Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

A Book Whose Title Starts with the Letter "X"

Oohhh...I like it! There is Xenocide (Ender's Saga #3) by Orson Scott Card that I enjoyed. Though I would recommend reading those in order. And there is always X (Kinsey Milhone #24) by Sue Grafton. Though I enjoyed reading this series in order, I don't feel as if it is truly necessary to do so. And there won't be a Z in this series. She stated in her will that no one would be able to continue this series once she died...for which I can't blame her. Not sure I would want someone else continuing it in my absence as an author.

A Goodreads listopia to help:
"Titles That Begin With X"

Listopia is HERE

I gave myself an alphabet challenge a few years ago and read XVI for my X book. It's a dystopia and the title refers to a tattoo you get when you turn 16, as I recall. It was ok.

Nice! I forgot about X that was on my tbr. I wish Goodreads would sort out the ones you have on your shelves first!

This is such a tough one! Right now my options are either Xingu, a short story by Edith Wharton, or The Xibalba Murders, which is a mystery. I've read from Lyn Hamilton before (her book The Celtic Riddle got adapted as a Murder She Wrote movie) so that might win.

Ooh I actually have one on my TBR! XOXY, A Memoir: Intersex Woman, Mother, Activist. I've been trying to read more books by intersex authors since that's one part of the LGBTQIA+ community that's often underrepresented.

I'll probably go with xxxHolic, Vol. 1 or X/1999, Volume 01: Prelude since I'm currently re-reading both series atm.

Yikes, okay I might have go a more specific or a general route.

I found a book that doesn't exactly start with 'X' but it has one in the title.

America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States

*****

I can look for something more specific if need be.

Jackie wrote: "This is such a tough one! Right now my options are either Xingu, a short story by Edith Wharton, or The Xibalba Murders, which is a mystery. I've read from Lyn Hamilton..."

The Xibalba Murders sounds like a possible for me - thanks, Jackie, I'd not heard of it. A lot of "start with the letter" prompts across various challenges do allow you to ignore A, An and The so it's not that much of a stretch!

I did find a frankly adorable X Files picture book, The X-Files: Earth Children are Weird, while looking for ideas.

When I did a search of books my library has that start with X, one of the few titles that came up caught my eye: Xylene X Band: A Fictionalized Chapter in the History of X Band. I'm tempted to try it, but it has no reviews here, and it looks like it was self-published, so that makes me leery of its quality. However, there are 33 copies in my library system, so maybe it is actually good, and it would also fit the self-published author prompt, so it has that going for it, too.

I was browsing my library hoopla account today. There are quite a few X-Men comics to choose from

XX by Rian Hughes looks interesting to me

For X-Men titles:

X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills or X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga are perennial favorites, or you could go with one that features your favorite character.

For those who like to fill multiple prompts with one book, XAIPE can be used for this prompt, a collection of at least 24 poems, and a book with a one-word title you had to look up in the dictionary.

I’m so excited I just found one that actually sounds interesting to me that starts with X! I’m going to read X Saves the World by Jeff Gordinier. It’s a nonfiction about Gen X and pop culture!

Jean wrote: "I’m so excited I just found one that actually sounds interesting to me that starts with X! I’m going to read X Saves the World by Jeff Gordinier. It’s a nonfiction about Gen X and pop culture!"

That one sounds cool. Have fun with it.

I checked the publishing date and as cool as it seems, just not for me, but I really hope you enjoy it!

Jean wrote: "I’m so excited I just found one that actually sounds interesting to me that starts with X! I’m going to read X Saves the World by Jeff Gordinier. It’s a nonfiction about Gen X and pop culture!"




LOL that book looks really funny!!

Joanna wrote: "For those who like to fill multiple prompts with one book, XAIPE can be used for this prompt, a collection of at least 24 poems, and a book with a one-word title you had to look up in..."



I like e.e. cummings! Too bad my library does not have that particular book.

Jean wrote: "I’m so excited I just found one that actually sounds interesting to me that starts with X! I’m going to read X Saves the World by Jeff Gordinier. It’s a nonfiction about Gen X and pop culture!"

That's what I chose as well!

Joanna wrote: "When I did a search of books my library has that start with X, one of the few titles that came up caught my eye: Xylene X Band: A Fictionalized Chapter in the History of X Band. I'..."

if you're ok with double-dipping, it seems that this would count towards #10 - a book by a self-published author

L Y N N wrote: "A Book Whose Title Starts with the Letter "X"

Oohhh...I like it! There is Xenocide (Ender's Saga #3) by Orson Scott Card that I enjoyed. Though I would recommend reading t..."

Thanks for reminding me of Xenocide. That's the next one for me in the series!

Joanna wrote: "For those who like to fill multiple prompts with one book, XAIPE can be used for this prompt, a collection of at least 24 poems, and a book with a one-word title you had to look up in..."

Brilliant! e e cummings is my favorite poet, and I hadn't heard of this one. I think I'll have to use it for the poetry prompt. I already have another one word book that I had to look up the meaning of... Fingersmith, and I always do an alphabet challenge, so I changed that prompt to the one I love that was left out this year, "Read a book from a favorite prompt from a previous PS Challenge". (I like to read one from each past year, to help bump up my numerical Goodreads reading challenge... and help me read books I want to read).

This really would be the perfect book for someone who likes to hit multiple prompts with one book!

Nadine in NY wrote: "Joanna wrote: "For those who like to fill multiple prompts with one book, XAIPE can be used for this prompt, a collection of at least 24 poems, and a book with a one-word title you ha..."

Xaipe (pronounced "Khai-er-ree" to rhyme with 'fiery') means 'rejoice' in Greek - oh my, this is too perfect. Just ordered it from my library - yes, it fits three prompts and is something I would eagerly read without the Challenge. Thanks so much.

Karen wrote: "Xaipe (pronounced "Khai-er-ree" to rhyme with 'fiery'"

thank you for that...in my head it was like "chape" lol

Jackie wrote: "Karen wrote: "Xaipe (pronounced "Khai-er-ree" to rhyme with 'fiery'"

thank you for that...in my head it was like "chape" lol"

I was going with "zappy" lol! (or maybe zay-py)

I'm going to keep my eyes on this thread and see if anything appeals to me, but I might cheat on this prompt and just go with a word in the title that starts with X because I've had Far from Xanadu on my TBR forever!

X-Rays: A Book of Poems I found this, which may be good if you enjoy poetry.

X Not sure if it's good. It looks very dark, so it might be up my alley. It looks dystopian and future-set, if that's your jam.

Xanadu book 1,2 & 3. edited by Jane Yolen. fantasy short story collections

Cozy mystery book, 'X marks the Scot'

Classic mystery, 'The X, Y, Z Murders'

I found X Marks the Spot: The Story of Archaeology in Eight Extraordinary Discoveries which seems my best option. Volume 14 of the Lumberjanes is also called X Marks the Spot but I am way behind on that series.

x/ex/exis is a book of poems by raquel salas rivera! pretty quick read, but probably my favorite poetry book ever

Just discovered a short story by Poe called “X-ing a Paragrab”. Unlike almost all his other work, it’s not scary at all, but a “satire of dueling editors, commercial printers, and corrupted texts.“

It’s free to read online, here: https://storyoftheweek.loa.org/2023/0...

I'd picked up XOXO, but then ran across a poetry book, Xeixa: Fourteen Catalan Poets, so I'll use XOXO forthe K-pop prompt. (Handy for me, since I know zilch abut K-pop.)

X by Sue Grafton

I've had Xstabeth on my library list for a long time - I have no idea of its quality or what the style even is, but it has an angel in it and it's pretty short, so I'm going to try it, at least.

Ron wrote: "Yikes, okay I might have go a more specific or a general route.

I found a book that doesn't exactly start with 'X' but it has one in the title.

[book:America for Americans: A History of Xenophobi..."
I personally think it's nuts that they went with "A book that starts with X" rather than "a book who's title contains the letter X." But XOXO sounds interesting enough so there's no need for me to cheat on this prompt this year.

I figure a lot of these will already be on here but I do an alphabet challenge every year so I have several X books on reserve

You could always go for a series like the The X-Files: Cold Cases or the whole X-wing fighter series X-Wing Vs. Tie Fighter: The Official Strategy Guide or for the manga/graphic novel lovers xxxHolic, Vol. 1 by clamp

In single books I have the Sue Grafton X I know has already been recced

Xoe by Sara C. Roethle

The Xactilias Project by R J Lawrence

XO by Jeffery Deaver

X-O Manowar, Volume 6: Agent by Matt Kindt (graphic novel)

I ended up grabbing Xingu for this one (thank you Project Gutenberg) and really liked it. It's somewhere in the 'novelette' size and a fun little satire of uppity book clubs. Definitely a good choice for anybody who's struggling and needs to knock out this prompt.

I listened to X Marks the Spot: The Story of Archaeology in Eight Extraordinary Discoveries and it was really quite fascinating and the author is an engaging narrator (he's a lecturer and does TV, so I guess that explains it). While I wouldn't have picked up a whole book about any of these discoveries, having a chapter on each was just right. Would recommend for this prompt if the topic interests you.

Jackie wrote: "I ended up grabbing Xingu for this one (thank you Project Gutenberg) and really liked it. It's somewhere in the 'novelette' size and a fun little satire of uppity book clubs. Definit..."

That was my X book last year (I do an alphabet challenge alongside all the other challenges I do) and I enjoyed it.

I read X Saves the World: How Generation X Got the Shaft But Can Still Keep Everything From Sucking by Jeff Gordinier. I really liked it

I read:
X Y Z by Anna Katharine Green

Brilliant detective story published in 1883.

I read X and Why: The Rules of Attraction: Why Gender Still Matters. An interesting and sometimes very funny look at sexual attraction from a scientific point of view. The sub-title makes it sound rather transphobic - it isn't at all. X for the X chromosome, obviously, and perhaps for the mysteries of attraction...

X-Marks: Native Signatures of Assent

Excellent! And it could work for non-fic about Indigenous People by a Native Person

The X-Files: Earth Children are Weird

It was cute

“X” by Sue Grafton

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

XOXO by Axie Oh

Thank You Ellie for suggesting X Marks the Spot: The Story of Archaeology in Eight Extraordinary Discoveries. I thought one chapter on each discovery was just enough. 5 stars.

Poetry in translation can be hit or miss, but Xeixa: Fourteen Catalan Poets was definitely a hit. The poems were accessible and enjoyable.

http://www.lauraruthloomis.com/whats-...

This is a hard one for me. After extensive search for non existend X-booktitles in my library, I decided to go with the Roman numerical X and read "10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World" by Elif Shafak.