Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Happy Thursday!  Here we are at the end of the first month of the year!  It FLEW by.  Why is time suddenly flying?? Now it's really winter here in northern NY, it's snowed every day this week.

Admin stuff:   February is in three days! Our February group read will be Binti for "afrofuturist / africanfuturist "  (I'm adding in Okorafor's preferred labeling there).  Discussion will be lead by Jessica.  Enjoy!

Q2 nominations are completed and the FINAL polls are open for Q2 group reads:
April
May
June

The Starless Sea and The Hate U Give both received write-in nominations, but they were both previous group reads, so they are disqualified for this year's group read. 


I pushed my reading into high gear this week!  Which is good, because all of the books I put on hold for Black History Month reading seem to be coming in early, and they are piling up!!!  Yikes! Who else is getting reading for some Black History Month reading?!

This week I finished four books, three of them filled Challenge categories, so I am now 6/50.

Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore - every now and then NYPL tweets out an offer to rec books based on a book you recently enjoyed, and last year I got in on one of those tweets and I told them I loved Disappearing Earth.  This is the book they recommended.  It didn't really look that interesting to me, and I probably would not  have read it otherwise.  Honestly, I put off reading it for a while, and so this year I put it on my list of books I MUST read this year.  I. Am. So. Glad. I. Did.   This book was wonderful, and a perfect read-alike read for Disappearing Earth.  Just like Disappearing Earth, the book uses a central crime as a plot element that allows the author to look at the lives of several women living in the community, and how their lives intertwine, and each woman is dealing with her own private struggles.  The people who work at NYPL know their stuff!!  Five stars!  The story involved a Mexican-American girl who was brutally raped - which was definitely a very upsetting way to start a book and I was NOT expecting that, and I had some deep misgivings about this book at that point - and then the white men in the community circle round the rapist and decide a good boy like him couldn't possibly have done such a thing.  So I checked off  "a book about a social justice issue" with this read, since it dealt with sexism, racism, and classism.  

The Boss - poetry by Victoria Chang - this entire book is sort of like the same poem over and over, so it was good but after a while it was too much the same.  One day I started reading one of these poems aloud to my daughter, and I discovered they sound fantastic when read aloud!  The rhythm and internal rhyme POPS when read aloud.  

Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras - this is the second book I've read by Oliveras and I'm using a "two strikes and you're out" rule for her because I cannot stand her writing, it's full of repeated inner monologues, excessive descriptors, and TELL instead of SHOW.  Ugh. Not for me.  But it might be for you - she seems to have a devoted fan base!  This took place on Key West in Florida, a place I've always wanted to visit, so I checked off  "a place you'd like to visit in 2021."   (Not that I'm actually planning to go to Key West this year!)

The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain - ahhhh yes, noir, where there are NO excessive descriptors! It's my kind of writing!!! I've been thinking about reading this book for a while, ever since I discovered I love noir crime novels, so this year I put it on my list of books I must read in 2021.  THEN I discovered that Stanley Tucci reads the audiobook!!!  I was in like Flynn!  It turns out that Tucci isn't the best audiobook reader.  He nailed the noir attitude, and he could do the main character, Frank Chambers, perfectly, but he couldn't manage different voices for different characters, so I kept getting confused about who was talking.  Luckily I was able to download the ebook and read along, and it was wonderful.  Five breathless stars.  I'm going to read everything Cain has written.  I checked off "shortest book on your TBR list" (I sorted my Short List of must-reads as my "TBR" for this category - it's not actually the shortest book on my full TBR, but at 112 pages, it's very close!)  And I'm going to watch the movie, too (not sure which version - Nicholson/Lange, I guess?).




Question of the Week
Do you have a favorite celebrity book club that you follow?


A few years ago, I would  have scoffed at the idea of following a celebrity book club.  Back then, it was Oprah or nothing, and most of her books were the tear-jerker type that I don't care for.  

But then Emma Watson started a book club, and that was interesting, because she was all about feminism; I even joined the GR group for her book club to see what was what.  And Reese Witherspoon came along, and some of her choices were pretty good.  

And, lately, I've been noticing that a lot of books I'm interested in are embossed with a "Read with Jenna" logo.   I wouldn't go so far as to say I follow Jenna Bush's book club, but ... it catches my eye now, and if I see a "Read with Jenna" tag now, I will be more likely to read that book.  

I am super grateful for audiobooks this week. All 4 of my finishes were audiobooks, which is pretty strange for me, but it just worked out that I didn't have that much eye energy this week, and the idea of reading after staring at a computer screen all day was exhausting.

I finished:

Shadow of Night: song title - This book was an overall disappointment, but it redeemed itself enough that I moved directly into book 3.

The Book of Life: longest book - I know a lot of people didn't like this one either, but I did. I thought it was too long, but the characters are what brought this series home for me.

Deadly Cross: black and white cover - I have loved the Alex Cross series since I was 14, but I don't know why I'm still reading James Patterson, except that they are so fast, easy, and familiar. This was okay.

Eight Perfect Murders: dream job - I found this one disappointing as well. I thought the premise was really interesting, and the book did not live up to its potential. It was a very fast read/listen though.

Currently reading:

And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer: This one is still sitting on my bedside table, waiting for me to fall in love with it, but for some reason I keep setting it aside.

A Girl Named Anna: I started to really enjoy this book, and by the halfway point, it is slowing down for me. I hope it picks back up again, because it has potential.

Home Before Dark: I am 150 pages into this and I basically want to call off work to stay home and finish it. I don't normally read much horror/ghost story type stuff, but I have enjoyed all of Riley Sager's books that I have read. Also I'm watching Supernatural on Netflix right now, so maybe I'm just in a mood.

QOTW:

No. I haven't found one that seems to have similar taste to mine, so I don't really pay too much attention to that.

I finished The Innocents Abroad as my book that takes place in multiple countries.

I read The Shadow of the Lynx as my book that takes place somewhere I want to go. I don't recommend.

I have just started Art and History of Paris and Versailles as my book about art.

QOtw: No.

I love Binti so much it isn't healthy.

This is my first check in this month, I literally have no idea not just where all the other Thursday's have gone but also where all the rest of January has gone but I'll go with this week's read plus highlights of the rest of the year.

I tend to try to read all the graphic novels on the goodreads nomination list and the NPR best books of the year list. I put them on my hold list when winners/books of the year are announced and they all tend to come up around January every year. It isn't planned that way but it has worked this way for all the years I've done this (which is all of maybe 3). So I've been through a TON of reading material so far this year

The most notable for me was When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed which is a fictionalized memoir and graphic novel about Omar Mohamed who grew up in a Kenyan refugee camp after he and his younger (and disabled brother) were separated from their mother in Somalia. It is middle grade but seriously I sobbed. I ugly sobbed. I ugly sobbed more than once. Totally recommend.

Honorable mention to Go with the Flow by Lily Williams which makes the bold (but shouldn't be) choice to be a graphic novel about access to feminine hygiene products. Middle grade graphic novel that if helps one girl/enby/boy who menstruates feel less embarrassed to say, "yo, I have my period can anybody do me a solid by tossing me an extra pad/tampon" it will totally be a worth while book. If any school reads this book and goes, "You know what, access to feminine hygiene products is important and how we've monetized that and not even particularly well is shameful." than this book should be lauded as one of the greatest achievements of graphic novelty.

This week read

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi which I wanted to love so much more than I did. I think it is a five star read for a lot of people and it is so well written and the ending is a thing of beauty but I was irritated by some of the choices. 3.5 stars for me.

Almost American Girl by Robin Ha. Graphic novel/memoir about a girl forced by her mother to move from Korea to Alabama at the age of 14. The main character is an artist. It spoke to some painful experiences I have with moving at an awkward age and I didn't have the added difficulties of culture shock and not speaking the language. Well done 4-4.5 stars for me.

Two works by P. Djèlí Clark:
The Haunting of Tram Car 015 which is the second in the series started with A Dead Djinn in Cairo this book feels like a stand alone to me as while
the amazing lead of that book (Fatma el-Sha’arawi) isn't the lead in this one. Events of the previous book are mentioned but aren't key. I was worried I wouldn't love this as much as the first. I might have liked it more. Honestly. Full length book A Master of Djinn expected out this year and I am SUPER STOKED!
and

The Black God's Drums wihch is set in a whole different universe. A steam punk New Orleans where the civil war hasn't ended with a non-unified US. This is so good and if another story in this verse is written I will be all over it, but I prefer the other series.

Currently reading

Betty by Tiffany McDaniel. It is so well written and I'm completely engrossed but this has a bit of A Little Life tragedy porn thing going on. But much like that book I'm in for every word because again with the it is so beautifully written (although in a very different way both the writing and the tragedies)

QOTW:
I have read books that are trending because they are on a celeb book list but I don't follow any particular celeb book list. Still, I like it very much when celebs I like have books I've liked on their list!

Brandy wrote: Honorable mention to Go with the Flow by Lily Williams which makes the bold (but shouldn't be) choice to be a graphic novel about access to feminine hygiene products.

I love that so much! Thanks for sharing.

This week I finished So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo and really loved it. Such a great antiracism book. Even though this book could be applied to sooo many prompts on the list, I used it for the Book you'd find on a Black Lives Matter reading list.

I had started reading Deathless Divide this month not knowing if it would fit into the challenge but I've discovered that the bulk of the action takes place outdoors! I love a discovery like that. So I'm using it to check my Outdoors prompt off the list and I think I'll be finished with it before January ends.

I'm also reading Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot which is so, so good, but I don't think I'll be finishing it before the end of the month.

I've got a BUNCH of books to read (YAY). I started reading two books at the same time which I've never done before, a fiction in the morning and a nonfiction after my meditation in the afternoon. My planned order of reading (subject to change):

Binti: The Complete Trilogy
Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches
Dominicana
How to Be an Antiracist
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Well, That Escalated Quickly: Memoirs and Mistakes of an Accidental Activist
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
Zami: A New Spelling of My Name

I have no idea how many books I'll be able to actually get through in February lol but I like having the list!

QOTW:
I don't really follow any celebrity book clubs!

Brandy wrote: "I tend to try to read all the graphic novels on the goodreads nomination list and the NPR best books of the year list. ..."



That's a really good idea! I've started trying to do that with picture books, and I've really enjoyed reading them, sometimes I even get my teens to jump in bed with me and I read to them! So maybe I'll do this with graphic novels, too!

I enjoyed When Stars are Scattered, and I happen to have Go With the Flow borrowed from the library right now!!! I've been passing it by to read other books and thinking about maybe returning it unread, but you've changed my mind. I can probably read it in an afternoon, and I should!

And I just put Almost American Girl on my TBR!

Hello from a bitterly cold Columbus. How I loath getting out of bed and driving to the school on mornings like this lol.

The Vanishing Stair
The Hand on the Wall the former was for the dark academia prompt, the latter because I wanted to know what happened. I really enjoy a good mystery, especially when I’m completely surprised by the big reveals. A+ YA pick, will read the next book when it comes out.

The Grave's a Fine and Private Place not for the the challenge. I started rereading the Flavia series last year so I’m finally getting around to the last two books. I know the author said he was kind of done for now, and then I realized how old he is, and I’m just going to be real sad if we never get another Flavia mystery. They’re just such charming stories, I really love them.

Popsugar- 4/40; 0/10
Book Riot- 1/24
Back to the Classics - 0/12
14 books read this year

Qotw: I’m much more likely to pick up a book if I’ve seen a celebrity I like mention it, particularly Oprah or Reese but I don’t follow along with any of them.

Good morning from NE Ohio! This week (since Monday) has been a big ball of stress for me, but I have a therapy appointment this afternoon that I'm looking forward to. We got a bit of snow overnight/early morning, and it's still coming down in flurries. It looks so pretty :)

I finished four books in the past week, and they all fit the Popsugar Challenge!
Jade City - 5 stars. I can't wait to continue with this series. Such a well-developed world and characters. gem, mineral, or rock in the title
Die, Vol. 3: The Great Game - 4 stars. Still very much enjoying this series. The stakes are high in the storyline, and the art is stunning. author shares your zodiac sign
Deception - 3 stars. One of Stacey Abrams's romantic suspense novels that I picked up with another group. I loved the interactions between the women, and being that this isn't my usual choice for a book, it felt a little clunky in spots but overall I liked it. same title as a song
Concrete Rose - 5 stars. Angie Thomas's newest, the prequel to The Hate U Give. Tbh you could easily read this one first and not be lost, because this tells the story of Starr's dad Maverick (and Lisa!) basically being a single dad at 17. A fantastic book, and just what I needed to de-stress these past few days. published in 2021

PS 7/50

Currently reading:
Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening
The Tudor Secret
The Book of Chaos, Vol. 2: Infernum in Terra
The Fear Institute

Do you have a favorite celebrity book club that you follow?
I keep an eye on Reese Witherspoon's picks, mainly because her first ever choice was The Alice Network by Kate Quinn, one of my favorite HF authors, and basically catapulted her into being a better-known author, so I will always appreciate that.

It's been so cold this week with light snow on the ground that just won't melt; I'm ready for some warm weather! The past two years we've been in Key West around this time...

Challenge Progress: 11/50

Completed:
Wine Girl: The Obstacles, Humiliations, and Triumphs of America's Youngest Sommelier: Reads a bit like "Educated" but lacks the introspection and personal/internal growth that Westover conveys. (PS36 - A book with fewer than 1000 reviews on Amazon or Goodreads) ★★★

The Dating Plan: This was a solid 3-star read for me... except for two things. First, the cover. Don't get me wrong, it's gorgeous, but it's also generic and bears no resemblance to story being told. Seriously, what bridge is that? And would Daisy (or Liam) ever wear those clothes? And secondly, there's no HALFTIME in hockey!!! ★★

Desert Notebooks: A Road Map for the End of Time: I listened to the audiobook as I went on my daily walks on the trails surrounding Santa Fe. Sounds perfect, right? I wanted an ode to the desert... but somehow that got a bit lost in Ehrenreich's historical details and political ruminations. Still interesting but really not what I was expecting. ★★★

When We Were Vikings: “The Grendels are evil,” I said. “Well,” Dr. Laird said, “maybe the Grendels you’re talking about are pure evil. But regular monsters are more complicated.” Zelda is a 21-year-old woman born with Fetal Alchohol Syndrome and obsessed with Vikings, and this, her coming of age story, is in turns heartwrenching, horrifying, and (ultimately) uplifting. The language and situations can be rough; there are several situations that some readers may find triggering. ★★★

The Glass Woman: "But the truth isn’t solid, like the earth; she knows that now. The truth is water, or steam; the truth is ice. The same tale might shift and melt and reshape at any time." While the writing is beautifully atmospheric (Icelandic Gothic?), it took a looooong time for the story to come together. The second half of the book is exciting and compelling, but I nearly gave up on the way there. ★★★

Seth and I read five books this week! He wrote them on his calendar, and now that they're scheduled he's been much more cooperative.

We Don't Eat Our Classmates ★★★★★
Llama Llama Red Pajama ★★★★
Dear Flyary ★★
Dragons Love Tacos 2: The Sequel ★★★
Be Quiet! ★★★★



Currently Reading:
Mitch, Please!: How Mitch McConnell Sold Out Kentucky
Binti: The Complete Trilogy (PS3 - An afrofuturist book)
The High Season
The Robber Bride
Red Rising (PS45 - The book that's been on your TBR list for the longest amount of time)
I Want To Be Where the Normal People Are
The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win (PS3 - A book that has a heart, diamond, club, or spade on the cover)

QOTW: I don't think I really follow any celebrity book clubs, but if I see a sticker from Reese's Book Club or Read with Jenna on the cover, I'll probably pick it up and at least see what it's about. The only "celebrity" list that I really pay attention to is Barack Obama's. That's always an interesting and challenging list.

Hi everyone! It was my birthday yesterday so I have some book tokens to spend when the shops reopen. Woohoo! Now to decide which books lol

This was a much better reading week for me. I finally finished The Moonstone which I really enjoyed. I literally had no idea what was going on all the way through, but neither did any of the people narrating so I felt like I was along for the ride with them.

I also read Down Among the Sticks and Bones and I loved it, even more than the first one. Knowing how it would end up for the sisters, made it feel even sadder and the sense of impending doom was overwhelming. Can't wait for the next one.

Finally, I read Bruised. I randomly put this on hold from the library because I needed a book set in a restaurant and the premise sounded interesting. Boy, am I glad I did. I started it yesterday and then stayed up until 3am reading this book! It was refreshing to see a realistic portrayal of mental illness in a YA book where the main character wasn't suddenly cured when she got a boyfriend or had a heart to heart with her parents.

DNF: The Deathless Girls. I accidentally read two books featuring twins and vampires this week, and this one paled in comparison to the other. The POV character talked on and on about how amazingly beautiful her identical twin was but neither of them seemed to have any personality or sisterly bond at all. Some of the reviews said how the ending was great so I skipped forward to see if it got better, but it didn't so I decided it wasn't worth the effort.

Also DNF Poisoned. I only read about a chapter but I wasn't feeling it at all. The writing was not for me which is a shame because I love retellings

QOTW: No but I'll be looking at everyone's recommendations.

Good morning and happy last Thursday of January! This year is going to fly by, which is hopefully a good thing because, before we know it we can all get vaccinated and go to sporting events and musicals again!

I finished three books this week. First, I finished Outlawed, which was my January BOTM pick. I used it for the genre hybrid prompt. It was one of those books where I love reading it while I'm reading, but when I put it down, I don't always think to pick it back up. Overall, the story was fine, but I feel like it's something I've read before.

I also read If I Never Met You, which was really wonderful. Yes, it was a rom-com, but it was also a wonderful story about the main character figuring herself out, along with her relationships with her mom and best friend. I used this one for the current/dream job prompt, since the main character is a lawyer.

I also finished The Birth of Classical Europe: A History from Troy to Augustine. I've decided to read the European History Series from Penguin this year. I love reading history, and I love it even more when it has an epic scale and is putting things into a bigger context, so this eight book series starting in Ancient Troy and ending in 2017 is right up my alley.

QOTW: I am aware of some celebrity book clubs, but I generally am not interested in the books they pick. I wish there was a celebrity with a book club where they pick strange books. Like, if J.J. Abrams had a book club, I would be interested in that.

Two Week Check In again

Prettiest Cover on TBR

The Dating Plan by Sarah Desai. Contemporary Romance. Fake Dating. Delightful.

Book with three generations

The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett. Ready for the HBO series. Honestly, I could’ve read much more about Jude and Reese.

Book by an indigenous author

The Removed by Brandon Hobson. Contemporary literary fiction about intergenerational grief and Cherokee folklore. It was a very quiet book. Character driven. I really enjoyed it.

Books that don’t tick off prompts

Loathe at First Sight by Suzanne Park. Marketed as romance. Editor’s pick for romance on Amazon. This is not a romance book. The two characters barely interact and then kiss at the end. Also billed as enemies to lovers but it’s also not that. The plot felt rushed and jumbled and I did not really enjoy this. I didn’t really care about the characters. It was very meh. TW/CW: harassment of main character because she’s an Asian-American woman in gaming.

QOTW:

I don’t really follow any of the book clubs but I’ll check Reese’s picks if it shows up in my timeline.

Where has this week gone? Not much to report. I have tomorrow booked off work so I can move my blog over to self-hosted Wordpress...it has ten years worth of posts so fingers crossed it goes smoothly.

Finished:
Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell for review and since it's new I can use it for less than 1000 reviews. This is a romance with a science fiction backdrop, the world-building was wishy washy but the romance was quite sweet, even if I was annoyed about how long their misunderstanding went on.

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse for indigenous author (Popsugar and Read Harder) and oh my, I loved it, what a contrast to my previous read in the world-building department. Loved the world, all the characters, the pacing, everything. Cannot wait for more.

Currently reading Maxwell's Demon and listening to This Coven Won't Break.

PS: 7/50 | ATY: 5/52 | RH: 2/24 | GR: 12/100

QOTW:
Not really. I do think they are a good way for books to reach different audiences though.

Happy Thursday, y’all.

Just want to say that it's rough sharing a household with someone who not only has the opposite view of politics you do, but believes they're always right just because they're older. At least I have books to keep me sane...

Books read this week:

Murder on the Orient Express -- for “locked room mystery.” My first Agatha Christie book, and while I had to look up some of the French sayings, it was still a fascinating whodunnit with a nicely twisty ending!

Trial by Fire: A Devastating Tragedy, 100 Lives Lost, and A 15-Year Search for Truth -- for “a book with fewer than 1000 reviews on Amazon/Goodreads.” This is a brutal yet revealing account of the Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island in 2003, and interviews people who hadn’t had a chance to tell their stories until now. Be warned that it gets a little graphic at times, but is still a deeply affecting read.

Remote Control -- for “Afrofuturist book.” Like Binti (by the same author), I thought there were compelling ideas in this book, and I loved the protagonist… I just wish some of my questions regarding the world and the protagonist’s abilities had been answered! This should have been a full-fledged novel, not just a novella…

Displacement -- A graphic novel about the Japanese internment camps. A poignant and timely read, and a fitting companion to They Called Us Enemy.

DNF:

The Part About the Dragon Was (Mostly) True - not for the challenge. I love fantasy and I love humor, but there’s such a thing as trying too hard, and this book was trying WAY too hard.

Challenge stats:

Regular challenge books -- 7/45
Advanced challenge books -- 2/10
Not for the challenge -- 7

Currently Reading:

Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most Celebrated Tales -- for “longest book on your TBR list”
The Eye of the World -- for “bestseller from the ‘90s”
The Epic of Gilgamesh - for “book published anonymously”
Riot Baby -- for “book on a Black Lives Matter reading list”

QOTW:

I don't follow any book club, much less celebrity ones. I tend to be a "read what I feel like" sort. Even when I do my PopSugar challenge, I try to gravitate towards book I think I will enjoy but that still fill prompts.

Sarah wrote: "Hi everyone! It was my birthday yesterday so I have some book tokens to spend when the shops reopen. Woohoo! Now to decide which books lol

This was a much better reading week for me. I finally fin..."

Happy Birthday!

The weeks are starting to blur together again. I did take a pause for a nice, long phone call with a friend. I complained that my Netflix queue is all full of dramas, and I don’t feel like watching dramas right now. She gave me a list of comedies I had never heard of before that are all on Hulu. I had completely forgotten that Hulu has movies. I’m pumped for this weekend and a comedy movie marathon. I’ve got the popcorn and soda ready.

Finished
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte (a book that was published anonymously). Absolutely loved it. This is the first of four classic novels I’ve picked out to read this year. I’m surprised I finished it so early in the year, but it was really good, and I looked forward to a few chapters every day.

Reading
Dear Edward by Ann Napalitano. I’m not making much progress on this book. I think it relates to the drama issue. It’s good, but I’m not picking it up very often.

QOTW
No, I don’t follow any celebrity book clubs.

Sarah wrote: "Hi everyone! It was my birthday yesterday so I have some book tokens to spend when the shops reopen. Woohoo! Now to decide which books lol"

Happy birthday! Have fun picking out those books!!

Happy Thursday! I made it to work on time for the first time since MLK weekend! Me and my kids have been on the struggle bus since winter break so I'm hoping this is a good sign that we're getting it together now. I am really excited that my school has decided to do a book study about So You Want to Talk About Race. I saw someone already posted that they finished it this week. I work at a very diverse school but our staff is not diverse at all (myself included) so I think this will be a good opportunity for all of us.

I finished Akata Witch this week which was my DNF from my TBR. I started it last year when I was in a slump and just really struggled to get into it. It had more to do with me and my headspace than with the book. I really liked the book and the world-building but I thought the ending was so rushed for all of the build-up to it. I do want to read the next book though to see how Sunny further develops.

I also finished two children's books which are not for the challenge. I read The Undefeated which was fantastic. How can something so short be so heartbreaking? I also read Julián Is a Mermaid. I liked how matter-of-fact this book was about Julian dressing up. It's whimsical, yet grounded.

QOTW: I follow Reese Witherspoon's bookclub on Facebook, but I don't keep up with the reading or anything.

Sarah wrote: "Hi everyone! It was my birthday yesterday so I have some book tokens to spend when the shops reopen. Woohoo! Now to decide which books lol

This was a much better reading week for me. I finally fin..."


Happy birthday! Enjoy book shopping!

I finished one book for the week. Caste:The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. 5 stars. I used it for a book with a black white cover. This book really opened my eyes to the caste system all over the world but especially in the United States.
QOTW: Do you follow a celebrity book club? I followed Oprah’s first book club religiously. I read some excellent books, a lot of new to me authors, and a few are my all time favorites. I have reread The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski three times. I discovered Toni Morrison through Oprah. I also discovered Wally Lamb because of Oprah. His books still haunt me. I stopped reading all of her choices because my heart couldn’t take it anymore. I still look at her selections & still read a few ( note Caste) but I don’t blindly purchase Oprah book club books anymore. I don’t follow any celebrity book club now. I like to see what Jenna Bush selects but haven’t read any of them yet.

Nadine wrote: "Who else is getting reading for some Black History Month reading?

*Raises hand* Ooo! Is the thread open yet? I've got some new ones that look good!

I'm excited to go home from work and a) mess with the new shelves and my books that are in no way all going to fit and b) compile my Back History Month list. I've considered organizing my books by history month, but nah. Some cover multiple anyway. It'd be more fun to have enough space to have a focus shelf and pick out books to put on it each month. If I can ever get my hands on the rest of the cases I need. Stupid weird-shaped space and bookcase scarcity.

Happy Thursday! We were supposed to have snow in the PNW but only rain for now. I was hoping for a couple snow days off work (well, working from home actually).

Anyhoo...

Finished:
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (PS: A book about forgetting, ATY: A book with 6 or more words in the title). I absolutely LOVED this book. The ending was lovely, some minor slow parts in the middle but it all wrapped up nicely and was very well written.

A Promised Land by Barack Obama (PS: The Longest Book by Pages on your TBR list, ATY: A book set in a state you have never visited: WA DC). I had never read any of Obama's previous books, but I did read Becoming by Michelle Obama. I learned so much in this book about how much the president goes through and the hoop-jumping. It was very well written and helped me understand how the Senate and House function in relation to the President.

Currently Reading:
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah (PS: A book everyone seems to have read but you, ATY: A book written by an author of one of your best reads of 2020). She is becoming one of my favorite authors and has a TON of books. Last year I read The Great Alone and her new one The Four Winds comes out next month. I usually only read her historical fiction books, but I really like this one. Bonus! Firefly Lane is becoming a series on Netflix next month!

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson (PS: A book found on a Black Lives Matter Reading list, ATY: A book about racism or race relations). A couple years ago I read The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton who was represented by Stevenson. The whole injustice going on in the court system is unbelievable. Black people were being convicted and sent to death row with little to no hard evidence of the crime being committed. It is egregious! Stevenson describes multiple cases he takes on - even a 14 year old sentenced to death row for killing his mom's abusive boyfriend - and how he pushes cases to release innocent men. Very good so far, highly recommend the audio version narrated by Stevenson.

On Deck:
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

QOTW:
I tried so hard to read Reese Witherspoon's book recommendations nearly every month UNTIL she recommended Whisper Network which I HATED and almost DNF and The Alice Network another almost DNF (1 main character really bugged me, but I loved the other one). I usually look at Jenna Bush's recommendations and Oprah's to see what they recommend and I will pick and choose.

Hello,

this week i finished Feuerkuss, german translation of Smoke Bitten. I love Mercy and Adam. The story was really good. Can`t wait for march for the next book Wild Sign.

i read Der Tausch german translation of The Last Flight. Short but exciting ..all female rage !

The Prom, german translation of The Prom: A Novel Based on the Hit Broadway Musical was a fluffy read . Now im looking forward to the netflix movie .

Currently reading Jäger im Schatten: Mercy Thompsons spannendste Geheimnisse, german translation of Shifting Shadows

Waiting for tomorrow when Age of Trinity - Der Ruf der Nacht, german translation of Alpha Night by Nalini Singh hits my kindle. Happy me :-)

- 40. Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge - Female Author from PS 2015
- 46. A book from your TBR list you meant to read last year but didn’t
- 36. A book that has fewer than 1,000 reviews on Amazon or Goodreads

Good Morning,

I hadn't been feeling well recently so I haven't gotten a ton of reading done in the last week. I actually tested positive for COVID on Monday. Not sure where I got it from, I've been so careful. I'm super lucky though, my symptoms haven't been completely horrible. The worst is the headache but it's been lessening every day and I'm hoping it will be completely gone today. All in all this could have been a lot worse.

Finished Reading:

Death on the Nile for a locked-room mystery. This one was also for my book club I'm in. I listened to the audiobook read by Kenneth Branagh and really enjoyed it.

Whisper Island - I got this through NetGalley. It was meh. It all felt really cliche, nothing took me by surprise.

The Future Is Yours - This was also a NetGalley book for me. I enjoyed this one. It's a scifi book about two guys that come up with a device that lets you see into one year in the future. It's told through texts, emails, articles and testimony; which is the perfect way to tell the story.

Currently Reading:

Anna Karenina for the book that’s been on your TBR list for the longest amount of time. I'm still working my way through this one.

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents for a book on a Black Lives Matter reading list. I'm listening to the audiobook of this one and it's read by Robin Miles who is a wonderful narrator. The book is so interesting.

The Kingdom of Copper for a book by a Muslim American author. I read the first book in this series last year and loved it. I'm only on chapter two but I'm looking forward to digging into it.

QOTW:

I don't really pay too much attention to celeb book clubs. I do follow Reese Witherspoon on Instagram and see what she reads and am interested in some of what she picks but I usually know about the book before I see her with it. I do think it's great who many people pick-up these books that Reese and Jenna and Emma are suggesting, more people reading is always a good thing.

poshpenny wrote: "Nadine wrote: "Who else is getting reading for some Black History Month reading?

*Raises hand* Ooo! Is the thread open yet? I've got some new ones that look good!

I'm excited to go home from work..."


LOL it is now!
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...


I've got a long list of books I put on hold, books I own, and books I plan to read ... as always, I KNOW I won't get to all of these. I'm front-loading the male authors so that the female authors I chose can merge into Women's History Month in March.

Only finished one book this week:

Dictator for A book with something broken on the cover. Not quite as good as the first two books in the trilogy, but still 4 stars.

Started:

The Bedlam Stacks for A book by an author who shares your zodiac sign.

QOTW:
Nope! I'm not against them, but I have too many books on my TBR list already to be taking on recommendations from celebrities as well!

Chandie wrote: The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett. Ready for the HBO series. Honestly, I could’ve read much more about Jude and Reese.

I am patiently waiting on a very long waiting list from my local library to read this one, so I'm glad to hear that it's worth the wait.

I have read 14 books so far in January. I was hoping for more, but there are 3 days left. January has been my most busy reading month since I started tracking. I guess I just get so excited about all the new reading challenges.

Finished:
Spoiler Alert for book that discusses body positivity.
The Tunnel
Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City for book about a social justice issue.

Currently reading
Jane Eyre
War and Peace
The Relentless Moon
Aya: Life in Yop City
Cemetery Boys on audio

QOTW:
I follow Reese on Instagram, but I used to be a lot more excited to read the books she recommended. These days her YA choices look much more interesting. I usually dislike the thrillers she picks. Maybe I just dislike thrillers.
Thanks for letting me know about Read with Jenna. Her books align much better with my taste.

Chandie wrote: "Two Week Check In again


Prettiest Cover on TBR


The Dating Plan by Sarah Desai. Contemporary Romance. Fake Dating. Delightful.


Book with three generations


The Vanishing Half by Britt Be..."

Chandie - I agree about The Vanishing Half - I am really interested in how HBO is going to cast Stella. I could have had more Jude and Reese in the book as well - I really liked their story.

Happy Thursday all! This week was a whirlwind. I dropped my cat off at my mom's house so I would have less of a reason to NOT paint. I've promised myself I can't bring her back to my renovation until I'm finished spraying the kitchen island and my bathroom drawer stack. I had originally said I would also paint my closet and office before bringing her home, but I see myself caving before then. I'm hoping to get a coat of paint in today (after writing this) and again tomorrow. Hopefully that's the last coat the island and drawers will need so I can go spend the weekend at my mom's and bring my cat home with me Sunday!

This week I read (or listened) consistently every day, which is a win for me! I'm quite proud of myself... I've already finished 7 books (however several of those were novellas or graphic novels) and I'm hoping to finish the month strong by wrapping up my two current reads as well! That would put me at 9 "books" for January alone and last year I read a total of only 11 the ENTIRE YEAR! I have to say, this community and bookstagram have really given me motivation! Thank you!

This week I finished six books, and I blame it on all of you that talked about Hearstopper in last weeks checkin! I was curious what the fuss was about and was immediately hooked. So since last Thursday, I finished:



I also read the entire Heartstopper from start to finish again online and am now "current" with the updates. I'll be using Heartstopper: Volume One in the Popsugar Challenge for a book in a different format that I usually read because I'd never read a graphic novel before.

Any recommendations for others?

I also finished Where the Crawdads Sing which I'm using for the Popsugar prompt that everyone else seems to have read but me. I loved this book and the ending blew my mind. Literally jaw on floor. I'm excited that they are making it into a film!

I'm currently reading Tuesdays with Morrie for a book from the 90s and listening to Anxious People, but not sure where I'll put it. Maybe a title of a song? I hope to get both of these finished by the end of January!

Next up will be Binti for the February group read. And I'll start The Guest List audiobook as soon as I'm finished with Anxious People.

QOTW: Since I'm just now really getting into reading, I haven't been following any celebrity book clubs, though I've noticed that Reese's has many that I'm interested in. I might put them on my TBR list, but wait until I can get them through the library since I don't often buy physical copies of books. I might do the same with Jenna's.

I love Binti so much and I can't wait to reread next month

I read Easy Motion Tourist, and Kindred this week

Hi everyone, wow January flew by. I'm in a rush to finish my rom-com this month because I'm hoping to read by all Black authors in February.

Popsugar Challenge: 3/50
Goodreads Challenge: 7/150
30 Before 30: 0/30
Toni-21 Readathon (one Toni Morrison book a month): 0/12

Finished
Firefly Lane - I don't normally cry (if I do it's a few tears), this book literally had me crying myself to sleep. I think that based on my personal experiences it hit me more but I honestly think this will make everyone sob. A really beautiful story about lifelong friendships. There's a sequel I don't know if I'll read it but wow this book blew me away and touched my heart. Just counting towards goodreads goal.

The Prophets- I finished listening and I know I'll reread this because it went over my head. This book is one you should take your time with and I did not. The writing is lovely and if you have an understanding of the bible I think it will be more powerful, a lot of this went over my head.

When Katie Met Cassidy- I listened to this right after The Prophets and man it was the perfect recovery book. Katie just broke up with her boyfriend and lost her friend group when she runs into fellow attorney Cassidy, they connect and she starts to feel attracted to her despite not identifying as queer. Cassidy meanwhile is a heartbreaker but she feels something deeper with Katie. This is a love story about following your heart, the ability to be your true self and the joy and pleasure that comes with that. Counted towards Goodreads challenge

Concrete Rose- Don't ever doubt Angie Thomas's ability to write a powerful addicting book. This book is a prequel to The Hate U Give about Starr's father Maverick. This book follows him in his senior year of high school as he becomes a father, deals with grief of losing a loved one, and begins to feel like being in the gang maybe isn't his future. I loved Maverick's mom. I loved Lisa. I loved Maverick's boss. This book is just really excellent. Angie Thomas does it again.

Currently Reading:
The Bluest Eye- I'm almost done and not really sure what to make of it still. Is it possible that I read this book too late at night and things don't connect? The writing is fantastic though. I've been coupling my reading with spark notes to get more out of it, I love doing this with Classics (I always read a chapter first though before the sparknotes).

Love at First- I'm almost half way through and enjoying it.

The Frozen Crown- I like it so far about a quarter through and I'm getting used to the world building finally.

Call of the Bone Ships- Have to finish this one soon.

QOTD: I usually see what Read with Jenna has chosen, because I usually enjoy books she chose.

Greetings from chilly NYC! I've been primarily in a romance state of mind, needing to read non-taxing books. Had quite a few finishes this week, a couple for PS.

FINISHED:

The Defense - legal thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed - first in a series and I'll be reading more. As I'm a lawyer, this was book with protagonist having same profession

The Last Book Party - there was much to like about this book set on Cape Cod in 1987, but somehow it was disappointing. Read as my book in a format I don't usually read - print library book.

A Summer of Surprises - actually read this contemporary romance about a woman starting over after an abusive marriage as part of my attempt (called Winter Vacay) to finish the 2020 PS Summer Challenge. Liked it.

Dune Drive - another woman starting over after an abusive relationship...and part of my Winter Vacay reading. Last in the Chesapeake Diaries series by Mariah Stewart which I've enjoyed.

The Beguilement of Lady Eustacia Cavanaugh
The Obsessions of Lord Godfrey Cavanaugh - fit PS book about art or artist - High Renaissance painting/forgery
The Inevitable Fall of Christopher Cynster

Currently Reading:

Sorry Not Sorry
Summer People

QOTW: Not really. I will check Oprah, Emma Watson and Reese Witherspoon selections periodically - usually when PS prompt requires some celebrity choice - but I don't follow.

Yes, time is so flying. What a crazy month it's been!

Finished 4/50

Catherine House for "dark academia". It was really weird. The writing style was excellent, but the plot was just....weird. And I didn't like the ending.

Currently Reading

Pearls of Lutra for "book with a gem mineral, or rock in the title". I guess pearls count as mineral/rock/gem/oyster mucus thing. XD I haven't picked up a Redwall book since middle school! It is so precious. I'm loving it so far.

The Philokalia, the Complete Text for "longest book on your TBR". Lord have mercy. I almost couldn't even find this entire thing. But my inter-library loan saved the day! Now to try to read this beast before I need to return it! Yikes! Speed reading is not the way to read this book, so we'll see how it goes.

QotW

Nope. I have enough trouble keeping up with this challenge and my church book club. Not enough time for another! Maybe one day, if a celebrity I really, really like starts one.

Hi all,

This has been a long week, living for the weekend. Got a migraine tuesday, on day 3 now today. looking forward to nap time at lunch.

I don't really do Black History Month reading on purpose, mainly because I in general have been trying to diversify reading year-round. Although my books & brew pick for February is An American Marriage, so I'll be reading that shortly.

This week I finished:

Black Futures - Counting this for my book about art or an artist. It was an anthology of Black art across all kinds of media, including social media and performance art. Really interesting. Part of Roxanne Gay's book club. I get email updates of some of the questions moderators are posting, but I'm not really participating myself. Don't really feel like it's my place to jump into the discussions since it wasn't really "for" me, per se. However I did really enjoy learning about the art, and gave me a lot to think about.
Also counted it as an anthology for Reading Women. There were entries across genders, but both editors were women, and there were a lot of women contributors. Also counted for ATY, book related to past, present, future. Figured since it had future in the title, and it was about seeing Black voices in the future and holding space for them etc it counted. Also Book Nerds cover that is mostly text.

Black Sun - Really enjoyed this! So nice to see more of a trend for epic fantasy that isn't just centered around dwarves and elves and such. Great world building, liked the characters. Was kind of annoyed at ending on a cliffhanger, I always have trouble getting back into the next book when I end up having to wait months or years before the next is out. I was going to count for Indigenous author, but when I was googling the author, it seems as though the nation she claims ancestry of denies her being part of it and she ended up removing it from her bio. I'm not one to judge just what qualifies, but ended up deciding that I'll read another book that the author more definitively is Indigenous. Black Sun, to me, is an oxymoron, since sun is light, black is often the absence of light, counting it for that prompt. Also counted it for ATY, a book related to 'the end' since it was about a faction trying to bring about the end of the rule of another faction. Book nerds, book with a woman character who would have been committed to an institution in the 19th century (one of the main characters is a bisexual or pansexual woman).

Currently reading:

November 9 - i dunno if i can be considered to still be reading this, made no progress, don't really WANT to but my hold hasn't run out quite yet.

Blood Red - comfort re-read, although i haven't read this one in so long, I don't remember what happens.

QOTW:

I follow Emma Watson's Our Shared Shelf book club, although I stopped trying so hard to read the books once she stopped personally selecting them and they went to just a group vote. I'll read them if i can find them/they look interesting, but I won't go out of my way to get them from inter-library loans etc. I liked hers just because of the focus on feminism and female authors and such.

Don't really follow any others.

Happy Thursday! It snowed overnight here! It's mostly melted now but it was a pretty morning.


Finished:

The Star Beast (4/5) (PS #44 - Ugliest cover)
This was a children's sci-fi that did a good job of being funny and interesting while also tackling xenophobia, one of the issues sci-fi is best at. This was my first Heinlein, and I had heard others say that his female characters aren't great. I can now say that no, obviously, these are not feminist masterpieces. However, I can tell that he's trying to have a diverse and interesting cast even if some of the attempts fall short. For a nearly 70 year old book, I am perfectly happy with a good faith effort!

Greenglass House (5/5) (No prompt)
This was delightful! I really loved the main character, Milo, and found him very relatable. This was a 4/5 up until the end, when a twist I didn't see coming at all popped out and gave me so much joy. I'm skimming through a second time before returning it to the library to catch all the clues I missed - which is the best recommendation I can think of for a mystery.


Currently Reading:

Essential Judaism: A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs and Rituals (PS #36 - Fewer than 1000 reviews)
Still going! When describing clothing and other objects I keep having to look up pictures to understand what is being talked about. That being said, the book is already large without adding images, and the target audience is expected to have a larger base knowledge than I do.

Winterkeep (PS #1 - Published in 2021)
Including the cover art here because it's GORGEOUS! This is book #4 in a series I started reading in high school, so quite a bit of excitement for this one. For whatever reason, I don't actually own copies of #1 and #3, and I'm not attached to my copy of #2, soooo I may be highly considering buying the rest of the series that has been re-released in this new art style.

Baptism of Fire (No prompt)
Book #3, or #5 including the short story prequel collections. This is a good series, but I'm glad the library hold lists are forcing me to space them out because they can be thick chews with some of the politics.


On Deck:

Detransition, Baby

The Memory Police


QOTW:

Nah, that's too much work. I was going to say that I don't do it because I'm no longer on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram, but if I'm being honest I didn't do it back then either. Maybe if I ever run out of books to read I could use their lists as a resource, but that hasn't happened yet :)

Allie wrote: "Happy Thursday all! This week was a whirlwind. I dropped my cat off at my mom's house so I would have less of a reason to NOT paint. I've promised myself I can't bring her back to my renovation unt..."

So glad you loved Heartstopper! I also really enjoy the Fence, Vol. 1 series.

I was in the middle grades when The Babysitters Club books were originally published and have LOVED the nostalgia factor of the graphic novels that are currently being published. Every four novels, they switch the graphic artist which is a cool choice. (I also recommend the Netflix series which has done a thoughtful job of updating the series while still preserving its original feel.)

Sheri wrote: "... Black Sun - Really enjoyed this! So nice to see more of a trend for epic fantasy that isn't just centered around dwarves and elves and such. Great world building, liked the characters. Was kind of annoyed at ending on a cliffhanger, I always have trouble getting back into the next book when I end up having to wait months or years before the next is out. I was going to count for Indigenous author, but when I was googling the author, it seems as though the nation she claims ancestry of denies her being part of it and she ended up removing it from her bio. I'm not one to judge just what qualifies, but ended up deciding that I'll read another book that the author more definitively is Indigenous. ..."


Wow I completely missed that controversy! I LOVED Black Sun, by the way.

I'm certainly not qualified to engage in the "is she or isn't she" debate. I found this article interesting: https://www.vulture.com/article/rebec... Apparently she was adopted by white parents as a baby, and when she was an adult she tracked down her birth mother, who was part of a strict Catholic family, & much of the family chose to deny her existence as a baby born out of wedlock.

“I’m always writing outsiders,” she says. “Their journey is usually about coming home, and sometimes they wished they’d stayed away.

I am an atheist, so I never understand the concept of secret spiritual stories of any origin. They are all stories to me.

here is the opposing view: https://www.indianz.com/News/2020/06/...

What a crazy week here in die Schweiz. We have just gone back online for teaching for the month of February since being mostly in person since August. This is a result of increased issues with the new COVID variant, and trying to prevent a wide-scale quarantine should someone contract it. Considering how awful the weather has been - blizzard at least 2x weekly, followed by gale winds and heavy rain - I'm good with not walking into work.

Finished so far:

Half of a Yellow Sun for prompt 8 - book for the Women's Prize. WOWWWWW. I learned a lot about Nigerian history through this book. Characters were incredible. Highly recommend.

Amal Unbound for prompt 24 - book by a Muslim-American author. A great middle-grade book about a young girl in Pakistan who accidentally insults a local rich landlord and must become his housemaid to repay the insult. Strong female lead character despite being so young.

The Red Tent for prompt 9 - a book with a family tree. I wanted to like it more than I did. An interesting look at the Biblical story, but felt weighed down by repetition. I get that was the reality of a woman's life, but after awhile, I didn't feel like I was reading much new information or story.

Looking for Alaska for prompt 31 - book by a blogger, vlogger, Youtube content creator, etc. I've been a fan of John Green's 'Crash Course History' videos for awhile, but I'd never read anything by him until now. I really enjoyed this book!

Working on ...

Norwegian Wood for prompt 17 - song title/book title
and likely will start Akata Witch for prompt 2 - though I relabeled the prompt as 'africanfuturist' as that's what the author identifies as.

QotW
Not really. Sometimes I happen to pick up a recommended book, but I don't go looking for recommendations.

Hi all! Been busy with doctor's appointments this week. Ugh. Everything's still chugging away, but they're keep an eye on me, which I kind of appreciate, but it's also annoying and time consuming!
Had some snow today, but might get 6 inches tonight and tomorrow!

Nothing finished. Still working on The Magic Mountain. It's slow going, but I like it. I can't quite put my finger on why.
I think I'm going to spend some time this afternoon reading The Song of the Jade Lily. I've got the house to myself, it's cold outside, sounds like a good time to dive into a book!

QOTW: I don't really follow anyone's book clubs, but I will check in every so often to see what they're reading. I was much more interested in Emma Watson's club until she herself stepped back from it.

I also used to keep tabs on books featured on The Daily Show and Colbert Report.

But really, my TBR doesn't need any additional inflow!

DNF reread: Prime Directive by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens (not for a prompt) (3/5 stars)

I was struggling to get through this one on this reread. Part of the way through Part 3, I had had enough, and I just looked up the summary to see what happened at the end. There are good bits and pieces, but the Orion slaver captain was too odious for me right now, and the end is not really connected to anything else in the Star Trek setting. It might have a bit of sense of wonder to it, but it's definitely not a fair-play mystery.

I liked Memory Prime from these authors a lot more, and Federation is still in my top 10 Trek novels of all time.

Finished:

Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule (PS: a book published in 2021) (3/5 stars)

As a stand-alone reading experience, this one is just okay. It's trying to set up a lot, so it does not focus on one or a few characters. There are fascinating glimpses and tidbits contained in the pages and things that I would love to see followed up in future stories. It's too little plot for 380 pages for me, and I'm not really digging the Nihil, who feel like the Vong 2.0 in some respects. Like a TV pilot, I may come to see this book differently down the road when the whole series arc is known. For now, though, I'd only recommend it if you are completely caught up with all other Star Wars releases that interest you.

Currently reading:

A Promised Land by Barack Obama (PS: a book with a black and white cover)

This one goes into so much detail that it feels like a bit of a slog. I am taking it a part at a time, and I am in the middle of Part 2. Surprisingly, the writing structure feels a little bit like Hillary Clinton's What Happened, although the sentences themselves are definitely all Barack Obama.

The Latter Fire by James Swallow (reread for fun)

James Swallow's writing here is great, and this is going to make sure I don't fall into any sort of reading slump.

Question of the Week:

I am more likely to keep a book off of my TBR list if Oprah has featured it in her book club, as she tends to like really sad, depressing books. I don't give celebrities any more weight than other people when looking at book recommendations, and I have not found anybody whose tastes match mine a high percentage of the time. I am happy enough with my local book club, which has 12 books a year, and everybody gets some input into the choices.

Hello all! We got some legit storms around here, and the Sierras have a bunch of new snow. I'm going to do such the snowshoeing as soon as it's safe to drive up there!

Finished this week: Moonflower Murders: this was a lot of fun, especially with the entire second book inserted in the middle. Loved the special touches of a cover, copyright page, and different page numbering for the book within the book.

Currently reading:
A Princess in Theory: This is my first Alyssa Cole book and I'm thoroughly enjoying it! I'm excited that this is a whole series I'll get to experience.
The Deep (starting today): This came highly recommended to me, so I'm looking forward to it.
The House of the Spirits: This feels a little... paint by numbers magical realism to me. I'm still going to finish it, but it's not my fave.
Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time: still fun, just got distracted by Moonflower Murders.

QOTW: I love that celebrities have book clubs because anything that encourages people to read is awesome! However, I don't track any of them. I think a number of books I've picked up have been endorsed by Oprah or Reese Witherspoon. I do follow Roxane Gay on goodreads, and often pick up the books she gives good reviews to, but that's not a book club.

Hello! The new screen doors I picked out in August and ordered in September were finally installed on Tuesday. And naturally something was wrong (the part that keeps them open doesn't work on one of them), and they're so massively backordered that it probably won't get fixed for another few months. Oh well.

Reading wise, I'm going through my physical library books to get them returned. Trying to focus on happy reads, but only so-so success at that.

Finished This Week:
Fix Her Up - there was discussion a few weeks ago about Allie fixing up her house, and Nadine mentioned romance novels about home repair, which reminded me that I'd meant to read this. Quick read, not quite to my taste. Not using for a prompt, but there is a song with the same title.

Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North - my college roommate read this and recommended it, so I thought I'd read it. It was more about the author's journey to self-acceptance (and getting past some truly terrible men) than the sled dogs I thought would be there. I couldn't use it for Read Harder's beloved pet that doesn't die, because she doesn't get her own dogs until the very end. Good for what it is. Using for Set in Multiple Countries.

Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive - college roommate had also read this and highly recommended it, and I'd had it on my TBR for more than a year since I heard an interview with the author on a podcast. It was very good, showing what people on government assistance go through just to survive. Using for online author (she has a blog).

How to Stop Time - I was intrigued last fall by the idea of someone who's not a time traveler, but just doesn't age (much). The timeline was disjointed, and while I liked the tales of how he met Shakespeare and Captain Cook and F Scott Fitzgerald, it didn't really work for me. I think I like alternate timelines and time travel more than just, not aging. Not using for a prompt.

One for the Money - continuing my trend of books that were supposed to be easy, fun reads. But as I told my husband, "this book had more car bombs than I was expecting." The reviews all say the humor picks up in the second book, so not giving up on the series just yet. Using for 90s bestseller, even though I couldn't actually find it on a bestseller list.

PS: 8/50 ATY: 11/52 RW: 3/28 RH: 0/24 GR: 15/100

Currently Reading:
How Sex Works: Why We Look, Smell, Taste, Feel, and Act the Way We Do - I've realized all the chapter titles are songs, musical groups or albums (Boys to Men, Jagged Little Pill, Come as You Are). If I didn't already have a book picked out for that prompt, I'd argue for including this one.

The Once and Future Witches - a book I'd had on hold and thought to keep on hold until after my spring work rush ends, but decided to read it now before it starts. Will probably start this weekend.

War Girls - I've had this from the library since fall, and I've been waiting for February to read it. Will start next week.

The zero books read for Read Harder is starting to bother me, so will likely start trying to knock some of those out. Or I'll just keep reading the next in the series (Two for the Dough, Courting Darkness and Love Her or Lose Her are all making their way to me from the library).

QOTW:
I've never followed a celebrity book club. I vaguely knew about Oprah's back in the day, and I saw that Reese picked something I read last year (Daisy Jones & The Six, I think?). Not really my thing.

Finished: The Lost Hero It has been so much fun re-reading this series. This book stuck out as being one of the best ones in particular. I love when authors are innovative in envisioning their own series in different ways.

Clap When You Land I read this in a day. It is written in verse, but easy to forget that it is, which I think is a sign of success. The characters were richly complex.

The Lure of Pokémon : Video Games and the Savage Mind This was re-printed when Pokemon Go came out. It included an interview with the creator of Pokemon and analysis relating to Freud and Levi-Strauss. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed. Useful, maybe not. Interesting, yes.

Intention: Critical Creativity in the Classroom This is such a wonderful resource for teachers or anyone wanting to do some creative projects with their children. Five stars!

Started: The Son of Neptune

Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning

There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom's Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids

QotW: No.

Laura wrote: "Llama Llama Red Pajama ★★★★"

Laura, there's a really cute video of Ludacris rapping Llama Llama Red Pajama (though I think some of the versions on YouTube include a part at the very end with swearing, so you might want to view alone first).

Brandy wrote: "I love Binti so much it isn't healthy.

...I tend to try to read all the graphic novels on the goodreads nomination list and the NPR best books of the year list. I put them on my hold list when winners/books of the year are announced and they all tend to come up around January every year. It isn't planned that way but it has worked this way for all the years I've done this (which is all of maybe 3). So I've been through a TON of reading material so far this year"

This makes me excited about Binti! It just became available to me on Overdrive. Going to start next week!

Awesome about the graphic novels. I've never read a graphic novel before but last week so many people mentioned Heartstopper: Volume One that I had to see what it was all about. I binge read Heartstopper 1, 2 and 3 in the same day. Then reread the entire thing on Webtoon and am now up to date on the most recent addition. Then I checked out This Winter and Nick and Charlie. Your post just reinforces the fact I need to go check out a few more graphic novels!

Well this was a tough week. I've been dealing with a flare of my medical issue AND I have skin cancer again. Surgery on Monday; not looking forward to that since I have very aggressive dermatologists and the dozens of stitches and tough recovery last time were more than I was prepared for. At least this time I have a better job where I can actually take time off work to recover.

I'm already at 17/50 for the challenge somehow. It think it's just that fun beginning period where I can fit most books I read into a category, even if it's not what I originally planned for that prompt. I'm doing all BIPOC authors for the challenge this year and it's going well.

This week I finished:

Concrete Rose This wasn't quite as fun as the other Angie Thomas books since there's a good amount of baby caretaking in the story, which is not my jam, but it's still excellent and I'll read everything she writes. 5 stars

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents I have two work-related events around this book, so I'm glad I finally got around to it! 4 stars

Telephone Not a perfect book and it's pretty sad, but I loved the themes the author tied in. 5 stars

The Down Days This took me a long time to get through, switching back and forth between audio and print. I would not have chosen to read this pandemic book during a pandemic if it weren't on the Tournament of Books short list. 3 stars

Idaho This one was hard to follow on audio, but like Telephone above, I appreciate the themes incorporated. 4 stars

I'm currently reading Crooked Hallelujah in print and am listening to The Undocumented Americans.

QOTW: I sometimes check out what Obama, Reese, Oprah, and Anne Bogel are reading, but don't follow anything too closely.

Sarah wrote: "Hi everyone! It was my birthday yesterday so I have some book tokens to spend when the shops reopen. Woohoo! Now to decide which books lol "

Happy belated birthday! But I have to ask... what is a "book token"?