Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Happy Thursday, all! Actually, I am quite anxious for Friday morning to arrive. Supposedly, we will be paying for and picking up my car and returning the rental. I have my fingers crossed. I've already decided if it quits running well within the first two weeks I'll just grab a lighter...and...POOF! All gone! ;)

It is a new day in the US. I watched the first press briefing by the new White House Press Secretary and then the first press briefing by Sean Spicer. It was like night and day. I shed some tears as I listened to some of the inaugural speeches, etc. And I can only hope that many in the US will feel this administration is beneficial for them, this country, and the world overall. My fingers are crossed and I am flooding the Universe with positive energy for our government. Okay, now on to the really important stuff!

Admin Stuff:
Three nominating polls are now active for the April, May, and June Monthly Group Reads. You can access these to vote on or write-in nominations here: April, May, June. Each of these polls will be active through Tuesday, January 26. Please be sure to vote! The top vote-getters will then be included in a final selection poll for each of these three months.

And there is still plenty of time to participate in this month's discussion of Dear Edward! Teri has posted questions that prompted some good discussion.

Reminders for upcoming Monthly Group Reads:

Jessica will be leading February's Group Read discussion for Binti by Nnedi Okorafor. This will fulfill prompt #2 An afrofuturist book in honor of Black History month in the US and Canada.

We are still looking for a discussion leader for The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller for March. This will fulfill prompt #8 A book that has won the Women's Prize for Fiction in celebration of Women's History month in Australia, the UK, and the US.

Popsugar: 22/50
ATY: 36/52
RHC: 3/24
Reading Women: 1/28

FINISHED:
Adolescence Of Zhenya Luvers by Boris Pasternak ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. When I sat down to read on Saturday morning, I just picked this up from the top of a pile of books because it is short and I really wanted to read it. 😊 (So much for that prioritized listing last week! LOL) It was dense and as I expected it was full of imagery as is said to be typical of Pasternak’s poetry and prose. I’m sure I’ll give it a quick reread at some point in the near future…
POPSUGAR: #30-I would like to visit Russia someday, #36-9 reviews on Goodreads, #40-From 2015 POPSUGAR challenge-prompt, #40 Originally written in another language, NEW #42, #46, #47-Associated with Pasternak’s novel Dr. Zhivago and the movie adaptation, NEW #48
ATY: #3-They travel by sleigh, #7-A book related to an element of your favorite film/TV show: I adore the movie adaptation of Pasternak’s novel Dr. Zhivago, #8, NEW #15, NEW #18-First published in 1925 and one of Pasternak’s first short stories published, #27-Death, NEW #28-Set in winter with many descriptions of ice and snow and walking through ice, #31,
RHC: NEW #1- I had no idea what to expect and assumed the poetic use of language might make it a difficult read

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the POPSUGAR January Monthly Group Read! I loved this book! Very real “true-to-life” characters and excellent writing made this very enjoyable. Granted, it was emotional, but so well done, IMO!
POPSUGAR: #18-Helping each other, #21-Contemporary Fiction, Young Adult, #27, #37, #38-Jane was a screenwriter and Eddie was a pianist, NEW #39, #40-From 2016 POPSUGAR Summer challenge-prompt #25 A book that made you cry, #43
ATY: NEW #1-the beginning of a new life for Eddie/Edward!, #6, #7-A book with a major life-altering event in the plot, #8-New York, #15, #22, #27-Strength, Death, #34, #38-PAY: payments made to passengers’ relatives, NEW #46-2020 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fiction, NEW #49, #52-The end of life for 191 people

The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line (Veronica Mars #1) by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was a solid mystery. I wasn’t sure what to think of all the past successful cases mentioned, but it didn’t spoil the book for me overall. I’ll definitely plan to read the second installment.
POPSUGAR: #27, #30-California, #37, #40- From 2017 POPSUGAR challenge-prompt #39 First book in a series I haven't read yet, #44
ATY: #1-the beginning of a series, #7-A book with a number in the title, NEW #10, #27-Death, #28-Veronica searches the ice machine for a dead body, #31, NEW #42
RHC: NEW #13

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was amazing! Very simple and straightforward, but effective and motivating! I really want to read her other publications now! This was my shortest book so I picked it up last night and read it.
POPSUGAR: NEW #16, #18, #30-I would love to visit Nigeria, #34, #37, #40-From 2016 POPSUGAR challenge-prompt #13 Self-improvement, #42, #46
ATY: NEW #5, #7-A book with a pronoun in the title, #8-Nigeria, NEW #26, NEW #35-Nigeria, #38-ADVANCE: It would be an advance in human culture/society to treat all genders equally, #47, NEW #51

CONTINUING:
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates for the Face-to-Face/Zoom book club at my favorite used bookstore on January 24. Excellent writing! It really flows.

The Wall of Storms (Dandelion Dynasty #2) by Ken Liu. I am enjoying this one much more than the first installment, The Grace of Kings! Oh, my. These children are at the very least 'precocious'!

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi for the campus White Racial Literacy Project book club on campus. Hoping to finish this over the coming weekend...

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #26 A book written by Isabel Allende. Wow. I want to finish this one asap!

Paradise by Toni Morrison to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #25 A book written by Toni Morrison.

I hope to finish Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence in January. It is a very nice novel, rather representative of the times. Read some more in this and I swear, I may end up despising Archer.

A Cat of a Different Color (Alice Nestleton Mystery #2) by Lydia Adamson to fulfill 2020 Reading Challenge Color Challenge prompt #17 Read a book with the word “Color” in the title.

And still continuing these in January/February to whenever, until finished!
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

Learning Race, Learning Place: Shaping Racial Identities and Ideas in African American Childhoods by Erin Winkler

Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Dubois

Question of the Week:
From Carmen: Do you have a way of rewarding yourself for reading?

This question really made me think. My initial response was a resounding, “No! Just the enjoyment of reading is enough reward for me!” But then I thought about it and ironically, I realized that one of the main ways I ‘reward’ myself is to allow myself to buy more books! LOL That is seriously messed up, isn’t it?!? 😊 I think I get invigorated and think that since I finished some books, surely I'll have time to read some more 'new-to-me' books!!

Sometimes I’ll take a break and play games on my phone for a bit. I guess I just don’t do much in the way of rewarding myself. But I bet others are more creative than I am! :)

Well, it's been quite a week. After blazing through so many books already in January, this week I started some vacation days and finished very little. Well, I do find it far more relaxing to have leadership that speaks in complete sentences so I bet I will do more reading in the coming days.


Finished:
Miss Benson's Beetle - I liked a lot about this story and I recommend it to Lynn.

