Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Happy Native American Heritage Day in the US! I just can’t bring myself to consider this day as plain ol’ ‘Thanksgiving’ any more. A show on NPR yesterday had a Native American describing the 13 days of “thanksgiving” his tribe celebrates every single year, honoring different aspects of nature, etc. I can no longer overlook the mistreatment, abuse, kidnapping of children, and literal genocide the people who truly ‘settled’ this country have endured… I often wonder if those who managed to help those Britons who landed here through that first winter would do it again, with the knowledge of the outcome for their own people… I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t, if I was them. I can no longer buy into the myth of pilgrims and Indians sitting down together. That may have happened, but I believe the majority of us now no longer consider the mythological interpretation of this “holiday” (Indians and white men as forever friends…), and just use it as a chance to get together with family and/or rest and relax. I do the latter.

Thankfully, the new president of our University who happens to be the first female to hold that position, gave us all an extra day off for this holiday, creating a 5-day break. YAY! The administration also gave students this whole week off from classes. Very considerate, IMO!

Edited to add...
Admin Stuff:
Don’t forget that we are reading and discussing The Firekeeper's Daughter by Karola Renard this month. You can find that thread here. Almost finished! Loving it so far!

In addition to that, as usual, we have a discussion thread where you can post any other books you’ve read that would fulfill prompt #16 A book written by an indigenous author.

Edited to add more:
December's Monthly Group Read is Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Teri is the most gracious volunteer who will lead this discussion. Those postings will be opened and moved to the Current Monthly Group Read folder on Tuesday, November 30.

Question of the Week:
Name that for which you are most grateful…
I realized yesterday that I have been rather lax in starting each day with a ‘gratitude litany’ lately. My days certainly start out with a much better attitude when I prompt myself upon awakening, while still lying in bed, to remember all those people and things for which I am grateful. I am using this holiday to get myself back into that habit.

In many ways, I am grateful to still be employed full-time with good health insurance coverage. Having financial security during COVID is such a blessing! Though I am hoping to obtain a full-time remote position, until then this job provides what I need in many ways. Hopefully, an opportunity to work from home with similar pay and insurance coverage will present itself to me…soon! 😉

My husband and I are healthy (especially given our ages). My children, grandchildren, and one new great-grandchild are healthy and well. Though some of my friends are battling health challenges (a-fib, recovering from a stroke, etc.) they are doing well overall.

And, I must admit that my interactions with Goodreads members has provided much continuity for me with my reading. Especially during COVID. Although in-person book club meetings are beginning again, Goodreads members continue to be an immensely satisfying group of people with similar reading habits. And while I’m grateful for Goodreads, I am hopeful that Amazon will maintain and upgrade the system as needed in the future to keep it working well. (And, ironically, as I clicked to post this, it simply disappeared saying Goodreads couldn't locate the link! Fortunately, I always compose in a Word document so I always have it to use...)

How about you?

Popsugar: 46/50
ATY: 50/52
RHC: 18/24
Reading Women: 15/28

FINISHED:
Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Seriously, if you are at all interested, I would highly advise reading this one. This book hit all the feels for me. For example: racism has no place in our world/a ‘democracy’! It definitely prompts discussion, as it should. Iweala surprised me with the plot taking unexpected twists and turns. I definitely want to read more of his writing! And my favorite used bookstore should now have a used copy of Beasts of No Nation reserved for me! Fun fact: Iweala’s Harvard roommate was Pete Buttigieg! Small world…
POPSUGAR: #18-Unjustifiable murder of an unarmed citizen by police!, #20, #21-Africa (Nigeria), Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, LGBTQ+, Prejudice/Discrimination, Social Justice, #27-If only there could be a “do-over”!, #34- Unjustifiable murder of an unarmed citizen by police!, #37
ATY: #6-Meredith did love Niru so…, #19-Unfortunately, present events can leave a person with NO future!, #23-Africa (Nigeria), Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, LGBTQ+, Prejudice/Discrimination, Social Justice, #24, #27-Death, Temperance, Judgement, The World, #39, #41, #44, #52-In the end, Niru’s father would have probably preferred his son be known as a homosexual!
RHC: #5

CONTINUING:
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley has me totally enthralled. I was trying to finish it in time to be included here, but didn’t quite make it. I feel as if this will be another great read for me this year!
And…I am almost done with these three:
We Are Everywhere: Protest, Power, and Pride In The History of Queer Liberation by Leighton Brown and Matthew L. Riemer
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

PLANNED:
Roses Are Red (Alex Cross #6) by James Patterson
For Literary Wives December 6:
The Summer Wives: A Novel by Beatriz Williams
I'm sure I'll sneak in the 28th installment in the Stephanie Plum series as well: Game On: Tempting Twenty-Eight by Janet Evanovich
This series is pure escapism for me! And when I saw this at 40% off, I couldn't resist!
And the others that are waiting patiently...
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.
In the future sometime, G.Willow Wilson's books I want to read:
The Bird King
Alif the Unseen

Happy Thanksgiving! Following the example of the Native American tribe whose land I live on, I will be celebrating family, food, and football (if I am so forced) today rather than Pilgrims and a sanitized history.

I got a new computer this week since my old one took about two minutes to load any website and then crashed the tab multiple times. I hated to buy one right before Christmas, but I couldn’t wait any longer. No surprise that it’s been easier to keep up with this group. I’ve been devoting some time to my blog too, which I’ve had to neglect for months.

I have 6 books to read for the challenge. I’m about halfway through 2 of those books, and I’ve started a third. After months of being behind, the challenge tracker tells me that I am on track to finish!

Finished
Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie (a book with something broken on the cover). This is a good Poirot mystery. I figured out the killer before Poirot spelled everything out, but there were some nice twists along the way. (The martini on the cover has spilled. I’ve decided a spilled drink is close enough to a broken thing to count for this prompt.)

Reading
Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon (the longest book on your TBR). I’m going to devote quite a bit of time to this book on my long holiday weekend. Maybe I can finally finish it this weekend!

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse (a book by an Indigenous author)

One by One by Ruth Ware (a book you think your best friend would like)

QOTW
This is a heavy question in the time of COVID. It feels super dark to say I'm glad everyone in my family who had COVID survived it, but that is what I'm grateful for. Today could have been a much smaller gathering, and I'm thankful it's not.

@Lynn - I agree about Speak No Evil! I read it a couple of years ago and it is still packing a wallop. That ending opened my mind, or rather broadened my mind to all that contributes to American racism! I definitely plan to read more of his work. And interesting about his Harvard roommate!

Happy Thanksgiving to our US members! I’ve always seen this holiday as a day to celebrate the harvest with family, I never associated it with the colonization of this country. Harvest celebrations take place in many countries and many cultures, after all. The whole story of the pilgrims and the friendly Native Americans always seemed like a myth, along the lines of Paul Bunyan stories. Somehow I knew it was not really the truth.

My kids & dogs & I are at my mom’s and we are having a lovely dinner for the four of us, including baked tofu for my vegetarian kid. One kid made a cheesecake and the other kid made an apple pie. My mother has been lonely and is thrilled with the company.


This week I finished three books, and I really liked all three of them, so that’s a good week!! One book is for this Challenge, so I am now 47/50.

Elizabeth and Her German Garden published anonymously, but later known to be written by Elizabeth von Arnim - thank you to those who recommended this for “published anonymously.” I LOVED this book! Finally this year, I have found a book I loved that I never would have read if not for this Challenge.

Little Big Bully poems by Heid E. Erdrich - this was a fabulous collection of poems. I think I need to buy this book.

Hell of a Book by Jason Mott - this was fantastic!!! Definitely deserving of the National Book Award.


QOTW
I guess I’m most grateful for being able to work from home. My boss is starting to make noise about going back to the office - he’s one of those people who thinks you’re most productive in the office - BUT he and I are in two different states so what’s the difference to him if I’m at home or in the office?

And I’m grateful for my wonderful kids, and my mom who does not meddle, and my dogs even though they are kind of smelly right now and need a bath and take up too much space in my bed when I’m trying to sleep.

And yes I’m very grateful for Goodreads and for the reading challenges. What a gift to have found a group of readers as obsessed as I am!! I’m in a Facebook group of engineers who are also mothers - one woman asked for suggestions for an app to help her track her reading, and another mom was quite adamant that she has no interest at all in tracking her reading, it makes it seem like work. How can you not want to keep track???

In 2022 I’m going to try to follow along with the Tournament of Books, along with the Popsugar Challenge. I probably won’t be able to read ALL the books, but I’ll try to read enough to be able to participate throughout the “tournament.” I’m grateful for Goodreads and the Internet that allows me to find books and readers like these!!!

Heather wrote: "Happy Thanksgiving! Following the example of the Native American tribe whose land I live on, I will be celebrating family, food, and football (if I am so forced) today rather than Pilgrims and a sanitized history."
I like those three "Fs"! And the term "sanitized history" is so apt, IMO! I often think of it as "white man's version of history" or "Anglo-centric history," but sanitized kinda sums it up!

"I got a new computer this week since my old one took about two minutes to load any website and then crashed the tab multiple times. I hated to buy one right before Christmas, but I couldn’t wait any longer. No surprise that it’s been easier to keep up with this group. I’ve been devoting some time to my blog too, which I’ve had to neglect for months."
Yay for the new computer! I have let my own blog languish for so long. I keep telling myself I'll get back to it. All I lack is time! LOL

"I have 6 books to read for the challenge. I’m about halfway through 2 of those books, and I’ve started a third. After months of being behind, the challenge tracker tells me that I am on track to finish!"
That's great news! Congrats!

"Finished
Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie (a book with something broken on the cover). This is a good Poirot mystery. I figured out the killer before Poirot spelled everything out, but there were some nice twists along the way. (The martini on the cover has spilled. I’ve decided a spilled drink is close enough to a broken thing to count for this prompt.)"
I would agree! These prompts are always open to our own interpretation. 😊

"Reading
Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon (the longest book on your TBR). I’m going to devote quite a bit of time to this book on my long holiday weekend. Maybe I can finally finish it this weekend!"
Here's hoping!

"One by One by Ruth Ware (a book you think your best friend would like)"
I've only read one of her books but intend to read more...

"QOTW
This is a heavy question in the time of COVID. It feels super dark to say I'm glad everyone in my family who had COVID survived it, but that is what I'm grateful for. Today could have been a much smaller gathering, and I'm thankful it's not."
Sorry. I didn't mean for it to be so heavy. I just think it is a good reminder to live in gratitude which works well for me... (When I do it! LOL) I think your point is well taken. I'm sure many families are smaller units this year due to the pandemic, and it is fortunate that yours is not one of those. I'm sure all of us offer our positive thoughts and/or prayers to those families left grieving...

Theresa wrote: "@Lynn - I agree about Speak No Evil! I read it a couple of years ago and it is still packing a wallop. That ending opened my mind, or rather broadened my mind to all that contributes to American racism! I definitely plan to readmore of his work. And interesting about his Harvard roommate!."
I know, right? Glad to know I'm not the only one impacted so strongly by this book! I admit I was ranting and raving out loud once I finished it. I really connected with his writing style and am so anxious to read more.

I'm not an American so today is just another work day. Besides Thanksgiving is my least favourite holiday.

Finished:

The Thirteenth Tale
ATY prompt: Wildcard used
Popsugar prompt: 47. A book from your TBR list you associate with a favorite person, place, or thing

Currently reading:

The Last Closet: The Dark Side of Avalon - about 80% done

Emma - about 25% done
(Buddy read with my daughter)

A Slow Fire Burning - 60% done. Waiting to get another copy. .

QOTW:

I'm grateful for my family. And for working at home, especially since we have freezing rain today. I used to commute 2.5 hours a day. Once I started saving that time, I decided to spend at least 30 minutes of it reading a day, which has more than doubled the number of books I'm reading a year.

Just a normal day here, though it has turned chilly these past few days and had to apologise to the planet for putting the heating on at last.

My employer has decided to wind down the business next year so we're in a weird redundancy consultation period where there's not much we can do about it. I suppose someone could swoop in and buy the business but I think we're all accepting of the situation. I'm planning to take a bit of time off between jobs, as I'm in a much better position than I was last time I was made redundant. So while I'm dreading eventual job hunting I can at least look forward to a break.

Still reading really slowly, I have finished Popsugar and have two left for ATY.

I finished The Winter Garden by Alexandra Bell for ATY (connected to ice). This was charming, I liked the story of these two women chafing against Victorian rules and their magical gardens. It's a bit slow and descriptive at times, so I wasn't really in the right mood for it for much of the month, but that's not the book's fault.

I am enjoying Thanksgiving with an extended stay with friends in PA, and it is lovely. Even got together with 2 other PA friends while here! It is all very low key but wonderful after 2 years of not seeing and hugging each other.

Thanksgiving for me is about food, family, friends, and food. Always has been!

I am at 47/50!

Finished:

Crashed - my book I got for free. Great fun.
A Lakeside Thanksgiving
The Loneliest Cottage
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood - this was a rare audio read for me and I do think the author reading it contributed greatly to my enjoyment.
Turkey Trot Murder

Currently reading:

A Suitable Boy
Silent in the Grave

QOTW: I am thankful for my family and friends, my Good Reads community, Feminerdy IRL book club. Also for a profession I love that provides stimulating and challenging work. And I am so very grateful to be living in a state and city that took COVID seriously. We may have endured the longest lockdown and still have many restrictions in place,but we had only one lockdown, and over 80% of NY residents - that is New York State - have had at least one vax shot. That is something to give thanks for.

Happy Thanksgiving! I always look forward to this as a day when my family sets aside their busy schedules and makes time to get together, that's the best thing about holidays because we all slow down and celebrate time together.

I'm 45/50 for the challenge. Finished this week:

My Dear Friend Janet by Keke Palmer - used for magical realism (was on the list of top magical realism books in the Kindle shop), it's a short read so not too bad, although a bit mean spirited. I also read the next two in the series hoping it would get better, but it's just average.

From the Desk of Lady Miss by Keke Palmer

Chelsea's Werk Weekby Keke Palmer

In Progress:
Life of Pi by Yann Martel - beautifully written but somehow I keep setting it down

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - this one I can't put down! I'm halfway through and I just have to know what happened, it so suspenseful! I've never seen the show that spun off it, and I've avoided all spoilers, so I was taken by surprise with how it's going and I can't wait (although I also dread) to see how it ends.

QOTW: I'm so grateful for so much! I try to remember that, but some days it gets by me and the pettiness of life and slow lines get in the way. Thanks for the reminder to start each day in thankfulness. I'm grateful for my relationship with God, for my wonderful husband, and for the blessing of our friends and family and the memories we make together above all else.

Nadine wrote: "Happy Thanksgiving to our US members! I’ve always seen this holiday as a day to celebrate the harvest with family, I never associated it with the colonization of this country. Harvest celebrations take place in many countries and many cultures, after all. The whole story of the pilgrims and the friendly Native Americans always seemed like a myth, along the lines of Paul Bunyan stories. Somehow I knew it was not really the truth."
Upon reading this I realized that all I ever knew about the Thanksgiving holiday was the interpretation I was taught at school. And being raised in the rural midwestern US, that was the mythical "all's well" version. So I guess I was brainwashed by that since I can never remember discussing it with anyone else. My mother would have been all about the 'white-washed' myth anyway, even if we had discussed it.

"My kids & dogs & I are at my mom’s and we are having a lovely dinner for the four of us, including baked tofu for my vegetarian kid. One kid made a cheesecake and the other kid made an apple pie. My mother has been lonely and is thrilled with the company."
Awww...that is so sweet!

"This week I finished three books, and I really liked all three of them, so that’s a good week!! One book is for this Challenge, so I am now 47/50."
I call that a GREAT week! LOL

"Elizabeth and Her German Garden published anonymously, but later known to be written by Elizabeth von Arnim - thank you to those who recommended this for “published anonymously.” I LOVED this book! Finally this year, I have found a book I loved that I never would have read if not for this Challenge."
That is wonderful! This looks rather fascinating. I miss gardening and farming so much. Especially the connection to the land.

"Little Big Bully poems by Heid E. Erdrich - this was a fabulous collection of poems. I think I need to buy this book."
Ooohhh...that definitely has my attention! And a Native American author and sister of Louise Erdrich! Wow!

"Hell of a Book by Jason Mott - this was fantastic!!! Definitely deserving of the National Book Award."
Sounds like a good follow-up/companion read with Speak No Evil! Good to know. Somehow, this one wasn't on my radar.

"QOTW
I guess I’m most grateful for being able to work from home. My boss is starting to make noise about going back to the office - he’s one of those people who thinks you’re most productive in the office - BUT he and I are in two different states so what’s the difference to him if I’m at home or in the office?"
Interesting... I never cease to be amazed at some supervisors' thoughts...and actions! Not necessarily in a good way! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

"And I’m grateful for my wonderful kids, and my mom who does not meddle, and my dogs even though they are kind of smelly right now and need a bath and take up too much space in my bed when I’m trying to sleep."
All great things in your life!

"And yes I’m very grateful for Goodreads and for the reading challenges. What a gift to have found a group of readers as obsessed as I am!! I’m in a Facebook group of engineers who are also mothers - one woman asked for suggestions for an app to help her track her reading, and another mom was quite adamant that she has no interest at all in tracking her reading, it makes it seem like work. How can you not want to keep track???"
LOL 🤗 Once I learned of Goodreads I purposefully visited bookstores at least 2-3 times a week just to use the scanning function on my phone as I discovered books! But I do often declare that Goodreads is my "bible," because it is! But I realize not everyone takes their reading as seriously as I do!

And let me just say it has been so much fun to get to know some specific members better. You are one of those people, Nadine! As well as some others! *wink*

"In 2022 I’m going to try to follow along with the Tournament of Books, along with the Popsugar Challenge. I probably won’t be able to read ALL the books, but I’ll try to read enough to be able to participate throughout the “tournament.” I’m grateful for Goodreads and the Internet that allows me to find books and readers like these!!!"
I'll be anxious to learn about that through your experiences!

Dubhease wrote: "I'm not an American so today is just another work day. Besides Thanksgiving is my least favourite holiday."
Is there no "harvest"-type holiday where you are?

"Finished:
The Thirteenth Tale
ATY prompt: Wildcard used
Popsugar prompt: 47. A book from your TBR list you associate with a favorite person, place, or thing"
I'm just curious, what was your "favorite" about this one?

"Currently reading:
The Last Closet: The Dark Side of Avalon - about 80% done"
Wow. This looks to be very intense...

"Emma - about 25% done
(Buddy read with my daughter)"
I have yet to read this one.

"A Slow Fire Burning - 60% done. Waiting to get another copy."
Bummer. Hope you get it sooner rather than later!

"QOTW:
I'm grateful for my family. And for working at home, especially since we have freezing rain today. I used to commute 2.5 hours a day. Once I started saving that time, I decided to spend at least 30 minutes of it reading a day, which has more than doubled the number of books I'm reading a year."
That is sooooo cool! So glad you were able to rid yourself of such a long commute AND increase your reading that much more! A Win-Win!

Happy Thursday and happy Thanksgiving! Husband and I are staying home and doing our preferred scaled-down dinner, just the two of us.

Finished:
Die, Vol. 4: Bleed - 4 stars. An excellent conclusion to one of my favorite series.
Fables & Reflections - 4 stars. The Orpheus myth was beautifully told. Excited for more!
Our Violent Ends - 3 stars. Final book of a two-part R&J retelling. Decent with a lot of teen angst.
My Body - I left this one without a star rating because I don't know how to rate it. A deeply honest and very human memoir.

PS 49/50

Currently:
Where White Men Fear to Tread: The Autobiography of Russell Means
Brief Lives
A Tale of Two Cities

QOTW: Thankful for the life I have and the people (and critters) in it <3

Ellie wrote: "Just a normal day here, though it has turned chilly these past few days and had to apologise to the planet for putting the heating on at last.

My employer has decided to wind down the business next year so we're in a weird redundancy consultation period where there's not much we can do about it. I suppose someone could swoop in and buy the business but I think we're all accepting of the situation. I'm planning to take a bit of time off between jobs, as I'm in a much better position than I was last time I was made redundant. So while I'm dreading eventual job hunting I can at least look forward to a break.

Still reading really slowly, I have finished Popsugar and have two left for ATY.

I finished The Winter Garden by Alexandra Bell for ATY (connected to ice). This was charming, I liked the story of these two women chafing against Victorian rules and their magical gardens. It's a bit slow and descriptive at times, so I wasn't really in the right mood for it for much of the month, but that's not the book's fault."
That title reminds me of Kristin Hannah's Winter Garden which was an amazing book, IMO! But this book also sounds amazing!

Theresa wrote: "I am enjoying Thanksgiving with an extended stay with friends in PA, and it is lovely. Even got together with 2 orhe PA friends while here! It is all very low key but wonderful after 2 years of not seeing and hugging each other."
Congrats for getting to see and hug friends!!

"Thanksgiving for me is about food, family, friends, and food. Always has been!"
I like those four Fs of Thanksgiving! LOL 👍😊

"I am at 47/50!"
You're one ahead of me! 😉

"Finished:
Crashed - my book I got for free. Great fun.
A Lakeside Thanksgiving
The Loneliest Cottage
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood - this was a rare audio read for me and I do think the author reading it contributed greatly to my enjoyment.
Turkey Trot Murder"
Quite an eclectic collection! LOL

"Currently reading:
A Suitable Boy
Silent in the Grave"
Wow. That first one is quite a brick at almost 1500 pages! And I have a copy of Silent in the Grave but am holding off until 2022!

"QOTW: I am thankful for my family and friends, my Good Reads community, Feminerdy IRL book club. Also for a profession I love tgat provides stimulating and challenging work. And I am so very grateful to be living in a state and city that took COVID seriously. We may have endured the longest lockdown and still have many restrictions in place,but we had only one lockdown, and over 80% of NY residents - that is New York State - have had at least one vax shot. That is something to give thanks for."
May I just note that I LOVE the term "Feminerdy"? 😊 I am glad for you (and somewhat jealous of you) for pursuing just such a rewarding profession! While my own state is one of the ones somewhat lagging behind, it is not one of the worst. I keep masking any time I am around other people. The vaccine does nothing to prevent transmission of COVID. It wasn't developed for that at all. (As with most vaccines.) It simply mitigates symptoms, which is great! But we need to remember the precautions to prevent transmission such as masking which has proven to be 50% effective, and along with that, hand washing and physical distancing when possible. Sorry. Stepping off my soapbox now... 😁

Tania wrote: "Happy Thanksgiving! I always look forward to this as a day when my family sets aside their busy schedules and makes time to get together, that's the best thing about holidays because we all slow down and celebrate time together."
Sounds great!

"I'm 45/50 for the challenge."
Getting close!

"Finished this week:
My Dear Friend Janet by Keke Palmer
From the Desk of Lady Miss by Keke Palmer
Chelsea's Werk Weekby Keke Palmer"
These look to be quite humorous!

"In Progress:
Life of Pi by Yann Martel - beautifully written but somehow I keep setting it down"
Isn't it curious how that happens sometimes? I feel like that with The Souls of Black Folk.

"Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - this one I can't put down! I'm halfway through and I just have to know what happened, it so suspenseful! I've never seen the show that spun off it, and I've avoided all spoilers, so I was taken by surprise with how it's going and I can't wait (although I also dread) to see how it ends."
I have yet to read a Liane Moriarty book, but now have Nine Perfect Strangers. But this looks like a good mystery!

"QOTW: I'm so grateful for so much! I try to remember that, but some days it gets by me and the pettiness of life and slow lines get in the way. Thanks for the reminder to start each day in thankfulness. I'm grateful for my relationship with God, for my wonderful husband, and for the blessing of our friends and family and the memories we make together above all else."
This is a superb list! 👍🤗

Happy Thanksgiving! I think the United States needs to reframe this holiday. Having a day devoted to gratitude is great, but yes the whitewashing of history should be avoided especially where Native Americans are concerned. I'm happy my daughter's school just focused on turkeys and gratefulness surrounding the holiday and not the typical glossed-over history. I don't doubt that the historical version of Thanksgiving happened, but I think that was an anomaly in the midst of the more common aggressive exploitation that was happening across the country at the time. We can't focus on this one peaceful instance as if it were the norm and ignore the plethora of abuses we've heaped upon Native Americans for centuries. Anyway, that's my two cents.

Currently Reading

The Apostolic Fathers for "ugliest book cover on TBR". I have not made much progress on this at all. Holiday prep has taken all my time!

QotW

I won't go into detail because I know there are a variety of religions represented on here, but I'm most thankful for the Eastern Orthodox Church. I've been on quite the spiritual journey and have finally found fulfillment and peace. :)

Thankful I found some time to read

For the prompt A locked-room mystery I read Camera Obscura by Lavie Tidhar which is a strange alt history/steampunk story that I did enjoy.

For the prompt The book on your TBR list with the ugliest cover
I read The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix Boy I disliked this prompt. Prettiest/Ugliest are subjective but I didn't mind pretty. Ugly is SO negative. I'm an author. I know how damn hard it is to get a cover and someone worked on each and every one of them. Nope, bad prompt. Anyhow this was just a metal folding chair so not pretty BUT fitting for the opening of the story. Which...I honestly didn't like much. I loved the idea of it.

I also read Penance on the Prairies by R.L. Syme but didn't much enjoy it either (I don't like amateur sleuth stuff where the law enforcement is anti-the sleuth)

QOTW

I am grateful for my friends who did their best this year to keep my spirits up. I had a terrible accident this year leaving me having to relearn how to walk and without that support who knows what might have happened.

Happy Thanksgiving for those who are celebrating. In the Netherlands we’ve copied Black Friday for we like to make or save money (I guess, I don’t get the point of Black Friday).

Leak detective is scheduled for tomorrow, so this mystery continues next week.

Finished
Queen by Alex Haley ⭐⭐⭐
This book was written based on Haley's notes and stories. He didn't wrote it himself. I think because of this the message that was in Roots was missing in this one. That book was compelling. This book is entertaining. Due to the focus in the first part on father and son Jackson, the second part is somehow less interesting as it could have been. Because the story of father and son Jackson is a common story about self-made wealth. Which makes that the story only comes alive when the perspective shifts to Queen.

Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse ⭐⭐⭐
Nice and easy read. And well done Monica Hesse for correctly picturing Dutch society and customs.

Currently reading
The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante

QOTW
Easy question. I’m most grateful for the fact that our families are safe and quite healthy. Although we do have our cracks and issues, it’s not life threatening.
Second is my interim teammanager. She did the right things when I mentally crashed last month. Yesterday we had a good talk and she said: you’re shining again! Sometimes you need to take 2 steps backwards to get 3 steps forward.
And third I’m grateful for books and that I can read.

Ashley Marie wrote: "Happy Thursday and happy Thanksgiving! Husband and I are staying home and doing our preferred scaled-down dinner, just the two of us."
You and me both!

"Finished:
My Body - I left this one without a star rating because I don't know how to rate it. A deeply honest and very human memoir."
This looks intense, but I bet it is a rewarding read.

"PS 49/50"
Oooph! So close! 👍

"Currently:
Where White Men Fear to Tread: The Autobiography of Russell Means"
My favorite used bookstore has a copy of this on hold for me...

"A Tale of Two Cities"
I really really should tackle this one someday... 😋

"QOTW: Thankful for the life I have and the people (and critters) in it <3"
Awwww... 👍

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm glad we're still doing the QotW today even though it's a holiday. I look forward to it. :)

This will be my first Thanksgiving as a "veggan" and I'm making plenty of food to fill my tummy up, so it should be good: chik'n pot pie, mashed sweet potatoes, onion dip & chips.

Finished: I've got a lot this week!
Dedicated: The Case for Commitment in an Age of Infinite Browsing Really well-written and inspiring!

Paradise on Fire Not as good as some of Jewell's other books. The details fit together too conveniently.

Seen and Not Heard: Why Children's Voices Matter Very on target to my interests, though after doing some transcribing of my own, I wonder how she got hers so crisp and succinct. (Hint: editing.)

Zenobia July A new queer bookstore opened up and its owner recommended this book to me. It was perfect! About a transgender boy, who the owner had to edumify be about and was very nice about it.

Think about It! Philosophy for Kids: Big Ideas, Simply Explained From too much of an analytic bent for my preference, but otherwise, a pretty solid choice.

Big Thinkers and Big Ideas: An Introduction to Eastern and Western Philosophy for Kids Too sound-bitey.

Started: Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You I'm comparing all three versions and so far, this is my favorite.

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America

The Adventure Is Now from Parnassus Middle Reader Subscription. I got way behind!

Improving Comprehension with Questioning the Author: A Fresh and Expanded View of a Powerful Approach ILL.

QotW: I am super grateful for sunshine. This year it makes such a huge difference. For awhile at least, on sunny ideas, I was fine and on cloudy days, I could barely function. It's better now, but isn't amazing that your body can manufacutre Vitamin D just by sitting in the sun?!

I also am grateful for Almond Nog. Eggnog latte season is something I look forward to and I was happy to discover that this substitute helped me keep my tradition.

Alex wrote: "Happy Thanksgiving! I think the United States needs to reframe this holiday. Having a day devoted to gratitude is great, but yes the whitewashing of history should be avoided especially where Native Americans are concerned. I'm happy my daughter's school just focused on turkeys and gratefulness surrounding the holiday and not the typical glossed-over history. I don't doubt that the historical version of Thanksgiving happened, but I think that was an anomaly in the midst of the more common aggressive exploitation that was happening across the country at the time. We can't focus on this one peaceful instance as if it were the norm and ignore the plethora of abuses we've heaped upon Native Americans for centuries. Anyway, that's my two cents."
Couldn't have said it better! Glad for your daughter's school emphasizing the more generic aspects.

"Currently Reading
The Apostolic Fathers for "ugliest book cover on TBR". I have not made much progress on this at all. Holiday prep has taken all my time!"
Totally understandable! I hope it find it a rewarding read when you get back to it!

"QotW
I won't go into detail because I know there are a variety of religions represented on here, but I'm most thankful for the Eastern Orthodox Church. I've been on quite the spiritual journey and have finally found fulfillment and peace. :)"
So glad you mentioned this. As I have mentioned, I had the opportunity to attend an author event with G. Willow Wilson. She is a (white female) American/US citizen who discovered Islam. And I marked this quote from page 76 in the hardcover version of her autobiography The Butterfly Mosque: A Young American Woman's Journey to Love and Islam:
Faith, to me, is not a leap but an affirmation of personal experience. With Islam I gave myself permission to live in the world as I saw it, not as I was told to see it.
What specifically struck me about this was what I believe should be the underlying foundation for any belief system--that it verifies your perceptions and experiences, providing enlightenment and a clearer understanding of the world. I just thought that was apropos no matter what your belief system.

Lynn wrote: "Dubhease wrote: "I'm not an American so today is just another work day. Besides Thanksgiving is my least favourite holiday."
Is there no "harvest"-type holiday where you are?
..."

Hi Lynn.

I'm a Canadian. We do Thanksgiving the second Monday in October. My family didn't actually do Thanksgiving this year since my dad was in the hospital. I bought my kids a pumpkin pie (which is their favourite part) and they were happy. Dad got released the next weekend and I'm pretty thankful for that.

The Thirteenth Tale relates to my favourite person, place, or thing because it was about a mysterious author. She invites an introvert (I love characters who are introverts - we exist and are exciting) to finally write her biography. It involves writing, reading books, story telling, as well as some mystery. (A lot of my favourite things.) Plus it's kind of a gothic story, which are some of my favourite books. I gave it 5 stars.

The Last Closet: The Dark Side of Avalon is intense. She skips over some of the gory details, but it's maddening and sad. I loved the Mists of Avalon when it came out.

Emma - I have seen one movie version and I loved Clueless, so it seemed good to go to the actual book. My 19 year old is struggling a bit with the language, but I think some of the scenes are funny.

The great thing about "A Slow Fire Burning" is that I have the perfect 2022 ATY prompt for it. (Hopefully there's a good PS prompt, but I won't know until Dec. 1). So, if I don't finish until 2022, it might work out anyway, since I already used up the "book published in 2021" prompt.

Cornerofmadness wrote: "Thankful I found some time to read"
Ha! Ha! Thank you so much for stating the obvious, which I overlooked! 👍

"For the prompt The book on your TBR list with the ugliest cover
I read The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix Boy I disliked this prompt. Prettiest/Ugliest are subjective but I didn't mind pretty. Ugly is SO negative. I'm an author. I know how damn hard it is to get a cover and someone worked on each and every one of them. Nope, bad prompt. Anyhow this was just a metal folding chair so not pretty BUT fitting for the opening of the story. Which...I honestly didn't like much. I loved the idea of it."
I do agree with you regarding the negative wording of the prompt. My immediate thought upon reading it was "Why couldn't that have read 'A book with a cover you do not find particularly exciting?" Or "appealing"? Sorry that didn't prove to be real enjoyable for you.

"I also read Penance on the Prairies by R.L. Syme but didn't much enjoy it either (I don't like amateur sleuth stuff where the law enforcement is anti-the sleuth)"
Hopefully this next week will include books you enjoy more than these!

"QOTW I'm going to avoid the politic stuff because it's right now doing damage in my family and so many others. (But definitely agree on the ending of the whitewashing of history)"

I apologize. It was not my intent to make anyone uncomfortable. I am sorry to hear that about your family...

"I am grateful for my friends who did their best this year to keep my spirits up. I had a terrible accident this year leaving me having to relearn how to walk and without that support who knows what might have happened."
And I'm sure everyone here echoes your gratitude for the support and your ultimate recovery. What an accomplishment! YAY YOU!!😃🤗

Dubhease wrote: "Lynn wrote: "Dubhease wrote: "I'm not an American so today is just another work day. Besides Thanksgiving is my least favourite holiday."
Is there no "harvest"-type holiday where you are?
..."

Hi Lynn.

I'm a Canadian. We do Thanksgiving the second Monday in October. My family didn't actually do Thanksgiving this year since my dad was in the hospital. I bought my kids a pumpkin pie (which is their favourite part) and they were happy. Dad got released the next weekend and I'm pretty thankful for that."
I'm so sorry about your father's illness and making him miss a family get-together! I hope it was a complete recovery.

"The Thirteenth Tale relates to my favourite person, place, or thing because it was about a mysterious author. She invites an introvert (I love characters who are introverts - we exist and are exciting) to finally write her biography. It involves writing, reading books, story telling, as well as some mystery. (A lot of my favourite things.) Plus it's kind of a gothic story, which are some of my favourite books. I gave it 5 stars."
I really need to dig out my copy and read this!

"The Last Closet: The Dark Side of Avalon is intense. She skips over some of the gory details, but it's maddening and sad. I loved the Mists of Avalon when it came out."
A friend of mine loaned me her copy of The Mists of Avalon many years ago and I got 2/3 through and just never picked it up again... Now I admit I am reticent to read her books...

"Emma - I have seen one movie version and I loved Clueless, so it seemed good to go to the actual book. My 19 year old is struggling a bit with the language, but I think some of the scenes are funny."
Sounds as if you might be able to help your child enjoy it a bit more...

"The great thing about "A Slow Fire Burning" is that I have the perfect 2022 ATY prompt for it. (Hopefully there's a good PS prompt, but I won't know until Dec. 1). So, if I don't finish until 2022, it might work out anyway, since I already used up the "book published in 2021" prompt."
Oh! Is that "A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name?" I had it listed as a possible book to fulfill that prompt.

Happy Thursday, and Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it today. It's just a normal Thursday for me, but I've been starting my Christmas prep so I'm looking forward to decorating and whatnot. Plus it looks like I'll actually get to have a proper Christmas with extended family this year. *Knock on wood*

Stats:
Popsugar - Done
ATY - Done
ATY Rejects - 24/25

Books I finished:

Diamond Fire & Sapphire Flames ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I continued me reread of this series. I love these books.

The God of Lost Words ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved this series and was really looking forward to reading this one, and yeah I oved it, but as a series ender... it just didn't feel satisfying.

Snowstorms & Sleigh Bells ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - So this was back to form after the letdown of book 2 in the series. It was short and sweet and gave a good ending to the story. I think that the problem with book 2 was that it was a novella story that had been unsuccessfully stretched into a full length novel. This story felt just the right length and it set up the story for the next book.

In Real Life ⭐⭐⭐ - I read this because of the artist, and yes the artwork was great. The story not so much. It had some promise, but having a unrealistic happy ending just ruined it.

Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This definitely deserves it's nomination for Goodreads Choice. I laughed my way through this, but it still managed to be really interesting.

Books I made progress on:

The Love Hypothesis
The Tangleroot Palace: Stories
Emerald Blaze

QOTW

I'm grateful for my family. It's not a very inspired answer, but it's the truth.

If we're going with book related things, I'm grateful for Ilona Andrews blog, which makes my day and was especially great for my mental health during covid lockdown. I'm grateful for this group and the other Goodreads groups I belong to. I've found some amazing books because of these groups.

Happy food day y'all. Less reading this week because I was binging the new Cowboy Beebop.


Finished:
Remote Control

Picture books:
Shoot for the Moon, Snoopy!
Aaron Slater, Illustrator
Stella's Stellar Hair
The Stuff Between the Stars: How Vera Rubin Discovered Most of the Universe
Clarinet and Trumpet


Currently Reading:
The Borrower
Good Omens: A Full Cast Production

Happy Thanksgiving! Or Thursday if you don't celebrate it...

At my sister's for Thanksgiving. This is the first holiday in a very long time that my siblings and I have been together for it, though I'm currently being antisocial and updating this while hiding in the guest room, haha... This day has been about family and food for me, and I haven't associated it with a sanitized history since I was in grade school.

Books read this week:

The Man Who Watched the World End -- this could have been an interesting end-of-the-world novel, had it had an actual story instead of being a stream of consciousness. As it is, it felt rather repetitive and navel-gazing.

The Beatryce Prophecy -- I didn’t like this one as much as some of Kate DiCamillo’s other books (especially The Tale of Despereaux and The Magician's Elephant), but it was still a very charming story. And I LOVED the goat.

Stinger -- a gripping mix of sci-fi and horror about what happens to the residents of a dying Texas mining town when aliens crash-land there. ET or Close Encounters this ain’t...

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil A Rún, Volume 4 -- boy howdy, this series gets more and more interesting as it goes! Lots of secrets and revelations coming to light, and others just waiting to be revealed. But at its heart it’s still a fairy tale about an unlikely friendship.

Currently Reading:

Skeleton Crew
How I Magically Messed Up My Life in Four Freakin' Days
The Lies of Locke Lamora
A Fine and Private Place

QOTW:

This year I am extremely thankful for my friends and family who have all been very kind and supportive during a difficult time in my life, and have helped me make the transition from a stressful, unhealthy living situation to one where I can recover and decide what I'm finally going to do with the rest of my life. :)

Hi all! Can't believe I'm checking in two weeks in a row! That leads me to a big part of Thanksgiving for me - it's a time to slow down and not be "productive," and having the whole nation agree this is a down-tempo week is hugely valuable. My 18yo is visiting from college for a whole week, and our full nuclear family is lazing about a rented house eating delicious food prepared by Whole Foods, sleeping in, and watching movies/playing games. It's glorious and embodies most of what I'm grateful for.

I would love for us to disconnect Thanksgiving from the pilgrim story, and reserve this day as a time to gather with loved ones, slow down, feast, and reflect on things we're grateful for. (I think Columbus Day needs to be reconfigured into a day off to celebrate and learn about indigenous American people and acknowledge the harms done to them by European colonists.)

I finished six books this week! Yay slow-down week! That gets me to 46/50, in striking distance of finishing on time!

-- Finished --

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why - this was OK. I found the artwork really disorienting, and the story was a little contrived to my mind. But some fun bits in there, especially the bad guy!

Marvel's Voices: Indigenous Voices #1 - ugh, maybe Marvel comics are just confusing for me. I was intrigued by some of this, especially the middle story, but it was clear I was missing a ton of context.

Sass & Sorcery - I was starting to think comics were just not going to work for me anymore (getting too old?), and then this came to bless my life. I LOVED it. The artwork was easy to follow and added so much, and the snark and great characters were delightful. I'll probably read it again before year's end!

The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love - I did the audio book, and sadly I think it robbed a star from this for me. Reading with my eyes, I think this would have been 4-star. Lots of good ideas, and (joy of joys!) PRACTICAL steps to counteract body shame. The audio suffered for me because honestly Taylor isn't a great reader, however good her ideas are. And weirdly the choice was made not to edit out mis-read lines, but to keep her do-overs in the final product. It was not a great listening experience. Also, for me, the information about how sucky things are (fatphobia, racism, sexism, homophobia) didn't need repeating - I KNOW, thanks; and some topics like filtering your media and knowing about implicit bias were already familiar. That said - I still took a bunch of notes, so I would defintely recommend this to anyone interested in the topic, just get a print version!

I, Too, Am America - resorted to a picture book for the BLM prompt because I'm way too close to a literal depressive episode to engage too much with Big Heavy Topics right now. But this was actually a really cool book - glad I found it!

The Quiche of Death - much more my emotional speed right now. This was mostly fluffy and fun. Definitely has some "it's a product of its time" elements, but overall charming. I'll probably check out the next book one of these days.

QOTW:

My husband put it best at our early Thanksgiving dinner at my parents' last week: we've been through a lot, but we're all still here together. I'll take it. <3

Lynn wrote: "Dubhease wrote: "The great thing about "A Slow Fire Burning" is that I have the perfect 2022 ATY prompt for it. (Hopefully there's a good PS prompt, but I won't know until Dec. 1). So, if I don't finish until 2022, it might work out anyway, since I already used up the "book published in 2021" prompt."
Oh! Is that "A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name?" I had it listed as a possible book to fulfill that prompt.".."

Actually, I'm going to use it for the NPR book concierge. Last week I said that the prompts I disliked the most were ones that referred you to lists.

NPR just released their 2021 books for anyone also doing ATY. A Slow Fire Burning is on the list. So, it's win-win since I was planning on finishing it anyway.

Happy check-in or Turkey Day to those in the States. Normal Thursday here in Canada but with so many retail businesses being American chains we do get Black Friday tomorrow.
I'm realizing that it was always about being Thankful when I was in school with turkey and pumpkin decorations, at least that's all I remember. I vaguely remember watching tv shows that had Thanksgiving episodes and the pilgrims (a.k.a. people with terrible hats) being mentioned but never really knowing what that was all about.
I'm getting excited for the new list and also more worried about finishing this years before the end of the year.

Finished Reading:

On the Edge ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Comfort reread. I love the world idea.

Never Fall for Your Fiancée ⭐⭐⭐ (2017 one of the four seasons in the title)
This was a bit disappointing but it may just be that historical romances aren't my thing. I've read the Bridgerton series and this so I have no clue.

Firefly: Blue Sun Rising Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The artwork was better than the last one. I really don't like it when I associate an actor with a character and there is no likeness in a comic/graphic novel.

The Quotable Slayer ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (2021 Q,X,Z title)
Panic read for something short and quick that met this prompt. I love this show but a few quotes showed their age.

Green Willow And Other Japanese Fairy Tales ⭐⭐⭐ (2021 tbr meant to read last year)
I finally finished this one. Still very annoyed that this book page and editions are not correct. Most of the fairy tales were kind of boring but there were a few that I really enjoyed.

PS 2021 49/50
PS 2017 49/52
Goodreads 154/150 Beat this goal this past week. 🎊

Currently Reading:
Crush
Believe Me

QOTW:
Definitely grateful for my family and friends. I was lucky to find out that they all were on the same page about covid safety. I'm grateful that many little guys will be partially vaccinated by Christmas too.

Lynn wrote: "Cornerofmadness wrote: "Thankful I found some time to read"
Ha! Ha! Thank you so much for stating the obvious, which I overlooked! 👍

"For the prompt The book on your TBR list with the ugliest cove..."

Lynn wrote: "Cornerofmadness wrote: "Thankful I found some time to read"
Ha! Ha! Thank you so much for stating the obvious, which I overlooked! 👍

"For the prompt The book on your TBR list with the ugliest cove..."


thanks and no worries about the question (I had already edited my response before i even saw this) Yeah lately my reads have not been that great. Ah well.

And thanks. it's been a long hard year

I am continuing to work through a fairly long list of books that I want to read on Kindle Unlimited before my 4 month subscription runs out. Of course I'm getting distracted by good deals and library books too.

I finished:

The Good Lie: I thought this was pretty good, but it had a little too much going on for me.

Her Final Words: I wasn't a fan of this one. I listened to it, which is probably the only reason that I finished it. I have tried a few books by this author and I think it is time to put her on my do not read list.

STOP A MURDER - HOW: I love puzzles and I buy a 40 pack of variety puzzle books pretty much every year for my birthday, so I was pretty excited by this one when I first started, and then I got stuck. I don't prefer puzzles that I have to research to find answers. I like to use just my brain, so this one ended up being a let down for me.

The Haunting of Leigh Harker: I have decided to give horror another try.The only reason I gave this book 3 stars instead of a higher rating was because it got a little repetitive. One thing that I did learn is that I would probably enjoy horror novels more in audiobook form. I absolutely loved being told ghost stories as a child and the whole time I was reading, I kept wanting to hear my grandmother's voice reading it to me. (Maybe I just miss her a little extra right now.)

No Mercy: I really enjoyed the first book in this series. So much so that I put all the rest on my TBR list and added them to a daily list I have to monitor prices. That's how I got this one (book 2) on sale for $2.99. I assumed that I would read this one and then use my birthday gift card to buy the next one, which is not on sale, but this book was just not as good as the first one. I felt like it just kept revisiting the main character's trauma, rather than working on genuine character development. There were some really good moments, but I'm starting to think this author could tell this story in a more elevated way, which is what I really want. I think I will still read book 3, but I'm waiting for the sale at this point.

Currently reading:

Jack Daniels Stories: Continuing my speed read through everything Jack Daniels to await a new release on December 20th.

Small Town Monsters: Another horror book that I really wish I was listening to instead of reading. I WANT CREEPY VOICES!!!! Also I had to laugh that the main character is a teen girl who has no friends, because everyone is weirded out that her parents are demonologists. I'm going on record that if there had been a student at my school with demonologists for parents, not only would my friend group have sought her out to be our friends, we would have been having sleep overs at her house all the time.

Problem Child: A great example of a good narrator on an audiobook. The narrator does the cold, slightly monotone voice that one expects from a sociopath and it really adds something special to the story, but my only issue is the character thinks to herself a lot during conversations and it can be hard to distinguish what she is saying out loud and what she is thinking without the benefit of "".

QOTW:

I am grateful for so many things, including this question. It has been a really challenging year for me and my family any my tiny town is currently in the middle of a big controversy that feels very negative, so it is sometimes hard not to focus on those things. But I was looking at the 8 areas of personal wellness the other day and was realizing how many things I take for granted that I am really grateful for (living close to family and friends, so that we can support each other, having a job that makes a difference, having the freedom to do a lot of volunteer work in my free time, my physical health, having the most lovable dog on the planet, etc. etc.).

Tania wrote: "Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - this one I can't put down! I'm halfway through and I just have to know what happened, it so suspenseful! I've never seen the show that spun off it, and I've avoided all spoilers, so I was taken by surprise with how it's going and I can't wait (although I also dread) to see how it ends.."

YES! I remember staying up until 3AM on a work night to finish, because there was no way that I could sleep not knowing.

Ugh I forgot how annoying it is to keep up with everything while using the app!!


@Erica - I really like the historical romance genre, and I adored the first season of the Bridgertons TV show, but the books are pretty bad. I hate-read a few, savaged them in my Goodreads reviews, finally realized that I don’t really like Julia Quinn that much (why is she so popular??) and stopped reading her books.

I am a bit hamstrung right now because I’m on mobile, but some good hr authors I can think of are Mary Balogh, Joanne Bourne, Julie Ann Long, Courtney Milan, & Cecelia Grant. If you wanted to give the genre another chance.

Happy Friday everyone! I was cooking yesterday afternoon and didn't get a chance to post. We had a yummy dinner with 3 family members over, so it was nice without being overwhelming. This year, my daughter ate turkey and pumpkin pie- which is a step up from last year when all she ate was a roll!! I'm debating if I should start decorating for Christmas this weekend. I wouldn't normally start this early, but with a 3 year old in the house... Plus, I feel the need for a little Christmas spirit myself.

I didn't finish reading anything, but I did make better progress in The Diary of a Young Girl. I plan to finish it before the end of the month.

QOTW: I'm thankful for my new kidney and that, after a rough start to the year, things have settled down and seem to be working. I'm so grateful to my family and friends and people at work who supported me through that and continue to do so. I'm thankful that people around me have avoided Covid and that there are vaccines and treatments for it. I'm thankful that I don't have to worry about meeting basic needs for myself and my family.

Erica wrote: "Happy check-in or Turkey Day to those in the States. Normal Thursday here in Canada but with so many retail businesses being American chains we do get Black Friday tomorrow.
I'm realizing that it w..."

Some Canadian stores have been doing "Black Friday" sales for most of November. For others it starts today. My most annoying plan for today is to go and buy a mattress and wrestle into my van. I'd much rather be home reading.

@Erica - historical romance is comfort reading for me, especially the regency era, but anything up to WWI works. I am not a Julia Quinn and Bridgertons fan... though likely to finish reading the book versions than watching the tv series. I also steer more towards historicals which combine mysteries and romance, with the romance developing over several books, and the books considered historical mystery genre. You might want to try those. Some favorite authors that fit that combo are:

Andrea Penrose
Deanna Raybourn
Victoria Thompson
Mariah Fredericks

One of my favorite authors is Stephanie Laurens who is more traditionally historical romance, but often incorporates some mystery, espionage or villainous plot into a mini-series in her ongoing Cynster Family sagas - try The Adventurers Quartet Complete Collection or The Black Cobra Quartet. I also highly recommend her Lady Osbaldesone Christmas Chronicles - charming holiday novellas set in an English village with Lady Osbaldestone and her grandchildren. First is Lady Osbaldestone's Christmas Goose.

A friend of mine who for years sneered at my enjoyment of historical romances and would never stoop to read them is now addicted to Sarah McLean. She has also started reading and loving Georgette Heyer, the woman credited with creating the genre. My faves are Frederica and Venetia. My friend is I believe expanding her HR reading exponentially. So far I have restrained nyself from saying 'I told you so.'

One last suggestion: it may be that you just don't care for the regency historical period. Or a Scottish or a US Western background is more interesting. Or gilded age NYC. There really is something for everyone in historical romance.

Nadine wrote: "Ugh I forgot how annoying it is to keep up with everything while using the app!!


@Erica - I really like the historical romance genre, and I adored the first season of the Bridgertons TV show, bu..."

Nadine - you don't have to use app on phone or devices. Just use your browser to pull up GR website. If tries to default to app, scroll to bottom of page and in tiny print on lower right you will see 'desktop' tab. VOILÀ! All the features of desktop are there. If you want the mobile version back (though why would you?), just go back to bottom right and tap the tiny 'mobile'.

Happy Friday! I didn't get a chance to check in yesterday. I hosted a few family members yesterday (all vaccinated and some have had boosters!) It was really nice to be with family again.

Finished:

Long Bright River by Liz Moore (author who shares the same Zodiac sign - Gemini). This was a good book but I still feel like it was longer than it needed to be.

Continuing:

This Tender Land still reading this one. I haven't been able to sit down and focus on reading. I made a plan to stay in bed and read on Thursday morning but my dog had other plans and wanted all my attention.

On Deck:

Not sure what I want to pick up next. I have 6 books to finish by the end of the year to make this challenge. Last year I finished by Christmas so we will see.

QOTW:
I am thankful that I was able to keep my job during COVID. I had quit my last job and started my current job on January 2, 2020. If I hadn't left my last job (I was unhappy there) I would have been laid off (I know this because my replacement was laid off). I am thankful that I have medical insurance, a car for transportation (even if it breaks down from time to time), I have a roof over my head, food on my table, a dog that is spoiled and bossy, a boyfriend who makes me laugh and friends that I enjoy spending time with.

@Nadine and @Theresa thanks for the recommends. I may just give them a shot for next year's challenge.
It wasn't the regency period that I had issue with it was more the romances, I enjoyed the historical sides. (Take a drink when someone is insufferable in the Bridgertons)

Being in Australia Thanksgiving is irrelevant and it's just a completely normal day/weekend but the shops have of courses jumped on the Black Friday and an excuse to have sales. We went shopping today hoping for some sales but of course the things we needed weren't on sale!

I've had a bit of a rough week with my toddler as she's decided to change her routine up but this week I'm listening to The Goldfinch on audio and reading Outside Looking In by TC Boyle, which is better than I expected!

Happy Belated Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrated the holiday this week!

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about a quote from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, where Gandalf says, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” Over the past several months I’ve done a lot of soul-searching about what I want to do with the time I’ve been given, and I’ve realized that I want to focus on three things: spending more time with family and friends, taking better care of my health (physical and mental), and focusing on writing my own books.

I’ve also come to the conclusion that I will not be able to commit to these things fully unless I shut down my blog (The Unapologetic Bookworm). It was really hard to announce the website’s upcoming closure to my followers this past weekend, but I’m feeling really good about my decision.

At this point I’m still debating about whether or not I will participate in next year’s POPSUGAR Reading Challenge, but I am seriously considering taking a break from it in 2022 to just read whatever I please.

POPSUGAR: 47/50
Beat the Backlist: 50/52
Goodreads: 285/200

Finished Reading:
~The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 13: 1975-1976
~Don't Give A Dwarf
~The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 14: 1977-1978
~Dumplin' — “a book that discusses body positivity”
~How to Survive a Horror Movie: All the Skills to Dodge the Kills

Currently Reading:
~Dragonfly in Amber
~All Dwarf'ed Up
~The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 15: 1979-1980

QOTW:
I’m extremely thankful for my family and friends, my warm home, and the companionship of my cat. I’m also very thankful for books. Being able to escape into a fictional world for a little while each day really helps me cope with stress.

I have no motivation. I'm enjoying the relaxing time not working, but have no desire to get off the couch. I worked yesterday a half day and it was so slow, which was nice. I always have a 'plan' of what I want to get accomplished and that list hasn't budged and it's halfway through Saturday already. I need to start packing for my move and get my Christmas cards done and mailed out.

39/40 PopSugar
8/10 Advanced PopSugar
70/80 GoodReads

Finished Reading:
1.) We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter (#9 Family Tree) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Wow- the fact that this is based on Georgia's real family was miraculous and I'm so glad that she chose to document her family's history. There were many characters and threads to pay attention to, but I really enjoyed the shorter chapters interspersed with historical timeline of events.



Currently Reading:
1.) Les Miserables
2.) The Death of Mrs. Westaway



QOTW: Name that for which you are most grateful…
I'm most grateful for independence. Financial, spiritual, physical and mental. I love my family and friends but appreciate having my own space to myself. I'm so grateful for this bookish community, without which I don't know how I would have ever gotten back into reading and curating books that I really want to read. I'm grateful for delicious food, and glorious nature and humidity-free days, good tv and hugs. I'm grateful for my dog and all the joy that fur friends bring to our lives.

Nadine wrote: "I’m most grateful for being able to work from home.."

YESSSSS!!! Me too.

Mary wrote: "QOTW:

I am grateful for so many things, including this question. It has been a really challenging year for me and my family any my tiny town is currently in the middle of a big controversy that feels very negative, so it is sometimes hard not to focus on those things. But I was looking at the 8 areas of personal wellness the other day and was realizing how many things I take for granted that I am really grateful for (living close to family and friends, so that we can support each other, having a job that makes a difference, having the freedom to do a lot of volunteer work in my free time, my physical health, having the most lovable dog on the planet, etc. etc.)."

Mary- this really warmed my heart. I hope that your town powers through the controversy and you continue to have gratitude for everything else - makes me want to hug my furball.

Jennifer W wrote: "I'm thankful for my new kidney and that, after a rough start to the year, things have settled down and seem to be working."

I'm grateful for your new kidney too!! So glad to hear that things are working well.

Hello! It's Saturday afternoon, which is late for me to check in. My parents came for the holiday on Tuesday and only left this morning. I spent the days before they got here cleaning, and then spent time with them while they were here. I've also been trying keep writing for National Novel Writing Month - almost to 40k! - so there has been little time for reading.

Finished This Week:
The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson. The last of my Hugo reading. I liked the resolution, and how the main character used what she'd learned from all the worlds she'd been to as the way to resolve what happened on the "main" world. I also liked that the solution wasn't murder. Four stars, not for PS prompt.

Currently Reading:
The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield. My library hold finally came in. I tried to read it during some down time on Tuesday night and Thursday afternoon, but there just hasn't been that much downtime. I'll probably get back to it tonight. Still early, about to launch.

Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire. I'm trying to listen to audio versions of books I already know when I'm cooking, cleaning or doing mindless busy work for work. I hadn't reread this one since it came out since the Moors just aren't my thing, and I thought it would be good to have the refresher with the next "present day" in the series due in January. Plus it's read by the author, so I get to hear proper pronunciation for everything (and Kade's Oklahoma accent!). Not for prompt.

QotW: Name that for which you are most grateful:
I have to say my husband, for being so amazing.

Britany wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "I'm thankful for my new kidney and that, after a rough start to the year, things have settled down and seem to be working."

I'm grateful for your new kidney too!! So glad to hea..."

Thank you! It's been an interesting journey. Modern medicine is amazing!

I realized last night, I'm getting antsy for the new list! :D