Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2023 Challenge - General
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2023 Challenge - I Finished!
Date you finished: Feb. 21Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 146
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book with mythical creatures (Fangs a Million by Tammie Painter)
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison (A book that started as fanfic)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : The Palace Papers by Tina Brown (A celebrity memoir)
Least favorite prompt: Surprisingly, I enjoyed every prompt this time.
Prompt you hope to see again: A book with a pet character
Last prompt you finished: A book I should have read in high school (Night by Elie Wiesel)
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: I didn't notice that at all, so I guess so?
Finally, are you in for 2024? Yes! I did learn that books added to your shelf do not count unless you add them in the year your challenge is and I 'jumped the gun' due to having library holds come in sooner than I though they would so....
Thanks! I love to read, if you couldn't tell already.
Date you finished: 19 April 2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): #270
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): a modern retelling of a classic (What Moves the Dead)
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): The Trees (a book with just text on the cover)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry (a book with a rabbit on the cover)
Least favorite prompt: a romance with a fat lead
Prompt you hope to see again: a book that's been banned or challenged in any state
Last prompt you finished: a book about a holiday that's not Christmas
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: yes
Finally, are you in for 2024? definitely!
Date you finished: May 6, 2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): #168, though I also have a list of books I read plus reviews on my DA page -- https://www.deviantart.com/kenyastarf...
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): I liked some of the advanced prompts this year! Faves included "a book originally written for NaNoWriMo" (I read The Calculating Stars), "a book that was originally fanfiction" (Point Pleasant), and "a book with alliteration in the title" (Scattered Showers)
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Again, this is hard to narrow down to just one. Favorites included A House with Good Bones (published in the spring of 2023), Paladin's Grace (forbidden romance), Illuminae (recommended by a friend), and Legends & Lattes (by a first-time author)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : I probably wouldn't have read One to Watch, a romance, or Still Just a Geek: An Annotated Memoir, Wil Wheaton's memoir, if it wasn't for this challenge... but I ended up really loving both of them. The first one was for "romance with a fat lead," the second for "celebrity memoir."
Least favorite prompt: Love triangle -- my least favorite romance trope. Please never again...
Prompt you hope to see again: Probably the self-published prompt -- let's give self-published authors more attention!
Last prompt you finished: book published the second half of 2023 -- I read an ARC for Thornhedge
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: I had mixed feelings regarding this theme. While I did like seeing some prompts again, I was hoping for some fresh ones. At least there were some new, interesting prompts in the Advanced category.
Finally, are you in for 2024? Heck yeah
Date you finished: 5/14/23Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 49
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): Prompt 5- A book with mythical creatures-Sweep of the Heart by Ilona Andrews
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Hello Stranger by Katherine Center for prompt 36 -A book you think your best friend would like
This is not published yet. I got an advanced readers copy.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes for prompt 41 -A book written during NaNoWriMo
Least favorite prompt: It was a tie for a book becoming a tv series or a movie in 2023 and a book based on a popular movie. These types of prompts have very limited selections of books that you can read.
Prompt you hope to see again: A historical fiction book or a book you bought secondhand because there are so many options and you can read books you already own.
Last prompt you finished: 42 A book based on a popular movie- Into Every Generation a Slayer Is Born: How Buffy Staked Our Hearts by Evan Ross Katz
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: It was ok but there were some prompts that I really did not want to do again. I was hesitant to do the reread prompts because I have so many that I need to read but I did end up enjoying those prompts.
Finally, are you in for 2024? Yes!!
I have what might be a dumb question. But how are people finishing the challenge already when one of the prompts is "A book that comes out in the second half of 2023"?
Shauna wrote: "I have what might be a dumb question. But how are people finishing the challenge already when one of the prompts is "A book that comes out in the second half of 2023"?"I got an ARC (Advance Reader's Copy) from NetGalley. They offer free copies of to-be-released books so that people can start reviewing them early and get word-of-mouth going. The catch is that you're getting an uncorrected proof that may have spelling/grammatical errors.
Kenya wrote: "Shauna wrote: "I have what might be a dumb question. But how are people finishing the challenge already when one of the prompts is "A book that comes out in the second half of 2023"?"I got an ARC..."
Makes sense! Thanks for the response!
