Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2023 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 4: 1/19 - 1/26
Into my second week of my second semester, and thankfully it isn't as overwhelming as my first week felt. It just took getting back into the groove of things to settle in. Books read this week:
Minor Mage -- for the PopSugar prompt “book that was self-published” and the Extreme Book Nerd prompt “book you always meant to read.” A fun and slightly self-aware fantasy novella laced with humor and just the right amount of horror. If you liked Nettle & Bone and/or A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, you’ll like this one.
Melancholy Elephants -- for the PopSugar prompt “book you bought at a secondhand bookstore” and the Extreme Book Nerd prompt “collection of short stories.” I’d never ready anything by Spider Robinson before, and while I can’t say I’m a hardcore fan of his now, I did enjoy this collection, especially the title story.
The Plot -- for the PopSugar prompt “book being made into a movie or series in 2023” and the Extreme Book Nerd prompt “mystery or noir.” This was a rather slow slog through the beginning, and while it picked up in the second half, it never rose above mediocre to me. Also if your book is about an author who wrote “the greatest novel ever,” maybe don’t include excerpts of that “world’s greatest novel” in the actual novel -- they’re not as great as you think they are…
The Egypt Game -- for the PopSugar prompt “favorite prompt from the 2018 challenge (book mentioned in another book).” I never read this as a kid, but I really enjoyed it and it reminded me of some of the imaginative games I used to play as a kid.
Challenge stats:
Regular challenge -- 10/47
Advanced challenge -- 3/10
Extreme Book Nerd Challenge -- 11/50
Extreme Book Nerd Advanced Challenges -- 2/20
Not for either challenge -- 1
Currently Reading:
Point Pleasant
Aliens on Vacation
Long Live the Pumpkin Queen: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
Siren Queen
QOTW:
I've wanted to start a science fiction/fantasy book club for awhile, and I think the first book we would cover is The Martian. It's a book many are familiar with thanks to the movie, and it'd be a nice gateway into more classic sci-fi and some of the heavier stuff.
Mod
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YES! This is a perpetual problem when authors include a character who is supposed to be a fantastic writer or super funny or a genius, etc etc. The author needs to be a fantastic writer or super funny or a genius themselves, or they can't pull it off and the character is not believable.
(This is why I enjoy Chan Ho-Kei so much - his genius characters really do seem like geniuses to me! The author himself must be brilliant.)
Point Pleasant ...
LOL as a teen I went to a beach called Point Pleasant quite often! So I get excited when I see the place name. I was SUPER excited when that dumb TV show, Point Pleasant,* came out. Too bad the show was so bad that FOX didn't even bother airing all 13 episodes. Also, too bad they didn't actually film it anywhere near NJ - the beach they showed was so obviously NOT a NJ beach (looked like California to me), I started to think maybe it was set in a beach town named Point Pleasant in California instead. (No, it was supposed to be NJ.)
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_P...
I've wanted to start a science fiction/fantasy book club for awhile, and I think the first book we would cover is The Martian. It's a book many are familiar with thanks to the movie, and it'd be a nice gateway into more classic sci-fi and some of the heavier stuff.
That would be a fun book club!!
Happy Thursday, everyone!While I was hoping that last week’s sore throat was due to allergies, it turns out that I did manage to get sick. I’ve spent most of this week on the couch, alternating between cold medicine-induced naps, reading, and binge-watching The Golden Girls. If it wasn’t for the coughing and the constant sneezing and nose-blowing, it actually would have been a pretty decent week. :)
It’s taken quite a while, but I am starting to feel better. Hopefully I’ll be completely over this cold by the end of the week.
Goodreads Challenge: 71/250
Mount TBR Challenge: 55/150 (Climbing Mount Olympus)
Since I’ve been at home all week, I did do a considerable amount of reading. Most of this week’s reading was manga and comics, but I also had a chance to read some romance and mystery novels.
I also managed to pass the one-third mark on my Mount TBR climb, which is very exciting.
📚Physical TBR: 48/634
📱Ebook TBR: 6/236
🎧Audiobook TBR: 1/13
TBR Checklist Total: 55/883
I’m feeling really good about my progress on my New Books list as well. I’m almost three-quarters of the way through the titles that I’ve bought since the beginning of the year!
Although I am not doing any book-buying bans this year, I’m not planning to buy any additional new books until the next installment in James Rollins’ Moonfall series is released next month. I’m hoping that I’ll have enough time to finish most (if not all) of the remaining titles on my New Books list before that comes out.
“New” Books Bought in 2023: 20
“New” Books Read in 2023: 14/20
Here are the books I finished this week…
Finished Reading (Fiction):
~The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown — This was a fun romance anthology! 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Barbarian Lover — This is the third book in the Ice Planet Barbarians series. It was a great continuation of the series. 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~The Murder of Roger Ackroyd — I really enjoyed listening to Richard Armitage narrate this book. 🎧: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Big Shot — I’m looking forward to continuing this cozy mystery series.📱: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~The Paradox Hotel — This turned out to be an interesting SciFi read. 📚:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
None
Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
~Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 6 — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 7 — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 8 — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 9 — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 10 — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 11 — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 12 — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 13 — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 14 — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 15 — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 16 — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 17 — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 18 — I really enjoyed reading the Host Club manga! It was fun to experience additional storylines that didn’t make it into the anime adaptation. 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Pass the Loot: A FoxTrot Collection —📚(re-read): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Black Bart Says Draw: A FoxTrot Collection — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Eight Yards Down and Out: A FoxTrot Collection — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Bury My Heart at Fun-Fun Mountain: A FoxTrot Collection — 📚(re-read): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Say Hello to Cactus Flats: A FoxTrot Collection — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
~May the Force Be With Us, Please: A FoxTrot Collection — 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Take Us to Your Mall : A FoxTrot Collection — I’ve loved the FoxTrot comics ever since I was a kid! A couple of the comic collections I read this week were re-reads for me, and there were several others that included comic strips I remember reading in the newspaper, but most of them included strips I’d never read before. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the series! 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
DNFed:
None
Currently Reading:
~H.H. Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil — I did get back into reading this book earlier this week, but it’s going to take me a while to get through it. While it is interesting, it’s proving to be a slower read than I anticipated. 📚
~Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other — I had the opportunity to read this book when it first came out, but this is my first time listening to the audiobook. I’m absolutely loving it! 🎧
~Because of Miss Bridgerton — This is the first book in the Rokesbys series, which is the prequel series to the Bridgerton novels. I’m loving it so far! 📚
QOTW:
I think it would be fun to be in a book club that focused on fantasy, science fiction, manga, and comic books. For our first discussion, I’d want to choose something like Legends & Lattes, which I've really been looking forward to reading.
no promptsNothing More to Tell by Karen McManus. YA mystery. I really liked her first couple of books but this one kind of fell flat for me. I'd give it 2.5 stars if goodreads did half stars. Also, if the voices aren't going to be different, I need authors to stop writing from multiple perspectives.
QOTW:
YA: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn or Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Romance: You and Me by Tal Bauer
Lit Fic: The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett
I finished The Quaker as my book that takes place within 10 years of when I was born. Didn't love it. The second half was getting better than the first half, but the ending wasn't very satisfactory.I am about 2/3 of the way through Rilla of Ingleside as the shortest book on my TBR. This is probably an unpopular opinion, but after Green Gables, this is my favorite book in the series.
QOTW: I don't know. I've never been in a book club unless you count Bible Study or lit classes in school.
I'd want something that had some kind of issues to discuss.
Happy Thursday! It's been quite a busy week. The cat got his stitches out on Monday and he's good as new. I've had rehearsal all week (tech Sunday is this weekend, and then we open the first weekend of February!), and I've managed to get a bit of reading done in between scenes once again. We've been seesawing between snow and rain and snow, but the road crews have kept up really well and nothing has been as bad as that deep freeze we got just before Christmas!
Finished:
Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life - 5 stars. I lovelovelove Alan's stories, and having him read the audiobook was a fantastic choice. More please! Book with a queer lead
The Secret History - 3 stars. I liked it and I didn't like it. It wasn't a hate-read, and I wasn't bored, but it was still too wordy. The characters are all insufferable. Glad I read it, and glad it's done. Book that fits a favorite past prompt - dark academia
PS 6/50
ATY 5/52
Mount TBR 4/60
Currently:
The Women of Chateau Lafayette - Close to the halfway mark. The choice of a triple-timeline historical fiction book tied together by location feels bold and exciting, but as with Secret History, it already feels overlong. I like all three of our protagonists, but we're edging into cliche territory with at least one of them, and I'm fairly certain only one of the three is a real person's story. Coupled with what seems to be minor audiobook issues on Libby, so I'm not sure if I'm actually further along than I am or what's going on, so that's been a headache. Determined to push on, though!
Cold Spectrum - Back with Harmony again! I'm really enjoying this full Schaeferverse read :)
Upcoming:
In the Hand of the Goddess - continuing my Tortallverse reread
The Hacienda - if I'm able to squeeze it in, this sounds amazing
The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family - excited to kick off February with this one!
The Crown Conspiracy - I haven't sunk my teeth into a new epic fantasy book in awhile, looking forward to this
QOTW: If you were to form a book club, what is the first book you’d like the group to read and discuss?
Oooh this is a good one! Friends and I started an IRL witchy book club a year or so ago, but they surprised me with choices of "nonfic" witchy books, tending toward the craft and generally feeling too new age-y for me. I would love if we could open it up to fiction too, because I'd love to read something like The Once and Future Witches or I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem with a witchy-minded group.
K.L. wrote: "I think it would be fun to be in a book club that focused on fantasy, science fiction, manga, and comic books. For our first discussion, I’d want to choose something like Legends & Lattes, which I've really been looking forward to reading."Ooooh this is a fantastic idea! Yes please!
Another Thursday! My Iceland/Paris planning is still underway - there is a lot to plan for and organize but I got all the big things out of the way...flights. hotels, car rental in Iceland...oi!
I didn't finish any books this week (close though). I still have about 50-ish pages in one book so that will be finished today.
Currently Reading:
We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz - good story but really bad writing. It really bothers me when authors use words like "sooo" and "fiiiinally" when a character is not speaking. Example: "she fiiiinally got to rest and lay down in her bed"
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield. I have been listening to this audiobook for weeks now and while the narration is beautiful and the writing is great there isn't much of a story there. But it has kept me engaged for 10+ hours so far.
On Deck:
Not sure what book I plan to pick up next. I might need a mystery genre break.
QOTW:
I think my book would be either Project Hail Mary because I love to discuss the science and the whole story or Verity because I am curious what people thought of the ending!
Finished:Once Burned by Peter David (3/5, reread, no prompt)
This is a well-written story that propels the reader along at a fast clip. It would be four stars if it had less gruesome violence in it.
Scooby-Doo Team-Up, Volume 2 by Sholly Fisch (3/5, not for a prompt)
If you want to see the Scooby characters in more Hanna-Barbera style adventures than DC, then you might add a star to my rating. The last two stories with Secret Squirrel and a group of Batman characters were my favorite.
The Q Continuum by Greg Cox (3/5, reread, not for a prompt)
The use of Q, the female Q (aka Lady Q), and their son q was the best part of this trilogy. The characters and settings all felt true and interesting. I had a few quibbles with the ending. The Calamarain never felt like they could play in the same league as Q or 0. The editor imposed a restriction on the author that a couple new characters could not stick around, and I liked those characters, so that sours the reading experience a bit, too. I still recommend that fans of Q and Picard read these books.
DNF:
The Book of Lost Tales, Part One by J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien (2/5 reading experience for what I read, a book published in the year I was born)
This really should be called the Book of Superseded Tales. I read through the first four out of the 10 included, and besides the parts with Eriol (the frame story), these were all told to greater effect in The Silmarillion. I would recommend this only to people who really care about Tolkien's process. If you have read this or Part Two and think there is a part I should give a look to that isn't done better in another volume, I will consider it.
The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn (2/5, a book with a pet character)
I read over 300 pages of the book (through the wedding night) and skimmed what followed. I found the scene with the bee absolutely ludicrous, and what followed did not redeem the story enough for me to finish the book in its entirety. As this was one of the highest-rated in the series on Goodreads, I think I will give a miss to the rest of the Bridgerton novels.
PS 2023 progress: 17/50
Currently reading:
I usually do not post what I am in the middle of, but I wanted to ask a question about Legends & Lattes. After the prologue and first chapter, I am not really excited to read more. How much should I read of this book to form a fair opinion?
Question of the Week:
My first thoughts were of The Giver and The Wounded Sky. Both have plenty of fuel for fascinating discussions.
Happy Thursday!Finished:
Hell Bent - 4 stars - For the rabbit on the cover prompt. I realized as I was reading it that I didn't remember the first book too well. It mostly came back to me as I was reading, and I enjoyed it.
Mysteries of Thorn Manor - 4 stars - for Nadine's mini-challenge: a book less than 230 pages long. This was a cute little novella follow-up to the author's Sorcery of Thorns, which I enjoyed.
The Tea Dragon Society - 5 stars - for the shortest book on my TBR prompt. This was just adorable, sweet, and gentle.
A Study in Emerald - 4 stars - for the started as fanfic prompt. This is a Sherlock Holmes pastiche mixed together with Lovecraft. Interesting twist toward the end of the story as well.
Manga, not for prompts:
Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 22
Something's Wrong With Us, Vol. 12
Wonder Cat Kyuu-chan Vol. 5
Wonder Cat Kyuu-chan, Vol. 6
I am currently at 4/50 for Popsugar (2/40 and 2/10). I am also at 2/10 for Nadine's Mini-Challenge #1.
Currently reading:
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - for the BookTok prompt. So far I'm really enjoying this, probably because I'm of an age with the protagonists, and so I had a lot of the same formative experiences with video games.
Planned:
The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter
QOTW:
I think the book I'm reading now (Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow) would be a great book club discussion book.
I really like the idea of a fantasy / sci-fi book club, which Kenya and K. L. both suggested earlier.
Brandon wrote: "I read over 300 pages of the book (through the wedding night) and skimmed what followed. I found the scene with the bee absolutely ludicrous, and what followed did not redeem the story enough for me to finish the book in its entirety. As this was one of the highest-rated in the series on Goodreads, I think I will give a miss to the rest of the Bridgerton novels."
As a romance reader, Quinn does nothing for me and the way her fans hijack every discussion of the show with how it wasn't faithful to the book and it didn't include this scene and it's a travesty is annoying.
With that being said, the show is peak romance.
Hello! My husband and I are back from our week and a half vacation, which was far too much driving. We managed to have three meals each at both Rosa's Cafe and Whataburger, and ended with breakfast at Waffle House, so win for the food. We also got to see our friends and family, which is always good too. Next week, the bathroom upgrade that was supposed to happen in October is scheduled to begin, and we need to prep the house for that. Oh, and it snowed again.Finished This Week:
While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams. There was a lot more casual murder in this book than I was expecting, but I ended up enjoying it. Looks like there's a sequel coming this summer, so I'll probably check that out. Don't think I'm using it for PS, but would fit #1, for book I meant to read last year.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. Reread so I could read the new one. There's was a lot I had forgotten of both major and minor plot points. A LOT. Turns out I mostly just remembered the twist. Good to reread. Not for prompt.
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn. And the new one! This went a lot of places I didn't expect, and not just because they're traveling a lot. Eagerly waiting for the next one in the series, which probably won't be out for a year or two. Using for PS #17, With a Love Triangle and Nadine #1, about genealogy.
PS: 5/50 GR: 9/150
Currently Reading:
How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by Michael Schur. Listening to the audiobook, which is due back today. The creator of the Good Place talks about moral philosophy with the principal cast of the show reading passages from the works he's quoting. (Tahani does all the British people, Chidi gets Kant, and Jason has the Buddhists and Fast and the Furious, etc.) I'm really enjoying it and hoping I can finish before the library takes it back.
The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa. I had this on my TBR for a few years and realized it fits for author with your initials, catapulting it to the front of the pack. Still pretty early.
QotW: If you were to form a book club, what is the first book you’d like the group to read and discuss?
Good question. For the book club I'm actually in, the first book we read was Red Moon, which we collectively hated. We did have a good discussion about the many ways it failed. (I'm told it wasn't their actual first book, as I was not invited to the first few meetings. Red Moon was probably the third book. And terrible.)
The mistake I made early on in the book club was always recommending books I loved, and not knowing how to respond when the others didn't like them. At least everyone also enjoyed Sunshine. If I was starting a new book club, I'd probably lead with that. It's standalone, so it doesn't lock people into a series. It's urban fantasy, so you can discuss where things went sideways to produce the world that has vampires and charms, but also truckers and diners and cinnamon rolls. There's also a lot of morally grey people and decisions that the group can debate. It tells a good story, with beginning, middle and end. Plus the vampires aren't sparkly.
Mod
I read over 300 pages of the book (through the wedding night) and skimmed what followed. I found the scene with the bee absolutely ludicrous, and what followed did not redeem the story enough for me to finish the book in its entirety. As this was one of the highest-rated in the series on Goodreads, I think I will give a miss to the rest of the Bridgerton novels ..."
I don't blame you for the DNF! I love the Bridgertons show, and I love reading historical romance, but I cringe at the recent popularity of these books, because ... this aint it. There are so many better novels out there in this genre!!! (even better books by this author) I read the first three books in this series a long time ago when they were first being published, and this second book WAS my favorite of those three, so you didn't choose badly in that respect. The third book was so bad, and made me so angry, that I swore off the rest of the series, and eventually I just stopped reading Julia Quinn entirely.
Mod
Does the first book also have a love triangle? I am still not sure what I'll read for that category so I jot down ideas when they pop up
Happy Thursday!Well, I guess there are so many heaters in trouble that we are still waiting for the repair person to show up. Tuesday it was 58 degrees in the house before I left for work. it would not work for the life of me, and I trying to get it to work since about 5 am. Sigh.
Other than that it's been a relatively good week.
My niece (born 11/22) is starting to hold her head up and is hating tummy time with a passion! She reminds me of when my sister was a baby. She's looking around at things more. But I still haven't had a smile yet. Everyone has gotten a smile but me. So jealous. I'm hoping the next time I see her I will finally get my smile.
Popsugar:5/50
Finished:
Legends & Lattes I enjoyed it. It was cute and slow paced but not in the sloggy way. It was just in a meandering contented way. The paperback has a short story in the back that was good as well. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ps 41
Run on Your New Legs, Vol. 2 This one introduces his mom and we get to see a little bit of how he was after his injury. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ps 33
Disney Manga: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: Special Collectors Manga Let me tell you that there are times that this uses the lyrics and quotes from the movie and it literally played in my head. My favorite part though was mostly absent, which brought it down a star. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ps 47
Reading: None
Aty: 5/52
Finished:
Legends & Lattes aty 8
Run on Your New Legs, Vol. 2 aty 11
Reading:
Instant Karma aty 16
Nadine's Mini Challenge 7/10
Finished:Oh My Goddess!, Volume 1
Reading: None
Goodreads Challenge 60/400
Finished:
Kiss It Better
Construction Site: Road Crew, Coming Through!
My Isekai Life: I Gained a Second Character Class and Became the Strongest Sage in the World! Manga, Vol. 3
The Misfit of Demon King Academy: Volume 2
Gage's Girl
Captive Hearts of Oz, Vol. 1
Captive Hearts of Oz Vol. 2
Captive Hearts of Oz Vol. 3
Captive Hearts of Oz Vol. 4
Run on Your New Legs, Vol. 2
Legends & Lattes
My Boyfriend in Orange Vol. 13
Oh My Goddess!, Volume 1
Oh My Goddess! Volume 2
Oh My Goddess! Volume 3: Final Exam
Oh My Goddess! Volume 4: Love Potion No. 9
Oh My Goddess! Volume 5
Oh My Goddess!, Volume 6
Reading:
The Werewolf Count and the Trickster Tailor
Instant Karma
The Misfit of Demon King Academy: Volume 3 (Light Novel) (The Misfit of Demon King Academy
Mount TBR:
15/150 Ebook
13/150 Physical
QOTW:
If it was my book club, we would be reading a lot of light novels and manga because they are so underappreciated. Light novels are especially so.
I think Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. Light Novels, Vol. 1 would be my first choice because it's silly and light and just funny. Just a girl on a mission to become the final boss (aka deemed so by other players) by getting the weirdest combinations of skills and placing all her points in defense.
Brandon wrote: "Finished:Once Burned by Peter David (3/5, reread, no prompt)
This is a well-written story that propels the reader along at a fast clip. It would be four stars if it ..."
The beginning was pretty slow. i was 70 pages in (i think. it was last week so i can't remember. but it picks up after pg 100 something. again. not sure.
Happy Thursday!We are having another major snowstorm today.
Unlike Nadine, I was reflecting this week on how I only signed up to read 45 books this year and we're 4 weeks in, and I've read 5 books and will finish another this weekend. Maybe the answer is the fact that I always begin by talking about our lousy weather. January is read a book and hibernate month for me.
I finished 2 books and wasn't totally enamored with either. (I gave both 3 stars). City of Lost Souls was 535 pages and the last book I read was 425. The extra 110 pages just seemed to unnecessarily drag things out. I stuck it under a book with mythic creatures, but there was so much Latin that I could move it to two languages if I later need the mythic creatures for another book. (I feel no shame with moving books.)
"Your God is Too Safe" was a book I read at my book club at church. We should have finished last fall, but people were away. Other than his chapter on prayer, I found the first half of the book no have no linking of chapters, and the second half (on spiritual disciplines) is better covered in other books by better writers. The author quotes C.S Lewis, Dallas Willard, Richard Foster, and even Mark Twain. I would have enjoyed reading them more. I stuck under pride from ATY because there was an entire chapter on pride. I stuck under shepherds for Nadine's challenge because there was a chapter on David and another on Moses.
Finished:
City of Lost Souls
ATY prompt: A book related to one of the Spice Girls' "personalities"
(Protagonist has "ginger" hair)
Popsugar prompt: A book with mythical creatures
Your God Is Too Safe: Rediscovering the Wonder of a God You Can't Control
ATY prompt: A book related to pride
Popsugar prompt: A book with just text on the cover
Nadine's 23 challenge: A book about sheep or shepherds
Series - 3/15
Series Completed: 2 - Lying Games, Bronwyn the Witch
Nobel laureates - 0/7
Random books - 0/7
ATY - 5/40
PS - 5/30
Nadine's 23 challenge - 4/10
Around the year in 52 movies - 5/52
4. A movie with an interracial relationship - The Week Of
5. A movie with 4 or more colors on the cover - My Neighbour Totoro
Currently reading:
A Ballet of Lepers: A Novel and Stories - 55% done
The History of Rome, Vol 1: The Period Anterior to the Abolition of the Monarchy - 1/3 done
Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology - 2/3 done
QOTW:
I would pick a modern classic like The Night Circus or The House in the Cerulean Sea.
I might be tempted to throw Bunny in there because I desperately want to talk to someone about it and no one I know has read it.
For my church book club, I want to read C.S. Lewis (his more theology books as opposed to novels) because he's at least a good writer.
Katy wrote: I am about 2/3 of the way through Rilla of Ingleside as the shortest book on my TBR. This is probably an unpopular opinion, but after Green Gables, this is my favorite book in the series...."It is certainly a different book than the rest and drives home the horrors of war. I was a teenager when I finished the series. At the time, I thought Anne of the Island was rushed, I didn't get epistolary novels and disliked Anne of Windy Poplars. I thought Anne House of Dreams was depressing. Anne of Ingleside and Rainbow Valley were disappointing because none of her kids grabbed me. Rilla might have been my third favourite. It's definitely an interesting book on which to end the series.
What a wonderful snow day yesterday. I need a few more just like it.Finished: (This is my first post so the list will be from the beginning of the year.)
Pride and Prejudice (#37) ⭐⭐⭐
Lore ( #5, 15) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
One of the Good Ones (#31)⭐⭐⭐⭐
What Moves the Dead (#14, 24) ⭐⭐⭐
Tweet Cute (#33) ⭐⭐⭐
What I Carry ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Amazing Life of Azaleah Lane
Currently Reading:
Sensual Dimensions
TBR:
Crimson Death
Dead to the World
Becoming
Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America
Blackout
Mansfield Park
QOTW:
Right now, I think I would do a book club for You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty. This was one of my favorite things I read last year. It has so much to discuss and debate.
My first radioactive check-in! I had my radioiodine therapy yesterday and am counting down the days until I can eat cheese again (Monday!). My dog's a bit weirded out by me sleeping on the sofa, she ended up making a nest out of my bathrobe and the cushions I'd left on the floor. Apparently I'm not supposed to worry about radiation effects on her, and she eats a diet rich in iodine, so she should be OK sleeping next to me if she insists. Though all her stomping around at night, meant I didn't get a great night's sleep.Finished:
Slay by Brittney Morris for a book I meant to read last year and ATY rejects (purple cover). Thought this was sci-fi but it turned out to be contemporary, which meant a few things bothered me more than if it was just made up game dev. Good discussions points around black identity and safe spaces though.
Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire for bought from an indie bookshop, ATY (author I read last year), SFF Titles (lost), Nadine's mini challenge (under 230 pages) and ATY rejects (door on cover). Loved it!
Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse for ATY (western). This had potential but I think it needed to be longer than novella length. Things weren't developed enough.
Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P. Manansala for alliteration in title. I fininally finished this audiobook, this didn't hold my attention in the same way as the others, I just didn't care about any of the new characters.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree for NaNoWriMo book. This was fine, but I was expecting more based on how much everyone else loves it. Everything was resolved so easily, and there was this whole magic stone plot device to excuse that. For a place that didn't even know what coffee was, she didn't even have any trouble getting hold of beans.
A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo for ATY (interracial relationship). I wish this wasn't set so long after Telegraph Club, there was very little connection to it except the main character is a distant relative of Lily. I didn't love the cheating storyline either, but that and the relationship with her grandmother was well done.
QOTW:
Back when I was in a book group, I didn't like making everyone read my favourite books in case they all hated them! I'd probably selfishly just pick something I wanted to read. I think How High We Go in the Dark has plenty of discussion potential.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Does the first book also have a love triangle? I am still not sure what I'll read for that category so I jot down ideas when they pop up"Sort of? The first book is more a straightforward romance with Boy #1, with her relationship with Boy #2 changing over time. The start of the love triangle is certainly there. The romance with Boy #2 becomes more of a thing in book 2.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn. And the new one! This went a lot of places I didn't expect, and not just because they're traveling a lot. Eagerly waiting for the next one in the series,..."Yes it does!
Finished: The Critique of Judgement This is Kant's little-known third critique which tries to relate aesthetics to perception and duty. It held my interest unevenly, but was as ambitious as any of Kant's works.The Postman Light read about a postman who develops a relationship with his one client, Pablo Neruda. Some explicit sex scenes.
Started: The Girl Who Fell from the Sky I'm enjoying this one so far... reminds me of a lighter Beloved. In addition to being our March read, it is also an Authors Guild Banned Books read on Fable, although that club is not seeing as much action as some of the other clubs.
Qotw: Light from Uncommon Stars which I will be reading with my local queer bookstore, Another Now: Dispatches from an Alternative Present which I have suggested to my social justice book club, and Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals which Terry Tempest Williams recommended to our local reading community, but there is no intention of forming an actual book club around. And Checkout 19 which I haven't read yet and would actually be a terrible book club choice since it is so hard to get copies!
Just a quick check-in before I head to... Key West! I'm looking to some sunshine. Washington state can be very cold and dreary in January.Challenge Progress: 10/50
Completed:
Just Like Home ★★★★
Game: An Autobiography ★★★
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (P5: A book with mythical creatures) ★★★
Hell Followed With Us (P22: A book with a queer lead) ★★★
The Christie Affair ★★★
Fin & Lady (P21: A book set in the decade you were born - 1960s) ★★★★
Strong Female Protagonist: Book One ★★★★
Picture in the Sand ★★★
Currently Reading:
Living the 1.5 Degree Lifestyle: Why Individual Climate Action Matters More Than Ever (Book Club selection)
Love in the Time of Serial Killers
Phaedra
American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land
Anatomy: A Love Story
Wish You Were Here
The School for Good Mothers
QOTW: I think The School for Good Mothers would be a great choice for a book club. It's dark but relevant and has plenty of things to discuss. Our Missing Hearts would be great too.
Milestone! This week I had a meeting with my team manager and board member about my position and the position of my work in the organization. Usually, I tend to fight during such a meeting. Even if I don’t have to, I always find something I can fight with. So I gave myself 1 mission: not fighting. Even if things go wrong. And… I succeeded!! And I also got what I asked for! I was so stunned (with myself and the result), I felt completely confused and couldn’t be happy. Now I’m smiling all day and so so proud of myself!My reading is also kind of rocket style this month. Already finished 5 books!
PS: 5/50
Total 2023: 5
Finished
I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai - ⭐⭐⭐
PS #8, a celebrity memoir
It’s over 10 years ago, but still… the story of Malala maybe is more important than ever. Women in Iran fighting for freedom, women and girls in Afghanistan shut out from public life. Just a middle class girl turned into a icon of education for girls and women.
Currently reading
The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
QOTW
I think I would pick a Fredrik Backman. It’s easy to read and there are lots of social issues to discuss (just in case someone dares to hate Backman *smile*).
Mod
Weather here has been wintry once again. We have 3-4 inches of snow on the ground and highs only in the 30s every day. But it could have been much worse. A storm front moved through yesterday with 6-9 inches of snow predicted which was only 2-3 inches in the end! YAY!! :) Definitely a relief since I teach at the gym on Wednesdays and it is a 38-mile drive one way!
ADMIN STUFF:
We are currently reading Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney for the January 2023 Monthly Group Read! This book can be used to fulfill prompt #3 A book about a vacation. Teri is the "powerfully provocative facilitator" for this month’s discussion! Thank you, Teri! You can find both January 2023 Monthly Group Read threads HERE in the Current Monthly Group Read folder!
MORE VOTING!! Nadine has posted the final selection poll for the April Monthly Group Read HERE! This book can be used to fulfill prompt #27 A #BookTok recommendation. Please help us make this final selection! As usual, this poll will be open through next Tuesday, January 31!
The February Monthly Group read is The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon!! This book can be used to fulfill prompt #43 A book that takes place entirely in one day. In honor of Groundhog Day, a North American tradition observed in the US and Canada on February 2! Katrina is the "knowledgeable navigator" who has graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! Thank you, Katrina! I'm excited to read this one! It will begin next Wednesday, February 1st! Wait! We are almost through the first whole month of 2023! YIKES!!
We are on the lookout for a “fascinating facilitator” to lead the March Monthly Group Read discussion of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea! Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer! This book can be used to fulfill prompt #7 A book with “Girl” in the title In honor of Women’s History Month in Australia, the UK, and the US!
Question of the Week
If you were to form a book club, what is the first book you’d like the group to read and discuss?
Hah! This is such an excellent question for me! I did form a book club while working at Borders years ago! The first book I selected was a Borders Featured Title at the time. I had read it and thought it had discussion potential. Which it did… However, every single person who attended that first meeting (There were at least 10 people there!) absolutely HATED it! LOL I can remember how shocked I was! I’m sure my jaw literally dropped when they all had their thumbs down! LOL But it did prove to provoke some good discussion… That book was Apologize, Apologize by Elizabeth Kelly. It has a 3.19 GR rating and I would like to try at least one more of her books… While I didn't LOVE it, I found it to be enjoyable and awarded it 4 stars...
Most recently, I had to select one book for that same book club (Which has survived all these years and now has 5 members, including myself.) to read for March since it is my birthday month and I selected Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo. I own two more of her books and plan to read them this year… This book just left me with “all the feels” and I loved these characters! I feel as if a piece of my heart is with that book…
Popsugar: 25/50
Nadine’s Q1 Mini-Challenge: 5/10 Halfway done!
AtY: 36/52
RHC: 9/24
FINISHED:
*Cold Earth (Shetland Island #7) by Ann Cleeves ✶✶✶✶✶ was yet another extremely well-written mystery, IMO! Interconnected and interrelated characters and plot twists! Just superb! And this time the perpetrator was one I had in my top two suspects! That’s the closest I’ve come to identifying the killer in one of Cleeves’ books!
POPSUGAR: #19-2016: prompt #39 Takes place on an island, #28, #29, #31, #46, #47
ATY: #2, #3-A book set on an island, #5, #14-Alison masquerading as Alissandra, #18-forensic science, #27, #28, #37, #43, #45, #52
RHC: #23, #24-2016: Read a mystery/thriller book
Nadine’s Q1 Mini-Challenge: NEW #8
*Legends & Lattes (Legends & Lattes #1) by Travis Baldree ✶✶✶✶✶ was absolutely utterly delightful! Such a pleasant surprise! It was a NaNoWriMo book and initally self-published!!
POPSUGAR: #2, #4, #5, #19-2022: prompt #1 A book published in 2022, #29, NEW #41, NEW #44
ATY: #1-city of Thune, #3-A book set in the workplace of at least one character, #5, #13-cups. #43, #48-the dire-cat
RHC: #24-2021: Read a book you’ve been intimidated to read
*The Changing Maze by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak ✶✶✶ was not especially enjoyable to me. I rather doubt most children would enjoy it much either…
Not using for any challenges
*Paddington Marches on (Paddington #6) by Michael Bond, illustrated by Peggy Fortnum ✶✶✶✶✶ was an adorable read with an adorable and well-meaning bear! So sweet! Definitely want to read more in this series!
POPSUGAR: #2, #4, #16, #19-2022: prompt #9 A book about a “found family”, #28, #31
ATY: #3-A book about a “fish out of water”, #5, #14-the criminals wearing fake beard disguises at the beach, #27, #29, #37, #45
RHC: #21, #24-2015: A book written by a person whose gender is different than your own
*The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz ✶✶✶✶✶ was a good solid read and a reminder to be in the here and now. I was reminded of Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment (A book I need to reread periodically as a reminder!) and James Redfield’s The Celestine Prophecy. I particularly appreciated Ruiz’s use of “heaven” and “hell” right here on earth. I do agree that we humans tend to punish ourselves mercilessly and become engrained into a seemingly neverending cycle of guilt, shame, etc.
“Be impeccable with your word”: Quit lying and gossiping!
“Don't take anything personally”: Many times others are simply projecting their own fears, frustrations, etc., onto you!
“Don't make assumptions”: The basis for lack of communication and prejudice/discrimination.
“Always do your best”: That is all you CAN do! No one is perfect nor will they ever be perfect!
POPSUGAR: #1, #4, #19-2022: prompt #24 A book you can read in one sitting, #28, #29, NEW #30-Endorsed by Oprah and featured on her TV show
ATY: #3-A book where the chapters are named, #5, #8, #13-Flowers and frames, #29, #34, NEW #47-the cover
RHC: #24-2022: prompt #8 A classic written by a POC
*Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen ✶✶✶✶✶ was quite an enjoyable read. Unfortunately, there are still many females who act as Isabella did. That is the main reason I am very picky about females I select to befriend! Though I’ve known some males to be just as horrid with gossip, duplicity, and greed! And then General Tinley…what an asshole! And unfortunately, a very rich and powerful one! I was much like Catherine at age 17 until I got to college and then I had a very large education indeed! :) This was published posthumously…
POPSUGAR: #2, NEW #3, #19-2021: prompt #21 A genre hybrid—historical fiction/romance, #31, #34
ATY: #3 A book related to “first contact”-Catherine’s first contact with society in general, the world outside her family/home, #5, #10-Northanger Abbey is very scary to Catherine, #13-floral design, #14-Isabella!, NEW #17-19th Century, #26, #27, #28, #37, #45
RHC: 2020: prompt #7 A historical fiction novel not set in WWII
*The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce ✶✶✶✶✶ was such a delight! I believe Joyce is one of the very best at depicting uniquely quirky human characters! Her writing just pulls me right in!
POPSUGAR: #1, #19-2017: prompt #16 A book published in 2017, #28, #34, #36, #39
ATY: #3-A cultural book that depicts a place or time and its culture, #5, #14, #19, #22, #27, #29, NEW #35, #37
RHC: #24-2015: A romance novel
*Patina (Track #2) by Jason Reynolds ✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶ was just as excellent as the first book in this series!! So realistic and beautifully depicted!! I am in love with JR! As a son. He is just a tad younger than my youngest son! He's just so awesome!
POPSUGAR: #1, #16, #19-2017: prompt #5 A book written by a POC, #28, #31, #33, #39
ATY: #2, #3-A book about a “fish out of water”, #5, #11-Patty’s mom has had both legs amputated and is wheelchair-bound, #13-2 girls, #14-T-N-T, #19-project on Frida Kahlo, NEW #20-running/walking, #26, #45
RHC: NEW #18, #24-2015: A book written by an author whose gender is different than your own
CONTINUING:
*Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe for my last January Buddy Read! This is a reread some 53 years later and I remembered very little of it so far!
*The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones
*The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed.
*Festival Days by Jo Ann Beard
*Mrs. 'Arris Goes to New York (Mrs. ‘Arris #2) by Paul Gallico
*Beloved by Toni Morrison
PLANNED:
*Alex Cross, Run (Alex Cross #20) by James Patterson for my last January Buddy Read!
Mod
LOL I might read that book for "rabbit on cover"
Mod
Tummy time is the worst!! With my first, I didn't do it as much as I was told to do it, because she hated it and I didn't have the heart to make her miserable. She DID end up with a flat spot on her head for a few years, but it went away.
Mod
Dogs are such creatures of habit!! She's all upset that you are not following the proper nighttime plan LOL. My dogs are antsy the first night of a change, but they usually settle down the second night, so hopefully yours will too. Is it just until Monday?
Hello hello,Welcome to another Thursday I was all ready to update but the thread wasn't up yet, and then I had to leave and there are 26 comments, rip. I'll update first and then hopefully backread!
Also welcome to another Thursday when my past week was a disaster. I am exhausted, guys. Bunnies that were doing great coupling were put into their enclosure, and then it went wrong. They've been separated since, but I switched enclosures yesterday and on Saturday we're gonna try on neutral ground again. Then, also yesterday, I noticed a spot on Jesper's shoulders, and turns out he has some kind of fur mite, and his entire belly is bald. He left me with some deep scratches on my hand, one of which I'm pretty sure will turn into a scar. He was unimpressed that *I* was unimpressed with that xD Anyways, vet sent the meds, I'm hoping they'll come in tomorrow.
Then Goodreads scolded me for doing what makes sense but was apparently against Librarian rules, so I explained it made no sense, and then I got a reply saying to let them know if I had any questions or concerns so ... welp.
I also watched That 90s Show, which was fun and made me want to rewatch That 70s Show! Tonight I went to see M3GAN with my dad, which was a bit disappointing. Damn TikTok and its excessive influence on the world.
Read
A Man Called Ove for a book your friend recommended. Still think this narrator was a mistake. I've since learned there is apparently an edition out there that J.K. Simmons narrates and damn, that would have made it so much better! I think I mentioned this last week but damn this book needs to be recced with the proper warnings in place cuz damn. If I'd known about the suicide ideation and attempts I would have left it for a bit longer. I've seen the original movie, and am seeing the new one next week.
The Silence of the Girls for girl in the title. I've had this book on my shelves since it came out, and I finally picked it up! Intense, dark, but a really good realistic retelling of this myth. A lot of people are annoyed by the POV shift that happens in part 2, and I kinda agree, but I also didn't mind too much. Ordered the sequel rightaway, and hope to read it soon!
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing for set in Hollywood. I was gonna put this on celebrity memoir, but it was set in Hollywood for so much of it, that I decided to move it there because it's unlikely I'll find something else for that without looking. I listened to this on audio, and got sucked in. Addiction is an incredibly awful disease, and it hardly ever gets shown this brutally and vividly. Euphoria (from what I've seen) comes close, but ironically that and its characters are praised, but Matthew gets hated for it. Typical. I 'enjoyed' this, and am thinking of getting a physical copy one day.
Popsugar: 16/50
Goodreads: 10
Q1 challenge:4 (I think)
Currently Reading
Moby-Dick
Still going strong! Sadly I was spoiled today on my latest update, which- why? It's obvious I haven't read this yet, I don't care it's a book from 1851, I am clueless, please don't spoil on my own personal updates.
Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard
Not actually started yet, but will tonight, if all goes well. Given I moved Matthew's book, I needed a new celebrity memoir. This will be my first ever memoir not narrated by the actual person, but I don't care enough about this book to want to spend money on it (or to wait 2 weeks for an Audible credit) so I'll have to deal. Kinda makes me sad but yeah. That's the deal xD
In the Lives of Puppets
I have made zero progress on this. Have not had the capacity to read from my phone. My readathon has its quarterly Game Weekender this weekend and I am determined (read: hopeful) to finally continue and finish this!
Up Next
Alicia Alonso Takes the Stage
I am auto-approved for Rebel Girls' books, and they are kind enough to email me about them. Very grateful for this one, because I was dreading the 'about an athlete/sport' prompt, and this 120 page aimed at kids will work just fine!
QOTW
I am way too indecisive to pick, but my very first instinct was Under the Whispering Door, because I feel it can open up some great discussions.
Kenya wrote: "The Plot -- for the PopSugar prompt “book being made into a movie or series in 2023” and the Extreme Book Nerd prompt “mystery or noir.” This was a rather slow slog through the beginning, and while it picked up in the second half, it never rose above mediocre to me. Also if your book is about an author who wrote “the greatest novel ever,” maybe don’t include excerpts of that “world’s greatest novel” in the actual novel -- they’re not as great as you think they are…"I'M SCREAMING THIS IS SO TRUE
Ashley Marie wrote: "I would love if we could open it up to fiction too, because I'd love to read something like The Once and Future Witches or I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem with a witchy-minded group."I'd rec Sanctuary. It's about witches, but it also opens up discussions about real life, in my opinion, as this book left me raging, haha! (in a good way)
Nadine in NY wrote: "Is it just until Monday?..."I have to sleep separate for longer, but Monday's when all the iodine should have been absorbed so I can start having it in my diet again. I have to sleep separate for at least a week. My partner is a massive nerd so he bought a radiation monitor, so at least we know when it gets to reasonable levels rather than guessing.
Happy Thursday! Slow start for me as well, but I'm starting to make progress and have hope I can finish the challenge this year!Finished 2/50
Mort for "book about a vacation". I've never read Terry Pratchett before! This was really cute. Funny read.
Currently Reading
The Lightkeeper: A Novel for "book by a first-time author." I'm nearly finished with this, and it's a lot better than I thought it would be!
QotW
Oh man. My tastes are so far beyond the normal, I doubt anyone would want my suggestions! I've considered The Redemption of Althalus to be a good pick to get people into fantasy. Actually the book I'm reading now wouldn't be bad either.
Mod
Oh I haven't read that one yet!!! I wasn't really sure if I wanted to read it ,I may have taken it off my TBR recently. We usually have similar reading taste, so I should make sure it's on my TBR.
Mod
congrats on your success and LOL at "I felt completely confused and couldn’t be happy"
Happy Thursday from a cold and snowy Cleveland Ohio. I almost forgot that i got books read this week. I've been scatterbrained lately.FINISHED:
The Gilded Ones For prompt#28 A book you bought secondhand. I was almost finished with this last Thursday and when I finally finished that night I was itching to read the second book.
Lakewood for Prompt#1 A book you meant to read in 2022. I ended up downloading this again from Audible and listened to it. I sorta felt confused through most of it but I liked the story.
Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel for Prompt#43 A book that takes place in entirely one day. Graphic novel versions of any book is always good for me. This was a fast read and of course I loved the message and the vague ending.
READING:
Bitter Root, Vol. 2: Rage & Redemption
The Book of Night Women
The Black God's Drums
Question of the Week
If you were to form a book club, what is the first book you’d like the group to read and discuss?
I would definitely form a bookclub to read black sci-fi and fantasy and the first book would be Kindred It's one of my favorite books!!
Good afternoon, y'all.It's been a quiet week for me. Lots of rain on Sunday and Wednesday. Cold lows at night (below freezing).
My genealogy extension course was supposed to start Tuesday but the instructor had a conflict with work, so it is rescheduled to next month.
Still working on clearing up that stack of library holds that came in all at once. Reading the last 4 now. All the rest on my desk have come in during January and my NEXT TO READ list is now 8. I am glad as I need a break from this heavy reading push that I have been on this month.
FINISHED:
Curiosity Thrilled the Cat - 4* (no prompt) Cozy Mystery. Read for other challenges.
Town in a Strawberry Swirl - 4* (no prompt) Cozy Mystery. Read for other challenges
Family History 101: A Beginner's Guide to Finding Your Ancestors - Read for 2023 NY goal. Applied to Prompt 1 of PS Quarterly Challenge (genealogy). 4*. Got a lot of good info on resources for genealogical research.
Buried Magic - PS Prompt #19. This prompt was hard for me since I have never participated in this group before. So I chose one of my favorite genres - Paranormal...and threw in Mystery and Fantasy, too. I also used this for #10 in the Quarterly challenge (less than 230p).
I am a Japanese Writer - PAS. (no prompt). Strange book with short chapters. More like an essay in the writing style. The author is from Haiti but living in Canada and is claiming to be a Japanese writer. And, it goes from there...3*
Rock Paper Scissors - PS, PAS (no prompt yet). I read it for the January Monthly read...and didn't hate it nor love it. Gave it 3*. I did enjoy the big plot twist but felt that afterwards the book/story kinda petered out...and I saw no need for the Sam chapter. I think the book could have been ended with an epilogue past the reveal.
Deadly Inheritance - ALCM, PAS. (no prompt) 4*. Really enjoyed this mystery and the character of Ursula. I will read more in this series for sure!
Currently Reading:
The Labrador Pact - PAS, RwS. This is an audiobook with about an hour left. Should finish this next week.
Kitchen - PAS, ATY - This is an ebook, which I also expect to finish soon. I am really enjoying it. Japanese setting. Will use for ATY Quarterly January read.
This Lie Will Kill You - PAS - Slow start for me and I do not love any of the teen characters. A bit of a thriller with an unknown killer lurking.
To Shield the Queen - PAS, old challenge. Another Ursula character. I think I will enjoy this one. Just started it. Historical Mystery.
Bluebird, Bluebird - ATY, PAS, old challenge. Haven't yet started it, although I expect to tonight.
The Cat Who Smelled a Rat PS, PAS, SRC. Planned for #46 pet character. This is a series that I enjoy. Light cozy mystery. Interesting characters.
An American Princess: The Many Lives of Allene Tew - SRC. Kindle book. Another one that I plan to start tonight.
On Deck:
Murphy's Law - PAS, ALCM Due back at library 1/31
H is for Hawk - ATY, PAS, RwS, old challenge Monthly read for PAS (January)
PS 2/50 and same two books used for Quarterly Challenge also
ATY 5/52 plus 6/12 for Quarterly Challenge
GR 25/200
RwS 17/30
SRC 20/67
Nadine in NY wrote: "I'm really enjoying two novels I'm currently reading: Suburban Dicks and Olga Dies Dreaming, and I think both of them would be great book club books. (And, in fact, I recommended "Olga" to my book club, although I expect it won't be chosen.)."I am so glad you are enjoying Suburban Dicks, as I did push that on you and say you needed to read it! I thought it was such fun and so NJ, an example of just how important envronment and georgraphy if well portrayed is to a plot. I believe a second is out already or out soon....
I'd join a book club to discuss that!
Hello all this rainy sunny NYC work day -- I believe the sun is shining. I wouldn't know as I've been glued to the phone and computer all day with work. I've got critical deadlines relating to a court order, emergencies in buildings I repesent needing legal triage instantly and clients upset with it all. Ah, well, it's Thursday, only one more official work day to the week, and it's PS report in day! An aside - late last night I got an email from the Whitney Museum here in NYC that there is a exclusive Member Night scheduled for Early February that opens the entire museum to members only. I'm a member because these sorts of events mean you get to exhibits during less crowded times. I'm so excited because this means I can finally see the (reportedly) exception Edward Hopper exhibit! Made my day yesterday (which ws just as awful as today).
If any of you are in NYC between now and March 25, make sure you get to this exhibit.
I am 8/50 PS, 9/52 in ATY, and 11/165 towards GR Challenge. A good start to the year given my first book of 2023 was a chunkster, and I pretty much fill PS and ATY without planning with whatever books I read for other reasons and where they fit. I am finding so far that PS is harder to fit prompts casually like this , more so than ever before, and ATY is easier.
Finished:
Legends & Lattes - cozy fantasy that I LOVED! prompt self - published. Yes - it was actually self-published, that history detailed in forward. I think even non-fantasy readers would enjoy this story of an orc mercerenary who retires and opens the first coffee shop in Thune. BTW I used it for ATY propmt - location starting with 'T'. My Feminerdy Book Club is discussing it in March.
Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany - really fascinating and also a look at Mario Batali and his restaurant Babbo around 2003 - 2006, before the secuat harassment allegations - PS prompt - a friend would love (much time spent in Northern Tuscany and Bologna, an area she loves), ATY prompt - word in recipe (heat).
Honor 'N' Duty - standard studly man and hunky dog escape read. Needed to break up that non-fiction read.
Currently Reading - each less than 300 pages, and 2 quite short:
Sad Cypress
The Cook
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy
Improbable Patriot: The Secret History of Monsieur de Beaumarchais, the French Playwright Who Saved the American Revolution
QOTW: Book clubs are not really for me unless I decide or have a really strong say in what's being read. I really don't want to read something someone else insists on and I have no interest or no time. But for this fantasy book club I'm forming, where clearly I'd be the boss, I'd probably want it to be one that reads a classic and a retelling and discusses separately and together. First up would be David Copperfield and Demon Copperhead. It likely would also include watching together the BBC adaptation of David Copperfield, the one with Daniel Radcliffe as the young David and which led him to becoming HP. Because of course, why not, and then discuss quality of adaptation.
I would likely move on from there to a retelling based on mythi or legend and the classic -- like read the Odyssey and then read any one of the many retellings.
I'm rather nerdy.
It was a better reading week this week. I ended up enjoying this one way more than expected given its age and the fact I saw the movie many times. I read Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin for the prompt A book published the year you were born.The other prompt I managed was A book with a pet character with Murder at the Puppy Fest by Laurien Berenson which wasn't that great being the 20th of a series I never read (found it in a library book sale) with a very unbelievable set up and ending
QOTW Oh good question. Honestly I wish more places hosted genre-specific book clubs.
If it was a mystery book club I'd suggest the first in C.S. Harris's Sebastian St. Cyr historical mysteries. I find Sebastian engaging and it's in an early 1800s setting so a bit different from the usual Victorian one.
If it was a SF/Fantasy one maybe something easy and fun like City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda, it's YA, has a fun plot and characters I liked
Theresa wrote: "Hello all this rainy sunny NYC work day -- I believe the sun is shining. I wouldn't know as I've been glued to the phone and computer all day with work. I've got critical deadlines relating to a co..."I'd love a book club like that! But also a book club where it's acceptable to sit out on a book if you're not interested, because like you, I ain't got the time or brain capacity.
In general I am super happy to see so many people wanting Sci-fi/Fantasy book clubs!
Ashley Marie wrote: "K.L. wrote: "I think it would be fun to be in a book club that focused on fantasy, science fiction, manga, and comic books. For our first discussion, I’d want to choose something like Legends & Lat..."My IRL (though mostly zoom now) Feminerdy Book Club reads SFF from a feminist and gender perspective. We are reading and discussing Legends & Lattes at March virtual meeting. We also read and discussed last fall Project Hail Mary rather than The Martian because everyone had read it already. We did Artemis a while ago.
Feminerdy started in a local bookshop with their support, meeting in the shop and the shop did notices and promo. When lockdown happened, one of the regulars basically took charge and brought it online and now it is completely independent of the shop, primarily because lockdown and pandemic restrictions lasted so long here in NYC. We have a strong loyal core of 6 members though there are over 20 listed where we now live online. You can come and go, just attend when the book interests you. I was not a regular the years before lockdown, but as the online group attending the virtual meetings solidified, I became a regular. We have really dynamic discussions!
Oh and next month is Klara and the Sun
Happy Thursday! I went to a birthday party this week at a restaurant/bar/arcade. Turns out centipede is the game I should play all the time cause I'm actually good at it. Pinball not so much. I just can't get the hand eye coordination to work for me. Challenge progress:
PS 2/50
ATY 4/52
Finished:
Less (PS queer lead) 3 stars. This was a good story. I liked the traveling around the world and seeing different places. But it is a book where not much actual plot happens.
Clap When You Land (ATY "W" questions in title) 5 stars. This book was written in verse which I have never read before. I didn't know how I would like it since poetry is very hit or miss for me. I ended up loving this book. Elizabeth Acevedo is such an amazing writer.
Currently reading:
The Charm Offensive (ATY interracial relationship)
Project Hail Mary (ATY book by author you read in 2022)
Fangirl (PS NaNoWriMo)
QOTW: I have never been a part of a book club because I don't like to read books I don't chose for myself. However, if I was the leader who got to always choose the books I would probably do The Trees or Station Eleven.
Theresa wrote: "Ashley Marie wrote: "K.L. wrote: "I think it would be fun to be in a book club that focused on fantasy, science fiction, manga, and comic books. For our first discussion, I’d want to choose somethi..."I love this idea
Hi all! Like Nadine, I stayed up late last night to finish a mystery and didn't, so I'm up again late tonight! Last night I got distracted by a PBS Nova show about restoring the Parthenon in Greece. It's fascinating, but it literally sounds like Math Hell (and I love math!) where no 2 pieces are the same, there are no right angles and as they try to figure out which piece goes where and they have to make new pieces to make up for damaged and destroyed pieces they have to adjust them by tenths of a millimeter... Anyhoo, other than that, we actually have white stuff on the ground! My daughter got to go sledding the other day. Also, she must sample said white stuff every morning on the way out to the bus and the way back in! :)
I finally finished City of Veils! I think I'll use it for forbidden romance, but it would also work for foreign language. It's a murder mystery set in Saudi Arabia, and that gave it some very interesting and different moments than most murder mysteries, but the mystery itself wasn't that thrilling. It did mention one thing that I had never heard of (well, a lot of things, I know very little about Muslim culture in general and Saudi culture specifically), and wondered if anyone here knew of this- it said Muslims shouldn't read fiction because it is a distraction from living a devout life, that you aren't paying proper attention to the real world, Allah's creations, if you're spending time in a made up one.
I made some progress in When Christ and His Saints Slept and really like it.
I also read a chapter in The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York which was pretty interesting.
I had Secrets of the Nile come in on hold from the library much sooner than expected, so I guess I'll be getting into that one next. I hope I don't get burned out on murder and mayhem! (ha! never!)
QOTW: It's too hard to pick just one! Plus, my brain is sleepytime mush right now, I think I'll answer this tomorrow! Night! :)
Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! Like Nadine, I stayed up late last night to finish a mystery and didn't, so I'm up again late tonight! Last night I got distracted by a PBS Nova show about restoring the Parthenon in Greece..."I love the poisoner's handbook
Happy Thursday! Another nonstop week. In fun news, I convinced my very non-pop friend to go to a kpop show later this year. I think it's going to be fun. I'm going to send her so many videos over the next few month. It's going to be great!Finished:
The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick- I loved this! Half biography of Milicent Patrick, half memoir of the authors search to track down Milicent's life story. I thought this was so interesting, and infuriating at times- and then I started getting teary about this person I'd never heard of before. My favorite book so far this year
-11 A book about or set in Hollywood
The Pachinko Parlor- it took me a little bit to get into this book, but I wound up really liking it. Even better, I requested that my library purchase a copy this book, and now there's a dozen people on the waitlist for it. I feel very validated.
-50 A book with alliteration in the title
Girl in a Band- a meandering memoir that needed a way more aggressive editor. Every time a chapter ended it felt completely random. And there's this weird "not like other girls" vibe going on. You don't like the Spice Girls? Ok cool- why are you including that in your memoir??
I could honestly talk about this book for an hours- probably one of my least favorite memoirs I've ever read. In the top three. It's fascinating.
-7 A book with "Girl" in the title
Here the Whole Time- a Brazilian book about a fat teen with a crush on his neighbor and then having to deal with his insecurities when the boy crashes with his family for 2 weeks. I loved this, it was so sweet. The main character's mom is the best. Kids these days have so much more representation in books, it makes me a little emotional
-10 A romance with a fat lead
Currently reading:
The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction- slowly listening to this at work. It's a collection of speeches and essays, so I'm taking my time with it. I've owned a physical copy for years, but I enjoy Neil Gaiman's reading voice, so I'm listening and then going back and marking the passages I really like.
QotW:
I would definitely not pick a book I'd already read- I would feel awkward if people didn't like it. I just placed a hold for the book My Volcano, which has a pretty bonkers premise, so it seems like it would make for a good discussion whether people liked it or not.
I am 17/50. This week I finished:
Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six: Alliteration: This book was overly complicated, but I'm still glad that I read it.
Gone Dark: Not for the challenge: I love survival books and this one was pretty good. It started out really strong and kept my interest, but the end didn't really work for me.
One of the Girls: Girl in the title: This book did a lot of things right and I didn't figure out several elements of the plot, which I always enjoy, but this just didn't have the suspense I was looking for. I also didn't really invest in the characters. The common theme this week was that most of what I was reading was trying to do way too much.
All the Dangerous Things: Not for the challenge: This book was great. It really caught me by surprise in a number of ways. I normally avoid books about child abduction because it makes me sad, but this one had some really interesting elements that made me recommend it to several friends already.
Lie To Her: pet character: I'm glad that I kept going with this series. The characters keep me coming back and they add elements that always interest me. I had nightmares about snakes for two days with this one. It wasn't the best of the series, but was perfectly enjoyable.
Currently reading:
I haven't really started anything yet, but I have several books on deck.
The Wedding Date: NoNoWriMo
Good in Bed: secondhand
Everything We Didn't Say: family
QOTW:
I have never been in a book club, so I don't know what makes good book club discussions, but I would probably choose a series so we could all read it together.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing (other topics)The Miracles of the Namiya General Store (other topics)
Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (other topics)
The Beige Man (other topics)
Carrie Soto Is Back (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Helene Tursten (other topics)Allison Winn Scotch (other topics)
Taylor Jenkins Reid (other topics)
Lisa See (other topics)
Katrine Engberg (other topics)
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WOW four weeks into the year!! This is that happy time of year when I start panicking that I haven't made enough progress in my reading challenges yet! (For example: I have not read one single thing for my own "mini challenge" that I shared with you all. Yikes!!) I should be okay though. I've got over eleven months left, after all. And so what if I don't finish all the challenges, right?
Admin stuff!!
Nominations are closed and the final poll is OPEN for April's BookTok book:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
January's group read of Rock Paper Scissors is still ongoing here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
And we still have openings for discussion leaders for March (The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea) and of course April! (tbd)
This week I finished 2 books, 1 for this Challenge, so I am now 4/50.
The Poems of Marianne Moore - full disclosure, I kind of DNF'ed this, but I read a big chunk of it, and I just never wanted to pick it up again. I thought I liked Marianne Moore!! One of my very favorite poems was written by her! But, nope, I did not like this collection.
Back Spin by Harlan Coben - every few years, I listen to the next audiobook in this series, and they always make me laugh. Either I was REALLY in the mood for this, or it was funnier than the rest, because it REALLY made me laugh. (Note: it's not all light and fluffy and cozy - people are threatened & beaten up, fingers are cut off, murders are committed.) This was my book about a sport. Every time this category shows up, I reach for the trusty Myron Bolitar sports agent series! Every book centers on a different sport, and this one was golf. It would appear that Harlan Coben does not enjoy golf.
Pop: 4/50
Winter: 0/10
AtY: 4/52
2023 must-reads: 1/12
Question of the Week
If you were to form a book club, what is the first book you’d like the group to read and discuss?
I'm really enjoying two novels I'm currently reading: Suburban Dicks and Olga Dies Dreaming, and I think both of them would be great book club books. (And, in fact, I recommended "Olga" to my book club, although I expect it won't be chosen.)