I'm settling on Aziraphale, partly because magic powers, but mostly because he'd be much more entertaining to hang around with. Hard to imagine Ma appreciating a good Cabernet or wanting to discuss the intricacies of Jane Austen's narrator voice!

I haven't checked in for weeks because I have had absolutely no spoons. (For those unfamiliar: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoon_theory) I couldn't even bear to look at the Popsugar prompt list and slot in the few books I've been able to finish.

This pandemic put paid to my reading pace for a good while. It took me almost a fortnight to get through Wolf Hall, which, fair enough, it's a chunk, but then I picked up Actress which is less than 300 pages. It took me a week before I finally gave up on that one (for now), and I was only halfway through.
I've retreated to middle-grade and fantasy, and it seems to be helping.

But god, everything's scary right now. Being stuck inside I can cope with, sometimes I stay in for weeks at a time anyway, but as soon as the news comes on I just start shaking.

Anyway.

Books completed in the last few weeks:

Wolf Hall - Good solid big thing to serve as escapism and distraction. Soothing. I did have a bit of a hard time keeping track of all the characters and events, not sure if that was an issue with the book itself or just, well, the circumstances. Already own the sequel and am looking forward to it, but maybe not for a while yet - don't have the capacity to take on something else huge right now.

Pax - Oh this was beautiful. Very much a mix of The Fox and The Hound and The Incredible Journey, a real tearjerker but beautiful, beautiful. Some amazing messages about war, trauma, mental health, grief, and more.
This book strongly reminds me of the wonderful Madeleine L'Engle quote:

“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.”

Rose Daughter - Sometimes the best medicine for the bibliophile soul is slightly old-fashioned, comfortingly tropey yet just innovative enough to be fascinating, high fantasy. This particular one is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and it definitely plays the fairytale aspect straight - for example the characters have names like Lionheart and Jeweltongue. It was a case of perfect book at perfect time really, I gave it 5 stars because it was love and familiarity and whimsy when all was dark and full of terrors.
Oh - and there's a very good kitty.

Currently reading another BatB retelling, The Beauty of the Wolf. Definitely not as good as Rose Daughter but I'm quite enjoying it. (Although I will be happy if I never have to read the word "c*nny" - as in the old-fashioned version of the c-word - ever again.)

QOTW: First answer that immediately came to mind so I'm gonna go for it: Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings. A quarantine buddy who's wholesome, selfless, and most importantly can both grow and cook anything you might require or desire for breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, supper...
I would roll out of quarantine in spherical form and regret absolutely nothing.

Hi all,

Not much new for me. Still thankfully employed and working from home. Abstaining from most news.

I did actually finish some challenge books this week.

“Pun in title”- Prose and Cons- Not much happened in this cozy, but I do like the premise of a magical small town bookshop. The audiobook narrator gave some of the side characters some unnecessarily annoying voices though. I wanted to strangle her whiny high-pitched version of Sadie, and her stereotypical old woman voice for Grandma Daisy was almost offensively bad. 2 stars

“Medical Thriller”- Pale Horse, Pale Rider- I’m not sure this fits the medical thriller prompt exactly, but... close enough. I’m also not sure if it was brave or foolish to read a book about the 1918 flu at this moment in time. Anyway, there was some interesting information in this, but the loose organization and author tangents made it feel a bit scattered. 2 stars.

“20 book+ author”- The Great Alone- Read for an IRL book club. Kristin Hannah is just not my cuppa. On the plus side, this book has a great cover, title, and unusual setting. On the negative side, this is a bad Lifetime movie in book form. 1 star.

“World Leader”- The Oracle Queen- I read this prequel novella partially to fulfill the prompt and partially to see if I would be interested in reading the series. And after finishing this, I don’t think I am. It’s that kind of awkward YA where mature themes and storylines are present, but also has really basic prose and characterizations. 2 stars.

QOTW-
I guess I wouldn’t mind being quarantined with Murderbot? Is that weird? I feel like we would generally leave each other alone.

I would not want to be quarantined with Peeves from HP. A rude poltergeist in a confined space would be truly awful.

Tania wrote: "I would like to be quarantined with a Hobbit - preferably Samwise because he can stay on the positive side of things and he doesn't talk all the time. This way when I eat second breakfast because I forgot there was a first breakfast, no one is judging me. :-)"

Eyyy! Great minds!

Katy wrote: "I finished Searching for Jesus: New Discoveries in the Quest for Jesus of Nazareth—and How They Confirm the Gospel Accounts as my book with a 3 word title. Excellent book.

I have j..."

The Map of Salt and Stars was one of my favorite reads last year!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Hi everyone! Still healthy and staying home as much as possible, although numbers are still increasing quickly in my region. My husband's business is considered essential. Mine work not but I am able to work from home. I've only been out to get groceries and dog supplies, and to volunteer at the food bank.

I really thought I had been reading regularly until I realized it's Thursday again and I only finished one book in the past week. I'm at 14/50 for the challenge.

Finished

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine (Book with a main character in their 20s) - I had a little trouble settling into this book but the story (and Eleanor) definitely grew on me. It was charming and sweet despite the deep trauma underlying her story.

Currently Reading

Patsy (not for this challenge)
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry (Book on a subject you know nothing about)

I'm drawing a blank for the QOTW right now ... someone tough and resourceful with a sense of humor, without any personality traits that would get on my nerves. I'm struggling to come up with a character who fits that description.

