Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

It's almost 2015! What is the first book you are reading for the challenge? Do you know which prompt it satisfies? Feel free to add the books you are reading for the challenge to our group bookshelf throughout the year. Then others can look through them for recommendations.

I'm starting with "In Cold Blood" By Truman Capote and "The Silkworm" by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling). I'm not sure which prompts I will use them for as both could be use for multiple things. I think our member Yourfrienddave had a great idea with using January to get a head start. I think I will try to check off some of the quicker reads in January and frontload my year.

What are some of your strategies for our challenge?

I have several books that are year long a-bit-a-day projects, so while those will be the first I'm truly reading for 2015, the first I finish will probably be The Little Girls for prompt #52 A book you started but never finished.

Hi, I'm starting with Emma. It fits more than one category so I think I'll decide which prompt it satisfies after finishing it.
I don't have a definite strategy but I'll definitely skip around the list. Also I have lots of books in my to read list, so I will try to find prompts to clear that up.

I think I'll, to borrow Ann's word, front load my year. I am thinking of starting with my play ('Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead') and my childhood read ('The Phantom Tollbooth'). Those together should take me a weekend. I know some of my longer reads (book 500+ pages) will be done at home. I really don't want to overfill my work locker lol. Most of the other books I have in mind are between 300-400 pages, so the mood will dictate my choice lol.

Oh, another part of my strategy-use the library whenever possible. For example, I've never really read graphic novels. The library should have a variety to pick from and it's free. Free is good.

Free is definitely good. I agree, Leah. I'm planning on reading "Orange is the New Black" first to fulfill the prompt 'A book made into a TV series'. I bought this for myself for Christmas. I've never watched the TV series but my friends have. I can't wait to see how the book compares to how they've described the show. Plus, I need to finish it first because my sister-in-law wants to borrow it. Not sure what book I'll read after this one. Front-loading the year with quick books seems like a good idea, though.

I would also like to front load my year... I think I will start with "The Ocean at the End of the Lane" (recommended by a friend) and "Looking for Alaska" (1st novel of a popular author) since I have them both and they are both pretty short.

Also, I am only about a hundred pages into my current (870 page) book, so if I don't finish it by January 1, I may cheat a little and count it toward 2015...

My thought exactly with finishing the one I haven't finished this year. I may change my mind later if I get enough ambition to finish one I started years ago! I think I will start the over 500 soon so I can have the whole year to finish it lol! I usually have at least two books going these days as opposed to years past when I felt like I had to finish one before I went on. At my age, you just have to make the most of it

Beth wrote: "I would also like to front load my year... I think I will start with "The Ocean at the End of the Lane" (recommended by a friend) and "Looking for Alaska" (1st novel of a popular author) since I ha..."

I am also about half way through with a book so I'm going to finish it in 2015 and count it towards the goal. I don't think it's cheating! You read it (or some of it) in 2015 :)

I think I'll start out with my memoir, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?. I got it for Christmas this year and have been wanting to read it!

I am also currently reading an 800 page book that I just started and will not be finished in the new year so I will count that as well. Not sure which category it will fall into yet. It's 11/22/63 by Stephen King. So far it's really good. I have 600 pages left of it.

I'm going to start with 11/22/63 too.

I'm not sure where I'm going to start. I've got several reserves coming in from the library so I'll just plug them into prompts as I go. Then I want to work on clearing some from my shelves. Plus I'll have books to read for my two book clubs. Hopefully they will fit some of the prompts as well.

I just started Gone Girl yesterday. Its probably going to be until after the 1st that I finish, so I'm starting there. It fits a few but I'll probably say that its "A book that became a movie".

I think I'll still be reading The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick in the new year (A book with a colour in the title).

If not it'll be Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman (A book with non human character)

I'm debating between If I Stay by Gayle Forman (book adapted to movie), 13 1/2 by Nevada Barr (book with a number in the title), and 1984 by George Orwell (one-word title). I have all three on my shelf already, it's just a matter of choosing.

Sam wrote: "I'm debating between If I Stay by Gayle Forman (book adapted to movie), 13 1/2 by Nevada Barr (book with a number in the title), and 1984 by George Orwell (one-word title). I have all three on my s..."

