Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2021 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 37: 9/10 - 9/16
I read Dances with Wolves this week. I'd already seen the movie. It was a pretty faithful adaptationI'm reading The Last Full Measure. I'm fairly bored and I'm not quite a third of the way through.
Qotw: I don't read very many new releases. I only read one this year, and while I think it was really good, I doubt many other people read it and thus wouldn't get any votes if I did write it in somewhere.
Mod
It was another good reading week for me. I didn't read a lot, but I liked what I read.
I finished 2 books this week, 1 for this Challenge, so I am now 41/50.
The Street by Ann Petry - this was my "BLM reading list" book and WOW was this powerful!!! It started off pretty slow, and I thought I might have to DNF, but a GR friend encouraged me to stick with it, and it REALLY got rolling. I just had to sit in silence for a few minutes after I finished it. I never say this, but: why isn't this book required reading in our schools???
The Republic of Poetry by Martín Espada - what a cool title, right? This was part of my Hispanic Heritage Month reading. It was okay.
QotW
Yes, I usually write in some of my favorites. It all depends on what they select to begin with! For the most part, the books I've read this year that I LOVED in that "ride or die" sense were not 2021 publications. I think most of the 2021 publications that I loved were pretty popular all around and I won't need to write them in. The latest Murderbot and the latest romance from Talia Hibbert and thriller from Carolyn Kepnes will probably be on there already.
I'll take a look at the categories when they come out and make sure the books I enjoyed are on them.
In picture books, I really enjoyed Mars! Earthlings Welcome, and The Rock from the Sky.
In SFF, We Could Be Heroes by Mike Chen & Hard Reboot by Django Wexler were fantastic.
In romance, I enjoyed The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon.
In general fiction, The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris was weird and memorable. But it had a lot of buzz, so I expect to see it already included.
I haven't managed to check in for a long time now. I hope I can finish the challenge in the next three months but I'm not putting too much pressure on myself.Currently Reading
The Fireman by Joe Hill (same title as a song). It's good but it could have been at least 200 pages shorter. I'm starting to putter out and skim in the last quarter.
Why Does E=mc²? by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw (former DNF). I'm glad I'm giving this another chance. I think I just needed more headspace for a science-heavy book.
Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol by Holly Whittaker (starts with Q). I like it so far, and it's helping me cut alcohol out of my life.
Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch by Rivka Galchen. Just started, but this seems right up my alley.
QotW
I might write in She's Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard for best YA thriller/suspense if it's not nominated (and if that's even a category? I can't remember tbh)
Magical RealismThe Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova. I really enjoyed it and would have given it five stars if the organization had been a bit better. It goes back and forth in time and jumps POV.
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manasala. Cozy mystery. Cute. Would make a good Hallmark Movie and Mysteries Movie.
QOTW
I vote in the final rounds but I never really pay attention to the Goodreads awards. It's a popularity contest and if the author has enough of a following, they get the "award" even if their book sucked.
It's been a while, but I've been making slow progress. I'm feeling a little burnt out - lots of illnesses in our household lately. Yes, I'm glad it's not Covid, but sinus infection, then stomach bug, then nasty cold are no fun.However, I've declared Halloween season to be started, and I'm having fun with decorations for the house, as well as finding spooky stuff to watch, read, and listen to. Now I just need to shoehorn some of them into the PS challenge!
Finished
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - A book about forgetting - I liked this, even though it dragged a bit in the middle for me.
Currently Reading
Kill Creek - A book featuring three generations (grandparent, parent, child) (???) - This sort of has three generations of horror novelists (Venerable: a Stephen King type with a soupcon of Lovecraft perhaps; Adult: A literary horror writer with a tragedy in his past; The Kids: A guy who writes Goosebumps-style books with a Christian bent, who’s constantly bickering with a woman who’s basically Chuck Palahniuk with less restraint and good taste. So I might get away with using it for this prompt. It’s quite variable in quality so far, inspiring me to highlight one passage for its insight, then another for its laughable ineptitude. It’ll be interesting to see how it shakes out overall.
I gave up on Sabriel because I just wasn’t interested. I feel bad! Maybe in another season it’ll click for me.
I’m also re-reading my friend’s book. It’s actually a hard job being a beta-reader!
QOTW
Probably not - I don’t pay a ton of attention to whether a book is new. But I do enjoy looking at the nominations and voting for my favorites!
Busy week at work, though it's quietened down a bit today. I'm doing the ATY readathon too, so I have lots of books finished, and creeping closer to finishing Popsugar.Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert for ATY (USA Today 100 black authors list). I just didn't quite click with the characters, something felt a bit inconsistent and then they went from hate to lust so quickly. Quick, easy read though.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo for mineral in title. This was a lovely novella, looking forward to reading the next one. I wish her full length novels were published in the UK. It's really hard/expensive to get imports right now.
Lanny by Max Porter for black and white cover. I really had no idea what this was about, but it's an excellent novel on the psyche of a home counties village.
The Women of Troy by Pat Barker for ATY (title refers to persons without using their name). I loved The Silence of the Girls, was was happy to revisit Briseis, but this was just lacking in hope for the women. It's set at a bit of an awkward period in the story, when they're stuck waiting for the weather to turn, so not much is happening. So a bit disappointing.
Green Rising by Lauren James for set in multiple countries. Totally capturing the teen zeitgeist of the moment, this book focused on climate change sees teenagers developing the power to grow plants from their bodies, and how they take on the type of companies doing the most damage.
Currently reading The House in the Cerulean Sea and listening to Q.
PS: 43/50 | ATY: 42/52 | GR: 93/100
QOTW:
I suspect a lot of my five star 2021 releases will be in the first round anyway, but I always try and find some books to write in. Maybe Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home (memoir) and House of Hollow (I guess YA SFF). There's usually a lot of competition for what I want to vote for in fantasy.
Hi All. I finished two books for the week. I'm also doing the ATY Read-A-Thon. I'm currently reading The Obelisk Gate I've slowed down considerably because this book is harder than the contemporary romances I started the week with. Shelter Mountain 3 stars. I started the series in 2020 so I could watch the Netflix show. I just got to book 2 so I can watch season 2.
Whispering Rock 3 stars. I should be very good to watch season 2 now.
QOTW I vote but I can't remember writing in nominees.
Happy Thursday, y’all.Is there anyone out there who uses the Overdrive e-book borrowing system who's having issues with it? I like to keep an Overdrive book open in my browser so I can tab over to read a bit while doing other things, but my current book is refusing to open in browser at all. I found a workaround (getting the Kindle copy and reading it in the Kindle app) but it's still frustrating...
Books read this week:
They Threw Us Away -- think “Toy Story” if it was directed by Tim Burton, but without the macabre sense of humor and all the “macabre” intact. Surprisingly joyless, but rather effectively creepy. It is the first in a series, so expect to have a lot of unanswered questions by the end…
The Last Unicorn: The Lost Journey -- if you like The Last Unicorn, you’ll most likely find this interesting. It’s the short story that ended up developing into the book and movie so many people love, and while it’s obviously a rough draft it’s still fascinating to see a classic in its early stages.
Carolina Booty -- predictable but surprisingly cute story about an Atlanta advertising agent trying to revitalize a quirky small town. You can pretty much predict every story beat, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t enjoyable. Some distracting typos though.
The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit -- the story of Christopher Knight, who lived as a hermit in the Maine woods for over two decades before being arrested for burglary. Knight himself is a complex and occasionally unlikable person, but this was still a fascinating account that manages to find some sympathy in a complicated figure.
All My Friends Are Ghosts -- graphic novel. Cute premise of a school for ghosts, but both the story and the worldbuilding felt choppy and incomplete. Fun designs for the ghosts, though...
DNF:
St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves -- I read the first story and gave up. Maybe I should have expected not to like it, seeing as I was NOT a fan of Swamplandia!, but I guess I had some hope that her short stories were better than her novel. Especially since Vampires in the Lemon Grove: Stories was at least halfway decent.
Here, There Be Dragons -- looked like a good premise, but just wasn’t holding my attention. It didn’t help that little effort was made to get us to care about the characters before throwing us into the story...
Currently Reading:
All Creatures Great and Small
Velveteen vs. The Junior Super Patriots
The Story of Doctor Dolittle
My Family and Other Animals
QOTW:
I'm very much a "read what appeals to me" kind of reader, so I rarely pay much attention to the Goodreads Choice awards. And I don't read enough new books for me to feel like my vote really counts for much -- how can I say which new book is the best when I've only read one in that category...
Update on the Overdrive issue -- it appears to only be that ONE specific book that won't open. I tried it with other libraries' Overdrive systems and with other books from the same library, and it seems to be working fine. Must be a glitch in the system...
Happy Thursday! I finished some books this week after finishing none last week. So that's a relief. I completed the ATY challenge, and am 2 books away from completing Popsugar. Really looking forward to catching up on some streaming.Finished:
Coming Home for '90s bestseller. While I liked this book a lot, I don't know that I would recommend a 40 hour audiobook to anyone. I had to speed it up in order to finish the 21 day loan.
Klara and the Sun
Currently reading:
Acceptance Listening to the audiobook.
Dial A for Aunties
QOTW:
Most of my 5 star books were not from 2021. Maybe Seven Days in June if it doesn't make it in.
This past week has been horrendous. Things have gotten so hectic at work that I had to speak to my manager about my workload yesterday. I hate doing that! But everyone in leadership was really supportive and proactive in reassigning work and rearranging my schedule so I have time to get caught up. This morning has already gone better. But I haven’t done any reading after work (or anything else, really) so I don’t have a lot to report otherwise.Reading
Hydra by Holly Scott and Jaimie Duncan (a random book from your TBR)
A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen (a book with an oxymoron in the title). Yes, I am stretching the category to it’s breaking point.
QOTW
I feel like most of the books I’ve read and loved this year will get nominated without my write-in vote. Although, come to think of it, I may have only read one book published in 2021. I’ve been focusing more on reading books I’ve owned for awhile.
Hello! On Monday I realized that by signing up to be a Hugo Voter like I did earlier in the spring, I actually have to Vote on the Hugos. Which means I have to Read all the works nominated for the Hugos. And voting ends in two months. Insert freakout here. I've been telling myself I could wait until I got the physical packet of works, but with voting ending in two months, there's probably not going to be a physical voters packet. So I really need to get to it.Then yesterday, for our furnace check-up, the furnace failed, and we ended up buying a new one. Parts for our furnace are apparently stupid expensive, and there's other parts that will fail eventually, so we decided to get a new one rather than throw money at the current one and hope that fixes it. They had our new one in stock, and they're coming Monday to install it, so we should be all set once it snows. I keep telling myself that it's not cold yet, and better to have it break before you need it than when it's 20 below and snowing.
I've also just realized that September is apparently Our Month for appliances breaking. In September 2018, the water heater broke. In September 2020, the fridge. And now in 2021, the furnace. Will need to brace myself next September. *eyes dishwasher*
Finished This Week:
The Brightest Fell / Night and Silence / The Unkindest Tide by Seanan McGuire. Continued the reread of the October Daye series as prep for the next one that came out on Tuesday (which still hasn't shipped yet). I also realized it counted as Hugo prep, since the series is up for Best Series. Not for prompt.
The Patient Bridegroom by Barbara Cartland. One of the challenges I'm doing this year had a prompt for Read a book by Barbara Cartland, who was a very prolific British romance author. My library did not have many of her books, but I found this one at Half Price Books for like a dollar. It was not a good book, but it was short. The contrivances at the end to make everything a happy ending were so bad. Not for PS Prompt.
Finna by Nino Cipri. One of the novellas nominated for a Hugo. It was fun. Ava works at an IKEA knock-off, and has to work her day off because someone else called in sick. By working her day off, she has to work with Jules, her ex, three days after the breakup. And then a customer disappears, wandering through a portal in the store. It's up to Ava and Jules to go through the portal and get the customer back, as they have the least seniority. I had this one pulled out as looking interesting before the Hugo nominations, so it was where I started. Quite enjoyed it. Not for PS prompt.
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse. I had this picked out as my Indigenous author prompt for PS, ATY and Read Harder, but the controversy around the author has me thinking I'll read something else too. The book itself was quite good.
PS: 39/50 RH: 15/24 RW: 18/28 ATY: 48/52 GR: 133/150
Currently Reading:
I Almost Forgot About You by Terry McMillan. My book about my dream job, optometrist, but most mentions of her job so far are how boring it is. It was one of only two books I could find starring eye doctors, though, so sticking with it. About 60% done.
The Cruelty Is the Point: The Past, Present, and Future of Trump's America by Adam Serwer. Made it past halfway, only like six essays to go.
At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor / Pride and Prejudice / Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Haven't gotten back to these yet, but not abandoned. Yet.
QotW: Are there any books you might consider writing in for the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards nominations? What are the titles and genres?
It seems like most of the new 2021 books I'm aware of are non-fiction, but I'm realizing I haven't actually read any of those, since I'm still waiting on the library to get the physical copies in. I'll probably write-in The Kaepernick Effect: Taking a Knee, Changing the World by Dave Zirin even if I haven't read it yet. I expect Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution to make the later rounds, and I'll likely vote for it.
Fiction wise, I'll write-in Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews because it's still my favorite thing I've read all year. Yours Cheerfully by A.J. Pearce too, since I don't expect that one to be as popular, and I like to write-in books that others are unlikely to nominate. I expect Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells to be a finalist, and I'll certainly vote for it.
Mod
so how does that work? They send you the list of nominees, and you are personally responsible for acquiring and reading all of them? Can you still vote if you haven't read all of them?
Also, my garage door opener broke last week, so I guess September really is the month of appliance failures!
Still stuck at home right now, but surprisingly not getting much reading done. I finished:
A Desperate Place: A McKenna and Riggs Novel: I thought the main characters contrasted each other in an interesting way, but I did feel that one character was more genuine and well developed than the other. I only rated it 3 stars, but I do think I would read a second book in this series.
Currently reading:
Always Watching: I love Chevy Stevens, and this one is really good, but I'm struggling a little bit to commit to it because it is pretty depressing.
Follow Me: I know I was semi-enjoying this, but I haven't picked it up in over a week, so I'm not sure.
Never Saw Me Coming: This one really caught my attention and has mostly kept it. I find it really interesting and different.
QOTW:
I never notice the Goodreads awards until it is time to vote, so I can't think of anything that I would write in. I have been a little underwhelmed with new releases this year. I can't think of one that really knocked my socks off.
Kenya, it is true that the characterization and background of the main characters in Here, There Be Dragons does not go much beyond Oxford scholars dealing with World War I. However, you should flip to the end and see their full names, as all three are real people who existed at that time. This is the only book in the series that I recommend, mostly for the fantasy mash-up aspect of it.Question of the Week:
So far, I would write in Skywalker: A Family at War by Kristin Baver for Science Fiction.
Finished:
Legacy of the Force: Inferno by Troy Denning (3/5, reread)
Parker Pyne Investigates by Agatha Christie (3/5)
This collection is decent Christie, but I would only recommend it if you are looking for something a little different from murder mysteries.
Currently reading:
The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott
Sarek by A.C. Crispin (reread)
Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie
Nadine wrote: "so how does that work? They send you the list of nominees, and you are personally responsible for acquiring and reading all of them? Can you still vote if you haven't read all of them?"They sent a link to a digital packet of materials back in May when voting opened. I thought I'd be getting a physical packet too, and told myself to wait for that. But now with only two months to go, it looks like I'll have to use the digital versions. According to the site, they provided password protected links to the nominated movies, and the game studios have arranged for ways to play the nominated games.
I'm sure they don't actually police that you've read everything before you cast a vote, but I'd feel better voting for my favorite authors if I've at least read some of the competition. I see I've already naturally read four of the six series up for Best Series - Murderbot, October Daye, The Poppy War and Lady Astronaut, which cuts down on probably the most time consuming category. But I've only read two of the six up for Best Novel, two of Best Novella, and none of most of the rest of the categories.
Well, I've continued my study of Studly Men and Hunky Dogs this past week. Finished:The entire K-9 Series by D.D. Ayres - actually a reread of all but the last one published in 2017: Irresistible Force, Necessary Force, Force of Attraction, Primal Force, Rival Forces, Explosive Forces, and Physical Forces. Met some spectacular dogs, definitely studly men, kickass women, and some pretty good adventure, thriller, and suspense plots. Oh, and a bit of steamy sex.
But now time to get back to more serious reading. Or at least challenge reading as I still have at least 10 to read for PS. I'm starting X Marks the Scot (title starts with X) and picking up again A Suitable Boy (longest in length on my TBR). I also will be dipping back into the essays in This Cold Heaven: Seven Seasons in Greenland to finish for another group challenge.
QOTW: I'm always astonished at how few of the books nominated for and then ultimately voted GR Choice are books I know, have read, or even want to read ever. I do usually write in during the first round, picking those books that stood out to me during the year and which I recommend to others routinely. I can say off the top of my head that I will want to see The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and She Who Became the Sun as options. Alas, they are likely to be in the same category. There might be a couple of others. Part of the problem is that I read very little that is recently published. Books have to 'ripen' on my TBR Towers for a bit before I read them.
Nadine wrote: "so how does that work? They send you the list of nominees, and you are personally responsible for acquiring and reading all of them? Can you still vote if you haven't read all of them?..."You get most the nominees in ebook form, if you want to read them before you vote. I basically paid to be a voter to get all the October Daye series, because I'm missing a lot of the short stories.
I had read a lot of what was in the packet anyway, so I'm probably voting based on that rather than trying to read everything.
Hi all, This week I finished:
The God Dilemma - keep reading rat queens, but it never was quite as good as the first few arcs. Seems like it might be done for now, feel like that's probably ok.
Training Camp - my book on my tbr with prettiest cover. This thing is so extra, I got it in part because it was so pretty, and because the lady behind the desk was so enthusiastic. Its red and flocked, embossed gold designs and lettering, built in red and gold ribbon book mark, burgundy edged pages, colored illustrations between sections and at the start of each chapter etc. I admit when I got it, i only knew Kobe Bryant was a basketball player and nothing else. Around when he died I'd also heard about some other unsavory allegations. So I did have mixed feelings reading it, but I figured I already owned it and it was actually written by Wesley King. I enjoyed it more than i expected. Basketball wizards, who knew.
Currently reading:
The Broken Kingdoms - still going on audio book, got a couple hours left still. WIll be my zodiac prompt.
Tipping the Velvet - will be my 90's bestseller. It's good so far.
QOTW:
Not really. I read a fair amount of new releases this year, but i think most of them are likely to get nominated without my help. (Murderbot, The Galaxy the Ground Within, Project Hail Mary). I don't think I read anything brand new that wouldn't already get nominated, aside from Stealing from Wizards: Volume 2: Burglary. But i feel like not enough people would have even heard of it, much less read it, to have a point in the nomination.
Happy Thursday! My baby started preschool this week. She did fine, I sobbed my eyes out! No one warns you that it's going to be like this! T.TFinished 39/50
Edgedancer for "book your best friend would like". It was even about a character I know he'd love! Poor guy just needs more time to read.
Currently Reading
Oathbringer for "book from your TBR chosen at random". I had Google roll a number for me based on the number of books on my TBR list, and THIS was what it chose, and I could NOT be happier, because I LOVE this series and cannot WAIT to continue it! It is a TOME though so....we're gonna be here for awhile.
QotW
I don't follow awards ceremonies anywhere for anything because I'm always at least 5 years behind trends. XDDDDD
Melissa wrote: “Then yesterday, for our furnace check-up, the furnace failed, and we ended up buying a new one. Parts for our furnace are apparently stupid expensive, and there's other parts that will fail eventually, so we decided to get a new one rather than throw money at the current one and hope that fixes it...I keep telling myself that it's not cold yet, and better to have it break before you need it than when it's 20 below and snowing.”Definitely better to find out now, before you actually need it, as happened with a friend’s furnace in 2019. A bunch of us had gotten together for an annual winter get-together, and woke the next morning to discover the heat had gone out overnight. While it wasn’t the coldest day of the year, it was below freezing with heavy snow — not to mention that it was a weekend, so extra money to get someone over there that day. They weren’t able to install a new one until Monday, so she was without heat for two days.
It’s almost like appliances know when the most inconvenient time to break down would be. Her AC went out this summer at start of a week when we hit 90 (with heat index near 100) four consecutive days — so she had no AC for a couple of those days. As hard as that can be for the humans, it was especially rough on the cats.
Finished four books since last week, two of which were already in progress. Progress
Goodreads: 94/100 (24 ahead)
Popsugar: 41/50 (only 9 to go!)
Finished:
* The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle — listened to an audiobook version via YouTube.
* The Book That Made Me by Judith Ridge — Collection of essays by authors from Australia and New Zealand on the book(s) that made them a reader and/or writer. Used to fill the prompt “a favorite prompt from a previous challenge (book with a book on the cover).”
* The Book Stops Here by Kate Carlisle — Book 8 in her “Bibliophile” series. Used to fill “a book about a subject you are passionate about (books!).”
* The Target by Catherine Coulter — Book three in her FBI series. Used to fill “a book by a blogger” — she blogs regularly. This one would also fit “a bestseller from the 1990s.”
Currently reading:
As I finished two books yesterday, I haven’t yet decided what I will start next. Probably one of this month’s selections for the classics group, as there are two I would like to read this month. They’re both short enough, I should be able to finish one of them today.
QOTW:
I haven’t read any new releases yet this year, as I have been paring down Mount TBR and have no budget. I do have one borrowed from a friend, so guess it depends on whether I get to it before the voting starts.
Finished: The Wander Society This has a fun premise to induct oneself into a secret society of wanderers. It got terrible reviews and I think other readers took it too seriously!Continuing: Teaching Reading in Social Studies, Science, and Math: Practical Ways to Weave Comprehension Strategies into Your Content Area Teaching Structured by before, during, and after learning activities, this book is mainstream, straight forward, and helpful.
Qotw:] Definitely Real which was amazing and The Premonition: A Pandemic Story which was timely.
Mod
Wait!!! This book was a best seller in the 90s?!! or are you flexing the category a bit? (No judgment. I just want to know if I can use this book myself or not.)
Hi all! I didn't have any appointments with clients scheduled for today, so I requested to work from home and my boss agreed. It was supposed to be a nice quiet day, get caught up on some paperwork, make a few quick phone calls.... yeah, it has turned into well, not that! So I decided to take a 10 minute mental health break and post here!Oh, I'm getting my 3rd covid shot tomorrow, since I'm immune compromised.
I haven't finished anything in what seems like ages (really, probably about 3 weeks) and it's making me cranky. I have several good books going right now, but I just can't find time or energy to read!
I'm closest to finishing The Perfect Horse: the Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis, but that's still got 150 pages left. I feel like the American section dragged more than the European section, but now I'm getting to the horse rescuing section, so I hope it picks back up again.
I've gotten a little more listening done with The Night Watchman but what the heck is up with (view spoiler)
I've also listened to about an hour of Mexican Whiteboy and something just happened that makes me wonder about the reliability of the main character.
I'd like to get back to She Who Became the Sun, Tipping the Velvet and Les Miserables, but there's just not enough time!
QOTW: I don't usually read enough new stuff to vote in the GR awards, let alone suggest something. I do like to look back on the previous nominees and see what looks like good reading for future books, but I agree the winners are chosen by name recognition, not necessarily quality.
I've been enjoying some much needed time off the past couple of weeks, which is why I skipped last week's check-in. Since I skipped, I decided to post two weeks' worth of updates here. I finished five books (used two for open prompts) in that time. I'm now at 22/40 and 3/10 for this challenge, and 46/100 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge. Finished:
* Midnight at Malabar House by Vaseem Khan, which was one of my book club's picks for this month. We all enjoyed it and thought it was a great start to a new mystery series (I plan to continue with it);
* How to Fly in Ten Thousand Easy Lessons by Barbara Kingsolver--I don't read a ton of poetry but decided to give this one a try because this is one of my favorite authors and enjoyed it overall;
* Her Perfect Life by Hank Phillippi Ryan, which I received as a digital ARC (as one of the "Super Readers") and managed to read/review before the publication date (phew! the book came out on Tuesday). It was a fast, enjoyable bit of escapism. Some of the other reviews I read were lukewarm, but it hit the right vacation read note for me last week;
* The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafón and translated by Lucia Graves, which I used for "a book about do-overs or fresh starts." I love this series so much and am looking forward to diving into the final book (despite its length -- 800+ pages!) soon; and,
* The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams, which was a NetGalley copy I received from William Morrow via the (now-defunct) Book Club Girls FB group. I used it for "a book featuring three generations (grandparent, parent, and child)." I cannot recommend this book highly enough!
Currently Reading:
* Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach, which is my other book club's pick for September. I'm halfway done with it and will likely start another book today or tomorrow.
QotW:
Are there any books you might consider writing in for the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards nominations? What are the titles and genres? If it's not listed, I will definitely write in the book I finished last night -- The Reading List -- for the general fiction category. I was not expecting to be hit so hard by this book, but I was reading the last chapter through tears last night because I was so moved. Even though it dealt with sad/difficult issues, I found it hopeful and touching. I didn't want it to end!
Wow - I found a break in meetings today so I better take advantage of that to get to the check-in! This week I finished:
Dominicana This was one of those cases where the interview with the author bumped my rating from 4.25 to 4.75 (rounding for Goodreads, 4 stars to 5 stars). Maybe every book should include that? Learning about some of those things behind the writing always helps me appreciate it more. But either way this was a great Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month read.
The Anthropocene Reviewed This was a unique idea, and I'm generally interested in the whole podcasts-turned-into-books thing since I don't know how to make time for podcast listening when I'm always listening to books. This was a heartfelt collection of observations, although it felt like a very "white" perspective. Some important things were recognized though, so I gave it 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5)
Assata: An Autobiography This was great! I learned a lot and look forward to discussing with one of my book clubs. 5 stars
The Longest Night I learned about this book because the author was the babysitter for my cousins and my Aunt has been following her writing career since. It's awesome how much success she had with this debut! I thought it was a great story. 4 stars
I'm currently listening to The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War and reading The Art of Description: World into Word in print.
QOTW: I'm glad you asked - does anyone remember when voting typically starts for this? I love book awards in their ability to help new/under-supported/resourced writers. When awards go to super accomplished, already wealthy from writing success, huge name writers it's a waste, in my opinion (with a few exceptions, when big-name writers come out with something really incredible that makes waves in the world). BUT awards can mean lesser known, new, BIPOC, poor, disabled, etc. writers can get significant visibility and it can boost interest/sales in their book. This could mean they are able to afford to write full time, which is ultimately a win for readers as well. So with the Goodreads awards I look for those books aligned with who I'd like to see get more attention. Sometimes those books are already in the running, sometimes they need to be written in. Not knowing which books will already be nominated, I might consider writing in any of these 5-star books I've read this year:
Fiction:
**The Removed
**Hell of a Book
**Things We Lost to the Water
**What Strange Paradise
Bolla
Skye Falling
The Atmospherians
Detransition, Baby
Ace of Spades
**How to Order the Universe
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
Infinite Country
One of the Good Ones
Nonfiction:
**Bird Uncaged: An Abolitionist's Freedom Song
On Juneteenth
You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience
Sure, I'll Be Your Black Friend: Notes from the Other Side of the Fist Bump
¡Hola Papi!: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons
Home Is Not a Country
**The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together
Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019
**Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping
What Doesn't Kill You: A Life with Chronic Illness - Lessons from a Body in Revolt
Aftershocks
** means I'm cheering the hardest for these
Lauren wrote: "does anyone remember when voting typically starts for this?"The first round is usually the very end of October or very early November.
poshpenny wrote: "Lauren wrote: "does anyone remember when voting typically starts for this?"The first round is usually the very end of October or very early November."
Got it - thanks!
It took me ages to find, so here is the handy linky where you can peruse the past year's books and dateshttps://www.goodreads.com/choiceaward...
Happy Thursday All! This week work was the most stressful it has been in a loooong time. But I still managed to do some reading!Finished:
Every Last Fear by Alex Finley. This was really good. I love mysteries and this one knocked it out of the park. Even though I knew kind of what happened I still wanted to race through the book to know the how/why of it. Highly recommend.
Currently Reading:
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie. I was hoping to finish this before it was due back to the library (tomorrow) BUT I am only 100-ish pages in and don't think I will finish by tomorrow. I will just have to re-check it out to finish.
Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy. I was surprised that this one was available through the library - HULU has the series starting soon and I have been wanting to read this for a long time.
QOTW:
I usually end up reading the winners of the Choice Awards the following year. I read most of the winners of 2020 in 2021. I have written in one before and they didn't end up winning but did make it to the final round which was cool. I think that if Every Last Fear isn't nominated I would add that to the Mystery list.
Nadine wrote: "Sheri wrote: "... Tipping the Velvet - will be my 90's bestseller. It's good so far. ..."Wait!!! This book was a best seller in the 90s?!! or are you flexing the category a bit? (No judgment. I..."
Nadine, it looks like Tipping the Velvet was published in 1998 and won a few lit awards. The New York Times included it on its list of Notable Books of the Year.
Nadine, it's on the listopia for the prompt, so I assumed it was! Unless someone stretched it to add it. The book's wiki says it was on several lists for best books of '98-'99 at least. And I keep seeing Sarah Waters listed as a best selling author. So whatever, I'm counting it as close enough
It's getting cool! Woohoo! I am so not a summer lover. I mean, summer is fine, it's heat I don't like. I had to wear my beanie on the way to work last night. Cocoa and chili with cheese, here I come!I actually took the time to fill in some of the spots on my list the other day so now I am at least 42/50. (I have still not bothered picking an old prompt so there are a couple like this I could fill in if I wanted to.)
My reading feels like it was all over the place this week. I'm fine with that.
Finished:
The Man with the Silver Saab - The most soothing detective novels ever. I'd like to go back and add Ulf to my list of characters I'd be friends with.
The Winterhouse Mysteries - Finale to the middle grade trilogy. The audio experience was... well I'm very happy I can skip ahead a bit. There is a particular type of visual image/clue that I cannot tell you the name of or show an example, because audiobook. This image/clue/thingy is made, somehow, of letters/words, and if you look at it just right you can see a word. Except... audiobook. The narrator READ OUT all of the letters/sounds/words in the image! It took MINUTES each time one appeared in the book. Not only could I not see the clue, I had to listen to nonsense for ages. I'd like to give a high-five to whoever put little skip ahead buttons on audiobook apps. Unfortunately, I'd like to see these things, and there was a PDF with the library loan, but none of my devices can read those. When did that become a thing?
Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village - I loved this, it made me actually LOL a couple of times. It's quite short and very illustrated. It's clearly written by someone who watches Midsomer Murders and reads Edward Gorey. I'd love one for my shelf.
Harlem Shuffle - The new Colson Whitehead! I enjoyed it. Far less gut-wrenching than this last couple.
Address Unknown - This. Was. So. Good. Sometimes short fiction can really pack a punch. You should read it. Hey, Banned Books Week is Sept 26 – Oct 2, and it was banned by the Nazis. There's a great excuse for you. It's terrifying that this book is still relevant. And Ooooo that ending.
Skunk and Badger - What a weird little book.
Fairy Godmothers, Inc. - What a weird little romance book.
Currently Reading:
The Extraordinary Adventures Of Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar - I do love a gentleman thief.
Defekt
QOTW:
I might, it depends. If something I thought should be there gets left off, yes I probably will nominate something. Not like it matters, write-ins never get very far.
I am calling a winner though. There is literally zero chance The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country doesn't win poetry. Zero.
Happy Thursday! This week one of my favorite customer brought me an extra copy of the book Replay- we'd been talking about time travel books, and that was one of his favorites. The rest of the week wasn't great, but that was a really nice surprise!Finished:
Klara and the Sun- this reminded me how much I love Kazuo Ishiguro's writing. I think the book lost steam towards the end, but I still really enjoyed it
Currently Reading:
The Road Trip- I got this back from overdrive, but my loan is almost up again, so we'll see if I can actually finish it
QotW:
I never do write in nominations, but if I did it would be for Bullet Train for mystery/thriller or I'm Waiting for You and Other Stories for Sci-Fi.
I'm always very excited to see what gets nominated for the awards, but then I'm usually pretty disappointed with what wins. It feels like it's always just the bog name authors that get the attention.
Melissa wrote: "Finna by Nino Cipri. One of the novellas nominated for a Hugo. It was fun. Ava works at an IKEA knock-off, and has to work her day off because someone else called in sick."I am reading Defekt, which is about the guy who called in sick! Oh Derek...
poshpenny wrote: "I am reading Defekt, which is about the guy who called in sick! Oh Derek..."Oh fun! I'll have to find that one.
Hi everyone. It has been so busy this week but I squeezed in a lot of reading on my commute and managed to finish two books.First up was In the Full Light of the Sun. I hated all the characters in the first third of the book. Then the POV changed and there was suddenly someone to root for. But then the POV changed again to someone new and it feels like you never really get a satisfying conclusion to the other characters' storylines.
Secondly I finished The Diamond of Drury Lane which wasn't quite as described. There wasn't as much theatre in the book as I was expecting (view spoiler) and the main character made a lot of idiotic mistakes but it was an enjoyable bit of fluff.
QOTW: I have only read a couple of 2021 releases and they're probably already on the list.
Theresa wrote: "Well, I've continued my study of Studly Men and Hunky Dogs this past week. Finished:The entire K-9 Series by D.D. Ayres - actually a reread of all but the last one published in 2..."
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was nominated for the Goodreads choice awards last year (It came in second place for fantasy)
Happy Thursday. With the ATY read-a-thon going, I've got a lot to report for this week.My Stats:
Popsugar: 46/50
ATY: 46/52
ATY Rejects: 21/25
Books I finished:
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved this!!! It hooked me right away, and I didn't have any problems with it dragging. I used it for A book your best friend would love because if it was turned into a movie, I can see my best friend loving it (She doesn't enjoy reading.)
Cruel Fate ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This is a short Cainsville novella set after the series. I was left wanting a bit, but I still love the overall series.
Rule of Wolves ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - And now I've read all the grishaverse books so far. I really loved this but I ended up having to speed through it because I waited until right before the library was going to take it away before I really got into it. Now I just have to wait for the next book....
Sweet Little Lies ⭐⭐⭐ - Normally I prefer reading a series in order, but with these fun yet silly romances I don't really care. So I've finally read the first book in the series. I still prefer the Wildstone books.
The Magic Fish ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This was a wonderful surprise. I had added it my list after last years Goodreads Choice Awards and then forgot about it. Then my sister had it and I figured it work for the read-a-thon, so I added it to my pile not expecting much. But it was so sweet and heartwarming and the artwork was gorgeous. I used it for A book featuring 3 generations because it has 3 fairytales from 3 perspectives, the MC who is a kid, his great aunt and his mother.
Unqualified ⭐⭐⭐ - This was fine. I like celeb memoirs and this was better then some, but it wasn't the best either. 🤷♀️
Don't Lose Your Head: Life Lessons from the Six Ex-Wives of Henry VIII ⭐⭐⭐ - It was funny. I still have a weakness for any Tudor related book, and this was no exception. But it didn't tell me anything new.
Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I wasn't sure if I was going to try this one. The artwork looked beautiful, but the plot synopsis turned me off. But it worked for the read-a-thon and it did draw me in despite some of the plot points.
One for the Money ⭐⭐⭐ - I love the movie, but the book has sat on my night stand waiting for me to read it for years!! So I feel a sense of accomplishment for finishing this. I still love the movie, but now that I've read a couple of her books, I gotta say I don't think Janet Evanovich is my cup of tea.
Books I made progress on:
Me Artsy
DNF
Mr. Kiss and Tell - I will probably try this again some time, but now that I don't need it for a challenge, I'm just letting it drop off my list.
QOTW
I normally wait to see what gets nominated for the first round before I start figuring out my write-ins. I always end up wishing I could write in multiple books for the Fantasy category but the books for other categories that I love are usually already nominated. I will give a shout out to Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever for the nonfiction section.
Mod
ah! thanks for explaining it
It's amazing how much better my health is now that the temps aren't in the 90s and the air isn't so smoky. I'm a new person. Got a haircut and then a mani/pedi today, so I feel pampered and relaxed. Lovely morning.My mental health is also better because I'm consuming less news. I finally realized that the world will go on one way or the other whether I know everything about the craziness or not. The quote in my planner this month is by Maya Angelou: "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." I took it to heart. If you can't believe Maya, who can you believe?
Finished
I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel - 4 stars; PS #31 [book by a blogger]
This was a delightful book of essays about the reading life. My friend gave me a copy, which was great as I underlined a bunch of it and I suppose the library would have frowned on such behavior. :) I love readers almost as much as I love books. Well, at least half as much.
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton - 4 stars; PS #50 (free book)
This book was given to me by a friend, and I've now passed it on to a Little Free Library. What a wild ride this one is! I really enjoyed how this portrayed the world of making music, including the racism and feminism issues involved. And I adored Opal, although she would probably terrify me in real life by her living so large.
Currently reading
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (audiobook)
The Guncle by Steven Rowley
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts - my last, and longest, book of the challenge
Goodreads: 83/100
Popsugar: 45/45, 9/10
QOTW:
I've nominated a couple of books in the past, but they never make it to the first stage. There are a couple I might try this year (like Opal & Nev above or Sooley by John Grisham). I'm not crazy about their eligibility dates for these awards - some books that are eligible will not be released until the final round is in process. Hardly seems fair.
Mod
Have you read her other books? The "Heartbreaker Bay" series wasn't my favorite - too many muffins, and the whole storyline with the homeless guy just struck me as not funny and completely not realistic. I haven't read the Wildstone books (nor have I read the Lucky Harbor books) but I really liked her "Animal Magnetism" series. There are still a lot of pastries, but somehow it didn't annoy me like the muffins annoyed me in the Heartbreaker Bay series.
Christine wrote: "However, I've declared Halloween season to be started, and I'm having fun with decorations for the house, as well as finding spooky stuff to watch, read, and listen to."I'm not much for Halloween decorating and such, but I do like to find a good read or two that is a little creepy but not scary for my tender sensibilities. This comment sent me down a rabbit hole of finding this year's book(s). Thanks, I think.
Happy check-in! Where I live everything is about covid and the election again. Wasn't the year of 2020 supposed to be a loop not 2021? Anyway the leaves are changing colours and days are a little cooler. :( I did go and get my first pumpkin spice latte so that's good. (yep I'm one of those people) My one book club has a fun monthly challenge going on that has prompted me to read quite a bit this month.Finished Reading;
Lock In ⭐⭐⭐ (2017 got on a trip)
Well I was going to read a John Scalzi book for the online blogger etc. prompt and then I saw this to take at the library so I grabbed it without reading the synopsis. It's a plague book... so this sat on the pile for awhile until now. A trip to the library is the best I'm going to do for the trip prompt so oh well. This was a solid read with pleasant writing. Murder mystery meets plague and politics.
Love for Beginners ⭐⭐⭐
I like this series but this is not the best in it. A standard romance book with the main character restarting her life after a near fatal car accident and coma.
The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I've only read the first three books of this series and world created by Cassandra Clare. I love the movie and tv show. So graphic novels are awesome too. I just really need to reread the books and continue the series.
Wilf Perreault: In the Alley / Dans la ruelle ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (2017 book with a subtitle)
A coffee table art book about an artist I like. It was a little pretentious when the gallery people had things to say but the collected poetry inspired by specific paintings was great. Plus pretty pictures. :)
Mistletoe in Paradise ⭐⭐⭐
A mindless novella set at Christmas in a series I like.
PS 2021 42/50
PS 2017 43/52
Goodreads 188/200
Currently Reading:
Cemetery Boys BOTM really enjoying this even though it's a bit predictable
Monstress, Vol. 2: The Blood
Green Willow And Other Japanese Fairy Tales
She Who Became the Sun
QOTW:
Seeing how you can only write in the first round I usually try to for all the categories I can. I've read 31 new publications this year. I usually try and write in for favourite authors because awards can bump sales which means more books hopefully.
5 stars this year worth my vote:
Lore by Alexandra Bracken ya fantasy
You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Amber Ruffin not sure humour, memoir, non fiction
Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews fantasy
The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey Science Fiction
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maasfantasy ( she doesn't need to win though)
Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo fantasy
Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells science fiction
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren romance
The Tea Dragon Tapestry by Kay O'Neill middle grade, graphic novel
Bubble by Jordan Morris graphic novel
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang romance
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes ya mystery
Still got a month to find additions.
@Nadine the wildstone series is great but I haven't read anything else by her. Each book is centered in Wildstone California but characters are always unconnected. The books follow more than two characters so there's usually sibling dynamics to laugh at while the romance happens.
Nadine wrote: "Kendra wrote: "Sweet Little Lies ⭐⭐⭐ - Normally I prefer reading a series in order, but with these fun yet silly romances I don't really care. So I've finally read the first book in the series. I s..."Now that I've read book 1, I only have 1 more book and 1 more novella to go in the series. My library availability is to blame for why I read it so much out of order. I haven't tried Lucky Harbor yet (That's on the plan for next year) I have been going through Animal Magnatism and that one I'm actually reading in order. I'm waiting on book 5 to come in right now.
And the love of pastries didn't bother me so much - possibly because I understand that sentiment. The obsession with weight and needed to work off the calories not so much.
Been aaages since I checked in here... I'll just stick to what I've finished lately.The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Impulse reread in celebration of a day sunny and warm enough to read it in the garden, and also in prep to read Malibu Rising at some point.
Love this book. Evelyn is such a great character. I guess she's what's called "morally grey" these days, and she owns it.
The Green Man's Heir - Hm. Not bad but a bit disappointing. Starts out as a promising urban fantasy mystery-thriller with slight dash of horror, then that plot suddenly concludes about 70% through and the book hares off on a totally different unrelated storyline, which feels like it's given no room to breathe at all. Would have been better off as separate books.
Also, there's some passages which are slightly akin to those found on the Twitter page @menwritewomen - which I found odd as the author is, in fact, a woman. Since she's writing in first-person from a male protagonist's perspective, maybe she felt she had to be a bit crude as there's still the stereotype that "that's just how men are"?
I already have the next 2 books in the series on my Kindle, because darn you 99p deals, and I am interested enough to read them at some point, I'll just need to adjust expectations first.
Betty - Wonderful book that I wouldn't recommend to anybody because Jeez Louise, CONTENT WARNINGS Y'ALL. Just about any kind of abuse you can think of, it's in here, and graphic too. I actually had to take an entire day off from reading it because it was too disturbing to continue without a break.
That said, Tiffany McDaniel is an astounding writer, and I will literally buy anything she releases, no matter what. I may actually reread The Summer That Melted Everything, because there's something about her prose, and Breathed, that I don't want to let go, no matter the horror.
Currently reading:
Different Class - In prep for Joanne Harris's newest novel. Going to an event with her in Edinburgh in a few days which I am very excited for!
The Animals in That Country - This is just a lil surreal so far, but I'm liking it! Basic concept is there's a pandemic which allows humans to understand animals, and during the resulting Whole Mess, a grandmother has to journey across Australia, in the company of a dingo, to rescue her granddaughter.
I like how the animal language is conveyed - they don't start talking verbally, in perfect English. It's more that we can suddenly interpret their body language, scent markings, etc. But it's not an instantaneously learned skill, so the animal "speech" in the book is still jumbled and broken and sounds oddly... realistic? And also admittedly rather crass and sweary because yes, most animals' greatest preoccupation in life is mating, and bodily functions. Heh.
QOTW: I barely pay any attention to the Choice Awards. I may however write in The Past Is Red for science fiction, if by some travesty it's not a nominee right from jump.
We had a weekend that was like the pre-covid-ages. First, we had a barbecue in our street. It started raining pretty hard, so we all stood packed together in a tent. It was a bit awkward, but after a few minutes it felt quite normal again. Next day we had a birthday dinner with 16 persons. It felt pretty good to be alive and interact with people and enjoying the evening. Totally exhausted every night by the way because all of the interaction *smile*.This week was very busy, had a lot of fun at work checking out all new features of our new content management system for our website.
33/40
Finished
Body Positive Power: How learning to love yourself will save your life by Megan Jayne Crabbe ⭐⭐
Prompt: #19, a book discussing body positivity
Sad that it’s necessary to write a book like this. To me, the book is unnecessary.
Currently reading
The Romanovs: 1613-1918
QOTW
I usually read award winners a year later, if I'm reading them at all.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
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The Call of the Wild (other topics)
10 Lb. Penalty (other topics)
Yours Cheerfully (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Benjamin Alire Sáenz (other topics)Kelly Yang (other topics)
Faye Kellerman (other topics)
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National Hispanic Heritage Month is technically September 15-October 15 in the U.S. I rarely pull books specifically for these months, but I will be reading Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz to fulfill the 2021 Read Harder prompt #15 Read a memoir by a LatinX author. Though her life sounds anything but ordinary... I received a free copy via a Goodreads giveaway and really should have read it long before now…
I will also be reading The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez to satisfy the 2021 Reading Women prompt #12 A young adult novel by a LatinX author.
And, of course, I need to finish Eva Luna by Isabel Allende! And, finally, there is my copy of Love in the Time of Cholera simply so I can say I’ve tried reading all three of the most well-known (at least as far as I know) Gabriel García Márquez books. Who knows if I’ll be able to make it through this one or not? Do you have any books specifically earmarked to read that qualify? Honestly, I feel as if I’ve not had very good luck with LatinX authors thus far, so am ready for some suggestions! I can’t say I am overly-impressed by Eva Luna thus far, but will definitely plan to read more of Allende’s books in the future.
As you'll see, I am participating in the ATY Fall Read-a-Thon with the last day being this coming Sunday. I do love reading mainly shorter books for a while!
ADMIN STUFF:
The monthly group read for September is
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. And the discussion is here.
Don't forget to post the book(s) you've read to fulfill prompt #11 A book forgetting which was #2 in the selection poll here.
WE NEED JUST ONE MORE DISCUSSION LEADER FOR THE VERY LAST 2021 MONTHLY GROUP READ IN DECEMBER!:
December: #1 A book published in 2021
(Because it’s the end of the year!)
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
There is need of a "gifted guide" to lead this discussion!
Message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!
Question of the Week:
Are there any books you might consider writing in for the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards nominations? What are the titles and genres?
Oh, boy. I never used to pay attention to the Goodreads Choice Awards at all, but have had more interest in them these past two years or so. Any books that have been my favorites or the ones I most wanted to read, are usually included in the nominations, but this year I will be purposefully hoping that Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo is nominated and if not, may well do a write-in nomination. I think this is the only book I’ve read that would qualify for the 2021 Goodreads Awards, and it is one of my all-time favorites. It is Historical Fiction with LGBTQ+ Romance.
How about you?
Popsugar: 43/50
ATY: 48/52
RHC: 16/24
Reading Women: 12/28
FINISHED:
Love Story by Erich Segal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ held up quite well as a reread 50 years later! Though I admit that after a 22-year marriage, then a divorce, and another 22-year relationship/marriage, I do NOT agree with the sentiment “Love means you never have to say you’re sorry.” It’s catchy and when I was young I didn’t realize that in reality, at least IMO, you need to treat your partner just as well as you do/would your best friend. That means communicating with kindness, caring, and respect, whenever possible. And, yes, that includes saying “I’m sorry,” when appropriate and sincerely meant.
POPSUGAR: #18-Death with dignity, #27-Fresh start without daddy’s money, #30-Massachusetts and New York, #38-Jenny is a musician, #47-I loved this book the first time I read it at age 16 and loved the movie adaptation
ATY: #1-In the beginning Jenny and Ollie thought they would be together for a long time, #4, #6, #8-Massachusetts, #20-The future looks bleak to Ollie, #27-The Lovers, Death, Judgment, The World, #31, #34, #45-glad OB III was not my father!
RHC: #1-I wasn’t sure this would hold up for me 50 years later!
Elsewhere, Home by Leila Aboulela ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was an excellent collection of stories dealing with marginalization due to immigration and/or mixed ethnic heritage. Each story had a unique perspective and unique characters, but many recurring themes.
POPSUGAR: #18, #21-Africa, Contemporary Fiction, Cross-Cultural, Fiction, Islam, Prejudice/Discrimination, Religion, Short Stories, #27, #29-Egypt, Scotland, Sudan, #30-Egypt, Scotland, Sudan, #34-Welcoming, accepting, appreciating, and respecting immigrants, #36-122 reviews on Goodreads, #37, #43
ATY: #1-In the beginning it seems life will be so much better, #8-Egypt, Scotland, Sudan, #11-Partially set in Egypt, #17-Muslim author and characters, #19-Often challenging to reconcile the past with the present for a promising future, #23- Africa, Contemporary Fiction, Cross-Cultural, Fiction, Islam, Prejudice/Discrimination, Religion, Short Stories, #24, #33-Short stories, #34, #39, #40, #41, #49
Reading Women: #14, NEW #27
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was the classic work I thought it would be. I remember enjoying the movie and it was very loyal to the book. Steinbeck was an absolute genius, IMO. I look forward to reading more of his writing. This was, IMO, just about as good as The Grapes of Wrath which is one of my favorite reads of all time!
POPSUGAR: #15, #18-Accepting, appreciating, and respecting those who appear to be “different”, #21-Classics, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mental Health, Young Adult, #27-Fresh start for George. No do-overs for Lennie, unfortunately, #34-Accessibility of treatment for mental health, #47-One of my favorite authors
ATY: #10-Curley’s wife, #19-Unfortunately, Lennie’s past repeats itself, and precludes any future, #23- Classics, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mental Health, Young Adult, #24, #31, #34, #51, #52-In the end no one could save Lennie from himself
Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Daniel Wallace ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ proved to end very differently than I thought it might…though it did seem appropriate! The ending actually saved it from being only a 3-star rating.
POPSUGAR: #21-Fiction, Humor, Magical Realism, #28
ATY: #20-Will William’s father be in his future after all?, #23-Fiction, Humor, Magical Relaism, #26, #52-In the end, no one died…kinda…sorta!
RHC: #1-I didn’t think I would find this to be super enjoyable…
I listened to The Original by Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and it was great! I really enjoyed it!
POPSUGAR: #21-Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, #23, #27, #31, #35, #36-753 reviews on Goodreads, #38-Holly is an orange carver, #47-Kowal is one of my favorite writers!, #48
ATY: #1-In the beginning Holly remembered nothing, #10, #14, #18-What Holly thought of as her past was a lie, #23-Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, #31, #42, #51
CONTINUING:
For the ATY Fall Read-a-Thon:
A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab
P.S. Be Eleven (Gaither Sisters #2) by Rita Williams-Garcia
The Lady Matador’s Hotel by Cristina Garcia
City of Silver by Annamaria Alfieri
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
PLANNED:
For August Buddy Reads:
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
The Alchemistby Paulo Coelho
September Buddy Reads:
Children of the Mind (Ender’s Saga #4) by Orson Scott Card
Cat & Mouse (Alex Cross #4) by James Patterson
And…
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
Eva Luna by Isabel Allende to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #26 A book written by Isabel Allende.
Paradise by Toni Morrison to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #25 A book written by Toni Morrison.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi