Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2021 Weekly Check-Ins
>
Week 17: 4/23 - 4/29
Mod
That's a Hat Trick of Good News!!! Done with surgery, no catheter, AND air conditioning!!! :-)
Mod
That's a Hat Trick of Good News!!! Done with surgery, no catheter, AND air conditioning!!! :-)"
Yep! The "triple whammy" of excellently wonderful great news!! LOL
Mod
I finally finished a bunch of books this week! 3 were for this Challenge, so I am now 23/50.
Antebellum Dream Book poems by Elizabeth Alexander- I don't know, I don't get it. I am having the worst luck with books of poetry this year, every book I pick this year just doesn't click with me.
Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay- I've been wanting to read this book for a while, so I added it to my list of books I must read this year. I was disappointed; maybe the movie is better? I checked off "rock in title" with this one (a rock is a rock, right?) Edited to add: if you like historical fiction set in Australia, and/or weird fiction, and my "meh" mini-review here doesn't scare you off, this would be a good choice for "dark academia."
The Secret of Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay- the "lost" last chapter of Picnic that supposedly explains the mystery - hahahah no. This explained nothing and improved nothing.
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus - I picked this up because it has a family tree in it, and I thought it was particularly appropriate for this category because the family ties are crucial to the plot. This was a lot of fun!
Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey - this was another book from my list of books I must read in 2021; I used it as "everyone seems to have read except me" which doesn't really fit perfectly, but close. This is yet another example of SFF guys who have no idea how to write women. The story was fun but the "dead-women-as-plot-device" problem was just too much for me. I will NOT be reading the rest of this series.
QotW
Let's see, so far, about half of my Challenge reads so far have been specifically selected by me to fit a category, and of those ... I DNF'ed one (How to Be Both - no dialogue marks? no thank you!) and had to go find another candidate for the "Women's Prize" category (I read Home Fire and I liked it a lot - and I never would have read it if not for this Challenge!). Every book that I expected to fit a category HAS fit that category.
Lynn, glad your husband's surgery went well. And I hear you on the weather. Walked home in sleet and the next day I was wearing shorts.I finished Kingdom Come: The Final Victory as my book associated with favorite person place or thing. I didn't like it as well as the rest of the series and I think they would have been smart to have just ended with Glorious Appearing: The End of Days
I read Ring of Bright Water as my book with the prettiest cover. this book made me kind of ragey, too.
I am about halfway through The Mermaid Chair as my book about a fresh start (also has a very pretty cover). I'm loving the writing, but not sure how I feel about the plot.
QOtw: I read Dead Poets Society for my dark academia book and I'm still counting it, but I think it probably technically isn't. Plus, I didn't realize before I started it that the book is based off the movie instead of the other way around. Honestly, I don't think those kinds of books are very good and this was no exception. It added nothing to the movie perspective. If you hadn't already seen the movie it may have been fine.
And also I read The Rescue as my book seen on someone else's shelf. Fit the category fine as I did see it on my mom's shelf, but it made me ragey and I didn't much like it.
Nadine wrote: "Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey - this was another book from my list of books I must read in 2021; I used it as "everyone seems to have read except me" which doesn't really fit perfectly, but close. This is yet another example of SFF guys who have no idea how to write women. The story was fun but the "dead-women-as-plot-device" problem was just too much for me. I will NOT be reading the rest of this series."It's too bad that Julie's story was too much because I think the women are the best characters in The Expanse. This book is from a limited perspective, but as it goes on a lot of incredible women are introduced into the universe. There are women POV characters in future books, and I think they do a good job with that. If it makes any difference, Julie's death motivates her sister more than anyone else.
Lynn, that's great news! I'm glad your husband's surgery went well! Here's to a safe, healthy recovery.Not book-related, but a friend and I have recently gotten obsessed with a video game called Bugsnax. It looks like an adorable children's game and we looked into it out of sheer curiosity, but it surprised us with a surprisingly dark story, great characters, and fantastic LGBTQ representation. And we now have our favorite characters we obsess over, haha...
I dunno why I'm bringing up video games on a book group... except maybe to point out that being a reader has made me learn to appreciate great writing in other mediums, including video games? I do love that people are recognizing that games can be a storytelling device and not just mindless entertainment.
Books read this week:
We Are Legion (We Are Bob) -- for “favorite prompt from the 2020 challenge (book with a robot, AI, or cyborg).” This was a lot of fun! Plenty of humor, action, and sci-fi shenanigans, and overall just entertaining.
The Only -- not for the challenge. Good end to a series that was much better than I was expecting it to be!
Dear Edward -- not for the challenge. I didn’t LOVE this, and wasn’t as emotionally wrecked by it as many other readers were, but I still found it lovely and a fascinating exploration of grief and the connections formed by tragedy.
The Horrid Glory of Its Wings -- Tor short, not for the challenge. Devastating yet beautiful.
Unicorn Famous -- comic collection, not for the challenge. I love the Phoebe and her Unicorn comics, and this was another great collection!
Challenge stats:
Regular challenge books -- 33/45
Advanced challenge books -- 9/10
Not for the challenge -- 30
Currently Reading:
Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most Celebrated Tales -- for “longest book on your TBR list”
The Rook -- for “book about forgetting”
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry -- for “book about three generations”
Amelia Unabridged -- not for the challenge
QOTW:
My "did not finish" list for this challenge is actually fairly long, heh... I guess I'm realizing that I don't HAVE to finish a book if I don't like it. I picked up The Talented Mr. Ripley for the "dark academia" prompt, only to find that I not only wasn't enjoying it but that it didn't really fit that prompt. Needless to say, I DNFed it.
Last weekend was Dewey’s Readathon, but I didn’t really participate. I read all morning, but then I had other ways I wanted to relax in the afternoon and evening. I’ve found a place to live in Michigan! I’ll be moving at the end of June. I’m going to focus on reading library books for the next two months and save my TBR for when I move since I probably can’t get a library card right away. I have some audiobooks saved for when I start packing. Reading
A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes (a book that won the women’s prize for fiction)
Watership Down by Richard Adams (a book set mostly or entirely outdoors)
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor (a book about a subject you are passionate about)
QOTW
I’ve already shared my thoughts on The Midnight Library not being magical realism so I won’t repeat myself a fourth time, but that it’s my answer!
Nadine wrote: "The Secret of Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay- the "lost" last chapter of Picnic that supposedly explains the mystery - hahahah no. This explained nothing and improved nothing."Yeah, I read "Secret of Hanging Rock" out of curiosity and found it didn't really fit the original story. There's ANOTHER book out there where someone else comes up with their own solution to the mystery (The Murders At Hanging Rock), but I've been unable to get ahold of it thus far...
No prompts again so just from favorite to lease favoriteAccidentally Engaged by Farah Rochon. Cute contemporary romance with the second best trope aka fake dating. Would recommend. I was going to use it for Muslim-American writer but she's Canadian but I found another middle grade book for that prompt and I'm always looking at good books to read with my middle schoolers.
The Best Man by L.A. Witt. Contemporary m/m romance. Latest in my attempt to clear out my kindle reads. I enjoyed it. I would love to have recs if there are any of m/m romance by male writers to try/support some own voices.
Champion by Marie Lu. YA fantasy. I like her series but the final books are never that great.
Every Last Breath by Jennifer Armitrout. Last in YA fantasy series featuring demons and angels and gargoyle guardians. It's okay.
QOTW:
I don't think I've read anything for a prompt this year that I truly disliked. I will once again say that The Duke Effect has some icky consent issues as does her previous book and I think I'm done with Sophie Jordan books.
Mod
Yeah, I read "Secret of Hanging Rock" out of curiosity and found it didn't really fit the original story. There's ANOTHER book out there where someone else comes up with their own solution to the mystery (The Murders At Hanging Rock), but I've been unable to get ahold of it thus far......"
That's interesting, Yvonne Rousseau had a long introduction in the e-book I read. She was apparently quite invested in this story!
Happy Thursday! It's springtime in Oklahoma and we got hit with a hard hail storm last night, but luckily, it missed my neighborhood. I have a lot of friends who weren't as lucky with busted out windows and damaged cars. I finished two books this week: one for the challenge and one not (yet, anyway). The one that doesn't fit the challenge is Ana on the Edge. I read this for my work reading challenge for a book about a trans or non-binary character. This middle grade book actually includes both though it really focuses on the main character (Ana) who is figuring out who she is. Ana realizes she is non-binary and tries out different pronouns to see what fits her. She knows she is not entirely girl but not entirely boy. She's not really sure if she's either. Ana just wants to be Ana. By the end of the book, she hasn't decided which pronouns she prefers (and I struggled to decide if I should use she or they while writing this, so apologies). It's well-written and it's own voices.
