Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2020 Weekly Checkins
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Week 19: 4/30 - 5/7
We're expecting snow on Saturday, too, but it's OK. It won't stick around long.I finished Life Among the Apaches as my book by a journalist. It as OK, I guess.
Now, I'm reading The Book Thiefas my bildungsroman.
QOTW: I haven't really given dinosaurs much thought since I wa s a kid. But, I think I used to like the stegosaurus. And, of course, the T-rex, the rock star of dinosaurs.
Happy Thursday Everyone! I hope that everyone is staying healthy and safe and enjoying their weather! I know I am enjoying this (finally warmer) weather...well minus the snow that I've gotten this morning; but that won't last long and it's not that unusual for me to see snow in May. Earlier this week when it was a bit warmer, I managed to get out on the boat and do some fishing which I always love! My extended family shares ownership of a private boat launch/dock on our road (yes we all live on the same road, lol) so it was an easy activity to do while still remaining isolated. :) The bay (Georgian Bay) was so calm the other night that it looked like a mill pond and the water had some crazy reflections happening! Plus, we brought home some rainbow trout so it was a win win all around! :D
I managed to read 3 books this week (I even did some reading on the boat) which I'm content with and also looked at all my remaining challenge prompts across all my challenges and worked out that I have to read 22 more books to finish out all of them so I'm looking at June finishes - yay!
Current Progress
PS: 34/50 | HP: 43/56 | ATY: 42/52 | GR: 47/100
Read This Week
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Overall, I enjoyed this and my interest didn't wane throughout but I didn't find that this particular story by Lisa See was quite as powerful as her others and I was missing the strong family/friend relationships that are usually present in her works. In this case, I wished that certain themes were explored a little bit more and that certain others were explored a little bit less. I was also disappointed by the ending because I felt it was too abrupt; I wanted one more chapter or an epilogue or heck even one more paragraph...something! I felt like after all of the buildup that it just wasn't as satisfying as it could have been but I do still feel that the story was resolved at least.
Used for: PS - 6. A Bildungsroman
HP - Not used for any of these prompts
ATY - 27. A History or Historical Fiction
The Simple Wild (Wild #1) by K.A. Tucker ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a cute, light, quick romance read that I really enjoyed (or at least it's pretty light compared to what I usually read, haha). I definitely think that there are some small details and aspects that could have been done a little bit better and I don't recommend the audio on scribd because the narrator miss-pronounces some things which really irked me! I definitely noticed it with "waft" and "Sault Saint Marie", both of those pulled me out of the story and had me cringing hard! All in all, I'm excited to jump into book 2 at some point and see where the story goes. Also, I was missing a romantic scene involving a glorious view of the northern lights because that's like the best part of travelling up north!! (Maybe in Book #2?)
Used for: PS - 50. A Book with a Main Character in their 20s
HP - Not used for any of these prompts
ATY - 28. A Book by an Australian, Canadian or New Zealand Author (K.A. Tucker is Canadian)
Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I'm having a hard time rating this one because I had vastly different feelings about different sections of the book so I guess I'll land in the middle with a 3 star? I was a bit salty that the synopsis basically lied to me and it also probably doesn't help that I'm undecided about (view spoiler) This had some pacing issues and was way more character driven than I would prefer but I did enjoy the last 1/3rd which was faster and am looking forward to the rest of the series.
Used for: PS - 7. The First Book you touch on a shelf with your Eyes Closed (I used a random generator which is why I rejigged some of my plans to include this series but I'm calling that better because I know where all the physical books are on my shelves since I mostly read ebooks so it was truly random this way.)
HP - 4. Read a book with blue on the cover
ATY - Not used for any of these prompts
Currently Reading
I'm about to pick up the next novella in the Shatter Me series (#2.5) so Fracture Me
QotW
Hmm...I think maybe a stegosaurus because I really love that they have all those plates on their backs plus I think that having spikes on your tail and using that as a defence mechanism is pretty rad!
The weather's been a bit odd in Ohio too - we're supposed to get lake effect snow this weekend (COME ON, IT'S MAY) but... whatever! Nature gonna do what it does.I finished three books this week:
Pride and Prejudice - 4 stars. Reread, I hadn't touched this in probably 15 years. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and I like to think I got more out of it this time around than when I was fifteen or sixteen. Excited for more Austen! Main character in their 20s
Bright We Burn - 4.5/5 stars. Finished the trilogy, and from that standpoint it ended very well (or as well as it could have), and I appreciated a no-holds-barred bloodthirsty heroine. However, I found myself disenchanted by the whole genderbent-historical-fiction aspect by the end; just give me historical fiction about actual women. Title caught my attention
The Obelisk Gate - 4 stars. I tend to think I *want* to like this series more than I actually do, if that makes sense? I seem to spend a majority of each book very uncertain about what's going on, but then everything comes together at the end and I NEED the next one. It's happened twice. Crossing my fingers that Stone Sky is a good one!
34/50
Currently reading:
Deathless - Russian folklore mixed with history and told in a very lyrical way, evoking old-fashioned fairy tales.
River of Teeth - My second Sarah Gailey novella. Excited!
QOTW: I always thought the parasaurolophus was cool as heck, with its crest.
Hi all! This week I finished A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab and started in its sequel, A Gathering of Shadows! I love this series so far. It’s one I’ve been meaning to read for years and can’t believe it took me this long. It’s one of those series that feels like it was made for me. I’m quickly discovering that Schwab is one of my favorite authors. Everything I’ve read of hers has been amazing.QOTW: T-Rex! Especially now that we know he had feathers. Can you imagine how awesome the chase scene in Jurassic Park would have been if the T-Rex was covered in huge feathers?!?! So epic!
Elaine wrote: "Hi all! This week I finished A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab and started in its sequel, A Gathering of Shadows! I love this series so far. It’s one I’ve been meaning to read for years and ca..."Oooh, you're in for a treat! Reading about the Essen Tasch/Element Games (the last chunk of book 2) was my favourite part of the series and I seriously hope that it gets adapted someday because seeing that in live action would be amazing!
Hi all, been a while since I was able to check in but going to just stick with what I finished this week or my list might get out of control! I unexpectedly got access to the online library for the area where I would usually be working away so it's been great to have a different catalogue to explore. It's meant I borrowed a load of pretty random stuff on a whim. I've enjoyed basically everything so has worked out well.Finished
The Accident on the A35 by Graeme Macrae Burnet - borrowed this from the library on a whim but enjoyed it - great story about when being curious pays off
The Summer of Impossible Things by Rowan Coleman - the book I didn't know I needed. Really loved this, absolutely glad I picked this up. Using this for woman in STEM as the main character turned out to be a physicist.
The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan - weird thriller, does well with the suspense throughout but honestly the ending was absurd!
Jog On: How Running Saved My Life by Bella Mackie - I'm into running since the lockdown and really liked hearing Bella's experiences of getting into running
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern - book you touched with your eyes closed - This was my third attempt at this book and previously I'd struggled to get into it but this time round I really loved it. Glad I didn't give up!
Currently Reading
Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel - genuinely loved Wolf Hall when I read it last month so keen to continue on with the series.
The Binding by Bridget Collins - this is my book club book for this month, I like it but have always had another book on the go that's calling out to me louder
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez - got the audiobook of this one and am now really enjoying listening to a bit at a time
QOTW
I think I like the dilophosaurus (had to look it up!!) which is the one from Jurassic Park that spits acid all over the man who's trying to steal all the eggs. Social justice dinosaur!
Finished: -The Overstory by Richard Powers
-Brain On Fire by Susannah Cahalan
-The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
Currently reading:
-The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
-Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
-The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
I'm surprised that I only finished three books. Then again I'm currently reading three, which I don't normally do but I recently joined a book club and they're doing two books.
Mod
I don't know if you still need to fill the category, but this would work for "same title as a TV show" because there was a Joss Whedon show w/ Eliza Dushku
Wonderful weather here which only lasts a bit before dog breath weather comes. Trying to make the best of it, by you know hanging out in my back yard and avoiding all people. This week I read:
The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams which does have a book club and they even read a book but mostly they solve crimes so I may need a new prompt for this one. Has loads of letters in its name, I guess.
The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad which I put on hold for reading womens picture book prompt months ago but finally turned up on my hold. I've filled that prompt a few times over but this book is absolutely lovely and might well fit for ATY's book about a character raised in a different religion than me. But seriously, this book is lovely.
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert I have a friend who doesn't read much. She raved and raved and raved about this book so I picked it up. It is fine. I liked it better, though, when it was The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. and
Normal People by Sally Rooneywhich I picked up because it seems that everybody I know loves this or hates this and I wanted to make up my own mind. I think having gone into it expecting it to be polarizing probably affected my perception, though, because I neither loved nor hated it. It was fine. 3.5 stars. Currently Reading
The Glass Hotel
DreadnoughtQOTW
My favorite dinosaur as a kid was a pterodactyl because it flys and because it has a silent p and both things appealed to me as a kid. I still like them. But mostly now I find the whole concept of dinosaurs having feathers potentially to be really fascinating. They've found some dinosaurs recently (you know geologically speaking) with intact skin which is pretty rare and what they are hoping to learn from testing that is potentially fascinating so in general I just am interested right now about what modern science can uncover going forward about dinosaurs. The fact that we've been studying these things for so, so long and there is so much discovery out there is brilliant, to me.
Hi all. I didn't read as much as I might have this week because I got a TikTok account. XD It's really the perfect quick, goofy hit of entertainment this time needs!Finished: nothing
Currently reading: my friend is writing a book, and is sharing chapters with me as she goes. I was delighted (and a little relieved) to find it's really good! It's from the point of view of a scribe in ancient Greece, with true-to-era conversations rendered in modern language. (She's a preeminent scholar of ancient Greek languages.)
And of course, I'm working on A book that's published in 2020 - Network Effect!
QOTW
I guess ceratosaurus because I successfully made my daughter a full-body Halloween costume of one after she fell in love with them as a kid!
Series with more than 20 booksThe ABC Murders by Agatha Christie. Quick read. Poirot is not my favorite.
medical thriller
The Line Between by Tosca Lee. It’s a book about a pandemic, so very timely. And cults are involved, so it hit all my sweet spots. Quick, enjoyable read and will probably read the second.
published in birthday month
The Virgin and the Rogue by Sophie Jordan. Historical romance that I was very meh about. I had a lot of problems with the set up to their first encounter and I don’t think I ever got over that.
attention-getting title
I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Raz Nishi. YA about aliens who are deciding whether the experiment of earth should be terminated. Told from multiple perspectives. Enjoyable read. Plus, the cover is great.
QOTW:
Obviously long necks. For me, The Land Before Time is the definitive dinosaur movie.
Gosh it has been a LOOOOOOONG time since I have gotten on this weekly check-in.I know about the library books, Nadine. I still have one outstanding, but as soon as they closed the libraries back in March, it was automatically given a due date of June 15. Thank goodness, because I just finished reading it this week. That would have been a heck of a library fine!
This week I finished:
Pachinko (my overdue library book). I read it for the book that takes place in Japan prompt, because except for the beginning, most of it is set in Japan.
The Circle which easily fit in the prompt about a book about or involving social media. I can't imagine being THAT connected to everyone and everything!
The Tattooist of Auschwitz. How perfect that this came through on the Libby app in time for this month. I already had a book for this prompt so I put this under a book with at least a 4-star rating. This is definitely one of my top books so far this year. I am definitely sensing a theme in our household as my kids are reading Night and Number the Stars for school. There have been some very somber discussions about the holocaust and it has been interesting to hear their perceptions and thoughts about it after reading these books.
Onto a lighter note!
My favorite dinosaur may or may not even exist anymore! Who remembers the Brontosaurus? It was a dinosaur and then it wasn't (my kids when they were younger informed me is was a Brachiosaurus). Is it again? Who even knows?
Mod
My favorite dinosaur may or may not even exist anymore! Who remembers the Brontosaurus? It was a dinosaur and then it wasn't (my kids when they were younger informed me is was a Brachiosaurus). Is it again? Who even knows? ..."
Yes that's been very confusing for me! I still think of them as brontosauruses and can never remember what they are "supposed" to be called now. I thought they changed the name to Apatosaurus? I just ... try not to talk about them, so I avoid the issue.
I didn't finish any books this week. I don't know what I was doing with my time, but it wasn't reading. There's a lot of stress at work. They're getting ready to announce layoffs and furloughs so everyone is on edge. I have some virtual gatherings scheduled for the weekend so hopefully that takes my mind off things.Reading
The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (a book about a woman in STEM)
Say You Still Love Me by KA Tucker (a book with a character in their 20s)
QOTW
Triceratops! I love that it's a gentle herbivore, but with tusks to defend itself. I identify with that.
Good morning from beautiful Santa Fe! We've been having highs in the upper 70s/low 80s with humidity below 30%... perfect for long walks. I'm still missing the library, movies, and sports, but the weather's kinda making up for it.Challenge Progress: 41/50
Because I've completed most of the challenge my reading now is almost all non-challenge related. I'm doubling up on many of the prompts trying to read both a fiction and a nonfiction title for each prompt.
Completed:
Strike Me Down: Very different from Mejia's previous thrillers, but it was still twisty and exciting. I enjoyed the sports/business setting and the strong female characters. Fun read! ★★★★
One Fine Duke: I really love regency romances. Yes, I know they're formulaic and sometimes rather silly, but Lenora Bell writes witty, sexy, romantic stories that are highly enjoyable. She's rapidly becoming one of my favorite guilty pleasures. ★★★★
Ninth House: "Mors irrumat omnia." Okay, it got off to a slow start, but it just got better and better. Lots of "adult" situations, but it's nice to read a contemporary fantasy that's not YA. I'm ready for the next one. (A book you meant to read in 2019) ★★★★
Gwendy's Magic Feather: Nice follow-up to Gwendy's Button Box... maybe not as urgent, but I really didn't feel the lack of Stephen King. Castle Rock still felt like Castle Rock. ★★★★
Currently Reading:
Real Life
Chosen Ones
Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History
The Topeka School
Master Class
Yale Needs Women (The first book you touch on a bookshelf with your eyes closed)
Middlesex (A bildungsroman)
If It Bleeds (A book by an author who has written more than 20 books - Stephen King)
QOTW:
It's gotta be pteradactyls! One of my favorite songs - from a rock opera called Broken Bride by Ludo - has a great line about swarming pteradactyls.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5jXl...
Nadine wrote: "Johanna wrote: "Onto a lighter note!My favorite dinosaur may or may not even exist anymore! Who remembers the Brontosaurus? It was a dinosaur and then it wasn't (my kids when they were younger inf..."
According to Wikipedia, as of 2015, Brontosaurus, Apatosaurus, and Brachiosaurus are all three different dinosaurs :)
I was actually very excited that the library in my town is now accepting returns. I've had four books sitting on my table for two months and my cat likes to shred paper. If she can't find anything else, she goes for books, so I've been nervous for them. LOL. To make a boring story longer, they're not accepting returns in the library slot. They have a blue return bin in the municipal center parking lot (not to terribly far away from the library) and I was having trouble find it. I wasn't actually sure I was in the right parking lot because I approached from a different direction.
This week has not been very productive, I'm supposed to be writing on my paper but I've been so easily distracted and haven't gotten anything done. Popsugar challenge:24/50
Goodreads challenge: 29/55
Finished
I've only finished one book this week, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. ⭐⭐⭐⭐. This was a reread but it's been such a long time since I read it the first time. Really enjoyed it and looking forward to reading the rest of the books. I haven't read those before.
Currently reading
The Two Towers. Will finish it next week.
The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 2: Dallas
The Night Circus
Indonesien berättar : tusen gevärskulor, tusen fjärilar. A collection of indonesian short stories. I like the variety and how the translators have chosen each and every story so that it in somewat represents that country.
QOTW
I haven't thought about dinosaurs a lot, But I remember liking one of the flying things, like rhamphorhynchus and I've always liked the triceratops.
I have read 3 for the week. None for Pop Sugar Challenge. I read Sourdough by Robin Sloan & at the same time read How To Bake by Paul Hollywood. The first section of How To Bake is on breads. My plan is to bake a loaf of classic white bread & begin the Sourdough starter once I can find flour & yeast. The other book was The Hideaway by Lauren K.Denton. I hadn’t read her before. It was light reading as was Sourdough. I enjoyed both. Currently reading Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez. I do like it but it’s slow going.QOTW: I didn’t see the question but from what I’m guessing it’s what’s my favorite dinosaur. Velociraptor. To answer a previous question I remember the Brontosaurus from Al’s Brontosaurus Burgers on The Flinstones. I just dated myself. Also they had a saber-toothed cat named Baby Puss.
Finished:The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories for A book with a robot, cyborg, or AI character. Ended up liking this one a lot. Some of the later stories I slightly struggled with, but overall I thought there was some really interesting, thought-provoking stuff in here. And I was happy to have found something I wanted to read for this prompt (which I had been struggling with).
The Rome Affair for A book by an author with flora or fauna in their name. This was just a light, fun, escapist book. Nothing particularly challenging or original about it, just a nice easy read.
Started:
Agnes Grey for A book written by an author in their 20s. I'm reading this on my serial reader app, so not very far through it yet, but I am already a little irritated by the setup!
Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone for A book about or by a woman in STEM. Again, not very far through, but I am finding the writing style very accessible.
QOTW:
Obvious answer: Tyrannosaurus Rex
Slightly less obvious answer: Parasaurolophus (it's the crest)
Answer that technically isn't even a dinosaur: Dimetrodon (it's the sail)
Yeah the weather here has been nuts too. Also my concept of time is still weird. It feels like I literally just did a check-in, and now here we are again!Finished 16/50
Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy: Finding the Way to Christ in a Complicated Religious Landscape for "book published in the month you were born". AWESOME read. I learned a TON about all the various Christian (and even non-Christian) religious expressions in the West. A must read for anyone interested in church history and why we have so many different church denominations in the USA (and how they came to be and what effect they've had on the culture around them). Not overly technical, and the author is super humble and respectful toward all religious types. Hugely recommend, no matter your religion.
Currently Reading
On Living Simply: The Golden Voice of John Chrysostom for "book featuring one of the seven deadly sins". This is a collection of sayings by St. John Chrysostum against greed. It's arranged bite sized nuggets, so I'm going to probably read it slower on a daily basis instead of powering through it.
I Live Again: A Memoir of Ileana, Princess of Romania and Archduchess of Austria for "book about a world leader". My church book club is about to start a book written by her that I love, so I'm thrilled to read her autobiography and learn more about her fascinating life!
The Wilderness Journal: 365 Days with the Philokalia for "book who's title caught your attention". Still plugging along....
QotW
I'm not really a huge dinosaur fan. I guess the big one with the super long neck always stood out to me (that's really helpful, isn't it? XD ).
I am exhausted after doing the grocery shopping. Longest wait I've had since lockdown started, there's a bank holiday tomorrow and I guess everyone had the same idea of not wanting to go on a holiday weekend. Fortunately my boss doesn't mind me disappearing for two hours, but now I need a nap and I'm meant to be working and then having remote drinks with the team later. Maybe my drink can be coffee!Been keeping our spirits up trying to test Arabic voice search on a project my boyfriend is working on...neither of us speak Arabic, so some of our attempts at pronunciation have returned hilarious results.
This week I finished This Fallen Prey which I'm using for a book by an author who has written more than 20 books. I've been enjoyed the Rockton series in lockdown, though I think I'm running out of prompts to slot in the other two books.
Currently reading Good Girl, Bad Blood and made zero audiobook progress this week on The Body: A Guide for Occupants (this idiot forgot to take headphones when going to queue for shopping).
QOTW:
I've been playing the Jurassic World Evolution game lately, so I now have lots of dinosaurs to choose from... but I do still like Dilophosaurus (that's the poisonous one in Jurassic Park with the frilly neck).
Sort of relevant, I nearly ordered one of these adorable book dinosaurs on a t-shirt this morning: https://www.redbubble.com/people/bonn...
This week is going by too quickly as I was expecting to hear about a job offer but I'm starting to get nervous now that it's already Thursday. Wish me luck on that!I listened to Born to Run and it was great! I read the other book with this title years ago and also loved that one. Bruce Springsteen had quite an interesting life and I love how he evolved as a person and artist (along with the political statements in his songs). 5 stars
I also listened to Writers & Lovers. This is exactly the type of book I'm in the mood for lately. Realistic fiction that doesn't require too much thinking but is fully engaging. It was a little strange how much I had in common with this story though (I have connections to Chile, Barcelona, and Arizona, I served tables for nine years, I've been through lots of skin cancer issues, I'm starting to work on a novel, and a few other things.) Weird! I'm also on a "books about the writing life" kick since I'm doing a ton of writing these days. 4.5 stars
We Wish You Luck was similar to the book above in that it's about students in an MFA program, but other than that the plot was quite different. I was a bit annoyed in the first half with how the narrator kept referring to "what happened" but once we actually knew what happened it picked up and was quite entertaining. I thought the first-person-plural POV worked well here. 3.5 stars
I finished my hard copy of Olive Kitteridge and I can see why it's so popular, but I don't know that I've read too many books that had so many characters that were all white. And the references to "dark-haired" children rubbed me the wrong way. Unless every person in Crosby, Maine is either blond or a redhead (doubtful) I think that reference is to people with dark skin... I also struggled with the way Olive treated Henry. But there were still some redeeming aspects to the story and the writing was strong (although I noticed she uses a ton of adverbs!). 3.5 stars
I'm currently listening to Interior Chinatown and am figuring out what my next print book will be. I have plenty of options!
QOTW: This made me think of The Land Before Time cartoon I enjoyed as a kid. I don't remember which character was my favorite back then, but Little Foot was the main character, so I'll go with that. Google tells me he was an apatosaurus, but that doesn't sound familiar. I see in the posts above that there have been some name changes for that type of dinosaur. I also like T-rexes, especially when they go grocery shopping and it's caught on video. :)
Hi everyone!Weather's weird here too, wavering between nice sun and grey chill. But I've been able to run at least a mile every day except one rainy Thursday since the last week of April. Hoping to make it a habit, while unable to do the gym! It helps me to feel less cooped up too. (i'm in subrubs so I can run in either the local park, or just around the block and generally don't have to worry about getting too close to anyone. I'll make a big arc around people if I need to pass)
This week i finished:
Here and Now and Then - book for my books & brew zoom meeting next week. I liked it over all, although it was a bit of a slog in the middle. Interesting premise with time travel and families, how they change our lives. Don't think it works for any prompts i havent' filled.
Gender Queer - read harder graphic memoir. This was interesting, an autobiographical comic from a nonbianary author and eir journey of figuring out their identity and sexuality.
Currently reading:
The Count of Monte Cristo - made it to page 600 which I think puts me at least close to halfway. My kindle page marker and goodread's progress marker aren't matching even though it's supposed to be the same edition.
Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation - this will be my popsugar anthology, it's a curated collection of contemporary Chinese science fiction authors short stories. Curated by Ken Liu who's translated many works, including the Three Body Problem. It's interesting. Reading more fiction set in Asia or Africa makes me realize that my high school "world history" class was basically "white European history" and not much else. Most of what I know about the Cultural Revolution came from reading the Three Body Problem a couple years ago. I definitely feel like i'm at a disadvantage not knowing much about Chinese history, but Ken Liu said right in the introduction that he was trying to show a wide range of Chinese science fiction. Not just the most accessible to a non-Chinese audience. So thats more on me, than the book itself.
QOTW:
I admit I'm not a huge dinosaur enthusiast, I only kind of tangentially was one as a kid. More because land before time was popular, along with some other children's books, than real interest in my part. However I would say the plesiosaur. We did a unit in elementary school about myths, one of them being the Loch Ness Monster. I learned about the theory that Nessie was a plesiosaur that didn't go extinct. I'm guessing there's not much actual scientific merit, but I always liked the idea that a dinosaur had just kinda hidden and sneaked under everyone's radar all these centuries. Any time I draw Nessie, she looks kinda like a plesiosaur haha.
Hey all, happy Thursday.Finished reading: (16/50)
Artificial Condition (robot/cyborg characters) - Murderbot & ART the best duo
Currently reading:
Crier's War (first book I touch on a shelf, robot/cyborg characters) - So far, the worldbuilding in this is weird. Why is a robot society having arranged marriages and such? Do they even experience gender/attraction in human ways? (I know this is explained as them being "traditionalists," i.e. trying to imitate human social structures, but...why? I think this is especially jarring after reading about Murderbot being cheerfully agender and fast-forwarding through sex scenes because boring)
QotW: oh man dinosaurs were basically everything when I was in kindergarten. <3 dinosaurs
Pretty basic choices here - when I was a kid I liked T-Rex because BIG and POWERFUL. Now I like velociraptors because they're crafty and pack animals (and collectively powerful)! I feel like this says more about my changing character tastes than anything haha.
Also this is a timely question because a few days ago, scientists discovered Spinosaurus had an eel tail and dinosaur/art twitter has been going absolutely nuts over this. So much great Spinosaurus fanart in my feed.
https://twitter.com/arvalis/status/12...
https://twitter.com/arvalis/status/12...
https://twitter.com/LorekeeperWren/st...
Good Morning book Friends! My reading has been a little slow this week due to a) procrastinating and b) shoolwork. Although, I did decide to start a bookstagram! (@svedjanbooks). So that's fun for me.
Finished: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi which I think an qualify for book written by an author in their 20s because TM just turned 31 and this novella was written in 2012. It's just ok as far as books go, but I think it may be useful in understanding where Warner is coming from and how his mind really works.
Goodreads 8/15
Popsugar 8/50
Currently Reading: The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (book with a bird on the cover). This book continues to do what I wouldn't expect. Alice's character is just so different from what I was epeting, and Finch is just so entertaining and fun.
Starting: Probably nothing new, unless I finish THW, but if I do the net book in line is Killing the Rising Sun: How America Vanquished World War II Japan but I'm not sure which prompt it will fit yet.
QOTW: Brontosaurus all the way.
Hi everyone! It's been a hot minute since I've checked in to a weekly update. Life was being a little bit unpredictable and I was settling into the new norm of being home all the time. I feel like my reading has increased since I don't have to go to work. Currently reading:
Becoming (A fiction or nonfiction book about a world leader) - I'm counting this as a book about a world leader because I think she was. I'm absolutely loving this. I'm listening to the audiobook, which she narrates. She is so well-spoken and she has a lot of insightful looks on how she grew up and the world as a whole. I listen to this while I'm playing Animal Crossing so it's going quite quickly!
Lock Every Door (a book with a pink cover) - Technically I haven't started this yet, but I have taken it off my bookshelf and placed it on my coffee table so that's a start to me! I've enjoyed his other books and I doubt that's going to change with this one, since this seems to be most peoples favorite book by him.
Finished:
Slasher Girls & Monster Boys (an anthology) - I normally steer clear of anthologies because I don't usually enjoy super short stories. This was a very well curated book of horror stories. I highly recommend this for anyone not usually into anthologies. Of course, there were a few stories I didn't like but that's kinda to be expected.
Hunting Ground (no prompt) - I don't know what it is about Patricia Briggs books but they are so easy and fun to read. I don't have to think too hard when I'm reading them and they aren't super deep. Most of them are around 300 pages so they don't feel like such a commitment. They're perfect for the current situation.
Regular: 19/40
Advanced: 5/10
QOTW:
I absolutely love this question! My favorite dinosaur when I was little was the Triceratops. It just seemed to be the coolest, because it was a herbivore but it was ready to fight! Now my answer would probably be a Microraptor or Archaeopteryx. Any of the newfound feathered ones basically!
I finally got out of my reading slump 7 weeks into my self-quarantine! (Yay!)Finished: A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster This was billed as focused on the uplifting aspects of disaster. However, it wasn't that simple. The positive community-building aspects were juxtaposed with elite panic and this was difficult to slog through, especially when it got to Hurricane Katrina.
Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do This was so good! Given to me as a gift, I was completely unaware of it. It is well-researched and well-written. Could be used for prompts by women of color or authored by a woman in STEM field.
Panic! Covid-19 Shakes the Earth by Slavoj Zizek. (Apparently not in Goodreads database yet.) I'm not a big fan of Zizek and only read this because it was so topical. There are probably better things to read on this topic.
Journey Around My Room and a Nocturnal Expedition Around My Room This also was not really worth it. Just a guy writing random, not-particularly-interesting things while self-quarantining for 40 days (because of a duel or something, not because of a pandemic)
Improvisation for the Spirit: Live a More Creative, Spontaneous, and Courageous Life Using the Tools of Improv Comedy I loved this one! So great. Can't wait till I can take a workshop by the author, but this was a nice substitute in the meantime. Full of reflective exercises.
Started: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music Going to use this for favorite prompt from another year: book by or about a musician. So far, the overly didactic approach is off-putting, but I think I will get some gems out of it anyway.
That brings me to 26/40 completed from the challenge!
QotW: I suppose if I have to choose a favorite dinosaur (not knowing any personally, you know), I would choose a pterodactyl.
This week my kiddos put together a crazy May the 4th day. It was a lot of fun and has been great to have everyone home in quarantine. I will say, my food bill has gone up but the memories will last forever.This week I read:
A Blunt Instrument- a reread of a Georgette Heyer mystery that I really enjoyed.
The Jackal's Head and The Camelot Caper- both rereads of Elizabeth Peter's stand alone books. Again, I really enjoyed them.
Golden Arm- a book with gold in the title. It was OK, I just am not that into sports books and I had to read this one for the youth reading committee I am on. Objectively, it was a good book, just not my thing.
The Blossom and the Firefly- I wanted to be wrecked by this book, and I just wasn't. It was still really good and I truly enjoyed it, I just was hoping for a big crying jag and that isn't what I got.
QOTW:
My son is a huge dinosaur fan, and if he weren't color deficient he would be going into paleontology. We had a long conversation about what the best dinos are and why. When it all comes out my favorite dinosaur is the Maiasaurus but I will always have a special place in my heart for the sauropods (long necks) because they were his favorite from the time he was two until he was about eight.
Johanna wrote: "Gosh it has been a LOOOOOOONG time since I have gotten on this weekly check-in.I know about the library books, Nadine. I still have one outstanding, but as soon as they closed the libraries back ..."
Same!! I hated dinosaurs but always loved the brontosaurus! Like someone else said, I think Apatosaurus is the new name...I believe it's that the same dino was discovered by two different people who gave it two different names and they eventually realized it was the same thing and had to pick just one name...
I know an odd amount about it considering my statement above that I hate dinosaurs...
Happy Thursday, y’all.Libraries around here are slowly opening back up, mostly for curbside service -- though the one I work at has started allowing up to 4 people in the library at a time to select books or print something off a computer. We try to encourage them to wear masks, use the hand sanitizer dispenser at the door, and only spend about 15 minutes in the library. Hopefully we can slowly get back into the groove of things soon, if cases of COVID in Idaho stay low.
Books read this week:
Transformers: Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron (Transformers -- for “book with a robot, cyborg, or AI.” I freaking love Transformers, but holy crow this book was terrible, even by the standards of a franchise-spinoff novel. You’d think that for as powerful a story as this could have been, they’d have hired someone who could actually write to write it. Maybe I’m expecting too much of a novel adaptation of a video game spinoff of a toy franchise… yeah, I probably am expecting too much.
White Lotus -- not for the challenge. Advertises itself as an “Egyptian Cinderella story,” though it really only has a few elements in common with that story. Still a good read, though.
Sunny Side Up -- graphic novel, not for the challenge. Surprisingly emotional and powerful, and not what I expected from the creators of a series called “Babymouse”... and I mean that in a good way. Plus the artwork is fun.
Regular challenge -- 36/44 (split the last prompt into five)
Advanced challenge -- 7/10
Not for challenge -- 34
Currently Reading:
Strange the Dreamer -- for “book with a three-word title”
You -- for “book about or involving social media”
Night Shift -- not for the challenge
QOTW:
Utahraptor -- the biggest of the raptors! Funny enough, Stephen Spielberg decided to fudge the size of actual Velociraptors for the Jurassic Park movie, only for paleontologists to discover a real raptor the size of Spielberg' fictional ones during production of the film.
For anyone who wants to read about Utahraptors, check out Raptor Red, a novel from the point of view of a giant raptor and which was written by one of the paleontologists who served as a scientific advisor on the "Jurassic Park" film.
Morning,I'm excited, I'm meeting a friend after work today so we can walk our dogs. It will be interesting to do it with masks on but at least we're getting out there.
Finished:
Call Me By Your Name - Not sure if I'm going to use this for the challenge or not. I listened to this on audio and it was great. The story it so beautifully told and is so bittersweet at the end. Ugggg.....so many feelings. Armie Hammer did the narration and has an amazing voice, it makes the audiobook really worth listening to.
World Turned Upside Down - This was recommended on the When in Romance podcast awhile ago and I finally checked iBooks again and it was on sale for $0.99! It was a quick read (less than 200 pages) and I breezed through it. It was very sweet. I really like both main characters. It was a quick fun romance read.
Currently Reading:
Little Women for a book with the same title as a movie or TV show but is unrelated to it (there was a reality show that was called Little Women, that was not related to the book at all). Still working my way through this one and I can't believe I forgot so much that happens in the book!
The Holdout - It's one of my BOTM books I hadn't read yet. So far it's good but I know there is going to be some twists and turns in this one. I really need to hunker down and dig into this one.
Artificial Condition - Finally reading the next book in the Murderbot series!!
Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors - I'm listening to the audio of this. I've heard so much about this one, that I finally decided to give it a listen. I'm interested to see how it plays out. I love a good Pride and Prejudice retelling.
QOTW:
I'm going with the t-rex. I read The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World last year and learned some new and really interesting things about the t-rex. They hunted in packs?! I didn't know that. Such a good read if you haven't had a chance to pick it up yet.
Mod
I'm glad to hear it!! This book has been on my TBR for a little while now.
I'm in the middle of three books right now and may have two of them finished by the next check-in.My favorite dinosaur is the T-Rex. If we're going to go fictional, it would be Yoshi.
Happy Thursday! Hope you are all safe and healthy.Didn’t finish a book this week, although I read pretty much.
In good bookish news: libraries in the Netherlands are re-opening from Monday. Jay!
Currently reading
Barkskins
Singing in the brain
Qotw
None. I hated them. They look creepy and scared the pants out of me.
Stacey wrote: "Elaine wrote: "Hi all! This week I finished A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab and started in its sequel, A Gathering of Shadows! I love this series so far. It’s one I’ve been meaning to read f..."I'm so excited!! I'm halfway through book two and I'm so stoked for the Element Games! I hope it's adapted someday, too! The books are so cinematic, I could just picture everything happening in a TV show, and it would be gorgeous!
Still slumping over here.Currently reading
QotW:
What is your favorite dinosaur?
Pterodactyl I guess. There is an ongoing joke though that my husband is a trex because of the way he runs. (Dude is 6'3 with long ass arms but he runs with them all tucked up like a trex. It's entertaining to say the least)
No reading for me again this week! My pile of unread books is judging meQOTW: I love dinosaurs (hence the profile pic). My favourite is the triceratops because it has my name in it. Tri-Sarah-Tops! Plus the triceratops in Land Before Time is called Sarah.
My favourite carnivore is the carnotaurus because it's the one that makes everyone scream on the dinosaur ride in Walt Disney World
Things are weird over here. It's going to be like 106 degrees today which is about 15 degrees above normal so that's not great. And we have to put my elderly cat down this afternoon, and it's really hard for my kids (and me too). And I'm still trying to help my kids with their online school. It's a lot. So I thought I'd come on here and try to escape for a bit.I finished 5 books this week and 3 were for the Popsugar challenge, so now I'm up to 36 completed for the challenge.
Finished this week
The Bean Trees This was Kingsolver's debut novel and I've been meaning to read it for forever. I used it for published in 20th century. The writing is beautiful and the story was surprisingly funny. I think my favorite my her remains Animal Dreams but I loved this one too.
To Have and to Hoax I saw the author do a story takeover on Instagram to promote this book since her book tour was cancelled, and I thought she was delightful. But it turns out that romance really isn't for me. I think the book was probably well done, but I'm just not into all the arguing and making up and a story that is solely focused on this couple, and it was a bit steamy for my taste. But if you like the romance genre you might like it and it does fit nicely into the title is a pun prompt.
Anne of Avonlea My daughter and I listened to this using the free version on LibriVox read by Karen Savage and we both loved it.
What Truth Sounds Like: Robert F. Kennedy, James Baldwin, and Our Unfinished Conversation About Race in America This was an interesting book that used the 1963 meeting between black activists, artists, and Robert Kennedy to talk about current race relations. I used it for the only words on the cover prompt.
Kitchens of the Great Midwest I read and absolutely loved The Lager Queen of Minnesota earlier this year so I decided to read Stradal's debut novel. I definitely prefer Lager Queen, but this was good as well and I just love the way he writes - with such tenderness for his characters and the midwest.
Currently reading
Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire: The Guide to Being Glorious You
Expectation
Anne of the Island
The Choice: Embrace the Possible
QOTW
I can't say that I have a favorite dinosaur but my 6-year-old is dino-obsessed and he said his favorite is the Giganotosaurus and he says he likes it because it's even bigger than the T-Rex!
The weather is incredible here for the moment--breezy and cool, with the lovely sun providing just the right amount of warmth! My plants are thrilled. Unfortunately, I've been running a low-grade fever off and on this week, which of course scares me, but I haven't had any other symptoms (other than a headache), so I don't know what that's about. I live alone, and I've been in my apartment for weeks, so thankfully, I don't have to worry too much about passing anything on.Finish:
Nothing. I've had time, but the headache kept from wanting to read. And also, Animal Crossing...
Currently Reading:
Banker by Dick Francis: I normally speed through his books, but this one has just taken so long to get to the actual mystery! The characters are great, which is pretty much true of every Dick Francis book, it just hasn't given me that urge to want to know what's going to happen next. I did just hit the action part though, so I imagine the next time I pick it up, I'll finish it.
QOTW:
As I stated above, I hate dinosaurs. I blame my parents for taking 6-year-old me (a very sensitive, easily scared kid) to see Jurassic Park in the theater. I've had very realistic and terrifying dinosaur nightmares every since. Also, Fantasia's always been my favorite movie, and the scene during Rite of Spring where the t-rex kills the stegosaurus BREAKS MY HEART every time.
Still, I suppose I must answer. When I was a kid, I was a fan of the brontosaurus. Now, I'd probably say the Pachycephalosaurus because I love that they're quite literally thick-headed.
Kenya wrote: "Happy Thursday, y’all.Libraries around here are slowly opening back up, mostly for curbside service -- though the one I work at has started allowing up to 4 people in the library at a time to sel..."
I couldn't imagine a library only allowing 4 people at a time! How big is your library? Ours is 48,000 square-foot and is one of the smaller libraries in our area (Central Ohio).
Actually, I take it back--I just found this mini version of the pachycephalosaurus, and I like it even more! https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-...
I finished six books. Three were picture books for another reading challenge I'm working on (the prompt was "read a book without words") and I used two of the others for this challenge. I'm now at 18/40 and 8/10 for this challenge, and am at 55/100 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge.
Finished:
* The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan, which I used for "a book with a book on the cover." This was a NetGalley read, courtesy of William Morrow & the Book Club Girl Free Friday program;
* Normandy Gold by Megan Abbott and Alison Gaylin and illustrated by Steve Scott, which I used for "a book with "gold," "silver," or "bronze" in the title";
* We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time by José Andrés with Richard Wolffe;
* Pool by Ji-Hyeon Lee (also the illustrator);
* Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson and illustrated by Sydney Smith; and,
* Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle (also the illustrator). This one would work for the pink cover prompt...but I'd rather use a novel or nonfiction pick for it.
Currently Reading:
* Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire; and,
* The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson, which is one of my book club's reads for May.
QotW:
What is your favorite dinosaur? When I was a kid, I loved drawing brontosauruses. I'd forgotten about the controversy about the brontosaurus until I scrolled through the comments, but I stand by my childhood art memories! Thunder lizards all the way! The stegosaurus was a close second favorite if I need a back-up choice though :)
I think I’m finally getting over my reading slump, at least I finished something haha. The Kite Runner – for ATY, 4th prompt – this was a hard one, I don’t know why I decided to read it right now. Still it’s written beautifully.
So 23/50 for PS.
Currently Reading:
The Ten Thousand Doors of January - I'm reading the ebook and suddenly my beloved e-reader decided to start breaking down, it still works somewhat but let's see till when...
Little Fires Everywhere - I read Everything I Never Told You earlier this year and I can't help but draw parallels between the two, but I hope I like this one better.
QOTW
It's either triceratops or pterodactyl. I'm not big on dinosaurs now, but really enjoyed watching Dinotopia when I was little.
Courtney wrote: I couldn't imagine a library only allowing 4 people at a time! How big is your library? Ours is 48,000 square-foot and is one of the smaller libraries in our area (Central Ohio).We're somewhere between a town and a small city here, so our library isn't terribly big -- one floor, two rooms (adult/YA books and a children's room). It's not TINY, but it's small enough that we can regulate how many people are inside at any given time. Though we WERE hoping to get a library bond to expand the library on the ballot before the pandemic hit...
Our weather has been really hit or miss here in Columbus, Ohio lately. We had a super warm day this week that had everyone out in shorts and tank tops and yesterday I wore a coat and boots.I did a lot more reading this week than last week, but I'm not sure what made that happen. Shorter books maybe? This week has also seemed to be quite long which is never fun. I finished a faerie series and accidentally started another faerie series immediately which is always hard because the worlds are similar enough I sometimes forget what has happened in which book. I won't get much reading in this weekend though so I'm sure next week will be an easier post lol
Finished
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson. Not the worst self help book I've ever read and it was certainly interesting but I don't think I'll be grabbing another book by this author. He just kind of seemed like a jerk. I used this for a book you picked because the title caught your attention
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah Maas (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2.) I enjoyed this one the best out of the three books in this trilogy. I think I am super behind on this series. This was my book with a map prompt.
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah Maas (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3.) I was just finishing up the series but realized I could put this toward the bonus a book with a main character in their 20s . Though it is never said outright that Feyre is 20, she is 19 in A Court of Thorns and Roses and mentions that her birthday is the winter solistice. They celebrate that holiday in A Court of Mist and Fury so that would make her 20 in this book.
In Five Years by Rebecca Serle. I didn't like this as much as I thought I would. Not because the book was bad but because it was marketed as romance and wasn't. But it did pass the Bechdel test so thats the prompt I am marking off with this one.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black as my book with a four star rating on good reads as this has a 4.15. I really like the main character in this book because I hate her. She is crazy and we wouldn't be friends and she is fun to read about!