I don't have a lot to report. It's been a slow reading week. I haven't had a lot of energy for it, and The Fiery Cross is really slow so I don't have much motivation to pick it up after work.

Finished
The A.I. Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole (a book with a robot, cyborg, or AI character). It was okay, but I didn’t really enjoy it. I think this is my last Alyssa Cole book. I want to love her books, but her style just isn’t for me.

Reading
The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (a book by or about a woman in STEM)

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James (a book by or about a journalist)

QOTW
This is a hard question because I'm used to living alone, so being quarantined someone would be a big adjustment. I think I need to be quarantined with someone quiet and with a good sense of humor. I'm going with Remus Lupin. I think our personalities would mesh well, and magic would be helpful. The only downside is that we'd have to hoard wolfsbane.

Morning!

I work at a law firm and we're considered essential, so my life hasn't really changes too much. No dog walk group meet-up weekly (which sucks for me and the dog), can't go to the gym and no weekend hangs with friends. We are rotating our support staff at our firm and some of our attorneys are working from home, so it's been a bit more quiet but no less busy.

My reading always falls off this time of year, so this is a multi-week update.

Finished:

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo for a book that passes the Bechdel test. I really really LOVED this. I loved Daisy Jones when I read it last year but this one just blew me away.

The Wedding Party for a book by an author with flora or fauna in their name. I did not like this one. I've enjoyed this series so far but as this book kept going, I liked it less and less. For me it could have been way shorter, there was soooo much filler.

Bloom - Not for the challenge, just because I had it and wanted to get rid of the "taste" of The Wedding Party out of my head. I loved this. It was sweet and fun and it's okay that the main characters made mistakes, they're young and still learning. I highly recommend this one.

Currently Reading:

Under the Dome for a book featuring one of the seven deadly sins. I'm slowly but surely working my say through this audio-book. I still love the narration of it (it's Raul Esparza and I love anything and everything he does). The book is good but man is it long.

The Silent Patient for a book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics. I'm really just getting into this book now. It's good but it's definitely building and I'm really interested to see where it goes.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd for a book from a series with more than 20 books. I'm reading this during my lunch hour and only 20 pages in, so can't really judge it yet.

QOTW:

There are two literary characters that I would want to be quarantined with:

1. Cletus Winston from Penny Reid's Winston Brothers' series. He's funny, would keep me on my toes, it would be an interesting time to say the least.

2. Murderbot....me and Murderbot would just like binge watch trash TV together and not have to worry about actually making conversation. It would be perfect.

I've only finished one book this week. In January and February, I was averaging 3 books a week. I miss those days! I just can't seem to focus on reading and sticking with it. Interestingly I had 10 digital books on hold at my library. Most the wait time was longer than 6 weeks. But over the weekend I recieved 5 of my holds! Either others are reading a ton or they are letting their holds go.

Progress:
Popsugar - 31/50
ATY - 24/52
Goodreads - 41/100

Finished:

Archenemies by Marissa Meyer POP. Character with vision enhancement. 4 stars, looking forward to next book in the series

Currently Reading:
The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin Hold that came in
A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Hold that came in
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami Hold that came in
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris Hold that came in
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones Hold that came in
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Away from the Dark by Aleatha Romig
The Wives by Tarryn Fisher I've been reading this book for 4 weeks now, just can't get through it.

QOTW: Oh this is a tough question! I'm sure there are several characters I wouldn't mind being quarantined with. And MANY that I wouldn't want to be stuck with. My latest read is the Renegades Series by Marissa Meyer. I've really enjoyed the first two books and looking forward to the last book. One of the characters is named Aiden, he is also a renegade named Sketch, his power is to draw anything and make the object come to life, or in 3D usable form. I think that would be a great option to have during quarantine!

It's been a few weeks since I've posted. I had resigned from my job before everything got crazy to start a new job. That got pushed back, but I'm finally at my new job this week. I work in a hotel, and it's sad not seeing guests and having such minimal staffing, but at least my hotel has not had to close yet. I'm staying safe though and still social distancing - being stuck in my office doing onlie training helps a lot with that!

Finished:
In the Woods - I read this for a facebook book club not for the challenge. This was okay. There were parts I enjoyed, but too many characters to keep track of, and it was really drawn out. 3 stars

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird - I thought this was very good. It probably could have been a little shorter, but I loved the ending so that made up for it. I used this for prompt #36 - a book with a pink cover. 4 stars

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell - I absolutely loved this book. I read it for my local book club and was so glad it was picked. Everyone needs to read this one. I used it for prompt #6 - a bildungsroman. 5 stars

Only Mostly Devastated - I had an ARC of this and did not use it for the challenge. It's a cute romance that's kind of like a retelling of Grease, but with two high school boys as the main characters. It was very good, and I would recommend it if you liked Red, White & Royal Blue. 4 stars

P.S. I Love You - I read this for my facebook book club. It was not my favorite. I found some parts touching, but really did not like the main character. I used it for prompt #41 - a book written by an author in their 20s (Cecelia Ahern was in her early 20s when she wrote it). 3 stars

A Heart So Fierce and Broken this is the second book in the Cursebreakers series by Brigid Kemmerer, and I loved it. Grey was my favorite character from the first book and this one tells more of his story. I used it for prompt #47 - a book with more than 20 letters in the title. 5 stars

Winter Garden - I just finished this one this morning. It was a bit long and had a slow start, but once the story within the story picked up I really enjoyed it. The ending was definitely an ugly cry! I used it for prompt #43 - a book with a character with vision impairment (the mother is color blind). 4 stars

Challenge Progress:
Regular Challenge - 16/40
Advanced Challenge - 6/10
Total - 22/50

Currently Reading:
Logging Off - I have an ARC of this. I'm going to end up switching my social media prompt to this book since it's so much about it, but it won't change my total.

The Giver of Stars- I wasn't going to read this one, but it was picked in my Book of the Month book club. I'm actually really enjoying it though. I'm using it for prompt #10 - a book recommended by your favorite online book club (Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine book club)

Ugly Love - I will start this today on my commute. It's for my facebook book club.

QOTW - Which book character would you want to be quarantined with? (Or, if that’s too difficult to narrow down for an answer, which book character would you NOT want to be quarantined with?)

I would want to be quarantined with Grey from A Curse So Dark and Lonely/A Heart So Fierce and Broken - he'd be good if we needed to be defended, and he likes to play cards so we'd have something to. Plus I picture him being very handsome so eye candy!

I would not want to be quarantined with Dudley Dursley from Harry Potter - he eats way too much, and I don't want to have to try to get groceries to keep up with him.

And so it goes. More businesses were closed this week. My son and I are still going for walks every day (4-5 miles), but it doesn't seem that hard to maintain social distancing... The streets are deserted!

Challenge Progress: 35/50

Completed:
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz: Once again Larsen delivers a superb accounting of history. (The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America is still my favorite!) Excellent use of primary sources. (A fiction or nonfiction book about a world leader) ★★★★

A Citizen's Guide to Beating Donald Trump: It's a campaign primer... essentially for people who live in swing states. I want Trump out as much as anybody, but I recently moved from an uncomfortably red state (with a Republican super-majority in both houses of its legislature) to a comfortably blue state. Sure, I'll spread the message electronically, but I don't think this was really the book for me. ★★★

Oona Out of Order: What an interesting take on time travel! This isn't sci-fi. There's no explanation or weird experiment gone wrong... Oona's travel through time just happens. Instead, this book is about life, relationships, and acceptance. (Favorite past prompt - 2018: A book with alliteration in the title) ★★★★

A Gentleman in Moscow: "For what matters in life is not whether we receive a round of applause; what matters is whether we have the courage to venture forth despite the uncertainty of acclaim." Lovely (and sometimes sad) tale about a slice of history I really don't know much about. Alexander Rostov is a wonderful character. (A book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics) ★★★★

Things in Jars: I really liked this one! A magical, mythical mystery set in Victorian England, beautifully written. The writing style and setting reminded me of Once Upon a River and The Essex Serpent. I'd certainly be interested to read more about Bridie Devine. (Favorite past prompt - 2016: A book with a blue cover) ★★★★

We Ride Upon Sticks: Girls are so complicated and weird, and I think we all go through a "witchcraft" stage. This book encompasses all this with dark humor and '80s nostalgia. This '80s girl loved it. (A book you picked because the title caught your attention) ★★★★

Four Weddings and a Sixpence: An Anthology: Enjoyable, but not special. Julia Quinn's story is the best of the four (it's last, so be patient). And Laura Lee Guhrke's contribution, while better than Sloane's and Boyle's, felt incomplete; it would have benefited from a longer treatment. (An anthology) ★★★

Funny, You Don't Look Autistic: A Comedian's Guide to Life on the Spectrum: April is Autism Awareness Month, and this is a nice, fun read for the occasion. It's fairly slight - Michael McCreary is a very young man to have written a memoir - but his story is informative and humorous. I would have liked to learn more about his brother. (Big Library Read Online Media pick for March 23-April 13, 2020) ★★★

Currently Reading:
The Glass Hotel (A book set in a country that begins with "C" - Canada)
Upright Women Wanted
The Travelling Cat Chronicles (A book set in Japan, host of the 2020 Olympics)
The Mercies
Seeds of Science: Why We Got It So Wrong on GMOs
Scrappy Little Nobody (A book with a three-word title)
A Game of Birds and Wolves: The Ingenious Young Women Whose Secret Board Game Helped Win World War II
The Wrath and the Dawn (A book featuring one of the seven deadly sins)

QOTW: I'd certainly want to be quarantined with someone capable... Hermione Granger seems like a good choice. (Preferably an adult Hermione. I'm sure she'd enjoy some respite from Ron.)

Hi y'all! I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy! Things are going well on my end...My husband and I rarely leave our apartment. We have gloves and face masks for when we do have to go out in public. I am worried about my parents. They live in southern California, about 10 minutes east of Los Angeles. They're both in their 70s and my dad is diabetic. Luckily my brothers and my sister who live near them have been taking them groceries, but I still worry. Moving on!

I finished All-American Muslim Girl and you guys...if you like contemporary YA, I totally recommend this! I used it for "A book you picked because the title caught your attention" (but it could also be used for pink cover, a title with more than 20 letters, bildungsroman, bechdel test, or a subject you know nothing about).

I'm about a quarter of the way through with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

QOTW: I wouldn't mind be quarantined with Mr. Bilbo Baggins, assuming I'll be staying in his hobbit hole at the Shire. He's a great host, has plenty of food, it's cozy and people live far away enough from each other so you can go on a little stroll without running into a bunch of people.

Things are fairly bleak here, especially when the local school district announced it was closed "indefinitely." Yikes. I'm concerned about the future of our educational systems along with so many other things. Overall I'm finding that it helps to focus on one day at a time, avoiding too much thought about the future.

I'm currently at 41/50 for the challenge.

This week I listened to Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love which was great. I just love the Fab Five. They were filming in my city when all this started, so I'm sad that we probably won't get to see that season for a long time now. I'm thinking watching some QE reruns might be a good mood-booster. 5 stars

I finished Babel-17 on kindle for a book club, and it wasn't quite for me. There were some interesting topics and great themes in there, but for me, all the characters and space action took away from the story. But I'm not into space SF, so that was the main problem. I think I'll be one of the few in the book club discussion that didn't love this. 3 stars

I listened to The Labyrinth of the Spirits for another book club, and it was good, but unfortunately I'm not loving CRZ's books as much as I used to. I think it's a mood thing, and also that the writing might be more effective in print rather than audio. I can see the value (in how it's similar to the other books in the series, and it finally highlights female characters in this story), even if my current interest level is preventing me from thoroughly enjoying it. 3 stars

I just finished listening to Topics of Conversation and I think the idea and time/stories-through-conversations structure were great, but I was only really interested in a couple of the "stories." It definitely felt more like a collection of short stories than a cohesive novel. I like short stories but they usually work better in print rather than audio.

I just started listening to The Lost Book of Adana Moreau and I'm reading Such a Fun Age in print.

QOTW: Hmm, thinking about the books I've just been reading, I'd be open to being quarantined with Emira from "Such a Fun Age" and if nonfiction characters count, I'd say all of the Fab Five, as long as it's a big house where can all have our own spaces for quiet time, haha. I could probably handle Cinder too. Oh and I did like most of the characters in Girl, Woman, Other. I would not want to be quarantined with the characters in "Topics of Conversation" nor with most of the characters in "The Labyrinth of the Spirits." That series has tons of frightening people!

I think more than characters, there are many authors I'd be interested in being quarantined with. They'd probably be pretty quiet and I could learn some great writing tips from them. :)

Happy Thursday Everyone! :) Hope everyone is staying safe & doing well!

Current Progress

PS: 21/50 | HP: 32/56 | ATY: 32/52 | GR: 32/100

Read/Finished This Week

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang ⭐️⭐️⭐️ While I really liked and appreciated that this book was own voices and featured a neurodiverse protagonist, the story itself wasn't really my cup of tea. Although I did appreciate that the adult content was well written, it irked me that this book focused on that aspect of the romance so much at the expense of a stronger plot and character development. I was hoping for more cute and less steamy moments.
Used for: PS - 22. A Book about or by a Woman in STEM (Stella, the MC, works in econometrics which definitely fits the M in STEM)
HP - 55. Read a book with a symbol on the cover
ATY - 17. A Book with a neurodiverse character

Wintersong (Wintersong #1) by S. Jae-Jones ⭐️ - I did actually finish this but kind of wish I'd DNFed it. I have sooo many thoughts and I could probably rant all morning. There is an audience who will love this book but it's NOT for me. Did you love The Night Circus and The Starless Sea? This might be for you! I was expecting this high fantasy adventure action packed story and instead I got a WORDY book that felt extremely scatterbrained (bi-polar main character? AND common minor plot progression points fuzzy or entirely left out) with flowery writing that incessantly described music (listening, playing and composing). All the action happens in sparse, tiny sections.
Used for: HP - 49. Read a book with an exquisite cover
ATY - 10. A Book that is between 400-600 pages
Not used for PS

Currently Reading

Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1) by Neal Shusterman - I'm super glad that I finally got around to starting this series and I'm really loving this so far!! (predicting 5 ⭐️) ;) I would have done it all in one sitting but I'm buddy reading it so I'm trying to slow down!

QotW

Who DO I want to be quarantined with?: Hmm..this is tough! Maybe Riley from Travis Bagwell's Awaken Online series? I feel like we would have a ton of fun gaming together because she seems very interested in following quest/story lines and is kind of great at gaming! She also just seems like a very level-headed, relaxed kinda personality. :) Retribution is her novella in the series.

Who I DON'T want to be quarantined with?: Liesl/Elisabeth from Wintersong which I just finished! Her passion is listening to/playing/composing music and that would be really problematic for me with my headache migraines also just annoying after several hours! xD Also, she's a character that's not really self-aware or who says/thinks one thing but then often does things to contradict that and that would just drive me bonkers too.

Katy wrote: "I finished Searching for Jesus: New Discoveries in the Quest for Jesus of Nazareth—and How They Confirm the Gospel Accounts as my book with a 3 word title. Excellent book.

I have j..."
I just finished Lonesome Dove what a book! Loved it, and I too love Newt. Loved Gus too, but don’t think I could take all that talking.....

Happy to have finished some books this week. Spring is in full force, with the cherry tree at the back of our house in bloom, and it's so warm out. Very grateful for our small garden right now, but I'm missing being able to go out for a walk further afield. Though excitingly we found a slime mold on our government mandated walk this morning! Haha, taking pleasure in the small things. I'm still working from home and unlikely to get furloughed.

Finished:
Atlas Alone for ATY (book by an author who wrote one of my faves from last 2 years). I have thoroughly enjoyed all the Planetfall books, and I wish I'd got to it last year because it would have worked for LitRPG and been so much better than what I did read! I hope she writes more in this series.

Black River for ATY (rural location) which wasn't as strong as the first two in the series, it's starting to get a bit repetitive, which is one of the things that stopped me reading crime fiction in the past.

