Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

What books are you reading in this category? What recommendations do you have?

I'm thinking Animal Farm

I was thinking of The Twelve, the second in Justin Cronin's trilogy. But I'll have to do a little more research to make sure the strange creatures in that book are non-human.

This one is going to be hard for me as I've never been a fan of books with animals. But, it is non human so maybe I will go a sci-fi route and read one with aliens or something. :-P

Watership Down would work. Great book with rabbits as the characters..

I think I'm going to read "Son of a Witch" by Gregory Maguire. It's the sequel to "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" which is my favorite book. I've been meaning to read it for years. There are quite a few different non human type characters in the series including, of course, the Cowardly Lion. I'm not sure he shows up in "Son of a Witch" but there are many Animal characters. If anyone is wanting to read "Wicked" I highly recommend it and it would satisfy this requirement as Doctor Dillamond is a very important character in the book and he is a Goat.

If I had known about this challenge before I was almost all the way through Three Bags Full, I would have saved that book for this prompt. It's really a good book and the sheep are engaging characters.

As it is, I'm thinking a Mrs. Murphy mystery or James, Fabulous Feline: Further Adventures of a Connoisseur Cat.

I'm going to read Gil's All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez. The two main characters are a vampire and a werewolf and there are ghosts, zombies, and a sorceress. I guess they're kinda human-esque. But I'm not getting too picky with myself over this goal.

Animal Farm-George Orwell. I read it once in high school and remember not really understanding it. Maybe I will this time.

Oh, I loved Watership Down! I'm going to read The Bees by Laline Paull.

Alycia wrote: "Oh, I loved Watership Down! I'm going to read The Bees by Laline Paull."

I really enjoyed The Bees. It was a fun way to learn about matters of the hive.

I loved James and the Giant Peach. In 4th grade I was the glow worm in a school play. Fun times!

I read "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein, a story told in the voice of a dog. It had it's funny moments (zebra had me in hysterics) and was a great way to look at how we as humans treat each other.

I just finished "Watership Down" by Richard Adams, and it was absolutely lovely.

Smiley

I read The Golem and the Jinni. It was really interesting.

Is there any reason all the characters have to be non-human? I was thinking of one of the Asimov robot novels, I, Robot maybe?

Jules wrote: "Is there any reason all the characters have to be non-human? I was thinking of one of the Asimov robot novels, I, Robot maybe?"

I dont think all the characters need to be non-human. That would be tough.

Melanie wrote: "Jules wrote: "Is there any reason all the characters have to be non-human? I was thinking of one of the Asimov robot novels, I, Robot maybe?"

I dont think all the characters need to b..."

Agreed. What about characters that turn into animals? I haven't decided what I'm reading for this prompt yet, but my mom brought it up when I mentioned a book where the main character gets turned into a dog.

Also, my sister read Flatland for this prompt. The characters aren't humans or animals--they're shapes!

I have a Norse Mythology book in my TBR that I thought might fit the bill for this prompt. Gods & Goddesses aren't human, right?

I read the Passage by Justin Cronin

Presumably just about any Tolkein would work too, or a Harry Potter book, come to that!
-j-

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling would work right? Even though it's more of a reference, it is about magical creatures xD

And How To Train Your Dragon, of course!

I'm reading "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien. I've never been able to watch a whole Lord of the Rings movie, but for some reason I've always wanted to read this book; It does not disappoint! I love it!

I've just finished Cat Out of Hell by Lynne Truss as my choice.

Interesting idea about mythology. Does that count for this prompt?

I think mythology counts. I'm reading about gods, dwarves (where Tolkien got his LOTR names btw), giants, monsters, and mortals. It's been fascinating. I'm also seeing connections to the Thor movies, mostly where they got it wrong. Good times!

I'll be reading Demon: A Memoir by Tosca Lee.

I'm thinking of reading The Host or Watership Down

I've just finished reading the mermaid sister by Carrie Anne Noble

Are zombies considered nonhuman characters?

The book in particular is Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. Even in the book R considers himself a dead human and not really a zombie.

"I shake my head apologetically, but I wince at her use of the word “human.” I’ve never liked that differentiation. She is Living and I’m Dead, but I’d like to believe we’re both human. Call me an idealist."

Would you consider zombies to be human?

Kerryann wrote: "I've just finished reading the mermaid sister by Carrie Anne Noble"

I would not. Sounds like you found an interesting book!

Jane wrote: "I'll be reading Demon: A Memoir by Tosca Lee."

The Host is one of my favorite books. I couldnt stand the movie. But loved the book.

It was a good book. I loved the host too

I read The Velveteen Rabbit.

My book was Tithe. Great fantasy world. Three star book.

I just finished A Sudden Light by Garth Stein. It had a ghost as a character. I really enjoyed it!

I read a very silly book for this one -- but it was great fun!

The Case of the Cursed Dodo by Jake G. Panda

I read (actually audio as I am committed to going to the gym at least 6 days a week, self and doctor's prompting), and audio books have been a life saver. Anyway, I read Promise of Wolves, by Dorothy Hearst narrated by one of my favorite audiobook narrators, Justine Eyre. This is actually the first in a trilogy, so I may switch it over to that as I really enjoyed this book and go with another book for this category.

I love Sheri S. Tepper and two of hers fit this bill. The Fresco is a great one with aliens and The Family Tree has animals.

I just finished reading Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones and i can not recommend it highly enough. It had a star living in the body of a dog. There were several other non-human characters in the book as well, but even with so many non-humans, the book showed so much emotion and love throughout. I wish that i had discovered Diana Wynne Jones's books when i was a young girl and am so happy I know them now. My review:

"This was a heartbreaking, beautiful book that mostly focuses on the love between a girl and her dog, how they help each other, and how each one discovers where they belong. I read it to my daughter and she bawled at the end, partly because she loved it so much that she didn't want the story to be over."

I read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Brought me back to those "Harry Potter" days! :)

I read "The Hobbit". Since starting this challenge I couldn't come up with a book for this prompt. Suddenly, when watching the movie "The Hobbit" for the, like, 15th time, I suddenly realized that my favorite books are the solution. Next challenge prompt to work on is the trilogy challence, btw. Guess what the trilogy will be........

I read/listened to Hank the Cowdog on my recent roadtrip since I had 2 kids in the car. It was okay, but just not my kind of humor but the other 3 people in the car thought it was hysterical. I was going to read Art of Racing in the Rain for this category, but now I'm hoping it'll work for another category since I still want to read it and it's sitting on my shelf at home.

I was recommended The Knife of Never Letting Go, and was planning to count it for prompt 17. One of the main characters in the book, however, turns out to be a delightful talking dog called Manchee, so I've included it here instead. I highly recommend it by the way, both for the teen audience it's 'intended' for, and adults who don't mind a teenaged protagonist in an excellent sci-fi thriller!

I read The Humans by Matt Haig. It's narrated by an alien who comes and inhabits the body of a human and he's sending a report back to his alien brethren.

I've just finished Watership Down, and found it quite a slog. The story of rabbits re-locating is fine, but it just goes on and on. having trouble understanding the love of some of you for this one.

That's why there are so many choices!

For this prompt, I read Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor. It had many non-human characters:
- Laura, a tree who works part-time as a waitress
- a sentient patch of haze
- Erika, Erika, Erika, and Erika who are definitely NOT angels
- a mighty Glow Cloud

ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY GLOW CLOUD


I wasn't sure how Welcome to Night Vale would translate from radio podcast to novel, but IT WAS AMAZING. Seriously, if you like the podcast read and/or listen to the book. It will make you think about the Night Vale podcasts in a completely different way.