Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2020 Weekly Checkins
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Week 53: 12/24 - 12/31
Happy New Year! I'm just about to go make some party food which we can nibble on throughout the evening whilst we play Just Dance and then fall asleep in front of Jools Holland. A pretty normal New Year's Eve for us. 🤣Oh and I just did my top ten books for the year: http://www.curiositykilledthebookworm...
My partner bought me Planet Coaster for Christmas so I've mostly been playing that rather than reading this week but I did finish two books:
The Mask Falling for review and boy does she put you through the ringer, my poor emotions! I hope there's not too long a wait for the next Bone Season book after this...
The Silvered Serpents the sequel to The Gilded Wolves which sees the magical treasure hunters go to a frozen palace in Russia. This had a bit of a cliffhanger ending and there's no news of the next book yet, so again I hope I am not waiting forever to find out what happens next.
QOTW:
I've pre-emptively started my first book for ATY, Truly Devious for "in the beginning". And since I am not using How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories for that one, it might be my first Popsugar book for the zodiac sign prompt. It has pictures so should be able to read it before I have to get back to work.
Happy New Year’s Eve! I took about a week away from the Internet so it feels like I’ve been gone awhile, but I checked in last week and now today. I’m on day 5 of 14 of a self-quarantine after visiting my mother out-of-state for Christmas. We were extremely cautious. I did nothing there I wouldn’t have done here, but I’m following the public health guidelines to set a good example. The holiday was fantastic, I’m glad I went. And since I’ve been back, I’ve had a ton of reading time! I started the 2021 challenge on Christmas Eve so I’m starting to fill prompts.
Finished
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El Mohtar & Max Gladstone (a free book from your TBR). I adore this book! I haven’t clicked 5 stars that fast in a long time. The dreamy prose, the star-crossed lovers, the time and timeline travel. It was perfect.
Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell (a book by an author with your zodiac sign - Cancer). This was a really dark thriller, but well-written. The author is definitely a Cancer! All her characters are written with such love and compassion. Their flaws are examined, but always forgiven (even the really sketchy ones) by other characters who love them. Except the characters who attack women, and she’s rightfully vicious towards them. Very, very typical Cancer things happening here!
Mrs. McGinty's Dead by Agatha Christie (a book with a title that is a song). The title is a children’s rhyming game. This is a really good mystery without any leads until Poirot starts digging, and then there are many possibilities that make for wonderful twists and turns.
The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark (an afrofuturist book). Really excellent world-building, but not enough plot to satisfy me. Or maybe there was enough plot, just not enough pages to fully realize it.
Reading
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
QOTW
Technically, I’ve already tackled my first category with This Is How You Lose the Time War because it was a Christmas present from my mother. But the first category I’m going to tackle in 2021 is “a book set in a restaurant.” My library hold for The Tourist Attraction came in, so I’m going to start that book later today or tomorrow.
I plan to begin 2021 with "a book that has the same title as a song." I googled the book's title, Anxious People, which is a choice for another book group and discovered that it is the title of a rap song. Rap isn't my music of choice; however, it is a song!
Happy New Year's Eve and happy Final Thursday of 2020! Happily, I was able to wrap up both A People's History of the United States and The Burning God last week, so this week has been a bit of a "relax and breathe" and take-down-decor time.I did finally restart Johannes Cabal the Detective a few nights ago and I'm on track to finish it today, bringing my total (not counting DNFs) to about 130 books read on the year. Any time I make it past 100 books I'm pleased, and doubly so as this year was... well. You know. I continue to count my blessings.
Nadine, I'm glad you're still enjoying Catwoman! I plan on reading a bunch more comics in 2021 and Brubaker's run is at the top of my list after I fizzled somewhere in the middle of Vol 1 this year.
What is the first category you plan to tackle in 2021? I don't actually know? I already have a handful of books lined up (naturally) so I'll read them and see if anything fits; that's my usual PS challenge MO. Already planning on rereads of City of Stairs and Dracula, plus When We Were Gods: A Novel of Cleopatra, In the Beginning There Was Fury..., and The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane. Excited!!
Happy New Year!!! I'm looking forward to getting off work early today and making homemade pizza tonight and seeing this year end. In other news, I'm being told that we are possibly going to start working in teams again soon, which would give me a lot of down time to read.This week I finished:
A Promised Land: I listened to the audiobook of this and was so glad that I did. There is nothing like listening to a person tell their own story...for 29 hours. I think his voice lends itself really well to audiobook, sped up to 1.5 times the speed. I found the book relaxing and informative, which seems like a strange way to describe a book.
Question of the Week
What is the first category you plan to tackle in 2021?
I think I have to combine the answer to this with the Currently reading.
Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear: This book had been on my TBR for a while and it went on sale about a week ago, so I thought it would be a good time filler until the challenge started, but as I was reading it, I kept wanting to call my best friend to tell her about it, so I absolutely had to switch my plan and use it for that prompt. Then, to keep myself from finishing it early, I decided to start several other books and only read them until the halfway point until the challenge started.
The Cousins: My hold on this book caused it to be delivered much earlier than expected, so since I have to return it on the 4th, I have read it to about halfway. So far so good. I'm reading it for a book with a family tree.
The Book of Two Ways: Again, my hold caused it to arrive sooner than expected and I heard it was a little heavy, so I started it early too. I don't think some people would agree with me, but I'm using it for a genre hybrid, because so much of it reads like a science/Egyptology text book. In hindsight, reading it at the same time at Scream might be a little too much philosophy about death at one time, but it definitely is an interesting thought exercise.
Happy last day of 2020. I finished two books for the week. The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict. ⭐️⭐️⭐️. I started off really liking it but had mixed emotions by the end. I really don’t know a thing about Einstein or his wives. Since this book is fiction how much of his treatment of his first wife & their children is true? According to this he was a horrible person.
Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas. ⭐️⭐️⭐️. This was a good book to end 2020 on.