City of the Lost for ATY (Canadian author), Kelley Armstrong is one of my comfort reading authors even though the subject matter isn't cosy! I had put off starting this series because I felt Cainsville went on a bit but really enjoyed this one, the male lead is so much like Clay (Women of the Otherworld), she definitely has a type.

Currently reading A Darkness Absolute and listening to Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982. I'm kinda just reading what I like and hoping it fits challenges.

PS: 17/50 | ATY: 16/52 | BR: 5/24 | GR: 40/100

QOTW:
I'm not sure there's many characters I'd want to be locked down with, maybe Phyllis from The Kraken Wakes because at least she will have prepared properly (I'm convinced she's based on John Wyndham's wife).

I am doing my best to stay away from the news. However, since we are all probably speaking to family more now, I get all the updates from my sister. She is obsessed with the news right now. We had a redeployment lottery at my hospital. I was not redeployed (at least this time), so I am still working from home.

Finished:
Hope Never Dies for a book about a world leader. Funny to read this now with the upcoming election.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for book with a four star rating on Goodreads. Comfort audiobook listen.

Currently reading:
Too many things. It's hard to stay focused.
Neanderthal Seeks Human
Running with Sherman
The Lover
The Count of Monte Cristo
Audiobooks:
The Three-Body Problem
The Outsider

QOTW:
Hermione seems like a good choice. She would occupy herself mostly. But she also seems like a get a grip friend who would tell you to stop eating and drinking so much, and enough with the Schitt's Creek already. Do something useful with all this free time.

Scary times for sure. My farming town also has hundreds of cases, but so far no one in my family. Praying it stays that way. We've been fortunate that my husband's job is going steady (he's a therapist), but I feel for everyone worried about their jobs or who has lost them. My father was laid off in the fall of last year and finally got interviews and seemed like he was going to get an offer when the virus hit. The company says they're still interested in him, but obviously can't promise anything until this is over, so he's stuck in limbo. Definitely a time to be looking out for each other. We're going to try doing more carry out meals from mom-and-pop places in the area, and I'm going to book extra services from my hair stylist once she's reopen. It's not much, but I figure every little bit helps. What a time.

Finished 14/50

Bam! I crushed it this week!

Father Arseny, 1893-1973: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father for "book with 4 star rating on GR". This is about a priest living in the Gulag prison camps of Soviet Russia, and it was an amazing read. It's snippets of stories told by people who knew him, all compiled and secretly published to encourage the hidden faithful living in Russia. It's amazing. I wish I had known this man. His selflessness and love even amidst the cruelest conditions are inspiring. May he intercede for us today!

Early Christian Writings: The Apostolic Fathers for "book with a book on the cover". This is exactly what it says it is: a compilation of the earliest Christian manuscripts currently in existence. Fascinating read. So much I could say about this.

Voyage to the Rock for "book set in a country beginning with 'c'" (it's set in Canada). This is a middle-grade fiction book about siblings who've moved to Newfoundland and stumbled across a hidden treasure of St. Brenden the Navigator's. I learned a ton of history in this book. It's a little below my reading level, but great for kids! I also want to visit Newfoundland now. The author made it sound gorgeous.

Currently Reading

Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy: Finding the Way to Christ in a Complicated Religious Landscape for 'book published the month you were born" (December). I've been DYING to get my hands on this book and was so glad it fit a prompt for the challenge. The title is totally misleading. This is an in-depth survey of the American religious culture and all its myriad of groups and subgroups. It's written by an Eastern Orthodox priest whose goal is to introduce all readers of any religious background (or non-religious background) to the different belief systems present in the United States. It's a beast of a book. I'm definitely not finishing this in a week. The table of contents is mammoth. I haven't even heard of some of these religions, so I'm super, super excited to dig into this and learn.

The Wilderness Journal: 365 Days with the Philokalia for "book with a title that caught your attention". We'll be here all year. XD

QotW

LOVE this question! How fun!

I'd love to be stuck in quarantine with Aslan from Narnia because then I could travel to different worlds without ever leaving my house (see what I did there? ;) ).

I do not want stuck with Joffrey from Game of Thrones because it's Joffrey and I'd probably be grateful if he just killed me by the end of it.

Sara wrote: "... QOTW: I think I would want to quarantine with a fictional character who could clean my house and cook dinner. So, stealing the Harry Potter theme from others, I would maybe choose Mrs. Weasley. "


That is a really good point that I had not considered!!! Mrs Weasley would be wonderful!

Hello, it’s been awhile since I posted but with the virus and a new puppy, reading hasn’t been so great. I did finish several books for the challenge, I’m now at 15/50 done.

I finished Lonesome Dove. I am not a western person so I wasn’t excited about this prompt but this was on my shelf. It is now a 5 star all time favorite. At 847 pages, it took most of my March, but it is an action packed, emotional story with wonderful, memorable characters.

A Woman Is No Man was written when the author was in her 20s, although she is 30 now. It is an important story but I just couldn’t love the book as much as I wanted to. The writing wasn’t great for me. Three stars.

Writers & Lovers for author with flora and fauna in her name. Liked this a lot. Story about a woman that has to grow up and deal with her mothers death, her bad financial choices, romances with 2 men and her 6year old unfinished novel. I really like
Lily King.

I’m now reading The Right Swipe for the social media book. Cute romance with diverse characters. It’s fun.

QOTW: I live alone with my puppy. I think she is about all I can handle right now.

