Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2022 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 43: 10/20 - 10/27
book with a board game in the titleIcebreaker by A.L. Graziadei. YA romance about hockey players. Cute. Enjoyable.
no prompts
A Disability History of the United States by Kim E. Nielsen. Non-fiction. This series is good in the sense that there is a lot of great information but it can be a bit dry.
QOTW:
Not really. I'm still reading Sign Here which was my October book of the month choice.
Nadine in NY wrote: "The Fly (the one w/ Jeff Goldblum - which was a lot ICKIER than I remembered!), ."The Fly started what has been a very long crush on Jeff Goldblum for me. I was probably 10 the first time I saw it and it's been over for me since.
Happy Thursday, book lovers.Low-key freaking out here over giving a speech in my Communications class in a couple of weeks. It's an online class so I'll be doing the speech as a YouTube video, but I'm still freaking out. Guess it's time to start practicing...
Books read this week:
The Wicker Man -- novelization of the 1973 horror movie. Chilling and eerie, and makes me want to see the movie now.
The Seas -- what the heck did I just read? I get that it might be magical realism, but it feels so surreal and weird and pointless, and I have to wonder if all the “magical” elements were just the main character being mentally ill.
Tenderling -- creepy horror novella that was just right for Halloween. The bully was over-the-top, but most bullies in fiction are…
Demon in the Wood -- graphic novel prequel to the Shadow and Bone series and its myriad spinoffs. I wasn’t chomping at the bit for a Darkling-focused prequel, but it was still amazing returning to this world, and seeing the Darkling given a bit of humanity.
DNF:
The Last Cuentista -- man, what a pretty cover. But for whatever reason it just wasn’t holding my interest.
Wildwood -- I tried, but I only got a third of the way through the audiobook and gave up. The basic idea was decent, even if it felt like a hipster attempt at the Chronicles of Narnia, but man was this a slog. And did it really need to be over 500 pages?
Currently Reading:
Fairy Tale
I'm Glad My Mom Died
A Long Way from Paris
Artemis Fowl
QOTW:
At the moment I'm just trying to finish the books I'm currently reading, hehe...
Mod
The Fly started what has been a very long crush on Jeff Goldblum for me. I was probably 10 t..."
totally valid!! He is very cute in this one! (Which is exactly what Geena Davis says to him: "you're cute")
Happy Thursday, gang!I got hit with my first-ever migraine yesterday and I do NOT want that to happen ever again. I thought I'd strained my eyes looking at something too hard and the next thing I knew I couldn't follow the cursor on my computer screen, let alone make sense of my phone. Depth perception disappeared. Thankfully food and ibuprofen helped, but geeeeez.
We're seeing a play, The Weir, tomorrow evening and then Evil Dead the Musical on Monday (both local theatre companies); husband's Evil Dead shirt just came in the mail this week, so we're excited!
I only finished one book this week, and I blame it on the new Taylor Swift and Carly Rae Jepsen albums. Music took up my audiobook time, haha! Edit: Two! I finished Witches!
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - 4 stars. I was positively glued to my Kindle, and loved Harry Cameron the best. Also Celia. Monique, not so much.
The Once and Future Witches - 5 stars. This might be the most perfect historical fantasy novel I've ever read. Book with a recipe in it
PS 48/50
Currently:
The Neverending Story - Lagging behind husband again, but this is still completely charming.
The Castle Doctrine - Similar to Once and Future Witches, things are really coming together here and I'm loving it.
The Wicked + The Divine: Book One - We jumped off the deep end from the get-go, but I'm loving the inclusion of so many deities from world mythology!
QOTW: Do you have any specific books planned for end of October? Any spooky reads (or otherwise)?
I need to dig through my Edgar Allan Poe stuff and see what I have yet to read; I know there are a few left I haven't gotten around to, despite owning his collected works since high school. I could always reread my favorite, The Cask of Amontillado - an Edgar Allan Poe Short Story.
Happy Thursday, everyone!It’s incredible just how busy life has been over the past couple of weeks! Between doctor’s appointments, vaccinations, and prepping for my upcoming move, it feels like October is flying by at warp speed.
Since I didn’t have a chance to post last week, I’ve got quite a few updates to share…
The most important update is that I will be taking possession of my new house tomorrow afternoon! I am really excited…and super stressed. There’s so much to do! I don’t officially move in until the 6th (which was the earliest the movers could get me on the schedule), but I am planning to start taking some smaller stuff over in the coming week.
In other news, back on October 15th I had a chance to attend an author event sponsored by my local library, and I got to meet Felicia Day. She was so sweet and funny, and just a lovely person! If you haven’t read her memoir, You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost), I highly recommend it.
As far as spooky viewing is concerned, I have managed to make time to watch some more movies, including: The Addams Family 2, Arsenic and Old Lace, Halloweentown 2: Kalabar’s Revenge, Garfield’s Halloween Adventure, Halloween, and The Invisible Man (1933). I also watched the Hallowe’en Party episode of Agatha Christie’s Poirot, starring David Suchet.
I’ve also done a decent amount of reading over the past couple of weeks, mostly ebooks from my Kindle backlist (since nearly all of my physical books are currently in boxes). Most of the books I would have listed in last week’s update were trashy romance novellas that unfortunately did not live up to my expectations, so I won’t bother to add them to my “finished reading” list this week.
I did finish a great thriller this week though, as well as the Dwarf Bounty Hunter series…both of which are definitely worth checking out.
Goodreads: 530/200
TBR Checklist: 411/979
Finished Reading (Fiction):
~Killers of a Certain Age — I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! The characters were great, and the story was clever and kept my attention all the way through (which is not an easy task with everything that’s going on in my life right now). I also really liked the author’s writing style.
~Dwarf ‘Em All — This is the eleventh book in the Dwarf Bounty Hunter series. It was a good continuation of the series’ most recent story arc and a lot of fun to read.
~Dwarfin’ Done — This is the twelfth book in the Dwarf Bounty Hunter series. It was a really good conclusion to the current story arc, and the series as a whole. If you like urban fantasy, then I definitely recommend checking this series out from the beginning. (The first book is called Go Dwarf Yourself.)
~Stalked by the Kraken — After being disappointed by so many of the romances I read last week, I honestly wasn’t sure if this one would be worth my time. It wasn't fabulous, but I did like the fact that it actually had a plot.
Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
None
Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
None
DNFed:
~House of Leaves — I completely stalled on reading this book. I know that a lot of people have raved about it online, but I just could not get into it. I think the ridiculous number (and length) of the footnotes had a lot to do with it.
Currently Reading:
~Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard — I’m only a third of the way into this book, but I am really enjoying Tom Felton’s autobiography! Whether you’re a fellow Slytherin, or a Harry Potter fan in general, I definitely recommend picking this one up.
~Barchester Towers — I’m really enjoying this book so far, and I’m looking forward to rewatching The Barchester Chronicles mini-series after I finish reading.
QOTW:
I am considering the possibility of a Harry Potter re-read beginning on the 31st, but I don’t have any other books planned for the end of October.
And, since I missed out on last week’s question…
Outside of the manga I’ve read (many of which have been set in or around Tokyo), I really haven’t come across many situations where two different authors have set their novels in the exact same location. I tend to read a lot of fantasy though, so that’s probably why.
Hello! We had a brief warm-up but are now back to hovering in the 30s and 40s. My husband and I will be leaving for a weekend away in Duluth tomorrow, which isn't THAT far away, but will give us the chance to revisit the state park where he proposed. We never got a honeymoon because of Covid, and Duluth is certainly not where I would pick for a honeymoon, but it'll be nice to go on a trip that's just for us.It is almost November, which means NaNo writing time. I went through my library list to decide to finish or return most everything, and have a stack waiting for me to pick up tomorrow. I'm at 3 to go for Pop Sugar and 1 for Around the Year, but still 9 for Read Harder. I honestly thought I'd find a book with a recipe in it by now.
Finished This Week:
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. I had checked it out weeks ago, and it was coming due, but I was able to read it over the weekend while watching bad football. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but I very much enjoyed it. I called two plot points, but hadn't guessed the others, which made me happy. Glad I finally read it. Using for PS prompt Latinx Author.
Paladin's Hope by T. Kingfisher. Last of the Saint of Steel books, but it's unclear if the author is done with the world or will be coming back. There's plenty of threads she could pull on for another book, from the paladins to the swords to the other city. I enjoyed this one, although the plot seemed a bit of a stretch. I liked the callbacks to the Clocktaur Wars, which hadn't really happened in the prior books. Still, very good, and I probably will buy all of these. Not for PS prompt.
Why Didn't They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie. One of the challenges I do (but am strongly considering not next year) had a prompt for a title in the form of a question. After some searching, I found this one, and knew that A, I would likely enjoy it, and B, it would be short. Both were true. Two friends decide to figure out what happened to the man one of them found dead at the base of a cliff next to a golf course. It's also a tv series right now, but Roku wanted me to pay to watch it, and I didn't care that much. Not for PS prompt, but would work for #17, since the tv show seemed to have started this year.
Sweep of the Blade by Ilona Andrews. Finished the Graphic Audio production of the audiobook, and realized their production wasn't unabridged. It's modified, with whole paragraphs missing at times. I knew they were changing bits here and there since all of the dialogue tags are not in the full cast production, but I didn't know they were leaving parts out. This has very much soured my love of the GA Innkeeper audiobooks. I'll still listen to the next one (and Sweep of the Heart when they get around to it), but I doubt I'll buy them now. Not for prompt.
PS: 47/50 RH: 15/24 ATY: 51/52 GR: 160/100
Currently Reading:
Nimitz at War: Command Leadership from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay by Craig L. Symonds. It's late summer 1944, and the Navy is planning their final push to Japan. Admiral King was to invade Formosa, General Macarthur wants to retake The Philippines, but Admiral Spruance thinks they should go for Okinawa and Iwo Jima. I think I know who wins this debate. Also, the account of FDR visiting Hawaii in July 1944 was a joy and a surprise. I hadn't realized he visited Hawaii during the war, and loved the story of how they had to make accommodations for his wheelchair in only a few hours when they realized he was intending to have lunch at Admiral Nimitz's house.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2020 by Michio Kaku. The chapter on how animals perceive beauty, and why they bother, was much too long. But now I'm done with it and I can continue with the rest. I've decided to save the 2021 book all about Covid for another time.
Mississippi Mistress by Gina Robins. One of my historical romances from when I was teenager that I've kept but haven't reread in forever. Reading it now, I'm noticing typos (Dal misspelled as Dale) and geographic errors (they arrived at Vicksburg days before arriving at Memphis, but they're traveling south from St. Louis. It also took more than a week to get to Memphis, but then they got to Natchez 2-3 days later), and a ton of repetition. I'm starting to see how some of the authors achieved the 450 page length of the Zebra historicals. And don't get me started on the head-hopping.
QotW: Do you have any specific books planned for end of October? Any spooky reads (or otherwise)?
I'm not one for spooky reads, but I always read at least one writing book before November to get me in the writing mindset for National Novel Writing Month. This year I selected Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott, which I've always heard to be one of the best books on writing out there. I'm still near the beginning, but imagine I can knock it out in Duluth this weekend.
I finished West Like Lightning: The Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express. It was supposed to be about the Pony Express, but apparently there's not enough info on the PE to fill a whole book, so it was also about Mormons, the Civil War, The Donner Party, etc, etc. It was a good read, though.I DNF'd The Reading Group after about 50 pages, because it's not really my thing and I had a worry this weekend and needed something better.
I read The African Queen. I loved the descriptions.
I just started Murder at the Breakers.
QOTW: I feel like we just had this question 2 weeks ago. I read The Stepford Wives as my spooky book a couple of weeks ago. And, technically all murder mysteries have a bit of spook involved, right? I mean, you do have a murderer running around.
Edit: I'm not completely insane, but I have no concept of time. the 9/29 QOTW:
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
With October just around the corner, do you have any “spooky” reads planned other than perhaps The Ex Hex for our monthly group read?
The weather had been weird here too. Some days it's 8 or 10. Other days it warms up to 19 or 21.I wouldn't be able to watch any of your movies Nadine, We watched "Fantasy Island" on the weekend. They made a horror movie out of a show I used to watch as a child.
I had a lot of getting run over by life this week and didn't do as much reading as I might have.
Finished:
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
ATY prompt: A book set in a small town or rural area
Popsugar prompt: A book that takes place during your favorite season
ATY - 45/52
PS- 37/35
Series -12/13
Clearing my TBR list: 34/40
Currently reading:
Hench - 30% done
The Faceless Ones - 25% done
QOTW:
I read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, which was interesting because while I've seen movies and a TV show, I've never actually read the original story. I'm going to read The Fall of the House of Usher: An Edgar Allan Poe Short Story this weekend. I already read a spooky book this month. My Skullduggery Pleasant book (about a crime fighting skeleton who solves supernatural mysteries) is almost a spooky read.
Happy Thursday, everyone! I'm on vacation for a week starting next Tuesday, so I'm looking forward to some writing time for NaNoWriMo. Finished:
The Ones We're Meant to Find - 4 stars - This wasn't what I expected it to be, but it was still really engaging and an interesting look at what it means to be human.
Into the Riverlands - 5 stars - I love these novellas. Short, fast-paced, clever, funny and insightful.
Comics and manga:
Something's Wrong With Us, Vol. 11
Currently reading:
Broken - Looking forward to reading something a little different for change of pace.
QotW:
I don't have anything, spooky or otherwise, specifically planned.
Mod
It’s incredible just how busy life has been over the past couple of weeks! Between doctor’s appointments, vaccinations, and prepping for my upcoming move, it feels like O..."
a new house is so exciting, and that time when it's your house but not full of your stuff is a special time that you will always remember. Get some takeout, sit on the floor, have dinner, enjoy your new space.
Chilly weather with temps in the 40s for early part of this week and three days with rain. Now it’s supposed to warm back up to 60F through the next week, which is about ten degrees above normal, but I’ll take 60 over 40 (or colder) any day. At least we won’t have snow for Halloween, as we did three years ago. Progress:
GR: 129/140
PS: 48/50
ATY: 50/52
Five books finished during the past week, none of which fit my remaining PS or ATY prompts.
* Foul Play at the PTA by Laura Alden — My most seasonal read this week, as it is set over Halloween and Thanksgiving, in a fictional town outside Madison, WI. She definitely got the weather and culture right!
* Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass (AKA Laura Alden) — Another cozy, this one set in northern Michigan.
* 4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie — The October group read for the AC group. Fits prompt #2, as it opens with a train...more than one.
* All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque — One of the classic group reads for October and a reread for me. I listened to a free audiobook (only 7hrs long) on YouTube with an excellent narrator. This would work for #33, a social horror.
* The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams — Another reread, though it had been so long it was almost like reading it for the first time. If you really wanted, you could bend this to fit #2 — a UFO/air ship could be likened to a plane, right? 😃
Currently reading:
* A Kiss, a Kid and a Mistletoe Bride by Lindsay Longford — Plucked this slightly older romance out of Mount TBR as I needed a “K” book for a seasonal challenge.
Question of the Week
Do you have any specific books planned for end of October? Any spooky reads (or otherwise)?
No spooky or seasonal reads planned, but I do want to take a stab at one more classic group read for October, Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola. There is an audiobook version on YouTube that is just under eight hours. I think I could just manage it.
Spooky Viewing:
Five episodes left in the fourth season of “Angel.” NOT liking what they did with some of the characters in this season. I finished the last few “Harry Potter” movies, too, but still haven’t gotten to “Hocus Pocus.”
Ashley Marie wrote: "Happy Thursday, gang!I got hit with my first-ever migraine yesterday and I do NOT want that to happen ever again. I thought I'd strained my eyes looking at something too hard and the next thing I..."
I feel for you! I’ve gotten one or two a month since suffering a neck injury many years back, and that’s where most of mine are centered. Thankfully, I do not suffer vision impairments or light sensitivity too often, though I did have one that bad earlier this month. That one struck out of the blue and laid me low for a couple days. I can usually feel one coming on and, though I can’t avert it completely, can usually lessen the severity if I take ibuprofen right away.
Nadine wrote, "As a middle-aged woman, I keep my eye out for books about older women, since most of the books I read feature young protagonists,". I just read Killers of a Certain Age. I really enjoyed the book. It' s about older female assassins. It reminded me of the movie Red.
Mod
you are correct! Lynn suggested it to me this morning and she wondered if we'd used it, but it didn't sound familiar to me so I didn't check our list, in my haste to get the post up. And of course she couldn't check since she had no internet! I guess she really likes the question hahahaha
Hi Everyone. I read 4 books for the week.1. Killers of a Certain Age. 5 stars.
I have been reading books off my kindle queue that I'm not using in 2023. This is a goal of mine for this year to read books I own.
2. Embrace the Wind. 3 stars
I'm also catching up on series I started years ago.
3. Isn't It Bromantic?. 4 stars
4. Loud Mouth.
I don't have anymore Halloween read plans for the rest of October. I'm reading books off my queue until Non-Fiction November. December is all Christmas reads.
Mod
Yes! I have this one on hold at my library!! It's funny that this book and The Old Woman with the Knife both showed up on my radar at the same time. But the Raybourn book has a wayyyyyy longer hold time! so ... I wait.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Katy wrote: "QOTW: I feel like we just had this question 2 weeks ago...."you are correct! Lynn suggested it to me this morning and she wondered if we'd used it, but it didn't sound familiar to m..."
LOL. It was just funny because I read the question and I was like, didn't we just answer that? Must have been for something else.
Finished:The Stolen Year: How COVID Changed Children's Lives, and Where We Go Now This book was good and devastating. Made me confront how privileged I have been going through this pandemic.The Merlin Conspiracy Took us a long time to get through this one. Jones writes sideways with the plot meandering along and then everything rushing to a point at the end. I've always enjoyed this dynamic, but it didn't serve well as a read-aloud.
Started: How to Stay Smart in a Smart World: Why Human Intelligence Still Beats Algorithms Gigerenzer's one of the thinkers I follow and he does not disappoint. Talks about how often human intuition and heuristics outweighs complicated algorithms and that we will not be displaced by AI any time soon.
How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community Reading this for a book club at my suggestion. I like it, but the other people in my book club are getting more out of it than I am. Which I'm happy with.
Qotw: You know what the funny thing is? I don't even remember this question from two weeks ago? My memory is getting so bad! I have no plans to read anything spooky and with several days of October left, finishing the Gigerenzer book is my only definite plan. I also need to read some books about the constitution and a book on a Titanic conspiracy theory. Maybe the last one counts as spooky?
Happy Thursday!It finally go cold here! Yay! I have to layer and wear my winter gear! It went from the low 70s to the 50s! The nights are now in the 30s or lower. Finally.
My diggy dogs are now in sweaters because they are short and silky haired. Reba (chihuahua. apple head not the buggy eyed kind) still buries herself in the couch cover and Ziggy (chiweener. looks like a dachshund with bat ears and slightly longer legs) flops down on his favorite blanket on the rocking chair.
Finished:
How to Catch a Monster Story Hour book of the week. It was cute. The kids liked it.
Blood Stain, Volume 1
Blood Stain, Volume 2
Blood Stain, Volume 3 Loved her other work Punderworld, Volume 1 so I got these when they were on sale. It's so interesting because I still have no idea why Dr. Stein has blood red stains on his lab coat . . .
Cheshire Crossing Okay, Andy Weir needs to do more with these characters. I loved it. Teen Alice, Dorothy, and Wendy with traumatic issues from their adventures and how it has effected their lives. Then with the added bonus of a new adventure in all three worlds with all three girls.
Coven (PS witches) The art was pretty and the story line was interesting. brooding, pissed (why-did-i-have-to-move) teenager meets grieving (I hate the world you don't understand) teenager and the threat of evil magic. All in all, it was pretty good.
Pumpkinheads (PS Seasons) Very cute. Finding what's really true and wonderful in your life.
The War of the Worlds (PS Social Horror, ATY flora/fauna 1) It was an interesting experience. I'm not sure if I would read it again, but I'm glad that I did.
Reading:
A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix
Naruto (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 6: Includes Vols. 16, 17 & 18
In/Spectre, Vol. 1
The Eye of the World
There's Someone Inside Your House I should never ever read books like this right before bed. It takes place in rural Nebraska and there are psychological elements and gruesome murders! My overactive imagination was twitching the whole time I was outside with the fur kids right before bed. The I'm-Being-Watched feeling. In the dark. With nothing but fields behind my house. Late at night. I ended up reading a few pages of In Another World With My Smartphone: Volume 1 because I psyched myself out!
QOTW
I have no specific books, spooky or otherwise. as you can read above spooky books and I do not get along very well. I have a vivid imagination and I don't need to torture myself with creepy books.
I'm planning on watching all the cool 30s and 40s and 50s horror films on Peacock streaming app. I watched Dracula the night before. Bela Lugosi with his dramatic escape from Van Helsing's cross. Can't beat it.
And on Halloween night It will be Nightmare Before Christmas night! Woot!
K. L. — Goid luck with your move!Mandy — I also read The War of the Worlds for social horror. Like you, I’m glad I finally read it, but doubt I’d ever read it again.
It looks like autumn, but it feels like… I don’t know… summer? My brain just can’t match what my eyes see and my body feels. And today was my first day without coughing, sneezing or any other post-covid symptom!PS: 18/40
Total 2022: 52
Finished
The Ensemble by Aja Gabel ⭐⭐
Too many shifts of perspective, too many and too big jumps in time, it was hard to get into it.
Currently reading
The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra by Helen Rappaport. Got to finish it by Saturday, there’s a library hold on it.
QOTW
No. When I was young, we didn’t know what Halloween was. Now I see houses turned in haunted mansions. We do have ‘Sint Maarten’ (Saint Martin) on November 11th. Kids go singing at every door with a lampion (Is this correct? It’s a paper thing with a candle in it, you carry it around with a stick). They get candy in return of course ;-) That's a bit the same but without the spooky stuff. Anyways, this is why I don’t read spooky books in October.
Mod
LOL it's not just you!! I didn't remember it either!!
Mod
I've never heard of that holiday before! In the US, Nov 11th is now Veteran's Day after WWII.
I think by "lampion" you mean "lantern"?
Jen wrote: "Happy Thursday, everyone! I'm on vacation for a week starting next Tuesday, so I'm looking forward to some writing time for NaNoWriMo. Finished:
The Ones We're Meant to Find - 4 s..."
What do you write? I've NaNo 3 times in past. Unfortunately, it's not a possibility for me this year.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Our Spooktober viewing this week includes: Us (I was really worried this would be too scary for me, but it was not - there were a bunch of things that didn't make sense, but I enjoyed the idea, and the acting was great), The Fly (the one w/ Jeff Goldblum - which was a lot ICKIER than I remembered!), and we continue watching Happiness and re-watching Dark. ..."We started to watch Us but it was really weird so we didn't get very far. We have been watching season 2 of The Purge TV series, spooky enough I would say, lol.
I have finished nothing in over a week! I've barely read 2 pages. I've just been swamped with work and the usual backlog from being on vacation. My attention is too scattered as well. I did finish a jigsaw puzzle started before I went on vacation -- and it is book related: 1000 piece Nancy Drew Mysteries covers from Cobble Hill. It was a challenging one too.
Still at 45/50 in PS.
Currently reading - still:
Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life, and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt
The Bar Harbor Retirement Home for Famous Writers
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery
I'm also spending far too much time looking at new releases... not that I want to do more than add them to the TBR. It's not like I'm longing for something different to read.
Which brings me to...
QOTW: Not really. I read a zombie book a couple weeks ago, and I certainly have a 'few' cozy mysteries set at Halloween but no plans to read any over the weekend. I really just want to get a few hours reading in on one of the books I'm currently reading.
I am, however, planning to watch the classic movie Arsenic and Old Lace with Cary Grant -- that's my kind of horror flic. It's on some obscure cable channel on Saturday afternoon. I also might watch the Ghost and Mrs. Muir which also seems appropriate.
Nadine in NY wrote: "I think by "lampion" you mean "lantern"?"
Yes! I shouldn't ask Google Translate, that was my initial thought but then Google Translate suggested 'lampion' and I was totally confused....
Mod
"
Yes! I shouldn't ask Google Translate, that was my initial thought but then Google Translate suggested 'lampion' and I was totally co..."
I rely on Google Translate a lot, but that's a FAIL! "lampion" is not an English word that I know of. Come on, Google!! The world relies on you now!!!
Hi all! Just checking in so you know I'm alive! I'm not super feeling the challenge these days, not sure why. Well, part of it is I just want to read scary stuff during my favorite month of October! Sadly I've had a bunch of misses lately. BUT, I re-read John Dies at the End and What the Hell Did I Just Read to prep for the drop of If This Book Exists, You're in the Wrong Universe, and all of them are delivering on both dread and laughs. Pargin is such a unique mix, and it's on brand for me!
Also, I just read How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing and it's the closest thing to evangelism for me now - I bought copies for my daughters and for my best friend. I finished listening and immediately restarted it. Such an important and beautifully helpful book for anyone who feels like their home-care and self-care efforts don't measure up!
Seriously - check it out!
^Click here!
Hello, I agree this has been a busy month!I'm 44/50 for the challenge - went back over my list and found another book I'd read this year that fit a challenge category.
Finished this week:
Since the World Began: Walt Disney World--The First 25 Years by Jeff Kurtti - the 40th anniversary of EPCOT had me looking around for some of the past commemorative books on EPCOT, to reminisce the history of the park, and I stumbled upon this one that covers the whole resort. If you love the Florida theme parks and/or Disney and Disney history, it's a great find. Gorgeous pictures and goes into great detail about the design of the parks and property and the evolution of the attractions.
QOTW: No scary reads planned. Unless you count how scary it is that there are only 2 months left to finish challenges.
Dubhease wrote: "What do you write? I've NaNo 3 times in past. Unfortunately, it's not a possibility for me this year."My partner and I do NaNo together - we write mostly fantasy and urban/paranormal fantasy. None of it is published yet, unfortunately.
Theresa wrote: "I am, however, planning to watch the classic movie Arsenic and Old Lace with Cary Grant -- that's my kind of horror flic. It's on some obscure cable channel on Saturday afternoon. I also might watch the Ghost and Mrs. Muir which also seems appropriate."I love both of these movies so much! The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is what got me interested in watching classic movies. I've heard that there was a television series based on the book as well, but I haven't been able to get a copy of it.
Mod
YES there is!!! I've actually never seen the movie. I'm afraid to watch it, because I LOVED that show! That show is my childhood!! My mom didn't let me watch much TV, but somehow that show slipped into the mix, maybe it was on PBS which was the only "approved" channel for my childhood viewing (or it was on weekend days when my mom was working and my dad was in charge hahah!) when I discovered it was based on a BOOK I of course immediately got a copy of the book The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, I read it when we had to read a story with a ghost, and it was WONDERFUL! (And also very very different from the TV show)
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glad you're still alive :-) I think of you every October, because you are the one who introduced me to Zelazny's A Night in the Lonesome October! That year I read one chapter each day of October, it was such a fun discovery.
Hi all! Have I mentioned I hate being sick??? Ugh, this is getting old. I got a PCR Covid test yesterday, negative, so this is "just" a cold or the flu. Been beautiful weather here, and I can't do a thing with it! Today was colder, but yesterday I think it hit 70.
Anyone doing anything fun for Halloween? My kiddo is looking forward to Trick Or Treating. I'm looking forward to raiding her candy haul when she's done! ;)
I think I read all of 5 pages in The Turn of the Screw. I had a couple of the kiddo's books due at the library and I did so on my way to a doctor's appointment. I debated just returning all of my books, too, since I'm not getting anywhere. Grr.
The Turn of the Screw is my answer to the QOTW. It's a short book and I'm determined to finish it before next check in! Even if I hack and cough all over it (it's mine, so I'm not returning an infested library book, ha!)
I have to say, it amuses me that Lynn asked this question, since she *hates* scary! lol
K.L. wrote: "Theresa wrote: "I am, however, planning to watch the classic movie Arsenic and Old Lace with Cary Grant -- that's my kind of horror flic. It's on some obscure cable channel on Saturday afternoon. I..."I remember that series! Loved it but that was also a very long time ago and I might have been a teen. Now I am curious.
@Nadine - you really should watch the movie. It is a real romance.
Nadine in NY wrote: "K.L. wrote: "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is what got me interested in watching classic movies. I've heard that there was a television series based on the book as well, but I haven't been able to get a ..."It ran 2 seasons from 1968 to 1970. I was a teen. It was based on the 1947 movie. It was on NBC the first season and ABC the second. Sounds to me, Nadine, you watched more than PBS. Currently not available to stream.
Did you know there was an animated series? And several other movie versions. Thinking there is even a stage version.
Theresa wrote: "It ran 2 seasons from 1968 to 1970. I was a teen. It was based on the 1947 movie. It was on NBC the first season and ABC the second. Sounds to me, Nadine, you watched more than PBS. Currently not available to stream."Go to YouTube! It looks like the movie and series are both here.
https://m.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEA...
Nadine in NY wrote: "when I discovered it was based on a BOOK I of course immediately got a copy of the book The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, I read it when we had to read a story with a ghost, and it was WONDERFUL! (And also very very different from the TV show)."I absolutely loved the book! There are some differences between the movie and the book as well, but I thought it was pretty close. I also loved Rex Harrison as Captain Gregg.
I'll definitely have to try and find a copy of the tv series. Maybe I'll luck out and it'll be on YouTube?
Heather L wrote: "Go to YouTube! It looks like the movie and series are both here."You totally just made my day! I know exactly what I'm watching tonight!
Christine wrote: "Hi all! Just checking in so you know I'm alive! I'm not super feeling the challenge these days, not sure why. Well, part of it is I just want to read scary stuff during my favorite month of October..."Pargin has been a guest on nearly every podcast I regularly listen to this week, so I'm considering reading the series. And I also have that cleaning book on my list!
K.L. wrote: "Heather L wrote: "Go to YouTube! It looks like the movie and series are both here."You totally just made my day! I know exactly what I'm watching tonight!"
Glad to make your night! 🙂
Good morning! I moved into a new house sit today and will spend the next three weeks with a gorgeous senior golden retriever. I finished two books, both for the challenge, so only three left!Finished
As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl for a book about gender.
More Than Enough for a book featuring a character on the ace spectrum.
DNF
The All of It: A Bogan Rhapsody. I'm definitely going to come back to this. It's a memoir, and the first person POV just made it a bit too intense for me currently. Thankfully, I own it, so I can try again when I'm in a better frame of mind.
Currently Reading
The Woman Warrior for Anisfield-Wolf Award winner.
QOTW
I'm just trying to get The Woman Warrior finished before the end of the month. No spooky reading for me. Australia doesn't really do Halloween anyway. I am watching a scary MacGyver episode, if that counts.
Happy check-in! The first snow came this past week in the form of a storm. Oh well, it wasn't too bad in the city, and we needed the moisture. It will probably be all melted away by the weekend when it will be back in the teens. It was actually nice exercise to shovel because it was warm out while it snowed.I was able to get my flu shot this week and I've been a little tired but that's okay. Fingers crossed that my parents get both of their shots at their appointment this week.
@Ashley Marie TSwift's album was awesome for reading non audiobooks. :)
Finished Reading:
The 5th Wave ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a decent movie that I finally got around to reading the book. It was really enjoyable, even though I didn't know that this is a trilogy and I'm kinda hooked now. Ya alien invasion dystopian.
Devouring Darkness ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A fave author's new book. Urban fantasy set in Chicago.
Frank Herbert's DUNE: Muad’Dib, Book 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Discovered that they've stretched this book into a third graphic novel to be published in 2024. Oh well, the artwork is gorgeous and the graphic novel pushes the pace of this awesome sci-fi classic.
Fruits Basket Ultimate Edition, Vol. 5 ⭐⭐⭐
Well, I realized at half-way through that this was actually volumes 9 & 10 instead of volume 5 which was the next book I needed to read. Sometimes what you request at my library and what gets sent are two different things. I probably would have liked it more had I not been so confused the whole time. 🤣
Sailor Moon Eternal Edition 7 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love these so much. They have the same appeal of the 1960's Adam West Batman tv show with all of the BAM! KER-POW! but instead it's Moon Prism Power and talking cats.
PS 2022 48/50
PS 2015 50/50 ✅
Goodreads 227/250
Currently Reading:
I'm Glad My Mom Died Tough but facinating read.
A Confederacy of Dumptys: Portraits of American Scoundrels in Verse Best one yet.
QOTW:
No spooky reads planned just trying to clear out the physical library book pile and get some new publications done before the Goodreads choice awards. I like reading popular books because people use them to make recommendations. I also like voting for the awards and it's better if you've actually got a book you've read to vote for instead of guessing in the dark.
Happy Thursday! I had such big plans this month for all the spooky books/movies/tv shows I was going to get to, and now the months almost over and I feel like I didn't get to any of it. Maybe I'll do a movie marathon night to get in a few more zombie flicksFinished:
Creepy Cat, Vol. 1- cute, silly, fairly forgettable
-no prompt
The Anthropocene Reviewed- this was very interesting, because half the essays I found immediately forgettable, and then some of the essays made me want to cry. I'm glad I picked it up though, the essays I liked definitely made it worth it.
-no prompt
Currently Reading:
This Savage Song- I bought this when it was first released, so I really want to finally get to it
It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror- essay collection about horror films viewed through the queer experience. I have friends who are die hard horror film fans, so I wind up seeing more than I normally would- so far, this collection is really interesting.
QotW:
I'd like to finish This Savage Song and its sequel Our Dark Duet. They deal with monsters, I think it counts.
I paused reading My Best Friend's Exorcism, but if I have time this weekend I might try it again. It didn't really grab me at first.
I finished quite a few books this week, and most were for the challenge. Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell - 4 books, PS #19 favorite season [autumn]
I've only read a couple of graphic novels, and while they were fine, they haven't inspired me to read more. This one might have changed that. I LOVED the artwork. And I loved the story and the characters and all the reminders of the things I love about autumn. Adorable book.
Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks - PS #14 cutlery on cover
I'm really glad someone mentioned this one, because I was struggling to find something for this prompt. The cover has two lunch trays, one with a spoon and one with a fork. The book itself is about a kid from India who moves to New Jersey and his first week at school. It was a cute read with a good message about assumptions.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum - PS #16 witches
There is a chance that I read this book when I was a kid, but I'm not sure. I don't typically use re-reads for the challenge but I'm iffy on this one. And it wasn't nearly as "witchy" as the movie led me to believe. So this may be stretching a bit. I can still sleep at night.
A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie - 4 stars
My monthly Christy. I'm rather enjoying the plots from nursery rhymes that she has been doing on occasion. Rather a fun twist.
Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark - 3 stars; PS #33 social horror
This was worth reading and got 3 stars because I gained additional understanding of the after-effects of slavery, but this was a tough read for me. Glad it was short and only took two days to finish. I do not like fantasy mixed with horror, or really anything mixed with horror.
Goodreads: 73/90
Popsugar: 32/40, 7/10
QOTW: I love October for the fall weather, the scenery, the food, etc, but I am not a big fan of Halloween (except the Reese's Pumpkins). I finished what I considered to be the October-type prompts (see above). Other than We Ride Upon Sticks, which I'm reading for the 1980s setting prompt, that should be the end. Looking forward to my November reads.
Christine wrote: "Also, I just read How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing and it's the closest thing to evangelism for me now - I bought copies for my daughters and for my best friend. I finished listening and immediately restarted it. Such an important and beautifully helpful book for anyone who feels like their home-care and self-care efforts don't measure up!"Just bought it on Kindle. And will probably read it (or summarize it) for my mother, who is now 84 and struggling with the guilt of not being able to maintain her house in a spotless manner. She needs to give herself a break, and also those of us (me!) who have never met her standards. If we can just both believe it...
K.L. wrote: "Heather L wrote: "Go to YouTube! It looks like the movie and series are both here."You totally just made my day! I know exactly what I'm watching tonight!"
Might want to haunt Ebay as once upon a time the TV series was released in DVD.
Also the 1947 is available on TCM on demand. TCM regularly shows it as I have it on my DVR.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
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It's gotten crazy warm here in NY. Last night I had the a/c blasting in my car. We took advantage of the sunny weather to plant some bulbs last weekend, and I set some in pots for forcing, which every spring I wish I had done. Last time I did this it was really easy, I just kept the pots in my garage - but now I have mice in my garage, so I'm hoping if I contain the pots inside a cardboard box, they will be safe. (or this could backfire spectacularly and the mice can make a home in the box and snack on crocus & hyacinth! At least the daffodils will make it.) Then I took my college kid back to college. I won't see her again until Thanksgiving - but I'm sure that will be here before I know it!
Our Spooktober viewing this week includes: Us (I was really worried this would be too scary for me, but it was not - there were a bunch of things that didn't make sense, but I enjoyed the idea, and the acting was great), The Fly (the one w/ Jeff Goldblum - which was a lot ICKIER than I remembered!), and we continue watching Happiness and re-watching Dark.
This week I finished 1 book, and it was for this Challenge, so I am now 47/50.
The Old Woman with the Knife by Gu Byeong-mo - this was okay. I used this for "cutlery on the cover." As a middle-aged woman, I keep my eye out for books about older women, since most of the books I read feature young protagonists, and this book DID talk about aging a lot, but it didn't feel "real" - I'm guessing the author is quite young.
And I've abandoned one book:
Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh - this was going to be my "Hugo winner" but it is unbelievably slow, boring, and confusing. It's books like this that make people think they don't like sci-fi. I own it, so maybe I'll get back to it someday and give it a try again, but I am DONE torturing myself every night trying to slog through this. I can only read a few pages before I conk out. It'll be great if I ever struggle with insomnia.
Question of the Week
Do you have any specific books planned for end of October? Any spooky reads (or otherwise)?
I didn't plan for it to happen right now, but my hold came in for The Daughter of Doctor Moreau a few days ago, so I'm in the middle of that audiobook right now! It's not especially spooky, but it's ... spooky-adjacent?