Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2022 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 46: 11/10 - 11/17
I have less than 100 pages left to go in Foucault's Pendulum. It is seriously weird.QOTW: I don't really collect books, so I don't care.
Good morning from a very chilly NEOhio! There's snow up along the lake and already some school closures and power outages, but nothing much down my way just yet. I had to talk the cat into staying in the house when I left for work though lol.Got together with a group for a friend's birthday last weekend and ducked into Barnes and Noble for her gift beforehand - I haven't been in a bookstore in ages and it's DANGEROUS. I left with three, one for her and two for me, and it was $50. Reminds me why I ask for books as gifts!
I got a decent amount of reading done this week too! Nothing that fits the PS challenge, but I have my remaining two for that lined up and waiting, it just remains to be seen how long it takes me to get to them.
Border and Rule: Global Migration, Capitalism, and the Rise of Racist Nationalism - 5 stars. A fairly bleak read, but important. I'd put it on the shelf alongside Michelle Alexander's THE NEW JIM CROW. Nonfiction November book #2!
An American Sunrise - 5 stars. Very quick, less than 2 hours on audio, and Joy reads beautifully. Nonfiction November #3
She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement - 4 stars. Nonfiction November #4
Glass Predator - 4 stars. Ended up enjoying this one much more than I expected I would, and it's got me excited for the sequel!
PS 48/50
Currently:
The Summer Queen - picked this up again last night and liking it much more than a few weeks ago
Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators - listening as a companion piece to get the full picture after She Said
The Wicked + The Divine: Book One - halfway through, need to finish this!
Up next:
Bloodmarked
QOTW: How do you feel when series switch format (ex: from MMP to HC) mid-series? How much does it matter to you?
Ehhh depends on the book/series? I'm fairly certain I still have the final Unwind book in hardcover because the cover design is what matches the previous three paperbacks - that's bothersome. And for whatever reason, the second book in Tamora Pierce's Terrier trilogy is shorter height-wise than the other two, and still from the same publisher! Bugs me out if I look at it
But these are the only two instances where it really bothers me - I have several other series that go from MMP to HC to PB and it doesn't bother me at all.
Happy Thursday! Not feeling great, so I didn't go into the office today. I really need to kick whatever this is, if it's anything, by Thanksgiving. I am hosting this year. It's a really small group, but I am already very stressed about it.Finished:
Just One Damned Thing After Another
The Golden Enclaves
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
Currently reading:
The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II
A Snake Falls to Earth grabbed this Big Library Read
Drunk on Love
QOTW:
I am also a library user, so never really think about this. We do have all the Harry Potter books in hardcover because my daughter only reads physical books, and she had to have them the moment they came out.
Happy Thursday. Milena I hope you feel better soon. Can you all believe next Thursday is Thanksgiving? I completed 2 books for the week. 1. Unrequited Infatuations: A Memoir. Audio Book. 5 stars. I really liked the book.
2. The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz. 5 stars. This is long but good.
QOTW: I'm also a library user. I read either ebooks or whatever form the library provides for my series. I do own the Harry Potter series all hardbacks.
So the big college project I've been stressing over all year (a speech I needed to record and post to YouTube) was graded yesterday. I was freaking out about it because the requirements set by the professor were so strict and it counts for such a huge chunk of our grade... and I ultimately got a 97 percent on it. I feel silly for stressing now... though maybe that stress helped me work harder on it, I dunno...Is anyone else already planning their Christmas reads? I have two books I've set aside specifically for this holiday season -- 8-Bit Christmas and The Legend of Holly Claus.
Books read this week:
The True Meaning of Smekday -- well hey there, I wasn’t expecting to pick up a goofy-sounding kid’s book and get a scathing anti-colonial satire, but here we are… I think a little more could have been done with the jabs at colonialism, especially since at least one secondary character is Native American, but the author probably figured that would be a little TOO serious for a silly sci-fi romp aimed at younger readers. Still fun. Makes me wonder how much they changed it when they adapted it into the movie “Home.”
Heidi -- I’ve seen film adaptations of this classic before, but had never read the full version. It was surprisingly charming.
Revenge of the Librarians -- comic collection. Some of these I really enjoyed as both a book lover and a writer, but others just felt forced or unfunny. And there were a LOT of pandemic-related comics that, while timely, got repetitive.
Marshmallow & Jordan -- graphic novel. An adorable read about friendship, dealing with a disability, and Indonesian culture.
DNF:
Gearbreakers -- I SHOULD have LOVED this! Sapphic romance and giant mecha, what wasn’t to love? Somehow, though, the author bungled it and I couldn’t bring myself to care about the (flat) characters or (flimsily built) world. (view spoiler)
Currently Reading:
A Snake Falls to Earth
To Sleep with the Angels: The Story of a Fire
A Green and Ancient Light
The Chrysalids
QOTW:
I get a LOT of my books from the library, so I don't really think about this either. I've been known to read one book in a series as a physical copy, the next as an e-book, etc. It does occasionally bother me when I look at a series on the shelf and see they've switched the style of the covers halfway through, but only slightly.
Kenya wrote: "So the big college project I've been stressing over all year (a speech I needed to record and post to YouTube) was graded yesterday. I was freaking out about it because the requirements set by the ..."Congrats on your speech, Kenya!!
Mod
Congrats!! I think this happens to everyone sometimes!! I still remember my biggest freak-out (and this was ... approximately 35 years ago) I was convinced I was going to fail astrophysics (and I'd already failed two college classes at this point, so it wasn't like I was worried about nothing) and I ended up getting a 4.0! That was a fascinating class and I'm so glad I took it, and I wonder where the textbook is now ... it's packed in a box somewhere.
a book by a Pacific IslanderScar of the Bamboo Leaf by Sieni A.M. I didn't really care about any of the characters. It was billed as a romance and it was not for one big reason but also the two characters involved in the romance rarely interacted and yet they were supposed to be this love story that spanned years and distance. Blah.
no prompts
The Cloisters by Katy Hays. Dark academia. I actually enjoyed this one and dark academia can be hit or miss for me.
The Last Party by Claire Mackintosh. Thriller. This book was kind of a mess. I think there were too many characters and I cared about absolutely none of them. I didn't hate the twist though. Still only 2 stars for me.
Drilled, Stroker and Stripped by K.M. Neuhold. All Contemporary romance. They are all enjoyable and I'm tearing through the series right now because romance is my comfort read and I'm stressed.
QOTW:
I don't care at all. HC, PB, I'll have a mix on my bookshelves.
Happy Thursday. Our aging furnace is struggling and I'm freezing all the time. Stupid winter.This is apparently my month of series. I had left Skullduggery Pleasant for October because he's a crime fighting skeleton. The Lying Game goes with a November prompt. Heather Wells should have been read earlier in the year, but there was always something else to read, so here we are.
I finished all the "Advanced" PS prompts, which is funny because I won't finish the easier ones. I'm not sure what that says about me. I did enjoy how all the advanced prompts tied into the year, 22, because they were all about twos or doubles.
Finished:
The Faceless Ones
ATY prompt: 3 books set on three different continents - Europe - Dublin
Popsugar prompt: A book about someone leading a double life
ATY - 48/52
PS- 39/35
Series -13/13
Clearing my TBR list: 37/40
Currently reading:
Size 12 and Ready to Rock -30% done
Seven Minutes in Heaven - Just started
QOTW: I love boxed sets, but don't very many.
I borrowed the first three HP books (because I was late to the series) and then bought the last four HC because it was the only way to read them. My daughter is trying to collect the remaining ones and is only one short.
Interestingly, my mother had a series she loved (the Mitford books). She owned them in PB. When a new one came out in HC, I bought it for her. I was disappointed when she later rebought it in paperback. It wasn't about a matching set though. She had arthritis and found HC too heavy to deal with.
Mod
I read this years ago, I knew nothing about it, I don't even remember why I picked it up. I must have been cooling my heels in the childrens' room of our library while my kids did whatever library things they were doing back then. Maybe it was featured on the "New" shelf back then.
It was SO FUNNY!! It really surprised me. I loved it!! I tried to get both my kids to read it! Nope. No interest.
We've had so much rain this week. I was supposed to walk my dog down to the vets for her vax yesterday but it was torrential and had to beg a lift. Streets were starting to flood just from the rain (no river nearby). Clear skies today but that also means it's the first cold day of the season, trying to resist putting the heating on just yet.Still on track with Nanowrimo, I actually planned out the rest of the story yesterday so I know where I'm going. It's been fun, and I'll have to decide whether I want to try and do anything with it (it will need a lot of fleshing out and editing of course).
I finally gave up waiting for Waterstones to send me my special edition of The Golden Enclaves, asked for a refund which they processed straight away...and now it's gone and turned up. If it was a smaller retailer I'd let them know but I guess they realised they'd messed up when they actually looked at my order rather than just giving the standard "it's delayed" response.
Feeling less enthusiastic about finishing off challenges, I don't think I'm all that bothered if I don't finish this year though. Popsugar has been tough and I've forced myself through more meh books that I would normally allow.
Finished:
The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin for my second duology book. As I said last week I didn't want to finish the duology I started for the challenge so this book from a different duology is taking its place. This was a bit stressful at first, so much about the rise of fascism in the US being a bit like doomscrolling but once it got to the multiverse battle for existence I got into it more. I loved that it visited some of the other personified cities.
I am still slogging through The Spanish Love Deception on audio, why is it so long? And I'm currently reading The Red Scholar's Wake for review.
QOTW:
I cared more in the past, but I guess with blogging I got a lot of proofs for a while so they were all sorts of sizes and sometimes I started a new series with a cheap ebook then bought paper versions of the rest. I think it's nice that popular series often get fancy editions once they're complete now, so you can get a matching set once you know you love the books.
Winter is definitely here! We had three inches of snow Tuesday and Wednesday, and are getting a little light snow again today. I feel for those east of the Great Lakes getting that lake effect snow. Now we have the first of two cold fronts moving through and could see a high this weekend of 9F. 🥶Progress:
GR: 139/140
PS: 49/50
ATY: 51/52
One of my books planned for December will finish both the PS and ATY challenge.
Finished this week:
* The Blithedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne — A classic group read. Beautiful writing, but not a fast read. It took some effort to finish it over last weekend.
* O Christmas Tree by Alicia Street — A Christmas novella, so guess I have officially participated in Novella November.
* Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black — I actually started this over the summer, but it’s one of those books best read in small bites. It’s full of beautifully detailed sketches and artwork.
* Seducing Santa by Beth Henderson — An older Christmas romance plucked from Mount TBR.
* Oh, Christmas Night by Jane Porter — A more recent Christmas romance.
Starting:
* The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller — Have been meaning to read this for months now. (view spoiler)
QOTW:
Thanks, Nadine! 😄
As someone who has a lot of series in progress, the change in formats does bother me. I shelve all my cozy mysteries together, and it’s irritating when later books in a series no longer fit. One series, Nancy Atherton’s “Aunt Dimity,” was in mass market paperback (MMP) size through book 17, then was switched to trade size paperback, no longer available in MMP size, even a year later. Not only do they not fit with the rest of the series, they’re twice as expensive and are harder to find locally. I ended up switching to ebook format, and am still missing books 18 and 19 (apologies to the author and publisher, but I cannot afford to pay $20 or more for an ebook — I try to watch for them to go on sale. And why is it German editions are so much cheaper than English??)
Kenya mentioned change in cover design. That happened with the Aunt Dimity series, too. Up through book nine they had a more photographic style cover that always featured the iconic pink bunny, Reginald. Then they changed the covers with book ten to a more “sophisticated” and “adult” style. The new covers are stunning, but I know a lot of readers were mad that they no longer included the rabbit, who is mentioned in every book.
I have also stopped buying books that were an inch taller than the usual MMP size — I find them top heavy and uncomfortable to hold while reading. Equally irritating is the new MMP format of the usual MMP height, but an inch wider, so they stick out of what would otherwise be an orderly row (I’m looking at you, Kensington!).
Not that I’m buying many books in any format these days. 😐
Dubhease wrote: "Happy Thursday. Our aging furnace is struggling and I'm freezing all the time. Stupid winter.This is apparently my month of series. I had left Skullduggery Pleasant for October because he's a cri..."
My mom has this issue with hardcovers also. She loves to read in bed, and the HC ones are too heavy for her to hold. I am always looking for books for my mom in the books my library gives away for free or Little Free Libraries, but I can only get paperbacks for her.
I'm holding off buying Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution because every photo of that hardback looks like it would be awkward to hold for long periods. My wrists are ok now but I want to keep them that way!
Kenya wrote: "Is anyone else already planning their Christmas reads? I have two books I've set aside specifically for this holiday season -- 8-Bit Christmas and The Legend of Holly Claus. ..."*raises hand* me! In fact I never stop planning my Christmas reads! I have so many in my TBR I can fit any mood or theme. And new sparkly ones just pull me in. I do a whole Christmas in July read too. That actually came into being because work in recent years has been so busy in December I get to very few.
The two you linked are new to me. Not sure what direction I will go but mysteries set at Christmas might be the winner.
Hello! It started snowing on Monday and it mostly hasn't stopped. The ground wasn't frozen when all this started, but it's well on its way now. We have maybe six inches? My husband has had to clear the driveway twice this week, and it's snowing again now. The temps are going to plummet today with highs tomorrow in the single digits and wind chills close to zero. I know I chose to live here, but this is not okay for November.NaNo is going okay. I dislike my story and its lack of a plot, but am at 20k words, which is only four days behind. I haven't skipped a day of writing, which is not something I can normally say. My husband thinks I should have just continued writing the story I was interested in (my 2015 novel I've been working on this year) instead of starting a new one. I've always been a NaNo traditionalist, so that never occurred to me. The month is more than half over, and I'm at 40% with the word count, so will forge ahead with this very plot-less story. At least I haven't had to blow anything up.
Finished This Week:
Twice a Quinceañera by Yamile Saied Méndez. Finished. I thought it had a good resolution and I'm glad I read it. It didn't end up being as anti-Mormon as I was expecting. Not for PS prompt.
The Queen's Gambit / The Queen's Advantage by Jessie Mihalik. Finished book 1 as an audiobook reread, and then read book 2 as an ebook since I hadn't read it before. Very much enjoyed both of them and will read the third here shortly. Not for PS prompt.
To Sir, With Love by E.R. Braithwaite. My Anisfield-Wolf winner that I chose because it also counts as a classic by a POC for Read Harder. Story is about a Black man in London who struggles to find work after being discharged from the RAF after World War II. He ends up teaching in one of the tougher parts of London and getting his students to respect him and each other. I understand it's also a movie starring Sidney Poitier.
PS: 48/50 RH: 17/24 ATY: 51/52 GR: 171/100
Currently Reading:
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2020 by Michio Kaku. Need to get back to this.
The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik. Got the audiobook from the library. Only about a half hour in so far.
It's All a Game: The History of Board Games from Monopoly to Settlers of Catan by Tristan Donovan. I've finished the introduction and have started the first chapter about what they found in King Tut's tomb.
QotW: How do you feel when series switch format (ex: from MMP to HC) mid-series? How much does it matter to you?
It depends, honestly. When the Kate Daniels (Magic Bites) and October Daye (Rosemary and Rue) series switched to hardcover, I rolled with it and bought the new hardcovers, because I wasn't waiting for paperback and wanted a physical copy. Same thing for Incryptid (Discount Armageddon) when it changed from mass market to trade size just this year.
The series Enchanted Inc (Enchanted, Inc.) went from traditionally published to self-published, with books 5-7 taller and thinner than 1-4 and 8+. It bothers me that the books look weird on the shelf, but I also appreciate that the author finished the story she was aiming to tell even when her publisher dropped her.
When the Chronicles of Elantra (Cast in Shadow) went from mass market paperback to trade size paperback at book 4, I was annoyed, but I also didn't discover the series until book 6 was already out, so there wasn't anything I could do about it. I wish they'd rerelease 1-3 in trade size so they'd all match, but the switch didn't stop me buying them. (The sheer magnitude of the story being told did. I really need to get back to this series, but they're so dense.)
Often what happens is I'll discover a trilogy when book 1 is in paperback, buy books 2 and 3 in hardcover when they're released, and struggle to find book 1 in hardcover to match. I did that with The Hunger Games and Divergent, and I'm doing it now with A Deadly Education.
I think the only time the format switch has really bothered me was when Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooters (The Unsung Hero) series switched to hardcover somewhere in the middle. I had followed Suz since she was writing in the Harlequin series in the mid-90s, and was very happy she had made it to hardcovers. I just couldn't afford them, and this was before I discovered ebooks (and possibly before they were a mainstream thing). I continued to buy the paperbacks when they were released a year later. It was only the last in the initial arc that I bought in hardcover, as a thanks for the series. I also think I was growing more disillusioned with Suz as politics entered the stories. She wrote romances starring Navy SEALs, and after 9/11, all of her stories changed.
My dad, on the other hand, hates series switches with a fiery passion. He refused to buy Harry Potter in hardcover, ever, and was content to read the paperback when it came out eventually. (I was not. I bought 5-7 on release night at midnight.) He is very meticulous about his books and series and how they fit together. If they don't fit together, he DOES NOT like it.
In summary, it seemed it only bothered me when I couldn't afford the switch to the more expensive books in the days before ebooks. These days, when I don't have to watch my book purchases as closely, I'll make the switch with the author because I want to support them.
Melissa wrote: "To Sir, With Love by E.R. Braithwaite. My Anisfield-Wolf winner that I chose because it also counts as a classic by a POC for Read Harder. Story is about a Black man in London who struggles to find work after being discharged from the RAF after World War II. He ends up teaching in one of the tougher parts of London and getting his students to respect him and each other. I understand it's also a movie starring Sidney Poitier..."I’ve seen the movie many times and love it. Actually, I don’t think I’ve seen a Poitier movie I didn’t like. He was an amazing actor. I have the book, but haven’t actually read it yet. It was on my Anisfield-Wolf list this year, but I read a different book from my short list for this prompt.
Milena wrote: "My mom has this issue with hardcovers also. She loves to read in bed, and the HC ones are too heavy for her to hold. I am always looking for books for my mom in the books my library gives away for free or Little Free Libraries, but I can only get paperbacks for her:..."It's a disability issue that I didn't know existed before my mom said that. I buy PB because I'm cheap, but for some people it's a physical necessity.
Finished: Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions The team of researchers who built this book did such a good job analyzing high-stress decision-making situations, that it sort of made me want to get trained to join the team. Very good book on naturalistic decision-making. Though I've read a later book by the same author that I gave away. Why?Nasty, Brutish, and Short: Adventures in Philosophy with Kids This was a fun romp through philosophy and parenting that included many more recent philosophers as well.
In All Their Animal Brilliance: Poems I attended an event that had six of our state poet laureates read. This was the author I liked the best. I enjoyed the book, but it didn't wow me. Wonder if there is a better collection. (I chose this one because it was autographed... even though that doesn't really matter to me.)
Serpentine Would have been a good one for book you can read in one sitting. I love all things Phillip Pullman and am chomping at the bit for the third in his latest trilogy. So this short story tided me over... sort of.
The One Thing You'd Save Recommended to me by one of my students. I enjoyed it, but it was a little too long to use as a class read-aloud.
This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You I read this for Nonfiction November prompt, "record." I enjoyed it, but don't feel like it revealed much about my personal taste in music.
Started: The Multicultural Imagination: "Race", Color, and the Unconscious I ordered this from the library two years ago because I was reading Jung and felt that his 'universal' archetypes needed to be informed by race. This book delves into tricky areas and does so skillfully, but I'm not convinced it was really what I was looking for.
War in Ukraine
Big Ideas from History: A history of the world for you What I don't like about it is that it glosses over a lot of controversies for the sake of being easily readable.
DNF:Kintsugi: Embrace your imperfections and find happiness - the Japanese way This book gave impossible advice without any suggestion as to how to achieve it, such as, your past doesn't matter! Just look toward your future. It was so obnoxious that I did not finish it!
Qotw: I pay very little attention to formats. As long as I can read it, I'm happy. (Well, I don't like large print editions. And usually am not so fond of mass market paperbacks either, although I have two mass market for His Dark Materials and prefer it to the third which is a different format because they are more colorful.
Wow! I've only read three of the goodreads choice award candidates, one memoir, one poetry, and one kids' book.
Happy Thursday! I'm going to a hockey game tonight, so I'm super excited. My hometown team, the NY Rangers, is playing my new team, the Seattle Kraken. So... I'm rooting for a good game, I guess. I'm conflicted, because I'd like to cheer for the Kraken without reservations, but not while they're playing my Rangers. I think I mentioned a few weeks ago when everyone was talking about ATY that I got curious and looked at their prompt list. I actually managed to fill it last week, even though I wasn't actively participating in that challenge. :)
Finished:
The World We Make - I agree with what you said, Ellie - the first half was kind of stressful but overall I really enjoyed it. I can see why Jemisin cut this from a trilogy to a duology; it was probably really stressful to write in the current climate.
Comics & manga:
Welcome to the Ballroom, Vol. 11
Marvel Meow
Currently reading:
Ocean's Echo - This is a M/M sci-fi romance set in the same universe as the author's first book, but with different characters and in a different part of the galaxy. I'm really enjoying it so far.
Planned:
Even Though I Knew the End
Cursed
A Snake Falls to Earth
QOTW: It does bug me a little, for series that I'm collecting physically. Especially when its a series that switches from mass market paperback to hardcover. Happy for the author's success, not happy for my bookshelves being uneven. :) When I read a physical book, I definitely prefer a paperback format.
That said, nearly 100% of my reading nowadays is digital, and I really only collect books that either have special editions or that I get at a signing. Or that I want in hard copy, in case, say, Amazon disappears and all my Kindle books vanish. So it's less of a concern for me now.
Mod
Yeah I could only really vote confidently in one category, because the rest either I had read none, or I'd read one or a few and didn't like any of them. I try really hard all year to read new publications but I never manage to read a fraction of the books they choose for the GR awards. Guess I'm out of step with most readers.
Back in the day of write-ins, I could still participate. Now? not so much.
People online are saying removing the write-in was to combat "ballot-stuffing" but how is this any different? Each account gets one vote. Publishers can pay people to come in droves and vote for one book just like they can pay people to come in droves and write in a title. I don't see how that has been prevented.
It's finally started to actually feel like November over here; I had to scrape off my car for the first time since March.My Nanowrimo project keeps chugging along, and I'm a little ahead, at almost at 30k words.
Finished this week:
Oksi - I don't think I really got this one, but I loved the visual style.
Eating Salad Drunk: Haikus for the Burnout Age by Comedy Greats - This reminds me that no one brought back one of my favorite Nano forum games. I might just have to do it myself. As for the actual haikus in this book, they're all right. This book would be a good one for the "can read in one sitting" prompt.
The Tiger Rising - (A book with a tiger on the cover) I read this one mostly because I DNF'd my original choice for this prompt, and as the year is growing short I needed a short book, too. But I also picked it because my library helped one of the elementary school get copies of it for their book club, so it was on my radar, and I know Kate DiCamillo writes good stuff. And I enjoyed it for what it was. Since it is so short, there's a lot that goes unexplained, but the important, emotional things are all there.
Wash Day Diaries - Another quick read, but I enjoyed it.
My Father's Dragon - I never read this as a kid, though I remember seeing on the library shelf all the time. But I watched the animated adaptation last week because it was made by the same studio that made The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea, and just from watching it I could tell that it was very different from the book (which came out in the 1940s). Wanting to find out how different it was finally gave me a reason to check it out.
Currently Reading:
Humble Pi: A Comedy of Maths Errors
The Priory of the Orange Tree
Castle Waiting, Vol. 1
Duel with the Devil: The True Story of How Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr Teamed Up to Take on America's First Sensational Murder Mystery
Snow Crash
QOTW: I don't buy very many books these days (working at two libraries, my book needs are usually covered), but even when I did, I don't think this bothered me.
Happy Thursday, everyone!After a week and a half without Internet service, I am beyond thrilled to finally be back online!
I officially moved on November 6th, so it’s been a little over a week since I moved into my new house, and I’ve been slowly (but steadily) settling in. There are tons of boxes everywhere, my office is a disorganized mess, and I’m still eating off of paper plates, but at least my books are unpacked and on their shelves! Priorities, am I right?
I’m really liking the new house so far, and so is my cat. Darcy wasn’t too sure about everything at first, but it seems like he’s gotten used to the house and enjoys having more space. He’s certainly enjoying the increase in wildlife that travels through our backyard. We’ve already had visits from some huge flocks of geese, several crows, and even a deer.
I am also in the process of getting my condo ready to put on the market, and I’m really looking forward to all of that being over and done with. Hopefully it will go quickly, because I am not thrilled to be owning two properties at the same time.
Despite all the stuff I’ve been working on, I did manage to read quite a few books over the past couple of weeks. I decided to start a re-read of the Harry Potter series on Halloween, and I’ve really been enjoying myself. I’m only a couple books away from finishing the series.
Goodreads: 538/200
TBR Checklist: 412/979
Finished Reading (Fiction):
Week 45
~Barchester Towers — I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel! I’m currently planning to re-watch the BBC’s mini-series adaptation (The Barchester Chronicles) sometime soon, and I’m really looking forward to it. It has a great cast, which includes a very young Alan Rickman; that will be doubly fun to watch, since I am currently reading his diaries.
~Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
~Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets — It was so much fun to start re-reading the Harry Potter series this week! It was exactly the kind of escapism I needed to help with the stress of moving.
~The Ghost and Mrs. Muir — After watching the television series a few weeks ago, I just had to read the book again. I love this story so much!
Week 46
~Get a Clue — I picked this book up at a used bookstore during my first year of college, and I’ve read it several times since then. I always have fun reading it.
~Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban — I dove into book three on the same day that I got my books unpacked and my home library set up. I ended up reading this one in a single day (ignoring all of my responsibilities in the process). I think it’s probably my favorite story in the series.
~Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
~Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
None
Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
None
DNFed:
None
Currently Reading:
~Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman — I haven’t spent much time reading this book over the past couple of weeks, since my attention has mostly been focused on the Harry Potter series. I’m looking forward to getting back into it once I finish the series though.
~Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince — I’m about a third of the way through book six right now, so I’ll probably finish it by the weekend.
QOTW:
Week 45
Right now, my only Nonfiction November pick is Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman. There were several other titles that I wanted to get to this month, but it just isn’t going to happen.
Week 46
I have a pretty eclectic mix of books on my shelves, so switching from paperback to hardback in the middle of a series really doesn’t bother me too much. I have bought a lot of series as boxed sets though, so most of the books in my completed series do match.
Question of the Week:I buy ebooks, which typically don't have multiple varieties. About the only bothersome thing that changes is that the publisher can update the cover art down the road (like with the Star Wars Legends Essential Collection titles). Still, most of the time, I am reading the text and not looking at the cover page, so I am not too bothered.
In print, the worst example I can think of is the Saga of Seven Suns. The series switched cover art styles midway through the series from something amazing to something mediocre. Even worse, each of the seven books had circles on the spine to correspond to its placement in the series, and one of them had the incorrect number of circles.
Hi everyone. There's been a lot of rain here today. My town is basically one big hill where all the roads in and out are low lying so if we get flooded we become an island for a few days so I'm really hoping we don't flood again.This week I finished Llama Drama: A two-woman, 5,500-mile cycling adventure through South America. I don't cycle but I really want to do something similar. I just wish there had been some photos included in this travel memoir.
Currently reading: The Golden Enclaves. My library gave me this and about six other new-ish books all at once so I'm trying to prioritise the ones I'm desperate for first because I know I won't be able to finish them all in time.
QOTW: I think it entirely depends on whether I like the covers lol. I have four wildly different editions of the Little Women books but I don't really like any of them so it doesn't bother me.
On the other hand, I've been reading the Disney Twisted Tales series for a while which aren't connected in any way apart from these pretty covers
but the latest one seems to be only available in this one
which I really don't like. This irritates me so much!!
Mod
~Get a Clue — I picked this book up at a used bookstore during my first year of college, and I’ve read it several times since then. I always have fun reading it...."
I want to say that I've never heard of this book, but ... Turns out that not only do I have this on my TBR, I own an e-copy in my kindle!!! Too bad I didn't know about it back when I needed a book with the name of a boardgame in the title!! (not that I regret reading Jamaica Inn ... but Clue is a game I know better than Jamaica)
I should read it! when? idk
Hi all! Kiddo was sick this week- I knew she'd catch everything when she started school, but I didn't expect it this often!!! A cough and fever, home for a couple of days, no covid. We had a slight dusting of snow on the ground yesterday, and she was pretty excited about that, but it melted. I'm out of the path of the lake effect, I can't decide if I'm happy or bummed about that. I guess I'll just watch the Weather Channel and call it good. Nano isn't going well at all, but better than I was doing before Nano... so, it's something. I shall cheer on those of you making a genuine effort!
Didn't finish anything, but made some progress in When She Woke (which was due back to the library 2 days ago, but I'm NOT checking it out again!!) and The House in the Cerulean Sea, which is just adorable, come join us in the group read!!
QOTW: I don't often read series, so I don't buy them. I rarely buy any books, most of my reading comes from the library. I prefer reading trade paperbacks when I have a choice, so when I get a book (to own or to borrow), that's what I gravitate towards.
My mom has some dry eye/blurry vision problems, so she can only read hardcovers now. I don't notice a font difference, but she says she does.
Happy check-in! It felt cold to shovel today but really -13 isn't that bad. I need to start my xmas shopping soon but I don't feel ready for Christmas to show up. Can we go back to October or even better summer? Finished Reading:
Meet Me in the Margins ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A cute rom-com centred around book publishers almost as good as Book Lovers.
Nick and Charlie ⭐⭐
A written novella that's after the graphic novels. I find Charlie so whiny and annoying.
Slightly Scandalous ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Third book aka follows a third sibling, in a Mary Balogh historical romance series. So far book 1 and 3 are really good book 2 was okay.
Honor and Shadows ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A good prequel novella to the sci-fi goodreads choice nominee of Hunt the Stars.
PS 2022 49/50
PS 2015 50/50 ✅
Goodreads 245/250
Currently Reading:
Bloodmarked
The House in the Cerulean Sea
QOTW:
It definitely bothers me when you have multiple books in a series and they don't match, but I mostly borrow books from the library and buy books at garage sales. So I take what I can get.
Greetings from cold but sunny NYC! Midtown is busy being decorated for the holidays, including the Rockefeller Center Tree. By Monday, the area around the Museum of Natural History and Central Park West will be in full prep mode for the Parade. I just can't believe the holidays are upon us. I knocked off another prompt in PS - only have 3 left and one of those is started.
Finished:
Sing, Unburied, Sing - Anisfield Wolfe winner - excellent and short!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - finished my series re-read started last year. Just marvelous. I read the British editions this time with gorgeous covers like this:
Currently Reading:
- for tiger on cover
Upcoming: my last 2 prompts
- palindrome in title -- there is a name for this time of word based palindrome but I forget what it is. But the main title (before the colon) is a palindrome
- onomatopia on 'whisper'QOTW: Answer is mostly not. I have a LOT of books and continue to buy actual books though not in the volume I once did as I use challenges like PS to read the massive amount of books stacked around this apartment in TBR Towers. And of course, ebooks have supplanted buying MMP that I would normally have bought. A series that I plan to hang on to in print, I might look to get all hardcovers, thus replacing any paperbacks I have or replace entirely with hardcovers as they last longer and stay in better shape. All those paperbacks were not made from acid-free paper.
But so many genre series I read did not initially start out in hardcover, and I have not and will not go back and replace the initial soft with hardcovers.
Now, when I buy a hardcover, it is because I just love the cover etc. of the book or I will read it right away. As I've gotten older, holding hardcovers is difficult between arthritis and all the other things that affect hands, wrists and lower arms these days -- carpal tunnel in so many. They are heavy and awkward to hold for any length of time. Also, lighting needs to be really good anymore to read them -- I like reading in bed or lying on the couch. The lighting at night isn't always enough.
I do however buy hardcovers of series books that I already have all in hardcover -- GRRM's A Song of Ice and Fire, all the Harry Potter books as they were published. But those series are becoming fewer and fewer. My Ebook TBR grows exponentially however, and includes many a full and ongoing series!
Hi happy Thursday!I haven’t been home since Saturday. I’ve been at my sister’s house. She’s ready to pop my niece out at any moment. There was some close calls. We had contractions and then I showed up and then they quit. So I will got home tomorrow.
So I got a week long unexpected vacation.
I haven’t been reading anything much except some professor /student romance collection and some kid books with my nephew.
I’ve been mostly chillin’ on the couch watching forged in fire. A surprisingly fun show watching people forge weapons.
QOTW:
I hate it but I’m not collecting a lot of books anymore. Not enough room.
Happy Thursday! It finally feels like winter is here which I hate because I never feel warm enough. If only I could just stay inside reading all winter long. That sounds perfect haChallenge Progress 46/50
Finished:
The House in the Cerulean Sea (no prompt) 5 stars. A delightful book. It has the feeling of a warm hug. I will definitely want to reread this one.
The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels (PS victorian) 3 stars. A lady pirate society with flying houses. This book was pretty silly but generally enjoyable.
Currently Reading:
The Anthropocene Reviewed (nonfiction nov)
How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America (nonfiction nov)
A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Murder in Ancient Rome (PS sister city 2)
QOTW:
I don't buy books all that often because I usually use the library. Also since I have a small apartment, my books are wherever I fit them around the place and not in any kind of order. It would bother me to have different formats for a series if I had bookshelves for people to see them all together.
Finally finished up some books this week and even more graphic novelsThe books: Murder at Beacon Rock by Alyssa Maxwell, a historical mystery series set in Newport RI. I enjoyed it enough to want to go find more.
Dead End by Kelly Brakenhoff, a novella prequel to a mystery series that wasn't really a mystery...or even needed.
Four Leaf Cleaver by Maddie Day, I got an arc of this cozy mystery series set in a restaurant in IN. Boy, cooks seem to have a lot of mystery solving time. Honestly though it was pretty good.
Graphic Novels - Thigh High: Reiwa Hanamaru Academy, Vol. 1 by Kotobuki literally the weirdest thing I've read in a long time. An all boys school where all they seem to do is talk about the length of their skirts and how cute their bras and panties are
The Crows by Anders Fager & Peter Bergting, a really interesting horror graphic novella with amazing art but the end was a bit weak
QOTW I don't really let this worry me much. It is a little annoying to have my manga different sizes but any more, I rarely keep books due to size limitations so I don't mind the format changes much
Kenya wrote: "So the big college project I've been stressing over all year (a speech I needed to record and post to YouTube) was graded yesterday. I was freaking out about it because the requirements set by the ..."Congrats!
Happy Thursday! I've actually been busy with fun plans this week- got to see some friends, went to some really fun shows- which was great, but also meant I didn't read a whole lot. And I still have a lot of prompts to get to... But the holiday weekend is coming up soon, so planning to set some time aside to get through all the books I've got halfway throughFinished:
README.txt- really interesting memoir about Chelsea Manning's life and what lead to her releasing classified military papers. It covers a lot of ground, but it's told in a very conversational way, so it's a quick read. I also realize I wasn't really paying attention to politics/news/anything when this happened, so a lot of it was new to me.
No prompt for me, but could be used for the "gender identity" prompt
-Nonfiction November
Currently Reading:
Carsick: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America
Iron Widow
Between the World and Me
QotW:
This used to really bother me. I don't buy as many series anymore- or I'll wait until they're all out first and read library editions first. It still bothers me when cover art randomly changes mid-series.
Happy Thursday. I have about 5 books that I've started and yet instead of finishing them I just keep starting something new...Stats:
PS: 48/50
ATY: 75/75
ATY Reread: 40/52
TBR: 6/10
Books I finished (2 weeks worth)
Tainna: The Unseen Ones, Short Stories ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: None
This was by the same author as Kinauvit?: What's Your Name? the Eskimo Disc System and a Daughter's Search for Her Grandmother which I read the week before, and I ended up borrowing both books at the same time without realizing that until I'd already started reading them. This is a collection of short stories, and I loved 4 out of the 5.
The Golden Enclaves ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: None
I finally got it! I thought it ended the series well, and even though I had called the one major reveal, I hadn't called the second.
Honor and Shadows ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: None
I was hoping for a slightly longer story - this spent as so much time (re)introducing the characters & world, there wasn't much time for the actual story.
Making a Scene ⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: None
It was a little scattered and the subject matter was pretty dark, so it left me in a low head space. But it was well written.
Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: None
This is a short little illustrated humour book perfect for anyone who loves British murder mysteries. And there's even tests included👍😋
Simply Irresistible ⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: None
A needed something to cheer me up so I went with a Jill Shalvis, but this ended up having a MC that was just getting out of an abusive relationship, so less cheerful and upbeat then I was expecting. And bit by bit I'm making my way through her back catelogue.
The Awakening ⭐⭐
Prompt: None
So, my sister recommended this but I ended up mostly hate reading it. It was an interesting world set up, but almost every male character is a borderline rapist, and therefore not a good love interest. And I thought Twilight encouraged bad relationships....
Be the Serpent ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: None
So I was trying to reread the series before I read this, but I broke. And man, this book was a real gut punch. It's book 16 in the series and some how, about every 4 books, Seanan McGuire manages to have a reveal that changes EVERYTHING. And this one came with a side order of tragedy.😥
But it was so good. Side note, Seanan McGuire had 4 books released this year and not one of them made the choice awards? Not cool.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: ATY Reread: Asian author.
While I'm waiting for the third book in this series, I decided to reread the first 2. Still just as good the second time around.
Frank Herbert's DUNE: Muad’Dib, Book 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: None
I love the source material, and the artwork is gorgeous. What else can I say.
The Absolute Sandman, Volume 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: None
It ended so well. I now know what all the hype is about.
Scars and Stars: Poems ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: None
The author interspersed the poems with little essays explaining what was going on in his life when he wrote them. And it was good.
Books I made progress on:
The River of Silver: Tales from the Daevabad Trilogy
Ocean's Echo
A Red-Rose Chain
Carnival
QotW
If I had my choice, all my books would be hardcovers, but I'd rather have a bunch of mismatched copies than no copies at all. Honestly, the switch between paperback/hardcover/trade doesn't bug me as much as if there is a major cover art switch.
Last Weeks QotW
I don't really plan my reading or confine things to specific months, but my nonfiction reading had been way down in Sept/Oct so I'm probably going to read extra nonfiction in November.
Doni wrote: "Wow! I've only read three of the goodreads choice award candidates, one memoir, one poetry, and one kids' book."Apart from the fantasy category I didn't feel I had much choice and I've voted in less categories than usual. I was happy to find some of my favourite reads of the year though, so even though I haven't read anything else in the fiction category I was happy to vote for Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow!
I do miss the write-ins, I don't really see the point of having multiple rounds now.
Ellie wrote: "Doni wrote: "Wow! I've only read three of the goodreads choice award candidates, one memoir, one poetry, and one kids' book."Apart from the fantasy category I didn't feel I had much choice and I'..."
I also voted for Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. I had read 4 in the fiction category.
Happy Friday! I'm fighting my seasonal cold and wasn't well yesterday, so I missed my check-in.Finished 39/50
House Divided for "book set in the Victorian era". Which is also the American Civil War period SO.....TECHNICALLY it counts. This book was AMAZING, wow. It needs to be a tv show imho.
Currently Reading
Gender: Men, Women, Sex, Feminism for "book on gender identity". It's not bad, not great so far. I don't like the format as much.
The Shadow Rising for "book set in a matriarchal society". Oh WoT....how I love you!
QotW
YES! It just looks SO much nicer on the shelves if everything is uniform! My old X/1999 manga are that way! The publisher changed the cover format halfway through, and even how big the books are! Drives me NUTS. Now I have books that don't match!
Another week flew by. It feels like it’s going faster and faster this time of the year. And I got lost in a free digital magazine on books. It has over 100 pages and it releases twice a year! Why didn’t I know about this??? PS: 18/40
Total 2022: 55
Finished
When the Apricots Bloom by Gina Wilkinson⭐⭐⭐
Not for PS
The characters were a bit flat. Nevertheless a quick and pleasant read, although life in Baghdad is depressing.
Currently reading
De advocaat van Holland by Nicolaas Matsier
QOTW
I don’t buy series, so I don’t mind. Almost everything I read comes from the library.
FinishedPull the Tab: My First Words in Spanish: MIS Primeras Palabras En Espanol - Pull the Tab to See the Hidden Words! by Sally Delaney - 4 stars
I'm looking at children's Spanish picture books to learn some new words. This was cute, but didn't always pick words I would have thought were the first Spanish words useful to learn.
And that's it for the week. Not a great reading week.
Goodreads: 77/90 (I don't count picture books in my total)
PopSugar: 35/40, 7/10
QOTW:
I used to care when I bought books more often. It used to annoy me back when I had lots of bookcases and organized shelves. Now everything is a lovely clutter of books in my life, not that I mind stacks on the floor. Makes me happy, actually. I rarely buy books anymore, and definitely not a series. I have to really, really love the book.
Mod
They've updated their format a little bit. Now, when you have multiple libraries set up, and you place a title on hold, it not only tells you the estimated wait time right away (yay!) AND the number of people waiting per copy, it also tells you the wait times at all the other libraries you have!!! (And I assume you have the option to jump to another library to place a hold - in my case, the library I was "in" was the one with the shortest wait time.)
Nadine in NY wrote: "EXCITING LIBBY DEVELOPMENT!! They've updated their format a little bit. Now, when you have multiple libraries set up, and you place a title on hold, it not only tells you the estimated wait time..."
I have had that feature for some time. Glad you have it now too.
It has been snowing non stop for the past four days and I was not ready. Luckily, none of it is sticking, but it is taking me longer than I thought to acclimate to this cold. Brrrr... got the fireplace going which has set up quite a nice reading spot. Now, just to try my best to hit my GR reading goal (which is 15 more books this year) I'm not sure there is any way that's going to happen... 64/80 GoodReads Challenge
47/50 PopSugar Challenge
Finished:
1.) Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger (#22-Ace) ⭐⭐⭐: This great in parts, weird in parts, and dragged in parts. Falling right down the middle, but a huge fan of Kirby the ghost dog.
Currently Reading:
1.) Lovelight Farms
2.) Beasts of a Little Land
QoTW: How do you feel when series switch format (ex: from MMP to HC) mid-series? How much does it matter to you?
I don't purchase a ton of books anymore, because I have a tiny apartment. When I did purchase series it was a huge pain to have them displayed with different formats and sizes, and especially when the binding doesn't match. It's infuriating...
Mod
They've updated their format a little bit. Now, when you have multiple libraries set up, and you place a title on hold, it not only tells you th..."
Oh I guess they roll out updates in a staggered fashion. I'm definitely happier now.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "EXCITING LIBBY DEVELOPMENT!! They've updated their format a little bit. Now, when you have multiple libraries set up, and you place a title on hold, it not o..."
It is also possible it was automatically a feature, once I registered all 3 of my libraries on Libby. As a NYC Manhattan resident, I can and do (since pandemic had NYPL impose those severe limits) belong to Queens PL and Brooklyn PL, not just NYPL. However independent the entities are, and they really are, they still are interconnected with NYPL as the 'parent'.
Maybe it is a feature now included for everyone.
Mod
My nose has healed well. Not broken. Interestingly, on the third day I had what appeared to be an open wound on the bridge of my nose and it scabbed over and healed over the next 3 days or so. Weird that it took so long to appear, isn’t it? LOL “Myrtle” (my VW Jetta) is due to get an estimate to repair damages from the deer jumping onto her this coming Tuesday. Just so grateful she is operable in the meantime!
Spent all day yesterday with my friend. We started at her GPs office for an appointment and ended up in the ER for the day. Fortunately, they were able to finally get her heart rate/AFIB under control with medication…again. I keep hoping she’ll finally get a stretch longer than 2-3 weeks of feeling decent. I keep reminding her (and myself) that the surgeon stated a full recovery from the TAVR procedure could require up to 9 months. We are at 5 months and counting!
This Off the Shelf article was emailed to me-“10 Long-Running Series to Last You All Winter”: https://offtheshelf.com/2022/11/long-...
I took time to review the recommendations...
My husband has read the Robicheaux series by James Lee BurkeJames Lee Burke and I read a couple of them. They were just “okay” for me… (Though I love his daughter's writing! Alafair Burke) I read one book by Walter Mosley years ago and it was a bit too grisly for me. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of C.J. Sansom before and his books look to be a bit too grisly for me… I only know of Richard Paul Evans as a Christian fiction (The Christmas Box) author. From skimming a few reviews, I assume I would either love or despise his Micheal Vey series. Doubt that I’ll bother to find out. I know Kathy Reichs’ Temperance Brennan series is well-liked and very popular, but I read one years ago and it just didn’t grab me… John Connolly strikes me as an author whose writing I would not enjoy. Typical conspiracy-with-high-body-count-lots-of-action story arc?
I have yet to read a William Kent Krueger book and hope to get to one next year. Of course, I am sticking with Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. The newest installment was much more enjoyable, IMO! Martin Cruz Smith I need to try. My husband owns some of his books. I doubt I’ll like his writing, hence this is not a priority for me. I need to concentrate on Louise Erdrich’s books. The two I’ve read I really enjoyed!
ADMIN STUFF:
Much gratitude to Jennifer W for volunteering to serve as the “official organizer” for November's discussion of The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. This book could be used to fulfill prompt #9 A book about a “found family.” You can find that discussion as well as the thread to post the book you read to fulfill prompt #9 in the Current Monthly Group Read folder HERE. I still have to dig out my copy to reread.
Just a reminder that we are reading Book Lovers by Emily Henry for December. This could be used to fulfill prompt #1 A book published in 2022. JessicaMHR will be the "rambunctious reader" facilitating that discussion!
The comprehensive listing of Monthly Group Reads for 2022 is HERE.
Also, another reminder that every single past 2022 Monthly Group Read discussion and “I Finished!” thread is open and available to all in the 2022 Monthly Group Reads folder HERE.
AND…we are ready and waiting for that 2023 listing!! Placeholders for each prompt have been created! I am always excited to see what the reading prompts will be for the next year! Though I need to concentrate on simply finishing this year’s challenge! ;)
Question of the Week:
How do you feel when series switch format (ex: from MMP to HC) mid-series? How much does it matter to you?
I could not care less about this. I guess if I had the money to be picky I would be, but I don’t. I purchase my books because I love (literally) being surrounded by books and I’m terrible at coordinating library loans. I just don’t want the hassle of library loans, especially since I avoid ebooks in any way possible! I buy books for the words on the pages, not how they look on the outside. :)
Popsugar: 46/50
ATY: 51/52
RHC: 19/24
FINISHED:
*Cross Fire (Alex Cross #17) by James Patterson (3 STARS) should qualify as “fantasy.’ Patterson made me roll my eyes quite a few times with this one. I had real trouble “suspending my disbelief” to believe someone could be magically transformed via plastic surgery to imitate/substitute for an FBI agent and no one ever the wiser… At least he finally (view spoiler) There was a wedding and almost another kidnapping while on vacation in the islands… I’ll say it again. Thank goodness these are such quick reads!
POPSUGAR: #9, #25, #29, #40-2015: prompt #7 A book you can finish in one day, #46, #48
ATY: #1-Alex and Ali, #2, #4- A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): It seemed hopeless near the end, #7, #15, #19, #31-2010, #33, #40-The Chariot, Strength, Justice, Death, Judgment, The World, #44, #49, #50
RHC: #24-2020: prompt #3 A mystery where the victim is not a woman (multiple victims-some are males
*Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid (10 STARS) is at least an all-time favorite read for me for this year, if not all-time forever! I am not a sports fan. I feared there might be too much technical detail about tennis to hold my attention, etc., etc. I needn’t have worried. Reid is absolutely excellent at pacing for tension and suspense as well as detailed intense characterization. I am determined to finish reading her backlist in 2023. I love her writing soooooooo much!
POPSUGAR: #1, #5, #29, #40-2018: prompt #20 A book about or involving a sport, #42, #47
ATY: #2-I read Malibu Rising in 2021, #4-A book whose author is younger than you, #7, #19, #34, #40-The Lovers, Strength, Judgment, The World, #41, #49, #50, #51
RHC: #24-2017: prompt #1 A book about sports
Harbour Street (Vera Stanhope #6) by Ann Cleeves (5 STARS) was yet another excellent mystery! I love this series. Though this installment was a bit more unsettling than others, it was still very well done. Difficult to read about psychopaths with no empathy for anyone… I have no idea how Cleeves gets all these ideas for mysteries, but I’m so glad she does! :)
POPSUGAR: #9, #25, #38, #40-2017: prompt #14 A book involving travel (Margaret’s body discovered on the train), #46-Ryan, a well-behaved teenager/psychopath, #47, #48
ATY: #4-A book written by an author you might like to meet, #5, #7, #15, #19, #29, #32, #33, #34, #40-The Lovers, Strength, Justice, Death, Temperance, Judgment, The World, #41, #44, #49, #50
*Going Rogue (Sephanie Plum #29) by Janet Evanovich (5 STARS) was finally almost up to Evanovich’s past standards in this series with ridiculous (yet believable) humor as well as a solid mystery! YAY!! I was back to literally laughing out loud multiple times and having to force myself to stop laughing a couple of times so I could continue reading! Love still having both Ranger and Joe in Stephanie’s life! Glad I stuck with this series!
POPSUGAR: #1, #9, #25, #29, #40-2016: prompt #14 A book you can finish reading in one day, #46, #47
ATY: #2-I read Game On in 2021, #4-A book written by an author you might like to meet, #15, #19, #33, #40-The Lovers, Justice, Judgment, The World, #41, #49, #50, #51
RHC: 24-2019: prompt #4 A humorous book
CONTINUING:
*Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger for my favorite used bookstore’s IRL book club meeting later today.
*The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones
*Mrs. 'Arris Goes to New York (Mrs. ‘Arris #2) by Paul Gallico for the sister cities prompt.
*Beloved by Toni Morrison
*The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed. Nonfiction November is here!
PLANNED:
*Strange Sight (Essex Museum Witch Mystery #2) by Syd Moore
*The Winners (Beartown #3) by Fredrik Backman
*Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
*The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
*Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
*Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
*Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
I am on my final book for this year's challenge! And it's a good one, so I should finish quickly. I'm also working on the 2015 Popsugar challenge, started it this year. My goal at first was ten books of it, but now my goal is 25, which is half. I'm at 21 right now so no worries. I also realized a couple of weeks ago, I never finished the 2019 PS challenge. I have one book left so I will try to squeeze in that one also.Every week or so I google the Popsugar 2023 challenge. I hope it happens this year. Otherwise, I'm prepared to create my own challenge.
Currently reading:
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult. It's my final book for the 2022 challenge and it's the book about a secret. It fits this prompt to the T!
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
This is a cute book. I remember hearing about it when I was a kid but I never read it. It is for the prompt "A book that came out the year you were born" for the 2015 PS challenge.
QotW:
If I start buying new books and the first one is a certain format, I want all the rest to match. But I don't hang on to books, so once I have the whole set, I usually donate it or give it away to someone who wants to read them. The exception to that is the Harry Potter series, which I will keep forever. I always buy a book thinking I'll want to keep it forever, but I always end up giving it away. I rarely reread books so I don't see the need in keeping them. When I started the Cinder series, I bought the first one. I loved the book so I figured I'd buy the rest and keep them, too. But the style of ARTWORK changed!!! I preferred the original artwork style, but I couldn't find books in that style anymore. So I gave up and gave the books all away. I couldn't stand that they didn't match! Same thing for books when they become movies. I like the original cover, before they put the actors on the cover. I hate those books. I will pay more to buy the book without them on it.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Mistress of the Art of Death (other topics)Under the Whispering Door (other topics)
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (other topics)
Mad Honey (other topics)
Cross Fire (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Richard Paul Evans (other topics)Walter Mosley (other topics)
C.J. Sansom (other topics)
Alafair Burke (other topics)
Stacy Schiff (other topics)
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We finally got a sprinkling of snow here, so I guess winter is coming after all. Time to pay my plow guy for the season ...
Admin stuff
It's quiet at this time of year as we eagerly await the new list (ETA **December 1st**!)
The November group read is going on now, discussing The House in the Cerulean Sea
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I'm done with the Popsugar challenge, chipping away at the last few I need for the AtY challenge. This week I finished 3 books,
We Lie Here by Rachel Howzell Hall - wow I hated this. I barely finished it. In fact, I was so bored I just skipped ahead about 100 pages to see if it got better. (It did not.)
Shutter by Ramona Emerson - I loved this!!! This is a murder mystery featuring a Navajo woman who is a forensic photographer in Albuquerque (who can see ghosts), and it just hit all the right notes for me.
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon - I chose this book specifically to fill the AtY category "one of Time magazine's 100 best YA novels." I expected to love it, since my GR friends did, and at first I found it quite charming, but it sagged in the middle, and it irritated me with all the "engineering will suck out my soul" nonsense.
Thursday caught me by surprise again this week, and I haven't been able to decide on a QUESTION for our week. So let's use the question suggested last week by Heather!!
Question of the Week
How do you feel when series switch format (ex: from MMP to HC) mid-series? How much does it matter to you?
I used to care about this stuff A LOT, back when I bought books and I was building series as they were published. I would get REALLY upset if they changed how the spines were printed in a series so that the titles didn't line up.
Seems like publishing maybe doesn't do this any more, but it used to be that the book was released in hard cover, and then the following year the paperback version would be released, and I wasn't going to pay hardcover prices (because back then hardcovers were at least 7x the price of a paper back) so I waited.
Until one year I could not wait! I had gotten caught up in Harry Potter fever sometime after book 4, and even our grocery story had boxes of the new hardcover release when it came out. I think it was book 6, I bought the hardcover. I felt all squirrelly about it, but I HAD to read that book.
I don't really buy many books, I use the library for 95% of my reading. My house is a wreck, I no longer have nice tidy bookshelves (I really need more bookshelves), books are piled up here, there, in every room. It doesn't matter if a series matches, because it's rare for an entire series to even appear in the same room. So I usually don't care any more.
That said, YES I have purchased box sets of books I really loved. So I still care a little bit. I get immense joy from seeing the pristine box set sitting in a tower of books in my bedroom, waiting for a shelf.