Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, readers! Happy Thursday! Thursdays are the highlight of my week, I'm so glad we all found each other and can happily chat about our books.

It's still the middle of winter here in northern NY, but I'm sure some of you are seeing signs of spring (and some of you are maybe seeing signs of fall and some welcome cooler temps). If I did not have deep snow cover, I'd have snowdrops blooming under my maple tree right now.




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Admin stuff

February's group of: Get a Life, Chloe Brown is continuing here: February group read

Our tie breaker poll results are in for April:
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder will be our group read for April's misleading title.

And we have a nomination poll open for May (a book by a Pacific Islander author):
Nominate a group read for May

I always become unreasonably excited about a new poll. Why are polls so fun? It's not just me, right?!

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This week I finished 4 books, 3 for this Challenge, so I am now 15/50.

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon - I had high expectations for this one because I loved The Ex Talk, but I was disappointed this time. The characters never came alive for me, and I didn't feel any spark between them. I had been planning to check off "published in 2022" with this book, but there were two parties that were both pivotal to the plot, so I checked off "featuring a party" instead. (And this would work for Jewish character / author in AtY.)

Paper Girls, Vol. 1 written by Brian K. Vaughan - this was a lot of fun but extremely light on actual plot development, so I read the whole thing in like an hour. It did take place in 1988, so I checked off "set in the 80s" with this book.

Can't Escape Love by Alyssa Cole - this was a completely adorable romance! It might be my favorite in this entire series. It was a novella, and my only real complaint is that it was too short. I checked off "protagonist uses a mobility aid" with this one, since the heroine uses a wheelchair.

Intimacies by Katie Kitamura - Another Tournament of Books choice; I was very meh about this book. It was good, but ... that's as far as it goes for me. I don't get all the raves.




Question of the Week
This question was suggested last year by Lauren:
Do you enjoy reading short stories in addition to full-length books? What are some of your favorites?


I read the free Tor shorts now and then when I'm looking for a "quickie" but I don't read collections of short stories very often. (And I don't know why I don't read them often, because when I do read them, I often like them a lot!)

Here are some of the five star reads on my shelf that I don't see mentioned very often around here:
A Lucky Man by Jamel Brinkley - this would be an excellent choice for Black History Month. I STILL think about some of these stories, and it's been a few years since I read them. I can't wait to see what he writes next!! (I check every few months to see if he's got anything coming up - nothing yet.)

This Is Paradise: Stories by Kristiana Kahakauwila - this one would be perfect for a book by a Pacific Islander! This is another collection that has stayed with me over the years, and scenes from these stories will randomly pop into my head. And this is another author that I would love to read more from, I keep checking to see if she's had another book published. Nothing yet.

Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson - this is a set of interconnected short stories, I listened to the audiobook read by Will Patton while I was on a business trip, and every time I'm back in that area I remember the stories vividly.

After the People Lights Have Gone Off by Stephen Graham Jones - this is classified as horror, but it's more creepy than horrific. It's VERY creepy. (Not scary, but creepy.)

And speaking of creepy, I bought this from the book mobile when I was in elementary school, and it's got the nine most disturbing stories I've ever read (it's more of an anthology than a collection) - what were they thinking when Scholastic published this for young kids??:
Nine Strange Stories ed by Betty M. Owen. In particular, these two stories haunt me to this day:
"The Snail-Watcher" by Patricia Highsmith
"Manuscript Found In A Police State" by Brian Aldiss

(If you google a bit, both of these short stories can be found for free on-line. I'm not sure how legal the copies are, so I don't want to link to them.)

I have a copy of The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. I read a story from time to time, I also mark the date I finish a story in the book.

In good news, we are experiencing a bit of a melt here in northeast Ohio; things are warming up for a few days before we get back to cold over the weekend. In good-and-also-meh news, the Olympics are back! I lovelovelove the games but they really eat into my reading time. Case in point: I was up til nearly 1am with figure skating last night and didn't read a word all afternoon/evening (also caught up on the newest Gilded Age episode. Loving this show). So my reading suffers, and I feel guilty, but I don't actually mind.

As such, I have finished nothing this week. And I've got the day off tomorrow for a dentist appointment, so I'm hoping I can get through one of my two audiobooks this afternoon.

Reading:
Over Sea, Under Stone - hoping to finish today!
Take a Hint, Dani Brown - may also finish today!
The Lies of Locke Lamora
The Silmarillion

Do you enjoy reading short stories in addition to full-length books? What are some of your favorites?
One of my other groups has a section specifically dedicated to contemporary short stories and through them I've really gotten into the format; I didn't used to read shorts, but it's really fascinating what people can do with fewer words. I'm also still working my way through Sherlock Holmes, and I have a handful of favorite spooky short rereads specifically for October.

My pace continues to slow down. I'm not sure if it is because my workload has significantly increased, or if it is because I refuse to give up on a book that is just not working for me anymore.

I am 26/50.

This week I finished:

See Her Die: favorite prompt from a previous challenge: I'm glad that I decided to give this series another chance. This book had much of what book 1 was missing. I feel invested in the characters now and I think the slow and steady approach to character development paid off.

Drown Her Sorrows: A book you know nothing about: I moved on to book 3 immediately without reading what it was about, so for me, that counts for this prompt. I really wanted to rate this higher for character development and wonderful dogs but the plot had holes and was predictable. Still moved directly on to book 4.

Right Behind Her: I'm not sure that I'm using this for the challenge. I definitely think that it works for found family, but I have The Broken Girls from the library right now for that prompt, so I may just use that, but it gives me the freedom to not stick with it if it isn't good.: This was the best in the series so far. I am fully invested in the characters now. I see their potential for future books and I didn't figure out the end.

Currently reading:

Mexican Gothic: Will it ever end?!?!?!? I wanted to like this book so much, but it is such a slog for me. I will read 60 pages one day, and then not come back to it for almost a week, because I just don't care about it at all. I am finally to the point where the pace is picking up, but now that I know what's driving the whole plot, I just don't really care what happens. I'm too far in to not finish now, but I wish I had chosen differently for this prompt. The writing is really well done, but the plot is blah! I know that's an unpopular opinion though.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: I think this might be one of the only times in the history of me listening to audiobooks that I listen to it at regular speed. I just never want it to end, but I'm also committed to finishing it by the end of the day. I have about 2 hours left to go.

QOTW:

I love short stories, especially within series. The best one that I can think to recommend though is not a part of a series. And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer was a beautiful, devastating read for me last year.

I finished Cloudsplitter as my Annisfield-Wolf award winner. I thought it was too long. I actually like long books, but only when they need to be so. This book was 758 pages and I think it could have been 400 and not lost anything.

I am almost done with Buenos Aires: The Biography of a City, my first of the two sister city books (Buenos Aires, obviously). I really like geographies, but this one is a bit dry.

QOTW: I don't feel like I do enjoy short stories as much as longer books for the most part. I do like Washington Irving and Poe. But, given the choice, I prefer full-length books.

Good morning, everyone!

I don’t know about you all, but I have spent a ridiculous amount of time in front of the television this week, watching the Olympics. I was able to finish the rest of Ranma 1/2 before I started watching, but the rest of this week’s reading has happened during commercial breaks.

I really enjoyed all of the books I read this week, and was especially impressed with The Princess Spy, by Larry Loftis. Not only was it an interesting nonfiction book, but it read like a novel. I highly recommend this one if you’re interested in female spies, and/or WWII-era espionage.

Goodreads: 138/200
TBR checklist: 106/962

Finished Reading:
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 14
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 15
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 16
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 17 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 18 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 19 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 20
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 21
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 22 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 23 (Ranma ½
~How to Survive in a Stranger Things World
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 24
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 25 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 26 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 27 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 28 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Volume 29
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 30 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 31 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 32
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 33 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 34 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 35 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 36 (Ranma ½
~The Princess Spy
~The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow
~Hotel Portofino
~Madam
~The Queen Is Dead
~Long Live the Queen
~Live and Let Die

Currently Reading:
~The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
~Prudence

QOTW:
I do enjoy reading short stories, but I find that they often take a back seat to the novels and nonfiction books that I choose to read.

Some of my favorite collections of short stories include:
~The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
~Necronomicon: The Best Weird Tales, by H.P. Lovecraft
~The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, by Edgar Allan Poe
~The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Some of my other favorite short stories include:
~The Most Dangerous Game, by Richard Connell
~The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
~The Monkey’s Paw, by W.W. Jacobs

Mary wrote: "Mexican Gothic: Will it ever end?!?!?!? I wanted to like this book so much, but it is such a slog for me. ..."


LOL that book does have slow parts in the middle, but the pace picks up at the end. I can't say if it will be worth it for you though. The thing I liked most about that book was the gorgeous cover.

Ashley Marie wrote: "In good news, we are experiencing a bit of a melt here in northeast Ohio; things are warming up for a few days before we get back to cold over the weekend. In good-and-also-meh news, the Olympics a..."

I was wondering if there were any other figure skating fans here. I am so tired today after staying up late to watch it. I could have recorded it and watched today, but too fearful of spoilers. I got plenty of reading done during whatever skiing and snowboarding events were on, since figure skating didn't start until almost 11:00.

We definitely have signs of spring, saw a few crocus at the weekend and the daffodils are in bud. Will be nice to have some colour outside again. I always think we should leave up Christmas lights until spring flowers arrive, January is so dull.

Finished:
Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May for a book about witches. Set in 1922, there is a post-war prohibition on magic but some still practice in secret. It took me a while to get into the writing style, but once I did I really enjoyed it. There is a smattering of Gatsby influence, but don't let that put you off, I don't really rate The Great Gatsby! 🤣

Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders by Aliette de Bodard for Beat the Backlist (set around a holiday). This is a novella in the Dominion of the Fallen series set over Lunar New Year and I enjoyed revisiting the characters.

Mrs England by Stacey Halls for ATY (set 1900-1950). This wasn't as good as her others, it was so slow, even if at first I liked the details of the life of a children's nurse at the turn of the century and the last quarter was much better. The main character's back story is based on a historical event but it's not very well known. so it's not like you can piece together much until you are told.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus for ATY (woman in STEM). This was disappointing but looking at all the other reviews, I'm in a minority. Maybe it's not meant to be taken seriously? It was like the main character was a time traveller to the 1950s and was completely oblivious to the fact all her progressive views weren't shared by everyone. Some bits were funny, but it's in a jaunty tone, so when issues such as sexual assault, suicide and a violent death were brought up it seemed a bit jarring. It completely missed the opportunity to teach some lessons in the science of cooking, her cookery show was just bizarre, and I like watching chemistry stuff! Oh and there was so much about rowing. I do not find rowing interesting.

QOTW:
I don't often read short story collections but I do enjoy them now and again. Diving Belles is one of my favourites, and more recently I enjoyed Love in Colour: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold. I prefer a coherent collection from one author over an anthology.

Happy Thursday! The warmer weather has been really nice. As mentioned earlier, very tired because I stayed up way past my bedtime watching figure skating, and then reading in bed for an hour after that.

Finished:
The Narrowboat Summer
This Is How You Lose the Time War for Hugo Award winner.
Under the Whispering Door for book that takes place in the afterlife.

Currently reading:
The Thirty Names of Night
The Prophets
Bullet Train
The Life of Charlotte Brontë
L.A. Weather on audio

QOTW:
I thought I was going to say no, but I was able to think of a lot. I really liked The Secret Lives of Church Ladies and Florida for short story collections. I have read a collection of Flannery O'Connor stories, but the only one I ever remember is A Good Man Is Hard To Find. I went through a phase of listening to LeVar Burton Reads. Two stories that I still remember are Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience (which I can't find a link to for some reason) and What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky.

K.L. wrote: "was especially impressed with The Princess Spy, by Larry Loftis. Not only was it an interesting nonfiction book, but it read like a novel. I highly recommend this one if you’re interested in female spies, and/or WWII-era espionage. ..."


Oooh well I know what I'm reading in March for Women's History month!! Even better, the audiobook read by Kate Reading is currently available at my library (and hopefully it will stay that way for two more weeks). Looks perfect for the "double life" category.

Ellie wrote: "We definitely have signs of spring, saw a few crocus at the weekend and the daffodils are in bud. Will be nice to have some colour outside again. I always think we should leave up Christmas lights until spring flowers arrive, January is so dull. ..."


Yes!!! We do not have elaborate decorations, but we do have a light up deer on our front lawn, and we are the only house in the neighborhood that still has lights at night LOL. I really like seeing the Christmas lights and I wish everyone would keep them on in the dark nights of January. Last week, when I noticed no one else has lights, I asked my daughter when we should finally unplug our deer, and she said "February 16th." I'm sure that was a completely random answer on her part, but I'm sticking with it.

Milena wrote: "... stories that I still remember are Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience (which I can't find a link to for some reason) ..."


I can't find it in Goodreads either. But didn't this short story win a Hugo AND Nebula? (ETA: yes, it did, I just googled it)

For some reason, the "add book" widget didn't find it, but Google did, so I grabbed the number and made this link: Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience, and thanks to GR INANE policy of not allowing short stories to have their own listing, this links to nothing, basically. Not even author credit. Sigh. So here it is, for real, by Rebecca Roanhorse: https://apex-magazine.com/short-ficti... Now I need to go read it!!

Nadine in NY wrote: "Milena wrote: "... stories that I still remember are Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience (which I can't find a link to for some reason) ..."


I can't find it in Goodreads either. But didn'..."

Thanks, Nadine. It's been a few years since I read it. You can listen to LeVar read it to you while you work.

I try to resist the temptation to wash a small load of clothes at least once a day, and just run water in the kitchen sink…because I can! And to flush the toilet every time I am close to it. It is so nice to have working plumbing all over the house again!! LOL It’s the ‘little things’! 😊

We got at least 10 inches of snow last week and in an unprecedented move, our University allowed supervisors to determine whether staff could work remotely last Wednesday and Thursday, and then extended it to last Friday as well! I was sooooo grateful to not have to get out in that very cold weather and risk getting stranded. It did remind me that (at least for me) there were some benefits to the COVID lockdown, because that would have never even been a consideration in the past. Staff would have been expected to get here one way or another or use paid leave time to cover time off. Grateful, grateful, grateful!

Seems as if everyone close to me has now contracted COVID. Fortunately, my best friend who is very high risk (A-fib, diabetes, allergies/asthma, etc.) is experiencing no symptoms! Again, I am sooooo grateful for that! The others seem to be finally healing and coming through it. I just hope none of them become “longhaulers”! I am also grateful that my husband is simply home all day, every day, and therefore not exposed.

Just to build up your TBR pile(s) a bit higher…
1) 15 Fiction Books by Black Authors to Fall in Love With in 2022: https://www.nbcnews.com/select/shoppi...

2) Wow. For those of you who are interested, Goodreads has a listing of 60 Highly Anticipated Debut Novels here.

3) Tor.com article on Five Flawed Books That Are Still Worth Rereading: https://www.tor.com/2022/01/31/five-f...

Admin Stuff:
While I have already read Such a Fun Age, I’ve been uncertain about reading A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, but perhaps I’ll relent and join in the April monthly group read.

You can also post the book(s) you have read to fulfill prompt #18 A romance novel written by a BIPOC author here.

Looks as if we still need group discussion facilitators for March and April! Please message either Nadine or myself if you're interested! It's fun and a valuable service to our POPSUGAR community!

I plan to read more in Get a Life, Chloe Brown tonight and then continue participating in the monthly group read discussion that Sherri is brilliantly leading.

Question of the Week:
(from Lauren) Do you enjoy reading short stories in addition to full-length books? What are some of your favorites?
I don’t particularly search out short story collections, and I’m usually very picky about them, but I have discovered a couple of collections that I truly enjoyed.
1) The most recent is A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology, edited by Dhonielle Clayton, which I read to fulfill the 2021 Read Harder Challenge prompt #10 An SFF anthology edited by a person of color. I got so many author names from this collection and have been watching for books written by them so I can try them in the longer format.
2) When I began getting back into reading a lot, one of the books that still sticks in my memory was The Secrets of a Fire King by Kim Edwards (author ofThe Memory Keeper's Daughter and The Lake of Dreams). Just excellent stories that made such an impression on me…

Popsugar: 20/50
ATY: 37/52
RHC: 5/24

I needed two books to finish an ATY Winter challenge that ends February 28 and the last two did that! Plus I’ve owned them for years and really wanted to read them! (And I thought I was being tricky because after reading The Guest Cat I would read The Lionboy and thereby fulfill Popsugar prompt #20 A book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read, BUT there is no “The” before Lionboy in that title! LOL So the joke’s on me!) ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

FINISHED:
The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide, translated by Eric Selland ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was just as poignant as I expected. I admit this was one time when I purchased a book for multiple reasons and one of those was for the cover! Not only is the kitty’s head adorable, but the title and its eyes are a reflective (metallic-looking) green! This wonderful little book describes a shared relationship with one cat between two different neighboring households. Chibi was a dear sweet companion.
POPSUGAR: #9, #24, #36, #40-2017: prompt #10 A cat on the cover, #49/#50 London and Tokyo
ATY: #1-Takashi, #7-Amazing how an animal companion can open people up, #14-2,803 ratings, #15, NEW #18-Asian, #21-Cat, #25-140 pages, #36, #40-Strength, Death, #41, #46-Chibi!, #50-the landlords
RHC: #24-2017: 11 prompt #11 Read a book that is set more than 5000 miles from your location. (>6,000 miles)

Lionboy (Lionboy Trilogy #1) by Zizou Corder ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Zizou Corder is a pseudonym for a mother-daughter writing team!) Oh, my! I loved this book sooooo much! And I’m so glad I ordered the next two installments and they should arrive either today or tomorrow, hopefully by Monday at the latest! A great kids series, IMO! Charlie is a believable and to me, realistically portrayed, somewhat flawed “hero” to all!
POPSUGAR: NEW #2-Set on both a ship and a train, #25-Charlie can communicate in “cat”!, #36, #40-2015: prompt #7 A book with nonhuman characters, NEW #42-More than two, but mainly English and “cat”!
ATY: #1-Aneba, Charlie’s father, #4- A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): traveller and …sneer of cold command…, Charlie is a traveller and he gets these sneering cold commands from both Rafi and Maccomo, #14-2,409 ratings, #15, #29, #31-2003, #36, #40-Strength, Justice, Judgment, #46-The Young Lion, #49
RHC: #24-2016: prompt #16 The first book in a new-to-you YA or middle grade series

Euphoria by Lily King ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was an amazing read! I am enthralled by anthropological studies and the whole concept of supposedly ‘subjective’ “observation” as opposed to “exploitation.” This was quite the triangle of researchers to depict. If you are at all interested, I highly recommend it. It was also a quick read. King is now officially a favorite author for me. The first of her books I read almost 8 years ago, Father of the Rain, was such an excellent book that I have retained many of the details.
POPSUGAR: #9-Nell always made family amongst the tribe, #31-Fen definitely created his own disaster which affected them all, NEW #32, #37-There is quite a bit of discussion about gender identity within the tribes studied, #38-There were several, though Nell’s last one with the Tam women was my personal favorite, #40-2015: prompt #13 A book set in a different country—New Guinea
ATY: #1-Andrew Bankson, #4-…traveller from an antique land… All three of them traveled to indigenous tribal lands—definitely “antique”, #7-They tried to determine how the different tribes developed and behaved psychologically, #8/9/10-Australia, #11, #15, #20, #29, #35/36, #40- The Lovers, Strength, Temperance, Justice, Judgment, The World, #41, #43, #44, NEW #47, #49
RHC: #24-2017: prompt #11 A book set more than 5,000 miles from your current location

CONTINUING:
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo for my University’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group read. We are now through Chapter 5 and the second discussion will occur later today… I watched a couple of interviews with her and wow, she really pulls no punches, nor should she… I am taking detailed notes. I particularly appreciate the examples she provides to expand discussions to include systemic racism, just addressing “feelings” not being enough. Very interesting discussion of the definition of “racism” and why that matters. I intend to reread portions of Kendi’s How To Be an Antiracist and compare/contrast as well.
*Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert for our February Group Read! Anxious to finish this one!
*Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
*Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson to complete two 2021 challenges!
*Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
*Paradise by Toni Morrison to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #25 A book written by Toni Morrison

PLANNED:
2 for February Buddy Reads:
*book:The Big Bad Wolf|6588] (Alex Cross #9) by James Patterson
Murder at Kensington Palace(Wrexford & Sloane #3) by Andrea Penrose
4 for March Buddy Reads:
*Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs #1) by Jean Webster
Murder at Queen’s Landing (Wrexford & Sloane #4) by Andrea Penrose
*London Bridges (Alex Cross #10) by James Patterson
*The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday (Isabel Dalhousie #5) by Alexander McCall Smith
*The Lost Art of Gratitude (Isabel Dalhousie #6) by Alexander McCall Smith
To complete some 2021 year-long challenges:
1) *Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
2) *The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
To complete the 2021 Read Harder Challenge:
*Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
*Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
*Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

I missed/skipped last week's check-in because, like so many of you, we had a lot of ice. Since I'm in Texas, that means we shut down for a few days, so I just wasn't really on my computer. I love snow/ice days--it's basically a surprise staycation! I read and baked and played video games, and it was delightful.

And of course it's now in the 70s again. Go figure.

Finished:
Toothiana: Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies - A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society

The Sandman and the War of Dreams - I haven't figured out where this will go. It fits in a book you can read in one sitting, but so do the others in this series. Only one book left in this series and I can't wait to see how it ends!

How to Listen to and Understand Great Music - Can this please count as "A book about a band or musical group"? I know it's not about either one, but it's entirely about music and composers, so it seems like it should fit...

Currently Reading:
The Real James Herriot: A Memoir of My Father - I am enjoying this but I only want to read a little at a time. I think this is pretty typical for a memoir.

QOTW:
I do enjoy short stories but I don't read them very often--it just doesn't occur to me. I have Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories, which I really enjoyed (he didn't write them; it's a collection he put together because he liked them and was considering using them for a TV show). I don't do scary but I love a good spooky story!

I also have The Haunted Looking Glass by Edward Gorey and a few short story collections by Agatha Christie that I haven't gotten around to yet.

It's so quiet.

My 4-year-old grandson Eli has been living with us since last fall, but his parents flew in to take him on a little vacation (they're working a temporary job away from home and living in a hotel). When I came into the house after dropping them off at the airport the silence was deafening. I'd forgotten what life without small children was like!

Challenge Progress: 11/50 I haven't been planning my reading, so even though I've been reading a lot most of it hasn't been for any particular challenges.

Completed: It was kind of a disappointing week... I just didn't love any of my books. Luckily, I'm enjoying my current reads much more.

The Archive of the Forgotten: I should love this series. It has all the right elements and some really great quotable lines... but it feels clunky, and I never got fully involved in the story. Underwhelmed. (P12: A book about the afterlife) ★★★

Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China: Another book that sounded so interesting, but unfortunately, too much of this book dealt with irrelevant facts and not actually with these three sisters and their roles in shaping 20th century China. I was left emotionally disengaged and uninterested. ★★★

Last Dance on the Starlight Pier: I really wanted to give this one a good review, but it ultimately fell flat. There were some really good ideas here - I loved the idea of focusing on dance marathons during the Great Depression! - but the plot felt contrived and the ending was too neat and melodramatic. I'm hoping this was just a sophomore slump. Sarah Bird's Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen was excellent. (Goodreads Giveaway) ★★★



Currently Reading:
The Anthropocene Reviewed
Gold
Bet on It (Goodreads Giveaway)
Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy
Impostor Syndrome
Mirrorland
The Sweetheart

QOTW: I do occasionally enjoy short story collections. Some of my favorites are Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks, Nine Inches by Tom Perrotta, and Florida by Lauren Groff. Joe Hill's horror collection 20th Century Ghosts is also pretty great.

Hello all! I’m trying to make myself do normal, active things like checking in here because I’ve come down with a proper depressive episode for the first time in a long time, and depression is a dumb jerk where the treatment involves doing the stuff that the disease makes you feel unable to do. (I’ll be fine, just gotta keep getting out of bed and it will get better. Though I did realize that I tend to feel low in February, so I’m trying to walk outside a bit, ordered myself a therapeutic light box, and I’ve been daydreaming/window shopping for vacation homes in Florida.)

Finished

Get a Life, Chloe Brown - A romance novel by a BIPOC author - I tore through this - very sweet and charming and also unexpectedly caliente!

The Neil Gaiman at the End of the Universe - A book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read - An Audible short produced as a fundraiser for a mental health charity. Lovely! Super short, but very fun and nice, and it’s always a pleasure to hear Jewel Staite!

Sass & Sorcery - A book about a "found family" - I had to re-read this because I’d forgotten so much. Funny, with a lot of attitude, and cool art.

The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'rygoth - A book with cutlery on the cover or in the title - Unfortunately I didn’t like this nearly as much. The plot seemed disorganized, and the art was annoying me - the characters look noticeably different across the board, and Hannah is virtually unrecognizable!


Currently Reading

A Conspiracy in Belgravia - A book set in Victorian times - I liked the first book a lot, but I confess I barely remember anything. Luckily this seems to be taking pains to get me back up to speed.

QOTW
I do like short stories - I find horror and weird/speculative fiction in particular can benefit from being short and sweet, without a need for drawing things out. My all-time favorites? Glad you asked - I have a spreadsheet full of them:

• A Study in Emerald
• Black Man with a Horn
• Bloodchild
• Full Bleed
• Green Tea
• Hand in Glove
• I Am the Doorway
• I Am the Key
• I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream
• Jerusalem's Lot
• Man-size in Marble
• N
• Notebook Found in a Deserted House
• Pickman's Model
• Pitch
• Shoggoth's Old Peculiar
• Slime
• Sticks
• Technicolor
• The Barrens
• The Boogeyman
• The Color out of Space
• The Dead Smile
• The Demon Bench End
• The Events at Poroth Farm
• The Great God Pan
• The Haunter of the Dark
• The Hounds of Tindalos
• The Mezzotint
• The Midnight Meat Train
• The Monkey's Paw
• The Moving Finger
• The Night Wire
• The Open Window
• The Repairer of Reputations
• The Salem Horror
• The Signal-man
• The Statement of Randolph Carter
• The Tell-tale Heart
• The Treasure of Abbot Thomas
• The Upper Berth
• The Wendigo
• The Yellow Sign
• The Yellow Wallpaper

(Link to the spreadsheet with authors and where you can read them: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...)

This week went by so fast! I can't believe it is Thursday again, yay!

I officially gave up on Get a Life, Chloe Brown but honestly I am glad I did. On my search to find a book to replace this one I found a book I really like. I am now reading The Kiss Quotient and am tearing through it. I really hate to DNF books (like really hate it) but time is too short to waste on books that don't have my attention.

Continuing:

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (A book with a character on the ace spectrum). I had this book on my TBR list and I am really glad I started it. It is really grabbing my attention and I enjoy the story - alternate history, zombies, and badass women!

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (A romance novel by a BIPOC author). As stated above, this one is really grabbing my attention and I really like it so far!

QOTW:
I have only read a couple short story books, but I mostly prefer novels (or even a novella). In my experience the short stories are not enough information for me to be invested in the story. I did enjoy Uncommon Type on audiobook because the stories were just long enough to get invested but were still short stories and it was read by the author!

I wish I had gotten more reading done this week, but I ended up having a busy weekend celebrating my nephews 4th birthday, furniture shopping, doing taxes, and trying to solve some computer issues I'm having. haha. So I still just have the group read that I'm working on. I'm about 2/3 of the way through.

Currently Reading:
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert for the Monthly Group Read
Prompt: A romance novel by a BIPOC author

Overall Progress:
3/50

QOTW:
Short stories are fun every now and then. Especially if I've just slogged through a tough read so I can feel accomplished in finishing a short story shortly after. I don't actively seek them out often though. I'm a huge Fredrik Bakman, so I highly recommend And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer and The Deal of a Lifetime.

Hello! I was reminded twice in a few days about how much 2020 sucked, which was tough to process. Work has started the annual very busy time, with some new projects on top of the old projects that I don't know how I'm going to accommodate, which mostly means I get irritated at the smallest things right now. I'm trying to remember all the good things I do have, and focus on that instead of what I didn't get.

Finished This Week:
Clean Sweep / Sweep in Peace / One Fell Sweep / Sweep of the Blade by Ilona Andrews. With the new Innkeeper serial being published weekly on the author's blog, I decided it was time to do a full reread of the series. I didn't have the last one as a physical book, so I'm waiting for that to be delivered to read it. It was good to revisit Dina and Sean and Arland and Maud and their world. All rereads, none for prompt.

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire. One of the other women in book club last month mentioned this new series she'd found, and started talking about Wayward Children, a series I have been reading since it came out. I had to leave book club early, but they decided to read the first one for this month. I picked up the physical book last night to remember Nancy and how the school was introduced. Reread, not for prompt.

Currently Reading:
The Kaepernick Effect: Taking a Knee, Changing the World by Dave Zirin. I used to listen to Dave's podcast about where sports and politics meet, back when I listened to podcasts, so I got his most recent book from the library. It's about all the athletes who took a knee during the National Anthem after Colin Kaepernick started to, and the reaction they got. It's divided into High School, College and Professional. I'm only in the High School chapter right now, and these kids and coaches are getting death threats. One team got kicked out of their league. I imagine that theme is only going to continue. Not sure what prompt it will fit.

Never Say You Can't Survive: How to Get Through Hard Times by Making Up Stories by Charlie Jane Anders. A book on writing, but about how writing can be an a form of escapism for the writer and that's perfectly okay. The author says she had initially pitched the series of essays on writing for 2020 before everything went to crap, and it ended up helping her work through her own things when her father died of COVID. I'm not very far, but I'm enjoying it. Not sure about prompt.

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik. Got the audiobook from the library and started listening to it last night while washing dishes. As I told my husband, I already know what happens, but now I get to hear it with a British accent.

QOTW: Do you enjoy reading short stories in addition to full-length books? What are some of your favorites?
The only short stories I seem to read are ones related to series I'm already invested in. I've read all of the Kate Daniels short stories because I love the KD world. I've tried to read all the October Daye shorts, but those are harder because Seanan writes just so many for a variety of places.

I don't really read standalone short stories, mostly because I don't have easy access to them and don't really think to go looking. Reading the Hugo nominees last year was probably the most short story reading I'd done in a long time. I'd read the Tor shorts if I remembered to. I'll probably sign up to be a Hugo voter again this year, so I'll read that batch of shorts. Which reminds me, I should get to nominating...

Last year, I read the 21st book on my TBR list in the first month of 2021. I like games to encourage me to read off my TBR list. So, of course, I decided to read the 22nd book in the 2nd month of 22.

It's White Oleander. I can't even remember why I wanted to read it. (It was on my paper TBR list before I even joined Goodreads.) It's beautifully written, but it's totally not the book I was expecting.


ATY - 6/52
PS- 5/35
Series - 3/13
Clearing my TBR list: 5/40

Currently reading:

Jelly Bean Summer- 85% done

White Oleander- about 40%done

QOTW: I don't go looking for short stories. However, some of the books I end up reading (MLK or Poe) are probably more short stories/essays than books. This year to read 52 books, I'm trying to schedule one shorter book or children's book a month to help with finishing. I do think The Lottery was more frightening, even though it was a short story than many 500 page horror books.

Milena wrote: "I was wondering if there were any other figure skating fans here. I am so tired today after staying up late to watch it. ..."

I love the ice dance competitions! I haven't figured out a way to watch much of it because my husband is the tech guru and he's not interested this year. But I've been watching clips from youtube and happened to see the ROC 1st place on the short session who the commentators all raved about as being perfection. I'm always amazed by how fluid they all look!

Doni wrote: "Milena wrote: "I was wondering if there were any other figure skating fans here. I am so tired today after staying up late to watch it. ..."

I love the ice dance competitions! I haven't figured ou..."

I used to watch the Olympics. Now, between the time zone differences and the fact that I can't use my TV as a TV, I'm left with clips as well.

17/50
Finished: The Chance to Fly This one was really fun, especially if you're into musicals. Used for prompt book with a protagonist who uses a mobility aid.

Another Now: Dispatches from an Alternative Present prompt for set in the future. Written by the former finance minister of Greece. This one was so interesting. I would love to discuss it with someone!

Really? That's it? Just two books in the past week. How can that be?

Started: Aristotle’s Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life
On These Magic Shores for my library challenge, Utah author. I actually hate this book, but I have to write a negative review for a position I'm applying for, which is why I'm reading this. It is not putting me in a good mood.
All About Love: New Visions I think this can probably be used for prompt about gender identity. This one's a scorching read. I feel like hooks is a man-hater. She's making me question whether I actually "love" the people I care about or if they're just catcheted relationships!

Qotw: I really dislike short stories. If I like them, I wish there were more to them. If I dislike them, I feel like they're a waste of time. But I need to change my attitude because I teach adults to read and it's really helpful to have shorter material to work with. I bought The Storyteller: Tales out of Loneliness by Walter Benjamin, who is usually known for philosophy, but I haven't started reading it yet.

It's been a really tough week at work and my team was just warned that there will be a big announcement dropped in an hour that we'll all be VERY upset about. Great... :(((

I'm at 16/50 for the challenge so far, but that rate is about to slow down I think.

This week I finished:

Sankofa I really enjoyed this. Maybe wanted a little more of the story. 4.5 stars

Will I listened to this and also followed along some in the print version. It was so fun! Tons of nostalgia. 5 stars

The Downstairs Girl This was for a buddy read but it happens to fit the "victorian times" prompt - yay! I thought this was a great way to get a perspective I haven't seen in books before. 4 stars

In Concrete This was for the Tournament of Books, and it was... a lot. Sometimes funny, sometimes too much. I'm amazed by the skill of the translator, but would have liked more story and less word play. 3 stars

Counting Descent Not sure if I included this in last week's check in, but it's was amazing. One of the best poetry collections I've ever read. All the stars

I'm currently reading The Sentence in print and listening to Seeing Ghosts: A Memoir.

QOTW: Good timing for this question since I just read what might be my favorite short story collection ever... The Office of Historical Corrections. I loved how all the stories shared a central theme, but were still unique and engaging. It's inspiring me to write my own collection around a unifying theme (I already have two that fit the theme idea).

Other than that I loved The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, Sabrina & Corina: Stories, and Heads of the Colored People. Probably a few others I'm forgetting.

Hi everyone. The weather is cold here but there's no sign of snow. All my library holds have come in at once so I'm drowning in books.

This week I finished two books. First up was A Trip of One’s Own which was a strange book. Part history of solo female adventurers, part travel tips and part author's memoir of her love life. I wasn't sure how it all fit together. I did add most of the bibliography to my TBR though so I have a lot of adventurers to read about

After that I finished Bridge of Souls which was cute. It made me really want to try beignets. Someone please tell me they're as good as this book described them lol

Currently reading: Less. I think this is going to be a book I either really love or really hate but I'm not sure which way it is going to go

QOTW: I don't read a lot of short stories, other than the Sherlock Holmes ones. Apparently I gave Armageddon in Retrospect5 stars but I don't remember anything about it.

I was up late watching figure skating last night, too! I've been a huge skating fan for years. I was so happy for Jason Brown. He's my favorite. <3

Finished:
The Duke Who Didn't - 4 stars - for the romance by BIPOC author prompt. I loved the heroine and the hero.

With the Fire on High - 4 stars - for the book with a recipe prompt. I read and loved The Poet X by this author last year. I didn't like this one as much, but it was still very enjoyable and engrossing. I was really rooting for the main character.

Manga - How Do We Relationship?, Vol. 3 and How Do We Relationship?, Vol. 4

Currently reading:
Hollywood Heroine - for the book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read (With the Fire on High). I've been a fan of this series for awhile, and I want to get caught up before the last book comes out later this year.

QOTW:
I mostly only read short stories when they're either from an established series, or by authors I am a fan of. I'll occasionally read some of the TOR shorts or listen to short stories on Realm (Serial Box) to get a taste of a new-to-me author.

Some favorites that aren't novel tie-ins:
Metal Like Blood in the Dark by T. Kingfisher - a Hugo award winner if anyone needs for that prompt
Seanan McGuire's Velveteen vs. The Junior Super Patriots and sequels - a series of short stories about superheroes
Lost by Seanan McGuire
Emergency Skin by N.K. Jemisin

Doni wrote: "Milena wrote: "I was wondering if there were any other figure skating fans here. I am so tired today after staying up late to watch it. ..."

I love the ice dance competitions! I haven't figured ou..."

I love ice dance also. Chock and Bates are my favorites. I love their free skate to Daft Punk.

Dubhease wrote: "Last year, I read the 21st book on my TBR list in the first month of 2021. I like games to encourage me to read off my TBR list. So, of course, I decided to read the 22nd book in the 2nd month of 2..."

I like this idea!

Jen wrote: "I was up late watching figure skating last night, too! I've been a huge skating fan for years. I was so happy for Jason Brown. He's my favorite. <3

Finished:
The Duke Who Didn't -..."

I love Jason Brown too. Him finishing 6th without a single quad was such an accomplishment. I was really happy for him, and it was so endearing how happy he was.

HAPPY THURSDAY!

Well, I didn't do much popsugar reading. I had family come on last Friday and had my almost 2 nephew here. It was a blast. Bonus, I got to spend hours hanging out with my sister. So worth it.

Books I finished:

Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense., Vol. 4 I finished it last Thursday night.
Lightning and Romance, Vol. 1 A new manga by a favorite author!!

And because when he wants a cuddle and quiet moment to recharge before continuing wreaking havoc upon the world:

Little Blue Truck
Three Cheers for Kid McGear!
Bird Hugs
Goodnight, Little Monster
Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site
Tiny T. Rex and the Very Dark Dark
I've Loved You Since Forever
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors
Will You Be My Villaintine?

My one and only popsugar read:

First Frost

I was a little bit disappointed in this book because the first one flows like a water. This one was jarring. The ending was nice though. I'm glad I finished it.

I DNFed: Kagen the Damned
Got this from NetGalley. It sounded amazing, but it had way too many rape scenes. Highly disappointed. The rest of the story interested me, but graphic assault makes me sick. super duper trigger warning on this one.

Currently (haven't been) Reading:

Relic and Ruin Got this from NetGalley at the same time as Kagen the Damned. Read a bit of it and enjoyed it.

I picked up a Sanctuary season one from another library when I was waiting for my sister. And two books.

(Actually reading:)

Again!!, Vol. 1 started it this morning.

QOTW: Love Short stories and anthologies and novellas. If they are by an author I like I will definitely read them. I love anthologies because I find new authors to try if I like their short stories.

Just a quiet and normal week so far. This morning the birds were going wild: they were singing so loud! It’s double digits, so I can imagine they think it’s spring already.

It’s so quiet at work I can even watch the speedskating races at the Olympics at work (our mornings). Yeah, ice too, skates too, but I like the clean sports of who’s the fastest (and please without pushing and stuff like that in short track speedskating, boy, that’s chaos) over sports with a judging system. I had goosebumps of Ireen Wüst’s golden race: she won her 6th gold medal and she has now won an individual gold medal at 5 consecutive Games (in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and now in 2022). What a great athlete!

PS: 4/40
Read 2022: 6

Finished
We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#11, a #BookTok recommendation
Impressive read on what happens to a family when a father gets Alzheimer in his fifties.

Currently reading
Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly

QOTW
I’m team long reads. So I don’t read short stories.

Happy Thursday! My reading has slowed down considerably due to the Olympics. I don't care about the politics, I love watching these amazing athletes do things I never could. They all deserve medals.

Currently Reading

Rhythm of War for "book about a found family". I love this series. Love it so much. I'm maybe a fifth of the way through this monstrosity.

QotW

Not really....unless they're good. So many short story anthologies are like a box of chocolates: a few of good, most are only ok. Often I just wish that they would write more! Making a good, concise short story is hard. Very few do it well.

Lauren wrote: "It's been a really tough week at work and my team was just warned that there will be a big announcement dropped in an hour that we'll all be VERY upset about. Great... :(((

..."

That kind of thing really annoys me. Why do you need to be warned that a bad announcement is coming. Why not just make the announcement in an hour instead of revving everybody up about it.

Happy Thursday, y’all.

Not much to report this week, so on with the update...

Books read this week:

White Star: A Dog on the Titanic -- for “a book set on a plane, train, or cruise ship.” Short, rather blandly written, but does try to get its facts right at least. And it does capture the terror and confusion of that tragedy pretty well. Could also work for “book about a manmade disaster.”

Devil House -- for the advanced prompt “book with a reflection on the cover or ‘mirror’ in the title.” I’ve enjoyed other books by this author, and this one was a weird but interesting reflection on the true-crime genre… but boy, (view spoiler)[that ending will either make or break the book for you. (hide spoiler)]

Upright Women Wanted -- for “your favorite prompt from 2020 (a book by a trans or nonbinary author).” I really enjoyed this one, and found the mix of Wild West flavor and dystopian setting fun to explore.

Carmen Miranda's Ghost is Haunting Space Station Three -- for “a book about the afterlife.” So this book is named after a song, and the premise is that a bunch of sci-fi/fantasy authors heard the song and were inspired to write stories about it. Pretty wacky, and like any anthology some stories are better than others, but boy it was a fun trip.

とつくにの少女 10 Totsukuni no Shoujo 10 -- manga, not for the challenge. AAAAAAAAAH it’s ripping my heart out, I need to read the next one NOW!

The Girl From The Other Side: Siúil, A Rún, Vol. 11 -- manga, not for the challenge. Gosh, I’m so sad this series is over. It was bittersweet and slightly creepy but so, so wonderful.

Regular Challenge -- 16/46
Advanced Challenge -- 2/10
Not for the challenge -- 9

DNF:

White Tears -- for “a social horror novel.” Supposedly this would have talked about the exploitation of black blues singers… but instead it was about two sheltered white kids doing drugs, having sex, and being snobby about music. Maybe it got better after the halfway mark, but by that point I just decided that I didn’t care if any of the characters died in a car fire and maybe it was time to quit.

Currently Reading:

Light from Uncommon Stars -- for “a book about gender identity”
Year of the Reaper -- for “a book by a Pacific Islander author”
A Door Into Ocean -- for “book about a non-patriarchal society”
'Salem's Lot -- for “a book being made into a movie or TV series in 2022”
Sorry Please Thank You -- for “a book with the name of a board game in the title”

QOTW:

I love short stories! It's really hard for me to pick a favorite, though. Some of my favorite short-story authors would have to be Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, and Catherynne M. Valente.

Hello from Columbus! The snow is melting a bit here so it makes getting around on campus and around work easier. I’m so excited for spring, and I can tell my clients are too based on the number of spring nail art requests I’ve had this week lol.

Death on the Nile for a book set on a cruise ship. I love a good mystery. Though I always find myself mildly disappointed when a Christie mystery doesn’t have the same eerie quality And Then There Were None had.

Mexican Gothic for a book by a Latino author. Gothic is my favorite genre so this was mostly fun for me. I thought the “twist” at the end was little ridiculous but overall I really enjoyed reading this. I’ve got some more of her novels on hold so I’m excited to see what else she’s done.

16/150 books for 2022
8/40; 0/10 Popsugar
1/24 Book Riot
1/12 Back to the Classics

QOTW: I actually really find myself drawn to the short story format, but I can’t think of anything off the top of my head since I’m typing this out between clients 😅

Hi all,

Continue to wish for spring! at least got a little warm up this week, in that it's been in the 40s for a day or two, in the 30s today. Way better than the 20 and below we've been having.

This week I finished:

Nettle & Bone - I really loved this, dark twisty fairy tale. I guess the inspiration was the princess and the pea, but it was a very very loose inspiration. More like "the story triggered this thought which then led to this other thought which led to..." ect.

The Thursday Murder Club - read this for a book club i run in another goodreads group. It was ok, reasonably quick read. I think it really comes down to me not really liking the murder mysteries where civilians are doing the investigation. It just feels ridiculous that no one ever seems to get in actual serious trouble for interfering. Also just the glee of solving real murders like they're some kind of murder mystery in a box party kit didnt' really sit well with me.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue- finally finished the audio re-read of this. Still love the book, I just go in phases with audio books. Soemtimes I devour them, other times I'm just not in the mood. I've been more in a "catching up on tv shows" mood instead.

Currently reading:

The Atlas Six - not really doing the challenge this year, but since i'm in this group and in the fb group, and the discord, I've been following all the various prompt suggestions. This comes up in almost every list of booktok books, I'd never even heard of it. I looked into it though and it sounded right up my alley so figured i'd try it. I have devoured the first third in a day and a half, i like it quite a bit so far.

QOTW:

I read short stories now and again, and there's been short stories I liked. But on the whole, I prefer at least novella length. It never feels like I can really sink into a short story, usually end up wanting more. Or else am so disengaged that I don't even care. I'll read occasional short story collections, but it always seems like I only like a handful of stories in them and the rest feel like filler. Even in books that are all the same author. I do sometimes like the shorter stories that sort of fill in bits within a series. I think I like those better because then I already know and like the characters, so i can just jump into the little plot area without having to build up any feeling of "why do I care?"

Hey gang! Feeling much better now and am having a chill time while skating along without skates. It's so icy here, it's impossible to walk, so I'm just having a chill weekend at home. Don't have to work either, it's fantastic! Might try to squeeze in some more books, and just finally chill out.

Finished

Among the Beasts & Briars - For a book featuring Two POVs. 4 stars. I really just enjoyed it, it was a good time with a fun story to explore. Lots of great moments to be had and a fantastic ending. I do feel parts were rushed and not to the fault of the book, but I was hoping for more cottagecore vibes. But in the end, it was a good book.

To Start

I'm thinking of maybe going for This Poison Heart or A Lesson in Vengeance next. Not quite sure. I'll see where feelings and vibes take me.

QOTW I will read a short story but it's not my preference. I always feel like they're just not long enough. I do have some to read, however. So we'll see.

Hi all! I just cannot catch a break... Work has decided not to accept my doctor's note to let me work part time from home, so now I'm trying to get that same doctor to complete paperwork for long term disability. So that's stressing me out. And then my daughter caught a stomach bug and was sick last night. With my weakened immune system, all I can think is "I'm doomed". I have a legit vomit phobia, like I think I'd rather have covid again than have a 24 hour stomach bug!!
I have caught a very few moments of the Olympics. I'd watch more, but by the end of the day, I'm whooped. I was so bummed reading about the US male figure skater (is his name Zhou? I forget) that caught covid while he was over in China and now won't get to compete after making it and everything! Uhh!!

Oh, speaking of covid, because my immune system is crap, my doctors were able to bump me up to get antibody injections (1 in each arm at the same appointment). I got them Monday and had no side effects. In case it comes up for any of you or your loved ones.

Currently reading: The Organ Thieves: The Shocking Story of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South, I gotta pick up the pace because it's due back next week, but some fascinating tidbits about early medicine. Haven't really gotten into the main point yet, though.
The Lost Apothecary had to go back a few chapters to remember where I left off, but about to get in to some new stuff.

QOTW: I *loathe* short stories. I either don't get the point or I want something 10 times as long to flush out the characters/plot better. Either way, when I finish short stories, I'm cranky. Every couple of years, I'll pick up a book of short stories, and every couple of years I go through the same emotions.

Good morning! The weather has been cooler where I am, which is nice. But I know South Australia, and I'm expecting a lot more heat before autumn really kicks in. Generally late-Feb/early-March provide the hottest days.

I finished two books for the challenge this week, and both of them were... okay?

PopSugar: 8/50

Finished:
Orphan X. I read this for the book I know nothing about, picking it at random from my dad's bookshelf. I thought the main character was compelling and I didn't pick who the main villain was, so not too predictable. But the author wanted to share every little piece of research, so every weapon had the correct name and various statistics, and the fight scenes were 10x longer than they had to be because every move had to mention the proper name and what style of martial art it came from. It made many scenes quite tedious, and pulled me out of the story.

If the Boot Fits. This was for my BIPOC romance. I was really looking forward to it, because I've read a lot of rave reviews of Rebekah Weatherspoon's work, but it didn't do it for me. The characters felt flat and I found it slow-moving. The ending was great, and raised it from 2.5 to 3 stars for me. I'll try a book from one of her other series though - maybe it was just the cowboys I didn't like.

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War. This wasn't for the challenge, just a re-read that I finally finished. Still a great book.

Currently Reading:
The Boyband Murder Mystery for the book about a band. It's taking a while to get into, but I'm going to read a couple more chapters before I give up. I feel like I should love it, but I don't.

Up next:
The Underground Railroad and 11/22/63 both arrived at the library for me, so they're next on the list.

QOTW
I love reading short stories, and don't do it enough. I have a couple on my list for the challenge, though. I like that I can pick up a story and finish it completely in an hour or so and I love the twists that often come with a short. I also read novellas for similar reasons.

Funnily enough, I look at World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War as a series of interconnected short stories, so I often read one or two when I'm between books and want something quick that won't drag me into a whole novel.

I read How Long 'til Black Future Month? last year, and it was excellent. Courtney Milan's shorts probably stretch into novella territory, but they're excellent. That's all I can think of off the top of my head.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, readers! Happy Thursday! Thursdays are the highlight of my week, I'm so glad we all found each other and can happily chat about our books."
Agreed! YAY US!

"It's still the middle of winter here in northern NY, but I'm sure some of you are seeing signs of spring (and some of you are maybe seeing signs of fall and some welcome cooler temps). If I did not have deep snow cover, I'd have snowdrops blooming under my maple tree right now."
You know, for most of my life I never even considered that different seasons were unfolding/playing out in various regions of the planet, but I think it is a neat concept! Climate varies in similar ways but at different times! I'm somewhat jealous of those who experience little to no snow and/or ice! ( I really should move south! LOL)

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Admin stuff
Our tie breaker poll results are in for April:
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder will be our group read for April's misleading title."
Haven't yet decided about this one...

"And we have a nomination poll open for May (a book by a Pacific Islander author):
Nominate a group read for May"
YAY POLLS! so many great suggestions...I'm really having trouble selecting just one!

"I always become unreasonably excited about a new poll. Why are polls so fun? It's not just me, right?!"
Me, too! 💘😁

"Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon - I had high expectations for this one because I loved The Ex Talk, but I was disappointed this time."
That's disappointing!

"Can't Escape Love by Alyssa Cole - this was a completely adorable romance! It might be my favorite in this entire series. It was a novella, and my only real complaint is that it was too short. I checked off "protagonist uses a mobility aid" with this one, since the heroine uses a wheelchair."
That's cool! I always wonder if her romances might be a bit too "romance-y" for my taste...

"Intimacies by Katie Kitamura - Another Tournament of Books choice; I was very meh about this book. It was good, but ... that's as far as it goes for me. I don't get all the raves."
Huh. I still need to read A Separation...and it is rated much lower than this one! Interesting...

"Question of the Week
This question was suggested last year by Lauren:
Do you enjoy reading short stories in addition to full-length books? What are some of your favorites?
Here are some of the five star reads on my shelf that I don't see mentioned very often around here:
A Lucky Man by Jamel Brinkley - this would be an excellent choice for Black History Month. I STILL think about some of these stories, and it's been a few years since I read them. I can't wait to see what he writes next!! (I check every few months to see if he's got anything coming up - nothing yet.)"
Ooohhh...I had that on my TBR listing, but have boosted it up!

"This Is Paradise: Stories by Kristiana Kahakauwila - this one would be perfect for a book by a Pacific Islander! This is another collection that has stayed with me over the years, and scenes from these stories will randomly pop into my head. And this is another author that I would love to read more from, I keep checking to see if she's had another book published. Nothing yet."
That's sad when there is no other publication! I added this one.

"Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson - this is a set of interconnected short stories, I listened to the audiobook read by Will Patton while I was on a business trip, and every time I'm back in that area I remember the stories vividly."
The only book of his I read was so noir that I really didn't enjoy it...

Leona wrote: "I have a copy of The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. I read a story from time to ti..."
I have a copy of this same book and have yet to read any of it! 🙁

Ashley Marie wrote: "In good news, we are experiencing a bit of a melt here in northeast Ohio; things are warming up for a few days before we get back to cold over the weekend. In good-and-also-meh news, the Olympics are back! I lovelovelove the games but they really eat into my reading time. Case in point: I was up til nearly 1am with figure skating last night and didn't read a word all afternoon/evening (also caught up on the newest Gilded Age episode. Loving this show). So my reading suffers, and I feel guilty, but I don't actually mind."
After not having had TV in my house for over 20 years I can honestly say that the ONLY think I genuinely miss is figure skating! I'm a bit jealous! LOL 😁

,"As such, I have finished nothing this week. And I've got the day off tomorrow for a dentist appointment, so I'm hoping I can get through one of my two audiobooks this afternoon."
They'll be there when you get to them. 👍😀

"Do you enjoy reading short stories in addition to full-length books? What are some of your favorites?
One of my other groups has a section specifically dedicated to contemporary short stories and through them I've really gotten into the format; I didn't used to read shorts, but it's really fascinating what people can do with fewer words. I'm also still working my way through Sherlock Holmes, and I have a handful of favorite spooky short rereads specifically for October."
It's fun when you discover something new-to-you that you enjoy, isn't it?

I finished The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina last night, and I'm going to be honest: I hated it. I was reading for book club, so I didn't want to DNF, but I basically rage read it through to the end. I slotted it in for 25. A book about a secret.

7/50 for the challenge

Tonight I'm going to start on Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe for 18. A romance novel by a BIPOC author, and now that I'm done my book club reads for the month, I think I'll also start a hardcover: The Vanishing Half for 46. A book about someone leading a double life.

For the question of the week, I don't read a lot of short stories (anymore - but I did read a lot as an Eng lit major in college!). But I recently finished The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, and if you like short stories, each chapter starts with a little blurb about a classic short story, without giving away any spoilers. It was a great collection, and I thought it was entertaining to revisit some that I'd read before, while giving me a few recommendations for new ones to track down.

Mary wrote: "My pace continues to slow down. I'm not sure if it is because my workload has significantly increased, or if it is because I refuse to give up on a book that is just not working for me anymore."
You crack me up!

"I am 26/50."
That is impressive! 👍😁

"This week I finished:
See Her Die:
Drown Her Sorrows:
Right Behind Her:"
These look to be a bit too grisly for me though I do have the first one on my TBR listing...

"Currently reading:
Mexican Gothic: Will it ever end?!?!?!?...The writing is really well done, but the plot is blah! I know that's an unpopular opinion though."
Every reader's reaction is valid. Doesn't matter what others think... 🤗

"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: I think this might be one of the only times in the history of me listening to audiobooks that I listen to it at regular speed. I just never want it to end, but I'm also committed to finishing it by the end of the day. I have about 2 hours left to go."
I'm WAY overdue for my fourth reread of this series!

"QOTW:
I love short stories, especially within series. The best one that I can think to recommend though is not a part of a series. And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer was a beautiful, devastating read for me last year."
Of course! It's Fredrik Backman! I hadn't even considered the novellas within series! Good reminder!

Nadine in NY wrote: "LOL that book does have slow parts in the middle, but the pace picks up at the end. I can't say if it will be worth it for you though. The thing I liked most about that book was the gorgeous cover.."

Absolutely gorgeous cover. I keep staring at it.

Katy wrote: "I finished Cloudsplitter as my Annisfield-Wolf award winner. I thought it was too long. I actually like long books, but only when they need to be so. This book was 758 pages and I think it could have been 400 and not lost anything."
This one sounds compelling!

"QOTW: I don't feel like I do enjoy short stories as much as longer books for the most part. I do like Washington Irving and Poe. But, given the choice, I prefer full-length books.."
I think I am the same way...

Lynn wrote: "Just to build up your TBR pile(s) a bit higher…
1) 15 Fiction Books by Black Authors to Fall in Love With in 2022: https://www.nbcnews.com/select/shoppi...

2) Wow. For those of you who are interested, Goodreads has a listing of 60 Highly Anticipated Debut Novels here.

3) Tor.com article on Five Flawed Books That Are Still Worth Rereading: https://www.tor.com/2022/01/31/five-f..."

Thanks for this!

Happy Thursday y'all. My week wasn't horrible, and somehow that feels like a victory. The world is so weird now. I'm still not sure exactly how I'm doing for the challenge. Last time I checked it was at least 16/50.

I happened to have access to some stories about Black folks in the old west, so I ran with it. It can be fun to have a reading theme sometimes. What did I learn so far? 20-25% of cowboys in the old west were Black.

Finished:
Black Cowboys of the Old West: True, Sensational, and Little-Known Stories from History - On audio. I really enjoyed hearing about Jesse Stahl and his time in rodeos. I figured the print book probably had some photos, so I googled him. I did not expect to see such a fantastic photo of a legendary bronc in 1912, but there it is
https://media2.fdncms.com/northcoast/...

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal - A great grandfather of mine was also a Deputy Marshal in Indian Territory. I wonder if they knew each other.

Black Heroes of the Wild West - Including total boss Mary Fields, AKA Stagecoach Mary. I would love to see a movie about her.

Let 'er Buck!: George Fletcher, the People's Champion - picture book

C Is for Country - Lil Nas X's alphabet picture book is adorable and full of joy. F is my favorite.

Hell of a Book - Yes. Yes it is. All the stars. Read this book.

Change Sings: a Children's Anthem - Amanda Gorman - This was fine

Chicken in the Kitchen - Nnedi Okorafor - I feel like I'm missing somthing with this one. I liked the chicken though.

Baby Goes to Market - More adventures with Baby

All Our Wrong Todays - I thought I would love this. The reviews were not great, but I had it and finally listened to it. All I could think is this was CLEARLY written by a white dude. Someone invents unlimited, free, clean energy and POOF the world is awesome and everyone has what they need and now nobody works lame jobs anymore we all work in labs making awesome entertainment. Um... what? That is not how humans human.


Currently Reading:
The Marrow Thieves
Bibliophile: Diverse Spines
Discovering Architecture: How the World's Great Buildings Were Designed and Built


QOTW:
I read them sometimes but don't seek them out.
Address Unknown
Emergency Skin

How to Pronounce Knife: Stories
The Cambodian Curse and Other Stories: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery Collection