Shauna wrote: "Kenya wrote: "Shauna wrote: "I have what might be a dumb question. But how are people finishing the challenge already when one of the prompts is "A book that comes out in the second half of 2023"?"..."You're welcome!
I also received an ARC.
I'm confused as to how you can be finished with the 2023 challenge when one of the prompts is a book that comes out in the second half of 2023 and we are not even in the second half of 2023 yet? just curious
never mind just saw the thread above lol
Date you finished: 5/27/2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): n/a
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A Book with a Rabbit on the cover. There were so many good choices! I read 3 rabbit cover books in the end.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): It's so hard to choose one, but maybe How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love With the Universe, which was for Romance with a fat lead. The ending just made me smile and I wasn't ready for it to be over.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :I would not have read Now Is Not the Time to Panic if not for the 'decade you were born' prompt and I actually really loved it.
Least favorite prompt: Love Triangle. I usually avoid books when I realize they have a love triangle.
Prompt you hope to see again: A book you read more than 10 years ago, I loved revisiting old favorites.
Last prompt you finished: A book about a holiday that is not Christmas. I struggled with this one.
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: Yes!! I love rereading and revisiting books I loved in high school and college was really fun for me. I read The Hero and the Crown, which was a high school fave, and then I decided to reread After Dark by Murakami for the book that takes place in one day. I really loved his books when I was a college student so it was fun to read them again.
Finally, are you in for 2024? of course!
Date you finished: 6/16/2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): didn't get one
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A Book with a Mythical Creature (The Monsters We Defy) - I read a lot of these so this was just one of them
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Legends and Lattes - (A book that was self published.)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Roasting in Hells Kitchen (A celebrity Memoir)
Least favorite prompt: The longest book by pages on the TBR...but only because this year it was the unabridged version of Les Miserables...it was 1468 pages!
Prompt you hope to see again: A book with mythical creatures
Last prompt you finished: a book that comes out in the second half of 2023
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: Not really, but only because I am also trying to read down my TBR list, which is difficult when also trying to re-read books for the challenge.
Finally, are you in for 2024? ABSOLUTELY! It will be my third year.
I have one prompt left, then my list will be finished. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
The prompt is a book released in the latter half of 2023, and without the help of a library I need to find a book now!
PS I found one, so will be finished when I get to it :)
Monica wrote: "Least favorite prompt: It was a tie for a book becoming a tv series or a movie in 2023 and a book based on a popular movie. These types of prompts have very limited selections of books that you can read...."oh no no no Monica! It's practically UNLIMITED! there are more films based on books than we'll be able to read in a lifetime. Films have been made for over 130 years (since 1888), and most of them have all been based on books!
If you need any help feel free to ask.
Mod
But this prompt is the other way around, it's not a movie based on a book, but a book based on a movie.
Date you finished: 7/28/23Message number of your list post (if you've got one): N/A
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A Book You Meant to Read in 2022 Swallows and Amazons
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): I’m Glad My Mom Died for a Book About or Set in Hollywood
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : not really
Least favorite prompt: A book written during NaNoWriMo
Prompt you hope to see again: A book that's been banned or challenged in any state in 2022
Last prompt you finished: A book that comes out in the second half of 2023
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: It was ok for one year. Hopefully on to new themes for next year.
Finally, are you in for 2024? Of Course!!!
Nadine in NY wrote: "Jazzy wrote: "Monica wrote: "Least favorite prompt: It was a tie for a book becoming a tv series or a movie in 2023 and a book based on a popular movie. These types of prompts have very limited sel..."There are plenty of those too!
Finished!Date you finished: 2 Aug 2023
Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 77 & 444
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): #7 with “girl” in the title. The Girl in the Painting by Renita D'Silva
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa for #46 a pet character
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Seacrow Island by Astrid Lindgren for #42 based on a movie
Least favorite prompt: #41 NaNoWriMo, #45 Started as fan fic and #11 set in Hollywood. I’m trying to read around the world and these particular prompts seem very Western world.
Prompt you hope to see again: Recommended by a friend
Last prompt you finished: #14 retelling of a classic. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: I don’t like to do rereads for challenges
Finally, are you in for 2024? Yep
Date you finished: 7 August 2023.
Message number of your list post (if you've got one):
391
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
Nothing really stood out for me this year; I generally like the wider prompts, like Prompt 46 A book with a pet character ( I read Blitzcat) or Prompt 34 An historical fiction (I read The Disorderly Knights).
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
I don't have a favourite but these are books I really enjoyed:
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, read for Prompt 14
A retelling of a classic.
This Much Is True by Miriam Margolyes, read for Prompt 8 A celebrity memoir
The Sentence by Louise Erdrich, read for Prompt 48: a book with two languages .
A Vision of Loveliness by Louise Levene (Prompt 20A book becoming a movie or TV series in 2023.
Foster by Claire Keegan read for Prompt 15 Song lyric in title
Long Way From Home by Peter Carey (Prompt 21.)
Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser ( A book bought second-hand )
I'm not sure I'd say Bunny by Mona Awad was a favourite book but it was one of the most interesting. (Read for Prompt 24 A book with a rabbit on the cover ).
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry was great fun. I read it for Prompt 33 a book about an athlete/sport which was out of my usual comfort zone.
Least favorite prompt:
Prompt 45 A book that started out as fan fiction . Although I enjoyed reading Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell, the prompt was far too narrow, and I've definitely exhausted it. In terms of the regular prompts, Prompt 39 A book you read more than ten years ago because I don't like doing re-reads for challenge, and Prompt 10 A romance with a fat lead ; again too restrictive.
Prompt you hope to see again:
Nothing stood out. Perhaps Prompt 9 A book with a colour in the title
Last prompt you finished:
Prompt 46 A book with a pet character because I changed my mind on the book I was using.
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?
I don't mind a nostalgia theme in principle, but I thought the prompts this year were a bit dismal. There were a lot of similar prompts, prompts that were personal, prompts that needed you to buy a book.
Finally, are you in for 2024?
I expect I will be.....
Date you finished: 8/8/23Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 448
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): None really stood out for me, I hadn't planned on doing the challenge until I realized almost everything I was reading fit anyhow.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Probably The Witch's Heart, for love triangle
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : I don't know, maybe Malibu Rising? I never felt that compelled to read Tyler Jenkins-Reid, but I did end up liking her style and would read more now. It was for book taking place in one day.
Least favorite prompt: I don't like prompts that tell you when to read a certain book. I would have been done over a month ago, but I was waiting around for a book published in second half of 2023. I don't really mess with netgalley and ARCs, so my options were to pretend june was the second half of the year, or just wait around for a book I wanted to read to come out, and get my hold in. Which is what I ended up doing. If there must be a current book prompt, i like keeping it to "out in 2023" rather than this out in spring, out in last half the year. If I wanna read a book that comes out in january, that should be fine. I'll probably read more new books, but i like being able to just slot it in when I feel like it.
Prompt you hope to see again: I always like prompts that encourage diversity, so probably the lgbtqia+ one
Last prompt you finished: Published in second half of 2023
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: Not really. It felt like a lot of repeated prompts
Finally, are you in for 2024? maybe. I always say i'm going to take a break and then end up reading stuff that fits. Will probably see if the prompts are more interesting or wait to see next year if what i'm reading ends up fitting in so nicely again.
Date you finished: August 15.Message number of your list post: 159 (the books can also be found on my Popsugar 2023 shelf).
Favorite prompt: Frankly, none of the prompts struck me as particularly inspired, but I have a soft spot for “A modern retelling of a classic.” I decided to stay away from Austen and Shakespeare riffs and instead read On Beauty by Zadie Smith, an homage to E. M. Forster’s Howards End. Smith’s take on the classic is fascinating, with engagingly messy characters that feel very true to the source material.
Favorite book: Either Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler (“A book published the year you were born,” 1980) or Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart (“A book about a forbidden romance”). Wild Seed is already a classic—Butler is brilliant—and Young Mungo, beautifully constructed and beautifully written with absolutely indelible characters, seems worthy of becoming one as well.
A book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the challenge: You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir by Maggie Smith (the poet, not the actress) for “A book about divorce.” I can’t say I was particularly excited about this prompt, but this book turned out to be beautifully written and deeply affecting. Who knew a divorce memoir could be so lovely?
Least favorite prompt: “A book that started out as fan fiction.” I started and discarded multiple candidates for this before finally settling on Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell, which, okay, was not precisely fanfic, but it was originally published on AO3, so I figured, close enough. Better stretch the prompt and read something I actually liked than force myself to finish something I really wasn’t enjoying.
Prompt you hope to see again: I don’t want to see these prompts again! This year’s challenge already felt way too much like a rehash of previous ones.
Last prompt you finished: “A book that’s been banned or challenged in any state in 2022.” I read Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson, which was very affecting, albeit with an overly convoluted timeline.
Did you like the “nostalgia” theme for this year? No. There were too many prompts for rereading, too many prompts from previous years. I think the whole point of a reading challenge is to stretch yourself, read books outside your comfort zone, which isn’t really compatible with nostalgia.
Are you in for 2024? Maybe? I love reading challenges, but I might seek out a different one next year since Popsugar seems to have gotten tired.
Date you finished: 8/10/2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 120
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book with a song lyric as its' title. No matter how many times I see this prompt it's always my favorite.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Can't choose between Pride and Prejudice and The Winners. A book you meant to read in 2022, and a book about an athlete/sport.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day for a book that takes place in one day.
Least favorite prompt: Longest book on your TBR, always and forever.
Prompt you hope to see again: A book with a pet character.
Last prompt you finished: A book you bought secondhand. No other reason than that it was on my shelf so there was no rush to read it.
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: Not at all.
Finally, are you in for 2024? I will say maybe for now. But who am I kidding? I won't be able to resist once the list comes out.
Date you finished: 8/24/2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 73
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): #34 A Historical - Fiction book. The Marriage Portrait
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : The Witch's Heart. # 17 A book with a love triangle. Also for Nadine's mini challenge # 4 A book based on Norse Mythology
Least favorite prompt: # 40 A book by an author with the same initials as you. I thought surely there were lots of authors with the initials SH. Nope I read The Outsiders. I also didn't like # 38 A book you should have read in high school. I read Walden
Prompt you hope to see again: #14 A modern retelling of a classic. This turned out better than I thought. I read Demon Copperhead
Last prompt you finished: # 32 A book that comes out in the second half of 2023. Only because I had to wait for the second half of the year. I read Love, Theoretically
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: No
Finally, are you in for 2024? Yes
Date you finished: 3rd September 2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 74
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book with mythical creatures (Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti)
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey (A book that started out as fan fiction)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?): The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth (A book with a queer lead)
Least favorite prompt: A romance with a fat lead (Pretty in Ink by Merryn Dexter)
Prompt you hope to see again: A modern retelling of a classic (Cinder by Marissa Meyer)
Last prompt you finished: A book you wish you could read for the first time again (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling)
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: Yes - for this challenge, I ended up re-reading quite a few books, some which I hadn’t read in years and forgotten about
Finally, are you in for 2024?: Absolutely!
***
My Complete List:
2023 Popsugar Reading Challenge
1. A book you meant to read in 2022
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
2. A book you bought from an independent bookstore
Best-Loved Yeats by W. B. Yeats
3. A book about a vacation
Girl in the Attic by Valerie Mendes
4. A book by a first-time author
Stuart Little by E. B. White
5. A book with mythical creatures
Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti
6. A book about a forbidden romance
Her Dad's Friend by Penny Wylder
7. A book with "Girl" in the title
The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen
8. A celebrity memoir
Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl
9. A book with a colour in the title
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
10. A romance with a fat lead
Pretty in Ink by Merryn Dexter
11. A book about or set in Hollywood
Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorpe
12. A book published in spring 2023
The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw
13. A book published the year you were born
Regeneration by Pat Barker
14. A modern retelling of a classic
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
15. A book with a song lyric as its title
Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
16. A book where the main character's name is in the title
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
17. A book with a love triangle
Splintered by A. G. Howard
18. A book that's been banned or challenged in any state in 2022
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
19. A book that fulfils your favourite prompt from a past challenge
The Orchids and Gumbo Poker Club by Alice Alfonsi (A book with a plant in the title or on the cover)
20. A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2023
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
21. A book set in the decade you were born
Charm School by Anne Fine
22. A book with a queer lead
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth
23.A book with a map
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix
24. A book with a rabbit on the cover
Beatrix Potter The Complete Tales by Beatrix Potter
25. A book with just text on the cover
Nutshell by Ian McEwan
26. The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list
The Boogeyman by Stephen King
27. A #BookTok recommendation
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
28. A book you bought secondhand
Going Solo by Roald Dahl
29. A book your friend recommended
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
30. A book that's on a celebrity book-club list
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
31. A book about a family
The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo
32. A book that comes out in the second half of 2023
The Skull by Jon Klassen
33. A book about an athlete/sport
Hard Edge by Lainey Davis
34. A historical-fiction book
The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot
35. A book about divorce
Bad Divorce by Elise Faber
36. A book you think your best friend would like
The Light Calling by Juliana Haygert
37. A book you should have read in high school
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
38. A book you read more than 10 years ago
The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes
39. A book you wish you could read for the first time again
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
40. A book by an author with the same initials as you
The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
2023 Popsugar Advanced Reading Challenge
1. A book written during NaNoWriMo
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
2. A book based on a popular movie
Batman Forever by Peter David
3. A book that takes place entirely in one day
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
4. A book that was self-published
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
5. A book that started out as fan fiction
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
6. A book with a pet character
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
7. A book about a holiday that's not Christmas
Kennedy's Children by Robert Patrick (Valentine’s Day)
8. A book that features two languages
The Dressmaker's Child by William Trevor
9. The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list
James Potter and the Vault of Destinies by G. Norman Lippert
10. A book with alliteration in the title
Bullet in the Brain by Tobias Wolff
Date you finished: 5.9.2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 377
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
32 A book that comes out in the second half of 2023
The Sun and the Void
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
39 A book you wish you could read for the first time again The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :
35 A book about divorce
Untamed
Least favorite prompt:
42 A book based on a popular movie
Prompt you hope to see again:
48 A book that features two languages
Last prompt you finished:
32 A book that comes out in the second half of 2023
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?:
Mostly :D
Finally, are you in for 2024?
Hell yes!
Date you finished: 9/7/22Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 24
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): Oddly enough, I think my favorite prompt was a book you read more than 10 years ago. I chose one I read about 30 years ago and I didn't remember and probably have a new perspective on it anyway. A Tale of Two Cities
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Water for Elephants. Nanowrino.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :The German Wife. I read it for a pervious fave,
a book chosen at random. When I saw what I picked, for some reason I didn't think I'd like it and I ended up loving it.
Least favorite prompt: too many I didn''t like to decide. I cheated a lot.
Prompt you hope to see again: Historical fiction. Kind of an open category for me. Of the 52 books I read for the challenge 18 were historic fiction.
Last prompt you finished: a book with girl in the title. Two Little Girls in Blue
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: Not really
Finally, are you in for 2024? I don't know. I like the prompts less and less each year.
Date you finished: September 7Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 28
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A modern retelling of a classic: In the Lives of Puppets
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): A book you bought from an independent bookstore: Painted Devils
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?):
A book with a queer lead: The Afterward
A book you should have read in high school: Night: Memorial Edition
Least favorite prompt: I don't like prompts that are worded in a way to make you buy books if you want to strictly follow the prompts. I am also bored of the "book becoming a TV series or movie this year" prompts.
Prompt you hope to see again: I love the more open prompts such as a book published in the current year, a favorite previous prompt, a queer lead, etc.
Last prompt you finished: A book you bought secondhand: The Brass Queen - I tweaked this prompt to "got secondhand" - aka borrowed - and got it from the library.
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: Not especially; it wasn't terrible, but it felt like too many of the prompts were repeated from last year.
Finally, are you in for 2024? Probably, depending on the prompts list.
Date you finished: 9/13/23Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 94
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): Book That Comes Out The Second Half of 2023. I read Bright Young Women.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): There is too many for me to name.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Count of Monte Cristo, longest book on your tbr.
Least favorite prompt: Book based on a popular movie.
Prompt you hope to see again:
Last prompt you finished: Book that came out the second half of 2023
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year? It was okay, just to many of the same prompts we've had before.
Finally, are you in for 2024? Yes!
Date you finished: September 22, 2023.Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): "A Book you Think Your Best Friend Would Like": Leech by Hiron Ennes
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin "A Book with Song Lyrics as it's Title"
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky "A Book You Should Have Read in High School (though to be fair, because of it's length, I don't think anyone's reading this in high school for school. It would take a whole semester.) I did really like it though.
Least favorite prompt: "A Book About An Athlete/Sports". I don't really care about sports or athletes.
Prompt you hope to see again: "A Book you Meant to Read in (previous year)"
Last prompt you finished: "A Book that Comes Out in the Second Half of 2023". I was waiting for John Scalzi's Starter Villain which was very good.
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: Not really, unfortunately. I had a hard time picking a "favourite" prompt for this list, and there were a lot of prompts that I would not like to see again.
Finally, are you in for 2024? Yes.
Mod
LOL in fact, I DID have that assigned for high school English!! We had to read it in the summer before senior year for AP English wayyy back in the 80s.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Denise wrote: "Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky "A Book Yo..."Oh wow! Did you like it? That's interesting that they made it a summer thing to do.
Mod
Oh wow! Did you like it? That's interesting that they made it a summer thing to do."
I did!!!! I'd never read anything like it before!! And I had all sorts of time on my hands so digging into a dense book like that was fine by me, somehow I had "gotten the memo" that I should take notes to keep track of the characters, so I kept a piece of a paper to write down all the names and variations of names; plus I was too young to know that these books were "supposed to be" dull and difficult. I read everything else I could find by Dostoyevsky after that (which was The Idiot and Brothers K and Notes - the Idiot was my favorite of the four books I read).
Date you finished: 14.9.23Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 109
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): NOS4A2 - Book about a family
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :
Least favorite prompt:
Prompt you hope to see again:
Last prompt you finished: Book published in Spring
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?:
Finally, are you in for 2024? Maybe
Date you finished: 1 October 2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 4
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book with mythical creatures - I read The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break by Steven Sherrill. That book was incredibly enjoyable and was not what I was expecting at all. Being an immortal sounds really tedious and boring after a while.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): The prompt "A book that was self-published". I read The Martian which was really great.
Honourable mention also goes to "A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2023" I read Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. That was a really interesting story.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : I read The Omen by David Seltzer for a book published the year I was born. I was surprised by how much I liked it. Also for the book about Divorce I read Kramer vs. Kramer which was also an excellent read.
Least favorite prompt: A book that takes place entirely in one day. I have read almost all the books in that category so I had to read Mrs. Dalloway which I didn't enjoy at all.
Prompt you hope to see again:A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past challenge. It is a nice wildcard prompt.
Last prompt you finished: The book published in Spring. I live in the Southern Hemisphere and our spring starts in September. I had to wait until September to start my final book. That was Ripper by Shelley Burr published on 1 September.
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: It was ok to see some of the old ones again but I hope they don't do it again next year.
Finally, are you in for 2024? yes
Date you finished: October 1, 2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 183
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book with a color in the title - Shades of Grey
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Eleanor & Park for a book you wish you could read for the first time again because it's my favorite book. 😆 But for a first time read, Wool Omnibus for a book that was self-published.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?): I read The Way of Kings for the longest book on my TBR list. The challenge definitely helped me tackle that 45 hour long audiobook, and I ended up giving it 5 stars and putting the next (even longer 😅) book in the series on hold at the library. 😁
Least favorite prompt: A book that comes out in the second half of 2023. I like to finish before the end of the year, so this was the 49th book I read, and I didn't feel like I had enough information to make a good choice because the books just hadn't been around long enough.
Prompt you hope to see again: A book with a queer lead. I found a lot of books I want to read when researching this one.
Last prompt you finished: A book published in spring 2023 - Quietly Hostile: Essays
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: I didn't even realize there was a theme... 😅
Finally, are you in for 2024? Of course! Bring on year #8!
Date you finished: October 2nd, 2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): message 440
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): 39 A book you wish you could read for the first time again - (Nothing to See Here)
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): All Systems Red (26 The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Evvie Drake Starts Over (41 A book written during NaNoWriMo)
Least favorite prompt: 50 A book with alliteration in the title
Prompt you hope to see again: 4 A book by a first-time author
Last prompt you finished: 49 The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list - Infinite Jest
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: Didn't realize there was a theme.
Finally, are you in for 2024? YES!!
Date you finished: Oct. 3rd
Message number of your list post (if you've got one):
I kept my list on my ATY thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
7. A book with "Girl" in the title. - Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanai
I ended up reading a bunch of books with Girl in the title, but this was the one I used. I just have gotten a kick out of just how many books I've read this year that would have worked.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
I read the Crossover Series (The Crossover, Booked, & Rebound) and I used them for 20. A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2023, 35. A book about divorce & 33. A book about an athlete/sport. And don't ask me to pick between the 3 as to which is my favourite.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :
Maybe The Sun Is Also a Star. I had it on my list of eventual read because I read her husband's book last year and I wanted to compare, but I might not have gotten around to it if it wasn't picked as the BOTM.
Least favorite prompt:
18. A book that's been banned or challenged.
I don't hate the prompt per say, I just have done it SO many times.
Prompt you hope to see again:
16. A book where the main character's name is in the title.
Last prompt you finished:
Well, I changed a couple of the prompts, So instead of 'A book published the year you were born', I just did 'A book published before you were born' and that ended up being the last prompt I finished.
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?:
I didn't mind having a challenge of all repeat prompts, but I hated the repeats within the challenge itself (2 rereads, 2 2023 publications etc).
Finally, are you in for 2024?
Maybe. I'm going to wait to see the list first before I decide to continue.
Date you finished: October 3, 2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 272
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book you wish you could read for the first time again (The Night Circus)
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Demon Copperhead (A modern retelling of a classic)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Not really - I tried to find books on my TBR list to fulfill all of the prompts. There were a couple that I didn't have anything on the list to fulfill and the ones I ended up choosing were not that exciting.
Least favorite prompt: Book published the year you were born - I had a hard time finding something from that year that I actually wanted to read
Prompt you hope to see again: Banned or challenged books - I hate that banning books is a thing we allow in our society and I want to keep encouraging people to read them
Last prompt you finished: Book purchased secondhand
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: It was ok - I didn't love all of the reused prompts the first time I saw them and wasn't too excited to see them again. I hope there are some interesting new ones on the list next year.
Finally, are you in for 2024? Probably - unless the list of prompts is really uninspired
Nadine in NY wrote: "Denise wrote: "Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky "A Book Yo..."I had to read it for AP English too - over the summer and we had a quiz on it during our very first class of the year. I hated it then, but reread it last year and really enjoyed it.
Date you finished: 8 october 2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): "Soc" BD column in spreadsheet
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): Historical fiction - Virgin: Prelude to the Throne - Robin Maxwell
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): 22- A book with a queer lead - The House in the Cerulean Sea - T. J. Klune
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :
20 - A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2023 - The Three Body Problem - Cixin Liu
Least favorite prompt: 39 - A book you wish you could read for the first time again
Prompt you hope to see again: 5- A book with mythical creatures
Last prompt you finished: 39 - A book you wish you could read for the first time again - I don't really like to re-read books -- too many other books out there!
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: Not really
Finally, are you in for 2024? Yes
Mod
Message number of your list post (if you've got one): #2
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): To my surprise, I liked "book set in the decade you were born" a lot - I was born in the 60s, and there are a lot of good novels set in that decade now! I read Little Green for this. The book itself was good-but-not-amazing. But I liked the prompt!
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): LOL why do I ask this question, it's so hard to pick just ONE!!! This may not necessarily be my "favorite" book, but the one I remember best is Bunny for the "rabbit on the cover." That was one weird book!! It's definitely earned some permanent real estate in my memory banks.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : I read How to Fake It in Hollywood for my "book about divorce - I didn't really expect much from it. I like a good romance novel, but this one didn't look like it would be great - wow was I wrong! 5 stars! I'll definitely read more from that author. Also, Album of Dr. Moreau for "book that takes place in one day" - that was such an entertaining book, and a great audiobook!
Least favorite prompt: I had issues with A LOT of the categories this year, but the two that rise above the rest and draw the most ire from me were the two that required me to acquire the book, either second-hand or from an independent bookstore.
Prompt you hope to see again: I always like the "published in this year" category (but I did not like it being split up into two prompts this year).
Last prompt you finished: book I picked up secondhand, with Last Night at the Telegraph Club, which I bought from my library's sale shelves.
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: NO Please never again with all these repeated categories.
Finally, are you in for 2024? Yes of course :-)
Date you finished: October 13, 2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 404
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): 48. A book that features two languages The Eye of the World
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): None of This Is True 46. A book with a pet character (maybe a stretch, but that dog was very much part of the story!)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?): The Prestige (I've already watched the movie and had no interest in reding the book, but I'm happy I did!) 24. A book with a rabbit on the cover
Least favorite prompt: 35. A book about divorce It Starts with Us
Prompt you hope to see again: 28. A book you bought second hand
Last prompt you finished: 41. A book written during NaNoWriMo
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: I didn't even noticed the theme.
Finally, are you in for 2024? Sure!
Date you finished: 19/10/2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): #223
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): 1 A book you meant to read in 2022. I was happy to see this at the head of the list because there was a series of books I had been reading in 2022 and I just had one more to go; so good that I could tick off the first prompt. The Whispers of Nemesis by Anne Zouroudi
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver .... a modern retelling of an classic
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts......42. A book based on a popular movie... I'm not sure if I actually got this right in the end as the book was probably more in the way of being 'inspired by' rather than 'based on'...
Least favorite prompt: .....42. A book based on a popular movie... ....so difficult to find something suitable as it is more common for movies to be based on a popular novel!!
Prompt you hope to see again: any prompt that requires something on the cover or in the title...I just love browsing around my library and selecting something (because of cover or title) that I otherwise would have walked past
Last prompt you finished: .....42. A book based on a popular movie... I prefer the movie to be based on the book rather than the other way around so I left it until last thinking that I would skip it if I ran out of time
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: I have to confess i didn't pick up on this theme in the prompts
Finally, are you in for 2024? probably
I'm calling it a day at 40 prompts (mix of regular and advanced).Date you finished: 19/10/2023
Message number of your list post: #12
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
A book with a rabbit on the cover (Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo).
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty (main character's name in the title)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?
No, the ones I wouldn't have read anyway were so-so.
Least favorite prompt:
Well obviously there are 10 prompts I dislike so much I didn't even try, but out of the ones I did do, author with same initials was ridiculously hard to find and I only chose to do this prompt because I found one where the character had my name (first and last) and that was too funny not to read. You Are Here was OK but nothing special.
Prompt you hope to see again:
A book with a queer lead, but also I would like to see a Chinese zodiac animal tie in every year, bring on dragons for 2024!
Last prompt you finished:
Celebrity memoir which I kind of cheated at and used a YouTuber (he's calls himself a Z list celebrity at one point, so that seems good enough for me). Abroad in Japan by Chris Broad.
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?
No. I mean maybe if they'd picked repeats of prompts I loved the first time round, I might have had some warm, fuzzy, nostalgic feelings towards them, but I have not enjoyed the challenge this year.
Finally, are you in for 2024?
Probably but I hope the list is better.
Date you finished: 10/19/2023Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 407
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): a book you wish you could read for the first time again Dune
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Demon Copperhead; modern retelling of a classic, and one my best friend would like
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : The Ten Thousand Things; an author with my initials (MD)
Least favorite prompt: about an athlete or sport
Prompt you hope to see again: celebrity book club list
Last prompt you finished: 43, a book that takes place in one day
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?: Yes
Finally, are you in for 2024? Yes
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Pretty Boys Are Poisonous: Poems (other topics)White Fang (other topics)
A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares (other topics)
Dear Martin (other topics)
The Tea Dragon Festival (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Kay O'Neill (other topics)T.J. Newman (other topics)
Laura Lippman (other topics)
Witi Ihimaera (other topics)
Ashley Audrain (other topics)
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Date you finished:
Message number of your list post (if you've got one):
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :
Least favorite prompt:
Prompt you hope to see again:
Last prompt you finished:
Did you like the "nostalgia" theme for this year?:
Finally, are you in for 2024?
We usually have a few super early finishers, so I wanted to get this post started for you early birds.
I don't tend to reply here much, so as to not clutter up the post too much, but I am reading every post here and cheering you all on!!