Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

I am sooooo over the heat! I trust these are the “dog days” and there will be no more 90+-degree weather until next summer! Sheesh!! It is supposed to reach almost 90 degrees here yet today! We are in September! Ugh! Okay, enough complaining… 😊

My internet has been wonky the past 10 days and I am hopeful that is done and over! I have been particularly stressed out and ended up not even posting in last week’s Check-In, hence the TWO Question of the Week answers below! LOL 😉

ADMIN STUFF:
THE SEPTEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson!!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #6 A book about pirates. Talk Like a Pirate Day is September 19! John Baur and Mark Summers created this international day in 1995.
Jennifer W is the ”vivacious volunteer” who has graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! Thank you!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 Having never read this classic, I'm pumped to do so this year!

THE DECEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ NOMINATION POLL IS LIVE!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #36 A Book Written By an Incarcerated Or Formerly Incarcerated Person
National Mudd Day is December 20! What is National Mudd Day, you may ask? It references a fascinating bit of history I doubt many of us know. Dr. Samuel Mudd was a doctor who helped John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirator David Herold immediately following Lincoln’s assassination on the night of April 14, 1865. Mudd performed surgery on Booth and allowed them to spend the night. He didn’t report the men’s visit for another 24 hours, though it was assumed he would have heard of the assassination well before that time. Mudd was arrested 12 days later and eventually convicted to a life sentence by a military commission for the crime of aiding and conspiring in a murder, missing the death penalty by only one vote!

If you do not see the title you would like to nominate, please write it in. Please check the book's eligibility first! Only books that have NOT been discussed within the past two years (2022-present) are eligible. Remember to consult the listing of these books that are NOT eligible for this month HERE before nominating! :) There is an alphabetized listing by title as well as a chronological listing.

NOTE: This is the NOMINATION round, which is step one. This poll will be open for two weeks, until Sept 11. We will select the top results from this round to create a new poll for a Final Vote to select ONE book for the December 2024 group read.

Books nominated thus far:
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Night (the trilogy)
They Called Us Enemy
Are Prisons Obsolete?
Crime and Punishment
Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement
The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row
In Cold Blood
Orange Is the New Black
If Beale Street Could Talk

THE OCTOBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club #1) by Richard Osman!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #8 A book written by a blind or visually impaired author.
October is White Cane Awareness Month! White Cane Awareness Day is October 15!

THE NOVEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #39 A fiction book by a trans or nonbinary author
And who is the "vivacious volunteer" willing to lead this discussion? Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!!

The comprehensive listing of 2024 Monthly Group Reads resides HERE for your perusal and reference throughout 2024!
***

Question of the Week:
FOR THIS WEEK…
Have you seen any good movies recently that were based on a good book? Which was better, the book or the movie?
I actually watched American Fiction before reading Percival Everett’s Erasure and the comparison of the two was intriguing…

I typically much prefer the book to a movie adaptation but I felt this book and adaptation offered different stories, IMO. The movie depicted the familial conflicts much more dramatically while also expressing the two authors’ opposed philosophies in much more detail. But I also appreciated the book to a great degree. However, I kinda wish I had read the book first as I typically do before watching an adaptation.

How about you? Do you have a memorable experience related to this question?

AND FROM LAST WEEK! (Since I had already answered it!)
If you were to own a bookstore, what would it be like? How would you arrange the books? Would you serve coffee and food? Play music? Where would it be?
Having worked in a bookstore and frequenting all the local bookstores many many times over the years, there are so very many possibilities!!

Definitely a mixture of new and previously read books! I fully believe in recycling books for so many reasons: ecologically conscientious, cheaper pricing, and just fun to know another person has already read and/or owned this book!

Much as I love furry companions, I would forego cats and dogs in deference to those who suffer allergic symptoms… Additionally, while it is kinda nice to be able to get a snack and drink while browsing/previewing books, I would forego a café in the bookstore. Though I do love the idea of having one next door or perhaps even through an open doorway to a ‘separate’ area…

The bookstore itself would be organized by genre, with separate areas for new releases, “classics,” etc. I would also have an “employee picks” display along with accompanying reviews, as well as a special display for “customer recommendations” along with posted reviews.

Definitely a kid-friendly area for younger readers to relax and browse/read books! This would include large floor pillows, beanbags, etc., as well as small-sized tables and chairs. I would include an area with enough space for chairs to accommodate crowds for author events. Or, as our local bookstore owners have done, have an area of mobile display units that can easily be maneuvered to create an event space.

I would definitely stock bookbags, bookmarks, puzzles, and other reader-oriented paraphernalia (shirts, socks, mugs, etc.).

I would want at least one larger table or perhaps some folding tables that can be used for book club or writing club meetings. As well as at least 1-2 very small tables with accompanying chairs for those obnoxious customers such as myself who end up with a pile of books they want to peruse before deciding to purchase! A small table with a chair is so useful!! Definitely chairs randomly placed around the store. Some larger and squishy comfortable and other ‘straight’ chairs that don’t take up so much space but allow a person to sit comfortably for a few minutes…or ten…or… 😊

Most of all, I want a “checkout”/desk area centrally located and within easy sight distance of the entrance/exit. One invaluable lesson learned in working for an absolutely excellent manager at Borders was the benefit of greeting customers upon arrival, introducing myself, asking if I can help them locate anything or if they have any questions, and if none, ending by encouraging them to get my attention if they need help during their visit. There is no substitute for a smile and personal greeting, in my opinion and experience. It seemed that more times than not, those who seemed initially to be rather irritated inevitably had questions later and were able to address me by name… And, if at all possible, it is always beneficial to get a book into a customer’s hands. Period. You have a much better chance of a sale by doing so.

2024 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 33/50
Around the Year (AtY): 50/52
Read Harder: 17/24
52 Book Club: 42/52

FINISHED:
*Lending a Paw (Bookmobile Cat Mystery #1) by Laurie Cass ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ proved to be quite enjoyable. Enough so that I will plan to continue with the series. This was a bit more mild-mannered than Murder Past Due was, but good all the same!
ATY: #3-A book with a main character who is a writer, librarian, or bookseller, #6, #17, #24-Orange and Green, #27, #28-Minnie lives on a houseboat, #33, #37, #49, #52
RHC: #16, #20, #23, #24-2015: prompt #18-A book someone else has recommended to you
52 Book Club: #4, #12, #14, #20, #24, #29-2013, #30, #31

*Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was an excellent example of a ‘character study’ that also depicted varied roles (especially with regard to females) within daily life and life overall. I wasn’t really in the mood to read this when I did for a Readathon, but am glad I did and now I am reading Michael Cunningham’s The Hours which was written as an homage to Mrs. Dalloway. So…bonus!
POPSUGAR: #10, #14, #24, #34
ATY: #1, #3-A book that features a hobby (planning and hosting parties), #4, #12, #17, #33, #49
RHC: #16, #24-2016: prompt #24 A book with a main character who suffers from a mental illness (PTSD-Septimus)
52 Book Club: #4, #7, #9, #14, #30, #32, #33, #43

*The Hours by Michael Cunningham ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was a very interesting read, especially after having read Mrs. Dalloway. This is touted as an “homage” to Woolf’s book and definitely contains echoes of her writing, IMO! Cunningham also included personal details from Woolf’s life. Glad I read these so close together.
POPSUGAR: #4, #24, #27, #34
ATY: #3- A book with a main character who is a writer, librarian, or bookseller, #10- Historical Fiction, #12, #17, #23, #28, #41, #47, #48, #49
RHC: #20, #24-2015: prompt #15 Read a book that is a retelling of a classic story (fairy tale, Shakespearean play, classic novel, etc.)
52 Book Club: #8, #9, #10, #14, #25, #30, #32, #43

CONTINUING:
*11th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #11) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
*Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking has me thinking so very much that I have delayed reviewing it until I can finalize my thoughts…
*The Birthing House by Kathy Taylor
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer

PLANNED:
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin

Purchased TBR: 9/25 (Notice the denominator steadily creeping upward...)