Normal People by Sally Rooney. I LOVED this book. I picked it up because I wanted to watch the TV show but always read the books first. Now, I am probably not going to watch it because I don't want it to impact how I feel about the book. Using this one for my bonus author in their 20s
Currently Reading
Less which I don't like so far, too... busy? Seems almost stream of consciousness-esque
The Wicked King I'm like ten pages from the end but I'll count it toward next week lol
QOTQ
My favorite Dinosaur as a kid was always the pterodactyl because of the spelling and that it has wings.
We had inventory at work today, and I was there about 11 hours. I'm beat! Finished:
IQ - Seems like a strange book to read for Asian heritage month, but you can't stop me!
Currently Reading:
Network Effect - YAY!
Righteous - Second IQ novel, shoved rudely aside when Murderbot walked through the door
The Tea Master and the Detective - ebook on my phone
Money for Nothing - Bedtime Wodehouse
QOTW:
I don't think I currently have a favorite dinosaur. In the past I've enjoyed all of your basics.
FYI This week's National Theatre at Home play:
Antony and Cleopatra with Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo
https://youtu.be/lWc6_aCTqI0
Hello everyone! I've had a pretty good reading week, especially considering work has been very intense and also I've been working really hard on my anxiety with exposure therapy. Deliberately provoking panic is effective in convincing myself I can be ok through it, but it is just So. Exhausting. I think I'm going to pick a very escapist read next!Finished this week:
Thick: And Other Essays (only words on cover): It took a bit to get going, but I ended up enjoying this book of essays a lot. I love Prof. Cottom's insistence on the truth of herself and the way she sees the world, and her refusal to make her perspective any less complicated, or easier to digest, or anything. She thinks what she thinks, and she presents it very frankly and clearly for us to think about in our turn.
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China (banned book): This book absolutely blew my mind. I didn't know a lot about Maoist China beforehand, so it was an absolutely wild ride to read about that particular brand of oppression, and the ways in which the oppression was internalized. The writing is very straightforward and at times I found it a bit stiff, but I think overall it actually highlighted the craziness of the history. I highly recommend this one.
Currently reading:
Illuminae (AI character): I get that the characters are teenagers, but do they have to make dumb sex jokes in EVERY conversation, including when they're an hour from death? Really? It's a compelling plot and structure so I'll keep reading, but I doubt it will get very many stars.
Convenience Store Woman (set in Japan): I'm enjoying the MC's unique perspective so far.
QOTW: Did you know they just identified the first known aquatic dinosaur??? It's the spinosaurus aegyptiacus and it is definitely my new favorite. Yay ancient river-dwelling predator!
Hi everyone! I finished 3 books this week which is the most I've read in a long time. I am at 17/50 for the challenge and 20/75 for my goal.Finished:
Children of Blood and Bone for book by an author in their 20s
Migrations for book with a bird on the cover
Abaddon's Gate
QOTW: Brontosaurus has always been my favorite dinosaur because they seem like a gentle giant.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Birchbark House (other topics)Salt Slow (other topics)
To the Lighthouse (other topics)
The Fated Sky (other topics)
The Old Man and the Sea (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Ernest Hemingway (other topics)Mary Robinette Kowal (other topics)
Louise Penny (other topics)
Barbara Metzger (other topics)
Patricia Highsmith (other topics)
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Admin stuff - I just lost an edit to the gods of the random internet crash, so if something here reads weird, let me know, I was probably in the middle of typing the sentence ...
Our monthly read of The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris is underway - go over to the Monthly Group Read folder to join the discussion
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
We still have an opening for a discussion leader for August, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Wow, I see that SIX of our nine monthly reads are historical fiction! You all really like historical fiction!
I did a head count at home and I was surprised to find that I still have six library books that I have not read, a month and a half after the library closed! I don’t know if that says I had a huge backlog of library books, or if it says I’ve switched my reading format to more ebooks, or maybe I’ve just slowed down in general. Probably a little bit of all of those things. I thought I had slowed down with audiobooks now that I’m not commuting, but I plotted my audiobooks each year, and I’m exactly on track with last year.
This week I did something I’ve never done before (and why not, in these unprecedented times!?!): I re-read the MurderBot series. I rarely re-read, I’ve never re-read book so soon after I first read them, and I never binge read a series, and I’ve certainly never reread a series in preparation for the release of the next book! But the first four books are just novellas, and Tor basically dumped them all in my lap, and I’m excited for Network Effect, which I had pre-ordered (and I rarely buy books, but with the library closed I decided to pre-order a few upcoming books from favorite authors), so why not! I’m so glad I did, too, because I loved them even more on the second time through. I just started reading Network Effect - stayed up way too late with it last night ...
I finished 7 books this week, two counted for this Challenge, so I am now 31/50.
One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus - this was a disappointing follow-up to the super-fun One of Us Is Lying. I decided to rearrange some of my challenge reads, moved Tweet Cuteto “author in her 20s” and slotted OoUiN in “involving social media” since there are chat rooms and group texts involved. Tweet Cute was a better fit for social media, but I’ve had trouble finding a book by an author in their 20s.
Chasing Utopia: A Hybrid - poems & essays by Nikki Giovanni - I didn’t love this. The "Utopia" in question is a beer brewed by Sam Adams - she wants to drink a beer in memory of her mother so she chooses a beer that is not really even "beer" and hardly anyone drinks and is almost impossible to find, so she has to search, or "chase." That's the sort of cutesy detail that you'll find throughout the book.
The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World by Patrik Svensson - I won this book from Goodreads, and decided to read it for my subject I knew nothing about. This book is beautiful - it’s about eels, but it’s also a memoir and a love letter to his father. I never thought I would love a book about eels, but here we are.
And my MurderBot re-reads, which I loved even more the second time through:
All Systems Red
Artificial Condition
Rogue Protocol
Exit Strategy
Plus one DNF:
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - I picked this up on Overdrive to read for Asian Heritage month, but I could tell right away that the writing style was Not For Me.
Question of the Week
What is your favorite dinosaur?
I know we usually have reading-themed questions, but I was talking during dinner last night about which question to choose, and my younger daughter just blurted this out. And I thought, well, why not? Have some fun!
My favorite dinosaur is the triceratops, because it's got such a cool head. Here's it is on the cover of a book that was illustrated by my aunt: