Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2018 Weekly Checkins
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Week 47: 11/15 - 11/22
Quick check-in, as I think the baby is waking from his nap!I finished the challenge last week, so I'm just going to share what I read free-style this week. First up was Little Darlings, which I got a NetGalley of. The premise of this book hooked me in before I even read the first page. A new mother of twins becomes convinced that someone is trying to steal her babies, but no one else believes her. Playing with sinister fairy tales and folklore, sleep deprivation and mental health, this book is creepy and a little too close for comfort. The mother, Lauren, is a character I rooted for. I think the experience of that newborn fog, where sleep is snatched and life becomes disjointed is well portrayed, as well as the isolation and feelings of failure. Her fear and confusion are palpable. I also liked Harper, the detective who is drawn to the case for her own personal reasons and who, like all good fictional detectives, isn't afraid to bend some rules to get to the truth. This is a well-paced story, which kept me turning the pages until the end...and has not helped the sense of unease I always feel around reservoirs!
And then I read Tamburlaine Must Die, which is so beyond my type of book, that I ignored it on my shelves for years. But I bought it because I have never been disappointed by Louise Welsh, and am glad to say that this book didn't let me down either. Because if you look past the jerkins, archaic verse and macho posturing (of which there is thankfully little, considering the premise), this is a dark and witty tale of backstabbing and mystery involving the man that some speculate was the real Shakespeare. Welsh is so good at creating an atmosphere that I could almost smell the dirty air and hear the stomp of boots on wooden tavern floors. Thankfully it's a short read, as I don't think even Welsh could persuade me to stay in that world for long, but it builds to a satisfying end.
When you have a holiday dinner with your extended family and friends, do you talk books?
Short answer, no. Hubby and I read, and so do our parents, but it's not something we really talk about. Mainly I suppose because our tastes are so different, and also because...well, I don't really talk about books apart from on here. Maybe I should do it more often.
Anyway, the noise coming through the baby monitor tells me it's time to go...
Happy Thursday & Happy Thanksgiving to all you americans! (I’m jealous...I’d like a turkey dinner this week!) 😂@Nadine Exciting that your kids are in the parade! Hopefully you’ve got a hot drink while you’re waiting, especially if it’s as cold there as it is here!
My current PS status is 52/52! I finished the challenge on the 20th! YAY!
Also of note: Five Feet Apart just came out and I’ve got my hands on the ebook already!!!! I have it slotted for 2019 PS prompt - a book becoming a movie in 2019 but I’m not sure if I can wait that long!!! I’m so excited for this one, the movie trailer looks amazing! If you enjoyed The Fault in Our Stars then this will be one for you!!
Finished This Week
I've Got My Eyes on You by Mary Higgins Clark for ATY’s Edgar Award/Grand Master Author prompt - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This one was VERY plot driven and had minimal character development which I didn’t mind at all. Also DON’T READ THE SYNOPSIS because for some reason it very very obviously hints at THE major twist in the book and that somewhat ruined my experience.
His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik as a non challenge read (planning book 2&3 in 2019 challenges though!) - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I really enjoyed reading about all the dragons and their unique personalities and qualities etc. The final chapters & epilogue certainly don’t disappoint in this one!! I think this would make an amazing movie for anyone looking for ideas for that 2019 prompt I mean how epic would it be to see dragons flying in formation and engaged in a battle on the big screen?!?!!
The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) for 11) Female author who uses a male pseudonym (My final PS prompt for 2018!) ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I was disappointed that as a reader you don’t get to be more in on Strike’s thoughts and perceptions and suspicions surrounding the case and because of that I felt this was a bit long-winded and found myself skimming quite a bit. Even though I draw my own conclusions I prefer to have multiple ideas and perspectives however likely or not brought into a mystery read. The ending was not very predictable though and everything ties together very neatly in a nice bow at the end (even some seemingly irrelevant things) so that was nice. I liked it and plan to continue the series in 2019.
Currently Reading
A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab for ATY book with a clue weapon on the cover (my final prompt for 2018 ATY yay!) - about 50% and finding it all right so far, but I’m excited for the second half of this book because I can see that so many things are lining up! I have the third book of the series planned for 2019 challenge read but I’ve heard this one ends with a pretty big cliffhanger so I may ending up reading it sooner and replacing that pick!! lol
QotW
I don’t usually discuss books with my family at holiday dinners because my sister and sister-in-law are the only other readers in my family so everyone else would probably be bored! My sister and I do tend to facetime to discuss books quite often though and book swap almost every time we visit! 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving, no wonder the internet is quiet today! It's turned chilly on the south coast of England. I work in an old building that's either too hot or too cold and I'm needing many hot drinks today.I read My Sister, the Serial Killer for review, a mix of dark humour and the bond of sisters.
I finished listening to Lifel1k3, which I don't think was as good as the Nevernight or Illuminae books.
I'm currently reading The Mortal Word for review. I love the Invisible Library books!
My library is switching over from Overdrive to something called Borrowbox next week. Has anyone else used this? I only really use the library for audiobooks so a bit worried that the app reviews are pretty bad! It looks like they might have a better selection going forward though.
QOTW:
I do Christmas with just my boyfriend and our dog! I usually have a couple of meals with his family but honestly I'm not sure they ever read books and I think they think my book habit is a bit strange. My family live all over the place so we usually just Skype, though they will talk to me about books at other times.
How has another week gone by???!!!I am 41/52 so 11 more to go (if I am counting correctly)...
This week I read/finished:
A Son of the Circus by John Irving (audio). I have listened to this for a long time (it´s a long book), and I liked it better and better the farther I got. It worked well on audio for me. For "Bestseller the year you graduated high school" - I chose the year I finished the equivalent of high school (1994).
En vinter med stormhvalen (The Storm Whale in Winter) by Benji Davies. Such a sweet picture book. I particularly like Davies´ illustrations. For "Weather element in title".
And a couple of books for review:
Koks i kulissen (It is a common phrase loosely translates to "Chaos in the Wings"). Hmm not the best book I had this year, but not the worst either.
Panternatten - portrætter med pletter (The Panther Night - Portraits with Spots) by [author:Peter Mouritzen a grand old man in Danish children´s literature. Really good, really short, short stories about different children - like little portraits.
Træet by faroese author and illustrator Bárður Oskarsson He has a great drawing style made up of loose lines, and it´s a really funny, weirdish picture book. It won the Nordic Council Children and Young People's Literature Prize this year.
Just started listening to Drengen i kufferten (The Boy in the Suitcase) and it has started out good so far. I love Lene Kaaberbøl´s fantasy books (she is one of the two authors), so I was a bit nervous if I didn´t like it - but so far so good. For "Nordic Noir".
And then I picked up The Lies of Locke Lamora again, after a couple months break (due to other people´s holds and other books needing to be read). This is a really entertaining book (for "Heist").
QOTW:
Generally yes, but it depends on which family and friends. I have some in-laws who hardly reads. I talk about different books with different people: My mum reads literary literature - contemporary and classical. My stepmum reads extremely eclectically, my dad reads historical tomes and sometimes he picks up something (for him) random, like YA or fantasy. My one sister reads manga and loves to talk illustrations, my siblings love fantasy in general, my husband reads literary literature and weird non-fiction, my oldest son reads philosophy and other things that catch his fancy (he is in the equivalent of high school, so most of his reading is assigned), my middle son reads A LOT of SFF, my youngest reads Donald Duck and the occasional Dog Man and so on... But everyone knows I like to talk books, so they often come to me to share recommendations or ask about books, and discuss them.
EDIT: I just realised the question was whether you discussed them at dinners - and the answer is still yes. We are more or less always at least 10 people but oftentimes more, so having one conversation at a time isn´t a thing (it can be pretty loud and chaotic).
Happy American Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating. My son and husband have already begun their day with the "turkey bowl"- a two hand touch American football game with my son's friends playing against my husband's friends. They love this every year, but I always have hot chocolate waiting because it is cold outside.This week I only read three books, all of them for my youth committee group. I read:
Captain Superlative- I was surprised at how much I liked this book. There are some heavy topics in the book, but it is an optimistic look at some challenges.
Front Desk- again heavy topics handled gracefully, but I just didn't like the writing style.
Resistance- an historical fiction about the ghetto uprising in Warsaw during WWII. It was very well written. If you like A Night Divided you'll like this one. Resistance is the better book IMHO.
QOTW: My family and I talk about books all the time. I come from a big family of readers. So yes, we talk about books at dinners (sometimes). This year will be different because I only have two kiddos at home and my family lives too far away to travel. We are having dinner with my daughter's boyfriend's family, so who knows what we will end up talking about.
Happy Reading!
Happy Thanksgiving! It’s a cold morning but I’m excited to do my first Thanksgiving buffet. My family did Thanksgiving on Tuesday so me and my 12 year old have reservations to eat and then we’ll be seeing the new Fantastic Beasts tonight. I hope everyone else (who celebrates) has a great holiday! Since We Fell not for the challenge. I got this book in May 2017, in my look of the month club subscription. I don’t know why I thought these books just sit on my bookshelf on red for such a long time, because I always really love all of the books I’ve gotten from BOTM. The author also wrote Shutter Island, to give you an idea of how mind-blowing this book was. It starts with a former disgraced journalist current shut in processing past trauma and ends in the craziest way. This would make a great movie. I was highly entertained the entire time I read this book, and I found it really hard to put down.
The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse A short story not for the challenge. This is the Flavia de Luce short mystery. It follows the typical Flavia story model: a body is found and Flavia gets to the bottom of it thanks to her superior scienctific knowledge. It was fun and light, especially in comparison with the two stories it’s sandwiched between.
As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust not for the challenge just making progress with this series. This is, I think, the seventh Flavia de Luce book. I absolutely adore this series. The books revolve around Flavia, initially 11 but now a 12 year old girl living in 1950s England. She is extremely skilled at chemistry and uses her knowledge to solve murders around her small town in the country side. This book specifically involves her attending a boarding school in Canada, her late mother’s alma mater, and solving a mystery there. This book was not my favorite of the series but I most definitely plan on reading the rest.
Lethal White this was going to be for next year’s challenge but it checked out from my holds way earlier than I anticipated. The 4th Cormoran Strike book I didn’t even realize was released until a few months ago when someone here mentioned it. Another great mystery that I throughly enjoyed and couldn’t put down.
Beartown not for the challenge I’m just clearing out my suspended overdrive holds. A book about a hockey town and the gang mentality of sports-centered towns. I feel no particular way about this book. It’s a tale as old as time and it didn’t really offer any new, profound perspectives. It was a fine book, but I feel like it was supposed to make me feel a particular way and it didn’t.
Run earlier this year I decided I wanted to read all of Ann Patchett’s books. Run was next up on my list. It’s a story about how the lives of two families intermingle in both the past and the present after a woman pushes a young man out of the path of an oncoming car. It was a sweet book, nothing too complex but it was hopeful and positive. I feel like I never even bother to look at the reviews of her books because all the negative ones I see are just people complaining about Catholicism (a lot of her characters are Catholic). What’s so wrong with Catholics that the mere mention of them is enough for a one star review lol. People are weird I guess. I love her works and never see any of her books as religious (not even the one that takes place in a Catholic home for unwed pregnant women).
So I’m at 39/40; 9/10 and 19/24 with 178 books read this year.
QOTW: sometimes! My sister and one of my cousins are readers but otherwise no one in my family has picked up a book since they left high school.
To the American members of this group, Happy Thanksgiving! To those who don't live in the US... Happy Thursday! XDBooks finished this week:
All Our Wrong Todays -- I really wanted to like this one, but I found the protagonist way too whiny and angsty, and the writing style was obnoxious. If you can overcome these two obstacles, this one would work for anyone still looking to fill the "time travel" prompt.
Circus Mirandus -- a boy hunts down a magic circus in the hopes that it can save his dying grandfather. Enchanting and bittersweet.
HP Lovecraft: The Mysterious Man Behind the Darkness -- after binge-reading Lovecraft this year, it only felt appropriate to read his biography. Fascinating account of a troubled writer's life, though some annoying grammatical errors throughout.
Sparks! -- graphic novel. Two cats use a mechanical dog suit to fight an alien invasion. Goofy but very cute and fun.
Unicorn Theater -- graphic novel. Another installment in the "Phoebe and Her Unicorn" books, and still charming and fun.
DNFed Stones: Data. Another one I wanted to like, but the story just drags along. Authors, you don't have to describe everything in excruciating detail...
Currently Reading:
The Blue Hawk
Things Go Wrong For Me
QOTW:
My sister and I frequently discuss books. This Thanksgiving, however, it's just going to be me, my mom, and my grandparents, and I don't share reading tastes with any of them.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the US! This is my favorite holiday, and I'm so excited to start cooking and for all of our traditions - a movie after lunch, then decorating the Christmas tree, then an evening of board games.Finished
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. I'm glad that's over. What a waste of my time.
The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman. I really thought I'd DNF this one at the beginning. The main character was so willfully miserable, in my opinion. It took awhile to see that she needed psychiatric help for childhood trauma. I loved it and was in tears by the end.
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty. This isn't my favorite Liane Moriarty book, but it would be hard to top Big Little Lies.
Twain’s Feast. This is an Audible documentary about Mark Twain's life with his favorite foods as a framing device. I wouldn't normally count something like this on my reading list, but it was 4 hours long and based off a book, so here it is. This was interesting and very fitting for Thanksgiving week.
Reading
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. I'm making slow, but steady progress. I've read a little over a third of the book.
Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole. I checked this out of the library on a whim. I'm enjoying it so far.
Roomies by Christina Lauren. I needed an audiobook, this one was on sale, and I recognized the title from the Goodreads Choice Awards. It's so good!! I see why it's in the final round for the awards.
QOTW
Not specifically at holiday dinners. None of us read the same kind of books, so when we talk about books, it's mostly to say that we've read a book and what it's about, knowing that no one else will have read it or will want to read it. My mom and I are pretty good about just listening and letting the other person be excited about a book.
Quick check-in for me as well!Nadine, your daughters' band is on TV right now!
I finished my challenge this week! Yay! I usually finish in November, but I was getting a little worried I wouldn't make it this year. Now I can relax and read Christmas books the rest of the year!
I finished three books in the last week.
One Day in December by Josie Silver. This was a fun seasonal read. Laurie sees Jack through the bus window one December and spends the next year searching for him...until he turns up as her best friend's new boyfriend. What follows is ten years of encounters, friendship and heartache.
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte. I loved this book! It's well written and just makes me love the Bronte sisters so much more! Used this for the male psuedonym.
Snape: A Definitive Reading - loved this one as well. It completely changed the way I look at Snape's character. And it was the final book for my challenge - anti-hero.
QOTW
No book discussion around our holiday table. Only one other member of my family reads like I do. Sometimes she and I will talk books, but if I try bringing up interesting books to the rest of them, there's not much interest. Oh well!
Quite an uneventful week for me, but I have done some more work on the office/library, and completed my GR reading challenge. 🙂 No further forward on Popsugar, unfortunately.Completed:
Becoming - This was really interesting and engaging. Enjoyed learning what it's actually like to live in the White House - sounds like a bit of a nightmare to be honest! And it made me miss the Obama administration even though I'm not even American.
Spinning Silver - A beautiful winter fantasy. Had a really good time with this although I rather wish I'd left it till nearer Christmas when there'll hopefully be snow on the ground. I liked that it was a real fairytale mash-up - it's marketed as a Rumplestiltskin retelling but it's so much more. There's elements of older versions of Cinderella and other tales, Russian/Eastern European mythology, and also actual history - it touches heavily on persecution of Jewish people.
Also there's a secondary character who's autistic-coded. It's subtle but pretty well-done, I appreciated it.
Feminists Don't Wear Pink (and other lies): Amazing women on what the F-word means to them - Disappointed in this one. Really felt like a quantity-over-quality kind of collection. So many contributions from so many big names, but they were all only about 4 pages long at most, so there was no time to really leave an impact. Should've had half the essays, but twice as long.
Currently reading Doctor Who: The Good Doctor. It's pretty fun.
QOTW: Holiday get-togethers aren't something my family does.
Happy Thanksgiving ftom NYC! BRRR! Coldest Thanksgiving on record here in NYC. Nadine - that means your kids are marching in the Thanksgiving Day Parade that ranks as the coldest history! I applaud you and your family standing out in this cold - that is family loyalty! Meanwhile I sit in my warm cozy apartment a few blocks north in my jammies on my couch, watching it on TV.
Finishes:
Swing Time - my first Zadie Smith and I did like it, but was a tad disgruntled with the end and the narrator. Which is no problem given there is a lot of interest such as the whole celebrity philanthropist in Africa plot line, and the use of dance as a unifying theme. Read as my book with just words in the title for ATY.
With that I finished ATY! Yes, I double dipped.
NADINE! Just saw your kids' band on TV! Loved their performance and those Statue of Liberty flags!
Also finished Killer Christmas. I needed Christmas Cozy and I needed it NOW! This was delightful - pop singing star breaks up with her superstar boyfriend and heads home to a small town outside Toronto to lick her wounds amongst her family at Christmas. A fan is murdered in front of her and Emma finds herself helping solve the murder. Detective on case is her high school sweetheart...fun, charming, very short, and first in a holiday themed series.
The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty - I should have liked this a lot more but just did not. Another very short fast read (136 pages), it tells this story of a woman running away from her life to Casablanca, Morocco, much happens and she starts reinventing herself and letting her past go.
Currently reading Olive Kitteridge - just started. Not sure how much I will get read this week. A friend is visiting for the holiday and our schedule is packed.
QOTW: It depends. My holidays and with whom I spend them vary year to year. This year for example I will be with friends for dinner in a couple hours, and books will be discussed because we are all readers and books are always discussed when any of us eat with one another. I talk books with pretty much every one ... some conversations are longer than others because not everyone is a reader... and even at holiday meals unless we have all seen a lot of each other recently. For example my brother reads magazines and newspapers, not books. His wife, however, is a book reader so we talk at length and my brother just listens.
It seems like it's been longer than a week since the last check-in - I've been having fun filling in books for the 2019 challenges!This week I listened to Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love & Baking Biscuits which was kind of a mixed bag for me. At some points I was annoyed that she placed so much importance on things that don't really matter (like place settings, dinner party etiquette, etc.) but at other times I was wishing she were my friend. Overall it was cute, but nothing profound.
I also finished the audio version of The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers - over 14 hours! I liked it, but I think I have become less interested in the details of people's lives who were born into a lot of money. Their accomplishments don't seem as impressive anymore I guess. Even though it wasn't covered in the book, I'm still a little put-off by how the recent movie about him mentioned that he always voted Republican, and it was during the time where the Republican party became the safe space for those opposed to civil rights changes, so it's strange that he stuck to that allegiance.
I also read I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life. I enjoyed it since it's always fun to know there are other people as book-obsessed as I am. Most of the "books about books" I've come across in the past focus too much on the classics, so I can't connect, but she mentions many books that I have read and enjoyed, so I appreciated that. It was pretty short and blog-feeling though, so I wished there were more to it.
I read The Long Walk: A Story of War and the Life That Follows to try to get a better understanding of people who join the US military when they probably had other options. Unfortunately I just can't really connect with the desire to "blow stuff up"... but I think the author did a good job of describing the "crazy" that is created out of war-induced PTSD. It's really a shame how much damage war causes for everyone involved.
This week I'm listening to Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation for a book club, and reading The Last Watchman of Old Cairo on kindle, which I'm really enjoying.
QOTW: I would say about half of my family is readers, but no one reads as much as I do, and I think they are slightly annoyed by my "over-achiever" reading habits. But thanks to this prompt I'll probably bring up books at our Thanksgiving gathering later today and see if we get into a good discussion.
Mod
Happy Thankgiving/Thursday! I just saw your kid's band Nadine! Finished:
The First Rule of Punk
Thank You, Omu!
The Birchbark House
Currently Reading:
#Notyourprincess: Voices of Native American Women
QOTW: I don't have family anymore, and I usually prefer to work. Unfortunately for me, this year my store is closed so I'm at a friend's. All day. We probably won't talk books.
Happy Thanksgiving!I'm now at 45/50 for the challenge.
Read this week:
They Came in Ships: A Guide to Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor's Arrival Record by John P. Colletta, Ph.D. (finished 11/17), I read this as a book about your ancestry. I bought this book years ago when I was researching the branch of my family that came through Ellis Island - I found one, a possible second match, but I was still missing some records. Now that I've finally read the book that helps with this research, I think I'll try again. Though it was written some time ago (at least this edition), the information in it is still relevant.
You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation by Deborah Tannen (finished 11/20), read for a nonfiction challenge, this book gave me some insights I was able to share at a recent diversity dialog at work.
Save the Loonies by Joyce Milton (finished 11/21), a childhood favorite, read for a monthly challenge.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (finished 11/22), I watched the movie when it came out and had always wanted to read the book (used for a monthly challenge) - I'd largely forgotten just how twisted this story was, and the book brings that home even better than the movie.
QOTW: We usually don't talk books for the holidays - if we do, it's usually what everyone else read as I'm more likely to read their tastes than they are to branch out and read some of what I read.
Happy Thanksgiving! And how fun Nadine! How was the parade??Finished
Signs Preceding the End of the World This is a novella that I read with my IRL book club. It is about a teenage girl crossing the border from Mexico into the U.S. There were moments that I found really compelling, but overall it was so stylized that it was hard for me to feel connected to the story or the characters.
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir There were moments reading this book when I felt completely devastated. I have read kind-of extensively about the history of racial injustice in our country, but there were still stories in this book that shocked, angered, and overwhelmed me. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. It is incredibly well-written, and may open your eyes to what we've promoted and allowed in the U.S. that must stop.
Victoria: The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire I listened to this on audiobook. It was long (over 20 hours), but really great. Victoria was a truly fascinating woman.
Peace Like a River I really wanted and expected to love this book, but it was just okay for me. Some reader friends that I trust have mentioned this book as one of their favorites of all time. But there was something about the first-person narrative that I just didn't connect with. Oh well.
Currently Reading
I'm just about to start All You Can Ever Know: A Memoir and a re-read of A Tale of Two Cities.
QOTW
I don't think we've ever talked about books as a whole table, but there are members of my family that I love talking about books with - namely my mom, my aunt, and my brother.
Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans! That's so cool about your kids' band, Nadine!Finished:
Girl Waits with Gun- for a novel based on a real person. I've finished the challenge now! Whoo! (personally I found this novel longer than it needed to be- I could have cut 100 pages easy, but lots seem to have loved it just the way it is!)
A Wonderlandiful World- a bit disappointed with the ending but still a cute children's series.
The House of the Seven Gables- Way better than I expected! Very Gothic-esque, though at times Hawthorne got a little long winded
Once Upon a Time: A Story Collection- cute!
The Marian- Not bad though I'm not sure I care enough to continue the trilogy.
Currently reading:
Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII
Spinning Silver
The Arabian Nights
QOTW:
No, we don't talk about books or have extended family/friends over during holidays.
Ellie wrote: "Happy Thanksgiving, no wonder the internet is quiet today! It's turned chilly on the south coast of England. I work in an old building that's either too hot or too cold and I'm needing many hot dri..."My library moved to Borrowbox, and I wasn't paying attention so lost my wishlist on Overdrive. I also think Borrowbox is a bit ugly and clunky. I haven't tried to rebuild my wishlist or see if they're all still available yet...
Tara wrote: "When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir ... I cannot recommend this book strongly enough."I second this.
Happy Thanksgiving to those in the US!I finally crossed off another prompt this week, so I'm now down to just three more left.
Completed
Life, the Universe and Everything - 38. A book with an ugly cover
I actually own a different copy of this book with a cover I like, but went and borrowed a copy of this edition because I thought it fit this prompt so perfectly. Look that cover! It's so ugly I think I love it. lol It was an okay read. Not my favourite in the series and not as funny as the first two, but I still want to continue on.
A Time to Dance - A book set in India for Book Riot
An enjoyable read, but I'm not sure the free verse really worked for me.
Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom and Death Note, Vol. 2: Confluence
Possibly quite a big stretch, but I might just going to go with it anyway. A book related to a deadly sin for ATY and a mystery by a POC for Book Riot.
One of my favourite manga series. This is my second time reading them.
Progress
Regular: 40/42
Advanced: 9/10
Currently Reading
The Anatomical Shape of a Heart
QOTW
Not really. Only person in my family that I talk about books with is my grandma, but I do that whenever I see her, not just at holidays.
That's cool about your kids being in the parade.My Thanksgiving was thankfully quiet.
Managed to finish two books Wisp of a Thing which would be good for a book about family if someone needs one for next year
Deadly Dram was a really fun mystery set in a Scottish whiskey distillery.
QOTW While we're all readers we don't read the same things and generally don't talk books. Mom and I will sometimes, generally mysteries.
This week I finished 3 books for the challengeThe Trivium: The Liberal Arts of Logic, Grammar, and Rhetoric for a book with author with same--I enjoyed the book, but then I am a word nerd!
Brave New World Revisited for book with ugly cover-- the cover was disturbing, the premise was disturbing, but I liked this book much more than I expected
The Children's Blizzard for book about ancestry-- this was a tough read because although none of our direct relatives were discussed, several of the story lines were surnames of family, so definitely cousins and we know direct line relatives also perished in the storm. Well researched and presented.
QOTW: No one in my extended is a big reader, so books aren't the usual topic of discussion. However, this year was an exception because we had an international doctoral student from local university join us. He is studying Spanish literature, so we talked books, authors, works in translation. I've added a new author to my tbr (Arturo Pérez-Reverte)!
Miriam Pauline wrote: " ..."He is studying Spanish literature, so we talked books, authors, works in translation. I've added a new author to my tbr (Arturo Pérez-Reverte)!
Love his works! I nominated his The Flanders Panel for the January 2019 monthly read along because it involves chess.
Sounds like a lovely conversation!
Theresa wrote: "Miriam Pauline wrote: " ..."He is studying Spanish literature, so we talked books, authors, works in translation. I've added a new author to my tbr (Arturo Pérez-Reverte)!
Love his works! I nomi..."
Awesome. I wasn't sure where to start. Maybe it will be The Flanders Panel. Thanks!
Hi all! Happy Thanksgiving to all my other American friends and Happy Thursday to everyone else! Just barely making the check-in today. Completely forgot it was a Thursday. We are on day 9 (out of 14) of having guests and as an introvert I am tired. We had electrical issues (we're thinking maybe lightning hit the nearby power pole) and it took out our heater, our internet, our kettle and my husband's keyboard in addition to causing general power issues around the house. We've been running around setting up appointments to get all these things fixed. I really need a little me time to recharge. Despite all that I did manage to finish 3 books this week. I was halfway through The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society last week and I managed to finish it off in the evenings when everyone else went to bed. I thought this was a lovely story but I was surprised I wasn't more taken with it since a lot of my friends simply rave about this book. I'm still pleased I was finally able to track down a copy after a year of keeping an eye out at my library. I've never read a book written fully using correspondence between different people. I thought that was a very clever way of telling a tale. I suppose I need to watch the Netflix version in the next few weeks.
I also finished Sleeping Giants and again thought it was just ok. This was another one that was a funny format in that it was essentially transcribed interviews from a case file. I think the thing that kind of turned me off was the politics that surrounded the giant robot. I really liked the premise of the parts hidden around the world and the journey they took to figure out what in the heck it was and how it works. I'm not sure if I'll go into the next book - maybe if it fits a good prompt for 2019?
And lastly, I listened to Norse Mythology and I really enjoyed Gaiman's characterization of the Norse gods. I thought his Loki was the perfect blend of charming and dastardly and was fun to read about. The one thing that kind of bummed me is that I'm rather familiar with the Norse myths and so the whole book wasn't really new to me. I'm not sure why I thought it would be more original stories since it's just retellings of old myths. I completely recommend it for people new to the old stories though. Gaiman really has a way of bringing characters to life.
QOTW:
We don't really talk about books at the dinner table but we do generally discuss them at some point during the visit. My family tends to read the exact opposite of what the others read and while we like talking about the different things that we enjoy reading, it does tend to keep the conversations shorter. My father is probably the most voracious reader other than myself but he prefers stories about dystopian situations, survival stories, wars and veterans and I avoid those like the plague.
Happy belated thanksgiving to those in the US.This week has been insane. Some real highs and some lows. My accidental (from the compost heap) tomato plant is producing which makes me happy. Double free! This should be the last weekend of marking for the year (also V.G.) and one of my year 11 boys got an award through RACI (Royal Australian Chemical Institute). On the downer side massive storm today knocked out power at school just as all the assignments were due in and the kids couldn't access their folders (class is always fun in the dark when you have to totally replan as you teach). Have managed to crack a tooth from root to tip with my stress grinding so have to get that fixed next week. Got 2 basal cell carcinomas identified on my face at my skin check today so am in for removal on Monday just when I need to be at school. Hopefully have got them early and they get the lot in 1 go.
Not much reading other than the kids assignments this week.
reread The Magic Faraway Tree and finished a bunch of text books.
Hopefully there will be more reading time next week.
QOTW
My sister doesn't read and I haven't seen her for 8 years (8 today since Dad's funeral). Mum does but I only see her every couple of years. We do talk books sometimes but have very different tastes.
My childhood friend who visited last month is a big reader and one of the first places we went was to the cheapest bookshop in the city. He was the one who lent me my first Dean Koontz (The Bad Place) over 20 years ago, that was a fair few ago since Koontz is only behind King in my most read (well over 50 if both names are included).
Miriam Pauline wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Miriam Pauline wrote: " ..."He is studying Spanish literature, so we talked books, authors, works in translation. I've added a new author to my tbr (Arturo Pérez-Reverte)!
Love h..."
That was the first translated into English, and published in US so first I read. It is one of his stand alone historic novels. There is also his Alatriste series - think Spanish 3 Musketeers.
Sarah wrote: "My library moved to Borrowbox, and I wasn't paying attention so lost my wishlist on Overdrive..."I've seen lots of grumbling that they only gave us a week's notice and a lot of people have books out on loan that will be lost. I can sort of understand changing from a US based service to a commonwealth one though. I'll just have to wait and see.
Nadine wrote: "In case anyone is curious, it was around 20 degrees F in Manhattan this morning (I think it went from 18 F in pre dawn to 22 F when the parade had started) and that's not too bad out if you are jus..."20F (-6C) isn't too bad at all if there isn't a windchill, warm layers will help! You can also get the hot pack things to stick in your boots and gloves to keep toes and fingers warm! :)
The temperature here yesterday when I was posting was -4F (-20C). I'm about a 10 hour drive north of NYC I think (IF there's no traffic or wait at the US border crossing...I'm in Ontario). I knew it would be warmer than it is here but figured it might be a little closer in temperature but I guess not... although come to think of it, once you get north of Toronto, things tend to get a lot more snowy and chilly very quickly!
Today is a much warmer, nicer day! :D Only -8C (17F) this morning and not too much snow yet, only about 6-8 inches! Here's my front yard at the moment. Put some suet out this morning and the birds have been having a ball with it!
I just checked a map and I am further north than you Stacey, but we have considerably warmer weather (Copenhagen, Denmark). It's kind of weird, but it's because of the gulf stream and other ocean currents, plus the mountains in Norway take some of the cold coming that way. But we have the dark, which really hit my mood today...
... unless you are in the absolute northern part of Ontario.
Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving! It was a very long day, with an over two hour drive each way to my husband's cousin's house. We alternate years, one year with my family, one year with my husband's. My husband's family is huge though, there were over 30 people at yeasterday's gathering.Finished:
Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History for Read Harder.
The Remains of the Day for ATY literary fiction. Not sure why I hadn't read this book yet, it was right up my alley. I loved the ending, so simple and satisfying.
Currently reading:
The Sun Also Rises for Popsugar book mentioned in another book.
Persuasion is my last book for the Read Harder challenge.
It for Popsugar and my last book for the ATY challenge. Only 15 more hours to go.
QOTW:
We don't talk about books, unless you count in the car on the way there with my mother in law. My mom reads, but not the same kinds of books as I do. The only author we both like is Kristin Hannah. On my husband's side, I am not sure what people's reading tastes are, they never talk about books.
Johanne wrote: "I just checked a map and I am further north than you Stacey, but we have considerably warmer weather (Copenhagen, Denmark). It's kind of weird, but it's because of the gulf stream and other ocean c..."I find it so hard to get my head around the fact I'm further north than the Canadian border yet it's so mild. The temperature has gone back up today and it's currently 11C (51F)! Though sometimes I would like proper snow.
Yeah, it's really weird. I spoke to my cousin about this last weekend, he lives in the Boston area and he said that it's the same latitude as Southern France, and they have a completely different climate. Today it's colder here, quite normal for this time of year: 3°C/ 37°F.
I also like snow and frost better than the just above freezing, windy and wet that's so often the Danish winter trademark. It does sometimes snow, though.
Happy belated Thanksgiving to all who celebrated yesterday. Mine was uneventful. I didn't bring my laptop to my moms, just my kindle, but I ended up taking a nice nap on the couch instead of reading much. It was pretty quiet as far as holidays go. The girls were with their father and my older brother went with his wife to his stepsons new house. So, it was me my other brother, sister in law and their baby ( his other kids were with their mom) and my mom. We watched the dog show and the parade and took turns falling asleep LOL. I really wanted to just stay home and wallow. Holiday blues are kicking in. I went straight to bed as soon as I got home ( by 7 pm).Not much reading this week. I started and finished Into the Water. I enjoyed it until the end and then it fell on its face for me. I think it was more my mood.
Books in progress:
The Good Samaritan I actually finished this last night when I got home and then started a new book on my kindle before I fell asleep. This book was just disturbing. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, especially surprising since it was one of my Kindle First picks.
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness: I'm about 1/3 through with this. Will probably finish today if I don't give in to my urge to distract myself with netflix and sleep.
And I just started His Majesty's Dragon last night and read about 40 pages before sleeping. I'm excited to read some fantasy, and Ive noticed a lot of people talking about this series lately. Its long though. 9 books???? I kind of hope I don't feel compelled to attempt reading them all.
QOTW: Not really much book talk, especially during dinner. When my older brother is around we usually talk about what we're reading.
My mom and I will usually have our kindles out at some point and talk about books but I read much more widely than anyone in my family and no one really cares about my challenges, LOL. I get recommendations from both of them and sometimes I'm able to recommend a book or two to one of them. I have a running list of books they've told me I should read but until next year none of them have been planned into my challenges ( or I just haven't gotten to them).
Tracy, people look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them I do reading challenges. I guess most people think just reading at all is challenging enough. Or we're all crazy.
Milena wrote: "Tracy, people look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them I do reading challenges. I guess most people think just reading at all is challenging enough. Or we're all crazy."I try and discuss with people, but you all are the only ones who understand 😐
Hello all. Holidays with family are usually anxiety-ridden, so I'm glad there is always food at hand to distract. I finished reading Girl at Sea and Annie on My Mind this past week to knock off a couple more prompts. Annie on my Mind is a really sweet story if you haven't read it before.
I'm currently reading Sisters in Sanity for the Alliteration prompt. I'm pretty sure I will finish this one quickly (well, "quick"for me) and I don't have another book lined up from the library yet for my remaining prompts! So that's what I'll be thinking about today.
QOTW:
Well, my grandpa always has a book or two to give me at the Holidays, and I usually have a few to return to him. His books are more often misses for me, as he likes books with more.... realism in them I guess. However, sometimes he comes up with a good non-fiction adventure book for me. My mom and I always talk books and recommend a few to each other.
Johanne wrote: "... unless you are in the absolute northern part of Ontario."Goodness no although I have been that far north (have visited Fort Severn, ON), there are no roads (not even ice/winter roads) and just fly-in only native reserves! They are SO different, it's honestly like visiting another country!! Some of the children on the reserve had never seen anyone with white skin and light hair before in real life (I was more blonde when I was younger) so they would come up to me and touch my skin and hair because they were so curious! Culturally things are SO different too! There are no high schools so kids leave home at 13/14 to go live in a city usually with other family or friends, it's no big thing for them to have a polar bear strolling through town on a regular basis and because groceries are so expensive to transport there most of their food is either frozen or hunted (caribou, tarmagan, polar bear, fish etc).
Ironically it takes me longer to get to the most northern part of Ontario than it does for me to drive to Florida!! xD Driving up and around the great lakes takes forever! (Also the flight from Sioux Lookout, ON to Fort Severn, ON is about 2 hours which is close to the same time as the flight from Toronto, ON to Orlando, Florida...something to do with the wind for sure and the size of the planes likely...they usually fly 9 seater planes to the reserves)
I live in what's considered "northern ontario" (by population density standards) but if you're looking at a map it's actually more like central Ontario.
My area does get a lot of lake effect snow because I live right on the great lakes so that is part of the reason for our more wintry climate. (Usually we get more snow and a slightly warmer winter because of the lake effects) but even with our "slightly warmer" winter we always have a few days every year that are colder than -35C (-31F) and I have seen it as cold as -47C (-52F) before when I was a kid. Usually when it hits -40C or lower school is closed because they don't want kids outside waiting for the bus or to be out for lunch time recess.
I think the Canadian wintry climate is a big part of the reason our anthem includes "the TRUE north" even though in retrospect were not really all that north in compared to other countries around the world! I think the only part of Canada that has an easy winter is Vancouver, British Columbia
Ellie wrote: "I find it so hard to get my head around the fact I'm further north than the Canadian border yet it's so mild. The temperature has gone back up today and it's currently 11C (51F)! Though sometimes I would like proper snow"Johanne wrote: "I also like snow and frost better than the just above freezing, windy and wet that's so often the Danish winter trademark. It does sometimes snow, though."
It is a strange concept for sure!
I would trade either of you in a heartbeat (can you tell I'm not a fan of winter?!) :)
Proper snow is nice to look at or play in with kids but most of the time it's just more of a pain than it's worth to be honest...snow removal sucks big time! Luckily we have a plow for the driveway but shovelling the steps, the deck, and sweeping snow off the vehicles gets old very quickly every year!
Tracy wrote: "And I just started His Majesty's Dragon last night and read about 40 pages before sleeping. I'm excited to read some fantasy, and Ive noticed a lot of people talking about this series lately. Its long though. 9 books???? I kind of hope I don't feel compelled to attempt reading them all."Ohh yay! I enjoyed it! I didn't even realize the series was that long, I think I only have the first 4 books? I can tell you the first one does NOT end in a cliffhanger so at least you're not super anxious to continue the series right away. :)
Happy Thanksgiving Leftovers Day! I’ve starting planning, though haphazardly because life is busy, for 2019. I’m excited.
for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf - Shange died recently, so I picked up this and a novel of hers (which expired before I finished it and I have to wait for one hold before I can get back to it). It was quite moving and I liked it well enough, as someone for whom poetry often doesn’t hit.
The Horse and His Boy - I’m rereading this series in the much disputed chronological order - I figure it shouldn’t matter since I read and reread them all as a kid. This has been my fav so far, surprisingly enough. It’s got much better pacing and plot than The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and The Magician’s Nephew was just a snoozefest.
I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life - this was thoroughly delightful but very much read as a series of blog posts. It’s super short and I would have either liked each essay to be a bit meatier or the book to just have been longer, but I did really like it. Note for next year: there was some controversy when the book was announced awhile back because another author published a similar book recently under the same title and was annoyed by the fact that she took the same title. Which means it fits in nicely with the prompt for two books with the same title.
We read a ton of picture books yesterday, about Thanksgiving - The Great Thanksgiving Escape, Duck and Hippo Give Thanks, The Very Stuffed Turkey - a couple that were nominated in the Goodreads Choicr Awards - We Don't Eat Our Classmates, The Rabbit Listened - and some randomly picked - No Kimchi for me, The Steves. It was lovely.
I even managed to do some adult reading - I read the short Percy Jackson and the Singer of Apollo and finished off Wuthering Heights. And I read a good chunk of The Naked Olympics: The True Story of the Ancient Games. I’m also listening to Jane Eyre but slowly.
QOTW: So, my thanksgivings for 15 years were overseas and as such I’ve mostlu celebrated them oddly. In Korea it’s uncommon for apartments to have ovens, so until my last year there I couldn’t have cooked a thanksgiving meal even if I’d wanted to. Mostly I had them in bars or we could order a meal from the American base pre-cooked, usually again with much drinking. Here in the US, it’s just the four of us as the in-laws have not once accepted an invite to visit and my parents are Canadian and generally visit for the girls’ birthdays in August.
So yeah, none of my Thanksgivings have thus far been particularly normal, sitting around the table and discussing things meals. We are making it a tradition to hold back holiday books from the normal collection so they are fun to read each year around the holidays, so when I do discuss books it’s only been with the two and four year old.
I didn't really have a chance to check-in yesterday as Thanksgiving with my husband's family is a most of the day event, and even if I was willing to spend that much time on my phone during a family event, I really hate catching up on long threads or trying to post from my phone. I've been so looking forward to this week, since it's four day weekend for us, and even the fact that I came down with a cold just means I have even more of an excuse to stay home and read. :-)Finished Reading:
The Cruel Prince I enjoyed this somewhat, but it really doesn't measure up to the other Goodreads Choice awards finalists I've read, IMO.
The World Above: A Retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk and Robin Hood I didn't really get into the story until it started to work in the Robin Hood angle, but it was a fun read, especially after that part started up.
The Red Trailer Mystery Due to the power of adulting and interlibrary loans I finally got to read this installment of the Trixie Belden series, which was missing from my childhood library.
Currently Reading:
I'm still working on The Holy War (for my Sunday afternoon read), The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery (audio), and Eragon.
I also started The Mutual Admiration Society which I'm quite enjoying. It seems I'm a fan of the 'precocious 11 year old girls solving murder mysteries' genre (despite how strangely specific that is).
QOTW:
Most of my husband's family and my family are readers, but also we live so close to the ones we see at the holidays that we've probably already talked about all the books anyway. When we do Christmas with some of my husband's extended family that we see less often, we'll probably talk books, at least with his cousin. (Last year for Christmas we got her the Pathfinder trilogy, so we're looking forward to finding out how she liked it.)
Oh you have it cold Stacey! Interesting to hear about Canada.
I was checking all day for this thread yesterday, and of course it was posted after I shut down my laptop and picked up my book. So typical! And today I had to work, and after that I spent 2,5 hours reading at the library (work ha) to finish said book.I'm exhausted now, and I am typing up some posts for the readathon I'm holding this weekend. It's just for my own, but I set up a site and everything for if someone wants to join me; I actually have someone who signed up! The idea is to catch up on some challenge reading, and if you've already finished, readathons are always nice :D
So I'll do a quick check in, and I'll probably read back through posts at a later time :)
Books finished:
Rising Storm and A Dangerous Path by Erin Hunter, both on audio. These are books 4 & 5 of the 'Warriors' series of 'Warrior Cats'. Absolutely loving this series. Both are unfortunately non-challenge.
Watership Down by Richard Adams for Allegory. With this book I finish the advanced challenge! I've still got 8 (I think) left of the regular challenge, but I'm proud nonetheless!
I was warned about this book/movie, that it was very sad, and that it was known to be terrifying, but I was left disappointed in that regard. I guess I'll have to see the movie, I was planning on it anyways. Other than that I actually really enjoyed it, and the end made me smile giddily in a crowded reading room. No regrets. I love that the book was never meant to be an allegory but that it ended up as a very well known one. The label from the library actually says 'allegory' so when the foreword mentioned it wasn't, I had to laugh. I'm not sure if I picked up on the whole thing, but certain parts had a definite WWII feel. I'll have to read up on it a bit!
Currently reading
The Darkest Hour by Erin Hunter. The final book of the 'Warriors' series from 'Warrior Cats'. I'm 67% in as of now and it's quite intense, but also quite predictable so far. Perhaps for the target age (middle grade) it wouldn't be, but to me some things are just so incredibly obvious, it pulls me out of the story to roll my eyes and mentally scold them for being so oblivious. I am very anxious to see how it ends, though, even if I can move on to the next series immediately! I decided to keep Storytel after the trial, so it's official now :)
Fun fact: I started on my bookshelves again. They're messy and dusty and my best friend keeps nagging me to get my Goodreads in order with all the books I own and such. I did two so far and they look all nice and pretty again! I also went through my entire 'read' shelf and fixed things, and am working through my TBR shelf. I was at book 113 or something when I hit January of this year. There are now 1149. This is gonna take a while and I blame all of you! These threads are terrible for keeping your TBR in check!
QOTW
Nope. Not really, anyways. My aunt reads, but not a whole lot. She loved City of Bones from The Mortal Instruments I gave her after her asking me for recommendations and her 'wishes' and continued the series straight afterward. We haven't gone into detail about it, and I doubt we will, but that's okay. I know she loves it. The others in my family (which is small) either don't read at all, or just a little, so there's not much to talk about. I think I talk about books with my sister the most, but we live in the same house so it's not really a topic during the holidays haha!
Mod
Yeah, that's what I thought, too!! "That won't be too bad! I've been in cold much worse! I've got my long johns and my layers and my winter coat and hat and mittens and toe warmers ..." yeahno. Standing still on pavement in that cold for hours (with a slight windchill, nothing immense) wears you down. Involuntary shivering started. Our muscles are still sore today from the ordeal! We went back to our hotel after we saw our kids - I really felt for the cops who had to stand out in that weather for hours more!
I think usually weather in NYC is about 5 or 10 degrees warmer than where I live (which is in between Syracuse & Oswego, NY), and then where you are is usually about 10 degrees colder than where I am, but an arctic front must have moved in, because while it was 20F in NYC, it was 0F back home.
We are in that snow belt, too, southeast of the Great Lakes! But I bet you get even more snow than we do.
After hours of careful prep ... the food is eaten and leftovers all packed away! Time for turkey white bean chili, turkey tacos, turkey sloppy joes and my newly created favorite - Turkey & Stuffing Eggs Benedict with cranberry sauce (or gravy) on top. I formed the stuffing into rounds, layered turkey, a soft-boiled egg, and wha la! Thanksgiving for breakfast! I finished One Long Night: A Global History of Concentration Camps finally and also Burial Rites.
Burial Rites is really an excellent book. The author writes to set you immediately in the landscape (Iceland, 1820s) and into the minds and hearts of the characters. I read it quickly as I wanted to hear Agnes's account of what *really* happened. Compelling story!
QofW
We usually don't have book-oriented discussions at get-togethers unless there's something we read that was auh-mazing. I just talk about the books I've read at any time, holidays or not!
I had a fun day yesterday with my family (26 of us). Lots of eating, lots of talking and laughter, no drama. It was a nice day. Even though I actually didn't contribute that much to the cooking, I was exhausted from being around people all day and slept for 11 hours last night. I finished 3 books this week:
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
I read this for the Monthly Challenge, and I really loved it. I've been trying to get people to talk with me about if they would want to know the day they were to die. Few people want to have that discussion, apparently, and thought it was weird that I was so intrigued.
As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
A nutritionist I recently saw recommended this book to me. I imagine that the ideas were quite novel when it was published in 1902, but there wasn't anything much that was new to me. However, being reminded of the power of positive thinking was timely.
365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My LifeJohn Kralik
I wanted to read a good book about gratitude, and this worked very well. The author had been having trouble in nearly every aspect of his life. He received a "thank you" note that touched him, and he decided to write 365 thank you notes during the next year. The results of this were fairly dramatic in many ways, and although his life wasn't perfect a year later, it was interesting to see how many ways it improved. Feeling and expressing gratitude is pretty powerful. I have no intentions of writing that many thank you notes, but I do want to try to write one every week. I already started yesterday with one to my niece.
PopSugar Challenge: Finished
ATY Challenge: 49/52
GoodReads Challenge: 91/90
QOTW: There are several avid readers in my family, but each typically reads mostly from one genre (middle grade fantasy, Christian romance, etc) so I don't often read the same books and they rarely take my suggestions. However, I've read some of the series my nieces have suggested and have loved them (The Hunger Games series, Divergent series, The Lunar Chronicles, Percy Jackson series, Unicorn Chronicles, etc). The only book that I am aware that was mentioned is a book I am currently reading called The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
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For the second time in my life I am standing on a street corner in Manhattan waiting to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade - but this year is very exciting because my kids are in the parade with their high school marching band (Cicero North Syracuse Northstars)
Okay enough of that, on to books!
Admin news - the 2019 list came out last week, hooray! and over in the 2019 Monthly Challenge folder the categories we will use for each month are posted. Nominations for the first quarter of 2019 (Jan/Feb/Mar) are open!! I'll set up polls after the nominations close to vote for the first quarter monthly reads.
This week I finished two books:
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse - this is a "cli fi " dystopian and paranormal involving the Dine, or Navajo. I was pretty excited to read this (that cover is gorgeous!) and it was good but not amazing. This was part of my Native American Heritage Month reading.
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman - ugh. just ugh. This is majorly homophobic. I've never read anything like it.
Question of the Week:
When you have a holiday dinner with your extended family and friends, do you talk books?
Normally I would spend Thanksgiving with my cousins and their families at my aunt's house, and my aunt and two cousins usually have a book in progress. We don't really read the same kinds of books though, but I usually try to read a few really popular books each year in the hopes that I can talk about it with family.