Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2025 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 18: 4/25 - 5/1
Happy Thursday, and happy May!My partner's been sick all week (not Covid, thankfully), but it seems like he's finally getting over it this morning. As a result, I've been really tired myself, so hopefully the mystery illness doesn't come visit me next.
Finished:
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert - 3.5 stars - for a book about a POC experiencing joy and not trauma. A cute YA friends to enemies to friends to lovers romance story. I liked both the leads and found it to be very cute and fluffy.
Comics & manga:
Chi's Sweet Home, Volume 1
A Star Brighter than the Sun, Vol. 1
Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 43
Honey Lemon Soda, Vol. 6
Honey Lemon Soda, Vol. 7
Honey Lemon Soda, Vol. 8
I am currently at 21/50 for Popsugar (18/40 and 3/10).
Currently reading:
Iron Tongue of Midnight by Brittany N. Williams - I might use this for silver on the cover. Book 3 in a trilogy that I've really enjoyed.
Upcoming/Planned:
Before We Say Goodbye by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - for a book that is considered healing fiction.
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry - not currently for a prompt.
QOTW:
If I had to pick one genre from those options, I'd pick fantasy, but I read a little bit from nearly every genre. I'm honestly surprised horror isn't on that list. I guess I'm so surrounded by readers that I forget other people don't read as much.
Happy Thursday! We're still having highs in the mid-70s, and it's glorious! I hope it stays this way for a good long time. I put annuals in all my containers in front of the house, and the hot pinks, purples, and oranges look great against our green house. (And when I say green, I mean green. Not sage, not forest. Green. When we moved in the neighbors asked if we were going to paint the house. Huh? I love it!)2025 Reading Challenges:
52 Book Club: 36/52
ATY: 30/52 (ATY Anniversary Challenge: 6/10, ATY Spring Challenge: 28/30)
The Book Girls’ Guide: 25/74
Booklist Queen: 39/52
Popsugar: 29/50
My Ever-Growing TBR: 46/260 – 17.7% (My goal is 33.3%, but I’m not making much progress considering I bought TEN new books this week.)
Recently Completed:
Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection: It’s shocking to know that more than 1,000,000 die from tuberculosis each year. It seems like such an old-fashioned disease. It’s Satine from Moulin Rouge and the American Old West’s Doc Holliday… not a modern problem that HAS a cure! (ATY Spring #14 – EARTH DAY: Everything/Booklist Queen #9 – nonfiction book about health) ★★★★★
Six-Gun Snow White: I tried another Snow White retelling. I like it more than Gregory Maguire’s Mirror Mirror, but I’m still not really satisfied. I’m hoping T. Kingfisher can do it for me in August with her new book Hemlock & Silver. ★★★
The Duchess War (Popsugar #45 – a left-handed character) ★★★
Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet: This was my pick for the book club. I really needed to read something hopeful. I was impressed; I hope the book club is too. Reasonable Doubt Book Club. ★★★★
The Sirens (Booklist Queen #4 – about siblings) ★★★★
Say More: Lessons from Work, the White House, and the World: Jen Psaki’s memoir. ★★★★
Deadly Animals ★★★
Here for It; Or, How to Save Your Soul in America: Essays ★★★
Adam & Evie's Matchmaking Tour ★★★
Roommates (ATY Spring #12 – RAINCOAT: Roommates) ★★★
A Sorceress Comes to Call (ATY Spring #1 – SPRINGTIME: A Sorceress) ★★★★
Currently Reading:
A Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal: Goodreads Giveaway.
By Any Other Name (52 Books #39 – has an epigraph/BGG Book Lovers #5 – about writers and editors/Booklist Queen #7 – women’s fiction)
Funny You Should Ask (ATY Spring Challenge #5 – EGGS: Elissa Sussman)
The Good Part (ATY #34 – title could be a country song/BGG Lifetime of Reading #5 – 40-somethings)
Dateable: Swiping Right, Hooking Up, and Settling Down While Chronically Ill and Disabled: Goodreads Giveaway.
Wonder Drug: The Secret History of Thalidomide in America and Its Hidden Victims
Zetas Till We Die
The Getaway (ATY #26 – author has a common noun in their name: Isabelle Broom/BGG Book Voyage #5 – Eastern Europe and Russia: Croatia)
The Secret History of Sharks: The Rise of the Ocean's Most Fearsome Predators
The Staircase in the Woods
QOTW: I'm shocked that Romance isn't ranked higher! And I know this isn't the question asked, but I was also surprised at the response to the statement "Listening to audiobooks is not a form of reading." 41% of the respondents - both readers and non-readers - agreed with the statement... almost half!
April was a slow reading month for me, I only finished 4 books. I do have at 3 more I will finish in a week or two so May will look much better.This week I finished The Wedding People and used it for:
PS: resort
52: celebrity on the cover (read with JENNA)
ATY: waves on the cover
I have finished 17/50 for PS which is ahead of last year. I did more planning this time and selected books that fit prompts....and also the prompts are easier this year to overlap with other challenges. I finished last year on Dec. 31!
QOTW: I read most genres, but my favorites are literary fiction and nonfictional about the social sciences. I don't prefer scifi, fantasy, or mystery but I will read them sometimes
Mod
that's a very interesting article! Very different outlook from what we usually hear. Don't most people quote some stat that says over half of Americans have not read a book since high school? maybe it's the same stat, different spin. This NPR chart does say that only 51% of respondents have read a book in the last month.
It's been super nice weather here this week but my partner's been ill with a bad cold, which has put a dampener on things. I have next week off work but I feel like I'm about to succumb too.Only one book finished, Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) by Jesse Sutanto. I liked this more than the first, it leaned into the fact that Vera's not really that old and frail (an issue I had in the first), she's more putting it on. Loved her getting on The TikTok, and there was even a serious side to the mystery. Using this for ATY - something mentioned in the Do Re Mi song.
QOTW:
All the people I know that are really into romance get through a lot more books than other genre fans, so I think they'd be higher up if it were based on volume of books not the amount of people saying they like romance. Mysteries seem really popular everywhere, though I don't read much of the top 4 genres myself.
Mod
My river birch and sugar maple both have tiny green sprouts on the ends of the branches - by next week, they will be covered in leaves.
This week we are getting glorious weather, warm sun, cool nights, low humidity. Couldn't be finer. AND I got a new lawn mower! AND I got my 19 year old to mow part of the front yard!!
Downside: we already broke a part on the mower so it sprays grass on us as we mow. And my spring allergies are in full force (so no open windows in our house!). Oh well, win some, lose some.
This week I finished 3 books, 1 for this Challenge:
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway- I chose this book based on the last sentence, so I checked off that category fair and square. I'd never read Hemingway before, and I probably won't read anything else by him. I'm glad to have finally given him a try, anyway.
The Brilliant Abyss by Helen Scales- non-fiction about the deepest parts of the ocean; this was really interesting and made me want to read (a) more books about the ocean, and (b) more books by Scales. I checked off "set underwater" in AtY.
The Floating World by Axie Oh- my latest NetGalley read, just published this week - this was a solid YA fantasy quest story. Ren is on a quest to find a cure for her foster brother, Sunho is on a quest to find his long lost brother, they cross paths and join forces to help each other; there is a touch of romance, and they both have some special powers and some amnesia about their past that gets cleared up during the story. The sequel comes out in October! I checked off "set in a fictional location" in AtY.
I noticed that GR is showing two different covers for this book!
and
I like the first cover a lot more - Sunho is a major part of the story, he's literally half of the story, and he isn't on the cover of the second one at all. The story is about a young man and a young woman crossing paths and working together and making each other stronger. It's not about one girl floating in the sky with red and yellow ribbons. That's such a weird artistic choice. Who do they think that's going to appeal to??
Popsugar 60% 30 /50
Must Reads 20% 2 /10
AtY 65% 34 /52
AtY bonus 10% 1 /10
2025 pub 32% 16 /50
NetGalley ratio 81%
QotW
I think it's important to remember that people say what they think they're supposed to say. Romance traditionally gets a bad rap, romance readers are seen as brainless or less than or "just reading porn" etc etc. Our patriarchal societies love to belittle anything that women do or that is marketed to women, and the romance genre is most definitely dominated by women (as both readers and authors) and it is therefore seen as "less than" by many people. No one wants to be thought of as "less than" so I bet a lot of actual romance readers think of themselves as thriller readers and answered "thriller" or "mystery" instead. But we need to keep in mind that the romance genre sells more book $ than any other genre. SOMEONE is reading those books!!!
I don't even know what I would answer if someone asked me what my favorite genre is. Each year I read approximately the same number of romances, SFF, and mystery/thrillers. (Note: horror gets folded into SFF in my tracking numbers.) A glance at my stats YTD for 2025 shows SFF in the lead at 25% of books read this year (with mystery at 20%, romance at 14%, and general/literary fiction at 29%) - does that mean SFF is my favorite genre? or literary fiction? idk. So here I am, a huge romance reader, a huge genre reader in general, but based on my current stats I would have to say "realistic fiction" is my favorite.
Mod
I assumed they meant "crime"! There are some books, for example like S.A. Cosby or Jordan Harper or Dwyer Murphy or Megan Abbott or Laura Lippman, that are not really mysteries, and they are not really thrillers, so I call them "crime" books. Stories about grifters or criminals, there's no mystery, and they move at a steady pace so they aren't exactly thrillers either.
And that raises the question of where "true crime" is!! Is it folded into "history"? or "other"?
Mod
Chi's Sweet Home, Volume 1 ..."
LOL that is not the "Sweet Home" comic I thought it was going to be!! Very different from Sweet Home
I have some exciting book news! Phillip Pullman's third book in the Book of Dust trilogy is finally scheduled to be released October 23. It will be called The Rose Field. I have to admit, I squealed when I found out. Although that is a Thursday, not the usual Tuesday when books are released, so we'll see if it is ACTUALLY released then.I have an embarrassing amount of new books to get through:
April Library TBR: 3/14
April Purchased TBR: 7/13
April Gifted TBR: 3/9
On the other hand, I got a lot read, thanks to the Dewey readathon!
Finished: Dismantling the Master's Clock: On Race, Space, and Time So good!
Syme's Letter Writer: A Guide to Modern Correspondence About (Almost) Every Imaginable Subject of Daily Life Many inspiring ideas.
Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives So-so.
Synchronicity: C. G. Jung, Psychoanalysis, and Religion There was one part with a tarot graph that I really could not make heads nor tails of!
Sidewalk Oracles: Playing with Signs, Symbols, and Synchronicity in Everyday Life Had some interesting ideas.
Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers Quick, easy read.
Beyond Trans: Does Gender Matter? There are a lot of better books out there on this topic.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue A re-read. One of my all-time favorites! I have yet to read anything by Schwab that I like as much.
The Age of Miracles a re-read. I had remembered this as being uplifting, but it's actually a dystopia. Go figure.
Believe in the World: Wisdom for Grown-Ups from Children's Books Book of quotes. Made me want to start my own.
Started: Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life
Utopia for Realists: How We Can Build the Ideal World
I get absolutely ruined for reading for a few days after the readathon. I read 22 hours!!!
QotW: I was surprised that historical nonfiction was so high up the list and self-help was so low down.
Hi all! Mush brain here! I had my infusion the other day, and yesterday I had the worst migraine I've had in years. Usually infusion triggers a headache/low grade migraine, but yesterday I could barely move around the house. Today I have a migraine "hangover", I think. Not in pain, but brain not working, either. Last weekend was kiddo's friends' party- so much fun, so exhausting!
We had a tornado warning Tuesday afternoon, and I seriously thought there was going to be one. Kiddo and I hunkered down by the bathroom in case we needed to dive for cover. I wish we had a basement. Trees and power was down all over, but surprisingly, not here. Nadine, did you get bad storms??
With a busy/draining weekend and then my infusion and side effects, I've barely read anything this week. During my infusion, I read a few chapters in Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber, and the Invention of Criminal Profiling, I'm really liking it.
I also listened to a chapter of Red Rising, but the narrator kind of threw me. To others who have read the book, is it an important plot point that the MC is of Irish descent? Cause the narrator is, and I'm not liking it... I might just get a copy from the library and read it. (and YES audiobooks count as reading!!!)
QOTW: I definitely prefer realistic fiction (though I don't consider all realistic fiction "literary"), historical fiction, and historical nonfiction which is also usually "realistic"- it's the reality of the times. Anyway...
I'm not surprised mystery is at the top, but I agree, romance seems like it should be higher. I'm also surprised that 2 and 3 are nonfiction choices.
I didn't read the article, but I've read before that Americans read about 12 books a year. However, I am firmly of the belief that what is happening is that some people read 0, 1 or 2 books a year and then there are those of us that read dozens a year and we're balancing each other out.
I do believe that people wish they read more. Many of my friends, who were avid readers when we were younger tell me they just don't have time. When I was working and had my little one around the house, my reading went way down, too.
Mod
I have this ebook from NetGalley and I JUST started it yesterday and it is fantastic!! Full of that dry wit and humor you expect from her!!
I often struggle to stay focused when I read on my phone, there are so many other things that grab my attention, but as soon as I started reading this, I was locked in and focused.
Mod
oh that's interesting, what in particular from the song did you find? Because I have no idea what to read for that category!! I checked off "a group of 4 or more people" with this book but I could easily move it around - I've read plenty of books with groups of 4 or more.
Jennifer W wrote: "(and YES audiobooks count as reading!!!)..."I just listened to an audiobook the other night which is VERY weird behavior for me, but I wanted to crochet. It wasn't as stressful as it usually is. BUT I often take notes when I read non-fiction, so I find audiobooks not a good medium for that. I use this awesome app called bookmory and you can take pictures of the page and have it translated into text. So I prefer interfacing visually. Although being able to do something else at the same time is cool too.
Mod
Nope. No tornado warning here! It got really dark, and there was rain and some thunder and lightning, but nothing exceptional.
We did get a tornado warning a few weeks ago, and the only one who went in the basement was our older dog, Molly. If we ever really have a tornado, she might be the only survivor.
Mod
Not that i remember - I dont remember him being Irish at all - he's a Martian, born and raised on Mars.
Doni wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "(and YES audiobooks count as reading!!!)..."I just listened to an audiobook the other night which is VERY weird behavior for me, but I wanted to crochet. It wasn't as stressful..."
I rarely listen to nonfiction, I don't enjoy it as much on audiobook, and I'm not sure why. Usually, I only listen when I can't get a print copy. There are exceptions, of course, I just listened to King: A Life narrated by Dion Graham, and it was fabulous.
Mod
I just listened to an audiobook the other night which is VERY weird behavior for me, but I wanted to crochet. It wasn't..."
That's funny, because one of my preferred audiobook types is non-fiction! I'm basically trying to replicate NPR in my audiobook choices: either non-fiction, classics, or adventure/mystery (like the "old time" radio plays they broadcast). The audiobook I just finished is The Brilliant Abyss. The audiobook I just started is The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Happy Thursday! I completed my final assignment and am officially done with grad school! It's so freeing to now have so much more time to read! Now comes the challenging part of actually landing a job. I finished wrapping up Arab American Heritage Month by reading 12 books by Arab authors out of the total 17 I read in April. I'll be prioritizing books by AAPI authors for AAPI Month in May and I'll be taking part in the Asian Read-a-thon, as our goals seem to align for the month. I read 3 books this past week and was able to complete one of my reading goals!
2025 Reading Challenges
Popsugar- 37/50
ATY- 49/52; Anniversary- 8/10
Buzzword- 4/12; Cover- 4/12
Asian Read-a-thon- 1/5
1001 Books- 5/10
Finished
What Strange Paradise- I really liked this one, though it was very emotional. I'm still thinking about that final chapter and looking up others' interpretations of it.
ATY #52- a book with sunset vibes on the cover
PS #15- a book that an AI chatbot recommends based on your favorite book (based on The Other Americans by Laila Lalami)
The Dream Hotel- one of my most anticipated novels of 2025 and it did not disappoint! I could not put this book down and I appreciated the message of finding hope in solidarity with others, especially in this current climate of ours.
PS #44- a book that features a married couple who doesn't live together
TBR #20
An Unnecessary Woman- Just finished this one today! I enjoyed it. Although it is a slow read, I found the protagonist's hot takes on some well-known authors and books low key funny.
ARAT #3- Read a book written by an Asian author that's emotional and/or features an older character
Currently Reading
I Am Not Jessica Chen
A Room of One's Own & The Voyage Out
QOTW
I was surprised to see how low Romance ranked on the list! I’ve always heard that Romance makes up a huge portion of the book market, so I expected it to place higher. I wonder if part of the reason is that women, who tend to read more Romance, are also the ones driving the popularity of mystery/thrillers, as the article mentioned. That overlap might have split the vote and brought Romance’s ranking down.
Mystery/Thrillers topping the list didn’t shock me, though. They're designed to be fast-paced page-turners and have broad appeal. The article also noted that most men tend to prefer nonfiction, and that definitely lines up with what I’ve seen in real life.
Personally, I gravitate toward Contemporary and Literary Fiction, with Romance being a close second. I still read across genres, but not as frequently. When I first got back into reading after college, I tore through mystery/thrillers, but after a while, they all started blending together and losing their edge. I’ll still occasionally pick up the buzzy bestsellers in that category, but more often than not, they don’t live up to the hype. These days, if I reach for a mystery/thriller, it’s usually one that’s more character-driven—often literary or a well-crafted police procedural, like something by Jane Harper or Liz Moore.
Happy Thursday all!I finished the challenge this week! Now just need to finish the library's book challenge...
One week left of school! And less than three weeks left until Italy! This is going to be a crazy-busy May...
Books read this week:
The Book of Gothel -- for “book with two or more books on the cover or ‘book’ in the title.” Supposedly a retelling of Rapunzel, but it’s more of a historical fiction with some fantasy sprinkled in than anything else. The Rapunzel myth doesn’t kick in until the VERY end.
Gwendy's Button Box -- not for the challenge. Not King’s best, but still a thoughtful, quirky novella.
The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic -- not for the challenge. A bit cliche but cute story about a high school student struggling with coming out of the closet… and creatures of mythology stalking his hometown.
What the Animals Taught Me: Stories of Love and Healing from a Farm Animal Sanctuary -- not for the challenge. I enjoyed the stories about the animals… not sure how I feel about all the metaphysical aspects.
DNF:
Iron Hearted Violet -- lost my interest very fast. Which is a shame, because I’ve loved other books by this author.
Such Lovely Skin -- couldn’t stand the main character’s voice
Currently reading:
My Grape Year
Lost in Shangri-la: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II
Vermilion: The Adventures of Lou Merriwether, Psychopomp
Dungeons and Drama
QOTW:
I'm not terribly surprised by the list, as I'd put the books people check out from us in that order as well. Thrillers/crime books and historical non-fiction tend to go out more than any other genre.
I finished The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel as my book about a politician. I didn't love it. I found two factual errors that I know of. I feel like the author was not unbiased. So, nothing against Angela Merkel, but, this was not the book for me.I read The Five People You Meet in Heaven asmy healing fiction. I mostly liked it.
I'm now reading Britt-Marie Was Here as my book about soccer. My goodness Britt-Marie is insufferable.
QOTW: Well, as a person who doesn't particularly like romane, I'm not surprised that it's mid list. I know a lot of people love it, so wouldn't expect it to be bottom, but I do feel like mysteries are more universally liked.
Also not surprised poetry is at the bottom. You either love poetry or hate it, and I don't think there's a lot of in between. I'm assuming hilddren's books and graphic novels are low because it was a mostly adult survey?
Nadine in NY wrote: "L Y N N wrote: "I admit to being surprised that Mystery, Thriller, and Crime (I assume they mean True Crime) are all three lumped together. ..."I assumed they meant "crime"! There are some books..."
The over-arching category is 'crime fiction' if you look broadly at fiction. As Nadine says, there are many that are classed as 'crime' or what was ore commonly called 'procedurals' or what the French call "Policiers" - they are gritty, darker, with a higher body count and blood shed.
True Crime seems ignored.
Happy Thursday! I can't believe it's already May, though I am eager for our summer vacation plans!!Finished 16/50
The Rithmatist for "book about a nontraditional education". This was really cute. I enjoyed it a lot!
Currently Reading
In the House of My Pilgrimage: Violence, Noetic Healing, and Personhood for "book with less than 3 stars on GR". I was just on a video chat with the editor of this book (the author's wife and my adopted godmother) and she's excited that I'll be doing the first review of it on here!
The Brothers Karamazov for "book an AI chatbot recommends based off your fave book"...which is Crime and Punishment. Am I shocked? No. I used the Snapchat AI because I just do not use AI at all. I've read this one before, but it's been awhile. Loving it so far!
QotW
I'm honestly surprised fantasy is as low as it is, and romance. Though mystery being that high isn't as shocking.
Greetings from a lovely spring in NYC! Though I'm glued mostly to my desk as lawyering continues to be so busy. It's also May Day - which is Europe's Labor Day and is far more serious generally than our Labor Day, and will be marked with demonstrations, parades, marches and at least in France, everything closed. But it's also coupled in France with celebrating muguets which we know as lilies in the valley. You will see them being sold everywhere today!PS 27/60
ATY 38/52
Finished:
The Seven Dials Mystery - this was such fun! - PS prompt - Left-handed character - yippee! you only learn that well into the book and it's a key character and key to the mystery plot! But this being Agatha Christie, it's not waved in front of you - she's distracted you from it.
Murder at Morrington Hall - PS prompt - books on cover - murder occurs in the library after all
Currently reading:
Death in Saratoga Springs
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida
QOTW: I find the article interesting but the genres list off quite seriously, but also, it's representative of replies from only 2000 people to an emailed poll. There's no indication of what the criteria was, where the names and emails came from that would make this representative of the population as a whole. I for one am someone who never does polls, certainly ones sent to me by email. Heck, I barely read non-work emails except from family and friends. What is the makeup of those who did respond?
What do I find suspect about the list?
Romance - way down the list? Are you kidding? It's documented that romance novels account for the largest portion of book sales and have for years. Books are published, bought, devoured, and the cycle begins again. They are read across ages, education levels, economic, ethnic, and social levels. Given the roaring success here in NYC (center of all publishing and we are snobbish) of The Ripped Bodice Romance Bookstore, located in Brooklyn, not even the more central Manhattan, there is no drop in those sales.
The Mystery, Thriller & Crime being high up does not surprise because by grouping those all together you maximize numbers ticking that box. A lot of cozy readers would never read crime or thriller because too violent and vice versa. But that should not put it above romance.
2 NF genres at the top? That's just nuts. I hang out with a lot of serious readers, and even among those, the number who mostly read NF is low.
Fantasy, Sci Fi, historical fiction -- seem low on the list to me as well. Literary fiction is a category that the average reader my not know if they read it or not - for some that only means prize winners or classics, for other it's pretty much any contemporary literature that's not romance, SFF, or Crime fiction.
What I did like mostly in the article is the results about who is reading, when and why the aren't reading more. I think much of those responses reflect the general public.
The weather has been gorgeous lately, though I haven't been able to get out and enjoy it as much as I'd like.As a children's librarian, today is a pretty big day, the start of a new Nutmeg season, aka the day the nominees for the Nutmeg Book Award are officially unveiled to the public in CT libraries. The winner of the previous season won't be announced for another two weeks, as voting only ended last night. It would, of course, be an even bigger deal if we could have gotten all the nominees in time for today, but that hasn't happened since pre-covid, and having some is better than none, at least.
Finished:
All the Best Dogs - (PS A book that is considered healing fiction) This was a fun read, and a nice change of pace from the previous books I'd finished, which were both pretty action-packed. My one quibble is that there's an illustrated Who's Who of the cast of characters, dogs and humans alike, which gives away a major plot point. (view spoiler)
The School for Whatnots - This started off strong, but the author seemed to have made this book a challenge to see how many things she could set up and then reveal were misconceptions, which lead to a less than satisfactory ending. But the parts that were good were very good, it's just a shame it couldn't have been good all the way to the end.
The Night Librarian: A Graphic Novel - Straight up did not like this one. The main characters were obnoxious (in different ways) and the public domain book characters that appeared often felt out of character. The ending was kind of clever, kind of a cop out, but I didn't care about the characters, so it didn't bother me either way.
Shadow Fox - Another one I didn't care for, because the author never gives the readers or the main characters a good reason to care. The narrative literally holds another character hostage to ensure the main characters get involved, and from there it's a slog to see how they defeat the bad guys, because obviously they will.
Maya Plays the Part - I had a better time with this one, partly because I also love musicals. The first half was tempered with a lot of dread as I waited for the main character to not get the lead role (which she obviously can't, considering how certain she is that she will). After that, though, it was a more enjoyable read.
Currently reading:
The Sound of Music Story: How A Beguiling Young Novice, A Handsome Austrian Captain, and Ten Singing von Trapp Children Inspired the Most Beloved Film of All Time
The Book of Heartbreak
The Lost Library
Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek
Speaking of audiobooks, I also prefer to listen to nonfiction over reading it. I don't exactly know why, but I take in the information better when I listen to it.
Happy Thursday, everyone! This has been a super busy week, but I have finally reached the point where I feel like I can be productive again. The antidepressant I tried a few weeks back is finally out of my system, so I have plenty of energy, and the nice weather has significantly improved my mood.
I also had a chance to watch a fantastic series on Netflix this week. If you are a fan of murder mysteries, I highly recommend checking out "The Residence." It's an 8-episode mini series set at the White House, and it is so good! It does earn its M rating, because there is a lot of profanity, but it's interesting and exciting, and includes a lot of humor. I watched the entire show in two nights.
This past weekend I had a chance to participate in the Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon, and I had a marvelous time. I ended up reading for a total of 12 hours, and was able to do a significant amount of reading. I spent most of the readathon focusing on books 4 and 5 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, which are both pretty chunky books, but also took a little time to listen to my current audiobook.
My quest to finish all of the new books I’ve purchased this year ended on Wednesday night. While I was not able to finish every book on my list, I was extremely close to completing my goal. I only have 1 book remaining. Even though I didn’t meet my goal, I am really pleased with how much I was able to accomplish during the past month.
Here are my current challenge and TBR totals…
Goodreads Challenge: 166/250
Mount TBR Challenge: 097/150
📚Physical TBR: 78/731
📱Ebook TBR: 11/218
🎧Audiobook TBR: 8/12
TBR Checklist Total: 97/961
TBR Books DNFed in 2025: 3
The final new book I picked up in April was My Next Breath: A Memoir, by Jeremy Renner.
The only book I’ve purchased since the beginning of May is Nights With A Cat, tome 5, by Kyuryu Z. I would have gotten myself a copy of this one last month, but didn’t realize that it had been released until a few days before the end of April.
“New” Books Bought in 2024: 71
“New” Books Read in 2024: 69
“New” Books DNFed in 2024: 0
Here are the books I finished this week…
Finished Reading (Fiction):
~Dragonfall — This is the first book in the Dragon Scales duology. To be honest, I was kind of disappointed in this book. I thought the overall premise was interesting, but had a hard time staying engaged while I was reading. I never managed to get to the point where I actually cared about the main characters, which made it hard for me to care about whether or not they were successful in meeting their goals. 📚: ⭐️⭐️
~The Gate of the Feral Gods — This is the fourth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters, story, and humor made it such a fun read! 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Butcher's Masquerade — This is the fifth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. It is an absolutely massive book, but one I enjoyed so much that I read it in only two days. I’m really looking forward to continuing the series when the next book is released this month! 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Dream Girl Drama — This is the third book in the Big Shots contemporary romance series. I thought this was a pretty good story, and liked the main characters. 📱: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Emberclaw — This is the second book in the Dragon Scales duology. After the disappointment I experienced with the previous book, I was somewhat reluctant to read this one. Fortunately, this book turned out to be a much better read. I wouldn’t say that I was completely enthralled by the story, but I found it much more interesting than the previous one, and was finally able to care about the main characters. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
~A Language of Dragons — I was so incredibly impressed by this book, and enjoyed it so much that I read it in a single evening. The world-building, story, and characters were all fabulous! It’s definitely one of my favorite books of the year! I’m already looking forward to finding out how the story will progress from here. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
~My Next Breath: A Memoir — I’ve been a massive fan of Jeremy Renner’s work for years, and knew I would be reading this book from the moment it was announced. While I followed news about Renner’s accident and recovery through news stories and his social media posts, I was absolutely floored by his strength and tenacity throughout his recovery. The insights he gained into life throughout the process of healing are really inspirational, and had a huge emotional impact on me as I read. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
None
Finished Reading (Poetry and Drama):
None
DNFed:
None
Currently Reading:
~The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1001 Nights, Volume 2 — I will be getting back into this book this month. 📚
~Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix — This is the fifth book in the Harry Potter series. I’m currently a few hours into this audiobook, and I’m enjoying listening to it before bed and while working on household projects. 🎧
~Dragons of Autumn Twilight — I started this book a couple days ago, but haven’t made it past the first chapter yet, because I got distracted by watching "The Residence." I will try to read some more tonight. 📚
~Volcano: Live, Dormant and Extinct Volcanoes around the World — This book has turned out to be more photography than information, but focuses on famous volcanoes from around the world. It’s interesting, but not quite what I expected. 📚
QOTW:
I read a lot of the genres included in this list, but definitely have a preference for fantasy, science fiction, and mysteries.
While I find the results of this poll interesting, I have to confess that I am not sold on the results. Some of the quotes included at the end of the article really made me want to know the demographics of their sample population. The idea that age plays a factor in reading is not farfetched, and I agree that people who are retired or who don’t have young children may have more reading time available. However, that does not mean that people under the age of 65 aren’t taking time out their days to read. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. I also know that I am not the only person my age who reads every day, and have repeatedly heard people over the age of 65 tell me that reading is “a waste of time.” Which begs the question…
How did the polling company select their participants? Are the 2,000 people who were surveyed the result of a simple random sample (which is how polls should be conducted to provide equal representation), and why were only 2,000 people surveyed? In a population of over 340 million people, that’s a very small number of participants. Both of these things will affect results, which makes me question whether or not this is accurate.
Happy May Day!I did well in April. I finished all my April books. I've been giving myself two months to do Nobel books and ATY anniversary books. I have read half of the next anniversary prompt.
I am almost done that stupidly long chapter in Ulysses (how many hallucinations can two people have in a whore house? Seriously, James Joyce?)
I am doing well in my first May book considering it's only May 1. I just got to the part where Roger Ackroyd has died. (Not a spoiler - it's in the title)
Finished:
The Crystal City
Popsugar prompt: A book that features a married couple who don't live together
ATY prompt: A book that deals with time travel, alternate universes, or alternate timelines
Anniversary prompt:
Series - 3/10
Reading Across Canada - 4/10
Nobel laureates - 2/5
PS - 16/40
Regular ATY - 14/40
Anniversary ATY - 5/10
Currently reading:
Interior Castle - 25%
Ulysses - 75%
The Lonely Hearts Hotel - 55%
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - 20%
Buddy Reads:
none at present
QOTW: I'm definitely a thriller/mystery girl. Like Lynn, I wonder what's all in that "Other" category. I guess I would have thought fantasy and YA would be higher.
Finished An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good (interconnected short stories)
Assassin’s Apprentice (books on cover)-I liked this one. I like fantasy and a slow burn.
Death on Eat Street (food truck)-nothing profound, a decent, basic mystery and hadn’t read one lately so it was fun.
In other news, my first grader aka kid 3 who struggled a little bit at the beginning of the year is really doing great with reading and enjoying books.
Picking back up on Three Dark Crowns
Started: Assassin’s Apprentice
Encyclopedia(sp) of Fairies but won’t make much headway as I was finishing Assassin’s Apprentice and only have a couple days left before Libby takes it back, and I have it on hold again.
No progress:
Daisy Jones & the Six
The list doesn’t really surprise me. I read a mix. My husband surprisingly reads a lot, but it’s all self help in some weird capacity: business/stocks/gut health/real estate etc. I would never select off his bookshelf. My best guy friend likes the really unrealistic romance/sex sci-fi books. I kind of prefer to just go at random than a specific genre.
Last weekend was Dewey’s Readathon. I didn’t attempt to read for 24 hours, but the hours I did read were fun and relaxing. I read 2 1/2 books, and I enjoyed them all. I finished The Fellowship quest for the Conqueror Challenge on Sunday! It was a long 680 miles, but I’ve spoken, friend, and entered Moria. Since Moria is pretty short, I’ve also signed up for the Eye of Sauron challenge to continue on with after.
Finished
The Furies (a book set in or around a body of water). This is the fourth book in the Stargate Atlantis Legacy series. I guess I’d read the first four books back in 2019 and then rage quit the series? This is the best one yet, so that was a choice. I think I was probably protesting the Sheppard/Teyla relationship that isn’t canon and didn’t need to be included. I still don’t like it, but it’s background enough that it doesn’t bother me too much this time around.
The Annual Migration of Clouds (a book where nature is the antagonist). I think I would call this a “character-driven sci-fi novella”. It’s a post-climate disaster with a semi-sentient/semi-symbiotic fungal infection, but the story is primarily about a young woman trying to decide if she’ll stay safe (or as safe as anyone is in this world) at home or brave a dangerous world to try and make it better. I liked it a lot, and I plan to read the next book.
Reading
Silence for the Dead
Where They Last Saw Her (a book with a run club)
Tess of the D’Urbervilles (a classic you’ve never read)
Jennifer W wrote: "I also listened to a chapter of Red Rising, but the narrator kind of threw me. To others who have read the book, is it an important plot point that the MC is of Irish descent? Cause the narrator is, and I'm not liking it... I might just get a copy from the library and read it. (and YES audiobooks count as reading!!!)..."I don't remember that being a part of the book. The main character is supposed to have an accent and dialect that make him clearly red class that he works to change to pretend to be gold class. I wonder if the audio reader will have to change how they speak as the chapters go?
Happy check-in! There's a new set of goodreads bookmarks to earn, fortunately no self-help lists to read from yet. Finished Reading:
Burn For Me Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Now to wait for the rest of the series to be published.
The Dead Cat Tail Assassins ⭐⭐ (ATY zombies)
This had good characters and humour but I kept getting lost for some reason.
The Night Eaters, Vol. 3: Their Kingdom Come ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS dystopian with happy ending)
This was a great ending for the series. It started off so dark and then the humour kicked in. Lui and Tanaka are such an amazing creative partnership.
Network Effect: Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Rom-Commers ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS non traditional education)
This was quite funny and sad. Emma ends up teaching a successful screen writer how to write a rom-com. I'll read more from this author.
QOTW:
I think they needed a higher bar for what constitutes a reader than one book read in the last year. Audiobooks count as reading!
I also was confused that fantasy and romance were so low down.
It'd be interesting to compare people's answer about reading genres vs. their streaming genres.
Hi all! I took off today and tomorrow from work for a relaxing long weekend and naturally spent the better part of today deep cleaning the kitchen. Oops. Tomorrow will be a bit more forced fun time since we're taking the kiddo for an overnight in a nearby city. We're planning on walking around and getting in a lot of fresh air, good food, and plenty of stimulation for the little guy. Finished this week:
Lost in Austen: Create Your Own Jane Austen Adventure: It's really just 'Lost in Pride and Prejudice' with a couple of optional sidequests into other Austen works, but the bulk of the available story lines follow P&P. Also, a bunch of the 'choices' will get you to the exact same place. It's ok, but not as fun as My Lady's Choosing.
Clouds of Witness: not a standout in the series
Selected Poems Of Oscar Wilde: I've discovered that I really only like Wilde's satire, but hey at least I got my Irish author.
QOTW: Like others, I question how representative the sample population really is. 2000 is a small group, and surveys are already notorious for self-selection bias.
Happy Thursday! Managed to mess up my foot somehow this week- luckily my manager was ok with my working from home today cause I did not think I could handle hobble around the office. I was supposed to see a show last night, and finally had to admit to myself there was no way I'd be able to walk from the bart station to the venue and then stand for 2 hrs. April was just not my month! Luckily I already have a doctor's appointment next week, so if my foot is still bad, I can ask about that as wellI did get to visit my friend this weekend, and we went to visit her favorite bookstore for independent bookstore day. Picked up a copy of Memorial since I loved that last year and have been waiting to find an affordable copy, and then A Harvest of Hearts, because my friend said she thought I'd like it, and I'm very suggestible...
Finished:
Let Them Stare- a ya book about being queer in a small town, with a supernatural twist in the form of the a haunted handbag that houses the ghost of a drag queen. I liked this, it was a fun read that dealt with some serious topics
-no prompt
You and Me on Repeat- graphic novel about two kids getting trapped in a time loop on their graduation day. This was fun, maybe nothing super memorable, but a fun time loop book.
-no prompt
Currently reading:
Slaying the Vampire Conqueror- almost done with this, picked it up again last night since I couldn't go out and got a big chunk finished
To Save and to Destroy: Writing as an Other- half way through
Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space: A Literary Mixtape- this is paused for a sec
QotW:
I'd be interested in the breakdown of the people who were interviewed, I wondering if having nonfiction being so high up on the list has more to do with it being a poll by NPR.
For me, I try to mix up genres as much as I can. I find if I read to many of the same type of books in a row I start getting irritated with them- if I mix up genres, I find I give books more of a fair chance, instead of comparing them to the similar books I might have read right before
Of course, this month I have a bunch of fantasy books I want to get to , so we'll see how that works out...
Hello and happy Friday from a rainy Columbus! The ac at work finally got fixed and I’m so excited to not sweat at work now lol. I missed last week's check in, so a belated I hope all who celebrate had a great Easter! We had a really nice family gathering and now I’m just working a ton to cover my upcoming vacation. Finished:
Queens of the Conquest for the overlooked women in history prompt. Crazy how many women were named Matilda/Maud during this time lol. An interesting read about queens in an era I don’t often dive into.
Hera for a book riot prompt. So far I’ve loved all of Jennifer Saint’s books. Ariadne was probably my favorite but I really like seeing a more sympathetic portrayal of Hera.
Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth for the free book prompt. I love love love all of books. This one was more a collection of short essays about goddesses than one of her fictional retellings. I highlighted a lot of her really funny quips, she always makes me laugh even when the topic is a little somber. I think my favorite line was, in reference to the story of Hera and Io, “If this seems like overkill – a ninety-eight-eyed panopticon to check that one cow doesn’t get up to much – then Juno’s escalating responses to Jupiter’s continuing infidelities are going to perplex you further.”
Currently Reading:
The End
The God of the Woods
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Great Adventure Catholic Bible
Recently Watched:
I started watching the series of unfortunate events series with my son. I saw the movie ages ago when it came and now that we’re nearly done with the last book I figured I’d start this.
Challenges:
Popsugar - 13/40; 0/4; 0/3; 2/3
Read Harder - 7/24
Classics - 3/12
European Tour - 4/10
12 Friends - 2/12
Yearly Goal - 33/180
QOTW:
I’m mostly drawn to the mystery/thriller/PI genre and historical fiction. Where would I categorize dark academia because that’s my jam lol
It's been rough reading lately. I haven't finished much. I did manage to finish one prompt (43. A book that includes a nonverbal character) I read Black Bolt, Vol. 1: Hard Time by Saladin Ahmed Black Bolt's superpower is a destructive voice so he's non verbal (as is his companion, a giant teleporting bulldog named Lockjaw)
QOTW
Surprised isn't the word for it. I'm stunned (and wondering if they only polled the older age group) Just watching in book stores and libraries romance, graphic novels and YA should be WAY higher than this. Most of BookTok is on YA books (that I've seen)
Horror didn't even make the list (as a horror short story author I'm side eyeing this hard)
Jennifer W wrote: "Doni wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "(and YES audiobooks count as reading!!!)..."I just listened to an audiobook the other night which is VERY weird behavior for me, but I wanted to crochet. It wasn't stressful..."
I rarely listen to nonfiction, I don't enjoy it as much on audiobook, and I'm not sure why. Usually, I only listen when I can't get a print copy. There are exceptions, of course, I just listened to King: A Life narrated by Dion Graham, and it was fabulous.
Really! I prefer my nonfiction in audio format, esp. memoirs. I have a hard time getting in to it as a paper copy sometimes and then either never finish it or take forever to read it.
Happy Friday!I went on a 36,5km (22.7mi) bike ride yesterday and then we had a barbecue (because we've had proper Summer weather!) and it was so nice out we stayed outside after. By the time I went upstairs I was so exhausted, I finished the crossword I was doing and passed out xD
I was very responsible during my bike ride, though! Wore a cap to protect the skin there (and to be able to see properly), and about every half an hour when I needed to get off my bike to relieve my butt for a bit I drank water and reapplied sunscreen!
I am now only 11km away from 60% of the Scotland (500 miles/805,5km) challenge!
And after my walk today I'll have passed the 75% mark of the first Hobbit challenge! Unofficially setting my goal to finishing this one this month!
Have my food lady/weigh in appointment in an hour, so I'm curious and terrified to see what the results are.
Read
Ben Hur
I DID IT!!!! With three days to spare, I finished Ben Hur. I didn't hate it, but I definitely didn't love it either. Not even sure I enjoyed it. But I'm glad I did it, I am now actually looking forward to seeing the movie(s)! I put it for 'adult who changes careers', which I'm aware is a bit of a stretch given his first career wasn't by choice but eh. For my server's challenge I put it for 'non greek/roman mythology', because I will die on the hill that either all religions are religion, or they're all mythology.
Catching Fire
Reread after Sunrise & Hunger Games. MAN THIS HITS SO MUCH WORSE NOW. Amazing. Still my favorite arena. Added this to 'non verbal character'.
After Alice
Got this years ago from a friend, and for the page-a-thon's April bingo I still needed a second hand book and a title/author starting with A. So I read this! Now I know Gregory is kind of a legend, with Wicked and all, but he is the exact type of author that has put me off adult literature. Like, my man, congrats, you know words. Please stop. While I loved being in Wonderland again, the book as a whole felt quite pointless, as in, why does it exist? What did it have to add?Can't say I overly enjoyed it. Luckily for me it only has a 2.82 rating on Goodreads, so guess where it went, haha!
(It's only 245 pages, if anyone still needs a book for this prompt)
Currently Reading
Nothing. I'd intended to start my first book last night, but I was too tired. So instead, I'll share my TBR for the month, as I'll be sure to be reading one of them soon enough, haha!
Spinning Silver (server challenge 'recced by someone in server')
A Day of Fallen Night (server challenge 'join a readalong')
The Invisible Library (TBR jar pick)
Beauty Sleep (random shelf pick by 20-die; the way I needed to search several pages to find this in the add book section even though the title was a 100% match to my search xD)
The Castle of Tangled Magic (random eARC pick by 20-die; thought it was time to start working on my backlog. My first pick's file was a graphic novel that sadly got corrupted)
The Book Eaters (for no particular reason than it having been on my shelves for ages, haha!)
QOTW
My biggest surprise (and pet peeve) is that children's books/YA are STILL classified as genres. It might be my autistic brain but I cannot see them as genres, they're intended audiences! They span pretty much all genres, and most readers won't read all those genres!
My favorite genre would probably have to be Fantasy. It seems to be what I gravitate towards the most, and sci-fi that's not in space. But I'll still read anything that intrigues me!
P.S. Can Goodreads please fix their notification system??
L Y N N wrote: "World Snake Day (I had no idea that there was one of these)"I love that there is one! An ex of mine has a royal python (ball python in American English), and I honestly enjoyed having it around. I learned that pythons are more social than I'd realised and recognise individual humans. We also had a cat at the time, who was perplexed by the snake at first. We knew he'd accepted the new arrival when he dropped a dead mouse on top of the snake's tank instead of bringing it to one of us...
Life update: My symptoms seem to be getting worse again, which is frustrating. I'm concerned that my BPPV (benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) may be recurring. There's a fairly simple physio procedure that worked to fix it last time, so when I get my ENT appointment I need to remember to ask about that.Reading update: So, when I started the year I'd really got out of the habit of reading regularly because of the way the pandemic and subsequent vestibular illness changed my routine. As well as using the PS Challenge to motivate myself to work books back into my day-to-day, I set myself a target of reading 52 books over the course of the year - one a week. Well, this week I hit 53 books, so I think it's safe to say I'm smashing that target!!!
I finshed:
How to Sleep at Night for a politician main character
Smart Legal Contracts: Computable Law in Theory and Practice for a book I got for free
Star Trek: The Official Guide to the Animated Series for the Star Trek Series Challenge
Too Bright to See, outside the challenges
The Valmiki Ramayana Vol. 2 for spiritual bedtime reading
I also DNF'd Knowledge Management and AI in Society 5.0. I was reading it for work and could tell from the introduction and first chapter that it wasn't relevant to the kind of knowledge management I do; in fact, calling it a KM book at all is a bit of a stretch, in my opinion.
Stats:
Finished for PopSugar Challenge: 2 this week, 35/50 total
Finished for Star Trek Series Challenge: 1 this week, 10/18 total
Finished outside the challenges: 2 this week, 10 total
GR Bookmarks: Community Favorites 6/6, Seasonal 0/7
All books finished this year: 5 this week, 53 total
DNF or paused: 1 this week, 12 total
Currently reading:
God's Phallus: And Other Problems for Men and Monotheism, for snake on the cover. The title is deliberately provocative, but the book is a serious scholarly work on how the monotheistic religions came to think of their deity as incorporeal. The author is a rabbi and professor of Jewish Studies. My undergrad degree is in religious studies, and I still like to dip my toes in the water occasionally.
Playing for Keeps by Avery Cockburn for a book about soccer. It's a smutty M/M romance between two footballers from very different social backgrounds, and so far very enjoyable.
The Emperor's Soul, outside the challenges. I haven't read any of Brandon Sanderson's books before, and this is one of the recommended starting-points. I'm enjoying it so far and may well read more.
Knowledge Management: Systems and Processes in the AI Era, for work. This one does seem at least somewhat relevant.
The Valmiki Ramayana Vol. 3 for spiritual bedtime reading - the final volume, and the longest. Since I only read a few pages each evening, I doubt I'll finish it before the end of this year.
QOTW: I'm not surprised that mysteries/crime writing are so high on the list - I think the trend towards cosy mysteries unlocked that category for a lot of people who may have shied away from it before. Like others, I was surprised at first that romance wasn't higher on the list, but reading all your comments, I think the reasons that have been suggested make a lot of sense.
I do very much think that audiobooks count, and I don't see much point in making a value distinction between listening and reading. I personally prefer reading if I want to be able to retain the content, because my autism/ADHD came with hyperlexia on one hand and auditory processing disorder on the other. I can read faster than I can listen, and much faster than a narrator can speak. About a third of my book consumption is audiobooks, though, because having something to listen to helps me complete routine tasks without getting distracted. I just try to keep to short, relatively straightforward fiction so that I don't have to struggle to understand what's going on, and it doesn't matter if I don't remember the details.
Erica wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "I also listened to a chapter of Red Rising, but the narrator kind of threw me. To others who have read the book, is it an important plot point that the MC is of Irish descent? Ca..."That's interesting. That might keep me listening to see how they handle it.
Carmen wrote: "My biggest surprise (and pet peeve) is that children's books/YA are STILL classified as genres. It might be my autistic brain but I cannot see them as genres, they're intended audiences! They span pretty much all genres, and most readers won't read all those genres!."I had an issue with this as well. They are definitely not genres.
Mod
Same with graphic novel, which is a format, not a genre. But what they really mean is CATEGORIES. That's the word they should use. Perhaps people get confused if they use that word.
It's been a FEW weeks since my last check in, and I'm still barely reading these days. It's just taking me a lot longer to get through books, I think. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but I certainly miss getting through them quicker. I did visit Asheville last weekend and mostly stuck to downtown (met a friend for her birthday) I was impressed and surprised how much the area has rebuilt since the devastating hurricane that hit last season.17/75 GoodReads Challenge
15/50 PopSugar Challenge
Finished:
1.) Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (#23-Healing Fiction) ⭐⭐⭐⭐- I enjoyed this - told as interconnected short stories, some were stronger than others, however I don't think I'll continue on with the series.
2.) Geekerella by Ashley Poston (#29-Food Truck) ⭐⭐⭐- YA - cute but I'm not the target market, so will likely fall into the forgettable category for me.
3.) The Favorites by Layne Fargo (#20-Redo from 2024 - women in sports) ⭐⭐⭐⭐- I really enjoyed this one! I loved the format of the interviews interspersed between the MC perspective. Super dramatic story of ice dancers making a run for the Olympics - also a Wuthering Heights retelling.
4.) Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan (No prompt) ⭐⭐⭐💫- I love all of her books, but this was my least favorite - I think I just didn't love the characters as much as her other novels.
Currently Reading:
1.) Horse
QoTW: Is there anything that surprises you about this list?
It does surprise me that Romance and Fantasy were so much lower than I would've guessed.
Sasha wrote: "L Y N N wrote: "We knew he'd accepted the new arrival when he dropped a dead mouse on top of the snake's tank instead of bringing it to one of us..."That is the BEST story! I have a friend that has a python and also a couple of cats. She's never mentioned the cats doing that! But then, she's in an urban apartment and the cats are strictly house cats. If they are catching mice, it's a problem, LOL.
Mod
I really like the original old myths and the new retellings, so it's kind of crazy that I have yet to read any books by Jennifer Saint or Natalie Haynes!! I need to get on the ball!! (I've got Hayne's book about Medusa penciled in for the "serpent" category, anyway.)
Happy Friday!Only two books read this week. I feel like everything is a slog lately!
Finished
The Interestings It was certainly a choice to focus this book, about a group of kids who (briefly) call themselves The Interestings, on the least interesting one of them. I feel like I wanted more of anyone else's story. I was interested in what I thought would be an examination of how you deal with it when your life doesn't live up to what you hoped when you were younger, but the only answer we got is bitterness.
The Guncle Abroad I quite liked The Guncle, it was one of my 5 star books of the year to date, but this sequel seems like it will be pretty forgettable. I really liked the first because it did have a serious core to it's fluff, about grief and dealing with death, but this one just felt like fluff. Also I wanted more of the travelling portion with Patrick and the kids, but that section was really just a few snapshots.
Currently Reading
The Ever After of Ashwin Rao
An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us
Black Cake
Somewhere Beyond the Sea
QotW
My question about the poll (and sorry if this is answered in the article, I skimmed it) is whether people could pick more than one genre. Because there are definitely multiple options there that I would pick. If I had to pick one, it would be sci-fi/fantasy. I'm also a romance reader, but it wouldn't be my first pick - wonder if that's part of the issue with how it placed (also, as people have pointed out the issues with how the survey was administered - I can see people not wanting to admit to romance as their primary genre if something else is close).
Mod
LOL I think I know what you mean, and if that's how he writes then I should never read one of his books!!!
Quick check-in this week. I finished one book but didn't think any of my open prompts fit, so no movement. Just about every book I've read this year worked for another challenge that I'm working on though, so I'm really plugging along on that one (Politics and Prose Reading Challenge - I'm at 16/52 so far)! I'm at 8/40 and 0/10 for this challenge, and 23/85 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge. Finished:
* Our Best Intentions by Vibhuti Jain, which was one of my NetGalley backlist titles. I felt like it started out strong for me but then felt meandering.
Currently Reading:
* The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims;
* No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding by Catherine Mack, which is another NetGalley title; and,
* How to Menopause: Take Charge of Your Health, Reclaim Your Life, and Feel Even Better than Before by Tamsen Fadal, which I received as part of the book launch promotion.
QotW:
Regarding the NPR article cited above, is there anything that surprises you about this list? As others have mentioned, I was surprised that romance wasn't ranked higher and I couldn't help but wonder about the survey participant demographics. TBH, I wondered if the rankings were more reflective of a stereotypical NPR listener/reader (looking in the mirror here 🤓) or if maybe people were reluctant to admit that romance was their favorite genre. Especially since I saw an SUV with a QR code on the bumper yesterday...and the small print next to the code was "Spicy Romance Readers." I wondered if it was a local author or blogger or bookstore owner behind the wheel...or just someone who loves spicy romance novels!
Happy Friday. Another 2 week check-in for me. It's the perfect time of year - The sun is out, it's warm enough to be out in short sleeves, but not too warm to be uncomfortable and there's no bugs yet. So I can grab a seat in the sun and read and it's wonderful.Stats:
PS: 20/50
ATY: 22/52
ATY Anniversary: 4/10
ATY Rejects: 8/28
ATY Rewind: 2/10
GR Choice: 10/30
TBR: 2/10
I Finished:
The Other Miss Bridgerton ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ATY: Related to Do Re Mi - Name in title (Mi a name I call myself)
This is the spin-off series that is set a couple of generations before the original series. And it was a nice silly bit of fun with a pirate who's really a spy.
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ATY Anniversary: Debut book.
It was good, but a little heavier than other 'healing fiction' books I've read. This would also be a good book for adult career change, if anyone is looking for something for that prompt.
The Night Eaters, Vol. 1: She Eats the Night, The Night Eaters, Vol. 2: Her Little Reapers & The Night Eaters, Vol. 3: Their Kingdom Come
1 - ⭐⭐⭐, 2 & 3 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3 = ATY Rewind: A book by an Asian diaspora author.
I reread the whole series before I read the final book, which was supposed to be out last November, but got pushed back. It was worth the wait. I love the artwork, and It was just a good ride. I still would have liked a little more explanation on the backstory.
Magic Shifts Dramatized Adaptation & Magic Binds Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm going through the Graphic Audios for this series. I only have one left, but I'm going to have to wait for it to be published.😋
The Lost Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐
PS: Good last sentence (“And since fairy tales have happy endings, this means one of two things. Either this isn’t a fairy tale… Or it’s only the beginning.”)
I enjoyed this even more than The Wishing Game.
The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
ATY Anniversary: Emotion in title.
This was a lot like Before the Coffee Gets Cold, only instead of time travel, the restaurant lets you have one final meal with the ghost of someone you've lost. Very bittersweet, and then there was a recipe for each story.
In Progress:
Bone Key - I'm in the middle of a SUpernatural rewatch, so I decided to lean in and read one of the tie-in novels too.
Deep End
DNF
Four Lives Remain: Tatsuya Endo Before Spy x Family - I tried, but I just couldn't get into this.
QotW
I was very surprised that 2 NF genres took second and third place. I figured it was a matter of people lying to NPR to try and make themselves seem better - but then I realized that they only asked 2000 people, and according to the poll about half haven't even read a book in the last month. So I'd say the whole thing is worthless clickbait. I'd say if they asked people who actually read, romance would be a lot higher. I'd still wager that mystery/thriller/crime would take first place.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Sinkable: Obsession, the Deep Sea and the Shipwreck of the Titanic (other topics)Bibliotherapy in the Bronx (other topics)
Kachina and the Cross (other topics)
The Book: A Cover-to-Cover Exploration of the Most Powerful Object of Our Time (other topics)
The Autistic's Guide to Self-Discovery: Flourishing as a Neurodivergent Adult (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Vibhuti Jain (other topics)Tamsen Fadal (other topics)
Catherine Mack (other topics)
Michael Sims (other topics)
Ashley Poston (other topics)
More...
I found this to be a very interesting NPR article: “Most Americans want to read more books. We just don’t.” (Though we know each of US does! LOL)
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/07/nx-s1-...
ADMIN STUFF:
THE JULY MONTHLY GROUP READ NOMINATION POLL IS LIVE!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #5 A book with a snake on the cover or in the title
World Snake Day is July 16 2025 (I had no idea there was one of these!!)
If you would like to write-in a nomination, 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.
There are currently 9 books nominated…go vote HERE!
*** This poll will run from April 22rd through May 6th. ***
THE JUNE MONTHLY GROUP READ IS West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #12 A book about a road trip. Take a Road Trip Day is June 20, 2025!
West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
Who is the "tricky traveler" willing to facilitate this discussion? Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!
I adore this book! And such an unknown bit of history. Unbelievable what was attempted…
THE MAY MONTHLY GROUP READ IS Floating Hotel by Floating Hotel 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... Surely we have a "fearless facilitator" out there to lead May's discussion! Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!
I have my copy! It looks as if no one has volunteered, so I’ll take a stab at posting some questions since I am curious to read this one!
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...
Sasha Wolf is the "humble hero" who led this discussion! YAY!! Thank you so much, Sasha!
THE LISTING OF 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ TOPICS IS HERE!
***
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Regarding the NPR article cited above(https://www.npr.org/2025/04/07/nx-s1-...)
Here is the listing of favored genres per the the reading poll results:
(1) Thriller/Crime/Mystery
(2) Historical Nonfiction
(3) Memoir/Biography/Autobiography
(4) Historical Fiction
(5) Fantasy
(6) Science Fiction
(7) Realistic/Literary Fiction
(8) Romance
(9) Self-Help
(10) Young Adult
(11) Graphic Novels
(12) Children’s Books
(13) Poetry
(14) Other
And finally, those who claim they do not have a favorite book genre
Is there anything that surprises you about this list?
I admit that I was a bit surprised. As the manager at the Borders store where I worked said several times, “Romance readers keep us open.” I did notice those customers who would return at regular intervals and purchase huge stacks (10-25 books) of paperbacks at a time—all romance! I was quite surprised by that since I had refused to even pickup a romance book at that time! Although I extensively screen them first, I do read romance books now. Not many, but some.
I admit to being surprised that Mystery, Thriller, and Crime (I assume they mean True Crime) are all three lumped together. Though I imagine that is just me being picky.
Then I wonder what people mean by “Other”…Erotica? Horror? What else?
As you may imagine, it would be extremely difficult for me to select only one genre, but I guess that would have to be “Mystery.” I was pleasantly surprised to see that the 2nd and 3rd categories were nonfiction. I think that’s cool!
2025 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 39/50
Around the Year (AtY): 50/52
AtY 2025 Anniversary List: 10/10 FINISHED
Read Harder: 15/24
52 Book Club: 42/52
2024 Popsugar: 47/50
FINISHED:
*Murder Your Employer (The McMasters Guide to Homicide #1) by Rupert Holmes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for an IRL book club meeting. Unusual for me, I had not finished reading this prior to the meeting, but only due to time limitations…due to too much “adulting”! LOL This was quite complex and thought-provoking. I ended up really enjoying it on many different levels. It proved to be much more than the ‘fun and games’ approach to murder I had expected…
POPSUGAR: #2, #6, #14, #20, #26
ATY: #1, #2, #5, #11, #13, #15, #16, #23, #24, #32, #37, #41, #45, #48
RHC: #4, #24
52 Book Club: #2, #3, #24, #25, #39, #51-395 pages
CONTINUING:
*The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis
*The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty
*Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power by RebeccaSolnit
PLANNED:
*Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict
*The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley
*The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
*The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict
itford Affair|60604163] by Marie Benedict