Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2020 Weekly Checkins
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Week 12: 3/13 - 3/19
As of today I am working from home by request. I’m fortunate in that my job can mostly be done remotely. No official closing down of my office, but I live with two people who are generally in good health but fall into the higher risk category, so we are trying to practice fairly strict social distancing. On to the books...
“WOC”-The City Born Great- This was a Tor short set in the same universe as N.K. Jemisin’s upcoming book. Based on this story, it involves people who become avatars of cities who have gained sentience? I think? Anyway, this was okay, but didn’t really intrigue me enough to seek out the full book. 2 stars
“Flora or Fauna”- The Horrid Glory of Its Wings- Tor short about a deformed girl whose lonely existence is only relieved by her curious friendship with the harpy living in the alley. Almost bitterly sad. 3 stars
“2019 Award”- Artificial Condition- To me the plot and human characters are kind of all sideshows to the greatness of Murderbot (and A.R.T). I could barely keep the human clients straight anyway. Maybe partly due to the fact that the male narrator’s attempt at non-masculine voices all sounded a little whiny? IDK, still fun. 3 stars.
“Woman in STEM”- Articulated Restraint- Tor short from the alt history Lady Astronaut series. This was okay but I got a little confused with the descriptions of technical procedures/equipment. 2 stars.
“Closed eyes”- Pride and Prejudice- My physical bookshelf is limited to my favorites so I knew I would end up with a good one. Someday I do eventually want to try the Rosamund Pike audiobook version too. 5 stars.
“Robot or AI”- Rogue Protocol- I think I’m distracted right now, but the corporate intrigue story line backgrounds tend to get muddled for me. This one is pretty action packed and tense though, which was good. 3 stars.
QOTW- Thanks for all the links Sara! I wish I had some to share. I will have to keep my eye out.
Stay safe and be well, friends. I’m thinking and praying for everyone.
As if COVID weren't enough, I got awoken this morning by an earthquake! Ran to the university library to get The Revenge of Gaia, which turned out to only be open as an emergency shelter. But some of the employees kindly retrieved the book for me. I had to stand behind a stanchion and they wouldn't take my library card. They wore gloves and put the books in a bin rather than hand them to me. Glad they are taking the situation seriously. (Our city and county libraries are closed.)Finished: None. (Did I mention COVID, earthquake?)
Started: The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History for medical thriller. This is actually really good, highly readable, and not inflammatory.
QoTW: Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjaYn...
Let us pray next week will be less eventful than this week has been!
Gatherings of more than 25 people are banned in my state, schools are closed for 6 weeks at least, restaurants and bars are closed to dine-in. Libraries are closed. Powell's closed and isn't sure they will be able to re-open. All of the little indy bookshops in town are offering curbside pick-up or delivery. I, of course, work in a retail store that won't give us paid time off unless we test positive. Even if we were, good luck getting tested. This is on top of work being extra stressful for me this month even before the world hit the fan. I've been having a hard time reading anything. Or sleeping.My friends are finally back from Greece but I still have another trapped on the Celebrity Eclipse. I'd actually like nothing more than to trade places with her. Nobody on the ship seems to be sick so they are probably the safest people on the planet right now.
Finished:
Fighting for Space: Two Pilots and Their Historic Battle for Female Spaceflight - Ah, my love/hate relationship with Jackie Cochran is real. The author clearly does not share my frustration with her, but directs her irritation to Jerrie Cobb instead. I really enjoyed this book until the author's opinions were becoming clearer the longer it went on. Not that this should keep you from reading it! I am a feminist NASA nerd and the whole Mercury 13 thing still gets to me. A normal person might not even notice.
Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death - For some reason when searching my audiobooks for something on the comforting side, I chose a book about corpses. But it's a FUN book about corpses, so I stand by my selection. I have an hour left so that's pretty finished for our purposes here.
Currently Reading:
Psmith, Journalist - Bedtime Wodehouse
The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules - Not really picking this up after I started it last week, but not because it wasn't enjoyable so far
On Deck Short List:
Just finishing Eyeballs so I'm not sure which I'll hit play on next, but these are what I have on my phone at the moment
The City We Became
Actress
H is for Hawk
The Diviners
Vicious
Neil Gaiman has said people (non-commercial) have permission to read his works to each other over social media. So you can legally Skype Fortunately, the Milk to your grandkids. He's also directed people to his websites for the usual free goodies he has there, including videos of full readings of The Graveyard Book and Coraline.
Adult: https://www.neilgaiman.com/Cool_Stuff
All ages: http://www.mousecircus.com/videos/
Antique children's books can be read here
https://ufdc.ufl.edu/baldwin/all/thum...
Happy Wednesday/Thursday, y’all.So this week all the libraries in our area shut down, including the one where I work. The employees will continue to get paid as normal, and we're each taking one-hour shifts to visit the library, empty book drops, shelve books that have sat in "quarantine" for a week (just in case...), and make sure the building is in good order. People are upset and disappointed, but at the same time most of the population understands it's for the best. (Except a very grumpy phone call I got today, but phooey on them...)
I'm not gonna lie, this whole thing has got me nervous and stressed -- especially since I'm high-functioning autistic and hate change and uncertainty. But I'm gonna do my best to power through it. We'll get through this...
Books read this week:
Storm Front -- for “book with a main character in their 20s.” First book in the Dresden Files series… and I have to agree with the people who warned me beforehand that it is a bit mediocre. Still fun, though, even if the story ran on the “idiot plot” trope a bit for drama’s sake…
The Honey Bus: A Memoir of Loss, Courage and a Girl Saved by Bees -- not for the challenge, though could fulfill the “book written by a journalist” prompt. A memoir about a girl finding refuge from her broken family in her grandfather’s beekeeping hobby, this book manages to be both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and includes a LOT of fascinating information on honeybees at the same time.
Bone Swans -- not for the challenge. A haunting and fascinating short story/novella collection by an author I’d never heard of before, and now I want to go hunt down more of her writing!
Regular challenge -- 21/44 (split the last prompt into five)
Advanced challenge -- 5/10
Not for challenge -- 19
DNF:
Just a Couple of Days -- was for “first book you touch on a shelf with your eyes closed.” Didn’t even get twenty pages in. It’s one of those books where the writer thinks the writing is more clever than it actually is, and comes across more as him just rambling stream-of-consciousness style than actually writing a coherent story.
Currently Reading:
I Sing the Body Electric! & Other Stories -- for “favorite prompt from 2018” (book with song lyrics in the title)
Binti -- not for the challenge
My Dark Vanessa -- not for the challenge
QOTW:
For those of you who love children's books and/or have kids, check out Operation Story Time -- where children's book authors host story times online, including Mo Willems teaching kids how to draw his characters! This link has more information -- https://coolprogeny.com/2020/03/opera...
Here's a big list of online author happenings for kids of all ages: https://www.weareteachers.com/virtual...
Whoa, this is early! What time is it for you, Sara? *Quickly goes to finish book I am almost done with before updating*
I’m off from work today (and was yesterday) and am enjoying the free time. I live in Europe and you all know what the situation is, so I’m staying home with books and movies. I’m glad I have an e-reader and listen to audiobooks, because the library closed overnight and so did most bookstores.This week I finished:
The Time Traveler's Wife – for “Book recommended by favorite blog, vlog, podcast, online BC” – 4 stars, I liked the premise and the characters and luckily had forgotten some plot points from having watched the movie years ago. But some parts could have been edited down, some descriptions were just unnecessary. I listened to the audiobook and would recommend it, there are two narrators.
The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman – for “Book with more than 20 letters in its title” – 1 star, I was really disappointed by this one. I was expecting something else, I don’t particularly enjoy haiku and then there was the ending.
And Then There Were None – for ATY, 50th prompt – 3.5 stars, it was ok, but not one of my favorite works by Agatha Christie, maybe I was missing Poirot.
That makes 20/50 for PS.
Currently Reading:
Lethal White
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
QOTFW
Thank you all for the links, I don’t have anything to add at the moment
I haven't read anything this week. I usually only listen to audio on my commute and I'm working from home now. I'm going to try and listen a bit whilst working, but at the moment it's hard to concentrate and the change to routine has really thrown me off.I feel a bit less anxious now we have had our grocery delivery. I live somewhere with a high elderly population so I understand them stockpiling if they are fearing being isolated for 12 weeks, but also the rest of us need to eat too. I am not in a high risk group but I am taking medication which has a small risk of suppressing my immune system, and now would be a really bad time for that to happen.
Otherwise I don't really mind the social distancing stuff, I spend most my time at home or out walking the dog, so that's still stuff I can do. And I'm connected to my colleagues and we make sure we have time to gossip in our morning video calls so we don't miss out on the non-work interactions.
QOTW:
I took part in a bookish wish thing on Twitter the other day where people posted wishlists and those who could bought surprise gifts. I don't really need books myself but I bought a few for other people. I don't think it has any official hashtag but I've seen a few different people starting threads like this.
Mod
Our public schools are now closed (they were supposed to stay open through this week, but on Monday while kids were in school they were told by the county govt - which I suspect was told by the state govt - to close, so that was the last day), and I have been put on an every-other-week work from home schedule. (Another mandate from our NY governor.) This week is my in-office week. My library closed, the Y closed (just as I was getting to a good spot with regular exercise!!), movie theaters closed ... With the pace of change, I count myself lucky that my kids are old enough to be home alone, because I still need to go in to work. (Next week I’m in the group that works from home - I anticipate that will be extremely unproductive because I’ll be distracted by my kids.). And at least the weather has been mild, so we can exercise outside a bit.
All of this does have me a bit anxious - this is so unprecedented. This will be a year to remember. And a few things I've read indicate that this will not end in just a few weeks, as I'd originally anticipated. The virus will keep coming back until a vaccine is finally available, and even if the current trial is successful, we won't have a vaccine for about 18 months.
Today is not only the first day of Spring, but also my younger daughter’s 14th birthday, and we usually go out to dinner on birthdays, but not this year. (My older daughter has a birthday coming in a few weeks, too. Luckily neither of them had been planning parties.) We are planning a nice salmon dinner at home tonight.
I’ve always been a bit of a hoarder, and in the last few years it’s been a source of shame and I’ve been working to stop it, but let me tell you, I’m feeling like a hero now, and wishing I had given in to ALL my hoarding tendencies!! I will never ever stop stockpiling, now*. Also, I’ve never been more thrilled about my endless pile of library books that i don’t have time to read before they are due ... voila! I now have weeks and weeks to get to them all!
The world may be crumbling around me, but I have finished some really great books this week. These were all incredible in very different ways, some were cute & fluffy, some were deep, one made me cry (and that never happens). Three counted for this Challenge, I am now 23/50.
A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines - powerful! 5 stars! I used this for “published in the 20th century.” (This was also on my personal challenge list of books I must read this year.)
Tweet Cute by Emma Lord - super-cute! 5 stars! I read this for my social media book.
It's What I Do: A Photographer's Life of Love and War by Lynsey Addario - incredibly engaging! 5 stars! This was my book by a (photo)journalist - thank you to whomever recommended this one. It was a fantastic audiobook (which I know sounds odd for a book by a photographer, but it was true!) This is the book that made me cry.
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James - a page-turner! I stayed up way too late reading :-) But - sadly - the ending was a belly flop ... 4 stars!
QOTW
I don’t know! I did see that Macmillan finally decided to stop their new policy limiting library e-books.
I am selfishly not so happy with NYPL opening up their ebooks to everyone - holds are long enough without even MORE people getting in the line! As a result, they've also limited loans & holds to three each. So, my original thought when the libraries closed of "well, I can still read ebooks!" is maybe not so true. I can't read an ebook if I can't get it. It will work out fine, I just need to adjust. Plus, I still have my local library system.
I’ll be reading everyone else’s responses!
* Just to be clear: I’m not a jerk! I’m not hoarding toilet paper or medical supplies or any of the other stuff currently in short supply, and I’m currently running low on both toilet paper AND dog food, so I hope those get restocked in stores soon.
Hi everyone. I know I'm not the only person in this group to work in the hotel industry, so I hope you're all staying strong. It has been probably my toughest working week ever. There's been a lot of tears in my office but we're still trying to maintain the usual positive hospitality persona to our guests. To anyone who needs to cancel travel plans due to this outbreak, please be kind to those of us on the other end of the phone! It's hard for us too! On to the books!
This week I finished: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World which basically taught me the The Land Before Time was all lies and the humans on Jurassic Park could have just driven away from the T-Rex :D
I also (just) finished Mao's Last Dancer. Two non-fiction in a row! This is so not like me. I wanted to be a ballet dancer when I was a kid but a complete lack of rhythm is apparently a severe hindrance to dancing. Who knew? :D
I found this fascinating, especially the differences in the training from the old, communist Chinese techniques to the American schools. I would have liked more dance detail which at times got kind of glossed over by the politics, but I understand that a lot of technical ballet terms can be off-putting to people not super familiar with that world.
QOTW: I don't have any links to share but it felt like a good week to start playing Theme Hospital again
Our libraries in Hampshire are still open for now, without the organised activities of course, providing staff are able to be there. I think there's a real concern about cutting people off from some of the services they offer, especially if people don't have computers at home.
Mine's just closed today. They've extended all book holds until August. I wish I'd known yesterday so I could have maxed out my limit.
Today I start working from home indefinitely. As I realized on Monday that a lockdown of NYC was inevitable, likely by week end, I started transitioning. As a lawyer and a solo practitioner, that was both easy (I periodically work from home already) and hard (it is NOT the same thing when going to the office becomes de facto impossible). In truth sitting in my office is not all that different from sitting at home, and I can easily get between home and office using bus not subway. However, I did not want to scramble when lockdown happens. BTW I was prescient as our mayor started talking just that in yesterday's news conference. I still need to get thinks properly and comfortably set up at home. But I can function.As a lawyer my work has both increased and become more difficult. I find myself constantly calming clients while figuring out ways to adapt to the constantly shifting landscape - virtual real estate closings. Courts closed to 'non-essentials' whatever that is because of course 'whatever' is essential to my client (even if really not). Bank branches closed if no longer have plastic barriers between tellers and customers (most of my bank's branches renovated and removed these just in last few months) - why a problem? As a real estate lawyer I need to send large wires and get bank checks for large amounts, transactions you have to do in person at a branch.
Oh and the crazy stuff residents in buildings are doing....
Adding to it all: realizing I am at 64, just 5 months from 65, considered in the high risk group! What a kick in the teeth!
Stress and anxiety = little sleep + distraction = no reading. To top it off, a diet coke shortage has surfaced! Who is hoarding it???!!!
@Nadine - NYPL is my local library! The only one I got! I am really not happy about all of you living hundreds of miles from NYC battling for the same ebooks! [Studiously looking at ceiling to avoid seeing owned print TBR Towers everywhere, sufficient to survive a multi-year quarantine.]
Reading has been pretty non-existant. Even though discussion group cancelled for foreseeable future, I continue reading Proust. It is oddly comforting. I suspect because I have been reading it for months so it is familiar, you can't read it fast, and it is something you can pickup and put down. There are also still about 1500 pages to read which will take months at my current pace.
I do have a finish not for PS: Peter Pan - the special 100th Anniversary Illustrated Edition. It was a delight!
QOTW: I have nothing to add yet. Except make a point of taking your hands off the keyboard and pick up the phone and call from time to time friends, family, colleagues, especially those living alone and now stuck working from home or in self-quarantine. Having a real conversation lifts their spirits, and yours. I found myself babbling about nonsense to a colleague yesterday when I called with an update!
@Sara - thanks for encouraging 'safe place' posting.
Mod
@Sarah - I posted the thread last night before going to bed. But I was awake at 3:30 am this morning so my hours are all kinds of wonky right now. I'm in the Eastern time zone :)
Hi allHere in Denmark everything has shot down (or so it feels).
I work in a library that shut down while I was sick last thursday, so like Nadine, I´m also glad of my library book hoarding tendencies, that I´m also usually ashamed of. Except I haven´t been able to read! I picked up my book again yesterday, so I´m feeling some sort of new normal settling in. I hope.
It´s been a lot of adjustments, trying to work from home and my 3 kids going to school from home... and the hardest right now is my husband´s anxiety that´s through the roof. He doesn´t do well with disruption and illness, so, yeah. My job is to be the positive one, or at least keep the calm-one, in our house, so forgive me for letting out some steam here.
My middle child who attends boarding school was sent home along with everyone else last thursday. They now have 7 sick staff (out of around 20), but it´s been a week and he is showing no sypmtoms, so crossing our fingers. If all are well we have the opportunity of borrowing a summerhouse in the country next week, I´m hoping it works out. A bit easier to practice social distancing when there´s nature instead of concrete outside your door. And we can work / go to school from anywhere now, as long as we have our laptops and wifi.
Thinking of all of you. Thinking of you whose income is at stake. Thinking of you with bad health or loved ones with bad health. Thinking of those who are alone at home, with no social contact.
Reading: This week I finished a picture book. Yeah!
Mefisto. I´m using it for ATY "Silhouette on cover". All the drawings in the book are silhouettes, and I´ve decided now is not the time to secondguess whether picture books count for reading challenges.
Currently reading:
. Reading it for my big kids book club at work, that´s now obviously not going to meet in the near future, but I´m reading it anyway. Not well written, mildly entertaining so far. It´s one of the rare books where I´m thinking I´d rather watch the movie (I haven´t seen it actually). 
on audio. I´m also a commute audio kind of person, so I´m trying to change audio habits. Yesterday I listened a bit while hanging laundry and putting a few pieces on my jigsaw puzzle.QOTW
A lot of Danish publishers and authors are releasing their e-books for free. But not much point to share those since they are in Danish.
Oliver Jeffers has started the "Stay at home story time", where he reads his books. https://www.oliverjeffers.com/books#/...
And lots of Danish libraries are increasing the amount of loans on e-books, among them my local library and where I work.
The internet is showing its worth these days. Imagine how isolated we´d be right now without it?
Tomorrow I´m having a virtual meeting/after work beer with my close colleagues. Tonight I´m celebrating my friend´s birthday the same way. Each sitting in our own homes having a drink together :)
For what it's worth, I don't plan to take NYPL on it's generous offer. I am glad they can do it for people who desperately need access to free books, but I have so many freaking books both in paper and on my Kindle I will not take up holds :)Plus, I understand being a little put out that the pool just widened!
I'm so glad that we still have groups like this so that we can still feel connected. The last few weeks have been nothing short of depressing. I was supposed to be going to the NCAA wrestling championships with my dad this week. They would have started today. Of course, the trip was cancelled. And I can't go visit my parents because my mom is high risk and, even though I don't have symptoms, it's safer to not go. So, instead of taking the days off work this week, I'm just working. My office doesn't currently offer regular work-from-home, but we are slowly setting up and transitioning our staff to be able to do it so that when things get worse, we can keep things going. BUT, it's the first day of spring, which is my favorite season. And my birthday is this weekend, which is the traditional day of the year where I get to do whatever I want all day and no one can stop me. I mostly plan to read and binge netflix.
I did not finish any books this week, because I'm reading too many at the same time. So, while I read enough pages to be one book, they weren't all in the same book. I'm hoping to finish a few of them in the next couple of days. I'm currently reading: The Silk Roads: A New History of the World, The Path of Daggers, This Tender Land, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, Frankenstein, and Wilson. It's a little out of control.
QOTW: I did join the facebook group "2020 Quarantine Book Club", which is going to be having Q&As with debut authors whose press events were canceled due to coronavirus. The first Q&A is going to be April 8 with Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai to discuss The Mountains Sing. There was a link to the group in the facebook popsugar group, and you can also just search it on facebook and join.
We are extremely lucky that my husband and I are both knowledge workers and we already had great work from home setups. The kids are home from school and playing Minecraft while FaceTiming their friends. We have plenty of food and even a good supply of toilet paper. So why am I starting to feel this doom-tinged malaise? Oh right, I've been obsessing about the news. Going to try putting myself on a strict information diet starting today. It's a good thing I also have plenty of books!
Finished:
"A book written by an author in their 20s" - Finna - This was cute! While it shares the "evil in an Ikea" idea with Horrorstör, it's not at all derivative. It's a short, peppy little adventure with a generous helping of young romantic angst. (Not really my thing, but it was OK since it wasn't dragged out.)
Putting aside for now:
Ancillary Justice - I just can't brain good right now, and this is too much for me.
Reading:
"A book with a map" - Shadow and Bone - this is much more the ticket for my current brain state. Easy to read, with instantly engaging characters. I LOVED the Six of Crows duology and The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic, so I think it's safe to say Bardugo is my jam!
QOTW:
Drunk Austen is doing "VirtualJaneCon" at the end of the month: https://www.facebook.com/DrunkAusten/...
In my little corner of northeast Ohio, my husband and I count ourselves lucky that we still have jobs right now - even if his hours are getting cut. I work in a tiny office of 5 people and we've each got our own space, so things haven't really changed a lot for me. The library is closed until at least early April (not accepting returns either) so they've extended everyone's checkouts til at least 4/13, which is nice. We're stocked up on groceries and it seems like my main source of stress for now is my mother (what else is new?).
I gave up Facebook and Twitter for Lent (what a great year for that, LMAO) and I'm beyond grateful for GR right now.
Finished this week:
Be Not Far From Me - 3.75 stars. I had a few quibbles, but overall a tense, realistic survival novel. Great to see a female lead in an outdoorsy book. Book with a great first line << if anyone needs to fill this category, Mindy McGinnis is my go-to for knockout opening lines.
A few more Animorphs books, The Stranger and The Andalite's Gift. I never actually read the first Megamorphs book when I was a kid, so that was a fun surprise, even if the storyline felt a little forced.
Upright Women Wanted - 4 stars. A great romp of a Western featuring a wonderful cast of LGBT characters. I would've liked it to be a little longer. A western
The Tokaido Road - 2 stars. I'm sure the story is wonderful but the audio absolutely killed this book for me. The voice characterizations were horrendous, but I needed it for multiple challenges, so I slogged through. A book set in Japan
26/50
Finishing today - Shadowshaper Legacy I love this world so much, and Anika Noni Rose's narration has been stellar throughout. A great remedy after the slump that threatened during Tokaido Road.
Currently reading:
The Two Towers - back to Lord of the Rings! Treebeard showed up a few nights ago :)
The Penelopiad - Penelope's voice is phenomenal. An "origin story" of sorts, detailing what Penelope got up to while Odysseus was off on the Odyssey adventure.
Also trying to reread Foundryside, but it's just not gelling for now. I'm chalking it up to RL stress and anxiety, because I loved it the first time.
I've got no answers for the QOTW, but I'm enjoying everyone's links!
Hi everyone! I've been working at home for...i don't know. a decade now? So for me it's not really been an adjustment, except the huge piles of stress and anxiety that I have to work through like there's nothing going on. And having my husband home, being noisy that I'm not used to.
I also really miss going to the gym, they were my only chances to get out of the house during the week! At least the weather's been improving so I've gotten out for several runs, even if my big race got cancelled. And my classes gym is doing virtual classes over Zoom so can get a little social interaction still. Going to try to get some friends in for some online tabletop gaming this weekend. Also it's a special event in Overwatch right now so that's a nice distraction.
Not super worried about books, while it sucks the libraries are closed I generally tried to read from the digital selection anyhow. Also I have a ton of unread digital books. Even if they don't fit the challenge, this might be a year where I have to either stretch, or shrug and not finish as early as I like.
I haven't really had that much more reading time than usual, finished:
Sideways Stories from Wayside School - counting this for favorite past prompt, a re-read of a favorite book from childhood. I always loved the books growing up, they were silly and fun. Still pretty silly and fun, haha.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - banned book - I planned on reading this during Canada's freedom to read week, but holds didn't work out. Oh well, I don't really think there's extra benefit to reading a banned book during a specific week and I plan to be done well before September. I really enjoyed this. It was charming and funny, with cute illustrations in the chapters, while still being very sobering to the life Native Americans have on reservations. So sad and funny all at the same time.
Black Magic Sanction - Just needed some fluff as a break from everything.
Currently reading:
The Water Dancer - this will be my book by a journalist, also my book club is reading it in a couple months. (assuming we get to keep meeting at all, virtual maybe?) It's kind of a depressing read, especially when I'd rather have escapism right now, but it's really beautifully written.
The Count of Monte Cristo - can't remember if I managed to read any of this this week. trying to get caught up on holds.
QOTW:
Not sure I've heard of anything besides what's been mentioned. Welcome to Nightvale has a book out soon about the Faceless Old Woman Who Lives in Your Home, and there was a special episode of the podcast last week narrated only by her. (Voiced by Mara Wilson, aka Matilda. She also is reading the audio book version, so while I ordered the kindle version, I'll probably see if my library gets it and do the audio later.
I honestly haven't been looking for things to do, because I don't actually have more free time right now. Still doing running & virtual workouts, still working full time. Weekend plans got cancelled but I have a backlog of chores & projects.
Here in Colorado almost everything is shutdown. I’m in the high risk group (will be 70 in September). Ouch that hurt, sounds so old. Our adult children and grandchildren are nearby, so I don’t feel isolated. We have enough food and supplies. The grocery store is limiting quantities of certain items. That has helped with the shortages. I am anxious, but reading and knitting are helping. This week I finished:
Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie. This was an audiobook. I found this book confusing and hard to follow at times. It seemed there were too many characters. It felt too detailed. It will fit the prompt fiction or non-fiction about a world leader.
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. Fits the prompt a book with a bird on the cover. Houseguests (if they can be called that) move into a large home and stay for years. The family is gradually changed by these people. At times the story was predictable, but I did enjoy it.
Currently reading:
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and listening to an audio Harvesting the Heart.
I’m hoping we all stay healthy and sane through these trying times. Sending virtual mojo and sparkles out to my fellow readers.
I can read again!! Now that the dizziness from my ear infection has mostly passed, I can enjoy reading books once more. Things feel more right with the world. It’s about the only thing that does, though.This week was the first week my university has been shut down. The whole situation and how quickly it changed was very stressful. First, staff were told to report. Then, we were told to work from home by Friday. Then, we were told to work from home by Wednesday. I worked flat out Monday to get everything ready. Tuesday and Wednesday were all about testing out the technology we’re using to work from home.
Finished
If We Were Villains by ML Rio (a book featuring one of the seven deadly sins). This book made me nostalgic for my college days of studying Shakespeare. You must love Shakespeare to enjoy this book. Preferably, you would also know the tragedies pretty well since they’re quoted and referred to extensively to explain character’s feelings and motivations.
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang (a book with only words on the cover, no images or graphics). An excellent collection of science fiction short stories. They’re very cerebral, but always personal too. The movie “Arrival” is based on “Story of Your Life.”
Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie (a book with a map). A satisfying mystery, but not one of my favorite Poriot books. I guessed the method of murder before it was stated, but not the murderer.
Valhalla by Tim Waggoner (a book you picked because the title caught your attention). Not one of my favorite Stargate books. There was too much crammed into one story and none of it was very exciting.
Reading
The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (a book by or about a woman in STEM)
QOTW
I don't have anything for the QOTW, but I'll enjoy looking through your answers. I'll add anything I come across.
I can't concentrate to read right now :-(I didn't think I was panicking at all until the other night I was trying to read in bed and there was a word in the text that started with the letter C, and my brain read it as Corona :/
We are just trying to adjust to school at home ( officially starts tomorrow, but we've been doing work since Monday) and wrapping our brains around WTF is going on.
Also, I just got off the phone with my Doctors office and I'm waiting for them to call me back. I have had body aches, headache, extremely runny nose and sore throat with a very low grade fever for the past two days, today I have chills. I take immunosuppressant shots every week. Supposed to be picking up my girls today, and not sure what to do. Not sure about exposure, I don't really leave my house, but I am a little cautious since they are traveling between my house and their grandparents house and of course their grandparents are high risk.
Anyhoo.... I haven't been hoarding toilet paper, but I have a huge stack of library books sitting here untouched and I think 4 books out on Libby. I just need to start reading them. Not feeling much like reading at the moment.
All I finished this week was
A Storm of Swords
and
Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother and Daughter Journey to the Sacred Places of Greece, Turkey, and France
(both were for ATY)
QOTW: I've seen a few story times on face book and the Mo Willems art class, but I think those have all been mentioned already.
This feels like the longest week in the history of the world. I would swear it's been 10 days since Monday, and yet it's only Thursday of the same week. The volume of news spitting out of TV, Twitter, etc. is just overwhelming. It's like watching hurricane coverage that never, ever stops... and keeps getting worse. My job told everyone that could work from home to do so - fine by me, since I was already part-time telecommuting, but a huge adjustment from some people who had never worked from home.
Our state has slowly shut down - no gatherings over 10 people made sure of that. Everywhere except the beach... which really ticks me off. Go home so we can end this already! I'm so numb from what has been happening that I'm not even properly disappointed by all the event cancellations. Our next 3 weekend outings were cancelled, and I'm just waiting to hear what is next.
I've been making a list of companies who are at least trying to pay their employees, or make accommodations for them, because those are the companies I want to reward. Considering every company I've ever bought anything from is now emailing me with updates on their response (it feels like it's weekly, but that's because now 1 day = 1 week, so really it's like every other day). Anyone who mentions their employees gets on my list. The more they are doing for them, the higher up they go.
So that being said, with all the news I'm reading on Twitter, etc. I'm barely reading any books. I did finish one this week:
Horses nine; stories of harness and saddle by Sewell Ford - I picked this up as a free ebook a long time ago, and I wanted some comfort reading (horse stories are a go to for me in times of stress). While many of these stories have less than happy endings, and they all remind me that horses are better than people much of the time, they were very good stories.
I'm reading a few books right now, but nothing that I'm crazy about.
QOTW: Beyond just books, I am really touched by how many celebrities are (1) leading by example with social distancing, and (2) providing fans with new content to keep them entertained. Ellen, John Legend/Chrissy Tiegan, Jimmy Fallon, Gal Gadot, The Dropkick Murphys, Max & Mel Brooks, to name a few, and of course the estimable... Josh Gad!!
I already loved Josh Gad, but I've been following his Twitter reads and I love him more than ever. How amazing that he's trying to bring comfort to his fans, and entertainment to all the children.
Be safe everyone!
Silver lining: Currently listening in on my two oldest helping their classmates with their schoolwork :)
Johanne wrote: "Sending you virtual hugs Tracy"Thanks Johanne, it seems to be more allergies since we didn't really get any winter here, and possibly a cold on top of that, I spoke with the nurse but she wanted to double check with my Dr. since I'm on the injections, and I take tylenol and motrin every day around the clock for my arthritis, so she was on the fence about my low grade fever. The other complicating issue is I spent the weekend with my friend who flew in from California about two weeks ago, even though she isn't having any symptoms. No one is coughing!!!! ( I was super short of breath when she called though because I had just taken the dog out and he was dragging me all over the yard LOL)
Tests are in short supply so you have to meet very specific criteria to get one, and although my county has the highest number of cases in the state I believe worst case scenario they may just tell me to self isolate for 2 weeks. I just don't know what to do with the kiddos. And then there's always the question of when to hold my shots.
Yes there's so much to consider. Tests are in short supply here as well.
We're hunkered down in Santa Fe, but my son Seth (27, autism, mostly nonverbal) is having a tough time. All his normal routines are completely out of whack, and he can't understand why we can't go to the library, the movies, Target... any of his favorite places. I'm glad we can still go on walks, but I'm sure there's going to be a meltdown soon.Challenge Progress: 28/50
Completed:
Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope: Kristof and WuDunn shine a light on the struggle that so many Americans face - limited education, poverty, violence, lack of healthcare, drugs - with empathy and compassion. Combined with vigorous discussion of policy and programs, this one is well worth reading. ★★★★
Little Fires Everywhere: I didn't expect to like this book. I generally hate everything that's popular. The melodrama just kills me. But this was so good! I keep thinking about all the different kinds of fires - a small spark, a kindling of warmth, a prairie fire, a conflagration, arson - and relating them to the characters in the book. A book that makes you think? Now that's a good book. (A book with a three-word title) ★★★★★
The Right Swipe: I liked it. Strong characters, relevant social issues. But there were lots of secondary characters introduced, and I found that to be fairly distracting. ★★★
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper: Everyone knows the story of Jack the Ripper, but the women he murdered have been nearly forgotten and much maligned. This is their story, and it's fascinating. The sheer amount of research that went into this book is mind-boggling. (A book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics) ★★★★
Know My Name: A Memoir: "I am a victim, I have no qualms with this word, only with the idea that it is all that I am. However, I am not Brock Turner’s victim. I am not his anything. I don’t belong to him." Absolutely stunning. Yes, it's sometimes difficult to read, but it's so, so important. (A book you meant to read in 2019) ★★★★★
The Library of the Unwritten: I should have loved this book. It had all the right elements - a mixture of The Eyre Affair and Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch. But the pacing was so slow I very nearly lost interest... The end is better than the beginning though, so I may continue when the next volume in the series comes out. (A book with more than 20 letters in the title) ★★★
The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction: This is a collection of essays and speeches that Neil Gaiman has written over the years, and it was thoroughly enjoyable and insightful. I especially liked hearing about his relationship with Terry Pratchett. Bonus points for the audio version being read by Neil himself! (A book by an author who has written more than 20 books) ★★★★
The Operator: Eavesdropping and gossip... the backbone of small town life. Berg treats these topics in a clever and surprising way. Thoroughly enjoyable read. ★★★★
Currently Reading: Children of Virtue and Vengeance (a book written by an author in their 20s), The Rosie Result, Doc (a western), Gods of Jade and Shadow (a book set in the 1920s), Locally Laid: How We Built a Plucky, Industry-changing Egg Farm - from Scratch (a book with a bird on the cover), Here's Looking at Euclid: From Counting Ants to Games of Chance - An Awe-Inspiring Journey Through the World of Numbers (a book with a pun in the title), Lust on Trial: Censorship and the Rise of American Obscenity in the Age of Anthony Comstock (a book featuring one of the seven deadly sins), and With the Fire on High
QOTW: I don't have any other resources to add, but I'm so grateful that my local libraries have extensive online collections!
Hi all! I have been doing the challenge this year but this is my first time posting in the weekly check-in as I was swamped at work until the forced break for quarantine.Like many others, I'm working from home and all activities are canceled, which means I am having more time to read and do other things. So far it's not too bad. I don't have kids and my husband is still having to go into work, so it's just me and the dogs during the day.
In the past week, I only finished two books, neither of which is on my challenge list:
Locke and Key: Welcome to Lovecraft #1 - I watched the Netflix show without having read the books, and friends say the books are better so I am starting to check them out. Unfortunately, I won't be getting any further in the series until the libraries reopen.
Overthrow - I read this for the Tournament of Books. I thought the characters are interesting and well developed but the plot is very flat and the writing style gets to be a bit much sometimes.
I'm only at 8/50 for the PS challenge. I'm also doing Reading Women and read the whole ToB shortlist, but I grabbed a bunch of books off my PS list before the libraries closed.
Currently reading:
Girl, Woman, Other - I will probably finish this today. I love it so far and, unless the ending disappoints, I think this will be a 5-star read for me. Using this for the book by a woman of color.
The Death of Mrs. Westaway - I just started this as an audiobook before I realized I wouldn't be commuting for a while. It's pretty good but I am having trouble making time to finish listening, rather than reading print books. I don't have this planned for a PS prompt.
QOTW: I don't have anything to share but I am looking forward to a virtual book club meeting via video chat in a few weeks!
Self-isolating and it feels like it has been raining non-stop with some severe weather thrown in there. Good times. I’m on spring break right now but they’ve closed schools for two additional weeks. I start some of my favorite units of the year after spring break and it’s kind of sad.Deadly Sin
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. YA mystery. Obviously very inspired by the Serial podcast. I really enjoyed this one. Would watch the heck out of a Netflix series.
Author more than 20 books
Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews. Urban fantasy. Fourth book in their new series. Everything I want from urban fantasy.
no prompt
A Daring Arrangement by Joanna Shupe. Sarah Maclean is always recc’ing Shupe on Twitter. Enjoyable historical romance.
Afternoon everybody.This is the third day of voluntary lockdown for myself and my mother. We're pretty sure neither of us has got the virus, it's possible we could've been exposed at the supermarket or a pub but so far we're fine.
We were meant to go to a Trevor Noah comedy show tomorrow but of course that's cancelled! No big deal though, plenty of other options for entertainment.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is about to release so I'll be relying on that for escapism.
I've started a journal, for historical record - anyone else doing the same?
Didn't get around to checking in last week, so this is a fortnight's worth of books.
Completed:
Lost Children Archive - Beautifully written but oh boy, the second half gave me some bad anxiety.
The Girls at the Kingfisher Club - Fun retelling of 12 Dancing Princesses. Characterisation was slightly lacking, but I think that's more due to the original fairytale than anything - kind of hard to establish distinct, unique personalities for at least a dozen main characters, especially in a short book (Kingfisher Club is less than 300 pages).
Used for Popsugar advanced prompt #4, set in 1920s.
The Mythic Dream - Had some uneven parts but a very strong collection generally. Favourite stories were Wild to Covet by Sarah Gailey, He Fell Howling by Stephen Graham Jones, and Florilegia by Amal El-Mohtar.
Used for Popsugar prompt #11, anthology.
Gingerbread - This was disappointing unfortunately. Thought it was going to be a lot more fairytale-y than it actually was. Started out very promising with a country that may or may not exist and Chocolat-style faintly magical confectionery but about halfway through got tangled up in the dramas of a posh family whose members I simply could not keep track of. The magical-realism elements just ended up feeling like superfluous absurdities. :(
The Cloud Roads - The plot was a wee bit weak but I was so in love with the world. Something about the Raksura themselves just... called to me.
Queenie - This was decent. Kind of chick-lit, Bridget Jones, but heavier. However a lot of it was repetitive accounts of Queenie having one-night stands with horrible men, and that got uncomfortable and boring pretty fast.
Iron Hearted Violet - Enjoyed. Not as great as I expected from Kelly Barnhill after the astounding The Girl Who Drank the Moon, but still a good middle-grade fantasy.
Upright Women Wanted - Slightly disappointing. Read for a group read on "The Procrastinators Book Club" - consensus seemed to be it was a solid 3-star, but would have worked better as a companion novella to a series rather than a standalone.
Used for Popsugar prompt #37, a Western.
Last Ones Left Alive - This... was also a little disappointing. Guess I had a bit of a string of duds. Story was mostly just composed of a lot of walking with the occasional zombie fight scene. Zombies themselves were fairly generic, not much to differentiate them from a thousand other books and movies. I did like the flashback scenes on the island.
Currently reading Wolf Hall, very slowly. It's pretty dense, not an easy read, but good.
QOTW: I can't think of much, but a lot of Booktubers seem to be doing livestreams and greater quantities of videos.
Lauren and the Books streamed on Tuesday, seems to be doing daily videos, and is hosting a Cosy Reading Night tomorrow (20th March), 7pm to 10pm GMT.
ProblemsofaBookNerd also streamed on Tuesday and has drawn my attention to the #litcommunityjoy hashtag on Twitter - I'm not sure if she created it but it's a little spot of happiness in the bookish-social-media community.
Lianne at literarydiversions is hosting two livestreams tomorrow - one starting at 11am GMT and one at 8pm GMT.
Tracy wrote: "Also, I just got off the phone with my Doctors office and I'm waiting for them to call me back. I have had body aches, headache, extremely runny nose and sore throat with a very low grade fever for the past two days, today I have chills. I take immunosuppressant shots every week. Supposed to be picking up my girls today, and not sure what to do. Not sure about exposure, I don't really leave my house, but I am a little cautious since they are traveling between my house and their grandparents house and of course their grandparents are high risk."If it helps, runny nose and sore throat are rare with coronavirus, so that's probably not what you've got!
I hope you feel better soon, and of course stay safe.
Hey all! Slow reading week this week, because I've been using the time to catch up on video games instead :D(Been bunkered down since last Thursday. Next week, my work is tentatively planning to implement a rotation schedule where just one of us comes to office each day, to handle incoming mail/calls/etc.)
Finished reading (10/50):
Your Favorite Band Cannot Save You (made-up language, social media, attention-catching title, title over 20 letters) - A tale of a music blogger investigating a band whose music has strange mental effects upon its listeners. This was a wild ride, recommended if you want a quick read.
(Side note: I just noticed in my spreadsheet that I have the exact same books listed for "attention-catching title" and "title with over 20 letters": Your Favorite Band Cannot Save You, Slasher Girls & Monster Boys, and The Black Tides of Heaven. Apparently, long titles catch my attention)
The Time Invariance of Snow - Short story retelling of the Snow Queen fairytale with some physics(?) thrown in. Honestly I didn't understand all of it, but I liked all of it.
Currently reading: I read that this is a particularly tough time for authors with book releases this month, since all the bookstores are shut down. So I decided it was a good time to buy myself an e-book of a new release.
Darling Rose Gold - ...unfortunately, I'm not enjoying it that much. I heard from reviews that the main characters were both unlikable, but I was like "hell yeah two dueling scheming revenge-bent villain leads, I'm in."
Unfortunately it turns out they're both unlikable in unlikable ways (if that makes any sense). Patty is self-righteous and self-deluded, and more than anything I hate her constant attempts at humor. Rose Gold is painfully insecure and conflicted. (But I still gotta find out what happens, so in that regard, the book's doing a good job)
QotW: Nothing that I know of, but I'm enjoying everyone's posts.
I've been working at home since Tuesday for the first time in my life, and am therefore having to adjust to a 'new normal' on that front (not helped by the fact that our - my husband works at the same place as me, so we're both home - remote access to the university systems has been rather patchy today). We're pretty sure our upstairs neighbour has CV as well (there's been a lot of coughing, and flying visits from friends/relatives who are obviously leaving deliveries outside her front door), which feels a little weird, although I don't think we're particularly worried about catching it through the ceiling (and of course we wish her a speedy recovery)!The only minor personal silver lining to the whole thing is that mine and my husband's yearly pointless work trip to Athens has been called off - although now I'm left crossing my fingers that our plan to hold the meeting via video link instead will work...
In terms of reading...
Finished:
Spinning Silver for A book with "gold," "silver," or "bronze" in the title. I was impressed with the world building in this one - it's a fairly small world (even allowing for the fact that there are two worlds), but it still felt like a complete one, more so than in Uprooted, which I read last year.
Started:
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea for A book with "20" or "twenty" in the title. I'm reading this through my serial reader app, which tells me it's going to be the beginning of May before I'm done... :)
The Ten Thousand Doors of January for A book you picked because the title caught your attention - which it did, several months ago when I added it to my TBR list! Really enjoying it so far!
QOTW:
I don't particularly have any book-related events to share, but I figured I could take the opportunity to shamelessly plug my friend's podcast, 'Creepy Classics', in which she retells ancient, medieval and early modern ghost tales as modern short stories, and then discusses the origins and background of the story afterwards. It's on Podbean at https://classicaljg.podbean.com/ (also on the Podbean app, which is where I listen), and I believe it may also be available through Apple.
This week has been crazy! I was planning on taking a trip to Chicago this past weekend but I ended up just staying home! Luckily, my friend came over before all the craziness truly started so we just hung out at my apartment all weekend. My workplace was closed Tuesday and Wednesday for some deep cleaning but I have to go back today, which I'm not looking forward to! Because I was hanging out with my friend, I only ended up finishing one book and it was a reread. I should finish my audiobook today at work but we'll see!
Finished:
Hush, Hush (no prompt) - I originally gave this a 4 star rating back when I was in high school but reading it again changed my rating! I ended up dropping it down to a 2 star read! It was just not good.
Currently Reading:
No Country for Old Gnomes (A book with a pun in the title) - I'm not very far into this but its a lighthearted read so I'm enjoying it.
An Unwanted Guest (A book you picked because the title caught your attention) - This is the audiobook that I'm listening to and it goes fairly quickly. I usually don't have much to say about mystery/thrillers because I feel like saying anything could spoil it.
An Enchantment of Ravens (The first book you touch on a shelf with your eyes closed) - Hopefully I'll finish this this week as well because its super short! It's less than 300 pages. It's a really lighthearted fantasy and it's a lot of fun to read.
Regular: 11/40
Advanced: 2/10
Hi All I’m glad to see we’re adjusting & coping. All branches of our local library are closed. I was lucky to grab the book I had on hold the last day it was opened. There is curbside service for now to pick up your books on hold. I finished yesterday The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. It was my only book completed for this checkin. It is 804 pages. That book was part of my plan while the library is closed. Currently reading Tidelands by Philippa Gregory at 448 pages so I should be good till late Friday or Saturday. I have the ebook of The Mirror & The Light by Hilary Mantel at 784 pages. Also the ebook hold on Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips should be in soon. After that I see what hoopla,Overdrive,RB digital can do for me. QOTW: Thank You all for the site’s & discussion. NYPL discussion has made me think. Has anyone done the Social Distancing 24 in 48 read a thon (or a version of it) before? It looks interesting. I was wanting a read a thon.
I'm off work this afternoon as I was meant to have an occupational health screening for a new job. But it was cancelled as the nurse had a cough...sign'o'the times. Scottish schools shut down tomorrow, I've been WFH all week...it's all a bit surreal, and I have no idea how to cope with trying to work with my feral (love them really) children about.I read three books this week, all for PS and taking me to 13/54 (11/44, 2/10), and I'm currently on book 18 of the year.
My first book was Heartburn by Nora Ephron which was for prompt #34 book you meant to read in 2019. I gravitated towards this as I'm picking up the pieces after my own marriage fell apart due to infidelity in 2019. This is often touted as a must-read for those in my position, and part of the reason is that it spreads humour in what can be a soul destroying place. So yeah - a bit of a laugh, a bit of identification...I was down for that. Unfortunately, I don't think I really got what I was looking for. I did like the book. I felt that the story it told kept me interested, particularly as it is based closely to Ephron's own experience. But there just lacked any kind of emotional depth in the story. While there is sadness and anger it's not the heartbreaking or acid-spitting catharsis I'd expect from a woman who has been cheated on quite severely whilst also being pregnant. Rather than using humour to mask or deflect from emotions, I felt the narrator (and author) used humour as the only attempt to elevate this beyond a straight retelling of the timeline of events. And again, whilst I did enjoy her quips and observations, I didn't find this as funny as many others seem to have done. Perhaps that's more a reflection of personal taste and preference rather than quality though (should probably add a disclaimer that I've never seen any of her films. No, not even When Harry Met Sally). The culmination, for me, was the story of a woman a bit more annoyed at the turn her marriage had taken, rather than one who was devastated by it, so I just didn't connect the way I'd hoped to. But it wasn't all bad, this is a fine book. And although I didn't find my own story in this one, I did take away something from the reading. I'll end with this quote which really got me right in the feels:
"When something like this happens, you suddenly have no sense of reality at all. You have lost a piece of your past. The infidelity itself is small potatoes compared to the low-level brain damage that results when a whole chunk of your life turns out to have been completely different from what you thought it was. It becomes impossible to look back at anything that's happened" ... "without wondering what was really going on. See the couple. See the couple with the baby. See the couple with the baby having another baby. What's wrong with this picture? Everything, as it happens."
My second book was Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran for prompt #38 by or about a journalist. I suppose I need to start this with a disclaimer that I fookin' love Caitlin Moran. I love her writing, I loved Raised by Wolves, I love listening to her speak. She isn't perfect, and she comes at feminism from her own place of experience, but unlike others I don't mark her down for those things. She doesn't pretend to be the all-knowing and she is very evidently trying and evolving. And as she rightly also points out in this book (not about herself), no one woman can represent all women, no one oppressed person can represent all oppressed people. She is speaking for and as a white, mid-life, working class woman from Wolverhampton. That should be enough of a place to start from.
“It’s amazing to me that it’s still considered a notable, commendable trait –‘Oh, she’s a well-known feminist’ – in a woman, or a girl, or a man, or a boy. That that is the unusual thing. Really, it should be the reverse. Rather than what seems like a minority having to spend time, energy, brain and heart explaining why they’re ‘into’ equality, the majority should be explaining why they’re not."
Anyway, on to the book, which is a mix of pieces she's written for the Times and others written for this book. I didn't read it when it first came out, so some of the things she discusses (David Cameron being the current PM, the 2012 Olympics, Louis CK being a person you want to include in feminist writing...eww, etc) aren't current, which dates it a little. But I often find that with books of this type, it's the nature of the beast. Look beyond that, and you find a really funny display of awareness, intelligence and honesty thinly veiled in pieces as diverse as a day spent with Benedict Cumberbatch, the Bedroom Tax, tv reviews and abortion. She can be at turns facetious, earnest, passionate or touching, but always with a warmth and hilarity which made this a total joy to read.
My third book was for advanced prompt #7 more than 20 letters in its title - #MeToo: Essays About How and Why This Happened, What It Means and How to Make Sure it Never Happens, edited by Lori Perkins. I think the subtitle basically tells you what this book is all about. But I will add that it is a collection of essays from different individuals, including men, so the perspectives and experiences shared or alluded to are mixed. But they all come together with a powerful message, and that is really what the purpose of this book is. As with many anthologies, the pieces are on a spectrum. They range from analytical to emotional, and there are pieces that are stronger than others. But this is a protest book, it is raw and reactionary, maybe unpolished. That doesn't detract from the fact that it is important, and it still managed to be a good read. My only criticism is that it is very US-centric, but it's only a nit-pick at best because the movement began in the US, it's key antagonists are from the world of Hollywood, and unfortunately sexual abuse and harassment translate easily into every culture and language on earth.
QOTW nothing to add, but loving the shares and will be bookmarking many!!
Happy Thursday Everybody!I've had a very slow reading week because I've had my 8 year old nephew and 6 year old niece at home with me since last Thursday evening and they've been wanting me to do all kinds of activities and games with them etc. I'm taking them home this weekend to their parents (we're a 2 hour drive apart) but I'm unsure at this point whether I'll be getting them back on Sunday evening for the week or whether they'll be staying home with their mom now. I know that my brother will still be working throughout everything no matter what (he works for the police) but at this point it's unclear whether my sister in law will be working on Monday or not so I guess we'll wait and see! She was still required to go into her office until yesterday and now everyone in her office has been sent home with the day off until they figure out who is essential from each department (and still has to come in) and who can work from home and who will be placed on paid leave etc. Social distancing has been pretty peachy here so far, I live in the middle of nowhere so we can always go play outside or go for walks and I've taken the kids up in the bush to check out the sugar bush that my uncle owns and let them see the process and taste some syrup! :)
Current Progress
PS: 18/50 | HP: 24/56 | ATY: 24/52 | GR: 24/100
Finished This Week
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson ⭐️⭐️ For such a short book, this took me forever to get through. I kept expecting some big reveal, for the other shoe to drop but it just never did, everything was so predictable and for the events that did happen there was just such a lack of emotional reaction or response from the characters. It was bizarre and some things didn't make sense. This was heavy on imagery and lacking a strong plot!
Used for: HP - 45. Read a book under 150 pages
ATY - 41. A Mystery
Not Used for Popsugar
Always and Forever, Lara Jean (To All The Boys I've Loved Before #3) by Jenny Han ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Just like the first two books, this segment of the story has a way of sucking you in and is enjoyable.
Used for: HP - 26. Read a book that's a guilty pleasure
ATY - 49. A Book that fits a prompt from the list of suggestions that didn't win (A book with a main character's name in the title - from 2nd mini poll)
Not used for Popsugar
Currently Reading
Sideways Stories from Wayside School (Wayside #1) by Louis Sachar - with the kids at bedtime; they're liking it so far (sad when I say it's time to turn the light out and stop reading, haha!)
I probably won't start anything else for myself until the kids go home but will see, depends how much they want to do independently today and tomorrow and how tired I am once they go to bed.
QotW
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this already (I haven't checked the thread yet) but Scribd has made their entirely library free (apparently no credit card info required...but will they still require some kind of payment info that isn't cc? I don't know.) for 30 days (I believe it's 30 days from sign up date for each individual). Personally I haven't used the site or checked into the sign up requirements myself since I have shelves full of books at home I have yet to read. I have an excellent local used book store that gives you store credit anytime you bring books in to donate and my sister brought me a duffel full of books at Christmastime! <3
Hello all,I hope everyone is safe and healthy, I'm reading all the posts and pretty much the same story around here. Library's closed, smaller restaurants are closing both my kids work is closed (deli and bakery) larger chains are drive through and take out only, school is closed it is my daughters graduating year they are talking about starting teaching online and her year end exams (Diplomas) are still on at this point.
As for work, my husband and I own a mechanical shop under a banner company, we are still open for the time being and people are still getting some work done. We have stiff protocol working with customer and their vehicles disinfecting all touch points etc...I am on reduced hours and in every second day now. Not sure if the head office will close any of the shops as of yet.
DNF
Silent in the Grave Just could not get into this one none of the characters seem to have any life to them. Which is so sad because her Veronica Speedwell series is so fantastic.
Finished
Ghost of a Chance I liked this book. I have read several from this authour and did not realize that it was considered a cozy mystery (meaning it was not as racy as her other novels) until I was done. Which was fine, just not what I am used to. I am using it for the prompt Passes the Bechtel test.
Reading
Vale of the Vole Really enjoying, not sure which prompt to use this for.
QOTW
Not sure if this is available to all, but CTV.ca has what they are called" Throwback shows" such as Who's the boss, Facts of life, Bewitched for free viewing, they also have a few movies as well.
Stay safe everyone and Happy Reading
Hello all!I am extremely blessed that my life isn't terribly upended. I live alone and have experience working remotely, so it won't be too big of a change once they finally let us work remotely (I gave a passionate speech to my boss yesterday about how us being here is socially irresponsible and now we're at least rotating who's here. Ftr, it was in no way my boss's fault that we had to be here--that came from higher up).
I completely agree with whoever said it feels like every day is a week long. I was looking at my work calendar and realized that last week was spring break--what the heck? That was like, a month ago! Or it feels like it was...
Finished:
The Prodigal Tongue: Dispatches from the Future of English by Mark Abley: "A book about or including social media" I'm finally done with this! What a slog! I have an MA in linguistics and had so much trouble with this book--I think he tried too hard to be both technical and conversational, and it just ended up being hard to follow. He talked about the effects social media is having/will continue to have on language.
Currently Reading:
The Neddiad: How Neddie Took the Train, Went to Hollywood, and Saved Civilization: This has been a really fun read! I'll likely finish it tonight or tomorrow. "A book that caught your attention"
Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning: Not for the challenge but very interesting.
QOTW:
I have nothing contribute. Honestly, I haven't been very worried about the book side of things--I have tons at home already and a bunch on my Kindle and through Audible. Plus, I have computer games and video games, and plants to care for, crafts to finish, and baking to do. I'll get lonely, absolutely, but I shouldn't run out of stuff to do!
My major concern has been for those whose livelihoods have been so affected by this (particularly in the States where we have seen very little help in that area)(we have seen some from individuals and certain companies, though, which I love to see). So I'll use this spot to plug continuing to support small businesses and those you know who might suddenly have little-to-no income! [Preaching over]
I visited two of my local libraries on the day before they closed all of their branches. I have enough reading material to last me for awhile, but I wanted to make sure some new material was around in case the social distancing lasts much longer than anticipated.Currently reading:
Sisterhood of Dune
I am at about page 620 of 720. If you have read the Legends of Dune trilogy, you have a good idea of what to expect with this one. It continues on from that story with an 80-year jump, allowing some backstory elements to be introduced without being a main story themselves.
Silent Weapons
This is a Trek espionage and action thriller. It builds on the Data and Typhon Pact stories that preceded it, but it gives enough context that even a newcomer could follow the main plot.
QotW:
I have not seen much book-related, but some artists like Keith Urban and Luke Combs are live-streaming performances from isolated places to provide some comfort.
I finished one book during this check-in period, so I'm at 10/40 and 5/10 for this challenge. I'm at 25/100 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge. Both of my book clubs decided to skip this month's in person meetings. It was kind of a bummer to cancel, but we all thought it was for the best right now. Finished:
* Trailblazer: A Pioneering Journalist's Fight to Make the Media Look More Like America by Dorothy Butler Gilliam, which I used for "a book by or about a journalist." The author worked for The Washington Post as a reporter, editor, and columnist.
Currently Reading:
* The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea; and,
* Relative Fortunes by Marlowe Benn.
QotW:
Instead of a question this week, I want to create a place where we can share all the wonderful online book-related events and sharing happening right now. I've been AMAZED at the authors and other members of the bookish community that have stepped up to provide content for those of us staying home. Please share any other great and amazing opportunities for bookish goodness right now!
My county's public library is doing a ton of stuff to help folks who are at home right now. Starting today, the library is offering a ton of daily programs and resources on its Facebook page (facebook.com/aacpl). It also increased its digital collection of eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, streaming movies, music and databases available on the library’s website, and plans to purchase even more new digital content over the next two weeks. Limits to some digital resources have also been temporarily eliminated including some content for adults on the Kanopy streaming service. Out-of-library access to Ancestry.com Library Edition was also made available. Finally, customers who sign up for the virtual library card will have 90 days to visit a branch to trade it in for a full-service physical card instead of the usual 60 days. Anyone who lives, works or owns property in Maryland is eligible for an Anne Arundel County Public Library card.
In addition to the AACPL info, I also received two emails yesterday that fit the bill. First, author Nancy Bilyeau offered a free ebook copy of one of her novellas: The Ghost of Madison Avenue. The offer is still open today. I downloaded a copy from Amazon; I'm not sure if it's available via any other sites.
Second, Publishers Weekly is making its digital magazine available for free to anyone -- you don't have to be subscriber -- starting with the current issue (16 March 2020). You can now access the digital edition of PW from www.digitalpw.com or from the PW app on iOS and Android.
Additionally, articles, past bestsellers lists and the reviews database, which includes a search feature and the reviews listed by genre, will be made available to all.
Here are the links they provided:
Access your digital copy each week on Saturday here: www.digitalpw.com
Access the reviews database here: www.publishersweekly.com/reviews
Access the archive here: publishers weekly.com/digitalgateway
For technical help: service@publishersweekly.com
I'm a stay-at-home mom to a toddler, so our lives don't look very different except that my husband is now home, working remotely. Our governor mandated that all non-essential stores close and all dine-in restaurants close. Take-out or delivery only. Churches are closed. Schools closed for at least 2 weeks. The first case of coronavirus was confirmed in our county yesterday, so we're all extra spooked now. I usually go to clean my grandparents' home once a week, but we've decided not to until this is over (they're in their 80s. My dad lives with them, so he can help them if needed). But Animal Crossing : New Horizons releases tomorrow, so I'll get all my social interaction there for now. XD I've been trying to take pictures and journal everything, because this is history. Our world is never going to be quite the same after this. I hope we learn from this so that next time we're all better prepared.Finished 10/50
Frozen for "book with same title as a movie/tv show but is unrelated to it". This was a post-apocalyptic teen fantasy set in an arctic USA. It was kind of dumb. It ripped off a lot of other popular fantasy tropes and the characters were so weak. I was glad to be done with it. Great premise, poor execution.
Currently Reading
God and Evolution for "book by an author with flora or fauna in their name" (Jay Richards). I'm two thirds of the way through and so far really enjoying this. I'm a science geek and there's actually some great science in this book (though a little technical). It's a multi-religious, multi-author book written by a group of Intelligent Design scientists from different backgrounds. Fascinating stuff.