Kathy wrote: "Katy wrote: "I finished Searching for Jesus: New Discoveries in the Quest for Jesus of Nazareth—and How They Confirm the Gospel Accounts as my book with a 3 word title. Excellent bo..."

I love Gus, too, but there's no way you would want to be confined with him in close quarters. He'd be restless. He'd never shut up, and he'd probably keep trying to cut cards for a poke.

Call would talk less, but he'd put you to work on endless projects around the house and be all judgey about the way you do it.

Jake would probably just say screw it and walk out after the first day.

Lorena would actually probably be fine to be quarantined with also.

Good day all! Fortunately, it’s been a beautiful spring week. The skies are bright blue and the temps mild. That’s supposed to change over the weekend, some spring snows should fall. My loved ones are all healthy. It was As others have said, my reading has slowed, trouble focusing.

I finished one book this week: Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand. This was an ok read. It was light on the turbulence of that summer, but did touch on the BIG events. I wasn’t going to read this one, but glad I did.

Currently reading:
All the Light We Cannot See - audio
The Hamilton Affair

QOTW
This is a tough one. Someone quiet, maybe someone who would teach me a craft. Maybe a chef.

Hi Everyone!
I'm in SE Michigan, so we're one of the bad hotspots. There's cases within my city, don't know the exact numbers. I have been getting out running and puttering around outside, but I've not really left the house otherwise in weeks. Although we did go get takeout from a restaurant last night because the thought of cooking was just too much. But it was a "order and pay on phone, slide through window" deal, and we threw out the outer bag and stuff. Trying to stay safe and sane!

I'm lucky in that both my husband and I have jobs that can be done from home, and at least as of right now we're both still employed and being paid.

I also have seasonal allergies so playing the same games of everyone else, "that sneeze was allergies, right? right? "

This week I finished:

Magic for Liars - This was my book by a trans/nonbianary author. I liked it, interesting take on the magic school, and the one wizard/one not dynamic. I also like a good magic noir type book, so thought it was fun.

Gingerbread - Book with a bird on the cover, read harder fairtale/classic/canon retelling by an author of color. I liked this ok, but something didn't quite gel into a great read for me. I liked a lot of the ideas, but I kept having to re-read bits and try to gather all the random bits into something cohesive. It's also supposed to be a fairy tale retelling, and it had lots of nods to Hansel and Gretel, but it didn't really follow the plot of it at all. I didn't really get why the references were there, they didn't seem to form the foundation of the plot. I could be missing something!

Excalibur, Vol. 1 - caught up on this, kinda weird. not really that familiar with older xmen stuff so makes the references confusing.

Fallen Angels, Vol. 1 - don't know that much about Psylocke, liked her in the xmen games I played. Interesting new arc with her.

Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider, Vol. 1: Spider-Geddon - love Seanan McGuire, fun having her write one of my favorite characters.

Currently reading:

Continuing to go through my comics.

also pluggign away at The Count of Monte Cristo, finally got into the 400s. Got past all the Franz stuff so hopefully picks up a bit now.

Think I'll start Horrorstör soon for my Indie Horror for Read Harder.

QOTW:

Continuing with Harry Potter theme, I think I'd like to quarantine with Luna Lovegood. I feel like she'd be equally good at just doing our own thing, reading or doing art quietly, and coming up with stuff to ease boredom together. I could see her organizing hunts for wrakspurts, figuring out new mural projects to work on, doing quizzes out of the quibbler etc. But I could also just see hanging out on opposite chairs, quietly reading and silently enjoying company.

There are far too many I wouldn't want to quarantine with to name them haha.

Katy wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Katy wrote: "I finished Searching for Jesus: New Discoveries in the Quest for Jesus of Nazareth—and How They Confirm the Gospel Accounts as my book with a 3 word title..."

Hilarious! And so true....

Have you read the other books in the series? I loved this one, but am afraid to move on if the others aren’t good.

Nadine wrote: "Black Water Rising by Attica Locke- this was on my personal challenge list of books I need to read this year. It started off really strong, but it sagged in the middle. I wanted a taut page turner but instead I got an extended character study. It was good enough that I’ll read more from Locke, though. But maybe not the next book in this series."

While I adored Black Water Rising, it was her debut novel. And...I read mainly for characterization--plot can definitely be secondary for me, so perhaps that is why I loved this book more than you did. :) I have yet to read any of her other books, so can't comment on those...yet! :)

Sheri wrote: "Gingerbread - Book with a bird on the cover, read harder fairtale/classic/canon retelling by an author of color. I liked this ok, but something didn't quite gel into a great read for me. I liked a lot of the ideas, but I kept having to re-read bits and try to gather all the random bits into something cohesive. It's also supposed to be a fairy tale retelling, and it had lots of nods to Hansel and Gretel, but it didn't really follow the plot of it at all. I didn't really get why the references were there, they didn't seem to form the foundation of the plot. I could be missing something!"

I felt the same way about Gingerbread! I was anticipating a pleasing confection, but the ingredients never blended! 😉

Sheri wrote: "Continuing with Harry Potter theme, I think I'd like to quarantine with Luna Lovegood. I feel like she'd be equally good at just doing our own thing, reading or doing art quietly, and coming up with stuff to ease boredom together. I could see her organizing hunts for wrakspurts, figuring out new mural projects to work on, doing quizzes out of the quibbler etc. But I could also just see hanging out on opposite chairs, quietly reading and silently enjoying company."

Ooh... I love Luna, but the thing is, she could turn into such a conspiracy theorist. One minute it's nargles, the next, COVID being manufactured in a lab.

Finished:

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo for A book by or about a journalist. This was a good page-turner in the end, but I dont think it grabbed me as much as it has many others. Despite the material it was covering, I didnt feel like it had much depth, and I didnt particularly care about any of the characters.

The Grove of the Caesars for A book by an author who has written more than 20 books. Lindsey Davis publishes one of these like clockwork every Spring, and I love to return to the familiar world they conjure each year. I recall finding last year's entry a little weak, but this year's was much better and more engaging - one of those books I wish I'd been able to read a little slower so I could savour it for longer!

Started:

The Fall of Gondolin. I'm trying to work out whether I can count this for A book with a made-up language - for a Tolkien book with a lot of elves in it, no one really speaks any elvish! But there are a fair number of elvish place names in it, which all have translations into English, so it sort of works for the prompt. I'll decide when I've finished it.

QOTW:
Let's stick with a Tolkien theme (particularly as LOTR is my favourite book) and say that I'd like to be quarantined with Aragorn. We could hole-up in a cabin in the woods somewhere, and he could hunt food for us, and protect me from anyone else who was determined not to social-distance! And those are absolutely, positively, definitely the only reasons... ;)

And let's say I wouldn't want to be quarantined with Saruman. He'd be liable to imprison you on the roof if he got annoyed with you, and I wouldn't want to be responsible for the laundry needed to keep those robes sparkling white!

Loving all the fictional character quarantine responses. :)

I'm glad to see a couple of people who enjoyed Lonesome Dove who are not necessarily western fans!

I'm thinking about taking the plunge and reading it myself. I've already done the western prompt but need a book written in the 20th century.

I'm also playing through Red Dead Redemption 2 so it would be on theme, and long books seem particularly apt for lock-down times.

Kathy wrote: "Katy wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Katy wrote: "I finished Searching for Jesus: New Discoveries in the Quest for Jesus of Nazareth—and How They Confirm the Gospel Accounts as my book with a..."

I absolutely positively hate the sequel, Streets of Laredo. It is horrible. Everything that happens between the books is either senseless or nonsensical. (view spoiler)[plus you're obviously missing Gus and let's face it, he's one of the best characters. Also, I don't consider this much of a spoiler because it's one of the first things the book tells you. They kill off Newt between books (hide spoiler)] Spoiler info is for Lonesome Dove, not the sequel.

I don't care for the prequels that much. But, they have their moments and are a bit better.

All in all, I would recommend giving the rest of the series a pass. And, that's from someone who loves loves loves Lonesome Dove.

Sara wrote: "I've been watching a lot of historic figure skating on the Olympic Channel. Remember when Sale-Pelletier came in second and Scott Hamilton lost his mind!!"

That truly is the only thing I miss about not having TV in my house! The figure skating! Weird, huh? Anyway, I'm jealous! ;)

Sara wrote: QOTW: I think I would want to quarantine with a fictional character who could clean my house and cook dinner. So, stealing the Harry Potter theme from others, I would maybe choose Mrs. Weasley."

Awww. I hadn't even thought of her! But she's also so very sweet!

Cendaquenta wrote: "QOTW: First answer that immediately came to mind so I'm gonna go for it: Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings. A quarantine buddy who's wholesome, selfless, and most importantly can both grow and cook anything you might require or desire for breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, supper...
I would roll out of quarantine in spherical form and regret absolutely nothing."

You made me laugh so hard! "spherical form"! Hysterical! :) Thank you!

Milena wrote: "and enough with the Schitt's Creek already. Do something useful with all this free time"

Schitt's Creek is never a waste of time. And if anyone is looking for a show to binge during this trying time, I highly suggest Schitt's Creek. It's funny and pure and not mean-spirited. And the way Catherine O'Hara says "baby" is pure genius.

Still social distancing by only leaving the house for groceries and take out once a week. I did change out of pjs yesterday because I had a video conference with my students. I’m bored out of my mind and wasn’t even in the mood to really read last week.

Book by an author with flora or fauna in their name

Movies (and Other Things) by Shea Serrano (illustrated by Arturo Torres). This is a book where each chapter is a question (sometimes ridiculous) that he answers. I love Serrano. He’s funny. I follow him on twitter and he is constantly giving away money. He seems like an all-around good guy. I bought this copy from Barnes and Noble because there was an otter poster with it. All the otters are movie characters. And the poster was also a delight. There’s a basketball book that is also great.

doesn’t tick off a prompt

The Secret She Keeps by HelenKay Dimon. Contemporary romance. It was not great but it was good enough for me to pick up the book about the other brother.

QOTW:
I couldn’t think of anyone I’d want to be quarantined with off the top of my head but I like the suggestion upthread about Luna. She’d be cool to hang out with.

Not quarantined with was much easier. I would definitely not want to be quarantined with Holden Caulfield or Romeo or Umbridge. I feel like any of these people would drive me crazy.

Doing well here but worried about the survival of my small university after all of this.

Did a little reading. For A book published in the 20th century Ruins by Kevin J. Anderson which is your typical X-Files case except it is set in Mayan ruins in Mexico. It was pretty good.

