Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2024 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 16: 4/12 - 4/18
Lynn - this post appears twice - you need to delete one.
Happy Thursday, everyone!We had one heck of a thunderstorm last night! It absolutely poured, to the point where it sounded like the house was going through a car wash, and we had hail the size of marbles. Fortunately the storm only lasted for about 10 minutes, so we didn’t have any flooding. However, I did discover that the gutters are in desperate need of a clean out. One more thing to add to the list.
While I had originally planned to focus on household projects this week, I spent most of my time reading. I finished a ton of books this week, and not just during the Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon.
Speaking of which, the Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon took place on Saturday, and I have to say that I had a fantastic time! I ended up reading for approximately 14 hours, and completed a total of 8 books during the readathon. There were some titles I was not able to get to (because actually I wanted to sleep), but I’m really pleased with the amount of reading I was able to do.
Here are my current challenge and TBR totals…
Goodreads Challenge: 168/200
Mount TBR Challenge: 82/150
📚Physical TBR: 49
📱Ebook TBR: 33
🎧Audiobook TBR: 0
TBR Checklist Total: 82
I did not buy any new books this week!
Only 13 days remain until my book buying ban ends! Do you think I can get through the final 12 books on my “New” Books list before the 30th?
“New” Books Bought in 2024: 93
“New” Books Read in 2024: 81
Finished Reading (Fiction):
This week I continued reading and enjoying the Agatha Raisin series. The books I read this week include…
~Love, Lies and Liquor — This is the seventeenth book in the Agatha Raisin series. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Kissing Christmas Goodbye — This is the eighteenth book in the Agatha Raisin series. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~A Spoonful of Poison — This is the nineteenth book in the Agatha Raisin series. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~There Goes the Bride — This is the twentieth book in the Agatha Raisin series. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Agatha Raisin and the Busy Body — This is the twenty-first book in the Agatha Raisin series. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~As the Pig Turns — This is the twenty-second book in the Agatha Raisin series. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I also finished listening to The Murderbot Diaries on Audible. This series was a re-read for me, but it was my first time listening to the audiobooks (apart from Fugitive Telemetry). I loved Kevin R. Free’s narration! This week I finished the following audiobooks…
~Fugitive Telemetry — This is the sixth book in the Murderbot Diaries series. I’ve listened to this audiobook twice this year! 🎧: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~System Collapse — This is the seventh book in the Murderbot Diaries series. 🎧: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finally, I also read…
~His Majesty's Dragon — This is the first book in the Temeraire series. I really enjoyed this story, and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series as soon as possible. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise — This was my book club’s pick for April, and I absolutely loved it! The story and characters were wonderful, and I really enjoyed all of the humor. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
None
Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
This week I had a chance to read the entire Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle series, and I absolutely loved it! This manga takes place alongside the events of xxxHolic, but you don’t need to have read that series to enjoy this one. I thought the artwork and characters were fantastic, and loved the references to CLAMP’s other series! The books I read this week include…
~Tsubasa Omnibus 1 — 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Tsubasa Omnibus 2 — 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Tsubasa Omnibus 3 — 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Tsubasa Omnibus 4 — 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Tsubasa Omnibus 5 — 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Tsubasa Omnibus 6 — 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Tsubasa Omnibus 7 — 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Tsubasa Omnibus 8 — 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Tsubasa Omnibus 9 — 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Tsubasa Omnibus 10 — 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished Reading (Poetry and Drama):
None
DNFed:
None
Currently On A Break:
~The Complete Works of William Shakespeare — I am currently a few acts into King Richard II.📚
Currently Reading:
~The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1001 Nights, Volume 1 — I am currently 68% of the way through this book. 📚
~Sense and Sensibility — This book is a re-read for me, and one of my favorite Austen novels. I’m currently about two-thirds of the way through the audiobook, and I really like the narrator. 🎧
~Hiss and Hers — This is the twenty-third book in the Agatha Raisin series. I'm about halfway through, and should finish it later today. 📚
QOTW:
I would definitely enjoy meeting Elenor Dashwood, from Sense and Sensibility. I think she would be a great friend. I'd also like to meet Mokona, from the Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle manga.
Mod
PLANNED: ... The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin..."
I just finished watching season 1 of The Three Body Problem on Netflix!! I was skeptical, because this is a Big Book with lots of thinky stuff and lots of special effects required, I didn't see how Netflix could condense it into 8 episodes. I was also initially annoyed that they moved it from China to England.
But I LOVED this show!! I think Netflix did such a great job with it!! Of course they left out a lot of details, and the folded in a few things from later in the series, but it all felt very cogent and whole and THEY HAD BETTER RENEW IT BECASUE I NEED SEASON 2.
I immediately pulled up Viki and started watching the 2023 Chinese show "Three Body" - which ALSO looks great!! It's 30 episodes, and my understanding is it is the complete trilogy? I want to watch it, but my daughter said no, she doesn't want to be spoiled for future Netflix seasons.
Happy Thursday!Finished:
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden - 4 stars - recommended by a bookseller. This would also probably work for magical realism. This book was a bit of a slow burn but I wound up loving it. A powerful exploration of grief and trauma.
The Diablo's Curse by Gabe Cole Novoa - 4 stars - rearranged some books to put this in as my fiction book by a trans author. A YA adventure story about a character with a family curse, and a former demon trying to help them break the curse by finding the lost treasure of Captain Kidd. I really enjoyed it.
Comics/manga:
Horimiya, Vol. 11
Horimiya, Vol. 12
Horimiya, Vol. 13
Witch Hat Atelier Kitchen Vol. 2
I am currently at 32/50 prompts for PopSugar (29/45 and 3/5).
Currently reading:
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna - for either a cozy fantasy or a book where someone sleeps for 24 hours. I've seen other people say it meets that second prompt, but I haven't read that scene yet, so I have a backup category just in case. So far I'm really enjoying this one.
Upcoming/Planned:
Lyorn by Steven Brust - not for the challenge (yet).
Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier - not for the challenge (yet).
QOTW:
T. Kingfisher's Alex Easton sounds like they would be an interesting person to meet.
Mod
It's cool and rainy and I guess I should have mowed the lawn that one sunny day we had, because ohhhh boy the grass is long now, and my mower is wimpy, and I'm in for a hard time.
My furnace died AGAIN, and I guess I really do need to get a new furnace. Sigh. Right now it's not been too TOO cold out, so it's hovering at around 60 F inside the house, and I have my little space heater keeping me cozy. The idea of buying a new furnace is so depressing. I don't quite know why, but it's got me in a real funk. Maybe it's the idea of spending that much money, and knowing that other things in this house will need to be replaced eventually, too.
I'm currently disliking two of the three books I'm reading, but I'm doing my best to just power through them, because they are both for challenge categories.
I finished 2 books this week and DNFed one book.
Will They or Won't They by Ava Wilder - I really loved Wilder's first book, so I was excited to read her second book, but I did not enjoy it as much. I used this for second chance romance, but it would also work for enemies to lovers.
The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto- this was goofy fun, no challenge category. (If Jakarta is on your "bucket list" this book will work for you.)
And I DNFed
The Good Part by Sophie Cousens - this was absolutely not for me. I'm sure I can find a better book with a 42 yo characters. I found Strange Sally Diamond on the Listopia, so I put that book on hold - hopefully the character really is 42.
Popsugar 66% 33 /50
Must Reads 60% 6 /10
AtY 56% 29 /52
QotW
Hmmm ... I don't particularly want to meet any of the characters I read about. Maybe I read about too many assholes LOL! Maybe I just don't like people.
If I had to pick one, I'll choose Myron Bolitar from Harlan Coben's mystery series. I'm listening to book #5 right now. He's funny. He's from NJ. I'm from NJ. I think we'd manage okay.
Robot Librarian challenge: 43/52Hold onto your hats everyone! I have a lot of books to update because I participated in the Dewey Readathon last weekend and read 7.5 books during that 24-hour period.
Read: Infectious Generosity: The Ultimate Idea Worth Spreading It was good enough, but I don't feel like it will really change the way I give.
The Plague Year: America in the Time of Covid I liked his novel about a plague better.
Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories for RL prompt book mentioned in a show. I felt like I had to read this because it appears in my profile pic! I think it was trying to be edgy and forward in its racial views, but it has not aged well and was largely offensive.
Emily of New Moon for RL prompt published before you were born. I had remembered this as being one of the books that impacted me most profoundly during my childhood. What I hadn't remembered is that much of it was written from the persepective of Emily, which I suppose was impressive that Montgomery could write like a child, but I liked it less because of this.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity Blah.
Meander, Spiral, Explode: Design and Pattern in Narrative This was excellent! Analyzed writing in terms of patterns found in nature as an alternative to the usual climactic arc. So interesting!
The Beauty of What Remains: How Our Greatest Fear Becomes Our Greatest Gift
The True Meaning of Smekday for prompt has "true" in title. This was a little too frivolous for my taste
Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words from Around the World This book is fun, but I can never remember new words anymore!
The Last Bookwanderer for RL prompt about mythology other than Greek or Roman. A good wrap-up to the series.
Started: It's Kind of a Funny Story for RL prompt turned into a TV show. It's very good so far.
Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics I wanted to read this because Daniel Kahneman recently died, but uugh, it's so boring!
Who's Afraid of Gender? I tried to finish this in time to give it back to the library, but they only gave me a 3-day warning and I didn't succeed. Gave a lot of air time to the things Butler is trying to denounce and I know it's been very controversial..
QotW: I know this is kind of cheating because I've been seeing the show, not reading the book, but Anne of Green Gables is such an optimistic, sweet, fiery, imaginative character, I think it would be fun to be friends with her.
Mod
It is only appearing once for me! WTH?!?
Mod
PLANNED: ... The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin..."
I just finished watching season 1 of The Three Body Problem on Netflix!! I was skeptical, because this is a Big Book with lot..."
I am delaying reading it after getting about 1/3-1/2 through it exactly because it is so "thinky"! I really need to review the science involved as I read, because I was not 'getting' the full picture...
Hi all! Like Nadine said, dreary here in NY. My boyfriend *did* try to mow the lawn on that one nice day, but the rider wouldn't start and he is a wee bit out of shape to go too far with the push mower. It's definitely turning into a field out there! Kiddo's friends' party is Saturday and she's getting excited. So am I!
I received news that my lawsuit against my long term disability has been extended until May 20. Sigh... And my Social Security claim is floating out there in La La Land, as they do. I try not to stress, but I've now been since July of last year without a sizeable income ($20 a week in Door Dashes not withstanding...). I'm *very* fortunate to have supportive family members and a few State supports to assist us.
Anyway, onto reading!
I'm more than halfway through Burntown. It's still kinda weird, but I'm totally hooked and characters are getting interconnected and secrets are being revealed. I'm using it for someone dies in the first chapter, but it would also work for more than 3 POV.
I listened to several more hours in Carry Me Home: Birmingham, Alabama: The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution. I was right, now that we're in the 60s, it's becoming compulsive listening. Last night I listened to the chapter on the Freedom Rides. I've long been interested in the Civil Rights Movement of the 60s, and I've had a ton of respect for those people who embarked on the Freedom Rides into the South (or the sit-ins, the bus boycotts, any of those protests really). I've often asked myself if I could have been that brave. After listening to that chapter last night, I don't know that I could have done it. It was horrific. I stayed up late just to process it and avoid having nightmares. If you're not familiar with it, find a book, a documentary, something. It puts today's struggles into perspective, but also serves as a warning that we cannot go back and we cannot take rights for granted.
Read a few more chapters in The Brothers Karamazov. Still nothing much happening, but the book has grown on me. I had a half-awake thought this morning. I wonder if this was reality TV in 1800s Russia? These characters (especially the women, but several of the men, too) are so histrionic. The book was serialized when it first came out, so I wonder if the literate elite were just itching to see what crazy thing was going to happen next? Keeping Up with the Karamazovs? Ha!
QOTW: The last character I would want to hang out with was Ginny from Burying Water. She was a cranky, snarky, shut-in old woman (with good reasons) and I adored her. I'm sure she would have chased me off with her broom, but I would have happily sat on her front porch with her while she sewed her quilts and complained about everyone.
Mod
It is only appearing once for me! WTH?!?"
I shutdown and rebooted my nearly new laptop and it finally appeared and I deleted it. Ugh.
Happy Thursday! So glad tax season is done… I put off filing our taxes until the very last minute this year. I know, I know, I should have been proactive and filed as soon as possible, but there was a new wrinkle in our filings and I wasn’t really sure how to handle it. Taxes are just too complicated. If a college-educated woman (who’s comfortable with numbers) is confused and anxious about completing the forms, then there’s something really wrong with the system. 2024 Reading Challenges: I’ve read 150 books so far this year with an average length of 326 pages and an average rating of 3.79.
52 Book Club: 35/52 (April Mini-Challenge: 3/3)
ATY: 33/52 (Spring Challenge: 7/12 + Bonus 5/5)
Booklist Queen: 33/52
Diverse Baseline: 11/36
Popsugar: 29/50
Robot Librarian: 37/52
ICYMI Backlist: 4/12
Recently Completed:
The Book of Doors: The concept behind this book had so much potential! Unfortunately, it’s disappointingly unrealized. The audiobook also loses points for using a narrator with a British accent when the book is set in NYC. (Booklist Queen #49 – a book about books) ★★★
James: A retelling of Huckleberry Finn told from Jim’s POV. I liked this so much more than Demon Copperhead. Demon felt like a caricature; James is a fully-realized character. (52 Books April Mini-Challenge #3 – “(Never Gonna) Desert You”/ATY Spring Challenge – black cover) ★★★★★
How the Boogeyman Became a Poet: Memoir written in poetry. (ATY Spring Challenge – blue cover/Robot Librarian Nonfiction – the 800s) ★★★★
Congratulations, the Best is Over!: NPR 2023 Books We Love. ★★★★
Kala: NPR 2023 Books We Love. (52 Books #11 – title starts with K/Robot Librarian Advance #4 – title does not contain the letter E) ★★★★
Rise: My Story: Lindsey Vonn… not particularly compelling. (Popsugar #20 – set in the snow) ★★★
Outofshapeworthlessloser: A Memoir of Figure Skating, F*cking Up, and Figuring It Out: Gracie Gold is amazingly open and honest about her life and her skating. (ATY #31 – related to going for gold/Popsugar #47 – 24 letters in the title/Robot Librarian #4 – author with a color in their name) ★★★★★
Marcelo in the Real World (ATY #15 – author’s name contains J, Q, X , or Z/Popsugar #29 – neurodivergent main character/Robot Librarian #3 – neurodivergent character) ★★★
Huda F Are You?: Mostly a light, breezy teen/identity graphic novel, it also addresses Islamophobia, microaggressions, and bigotry. There is even a short section about the Ahmed Mohamed clock incident, with a Muslim boy getting arrested for bringing electronics to school. ★★★★
The Phoenix Crown: Not nearly as interesting or immersive as the rest of Kate Quinn’s novels. The authors’ note at the end was more intriguing than the actual story presented. (ATY #25 – set in one of the 25 most beautiful cities) ★★★
Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Diverse Baseline #10 – about chronic pain or illness by a BIPOC author/Robot Librarian #14 – favorite genre by a BIPOC author) ★★★
Currently Reading:
The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England (52 Books #18 – apostrophe in title/Booklist Queen #34 – three books by the same author/Popsugar #10 – a self-published author)
Shubeik Lubeik: NPR 2023 Books We Love. (ATY Spring Challenge – purple cover)
Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America: NPR 2023 Books We Love. (ATY Spring Challenge – a red cover)
The Secret of Cooking: Recipes for an Easier Life in the Kitchen NPR 2023 Books We Love. (52 Books #48 - secret in the title/Booklist Queen #25 – about secrets)
Young and Restless: The Girls Who Sparked America's Revolutions
You Exist Too Much (Diverse Baseline #11 – a SWANA author)
Role Playing (Popsugar #22 – video games)
Secretly Yours (Booklist Queen #25 – about secrets)
Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir NPR 2023 Books We Love. (52 Books #50 – musical instrument on the cover)
QOTW: I can't think of any characters I've recently read about that I'd really like to meet... Too much drama!
L Y N N wrote: "My good news is that I am finally back to the gym in my usual routine. That helps me cope with life so very much better!..."I take it this means your husband is well enough to stay home for a bit without you? Yay!!
Mod
Honestly I would not bother. Just accept it all on faith and keep reading.
Liu is so skilled that he had me believing in a lot of the science in this book - I thought the idea of a sophon and an 11-dimension particle and all that was just very advanced science that I wasn't familiar with yet. Later after I finished, I discovered that it was all made up!! (The sun really is an amplifier for radio waves, though - that part is true!)
Mod
taxes are ridiculous. The IRS KNOWS how much we each owe. Why can't they just send out a form saying "you owe / are due $xyz, sign here to agree, or fill out these forms to check our work and do your own taxes." You better believe I'd be signing off.
The only way that won't work is for people who need to self-report their earnings because they are paid in cash like for tips or whatever. The IRS can just set a flat rate for them and they can contest it as they wish by filling out all the forms.
Mod
I'm so conflicted about this one!! I really like Percival Everett, and I really do NOT like Twain's Huckleberry Finn (it was just boring - maybe I was too young, idk). So I want to read it and I don't want to read it. Luckily there are a zillion other books I ALSO want to read so I don't need to make a decision now about this one, I'm just tabling it.
Not much to report this week, so on to the check-in.Books read this week:
From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava -- not for PopSugar. Don’t be fooled by the cute puppy on the cover (though the puppy does figure into the plot), this is a surprisingly gut-wrenching read about the horror and corruption of the Iraqi War.
Cat’s Cradle -- not for PopSugar. A strange but blackly funny and disturbing satire.
The Boy, the Wolf, and the Stars -- for “book with 24 letters in the title.” A well-done YA fantasy, with a thoughtful message about forgiveness.
Unfamiliar, Vol. 1 -- not for any challenges. Cute witch-centered graphic novel with a Tim-Burton-ish feel to the artwork.
PopSugar Challenge -- 43/45
PopSugar Advanced Challenge -- 5/5
Robot Librarian Challenge -- 30/32
Robot Librarian Advanced Challenge -- 8/10
Robot Librarian Non-Fiction Challenge -- 2/10
Extreme Book Nerd Challenge -- 33/50
Extreme Book Nerd Advanced Challenge -- 9/10
Extreme Book Nerd Non-Fiction Challenge -- 3/10
DNF:
The Murmur of Bees -- wasn’t getting into it, and then discovered it has some problematic content.
Currently reading:
The Ferryman -- for “book with a main character who’s 42 years old”
Root Magic -- for “magical realism”
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous -- not for PopSugar
I, Robot: The Illustrated Screenplay -- not for PopSugar
QOTW:
I'd love to meet and hang out with Beartongue from T. Kingfisher's Saint of Steel series. She seems like a no-nonsense sort, and could probably solve some of my problems in the meantime. (She's the High Priestess of the Temple of the White Rat, a religious order dedicated entirely to Getting Things Done and Solving Problems.)
We started watching Fallout, so I'll have to put The Three-Body Problem on the list for what to watch after that.It's been lovely sunny weather, and I even had to put sunscreen on at the weekend, but the last few days there's been a very chilly wind. I'd like to just sit outside and read please! Oh and the bluebells are in full bloom. The woods are quite fragrant.
Finished:
A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston for ATY (touch of magic). This wasn't as good as the others of hers I've read. It was a cute idea, a romance fan ends up stranded in the setting of her favourite series, but it kind of has the problem that fictional fan-fiction has. There's not a lot of context for the in-world story that the main character is excited about. So in the end there are all these characters who you get a snippet of backstory of and are expected to feel for.
System Collapse by Martha Wells for ATY (books of the month threads). More Murderbot, nuff said.
And I've ticked off the NaNoWriMo prompt with Paws and Portals by me, because I'm finally done with editing it!
QOTW:
I'm not sure I want to hang out with many characters. I suppose I could sit and watch TV with Murderbot...
Happy Thursday!What a day it was! Ironically today was a beautiful weather day so we could have put together the puzzle outside, but I spent hours in online queues and phone holds and by the time I was done it was 2:30pm and it was too late, haha! Typical.
On the other hand, the 3 hours online queue, one hour talk to parents, and 2 hours on the phone did lead to us changing our WDW booking from a value resort (POP Century) to a deluxe resort (Animal Kingdom Lodge)!! Long live the free dining plan offer that released today for us!
It's a little terrifying, though. It's obviously a lot more money (though it now already covers almost all food) but end of the month I have a re-evaluation of my benefits and as much as I know that I can't work, as much as my dad tells me they won't take my money away, if they do, I'm screwed. So fingers crossed!
Also planned my next Disneyland Paris trip, for the next Surprise Meet for annual passholders. Next week we'll know who it'll be and whether it'll be worth making down the trip for. At this point I don't even know which option I want it to be, haha!
Read
Fanfic. So. Much. Fanfic. I've missed it so much!! I've been going through the soulmates AU tag. This fandom doesn't have the best works for it, but there are some absolute gems that have made it so worth it.
QOTW
Mickey Milkovich. I know he's a TV character but since I've been reading hundreds and hundreds of thousands of words about him, I'm saying it counts, hahah!
L Y N N wrote: "I doubt this is “big” news to anyone here, but I adore Ann Patchett’s Goodreads blog postings with book recommendations. I always discover so many books I may or may not have heard of anywhere else..."I too love Ann Patchett - and my favorite, the first I read and it tore me up too, was Bel Canto. I have not read that many of her books, and they all differ. I did some reading up on her - interviews and such - and as a writer, each book is a different exploration of ideas, writing itself, format. That made sense because one of her books I read, I absolutely hated and thought was very weak, confusing and went nowhere - State of Wonder. I suggest you put that at the bottom of your Ann Patchett TBR.
Another author known for exploring different styles and themes in each book is Amor Towles. His A Gentleman in Moscow, The Lincoln Highway, and Rules of Civility are all so different from each other yet leave such a great feeling after reading. Love them.
Nadine in NY wrote: "L Y N N wrote: "PLANNED: ... The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin..."
I just finished watching season 1 of The Three Body Problem on Netflix!! I was skeptical, because this is a Big Book with lot..."
My Feminerdy Book Club read the book 2 or 3 years ago and we all hated it, absolutely hated it, the we did find the bits set during the Cultural Revolution ok. No way am I watching the Netflix series.
Once again, Nadine, you befuddle me on what you like and don't like! But then, it's good not to be predictable!
It's another cold rainy Thursday in NYC. I will say though that this cool wet weather these last few weeks have led to the violets to be blooming with abandon not seen before in the Children's Grove in Central Park across the street from my apartment. I think violets like cooler weather and damp conditions. On the farm the only proliferated in the area long the back of the house which got minimal direct sun, was cool and damp in the spring. PS 30/50 ATY - 43/52
Finished:
Flâneuse: Women Walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice, and London - absolutely wonderful book! - PS - one word title I had to look up; ATY country bordering Mediteranean - Italy & France
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers - not a big fan other than Vera is a great character and the food and tea descriptions are yummmmy. Used for PS prompt second chance romance as two of the secondary characters get one.
Ruby Fever - final book of the Hidden Legacy series and satisfying in every way. Fit no prompts.
Currently Reading:
Soulless
The Silence of the Girls - I'm going to have to skim what I already read in this before reading to finish it!
QOTW: Not sure as I don't really thing that way about characters when I read about them.
Mod
Wow!! Do you remember why everyone in the group hated it?
Nadine in NY wrote: "Theresa wrote: "My Feminerdy Book Club read the book 2 or 3 years ago and we all hated it, absolutely hated it, the we did find the bits set during the Cultural Revolution ok. No way am I watching ..."I actually liked it more than the others. I was extremely pissed off though that the jacket blurb, all summaries provided online and on social media from publisher contain massive spoilers and that really colored the experience negatively for me.
It was slow, boring, confusing, writing was flat, plot disjointed, the video game aspect was just weird, there seemed to be 3 unrelated sections to it, everyone was awful in some way, it seemed really stupid - I'm sure things were a bit more specific and pointed as this is a dynamic discussion group. Even those who recommended it hated it. When I asked recently if anyone had read or wanted to read the 2nd in the series, a polar freeze was felt in the zoom!
It wasn't even that most prefer fantasy -we read an equal amount of scifi and fantasy and the group leader is very into sciency scifi - and it was a book she was eager to read. She loathed it.
I didn't finish anything this week. Just made progress on some larger reads.Currently reading:
London
The Age of Innocence
The Annotated Arabian Nights
The Mists of Avalon
This Impossible Brightness
Dear California
Why We Read Jane Austen
The Direction of the Wind
Next up:
Daisy Jones and the Six
The Love of My Life (Rosie Walsh)
The Women
I read Little Women in January and would like to meet Jo March and really all the of March sisters.
And who doesn't want to meet Lizzy Bennet?
Nadine in NY wrote: "Taxes are ridiculous. The IRS KNOWS how much we each owe. Why can't they just send out a form saying "you owe / are due $xyz, sign here to agree, or fill out these forms to check our work and do your own taxes." You better believe I'd be signing off."I agree!
Nadine in NY wrote: "I'm so conflicted about this one!! I really like Percival Everett, and I really do NOT like Twain's Huckleberry Finn (it was just boring - maybe I was too young, idk)."James truly is Jim's story. Huckleberry is there, but he's not the main focus of the story. It's really about Jim/James and his own agency and intelligence.
Mod
Haha I can't really disagree. It WAS slow and confusing and weird and disjointed. And yeah normally I have no patience with slow books, but this one worked for me. I read the entire trilogy.
It felt believable and different and thought-provoking, and I was impressed by how real the fake science felt. I really liked the fairy tale aspects in the second book (or maybe it was in the third book too? it's a bit of a blur now tbh)
Nadine in NY wrote: "Laura wrote: "James: A retelling of Huckleberry Finn told from Jim’s POV. I liked this so much more than Demon Copperhead. Demon felt like a caricature; James is a fully-realized character...."I'm so conflicted about this one!! I really like Percival Everett, and I really do NOT like Twain's Huckleberry Finn (it was just boring - maybe I was too young, idk). So I want to read it and I don't want to read it.
..."
I added it to my ever growing TBR list, so thanks Laura
Lynn: I'm glad your husband is stable enough that you can get back to the gym. Gym time is important. Now that Winter is past, I'm trying to be more active.I finished no books this week, but I'm almost done my monthly mystery. And both my inter-library loans came in last night, so I've now got 4 on the go. (6 if you count the ones I'm reading with the kids too.)
Series - 3/12
Nobel laureates - 1/5
Mysteries/Thrillers - 4/13
ATY - 13/45
PS - 8/30
Currently reading:
The Inheritors - 40% done
The Westing Game - 70% done
Henderson the Rain King - Just started
The Darkest Road- Just started
Buddy Reads:
This Present Darkness - 40% done
Hollow City - 15% done
QOTW: Recently is throwing me. So, I can't name HP or LotR or P&P characters.
Possibly Thursday Next. Or Skuldugger Pleasant and Valkyrie Caine.
The problem with ready a lot of mysteries/thrillers this year is that I wouldn't want to meet most of these people. :)
Happy Thursday! It's been rainy and dreary here in wisconsin too. Hoping for a bit of sun this weekend for some outdoor time. We all need to get out of the house. Currently reading
Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster: listening to it on audiobook. It's a bit frustrating to hear about so many people making such bad decisions all on the basis of how it will affect the USSR's image. Like, people are gonna die Vlad, stop lying. So stressful.
Can't Spell Treason Without Tea: literally the exact opposite, zero stress. Just cozy and chill.
QOTW
Of the books I've read recently? Maybe Dr. Helsing from Strange Practice, though I'd be even more interested to meet some of her patients. Of all my books? Probably Hercule Poirot.
Happy check-in! It's stopped snowing so now is a perfect time to list books and avoid shovelling. 😀 Fingers crossed that my cold is gone finally. I'm sad my hockey team didn't make the playoffs. @Lynn so glad that your husbands health is more stable allowing you to get back to the gym.
Finished Reading:
Texts from Jane Eyre: And Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters ⭐⭐⭐ (PS trans author)
This title caught my eye. The humour is clever although I haven't read all the classics that the author uses so some of the texts didn't make sense to me.
Dragonfruit ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS Dragons)
This is great ya fantasy. The author's inspiration is very spoilery for the stuff I didn't see coming at least.
Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku, Vol. 5 Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku, Vol. 6 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The series is over now. :(
Dinosaur Sanctuary Vol. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
If dinosaurs never went extinct... we'd have them in zoos.
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption ⭐⭐ (ATY going for the gold)
I enjoyed the movie years ago and finally got around to reading this. There were interesting things to learn, but this was two books in one at least.
PS 29/50
ATY 29/52
Goodreads 99/150
Currently Reading:
The Inadequate Heir
QOTW:
I'd play video games with friend group in Wotakoi.
Just a quick check-in for me! Since the last check-in, I finished two books, one of which worked for an open prompt (woo-hoo!). I'm now at 9/45 and 2/5 for this challenge, and 24/100 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge (though the tracker shows me at 25 due to marking the DNF book as "read"). Finished:
* The Stone Home by Crystal Hana Kim, which I used for "a bildungsroman." This was such a tough read, though beautifully written. Need to get a review typed up since this was a Giveaways win; and,
* The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict, which is one of my book clubs' picks for April. Looking forward to discussing it on Saturday!
Currently Reading:
* Careless Love by Peter Robinson, which is the backlist NetGalley title I've had the longest;
* Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson, which is a Libby Lucky Day copy; and,
* Grown Woman Talk: Your Guide to Getting and Staying Healthy by Sharon Malone, which I snagged as soon as it was available due to the timing of when I tagged it in Libby with "notify me" (woot!).
QotW:
What character have you encountered recently that you would like to meet in person? Why? Hmm. This is a tough one because after reviewing my year-to-date reads, it appears that I have been reading a lot of books featuring characters I would like to avoid in real life (and a lot of non-fiction). So, I'll go with the narrator of one of the books I'm currently reading, Ernest (call him Ern or Ernie) Cunningham, as he is delightful and an author...and I love meeting authors! Plus, he's Australian, which means Australian accent 🇦🇺📚🤓📚🇦🇺
Happy Thursday! I stayed home sick today from work but didn't get any reading done. I just slept mostly. I did managed to finish Parasyte:The Grey on Netflix, it was a really interesting series that prompted me to buy the manga last Saturday. READ:
Ring Shout for PS#35 A book with magical realism. I listened to the audiobook and let me tell you, that's the BEST way to do it. The narrator manages to do all the voices and she makes the story come alive. The book itself was pretty deep with the subject matter. It blended actual historical events into the story that the main charchter had to go through.
CURRENTLY READING:
Parasyte 1 I bought the full color manga from Books A Million. I'm more of a graphic novel girlie so the manga has me a bit confused as to the direction of the text. For the first time I actually prefer the Netflix series over the book.
Salvation: Black People and Love I just started reading this and I plan on using this for a prompt.
Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture
The Underground Railroad Records: Narrating the Hardships, Hairbreadth Escapes, and Death Struggles of Slaves in Their Efforts for Freedom
Question of the Week:
What character have you encountered recently that you would like to meet in person? Why?
I would like to meet Maryse from Ring Shout She showed so much courage despite all the hurt and pain she endured.
Ellie wrote: "I suppose I could sit and watch TV with Murderbot..."Murderbot would be the ideal character to watch TV with!
Happy Thursday! We’ve had some rain and quite a bit of sunshine, and summer-like temps this week. Thankfully it’s supposed to drop back into the 60F range next week so we’ll at least get a bit of spring again. I’m still over the moon about baseball (Cleveland’s near the top of the leaderboard for record, which does *not* happen in April). Otherwise I've been down various Youtube rabbit holes this week. I did finally get back to Beyonce and finished listening to Cowboy Carter - what. an. ALBUM.
Finished this week:
Pygmalion - 4 stars. Snark can’t and shouldn’t save Higgins.
A Certain Appeal - 4 stars. Such a fun, cute modern P&P retelling!
Dreams of Fire - 4 stars. Theoretically this will get me in gear for the sequel and then the third book in September :D I loved seeing things from Ronnat's POV!
PS 19/50
ATY 18/52
Mount TBR 8/48
Currently:
The Crow - Grabbed on a whim for an IRL book club and goodness I see where all the goth kids in high school started out
Anna Karenina - I didn’t think I would be enjoying this as much as I am but I like ittt
Shades of Grey - reread before Red Side Story comes next month!
QOTW: What character have you encountered recently that you would like to meet in person? Why?
I fell head over heels for Jane as soon as he walked on the page in A Certain Appeal; I’d love to meet him and all the rest of the talented individuals working at Meryton.
Happy Thursday! This week has been crazy busy. One of my coworkers is on leave and so I've been working on his projects, and I still feel like I'm learning everything, so it's been a lot. But this weekend should be fun- seeing some friends, and maybe go to another warehouse sale for my fave bookstore.Finished:
Murder Road- I really liked this one- a ghost story mystery set in the 90s. It's not my favorite Simone St James book, but still pretty good.
-no prompt
My Vanishing Country- this was a middle of the road memoir. Very much a politician.
-no prompt
The Fake Mate- this was okay. But there were so many "spicy" scenes, that I started to get bored. Which was too bad, I thought the characters were fun when there was actual plot or conversation happening
-no prompt
Currently reading:
The Serpent and the Wings of Night- just started. It has a high rating...fingers crossed!
QotW:
I don't know if there are any characters I've read recently that I'd want to spend a lot of time with tbh!
I haven’t checked in a few weeks so this will be a long one. It is yet another rainy day in Boston. I visited a friend who I haven’t seen in awhile this weekend which was a blast. Her daughter is 2 1/2 now which is great because babies are boring. My preferred age is kids who can talk and do art stuff with me. We spent a lot this visit in the play-doh. Finished:
All Good People Here (no prompt) 2 stars. Not the greatest story ever told. When the murder would have easily been solved if anyone had one single conversation with each other in the intervening years, it makes the book feel quite pointless.
A Man and His Cat, Vol. 3 (PS animal pov) 3 stars. Another cute entry in this series.
They Called Us Enemy (PS incarcerated person) 5 stars. This graphic novel was excellent. Powerful and sad but also hopeful.
SLAM! Vol. 1 (PS womens sports) 3 stars. This was a good graphic novel. It’s about a women roller derby which is cool since I’m not a big sports fan.
Something in the Water (ATY related to sea) 4 stars. It’s pretty entertaining watching a very naive person try to break the law and not get caught.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (PS starts with x) 4 stars. Great comic collection. I took off one star because one comic focused on Cyclops and he is the dullest of all the X-men. All the other comics in this collection are great.
The Whisper Man (ATY sound related word in title) 4 stars. This was very creepy but I liked it. There was a twist halfway through that I did not see coming. The audiobook is narrated by Christopher Eccleston who I love.
The Night Shift (PS someone dies in the first chapter) 3 stars. The first half was good but the ending was not as good.
Currently reading:
I Know You Know (no prompt)
Upcoming:
I Have Some Questions for You (ATY character in education)
QOTW: Storm from the X-Men. A power to control the weather. I can't think of anyone who I would love more right now.
Mostly here to answer the question of the week since I've read nothing.I'd love to meet Bridgette from Once & Future, Vol. 1: The King is Undead she's like Buffy if she were a grandmother. She's snarky and I rather love her.
And while it's animated now it started as a webtoon and I'd love to meet most of the characters in Hazbin Hotel
K.L. wrote: "Happy Thursday, everyone!However, I did discover that the gutters are in desperate need of a clean out. One more thing to add to the list..."
Yeah, we found this out the hard way a few weeks ago when we ran out of water (we live on catchment) and had to order a delivery. We had so much grass growing in the gutter it just wasn't letting the water down in to the tank.
JessicaMHR wrote: "K.L. wrote: "Yeah, we found this pout the hard way a few weeks ago when we ran out of water (we live on catchment) and had to order a delivery. We had so much grass growing in the gutter it just wasn't letting the water down in to the tank."Oh no! That's not how you want to find out that you need to clean out the gutters!
I was looking out the back door during our last storm and noticed that I had waterfalls that were coming off the back of my house. I had my handyman out today to do an estimate for some electrical work that I need done, so he's going to get me a quote for the gutters as well.
Mod
LOL TRUTH!! He really is! why is he so boring???
Happy Friday! I agree that I would like to be able to read outside before the mosquitos come. It's one of my favorite things, and I have only been able to do it twice so far this year. It has either been too cold or raining. Maybe we could have a question of the week about your favorite reading spot, snacks, etc?Finished:
I only completed one book this week. My reading has been so slow due to tiredness, I guess.
Written in the Stars for LGBTQ+ romance.
Currently reading:
Family Family
The Berlin Stories
Hana Khan Carries On on audio
QOTW:
I would like to eat at some of the restaurants in the cozy mysteries I read, but not necessarily talk to the proprietor. I am usually too shy to start conversations in real life. I prefer to sit back and observe.
I've been taking part in the bi-annual library passport program (where one collects stamps from participating libraries) this month, and spent most of yesterday on the road, and completely forgot to check in! The weather has mostly been normal for the season, which means most of my library visits have been rainy ones. But things are starting to turn green again, so I can't really complain.Finished:
Artificial Condition - (A book set in space, RH A sci-fi novella) I read the first Murderbot book two years ago, and I'm a little surprised it took me this long to get to the next one. I enjoyed this one a little more than the first, but listening to the audiobook might have something to do with that.
Convergence Problems - I don't read a lot of short story collections, but I enjoyed this one. There were author notes at the end that explained the origins and his thoughts on each story, which I found helpful.
Currently reading:
Dead Collections
In Buddha's Kitchen : Cooking, Being Cooked, and Other Adventures at a Meditation Center
Glitter and Concrete: A Cultural History of Drag in New York City
Ribbon Dance
Sing Me Forgotten
Tales from Moominvalley
Happy Friday.I've managed to tick off a couple more prompts since I last checked in, earlier in the month.
I read Death Knells and Wedding Bells, by Eva Gates, for 17 A book set in a travel destination on your bucket list. I'd love to go to the Carolina Outer Banks one day, as the books I've read set there make that area sound well worth visiting. I also used it for the ATY "sound related word" prompt. The book itself was a a 3* read.
The other one I've managed was A Manor of Life & Death, by Kim M. Watt, for 23 A book that features dragons. This is #3 in a wonderfully silly cozy mystery series, featuring a long-suffering Detective Inspector, a group of formidable ladies of a certain age, and dragons. Not big dragons - the biggest is about the size of a Newfoundland dog - but dragons nonetheless. From Yorkshire. Dragons who like tea and scones, and occasionally steal barbecues to keep their caverns warm... 4*
Current PS count:
Basic: 13/45
Advanced: 3/5
Total: 16/50
Current ATY count: 30/52
As far as books in progress, the main one for PS is The Maid - the previous book to this month's Group Read, as I hadn't read it. I also have a few more on the go, as I appear to be book-hopping at the moment.
Question of the Week: What character have you encountered recently that you would like to meet in person? Why?
The ones I'd like to meet that I've read lately are the characters from Kim M. Watt's Beaufort Scales series (https://www.goodreads.com/series/2501...). See a Manor of Life and Death, above!.
Mod
I've not heard of that book so I don't know if these are similar, but if you're looking for more "buddhist monk cookbook" type books, I LOVED Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings by Edward Espe Brown
Happy Friday!Time got away from me. I knew it was Thursday, but I somehow forgot to correlate that with check-in yesterday.
We are going to get our first high 70s weather. Monday is supposed to be 79. Time to turn on the a-con! And then it's supposed to drop down into the 60s again.
We did a major weed of the adult fiction. It was amazing how many books got pulled. We finally have room on the shelves.
Now, we can just do a yearly mini-weed that will keep the shelves active and not so static.
I'm not really looking forward to summer reading this year. Adventure is easy but very vague. I like more guided themes.
I still have to find a one last weekly theme.
So far I have:
Nature (camping, bird watching etc, making polymer air dry clay animals)
Archeology (focus on Egypt some sort of craft for this too)
Mystery (fingerprints, invisible ink, etc)
Space (pool noodle light sabers! heh heh heh!)
Fantasy (push pin dragon eggs)
Ugh! I can't think one last theme. I've scoured the internet and my facebook group, but nothing is inspiring me.
Anyway, I didn't read much, but I think I turned off my mark this as read on goodreads button on my kindle app. So I probably read more than marked. Oh well.
QOTW:
I haven't met a character in a book that I would want to meet in real life lately. Well, okay the tv show version of the book character Dong Hua Dijun from Three Lives, Three Worlds: the Pillow Book.
Mandy wrote: "I'm not really looking forward to summer reading this year. Adventure is easy but very vague. I like more guided themes.I still have to find a one last weekly theme.
So far I have:
Nature (camping, bird watching etc, making polymer air dry clay animals)
Archeology (focus on Egypt some sort of craft for this too)
Mystery (fingerprints, invisible ink, etc)
Space (pool noodle light sabers! heh heh heh!)
Fantasy (push pin dragon eggs)"
The first themes that popped into my head when I read this were exploration and discovery.
K.L. wrote: "Mandy wrote: "I'm not really looking forward to summer reading this year. Adventure is easy but very vague. I like more guided themes.I still have to find a one last weekly theme.
So far I have:..."
Time travel
Pirates/desert island
Under the sea
Old west
Amusement park
Good luck!
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Shark Heart (other topics)Pineapple Street (other topics)
The House Across the Lake (other topics)
The Mystery Guest (other topics)
When We Were Bright And Beautiful (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Lucy Clarke (other topics)Nita Prose (other topics)
Emily Habeck (other topics)
Mark Twain (other topics)
Edward Espe Brown (other topics)
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Just in case others are also unaware… 😊 She is a co-owner of the Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives. I have read two of her books:
Bel Canto which tore me up emotionally! I believe it could only do that to me because of the exquisite writing! She took me right into the story and that explosive ending!
The Dutch House which was rather emotionally intense, also held much humor that appealed to me.
I really really need to read more of her writing!
My good news is that I am finally back to the gym in my usual routine. That helps me cope with life so very much better! 😁👍👏👏👏👏
***
ADMIN STUFF:
THE JUNE MONTHLY GROUP READ IS The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers!!This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #18 A book set in space. This is one of my all-time favorite books and series!! And who is the "cool Captain" who will volunteer to lead this discussion? Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!
JULY MONTHLY READ NOMINATION POLL IS HERE!
Wow! A ton of books already nominated:
Face It: A Memoir
Girl in a Band
The Woman in Me
Crying in H Mart
Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk
Resistance: A Songwriter's Story of Hope, Change, and Courage
Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics
Violence Girl: East L.A. Rage to Hollywood Stage, a Chicana Punk Story
I, Tina
Rememberings by Sinéad O'Connor
Just Kids
My Love Story by Tina Turner
Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock and Roll
This poll will be open through next Tuesday, April 23! with these nominations so that hopefully a book you want to read is selected! Thank you! 😁
DISCUSSION LEADER NEEDED FOR MAY!
The MAY MONTHLY GROUP READ IS All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #41 A memoir that explores queerness. I have wanted to read this one so badly!! Glad it was selected! My copy will hopefully arrive next week!
I'm certain there is at least one member out there fitting the description of "guru guide" to lead this discussion! Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!
THE APRIL MONTHLY GROUP READ is The Mystery Guest (Molly the Maid #2) by Nita Prose
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #29 A book with a neurodivergent main character. April is Autism Awareness Month!
I'm certain there is at least one member out there fitting the description of "knowledgeable navigator" to lead this discussion! Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!I really enjoyed The Maid and have started reading The Mystery Guest, so will be posting comments and questions as I read. I will be reading this one today, hoping to finish it and post more comments/questions! Join in!The comprehensive listing of 2024 Monthly Group Reads resides HERE for your perusal and reference throughout 2024!
***
Question of the Week:
What character have you encountered recently that you would like to meet in person? Why?
Having just read all 5 of Agatha Christie’s Tommy and Tuppence books, I would definitely like to meet them! They appear to be very compatible and have a good relationship and I would like to get to know them better.
Ann Ross’s Miss Julia character from the series. I’ve only read the first book, but I am fascinated by her! She really sticks up for feminist ideals even if only in her own small southern-U.S. town! I love her feistiness and determination!
Having now read two of Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason books, I would like to meet Della Street. She must often be the go-between for Mason, and I would love to know how that makes her feel at times…
2024 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 23/50
Around the Year (AtY): 49/52
Read Harder: 14/24
52 Book Club: 37/52
FINISHED:
*Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind (Miss Julia #1) by Ann B. Ross ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was so much more than I expected! Some humor, but also intense issues explored: patriarchy, oppression of females by both males and religious figures (also males!), feminism, adultery, and found family, to name a few! Definitely continuing with this series!
POPSUGAR: #31
ATY: #3-A book with a child character, #7. #14, #17, #24-Green, #25, #33, #37, #42, #48, #49
RHC: #24-2018: prompt #23 A female protagonist over the age of 60
52 Book Club: #4, #14, #43
*Bernard the Brave (The Rescuers #8) by Margery Sharp, illustrated by Leslie Morrill ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was a good finish to the series! Bernard finally got his own rescue mission!
POPSUGAR: NEW #12, NEW #20, #38
ATY: #2, #3-A book with a poem in it, #9-75 ratings, #12, #17, #25, #27, #33, #37, #41, #48, #52
RHC: #1, NEW #3, #23, #24-2015: prompt #2-Read a book written by someone when they were over the age of 65
52 Book Club: #24, #29-1977, #30
*The Case of the Perjured Parrot (Perry Mason #2) by Erle Stanley Gardner ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was such an excellently plotted mystery! Damn, Gardner was good!! I particularly appreciated the “happy ending”! Which is not something you can necessarily expect from a mystery!
ATY: #1, #3-A book with a fictional famous character, #6, #9-1,470 ratings, #17, #21, #23, #24-Orange, #25, #33, #37, #43
RHC: #23, #24-2015: prompt #6-A book written by a person whose gender is different from your own
52 Book Club: #4, #14, #24, #30, #43, #44
CONTINUING:
*1984 by George Orwell (pen name)
*I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai looks as if it may be dark academia
*The Mystery Guest (Molly the Maid #2) by Nita Prose
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
PLANNED:
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*11th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #11) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin