Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2025 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 10: 2/28 - 3/6
Happy Thursday!Things at work have finally calmed down a little, which is a relief.
Finished:
A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall - 4 stars - for a book with two or more books on the cover. At first, I didn't think I would like it. It started out a little slow but after awhile, I was intrigued and interested in the worldbuilding.
Comics & manga:
Honey Lemon Soda, Vol. 2
Honey Lemon Soda, Vol. 3
Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, Vol. 21 (Volume 21)
How Do We Relationship?, Vol. 12
Queen's Quality, Vol. 21
Cat + Gamer Volume 7
Chihayafuru Vol. 33
Chihayafuru Vol. 34
Chihayafuru Vol. 35
Chihayafuru Vol. 36
Chihayafuru Vol. 37
Chihayafuru Vol. 38
Chihayafuru Vol. 39
Chihayafuru Vol. 40
Chihayafuru Vol. 41 (This series is SO good! I'm sad to be almost done with it!)
I am currently at 11/50 for Popsugar (9/40 and 2/10).
Currently reading:
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum - for a book where an adult character changes careers. The career change technically happens before the start of the book, but the book is basically all about her new job (running a bookstore) including her struggles previously and the reasons why she changed jobs, so I'm counting it.
This book also mentions lots of other books, too, for the book mentioned in another book prompt:
https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/books-m...
Upcoming/Planned:
It Goes Like This by Miel Moreland - for a book where music plays an integral part of the storyline. The main characters were all in the same band, so I figure the music will be important.
The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 13 - not for a prompt. More Maomao!
QOTW:
I have a few authors like that. Mostly, it's because I like their writing and storytelling and trust them to deliver a good story and great characters: Martha Wells, T. Kingfisher, Margaret Owen, Seanan McGuire.
Happy Thursday!My husband was supposed to travel next week for an interview in New Mexico, but now the building that houses the offices and workers has been targeted by DOGE for closure, so who knows what’s going to happen now? https://sourcenm.com/2025/03/04/doge-...
2025 Reading Challenges:
52 Book Club: 23/52
ATY: 17/52 (ATY Anniversary Challenge: 2/10, ATY Spring Challenge: 1/30)
The Book Girls’ Guide: 15/74
Booklist Queen: 23/52
Cover Lovers: 17/50
Popsugar: 22/50
My Ever-Growing TBR: 23/229 – 10.0% (My goal is 33.3%.)
Recently Completed:
Tangled Up in You (52 Books #34 – direction in title: Up/Popsugar #12 – a road trip) ★★★
Karma: My Autobiography (52 Books #40 – stream of consciousness narrative) ★★★★
A Little Too Familiar (Booklist Queen #49 – a romance) ★★★
All Systems Red: I’m really looking forward to the streaming series! (Booklist Queen #5 – becoming a movie/show in 2025) ★★★★★
Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver (ATY #8 – a collection of brief writings/Popsugar #36 – silver on the cover) ★★★★
Isola (52 Books #21 – character’s name in title/ATY #25 – waves on the cover) ★★★★
Happiness for Beginners (BGG ICYMI Backlist #3 – published in 2015/Booklist Queen #11 – published in 2015) ★★★
Ready Player One: I joined a “Book/Movie” club, and this is the first selection. And, yes, it’s a five-star read… unfortunately the movie absolutely does not measure up. Maybe it’s okay if you’ve never read the book, but it’s missing the magic and nostalgia of the 1980s that made the book great. It’s just another dystopian movie. (ATY Spring Challenge #8 – RAINSTORM: Ready/Booklist Queen #52 – reread of a favorite/Cover Lovers #44 – cover features a key or keyhole) ★★★★★
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women (ATY Anniversary #4 – related to the periodic table of elements/BGG Decades #3 – 1920s) ★★★★
Currently Reading:
The Showman: Inside the Invasion That Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky: 2024 NPR Books We Love. (ATY Spring #3 – SUN SHINING: Simon Shuster)
Dead Witch Walking (52 Books #2 – a character with red hair)
Babel: Adventures Underground Book Club. (52 Books #35 – written in third person/ATY #19 – building or cityscape on cover)
The Women: 2024 NPR Books We Love. (ATY Spring #10 – WARMING: Women/BGG Lifetime #3 – 20-somethings/Booklist Queen #2 – 2024 Goodreads Award winner)
Nuclear War: A Scenario: 2024 NPR Books We Love. (52 Books #4 – title starts with N/ATY Spring Challenge #7 – JELLYBEANS: Annie Jacobsen)
Memphis (ATY Spring #1 – SPRINGTIME: Tara Stringfellow/BGG Read Around the USA #3 – Southeast)
A Man of Good Fortune: A Pride and Prejudice Variation (ATY Spring #15 – PASTELS: Ali Scott/Booklist Queen #17 – a sequel)
As the Crow Flies: I got this as a Goodreads Giveaway a looooong time ago. (Cover Lovers #30 – television or movie screen on cover)
Lore Olympus: Volume Seven (ATY #4 – set underground, undersea, or in an underworld)
A Good Happy Girl (ATY Anniversary #2 – title does not contain E)
What I Ate in One Year (ATY Spring #6 – TULIPS: Stanley Tucci)
QOTW: I agree with Taylor Jenkins Reid. I’m also very likely to pick up new books from Tom Perrotta and Jonathan Tropper.
Mod
It's still snowing here, but now it's also raining, so it's just a big ugly mess. I would very much like the temperature to dip back well below freezing again, to eliminate the muddy paws.
Enough of the snow cover has now melted so that some of the yard is now visible, so my snowdrops - which I'm sure came up weeks ago and were just waiting patiently under the snow - are now up! I can't get out there to admire them, though, it's too mucky (and my deck is still a sheet of ice).
AND the other day I'm pretty sure I saw a red-winged blackbird - I was driving, and it was up on the top branch of a tree, and you know how at this time of year the females are not here yet so the males are not showing off their red and yellow bars or singing, so ... it COULD have been a starling, but I'm pretty sure it was a blackbird.
If any of my crocuses are still alive (ie: not eaten by voles) they will be blooming soon; usually the earliest crocuses have opened already, they are behind schedule because they were sleeping under the deep blanket of snow. Also: I need to plant more crocuses next year!
This week I finished 4 books and I DNFed 2.
I finished:
I Leave It Up to You by Jinwoo Chong- this was a NetGalley book that I went into rather blindly - I loved his debut novel so I just immediately requested this one too. And what a surprise this was! It was completely different from his first novel, and I absolutely loved it, and it's not really the type of book I normally read. It's about a guy who wakes up from a coma and has to basically restart his life, and he takes advantage of this unexpected second chance to make some new choices. He joins his father working at the family Korean/Japanese restaurant, and this book will make you hungry! Nothing terribly exciting in here, but I REALLY enjoyed spending time with these people. Chong's humor was dry and a bit dark and it really made me laugh, I actually laughed out loud several times. Also, this book fulfilled "LGBT character but not about coming out," so that was a nice bonus.
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney- the only reason I read this was because I'd loved her other books (same as for ILiUtY above), but in this case I was DEEPLY disappointed. Rooney was trying something new here, and it worked for a lot of people but it very much did not work for me. I hated her more experimental writing in this one, I hated the page-long run-on sentences, and I hated ALL of the characters, and I just ... ugh. I would have DNFed but I felt beholden to finish it because I gave my daughter a copy for xmas and she'll want to talk about it whenever she gets around to reading it. I look forward to hearing about how much she hates it as well LOL. I did not find a Popsugar category for this, but I checked off "Irish author" in AtY.
The Stonekeeper (Amulet #1) by Kazu Kibuishi - I've been wanting to read this for years, so I put it on my list of books I MUST read this year, and wow no this was not for me. I knew it was for kids, but I expected a brilliant graphic novel with all-ages appeal, something like Zita the Spacegirl. The art was great, but this story was simplistic and very much for children only.
Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man by Jesse Q. Sutanto - this was a NetGalley book, it comes out next week - and it was just as much of a delight as the first Vera book!! If you loved that one, or if you just love cozy mysteries featuring pushy Chinese mothers solving crimes, read this!! I checked off "chosen family" in Popsugar and "a group of 4" in AtY.
And I DNF'ed
Lady Eve's Last Con by Rebecca Fraimow - this was supposed to be my "space tourism" book, and it definitely fits the category, but I was so bored. How can a heist novel set in space be boring? I don't know. I got about halfway through and I just could not keep going.
The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal - my SECOND try at a "space tourism" book, and this one was even worse than the first! The characters and the writing style were nails-on-a-chalkboard for me. I could not continue. I've been struggling with this book for most of this week and it's with a feeling of relief that I finally admit defeat. Phew! I don't have to read THAT any more!!
"Space tourism" is turning out to be a difficult category for me!! I'll try Floating Hotel next, but I'm feeling quite pessimistic about it based on the reviews. Does anyone think Sagacounts for "space tourism"?? I still have volumes 9 and up to read in that series ...
Popsugar 36% 18 /50
Must Reads 20% 2 /10
AtY 35% 18 /52
AtY bonus 0% 0 /10
2025 pub 18% 9 /50
NetGalley ratio 83%
I finally have my NetGalley ratio back up over 80%, but that hasn't stopped Berkley Publishing from declining me willy-nilly lately - three declines in a row from them! I mean, on the one hand, they are right, I've got too many books to read and I don't need more (three of my books waiting for me were just published on Tuesday the 4th, so I'm now officially BEHIND). But on the other hand, I REALLY wanted THOSE books too!!! And now I have to wait to get them at the library ...
QotW
Sure! I've got A LOT of authors that I absolutely love and consider "must reads"! A LONG LIST of authors!!! Some of these authors have not published a book in years. Some of these authors publish SO MUCH that I can't keep up with them (and so maybe they should not be on my list since they aren't actually being treated as "MUST" reads). Some of these authors I discovered after they'd been well-established and still have a few books I haven't read in their backlog. And some of these authors have disappointed me recently and maybe they need to get taken off my list! Example A: Sally Rooney. Example B from last week: Lauren Willig. Example C: Tana French.
In no particular order:
Sally Rooney
Lauren Willig
Chan Ho-Kei
Gillian Flynn
Laini Taylor
Bryn Greenwood
Colson Whitehead
Emily Henry
Madeline Miller
S.A. Cosby
T. Kingfisher
Beatriz Williams
Emily St. John Mandel
Liane Moriarty
Cherie Dimaline
Jordan Harper
Martha Wells
Ann Leckie
Louise Erdrich
Annabel Monaghan
Zen Cho
Tana French (although I didn't love her last book)
Tan Twan Eng
Lauren Beukes
Stephen Graham Jones
Kristen Lepionka
Chang-rae Lee
Laura van den Berg
Jinwoo Chong
Mona Awad
Ramona Emerson
It's almost entirely American authors. It's kind of funny that there's only one white guy on the list! I might add Kevin Wilson too, I've really loved all his books - then there would be two white guys.
Happy Thursday, everyone! I woke up to snow this morning, so it seems that Winter isn’t quite done with us yet. Fortunately, the snow was pretty much limited to the grass, so at least I won’t have to do any shoveling today. I am really looking forward to some warmer temperatures though…
March Mystery Madness started on Saturday, and I am having a fantastic time participating. I’ve ended up spending most of the week reading mysteries, but I’ve also had a chance to read some fantasy, manga, and nonfiction as well.
Here are my current challenge and TBR totals…
Goodreads Challenge: 089/250
Mount TBR Challenge: 070/150
📚Physical TBR: 64/731
📱Ebook TBR: 3/218
🎧Audiobook TBR: 3/12
TBR Checklist Total: 70/961
TBR Books DNFed in 2025: 2
My original plan for the week was to purchase three new releases, including: Kills Well with Others, by Deanna Raybourn; The Ragpicker King, by Cassandra Clare; and The Invisible Man and His Soon-to-Be Wife Vol. 5, by Iwatobineko.
But while I did purchase those three books on Tuesday as planned, I made the mistake of going into Barnes and Noble while unsupervised. As a result, I ended up buying two additional books that were not on my “Upcoming Releases” list. The books I bought were Dragonfall and Emberclaw, by L.R. Lam. I blame the bookstore for tempting me with special editions with such pretty stenciled edges…
“New” Books Bought in 2024: 27
“New” Books Read in 2024: 19
“New” Books DNFed in 2024: 0
Here are the books I finished this week…
Finished Reading (Fiction):
~The Burning Witch 2 — This is the second book in the sequel trilogy to The House Witch trilogy and The Princess of Potential. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, which just got more and more exciting as it progressed. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Burning Witch 3 — I really enjoyed the final book in this trilogy. It was full of action and excitement, and the epilogue was hilarious. I’m already looking forward to another sequel, which will hopefully be announced soon. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook — This is the third book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. I absolutely loved this book, and already can’t wait for the next one to be released in hardback next week! 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Mrs Hudson and the Spirits' Curse — This is the first book in the Holmes and Hudson Mystery series. This book was technically a re-read for me (since I had already listened to the audiobook). But since it was the first time I’d read my own physical copy, I am counting it toward my TBR total. I thought the story was good, and liked the female narrator. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Mrs Hudson and the Malabar Rose — This is the second book in the Holmes and Hudson Mystery series. I thought this was a really interesting mystery, and liked the fact that it was about a jewel robbery rather than murder. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Mrs Hudson and the Lazarus Testament — This is the third book in the Holmes and Hudson Mystery series. I really enjoyed this story, and thought the mystery was unique. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
None
Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
~The Invisible Man and His Soon-to-Be Wife Vol. 5 — This was a great continuation to the series! I really like the art and characters. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished Reading (Poetry and Drama):
None
DNFed:
None
Currently Reading:
~The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1001 Nights, Volume 2 — I am continuing to take an extended break from this book, but I may resume reading it in the next week or so. 📚
~The Return of the King — I am really enjoying listening to this book before bed each night. 🎧
~Parable of the Sower — I am currently ten chapters into this book, which I am buddy reading with one of my friends. It’s really good, but the accuracy of the author’s predictions is more than a little terrifying. 📚
~The Ragpicker King — I am currently about 25% of the way into this sequel to Sword Catcher. It’s been quite a while since I read the first book, so it did take me a little time to remember who all of the characters were, but it’s been good so far. 📚
~Mrs Hudson and the Samarkand Conspiracy — This is the fourth book in the Holmes and Hudson Mystery series. It’s been very interesting so far. 📚
~As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride — I’m currently four chapters into this book, and I am loving it! Cary Elwes has some great stories to tell about the making of The Princess Bride! 📚
~Witchcraft for Wayward Girls — My library hold for this book finally came in this week, so I will be reading it using Libby whenever I have the opportunity. I've only had a chance to read a couple of pages so far, so I haven't formed any opinions yet. 📱
QOTW:
Unfortunately, quite a few of the authors I read that this question would apply to have been dead for 50+ years at this point (J.R.R. Tolkien, Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, Agatha Christie, Alexandre Dumas, etc.). So I’m not really able to purchase any new releases written by them, but totally would if any previously unpublished manuscripts were discovered.
When it comes to new releases that are automatic buys, I tend to focus more on ongoing series, rather than authors. I am currently in the middle of several series that have books coming out later in the year, and waiting for them is difficult.
But since I read a lot of fantasy, I tend to gravitate toward authors who do a really good job with their world-building. I really appreciate when an author can not only create a believable fantasy setting, but also bring me into it in a way that feels very natural. I want them to make me feel like this place has always existed…I just haven’t visited yet.
I had oral surgery today :( I'm still numb and not sure what to expect when that wears off. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, as long as it doesn’t keep me awake at night, so I have books ready in case I want to read. If not, I’ll binge some TV and nap instead. I’m taking off tomorrow, and I’ll have the weekend to recover. Finished
Boy From the Valleys: My unexpected journey (a book where music plays an integral part of the storyline). Celebrity memoirs aren't really my thing, but I like alot of Luke Evans’ movies. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook. I wish Luke got to use his natural Welsh accent in more movies because it's lovely.
When Calls the Heart (a book by the oldest author in your tbr pile). The author, Janette Oke, is 90 years old. Christian Fiction is another genre I rarely read. I didn’t realize it was Christian Fiction right away. It’s not too preachy, and I liked the story and setting so I stuck with it. The writing is pretty bland and superficial. I might try the TV show to see if there's more depth.
The Frozen River (a book about an overlooked woman in history). I loved this book. I want to read more by this author now.
Reading
I haven't started anything new, and whether I do or not depends on how I feel later today.
QOTW
There are several authors on the must read list for me: Kate Forsyth, Andy Weir, Becky Chambers, Simone St James, Naomi Novik, Sarah Addison Allen. I read primarily for escapism, and the thing these authors all have in common is an extraordinary ability to take me away to another time and place. Their books are fun even when they're serious.
Purchased TBR: 10/15Library TBR: 14/16
PS: 43/50
Finished: How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith This was very good. She used examples from her life that were unique but relatable without it being heavy-handed.
Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything for book that begins with a "Y." Better to read The Doctor and the Soul: From Psychotherapy to Logotherapy, Revised and Expanded
The Moment of Tenderness This was a collection of short stories by Madeleine L'Engle and it was perhaps a bit of a stretch to call them interconnected. Many were auto-biographical and I wouldn't have read it otherwise, so I'm counting it!
My Name Is Asher Lev for classic I've never read. I didn't enjoy it as much as The Chosen or The Promise In fact, the MC seemed pretty bratty to me!
The Strange Case of Jane O. for new release eagerly awaited. Loved it!
Started: Tyranny of the Minority: Why American Democracy Reached the Breaking Point
Ethics: The Essential Writings
QotW: This just happened to me with Karen Thompson Walker. She's only put out three books and they are all highly philosophical. With this most recent one (mentioned above), I read the whole thing in one day!
Mod
that's on my short list for healing fiction (although it probably won't be the FIRST one I try) - let us know if it's good!!
Nadine you seem irked by the rain where I am here thankful it finally started to rain again here. We had gotten down to around 100-200 gal of water and we called to order water on Monday but they said they can’t get here until this coming Tuesday! But it started raining on Tuesday which bumped us up to almost 1000 gal and it rained more last night, and a bit heavier so hopefully it added a lot more. If it keeps it up thru the weekend we can cancel our water order (currently it is bright and sunny). It is over $300 (for 5000 gal) so I know my sister wants to cancel it if she can.Lynn you didn’t have any car issues but, I had some lady try to rip my bumper off yesterday. My Dad would have been pissed cause my truck is brand new and he is paying for it. She managed to leave a kinda minor scratch on the corner of the bumper but that’s it. Whew!
The Read-A-Thon is helping me get some books read. Yeah! I have finished a few so far this week and had about 4 I am currently reading, LOL. Lets see what I can get done by the end of the weekend.
2025 Challenges:
Popsugar: 13/50
ATY: 18/52 & 2/10
A to Z (Kindle edition): 1/26
Goodreads: 22/150
Physical TBR: 0/102
Kindle TBR: 0/123
TBR Goal: 0/225
Book Clubs:
PS Monthly: 27/61
Reese: 35/102
Oprah: 14/103
Jenna: 10/71
OSS: 7/39
Finished:
4 finished, 1 Completed Popsugar
The House of Eve
PS#43, ATY#19
This was good a bit on the nose for some of the woman's struggles right now.
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts (a re-read)
I listened to this audiobook back in Dec. but, I wanted to take notes, so I borrowed it from the library.
Paradise Valley
ATY#26
Beanie the Bansheenie
ATY#18
This Banshee decides to flip the script and love her human instead.
-------
Currently Reading
While We Were Dating
At First Light
The Return
Encanto: Nightmares and Sueños
On the Backburner
Libby
Physical Library Rentals
Tangled Up in You
Counting Miracles
Pucking Around
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry
Magazines: (2/142)
Read since last check-in: 0
Question of the Week:
Elin Hilderbrand (although it seems that she may be retiring)
Emily Henry
Craig Johnson
Nicholas Sparks
I have been catching up on the backlist of CJ Box
Heather wrote: "I had oral surgery today :( I'm still numb and not sure what to expect when that wears off. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, as long as it doesn’t keep me awake at night, so I have books ready in case I want to read. If not, I’ll binge some TV and nap instead. I’m taking off tomorrow, and I’ll have the weekend to recover...."When I have had teeth pulled they always prescribe pain meds but I end up not needing them. Honestly the last two times I felt better after they did it.
Hi all, checkin' in for a February wrap-up. Today, it was about 16 C (60 F). And, brillianty planned, I participated in a skating lesson. On an open air ice rink. Weird to skate with such temperatures, but also quite comfortable. I had lots of fun and now my abdominals are crying. The lesson was part of 'Active April', a month at work full of sports and health workshops. Since the ice rink closes in 2 weeks, the skating lesson was today.Finished in February
The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama ⭐⭐⭐⭐ An introvert 'dance' of 2 brothers around old Japanese traditions 1939-1960.
Zonder kompas geen koers by Jaap Smit ⭐⭐⭐ Written by the pastor of our village when I was 5 years old. The pastor switched careers to consultant, manager and politician. About his life as a theologian and manager in a searching society.
De Camino by Anya Niewierra ⭐⭐ Highly praised mystery by a Dutch novelist. Bit disappointing because of a boring story line (woman in search of herself goes hiking.. boring!) despite an impressive story line on the Balkan War 1990s.
The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83¼ Years Old by Hendrik Groen ⭐⭐⭐ Very witty. And sad.
De vroedvrouw van de Groenburgwal by Jeanine de Vries ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dutch historical fiction, a young midwife trainee tries to build a life of her own in Amsterdam, 1695.
QOTW
I'm in starting position for the new Isabel Allende. Allende is special to me because her book The House of the Spirits brought my love for reading back to live. I also run to the bookstore for:
Simone van der Vlugt
Kristin Hannah
Fredrik Backman
Greetings! I'm heading off this evening to opening night of the Athena Film Festival at Barnard College - 15th year I think - assuming it isn't cancelled due to Pro-Palestine protests and sit-ins or bombthreats, all of which happened on campus this week. It's a wonderful woman-centric film festival and it'd be said to see it cancelled because of these actions being taken by students and others on campus. These have not been peaceful protests - staff have been injured, property extensively damaged, and classes on Israeli history interrupted. When the bomb threats came and NYPD had to clear and search, the protestors refused to leave the premises, ultimately leading to arrests. Will tonight and the festival be cancelled? We will have to see. PS - 15/60 The Odyssey
ATY - 21/50
Finished:
Up Country by Nelson DeMille - PS Prompt road trip, ATY prompt - digging in the past
Currently reading:
The Odyssey
Witch King
Cake on a Hot Tin Roof
QOTW: I used to do that but in the last several years, I find I am not reading anything as soon as it is published, or at most only 1 or 2 books. I don't do a lot of preorders any longer in series either - mostly because I have so many TBR Towers as it is and though I still read a LOT, my time is more limited right now.
However I always have the next Stephanie Laurens on pre-order and though might delay a bit reading them as they are published, not all that long.
Series I started where the final book in the trilogy or whatever will also be a preorder often if I consider the series something I want to keep.
You can be sure I will get the next George R.R. Martin the second it's published, and read it, of the A Song Of Ice and Fire series -- The Winds of Winter will be the penultimate in the series.
I also at this point am buying Amor Towles as soon as they come out but again, hold off reading them usually.
Mod
yes if you move to northern NY state you will never again have to worry about drought. If it's not snowing it's raining, or just cloudy and threatening to rain or snow. We have more cloudy days here than in any other part of the contiguous states.
I'm just back from a car service appointment (and have to take it back on Tuesday for brake work and spark plugs...grrr...I really need a new job...end rant here) and have to dash off in under 10 minutes for a rehearsal. So, we'll see if I get this completed in time or if it ends up sitting on my screen waiting for me to return early this evening.Read
Brideshead Revisited: The Sacred and Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder
Fry Another Day
The Patience Stone
A Modest Proposal
The Travelling Cat Chronicles
Currently Reading
A Certain Justice - should finish by end of week as I'm currently out of library books
The Half Life of Valery K
Ethan Frome
PS Challenge Progress: 21/50
QOTW
I don't know that I'm confident enough in saying that there are authors whose works I'll always love, but there are some I love enough to always give their books a chance. The one that comes immediately to mind is Alan Dean Foster. He's an oldie, but there's plenty of his that I haven't read and would happily give a chance to.
If I think of any others while at rehearsal maybe I'll edit this post to add them in, but must be off. Finished just in time!
Happy Thursday!Not much to report this week. Mostly reading, working, and school. Also putting off an essay I'm supposed to be working on, because of course I am...
Books read this week:
The Devil's Playground -- for “a book with a snake on the cover or in the title.” Part film-noir detective story, part thriller about the Golden Age of Hollywood and a lost film.
August Kitko and the Mechas from Space -- for “a book where music is an integral part of the storyline.” Entertaining and fun, especially if you like your sci-fi light-hearted.
The Takeout -- for “a book about a food truck.” A fun middle-grade read about a girl trying to save her family’s food truck that also takes on themes of identity and cultural appropriation.
The Bones Beneath My Skin -- for “a book featuring an LGBTQ character that isn’t about coming out.” I didn’t like this one quite as well as The House in the Cerulean Sea or Under the Whispering Door, but it was still highly enjoyable.
Currently reading:
Fahrenheit 451 -- for “a dystopian book with a happy ending”
Jedi Twilight -- for “a book that reminds you of your childhood”
The Beach -- for “a book you want to read based on the last sentence”
The Fox Wife -- for “a book about a married couple who don’t live together”
QOTW: T. Kingfisher for sure! Her work is consistently good, and I love her well-done fantasy and horror works, her self-awareness of the genres she writes in, and her wicked and sarcastic sense of humor.
Hi all, Having a quiet week, work is pretty slow. It was warm most the week but rainy, today is back to freezing and woke up to snow on the ground. Also got good news, my cat had another cancer re-check and is showing no signs of it coming back so far! So that's good news. He was a brave boy, and didn't give me too much trouble getting him there. I had to take him alone this time, husband had a meeting he couldn't get out of.
This week I finished:
Assistant to the Villain - this was a lot of fun! I'd heard good things, but it's always hard to tell if I'll love a buzzy book or just be annoyed. I have the second waiting for me, can't wait to get into it. And I'm glad the third is out later this summer. This was sort of a tbr pick. I thought i had bought it, but when I grabbed it off my shelf I realized I had bought book two instead of this one. So I grabbed this from the library, and i'll read the second book next as my "real" tbr pick.
Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend - this is my books & brew pick for next week. I thought it sounded fun from the description, but eh. Maybe if I'd read it....a decade ago. Not so much now. Reading a book about a vacation turned into apocalypse that devolves into fascism led by the rich taking over and asserting military control over everyone else...and then centering the story through the most average of white dudes who's constantly worried about if he's manly enough...just isn't what I'm interested in right now. It didn't come off as funny, it just came off as whiny and annoying. Why does your girlfriend have to spend her apocalypse reassuring you of your manliness dude? Ever consider maybe she's got some other things on her mind?
Currently reading:
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls - only a few chapters in, the horror part hasn't started up yet. It's interesting so far. I really like Grady Hnedrix' horror so optimistic.
QOTW:
Seanan McGuire is one for sure, Becky Chambers is another. I like authors that write both interesting stories with fascinating characters. Those two are probably among the top of must-read, but there's a bunch of others that i like enough that i at least will check out anything they write to see if it sounds good. TJ Klune, Grady Hendrix, Martha Wells, Silvia Grace Moreno to name a few.
I bought a Boox eink tablet this week, and I love that I can read both my massive Kindle library on it and use other people's apps too, though I haven't tried them all out yet. I'm still waiting to get an ebook that actually works in the NetGalley app. All the ones on my shelf open as PDFs with tiny text. So I still have to send to kindle so I can read via the kindle app. First world problems, I know.Both books I read this week were pretty depressing. I'm struggling to pick what to read next, as I just want something upbeat.
We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter. I don't usually read her standalones, and this hasn't won me over to anything without Will and Sara. Depressing, uneven pacing, and about pedophiles and sex offenders. If you're gonna deal with difficult subjects, you gotta be good.
ATY 45. A book by an author whose publishing career spans at least ten years
Model Home by Rivers Solomon. More child abuse but this was handled in a completely different way. It's more contemporary lit about how childhood trauma is processed than a haunted house story. Not a lot of plot but Rivers can write some really powerful paragraphs.
ATY 26. A book by an author with a common noun in their name
Read Harder: 8. Read literary fiction by a BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and/or disabled author
Currently listening to A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking.
QOTW:
I've never not enjoyed T. Kingfisher and Becky Chambers. I like that they always have kindness in their characters even when awful things are going on, as well as their creativity and general charm.
Happy Thursday and blessed Lent to all who are celebrating! Spring is starting to tease us with warm weather here and then. Of course, a freezing gale is blowing now, but I've been seeing robins all week so I know that winter is on its way out!Finished 10/50
The Thirteenth Tale 13TH TALE Paperback for "book with books on the cover". This was written really well even though it was kinda dark. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would though!
The Enemy Within for "book with a snake on the cover". This was a self-publish from a monastery so I'm waiting for the GR Librarians to get to my request to add it to the database. It was short but good!
Runaway Amish Girl: The Great Escape for "book about a cult". I live really close to an Amish community and they are 100% a cult, and this book absolutely showcases that. Good grief. What a courageous woman! This book was really good! And shocking!
Currently Reading
Tending the Garden of Our Hearts: Daily Lenten Meditations for Families for "book you got for free". My friend co-wrote this and signed a copy for me! It's been a great family devotional for Lent.
First Fruits of Prayer: A Forty-Day Journey Through the Canon of St. Andrew (not for the challenge): My parish book club is reading this fir Lent. I've read it before but it always helps to get a refresher, especially with the canon of St. Andrew.
Facing East: A Pilgrim's Journey into the Mysteries of Orthodoxy for "book under 250 pages". Everyone tell me I should read this book, and I love the author so I'm finally going for it!
QotW
Brandon Sanderson, Fyoder Dostoyevsky, C. S. Lewis, Andrew Damick, Stephen DeYoung, Frederica Mathews-Greene; and Jeannie Constantinou is starting to grow on me.
Hi all! Finally feeling more like a human. Busy week here for me. Doctors' appointments Monday, yesterday, and tomorrow. And Girl Scout cookie booth Saturday that I have to attend or else kiddo can't go (no one to pawn her off with this time). Last weekend, she went with her friend and after the booth, the mom surprised the friend by going to pick up her yellow lab puppy early! I knew they were doing it, and I knew my kiddo would enjoy that, so I'm glad she got to go along. The ATY Read-a-Thon has helped me get my mojo back. I finished The Poet X. It was fine, not really memorable.
I picked up Lavender House next and I'm really liking it! While the MC is outed at the beginning of the book, the story isn't about anyone coming out, and all the other characters in the book are also gay and out.
Also read a few more chapters in A Season with Mom: Love, Loss, and the Ultimate Baseball Adventure. More on the "love and loss" side and less on the baseball side...
And I started King: A Life, not sure what I think yet, but the book itself is making me think, so I suppose that's good.
QOTW: I don't hardly buy books anymore, the closest to running right out and getting something as soon as I hear about it is adding it to my TBR! But there are some authors I keep around in the event that I need something I know I'll like.
Jodi Picoult
James Patterson
Michael Connelly
Erik Larson
Levered myself out of my reading slump. I finished a few for this challengeI read Silent Are the Dead by D.M. Rowell for PS A book with a snake on the cover or in the title but I can't say that I recommend it. I've never seen a mystery series done like a duology but this is (and I hadn't read book 1) also the idea she solved two mysteries in the space of a day stretches my suspension of disbelief. Also quite repetitive. It wasn't an awful mystery but it's not one I invested in
For PS 49. a dystopian book with a happy ending I read Disco Witches of Fire Island by Blair Fell. I know that this was meant for a SF/F prompt which is in my wheelhouse but I hate dystopias. This is set at the height of AIDS pandemic and I was a doc in NY at that time. Trust me it was dystopic enough. I'm counting this one.
I also read for no prompt two graphic novels Feral, Vol. 1: Indoor Cats by Tony Fleecs which holy crap, this is SO dead dove don't eat. It's the zombie apocalypse but with cats and rabies. It's basically how many ways can animals die graphically.
Pine & Merrimac by Kyle Starks This is a dark mystery dealing with human trafficking and demonic cults so yeah. I liked it but it's got some touchy subjects
QOTW
I can't say that I race out and buy everything they so but here are some of my favorites and generally it's characterization that gets me. They usually write characters I love
C.S. Harris historical mysteries
Leanna Renee Hieber gothic stories
Maggie Stiefvater YA urban fantasy
Jana Denardo LGBT romance
Amanda Flower historical mysteries
Hi all! It's been a busy week of chores for me, but I'm hoping to trade that in for some much needed chill time this weekend. We've finally had a break in from our winter weather and this Sunday should even get up into the low 50s. Huzzah!Finished:
Heartstopper: Volume Four: this series is so cute and uplifting
Martyr!: I struggled to maintain interest in this. The writing is beautiful, but something about this book just didn't work for me.
Currently reading:
The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Beauty: 40 Projects for Period-Accurate Hairstyles, Makeup and Accessories: I'm unlikely to attempt any of this but I love history and it's fun.
There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension: my current audiobook
QOTW:
That's hard to say, I tend to not read a ton from any author unless it's a series. David Grann comes to mind.
Happy Thursday!The weather continues to suck here. Blowing snow so bad that I couldn't tell where my lane was half the time. Also, it will amuse Nadine to know that it could be weeks before they get the cars out of that partially collapsed parking garage in downtown Ottawa.
I finished the last of February books. I started 2 March books. One is pretty long and it might take me more than March to read it. Plus I'm reading last year's Riley Sager book because Ulysses and Doppelganger are both "thinky" books and I wanted something fun to break it up. (Yes, thrillers are fun for me.)
I'm pleased that I've finished 10 PS prompts. I said I'd do 40 this year, which means 10 per quarter. So, anything I read for a prompt this month is bonus.
Finished:
Mirèio, a Provençal Poem
Popsugar prompt:A book under 250 pages
ATY prompt:
Anniversary prompt: A book originally written in a language other than English
Series - 1/10
Reading Across Canada - 2/10
Nobel laureates - 1/5
PS - 10/40
Regular ATY - 7/40
Anniversary ATY - 3/10
Currently reading:
Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World - 25%
Ulysses - 7%
Middle of the Night - 25%
QOTW: I would say Ruth Ware and Riley Sager. Sheri Lapena, Karen McManus, and Lucy Foley are a little more uneven for me, although I usually enjoy them.
I would add Grady Hendrix - the only horror writer I read everything he puts out.
JessicaMHR wrote: "When I have had teeth pulled they always prescribe pain meds but I end up not needing them. Honestly the last two times I felt better after they did it."I'm remembering my two root canals fondly right now. I had a bone graft done, and now that the numbing has worn off, I can say that the periodontist definitely knew what he was doing when he gave me hydrocodone. I'm actually a little nervous that he only gave me 6 pills, but also hopeful that means the worst of the pain should be over by tomorrow night.
Nothing finished since the last check-in, but the fourth time was the charm and I now have a new roof (just in time before the crazy winds and rain we had yesterday and today). I lucked out that they came on Friday, so I didn't have to move my attic insulation appointment on Monday -- I was the first appointment of the day, so I was able to go into work after they were done. Hopefully, this is the last of my home repair appointments for awhile! I'm still at 5/40 and 0/10 for the POPSUGAR challenge, and 14/85 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge (though, that includes a DNF title, so really 13/85).
Finished:
* nada
Currently Reading:
* The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims;
* Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour;
* The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading written by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann and narrated by a full cast (Tom Force, Nancy Peterson, Jenn Lee, Jennifer Pickens, Amy Jensen, Deanna Anthony, Jane Oppenheimer, Susan Harfield, Marni Penning, Daniel Henning, and Rob Reider) - this is one of my book clubs' picks for March; and,
* My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry written by Fredrik Backman and translated by Henning Koch, which is my other book clubs' pick for March (this the book I nominated 🤓).
QotW:
Do you have one author whose books you just KNOW you will LOVE? You know, you just HAVE to have their newest release as soon as it is published? What is it that attracts you to this person’s writing? I have a several authors whose new releases I always look forward to and am more likely to pick up their newest releases when they are published (reading them as soon as they're published is another story 🙃). Narrowing down to my top three (so hard!), I'd include Louise Penny, Laura Lippman, and Sujata Massey at the top of the list. Louise Penny because I love the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series and the inhabitants of Three Pines so much; Laura Lippman and Sujata Massey because they are local mystery authors who always do events with a local indie bookstore near my Mom when they have new books. We both love their books and love getting the chance to attend the events together, supporting Mystery Loves Company. Plus, all three authors are gracious and lovely human beings, which makes me love their books even more 💖
Megan wrote: "Nothing finished since the last check-in, but the fourth time was the charm and I now have a new roof (just in time before the crazy winds and rain we had yesterday and today). I lucked out that th..."I love that name, Mystery Loves Company, I would love to support an event like that (or is that the name of the bookstore)
Happy Thursday! It's been busy busy, and tomorrow is just a full day of meetings which is yikes, but then the weekend! My reading this week has been pretty meh- disappointing. And really all I've been wanting to do is watch old episodes of taskmaster. Every night I think, should I watch a movie?? And then just watch more taskmasterFinished:
Unloved- I really wanted to like this a lot, the first one was very dramatic and angsty, but I still liked it. This one... liked the main characters but there were some interesting choices made with the timeline, where it would reference things that happened in book one but not tell you about them, and then neither main character had a real conversation with any other character other than each other. And there were two time jumps at the end. Will I still read book 3...probably
-no prompt
Fearless and Free: A Memoir- another one i had high expectations for and it fell short. Told in a very chatty format, so you get a lot of Josephine Bakers personality, but it's very unfocused so I left the book feeling like I didn't really learn much about her life. Might pick up a biography about her later
-no prompt
Currently reading:
The Bane Witch- this is much bleaker than I was anticipating. Was pitched as Practical Magic meets Gone Girl, and that's honestly pretty accurate
QotW:
Some of my recent "must read" authors are Naomi Novik, Sayaka Murata, Yaa Gyasi,Hiro Arikawa, Carissa Broadbent, Jennifer Egan- and then I've only read one of his books, but I loved it so much I'm going to include him- Bryan Washington.
And then this might not totally count, because I'm never positive I'll love the books, but I am trying to read every book that Anton Hur has translated. It started when the book I was reading was translated by him, the next up on my tbr was by him and then his own book was getting released, so now it's a thing
Happy check-in! I've read so much for the ATY read-a-thon, being stuck at home with a fever helped. Finished Reading:
Christmas at Hogwarts ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Go the Fuck to Sleep ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Books of Slaughter Vol. 1 Books of Slaughter Vol. 2: Book of Butcher ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spinoff of a spinoff comic series.
Accidentally Amy ⭐⭐ (PS bucket list)
This romcom was a serial that was edited and published. It needed more editing. Went with the pumpkin spice latte addiction to fit the bucket list.
Magic Breaks Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
One Fell Sweep Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Betty: The Helen Betty Osborne Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
True crime comic looking at Betty's murder in 1970s Manitoba. I remember learning about Betty's murder in highschool as a case study.
This One Summer ⭐⭐
Slice of life graphic novel that was promoted for Freedom To Read Week. It was boring, but realistic. It's sad that it gets banned.
A Song for You and I ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS POC joy)
Middle grade graphic novel about training to be a protector of nature.
Listen for the Lie ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY lies)
Fantastic audiobook!! Follows Lucy going back home where everyone thinks she murdered her best friend and got away with it and the guy releasing a true crime podcast about the murder.
Sinatra: A Life Remembered ⭐⭐⭐ (PS music)
A good bio for a coffee table book, but I've seen a more in depth documentary about him so I knew a lot of what I read already.
The Favorites ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY music, art, dance, acting)
This was awesome! I think Taylor Jenkins Reid fans would love this.
A Business Proposal, Vol. 8 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Two more volumes to go.
Moon Called ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was from graphic audio but goodreads doesn't have it as a separate thing.
The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl 03 The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl 04 ⭐⭐⭐
Banned Book Club ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS book in title)
The author was in a banned book club in the 80s in South Korea. This is her graphic novel about that time.
PS 16/50
ATY 21/52 Anniversary 1/10
Goodreads 67/200
QOTW:
Illona Andrews and Emily Henry come to mind right away.
Life update: I had my annual appraisal at work on Tuesday, which went well despite the impact of my ongoing health challenges. My line manager is very sympathetic about them because his wife has Long Covid, so he understands that there are good days and bad days and that recovery is unpredictable. I'm lucky to have him. Also on Tuesday, our eldest son came over for movie night. He has always been a movie buff and did his degree in film studies and English literature, so it's always interesting to get his insights on a movie. We watched The Manchurian Candidate (the Frank Sinatra version), which none of us had seen before. I was impressed with it, apart from some odd behaviour from two of the female characters that was never really explained. I want to read the book now.
Reading update:
Still making good progress. I finished two books:
Babel for "silver on the cover" - an instant classic in my view
Invisible Things for "a book rated under 3 stars" - it's part 2 of a duology, and I loved part 1, so it was an easy choice. I think part of what puts people off may be that it's deliberately written in the style of a 1950s children's novel, which may not be to everyone's taste, but is definitely part of the charm for me.
I also decided to pause my reading of Meditate with the Master at 23% because when I got to the practical section, there were meditation exercises that you're supposed to do for 5-10 minutes, 3-4 times a day, for a fortnight before going onto the next chapter. I don't disagree with the recommendation, but I think I need to be a little further along in my recovery before I commit to that. I created a "paused" shelf to add the book to so that I will remember to come back to it when I'm ready.
Stats:
Finished for the PopSugar Challenge: 2 this week, 12/50 total
Finished for the Star Trek Series Challenge: 0 this week, 3/18 total
Finished outside the challenges: 0 this week, 3 total
DNF and paused: 1 this week, 4 total
Currently reading:
The Seven Year Slip for "an adult character changes career"
The Vanishing People: Fairy Lore and Legends for "a book mentioned in another book" - this one is referenced in The Folklore of Discworld
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The High Country for the Star Trek Series Challenge
The Valmiki Ramayana Vol. 2 for my bedtime spiritual reading, and this week I actually managed to read from it 3/7 days, which is an improvement
QOTW: I will buy any fiction book by Starhawk. The non-fiction is also pretty good, and I have read several of them, it's just less relevant to my own spiritual practice these days.
Like others, I also have a few dead authors whose lost/overlooked works I would buy immediately if they were suddenly to be published:
Douglas Adams (who went to the same college as me - a friend lived in his old room)
Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Jane Austen
Whew what a week. It's been a long one! So glad it's Friday.Got sick late Sunday night/Monday due to dehydration.
My mom got sick with pneumonia a couple of days ago but they managed to catch it early. With her in the hospital I had to take care of my nephew for a bit- put him down for his nap, feed him, etc. Then my sister took yesterday off since our mom was in the hospital. So while all of that I've been on the road to recovery with my sickness which hasn't been great. Down right exhausted. Things should ease up soon now that it's the weekend.
Also, how has a year gone by already?! Can't believe my nephew is one already. That's insane. Parents aren't lying when they say time goes fast when it comes to kids.
Then I got my official ADHD diagnosis confirmation this week. While I was diagnosed last year (with the autism), I didn't exactly believe it. Took a test last week and this week my psychiatrist went over the results which confirmed the level of my ADHD. It may be small but it's still within range. She said that if I'm not engaged with something within 5 minutes then I lose focus which explains a lot.
******
Book News:
Finally got around to doing one of my BookTube videos which I hadn't all February since that was a busy time. Glad to be getting back into it.
Been reading like crazy though which has been fun. Now my ADHD thing makes a lot of sense as to why I can't sit with 1 or 2 books the way I see a lot of people do. I get bored easily so I have to constantly be stimulated and actively engaged in something.
That being said, I have around 7 or 8 books that I'm currently reading:
Is Earth Exceptional?: The Quest for Cosmic Life - Should finish this by this weekend. Incredible book!
Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us - Also should finish this weekend.
In the Shadow of Quetzalcoatl: Zelia Nuttall and the Search for Mexico’s Ancient Civilizations - This book has been great.
Silent Spring Revolution: John F. Kennedy, Rachel Carson, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and the Great Environmental Awakening - Been really impressed with this one.
Fearless Women: Feminist Patriots from Abigail Adams to Beyoncé
Formidable: American Women and the Fight for Equality: 1920-2020
Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America - Very political but I want to see why certain people are the way they are.
*****
Finished:
Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base - 3 stars. I was no longer convinced of this author's credibility when they talked about the Roswell Incident of 1947. I've been reading books and looking into Roswell since I was 8 years old and this was the first time I ever heard the idea that what allegedly crashed was made by the Russians so I don't by what the author was saying. It made it very difficult to read the rest of the book after that.
*****
QOTW:
Do you have one author whose books you just KNOW you will LOVE? You know, you just HAVE to have their newest release as soon as it is published? What is it that attracts you to this person’s writing?
Not really. Now when it comes to LOVE.
I mean I read every Nicholas Sparks book because I've been reading his work for over 20 years (since age 12) but that's because they're more guilty pleasures. I like some of his books more than others. I have to always read Joy Harjo's poetry, that's a must.
I've really gotten into Garrett M. Graff's work. While I don't agree with his UFO book, he still does excellent historical writing (and has a new book coming out in August that I'm excited for).
Happy Friday!On Monday, I finished the interview for a TSA approval. I do hope it comes through swiftly as my traveling starts in 6 weeks. The TSA computer system was down so I was told to look for 2 emails: the first to tell me that my payment had been processed and the second to tell me my TSA request was completed. I have received the first email. Now to wait for the second. Got it today! And, I contacted my travel agent who will add the number to my tickets. Now to go to the website to get it as I promised her I would do it today.
(From an unscheduled day to too much to do!)
And, I also signed up for the gym. Wow, it is an impressive place! Got a tour and an appointment for a health assessment on Wednesday, which was accomplished. Balance is more of an issue than I anticipated. Off this morning for my first session, which was really challenging. It was a lot of various types of weight events from barbells to stretch bands to medicine balls and involved over the head work..with my limited left shoulder function. I ended up with complete muscle exhaustion that made it challenging to drive and walk the rest of the day!
Today I feel fairly well, although a bit less energetic than I would like. Still muscle pain is not there, which is good.
Plans for today: prepare one gardening plot (add soil and manure and mix in), transplant lettuces and the potato starts, and add the pine straw to the azaleas; read my books; and start sorting through my emails for gardening.
Finished:
*The Whites – PAS. ATY #15 (secrets, lies, deceptions). This was the last of my Feb books for a particular challenge. 3*. A book about love and death in the lives of policemen, most of whom are retired. Secrets and lies and deception, for sure.
Aunt Bessie's Holiday – PAS. Continuation of series (book #8). Cozy mystery. 4*.
Currently Reading:
The Beginner's Photography Guide: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Manual for Getting the Most from Your Digital Camera – 27%. Haven’t made much headway past page 32 (prior read to page 52). I still have hopes.
Tom Lake – ATY winter. 76%
A People's History of the American Revolution: How Common People Shaped the Fight for Independence - Kindle. 13%. Still hoping to get this one started.
Anxious People – ATY anniversary, ATY winter, PAS, PS 2024. 32%
Just Starting:
The Devil's Feather - PAS. Non-fiction. 9%
Go – PAS. 6%
Execution in E – ATY winter
Erasure – no prompt. Library Movie/Discussion group.
Murder at the Dolphin Hotel – ATY #21 (animal group), PAS, PS #27 (luxury resort)
On Deck: (owned)
Kate: The Journal of A Confederate Nurse – PAS.
The Pony Wife – PAS
The Brass Verdict – PAS
PS 13/50
ATY 9/52, Anniversary 3/10, Winter 8/15
GR 42/200
QotW:
I am like others in this group in that I like reading more of the series that I enjoy. And, the authors who write those series often write others that I do not enjoy as much.
Yet, I enjoy reading Nora Roberts’ paranormal romances, Alexander McCall Smith’s Isabel Dalhousie and No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, and Alexia Gordon’s Gethsemane Brown mysteries.
Standalone authors I enjoy: Tana French and Kamila Shamsie.
However, I almost never buy new books. The library is my primary source for books, and new books have a shorter loan.
Mod
So... I just got approved on Netgalley for one of my most anticipated books of 2025!Obviously, I'll finish the library book I'm reading now, but then I'm not sure what I want to do. Should I move the ARC up before my other library books? Reread the other two books first before the ARC? Dive right in and then reread all three once the book is officially released?
Dilemmas (of the best kind)!
Friday check-in this week, happy almost weekend!Finished
Sociopath: A Memoir For a book club. I was a little disappointed - a lot of personal assertions that the author is a sociopath, but I guess I was hoping for more insight into the traits of sociopaths generally. Maybe that's unfair, it's pretty clear from the title that this her story. I guess it's just that the last book club read was A Clockwork Orange, and we were asking about whether Alex was a sociopath/psychopath, and I suggested reading this to help answer that question, and I don't think it did.
No prompt.
Radiate Finished this just to have finished the series, but I really had to keep plugging at the end. Probably the weakest of the three books, in part because of an old stylistic choice where, within chapters, there's additional Backwards / Forwards headings with flashbacks and time jumps and it was fairly jarring. Both of the last two books had some fairly major twists / cliffhangers, so this was a little boring in comparison - just felt like a slow unraveling of the remaining plot threads. No PS prompts, but I used it for ATY rejects - science or technology gone wrong.
Poor Deer Fairly interesting story about a young girl attempting to cope with her role in her best friend's death, but also the mutability of the stories we tell about ourselves. Used for ATY's Do Re Mi prompt.
Currently Reading
The Woman Who Stole My Life
She Who Became the Sun
The Wedding People
Dataclysm: Love, Sex, Race, and Identity--What Our Online Lives Tell Us about Our Offline Selves
QotW
I'm not committed enough! I do have authors I love but no one to the point where I have to get a new release right away - everything just gets added to the TBR list. I want to get more like this / be more deliberate in my reading choices, but there's just so many options out there!
Ones who come the closest for me are probably Xiran Jay Zhao and Waubgeshig Rice - they're two who I have recently put new books of theirs on the hold list right at pub date (but both books were also next installments of series, so not sure if I would have it they were totally new works).
Hello from Columbus and happy Friday! I missed last week and then forgot that yesterday was Thursday lol. I hope everyone who participates has a fruitful Lent this season. Finished:
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries for a book with magical creatures that aren’t dragons. I’d been seeing this book talked about a lot online so I was excited to read it. I was hoping this would be the adult version of that fairyopolis books I had as a kid. This was more plot driven, I enjoyed it but not so much that I’m dying to read the next book. I probably will, eventually.
The Teller of Small Fortunes for a book with a happily single protagonist. This is also my March book club pick. I’ve really been enjoying cozy genre books lately. It was really cute, straightforward, fun and heartwarming. This is a book that I eagerly wait for the sequel to be released.
Currently Reading:
The Master and Margarita
The Penultimate Peril
House of Leaves
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Great Adventure Catholic Bible
Recently Watched:
Just been watching more kingdom hearts stuff
Challenges:
Popsugar - 8/40; 0/4; 0/3; 1/3
Read Harder - 2/24
Classics - 1/12
European Tour - 2/10
12 Friends - 0/12
Yearly Goal - 17/180
QOTW:
For me it’s Marisha Pessl, Grady Hendrix, Garth Nix, Ann Patchett and to a lesser extent Emily Henry. They just consistently produce bangers and I love it.
Oops its Friday alreadyI finished two books, one I used for a prompt:
Bibliolepsy UNDER 250 PAGES
Wow, No Thank You.: Essays I loved this book, the essays are hilarious
Currently reading:
The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers
America Fantastica
War and Peace
QOTW:
Elizabeth Strout: I just like the style and characters
Abbi Waxman: the books are funny and I like the characters.
Both of these writers also have crossover characters, i wonder if that is part of the appeal?
As a kid/teen I jumped on everything Judy Blume wrote
If more works from Jane Austen or Douglas Adams are discovered, I will pounce on them too
Mod
Obviously, I'll finish the library book I'm reading now, but then I'm not sure what I want to do. Should I move..."
Yay! enjoy drowning under too many books!!!
Daylight Savings is this weekend! Looking forward for longer daylight hours in the evening, and hoping for the accompaniment of warmer weather. Have a bit of a spring cold or allergies popping up so will likely try to lay low this weekend.9/75 GoodReads Challenge
8/50 PopSugar Challenge
Finished:
1.) These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant (#14-NonTrad Education) ⭐⭐⭐: This was good, not great - had a few things that just didn't sit well with me plot-wise, but I'm certainly in the minority.
2.) Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman (#8 - <250pages) ⭐: This was too boring and too repetitive for this reader, at least I knocked out a prompt!
Currently Reading:
1.) Onyx Storm
2.) The Seven Year Slip
QoTW: Do you have one author whose books you just KNOW you will LOVE? You know, you just HAVE to have their newest release as soon as it is published? What is it that attracts you to this person’s writing?
I would agree with TJR, Kristin Hannah, Jojo Moyes, if Laura Hillenbrand writes again I will definitely be buying that.
Mod
Nadine in NY wrote: "Not that anyone else cares, but Syracuse has finally beaten Erie PA and become the snowiest US city!! (by just half an inch - but winter is not over yet - it's snowing right now, in fact)"I care. Syracuse was always the hot cross border shopping destination. I've been there more than any other US city. My prom dress came from Syracuse.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Am I the only hopeless fangirl with 30+ beloved authors on my "must read" list? I really thought everyone was like that!!"Lol, I'm sure there's more that I can't think of. I also don't like to read books by the same authors too close together (part of why I don't really like series). So authors like Geraldine Brooks, Barbara Kingsolver, or Philippa Gregory, I've liked the books I've read by them... all 2 each. So yeah, they're people I would read again, but I can't say that they're authors I have to keep around, "in case of emergency, break glass".
Erie had a large head start. I have an online friend there, and she will happily relinquish the record!
Nadine in NY wrote: "Am I the only hopeless fangirl with 30+ beloved authors on my "must read" list? I really thought everyone was like that!!"I am hopelessly bad at reading more from authors I loved; I'm just constantly bouncing to the next thing. Plus, a lot of the authors I love tend to not be terribly prolific.
Nadine in NY wrote: "JessicaMHR wrote: "Nadine you seem irked by the rain where I am here thankful it finally started to rain again here. We had gotten down to around 100-200 gal of water and we called to order water o.yes if you move to northern NY state you will never again have to worry about drought. If it's not snowing it's raining, or just cloudy and threatening to rain or snow. We have more cloudy days here than in any other part of the contiguous states..."
Believe it or not I live in one of the rainiest places in our state. But that goes to show you how the weather has changed. We always do have drought seasons but they have become more times a year and longer now.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Am I the only hopeless fangirl with 30+ beloved authors on my "must read" list? I really thought everyone was like that!!"The question asked for one author so I tried to limit myself to two! I do have a really long list of authors I will read whatever from, but some are more reliably wonderful than others. 😄
What a week! For the first time I actually felt like a real adult. LOL. I had to take care of my nephew while my mom was in the hospital (pneumonia. She's doing better thankfully). So I had to step up and do a lot. My dad helped take care of him but still. It was a lot. Then I was on the mend from dehydration sickness on top of that so I was downright exhausted all week.Glad it's finally over and things can finally go back to normal (I hope).
Then the winds didn't help. It looked like the sandstorm scenes from Interstellar out here! I took pics and they look so strange. I didn't even use any filters.
Hopefully now things can ease up and I can get back to my favorite past time (ie reading).
Happy Saturday!For a change I did think of checking in, but I didn't have my laptop with me at those times and I wasn't gonna walk downstairs for it, haha!
Weather here has been AMAZING. Today it's almost 20C where I am. Tomorrow will be lovely still, but then it's going back to more early March appropriate weather. Which is okay. The sun is inviting to go out and exercise, but it's getting to the point where I'm needing sunscreen on my nose despite wearing a hat, and that's just not March behavior xD
Exercise has been going great, though! Did two 10,5km bike rides (ofc as soon as my dad tested my bike it was fine again so we're keeping an eye on it for now, and he joined me for the first ride just in case), and been going on walks. I am currently 16% for the North Coast 500 (Scotland) challenge (500mi/800km) and 18% for An Unexpected Journey. I also upped my yearly goal from 1000km to 1250km. It'll probably be upped again soon, but I'd rather be careful than having to put it back down again.
I also think swimming might eventually happen after all! I have to train my biking skills, but the pool that would work for me time and price wise is 8km away. While I can now bike 8km quite easily, I don't think I could bike 8km, swim, and then bike 8km back just yet. But there's hope again!
Game wise I've finished the Dreamlight Valley update. TV wise mom and I started The White Lotus and are halfway through season 2. So far I enjoyed season 1 more, and while I'm liking it, I don't see the major hype so far. Also watched the first two episodes of Sex Education, if only for Ncuti Gatwa, so we'll see how that goes.
Movie wise I think I mentioned Last Breath last week, so now I get to report on Mickey 17. I really enjoyed it! It's so funny that Robert Pattinson could be nominated for Best Leading Actor and Best Supporting Actor, though, haha!
Read
Away with the Penguins
Popsugar: Bucket list item
This isn't even a stretch. Going to Antarctica to see penguins (albeit emperor penguins, my dream spans all possible penguins, haha) has been my dream since I was 10 years old
Server Challenge: Book featuring favorite animal
I adored this. Simple as that. Sadly can't get my hands on the sequels at the moment, but hopefully one day!
Currently Reading
Technically nothing, but I am hoping to start one of my planned reads next. So either The Bones Beneath My Skin, Sentinel (reread to continue the trilogy as I pulled them from my TBR jar), Crier's War or Wild and Wicked Things
QOTW
I am actually quite terrible these days in keeping up so I'm sure that I might be behind on new releases (or backlog) of these two but T.J. Klune & Ross Welford are the very first to come to mind. I am allowing myself to mention both as they write for different age brackets!
Mod
The question asked for one author so I tried to limit myself to two! ..."
Oh yikes I completely missed that she said "one"!!!
Erin wrote: " Was pitched as Practical Magic meets Gone Girl, and that's honestly pretty accurate."SAY LESS Erin - adding this now!
Nadine in NY wrote: "Am I the only hopeless fangirl with 30+ beloved authors on my "must read" list? I really thought everyone was like that!!"NO way Nadine. I agree with Jen that there are way more that didn't come immediately to mind when I drafted my post. As I'm reading through everyone else's posts, I find myself wanting to edit my list to add more. Definitely Backman and Strout.
Jennifer W wrote: "I also don't like to read books by the same authors too close together (part of why I don't really like series).."I 100000000% agree with this statement Jen!
Mod
I am the same, I cannot binge read, I cannot read back to back books from the same series, and I usually just read one book by a favorite author each year (in very rare cases I'll read two or three books by the same author in one year).
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Bridge to Terabithia (other topics)When I Think of You (other topics)
The Ice Guy & The Cool Girl T04 (other topics)
The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 (other topics)
Pure Innocent Fun: Essays (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Ilona Andrews (other topics)Seanan McGuire (other topics)
Emily Henry (other topics)
Liane Moriarty (other topics)
Kristin Hannah (other topics)
More...
As I posted in the monthly group discussion thread for Station Eleven, I am still awaiting the arrival of my copy! Other books I ordered arrived, but not that one! Of course!
In reading The Left-Handed Booksellers of London, I discovered many books listed that could be used to satisfy prompt #11 A book mentioned in another book. Many of the titles listed on page 75 in my paperback copy are juvenile literature written by (to me) more obscure writers from the late 19th/early 20th Century! Of course, that means I am now searching for some of those books! I did locate a few on Gutenberg…
I found this to be an amazing list of Stories About Women Who Changed the World!
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/th...
New Historical Fiction for 2025:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/th...
Did you hear that?!? It was my TBR listing blowing up!! 😊 Yet again…
ADMIN STUFF:
THE MAY MONTHLY GROUP READ NOMINATION POLL IS LIVE! This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #3 A book about space tourism. National Space Day is May 2, 2025!
https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...
There are currently 8 titles under consideration:
Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #1)
Red Rising (Red Rising #1)
The Spare Man
Escape Velocity
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy #1)
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void
The Princess and the Scoundrel
Floating Hotel
If you do not see the title you would like to nominate, please write it in. Please check the book's eligibility first! Only books that have NOT been discussed within the past two years (2023-present) are eligible. Remember to consult the listing of these books that are NOT eligible for this month HERE before nominating! :) There is an alphabetized listing by title as well as a chronological listing.
VOTE HERE! This poll will be open through March 11.
THE APRIL MONTHLY GROUP READ SELECTION IS Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Before the Coffee Gets Cold, #1) by Toshikazu Kwaguchi, translated by Geoffrey Trousselot!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #23 A book that is considered healing fiction
World Health Day is April 7, 2025: https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...
I adore this book and series and have been telling myself I want to sit down and read all of them and take some notes. These are interconnected stories and some of the characters recur throughout the series… Fascinating!
THE MARCH 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ IS…Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. This book could be used to fulfill prompt #31 A book where music plays an integral part of the storyline. World Music Therapy Day is March 1, 2025!
Surely there is a “musical muse” who will volunteer to lead this discussion! Message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!No one has volunteered and I have a copy on its way to me, so will be reading this and have posted some introductory questions to begin some discussion HERE.
THE LISTING OF 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ TOPICS IS HERE!
***
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Do you have one author whose books you just KNOW you will LOVE? You know, you just HAVE to have their newest release as soon as it is published? What is it that attracts you to this person’s writing?
For me, characterization is of the utmost importance! I want to KNOW these characters. I can forgive a less-than-exciting or less-than-well-detailed plot...
I ask this because I have been reading through Taylor Jenkins Reid’s backlist over the past 2-3 years and realize every book she has authored is a very enjoyable read for me! It got me thinking about those authors I enjoy enough to literally read anything they’ve written!
I have quite a list, but here are a few more…
*Janet Evanovich was one of the first! I read one of Stephanie Plum novels years ago and then immediately read through her backlist for that series and even read her earlier romance novels originally published under a pseudonym! I would literally schedule myself off work on the day of release of the next Stephanie Plum novel for quite a few years. I would purchase and read it that day and laugh out loud so much!
Erica Bauermeister and Alexander McCall Smith are two more…
2025 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 33/50
Around the Year (AtY): 48/52
AtY 2025 Anniversary List: 9/10
Read Harder: 14/24
52 Book Club: 40/52
2024 Popsugar: 47/50
FINISHED:
*Running with Sherman; The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero by Christopher McDougall ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was amazing! I am ever-so-grateful for prompt #17—A book about a run club. Even if I did groan a bit upon first reading it! I adore McDougall’s writing style and this is simply put—one of the very best books I’ve ever read! There is so much packed into it, beyond just the story of Sherman! Excellent bits of information sprinkled throughout that depict the sometimes harrowing experiences of being human! Poignant, informative, and just a beautifully entertaining read! I can’t remember the last book I laughed and chuckled over as much as this one! I remember seeing Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen being touted all over the place, but didn’t feel as if I really wanted to read it, but now I do!
POPSUGAR: #2, #6, #14, NEW #17, #20, #26, #28. #40, #43
ATY: #2, #3, #5, #16, #18, #20, #24, NEW #28/#29, #37, #40, #45, #48
RHC: #4, #17, #24
52 Book Club: #21, #22, #38, #39, #41, #51
*The Left-Handed Booksellers of London (Left-Handed Booksellers of London #1) by Garth Nix ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was a solidly good read. I enjoyed the first half a bit more than the second half. I would recommend this book for those who love adventure—action, action, action! Glad I read it and if I happen across a cheap copy of the second in the series, I might read it, too!
POPSUGAR: #6, #14, #18, #28, #40, NEW #45
ATY: #2, #5, #15, #16, #21, #23, #32, #37, #41, #45, #46, $48, #49
RHC: #4, #16, #24
52 Book Club: #2, #7, #18, #22, #27, #39, #42, $51
*Furia by ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was a beautiful read, addressing so very many issues for females in Argentina in very realistic voices of well-defined feel-as-if-I-know-you in real life characters! And while I have grandchildren who play soccer, I never had and I really don’t know much about it, so I found that part of the book to be very interesting as well!
POPSUGAR: #2, #6, #20, NEW #22, #24, #25, #43,
ATY: #2, #3, #5, #7, #15, #16, #24, #43, #48
RHC: #4, #24
52 Book Club: #13, NEW #15, #22, #33, #41-Red, #43, #45, #51-368 pages
CONTINUING:
*Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power by RebeccaSolnit
*Parable of the Talents (Earthseed #2) by Octavia E. Butler
*Shift (Silo #2) by Hugh Howey
*Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T.J. Klune
*The Trees by Percival Everett (#40)
*Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (#42)
*Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
*The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
*Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking has me thinking so very much that I have delayed reviewing it until I can finalize my thoughts…
*The Birthing House by Kathy Taylor
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
PLANNED:
*21st Birthday (Women’s Murder Club #21) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*22 Seconds (Women’s Murder Club #22) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23rd Midnight (Women’s Murder Club #23) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23 1/2 Lies (Women’s Murder Club #23.5) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*The 24th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #24) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin