Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2018 Weekly Checkins
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Week 43: 10/18 - 10/25
I read loads this week thanks to Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon. Having finished the challenge, I found myself floundering a bit with book choices, even though I have 100s unread on my shelves. The challenge really helped guide me when there wasn't something I was desperate to read next. I've taken on a few more review copies than usual as I should feel a bit more compelled to read them whilst I wait for 2019...Finished:
Planetfall by Emma Newman
Magic Bites by Illona Andrews
On A Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
Monstress, Vol. 3: Haven by Majorie M. Liu + Sana Takeda
The Extinction Trials by S.M. Wilson
I'm currently reading Tamed: Ten Species That Changed Our World and listening to East of Croydon: Blunderings through India and South East Asia. I did get Kingdom of Ash this week but it's too big to carry round so I'll read it when I know I'll have lots of time to read it at home. So maybe the Christmas holidays if I can go without spoilers that long!
QOTW:
I would personally grab the solar panels and my Kindle as the boat is going down! I hate this question. Like I might want to take things I haven't read yet, so it's a new experience, but then they might be bad. Should I take something practical like The Knowledge: How To Rebuild Our World After an Apocalypse? I think I could get a few re-reads from the Broken Earth trilogy but only if I can take an omnibus edition...
I'm definitely not taking anything scary, maybe my third book should be a comfort read. All my favourites are either a bit depressing or part of a series... so, um... OK I better take Kingdom of Ash, it will hopefully keep me going until I'm rescued.
Happy Thursday! The weather has finally turned here. Highs in the 60's most days and lows in the 30's or 40's. Not frigid, but definitely wanting a jacket in the morning :)Finished
The Late Bloomers' Club by Louise Miller. I loved her first book, The City Baker's Guide to Country Living. This one wasn't quite as good, but it was still enjoyable. I need to copy down the recipe in the back for burnt sugar cake before I turn it back into the library!
The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon - This was a reread, and ok technically I haven't finished it yet, BUT I only have one hour left out of 55.5 hours of audio! Not counting for the challenge, but it will really help my average page count!
Currently reading:
Animal Farm by George Orwell - using this for my allegory. Somehow I made it this far in life without reading it!
Snape: A Definitive Reading - this evaluation of the Harry Potter series through Snape's experiences is really interesting. I don't necessarily agree with all the assumptions and conclusions the author draws, but she makes some excellent points! Using for my anti-hero book
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - reading for my book club meeting next week. I just got my hands on the audiobook last night (I've been reading the paperback, but since I am finishing my current audiobook this morning I'm in a good position to jump into this one)
QOTW
This is such a hard question to answer, and I think my answer is different every single time!
Here goes:
1. Harry Potter Series Box Set (kinda cheating a little here) - this is the ultimate escapist reading for me. If I HAD to choose only one I'd go with Order of the Phoenix, but please don't make me choose!
2. Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way by Shauna Niequist. I love her books, and I think this one would help with all the emotions I'd have to process if I was stranded.
3. The Secret Garden - I read this book every year and would love to have the beauty and comfort of it with me
Hi everyone from Sydney!Some travel for work this week meant I managed to read 2 books in quick succession which I was pleased with, and both counting towards the challenge:
South of Forgiveness: A True Story of Rape and Responsibility by Thordis Elva and Tom Stranger - a harrowing story at times but also an inspiring one that kept me compelled to read about their journey of reflection and reconciliation. I'm pleased I finally ticked this off my TBR list and gave it 4 stars. Read for the prompt 'Book written by 2 authors'.
Good Me, Bad Me by Ali Land - this psychological thriller literally gave me goosebumps when I was reading. The character of Milly really hooks you in as a reader in trying to work out how much of a role she had to play in her mother's bad behaviour and ultimate downfall. A great read, which i finished in 3 days and gave 4 stars. Read for the prompt 'Book with an ugly cover'.
This brings me to 45/50 - I'm starting to feel that the finish line is within reach, but I know have been putting off some of my least favourite/ preferred prompts til last so not feeling that inspired to keep the reading pace up. I'll see what this week of mood reading brings me!
QOTW: Sorry, yes it was me that suggested this week's QOTW to Nadine. I know it is a tricky one and tends to divide people in their responses, which was another reason I felt should be asked. Lots of different answers which will be fun to read.
The 3 books I would take to a desert island would be all ones I'd read before (as I wouldn't want to risk not liking one of them)! So in no particular order and going with my gut/ not overthinking my choices:
1. Station Eleven an all time favourite of mine and one that would never fail to capture my attention.
2. And Then There Were None - a favourite book and author of mine, a compelling whodunit that is fairly easy to read and not too long.
3. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone- for pure escapism and childish fun.
Yay, Thursday! That means it's nearly the weekend, and we're heading to the Halloween special at the safari park before it shuts for the winter. And pumpkin carving - we went to the patch last week, and have two still to carve (middle son was too excited to wait so we had to carve one last week...I don't think it's going to make it to the big day!)I finished 3 books this week, thanks to the Dewey 24 hour readathon. Only one was a challenge book though, and I'm now at 50/52 (41/42, 9/10).
The challenge read was fo advanced prompt #2 read by a stranger in public. I had a few picks for this, but went for Lullaby (confusingly also titled Adele and The Perfect Nanny...). What a disquietening, creepy little book. I actually didn't think I would be able to read it after the first chapter, because I found the description so upsetting. But the novel quickly steps down from that ramped up horror to something stiller, though still very unsettling. The character of the nanny (Louise in the translated version) is so off, but you can't put your finger on why or how, even knowing right from the first page what eventually happens. This book is uncomfortably close, and captures so well that odd existence of looking after young children, almost in a bubble separate to the rest of life as it goes on around you. The door closes as the other adults leave to live out their days in the big wide world, and even for those of us who don't go on to commit atrocities it can be a very claustrophobic and lonely time. Louise is even more divorced from life - being the nanny but also having no existence outside of her often unappreciated work - and watching her come undone is horrible, but also compelling. Many may find the ending unresolved, and I was frustrated at the time, but I appreciate that it too is all part of horror of this story.