Finished: Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning What's fascinating about this subject area is that unless it was published in 2024, it's woefully out of date because ChatGPT4.0 came out in 2023 and blew other AI's out of the water! I thought this was a good treatment of the subject.

Loneliness & Company found this on the new display shelf at the library. I quite enjoyed it. A tech company trying to create an AI companion to displace loneliness, an emotion that people are no longer aware of but still suffered from. I wavered between giving it a 4 and a 5. The writing wasn't amazing, but it was so spot on for my current interests.

Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI Just so-so.

Started: You Can't Make This Stuff Up
A Grand Love: Stories for Grandparents of Transgender Grandchildren

QotW: I'm going to cheat a little bit and talk about a movie I saw that wasn't based on a book because I rarely watch movies. I watched "Her," about a divorced man who falls in love with his AI companion. It was intriguing, charming, and disturbing.

L Y N N, there are two threads for this week.

Happy Thursday!

I have just one more week of work before our vacation. We're doing our annual mini writing retreat to the Oregon coast. I am so looking forward to having some time off to relax.

Finished:
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - 3.5 stars - for Popsugar's book that was turned into a musical and Robot Librarian's book that has been adapted into a TV show or streaming series. I enjoyed it and definitely plan to continue the series.

The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 7 by Natsu Hyuuga - 4 stars - no prompt. I love Maomao. I will keep reading these like candy until I'm caught up.

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca - 3.5 stars - no prompt. A paranormal romance with ghosts. I liked both leads, although I guessed what was going on with the ghosts pretty early, I still enjoyed the ride.

Comics & manga:
Tamon's B-Side, Vol. 4

And with that, I've finished Popsugar for 2024! I'm a bit behind on Robot Librarian, so I'm not sure I'm going to finish. I will probably try to get the basic prompts done, at least.

Currently reading:
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan - no prompt. This gives me isekai vibes. A modern girl wakes up in the body of a minor villainess from her and her sister's favorite fantasy novel series. Enjoying it so far.

(For those unfamiliar, isekai is a Japanese term, kind of an offshoot of the typical portal fantasy in which people from the real world wind up inhabiting or becoming a character in a fantasy or video game world, usually while retaining their knowledge from their previous life.)

Upcoming/Planned:
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross - no prompt.

Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas - no prompt. Really looking forward to this one.

The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 8 by Natsu Hyuuga - no prompt. More Maomao.

QOTW:
I don't think I've seen any movies based on a book recently. (I feel like I haven't seen any movies at all lately....)

Happy Thursday, y’all.

So much, so little.

I took a road trip to help a friend out with cleaning up a condo. It just happened to be in West Palm Beach, Fl, a good 8 hour drive for us on a holiday weekend. We were blessed with an easy drive despite being a holiday both going and coming. However, three independent women in close proximity who cleaned all day and were tired did not make for an easy end to the day once alcohol got involved. Our friendship weathered it, but I, for one, was very glad to be back home.

This week was the start of two of the extension classes, both of which were interesting. Next week, I have four classes ~ the second of each of the two from this week, another extension class, and the library book/movie discussion class for Cold Mountain.

It was also the week to catch up on ATY weekly choices of reading in order. By Saturday, I will have finished off the August chosen reads and will only be one week behind.

Finished:
The Man Who Played with Fire: Stieg Larsson's Lost Files and the Hunt for an Assassin – Kindle. No challenge. Nonfiction. 3*. Although I liked the second part better than the first, this book was a recounting of the investigative reporting into the assassination of the Swedish Prime Minister in the 1980s. A case that has never been solved.

Greywaren – PAS. Third book in the trilogy. It wrapped up acceptably by the end, but it had me figuring that everyone would die before that end. A bit of a relief that the direness of the book had a less dire ending. 4*

When Gods Die – ALCM, PAS. 4*. Set in England in 1811. An interesting look at the royal intrigue of that time.

Black Hills - ALCM, PAS. 4*. A stand-alone book by Nora Roberts. Romance wins in the end as all good Nora Roberts books do. Still it wasn’t easy for both partners (Cooper and Lil) to reach that place. And, there is always the danger that someone will be killed since a serial killer is loose in the area. Set in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy – ATY #34 (Related to the 7 dwarfs – Bashful). 4*. However much the title might evoke shyness…it is actually talking about trees. Still, I will use it for this prompt. Quick read.

Magic Binds – PAS. Next in series. A continuation of Kate Daniels’ story. In this one, she and her mate (Curran) are getting married. Finally. Of course there are battles and bad guys to defeat before the big day. 4*

Currently Reading:
Storm of Locusts – ATY #35 (Sci Fi). 33%

Just Starting:
The Gray House (Kindle) – BIG book of over 700 pages. It might take a while. 1%
The Covenant – PAS. 3%
Touching the Fire: Buffalo Dancers, the Sky Bundle, and Other Tales – PAS. I own this one. 1%

On Deck:
A Faint Cold Fear (own) - PAS
The Game – PS #16 ( set 24y before my birth)
A Deadly Education – ATY #36 (features a character in education)


PS 29/50
ATY 34/52
GR 145/200

QotW: Have you seen any good movies recently that were based on a good book? Which was better, the book or the movie?
I seldom go to movies or stream them at home, so I really have nothing to add.

Happy Thursday! It's September, and it's oppressively hot. I want to wear sweaters and jeans and boots. I need to do yard work, clearing away dead branches and fertilizing the lawn. I can't do any of these things when the high is 100 degrees... I'm very grumpy.

2024 Reading Challenges: I’ve read 332 books so far this year with an average length of 338 pages and an average rating of 3.72. Additionally, I’ve completed 28.1% (64/228) of my ever-growing TBR.