And for A book with an upside-down image on the cover Ghostwriter by Lissa Bryan. I had stressed about finding one of these in my collection and ran across this one on the shelf. It's a decent paranormal romance (which it wasn't sold to me as that, I thought it was mystery but oh well)


QOTW Hmmm there are probably so many I'd like to be quarantined with maybe Riza Hawkeye from Fullmetal Alchemist (and she'd probably bring along Roy Mustang) or maybe Sebastian and Hero from the Sebastian St Cyr mysteries.

I wouldn't want Sherlock Holmes because there'd be another murder, one he couldn't solve because he was dead.

I finished one for the week. Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips. I gave it 3 stars. I didn’t use it for any Pop Sugar prompts. I liked the writing & the way the author told the story. It is about the kidnapping of young sisters in a remote Siberian peninsula. The story is told through Women’s voices. The location also plays a major role. When I finished I felt like the ending was ambiguous so I reread it three times. Then in my mind I read other ways it could finish into it. Then I got mad because I wanted a clear no questions or what if’s left finished.
Currently reading The Mirror & The Light by Hilary Mantle. No ambiguity with this book. I hope to have it finished by next check in.
QOTW I want to be quarantined with a couple. Inspector Armand Gamache & his wife. They would definitely take care of you. Have delicious meals. They like to read. He gives good advice. We could set by the fire. I wouldn’t want to be quarantined with Dracula. Goes without saying.

Finished: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets I'm enjoying this series, but I still don't understand why it's SO hyped!

Started: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Cultivating Your Creative Life: Exercises, Activities & Inspiration for Finding Balance, Beauty & Success as an Artist I've read much more inspiring books on creativity and the only way I'm getting through this one is to ignore the exercise prompts. So, I would not recommend this.

QotW: I would want to be quarantined with Stargirl! She would find reasons to put rocks in her happy wagon and find ways to do things for other people.

Greetings, all! I've been a bit stressed about, well, everything, but I am grateful that the good people of California seem to be taking staying at home seriously and our curve is flattening. I may check on "the curve" more than I should for my anxiety levels, but we're all doing the best we can. :-)
We had a lovely (very short) seder via zoom last night. Our household pretty much drank wine and leaned because we didn't bother to get all the supplies, but it was still fun to see everyone.

Finished this week: just one! A Torch Against the Night (seven deadly sins): Frankly, I found this book a bit boring for about the first 80%, but the ending got a lot more interesting so I think I will read the next book in the series. To be fair, it might be more that I was distracted than that the book itself wasn't great, so we'll see where it goes.

Currently reading:
The Return of the Native
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead
Spinning Silver

QOTW: I think I'd like to be quarantined with Elizabeth and Jane Bennet, but would that mean I'd have to take the entire Bennet family? I'd probably get along all right with Mary, but Lydia and watching Mr. and Mrs. Bennet swipe at each other...shudder. Maybe I'll go with quarantine at Pemberley after Lizzie gets married.

Hey all. We finally got actual work from the main office, so I've been adjusting to working from home. Lots of very minor annoyances have been adding up. (e.g.: No dual monitor setup, so I can't see my research and my writing at the same time. My keyboard is a little weird, so when I type an "i" or an "o" it often also types a "9" and I have to delete it. Also, my desktop doesn't have Microsoft Word, so I'm writing everything in Wordpad and will have to fix the formatting later.)

But I'm home and safe and have lots of groceries and a job, so I shouldn't complain.

But I'm still in a reading slump.

Finished reading:

Cosmic Crust - A timely story, but just about everything in this story managed to rub me the wrong way. First of all, if there's a pandemic, why is everyone dining in at the pizza place? And the main character, a pizza server, keeps sneezing on the pizza?? And then there's literally a Biblical plague of flies and (view spoiler)[the head chef puts the flies in the pizza (hide spoiler)]??? no no no no no

Currently reading:

Gideon the Ninth (published in my birthday month (September), passes Bechdel test) - This book is fantastic and honestly deserves better than my fractured attention span. Gideon is still the best, and Gideon x Harrow is still the best.


QotW:
My first reaction was "GIDEON" but, honestly, Gideon is a terrible choice. She would probably drive everyone nuts in confinement, if she didn't straight up ignore the quarantine and keep going out. I'd still love Gideon as a friend, but not in quarantine.

My actual choice is Murderbot. We're already pros at social distancing; we would just chill and watch shows and otherwise not bother each other.

Lynn wrote: "You made me laugh so hard! "spherical form"! Hysterical! :) Thank you!"

Thank you right back. I do try! 😄

Tough week for me, found out I would be on furlough leave for 6 weeks in a week or so. I know I'm very lucky that I still have a job, but I need that routine in my life and will have to make one!

Finished reading:
How It Was (a book with a three word title): Too much switching around. It was clear which character was speaking, but too much back and forth between past and present. And I didn't really like any of the characters. Other than that...

Currently reading:
Things I Learned from Falling (no category): I'm 100 pages in and really enjoying this, more than I expected! Hoping to finish this tomorrow.

QOTW: I wouldn't want to be quarantined from anyone out of How It Was. Predictable, but I'd like to be with a fellow bookworm, like Hermione from HP.

Finished:
-Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher
-The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
-The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
-Circe by Madeline Miller
-Among Others by Jo Walton
-Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Starting The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

I highly recommend The Children of Blood and Bone. I stayed up until 5am bc I couldn't put it down.

Doni wrote: "QotW: I would want to be quarantined with Stargirl! She would find reasons to put rocks in her happy wagon and find ways to do things for other people."

Oh my gosh, ABSOLUTELY!!!! And you'd get to play with Cinnamon!