Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

A book you wish you could read for the first time again

Any time I see something like this my first thought is always to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone! That whole series is so magical to me! And each book in Andrea Penrose's Wrexford & Sloane series! How about you?

Listopia is HERE

I might do Sophie's World for this!

Fire and Flood: A People's History of Climate Change, from 1979 to the Present

Even though I read it this year and used it for one of the prompts, it was so good that I would love a reread of it.

I wanted to reread Little Thieves before the sequel comes out next year, so this seems like a perfect excuse to me. :)

Similar to Lynn my go to is Harry Potter. I may consider The House in the Cerulean Sea but I feel like I just read it. I'm not big on re-reads, so this is a bit of a struggle for me. I may do a re-read of a self-help book to get a different perspective the 2nd time around.

Charlotte wrote: "I'm not big on re-reads, so this is a bit of a struggle for me..."

Me, too. Might be another one I skip unless I can figure out an alternative.

I'm planning a reread of the Jade City trilogy and it totally works for this <33 I can't wait!!

I, for some reason, thought of The Girl on the Train right away. Really liked it and became a big fan of Paula Hawkins.

Either The Princess Bride or something by Jane Austen. I will use *any* excuse to read something by Jane Austen.

Would it count if I love a book I read outside of the challenge so much I wish I could go back and read it for the first time again? I don't like to reread very much

For those of you who prefer not to reread, what about reading a favorite book from your childhood or your child's childhood? I try to keep children's books, graphic novels, or short stories in mind for those rare prompts I'd rather skip. I might be reading Socks by Beverly Cleary for 'A book with a pet character' this year. ;)

Dedra ~ A Book Wanderer wrote: "For those of you who prefer not to reread, what about reading a favorite book from your childhood or your child's childhood?"

OK...my OCD does not want to skip a prompt...and I just saw this book on a list. I am sure that I must have read it as I read everything horse related when I was young. So I will be reading My Friend Flicka.

I've been thinking a lot about this and I think I'm going to read [book:Misty of Chincoteague|17461. It actually will be like reading it again for the first time as I can barely remember it. But, instead of wishing I could read it as I'd never read it before, I wish I could be in that place in life where I just got really exicted over horse books and didn't have a care in the world except that my parents were "too mean to get me a horse." LOL.

Katy wrote: "But, instead of wishing I could read it as I'd never read it before, I wish I could be in that place in life where I just got really excited over horse books and didn't have a care in the world except that my parents were "too mean to get me a horse.""

LOL. Katy, I remember wanting to be the horse when we played cowboys and indians.

I'm going to interpret this as a book I hibernated because I couldn't get on with it the first time, so it will literally be reading it for the first time! And then I can use a childhood favourite for the 'read over ten years ago' prompt.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and The Lightning Thief quickly come to mind. It also made me think of The Merchant of Death, which always feels like a fever dream.

Bea wrote: "Dedra ~ A Book Wanderer wrote: "For those of you who prefer not to reread, what about reading a favorite book from your childhood or your child's childhood?"

OK...my OCD does not want to skip a pr..."

Perfect!

This prompt has been interesting to think about. At first I was slightly annoyed, because while I am a cyclical re-reader of certain books, I save those for just the right time, and it could be years between reads. But then I started thinking about the language of the prompt. Not just a book I want to read again, but a book I wish I could read for the *first* time again. To me that means a book that surprised me, or went somewhere I didn't expect, or bowled me over with wonder at its language or story. A book where no matter how many times I reread, I can never re-experience that first moment of wonder. (So I have to just press it on as many friends as possible and live that moment vicariously through them.)

Some of those books for me:
The Intuitionist
The Lost Conspiracy
Holes
Spinning Silver
All Systems Red
Emergency Skin

I'm thinking of going with Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking .

This one has become a favorite of mine over the years. I've lost track of how many times I've read it.

I think I have interpreted this differently than others. To me it means a book I read during the time I'm doing this challenge that I end up loving so much I wish I could read it for the first time again.

I'm going with The Golden Compass.

I am going basic and reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, but the illustrated version. I love this series so much and I can sit and read it with my kids now. I'm actually excited for this re-read!

Lailah wrote: "This prompt has been interesting to think about. At first I was slightly annoyed, because while I am a cyclical re-reader of certain books, I save those for just the right time, and it could be yea..."

Yes!! That is exactly how I am interpreting this prompt as well.

For me, that includes:
Bridge to Terabithia (the book that I credit with making me "a reader".)
The Book Thief
The Loop (the book that I credit with making me a reader of adult books :)
The Pact
The Poisonwood Bible
The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

The first book that came to mind when I read this prompt was The Host. I remember I was emotionally wrecked reading this book - crying and yelling and all of the feels, being shocked at some of the revelations and needing to know how it ended without wanting it to end. I was reading for 2 days straight. I'm sure I ignored important things to finish. So it seems like this is the book, though I have no idea how it will hold up to a reread.

I’m in the don’t re-read camp. So my twist on this prompt is to read someone else’s book they wish they could read for the first time.
My picks from the listopia are Project Hail Mary or Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.

The books I wish I could read for the first time:
Rebecca
Oona Out of Order
It Ends with Us
When Breath Becomes Air
The Wife Between Us

So, I think I finally figured out how to approach this prompt for myself. I wasn't sure, because while I have movies I would love to see again for the first time, I don't really feel that way about any books. I have books I love, but I reread those regularly, and I think a lot of them are better where I know what's coming and that it will be good.

But what I finally thought of is that I start a lot of series. And then either I miss picking up the next book soon, or it isn't out yet, and then it's years until I get to the next in sequence and I've forgotten a lot from the first. So I'll look for one of those where the second (and third and so on if there are more) books also fit prompts, and my wish will have been that I was reading the first for the first time so everything is fresh in my mind as I go through the series.

I think I'm going to go with The Secret History for this. I feel like it's a bit basic, but there's a reason it's a modern classic. I actually bought the signed 30th anniversary edition I love it so much (but I'll be reading my paperback, because that one is too precious to even breathe on).

Linda wrote: "I think I have interpreted this differently than others. To me it means a book I read during the time I'm doing this challenge that I end up loving so much I wish I could read it for the first time..."

That's actually a really neat way to interpret the prompt, especially for those that don't like doing re-reads!

I'm definitely going with The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson, the first Mistborn book. This book transformed how I looked at fantasy. It's still my favorite series and my favorite magic system.

I'll probably wait until towards the end of the year, because I'm reading the latest Mistborn book right now. There may or may not be a Mistborn book in Sanderson's secret projects, though, so that may affect my timing.

Goodness, I'm going to be reading a LOT of Sanderson this year…

Jennifer W wrote: "Bridge to Terabithia (the book that I credit with making me "a reader".)"

Oh, I'm there with you. I was a reader from a very young age, but Bridge to Terabithia was the book that transformed how I viewed books. So much emotion; I don't think a book had ever touched me that deeply.

It's officially my "more than ten years ago" book now. Thanks for answering a different prompt for me! :)

I read all three books in less than 3 days (well over 10 years ago) and cried like a baby!

The Hunger Games
Catching Fire
Mockingjay

Alex wrote: "I read all three books in less than 3 days (well over 10 years ago) and cried like a baby!

The Hunger Games
Catching Fire
Mockingjay"

These books were amazing. I might include them for this topic but there are so many potentials for it.

I am going to do “The Great Gatsby” it has always been a favorite of mine

ah man, another reread prompt (don't get me wrong I don't usually mind rereading books, I'm just trying to clean out my tbr closet with popsugar and it's not happening like this lol)

okay so HP1, hands down. also Bridge to Terabithia and even Book Lovers possibly??

For this one I'm going with Tomboy: The Surprising History and Future of Girls Who Dare to Be Different .

I read it three years ago, but want to go back to it (now with the paperback copy) to see how my views have changed. I annotated it at the time so I want to annotate it again and see what I learn differently.

Alex wrote: "I read all three books in less than 3 days (well over 10 years ago) and cried like a baby!

The Hunger Games
Catching Fire
Mockingjay"

Fairly certain I did the same! I had picked up Hunger Games and Divergent off the shelf at the grocery store (of all places to find books) - I read Divergent first and it was okay, but I DEVOURED Hunger Games and immediately ordered the other two, and zoomed through them that weekend. One of the most exhilarating trilogies of my life!

Ashley Marie wrote: "Alex wrote: "I read all three books in less than 3 days (well over 10 years ago) and cried like a baby!

The Hunger Games
Catching Fire
Mockingjay"

Fai..."

I might do the same. Caught the Hunger Games and Catching Fire movies on tv over the weekend and got sucked right in and before I knew it, I was sitting there, weeping! And I know I got and read Catching Fire and Mockingjay right when they came out so one could also work for the at least 10 years ago prompt.

I read Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver

Linda wrote: "I think I have interpreted this differently than others. To me it means a book I read during the time I'm doing this challenge that I end up loving so much I wish I could read it for the first time..."

I’m with you! It’s all in the way you squint at the prompt.

Sherri wrote: "I read Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver"

Awesome. I love Mary Oliver's poetry. I have that one in hardcover, but I have always wanted to get the paperback version.

Okay so I'll be using that Mary Oliver 'Devotions' book for the #BookTok prompt since I've seen people talk about it over there.

For this prompt I'm going with another Mary Oliver book, Upstream: Selected Essays . A friend of mine introduced me to her years ago. It was the first Mary Oliver book I ever read and I fell in love with her work. So this one is certainly one I wish I could have a do-over with.

For me, it's Left Behind. This first book in a series of 13 kept me fully engaged. I read it so fast I went through the series in less than a month.

Meisha wrote: "For me, it's Left Behind. This first book in a series of 13 kept me fully engaged. I read it so fast I went through the series in less than a month."

I loved that series!!!! I already had a book picked out for this prompt, but this makes me want to re-read that whole series!! 😊

Meisha wrote: "For me, it's Left Behind. This first book in a series of 13 kept me fully engaged. I read it so fast I went through the series in less than a month."

Absolutely love this series! It was one of my favorites growing up. I'm rarely the type that's eager to get the next book in the series, however I was with this one. I remember since they were all already published I got four at the same time. Once I read the first four, I would get the next four, and onward.

I'm a huge fan of doomsday stories so this was right up my alley.

Well I suppose now I've figured out my book for this prompt:

Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver

Read it in 2018 and loved it. This weekend I got the paperback so I'm curious as to how my highlighting and tabbing will differ compared to the ones I did back then.

I am planning on reading The Day the World Came to Town by Jim Defede

Finished Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I think I'm going with Red Rising for this one. I really loved this series and another installment is coming out this year.

For this one I'm going with:

Love's Long Journey

It's book 3 in the series (8 total). I've already got books 1 and 2 for other prompts, plus book 7 for a third prompt. This one will fit perfectly here.

I read this series around the time I was in high school. I originally saw the movie version of Love Comes Softly (book 1) on Lifetime with Katherine Heigl. I loved the movie so much that when I found out about the books I just had to start reading them. I read them again in high school, but now given that they match up with the prompts, I figure I'm overdue for some re-reads.

I think I’m gojng to do The Night Circus. The visual storytelling was the best I’ve ever read! It also fulfills two other prompts: A book written during NaNoWriMo and A book about a forbidden romance!!