I've just finished If I Stay, and enjoyed it. It's an interesting concept.

I think I'll start with Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and I'll probably shelve this under book more than 100 years old (and I hope I'm doing this right lol)

I'm starting off with Lawrence Hill's The Book of Negroes. It got a lot of awards and it's supposed to be very memorable. It satisfies a number of prompts, but I think I'll choose #42: A book you own but haven't read yet.

Finally made the big decision...the first novel I am reading for the 2015 Challenge. Yes Please by Amy Poehler. Not sure what this will fulfill on the list, I'm thinking memoir.

I'll be starting with Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects, Dark Places, and Gone Girl. This will fulfill prompts 3 (a book that became a movie), 9 (a book by a female author), and 41 (a book by an author you've never read before).

I'm thinking of starting the challenge with Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, I'm only 386 pages in so it will definitely not be finished by new years. The only problem is that it falls in about four categories, so I'm not sure which one to pick.

I have just started A Clash of Kings by George R R Martin for #1 A book with more than 500 pages. :)

Aurora wrote: "I'm starting off with Lawrence Hill's The Book of Negroes. It got a lot of awards and it's supposed to be very memorable. It satisfies a number of prompts, but I think I'll choose #42: A book you o..."

Aurora, I've had that book on my Kindle for years. I'd love to hear what you think of it.

I started A Tale of Two Cities the other day. I definitely won't finish it before the end of 2014 so I'm going to use that for "a book more than 100 years old".

I decided today that I'm going to start my year off with Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes. :)

A Stolen Life

I am starting with a memoir ...

I've just started George's Secret Key to the Universe

I'm starting with Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott. I haven't decided which prompt to make it yet, though.

I started reading Slaughterhouse-Five at the very end of 2014 and still have half of it to read, so I will count that as my book with a number in the title. I believe my real first one will be The Luminaries, it could fit a few prompts though, so I'm still unsure what it'll be for.

I am starting with The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory.

Since I started it yesterday and haven't finished, my first book is Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elana Ferrante and will be counted toward the book written in another language (44).

I'll be finishing By Eastern Windows for task #9 and starting The Dovekeepers for task #39

I had initially thought i would work my way through the list in order but I have been dying to read bring up the bodies by Hilary Mantel so I have just started that. I think I will count it towards 'books based on a true story'. However I might change that as the year goes on if I am struggling to fulfil other prompts.

Starting with The Book Thief by Markus Zusak for a book with more than 500 pages.

I just read Blue is the warmest colour for prompt #40 (read a graphic novel).
So next I'm going to try to finish a dance with dragons which i've been reading for a looong time, I guess this will count as prompt #1 (read a book with more than 500 pages).

Started The Hobbit this morning and I'm loving it!

I'm starting with Act of War by Brad Thor since I'd already downloaded it to read this week. It will be my thriller for prompt #10

I'm starting with "The Age of Ra" by James Lovegrove to fulfill prompt 50.

I'm starting with The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin for prompt #16.

I'm starting with The Story of Awkward by R.K. Ryals for prompt #24 A book based entirely on its cover.

I'm going to read the Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker inthe 'magic' category. I thought it was a 500 pg book but it's merely 496.ugh.

I'm starting with The Twelve Tribes of Hattie for a book with a number in the title.

Andrea wrote: "I think I'll start with Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and I'll probably shelve this under book more than 100 years old (and I hope I'm doing this right lol)"

I will be reading that for my more than 100 years old. Actually, rereading it. Loved that book!

I will be finishing Fight Club under category 50 - started but not finished. :)

Currently starting with A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly to take out "book that takes place in your hometown"!

Starting with The Crown, a debut novel by Nancy Bilyeau. It falls under many categories, wbd after I complete it!

Emma wrote: "Starting with The Book Thief by Markus Zusak for a book with more than 500 pages."

That is such a great book!

I'm reading "Ilium" by Dan Simmons. It's my "over 500" book so I figured I'd knock it out first.

I just finished my first book for the year: "Man in the Woods" by Scott Spencer. I'm using it as my book by an author I've never read before.

I found it to be a "meh" book with my favorite part coming within the last few chapters as events in the story were finally being resolved.

With that said, I would not seek out more books by this author or recommend them but I'm grateful to have one book already checked off my list!