Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2020 Weekly Checkins
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Week 42: 10/8-10/15
It was a spontaneous reading week for me. Normally, I have my reading planned out well ahead of time. That didn’t work out this week. I finished some books more quickly than I expected, and I’m reserving other books I own for Dewey’s Readathon on the 24th. I was left short of books and my local public library isn’t open for browsing! Fortunately, I found a few ebooks without holds to download from the Philadelphia Free Library. They’ve been a real sanity saver this year. FYI - anyone who lives in the state of Pennsylvania can get a free library card from the Philadelphia Free Library. You can sign up online and get a digital library card. Their collection on Overdrive/Libby is very good.
Finished
The Atomic Weight of Love by Elizabeth J. Church. I liked it okay. It’s not my usual kind of book, but the writing was good. I really don’t have many thoughts other than that! I did really like the murder of crows Meridian observes.
Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey. This was a very cute, very predictable (on purpose) rom com. It was light and fluffy and sweet. It’s everything I was looking for in a book right now.
The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine. I liked the characters and fairytale retelling aspects. As it turns out, I’m not so interested in the Roaring 20s. I might have liked reading about the dancing princesses more if their dance hall wasn’t a speakeasy?
DNF
Another week, another DNF :(
Next Year in Havana by Chantel Cleeton. I just didn’t like it. I wasn’t interested enough to keep going, and Nadine’s review said it gets worse as it goes on, so ... DNF at 20%
Reading
Angelus by Peter J. Evans
The Witch's Kind by Louisa Morgan
The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present by David Treuer
QOTW
This is the only reading challenge I do, and I only read books for this challenge until it’s complete. If a book isn’t going to fit somewhere, I don’t read it yet. I also don’t shuffle books around. Once I read a book for a prompt and tick off that little box on my printout, that’s it. That book doesn’t move and no other book can fill that prompt. So I guess my answer is that I would see if the borrowed book could fit a different prompt. If not, I would return it unread and borrow it again later when the challenge is complete. Yeah, I might be a little bit single-minded ;)
I finished Les Miserables and with that have finished this year's challenge.QOTW: I very intentionally do the challenge. So, if I'm currently reading a book it's going to be for a prompt. However, there have been a couple of times when I realized it didn't fit the prompt, in which case I check to see if it fits another and in that case will move it to a different category. If I had meantime obtained another book specifically for that category, I would probably jsut see if it fit a different one. Or, I would wait until I was done toread it.
Two years ago, I read Terms of Endearmentas a book that deals with death and grieving. I decided it didn't really fit that prompt and moved it to a book with a tile that is included song lyrics (or something like that). I already owned the book Since You've Been Gone and was planning on that for the song lyrics. Actually, I think it's still sitting unread on my shelf.
Edit: I just checked. Apparently I did read it right after I finished the challenge. It was just largely forgettable. I gave it 2 stars. I did remember it when I read my review, though.
Wow, it feels so weird commenting on this so early in the thread! Where work's been insane lately, it's calmed down a bit this week, which is good because my depression and anxiety have been up this week (I think finding out the guy I've been seeing wasn't really feeling it like I was kind of set it off and now I'm just stuck). Yay for broken brains!Lynn, I hope your day does go up from here!
Finished:
Wilder Girls by Rory Power: A medical thriller. Like everyone else, I couldn't stop looking at this book cover, so even though I KNEW it would likely freak me out (I don't do horror), I read it anyway. Yeah, I can now say that body horror isn't my thing.
I have such mixed feelings on this book, too. In some ways, the author did an excellent job--her atmosphere and ability to build tension are fantastic. But I agree with what someone in the reviews said: when I'm actually inside a character's head and yet still feel like I don't know this character or what motivates her, it's a problem Also, I agree with many reviewers that (view spoiler)
Currently Reading:
Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories: This will be my anthology, and I'm hoping it won't freak me out too much. Ghosts are usually okay, and I don't mind creepy as long as it isn't super SCARY (it's hard for me to explain the difference, but there is one). I was a little disappointed to find out that the stories aren't BY Roald Dahl, just compiled by him.
QOTW:
This is an interesting question. Most of the time, I try to stick with what I picked out unless, like right now, I'm realizing there's no way I'll have time for some of the books I'd planned. I also don't have much time for outside reading anyway, so most of the time I stick to my list (or at least deliberately reading books for the challenge, even if I do swap some out).
The main exception are the prompts that you don't really know if you've fulfilled them until you read the book, like "a book featuring one of the seven deadly sins" or "a book with a strong friendship." You can make certain assumptions, of course, but I think we've all been in the situation where the book we *thought* would fit a prompt doesn't actually, and then we have to decide if we're going to count it for that prompt, pick a new prompt for it, or just leave it out of the challenge.
Mod
This is the only reading challenge I do, and I only read books for this challenge until it’s complete. If a book isn’t going to fit somewhere, I don’t read it yet. I also don’t shuffle books around. Once I read a book for a prompt and tick off that little box on my printout, that’s it. That book doesn’t move and no other book can fill that prompt. So I guess my answer is that I would see if the borrowed book could fit a different prompt. If not, I would return it unread and borrow it again later when the challenge is complete. Yeah, I might be a little bit single-minded ;)"
See? That is awesome! I wish I could be more disciplined like that! :)
Sorry you didn't connect more with The Atomic Weight of Love. I connected to it personally in many ways due to my own experiences. Yes! I loved her research with the crows as well!
Progress on your goals is looking good - way to go!Finished this week (still 42/50 for challenge):
American Indian Stories by Zitkála-Šá - read for the Book Riot Read Harder challenge, plus fits the Fall challenge, by an indigenous author. Very good first-hand account, the author often focuses more on how things make her feel than on the minute details of the experience and I think this lends to the emotional impact it had on me.
Discovering the Florida Trail: A Photographic Journey Along the Florida National Scenic Trail by Sandra Friend and John Keatley - a brand new book out, by my favorite naturalist and guidebook author. I preordered a signed copy and it came in the mail this week, so I dropped everything to read it. The photos are gorgeous.
Still working on:
The Murmur of Bees - I love this book, so I have no idea why it is taking me weeks to read it...
Never Cry Wolf: The Amazing True Story of Life Among Arctic Wolves - a reread, but apparently it's been so long since I read it that it feels new to me.
QOTW: This happens to me all the time. It could take me most of the year to find a book that fits a prompt, but the moment I do it seems like I find more on my list that suddenly fit as well. I might fit the book I already read into the prompt to make sure I get it filled, but I will still usually read the book I have planned also.
Happy Thursday, y’all.Is it too optimistic for me to plan ahead for a trip out of country next summer? I haven't done anything that can't be reversed later yet (I booked a hotel, but it has a forgiving cancellation policy), but I'm wondering if planning ahead that far is a mistake or not...
Books read this week:
Kevin And I In India -- I usually enjoy travel books, but this one fell kind of flat. I get that India isn’t the most glamorous of countries, especially at the time this book was written (the author made his journey during the ‘80s), but dang there’s a LOT of focus on the squalor in this book.
A Game of Universe -- Weird but enjoyable mashup of space opera and high fantasy, including a quest for the Holy Grail! I could have done without the “rape as backstory,” however (though interestigly they give that to the male character instead of the female this time around…)
The Hollow Places -- A spooky Halloween read by one of my favorite authors. Great cosmic horror tale leavened with plenty of humor to cut some of the tension.
Heart and Brain: Gut Instincts: An Awkward Yeti Collection -- Never have bodily organs been so funny and adorable.
DNF:
Bill the Vampire -- Okay, a book about a geeky vampire should have been fun. But not when the main character is so unlikable and sees women only as things to sleep with. Ick.
Currently Reading:
The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories
The Last Dragonslayer
Sour Candy
Black Sun
QOTW:
I'm very much a planner, and will often have my entire challenge mapped out before the year actually starts. I try to give myself some leeway, however -- if I'm not enjoying a book I picked for the challenge, I'll move on to something else (unless I actually paid money for it, in which case I feel obligated to finish).
There have been a few instances where I took a break from the challenge to read something else, only to find it fits a prompt. In that case I'll generally weigh whether I want to read the original book or not, or just bump the original book back onto my regular TBR list for the time being.
This happened at least once this year -- on a whim I picked up The Honey Bus: A Memoir of Loss, Courage and a Girl Saved by Bees and discovered it fit the "book by a journalist" prompt... but I'd already picked The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary for that prompt. I ended up replacing "Professor and Madman" with "Honey Bus," and ultimately ended up DNFing "Professor and Madman" anyhow, so it worked out in the end, heh...
Mod
Edit: I just checked. Apparently I did read it right after I finished the challenge. It was just largely forgettable. I gave it 2 stars. I did remember it when I read my review, though."
Congratulations on finishing!! YAY!! (That's probably because you are so disciplined in your challenge reading...unlike me! lol)
I find it remarkable that I can sometimes forget about a book until I read my review and then I'm like, "Oh, yeah...that one!"
Happy Thursday! It really feels like October these past few days here in northeast Ohio - a bit overcast and breezy, and plenty of orange leaves on the ground :)I finished three books this week:
Sisters in Law: How Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World - 3.5 stars. I liked this, but it definitely skews more toward RBG and wasn't the book I was expecting it to be. Plus if you've read The Notorious RBG you can basically skip the final section/chapter of Sisters in Law, because it's a rehash of that book (which honestly felt redundant and a bit unprofessional, from a writer standpoint).
Cemetery Boys - 5 stars. A new book with a lot of hype (which I tend to avoid), but this is worth every bit of praise it gets. And it was my pick for Latinx Heritage Month! I laughed, I cried, I loved these characters so much.
The Toni Morrison Book Club - 5 stars. A memoir by four friends who relate their own personal experiences as they read four of Toni Morrison's novels. Poignant and funny and heartbreaking and beautiful. Book about a book club
48/50
Currently reading:
Beloved - Banned books week This one is slow going but it's very good. Morrison writes with a certain cadence and sometimes it takes me awhile to get into the swing of it.
Catwoman, Volume 1: Trail of the Catwoman - I've been ignoring this in favor of movies the last few nights. It's pretty big for a collected-volume comic, but the art is good and the writing is excellent.
The Girl on the Train - I just started this on audio yesterday and it's still very early. I'm slightly bored/impatient with Rachel already, I just want to get to the good stuff!
QOTW: This depends on my mood, honestly. I try to jot down ideas for certain challenge prompts, but I also like spontaneous reads, and if they fit then I'll cross it off and get to my "planned" reads at some other time.
Katy wrote: "I finished Les Miserables and with that have finished this year's challenge.QOTW: I very intentionally do the challenge. So, if I'm currently reading a book it's going to be for a prompt. However..."
Congrats on finishing Les Miserables, Katy! It took me two years of reading but I finally finished it last year and loved it so much.
This is the year of breaking appliances, our oven broke at the weekend so of course I keep wanting to bake things! New oven has just been delivered but we need an electrician because there is no plug socket where the old one used to be (and whilst my partner does have some electrical knowledge he sensibly doesn't want to risk burning the house down). Hopefully this is the last thing to break...I too am saving a bunch of shiny exciting books for Dewey's readathon, but I still had a good reading week.
Finished:
We Have Always Lived in the Castle for 20th century book (and also ATY's classic prompt). I loved this, my favourite Shirley Jackson I've read so far, charming yet dark, it felt very tense when Charles enters their lives and then so much just falls into place at the end.
The Fated Sky for a woman in STEM (and ATY's Maximillian Hell prompt) listed to on audio. Didn't love quite as much as the first, but still enjoyed it and ended up crying on my dog walk.
Prime Deceptions for review and a book with a great first line (something about running around with pants on fire, it will do). I thought this was better than the first book, less jumping around between seemingly unconnected scenarios, just a more linear plot and it helps to know the characters and situation after the first instalment. Loved that one of the psychic cats gets out and about in this one.
Currently reading Gods of Jade and Shadow (set in 1920s) and listening to The Diabolical Bones (ATY).
PS: 43/50 | ATY: 44/52 | GR:91/100
QOTW:
I don't plan my Popsugar challenge all that much, so I'm not sure this is much of a problem for me. Usually the first book that fits gets slotted in, but if it's a book that fits several prompts I'll put it in the one that I think is hardest to fill. I would probably just be grateful that I now don't need to read that book I only got for a tricky prompt. If I borrowed it, I'd just give it back unread if I wasn't that into it. If I really wanted to read it anyway I'd just not use it for any challenges. Though at this point of the year that would be disappointing as I want to be ticking off my final prompts!
Mod
On to my reading!
I finished 4 books this week, one for this Challenge, so I am now 47/50. So close!
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid - I agree with all the reviews saying this is a breezy, fast read. I enjoyed it very much, but I wasn't crazy about the ending. A great debut! This would work for "character in her 20s" if anyone still needs that, or for "strong friendship" in the Fall Challenge.
One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy by Carol Anderson - this book was DENSE, and I skimmed some bits because I just don't have the focus right now for a dense fact-filled book. It's pretty depressing to read about alllll the ways that voting rights have been taken away, but it's also a bit hopeful: if we can just fix this problem (which I didn't realize has been going on since the USA started, I had no idea gerrymandering was so old!!) then perhaps we have hope.
Looking Out, Looking in: Anthology of Latino Poetry ed by William Luis - my anthology! I didn't love this book, it was okay.
Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks- I started this book back in August, it was my audiobook for my drive down to visit my mother. And my loan expired during the drive back. Just ... stopped playing. And I had to wait three months for my turn to borrow it again. This was great fun! It's cheesy, and over-the-top, and a bit of a parody, and once I stopped expecting it to be serious or make sense, I enjoyed it. LOL I suppose this could work for the "nature" read in the Fall Challenge (although I'm currently trying to read a different book for that category).
QotW
YES!! This happens A LOT. Sometimes I still read the planned book, sometimes I don't and I use the "surprise" book for the category. Sometimes I read both, but use the new book to fulfill the challenge, sometimes I stick to my plan and use the planned book. I'm all over the place!
I do keep track of which books I planned to read for the Challenge category. When January starts, I have a book planned for each category (plus lots of other ideas). Now, with three categories left to finish (and most likely they will all be the book I've planned), 55% of my categories were filled with the planned book.
For those of you with early voting happening right now - I hope it's going well and you have plenty of poll options to reduce the wait times! I'm glad we have three weeks of early voting this year in Texas since my medical situation is preventing me from getting out this week. Hopefully next week works out. This week I read:
Mexican Gothic Gorgeous cover, decent story. I found it entertaining, but I'm just not too big on horror and supernatural stuff, so it wasn't my favorite. 3 stars
The Veins of the Ocean This was a unique story and I look forward to reading the author's next book coming out in a few months. 4 stars
A Narco History: How the United States and Mexico Jointly Created the "Mexican Drug War" Very important information here, but I'm not sure it was written as engaging as it could have been. 3 stars
Self Care This was entertaining, but I'm wasn't sure what the "message" was with the ending. 3 stars
Practical Magic I'm reading a few Halloween-related books this month to get in the spirit. This wasn't exactly what I expected (I kind of wanted more witchy stuff) but pretty good. 3 stars
I'm currently listening to The Good House and reading The Things They Carried in print.
QOTW: While I plan out my challenge books ahead of time, I usually end up switching to different books for at least half of the prompts. Things like book clubs, library availability, and mood will cause me to switch, even if I have a book that I originally planned for the prompt.
Ashley Marie wrote: "Congrats on finishing Les Miserables, Katy! It took me two years of reading but I finally finished it last year and loved it so much.."Well, it didn't say so on the book anywhere, but I'm pretty sure I was reading an abridged version. It was only slightly more than 500 pages.
Mod
Happens. To. Me. All. The. Time.
so when I write my GR review, I write it with my own future self in mind, and I try to include enough details so that I can remember the book. I only wish GR had been around my whole life - I've read sooooo many books that I can't remember now. Some of them haunt me, I want so badly to remember the title, but I just can't.
Mod
I read the first half of this (it was originally two volumes, I think), and it was fantastic. Brubaker is just so good - it's rare for a comic book writer to stand out like that, I'm normally more about the art, but this guy got my attention. I want to read all his stuff!!!
Hello! I didn't get much reading done this week, as my husband wanted me to unpack all those boxes from when we moved into our house a year and a half ago. It's cold and depressing in Minnesota, but work gave me the promotion I've wanted for years. Promotions usually happen in February, so this was very unexpected. We may have to get fancy take out to celebrate.Finished:
Eva Luna by Isabel Allende - Overdrive thought I had checked out the Spanish language version of this, but thankfully the English translation didn't have a wait list. I initially got it for Reading Women prompt, but the cover of the copy I read worked for PS Fall orange and brown cover. I enjoyed it, even without a noticeable plot.
Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich - Read Harder and PS Fall challenge for an Indigenous author. I picked Louise Erdrich based on someone's rec in the PS Fall challenge discussion, and this one because it sounded interesting. The enjoyed the first half, and didn't mind the "journal entries" style as much as I thought I would because it still had actual dialogue and conversations. The second half, after Spider Nun, I did not enjoy as much. It had an amazing first line, though. "When I tell you that my white name is Cedar Hawk Songmaker and that I am the adopted child of Minneapolis liberals, and that I when I went looking for my Ojibwe parents and found that I was born Mary Potts I hid the knowledge, maybe you'll understand."
PS: 47/50 RH: 21/24 RW: 24/26 ATY: 50/52 PS Fall: 4/10
I'm so close to finishing each of these, and I really want them done by November so I don't have to worry about them during NaNoWriMo. My list says seven books will knock out the ten prompts, and I have all of them from the library. So close!
Currently Reading: Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth no actual progress made, just increased guilt for the 97 people in line behind me at the library.
Beloved - This was going to be my banned book, but then I read Fahrenheit 451 instead, but I had already told my book club of college friends I was reading Beloved, and I see them next week, so now I have a week to read it. Plus it's my choice for Read Harder's retelling by author of color and Reading Women's Toni Morrison prompts.
QOTW: I didn't find any of the reading challenges I'm doing this year until this summer, so the books I'd already read knocked out the majority of the prompts right away. I've really only had a few months of trying to fill prompts. Most of my book rearranging has been the opposite - oh, this book doesn't actually fill that prompt, can it go elsewhere? There's also been the happy surprise of "hey, this book is actually about survival, or set in winter, now I can stop looking for those!"
I guess the closest I can get to your scenario is I read An American Marriage in July for an author of color prompt. It turns out this book fills a ton of prompts. I let it count for everything initially, and I've been gradually replacing it with the others I had planned. For example, it was my celebrity book club prompt, but Daisy Jones & The Six is going to take over that one. It was also about a woman artist, but I still read Stop Telling Women to Smile: Stories of Street Harassment and How We're Taking Back Our Power.
I have to say, I'm so looking forward to seeing how I do when participating in the challenge from the beginning, instead of coming in mid-year.
No prompts ticked off over the last two weeksEloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper. A collection of essays about gender and class and sexuality and respectability politics and how that affects the lives of black women. Good read.
Would I Lie to a Duke by Eva Leigh. Historical romance. Two thumbs way up.
Seafire and Steel Tide by Natalie C. Parker. YA novels about girl pirates set in a future(???) world where we’ve basically ruined everything. My niece gave these to me and I am glad she did because I probably would not have picked them up myself but I really enjoyed them and went to look for the third but it’s not out until February.
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alman. Contemporary literature about a couple in an AirBnB and then something catastrophic happens and the owners show up. I don’t know how I feel about it. Sometimes I loved the writing, sometimes I felt like it was overwritten. I know a lot of people are frustrated at the lack of answers and a really abrupt ending and I didn’t truly hate that aspect but I didn’t really like it either.
QOTW:
I do that all the time. But I do just read the book I bought too.
Happy Thursday all! I am so behind in my reading. I've been working on Akata Witch for some time and I just can't focus on it. So I think I'm going to put it aside and try something else. I think that's mostly been my challenge this year; just focusing long enough to read books in a timely manner.I did finish one book this week (that took me like 3 weeks to get through): Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories for my anthology. I liked it. Some of the stories were unexpected but overall, it was a really good collection of YA love stories from a lot of authors I enjoy.
I think I still need to read like 14 or 15 books. Fingers crossed I can buckle down and finish!
QOTW: I don't really change them around too much. I leave the vague categories open for most of the year so I can slip books in as I read them but I mostly read for the challenge anyway. Sometimes books will get moved around or I'll decide I'm just not into a book and not want to read it. But I rarely read a non-challenge book and then figure out a place to put it.
Morning,This week I've been trying to balance reading and watching an episode of The Haunting of Bly Manor every night but of course I got distracted last night by an episode of Nova on PBS that featured returning a pack African Painted Dogs to a national park in Africa, it was super interesting.
Finished:
When No One is Watching - I really enjoyed this. I mentioned in my review that I don't think it's a thriller. It was more of a mystery with an exciting ending. If you are thinking of reading this go in knowing that it is also a slow build. It's not non-stop action. I still really enjoyed it.
Bad Feminist - I also really enjoyed this one. It was insightful and funny. I wish I hadn't put it off for so long.
Currently Reading:
Gideon the Ninth for your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge. I just finished the first part of the book, so still pretty early in it. It building the world and I'm looking forward to it really digging in.
The City We Became - I'm listening to this on audio and loving it. I'm going to have to pick up the actual book and do a re-read of it at some point. I can't wait to see where this is going.
Breakfast of Champions - This is a loan from my boss and I'm just over 100 pages and it is so weird but in a good way.
Happy Thursday! This week has been dragging so I'm glad it's almost done! Finished:
My Best Friend's Exorcism - I really like Grady Hendrix writing style. He brings humor to horror and I love his sarcasm. With that said, this one was not my favorite of his, but I still enjoyed it. 4 stars
Invisible Girl - I really like Lisa Jewell and have enjoyed her other books that I've read. This one fell flat for me though. I wanted a thriller with big twists, but I didn't get that. I will still continue to read her books though because I do enjoy her writing style. 3 stars
This Coven Won't Break - I enjoyed the first book in this series, but thought this one was better. I still think it's a little to young adult for me though. 3.5 stars
Challenge Progress:
Still at 42/50. I'm beginning to get nervous that I won't finish this year. I started off strong, but then starting doing other challenges and now I have to get 8 books done in 2.5 months. I'll be prioritizing them next month for sure!
Currently Reading:
The Shadows - I haven't had much motivation to read lately so still working on this one. It's getting really creepy though!
First Date - I have an ARC of this I was hoping to finish today, but it looks like that isn't going to happen. Work has been busy, but should finish it by the end of the week. I've heard great things about it, but it's a little slow moving for me.
Imaginary Friend - I will be starting this on my commute home tonight.
QOTW: Imagine that you have purchased or borrowed (from the library, a friend, etc.) a specific book for a specific reading challenge prompt. Then you discover the book you are currently reading or have recently read (For some other reason--perhaps a book club selection or to fulfill a different challenge prompt.) perfectly fulfills this same challenge prompt! Did you still read the book you originally obtained for that prompt? Or did you just count the prompt as fulfilled and leave the original book unread?
If I find a book I've already read fits a prompt, I will use it. I will go back at a later date and read the other book.
Ashley wrote: "This week I've been trying to balance reading and watching an episode of The Haunting of Bly Manor every night but of course I got distracted last night by an episode of Nova on PBS that featured returning a pack African Painted Dogs to a national park in Africa, it was super interesting."PBS always has really cool stuff! I fell in love with Robert Fuller's stoat family on an episode of PBS Nature a few months ago.
I read a lot this week.Finished: Genesis Begins Again
A Library of Lemons
The List of Things That Will Not Change
The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers
Culture Shock! Chile
Voices of Our Ancestors
Started: The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
How to Be Alone: If You Want To, and Even If You Don't
The End of White Politics: How to Heal Our Liberal Divide
QotW: I don't think this comes up for me, because I don't double-dip. There are definitely some books that I plan to get for prompts that I don't end up getting because I find other ways to fill them. But usually, once I've got a book for a prompt a read it. the exception last time was first book on the shelf you touch with your eyes closed. I kept getting exasperated with my selection and had to think of creative ways to generate a new title. I was surprised by how difficult this prompt was. I would have thought since my original selection was from my to-read shelf anyway, it would have been easy-peasy.
Hi everyone. It is well and truly autumn here now. Lots of crunchy leaves and conkers everywhere.This week I finished nothing again. Boooooooo! I'm still working on Doctor Zhivago. I do like it but it is going slowly for me at the minute.
I started Evil Thing as a fluffy side read for a break from Dr Z and low and behold, the main character tries to set up a book club so I can use it for a prompt! Yay! I'll probably finish it tonight or tomorrow.
QOTW: It deends. If I really want to read a book, I'll try to find as many prompts as possible for it to fill so I'd just move it to another slot. If I was just trying to fill a specific spot (like last year with the "pop, sugar or challenge in the title," that one was hard!) I'll send a book back to the library unread if I get a better option.
Happy Thursday! Big news! A book I coauthored comes out TOMORROW! It's a gothic Christian women's devotional titled Darkness Is As Light. I'm so excited!!! My lifelong dream to become a published author is coming true! I hope you'll check it out! It's on pre-order right now on Barnes and Noble and Amazon.Completed 42/50
In Twenty Years for "book with twenty in the title". It was ok. Felt like a midlife crisis kind of book. Basically all the characters just needed a good therapist. The character development was good, but it was a little too soap-drama-y for me.
One Wild Bird at a Time: Portraits of Individual Lives for "book with a bird on the cover". This is a book by a bird watcher for other bird watchers. I love birds and found it totally amusing and fun, but I doubt non-bird lovers would like it all. It's basically just him talking about different unusual bird experiences he's had. Also, I want his life. Cabin in the middle of nowhere, just watching nature. Hello perfect life!
Helen Keller for "book with a character with a vision impairment". This is definitely lower than my usual reading level. It's a kid's book. But I learned a lot! I didn't know most of this stuff about her, so that was cool to read!
Currently Reading
Truth Matters, Life Matters More: The Unexpected Beauty of an Authentic Christian Life for "book by an author who's written more than 20 books". This is basically the author's defense of Eastern Orthodoxy to his critics (of which there are many, apparently). We're reading it for my church's book club. He was instrumental in my own conversion to Orthodoxy, so I'm excited to dive into it!
The Wilderness Journal: 365 Days with the Philokalia for "book whose title caught your attention". Can I be done yet? Sigh...only 2.5 more months....
QotW
So because I can only read when my toddler naps or is otherwise not bugging me, I have to be very intentional about what I read if I'm going to finish a challenge. I don't have time to just pick whatever. I do try to prioritize books I own but haven't read or that were lent to me to use for the challenge, so sometimes I'll shuffle things around, but usually if I'm reading a book for one prompt, unless I have clear reason to switch it and a back-up for the prompt, I won't switch. Although, that being said, my on-line podcast book club is on hiatus thanks to COVID-19, so what I had planned for that prompt may need to switch around. We shall see!!
Mod
I'm hoping to get to "The Murmur of Bees yet this year. Good to hear you are enjoying it!
"QOTW: This happens to me all the time. It could take me most of the year to find a book that fits a prompt, but the moment I do it seems like I find more on my list that suddenly fit as well. I might fit the book I already read into the prompt to make sure I get it filled, but I will still usually read the book I have planned also."
Oh, thank you! I am NOT alone! ;)
Alex wrote: "Happy Thursday! Big news! A book I coauthored comes out TOMORROW! It's a gothic Christian women's devotional titled Darkness Is As Light. I'm so excited!!! My lifelong dream to become a published author is coming true! I hope you'll check it out! It's on pre-order right now on Barnes and Noble and Amazon...."Congratulations! That's very exciting.
Happy Thursday! Can't believe we are half way through October now...holidays are just around the corner. Though, this year will be very different from last year. Finished
Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith. Finally finished this one last night. It wasn't her best work - could have been 100 or more pages shorter - definitely the longest book I have read so far. If you are a Cormoran Strike fan it is still worth the read.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Liked this one more than I thought I would! I was dreading finding a book that included a cyborg or AI character as that genre isn't my thing. I am glad I picked this one and am looking forward to reading the rest. I am hoping the next book in the series fits a prompt for next year so I can keep going.
Currently Reading:
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I am reading this one with my mom. She said it was her favorite book and she read it 10 times. My plan is to finish then watch the Laurence Olivier version and then watch the 2020 version on Netflix. I like it so far and have to keep remembering the time it was written in (1938) as du Maurier's writing is very poetic and descriptive (2 pages about flowers!). I can't wait to see where this story is going - perfect read for a cold, fall day
On Deck:
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix. I have been waiting for October to read this one and finally finished Troubled Blood so now I can start this one. I almost started it last night but I needed a rest from reading for a few hours after finishing a book. I can't just jump into the next one, I need a one-night break.
QOTW
I have rearranged my reading list 1,254 times (probably). I also started 2020 only participating in the Popsugar challenge then added ATY, then the Summer/Fall challenges, then Book Riot Read Harder, then the Alphabetical (the only challenges I am actually trying to finish though are the Popsugar and ATY). Sometimes I find that a book that I am reading for a prompt doesn't really fit the initial prompt, but fits another perfectly. Or I find a book I really want to read so I move some books around to make it fit.
Mod
Is it too optimistic for me to plan ahead for a trip out of country next summer? I haven't done anything that can't be reversed later yet (I booked a hotel, but it has a for..."
I would think it would be okay as long as you make sure you can cancel in a reasonable amount of time with no financial penalty...
"I ended up replacing "Professor and Madman" with "Honey Bus," and ultimately ended up DNFing "Professor and Madman" anyhow, so it worked out in the end, heh..."
That's so funny! Glad it worked out so well for you!
Shannon wrote: "Wow, it feels so weird commenting on this so early in the thread! Where work's been insane lately, it's calmed down a bit this week, which is good because my depression and anxiety have been up thi..."Sorry that you're having a rough week. Brains suck sometimes!
Mod
Wow. How have I never seen this book mentioned before? Looks like something I would enjoy! Thanks!
"The Girl on the Train - I just started this on audio yesterday and it's still very early. I'm slightly bored/impatient with Rachel already, I just want to get to the good stuff!"
Having read this, I can imagine it might be a bit boring to listen to, at least in the beginning...
"QOTW: This depends on my mood, honestly. I try to jot down ideas for certain challenge prompts, but I also like spontaneous reads, and if they fit then I'll cross it off and get to my "planned" reads at some other time."
I like that strategy!
Mod
Oh, ugh! So frustrating! And I had to laugh at your comment regarding wanting to bake. Isn't it true? If something's not working we keep thinking of the ways we want to use it! So ironic!
"The Fated Sky for a woman in STEM (and ATY's Maximillian Hell prompt) listed to on audio. Didn't love quite as much as the first, but still enjoyed it and ended up crying on my dog walk."
I think you would enjoy the third in the series, The Relentless Moon, which I just read. It is, IMO, yet a bit different from the first two. Much more politics involved. Excellent drama!
"Prime Deceptions for review and a book with a great first line (something about running around with pants on fire, it will do). I thought this was better than the first book, less jumping around between seemingly unconnected scenarios, just a more linear plot and it helps to know the characters and situation after the first instalment. Loved that one of the psychic cats gets out and about in this one."
Oh, man, added this series to my TBR listing. Sounds like something I would definitely enjoy!
Mod
I really am so glad my own children are adults. I think this would be so much more challenging with children still at home... But cleaning? Nah... ;)
"Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid - I agree with all the reviews saying this is a breezy, fast read. I enjoyed it very much, but I wasn't crazy about the ending. A great debut! This would work for "character in her 20s" if anyone still needs that, or for "strong friendship" in the Fall Challenge."
Good to know you enjoyed this one! It's on my list for November!
"QotW
YES!! This happens A LOT. Sometimes I still read the planned book, sometimes I don't and I use the "surprise" book for the category. Sometimes I read both, but use the new book to fulfill the challenge, sometimes I stick to my plan and use the planned book. I'm all over the place!
I do keep track of which books I planned to read for the Challenge category. When January starts, I have a book planned for each category (plus lots of other ideas). Now, with three categories left to finish (and most likely they will all be the book I've planned), 55% of my categories were filled with the planned book."
I had to chuckle at this! Leave it to you to know the percentage! LOL ;) I love it!
Mod
I hope your medical condition improves and allows you to go vote next week! It was such a relief to me to have cast my vote!
I have debated about Hoffman's Practical Magic series for years. Still undecided! :)
Mod
Happens. To. Me. All. The. Time.
so when I write my GR review, I write it with my own future self in mind, and I try to include enough details so that I can remember the book. I only wish GR had been around my whole life - I've read sooooo many books that I can't remember now. Some of them haunt me, I want so badly to remember the title, but I just can't.."
I'm so glad to know others experience this as well!
I know exactly what you mean. I keep thinking, what if I'd had Goodreads as a pre-teen or teenager? And was able to have tracked all my reading until my current age? That would have been so awesome! ;)
Sarah wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Wow, it feels so weird commenting on this so early in the thread! Where work's been insane lately, it's calmed down a bit this week, which is good because my depression and anxiety ..."Thank you, Sarah! I was able to get an appointment with my therapist for this evening, so I'm hoping that helps. (It usually does!)
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Congrats! that is very exciting!!!
Mod
How exciting about your promotion! YAY YOU!!
"Currently Reading: Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth no actual progress made, just increased guilt for the 97 people in line behind me at the library."
Oh, wow. This is in large part why I do not use the library any more... PRESSURE! ;)
"I have to say, I'm so looking forward to seeing how I do when participating in the challenge from the beginning, instead of coming in mid-year."
I can only imagine it will be so much easier!
Mod
I had been debating about this one and when I checked just now I saw 39 people classified it as horror, so removed it from my shelves. I don't need that, especially not right now!
QOTW:
I do that all the time. But I do just read the book I bought too."
That is my plan... I hope I can get them all read! lol
Mod
This week I've been trying to balance reading and watching an episode of The Haunting of Bly Manor every night but of course I got distracted last night by an episode of Nova on PBS that ..."
Ah, when I did have TV in my house I pretty much just watched PBS. There is so much to learn!
Mod
You and me both!! Though mine's not been dragging it has been stressful! I'm beyond ready for Friday! Well...actually Saturday!!!
Hey y'all, anyone else just feeling tired of dealing with 2020? I've got my coping skills on point, but hoo boy I would love it if I didn't need quite so much coping, so I'm gonna need this year to chill the heck out for a bit. 2020 absolutely is not going to chill, but a girl can dream!Finished this week:
Meddling Kids: exactly the level of spookiness I can handle, and very fun to read.
Currently reading: all the silly fun books! I coped with anxiety by downloading a bunch of fun, distracting books from the library and then I was like shucks now I have to spend the next several weeks concentrating on reading these books and not paying attention to the wider world ooohhhh noooooo...
Terminal Freeze: a giant animal is found frozen under Arctic ice...but is it quite dead? (spoiler: prolly not)
Exit Strategy: I've been saving Murderbot for when I need a pick-me-up
Jeeves and the King of Clubs: an "homage" to P.G. Wodehouse in which Jeeves and Wooster are spies, I think? Lighthearted bedtime listening.
A Girl Is a Body of Water: this is my current literary book, which is very good, but I might shelve it until my brain is in a better place so it can get the attention it deserves
QOTW: I enjoy aspirationally planning my reading lists at the beginning of the year, but I hardly ever stick to anything I've planned. I read following my whims (and my lifetime book goals of every country of the world and 1001 books), and then shuffle everything around until I fill all the categories. I don't know why I enjoy the planning so much when I know I won't follow it, but I do!
Hi everyone, Had to take one of my cats to the vet this morning, I'm so proud of her. She's my problem child, usually needs to be sedated at the vet. (She has FRACTIOUS attached to her file, all caps, bolded, size 100 font). But with the covid restrictions, the vet tech just pulls her carrier from the car and takes her right out back, no waiting, no seeing other animals or people. I think that's actually easier on her, she just growled a little and one swat at the end. Even with two shots!
This week I finished:
Blood Stain, Volume 1 , Blood Stain, Volume 2, Blood Stain Volume 3 - got these in a humble bundle a while ago, finally read them. A lot of fun, i hope she picks up the story again soon so I can find out what happens!
Nocturna - finally finished this. It was alright, I think I might have liked it better reading. It was a little hard to follow. It was interesting having more of a latine flair to the magic and mythology, but story wise didn't leave me dying to read more.
Harrow the Ninth - this left me with such mixed feelings! I ADORED Gideon the Ninth, basically from page one. This one took WAY longer to get me hooked, partially because it jumps around so much in time, and there's obviously some weird stuff going on in Harrow's head. A lot of it is told in 2nd person which feels weird and confusing. I could kind of see where it was going, but it felt like it took a LONG time to get there. However once things started getting going, I did get hooked again and by the end I was back to loving it again. I am still planning on reading the next one, tapping my foot waiting for a release date haha.
Low, Vol. 1: The Delirium of Hope - this was a bit of a frustrating read. The background art was BEAUTIFUL, and the story premise so fascinating. It takes place near the destruction of the sun, so people have fled into the depths of the ocean to get away from the radiation while sending probes into space to find other habitable planets. However i feel like it was super let down by typical "male dominated industry" stuff. Women were drawn naked at the drop of a hat, the main women characters were constantly dressed skimpily, even when the situation didn't warrant it, and in general I have issues with how the women were written. I liked it enough that I'd consider reading more, if hoopla has it or I get it in another humble bundle that i'm buying for other reasons (that's how I got this one). But I wouldn't spend money to continue.
Monstress, Vol. 5: Warchild - I still love Monstress, big fan of the creepy story and the absolutely gorgeous art.
Currently reading:
Sex and Vanity - i liked the Crazy Rich Asians series, so picked this up. It's a fun fluffy read, although it still has some of the same problems. Keep massively rolling my eyes at the poor wounded new-money billionaires offended by their treatment by the old money crowd. There is laughing and pointing at both sides, but it's still kind of ridiculous.
QOTW:
I read a lot of books, and generally do multiple challenges. I don't really plan much. I tend to take books I want to read and then figure out where they fit. Sometimes I'll want to read a book and find a challenge prompt for it but it has a really long hold list and I'll find something else along the way that I read first, before the hold comes up. If i wanted to read it anyhow, I'll just read it and either figure out if it works somewhere else or for another challenge, or just read it anyhow. If it was a book that I'd only put a hold on because it fit the prompt, and I found and read something already, I'll just send it back. I read 150+ books a year so not too fussed about making sure every book I read counts towards something.
Congratulations on the promotion Melissa and congratulations on the book publishing Alex!! That's some exciting news!We are in a partial covid-lockdown in the Netherlands. All restaurants and bars are closed. Team sports are cancelled. Most theaters etc are closed because there are only 30 visitors allowed. So my life will be very exciting: work at home, some occasional shopping, reading. Repeat. And maybe 1 visit a week: you can have 3 visitors a day per household. On the bright side: I can read a record number of books this year :-)
Finished
Alles begint bij Bach - In English: Everything starts with Bach. A nice introduction in classical music. And why the organ is the most impressive instrument. I totally agree on that: such a massive giant instrument brought to life with only a pair of hands… that massive sound that blasts out of it or just a very quiet sound.. I loved it. I used to play it, even could play Bach’s famous Toccata and Fugue in d minor, but well, I just don’t have room for an organ at home.
Currently reading
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
Qotw
I tried to find another prompt it fitted in. And succeeded. I had some prompts left open at that time. It happened with Leon & Juliette, I picked it up at the library because it caught my attention. And I immediately knew which prompt it fitted in. But I had planned to read another book. So I shuffled my planning and succeeded. Happened again with Manhattan Beach. I planned to read Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men for the women in STEM-prompt, but I desperately needed a book from the online library so I shuffled my planning again. Starting to read Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men this week, the only one I bought on purpose for the challenge. And because I was triggered by the title and recommendation by a key note speaker on a congress.
If I couldn’t have found another prompt I think I would read the originally planned book, I am a bit of a freak on lists 😊.
Mod
Had to take one of my cats to the vet this morning, I'm so proud of her. She's my problem child, usually needs to be sedated at the vet. (She has FRACTIOUS attached to her file, all ..."
At our vet, we call from the parking lot and a tech comes out to get the animal when they are ready. My dogs are NOT down with a stranger getting them out of the car, and I have to walk next to them up to the back door or they won't walk at all, but otherwise they seem to be doing fine.
However i feel like it was super let down by typical "male dominated industry" stuff. Women were drawn naked at the drop of a hat, the main women characters were constantly dressed skimpily, even when the situation didn't warrant it, and in general I have issues with how the women were written.
Ugh! I'm always so disappointed when comics do that. I think some of these writers and artists are so stuck in their own heads that they don't even realize how unbearably sexist they are being. I'm glad that we are slowly (soooo slowly!) getting some women writers and artists in there who are stars on bigger titles. I want more like Fiona Staples, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Chelsea Cain, Marjorie Liu ...
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Yes, you did read a lot! Good for you! And I was blessed with this prompt. The book I selected proved to be an excellent read for me. Sorry it was more of a challenge for you... :(
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Congratulations! How exciting! :)
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I have rearranged my reading list 1,254 times (probably). I also started 2020 only participating in the Popsugar challenge then added ATY, then the Summer/Fall challenges, then Book Riot Read Harder, then the Alphabetical (the only challenges I am actually trying to finish though are the Popsugar and ATY). Sometimes I find that a book that I am reading for a prompt doesn't really fit the initial prompt, but fits another perfectly. Or I find a book I really want to read so I move some books around to make it fit.."
It can be a real juggling act! ;)
Mod
I have rearranged my reading list 1,254 times (probably). I also started 2020 only participating in the Popsugar challenge then added ATY, then the Summer/Fall challenges, then Book Riot Read Harder, then the Alphabetical (the only challenges I am actually trying to finish though are the Popsugar and ATY). Sometimes I find that a book that I am reading for a prompt doesn't really fit the initial prompt, but fits another perfectly. Or I find a book I really want to read so I move some books around to make it fit."
That is one of my favorite parts of reading challenges--creating the lists!! ;)
Hi all! I just noticed that the trees are looking really bare... The other day they were perfect fall colors and now, brown! But it's about 80 out today, so I pulled back out some shorts! (and I wonder why I keep getting sick....) I feel for those of you that have had a hard week, I did, too, but at least some of it was my own making. I scheduled 3 really difficult clients back to back to back yesterday. I set my own schedule so why did I do that to myself??? Lol. They had to be seen, so I guess it's done and I can do other stuff next week. But I slept pretty much all morning to recover...
This week I finished Kent State for a book published this year (I think that's a prompt, my brain is shot...). It was OK. I wasn't a huge fan of the way it was written, I think it could confuse some readers. It was almost like a play, but without the identifiers for each character. I think if it was read aloud like a play, it could have been really good. I did like how the author tied in current protests to past protests to show that the youth of this country are almost always the ones to fight for and make real change.
Currently reading Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law. It's well written and engaging, but I keep getting interrupted.
QOTW: I am NOT a planner, so I just pick up books and hope they fit... I'm not going to finish any reading challenges at this time in my life anyway, so it's not a crunch for me like for some of you. However, I do seem to find extra books when I least expect it. I read Love and First Sight earlier this year for the book about a vision impairment, and now I'm reading Haben, which would more than work for it. I'm going to use Haben for a WOC book. But I do like popping onto the threads for each prompt and sharing when I find something extra like that. Maybe it'll help someone else.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
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Just a reminder that the monthly group read discussion for Daisy Jones & The Six is ongoing! Questions have been posted. If you’re at all interested, stop by!
Popsugar: 48/50
ATY: 49/52
RHC: 20/24
Reading Women: 17/26
No progress on any of these this week!
FINISHED:
The Iggy Chronicles, Volume One (Chet and Bernie #5.1) by Spencer Quinn. An e-book novella/short story from one of my favorite series! Was able to sneak this one in!
POPSUGAR: #3-“Old Mr. Parsons knocked on our door.”, #20, #27-Greed, #33-4.12, #46, #47
ATY: #2, #3-The Dog Who Knew Too Much (Chet and Bernie #4) by Spencer Quinn, #9, #22, #41, #43-Death, #45, #52
RHC: #3
CONTINUING:
We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir by Samra Habib is the next book for the book club meeting at my favorite used bookstore on THIS SUNDAY! Yikes! 😊 While I assumed it would be a quicker read than most books I have read lately, I didn’t want to wait too long so read the first 25 pages very easily Tuesday night. I have background knowledge of many of the basic aspects of routine life for females within Islam by now, but I would never be comfortable with those restrictions--what I view as oppression.
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi for the campus White Racial Literacy Project book club on campus. I’ve now read through Chapter 6 and I am finding the content easy to assimilate. Based upon comments during this week’s discussion group meeting, I am hesitant regarding how easily others who may not have considered all this in so much detail can assimilate it. People FINALLY started participating and it’s very cool to hear others’ perspectives. It is obvious that we are all at different phases of realization. After all, that’s what these discussion groups are for! 😊 I was so happy when someone disagreed with me on a chat comment I made…that seemed to get many more people anxious to say something! Good for him!
Ken Liu’s The Grace of Kings (Dandelion Dynasty #1) for another 2020 Reading Challenge August Buddy Read. This is another brickster. Almost one-sixth done. This is a bit more action and less character development than I typically prefer, but will reserve judgement until I finish reading it. It does seem to read rather quickly.
China Rich Girlfriend (Crazy Rich Asians #2) by Kevin Kwan for another October Buddy Read. Pretty sure I will like this one. Read the first 5 pages…
The Penderwicks on Gardam Street (The Penderwicks #2) by Jeanne Birdsall. I have been reading a bit in this every once in awhile at bedtime. Love this series!
*Come back to me! 😉*
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Dubois (Kendi keeps referring to this book in How to Be an Antiracist), White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, Learning Race, Learning Place: Shaping Racial Identities and Ideas in African American Childhoods by Erin Winkler, and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, are all on hold for now. I hope to reunite with them in October!
Amrita by Banana Yoshimoto, translated by Russell Wasden. I have great hopes for this after the first 52 pages!
I keep looking at each of these books and wishing…I could just pick one up and finish it! 😊
PLANNED:
Completing all of the above! Preferably sometime before I die…or at least by month’s end, whichever comes first! 😉
Question of the Week: Imagine that you have purchased or borrowed (from the library, a friend, etc.) a specific book for a specific reading challenge prompt.
Then you discover the book you are currently reading or have recently read (For some other reason--perhaps a book club selection or to fulfill a different challenge prompt.) perfectly fulfills this same challenge prompt!
Did you still read the book you originally obtained for that prompt? Or did you just count the prompt as fulfilled and leave the original book unread?
I really hope I am not the only one this happens to! :)
I guess I ask because this has happened to me several different times this year. Perhaps if I wasn’t a double-/triple-/quadruple-, etc.dipper this wouldn’t have happened. But since I list all books I read for whatever prompts they will fulfill and then juggle them at the end, I have inadvertently fulfilled prompts with books I had never imagined would do so! This is typically the result of reading books for book clubs or other reading challenges, etc.
Specific examples:
I read The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin for a monthly challenge and it ended up fulfilling prompt #5 for the Reading Women Challenge: a book about the environment. I still plan to read Flight Behavior for Barbara Kingsolver for this.
I impulsively read #MeToo: Essays About How and Why This Happened, What It Means and How to Make Sure It Never Happens Again by Lori Perkins because someone posted information about it somewhere and I was curious. This fulfills the Reading Women Challenge prompt: an anthology by multiple authors, but I still plan to read Our Women on the Ground: Essays by Arab Women Reporting from the Arab World by Christiane Amanpour.
I read Honor Girl: A Graphic Memoir by Maggie Thrush to fit a Reading Women Challenge prompt and then realized it also fulfilled the Read Harder Challenge prompt: read a YA nonfiction book. But I still plan to read Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Helligman, especially since I purchased that book especially for this prompt and I am always fascinated by Van Gogh.
I read The Beach House (Beach House #1) by Mary Alice Monroe just because I wanted to and then realized it fit the Read Harder Challenge prompt: read a book about a natural disaster. Unbeknownst to me it included relocating to escape a hurricane! But I still plan to read Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital.
Oh, and there are more, but that’s enough to get us started! 😊