52 Book Club: 51/52 (September Mini-Challenge: 0/3)
ATY: 45/52 (Fall Challenge 5/45)
Booklist Queen: 47/52
Diverse Baseline: 26/36
Popsugar: 43/50
Robot Librarian: 49/52
ICYMI Backlist: 9/12

Recently Completed:

When Among Crows: The cover was pretty. ★★★

Tess of the D’Urbervilles: I haven’t read this since I was a sophomore in high school (when the movie starring Nastassja Kinkski came out). Still tragic. (Robot Librarian #15 – mentioned in a film, TV show, or streamed series: One Day) ★★★★

The Cliffs: Unfocused. I enjoyed reading it, but it didn’t seem cohesive. I kept asking myself what the story was about… Alcoholism? Spiritualism? Colonialism? I’m really not sure. ★★★

The House of Last Resort: As I look forward to cooler weather, I also look forward to fall reads, horror novels and haunted houses. (ATY #30 – set in a country bordering the Mediterranean Sea/Robot Librarian #31 – a building on the cover or the word house, castle, tower, or other building in the title) ★★★★

Slow Dance (52 Books #41 – a sticker on the cover/ATY Fall – PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE) ★★★★

Doc: A Memoir: 2013 memoir from Dwight Gooden. Raw and honest. (ATY #34 – related to one of Snow White’s Seven Dwarfs) ★★★★★

How to Say Babylon (ATY Fall – FAMILYGATHERING/Diverse Baseline #26 – memoir by a BIPOC author) ★★★★

The Happy Ever After Playlist: Unabashedly hopeful and romantic. I loved the playlist! (ATY Fall – PUMPKINSPICELATTE/ICYMI #9 – published in 2020) ★★★★★

Same Bed Different Dreams (ATY Fall – PUMPKINSPICELATTE) ★★★

Chain-Gang All-Stars (ATY Fall – PUMPKINSPICELATTE/Diverse Baseline #25 – fantasy or science fiction by a BIPOC author) ★★★★



Currently Reading:

Friday Night Lights (52 Books #29 – published in a Year of the Dragon: 1988/ATY Fall - FAMILYGATHERING)
The Wedding People (ATY Fall – PUMPKINSPICELATTE)
The Ministry of Time (ATY Fall – PUMPKINSPICELATTE)
Heartless Hunter (ATY #48 – second book that fits favorite prompt: wings on the cover)
Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America (ATY #34 – related to one of Snow White’s Seven Dwarfs: “Dopey”/Robot Librarian #23: adapted into a TV show or streamed series)
Twice Shy (ATY #34 – related to one of Snow White’s Seven Dwarfs: “Bashful”)
After the Forest: Adventures Underground Book Club. (52 Books September Mini-Challenge: related to in the kitchen/ATY Fall – PUMPKINSPICELATTE)
Interview with the Vampire (52 Books #29 – published in a Year of the Dragon: 1976/ATY Fall – PUMPKINSPICELATTE)
Never in a Hurry: Essays on People and Places: Reasonable Doubt Book Club. (ATY Fall – PUMPKINSPICELATTE)
Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir (52 Books September Mini-Challenge – related to Professor Plum)



QOTW: Lynn, I agree with you about Erasure ★★★ and "American Fiction" ★★★★★. They were very different experiences, but both good in their own way. I probably would have appreciated the book more if I'd read it before seeing the movie.

Earlier this year I read The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine ★★★★ about the 2000s US housing bubble and then watched the 2015 comedy-drama "The Big Short" ★★★★. Again, very different experiences. Both of these were great book-to-movie adaptations! It makes me really appreciate the talent of people who can successfully interpret books for the screen.

How is it September already? At least it feels like a proper September, with cool mornings and nights and warm afternoons; the last few years it's just kept being hot until the month was almost over.

Finished:
The Woman Who Killed the Fish - This was my first read by this author, and probably not the best one to start with, since they're all stories written for her sons when they were young. I did like a few turn of phrases here and there, so I'll check out more by her before passing full judgment.
Artificial: A Love Story - This wasn't what I thought it was going to be, but I still found it interesting. It did feel like more of a slog to get through than most graphic memoirs I read. Maybe if I'd read her first book before this one?

Currently reading:
Nine Days: The Race to Save Martin Luther King Jr.'s Life and Win the 1960 Election
Total Olympics: Every Obscure, Hilarious, Dramatic, and Inspiring Tale Worth Knowing
The Spellshop
The Book of Delights: Essays
Witchlings

QOTW: I can't think of any movies I've seen recently that were based on books that I've also read, good or bad. I did rewatch The Sword in the Stone recently, and enjoyed that quite a bit, and I read The Wild Robot, which is going to be a movie, and thought that was pretty good. We'll see if the movie lives up to the book, though.

Greetings! Cooler weather - meaning not above 85F - has arrived in NYC thank goodness. Now if only the humidity would drop... Given that all kinds of tropical storms and hurricanes make their way north to NYC, humidity levels can remain high even with cool temps into mid-October. Makes interiors feel far warmer and uncomfortable than you would expect.

PS - 48/50! Only 2 more to go...

Finished:
Rescue Instinct - hunky dog studly man suspense with quite a good background provided about climate change and the affect on hurricane season and the increase in dangerous ones. And a great feisty heroine.
No, We Can't Be Friends - excellent
Witchmark
Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones prompt autobiography by a female rock star. It's a coffee table book, absolutely gorgeous, high quality photos and chock full of interesting information from Dolly herself about her career, her style and the team that works with her. Should come with a warning: if dropped will break toes and foot. It's available in ebook however. I have the hardcover and had to read it either sitting at a table or with a pillow on my lap holding it up and being very careful not to drop it on my bare feet! But it is a gorgeous high quality book.

Also read 3 children's books tagged on GR Farm for another group's challenge - they were a delight!
Interrupting Chicken
The Cow Who Fell in the Canal
The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night

Currently Reading:
Dark End of the Street
A Dress of Violet Taffeta

Last 2 PS prompt books awaiting my attention:
The Night Tiger - set in 1931 - 24 years before I was born in 1955
The Selected Poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay - has at least 24 poems

QOTW: I don't seem to go to movies in theater any more and I rarely stream any. Last in theater one was seeing Barbie a second time - so no book. I do watch a lot of old movies on TCM, many if not most of which are based on a book or short story. But I've watched so little TV in recent months and right now I need to watch/listen to zooms to fill my Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirement so I can renew my license to practice law.

Oh, I know what I have sort of watched recently - the Harry Potter movies which are popping up on TV regularly right now. Also LOTR.

Happy Thursday!  Welcome to September!  The leaves are already tipped with gold here. Goldenrod is in full swing, but no asters yet. We have been having absolutely gorgeous weather the last few days, with cool nights, warm sunny days, blue sky, low humidity. Just perfect!



This week I finished 5 books, and I finished the AtY challenge (my last two challenge books were audiobooks,and driving my daughter back and forth to college has given me SO MUCH more audiobook time!!)

Lightseekers by Femi Kayode - this was my book by an African author for AtY.  I have no idea why it was called "lightseekers." It was a little confusing, I kept losing sight of what it was the detective was trying to uncover, because it's an investigation of a mob killing of three college students, all caught on video so there's no question of who was involved.

The Author's Guide to Murder by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, & Karen White - one of my NetGalley books.  This was a super cute idea (a murder mystery involving three authors, written by three authors, so meta!), but it got bogged down in the middle and moved too slowly, with a bunch of characters I didn't particularly like.  They were trying for "humorous" but most often they were annoying instead.  The ending was satisfying, however.

The Slowest Burn by Sarah Chamberlain - I got this very slow burn contemporary romance from NetGalley, and at first it seemed like kinda clunky dialogue, but I was quickly sucked in and could not put this book down, and I finished it in just two days.

Come Fly The World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am by Julia Cooke - this was great, it's a slice of global history, from the POV of flight attendants working for PanAm in the 60s & 70s.  I read this for AtY's "related to air" category.  This was my last AtY category, and so I'm now DONE with both Popsugar and AtY this year!

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center - I just finished this, I stayed up until 1 am last night because I just HAD to see how this ended!  I loved it!!  I've never read this author before, but I'm definitely reading more of her books.  I can't believe she's never come across on my radar before.  What other romance authors have I been accidentally sleeping on?  




After vowing to stop requesting books from NetGalley, I went and requested more books from NetGalley, and I keep getting approved, too.  I'm getting books approved faster than I can read them.  My ratio is in the toilet, but I guess publishers don't actually care.  This time I really mean it:  no more requests until I read everything I have!!!  (I will break this vow if Sally Rooney's new book shows up on NetGalley, though.  So far it has not been offered.)

Popsugar 100% 50 /50
Must Reads 60% 6 /10
AtY 100% 52 /52
2024 pub 92% 46 /50
NetGally ratio  67%


I'm on track to read way more than 50 books published in 2024, so now all I need to work on is my Must Reads list, and that's only four books left so I should finish my four challenges easily.




QotW

Let me just check my list on Letterboxd ...

Yes! Turns out I have!!   I happen to love action movies with massively chill heroes who seek vengeance, and I LOVED The Killer with Michael Fassbender on Netflix, and it turns out it's based on a French graphic novel Der Killer: Gesamtausgabe 1!  I had no idea!  I can't say if the book is better since I haven't read it, but ... the book does not have Michael Fassbender so I really can't see how it could be better. Also, the book gets bad reviews.

Another chill action hero is Ryan Gosling in The Gray Man (also with the most DELICIOUS bad guy played by Chris Evans as a truly twisted psycho) which I first saw two years ago when it first came out on Netflix.  I had the bad luck to read that book quite a few years ago.  I DNFed the book, it was really really bad.  But I LOOOOOooooove that movie, it's one of my favorites and I've re-watched it multiple times because I cannot handle the sexiness of a trained assassin casually chewing gum and winking at the little girl he's sworn to protect as he's about to go out and face the bad guys.  So that's a case where the movie is definitely better than the book!!

Missed last week, so a two week check in for me.

Finished
How to Say Babylon Interesting memoir, about a girl growing up in a Rastafarian family, and her use of poetry as an escape. No prompt.

Margo's Got Money Troubles No prompt. Was going to hold off on reading this since it didn't fulfil anything, but heard such buzz about it, I couldn't resist. For me, if was justified - such a fresh voice! Will definitely keep reading Rufi Thorpe.

No One Is Talking About This I don't know that I've ever had such a swing in my thoughts about a book. It starts with a stream of mini thoughts from an online personality. It seems the narrator is someone who gets quasi famous for their internet presence. That part, I didn't enjoy, to the point where if it hadn't been such a quick read (and I was stuck on a plane), I would have DNF'd. And then, there's an event in the book, and I went with it and it sucked me in, to the point where I ended up sitting there just marveling at life in general. It ended up being a 4 star read for me, which is a long way from a DNF! For half of ATY's two books with similar covers.

Hex Life: Wicked New Tales of Witchery An anthology of stories about witches, some better than others, as with all anthologies. It also struggled a bit with mood shift - going from a few stories of lovely / persecuted / helpful witches to Hansel and Gretel type will kill and eat you ones, which was jarring a couple of times. No prompt.

Currently Reading:
The Big Book of Modern Fantasy (this is like week 8 - but to be fair I was away for a chunk of last week and didn't bring it with me!)
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
The Terranauts
Hunt the Stars

QotW
Also in the club that hasn't seen many movies lately, and those I have (Deadpool & Wolverine, The Fall Guy) weren't based on books.

I now also would generally, if I knew a movie I planned to see was based on a book, see the movie first. I usually find they aren't as good, so I try to see the movie either first, or quite awhile after I've read the book so the comparison isn't so direct.

And since Lynn did it, I'll jump back to a bit of last week's QotW. I haven't thought too hard about physical characteristics (other than overflowing with books), but one thing I'd want to do is have some shelves near the front with thematic groupings. Like my home library has shelves for Space Misfits, Magical Libraries, Portal Fantasies, and Magic in Our World. So I'd want to do things like that. I'd have enough copies to file things "regularly" as well so people who were looking for a book would be able to find it without figuring out my system, but I would just do that as a fun thing for people who wanted to browse.

Laura Z wrote: "Earlier this year I read The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine ★★★★ about the 2000s US housing bubble and then watched the 2015 comedy-drama "The Big Short" ★★★★. ..."



That was such a good movie! I was amazed at how FUN and entertaining it was, given that the housing bubble crisis is a rather dry topic for most people. Kudos to those film makers!

Joanna wrote: "Finished:
The Woman Who Killed the Fish - This was my first read by this author, and probably not the best one to start with..."



Listpector is WEIRD. I don't' think there is a "good" book to start with from her, you just kind of have to jump into the deep end because it's all deep end. I read The Hour of the Star and I planned to read more from her but I just am never really in the mood to work THAT hard for a book, so I never did.

Theresa wrote: "Also read 3 children's books tagged on GR Farm for another group's challenge - they were a delight!
Interrupting Chicken
The Cow Who Fell in the Canal
The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night..."


Fun!! I haven't read any picture books in a long time. I remember reading The Cow Who Fell in the Canal when I was a little girl, it was magical and a little scary and clearly memorable.

Happy Thursday!! After my computer breaking- the hinges and the outer case just like cracked when I tried to open it Friday, and I couldn't even open it- the tech guys showed up yesterday and fixed it! Luckily I was still under warranty, cause I would not have been happy about paying for that. Still don't know what happened. But now I can catch up on my kdramas! And not type out every email and post on my phone!

I had planned on spending the long weekend just watching kdramas and movie, but no computer changed my plans. So wound up reading a lot instead.

Finished:
I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki: Further Conversations with My Psychiatrist- I liked this memoir better than the first one, still didn't love it, but found it interesting. Think she should maybe switch therapists tho...
-no prompt

Tell Me You're Mine- swedish domestic thriller. The main character should throw her husband away. And the entire police department too
-no prompt

The Truths We Hold: An American Journey- Kamala Harris's memoir. I really liked this, really recommend the audiobook.
-no prompt

The Slowest Burn- a cute romcom, that handles some heavier topics like loss, grief and messed up family dynamics. From netgalley- I'm almost back to 80%
-no prompt

Currently Reading:
Sorcery and Small Magics- just started this from Netgalley, and a few chapters in I'm hooked

Men Have Called Her Crazy: A Memoir-I didn't really think about the fact that I'm reading another memoir that explores a woman's mental health journey. It's very good, upsetting at times

QotW:
I honestly can't remember the last movie I watched based on a book. I haven't seen too many movies this year. Usually I've found that what ever I read/watch first I like better. Anytime I've though "the movie is better" it's because I saw it before I read the book.

Hi all! I'm a zombie. Kiddo had allergies earlier this week that woke her up for an hour and a half at 3am. Then yesterday was the first day of school and she was so wound up afterwards that she didn't fall asleep until over and hour after her bedtime, which meant *I* stayed up past my bedtime. She's wound up again!
I got fingerprinted this week to be a substitute aid at one of the local schools, buutttt... I don't know when the prints will be back, when I might interview, anything. Sigh..

Too zombie-ish to think of any other updates, if I remember, I'll make another post later.

Oh! I went to the library today and all the books I was thinking of checking out were already gone! I blame the return of college kids!

I finished Turn Left At The Trojan Horse: A Would-Be Hero's American Odyssey. I think I'll use it for genre I don't read often, unless I find a better fit. It grew on me, but probably not something I'll retain for long.

Listened to another chapter or 2 in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. I need to finish it.

Started MetaMaus: A Look Inside a Modern Classic, Maus

Going to start Treasure Island in the next day or two.

QOTW: I can't remember the last new movie I saw. Maybe when Knives Out came out....
I'm watching The Last Unicorn with my daughter at the moment. The movie is definitely better.

Finished:
Tom Lake for a book recommended by a book seller. I love Ann Patchett so, so much. She just has such a luscious way of telling a story. And l loved listening to Meryl Streep narrate the book. A++ as always.

Utopia for my classics challenge. I’ve always wanted to read this, and tried a few times when I was in middle school because I was obsessed with the movie Ever After and I wanted to be just like her. It’s a tough book to get through at 13 though. Also I really liked the show the tudors, and the Thomas More plot was honestly devastating. This book was surprisingly easy to get through as an adult with a better grasp of history and politics. I generally don’t “enjoy” these kinds of books but I actually did enjoy reading this one.

The Perfect Nanny for a book where someone dies in the first chapter. While this doesn’t fall into my dreaded category of “Surprise! Dead baby” this did involve the death of small children so was still really hard to read. This was claustrophobic and dreadful knowing what was going to happen but at least I knew that going in. Otherwise, I didn’t hate this. It did what it set out to do very well.

The Babysitter Lives for the horror by a poc author prompt. This one did kind of fall into that aforementioned category, but it’s Stephen Graham Jones so I was actually all that surprised. It had some pretty upsetting imagery surrounding the things that happened to children but this was still another delightfully chilling story by Jones. You think you’re getting when a stranger calls but then there’s alternate dimensions, ghosts, time loops and so much more. I think this could get pretty confusing if you’re trying to make it make sense, but if you let it be a weird nonsensical unsettling story it’s a wild ride lol.

Witchmark for a book by trans/nonbinary author. This was… conflicting. I liked the overall story about the characters, their relationships, the setting and the murder mystery element but when it came to the magical stuff I was so confused and at a certain point just stopped trying to understand the politics of it all.



Currently Reading:
The Hostile Hospital
The Hidden Palace
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Great Adventure Catholic Bible


Challenges:
Popsugar - 26/45; 3/5
Read Harder - 15/24
Classics - 7/12
European Tour - 7/10
12 Friends - 12/12
Yearly Goal - 113/150

Happy Thursday!

I... finished NO books this week. My urge to read has just plummeted recently. I wish I knew why. (Some of it might have to do with school, honestly...)

Currently reading:

Special Deliverance
The Circus Infinite
The Fireborne Blade

QOTW:

I recently saw Nimona and adored it! I'd say I enjoyed it more than the book, since it did a lot to flesh out the world and characters.

Also, Bullet Train was surprisingly fun, and I enjoyed it more than the book. Maybe because the slick action translates better to the screen than to the page...

Kenya wrote: "Happy Thursday!

I... finished NO books this week. My urge to read has just plummeted recently. I wish I knew why. (Some of it might have to do with school, honestly...)


I've been having this problem too. But, I have been forcing myself to read anyway.



I recently saw Nimona and adored it! I'd say I enjoyed it more than the book, since it did a lot to flesh out the world and characters.."


I just picked up this book yesterday. Now I hope I like it.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Also read 3 children's books tagged on GR Farm for another group's challenge - they were a delight!
Interrupting Chicken
The Cow Who Fell in the Canal
The Fox Went Out on a Chilly N..."

Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday!  Welcome to September!  The leaves are already tipped with gold here. Goldenrod is in full swing, but no asters yet. We have been having absolutely gorgeous weather the last few day..."

That is the first published children's book illustrated by the great Peter Spier who must be 90 now. It was published in the 1950s, story set in Holland and by a Dutch author. It is a total delight and I had never seen it before!

I found it because of The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night which you have to read - check out my review and make sure you read the most recent edition and read the author's acknowledgement.

I have a thing for special children's picture books. Over last 2 years an online reader friend have readthe Grumpy Monkey books. Anewonecomesout this month and we cannot wait. We love them!

Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday!  Welcome to September!  The leaves are already tipped with gold here. Goldenrod is in full swing, but no asters yet. We have been having absolutely gorgeous weather the last few day..."

That's right, you are now an empty nester! Where is your youngest attending?

I have really slowed down in my reading. All summer I was reading over 30 books a month but last month I only read about 13 books! For the most part, I have made a concerted effort to focus on books that work for challenges. With only 4 months left I don't want to get too behind and be scrambling come December.

This week I also read a ton of old newspapers that were piling up.

2024 Challenges:
Popsugar: 42/50
ATY: 52/52
Robot Librarian: 44/52
A to Z: 25/26
Physical TBR: 0/95
Kindle TBR: 2/120

Goodreads: 167/100

Book Clubs:
PS Monthly: 23/56
Reese: 31/100
Oprah: 13/103
Jenna: 9/70
OSS: 7/39

Finished:
2 finished, 0 Completed Popsugar

This Winter
Nick and Charlie
I was just continuing on my Heartstopper journey. One more to go.

-------
Currently Reading
The House on Biscayne Bay
Yellowface
The Secret of the Old Clock

On the Backburner
Libby
Untamed

Physical Library Rentals
Red, White & Royal Blue
Solitaire
First Frost
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two
Nimona
The Stonekeeper
The Stonekeeper's Curse
The Dragonet Prophecy
Modelland (Did you guys know Tyra Banks wrote a book?)
Treasure Island


Question of the Week:
I haven't watched much actual shows/movies lately. I tried watching Migration with my nephew but, he wasn't having it. I made it about 30 minutes in before he turned it off. Instead I've been been watching guys mow grass on Youtube, LOL! Sometimes we just need something that takes no brain power.

Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! I'm a zombie. Kiddo had allergies earlier this week that woke her up for an hour and a half at 3am. Then yesterday was the first day of school and she was so wound up afterwards that she di..."


oh noooo!!! I hope she sleeps like a rock for you tonight.



Started MetaMaus: A Look Inside a Modern Classic, Maus

WOW somehow I never heard of this book. It looks amazing! Added it to TBR immediately.

Theresa wrote: "I found it because of The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night which you have to read..."


and I've never heard of THAT book! I added it.


I usually read a few picture books each month, but it's been months now and I can't remember the last time I read one. Maybe December. (So when I said "a long time" I really only meant "months" LOL)



That's right, you are now an empty nester! Where is your youngest attending?

I am not an empty nester yet! My younger daughter is going to our local community college (OCC), so she's still living with me. She doesn't have her drivers license yet (this is what happens when both child AND mom are huge procrastinators) so I have to drive her each day, hence my amazing progress in audiobooks this week haha

My older daughter is a SENIOR this year and I cannot handle the reality that she is about to graduate from college!!! (She will likely go to grad school, however, so things won't change THAT much)

Nadine in NY wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! I'm a zombie. Kiddo had allergies earlier this week that woke her up for an hour and a half at 3am. Then yesterday was the first day of school and she was so wound up aft..."

Thank you! At this point, I'm going to get her into her jammies and brush her teeth and then as long as she stays in her room (which isn't always guaranteed), I'm gonna pass out!

I tried reading MetaMaus years after I read Maus for the first time, and I had forgotten too much of Maus to get past the first couple of pages. I reread Maus last fall and it's already better.

No movement of any sort for me this week. I thought about waiting to check in since I'll likely finish up at least one of my books this weekend but decided to just post something since I have time now. Oh! I do have bookish news to report though -- I found out on Monday that I won a copy of the newest Highway 59 novel by Attica Locke. I am so excited and cannot wait to receive my copy. What a great way to start the day! 🎉📚🎉 I'm at 20/45 and 2/5 for this challenge, and 64/100 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge total.

Finished:
* nada

Currently Reading:
* The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims;
* Havoc by Deborah J. Ledford, which is a Giveaways win. I should be able to get this finished up this weekend though. I'm enjoying it but am trying to get my book club book read before it auto-returns to the library; and,
* The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride, which is one of my book clubs' picks for September...and Libby says it's due in 7 days. I'm having a hard time concentrating on it, so I'm not even at the halfway point yet. If it wasn't a book club pick, I probably would've set it aside for another time.

QotW:
Have you seen any good movies recently that were based on a good book? Which was better, the book or the movie? Probably the most recent good movie that I watched that was based on a book was Oppenheimer. I haven't read the book it was based on (American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird) so no idea how it compared. The length of the book gives me pause but I've heard good things about it, so maybe some day? I thought the film was superb and would definitely recommend. I recorded American Fiction and am looking forward to watching it, though I haven't read Erasure yet. I may try to read the book before I watch the movie but will give both a shot, regardless of the order.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Theresa wrote: "I found it because of The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night which you have to read..."


and I've never heard of THAT book! I added it.


I usually read a few picture books each month..."

Lordy - I've been part of this group so long I have watched your kids grow up - since 2017 I think.

I've long collected some childrens picture books, mostly picked up on my travels -- I have quite a few wonderful French ones for example, and a Cajun Night Before Christmas purchased in New Orleans - mostly Christmas related but not only. One of my sisters has given me some wonderful contemporary ones as birthday or Christmas gifts like Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type - it's the farm background tie.

I do recommend Grumpy Monkey. The Halloween one might need to be read in October - Grumpy Monkey Don't Be Scared: Includes Scary Stickers.

Sometimes it's just the perfect pick-me-up, right?!

Happy Thursday! I’m still on a high from seeing Green Day live last weekend 😊 I’ve loved them for decades and the Saviors tour was everything I wanted it to be. The openers were all fantastic too, and I’m so ready for a deep dive into the Smashing Pumpkins discography. Early birthday gift to myself = smashed it, 10/10, highly recommend. We also went up the Duquesne Incline for a gorgeous look at the Pittsburgh skyline, right where the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers converge. Looking forward to going back in November for a different concert!

I’m also going into rehearsals this weekend for a staged reading of Antony and Cleopatra. This will be my third new-to-me Shakespeare play this year after Julius Caesar and Othello - excited! And reading rehearsals are considerably fewer and farther between than rehearsals for a full production, so it’s less of a demand on my time, although it’s still filling up my September weekends 😬 but I’ll take any excuse to work with friends.

Read this week:
He Who Drowned the World - What a masterstroke. Shelley Parker-Chan has produced a stunning duology, and Natalie Naudus’s narration truly brings it all to life. I can’t wait to read whatever they write next! Book about pirates - bending this a little, but pirates play an important part in the story!

PS 38/50
ATY 46/52
Mount TBR 23/48

Currently:
If We Were Villains - back to finish my reread that I started months ago, and if I didn’t have so many things on the horizon I would absolutely just start this over from the beginning. It’s easily one of the most addicting books I’ve ever read.

Tricks for Free - I love watching Antimony learn about this new power, although I know better than to think this is anywhere close to over 😬

Defy or Defend - Dimity and Cris are wonderful and the tension is hilarious 😁 24th book of an author

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame - circling back to this after getting a quick break from medieval cathedrals. I love Hugo so much. AND I found the audio narrated by Simon Vance today, so this is my new happy place Turned into a musical

To Shape a Dragon's Breath - and one more circle-back! Summer was a time of quickly putting things aside if I didn’t have time for them, and now that September’s here I can fill it up with everything I wasn’t able to finish 😄

QOTW: Have you seen any good movies recently that were based on a good book? Which was better, the book or the movie?
Ohhh boy. I think most of the movies we've seen lately haven't been book-based, or if they have, I haven't read the book yet (ahem The Bikeriders - shameless plug, a friend of mine plays Betty, the wife of Tom Hardy's character!).

It's been a week - both my kids started university, I have to start going to the office 3 days a week even though I'm much more productive at home. And the weather is odd - 10 degrees in the morning going up to 25 in the afternoon - try dressing for that.

I finished a book, finished the ATY summer reading challenge, and we finished the book the kids and I were buddy reading. I could have pushed an finished these books, but then I'd have nothing to read an break at work.

Finished:

Something Wicked This Way Comes
ATY prompt: A book that is on a Five Books List; reader’s choice of which list
Popsugar prompt: A book with a title that is a complete sentence
Summer Prompt: A book published in the 1960s

Hollow City
ATY prompt: A book with a senior citizen character
Popsugar prompt: A book with magical realism

Series - 7/12
Nobel laureates - 4/5
Mysteries/Thrillers - 9/13

ATY - 37/45
PS - 24/30
Summer - 12/12 - Finished!

Currently reading:
A House Like a Lotus - 87%
Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six - 70%
Windows and Stones: Selected Poems - 5%

Buddy Reads:
none until book club restarts

QOTW: Probably, but I can't think of one.

Been reading a lot of graphic novels and manga this week but I DID finish a YA horror arc that I liked very much until the end (it wasn't bad but it was a trope I don't care for) I would recommend Don't Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews

I enjoyed all the sequential art below
怪物事変 3 Kemono Jihen #3 by Sho Aimoto

Victoria's Electric Coffin 01 by Ikuno Tajima

Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari Vol. 1by Onigunsou

Daemons of the Shadow Realm 03 by Hiromu Arakawa

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth Uncensoredby John Wagner (this is the only one I didn't like)

QOTW

Oh man I'm so not a movie goer (and often I don't know if they have been adapted from books) However, the last one I went to did a fantastic job of bringing to life a couple of my favorite characters, Wolverine and Gambit. I loved Deadpool and Wolverine to pieces for all that's its violent and vulgar.

It was 110 when I left work today and it's supposed to hit 115 tomorrow. It's a valley so it's generally hot in summer but like 90 not 100+ in September.

It was even 91 near the beach where I live...and that is the coolest place in Los Angeles this week. ( explains why I drive an hour each way to get to work instead of moving closer...it was 110 when I left work, and 82 at home. ..Ahhh)

I finished no books this week. Grades are due already at work so I'm busy reading student work instead of books...)

Currently trying to read:
A Doll's House
Pathetic Literature
None of This is True
Women Talking
What You're Looking For is in the Library

QOTW:
I am in a movie club and I run a book club, and the members significantly overlap. For August through November I decided to do an overlap and we are reading books based on Oscar winning movies we have watched.

in August we read Erasure, and as has been mentioned, we thought erasure and American Fiction were different but equally enjoyable experiences.

On Sunday we are discussing Women Talking (which I will report win next week as I WILL be done) and sneak-peak comments are trending towards the movie being better. Based on the 80% of the book i have completed, i agree that the movie was slightly better.

October we will read Men Without Women featuring the short story "Drive My Car" that was a movie a couple years ago, it was an excellent movie, we'll see about the story.

In November we will conclude with Brooklyn

Jennifer W wrote: "I tried reading MetaMaus years after I read Maus for the first time, and I had forgotten too much of Maus to get past the first couple of pages. I reread Maus last fall and it's already better...."



Good to know!! I read Maus wayyyyyy back when it was first published in one volume, so ... it's been a while. I'll be sure to give it a re-read before tackling Meta Maus

Megan wrote: "I found out on Monday that I won a copy of the newest Highway 59 novel by Attica Locke. ..."


Very exciting!!! I'm looking forward to your review, I really liked the other two "Highway" books.

So tired of this heat too. We had a couple cloudy and rainy days.
Once the high even ended up being 72(F) which was incredible, but now we're back to the high 90s. It's September and it feels like summer is never going to end.

Found out that September is Skin Awareness Month and I feel like a freakin' vampire. I was diagnosed with a skin condition last year. I get a rash or scales on my face that is not great. It gets aggravated by heat or the sun. Seriously looks like I don't put lotion on or wash my face. I have a medicated ointment for it, but still, it's so annoying. I for one am glad that people still wear masks around here because when it flairs up I feel so self-concious over it and I put my mask to cover it up if it makes me uncomfortable.

*****

On another note, so stoked for the upcoming Midnight Sun animated series that they're doing based off of Stephenie Meyer's book. I'm currently reading that one.

*****

Book News:

Not much on the book front. There are 4 new releases that I'm excited about this month, but I'll mention those later as they get closer.

Hispanic Heritage Month is coming up so I picked up a couple of books. The bookstore didn't have much so I might attempt checking my home library to see what books I have as well that could work.

Finished:

Fans and Fandom: A Journey into the Passion and Power of Fan Culture- 4 stars

Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness- 5 stars. This book was amazing!

Currently Reading:

Midnight Sun- This is my 4th attempt at reading this. It's so long and it's so depressing. I don't mind depressing books, but this is overkill. Still, since I read the main 4 Twilight books in August, I figure this time I'll read this all the way through. Currently on chapter 11.

I am so stoked they are doing an animated series of this book. I can't wait to get insight as to other people's thoughts. I tolerated Jessica and Mike in the original books, but with MS now I can't stand them.

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes - A group I'm in is currently reading this one. I haven't read it in over 20 years so I figured why not.

Contact - Slowly making my way with this one. Too early to tell if I like the movie more or the book.

Question of the Week:
Have you seen any good movies recently that were based on a good book? Which was better, the book or the movie?

The most recent was the series Under The Bridge. It's based on the book Under the Bridge by Rebecca Godfrey. I loved the series way more. In the book I didn't feel anything for the victim Reena. There was not much substance to her. The series did a better job at conveying who she was and where she came from so I felt more sympathy for her in the series.

Plus you can't go wrong with anything with Lily Gladstone in it. She was awesome! And her chemistry with Riley Keough was on point.

There is one I'm looking forward to this month. It's going to be a Netflix movie called "Rez Ball" based on the book Canyon Dreams: A Basketball Season on the Navajo Nation . It's short so I'm hoping to start it next week and then watch the movie later.

Ashley Marie wrote: "(ahem The Bikeriders - shameless plug, a friend of mine plays Betty, the wife of Tom Hardy's character!) ..."





whaaaaat??? you know someone who played Tom Hardy's wife??? oh bestill my heart.


Looks like a good movie, too. Maybe I can get the DVD from my library.

Theresa wrote: "Lordy - I've been part of this group so long I have watched your kids grow up - since 2017 I think...."




Time flies, right? It's crazy!


I still very distinctly remember a friend suggesting that I join Goodreads with her. LOL and I said "oh I don't know, I don't really read that much ..." bwahahaha

Compared to how much I used to read before I had kids, I did NOT read much back when I first joined GR in 2007, when my youngest was a toddler. I only read a few books in 2006. Also, I was completely out of touch with how little the average person reads.


Joining GR got me reading again. I just looked up my stats ... In 2007 I read 23 books! (Including two books about tie dyeing, so I can see I've been doing THAT for a while, too!) It also helps that I had just started going to the library regularly, to get piles of picture books for my kids. It was so much fun tracking books and searching for new books, each year my read count increased a little bit, up to 100 in 2014. And then these reading challenges shows up and wowza that got me reading hahaha I read 168 books in 2015 and there's been no stopping me since.


It's so much fun to be able to go back and see what I read each year - I really envy those of you who have had GR since you were a kid. I wish I could go back and see the lists of books I read every year of my life.

The weather's decidedly wet and autumnal this week but my partner took some time off work so we've been trying to do fun stuff. We went to the New Forest Wildlife Park, and first time I've seen giant otters and lynx in the flesh. It's a really nice little wildlife park, and it's clear they take care of the animals. Today we did Bob Ross paintings, since the weather's so bad. We've also eaten out a few times too.

Only finished one book, Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future by Gloria Dickie for ATY (wild/endangered species). This focused more on the relationships between bears and humans more than natural bear behaviour but was interesting nonetheless.

QOTW:
The only thing I can think of is the My Lady Jane series which was fantastic, but I haven't read the book to compare. Before that it was probably The Cabin at the End of the World adaptation (Knock at the Door), again something else where I haven't read the book. I tend to like different things in films to books and see them as completely different media, so don't expect them to be the same.

Theresa wrote: "Also read 3 children's books tagged on GR Farm for another group's challenge - they were a delight!
Interrupting Chicken
The Cow Who Fell in the Canal
The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night..."

The Cow Who Fell in the Canal... is that one translated into English???!! I didn't know that. It's so, well, Dutch. I'm surprised!
I know it in Dutch. The cow is called 'Hendrika' in the Dutch edition and that's my sister's christian name. She spelled it out as a kid (I had to read it 100+ times to her) and we gave it as a wedding present to her.

Happy Friday! Back to normal this week and it’s full gas immediately. So not much reading done and a day late checking in. Well done (not).

PS: 19/50
FNL: 37/40
Total: 50/52
DNF: 1

Finished
The Woman in the White Kimono by Ana Johns⭐⭐
PS#47 (the Dutch version has 24 characters in its title)
A tearjerker with flat characters.

Currently reading
A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza

QOTW
I rarely watch movies, so nothing to add here.

Harmke wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Also read 3 children's books tagged on GR Farm for another group's challenge - they were a delight!
Interrupting Chicken
The Cow Who Fell in the Canal
The Fox Went Out on a Chilly N..."

Yes it has - here's a link to a video of it being read aloud in English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vD4a....

The illustrator, Peter Spier, was Dutch and this was the first published children's book that he illustrated, and he was still living in The Netherlands at the time. By late 1950s he'd emigrated to the USA and his second book, which he wrote and illustrated, was published here. Didn't note when it was translated into English - probably before his 2nd book. He went on to an amazing career In USA as both an illustrator and children's book illustrator and children's book author and illustrator.

This is so great, thank you Theresa. The illustrations are the same and even the names are the same. I'm going to share the video with my sister, she would love it.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Lordy - I've been part of this group so long I have watched your kids grow up - since 2017 I think...."
Time flies, right? It's crazy!
I still very distinctly remember a frien..."

I've always been a heavy reader. But I did not track my reading at all - no reading journal, never a spreadsheet (dislike spreadsheets), relied on my memory which was quite good but began to be overloaded.

I joined GR but did nothing with it for years - didn't even explore it much - had no sense of how to use it. I think I originally had some vague idea of using it to track all the books I owned. Since I could open a nice small bookstore with all I own, and it would not look skimpy, that was never going to happen realistically. Then in 2016 a friend inveigled me into doing the PS 2016 challenge with her. I needed some way to manage, track and even find books for some of the prompts. I think it was 2017 calendar year when I started using GR to track reading, actually write reviews, etc.

Of course, I found you and this group, and another PS group that seems to have died or all drifted here, or to FB. While the volume of my reading really did not change, the diversity of what I read did - I got out of a rut and started reading all the books in my massive TBR that are not cozy mysteries or romances.

Harmke wrote: "The Cow Who Fell in the Canal... is that one translated into English???..."




Yes! I read it when I was a little girl, so it was available in the early 70s, and probably earlier (since it wasn't brand new at that time).

I was the same.

I got on Goodreads just to keep track of the books I have read, and I didn't use it much. I also still wasn't really reading a lot. I have always been a reader but back in 2015 I wasn't reading much. I just wanted a digital place to keep track of the books I read and wanted to read (I did, and still do, have a book with them hand written).

In 2016 I found the group Our Shared Shelf when Emma Watson started it. I still didn't follow it much and still wasn't reading more than 20 books a year until I found Popsugar at the end of 2020. I had wanted to start reading more and wanted a way to force myself to do so, and boy has it worked! Every year I read at least 100 books (Except 2023...only 80). But I not only read more I read a more varied selection. I think it has helped me to grow as a person, and really broaden my views and opinions on the world. It's hard to see other points of view if you do not open your mind to it. So, thanks for helping me do that.

My reading slowed way down in August because I've had some pretty busy weekends lately. (That's a good thing!) I didn't have plans the weekend before last, though, so I got to spend all day Saturday and Sunday reading. I finished two books over the weekend. And then a poor sleep schedule and busy season at work promptly took over my life, and I didn’t get to check in last week.

Finished
Ouroboros. I love SG-1/Atlantis crossover stories. This was a surprise, as I guess I hadn’t read the summary before starting the book. I have some mixed feelings about things that happened in this book before they happened in the show, but it’s an alternate timeline so I’ll accept it. It was a fun book to read anyway.

The Spellshop. This was a lovely, quiet, cozy fantasy book. There’s found family, romance, and good people trying to do the right thing. Also a sentient spider plant and winged cats. There is one pretty big inconsistency that the editor really should have caught. But it was such a nice book to read on a lazy Sunday anyway. Bonus point for the print book being so beautiful with the purple edges.

Reading
Junkyard Dogs


QOTW
I recently rewatched Red, White & Royal Blue. I can’t think of any others.

Happy Saturday!

I was in bed last night, and suddenly realized I had missed Thursday check in, because I didn't consciously register it was Thursday. Oops!

Also don't have much to share, I don't think. I've been managing to post on my Disney instagram every day, and am now posting old photos! Which man, did that unleash something when I had a memory that didn't line up with the timeframe of when the photos I had were taken xD TURNS OUT, my first trip *wasn't* in 2000. It was 1998 or 1999 (we need to find the photos to know for sure). Both my parents were just as baffled as I was, but the next day (I uncovered this at 11pm and only got to tell my parents after midnight) we found a video from back then, proving we were there in 98/99. Beyond this one memory all of us share, we have no memories of this trip, so fingers crossed we find the photos soon!

But yeah. Who knew two photos of a parade I didn't recognize could lead to all of this xD

I also finally watched Beetlejuice for the first time ever on Wednesday, in preparation for seeing Beetlejuice Beetlejuice on Thursday. I enjoyed both, but think the original was better just for not having two entirely pointless characters/storylines just to fill it up to a regular runtime.

Read
Twelve Kings in Sharakhai
Still loved this as much as I did the first time around!

Currently Reading
With Blood Upon the Sand
Book 2! I'm currently 200 pages in and it's still a mix of 'OH I REMEMBER THIS' (even things I told my best friend I thought I remembered came up and I was like SEE!) and 'yeah this I definitely did not remember'. Still enjoying it, just wish my wrists would let me read for longer.

I try to read 50 pages a day, at least, but if I can't for whatever reason, a chapter will do. To try and make sure I keep reading!

QOTW
I suppose The Color Purple. I watched both movies, and enjoyed both, but I can't say which is better, movie or book. In the book the relationship between Celie & Shug is so much more explored, it definitely feels very queer, whereas the movie (even the 2023 one!) seemed to only gloss over that. I hate that it feels like 'we can't show this too much because it will piss people off', because it's right there in the book??? But in the movie, the timeline is easier to follow (especially in the 2023 one, where you get years on screen to show you) because things happen as they happen, instead of sharing what happened in the past in letters with just a few sentences.

Heather wrote: "QOTW
I recently rewatched Red, White & Royal Blue. I can’t think of any others..."


Should I watch first or read first? I have the book here to read for the enemies to lovers prompt but, haven't started yet.

Heather wrote: "I recently rewatched Red, White & Royal Blue. I can’t think of any others."

Ooooh I forgot about this one! I remember I flew through the book bc it was such fun, and then the film was just as entertaining :)

JessicaMHR wrote: "Heather wrote: "QOTW
I recently rewatched Red, White & Royal Blue. I can’t think of any others..."


Should I watch first or read first? I have the book here to read for the enemies to lovers promp..."




I don't think it matters, it's a fun cute story, the book and the movie are equally good (but the movie had to leave out some parts, of course, and dropped some characters, due to time).

Hey everyone! A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I needed to take some time off from posting to work on my mental health. I am working with my fabulous therapist on a weekly basis, which is very helpful, but I am continuing to really struggle with depression and my OCD symptoms.

For me, reading is very much a form of therapy, as well as my favorite method of escapism. However, lately I’ve been feeling like my reading goals are sucking the remaining joy out of the activity. After DNFing multiple titles from my TBR list over the past couple of weeks, I’ve come to the realization that the best thing I can do for myself right now is to scrap my reading goals entirely.

To facilitate this, I am going to stop participating in reading challenges for the year, and will be taking another extended break from posting here on Goodreads. Hopefully this will allow me to distance myself from the expectations I’ve placed on myself to “accomplish” a specific amount of reading for the year, and get back to just enjoying reading as a hobby.

I want to thank you all for your support and encouragement as I continue to work on my mental health. Thank you especially to everyone who reached out after my last post. I greatly appreciate all of the prayers and good vibes. You all are amazing!

Wishing you all the best and hoping that your 'relaxed' reading is a real benefit for you.