I also finished Brave, Rose McGowan's memoir. This book left me a little conflicted. On one had, Rose McGowan has been through some shit and she is eloquent and raw about how she shares that. But on the other hand, she's is a tough nut to crack -there is a tone of arrogance in what she says which is difficult to penetrate. While I think it's probably her way of taking her enviable self-confidence and deploying it as a shield, it does make it hard to empathise with her. Not that I think she's really looking for readers to do that. She is unapologetic about herself, and really she can be as unlikeable as she wants - she isn't here to please us. She's still an awesome human being for using her voice in a situation and in an environment which makes it impossible for most others to do the same. But you can't deny that she is strong as hell, and that by speaking out she has generated a sea change not just in Hollywood but all over the world. This isn't a comfortable read, and at times the writing isn't great, but it's definitely eye opening and an important book.
And my other book this week was Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff. I bought it off the back of a recommendation in a check-in a few weeks ago. I can't remember who mentioned it, but T H A N K Y O U !!! I am not exaggerating when I say this book has changed my life. A book about decluttering by someone who has struggled, and fought, and won. Not by someone who's never had a problem, not by someone who thinks all you need to do is fold your tshirts a certain way or buy a fancy organiser. Someone who has been overwhelmed by stuff, unable to see a way past that stuff, and whose life has been impacted by that stuff. And yet, she found a way out that is realistic, and is applicable to those who struggle too. Every page of this book felt like a revelation to me. My house already looks better...and so does my mind!
If you were ever stranded on a desert island, which three books would you want with you (and why)?
Oh man... I don't re-read very often, so this questions is so hard for me. Can we pick an omnibus of an author's work?! Whatever I picked would have to be long...and I'm not sure if I'd go for books I know I loved or books I'd not yet read. I think I'd go for ones I haven't read yet, because I love reading a book fresh. And also, I don't want to take something I love and then grow to hate it by re-reading it to death or associating it with a traumatic experience! Although...being stranded, all on my own, on the warm, golden sand of a desert island doesn't actually sound too traumatic just now!
QOTW: it's going to be a very long life with only 3 books. The Bible, because it's how God speaks to me. Lonesome Dove because it's my favorite book. There's just so much great stuff. The third one? Do I pick something I've never read before so I get one new read, or do I pick something I already know I like? This is tough. I'll go with one I haven't read,but by an author I know I like, so Time and Chance by Sharon Kay Penman.
It's Thursday! Hello, everyone. So I only finished one book during Dewey's Readathon last weekend, but I still managed to read 659 pages total. I'm pretty happy with that! Finished
The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie. I loved this book! I can never guess who the murderer is, but I had the general idea that there was a pretty big twist coming and in which direction it would go. I raced through this book to find out the ending. It was a very satisfying conclusion.
Keep Her Safe by KA Tucker. You know that feeling when you stumble upon an author's best book first, then everything else you read by them is a little bit of a letdown? I think that's going to be me and KA Tucker. (It's also me and Neil Gaiman, so she's in good company.) This was a good book. It's just not as good as The Simple Wild.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories by Washington Irving. So The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is nothing at all like I expected! Popular movies/TV shows have led me to believe it was a different kind of story. All the same, I thought it was wonderfully entertaining. I also enjoyed several other stories in the collection too. I wish we had read more Irving and less Hawthorne in American Lit class. It seems to me Irving writes about the American experience much better.
Currently Reading
The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton. I'm still working on this audiobook. I just want to be done with this already. It's not a bad book, but it's definitely not what I thought it would be.
The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy. It's an okay book, but I can't get over the author/main character calling librarianship a dead end job. I was so offended I almost stopped reading immediately.
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. I've seen several movie versions, but I've never read the book, and I thought it was time.
QOTW
Only 3 books!? Well, okay.
Harry Potter by JK Rowling. There must be an omnibus edition, right? I've read this series more than any other, and I enjoy it just as much every time. I could happily read it again (and again and again and again ...)
Thoughts from Walden Pond by Henry David Thoreau. I feel like my choices are getting a little bit meta now. I've enjoyed every selection I've read from this book, but ironically, I've never had the time to savor each thought and insight Thoreau shares while I wander through nature. This would be the book to keep me thinking and present.
The Martian by Andy Weir. Again with the meta choices, but if I'm going to be stranded on a desert island, I'm going to need Mark Watney to help me laugh about the situation.
Hello from a frosty Columbus! We’ve been loving this crisp weather and the fall activities around town. Sunday night I went to a Harry Potter themed high tea, it was a lot of fun and I finally got to try treacle tart! Tons of fun!Lullaby not for the challenge, but with your audible subscription you get two free audible originals from a selected list. This was a short horror story I picked. It’s about a couple moving into a haunted house where the haunting seems particularly focused on their newborn. Not amazing, not particularly scary, but it was eerie and sad. It was fine for a free short audiobook.
It's Kind of a Funny Story this was a second pick for a best seller from the year I graduated high school (2006). I couldn’t pick between this and Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist so I picked both! It’s kind of a funny story was a book I loved when it first came out, it’s semi-autobiographical about a teen’s stay in inpatient psychiatric care and his journey with depression. It’s such a sweet and hopeful story, which makes the 2013 suicide of the author really sting. The movie version is really good too!
Gulliver's Travels my pick for an allegory. Does this need any introduction? Jonathan Swift was a snarky, snarky asshole. And I mean that in the best way possible. Each of the places Gulliver visits highlights a faulty aspect of society. For a book that’s so old, it’s still pretty funny and easy to read.
The Coincidence of Coconut Cake a book with a fruit or vegetable in the title. I feel like I’ve seen this posted here a lot, the title seemed fun (I pick so many of my books based solely on interesting titles or covers) so I went for it. The title is actually a pretty succinct summary of the book. Two unlikely strangers come together because of coconut cake! It was a fun read, a nice light chick-lit book to round out my year of heavy reads. And now I want to go visit Milwaukee! I wish there were more books that highlighted the food scene of Columbus, or just books about my city in general. It’s such an underrated city, in my humble opinion lol.
The God of Small Things since I’m almost done with popsugar, I’ve started the Book Riot challenge, this was for the colonial or post colonial prompt. This was about how small events can change lives in such huge ways, how trauma alters everything, and how unfair society can be toward women. I loved how beautifully written the book is, but it bounces a lot between past and present and it’s kind of hard to keep up. I’m glad there was a litchart for the book because it helped me figure out what event went where in the timeline. I would have loved this book had it not been for the end, it went places I didn’t want to think about.
So I’m at 39/40; 8/10 (and 6/24 for Book Riot) with 155 books read this year.
QOTW: if I had to pick 3...
Night Film it’s long and my favorite, I don’t think I could ever get bored of it.
War and Peace I always wanted to read it, but always feel daunted by it. Deserted island seems like the perfect time.
Emma I’d want something light and fun, and Emma is such a cute book.
Happy Thursday all! It's wet, cold, and rather gloomy here in Oklahoma right now. I wish I could just stay in bed all day. But alas, I have bills to pay. I had a great reading week! I finished Still Me for a book that came out this year. I enjoyed it. It was nice to check back in on Lou's life and see how she keeps growing. I also finished The Girl Who Drank the Moon. I read this for class but it was quite long so I wanted it to count for the challenge so I put it in the "favorite prompt from previous challenges" for 2017's "book with an eccentric character." There are a lot of eccentric characters in this book. I had a hard time getting into it but it was a nice read and good for kids.
Finally, I finished Love & Luck for the prompt "tied to my ancestry." I took a little license with this category. I'm part Irish and this book is about a road trip in Ireland so I went with it. I really wanted to read it so I made it fit the challenge. *shrug* I enjoyed this book. It was a cute, quick read and exactly what my soul needed at the moment.
This puts me at 43/50 for the year and I can see the finish line!
QOTW: So hard to choose! I would really like the Harry Potter series to count as one book but if I had to choose just one of them I'd go with Deathly Hallows. I'd also pick Lord of the Rings which definitely counts as one book, not three. Finally, I'd go with something like Anna Karenina. I've never read it and it's super long but I'd have time to kill. And when it depressed me, I could go back to my other books.
Hi everyone! I finished my last book for the challenge just last night! 52/52Finished:
Uncanny Avengers, Volume 2: The Apocalypse Twins by Rick Remender: I read the first one for the "U" in the A-Z challenge and my boyfriend told me I had to finish all the issues he had. I'm not usually a Marvel reader and it's hard to jump into it since there's so much history with the characters I wouldn't know. This was pretty good though.
Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis- aloud to kid. This is a good book; rife with characters who lend themselves to fun and unique voices when reading aloud. My son liked the dwarfs.
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden- aloud to kid for Set on Halloween. Amazing middle grade book! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Working on:
The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket- audio with kid
Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery- group read, audio
American War by Omar El Akkad- For others' information, this book would fill a bunch of different prompts: Problem facing society, Death or grief, LGBTQ, Author of different ethnicity (Middle Eastern), Characters who are twins. It's really good so far.
QOTW:
The Bible
A Song of Ice and Fire
The Lord of the Rings
Heather wrote: "The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy. It's an okay book, but I can't get over the author/main character calling librarianship a dead end job. I was so offended I almost stopped reading immediately."So funny that you mentioned this. I was just looking at this book because it's a Kindle deal today. It sounded promising, but the reviews made me decide not to buy.
Greetings from... Chicago? Currently on vacation -- attending a convention in the Windy City -- so updating this from my hotel room. Whoo hoo! And yes, I brought books for the trip -- my loaded Kindle Fire and an extra-thick epic fantasy to help keep me occupied on the plane. Finished a LOT of books this week, though to be fair I was nearly at the end of of the biggest one last week and many others were quite short:
Alistair Grim's Odditorium -- looked quirky and fun, but tries to do way too much in a single book. Best for younger readers.
Wizard of the Pigeons -- read this on the recommendation of one of my favorite authors, Catherynne M. Valente. A unique and dreamy urban fantasy that doesn't shy away from the ugliness of PTSD and being homeless in a big city.
The Complete H.P. Lovecraft Collection -- FINALLY finished this! If you can get past Lovecraft's archaic writing style and the uncomfortable-even-for-his-day racism, his writing is chilling and unique in its weirdness.
My Father's Dragon, Elmer and the Dragon, and The Dragons of Blueland -- these books are so short you can finish the entire trilogy in a day. A very cute children's fantasy that makes me want to hunt down the (sadly obscure) anime film
I.T. Geek to Farm Girl Freak: Leaving High Tech for Greener Pastures -- I thought this would be funnier than it turned out to be from its description... ah well. At least it was short. Finished on the plane.
Foodboy -- graphic novel. Despite getting rave reviews, both on Goodreads and from established comic-industry figures (even Alan Moore!), this was terrible.
Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too -- graphic novel. Cute and sweet story of an awkward alien on a mission to learn about humans.
Currently Reading:
The Dinosaur Lords
Around the World in Eighty Days
And NOT reading that Lovecraft brick anymore, haha...
QOTW:
ONLY THREE? Aw man, this is hard... XD Probably Life of Pi, The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (yes, it's a two-book collection, but I'm cheating), and The Martian.
Good Morning!!I have been dreading this Thursday because it is the first Parent/Teacher conference of the school year here, and I'm not sure I will be able to contain my temper when I confront my daughters third grade teacher about how she has managed to completely CRUSH her love of school in less than 2 months 😡.
Not much reading done this week.
One of Us Is Lying and The Grownup for ATY, and also 7 picture books to finish up my ATY picture book challenge. My daughters are almost done with theirs. I had a great time reading One of Us Is Lying, So much fun! I enjoyed The Grownup as well, it was a quick story but I wish had been a full length novel. I have now read everything ever written by Gillian Flynn.
Currently working on Unaccustomed Earth, and Rape Girl for ATY ( I'm determined to finish , but I need to start hustling if thats going to happen). Also about 50% through an ARC of Beds Are For Flowers, to review for a member in one of my groups.
QOTW:
I REALLY don't want to answer this lol.... ( Can I just follow along with Ellie and grab the solar panels and my kindle)
I think I've narrowed it down to three big fat ones.
Outlander which I can never get enough of, I've already read book 1 three times. I love Claires character, she fascinates me. She's a strong woman, she's funny, and we share a love of Nursing and an interest in botany. And also Jamie....
Gone with the Wind because Scarlett just entertained me when I read this years ago and I feel like I could read it again, and then probably again....
and I had to think hard about my last pick but I finally chose Les Misérables because it is so highly rated by my GRs friends and I haven't read it yet ( although I meant to this year).
Worst question EVER!!!! Hopefully I wouldn't be stuck on the island for long
Just for anyone who's never heard of it, the BBC have a very longstanding radio show called Desert Island Discs. It's now a podcast, and each episode a celebrity/interesting person is interviewed around the structure of the five songs they'd take to a desert island. It's really interesting, and they do get to pick one book too. They are forced to take the complete works of Shakespeare and the Bible...I itch at that point every time. I've only heard a couple of people say "no ta" to the Bible though. I suppose I'd take it too, if it was all I'd have to read! I can't remember who, but someone decided to use their book choice on a survival guide...which I guess is pretty smart!
Hi All! Congrats SarahKat, on finishing the challenge!!
I had a wonderful surprise this week as my husband, who has been out of the country for the past 2 weeks was supposed to return on Tuesday but he just barely managed to rework a flight and arrived home a whole day early. He also scared the heck out of me when I heard our front door closing from another room but the scare was worth it.
This week, I've completed zero books despite grabbing 4 really good ones from the library this weekend. I'm happy to report though that Lethal White finally was ready for me at my library and so that's what I've been working on since yesterday afternoon. I'm about 200 pages in so far and loving it.
QOTW:
Great question! I love how many people are answering with the HP series and I will join them in saying the same. If the series doesn't count then I'd go with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix because I just adore Professor Umbridge. And by adore, I mean I love to hate her.
Second book would have to be The Outsiders (and at this point I'd like to point out that these two answers were also my answers to last weeks question) because I've reread this book so many times and have yet to get bored of it.
And lastly, is fanfiction allowed if it was printed and bound? I would actually choose a HP fanfiction that I've reread at least 3 times. It's called The Code by Aduro and it features a conflicted Draco who ends up being mentored by Bill Weasley who is at Hogwarts teaching Ancient Runes. It's the first of a whole series and the writing isn't amazing but the author clearly gets better as she goes. It's not for everyone but it's my very favorite fanfiction out there (plus it's nice and long).
I'm very impressed by all of you who were choosing books you've never read yet. What if you hate that book?! I'm not brave enough for that chance.
Brittany wrote: "I'm very impressed by all of you who were choosing books you've never read yet. What if you hate that book?! I'm not brave enough for that chance."Kindling...?!
Finished The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I really enjoyed it. Lived up to the hype for me. Using for based on a real person. Read and finished The Dead Boyfriend. I haven't read one of his books in years. Wanted to revisit and since its October thought it was the perfect time. Didn't exactly care for this one.
35 Regular, 7 advanced, 20 non-challenge. 18 books away from my reading goal. Better get my butt in gear.
also anxiously awaiting the new list? even though I didn't finish this years yet.
Sarah wrote: "And my other book this week was Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff. I bought it off the back of a recommendation in a check-in a few weeks ago."That was me! I'm so glad you liked it!! I'm still 'doing my dishes' and while my house isn't yet sparkling there has been a serious change in how it looks and my own perception of various tasks. If you haven't tried timing chores (after the initial big clean of whatever that task is) I recommend it. It only took me 3 minutes to unload the dishwasher and when I asked my husband how long he thought it would take he guessed 10. It's a lot easier to tackle that task now that we know it's about the same amount of time as boiling water for tea. The 5 minute pickup works wonders too. We had a pretty messy living room and it only took one 5 minute session between my husband and I of speedily snagging trash and putting things away to tidy nearly the entire room. These little time realizations have made a huge difference in getting me to take a moment to tidy something up.
Sarah wrote: "Brittany wrote: "I'm very impressed by all of you who were choosing books you've never read yet. What if you hate that book?! I'm not brave enough for that chance."Kindling...?!"
LOL 😂
By the way, the question of the week reminds me of when the Harry Potter cast was asked this. It was really hard not to give the last answer. 
Good morning! I got my commute reading time back which has been fantastic and I'm moving through a stack of new releases from the library.Finished:
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, which I decided to call an allegory (metaphor for immigration). It was so weird and interesting and gripping!
Currently reading:
The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (still working on this on audio, waiting for another long drive).
The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock... I started this yesterday but tabled it because it just wasn't the tone or story I was expecting (I was very vague about the plot going in). I read 50 pages and it wasn't clicking so I tabled it.
Looking for anyone to sell me on picking it back up at a later date... Please know that the "advanced praise" on the back comparing it to The Essex Serpent did NOT enthuse me.
What If It's Us, the book I picked up today instead. Loving it so far.
QOTW:
Gotta go with my favorite book of all time, Persuasion, a constant delight as a reread, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and maybe The Bookshop on the Corner because it's just so pleasant.
It may be closer to normal autumn temps here in NYC, and the season's first nor'easter (meaning high winds and rains) due this weekend, but Central Park is still GREEN! A week before Halloween! I now doubt we will see any blaze of fall color, that the leaves will just turn brown and drop overnight. In December.😕But...I have news! I blew past my Good Reads Challenge goal of 150 books this week! I am not extending it further, but will instead use number of books over as my guide for setting 2019 challenge goal.
Both Pop Sugar and Good Reads 2018 challenges met; just have one more book to read for ATY...
Finished: The Weight of Ink - oh I really liked this one! Parallel time periods; a cache of 17th Century documents; Restoration London and contemporary academia; the nature of guilt, forgiveness, love, parent/child relationships; and most of all the marginalization and outright suppression of women of intellect both now and in 17th Century England - this book is rich! Also a slow read, one that demands time. And it leaves you thinking, even days later.
I planned to start Swing Time and Such a Long Journey after, but could not bring myself to read just yet either another parallel lives story or one set during a time of great upheaval. I needed fluff, really light fluff. So down I went into the rabbit hole of a series of western romances I had picked to read on my vacation because they were set near the Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole: Lindsay McKenna's Wind River Valley series. Fitting the bill nicely, but as I started the 4th in the series, I know it is time to put them aside and read one of the 2 books I planned to read this week. Lindsay did her job!
QOTW: what a classic question! I am going with my usual answer: Proust - the complete In Search of Lost Time. It would entertain as well as engage my intellect, and stand up to repeated readings. Another is The Complete Sherlock Holmes. Last, Frederica by Georgette Heyer, because it makes me laugh every time I read it.
Hello from below 0°C Montréal. We had snow this week and my youngest son was REALLY happy. Event if it didn't stay. We should have some more this week-end.I finished 2 books last week:
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency for the best-seller when I finished high school (1998). I had fun reading it.
Saga, Vol. 7 for no prompt, but because I finally found it at my library. Not as good at the others.
Reading:
Saga, Vol. 8 for no prompt.
The Way of Kings again.
A Night in the Lonesome October for the book I wanted to read last year. I'm having a LOT of fun with that one. Thanks to the person who chose it last year. I try reading it slowly.
QOTW: I love to reread books, but only three is hard to choose:
2001: A Space Odyssey
Sense and Sensibility
Au bonheur des ogres
Brittany wrote: "By the way, the question of the week reminds me of when the Harry Potter cast was asked this. It was really hard not to give the last answer. "
That's exactly where my mind went too!
Nadine wrote: "A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - I hated this. It's just not my kind of book. It can't be just me! There must be someone else out there who hated this, too!"*Waves hand* You are not alone. While I wouldn't say I hated it but I really really disliked it. I did like the primary characters but the storyline was just a bit slow for me and I struggled to maintain interest through the whole thing. I think I would have enjoyed it much more if it was only the plotline based in the present time.
Only two books this weekI’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara. Read for a book club would work for true crime if I hadn’t already ticked that one off. Her letter to the Golden State Killer at the end of the book gave me the creeps more than any other part of the book.
Wrong to Need You by Alisha Rai. Contemporary romance. This trilogy has diverse main characters if you are looking for that. This was my favorite of the three.
QOTW:
Moby Dick: Maybe I’d actually finish it
Survival manual: because I’m not lasting long without one
The longest Harry Potter: obvious
Happy Thursday! It's a busy time over here as we get ready for Halloween. My kids could not be more excited. They're dressing up as Pikachu and Ash and I'm working on finishing up their costumes. Finished
Old Filth Last month I was on vacation in Nashville and spent some time in Parnassus Books. They had a whole bunch of books by Jane Gardam and I was surprised I'd never heard of her, so I decided to pick one up. This book is about a retired lawyer/judge whose nickname is Old Filth (Failed In London, Try Hong Kong). He had been a Raj orphan and the book explores his life. It was a little slow for me, but I'm still intrigued and might read more of Gardam.
Bel Canto I participated in the Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon on Saturday, and it was my goal to start and finish this book. I was also reading it for the Reading Women Challenge prompt - book that's been on my TBR for the longest. I have owned this book for 10-15 years and I own it in both paperback and Kindle, but for whatever reason never picked it up. But I was determined to finally read it. And I did it! It took me just under 8 hours but I finished it. I really liked it and have continued to think about it throughout the week. It's about a group of mostly wealthy people from several countries who are taken hostage during a private concert by a group of terrorists trying to kidnap the President. However, the President isn't there, so instead the kidnappers and the hostages live together in the Vice President's mansion in a sort of state of limbo for several months trying to figure out how to proceed. It's a fascinating concept and I felt that it explored human nature and motivations and language in a really interesting way.
My Father's Dragon I read this aloud to my kids as a part of the Readathon and we all enjoyed it.
Currently Reading
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup Has anyone else read this?? It's the story of the rise and fall of Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes, and it is WILD. If you still need to fill your True Crime prompt and don't want to read about murder, this would be a fantastic choice. It's so good.
Beloved
QOTW
This is a tough question for me because I'm not really a re-reader. So what I'll do is take three of the longest books on my TBR that I might never get to because they're so long and being stranded on a desert island might be the only chance I get to finally pick them up. In order of length:
1. Les Misérables (1456 pages)
2. Kristin Lavransdatter (1144 pages)
3. Outlander (896 pages)
Happy Thursday! I had a whirlwind weekend in New York celebrating my birthday, but i did actually manage to get a bit of reading in!I finished one book: Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, which counted for my book that is also a stage play or musical. This audiobook was so long, but I really enjoyed it! It was actually much funnier than I expected it to be.
Currently, I'm reading Pride by Ibi Zoboi, which I'm liking so far! I'm ready for it to get into the meat of the retelling.
QOTW: I'd have to bring a Harry Potter boxset, cause it's all one book right? If I had to pick one of them... I guess Deathly Hallows? I don't know I'm gonna count Harry Potter as one. I'd also bring The Hating Game to satisfy my rom com needs. Lastly, probably Pride & Prejudice? Maybe the B&N Complete Jane Austen, which I do own! Is that cheating? Perhaps!!
I finished a book on Tuesday afternoon but that's the only one. Heist Society by Ally Carter was a kind of fun read to fulfill the heist prompt. I wouldn't mind reading the next ones in that series because this one was fun.I'm still working on Passenger by Alexandra Bracken and really struggling. It's not my normal type of book because I'm not into time travel at all and I'm having a terrible time getting interested in it.
Hopefully once I get my graduate class assignment done later today, I'll be able to devote more time to reading. This project has really swallowed my time the past week.
Currently I'm at 28 of 40 on the regular challenge.
QOTW: I'd probably bring 3 books in a series or a long romance, a long mystery, and a biography or autobiography about someone I find interesting. I'd like to finish reading the Tony Dungy book from 8-10 years ago, but the one by Sarah Palin seemed interesting and there was one by two Bush sisters that looked interesting. I'd have a hard time picking just 3 books because it depends on what I'm in the mood to read.
Mod
I'm currently listening to this audiobook (because Robert Glenister) and yes it is great! I was worried because it got some tepid reviews, but nope. Still great!
What does "Lethal White" mean though? Did I miss that? Is it heroin? The titles of her Cormoran Strike books are all so odd.
Hi everyone! We’ve actually seen the sun a bit this week in north Texas. It did rain ALL DAY yesterday delaying another flight for me and is super gloomy today, but we are supposed to have a gorgeous weekend for the 2nd week in a row, so I’m trying to plan outdoor activities. I finished another book for the challenge, so I am at 48/52. I am at 43/52 for Around the Year. Books are picked out for all remaining prompts; I just need to actually read them.
Books I finished:
Dead Beat by Jim Butcher for a book about or set on Halloween (29). Another exciting and action-packed entry in the Dresden Files series. I’m almost exhausted by the end of these books because the action starts on page 1 and doesn’t stop until the final page, and the entire story usually only spans 2-3 days. This one involves necromancers who want to basically become like gods by performing a specific ritual on Halloween night.
The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle. This was disappointing. Cute, fun idea, but not executed well. Audrey Hepburn at the table actually was more distracting than anything, and the rest was somewhat predictable.
Voyager by Diana Gabaldon. Man these books are long! This story, #3 in the Outlander series, isn’t nearly as good as the first one, but it was still entertaining. It seems at this point that anything that could happen to Claire and Jamie will happen. From what I remember, the only truly unbelievable thing in the first book was the time travel bit, but now it is getting a bit ridiculous. Exactly how many brushes with death can these two escape from in the 1700’s?
Yellow Crocus by Laila Inrahim. This was fantastic and heartbreaking. I highly recommend the audiobook, which was read by Audie Award winner Bahni Turpin. She always does an amazing job and also narrated The Hate U Give for those who fell in love with her voice listening to that book. This story is about a slave who was forced to leave her own baby in order to be a wet nurse for a newborn in the main house. The baby and slave form a tight bond, and I think the author does a great job painting the picture of a plantation, the complication of slave/white person relationships, and the way people thought in the mid 1800’s in Virginia.
I am currently reading:
If She Only Knew by Lisa Jackson
Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough
QOTW: I'm with those who either want to cheat and bring an omnibus or two, and I would definitely include Raft Building for Dummies. :-)
Mod
*Waves hand* You a..."
**HIGH FIVE** :-)
It’s definitely October. We’ve been to two different farms for pumpkin patch/corn maize/barrel ride activities in the past week! And the first of the Halloween activities is tonight - trick or treating and a Halloween parade at Union Station. I like to do at least one indoor event so the girls can wear costumes without concern for the weather. They will be Owlette and Wonder Woman tonight. I’m in a bit of a reading rut. I finished A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel and The Best School Year Ever and that is it in the past week. That’s about three hours of reading tops! I did start and then fail to finish two audiobooks before they expired. Oops. Neither caught me quickly and I guess it’s been a busy week. Plus, the girls have decided to help me fold laundry, which is super hilarious and unhelpful, and also cuts my audiobook time.
I’m going to read The Best Halloween Ever next I think - I only ever read the first of the trilogy as a child because I had no idea there were sequels. And they are still really quite funny!
QOTW: This is like asking which child I’d like to keep! It’s so hard. Pern books are my go-to rereads, so some sort of omnibus edition with the original trilogies (Harper Hall and Lessa/F’lar). War and Peace or Middlemarch or something similarly long that I haven’t read yet. And something by Margaret Atwood.
Hi all! I did better reading this week- four books, two for the challenge, which leaves me at 49/50. So close!Read:
Under and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (True Crime)- I enjoyed this. I didn't really know anything about OMGs (I laughed every time I read that) before this but now it gives me a new perspective about what shows like Sons of Anarchy or The Mayans are all about.
Smile- (A book being read by a stranger in public)- I really liked this and instantly recommended it to my sister as she had/has lots of fun dental issues from a fall in childhood.
Midnight Riot- I thought this was ok though it had two different plots, one of which didn't add much but I understand it develops more as the series continues.
The Stolen Moon- Another ok children's book. Great to help get middle graders into reading sci-fi.
Currently Reading:
The Long Walk: A Story of War and the Life That Follows
Before I Fall
The Arabian Nights
QOTW:
So many choices! Actually, the Bible and The Complete Works of Shakespeare doesn't sound that bad as there would be a wide variety of material there to read depending on my mood. My third book would probably be some sort of survival book!
Mod
Under and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (True Crime)- I enjoyed this. I didn't really know anything about OMGs (I laughed every time I read that) ..."
I laughed when I read it just now! hahaha I'm still laughing!
Hi everyone. I am loving the super autumnal October weather we're having here at the minute. Yes, I am that one weird adult stomping through the crunchy leaves when everyone else walks around them :DI've just finished Space Opera on the way home from work. I find Catherynne M. Valente very hit or miss. This was somewhere in between. I loved the premise but the execution was strange. I can't decide whether it was a rip-off of Douglas Adams or an homage to him. I think I would have enjoyed it more if she'd written it without trying to imitate another author.
QOTW: Wow. I can't believe how many of you are taking such long books with you! I would be dead inside of a week so I would reread my (relatively short) favourites
Ballet Shoes - childhood favourite
The Beach - teenage favourite
Jane Eyre - adult favourite
I started and stopped a few books this week, but the two I finished were rereads which I used for my menagerie:Lion Hound by Jim Kjelgaard
Golden Sovereign by Dorothy Lyons
Both are good books aimed at the YA market (well, it wasn't called YA back then but they would fall that way now).
I started reading The Sum of All Fears but my library loan ran out, they just gave it back to me so I'm picking it back up for the "bestseller from the year you graduated high school" prompt.
QOTW: I think my picks would be
1. Holy Bible: King James Version - this is definitely not a situation I'd want to face without the Bible
2. The Arabian Nights - I love this book and it would be easy to break it up the same way it's told, so it would last a long time
3. Definitely some sort of huge anthology or collection in one volume would be the third, something that would last a long time and that I haven't read yet like Complete Works of Arthur Conan Doyle
I'm in such a reading slump as I reread that old fanfic and prepare for nano which how can it possibly be starting next week?!?I did read The Cat, the Quilt and the Corpse by Leann Sweeney It's an okay cozy mystery.
QOTW Hmm that's really almost impossible to answer for me. I'd either take the The Lord of the Rings trilogy or three of Jim Butchers Dresden files books or C.S. Harris's Sebastian St Cyr books
Brittany wrote: "By the way, the question of the week reminds me of when the Harry Potter cast was asked this. It was really hard not to give the last answer. "
That's brilliant.
Hello from a very wet Omaha. I have had a good reading week. I have been revisiting some books from the great Agatha Christie. This week I read:The Hollow and The Hollow: A Play. It was fun to see the similarities and differences between the two mediums. My daughter may be assistant directing this play in the winter and I wanted to be prepared for the show.
The Sittaford Mystery- a reread that I really enjoyed. There were a few red herrings that I had forgotten about that I thought were well placed.
A Bone to Pick was not my favorite cozy mystery. I felt like throughout the whole book there was not much sleuthing because we weren't sure where or when the murder took place.
That's Not What Happened which pulled me in. It was a good book for high schoolers.
The War Outside- I just can't get this book out of my mind. I have read a lot of historical fiction for a lot of age groups. While this isn't my favorite one or even the most well written for some reason it has really stuck with me. I also learned a few things that I want to research on my own.
QOTW: How do you only pick three books. Actually, I would probably die before I got through all three unless I took a survival guide- boo. So, I guess a survival guide, the Bible, and The Complete Jane Austen.
Happy Reading!
Mod
LOL you make a good point! Whenever I take those "will you survive the [fillinblank] apocalypse" I always die early!
4 books this week, 2 fit Popsugar prompts.Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening (Popsugar Advanced #6, an allegory) - Bit of a stretch but there is an afterword from the writer where she says the idea for the story originated with her grandparents' experience of WW2 China. This was really interesting. Loved the worldbuilding and the concepts of all the different species and the... god-things? Artwork was also top-notch. Will I continue with the series though... I don't know. It was a bit disturbing.
The Sundial - This was a book I just didn't get. I gave it 3 stars for the fact it's Shirley Jackson and her writing and dialogue are always a win, but the plot... I didn't... understand??? I'm not even sure if I was supposed to?
Sandlands - Lovely little collection. Has pretty much singlehandedly stopped me giving up realistic-fic short stories. Clearly I just needed to find collections that had less awful marriages and more rural English wildlife.
Lumberjanes, Vol. 9: On a Roll (Popsugar #19, about or involving a sport [roller derby]) - This was just short, light, silly fun. Bit more insubstantial compared to previous volumes but it's Lumberjanes, I'm reading it for brain candy, not a thesis. 🤷♀️ Really enjoyed the first chapter/issue focusing on the new nonbinary Lumberjane, Barney, who is a wee delight.
Currently reading:
What Maisie Knew - I'm quite liking this as an insight into the life of a child of a "broken home" in Victorian times, trying to get by in a situation where neither biological parent wants her except as a weapon against the other - and by this point in the book, not even that. However it is a tough read, Henry James's prose is quite dense and convoluted. Hoping to finish it soon.
Wives and Daughters - Still loving this.
QOTW: Ohhh... just 3? Impossible question. Obviously my Kindle, if there was some way to power it.
Apart from that... well, if I was taking books I've already read, The Lord of the Rings, The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin, and... um... maybe The Once and Future King?
For TBR books, War and Peace, The Selected Short Fiction of Ursula K. Le Guin Boxed Set: The Found and the Lost; The Unreal and the Real... and the 3rd space would be a fight between Rise Up Women!: The Remarkable Lives of the Suffragettes, The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde and the obligatory The Complete Works of William Shakesepeare.
This week I finished: Home Fire - I loved this book. It's such an important story and perspective to consider. I'll be checking out more books by this author soon.
Notes from a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World - This was ok. Sometimes this author annoys me a bit and I disagree with some of her beliefs, but I also have some common ground with her. She has an interesting story to tell, but I wish her narration of the audiobook wasn't so staccato... Each sentence sounds so separate from the ones before and after it that you can't really get caught up in the flow of her story.
All American Boys - I'm glad I read this, and recommend it as a complement to The Hate U Give. I think it provides an important example of how white folks can make decisions and navigate the world today where staying silent means siding with the oppressor. Good stuff here!
I'm currently reading Go Tell It on the Mountain on kindle, and it's a bit of a struggle to get through. I just started listening to Us Against You which I'm excited about since I loved Beartown. But it's a little hard to read with "rape" being such a common word throughout it (and I'm only six chapters in) for those who are triggered by that word. I also started The Hating Game because so many on here loved it. I'm not a fan of romance books, but am willing to challenge that, and hope that I'll end up liking this one. I will say that I loved the scene where she's skyping with her parents, since it reminded me of the close (but also long-distance) relationship I have with mine.
QOTW:
This is tough... I think some folks have the right idea above with survival guides, the Harry Potter box-set, etc. but if I went with just books would cover different moods/needs and that I would be happy reading multiple times, it would probably be: Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir (for a laugh-out-loud read to lighten the mood), The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto (because it's a great story and I'd probably pick up on new insights each time I read it - although I might also choose The Shadow of the Wind for the same reason), and then maybe Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness since it's pretty long and I think mindfulness practices would be helpful for surviving on that island.
Sara wrote: "I need to copy down the recipe in the back for burnt sugar cake before I turn it back into the library!.."OMG you absolutely must! Finding a good recipe for burnt sugar cake is not easy, and it's also not easy to make. A friend of mine spent years searching out recipes until she found a good one. It was a favorite in her family but her mother's recipe book disappeared at some point (her mother had alzheimers so they believe it ended up being tossed when she moved into a nursing home).
now I have to read that book!
Morning from the Outback :) Been a quiet week this week. For some reason I’ve been beyond exhausted again and there’s nothing to do out here anyway except read and daydream. I’ve been doing more daydreaming than reading though. Also I added an extra 200gb to my phone plan last week so I’ve been able to surf the Net. It’s actually really nice not having to worry about going over my piddling 10gb on my phone. Heading up to the Farm for the weekend so Hubby can finish the kitchen island. The bench came when I was home last time but he hasn’t been up there since to finish it.
Read
The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman (paperback) Another enchanting foray into the lives of the Owens family.
Currently reading
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (paperback) Only 6 chapters in but liking it so far.
Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence (paperback) Started this a few weeks ago but didn’t get around to finishing it. Really need to get back to it after I finish with Monty, Percy and Felicity.
And of course there are the other half dozen I’ve had on there for months. I know I shouldn’t read anything else until they’re finished but we’ll see how that pans out lol
QOTW
Apart from my iPad and a solar kit.....
Harry Potter omnibus (it’s a thing in my head OK), complete Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy omnibus (I bought it for my son last year), and a survival book with how to build a raft as one of the chapters (that Weasley twin is smart except he just wanted How to Build a Raft).
Hi everyone!Been busy with inktober and halloween costume making, so I've been in a re-read mode.
Finished :
By the Sword
Winds of Fate
currently reading
Winds of Change
QOTW:
Harry Potter Series Box Set
Such a hard question!
sure i can't bring my kindle with a solar charger?
Probably The Night Circus because I love the way it makes me feel when I read it. The Black Swan because it's one of my favorite books by favorite authors. and I'm also cheating with Harry Potter box set because it's essential.
I've been busy with discussion leader duties for the October monthly challenge. It's not to late to join us! Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie. This is my excuse for not finishing much this week.I did read The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson. I actually enjoyed this book more than I expected. While I doubt that Clinton actually wrote a lot of the book, it was cool to realize that the details concerning the White House and the President of the United States were likely to be much more accurate than without the aid of a former president. I like political thrillers, and this was an interesting one.
GoodReads Challenge: 81/90
QOTW:
This is an impossible question, so I'll go with the first three I can think of.
1. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
This has been sitting on my shelf for a few years because it is 936 pages long. But that sounds perfect for a desert island.
2. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
I've always planned to read this book, and what better time than reading about being stranded on a desert island while you are actually stranded on one.
3. Whatever my favorite book is at the time - maybe someday I'll figure out what it is
This was a decent reading week. I finished 4 books, 2 of them for Popsugar. Only 5 to go, but they include It and The Romanovs: 1613-1918. Why did I wait until the end of the year? Well, I wanted to read It around Halloween, but still. I could have started in June and just be finishing it now.Finished:
Hallowe'en Party for book about Halloween. I read Murder on the Orient Express and And Then There Were None earlier this year. The differences between the books written in the 1930s and this one written in 1969 were so jarring. The earlier ones were so much better.
All Systems Red was a fun and super short read. The next 2 in the series are not available from my library. I guess I will have to keep an eye out for Kindle deals.
Tangerine was a typical thriller. Nothing special.
Listened to The Silkworm for book by female author using a male pseudonym. It was so good. Much better than the first book, and I liked the first book.
Currently reading:
Listening to The Book Thief for book made into a movie I've seen.
It for bestseller from the year I graduated high school.
Surprise Me for light fluff.
QOTW:
Harry Potter Series Box Set if that's allowed. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban if I can only take one.
The Lord of the Rings
I will be really into fantasy on this desert island, to keep my mind off the reality.
The World According to Garp or A Prayer for Owen Meany. I love them both.
Hello!!! No reading progress really. Spent my weekend celebrating my birthday a week early in Disneyland. Super fun. Trying to get back to real life. So excited for Halloween next week. I cannot believe it's almost November. So crazy.37/52
Finished Reading
Currently Reading
QotW:
If you were ever stranded on a desert island, which three books would you want with you (and why)?
If I were stranded on a desert island I would want the following so I could survive long enough to get off the Island and go to the library.
How to build a rudimentary radio
Island Survival Guide
Something about building a boat
Since that is no fun I will lead with I don't like rereading books
1Q84 because it's huge and intimidating and I want to read it. Can probably also be used for defense against bugs and offense against coconuts.
A large collection of fairy tales or short stories. Different flavors almost like having more than 3 books.
And a book identifying edible vs poisonous plants and such because I wanna live
Tara wrote: " Bel Canto I participated in the Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon on Saturday, and it was my goal to start and finish this book. I was also reading it for the Reading Women Challenge prompt - book that's been on my TBR for the longest. I have owned this book for 10-15 years and I own it in both paperback and Kindle, but for whatever reason never picked it up.."Similar story! I had a first edition hardcover, bought right after it was first published, and just never got around to reading it until 2016 Pop Sugar Challenge loved it, still think about it! Kucked myself for waiting all those years before reading it.
Have yet to see the movie. It was also made into an opera for Chicago Lyric, performed in 2015, taped for PBS. I have great hopes that the Met here in NYC performs it.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff (other topics)The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (other topics)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (other topics)
The Lord of the Rings (other topics)
Winter (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Alexandra Bracken (other topics)Patrick Ness (other topics)
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rainingsnowing. My dogs are not pleased.In Admin type news, the October monthly read of Hallowe'en Party is drawing to a close - still a week left! Come join the discussion! - and next month's read will be The Immortalists.
I have finished 6 books this week.
Before She Sleeps by - Bina Shah - a "feminist dystopian" - this sounded so intriguing, but I was disappointed. It was illogical and didn't follow up on several hanging plot threads.
The Hit by David Baldacci- I love a bit of espionage fluff! In this one, Robie uncovered a "deep state" style plot within the US government to assassinate multiple world leaders. Completely nutty of course but it actually hit pretty close to home given all the news in the US these days.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - I hated this. It's just not my kind of book. It can't be just me! There must be someone else out there who hated this, too!
Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie- I read this so I could follow along with a monthly read. It was okay.
Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor - a collection of three novellas - this was ... weird ... and dreamy and wonderful, and a little creepy. I love Laini Taylor.
Drama by Raina Telgemeier - my kids encouraged me to read this, it's extremely adorable.
Question of the Week:
This week's question is from Rachel Morrow! If you were ever stranded on a desert island, which three books would you want with you (and why)?
Ah, the always popular desert island! I actually think about this from time to time, but I never come up with a definitive answer. I would want books that give me a lot to think about, and have strong re-read qualities. Maybe a classic, a romance, a book I haven't read yet, a good mystery, a book of poetry, and a favorite science fiction or fantasy, which is probably a series so I'll want the whole set, and oh no that's a lot more than three!!
I have had ALL WEEK to think, and I still don't know!! So, I'm in a rush, the boat is sinking, and I grab three books from my on-board library:
Shadow & Claw by Gene Wolfe, books 1 & 2 of the New Sun series, a favorite of mine that I haven't read in a long time; it is complex and thoughtful and too bad there's not an omnibus edition of the entire series. I'll have to make do with just this.
Bright Dead Things by Ada Limon - poetry! That I happen to own!
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters - a book I haven't read yet - this looks like it could keep me busy for a while.
It's a good thing I'm not actually stranded on a deserted island, because I'm having anxiety about my choices. So many other books are needed!!