Currently reading Bag Man:The Wild Crimes, Audacious Cover-Up & Spectacular Downfall Of A Brazen Crook In The White House by Rachel Maddow & Michael Yarvitz. This segways into QOTW. This is a face to face book club read. I’m not sure what category it fits. I’m leaning toward A book by a blogger,vlogger, YouTube video creator, or other online personality. The book is based on a hit podcast. This seems the best fit but not sure if it works.
One last question for 2020. Why are titles for Nonfiction books so long?
Happy New Years Eve! (or New Years Day for some). Happy to say good-bye to 2020. I finished one book, not for any challenges and started 2021 off already.Finished:
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I didn't really get the hype of this one. The writing was very good, but for a "horror" book not to pick up until 250 pages in with only 50 left doesn't really work for me. I was satisfied with the ending which helped my view of the book, but it didn't "grab" me. I think it could make an excellent movie though, really creepy!
Started:
A Promised Land by Barack Obama (The longest book by pages on your TBR list). I started this on audio earlier this week. I'm only 100-ish pages into the book so far but wow. I had no idea the trials and tribulations he went through on his campaign to the presidency. Loving this book so far, especially on audio - hearing him talk about it makes me feel like I am there with him listening to the story.
QOTW:
I haven't figured out my first prompt for 2021 yet. I need to look over the list again and see what books I currently have and just dive in. If I overthink it (which I probably will anyway) I will end up leaving bad books until the last minute and scrambling. I wanted to start "The longest book on your TBR list" first because it was Obama's book and also because I didn't want to leave it and then end up in a reading slump.
Having managed to finished the PS challenge a couple of weeks back, I've also finished ATY today, with eight hours to spare. My last book was The Final Days, by Woodward and Bernstein, and boy did it bring home that there's nothing new under the sun with respect to Presidential misconduct.
Question of the Week: What is the first category you plan to tackle in 2021?
I haven't really sorted out my plan for 2021 yet - I wanted to get both the PS and ATY challenges for 2020 finished first! That said, having managed to get a copy of The City We Became at a decent price on kindle, it may be #2. Afrofutrism
It’s the final Thursday of 2020: bye bye 2020! My best wishes to all of you, let’s hope 2021 will be a dull and ordinary year 🙂. Just finished my final book of this year. Since we’re not allowed to host more than 2 people this New Year’s Eve, it’s just the two of us at home. Strange feeling, we have never spend a New Year’s Eve in such a small ‘group’. It makes no sense to sit out 2020, and since I hate staying up late I guess I will enter 2021 in sleeping mode.
Finished
Eens ging de zee hier tekeer. Het verhaal van de Zuiderzee en haar kustbewoners - God created the world, but the Dutch made the Netherlands, so the saying goes. In the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s we changed a sea into a lake and created ‘polders’ on the bottom of it. What happened to the people of the fishermen’s towns along that former sea? Did they quit fishing? What happened to their communities? Maybe you’ve heard from towns like Volendam or Urk. This book is about the people of those towns. It’s a monument to all the hard working and stubborn fishermen and -women who shaped the future of these towns.
The Latecomers - A pleasant read, nothing special. I liked the end, it’s perfect for this book.
Currently reading
I’ll start with tonight.
Qotw
I’ll start with The Light Years. Don’t know whether it fits a category or not, let’s see. Afther that, I have planned to read Anxious People for a locked-room mystery.
Two Week Check In again and I finished a lot on my first week and a half of winter breakYA
Legendborn. YA contemporary fantasy. Arthurian legends mixed in. Will read book 2. Great cover. One of my favorite reads this year.
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Contemporary YA. A young girl mysteriously inherits billions but must move into the estate and she tries to solve the mystery of why she inherited from this stranger. I enjoyed it, would read book 2 and would watch a series.
The Wicked King and The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black. Enjoyable YA fantasy series.
Tease by Amanda Maciel. Contemporary YA about some girls who bully another girl who ends up committing suicide. Honestly, lots of slut shaming in the bullying and like a page of remorse. I did not find it to be that good.
Seasons of the Storm by Elle Cosiamo. YA fantasy. Lack of world building and lack of character development and I really didn’t care what happened to any of the characters. Meh. Would not pick up the second one.
Contemporary
People Like Her Ellery Lloyd. Contemporary suspense. I hated every character. There was not even a character I enjoyed hating. The ending was unsatisfactory and eye-rollingly bad at the same time.
The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins. Contemporary suspense. Jane Eyre-ish. It was an okay read. I’m not mad I read it but I don’t know if I’d recommend.
Romance
How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams. CW: domestic abuse. Cute romance and delves into the main character's trust issues due to past abuse.
The Holidaze by Christian Lauren. Contemporary romance. I wish it had been a bit longer to let the romance slow burn a bit more but it was a cute holiday read.
Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Sarah Morganthaler. Contemporary romance. Another cute holiday read.
QOTW:
Book with less than a 1000 reviews. The book I’m reading and plan to finish right after midnight has 945 reviews right now. Let’s hope 55 people don’t review it today.
Also while cleaning up the bedroom I found a romance novel I started in October and put on my shoe rack for some reason and I’m counting that as my DNF because the only books I really haven’t finished are Moby Dick and Anna Karenina and I’m not doing that to myself.
Happy new years Everyone.Didn't get much reading done in 2020 only got 19/50 for the challenge. I hope the new year brings back my focus.
QOTW
I received Becoming for Christmas from my Father in law. So that will be my first read of 2021 not sure which category it will land in as I usually don't have a plan and shift the books around as I read new ones.
Happy reading everyone.
Mod
Ooohhh...I really hope you enjoy A Study in Scarlet Women! Just think, that would be yet another one on which we agree! LOL
"I’m also going to try a re-read of Dune because it’s been so long since I read it that I don’t remember it (it was probably back in the 80s), and my daughter is planning to read it before seeing the new movie. Mother-Daughter Buddy Read! It’s really long so I wanted to find a challenge category for it also, and the only category it fits is “book your best friend would like.”
Awww! That is so cool! I'm jealous! None of my three sons are readers. How the hell did that gene miss all three of them?!? But I have some grandchildren who are, so there is that! Enjoy!
Happy New Year from NYC!I finished 2020 PS Challenge in the wee hours this morning! It was a squeaker, as I was just not reading this month. Very unusual for me.
FINISHED:
The Oxygen Murder - cozy mystery with a science theme for prompt about or by a woman in STEM. This fit both as the protagonist and the author are both physicists. Enjoyable especially since also set in NYC at Christmas.
CURRENTLY READING: I have one more challenge to finish for another group- Double, Double, Oil and Trouble: An Emma Lathen Best Seller which was originally published in 1978. A mystery set against a Wall Street and Mid-East oil background.
Also still reading Rebecca and Grand Hotel.
QOTW: I have several at hand.
Dubious Documents: A Puzzle at 16 pages is for advanced prompt shortest book on TBR.
The Last Book Party is my book in a format I don't read - a dead tree print library book. I own and read lots of print books but only borrow ebooks. I originally thought this a difficult prompt as my reading is eclectic.
But most of my weekend will be spent reading The Priory of the Orange Tree for Feminerdy Book Club on Jan. 10th. I am sure it will fit a prompt but not ready to assign it yet.
Happy New Year's Eve! It's one of my favorite holidays, even though we haven't really gone out for it the last few years. Obviously, this year we won't be going anywhere, but there might be a group video chat with our friends. This year was overall terrible, but I did read 110 books, which I'm happy with. Plus, it turns out the last time I read over 100 books in a year was in 2010, when I also read 110 books. So, 2030 looks like it's going to be a great reading year, lol.I only finished one book this week, which was The Viscount Who Loved Me, which I read right after I binged the entire Bridgerton series on Netflix. I read these books years ago while I was in law school and I am really enjoying revisiting them. They are probably Julia Quinn's best books. I really hope that season 2 is Anthony and Kate. I read an article saying that they thought it would be Eloise, which they also set up. But, honestly, the series set up 3 of the siblings for their stories, so they could go a lot of directions. Maybe season 2 could be both Colin and Eloise... anyway, I'm clearly very excited about all of this.
QOTW: I'm pretty sure the first prompt I finish will be the book with less than 1000 reviews. The book currently has 532 reviews, but it was a Book of the Month selection recently and it did just come out last month, so I think the numbers will go up. I want to read it and be done with that prompt as soon as possible! After that, I'm going to just see what books come in from the library and what I'm into that week. I have a pretty good sized pile ready that should last me through March, at least.
Happy almost New Year!!!! What a year. At least I got to read!Finished 50/50
I DID IT!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!
The Wilderness Journal: 365 Days with the Philokalia for "book who's title caught your attention". This took me ALL STINKIN' YEAR. But it's DONE!
QotW
An Afrofuturist book! I've got The Fifth Season already checked out from the library, and I'm ready to go!!
Mod
I am so impressed that you are also keeping up with your blog and reviewing books you've read.
"My partner bought me Planet Coaster for Christmas"
this is how out of it I am. I read this and immediately wondered why the title didn't link in Goodreads. Then I went to another Goodreads tab and searched...then I came back and read the rest of the sentence and thought, "Oh, it's a game!" LOL
"QOTW:
I've pre-emptively started my first book for ATY, Truly Devious for "in the beginning."
I read the first 25 pages of that book about 2 1/2 years ago and it kinda freaked me out. I really should pick it back up to see if it will work for me or not. I received a free copy from the publisher since I was participating in their book club at the time...
Mod
I am glad you're doing that!
"But the first category I’m going to tackle in 2021 is “a book set in a restaurant.” My library hold for The Tourist Attraction came in, so I’m going to start that book later today or tomorrow."
That looks like a nice fun way to begin the new year!
Mod
Oooohhh...I have adored all the Backman books I've read. I hope this one proves to be enjoyable for you!
Mod
Homemade pizza AND the likelihood of more reading time on the horizon! What a great start to a new year! :)
"A Promised Land: I listened to the audiobook of this and was so glad that I did. There is nothing like listening to a person tell their own story...for 29 hours. I think his voice lends itself really well to audiobook"
I love his voice! I intend to read this one, but later in the year...
"The Book of Two Ways: Again, my hold caused it to arrive sooner than expected and I heard it was a little heavy, so I started it early too. I don't think some people would agree with me, but I'm using it for a genre hybrid, because so much of it reads like a science/Egyptology text book. In hindsight, reading it at the same time at Scream might be a little too much philosophy about death at one time, but it definitely is an interesting thought exercise."
IMO, it doesn't matter who may or may not agree with you! :) You could be correct about "too much philosophy about death at one time"! But hey, as long as you are enjoying them... :) That is all that matters!
Mod
This made me laugh so hard! It is true... Perhaps they want prospective readers to know what to expect? :)
Mod
I haven't figured out my first prompt for 2021 yet. I need to look over the list again and see what books I currently have and just dive in. If I overthink it (which I probably will anyway) I will end up leaving bad books until the last minute and scrambling. I wanted to start "The longest book on your TBR list" first because it was Obama's book and also because I didn't want to leave it and then end up in a reading slump."
Sounds like a good plan!
Mod
Congratulations!! :)
"My last book was The Final Days, by Woodward and Bernstein, and boy did it bring home that there's nothing new under the sun with respect to Presidential misconduct."
Hmmm...Nixon's whole scandal was during my last years of high school, so I was rather oblivious. Aware, but certainly not "informed." But in my personal opinion, what we have witnessed these last four years and what I feel will undoubtedly be revealed in the next few years, we just experienced some of the very worst. I still haven't read All the President's Men and I really feel as if I should...
We may be a little past the holiday, but I wanted to do a shout out to the Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation special (second half of Season 2). It's absolutely hilarious and heartwarming, just like a good Christmas special should be.Finished:
Shadows of the Empire by Steve Perry (reread, not for a prompt)
There are some strange choices made in this book, but I still enjoy it. You get a lot more Lando than usual, which is always a good thing.
Currently reading:
Deeplight by Frances Hardinge (PS 2021, a free book from your TBR)
There has been a lot more plot movement this week (on page 270 as of this writing). At this point, I'm just hoping that a couple of the supporting characters get a decent ending, as I still don't really like the lead character or his "best friend."
Memory Prime by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens (reread, not for a prompt)
QotW:
My first prompt was a book with under 1,000 reviews. I chose Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits by A.L. Herbert. I highly recommend this book, especially if you love food.
Happy New Year, everyone! May the books be with you, always.
Mod
I’ll start with The Light Years. Don’t know whether it fits a category or not, let’s see. After that, I have planned to read Anxious People for a locked-room mystery."
Duh! I had no idea Anxious People would work for a locked-room mystery! That's great! I'll adjust my listing to reflect that change. I love Backman's writing!
Mod
Book with less than a 1000 reviews. The book I’m reading and plan to finish right after midnight has 945 reviews right now. Let’s hope 55 people don’t review it today."
I hope not as well! :)
"Also while cleaning up the bedroom I found a romance novel I started in October and put on my shoe rack for some reason and I’m counting that as my DNF because the only books I really haven’t finished are Moby Dick and Anna Karenina and I’m not doing that to myself."
Oh, my gosh! I'm still laughing at this! The fact that you found that book as well as refusing to put yourself through finishing either of the other two books! LOL
Happy New Year's Eve! It has been a time of self-reflection the last few days around my house. I am sure that's not at all unusual after this year. I am just glad the end is finally here.Finished:
The Searcher Probably my least favorite Tana French book. Sorry, Lynn.
Ready Player Two on audio. Fun!
Currently reading:
War and Peace
This Tender Land
Yes, Chef on audio
QOTW:
I already started War and Peace for longest book on my TBR. I am also reading This Tender Land for a book club. Since I am less than 50% done, I will use it for the prompt "set mostly or entirely outdoors". After that I will probably go for dark academia, since I have A Deadly Education waiting on my Kindle.
Happy New Year's Eve (it's also my birthday)! Thanks to the pandemic and some unemployment earlier, I've read 262 books this year (many on audio). I'm working on my top 10 list... This week I finished:
The Vanishing Half for our monthly discussion here. Loved it! 5 stars
The Girls from Corona del Mar I wanted to try another one by this author after I was blown away by The Knockout Queen. This one was also excellent, and a perfect follow-up to Breasts and Eggs. 5 stars
When We Were Worthy This was interesting and I was pretty happy with the ending. 4 stars
Stakes Is High: Life After the American Dream Very powerful. 5 stars
Dad Is Fat There were some funny parts, but I was not the target audience for this (since it's all about raising kids, which I don't have interest in).
Nights When Nothing Happened This was a bit creepy, but I liked the strong presence of the north Texas setting. 4 stars
Alanis Morissette: Words + Music This was short but very fun, especially since her music was a fairly significant part of my soundtrack growing up. 4 stars
The Cellist of Sarajevo What a beautiful story about something so tragic. 5 stars
I'm currently finishing a reread of Luster and listening to The Scent Keeper.
QOTW: I have Dancing in the Mosque: An Afghan Mother's Letter to Her Son up next on my library checkouts, which I planned for the Muslim American prompt. I see now that the author might not be American, so I'll use it as a placeholder until I read something else that fits the prompt exactly. After that I have Silver, Sword, and Stone: Three Crucibles in the Latin American Story which I'll use for a mineral/rock in the title.
I'm doing two challenges for 2021, the Popsugar (PS) and the Around the Year (ATY).For December, I've read the following; The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (PS & ATY), The Last Kashmiri Rose by Barbara Cleverly (PS & ATY), When These Mountains Burn by David Joy (PS), Black Narcissus by Rumer Godden and I Heard God Laugh: A Practical Guide to Life's Essential Daily Habit by Matthew Kelly (ATY).
My favorite was When These Mountains Burn. It's a gritty look at addiction & the level to which people will go to get their next fix & the tough love that some families use to cope. I also liked The Old Man and the Sea.
Currently reading The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett and The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai.
QOTW: I've already started since I'm a slow reader. The two I'm currently reading will fit the prompts for longest book on my TBR (PS) & a country I've never visited (ATY)
Nadine wrote: I’m also going to try a re-read of Dune because it’s been so long since I read it that I don’t remember it (it was probably back in the 80s), and my daughter is planning to read it before seeing the new movie. Mother-Daughter Buddy Read! It’s really long so I wanted to find a challenge category for it also, and the only category it fits is “book your best friend would like.”This could fit into prompt 40: a favorite prompt from a past challenge. It could fit in the following years; 2019 had a prompt for a climate fiction book, 2018 had one for a book set on a different planet.
Happy New Year('s Eve)!I'm calling my 2020 challenge "complete," just under the wire and with some slightly creative prompt interpretations.
The good news is I feel energized for the new challenge, and I've already started two books (I tend to count the week after Christmas as belonging to the following year for the challenge.)
Finished
A Study in Scarlet Women - A book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics - this was delightful. At first I got confused because there were like 4 different Generic White Guy names in the mix and I wasn't sure what was going on with the timeline, but I managed to sort it out. (It may have been a case of "this is your brain on 2020.") It's a kind of frothy premise, but the writing was really solid, the mystery was interesting, and I'm eager to read the next one. I did audio and Kindle, and the audio reader was amazing, which added to the experience.
Pooch Café: All Dogs Naturally Know How to Swim -A book set in a country beginning with "C" - Not gonna lie, this was purely a check-the-box exercise. It was a mildly amusing compilation of comic strips about a misbehaving Canadian dog. It was fine. I chuckled a few times.
20th Century Ghost: A Story from the Collection 20th Century Ghosts -A book with "20" or "twenty" in the title - I wasn't really feeling this collection, but I liked this story, so I just stopped with that, since it fits the prompt!
Currently Reading
The Complete Sherlock Holmes - The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list - WOW am I glad this beat out War and Peace! Not only is it the best bargain available on Audible, but Stephen Fry reading me Sherlock Holmes is like a cup of cocoa in front of a cozy fire.
Tales from the Black Meadow - not sure what prompt yet. It looks weird. And based on found documents - definitely my jam.
QOTW
As noted, Arthur Conan Doyle has my back with something long but easily digestible and incredibly enjoyable. 💖
Hello! Happy New Year! I finished all of my challenges! The seven big ones and the unofficial PS Fall. I got worried last week at how many books I had to go, but I returned the ones I didn't care about to the library and found new ones that I thought I would like (or at least tolerate) and was able to finish! I also ended up at 172 books read for the year, far outpacing the original 70 I gave myself for Goodreads challenge at the beginning of the year.I grabbed the lists for all seven challenges again, but I'm only committing to PopSugar for now. We'll see what the year brings.
Finished Reading:
The Queen's Gambit by Jessie Mihalik. A short space novella that has nothing to do with chess, but since I might read the book the Netflix series was based on in 2021, I read this one first to make sure it wound up in the 2020 spreadsheet and wouldn't mess up my formulas having two books with the same name. Quite enjoyed it. Not for a challenge.
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers. I needed a book about an assassin, and I remembered I had this and never finished it. It was long - 500+ pages - but it was historical fiction set in Brittany in the 1490s, where the assassins served the god of Death. With that premise, it was too weird to not read. And then I liked it. The sequel is on hold at the library.
Emma by Jane Austen. I needed a book that was turned into a movie in 2020. I meant to read Rebecca, but the library had a wait list, and it kept snowing so I couldn't go find a used copy, and really didn't want to pay full price for the digital copy. But I remembered Emma was also turned into a movie this year, or was supposed to be, and the library had an ebook of it Always Available. I actually enjoyed it, to my surprise. It helped that I remembered Clueless, but didn't super remember Clueless, so I had fun. Now to go watch Clueless.
Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce. I needed a historical fiction set in WW2, and I found this set in London during the Blitz. It was a delight. The character applies to an ad in the paper, thinking she's applying to be a Lady War Correspondent, but forgets to ask questions during her interview, and learns she's actually going to be the Junior Typist for the advice column of a woman's magazine that shares a building with the newspaper. And then she starts answering letters on the sly that the advice columnist won't answer because they're about Unpleasantness (the war, marital relations, affairs). As much fun as you can have about living in a city that's bombed every night (set winter/spring 1941). Lots of Capitalized Words which I found endearing.
Eagle Day: The Battle of Britain by Richard Collier. And the history book about the Blitz, although it's about the air campaign in August-September 1940 when Hitler was trying to get England ready for invasion. It ends as the nightly bombing raids begin and Hitler decides to invade Russia instead. I needed it for a book published in 1980 (second edition, but I'm counting it). It's more the style of history I love, where the author interviewed everyone he could find (British, German, Polish, American, even some New Zealanders) and told the story of the six weeks of bombing through their experiences.
The Accident Season by Moïra Fowley-Doyle. Book for PS Fall, someone falling. Not quite my normal thing, as it deals with a lot of very strange and spooky happenings that don't get explained until the very end. It also took me a bit to realize it was set in Ireland. It probably would have resonated better if I'd read it in October, as they throw a big Halloween party. I saw a review call it magical realism, which definitely fits.
Hotshot by Julie Garwood. I needed a book by Julie Garwood, and I had gone through at least four before I selected this one as available at my library and hopefully not dumb. The jacket description made it sound interesting, but Peyton and her sisters don't get to the hotel until at least a third of the way in. It succeeded at not dumb, but I doubt I'm reading anything by Julie Garwood ever again.
Currently Reading: A Plague of Giants Still going. Fiveish hours to go and due back Monday. I got the sequel in paperback and will be reading that, not listening to it.
QOTW: I'm going to read Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform Your Sex Life first, for the song title prompt, since I got it from the library right before the list came out and realized I would need to wait, but there's a long waiting list behind me. Then probably Joe Rochefort's War: The Odyssey of the Codebreaker Who Outwitted Yamamoto at Midway for the topic I'm passionate about, because I've been waiting to read it since summer. Across the Green Grass Fields and Blood Heir come out in early January, both of which I'll be reading immediately, for published in 2021 prompt.
Happy NYE! May 2021 be kinder to us 😅As of tonight I’ll have finished all five challenges I started! Popsugar, and the summer and unofficial fall challenges. Then I also did book riot’s read harder and back to the classics challenge. I plan to tackle the same challenges again this year. I’ll have read 181 books this year, which is a step down my usual ~200; but hey, it’s been a busy and weird year.
Every Heart a Doorway a quick reread since I plan on reading more of this series soon.
The Luminaries this book was LONG and there was a lot going on lol. But I think I got the jist of it. I don’t really understand the astrology aspect of this book but I have a feeling that it ultimately doesn’t add anything to the substance of the story.
Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives a short relevant audiobook that I listened to while wrapping gifts
The Mysteries of Udolpho the last book for my back to the classics challenge. I think I’ve started this book no less than 10 times but I actually finished it! Very gothic, very classic. A good read if that’s your jam.
The Princess Bride this was the abridged audiobook, it’s basically just the parts in the movie. I listened to it last night since I read the full book a month or so ago. It’s a delightful story and I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of it.
Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef’s Journey to Discover America’s New Melting-Pot Cuisine my last book for book riot. This is a great book if you love travel and food. Edward Lee travels to small, inconsequential places in America and highlights the ties between food and culture where he goes. There’s also lots of recipes to try!
QOTW: I usually start at the top of the list and go from there but it also depends on library hold times.
QOtw: I have started my first read for 2021 because I'm reading War and Peace and I feel like it will take forever. I'm reading it for a past favorite category of something you see someone reading on tv. After that I have put all the categories in a jar and I will read them as they come up. I have picked the next slip, and I picked a best-seller from '90s. I will probably read Into thin Air.
Dani wrote: "QOTW: I usually start at the top of the list and go from there but it also depends on library hold times."I wanted to do that last time, but the first category was a book published in 2020.
Hello everyone! Happy Old Year's Day!Remember me? Hell, I barely remember me!
I have missed you all so much and I really hope to check in again weekly next year! (so, 3,5 hours from now heheh)
I finally finished ticking off which books fit which prompts (I stopped tracking and this is Not Recommended let me tell you), and since I slumped and never focused my reading, I am very happy to report I only miss 3 prompts! These can easily be read in January (hopefully that is, I'm still slumpy!) I still have to check if it truly remains at 3, by putting books to prompts specifically, and hoping it still works out, haha! (I hope that makes sense, my cold is still wreaking havoc woops)
Read this week
Death on the Nile for Back to the Classics' Place in the Title (finishing the challenge!). Was very underwhelmed with this one after the brilliance that was Murder on the Orient Express and And Then There Were None. Murderer was too obvious and I called it before chapter 5, which is.. Not Great.
True Grit for Western, the One Book I read specifically for this challenge, haha! It was alright, I suppose. It's not my genre, and I didn't hate it, but I listened to it last night and I already can't remember if she eventually kills the murderer or not. Woops. Kudos for a badass 14yo girl as the main character, though!
Currently Reading
A Very Russian Christmas: The Greatest Russian Holiday Stories of All Time for my final prompt of the Harry Potter World Tour Challenge. Read 4 out of 12 stories so far and I am very disappointed so far. I know with anthologies DNFing is hard, because every story is different, especially with different authors, but I might just do that with this one. Next one is from Tolstoy so I'll definitely still read that one, but I doubt I'll finish this before I go to bed and I don't think I'll care enough to finish tomorrow.
Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You Got this for my birthday and been reading this since October 12. One set every day (and generally a Gmorning when I wake up and a Gnight when I go to bed- ironically I forgot today so before bed I'll read both woops) so it's very slow going. I'm sad I won't finish this year as that messes with my head, but I also don't wanna rush it. I finally got into Hamilton this August (and been reading fics ever since, long live autistic obsessions ajsdhkf) and it's just so wonderful. Sometimes it was even creepy how apt to my day it was! Absolutely love this and Lin is just entirely too precious.
I haven't looked at next year's challenge yet, as I want to figure out this year's first, and then we'll see :). I have to check all my books for ATY as well so wish me luck as it takes forever *sobs*
Carmen wrote: "Hello everyone! Happy Old Year's Day!Remember me? Hell, I barely remember me!
I have missed you all so much and I really hope to check in again weekly next year! (so, 3,5 hours from now heheh)
..."
Good to see you, Carmen. Hope you're doing well, other than that cold. I am also currently reading Tolstoy, what a coincidence.
Katy wrote: "QOtw: I have started my first read for 2021 because I'm reading War and Peace and I feel like it will take forever. I'm reading it for a past favorite category of something you see someone reading ..."Me too. I am at 7%, and really like it so far.
Skipped last week's update- made the move to Chicago and last weekend was jam packed with packing and farewell activities, so wasn't able to post my update. Arrived in the Windy City Tuesday afternoon and looking forward to a quiet NYE with a friend from the burbs coming by to check out the new place and have a floor picnic. I have one book to read to hit my GR goal of 100 books, quite the accomplishment for me, one I've been working towards for the past 10 years! I likely won't do this to myself again, but it's a nice check the box item. I'm 70% complete, so looking forward to wrapping that up this afternoon.
40/40 PopSugar
10/10 Advanced PopSugar
99/100 GoodReads
Finished Reading:
1.) Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- love a good epistolary novel, this one was good and I enjoyed the past storyline more than the present, but a nice feel good one for the end of the year.
2.) On the Come Up by Angie Thomas ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - Good, but not as great (IMO) as THUG. Really enjoyed Bri and her poetic language as she creates an earworm rap jam.
3.) The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - This book was adorable- I'm officially on "Cake Watch" and want to wrap up in a cozy blanket and light a dang candle.
4.) Love Is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield⭐️⭐️⭐️- Rob's memoir about losing his wife in a freak pulmonary embolism and the mixed tapes they made for each other.
5.) The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan ⭐️⭐️⭐️- love meeting Nina and Lennox again in this sequel, and all the bookish references, but did NOT care for this ending! What in the world?? Did anyone else feel the same?
6.) The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim⭐️⭐️⭐️- Margot goes searching to find out what happened to her mom, and what follows is an interesting story that started out with lots of promise, and fell somewhat short for me. Great debut, looking forward to watching this author refine her writing.
7.) The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson ⭐️⭐️- meh- all the common tropes- mixed up love stories to create tension and songwriters coming together in a short holiday will they/won't they novel.
Currently Reading:
1.) Paris for One and Other Stories
What is the first category you plan to tackle in 2021?
Took the trick to start Sworn to Silence and had to return to the library before the move, so will be tackling that as my "DNF" prompt. I also have Dear Edward sitting here, so will pick this up for our January discussion.
Chandie wrote: "The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins. Contemporary suspense. Jane Eyre-ish. It was an okay read. I’m not mad I read it but I don’t know if I’d recommend."This is the best summary Chandie. :)
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And I'll spare you the further car drama I have endured. Let's just say that vehicle should run well for quite a while! :)
Just a reminder to visit the December 2020 Monthly Group Read discussion for The Vanishing Half if you’d like to add to the discussion or just review the comments. Lauren’s additional information helped me better analyze my reaction to the book. Thank you to her for taking time to interact with us! Also, if you wish to add information about the book you read to complete 2020 POPSUGAR Prompt #1 A book published in 2020 in the 2020 Monthly Read December Challenge discussion, you can still do that here!
The January 2021 Monthly Group Read discussion for Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano is ready to go! (My copy should arrive next week.) Thank you so very much to Teri for volunteering to lead our discussion! For those of you who read a different book to complete the 2021 POPSUGAR Prompt #27 A book about do-overs or fresh starts can post that information here!
You might begin considering what books you’d like to nominate for the 2nd Quarter Monthly Group Reads:
April: #28 A magical realism book (#1 in selection poll)
May: #24 A book by a Muslim American author (Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr on May 13, 2021)
June: #20 A book on a Black Lives Matter reading list (Juneteenth on June 19, 2021 - aka African American Freedom Day or Emancipation Day)
I’ll plan to open those 3 nominating polls and post on January 21, 2021 so we all have plenty of time to nominate, then vote, and then obtain the selected books.
Popsugar: 50/50 DONE!
ATY: 52/52 DONE!
RHC: 24/24 DONE!
Reading Women: 24/26
I still have 2 books to finish for the 2020 Reading Women Challenge and 3 other books for other year-long challenges. I’m thrilled with that finish! Especially the fact that I read a total of 137 books this year!! Whoo! Whoo!
FINISHED:
Home (Binti #2) by Nnedi Okorafor to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #7 A book featuring Afrofuturism or Africanfuturism. This second book was just as enthralling as the first, IMO! I truly appreciated the way Binti’s character demonstrates the deepseated underlying foundation of racism/prejudice and how difficult it can be to relearn and override such socially-constructed and reinforced beliefs.
POPSUGAR: #6, #12, #22, #27-Pride, Greed, Wrath, #32, #33-4.09, #34
ATY: #1, #3-Binti (Binti #1), #9, #11, #13, #18, #19, #22, #39, #49, #52
RHC: #17
Reading Women: NEW #7
Our Women on the Ground: Essays by Arab Women Reporting from the Arab World by Zahra Hankir (editor), Christane Amanpour (foreword), for the 2020 Reading Women prompt #24 A book from the 2019 Reading Women Award Shortlists and Honorable Mentions. So very glad to have read this! Honestly, this is a book I would easily recommend as a must-read, for many different reasons: (1) Understanding the extreme danger and likelihood of arrest/torture/death faced by journalists, especially in Mideastern countries, (2) The truths of death, maiming, and displacement due to bombings and other violence against civilians in Mideastern countries, (3) The seemingly unending strength and perseverance of females who are constantly harassed, controlled, and attacked by males in these countries, particularly in the more conservatively Islamic regions. It is shameful and horrifying to me that people must try to survive each day in such life-threatening conditions in the 21st Century. Not one of these women presents herself as a hero nor as perfect, but rather as a typically flawed human being just determined to thrive in order to uncover and expose the truth of life in these countries for females. I have goose-bumps just remembering what I read of them. So very courageous! As are the females enduring in these societies...
POPSUGAR: #11, #12, #15, #20, #24-I know nothing about being a female in an Islamic society, #27-Pride, Lust, Greed, Wrath, #33-4.50, #38, #47
ATY: #4-I could not withstand the oppression of females inherent in these Islamic societies, #9, #12, #22, #27-history, #29-Hidden gem and lesser known, #34-Nonfiction, #39, #43-Death, War, Famine, #51, #52
Reading Women: #8, #12-They all do!, #13, NEW #24
CONTINUING:
Eva Luna by Isabel Allende to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #26 A book written by Isabel Allende. Wow. I’m interested to see where this ends up!
Paradise by Toni Morrison to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #25 A book written by Toni Morrison. I know this is going to be a tough read for me just from the first 5 pages! But I eventually want to read all Morrison’s books.
Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals by Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson to complete the 2020 Reading Challenge Genre Bingo Challenge. I have wanted to read this book in forever! Even if I didn't make that happen in 2020, there is always 2021! :)
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi for the campus White Racial Literacy Project book club on campus.
I hope to finish Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence in January. It is a very nice novel, rather representative of the times. Though I am anxious to see how it all ends!
PLANNED:
For January Buddy Reads:
1) The Wall of Storms (Dandelion Dynasty #2) by Ken Liu
2) All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (I have owned this book forever and really want to read it!)
Black Swan Green by David Mitchell to fulfill 2020 Reading Challenge Color Challenge prompt #16 Read a book with two or more color words in the title.
A Cat of a Different Color (Alice Nestleton Mystery #2) by Lydia Adamson to fulfill 2020 Reading Challenge Color Challenge prompt #17 Read a book with the word “Color” in the title.
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates for my favorite bookstore’s Zoom book club meeting
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano for the POPSUGAR January Monthly Group Read! Thank you to Teri for leading this discussion! I am very anxious to read this one!
And still continuing these in January to whenever, until finished!
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
Learning Race, Learning Place: Shaping Racial Identities and Ideas in African American Childhoods by Erin Winkler
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Dubois
Question of the Week: What is the first category you plan to tackle in 2021?
Hmmmm…I have at least 50 books selected for the various challenges I will tackle in 2021 and I have most of them labeled with a sticky note as to which prompts they fulfill for which challenges. I’m really trying to be more organized next year! I was much more organized this year, but I can always improve! 😉 My main goal is keep myself motivated to read what I already own without purchasing more!
I have pledged to read at least the first 50 pages in Ken Liu’s The Wall of Storms (The Dandelion Dynasty #2) on January 1 since I am determined to read it as a January Buddy Read! (We have delayed from December…) And it is a monster at 880 pages!
Then I will be finishing Eva Luna and reading as much as I can of Toni Morrison’s Paradise to finish the 2020 Reading Women Challenge. I will probably interrupt Paradise by reading something ‘lighter’ in between which will likely be Cat of a Different Color and/or Black Swan Green.
And, since I reread Binti in December so I could read the second installment in the trilogy, Home, I will probably allow myself to read The Night Masquerade this weekend to complete that series while the other two are fresh in my mind. That will fulfill POPSUGAR 2021 Reading Challenge Prompt #2 An Afrofuturist book. I was thrilled to see Binti is the selected February Monthly Group Read! And I’m anxious for Nadine’s contributions regarding her controversial rejection of that label.
Hey you know that thing where your boss walks in an hour late and is just a stiff pissy jerk to you and gives you the third degree like you are some sort of incompetent slacker? Yes, good morning to you too. Happy holiday and screw you too. I'll miss anything that happens at midnight. I have to get up around 3:30am to go to work.
On a happier note, I've completed lots of books this week. I've also purchased quite a few. Apparently when you spend a year in your house doing NOTHING you get to buy too many books in December.
Finished:
Around the World in Cut-Outs - I love photography books and fun travel photos. Win win.
This Is Your Time - Liked this book by Ruby Bridges so much I bought the hardcover.
Julián at the Wedding - <3 Julian
The Well of Lost Plots - Thank you Thursday Next for an amusing end of year
Sentient - Hey I won a Goodreads Giveaway! It's an ebook but sometimes they are easier to read than print anyway for graphic novels. I really liked the characters.
A Compendium of Collective Nouns: From an Armory of Aardvarks to a Zeal of Zebras - The words seemed sketchy but the art was nice.
Mary Poppins Comes Back - This was fun to read after the new movie.
Something Rotten - More Thursday
I Talk Like a River - Audio picture book by/about a boy with a stutter
One Girl - another audio picture book
Mommy's Khimar - yup, and another
Currently Reading:
First Among Sequels - My Thursday binge continues
QOTW:
I'm not sure what I'll go for first. I'll probably just start grabbing some of my new books and see what they fit. I feel like I'm going to blaze through some quick books. Maybe I'll do the QXZ prompt first. I am excited about the book I got for that and I can get through it in no time flat. X-Ray: See Through the World Around You
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19 is much better than 0! Or 1! Or just 2! Etc., etc., etc.!
"I received Becoming for Christmas..."
I loved this one! Hope you enjoy it as well!
poshpenny wrote: "Hey you know that thing where your boss walks in an hour late and is just a stiff pissy jerk to you and gives you the third degree like you are some sort of incompetent slacker? Yes, good morning t..."oooh I spy Thursday Next books in that list! I need to get back to those -- Something Rotten is as far as I've read too.
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Congratulations!
"But most of my weekend will be spent reading The Priory of the Orange Tree for Feminerdy Book Club on Jan. 10th. I am sure it will fit a prompt but not ready to assign it yet."
You and I are both tackling bricks (mine is The Wall of Storms first thing in 2021! Good luck to both of us!
Finished: The Serpent's Shadow A fun re-read.Breaking the News: What's Real, What's Not, and Why the Difference Matters This book was not helpful at all,
A Tale of Witchcraft... Much darker than I expected.
Whale Day: And Other Poems Not as good as some of his earlier work.
When Love Comes to Light: Bringing Wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita to Modern Life This seemed good, but I didn't get a lot out of it.
Creativity Rules: Get Ideas Out of Your Head and into the World An entrepreneur's spin on creativity.
Started: Intention: Critical Creativity in the Classroom
Sharing Nature with Children: The Classic Parents' & Teachers' Nature Awareness Guidebook This will be my answer to Qotw: for book that takes place outside.
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Who knows? Maybe you'll break through that ceiling BEFORE 2030! :)
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Finished 50/50
I DID IT!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!
The Wilderness Journal: 365 Days with the Philokalia for "book who's title caught your attention". This took me ALL STINKIN' YEAR. But it's DONE!"
Whoo! Whoo! Congratulations!
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I love this!! Yes!!
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The Searcher Probably my least favorite Tana French book. Sorry, Lynn."
I had to laugh! Mainly because I'll read it anyway! :) There isn't one of hers I haven't loved so far... We'll see how this one strikes me. Sorry it didn't work as well for you, however! :(
"Ready Player Two on audio. Fun!"
I assume I'll get to this one sometime in 2021. Just not now! :)
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Let Love Rule (other topics)Anxious People (other topics)
Dear Edward (other topics)
The Book of Two Ways (other topics)
Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable-Path Adventure (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Wes Moore (other topics)Halley Sutton (other topics)
Willa Cather (other topics)
Amy Lillard (other topics)
Charles Todd (other topics)
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Any Ramones fans out there? Today shall be dubbed “2020 24 hours to go ...”
I’m happily finishing up a few books and I’ve got several Challenge reads lined up plus a few more on hold at my library - I’m ready for the new year!!
Admin stuff:
Our poll results are in for February and March group reads:
February: Binti for "afrofuturist" - this should inspire a lot of discussion, since the author has rejected the "afrofuturist" label!!
March: The Song of Achilles for "Women's Prize winner."
In a few weeks we’ll set up nomination / final polls for group reads for the second quarter of 2021 so there will be plenty of time for library users to find those books.
And get ready to start our January group read: Dear Edward!
This week I finished 1 book and 3 graphic novels, plus I DNFed two.
books I finished:
Catwoman, Vol. 3: Relentless written by Ed Brubakerwith art by Cameron Stewart- this was fabulous. I’ve really enjoyed this entire Catwoman series from Brubaker.
Man-Eaters, Vol. 1 written by Chelsea Cain- this was good, but there wasn’t enough story. It felt like it had a lot of filler.
Fairest, Volume 1: Wide Awake written by Bill Willingham- this started strong but eventually fell apart.
Birds by the Shore: Observing the Natural Life of the Atlantic Coast by Jennifer Ackerman- meh. This was a series of science/history essays mixed with personal memoir tidbits about the two years Ackerman lived by the ocean in Delaware. It was a subject I'm very interested in, but I found the book rather dull.
books I DNFed:
ODY-C, Vol. 1: Off to Far Ithicaa written by Matt Fractionwith art by Christian Ward- reviews were poor but I decided to give it a try anyway, and holy hades I noped right out of there.
Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn- this just didn't grab me. I was bored, I kept falling asleep, and I didn't want to pick it up again. Maybe it's a great book and I just wasn't in the mood for it.
Question of the Week
What is the first category you plan to tackle in 2021?
My hold on A Study in Scarlet Women came in early, so I’ve got that on deck first for “fresh start” - appropriate, I guess, since that’s also our January group read category. I keep eyeballing that book, since I've been bored with a few I picked up recently, but I don't want to pick it up too early, since I want to be sure I *finish* in 2021. So - I can start it today :-) (Well, I COULD start it today, but now I'm in the middle of Imperfect Women and I have to finish that first.)
I’m also going to try a re-read of Dune because it’s been so long since I read it that I don’t remember it (it was probably back in the 80s), and my daughter is planning to read it before seeing the new movie. Mother-Daughter Buddy Read! It’s really long so I wanted to find a challenge category for it also, and the only category it fits is “book your best friend would like.”