Pop Sugar's Annual Ultimate Reading Challenge discussion

what are you guys doing about

- book set in your hometown (personally not interested in a Houston urban tragedy, are we replacing this one altogether?)

and

- book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit (and does Hogwarts count?)

I could do either Houston (where I was born) or Baton Rouge (where I lived from 3-18) - maybe just "a town where you've lived" for those with complicated hometown situations?

Oh, and I'm sure you could find plenty of cowboy or space themed Houston books, Stephanie, if those sound more appealing.

I think a town where you've lived sounds better to me. The town where I was born and the towns where I grew up were small and don't have any books that take place there. But I could easily find a book that takes place in NYC or even Austin.

For a Houston book, I'd suggest "Riding Rockets." At least part of the book takes place in Houston.

Thanks ladies! A town where you've lived is much easier for me than my actual hometown (although I love my hometown and would totally read a book set there if I could find one.) Also, I vote fictional locations totally count for places you'd like to visit.

In case anyone is looking for books from their hometown still, Goodreads has a resource for that!
https://www.goodreads.com/places

hahaha, there's so much smut set in houston, i can't believe it. but thanks for this, i am definitely sifting through the list right now.

So much Dallas smut too! Maybe it's a Texas thing?

I consider my hometown to be where I primarily grew up, not where I was born. My family moved several times before I started the second grade in a suburb of Orlando where I stayed until college. I barely remember anything before that and I think I will connect better with a book that is set somewhere that I can picture, which I think is the point for this category. I'm thinking of reading Paper Towns.

Kelsey you win for posting that link! and Rachel, so cool to have you from outside the US in this group.

I'm so looking forward to all of the great books I'll learn about from all of you through this challenge. My to-read list on the other had is decidedly not looking forward to that.

I might have to settle for home country, as I am unsure of any books set in my city. I was born here, too. >.>

Erin wrote: "I might have to settle for home country, as I am unsure of any books set in my city. I was born here, too. >.>"

Hi Erin, welcome! I couldn't find anything in my hometown but I grew up in a suburb of a larger city that does have books set there (one of which is on my shelf right now, conveniently.) You could look for the nearest large city in that link Kelsey posted or maybe even look for anything set in your province/state/region? If there's an independent bookstore anywhere near you (I know much easier to find in some areas than others) ask there. Bookstores in an area tend to be more likely to know if there's a book set in that area.

Good luck!

Woohoo! My city is listed! I have options!

I have the same issue as Caitlin for this category. My hometown is great, but no books are actually set there. As an alternative, I'm debating between two books that tangentially satisfy this requirement: (1) A book set in a city that I lived for several years and experienced a lot of growth, or (2) a book set in my home state, in an area that I enjoy visiting but never lived in for an extended period of time. What are all of your thoughts?

With all of this smut, I might go ahead and pick a book based on the hotness of the guy on the cover (BAM! two topics in one book: based in hometown and based entirely on it's cover)

Since I'm from a small town in Iowa, I chose a book by an author from Iowa that's set in Iowa. :-)

Kayla wrote: "Since I'm from a small town in Iowa, I chose a book by an author from Iowa that's set in Iowa. :-)"

That sounds great Kayla. Extra imaginary points for the author being from Iowa too!

Caitlin wrote: "Kayla wrote: "Since I'm from a small town in Iowa, I chose a book by an author from Iowa that's set in Iowa. :-)"

That sounds great Kayla. Extra imaginary points for the author being from Iowa too!"

Thanks Caitlin! I am making even more difficult as I am trying to not use the same book for more than one category - AHH! I'm crazy!

Since I'm tracking it online, I didn't want to put be too specific. I used my state and figured that was close enough. And I didn't even need to look - I started a book that i found on my library site and was happily surprised to discover that it was in Ohio!

I grew up 20 minutes outside of Atlantic City, so I was going to read Boardwalk Empire, but my mom sent me this book today (She still lives in the house I grew up, I've moved out of state), that is by a local author that takes place in my actual hometown!! I know it might seem silly, and it's not the type of book I would normally read, but I'm so excited to be able to check that off the list and feel like I really earned it haha. Plus, it means I get to go out of my reading comfort zone again.

For place I've always wanted to visit I'm reading Heartsick which takes place in Portland, OR but for much longer than I've wanted to visit Oregon I've wanted to go to Italy or England, so books may be rearranged to different categories later.

Stephanie -- or anyone else looking for Houston -- did you decide your book for hometown? Houston Press did a top ten with several different genres: http://www.houstonpress.com/arts/rest...