Father Arseny, 1893-1973: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father for "a book with more than 4 stars on Goodreads" (realized I could use this for the challenge after all). My church book club is trying to figure out if we're going to continue reading this together via conference call or what so I have all intentions of finishing this, but it's on hold until we figure out what we're going to do since we can't physically meet.
The Wilderness Journal: 365 Days with the Philokalia for "book with title that caught your attention". No change here!
QotW
This may have been mentioned already, but many sites are offering free manga in light of the virus!
Read article here
Shannon wrote: "My major concern has been for those whose livelihoods have been so affected by this (particularly in the States where we have seen very little help in that area)(we have seen some from individuals and certain companies, though, which I love to see). So I'll use this spot to plug continuing to support small businesses and those you know who might suddenly have little-to-no income! [Preaching over]"This has been on my mind too. We definitely need to all pull together to help those who are seriously affected by this. More people live paycheck to paycheck than we realize, and this crisis could permanently damage lives and families unless others step in and help. I'm trying to keep my eyes and ears open for ways to tangibly meet the needs of those around me. Donating to local food banks helps too!
Hey everyone! I haven't checked in in a few weeks and, goodness, how things have changed. Well, not so much for me as I've been social distancing for a while. But it is rather ironic that my divorce is finalized the week before we're not supposed to be interacting with others, right when I'm ready to date again. I live in central Oklahoma and we're on Spring Break right now but public schools are closed for the following two weeks as of right now. The university I work for is switching all classes to online, which doesn't affect any of the classes I take or teach as they're already online, but they did postpone graduation which makes me sad. I was really looking forward to walking in the ceremony this year. But I'll get over it. On to the books! I've finished only 2 books this month but I have 4 in progress. I read The Tattooist of Auschwitz for a book by an author with flora or fauna in their name. This was a surprisingly quick read. I enjoyed it and found it powerful, but I wish I had known it was based on an actual account beforehand because I found some areas rushed or lacking in detail, just jumping from one event to another. This makes more sense knowing it comes from a first-hand account.
I also read Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller for a book by an author in their 20s. Wow, wow, wow. This was a powerful read for me. I appreciated learning about her experience with the justice system and my outrage over the whole incident hasn't dissipated one bit.
I don't have anything to add for the QOTW. I feel like this is a huge turning point for our world right now. It's hard to tell exactly what life will be like "on the other side" of this. If there even is an "other side" or if this is the new normal.
Happy Thursday! First of all: to everyone who is sick or lost a job or is worrying about all of that… My prayers and thoughts are with you.It has been a strange week. Last week, I said goodbye to my colleagues in a hurry because I had an appointment. Half an hour later, I got a phone call from my manager I had to work from home starting immediately. Since then, work has been crazy. I am content editor and advisor on online services of a municipality. All of our services have shifted to web only if possible. So lots of changes to make, and lots of news and changes to share. I hope everything will be settled in the course of next week, so I can start doing my usual job.
Luckily, the weather is beautiful this week. So I can relax a couple of minutes in our garden and enjoy the sun or take a walk (which is possible since we live in a small town, so we don't hardly meet anyone outside). And most important: we are still healthy.
On to the reading.
Finished
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society I was surprised I liked the writing in letters until the end. It is an heart warming story. Prompt: A book that passes Bechdel test.
Currenly reading
De Bourgondiers Last weekend I optimistically started a new non fiction read. It is a history of the patriarchs of the Low Countries (=Belgium and The Netherlands). Interesting story of the dukes of Burgundy and how they created the idea of the lower countries as a unity.
Wir sehen uns unter den Linden Latest historical fiction by my favorite German writer Charlotte Roth. I love her way of story telling. This one is about Berlin, World War 1, Berlin wall, etc.
Qotw
Thanks for all the shares! If I need bookish online goodness, I know where to turn to.
Hi All - Like many posts that I've read, this has been a LONG week! I have been working at home for about 10 yrs so that has not been a challenge for me. The problem is having the KIDS at home with the noise while I'm trying to work :) Trying to keep them from interrupting me .. "mom, I'm hungry" .. "mom, where is this and that". They are 12 and 16 old enough to feed themselves and open their eyes to find something they want. lol Our Library closed so I sent them to stock up on books for themselves before it shut down. I usually do all digital books so I sent them while I was working. Our grocery stores have empty shelves but we won't starve for a few weeks. I'm optimistic that people will quit panicking and hoarding food they might end up throwing away because they are not using it. I'm trying to keep a level head.
All this funk has kept me from reading much. I just don't feel like escaping into a book, which is very odd! Hopefully that will pass soon!
Progress:
Popsugar - 24/50
ATY - 18/52
Goodreads - 32/100
Finished:
Final Girls by Riley Sager ATY Published in a Prime year. 3 stars.
3 girls survive separate massacres that all other people involved were dead. The story follows one girl as she interacts with the other girls. She has lost her memory and can not remember anything that happened the night of her massacre.
Renegades by Marissa Meyer
ATY. Published in Prime year 5 stars. Great change in reading. Anxious to hear the remaining books in the series.
Currently Reading:
Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner POP Adv. Author with more than 20 books
Away from the Dark by Aleatha Romig
The Wives by Tarryn Fisher
QotW:
I've seen so many companies and people sharing different free online links. Here are a few I've checked out with my sons.
Doodle with Mo Willems he posts a video everyday: https://www.kennedy-center.org/educat...
Virtual Tours of National Parks:
https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/photos...
Audible offering free listening for children:
https://stories.audible.com/
Everyone stay safe and healthy!
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
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Admin note:
Results are in from our most recent round of voting. Quarter three group read books are:
July - A Gentleman in Moscow
August - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
September - Fahrenheit 451
Please PM myself or Nadine if you would like to lead discussion on one of these books!
How's everyone doing? I know we are scattered in all corners of the planet, and the current status of our community's health and safety is of the utmost importance. Please feel free to use this space to share how things are for you and yours. I hope that our mutual love of books and reading can bring some comfort and sanity through this difficult time.
Our library closed over the weekend so my daughter and I made a mad dash to stock up. You can see our haul here: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9udgsdgO...
There are three branches with drive-thru windows. I think those are still open for hold pick-ups. Many restaurants have closed their dining rooms and are only doing take-out orders or drive-thru. Schools are closed for two weeks, but I think we are all expecting that to extend. My job is allowing people to work from home but not requiring it. It's a manufacturing facility so a lot of people can't do their jobs from home. I'm fortunate in that I can.
On to the reading check-in.
Finished:
Harry Potter: A History of Magic - I really enjoyed this exploration of magic. My daughter and I decided to do a Harry Potter movie marathon this week and I think I'm going to reread the series again soon as well.
Winterhouse by Ben Guterson. This was a fun middle grade read. Like so many books these days I feel like it needed a trim to get rid of some excess, but overall it was enjoyable. It's a trilogy, BUT the author gave this one a solid ending with a lead in to the next one so I'm not left hanging until I decide to pick up book 2. I really appreciate that!
Currently reading:
Marilla of Green Gables - buddy reading with a friend. This is a reimagining/back story of Marilla from the beloved Anne of Green Gables series.
The One by John Marrs. I am rereading this book because my book club picked it for March. I wanted to refresh my memory. Of course, now we are trying to find the best way to video chat for our meeting since we won't be meeting in person.
Question of the week:
Instead of a question this week, I want to create a place where we can share all the wonderful online book-related events and sharing happening right now. I've been AMAZED at the authors and other members of the bookish community that have stepped up to provide content for those of us staying home.
Below are the ones I can find right now. If I find more I will share them. Please share any other great and amazing opportunities for bookish goodness right now!
Josh Gad (voice of Olaf in the Frozen movies) is reading children's books on Twitter each night: https://twitter.com/joshgad?ref_src=t...
Books, Birds and Bicycles on Facebook is also reading children's books: https://www.facebook.com/booksbirdsan...
The New York Public Library has made available a ton of ebooks for anyone to borrow (I know it isn't limited to just New Yorkers, I don't know if it's US only or international): https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/...
Modern Mrs. Darcy had to cancel her book tour so instead she is hosting the "Stay at Home Book Tour" and will be streaming author events online instead. Details, and the first week's schedule, here: https://modernmrsdarcy.com/stay-at-ho...
Andrew Peterson, author of the Wingfeather Saga, is doing a nightly reading of that series on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewpeters...
John Marrs has offered one of his books for free on Kindle (only through Sunday):
US Link - https://amzn.to/2QHKwSH
UK Link - https://bit.ly/2WqBZXW
The Social Distancing 24 in 48 readathon is this weekend! https://bit.ly/2UmeNXW
There have also been amazing virtual tours and webcams being shared, but those aren't book related.