Nadine in NY’s Comments (group member since Jan 05, 2015)

Nadine in NY’s comments from the Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge group.

Jennifer W wrote: "Funnily, I'm not a David Bowie fan, I couldn't hum a bar from the Ziggy Stardust album, so it doesn't bother me at all! ..."



He was my IDOL when I was a teen!! At some point after Tonight, he and I kinda parted ways, I started listening to more metal & grunge and he of course was always a chameleon, each album was different, so I wasn't really into it any more. So I really only know his pre-1985 stuff. (Which means that I still have new Bowie music I can discover!!) But that includes Ziggy!!

Mariana wrote: "I'm gonna recommend The Wedding People for this. Is a central theme in the book and was one of my best reads during 2025!"



That was such an unexpectedly great book!! But when I recommend it to people, and describe the plot, they are not intrigued. I'm terrible at making books sound interesting!!

Andrea wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "I didn't realize they were connected. Do you recommend reading Writers and Lovers first, or does it not matter?"

There's a love triangle in Writers & Lovers, s..."




Good to know!! They really should make that more clear on the blurb!!! I will make sure to read W&L first. Thank you.

Andrea wrote: "Heart the Lover- I think this has pretty much solidified Lily King as a new favorite author. I heard this was a companion novel to Writers and Lovers, which was a five-star read for me, so naturally I picked it up. I loved how the two books connected, how it gave us more insight into the protagonist ..."


I didn't realize they were connected. Do you recommend reading Writers and Lovers first, or does it not matter?

Milena wrote: "I wavered whether to post or not. I am such a bummer these days.
Last week we had to put our dog down. Expected as he was very old and not doing well. But on top of being laid off, I am just so sad..."



I am so sorry. My ex's dog died this week, too. He declined quickly, the kids and I didn't even get a chance to go over to say goodbye. Now I'm glad I got to dogsit him a few months ago. They leave such an absence behind them, just a big quiet emptiness. I didn't know your dog, but I'm sure he was deeply loved and lived his best, happiest life with you.

It's so hard.

Ellie wrote: " Even with my partner, I don't think he's read the last few books I got him, so I probably won't bother this year...."



see, that's how I felt with my kids! they don't always read what I buy them, so I wasn't going to do it this year. But then they started talking about it, so apparently they LIKE getting books.

Dubhease wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "what province are you in? I'm wondering if you're directly north of me getting the same storm system I'm under? ..."

I am in Ontario - In Ottawa. It's a 1 hour drive to Ogdens..."


Oh so you are indeed DIRECTLY north of me! I'm in the Syracuse snow belt, but you get more snow than I do most of the time, I think. I have visited Ottawa in the winter and it was a crazy amount of snow.

Ellie wrote: "I keep reading books that fit next year's prompts. Since I'm trying to finish off ATY, I don't want to put them aside, but also maybe this goes to show they're not so hard prompts after all. Or I'l..."



LOL I'm reading a book right now (Murder Bimbo) that fits both "influencer culture" AND "told entirely through letters" (I'm not sure yet if part 3 is also in that format, though). It's so annoying! this book would be perfect! I'm telling myself that I have perfectly good books picked out for each of those categories and I will be FINE.

Laura Ruth wrote: "Happy rainy Thursday! We got four of the kittens settled in their new homes, and we are keeping the last two. Just dropped the mama cat off at the vet for spaying, so we don't have to do this again..."



well done! fun kitten times!! Will you be keeping the mama cat too or is she going back to the neighbors?

Brandon wrote: "As I get older, I realize more and more just how many ways our minds and bodies can fail or otherwise cause difficulty. The latest for me is what they diagnosed as tennis elbow from working at a co..."



truth!

Kenya wrote: "Happy Thursday all.

So I'm officially down an organ, haha... Had surgery to remove my gallbladder on Tuesday, and I'm still sore today. Baby-stepping my way through recovery and eating again. I'm ..."




Congrats on your surgery!!! I hope you have a speedy recovery. Maybe it's time to start planning a "Thanksgiving Dinner in January" celebration

Dubhease wrote: "Happy Thursday!

I get to work from home today because we got a ton of snow and they didn't plow highways, let alone streets this morning.

I finished no books this week, but I worked hard at movin..."



what province are you in? I'm wondering if you're directly north of me getting the same storm system I'm under?

Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! I am supremely aggravated this morning. I order grocery deliveries from Walmart. I've been doing it for a year and while there's some minor hiccups here and there, it's worked out and I app..."




That is extremely frustrating!!

A few weeks ago, I ordered some stuff from King Arthur Baking. It was due to arrive the weekend before Thanksgiving, being shipped by some company I'd never heard of. The day after it was due to arrive, the tracking info changed to "RETURNED - contact seller for more info" - I was like "WTF??" So I contacted King Arthur, and they didn't know any more than I did. She offered to resend it, of course, but I said "not today, it will arrive while I'm out of town for Thanksgiving." She said she'd pick a "slow" shipping method. It ended up being shipped by FedEx, which is the opposite of slow, so naturally it arrived the day after Thanksgiving. Normally I wouldn't worry, but it had some glass bottles of vanilla and I worried the extreme cold temps predicted would freeze and break the bottle. AND we were getting dumped on with a massive blizzard so my ex was not willing to make the 20 minute drive to my house to get it (TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE). Luckily, his brother lives two blocks away and was willing to come pick it up for me. (I later wondered if any of my neighbors saw him do this and thought he was stealing it LOL - even though he lives close, he's my kids' uncle and we are friendly, he rarely comes here, so they would not recognize him) Disaster averted!

Laura Z wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "that's so exciting!! what are the odds that you got each other the same book???"

Not very likely. She prefers romantasy and cryptid romances. I much prefer contemporary fictio..."



so the "Blind" books were sorted by genre?

Laura Z wrote: "This year we bought each other "blind" books that we saw at a Christmas market last weekend, so we don't even know what we got each other!..."


that's so exciting!! what are the odds that you got each other the same book???

Ron wrote: "In other news, out of all the reading challenges I'm doing in 2026, the one I'm most excited for is the Anti Brain Rot Reading Challenge. This one is more active since some of the requirements are annotating and creating a critical media journal, as well as a personal curriculum...."



That sounds really interesting!!! Is that on GR or somewhere else?



LOL I googled it and it's ... on TikTok? Such irony!!!!!


That's funny, but it also probably means it's reaching some of the people who will REALLY appreciate it.

Laura Ruth wrote: "Wouldn't you know it, I JUST finished The Payback, which was outstanding. It's a dark comedy where 3 women plan a heist to wipe out the records of their crushing student loans."



that book is so perfect for this category that I suspect this is the book Popsugar had in mind when they wrote the list

Happy Thursday

Still covered in snow up here! We've gotten almost 30" so far this season. It just keeps coming (and none of the local schools have had a snow day yet, it's crazy! UPDATE - TODAY, all the schools are closed.) And I still need a new car. I hate shopping for and buying a car, and having to test drive in the snow isn't helping. I think I've narrowed it down to: Hyundai Sonata, VW Jetta, or Honda Accord. Anyone have one of those and have an opinion? My last car was a VW so I like the familiarity of the Jetta, but I also might like something new, and the Sonata comes with AWD which would be new to me (and it's cheaper)



***** Admin stuff *****
The December group read, which could fill Prompt #25, A book where the main character is an immigrant or refugee, is: Everything I Never Told You. You can join the discussion here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The final poll for January's group read, for a book which could fulfill "postpartum," is here:

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...

Due to a SNAFU, this poll will only run for one week, so that you all have a chance to get the book before January starts. Vote now!! The poll closes Tuesday evening.

The nomination poll for February's group read (which could fill Prompt #22 "a book about a book club" ) is here:

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...



In Literary news: sadly, Sophie Kinsella died this week. Her last book, published in 2024, was autobiographical, about her brain cancer. Are any of you fans?




This week I finished 1 book:

One & Only by Maurene Goo - I'm a long time fan of Goo's YA romances, so when I saw her new adult romance on NetGalley, I immediately requested it! This was very enjoyable. It's got a touch of magical realism - the protagonist and her family are able to "read" people's faces and see their past lives. A love triangle forms, and it was pretty clear which character Goo liked better because the other guy was boring, even though she kept telling us he was awesome too.



Popsugar 100% 50 /50
Must Reads 90% 9 /10
AtY 96% 50 /52
AtY bonus 100% 10 /10
2025 pub 118% 59 /50
NetGalley ratio 92% (I'm never getting to 100% ... they keep making offers I can't refuse)





Question of the Week
Do you give books as gifts?


Yes, sometimes. I give my daughters books each year, and this year I was considering NOT doing it, because they dont' always seem to really want the book, BUT then my older kid started talking about her anticipation of a new book. I gotta scramble fast and choose books for them!!!

Léa wrote: "Hi!
I was gifted What You Are Looking For Is in the Library... does anyone know what prompt it could fit?
Thanks!"



I have not read that one, but I think it would work for "new beginnings." Most healing fiction is about everyday people discovering something that leads them to a new beginning.

Theresa wrote: "I'm wondering if Binti might work?..."


I don't remember any astronauts in Binti. They travel through space, but they are passengers.