London Art Deco - Mmmm yummy art deco


Currently Reading:
The Prophets
Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station
Accidentally Wes Anderson


QOTW:
I don't think so. Checking them off here I guess. I enjoy seeing my stats.

Oh yes, I did see some exciting news today.

Heartstopper is going to Netflix! I hope they cast it well. Good luck finding a dog cute enough.

Even as a non-American I felt relief that the inauguration went ahead smoothly. Everyone looked so happy. Though I am yet to see photos of the First Dogs! And the Heartstopper TV news was lovely, I'm so happy for Alice. Almost a good day, and then the UK daily deaths were announced 😟

Finished:
The Vanishing Stair and The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson for a previous prompt (next book in a series) and ATY (The End). I enjoyed binge reading this YA mystery, kept me guessing till very close to the big reveal. There's a standalone book coming out this year where Stevie investigates a new mystery, so I'm looking forward to that.

Don't Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri for a book on a BLM reading list. This was so interesting and enlightening. She talks about the politicisation of black hair, some of the history of black styling products and her experience as a mix-race girl growing up in Ireland, with very few black people around her. I thought the last few sections related to maths would be a great companion to Binti, as something just clicked into place about the relevance of maths and fractals and relevance to African culture. I found this on a UK Cosmopolitan BLM list. Also using for Book Riot (I'm not serious about completing that challenge but what to see how many I do without trying too hard).

In Sea-Salt Tears by Seanan McGuire for shortest book on my TBR. I feel like this is cheating but it did say shortest! Lovely but sad short story about selkies, from the October Daye series.

Currently reading Winter's Orbit and listening to This Coven Won't Break.

PS: 5/50 | ATY: 5/52 | BR: 1/24 | GR: 10/100

QOTW:
I honestly think I get a small dopamine hit from ticking off prompts on spreadsheets! I don't reward myself because reading itself is rewarding? I only tend to do rewards for things I don't want to do! I do know a few people that save a pound for every book they read and at the end of the year spend that money on a pile of books.

Good Morning! Thursdays have quickly become the one morning I don't mind getting up at 2:30 for work... I look forward to the weekly discussions and any polls!

Yesterday I hoped to finish Where the Crawdads Sing, however it was also my mom's birthday and she wanted to watch the inauguration all day. The one time I've not felt a little guilty for sitting on the couch and watching TV all day long (and drinking a bottle of champagne at 11am). So needless to say, I didn't get any reading done yesterday.

I started listening to Anxious People a few days ago. I've never read/listened to two books before. I usually try to have the book and audiobook of the same novel and read when I'm at home but listen when I'm in my car, but I've read so much of Crawdads that I couldn't get into listening to it, so I figured I'd try to read one book and listen to another. I'm only about 10% through Anxious People, and I'm not completely into it. It feels.... disjointed to me? I'm not sure. I read that some people didn't enjoy it, but then a lot of people say it gets better, so I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt.

QOTW:
I don't usually "reward" myself. Though I have found when I am in a reading slump or funk, that I sometimes tell myself I can't watch a TV show I'm looking forward to until I have read for 30 minutes or something of that nature.

Hi everyone! It was so inspiring to see America swear in its first woman AND first black AND first Asian-American VP! Such a cool day.

Finished

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth. It ended up being a 3-star read for me, but I see how others might find it amazing. There was a lot to love, I just got bogged down in the pacing. (For Dark Academia)

The Light Ages: The Surprising Story of Medieval Science by Seb Falk. This was good, but again, wish I'd had a physical copy instead of just audio, as he referenced a lot of pictures and diagrams.

Currently Reading

I'm still on The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time by John Kelly, as it turns out I wasn't totally in the mood for a pandemic book. Weird, right? ( for subject you're passionate about)

A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology by Dhonielle Clayton. As with all anthologies, some stories are great, others are meh. I've decided to use this as my "different format" book since I don't really read anthologies unless its for a prompt, or a favorite author is in it.

Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power. It's interesting so far! Definitely has a creepy vibe which I love. (For a book featuring three generations)

QotW

My reward is getting to put the book on my shelf! I only shelve books I've read, while my tbr is relegated to a box--or, when I'm in overflow mode as I am now, my floor. So my reward is extra floorspace, too lol. Seeing as how I live in a very tiny space, square footage is most precious. There is something truly enjoyable about shelving that finished book though--which is another reason why I prefer physical books. But again, citing limited space, I've had to make much more use of my Kindle in recent months.

Hi all, my main news this week is that I've started a new paper reading journal and have been really enjoying getting my thoughts onto paper - I never really feel comfortable putting my private thoughts down into goodreads reviews so it's great to have somewhere to really honestly reflect.


Finished
The Bride Test by Helen Hoang - heart on cover - I did really enjoy reading this but felt a bit 'icky' afterwards mainly about the uneven power dynamics in the relationship

The Distant Echo by Val McDermid - ATY 21 year career - I had been getting into a reading slump and this easy crime thriller was just what I needed to get out of it. I really liked it and picked up the next book A Darker Domain straight away as well.

Currently Reading
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson - I'm so into this book right now, I could have read it in one sitting. Have had to drag myself away from it to actually eat, sleep, work etc. but it's making me sad
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab - still not got this back from library to finish it out
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

QOTW
Hmmm I'd be honestly interested to see what kinds of reward people even have for reading. I guess the closest thing I have is my new reading journal....

I don't even really buy books - I'm totally a gifted or library reader - unless it's a book club pick that I really can't get hold of. So no, I can't think of anything, reading kind of is my reward for doing other things!

poshpenny wrote: "Oh yes, I did see some exciting news today.

Heartstopper is going to Netflix! I hope they cast it well. Good luck finding a dog cute enough."

I've never heard of this before, but it seems to be a graphic novel... and it has great reviews! Maybe I'll use it for a different format prompt!

Alice Oseman still publishes Heartstopper as a web comic, so you can read it online for free:
https://heartstoppercomic.tumblr.com/

I tend to wait for the printed version but that's just how I prefer to read comics.

Hi everyone. We've been hit hard by storm Christoff recently so we have flood warnings in place. We also have roadworks on the next street who accidentally burst a pipe and left us without water for the day, so yesterday we had both too much water and not enough water. Thankfully, we have water back to the house and storm seems to have moved on without doing too much damage to the local area.

I'm still reading The Moonstone. I meant to pause it and read some of the library book mountain I have staring at me but I really want to know what is going on

QOTW: Not really. It makes me happy to see the challenge tracker to say I'm on schedule or ahead but other than that, no.

13/50.

I finished:

A Discovery of Witches: A dark academia book - I generally don't enjoy fantasy, but this has provided such a wonderful escape for me, that it feels like magic. Pun definitely intended. This is my first 5 star book of the year, and I am awarding it 100% because of how it made me feel.

The Deal of a Lifetime - shortest book on my TBR: I will officially read absolutely anything he writes.

Big Summer - body positivity: It fit the prompt well. This one started out great. Then I got to the first big twist and it felt like the entire story changed. I felt like I was reading a different genre, but it wasn't nearly as well executed as the first part. The only thing that redeemed it for me was that I did not figure out the ending.

Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics: about art or an artist: This one fit the prompt perfectly and I would recommend the audiobook, although another reader told me that the physical book has pictures that add to the story as well.

The Wild Lands: mostly outdoors: Again, fit the prompt perfectly. I really enjoyed this book. I like adventure style books and I don't read enough of them. I am also obsessed with Alaska. This book had solid characters to root for and plenty of obstacles that made my anxiety so high that I had trouble putting the book down, but also needed to take breaks from it.

Currently Reading:

Shadow of Night: I am impatient and disappointed with this book so far. At almost halfway, if it doesn't get significantly better I will not be reading book 3.

QOTW:
Reading is my reward. Read a chapter, do a chore. Read a page, fold a piece of laundry, whatever. I'm weird haha.

Ali wrote: "Currently Reading
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson - I'm so into this book right now, I could have read it in one sitting. Have had to drag myself away from it to actually eat, sleep, work etc. but it's making me sad
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear"

Oh I LOVED Nothing to See Here. I listened to to the audiobook and the narrator was amazing. Such a fun and different book.

Are you using Atomic Habits to fulfil a prompt? I have this on my TBR list but I'm not really sure where it would fit.

I finished Bridget Jones's Diary as my book my bf would like. It was OK. I think it's one of the rare cases where the movie is better.

I am about halfway through The Innocents Abroad as my book that takes place in multi countries.

Qotw: reading is my reward.

🗓Week 3:
✔️Prompt #3 heart on the cover/ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚Books read this week: 3

Popsugar: 13/50
ATY: 13/52
goodreads: 15/100
📚Reading Goals: mood read, read 100 books, read diverse

With Monday as a holiday and watching the news coverage off and on all day of the inauguration, I read 3 books this week. It seems like I’ve started a few and keep trying for something to stick.

✔️Week 3 Finished: (1/15-1/21)
Outlawed ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
#21 Popsugar (genre hybrid) western dystopian
Shipped ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#17 Popsugar (same title as a song) Fallout Boy
Yellow Wife ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#33 Popsugar (3 generations) +
#51 ATY (title refers to person not name)

📖Currently Reading:
Kiss My Cupcake
The Prophets
The Push

📚Further Reading Plans: (Week 3)
A Hundred Suns

❓Question of the Week:
Do you have a way of rewarding yourself for reading?

💬AOTW:
I don’t really reward myself because reading in general is a reward and my favorite form of self-care, but other than buying a new book or book stickers for my reading journal. I’ve seen the idea of a reading jar where you put money in for each book you read and that goes towards buying a new book for yourself.

Mary wrote: "13/50.

I finished:

A Discovery of Witches: A dark academia book - I generally don't enjoy fantasy, but this has provided such a wonderful escape for me, that it feels like magic. ...

Currently Reading:

Shadow of Night: I am impatient and disappointed with this book so far. At almost halfway, if it doesn't get significantly better I will not be reading book 3."

I read the entire trilogy a few months ago... I agree, book 1 was great. The others I felt moved a lot slower or at a pace that didn't do the story justice... I couldn't stop though, I'm a sucker for finishing series, even if they are terrible. I wouldn't say this series turned terrible, but the pacing was not helpful.

Happy Thursday!
My sister's getting married in September and just asked me to be a bridesmaid earlier this week, so that's exciting. We're going bridesmaid-dress shopping this weekend; I'm very much looking forward to it. I think it actually surprised my husband how excited I was lol.

I finished three books and DNF'd two. Not bad for a week.
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane - 4 stars. I've warmed up to the open-ended ending, since Lisa has said she has no plans for a sequel. Book with three generations
When We Were Gods: A Novel of Cleopatra - DNF. Too many flowy, fragment-y sentences, and it felt very dry.
The Book of Chaos, Vol. 1: Ante Genesem - 3.5 stars. A bit frustrating in its jumping around, but it's got my interest enough to pick up the next volume.
Magic for Liars - DNF. I liked this at first, the audio narration is excellent, but it seemed to get bogged down in details and when I tried to continue with it on Monday I just had zero interest.
Familiar Face by Meg Elison (in Nightmare Magazine: January 2020, Issue #88) - 4 stars. Loved this concept, and the Deaf rep/ASL use integrated seamlessly with the story. Less than 1000 reviews

PS 3/50

Currently reading:
Jade City Gem, mineral, or rock in the title
Deception Same title as a song
Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening
Die, Vol. 3: The Great Game Author shares your zodiac sign (he shares my birthday too!)

QOTW: From Carmen: Do you have a way of rewarding yourself for reading?
Not especially -- just on to the next one! If I deeply love a book I may buy a copy for my home library (or the series, if I'm really feeling it).

Allie wrote: "Mary wrote: "13/50.

I finished:

A Discovery of Witches: A dark academia book - I generally don't enjoy fantasy, but this has provided such a wonderful escape for me, that it feels..."

I agree. There still are elements of the story that I enjoy, but I feel like screaming "GET TO THE POINT!"

We've had a big week here in the US as we welcome our new President Biden.  I'm sure a lot of us watched the Inauguration.  WHO ELSE WAS BLOWN AWAY BY POET AMANDA GORMAN???  I mean, WOW!!!   Not only is she so young and so beautiful and her poem is so good, but ... she seemed so CALM in front of that enormous audience!!  I mean, I get nervous if I have to talk in front of ten or twenty people.   As soon as she was done speaking, I immediately went to Goodreads to see what books she's published.  Looks like she has a book coming out this year!! The Hill We Climb will include the poem she read at the inauguration.  I added it to my TBR.  Her publisher had better be planning to print A LOT.



This week I finished two books, both of them for this Challenge, so I am now 3/50.

The Devil You Know by Mike Carey- this was an entertaining paranormal mystery, I used it for "same title as a song."

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas - this was an entertaining historical mystery, which I used for "do-overs or fresh starts."


I've been enjoying the books I am currently reading, but I can't seem to focus on just one (I guess I'm too eager to read ALL the books!), so I've got 7 books I'm currently reading, and happily I found Challenge categories for five of them - some of these are a reach, but ... whatever.  So if I can manage to stay focused long enough to finish these, I'll be making good progress!
White Ivy (three generations)
Valentine (social justice issue)
Island Affair (place I'd like to visit)
Dune (best friend would like)
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art (about art or artist) - this is actually the only one I'd PLANNED to read for this Challenge - so far I don't really like it.
The Boss
The Searcher - this one is moving slow and I never seem to want to pick it up again - maybe I'm going to set it aside and try again later in the year.



QOTW

LOL my reward is kind of dorky.  I get a serious thrill from my spreadsheet where I track the books I've read each year.  Yes it's probably not for everyone, but seeing my data population grow and form a pleasing pie chart and seeing my scatter plot track number of books read is very satisfying.  That's it, that's my reward.  Then I go start another book.

Nadine wrote: "LOL my reward is kind of dorky. I get a serious thrill from my spreadsheet where I track the books I've read each year. Yes it's probably not for everyone, but seeing my data population grow and form a pleasing pie chart and seeing my scatter plot track number of books read is very satisfying. That's it, that's my reward. Then I go start another book."

Oh, I love this about my spreadsheets too!

Nadine wrote: "We've had a big week here in the US as we welcome our new President Biden.  I'm sure a lot of us watched the Inauguration.  WHO ELSE WAS BLOWN AWAY BY POET AMANDA GORMAN???  I mea..."

Amanda Gorman was amazing! I've already added The Hill We Climb to my wish list, and she also has another book coming out on the same day. It's called Change Sings: A Children's Anthem. I'm very excited to read both!

Lynn wrote: "Happy Thursday, all! Actually, I am quite anxious for Friday morning to arrive. Supposedly, we will be paying for and picking up my car and returning the rental. I have my fingers crossed. I've alr..."


Good luck with your car!!!!!

Ellie wrote: "I honestly think I get a small dopamine hit from ticking off prompts on spreadsheets! ..."


LOL that's what I said! SPREADSHEET SOLIDARITY!

Nadine wrote: "We've had a big week here in the US as we welcome our new President Biden.  I'm sure a lot of us watched the Inauguration.  WHO ELSE WAS BLOWN AWAY BY POET AMANDA GORMAN???  I mea..."

Thanks for sharing this! I didn't think to look her up, but now I've also added Amanda Gorman's book to my TBR. :)

Happy Thursday, y’all.

Not much to report this week. Just hoping the next four years go smoothly and bring some much-needed hope and healing for my home country.

Books read this week:

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 -- for “genre hybrid,” in this case a mashup of fantasy, steampunk, and detective novel. Magic, a steampunk/magicpunk Egypt, and a look at the mysthical creatures from the Middle East! I loved this, and can’t wait for the full novel set in this world!

The Travelling Cat Chronicles -- for “favorite prompt from the 2016 challenge (book translated into English).” This was such a sweet book, even when it got sad and emotional. If you love cats and don’t mind a translated work (or read Japanese), give this one a shot!

Across the Green Grass Fields -- for “book published in 2021.” Next book in the Wayward Children series, and it was worth the wait… though I’m waiting to see how Regan fits into the timeline, and if and when she shows up at the school…

Castle Waiting, Vol. 1 -- graphic novel, not for the challenge. Utterly charming! A lovely “after happily ever after” sort of tale, and I can’t wait to read the next volume!

Challenge stats:

Regular challenge books -- 4/45
Advanced challenge books -- 2/10
Not for the challenge -- 6


Currently Reading:

Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most Celebrated Tales -- for “longest book on your TBR list”
The Eye of the World -- for “bestseller from the ‘90s”
Murder on the Orient Express -- for “locked room mystery”
Trial by Fire: A Devastating Tragedy, 100 Lives Lost, and A 15-Year Search for Truth -- for “a book with fewer than 1000 reviews on Amazon/Goodreads”

QOTW:

I don't really reward myself for reading... but I do enjoy getting to pick my next read, and writing a Goodreads/Amazon review for what I've just read. If it's good, I get to gush about it; if it's bad, I get to rip it apart; and if it's "just okay" I get to dissect what worked and what didn't in my review.

Sarah wrote: "Hi everyone. We've been hit hard by storm Christoff recently so we have flood warnings in place. We also have roadworks on the next street who accidentally burst a pipe and left us without water for the day, so yesterday we had both too much water and not enough water. ..."



Funny how often Coleridge's poem is applicable! water water everywhere and nary a drop to drink ...

I hope your situation is resolved soon.

I hope folks can breathe a little easier today. I have my issues with Biden, but I'm pretty happy with the 17 executive orders he signed yesterday. And I can't wait to read Amanda Gorman's books!

This week I finished:

One of the Good Ones This was a highly ambitious YA story by sisters whose previous book I adored. There were a few tiny things I had mixed feelings on, but overall it's an important read. Also, talk about (view spoiler)[ #AlliesWeDon'tNeed....to the extreme. Yikes! (hide spoiler)] 4.5 stars

Skippy Dies This was... decent. There were things I liked and disliked throughout the story. It felt pretty long but the ending was good. 3.5 stars

Piranesi For such a short book this was a really slow read for me. It required a lot of patience, but there were some stand-out pieces throughout, and it had quite a unique setting. 4 stars

It Is Wood, It Is Stone I enjoyed this, although I wanted more of the character Mata. I noticed a funny error - the perspective was an American woman and at one point she was eating "a sleeve of biscuits" (I think she meant "cookies"). I appreciated the setting and would have liked more details on that as well. 4 stars

I'm currently reading Telephone in print and listening to Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents on audio.

QOTW: As others have mentioned, I usually have reading as my reward for doing other, less desirable things. I suppose buying new books can be considered a reward for reading though. Since I've been able to obtain financial security for the first time recently I seem to take personal responsibility for keeping all of my local indie bookstores afloat... It gets expensive to buy new books frequently, but what a joy it is to purchase books and support great local businesses at the same time!

Happy Thursday!

Finished:
Wintergirls - this book deals with eating disorders and mental illness. It was not what I was expecting and a tough read. I used it for prompt #4 - a book by an author that shares your zodiac sign. 3 stars

11/22/63 - I've never been a big Stephen King fan, but I really enjoyed this book. I liked the fantasy/time travel aspect and thought the story was a great concept. The ending fell a little flat for me though. I used this for prompt #41 - the longest book on your TBR. 4 stars

Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There - I read this and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland for a classic books read along I do in a Facebook group each month. I can't remember if I read them before, but really enjoyed Lewis Carroll's creativity and imagination. I used this for prompt #15 - a book with a black and white cover. 4 stars

Challenge Progress:
Regular Challenge - 4/40
Advanced Challenge - 1/10
Total - 5/50

Currently Reading:
Finale - I'm using this for prompt #3 - a book that has a heart, diamond, club, or spade on the cover

Dear Martin - I'm using this for prompt #20 - a book found on the Black Lives Matter reading list

The Survivors - I have an ARC of this, and I'm trying to stay on top of my ARCs this year!

QOTW - Do you have a way of rewarding yourself for reading?

I don't reward myself for reading. It's something I enjoy so don't need a reward for doing it.

Yesterday felt so good. A normal White House press briefing, a stack of executive orders undoing actions of He Who Should Not Be Named, a beautiful poetry reading by Amanda Gorman... I feel energized!

Challenge Progress: 11/50

Completed:
The Vanishing Half: "You could drown in two inches of water. Maybe grief was the same." Beautiful examination of identity, race, and motherhood. And the title is brilliant... the twins, racial identity, sexual identity. There's a lot to be explored here, and Bennett writes a compelling story. (PS39 - A book everyone seems to have read but you) ★★★★

One to Watch: Yes, I watch reality TV, and One to Watch hits every note brilliantly. I'd totally watch Bea's season of Main Squeeze and root for her every step of the way. (PS19 - A book that discusses body positivity) ★★★★

The Slave Players: I picked it up. I put it down. I picked it up. I put it down. DNF... until now (and only because I'm reading it for this challenge). And I can't really say I'm happy I finished it. What had such an interesting premise ended up being so heavy-handed, ugly, and unlikely (even considering the events at the US Capitol on 01/06/2021). Yes, the final scene with Tom, Molly, and Willie rang true, but that wasn't enough to save it. (PS49 - A DNF book from your TBR pile) ★

The Duke Who Didn't: "Please never kiss a man who doesn’t think you deserve his effort." I don't know... I just expected more. This was a '2020 New York Times Notable Book', and the best part was the author's notes at the end. The story was sweet but not special; it felt like a short story that was expanded into a full length novel. ★★★

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End: My mother is 86 and still living - healthily - at home. Gawande's frank look at end of life treatment and care reassured me that we're having the discussions we need to be having. ★★★★

Olive Kitteridge: Olive is ferocious, complicated, prickly and sometimes cruel, but her story, told here through a series of interconnected short stories, is fascinating. It's about love and daily life and human endurance... not always easy, but worthy of respect. I enjoyed this far more than I ever thought I would. ★★★★

Silk: Beautiful, nearly hypnotic and sometimes erotic, prose that reads like a fairy tale... But (at 91 pages) a very slight fairy tale where the protagonist is both hero and (I believe) villain. ★★★

Seth and I read four books this week. He's been very resistant to reading lately, so I'm trying to actually put it on a schedule. When we pick books up from the library on Saturday I'm going to write them on his calendar, so they're not an unexpected activity each day.

Clark the Shark ★★★★
Dragons Love Tacos ★★★★★
Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug ★★★★
100 Hungry Monkeys! ★★



Currently Reading:
Wine Girl: The Obstacles, Humiliations, and Triumphs of America's Youngest Sommelier
When We Were Vikings
The Glass Woman
Desert Notebooks: A Road Map for the End of Time
Mitch, Please!: How Mitch McConnell Sold Out Kentucky
Binti: The Complete Trilogy (PS2 - An afrofuturism book)
The Dating Plan

QOTW: While reading is its own reward, I too admit that I get a little thrill checking off prompts in various challenges and maintaining my lists and logs and journals.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief at noon yesterday. Now that we have a new President, I feel like I can finally start focusing on some other things. Not that all our problems are behind us, but I can rest easier knowing a capable leader is addressing them.

I signed up for Misfits Market this week, and I’m so excited about it! Food waste along the supply chain is a huge problem. I’m happy to be part of the solution. I have to admit, I wouldn’t have normally bought all the produce I filled my box with (red cabbage, turnips), but I also had fun looking up recipes for ideas on how to use that produce. I opened my box yesterday and found a couple substitutions. I promptly gave away the zucchini, but I'm curious about the collard greens. Nothing was particularly odd shaped, and I’m kind of disappointed about it. Maybe I’ll get something in the next box.

Finished
City of the Gods by Sonny Whitelaw (the book that’s been on your tbr for the longest amount of time). The author clearly did a lot of research into Aztec culture and worked it into the Stargate universe in a meaningful way. I wasn’t a big fan of the crystal skull episode, but this book makes me wish they’d done more with that mythology/technology in the show, especially if it involved the Tollans like the author speculates it could.

The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morganthaler (a book set in a restaurant). This book is not good. A romance should get better after the couple meets, not slowly more and more annoying. I would normally DNF a book I was this apathetic about, but by the time I realized I didn’t like it, I was already 70% in. If you want to read a romance set in Alaska, read The Simple Wild instead.

Reading
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

QOTW
All the reward I need is watching the progress bar on my reading challenges.

Nadine wrote: "We've had a big week here in the US as we welcome our new President Biden.  I'm sure a lot of us watched the Inauguration.  WHO ELSE WAS BLOWN AWAY BY POET AMANDA GORMAN???  I mea..."

Yes! I have to admit that the inaugural poet is usually my favorite part of the ceremony. Thanks for looking up her books, so I can add this to my library wish list!

Nadine wrote: LOL my reward is kind of dorky. I get a serious thrill from my spreadsheet where I track the books I've read each year.

This! Maybe this is my reward? I love changing the colors on my Excel spreadsheets the best. I should probably look at my stats, But color is my jam lol.

Welcome to the new age, to the new age, welcome to the new age, to the new age!
Radioactive - Imagine Dragons

Watched the Inauguration yesterday during dinner (aren't timezones fun, haha!) and man, what a relief! And what a poem! I know Biden's been hard at work already, so let's hope these next 4 years will be great! There is still lots to rant about (like McConnell's request for balance of power in the Senate, because he can't handle no longer holding said power) but for now, I'm focusing on the good things! Yay!

And then the Heartstopper news! I'm so excited! Kinda sad Aled won't be in there, and that it's live-action, but I get it. Cannot wait for the next volume to be published this year (it's PURPLEEE) as I got so behind at keeping up weekly.. I'm just not cut out for it, ahaha!

For me personally this week has been a disaster (save for me finally owning the base Villainous game!!!), but after some stronger sleeping meds last night today is better so let's hope it was just a fluke!

Due to said disaster I didn't read nearly as much as I'd planned to, so a meager update this week:

Read
Keeper of the Lost Cities - a book about do-overs or fresh starts (PS), related to in the beginning (ATY). INSTANT FAVORITE! I can't wait for February to roll around so I can read the sequel!

Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You ; I've been reading this since October 11 so technically can't count it for this (or any) challenge. I meant to listen to the audiobook, but save the 10 minute excerpt on YouTube there is nowhere for me to do so, as it's not available here. Which breaks my heart because those 10 minutes were perfect! ...and a tiny bit because it means I still can't count it. I intend to start it again which means I can count it 3,5 months from now, but still. Tiny bit of a bummer, haha! Absolutely adored this and will treasure my copy (gifted! which makes it better lkajsdf) forever!

Currently Reading
The Waking Fire Reread as a buddy with a friend, though she's currently not reading due to Life. Physical reading is a struggle as ever, which is why I restarted it on audio (we had actually started this book last year). The audio seems to not wholly be working for me, though, but hopefully it will work better if I'm doing jigsaw puzzles of bujo work instead of wordsearches (which usually work perfectly). If not.. it'll be a long road, haha! The things I do for my favorite books :P

Be Dazzled I had read one chapter earlier this year but am finally continuing for real. Got the eARC but of course I suck at ebooks and then slumped on top of that so I'm late to the game (as per usual with my ARCs kjahsdfl;g) but at least I'm getting there. Not really sure what to think of it so far. Makes me miss cons, that's for sure, haha! But I am really hoping the romance won't resurface because the other guy is awful.. so fingers crossed!

QOTW
Yay, my question!

First of all: YES SPREADSHEET SOLIDARITY. I have *so many*. I have literal administration after finishing a book but it's so fulfilling! Sadly Goodreads is currently mean to me and saying I'm behind schedule. So rude. I've been watching TV, Goodreads, which I haven't done in FOREVER, and translating the Villainous games, so give me a break!

Some have already mentioned what I started doing! I saw someone mention it in a comment on YouTube and I got so excited, haha! I transfer €1 for every book I read; whether or not I will wait until the end of the year to spend it on more books or if I'll use it throughout the year when 'necessary' I don't know, but I am excited! I am terrible at saving, especially when it's without purpose, so for me this is absolutely perfect. The true reward comes at the end of the year when you can bulk-buy books! (or throughout the year but shhh let's keep the dream alive) Looking forward to that day, heheh!

Hello,

Only one book finished for me this week, I'm now 4/52 in the challenge.

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan - I think I may have love book 2 even more than book 1. Used for #50, a free book (my nephew lent me the series to read).

QOTW: Put me down with those who answered that checking off books on my TBR and plugging them into my challenge spreadsheet is my reward. :-) Also entering my review on Goodreads. Other than that, I agree, reading is its own reward.

Happy Thursday everyone!

What a thrill seeing Kamala Harris inaugurated! So many meaningful firsts, and it was so wonderful to share with my daughter.
The Memorial for People We Lost to COVID (don’t know the exact title) was so beautiful and such a great step in the right direction towards healing. Ah, empathetic leadership…… drifting….. drifting…. Ok, I’m back.

Finished:

Baby Teeth I really loved it! Maybe a wee bit of a slow burn, but I love a character-driven novel. Having worked at places like Marshes, yes, it’s so so dead on. Not horror for me so much as verifying my reality. Highly recommend!
*something broken on cover - lolipop.


Continuing:

The Black God's Drums Loving the involvement of orishas, and pleased that the details are spot on. Guess I’m a stickler for details on what I’m passionate about. Just started last night.

The Mueller Report I’m really enjoying this chubby lil door stopper. It reminds me a lot of War and Peace, Lots of families/ groups of people with intertwining lives, a soap opera of sorts, and all the emotions you can experience. (Your politics won't matter.)
Where Tolstoy grounds everything in chunks of proletariat farming description, Mueller grounds the surrealism with small chunks of legal defense of the use of words like “or”.
Oh! And …. Rabbit holes!

QOTW:

My reward for doing *housework* is reading. I’m the same way. Mary! Doing dishes means I get ½ hour of reading. Cleaning the floor translates to at least an hour of reading.

Edit: Yes, Nadine! I do get the thrill of changing my spreadsheets colors lol. I should pay attention to stats. But I mostly read women, BIPOC writers, LGBTQIAA+, indie. Those are my most interesting stats, so, yeah, colors.

Ashley Marie wrote: "Oh, I love this about my spreadsheets too! ..."


*fist bump*

Happy check-in day! I am seriously dragging today. It feels like Monday, part 4 for me. Nothing has gone wrong, per se, but it's just a series of minor inconveniences that are just getting to me today.

I have two finishes since last check-in, however, so that feels awesome to be on track. I finished Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World for a book about art or an artist. I also read it for my work reading challenge for a book with an LGBT+ main character. This is a middle grade novel. First, Ivy’s house is destroyed by a tornado. Then her notebook with all of her secret drawings goes missing; drawings of two girls in a treehouse. Ivy feels like she’s not needed in her family anymore and her relationship with her sister is rocky, at best. Then her missing drawings start showing up in her locker, with notes encouraging Ivy to talk to someone about what the drawings mean. This is such a sweet, honest story about first crushes, evolving friendships, and figuring out where you fit in your family.

I also finished Fighting Words for a book with less than 1,000 reviews. This is another book for my work reading challenge for a book with incarcerated parents (or it could works as a book about consent). Another middle grade novel that tackles the fall-out that kids are left to deal with when their parents can't be parents. This is a tough book, but so good. And it does a great job at discussing consent and how difficult it can be to speak up when you've been abused.

QOTW: I don't think I really reward myself for reading. Like others, reading is my reward for getting chores done. I do enjoy ticking off prompts and checking my progress toward my goal on Goodreads.

Happy afternoon from Germany,

this week is a good one :-) My mother has the Dates for her covid vaccination appointments. The US has a new decent president. Loved Katy Perrys "Firework" at the end of the "celebrating america" Party.

Off to reading ;-)

Finished Murder on the Last Frontier by Cathy Pegau. 3 Stars - Nice Setting in Alaska. Would love to visit there sometime ...

Currently reading:
Vom Winde verweht, german translation of Gone with the Wind... Widow Scarlett has arrived in Atlanta with her young Boy ...
Feuerkuss, german translation of Smoke Bitten ..i love the Mercy Series ..on page one ..

Lauren wrote: "... It Is Wood, It Is Stone I enjoyed this, although I wanted more of the character Mata. I noticed a funny error - the perspective was an American woman and at one point she was eating "a sleeve of biscuits" (I think she meant "cookies"). ..."


LOL it's funny when that happens! Mike Carey set his recent book in Pittsburgh, but he kept using British terms (he called the billboards "hoardings" which actually was a term I didn't know and had to look up!)

Heather wrote: "I wouldn’t have normally bought all the produce I filled my box with (red cabbage, turnips), but I also had fun looking up recipes for ideas on how to use that produce. I opened my box yesterday and found a couple substitutions. I promptly gave away the zucchini, but I'm curious about the collard greens...."


I had a subscription to a CSA for several years (until, sadly, the farmer decided to stop doing it) and that was sometimes a challenge! I'm not the biggest fan of collards, but they are okay - they have to be cooked a lot longer than other cooking greens that I use. I learned that I love roasted winter squash soup made with curry & coconut milk, I do NOT like kohlrabi, I keep thinking I like Brussels sprouts but keep re-learning that I do not, and I gave up on trying to like beets - she would substitute whatever else they had that week for the beets in my share.

Hello from Boston! Because I am moving in a few short weeks I cancelled almost all my BPL holds today and I am a little sentimental about it! I love the BPL system and I'll be sad to leave. I'm excited to join my new suburban library system and meet the new-to-me librarians and get all set up.

I enjoyed the long weekend and finished two books:

Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life by Christie Tate
I love memoirs that dive into therapy. I was really rooting for Tate and really loved this one. I had been having trouble focusing and this book pulled me in and kept my attention.

The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr.
Wow. It took 13 years for Jones to write this and it shows. It is complex and I feel like my understanding of the connections he was drawing barely scratched the surface (especially because I don't have a strong biblical foundation) but I loved this book. It took me a while to read because I had to sit with the characters and it was so intense and brutal but I am glad I read it.

Next up is finishing all my currently checked out books so I can return them!
The Devil and the Dark Water
Dear Edward
The Voyage of the Morning Light
Snapped
The Cold Millions
The Invention of Sophie Carter
The Mermaid from Jeju
Roommaid

Let me know if you have any favorites from this list that I should start with! I'm a few chapters into Dear Edward and trying to finish it so I can participate in the group discussion.

QOTW: I feel like my whole reading routine has built in rewards (and reading is a reward too :)) I get my heated blanket out and get cozy. I usually get a few chocolates to munch on. I select which bookmark I want to use for each book--metal with celtic carvings is perfect for Outlander, Star Wars porg bookmark is perfect for fantasies or space books, etc. And then when I am done with reading for the night I journal and record what I am reading. When I finish a book I record that in my journal, spreadsheets, and goodreads, with my review and what popsugar prompt it fulfills. And then, if I own the book, I get to slide it into my bookshelf by author last name. All of these pieces of my routine are satisfying. And then after that I go to sleep which is another great reward haha!

Happy Thursday!
Between the books that I have read this month so far (political heavy) and the Presidential Inauguration I am ready for some non-political books!

Finished:
Nothing!

Currently Reading
A Promised Land by Barack Obama - almost done with this one. I am 500+ pages in and it is only his first year in office! I can see why he wrote 2 volumes. Really good for someone (me) who doesn't know a whole lot about what the President does/goes through.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. Still making progress on this one. I wish I could sit and read this for hours and hours, but alas - responsibilities (like working and sleeping) get in the way.

QOTW:
My reward is SPREADSHEETING! I have 4 spreadsheets within the same workbook to organize my books. Plus I get to write about the books I finish every week and discuss them with you all fine people!

Hi Everyone, what a week.It feels like a fresh start and I'm excited to fall back into reading (January has been slow for me)

Popsugar Challenge: 3/50
Goodreads Challenge: 7/150
30 Before 30: 0/30

Finished
Happily Ever Afters: Finished this one and it just didn't really work for me, I loved how our main character was very driven towards calling out racism, ableism, and sexism. I loved her love of her brother. But the rest of this and the scheme fell short and was uncomfortable to read--> just counting towards Goodreads goal.

Currently Reading:
The Bluest Eye- I'm reading this now and not sure what to make of it, I think that maybe I'm reading it when I'm too tired to see all allusions and symbolism. The writing is fantastic though. I've been coupling my reading with spark notes to get more out of it, I love doing this with Classics (I always read a chapter first though before the sparknotes).

Firefly Lane- Okay, I am kind of addicted to this one. But I have a feeling we are heading into a mess and I don't want it to go there because I feel like a betrayal is about to happen and I feel so connected to the characters that I feel like I'm going to be betrayed.

Love at First- Started my ARC of this, I'm just getting started but I have high hopes because Love Lettering was my favorite romance of the year.

The Prophets- I'm listening to this on audio and I love the narrator, the writing is gorgeous, I just wish I had a hard copy cause I worry a lot is going over my head.

QOTD:
I reward myself with reading by picking up a new book haha

The Highlights:

Cut & Run Technically a reread but didn't feel like it as I didn't remember much of the story - I remembered my emotional reactions to the book more than the book itself which was interesting. A fun romp between enemies turned lovers who each have their own issues to work out. I am interested to see where the series goes.

Taji from Beyond the Rings A slow-burn romance set in a fascinating world. This is not a fast read, but it is a thoroughly enjoyable one!

Heartstopper: Volume Two & Heartstopper: Volume Three I was going to pace myself to match the Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Groups schedule of one volume a month, but after reading the first book I couldn't wait that long. What a fun way to spend a couple of hours. SO EXCITED to hear the Netflix news!

The Honey-Don't List (5 Stars) What a fun read! I thoroughly enjoyed this contemporary romance. I need to read more from this writing duo as I have enjoyed the two books of theirs I have read so far. Also great to get a physical book off of the stack on my coffee table. (For reasons that I haven't figured out, I am more likely to finish ebooks in a timely manner than I am physical books--I love both formats so need to ponder why this might be.)

Upcoming Books:

Nadine wrote: "I had a subscription to a CSA for several years (until, sadly, the farmer decided to stop doing it) and that was sometimes a challenge! I'm not the biggest fan of collards, but they are okay - they have to be cooked a lot longer than other cooking greens that I use. "

I like that I can customize my box somewhat, and I think they made reasonable substitutions. In hindsight, I probably could have come up with a way to use the zucchini I gave away. And I probably could with most vegetables, except tomatoes. I'm highly intolerant of them. I dread the day I get a bunch of tomatoes. Hopefully other people request them enough they'll stay out of my boxes.

That soup sounds delicious. I always thought I disliked a lot of vegetables, like squash and peppers, until I tried them in soups. I realized that it's the texture I don't like. Once they're diced or pureed into soup, I love them. Soup is my game plan for anything I get that I think I don't like.

Hi everyone,

have a horrible migraine today, or else a headache that is terrible that feels like a migraine that isn't because my meds aren't even kinda working.

This week I finished:

A Dream So Dark - I really enjoyed this, looking forward to the next book coming out in november. Counted for Popsugar book with a deck of card symbol on it, has a heart as well as some diamonds. Also counted for ATY book with a deck of cards character in it, there's mentions of various queens even if they weren't active. Read harder YA book with a Black protagonist that doesn't focus on Black pain, and book nerds book with a weapon on the cover.

Ring Shout - this was interesting, a bit of a intense read. I liked it, will read more by the author. Actually had a couple on my kindle I just hadn't gotten to yet, will put more priority on it now! Counted for popsugar - genre hybrid, was a historical fiction-fantasy-horror. Also ATY book by a new to you BIPOC author, book nerds featuring a seven deadly sin, counting for wrath.

I also forgot to mention that i finished Coffee Talk last week, which is a Visual Novel video game/talking simulator. It was a really cute story, I enjoyed it a lot. Fun art style too. Counting it as my book in a format I don't normally read, I haven't done a visual novel before.

DNF:

The Many Lives of Tom Waits - i had gotten it from the library because I love Tom Waits, but the intro style was already off-putting. Once I read that he admitted that Tom Waits won't give interviews or authorize biographies, I lost interest. It's one thing to do a biography for someone dead without interviews or consent, but when someone's still alive it feels kind of tacky. I don't know. Maybe if it hadn't started so pretentiously I'd have cared less, but it seemed like in the intro he was trying to justify having written the book, and I just don't have the patience for that right now.

Currently reading:

Black Futures - Roxanne Gay is doing a book club, not sure I'll actively participate in discussions, but I'm at least reading the books. I'm only a couple hundred pages in, it's over 500 pages. I'm going to count it as my Popsugar book about art. It's a big compilation of Black artists of basically every genre from traditional art, to online projects, to playlists, to spirituality, performance art, etc.

1Q84 - started tackling this now because I know it'll take a while. Longest book on my TBR. Interesting and weird so far, although not really grabbing me as a "sit down and burn through it" book. Probably once I finish Black Futures, will start alternating with another book again.

November 9 - on the cusp of DNFing this. The problem is, it's a book club pick for another goodreads group that I run, and I'm supposed to be leading the discussion on it. I'm kind of at a loss, because i honestly HATE the main guy in it, and it's supposed to be a "romance". But dude's super predatory, doesn't understand consent, and he's just...gross. I'm probably going to broach the subject in my group, see if I can get away with just putting up some general reading questions rather than the specific ones I usually make. Of course it's not a "book club" type book so there's no reading guides I could find to just copy and paste from.

QOTW:

I also am a "get dopamine from marking books off on my spreadsheets" person haha. But I also will sort of reward myself if I read a bunch of challenging books in a span, with just re-reading something I love or reading something totally fluffy.

I am so happy to see so many of us are spreadsheet nerds, hahah! And that reading is a reward in itself for so many, too!

ALSO *yes* to picking the right bookmark! In my case, the right booksleeve, too! Such happy little moments!

Loving all these answers <3

Allie wrote: "The one time I've not felt a little guilty for sitting on the couch and watching TV all day long (and drinking a bottle of champagne at 11am)"

11am? West coast here, so I cracked open the bottle of Marchese Dell' Elsa Moscato D' Asti I'd been saving at around 8:30am! I can now tell you from experience, if you ever need to toast something in the morning, that is a very nice option.


Nadine wrote: "We've had a big week here in the US as we welcome our new President Biden.  I'm sure a lot of us watched the Inauguration.  WHO ELSE WAS BLOWN AWAY BY POET AMANDA GORMAN???"

I KNOW RIGHT?! In nearly no time at all after that, my little local indy kid's bookshop had already posted about her upcoming books. I look forward to getting them there.

Hello everyone! Hooray for rejoining the Paris climate accord is what I have to say!

This week I finished:
The Five Red Herrings (my best friend would like it): This is such an impressive example of the structure of a mystery! It thoroughly breaks down the nuts and bolts of how a murder and subsequent cover-up could be accomplished, and I kept stopping reading to be impressed by how Dorothy Sayers managed to turn these technical details into an entertaining novel.
Royal Assassin (DNF'd last year): I technically DNF'd this because I couldn't finish it before the library due date, but I'm counting it! Honestly it was going pretty slow in the first half, but it really picked up in the second half. I'll need a break before reading the next book, though. Life just kicks Fitz in the teeth a bit too often for me.

Currently reading:
Moonflower Murders
Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time
The House of the Spirits (audiobook; the narration is not great)
The Only Good Indians (audiobook)

QOTW:
Like many others, I get a big kick out of entering my stats into my spreadsheets and checking off reading lists. I also recently gave myself permission to get some book subscription boxes because 1. I can't spend my money on traveling and 2. I'm reading enough to keep up with them. I'm in love! I received my first Bibliophilic Excursions box, which has a theme country every month, and you get two books (one fiction, one nonfiction) from that country and an assortment of gifts (all ethically sourced). This month was Peru, and I am already enjoying the nonfiction book and the delicious drinking chocolate. I also got some fancy quinoa, soft wool gloves, a pretty pot, and other things. I cannot overstate how much I am enjoying this entire experience. In a couple weeks I will receive my first Unplugged Book Box, which is more fandom-focused, so hopefully it will be a very different but equally enjoyable subscription.
(I know this sounds like a sales pitch. It's not; I'm just exuberantly happy about my purchases.)

Now I'm extremely curious what all your spreadsheets look like.... I like spreadsheets.... I want spreadsheets.... (however, I probably don't read enough to make them look like anything haha)

Nadine wrote: "We've had a big week here in the US as we welcome our new President Biden.  I'm sure a lot of us watched the Inauguration.  WHO ELSE WAS BLOWN AWAY BY POET AMANDA GORMAN???  I mea..."

YASS! Amazing. Beautiful. So powerful!

Sheri wrote: "... November 9 - on the cusp of DNFing this. The problem is, it's a book club pick for another goodreads group that I run, and I'm supposed to be leading the discussion on it. I'm kind of at a loss, because i honestly HATE the main guy in it, and it's supposed to be a "romance". But dude's super predatory, doesn't understand consent, and he's just...gross. ..."


I had that issue with another CoHo book I read. I vowed to never again read another book by her. She has become very popular and I see her books everywhere now, but nope, not gonna do it.