The other book I finished was Black Brother, Black Brother. I'm using this for a free book for this challenge and for my work challenge I'm using it for a BIPOC author. This book was so good! It took me a bit to get used to the writing style but the more I read, the more it made sense coming from a 12-year-old boy. This is also a middle grade novel about two biracial brothers: one of whom can pass as white, and the other who can't. It highlights racial injustice and how different perceptions are based on one boy being categorized as the "black brother" and how much different his experience is in the world. It also focuses on the lesser known sport of fencing and how people of color have historically been excluded from the sport.
QOTW: I'm going to go with a book that I enjoyed and wanted to fit into the challenge so I put it in a category that it almost fits, but not exactly. lol I really wanted Concrete Rose to fit into a category but all the ones that I could fit it in, I already have other books slated for them. So I chose to stretch the prompt and put it in the book with a rock, gem, or mineral in the title. I know concrete is not a rock, but it's made from rocks and if you found a small piece of concrete somewhere you'd probably assume it was a rock too. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
I'm still one book away from finishing the challenge... I've needed to get in a few other books first for work and other book group discussions. This week I finished: The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together This book is so important! If you read Caste (or especially if you didn't) I highly recommend this one too. 5 stars
Calling a Wolf a Wolf Some of the poems were too abstract for me to understand, but the others were strong. 4.5 stars
The Midnight Library I read this for the group discussion and didn't love it as much as others, but at least it was nice to add something lighter into the mix. 3 stars
A Crooked Tree This didn't end up going where I expected, but it held my attention. 3.5 stars
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood This is a re-listen and I still think this is the best audiobook ever. All the stars
How to Order the Universe I loved this little book. Great writing. 5 stars
I'm currently listening to Who Is Maud Dixon? and just started The Joy Luck Club in print.
QOTW: I wouldn't say any of the books I read for the challenge were bad or didn't end up fitting the prompt, but there were a few I didn't enjoy as much as I expected, or that I had mixed feelings about. I don't feel the need to warn others away from those though. In general I had a ton of 4 and 5-star books for the challenge this year. Yay!
The bluebells are out in force this week, it's so magical walking through the woods right now.Although yesterday we met a woman walking by herself and she started crying when Scully went up to her. She had just put her dog down the day before. I felt so helpless, it's not even like you can offer a hug right now. I let her pet Scully for a bit, so I hope she offered some comfort at least.
Finished:
The Rules by Tracy Darnton for random book off my TBR. This isn't an entirely random pick but I had no intention of starting it when I picked up my kindle last week so that's random enough. I'm not really feeling these advanced prompts. This was a quick, easy read about a girl running away from foster care to hide from her abusive, prepper dad. I felt like the teenage boy in it acted more like a teenager than most boys in YA!
Across the Green Grass Fields by Seanan McGuire for ATY (prompt that didn't make it - "key to the door"). I was a horse mad girl so I loved this one and I don't usually like the standalone ones in this series so much. I really appreciated that for once the parents were nice and accepted their daughter, it was just other people that were the problem. I look forward to Reagan reappearing in the series, I always want them to find their doors again.
Magic to Brew by Grace Ellis and Shae Beagle, this was an adorable comic about an insecure werewolf and a centaur who work in a coffee shop. If you like Lumberjanes, check it out.
Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo for ATY (u in title and author). I spent most of readathon on this and it kept me absorbed reading it all in one go despite being chunky. Considering I was meh on the first book, I love this series now and I hope that ending means we get another book with the Crows in. I also started watching Shadow and Bone on Netflix and they've done a great job with it. I'm glad they've mushed the book series together, because all the best characters come later.
Currently reading For the Wolf for review and listening to The Library of the Dead.
PS: 19/50 | ATY: 20/52 | RH: 7/24 | GR: 44/100
QOTW:
I kinda just wing it for the first half of the year so I've not read many books with a specific prompt in mind so far. Since I do multiple challenges I can usually plug a book in somewhere.
Good Thursday to you lovely people! I've been trying to focus on the fun stuff the past week and push aside the crap. We'll see if that blows up in my face later but I need the mental break. After the excitement of finding The Apollo Murders is going to exist, I happened to go to Better World Books and bought 6 astronaut books for $30, three of which I've already listened to. I see now they are nearly all former library books, so we'll see what kind of condition they are in when they arrive. As long as they aren't infused with impossible to remove stickers and tape I'll probably be happy.
Finished:
Baking With Kafka - Bookish cartoons from Tom Gauld. Fun!
Bee People and the Bugs They Love - Partly interesting to hear about his beekeeping journey, but man is he a jerk about a lot of people.
Rogue Protocol - Murderbot re-read
Exit Strategy - Murderbot re-read
Currently Reading:
Network Effect - Murderbot re-read
The Liar's Dictionary - Slowly reading. I wish I could get back into the paper book groove.
Klara and the Sun - Paused for Murderbot
On Deck:
Fugitive Telemetry - NEW Murderbot!
You're All Just Jealous of My Jetpack - More cartoons from Tom Gauld
So many books for Asian American/Pacific Islander month! What will I pick up first? I've been pretty excited about my graphic novels, The Magic Fish and Seconds, so probably one of those.
QOTW:
I haven't read anything specifically for a prompt that didn't fit yet.
Lynn wrote: "Anxious People by Fredrik Backman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ had quite the random start, IMO, but definitely came through in the end! I stated this book was “delicious” and it was! As usual with Backman, so poignant, true, and yet entertaining all at once! This book contained much more humor than his others, IMO, and although it was sometimes a bit outrageous, it was, nonetheless, excellent storytelling at its very best!!"I'm so glad that you loved it. Backman never lets me down.
@Lynn, SO glad to hear everything went well!!It's a RAINY Thursday here in NEOhio, so much so that I would have preferred staying home with my books (and husband and cats) than going to work, but I've got tomorrow and Monday off, so I have that to look forward to :)
Husband got his second vaccine yesterday (Pfizer) and seems to be doing well; no major side effects other than arm soreness, thankfully.
I've not quite hit a slump yet, but I'm reading a bunch of stuff at present so I only actually finished one book this week:
Last Night at the Telegraph Club - 5 stars. Malinda Lo tackles what it likely felt like to be a Chinese-American teenager discovering her sexuality in 1950s San Francisco. Heartbreaking and wonderfully told, with a happy ending. Favorite past prompt - Women in STEM, 2020
PS 30/50
Currently reading:
The City of Brass - Switched back to the audio and I'm hoping to finish this up over the weekend. It's good; not grabbing me like I hoped it would, but I'm past halfway so I'll finish it. Book with a family tree
The Hooligans of Kandahar: Not All War Stories are Heroic - A Kindle Unlimited read. I picked this up on a whim after hearing Joe on an episode of Behind the Bastards podcast (specifically the one about Pat Tillman's death) and it's excellent. Probably finishing today. Book set mostly or entirely outdoors
The Instruments of Control - Book 2 in this 4-book series. More please.
Shadows Linger - Hooligans and Instruments have set this on the back burner for a few days, but I'm determined to finish (although it'll likely carry into May, whoops). I love Cook's sparse writing style, he really lets the reader use their imagination.
Looking forward to May and reading a slew of AAPI-authored books!
Question of the Week: Has there been a book you’ve specifically read to complete a 2021 POPSUGAR prompt that didn’t work out? Either you felt it really didn’t fit that prompt after all and/or you didn’t enjoy it much, not even a little bit? Or perhaps you even DNF’d it. Help warn others… Tell us what book and which prompt, please!
I'd initially planned on using Beloved for the magical realism prompt, but as hard as I tried I couldn't gel with it and ended up DNFing.
This week was huge for me! As some of you know, I'm a juvenile probation officer in a small rural county in PA. My supervisor, the only other person in the juvenile department, resigned in January 2020, and after almost 16 months of running the entire department alone and posting the position three times, we FINALLY filled the position. The new juvenile officer (no more supervisor) started on Monday and I finally have some help. She's very young and it is an interesting new dynamic, but it is exciting all the same.ALSO...I FINISHED THE CHALLENGE!!!!!
This week, I finished:
The Nothing Man: I loved this one. As someone who reads a ton of books in this genre, I think they sometimes get formulaic and predictable, but this one was unique and interesting. I listened to the audiobook version and really enjoyed it.
Disappeared: A book published in 2021. After many false starts filling this prompt, and finally getting discouraged and taking a break, I got a notification that Linda Castillo's new book was released earlier this week. I bought it and read the whole thing immediately. (It's only 54 pages.) It was a perfect way to finish my challenge.
Currently reading:
Nothing. I've been caught up in other things, so I haven't invested in anything new. I started to listen to Jane Anonymous, but I'm not sure that I'm in the mood for it right now, so I haven't made it very far.
QOTW:
This happens too many times for me to even describe. Most recently, I started about 5 different books for published in 2021 and I didn't like any of them. Then, I was on my Hoopla account trying to see if any of the books on my Hoopla wishlist were published in 2021, and it said that The Nothing Man was, but that turned out to be incorrect, so when I finished it and started to celebrate finishing the challenge, I realized Goodreads says it was published in 2020, so I had to go back to the drawing board. Nothing lost though, because it was such a good book, I would have read it anyways.
Hi everyone. My next door neighbour's tree is covered in pink blossom, as is our lawn, so spring is officially in full swing here.This week I finished Children of Virtue and Vengeance. I enjoyed it but the pacing was all go, go, go! A pause between action here and there would have been appreciated. Hopefully it won't be too long until the next one.
Also finished Gods Behaving Badly. It was fine for a bit of fluff but there wasn't much else to it.
Currently reading: The Secret Commonwealth as my my previous DNF book. I had it out from the library pre-pandemic but had to return it before I got very far through it. I'm glad I can take my time with it this time as it is heavy for my tiny little arms lol.
Also reading She, but I haven't read enough of it to form an opinion yet.
QOTW: Every book I try for the pretty cover prompt has been a DNF so far.
Good morning! We got some much needed rainfall yesterday - enough to dampen the ground and water the plants, but not so much that the arroyo behind our house filled with rushing, dangerous water. It's crazy how quickly that can happen.Challenge Progress: 35/50
Completed:
Into the Beautiful North: Inspired by "The Magnificent Seven," nineteen year old Nayeli and her friends travel to the US to find seven men to bring home to save them from the bandidos that threaten their small Mexican town. Funny and poignant. (PS34: A book about a social justice issue - Immigration) ★★★★
Layla: Leeds is the worst. No, he's worse than the worst. The whole thing just left a sick feeling in my stomach. It kills me that I have to give it more than one star because it's actually well written. ★★
The Last to See Me: Nice interesting twist on a ghost story told from the point of view of the ghost (who's well aware she's a ghost). The conclusion of the story was certainly satisfactory, but I still want to know more. I hope there'll be another volume in this series. (PS36: A book that has fewer than 1000 reviews on Amazon or Goodreads) ★★★★
The Magician King: I'm really enjoying my re-read of this series. I so enjoyed the Syfy series, and it's fun to compare the two. I totally imagine the actors images and voices as I read, and I think that's made me enjoy it even more. ★★★★
The Ice Twins: Convoluted plot, flat characters, unsatisfying explanation and ending. And why, oh why, would you move a grieving twin to a remote, unfamiliar island? Especially when her parents are having marital problems? (Shades of The Shining here... Except that's actually a really terrific book.) I really disliked this one. ★★
An Offer From a Gentleman: Continuing my Bridgerton reads. This is Benedict's story. ★★★
If I Had Your FaceYou're Leaving When?: Adventures in Downward Mobility ★★★★
Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age: Utterly engrossing nonfiction account of four cities that no longer exist... My husband keeps pestering me about interesting tidbits I may have read. (PS37: A book you think your best friend would like) ★★★★★
Seth and I read four books together: Stormy Night ★★★, Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? ★★★★★, A Greyhound, a Groundhog ★★★★, and Piper ★★. He loves books with creative wordplay.
Currently Reading:
The Rose Code
American Kompromat: How the KGB Cultivated Donald Trump, and Related Tales of Sex, Greed, Power, and Treachery
The Four Winds
A Promised Land
A Universe Less Traveled
Notes on a Silencing
Cemetery Boys
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
QOTW: I have muscled through every book I've started this year, but sometimes that's really been a challenge. Lowlights?
Ayn Rand's Anthem: The Graphic Novel: This is just a bad graphic novel. The art is static and conventional, and the text overwhelms the page. Nearly every other word is written in bold, reminding me of the political diatribes that litter our social media sites. Furthermore, the unnumbered pages fell out as I read. (PS42: The shortest book on your TBR). ★
The Slave Players: I picked it up. I put it down. I picked it up. I put it down. DNF... until recently (and only because I read 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) ★
The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone: I guess it just wasn't what I'd expected. I wanted something related to the loneliness so many of us felt during the weeks (or months) of COVID lockdown... Nope. This was unrelenting accounts about artists who were abused and translated their pain into art. I needed some adventure... Not hopelessness. (PS38: A book about art or an artist) ★
Happy Thursday! It's been about a month since I've been able to check-in here due to work being busy and wedding planning taking up a lot of my time. I've struggled with reading this month, but finally finished my 25th book of the challenge so I'm halfway done! Finished:
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It - I had heard such great things about this book, but I didn't love it as much as I hoped I would. Finlay was a very unlikable character and not in a good way. 3 stars
We Begin at the End - I didn't really know what to expect when reading this book, but ended up really enjoying it. 5 stars
Firekeeper's Daughter - I read this for my YA group book club and totally thought it was fantasy. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it's a mystery. I didn't want to read this originally, but ended up loving it. It's definitely one of my favorite books I've read this year. I used it for prompt #16 - a book by an indigenous author. 5 stars
Challenge Progress:
Regular Challenge - 22/40
Advanced Challenge - 3/10
Total - 25/50
Currently Reading:
The Therapist & Sunflower Sisters - I'm hoping to finish these two before the end of the month. We'll see though.
QOTW - Has there been a book you’ve specifically read to complete a 2021 POPSUGAR prompt that didn’t work out? Either you felt it really didn’t fit that prompt after all and/or you didn’t enjoy it much, not even a little bit? Or perhaps you even DNF’d it. Help warn others… Tell us what book and which prompt, please!
I haven't had a book not work out yet. I try to pick my books ahead of time that fit the prompts. I did change some of the books I had originally planned though when I read other books that fit prompts.
Mary wrote: "This week was huge for me! As some of you know, I'm a juvenile probation officer in a small rural county in PA. My supervisor, the only other person in the juvenile department, resigned in January ..."Well done on finishing the challenge! That was super quick!
Morning!I can't believe it's been another week already! I sort of participated in Dewey's last weekend. I ended up feeling a bit under the weather so that threw a wrench into the situation. It seemed to only last about 24 hours...so not sure what was wrong with me just glad it wasn't something that lasted longer.
Finished:
In the Woods - This was for my Zoom book club and a re-read for me. I didn't love it as much the second time around. And most of the conversation was centered around how horrible Rob Ryan was at his job. We're doing a true crime book in May, so hopefully that will get our conversation flowing a bit more.
Mapping the Interior - I had a whole stack to read for Dewey's and just finished this one. It was fantastic though. I'm really enjoying digging into Stephen Graham Jones' backlist.
Currently Reading:
Anna Karenina for the book that’s been on your TBR list for the longest amount of time. Still doing this one on Reddit with r/yearofannakarenina. I have FINALLY made it past a ton of Levin chapters. There were two chapters in a row where they primarily talked about him cutting grass. Yes there were other things but sooo much grass cutting.
Educated for a book about a subject you are passionate about. I'm so close to being done with this and it's a wild ride. I've been completely frustrated with the parents and the brother Shawn. I know that mental illness played a role in the way that Westover was brought up but man....it's so frustrating to read.
Cool for the Summer - I won the ARC of this off of Goodreads and am really enjoying it. I'm pretty sure I know how it's going to play out and I can't wait to see how it goes.
Fugitive Telemetry - I haven't started it yet but my hold on the audiobook came in the day it came out. I'm finishing up Educated first and then I'm going to jump in to this. I LOVE the narrator for the series, he's fantastic.
DNF:
Leviathan Wakes - I just...didn't care about what was going on. I have the book, so there's a chance I'll go back to it at some point but for right now I'm just not feeling it.
Hi everyone, Rainy and kinda cold again today, after two days of being 75 and sunny (or at least SOME sun yesterday). Looking forward to when it'll be pretty consistently nice!
This week I finished:
The Once and Future Witches -My book club pick for my online bookclub. This took me a while to finish, been having a very executive dysfunction sort of week the last few weeks, it seems. I really loved it, but it was slow going because I just could NOT get myself to focus. Doesn't work for a prompt for popsugar, used it as a book that gave me goosebumps for book nerds, and a book mentioned in the best books of the week over on ATY.
Milk Blood Heat - read as part of roxanne gay's book club. It was just ok for me. I think it was written well and everything, I just in general never love short story collections. I like longer form fiction, at LEAST a novella so I can really get into a story. Short stories tend to leave me going "...so that's it?" And that's kinda how i felt with every story "ok..? and? what happens?" Counted for book nerds book in a genre I don't read much (non-science fiction or fantasy short stories), around the year book with plants/greenery on the cover.
Also read a bunch of miscellaneous comics.
Currently reading:
Smiling Bears: A Zookeeper Explores the Behavior and Emotional Life of Bears - This will be my book about something I'm passionate about, I really love bears. It's really interesting so far, makes me wish the author were still alive, would love to go to a talk of hers or something!
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars - still doing the audio book. It's so LONG! I'm 14 hours in, but it's 33 hours total so still have a while. I'm enjoying it more than I thought. I'm not a huge fan of the author, I never liked the Eragon series as much as other seemed to, only read the first two. I mostly wanted the audio book so I could listen to Commander Shepard (Jennifer Hale) tell me a story. She's doing a fantastic job, as expected. I'd heard not amazing things about the book, so went in with fairly low expectations. But I'm actually liking the story pretty well. Not sure it NEEDS to be a 33 hour book, but I guess we'll see when I finish.
1Q84 - no real progress
QOTW:
I've actually read all 3-5 stars this year, so far. I tend to use 3 stars as "ok" or "liked but not quite 4 stars like". I did DNF one book this year, but it was for a book club, not something I planned for a prompt.
I will say that 1Q84 is proving to be an extremely slow read for me, I'm mostly still having it on my list because I have to jump back more than I really like on my TBR list to get to another option that isn't an omnibus or a book in the middle of a series. I have a big stack of library books going, maybe once I get caught up I'll make another push. I have to say that while I like the concept of the TBR prompts, I don't like how any of them were worded. "longest" and "shortest", "oldest" etc don't give much choice. Some of the others were just kinda weird. Would have rather had more open ended prompts like "next book in a series" or "book you don't remember adding/getting" or something.
Mod
I read (well, listened to) Into the Beautiful North last year and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it!!
Only managed to finish one book this week, and I'm not sure why...Finished:
Trail of Lightning for A book by an indigenous author. Ended up really liking this, so have put the second book on by TBR list!
In progress:
The Devil and the Dark Water for A genre hybrid. Really enjoying this - which on reflection may be the reason I haven't finished anything else this week. I think I may subconsciously be stretching this one out as I don't want it to end!
Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books for A book in a different format than what you normally read. I've gone for audiobook here, as while I listen to podcasts regularly, I never listen to audiobooks. But given that I only have time to 'listen' at the weekends, it might take me a few weeks to finish this one.
QOTW:
Twelve Motives for Murder for the 'longest book on your TBR list' prompt didn't work out, because it was terrible! Seriously, avoid like the plague, readers! Although I did finish it, and somehow I find it quite satisfying to give a book 1 star...
Other than that, I guess maybe The Shadow Box was a slightly tenuous fill for the 'art or artist' prompt - but then I suspected that would be the case going in, and still filled the prompt with it anyway! There may have been a couple of others like that too...
I am so impressed by those of you who finish the challenge so early--I'm always scrambling on December 31 to read my last book! I know we all have our own journeys, but I'm amazed at how quickly y'all are able to get through books. I'm a fast reader, but I often don't have time to sit down and read. Or when I do, my executive dysfunction kicks in and I end up just thinking about how I want to read but am being useless lol.I'm not even sure I'll finish this year because I'm so far behind.
So KUDOS to y'all who have finished already or are getting close--it's a great accomplishment!
But you know what? I'm going to go ahead and say KUDOS to those who are slowly making their ways through! That's also an accomplishment!
(That's me trying to talk myself out of a pity party. 😜)
Lynn, so glad to hear the positive news about your husband! I'm sure that's a huge weight that's been lifted!
Finished:
Nothing
Currently Reading:
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart: A book where a character works at your dream job. Would I love to be a gifted child who gets selected to fight bad guys in clever ways? Absolutely! This is a reread in honor of the upcoming series.
Also, do y'all feel devastated when you get food or something on your books? Because I got a little spaghetti sauce on this copy and I'm SO SAD. This is why I don't normally read while eating. 😂
QOTW:
The only book I can think of is Soonchild. It fit the prompt just fine (I used it for the "prompt from a previous year" and had chosen "a book with a one-word title) but boy it was...unexpected? And weird? But not in one of those "wow, this is so clever and well done!" ways, just...strange.
But amazing illustrations!
Hello! It's been a quiet week here, which is most appreciated. The sun finally came out yesterday, and we're supposed to have good weather this weekend, which means yardwork time. Yay.Lynn, glad to hear your husband's surgery was a success and they let you go home without a catheter. Here's hoping he continues to improve.
All of my library books are now due, so I'm trying to work through them. The library sent me an email on Monday announcing the return of due dates, and included a list of what I had checked out, their original check out date, and their actual due date. I've had one book checked out since March 12th, 2020. Apparently the day after sports shut down I decided to make a library run? (No one is waiting on it. I've made sure.) Now I have to get back in the mindset of only check something out when you're ready for it, rather than check it out because it's available. And, you know, read the 17 things I have checked out.
Finished This Week:
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. As someone who usually prefers plot in their stories, I did like this book. I liked Jane's origins and Sidra's friendship with Tak. I wished there was more with Pepper and the ship at the end. Only prompt I thought it fit was #19, Body Positivity.
The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide. I had this recommended to me by someone in my book club for the Read Harder prompt where the pet doesn't die. Nope, cat doesn't make it. Very annoyed. Couldn't find a prompt for it. At least it was short.
The Appointment by Herta Müller. This was my Reading Women book for an author from Eastern Europe (book is set in Romania, where author was born). The author also won the Nobel Prize for literature. This book is short (only 200 pages) but it is not broken into chapters. There are breaks, but only scene breaks, not page breaks. It tells the woman's life story in disjointed chunks as she takes a tram to the government building for her appointment with The Major. Very odd experience. Not using for PS prompt.
Igniting Darkness by Robin LaFevers. And this book has every scene be a new chapter, which makes you think you're reading very quickly, but ends up with 120 chapters. I enjoyed the finale to the His Fair Assassins series. We get to see some Ismae and Annith, but it continues to be told by Sybella and Genevieve (and even some Aeva). While the first half is more court intrigue, the second half makes up for it, with another team-up with other followers of the Nine, and actual action. It also has a satisfying ending. The title (Igniting) and the front cover with flames and "burn it all" should have been hints at what's to come, but I'm pretty terrible at picking up hints at times. Not for prompt, but like the rest of the series, fits #21, Genre Hybrid, for being historical fantasy. (You should read it, Nadine!)
The Amen Corner by James Baldwin. Finally, I read a play by James Baldwin. I thought I might try the Classics challenge this year, and one of the prompts was a Classic Play. James Baldwin was on the USA Today's 100 Black Novelists You Should Read list for the ATY prompt, and while this is a play, ATY doesn't say I have to read the Black Novelist's novel. It's a tragedy, which I didn't know going in, and like all plays that you read, are probably way better when performed. Not using for prompt, but would fit #34, Social Justice Issue, and #35, different format, since it's a play. (Did I mention it's a play?)
PS: 23/50 RH: 4/24 RW: 7/28 ATY: 30/52 GR: 54/100
Currently Reading:
Joe Rochefort's War: The Odyssey of the Codebreaker Who Outwitted Yamamoto at Midway by Elliot Carlson. Actually reading it again! I started over and am 100 pages in. Commander Rochefort (just promoted!) has taken over the cryptanalysis station at Pearl Harbor. It's June 1941. It's been very good so far. Using for #18, Subject You Are Passionate About, since I love the battles of Pearl Harbor and Midway in World War II.
Not sure what I'll read after I finish that one. Plenty of library books to work through.
QOTW: Has there been a book you’ve specifically read to complete a 2021 POPSUGAR prompt that didn’t work out?
So far, I've mostly been reading what I wanted and making them fit prompts. The targeted books for specific prompts have been the obvious ones, like a heart on the cover or title same as a song. I'm sure #30, Somewhere You'd Like to Visit in 2021, is going to be a problem, because the only places I want to visit right now are Iowa and Texas, and I don't want to read about a farmer or a cowboy. I guess We Ride Upon Sticks doesn't super fit Dark Academia, since it's debatable if there's actually witchcraft/otherworldly things going on, but I totally counted it.
My biggest problem hasn't been a PS prompt, but Read Harder, the prompt for beloved pet that doesn't die. I've read two I thought would qualify and neither did. The first (Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North) assured me the dogs didn't die (and they didn't), but she doesn't get her own dogs until the very end. All the rest of the dogs in the book can't be considered pets. And then the second, the Guest Cat, read this week, where I was specifically told the cat would be fine, and it wasn't. I don't want to have to resort to reading children's horse books, but this one is proving difficult to fill. There's other sled dog books I'm considering, but honestly, I'm hoping I'll be reading a book and the character will have a dog that has no role in the plot.
Mod
Yay! Another SGJ fan!!! I'm so happy to see that he's finally having his moment. I saw his book in Target last week - when your book is sold in Target, then you're really made it, right?!
DNF:
Leviathan Wakes - I just...didn't care
I guess it's the week to be disappointed in this book! I didn't love it either.
Mod
As someone with a ridiculously long TBR list, I liked that aspect of the Challenge. If it's on my TBR, then I've already chosen it. So I like that this is the final push to read it or get it off my TBR and read the next book that qualifies. And if I'm just not in the mood for it right now, that's okay, I don't read in order so I can get to it any time this year.
Lynn wrote: "Happy Thursday! What a relief to have yesterday over and done! My husband’s surgery went extremely well! Due to all the good wishes, prayers, and thoughts for a successful procedure, I’m sure! Than..."I'm so glad everything worked out! Well done being a strong advocate - hospitals tend to focus on providing the nuts and bolts of medical procedures, and their processes surrounding all that can really leave something to be desired.
<3 <3 <3
Mod
Finished:
Trail of Lightning for A book by an indigenous author. Ended up really liking this, so have put the second ..."
I liked the second book even more than the first!!
Happy Thursday. Lynn have been following you & your husband’s ordeal. Congratulations on the successful outcome. I finished two books for the week. Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley. 4 stars. I liked this book. It was very insightful into Objibwe culture & language. I wasn’t sure at the beginning but it grew on me. I used it for a book published in 2021. YA book.
This Close To Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith. 4 stars. Not for this challenge. If anyone else has read this book I would love to know your thoughts. It’s about mental health. It talks about suicide, depression,anxiety,PTSD,murder. You should be in a good place mentally to read this book. Again I wasn’t sure about it at first but must of found some redeeming qualities because I was comfortable with the book toward the end.
I’m currently reading The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. I just started it but I feel what I’ve read from other readers has clouded my judgement. That’s all I will say so I don’t spoil it for others.
QOTW, I feel some of the prompts are generic & I can use any book for it. For example I used The Book Of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult for a book you think your best friend would like. I fill prompts with current books I’m reading not picking books based on prompts.
Mod
I'm so glad to hear it was really good!!! I loved the first three books in the series, so I will definitely read this final installment. Soon. Maybe next month. Definitely by the end of this year.
Lynn! So great to hear (read) your good news! Sending more positive vibes your way. Finished:
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (An Afrofuturist book). It was...ok. SFF really isn't my thing. I was stuck in a HUGE traffic jam yesterday (4 lanes down to 1) for about an hour (normally it takes me about 20 mins to get home) so I was able to listen to most of this book while staring at red brake lights for miles. I didn't love the narration - but the book was good. I would physically read the rest of the series when I am done with the challenge (or work them into next years).
Still reading:
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd. Still keeping on with this one. It was slow at first and I didn't really care what was going on but I kept going and about 50 pages in I got more invested. Glad I kept going.
QOTW:
I don't think that I have read any books that don't fit a prompt necessarily, but I have shuffled my spreadsheet around a few times. I found that Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption fit better as "A book about a social justice issue" rather than Concrete Rose so I flipped that one to "A book found on a Black Lives Matter reading list" instead.
Hi all! Doing pretty well this week. My husband and I are both two weeks out from our second shots, and I'm experimenting with more freedom. I went into the office for a half day, and I took a Lyft somewhere - I feel very daring!Nadine wrote: "Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey - this was another book from my list of books I must read in 2021; I used it as "everyone seems to have read except me" which doesn't really fit perfectly, but close. This is yet another example of SFF guys who have no idea how to write women. The story was fun but the "dead-women-as-plot-device" problem was just too much for me. I will NOT be reading the rest of this series."
Ooh, I'm going to echo: if you like scifi TV at all, you might want to check out the series. I feel no need to read more of the books after the first one, but I'm a willing slave to this TV show. And it's FULL of women (most of them women of color, come to think of it) who kick ass in various ways.
Finished
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet - I went into this expecting there to be a plot, and there isn't really. That made it super hard to rate, since for what it was, it was very charming.
Currently reading
Fugitive Telemetry - I'm about one chapter in and I've already highlighted three funny lines, so this is living up to my expectations so far! I waited breathlessly for it to come out, but now I find I'm trying to go slow and savor it.
Small Island - this is fine, but I never feel compelled to pick it up and find out what happens next. I've decided this will be my book that I read while waiting for other books to come through on library hold - I'll chip away and get there eventually!
QOTW
Hi, my name is Christine and I hated Bel Canto. I'm feeling very resentful of this Women's Prize prompt because it's so restrictive - hardly any room for creative interpretation - and it seems like every single award-winning book that's not genre fiction is "a sweeping saga" and/or about a super depressing real-world problem. That's not my jam, y'all! Small Island is pretty sweeping, but at least I like some of the characters, and the book has a plot that steadily advances.
Finished:The Final Prophecy by Greg Keyes (reread, 3/5)
The story feels like it is moving faster here, and more Wedge Antilles is always welcome.
The Lost Years by J.M. Dillard (reread, 4/5)
This is closer to a 3.5 for me this time. I like almost everything about the character journeys, but the ancient Vulcan villain's actions are both unbelievable and gross.
Onward: The Search for the Phoenix Gem: An In-Questigation by Steve Behling (shortest book on your TBR, 3/5)
This is technically a sequel to the movie Onward, but the main character is a reporter who spends all of her time investigating the school's destruction and basically goes to all of the same places that Ian and Barley did. I got it for free, so I didn't waste money on this, but it was just barely worth the time spent on it.
Currently reading:
The Unifying Force by James Luceno (reread)
There's a lot of new Vong technology out of nowhere in this book, and it seems like both sides of the war are just trying to force a conclusion. For a series that is 19 books long, you would think that the last book would feel like an outgrowth from what has come before more than it does. I remember the actual conclusive material around Yuuzhan'tar being good, so we'll see if it lives up to the memory.
The Wounded Sky by Diane Duane (reread)
If you like sense of wonder and hypercompetence in your Star Trek, than Diane Duane has a story for you. Honestly, I could read about how Herb Tanzer equips the recreation deck all day long.
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration (a DNF book on my TBR)
There is a lot of Pixar history included in the book, and that's what I was wanting the first time when I DNF'd it. However, you have to come into it accepting that the book is primarily about the health of an organization, management, and leadership. Once you do, there are lots of rewards in reading it.
DNF:
I started and put down a lot of books this week. I am comfortable rereading, and I have a lot on my TBR already, so I have no problem with DNF'ing when a book isn't working for me. If you have loved any of these, I am happy for you, and I would be interested in what was most appealing about them.
Booked 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton
This was going to be my "prettiest cover on the TBR" read, and it is set in Arizona. However, it just did not connect with me, and the reviews reinforced that it was not going to be worth my time.
Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl
It was not clicking with me, and I prefer to read a Black Widow story where Natasha is the main focus.
Dark Shores by Danielle L. Jensen
Lack of interest caused me to put it down.
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
I had this one picked out for my "dark academia" book. It had a promising beginning, but the setting was just too bleak for me. When students with magical powers get sent to a school that has a 75% death rate, and that is better odds than just living their life somewhere else, then that is just a tragic place that I do not care to read about.
Question of the Week:
I listed A Deadly Education and Booked 4 Murder in the section above. Others include:
Timekeeper by Tara Sim (a book from my TBR I meant to read last year but didn't): Moved too slowly
Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts by Julian Rubinstein (book on my TBR with the ugliest cover): This was a DNF in the first few chapters, and I just was not that interested in the protagonist's life.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (longest book on my TBR): I gave it a good shot, but only one of the lead characters was of much interest to me, and the Bridge 4 story was generally depressing to me.
A Promised Land by Barack Obama (a book with a black and white cover): What I read was good, but it was very long and detailed, and I decided to quit while I was ahead.
How to Forget: A Daughter's Memoir by Kate Mulgrew (a book about forgetting): This was very depressing and sometimes vulgar.
Mod
I will definitely give the show a try then. The only problem is that the little bit of TV that I watch is watched with my (teenaged) kids, so I have to watch what they like, and I'm going to have to talk them into a space opera, they are more into forensic procedurals, vampires, Marvel heroes, and anime. (These punk kids have refused to watch Twin Peaks and the X-Files with me!! ) I mean, SURE I could watch TV alone, but ... I'd rather be reading!
I found the Women's Prize to be surprisingly restrictive, too! When I first saw that category, I was excited, but the reality wasn't so great. At least I really liked Home Fire!
@ Lynn, so glad everything went well! It's still a bit too cold for the time of the year over here, but in 3 days I noticed so many changes in nature on my daily walk! Suddenly the lilac blooms, the cow parsley is starting to grow, trees are having tiny fresh green leafs. I love it when you notice this. Spring is definitely here.
14/40 (yes, another slow challenge reader)
Finished
The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: #24, a book by a Muslim American author, #29 a book set in multiple countries, #34 a book about a social justice issue
I loved this story. It has a new and unique view on the colonization of America. It has a lot in common with Roots: The Saga of an American Family which I read earlier this year: slavery, being forced to move to another continent and the power of stories.
Currently reading
Cards on the Table
QOTW
The Intuitionist. I just don’t like Colson Whitehead’s writing. And I certainly did not like this book.
I pick my books for the challenge carefully. I read about 40 books a year, so it’s really a challenge to finish. I always try to fit in as much from my TBR as possible. When I don't have a book on my TBR that fits in, I try something else. This one didn't work out well.
Blessed Holy Thursday to those celebrating Holy Week this week.And that's FABULOUS news about your husband!!! Huzzah!!!!!!
Finally got to bust out the sandals this week! I like being barefoot, but that's not feasible when it's freezing!
Finished 11/50
Schindler's List for "bestseller from the 90s". This was a heavy read. I didn't like it as much as I thought I would, mainly because I found the writing style awkward and confusing. But the story is so powerful. I can never believe whenever I read books like this that we as a human species could be so cruel to each other, yet history proves otherwise. It breaks my heart every time.
Currently Reading
The Emperor's Soul for "book you saw on someone's bookshelf". I literally swiped this off my Dad's bookshelf. I see it every time I visit him and am always intrigued! So far so good!
A Long Walk with Mary: A Personal Search for the Mother of God for "book released in 2021". Hopefully I'll finish this this week!
Darkness Is As Light for "DNF on TBR". Just a week and a half left!
QotW
Well. I've only finished 11 books. I'm wildly behind. But this happened to me last year, and I still managed to catch up! There's still time!
Anyway, there isn't a book I've loathed yet, but I wasn't a huge fan of The Fifth Season (afrofuturist) or Catherine House (dark academia). I found the first really dark and triggering and the second was just kinda "eh" in my opinion. But I didn't hate them. They're just at the bottom of the list currently. Ask me again towards the end of the year. White Oleander is coming up for me for "book with a black and white cover", and I have a feeling this one might be a bomb. I reeeeally hope not, but we'll see!
I know this is kinda silly since I don't usually get too involved in the discussion, but I really look forward to Thursdays and answering the Qotw. So thank you to Nadine and Lynn for keeping it going, and especially Lynn right now with all her healthcare travails! Also, good on you for advocating for your husband and getting him what he needs. It can often be hard in a hospital setting to do that.Finished: What Is the Bible?: How an Ancient Library of Poems, Letters, and Stories Can Transform the Way You Think and Feel About Everything It was interesting, but not amazing, didn't transform how I will read the bible, as advertised.
Opening Minds: Using Language to Change Lives This was a companion to Choice Words, which I really enjoyed. I appreciate the message of being deliberate with the langugage we use as teachers because a few words can imply a whole bevvy of ideas. Again though, I don't think it will drastically change the way I teach.
Started: How to Make a House a Home: Creating a Purposeful, Personal Space Seemed pretty good, but I've already distracted myself from it.
The Spiritual Activist: Practices to Transform Your Life, Your Work, and Your World I forgot I ordered this so it arrived in the mail as a surprise! I love it when that happens. I've had this on my wishlist for two years and finally bought it for myself. It's great so far, has a lot of exercises and useful advice.
Qotw: The Secret History I tried reading it for the prompt of Dark academy or best seller in the 1990's and I found it extremely boring, which does not happen often to me when I'm reading. I DNF it. My friend who had given it praise said she had confused it with The Historian, so maybe I'll try reading that instead although I don't think it fulfills the same prompts.
Hi everyone! I'm currently forcing myself to finish my current audiobook before listening to Fugitive Telemetry. It's gonna be gooooood....Finished this week:
The Awakening by Nora Roberts: I had a long drive to do this past week, so I went for a long audiobook, and I did really enjoy it. I liked how it gave time to the main character discovering her own strength, not just in service of the plot.
Soundless: This was my book at random from my TBR list, which is good because I doubt I would have gotten around to it otherwise. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't my favorite.
Currently reading:
Love From A to Z (Muslim Canadian author): I'm super enjoying this! I love how unapologetically Muslim it is. I also identify with Zayneb, how she gets super excited but also super bothered by things, and I like watching her as she figures out how to deal with the upsides and downsides of that personality.
Spring Flowers, Spring Frost: I'm fascinated by the Albanian perspective and history in this book, but I'm not sure how I feel about it as a novel. I'm interested enough to keep reading, though.
QOTW: I keep reading mysteries, and they keep not being locked room mysteries! Like, if I just keep working through Dorothy Sayers' books, hopefully there will be one (Whose Body is out because I already read that)? Luckily, I haven't had a lot of books I hated this year, just books that haven't quite fit the prompts I expected.
Nadine, I don't really keep a TBR list, as far as i'm concerned if it's a book there's some potential I MIGHT want to read it at some point, if the mood strikes me or i have a reason to. So I've been using the TBR prompts for books I own but haven't read. But a lot of those books are digital ones I got in humble bundles, free, picked up on a whim when they were on sale etc. So they're not necessarily books I thoughtfully put on a list. So stuff like prettiest/ugliest cover is hard because sure there's beautiful covers out there, and ugly covers out there, and they COULD be on my tbr list because they are books, but I don't necessarily OWN them and have not read them.
Mod
I don't really keep a TBR list, as far as i'm concerned if it's a book there's some potential I MIGHT want to read it at some point, if the mood strikes me or i have a reason to. So I've ..."
I can see how the prompts must be very difficult for those of you who do not maintain a TBR list. Prior to this year, I had no idea that there were many Goodreaders who did not have TBR lists! I just assumed everyone was like me ...
Happy Thursday. Congrats Lynn on your hubby's surgery going well. Here the weather has been back to being sunny so I've been out doing yardwork everyday. It's been nice after being cooped up for so long, but I'm still basically staying home until I get vaccinated - I should be eligible soon.... 🤞Books I finished:
A Very Punchable Face ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I've decided to not overlap my ATY and Popsugar challenges after all, so I needed a new book for ATY's A book nominated for the 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards. I had just been talking about how I was a little sick of reading these types of books, but it was available on Overdrive. I picked it up to just read the first few pages, and then didn't really put it down until it was done. I've read a lot of these books and this was hands down one of the best.
Sense and Sensibility ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I reread a Jane Austen book every year (or sometimes more than one 😉) I have a tendency to just stick with either Persuasion or Emma so it's been a while since I read this one. I still love it.
Generations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I love Firefly but I haven't loved the tie in novels as much, until this one.
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This is just a short story in the Murderbot world, but I needed something to tide me over until my copy of the next book comes in.
She Came to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman ⭐⭐⭐ - I needed a different book for the Popsugar A book from a Black Lives Matter reading list so I picked this one up. It was fine.
Books I made progress on:
American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics, and the Birth of American CSI - Interesting so far.
Dracula - Finally getting around to this one. Really only read the edition intro so far.QOTW
Happy Hour in Hell. I've confined myself to using only books I own and haven't managed to read yet. Tad Williams has been one of my favourite authors for a long time, so I'd managed to acquire the first 2 books in his Bobby Dollar series, but I'd never read them. I read the first book, and while noir urban fantasy (or noir anything) is so not my genre, I still loved the world building and figured I'd finish the series at least once. Then book 2 came around. I eventually had to DNF it because it was making me not want to read anything.
Happy Thursday all! I for one am having a very annoying work week in too many ways I think I need some time to myself and out of this apartment. Fortunately NYC weather is more or less cooperating with sunny but still cool days and nights. I've taken some time to get sun and walk and read in Central Park. I think I need to add outings like start making museum visits. I'm fully vaccinated, a member of a bunch of museums and all are observing COVID protocals carefully with timed tickets etc. My plan is to schedule some visits to museums, not rely on my bestirring myself. I feel like I've become mostly lazy but even a little agoraphobic? I can't decide if I just can't be bothered to stir out of my apartment (most of my hobbies and interests are sedentary like reading and needlework) or if I really have anxiety about it. I think the first. I'm also starting to plan on some return to working in my office. I want to see if starting a different routine will get me moving. I also just have a lot of work. i'm fearing a little burnout too. Andy I think I need to arrange a week upstate NY to deal with some family property matters while having a break from urban life. Undoing pandemic lockdown even a little is rather difficult actually - harder than going into it . The mental and emotional unlocking that has to happen....is taking me a bit.
@Lynne - CONGRATULATIONS on all the good news! I'm so thrilled for you! I also get your comment about extremes of weather.
Now to books. My reading has been slow, distracted, in part because I've read some darker books lately.
Finished:
Rebecca - 5 stars - not for PS. Actually a reread and it was just awesome! It's been some decades since my last re-read, but I agreed to a buddy read connected to watching both the (IMHO) awful Netflix remake and the awesome Hitchcock 1940 adaptation. Then I needed a gothic book for another group's monthly challenge. This is such a brilliantly written and constructed book.
The Inheritance Games - YA mystery revolving around a surprise inheritance from a stranger. I really enjoyed this - there is a sequel due out later this year that will answer some of the lingering mysteries. A multi-billionaire dies and leaves his entire estate to a teenage girl that is a total stranger, with the caveat that to inherit she has to live in this house in Texas with the disinherited family that includes 4 grandsons about her age. The house is filled iwth secret rooms and hidden passageways, and the billionaire left a riddle for the teens to solve. Just fun and a bit of lightness after Rebecca's darkness.
Currently reading:
Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line - this is really good but I have such a bad feeling on how its going to end I don't want to pick it up and I'm only on page 50. Friends have read and loved it, say it reads lightly, but is a gut punch. I wish no one had said anything to me, because I have been looking forward to readng this. I get what Lynn says about it -- plus I don't often read books where children are in jeopardy as they upset me too much.
Provençal Cooking: Savoring the Simple Life in France
Before She Was Helen - the last of the Edgar nominees I planned to read. Since Edgar's are being awarded tonight, I missed out on reading it before the awards. NP. Will read it anyway.
Mexican Gothic - about a third in and enjoying. Put aside to read in May for a monthly challenge in another group.
Bring on the Dusk - partway through a re-read in honor of Arbor Day and Earth Day. This is a romantic thriller about special forces but also has really awesome scenes involving climbing Titans - the tallest Redwoods.
QOTW: Can't really answer this at this point because I'm still just fitting whatever I'm reading for any or no reason into whatever prompts the book fits. If it doesn't fit, NP. Since I am 27/50, this works for me. Almost all of my planned reading for 2021 PS involves the Advanced Prompts which are tied to my TBR. Those books I have put aside and obviously fit because I picked them to meet the terms of the prompt. I've picked out a couple other books I cam across in my TBR while identifying for the Advanced Prompts that should fit a couple of the most specific other prompts that my casual reading will be unlikely to fulfill, i.e. an NK Jemisen for AfroFuturist. I read pretty much excusively from my massive very eclectic print and ebook TBR Towers.
Mod
Yes, but remember maybe it is the smartest tree for waiting! Better than enduring a frost or freeze with leaves out! 😊
"I finally finished a bunch of books this week! 3 were for this Challenge, so I am now 23/50."
Wow!! Impressive!
"Antebellum Dream Book poems by Elizabeth Alexander- I don't know, I don't get it. I am having the worst luck with books of poetry this year, every book I pick this year just doesn't click with me."
I think poetry is definitely very much "hit" or "miss"...you just never know.
"Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay- I've been wanting to read this book for a while, so I added it to my list of books I must read this year. I was disappointed; maybe the movie is better? I checked off "rock in title" with this one (a rock is a rock, right?)"
Uhm. Yeah? A "rock" is definitely a "rock." LOL I thought this one sounded like a good one! 🙁
"The Secret of Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay- the "lost" last chapter of Picnic that supposedly explains the mystery - hahahah no. This explained nothing and improved nothing."
You made me laugh so hard!! 😂
"The Cousins by Karen M. McManus - I picked this up because it has a family tree in it, and I thought it was particularly appropriate for this category because the family ties are crucial to the plot. This was a lot of fun!"
I really enjoyed her first two books and want to read this one as well... Good to know you enjoyed it!
"Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey - this was another book from my list of books I must read in 2021; I used it as "everyone seems to have read except me" which doesn't really fit perfectly, but close. This is yet another example of SFF guys who have no idea how to write women. The story was fun but the "dead-women-as-plot-device" problem was just too much for me. I will NOT be reading the rest of this series."
Wow. That was a rather lengthy book to not have it be enjoyable! 😞
"QotW
Let's see, so far, about half of my Challenge reads so far have been specifically selected by me to fit a category, and of those ... I DNF'ed one (How to Be Both - no dialogue marks? no thank you!) and had to go find another candidate for the "Women's Prize" category (I read Home Fire and I liked it a lot - and I never would have read it if not for this Challenge!). Every book that I expected to fit a category HAS fit that category."
Sounds as if you've been very successful at fitting books to prompts! Good for you!! 👍
Mod
Such a relief! Thank you! Ref. the weather--I guess we might as well laugh about it! Nothing we can do to change it. 🙄
"I finished Kingdom Come: The Final Victory as my book associated with favorite person place or thing. I didn't like it as well as the rest of the series and I think they would have been smart to have just ended with Glorious Appearing: The End of Days"
So they could have saved themselves time and effort, huh? 😉
"I read Ring of Bright Water as my book with the prettiest cover. this book made me kind of ragey, too."
I love your term "ragey"! 🤣
"I am about halfway through The Mermaid Chair as my book about a fresh start (also has a very pretty cover). I'm loving the writing, but not sure how I feel about the plot."
I still need to read this one!
"QOtw: I read Dead Poets Society for my dark academia book and I'm still counting it, but I think it probably technically isn't. Plus, I didn't realize before I started it that the book is based off the movie instead of the other way around. Honestly, I don't think those kinds of books are very good and this was no exception. It added nothing to the movie perspective. If you hadn't already seen the movie it may have been fine."
I think it fits that prompt... Gosh! I watched the movie eons ago...but never read the book. And I thought the movie was an adaptation of the book, so I had it backwards!
"And also I read The Rescue as my book seen on someone else's shelf. Fit the category fine as I did see it on my mom's shelf, but it made me ragey and I didn't much like it."
Again. Your "ragey" always makes me chuckle! 🤗
I missed last week's check-in, but it's because I was getting (and then recovering from) my second vaccine shot! Though I do think I had an easy go of it; no side effects for the first shot and then just some aches and chills the day after the second one. As an asthmatic with a pretty subpar immune system, it's such a relief.Finished:
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London - this was a pretty fun read! I found the lead a bit frustrating sometimes, but not unreasonably so, and the look into a form of reality TV I don't partake in was interesting. This was for the body positivity prompt.
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett - I was really not looking forward to the Women's Fiction winner prompt, I gotta be honest. The only books that sounded remotely interesting to me on that list were books I've already read (Song of Achilles and The Power) so I ended up grabbing one that seemed vaguely interesting and was in stock at my library. This book was? Fine? I guess? I enjoyed the writing style, and the characters were interesting enough, but I honestly could not tell you what the point of writing this story was. It felt a bit like eating plain crackers.
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama - this was for the Black Lives Matter prompt, and was an interesting read. He's led a really fascinating life, and it was fun to reconcile his perspective with the bits I knew from reading Becoming.
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore - this book was good and I liked it, but I feel like the premise was significantly cooler than the execution. It felt like a really shallow dip into what could have been a really great deep dive. I also feel like this author and I deeply disagree on both time travel and the concept of fate, haha.
Currently Reading:
If on a Winter's Night a Traveler
Malice
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
Loveless
The Gilda Stories
QotW:
Oof. Okay. So. For the 'book in a different format than you usually read' prompt, I DNF'd my first attempt and did not enjoy my second one.
The DNF was Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell, which made me so angry I had to get up and pace my apartment like a sitcom character. I've heard a lot of really positive praise for this guy, so I was startled by how much I hated this. The premise of this book is interesting, and he's a skilled enough writer to make it sound like he has something interesting to say when actually he's just spouting opinions like facts without much base to them. There were so many statements framed as fact that were very clearly only so from a Western cis white male perspective, and there was a whole lot of "Good people on both sides" sentiment for groups that don't deserve it, like rapists and people who ignore child abuse. I got 3/4 of the way through before I gave myself permission to just put it down. This was over a month ago and I'm clearly still very salty about it.
My second try was Lost in Austen by Emma Campbell Webster, which was a Jane Austen Choose Your Own Adventure style book that I figured I'd love, because I love CYOA and also Jane Austen. Nope! The tone of this book was weirdly combative? Like, disdainful toward people who would want to read it, which seems like a weird choice to make?? It also felt like the author did not at all like Jane Austen or her characters/stories, which again - why write this book??? Also, how dare you include my dream husband Henry Tilney and then give me zero chance to marry him, SO rude.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Epic of Gilgamesh (other topics)Moby-Dick (other topics)
Moby-Dick or, The Whale (other topics)
Gone with the Wind (other topics)
Anna Karenina (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Alfred F. Young (other topics)John Boehner (other topics)
Min Jin Lee (other topics)
Jeff Shaara (other topics)
S.A. Chakraborty (other topics)
More...
Edited to add: I neglected to note that on Tuesday, April 20 I drove through a driving snowstorm and on Tuesday, April 27 it was 87 degrees and sunny here! Crazy stuff!! LOL
And…we have air conditioning! YAY!
And...I still have books and wonderful book people such as yourselves to communicate with! Life is good!
Admin Stuff:
Obviously, the April Monthly Group Read discussion of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is wrapping up. Brandy B did a superb job of leading discussion and I believe this will be one of my favorite reads of 2021! I adore it and appreciate the message that the little things do matter and they are what make life worth living! I found it to be life-affirming and inspirational! We were posting some of our favorite quotations last week…
And here is the link to post the book you read to fulfill prompt #28 A book with magical realism.
Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin is the May Monthly Group Read and Brandy B will be leading this discussion. (Yes, the same Brandy who led us through the April Group Read discussion! YAY! We evidently didn’t scare her off! LOL 😊) This book will fulfill prompt #4 A book written by a Muslim-American/Muslim-British author in honor of the Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr on May 13, 2021. I plan to dig into it next weekend!
And here is the link to post the book you read to fulfill prompt #4 A book written by a Muslim-American/Muslim-British author.
Question of the Week: Has there been a book you’ve specifically read to complete a 2021 POPSUGAR prompt that didn’t work out? Either you felt it really didn’t fit that prompt after all and/or you didn’t enjoy it much, not even a little bit? Or perhaps you even DNF’d it. Help warn others… Tell us what book and which prompt, please!
I mainly wanted to give everybody the chance to talk about the opposite of my last QoTW which asked about a book that fit a prompt really well!
I really like this question, but I honestly don’t have a very good answer! I think that is due in large part to the fact that I simply match every book I read to every prompt I believe it fits.
Though I do occasionally select specific books for specific prompts without knowing much about them and the probability they will fulfill that prompt. For example, I am planning to read The Handsome Man's Deluxe Café which is the 15th book in Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series for prompt #14 A book set in a restaurant. I have no idea if it will fulfill that prompt or not until I read it, but it is the next book in that series and I would like to catch up to the current installment in the series by the end of 2021…and the title sounds like it will be a perfect fit! My fingers are crossed!! LOL 😊
Popsugar: 36/50
ATY: 46/52
RHC: 7/24
Reading Women: 7/28
FINISHED:
I only finished two of the three April Buddy Read books I wanted to read this week, but given the stressful week this has been, I’m happy with that progress!
Sebastien and the Troll by Fredrik Backman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ is a very short short story available free on his website. Very cute. Not counting for any challenges.
Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was adorable, as expected. Yes, it’s YA romance and well done, IMO! I loved the inclusion of Muslim Ramadan and the everyday aspects of fasting, etc., in these teens’ lives. The relationships were realistic, IMO, and best of all included some true diversity! And I actually remembered just how much all that kissing was so wonderfully enthralling and empowering as a teenager! Ah, yes…the memories! LOL 😉
POPSUGAR: #18-prejudice/discrimination, religious persecution, LGBTQ, religious freedom for all, #21-Contemporary fiction, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult, NEW #24, #27, #33, #34-Religious freedom, #37, #40-From 2016 POPSUGAR-prompt #25 A book that takes place during the summer, #47-One of my favorite things is to see younger adults/teens involved in political causes, #50-purchased with a gift certificate!
ATY: #1-In the beginning Jamie and Maya are only canvassing because their mothers made them do it, #3-When the dog bites (Boomer), whiskers on kittens (Willow), #6, #7-A book that you consider to be BRAIN CANDY, #9-Summer, NEW #17-Maya and her parents, #19-The present doesn’t necessarily foretell success or failure in the future, #23-Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult, #24, #29, #34, #42, #44, #49
RHC: #24
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ had quite the random start, IMO, but definitely came through in the end! I stated this book was “delicious” and it was! As usual with Backman, so poignant, true, and yet entertaining all at once! This book contained much more humor than his others, IMO, and although it was sometimes a bit outrageous, it was, nonetheless, excellent storytelling at its very best!!
POPSUGAR: #13, #18-Poverty, helping others, compassion, mental health, addiction, being a “good” human being, #21-Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Health & Well-Being, Humor, Mystery, #27, #30-Sweden, NEW #31, #34-Poverty, #37, #40-From 2015 POPSUGAR Challenge-prompt #8 A book that is funny, #46, #47-Backman is one of my absolute favorite authors!, #50-My best friend loaned it to me!
ATY: #6-Many of them!, #7-A book related to something good that happened in 2020-the release of this book!, #8-Sweden, #9-New Year’s Eve, #10, #14, #19-How we manage the present will determine our future to a great degree, #22, #23- Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Health & Well-Being, Humor, Mystery, #27-Temperance, Judgement, #29, #42, #49, #51, #52-In the end compassion and kindness won out!
RHC: #23
CONTINUING:
April Buddy Reads:
Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara started off a bit scarily, but am hoping it proves to be a story I enjoy overall…
I originally listed Ender's Game (Ender’s Saga #1) by Orson Scott Card only as a possible Buddy Read for this month, but then, thanks to a good friend’s very generous gift certificate, I was able to purchase a copy very cheaply and received it yesterday, so have read the rather lengthy and informative introduction written by the author for inclusion in this edition and am anxious to read the book! Several of my Borders coworkers kept telling me I would really enjoy it, so now I’ll see if they were correct!
And then next up to be finished…
Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence and
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Excellent writing! It really flows and I’m anxious to finally finish it!
PLANNED:
For May-the POPSUGAR Monthly Group Read:
Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin.
Huge thanks to Brandy for volunteering to lead this discussion!!👍😍 YAY!! (We evidently didn’t scare her off with the April group read discussion! That’s a good thing! LOL)
And that is the only group or buddy read to which I have committed for May! That means I will finally have time to devote to those lingering books listed below!! Better late than never!!
And I still keep looking anxiously at The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman. My very special gift that makes me smile every time I see it or think about it! 😊 I’m thinking May is the month to dig in!
And onward…
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
Eva Luna by Isabel Allende to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #26 A book written by Isabel Allende.
Paradise by Toni Morrison to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #25 A book written by Toni Morrison.
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. Excellent so far! I love Reynolds' humor!
Learning Race, Learning Place: Shaping Racial Identities and Ideas in African American Childhoods by Erin N. Winkler
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. Du Bois