Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2024 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 42: 10/11 - 10/17
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Mod
WOW your voting has already started??! Our first early voting day in NY is Oct 26th. I am EXTRA excited this year because it's the first Presidential election for both of my daughters!! Older kid is away so she already sent in her absentee ballot, but younger kid is still living home with me so we are going to the Town Hall together to vote! I'm hoping she'll let me take a selfie afterward to commemorate!! I no longer remember my first election, probably because I was away at college and voted absentee, it's not so memorable.
Happy Thursday!I'm posting earlier because I'm at home since I have to take a course on Zoom, which we can't use on office equipment. (Don't ask why they chose a presenter who couldn't use our office system. At least I get to wear comfy clothes and don't have to commute.)
I had a four day weekend last week and finished 2 books and advanced my other 2. I didn't get to read my poetry book because I was reading it on Internet Archive and they got attacked by a hacker group. Terrorists claimed responsibility, but it's a non-profit and has zero to do with the US government.
Finished:
Not a Happy Family
ATY prompt: A book related to the name of one of Snow White's seven dwarfs
Popsugar prompt: There isn't one
One of Us Is Back
ATY prompt: A book featuring a character in education
Popsugar prompt: A book with at least 3 POVs
Series - 9/12
Nobel laureates - 4/5
Mysteries/Thrillers - 10/13
ATY - 42/45
PS - 27/30
Summer - 12/12 - Finished!
Currently reading:
Windows and Stones: Selected Poems - 45%
One of Our Thursdays Is Missing - 80%
How to Sell a Haunted House - 45%
Buddy Reads:
none at present
QOTW: I can't think of one that powerfully impacted my life, but I did enjoy The X-Files: Earth Children are Weird (for the X prompt). And the pirate prompt made me read the last two Jacob-Two-Two books. El-Deafo was cute and I never would have read it but for this year's list.
I swear I rarely read children's books, even though that's all I talked about.
Happy Thursday! Our ballots were in this morning’s mail, and I’m excited to fill mine out and drop it off! I love the drop-off ballots. 2024 Reading Challenges: I’ve read 392 books and completed 32.7% of my ever-growing TBR – I got another free book in the mail: The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Mieville.
52 Book Club: 51/52 (October Mini-Challenge: 1/3)
ATY: 50/52 (Fall Challenge 36/45)
Booklist Queen: 49/52
Diverse Baseline: 29/36
Popsugar: 47/50
Robot Librarian: 51/52
ICYMI Backlist: 10/12
Recently Completed:
Burn Book: A Tech Love Story ★★★★
I Flipping Love You (ATY Fall – HOTAPPLECIDER: I Flipping) ★★★
The Miseducation of Cameron Post: As much as I like Chloe Grace Moretz, I still have to say the book was better than the movie. (52 Books “Read It/Watch It” Challenge/ATY Fall – FAMILYGATHERING: Emily M. Danforth) ★★★★
Infectious Madness: The Surprising Science of How We "Catch" Mental Illness (ATY #34 – related to one of Snow White’s Seven Dwarfs: “Sneezy”/Diverse Baseline #30 – a BIPOC author) ★★★★
The Butcher Game (ATY Fall – PUMPKINSPICELATTE: Alaina Urquhart) ★★★
Redwood Court ★★★
A House with Good Bones: Well, I just thoroughly enjoyed this snarky, witchy tale. The horror was indeed horrific, but I also laughed out loud multiple times. Adventures Underground Book Club. (ATY Fall – PUMPKINSPICELATTE: T. Kingfisher) ★★★★★
Red Side Story: I hate that I had to wait so long for this book… but it was worth the wait! (ATY #51 – published in 2024/Booklist Queen #11 – an author you love) ★★★★★
So Thirsty: There was nothing new here. No twist, no bending of the genre. I’m in a love-hate relationship with Rachel Harrison. I loved Cackle and Black Sheep, but I hated this one and that stupid werewolf book that I’ve already forgotten the name of. (52 Books October Mini-Challenge #1 – a beverage on the cover) ★★
Pearl: Middle grade graphic novel about a Japanese-American girl who must survive years of uncertainty and questions of loyalty in Hiroshima during World War II. ★★★★
Currently Reading:
Horse Barbie (ATY Fall – HOTAPPLECIDER: Geena Rocero/Diverse Baseline #29 – trans/bigender/genderqueer BIPOC author)
The Paradise Problem
To Shape a Dragon's Breath (ATY #15 – author’s name includes J, Q, X, or Z: Moniquill Blackgoose/Popsugar #23 – features dragons)
The Love of My Afterlife
Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma: 2023 NPR Books We Love.
A Passage to India (ATY Fall – PUMPKINSPICELATTE: Passage/Popsugar #21 – published in year ending with 24: 1924/Robot Librarian #13 – originally published before you were born)
Hex Appeal (52 Books October Mini-Challenge #3 – a cozy book)
Bazaar Girls (52 Books October Mini-Challenge #2 – a book that pairs with a favorite sweater)
Fourth Wing (Booklist Queen #21 – a 2023 bestseller)
Our Infinite Fates: Goodreads Giveaway.
QOTW: I can't think of any examples. I know my reading has increased since I started Popsugar, and I've read books that I probably wouldn't have picked up before... but something life-changing? I don't know.
Mod
I have four books left on my shelf to read for NetGalley (one of them I'll finish probably today or tomorrow, so then three books left ...). I told myself I should read everything I've got BEFORE requesting new titles, but ... I think that vow to myself flew out the window. I've got a list of five titles I really want to request, two of them publish this November so I don't want to wait too long. Just as soon as I get my "give feedback" shelf down to three titles, I'm requesting those five. Maybe I'll get them, maybe I won't ...
This week I finished 4 books. It was a good reading week, I discovered TWO new-to-me authors that I absolutely LOVE!
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell- First half was a slow build of the story, second half was crazy; the title clues you in that she's going to be an unreliable narrator, and it's nicely twisty so by the end you actually do not know which versions of some events are the truth. It's got a sad ending, though, which I was not expecting - usually these psychological suspense books all work out in the end.
Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas - OMG! I absolutely LOVED this book!! LOVED IT!! I'm slapping myself for not reading it sooner. This will be the best book I read in October, and possibly the best book in the entire second half of the year. I have found another favorite author!! The only problem I had was "what do I read next?" because what do you read after an amazing book? (I chose a fluffy rom-com, The Love Hypothesis as my next bedtime book - I'm not loving it, but I didn't expect much so that's ok)
Private Rites by Julia Armfield - this was a NetGalley read, and it took me a looooong time to read because it was so depressing. Everything is miserable, the city is miserable, the people are all miserable and for the most part they hate each other. Ugh. I loved her previous book (Our Wives Under the Sea) so I had high expectations for this one, and it just did not work for me (but I see a lot of praise for it on GR so it's working for other people!)
Sing Her Down by Ivy Pochoda - this book has been on my "must read NOW" list for a year now, ever since it was published. I finally got to it!! It was gritty and violent with beautiful writing, a great neo-noir ex-cons crime novel. This was my first Pochoda and WOW it will not be my last! I have discovered another favorite author!! I can't wait to read all her other books :-)
I AM left wondering, though: what does the phrase "sing her down" mean? I've tried googling, but all I get are reviews of the book. I wish I could go back in time and google my question BEFORE this book existed, but alas, that is not possible.
I loved Sing Her Down so much that I made a new GR shelf for myself, "ex cons" - apparently this is a subgenre I like - let me know if you have any recommendations for me to add to my shelf!!! I searched a bit for more, but all I could find were memoirs and non-fiction, not what I'm looking for. https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Popsugar 100% 50 /50
Must Reads 70% 7 /10
AtY 100% 52 /52
2024 pub 112% 56 /50
NetGalley ratio 84%
QotW
Yes, definitely. I wouldn't say the books were life-changing, but each year there's at least one book that I really enjoy that I probably would not have read if not pushed by the Challenge. That's what keeps me coming back! And it's what keeps me reading books that I'm not so sure I'm going to like ... because you never know! Sometimes I discover I like something I had no idea I would like!!
In 2015 I read Big Little Lies (for antonyms in the title) and Station Eleven (for number in the title) and I LOVED both books, and I NEVER would have read either one if not for the Challenge. I discovered two new favorite authors that year. After that, I was hooked on the reading challenge!
This year, I read Dog on It for animal POV and I LOVED it! I probably never would have read this book otherwise, and Quinn truly captures a dog's voice, which is hard to do!! I'm definitely going to be reading the rest of that series.
I also discovered that I really like reading books about K-Pop!! I ended up reading THREE this year - I never would have guessed that I'd enjoy that, since I don't like K-Pop. (I DO like k-dramas and j-dramas, however - that was another new discovery for me this year, unrelated to the Challenge or the K-Pop books.)
Mod
Geez. I hadn't heard about that so I went reading. Idiot "hacktivists" claim they attacked "because it belongs to the USA" - that really makes them look bad, taking down a free site that benefits millions each day.
Finished: Not a Happy Family
How did you like this? It's on my TBR, I'm still hoping to get to it this year.
Happy Thursday! Two weeks of work left til my big vacation...Finished
Made for You Great concept; execution lacking. Really intriguing premise about a synthetic human who goes on a reality dating show, wins, but then about a year and a half later, the husband goes missing. Just fascinating! But it was ultimately disappointing - it's told with dual timelines, between the dating show and the missing person investigation - but because of the second timeline, the first has no suspense. And while it could have discussed some really fascinating issues - what does it mean to be made for a specific person? How was that done? Is it even possible for her to gain a life outside of that? - it didn't really deal with any of them in a meaningful way. No prompt.
Gender Queer For the ATY extra lists and awards prompt - a banned book. Given some of the comments I'd read on it been banned for explicitness, I was surprised it was so tame - but I guess I shouldn't be. The bar seems super low for people to decide that something was worth banning. Again, I thought it didn't go enough into the issues. I get that it's incredibly personal, but I didn't understand why Maia felt that gender queer was the label that defined em best. And maybe that's not even something that could be explained. I also found it interesting that the book ended in a pretty unresolved place - I didn't get a sense that Maia's gender journey was over. But I think that's useful in it's own way - that even though it may not be complete, that's enough of a story to present.
Supernova No prompt, read because I'm continuing the series. This was a much darker story than the first book. The stakes are considerably higher but yes, it was a grim read, raising the question of at what point a revolution can become worse or more oppressive than the thing it's overthrowing. Will go on to the third at some point.
Holes For the ATY extra lists and awards prompt - middle grade book that has won an award. A great fun read. I wasn't paying enough attention, so I missed a key detail (view spoiler) and so I didn't realize why things were happening the way they did until well into their progress. I'd definitely recommend it for it's intended age group; probably not something I'll revisit.
Currently Reading
Capture the Sun
The Word for World is Forest
The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love
QotW
Hmm, as Laura Z said 'life-changing' is a big ask. Probably the closest I can think of is this year's Die with Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life. A friend did recommend it but I probably wouldn't have picked it up (at least not yet) if not for this year's genre you typically avoid. And it has made me change my approach a bit by making me move away from a mindset where saving with no end goal is an inherent good, and instead plan for what I will need, but also allot more money to myself now, when I can better appreciate the experiences that I can get.
Mod
Ohhh I'm so curious about this book. Mieville is such an interesting author. I don't always love his stuff, but even when I haven't loved one of his books, I still found it thought-provoking and worth reading. And I love Reeves as an actor and he seems like a great person, but ... wow was I disappointed in that pile of poop graphic novel he "wrote," BRZRKR, Volume 1. That was just garbage. So, can Mieville save Reeve's latest offering from being garbage? Get back to us and let us know!!!
Happy Thursday!I'm mostly feeling better after having been sick last week.
We got our voter pamphlet but not our ballots yet. WA state is all vote-by-mail, so I'm looking forward to getting it so I can vote and drop it off in a dropbox.
Finished:
Jasmine Is Haunted by Mark Oshiro - 4 stars - no prompt. A really cute middle grade horror. More spooky than actually
Comics/manga:
Chihayafuru, Vol. 10
Daytime Shooting Star, Vol. 4
How Do We Relationship?, Vol. 11
Tamon's B-Side, Vol. 5
Currently reading:
The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling - no prompt. There are witches for spooky season, but it takes place during Yule, so double the holidays.
Upcoming/Planned:
The City in Glass by Nghi Vo - no prompt.
Humble Pi: When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World by Matt Parker - for Robot Librarian's Nonfiction: The 500s
QOTW:
Not life-changing, per se, but this year, I was surprised by The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali, which I read for a book set 24 years before I was born. I found it a pretty compelling book about a part of the world and a culture I hadn't read much about before. I don't know that I would read it again, just because parts of it were sad, but I am glad that I read it.
Nadine in NY wrote: "I loved Sing Her Down so much that I made a new GR shelf for myself, "ex cons" - apparently this is a subgenre I like - let me know if you have any recommendations for me to add to my shelf!!! ."I'm sure there's others I'm missing, but to me, the most obvious one missing from your shelf is Les Misérables. If I remember others, I'll add them!
Nadine in NY wrote: ".Finished: Not a Happy FamilyHow did you like this? It's on my TBR, I'm still hoping to get to it this year.."
Shari Lapena seems to write two kinds of books. First, mysteries that are kind of binary (did this couple have anything to do with their son disappearing? Did this man kill his wife?) Second, mysteries with a larger cast (who killed the neighbor in the truck? Who is killing people while we're all snowed in?).
This one was slightly different than her usual styles because it's a murder mystery with about 5 possible suspects (and maybe 2 minor ones). I still guessed wrong, which is good. I hate when the book telegraphs the killer. Basically rich parents are found murdered. The cops suspect it was one of the kids, or 2 other people close to them.
Mod
Sounds a lot like Annie Bot, which also had a great premise but was ultimately lacking!
Mod
LOL thank you! But that's not on my list because I am never again going to read a 1400+ page novel! Monte Cristo killed me. I can't go through that again.
(Also, I had no idea that Les Mis involved ex-cons!)
I checked out four books about politics from the library, but when I tried to read them, they pissed me off so much that I gave up. One of them was extremely emotionally manipulative. It told this horrific story about two Americans who were killed by terrorists during a vacation and France. The point of this story was that you should vote for Trump. I'm all for reading from different perspectives, but I couldn't handle this...I think I've given up tracking my Library TBR. I got three new books even though I hadn't finished what I already had, and so many are coming due or that I've given up on, that the total is in flux anyway!
Purchased TBR: 24/33
Finished: Revisionaries: What We Can Learn from the Lost, Unfinished, and Just Plain Bad Work of Great Writers This book was so intriguing! It taught lessons based on author's unfinished novels. Not only did I learn about a lot of books I had never heard of, but the lessons derived were much more interesting than from their typical "successes."
The Life Impossible I really enjoyed this one too. It was a feel-good book. My only complaint is that they had to turn it into a murder mystery to give it a plot and I felt like this was unnecessary.
Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times What a cool thing for Nafisi to share: letters sent to her father about books that spoke to her. It takes place from the protests in Tehran to the protests for George Floyd. Scary that we are not immune to totalitarianism here!
Library Girl This was just a fun read. Totally unbelievable, but fun nevertheless.
I did pretty well for finding books I enjoyed this week!
Started: World as Lover, World as Self This was a DNF for me. I don't know why, it just didn't speak to me.
QotW: The book that comes to mind for me is Hank Green's An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. I wouldn't have read it had it not been for the PS prompts. I gave it a 5. Funny thing is, I remember nothing about it now. But I must have enjoyed it to give it a 5!
Nadine in NY wrote: "Joanna wrote: "Made for You Great concept; execution lacking. Really intriguing premise about a synthetic human who goes on a reality dating show, wins, but then about a year and a half later, the ..."Oh no, Annie Bot was also on my list to check out! Maybe I'll wait a bit then.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Joanna wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "I loved Sing Her Down so much that I made a new GR shelf for myself, "ex cons" - apparently this is a subgenre I like - let me know if you have any recommendatio..."Jean Valjean is sent to prison for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread - the story happens in the aftermath of that and is set off by things that happen when he's on an equivalent of parole.
I'd say it's worth the length, but then I also loved The Count of Monte Cristo, so I might not be your best guide on that!
Early voting over here starts on the 21st, though I honestly wouldn't have been aware of that if I didn't work at a library and have to answer so many questions about it!We finally get some consistent fall weather, and it's supposed to warm up again next week OTL Not that I don't like it to be warm, but I'm ready for it to actually feel like fall. On the plus side, I'm going to the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival for the first time, so the nicer weather will be good for that. But after that, it can be cool again, thanks.
Finished:
Third Time's a Charm and Together Forever - I reread the previous volume before read the current (and last) volume in this series, since it was two years almost to the day since I last read it, and it was a little underwhelming (which was my opinion back then, too, IIRC). Definitely just set up for the last book, which started off underwhelming as well, but picked up in the second half and came to a satisfactory, if slightly rushed, conclusion.
Finding Faeries: Discovering Sprites, Pixies, Redcaps, and Other Fantastical Creatures in an Urban Environment - A fun, informative read.
How to Survive a Killer Musical: Agony and Ecstasy on the Road to Broadway - A fascinating read that chronicles the inception and various productions of No Way to Treat a Lady. I found it especially interesting due to being familiar with the musical through not only the cast album, but two of the songs being included on the CD Broadway Bound.
Currently reading:
My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life
In a Sunburned Country
Odd Blood
The Spellshop
QOTW: While I don't know about changing my life, I do seem to read a book that I never would have picked up, or even known about, if not for the challenge, but I'm very glad I did. For this year, I'd go with Present at the Creation: Leaping in the Dark and Going Against the Grain: 1776, Pippin, M. Butterfly, La Bete & Other Broadway Adventures and No More Dead Dogs.
Hi all! Nadine, I'm jealous. We have some trees that are bare, some that have changed colors, but I still see A LOT of green! But we had a frost this morning, so maybe that will speed things along.Otherwise, things are mostly the same around here. I met a new primary care doctor today (my doctors keep leaving the practice, I think this is my 4th in 5 years). I don't think she's as concerned as I am about my fatigue, but we will have time for that, I suppose.
I heard my settlement money is coming next week! We're going car shopping!!
I got my covid and flu shots the other day. My arm is a bit sore, but I have a weird side effect: the joints in just my thumb on that hand are stiff and sore.
Didn't finish anything this week. Was making good progress in The Fox Wife, but it was due back this weekend. I decided to return it early so hopefully I'll get it back soon. Or I'm debating using an audible credit, but I kind of don't want to since I can get it for free from the library.
I started Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books. I've been mostly focused on The Fox Wife, so I haven't read much in this yet. But what I have read has already been cute and funny.
QOTW: Can't think of any at the moment. I know there's been books I wouldn't have picked up without the challenge, or members of this group, but I'm not recalling.
Happy Thursday!What a week and what a day. I am in so much pain as I write this, and I am so ready for a break, but alas. Not just yet!
On Sunday I went to a film festival, and turns out it was marathon weekend in the city and it was near impossible to get to the cinema. We had to walk so far and cross the marathon path (they wouldn't let us at first even though there were no runners, but then the opposite side opened the fence for someone else heh) and then squish through the finished runners, but we made it. 20 minutes late, but we made it, and because of ads, we missed nothing!
We saw:
The Outrun - bit long and slow, but very realistic proposal of addiction. Saoirse Ronan did an amazing job here.
Emilia Pérez - W O W. This was absolutely amazing! Mostly Spanish spoken, but so well done.
The Apprentice - Normally I wouldn't be interested in a movie about Trump, but if his team is trying to bury it, I'm all ears. Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong absolutely knock it out of the park, and I can see why Trump and his team aren't happy with this movie. I loved it was filmed as if it was actually made in the 70s/80s, and that it exposed some of who these people are/were.
Anora - This was wild. Lots of Russian, but set in the USA. The story is actually quite dark, but it got so many laughs from the audience. It was a good one to end on.
Got my flu shot yesterday, had my weight loss journey appointment today (my cold killed my muscle mass so while I lost weight, it was the wrong weight xD), and then it became a whirlwind of a day.
So recently I finally found a copy of the baking book I once checked out from the library like 15 years ago, that ended up with me making the most delicious ciabatta. Book is nowhere to be found these days, so when I found one, I ordered one so fast! Haven't baked in forever due to health, but now I was motivated, so after my appointment I made creme patisserie, but sadly didn't have the time for the rest before having to leave for the vet. After coming home (6:15pm) I made the pastries, and at 9:30pm I had a finished baking product I made entirely myself for the first time in well over a decade.
And it was delicious! I made cream horns, and while there were some lumps in the cream (I tried so hard to get rid of them all when making it but clearly didn't succeed jakhsd) you couldn't taste them so I am still counting it a victory!
At the vet Mickey was there to get his teeth checked, but he also ended up getting quite a bit of a shave, as a big part of his fur had matted so much there was no way to get rid of it without pulling off his skin. He still has some wounds from the shaving, but nothing compared to what it would have been if I'd combed it until it was gone. He'd have no skin left.
Ezra was there because his snot isn't over yet after the first round of treatment, so now I get to flush his nose once a day and give him a super strong antibiotic once per 4 days. Poor bunbun. Can't catch a break.
Lucy was there because she hasn't been eating the droppings she's supposed to be eating, and she's not overweight (her mate is, which is why it was a surprise they were hers, haha!) so she needed a check up. X-Rays were taken, and turns out she has a malformation in her back/spine with a bit sticking out, so it stabs her on the inside every time she moves that way. So she'll now be on painkillers for the rest of her life, and we need to find a way to adjust their habitat so she won't have to go up and down steep stairs anymore, as the movements of that cause her spine to prick her.
So it's been A Long Day. Partly of my own making (I could have done the pastries another day, but I know how rare motivation is for me that I actually follow through on), but also partly because of appointments and my beloved bunbuns.
I am exhausted now. It's almost 11pm and I still have to read my daily pages, and I've already decided the latest Agatha All Along episode will have to wait until tomorrow, haha!
Read
When Jackals Storm the Walls
AAAAAAAHHHH
Currently Reading
A Desert Torn Asunder
Final book of the series! It's really happening! I'm doing it!
QOTW
Oh I absolutely bet, though changing my life is a bit much maybe. But I am so wiped I couldn't tell you a single book I ever read for this challenge ever xD
Happy check-in! I celebrated Thanksgiving this past weekend. This meant having my grandma down to visit. It is voting season here too. Elections can be called at anytime of year there is no set date. Although it is an unwritten rule that you do not call an election in the winter. No one wants to do canvassing in the winter!
I’ve been too busy and tired this past week to read so I have nothing to report on that front.
QOTW:
I cannot pinpoint one book that changed my life but the overall Popsugar challenges have. I read a lot more and I read more variety in genre because of this challenge.
Happy Thursday Early voting is allowed here in California too, started Oct 7. But I like voting on actual election day, even if it's just to drop off the "early voter" ballot. We always made a big deal of voting when my daughter was young, walking her over with us and telling her what we were doing (and they always have her an "I voted sticker"...and now she's a voter and we bring her daughter along.
I finished 3 books:
The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods:
PS: Enemies ot lovers plot
ATY: lyrics of what a wonderful world (trees of green)
52: N/A
Robot librarian: N/A
Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat by Bee Wilson
PS: N/A
ATY: N/A
52: Lower case letters on the spine
Robot librarian: nonfiction 600's
Dear California by David Kipen:
PS:N/A
ATY: N/A
52: non fiction recommended by a friend
Robot librarian: letters/epistolary
QOTW: I wouldn't say life changing but I'm really glad I read El Deafo read for a deaf/hearing impaired writer. I would not have read it if not for that prompt
Happy Thursday all.The library I work at is neck-deep in rebuilding/remodeling mess, so that's been fun to put up with. We're going to stay open as long as we can during the reconstruction, but we'll probably have to close at some point to get some of the work done. I predict we'll have a LOT of people complaining about where they're going to get their books now...
Books read this week:
Unicorn Time Machine -- another cute comic collection
The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World -- slow-moving but a thoughtful look at the grieving process and what helps people cope
The Final Trial -- a satisfying conclusion to the “Royal Guide to Monster Slaying” books
DNF:
Burn the Dark -- just wasn’t appealing to me
Currently reading:
Space Oddity
The Kamogawa Food Detectives
Echo North
The Anomaly
QOTW:
PopSugar 2020 introduced me to the works of Seanan McGuire, and her Wayward Children series through Every Heart a Doorway. I'd say it made a strong impact, hehe...
Mod
oh nooooo you had frost??? it got cold last night but no frost yet. I STILL have not harvested my basil - I meant to do it today but ... that didn't happen. I was planning to do it tomorrow. I hope the weather gods smile upon me and give me ONE MORE DAY to harvest the basil!!!!
(Forecast says it's going down to 37 tonight so I am definitely gambling here. yikes. but if I cut all the basil right now it will wilt by tomorrow. maybe I can stick it all in vases of water lol)
ETA: dammit we DID get a frost last night!! I didn't notice until I got right into the basil patch, leaves are covered in brown spots tonight. I cut a few to bring in, if the rest survive the night I'll make pesto tomorrow. My kitchen smells great right now with my bouquet of basil LOL
At least I'm actually posting on Thursday this week! I am back from a fabulous vacation in Yellowstone National Park and Big Sky, MT. Still feeling the effects though work is trying very hard to undermine that!I'm still at 49/50 - chipping away slowly at that final book of poetry.
Finished - not much reading while on vacation:
Undead Girl Gang - a hoot of a YA novel - suspend disbelief and you can have fun.
An Unkindness of Ravens - by one of the great writers of psychological crime fiction though part of her Inspector Wexford series so less dark, a touch of cozy, than her standalones written as Barbara Vine. I love the title and the fact that it is #13 in the series.
Currently Reading:
All I Want for Halloween - biker smut set in October and at Halloween.
This Cold Heaven: Seven Seasons in Greenland - what I need to be reading and finish already
Jacqueline in Paris - what I couldn't resist starting and now need to hold off until I finish This Cold Heaven.
Women Talking - what I need to read this weekend for a buddy read
QOTW: Oh, absolutely - just about every challenge I do, whether ones like PS or for groups I belong to, there's always some book that fits that and since I don't preplan any challenge reading, it's also very random. This year and last it was primarily the trilogy by Bernard Ollivier of his 4 year walk of the Silk Road from Istanbul into China: Out of Istanbul: A Journey of Discovery along the Silk Road, Walking to Samarkand: The Great Silk Road from Persia to Central Asia, and Winds of the Steppe: Walking the Great Silk Road from Central Asia to China. It was inspiring and also entertaining - and this was a man who had just retired, was not a young man by any means.
Another, also NF, was The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper which was not just fascinating and moving, but also a reminder of how, feminist that I am, my thinking on things like the Jack the Ripper legend/crimes, still reverts to the male dominated perspective.
Good Evening, Mrs Craven: The Wartime Stories of Mollie Panter-Downes - a collection of marvelous short stories set in WWII England, mostly outside London.
Galatea by Madeline Miller a novella that again beautifully challenges the male dominated perspective we have all learned, this time the story of Pygmalion.
Another quick check-in for me. Just one book finished (did not fit an open prompt). I'm still at 21/45 and 2/5 for this challenge, and now at 74/100 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge. Finished:
* The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100 by Dan Buettner -- I think I did more bookmarking of recipes to try out than truly reading, but, I'm counting this anyway 🙃
Currently Reading:
* The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims;
* Guide Me Home by Attica Locke, which I should finish up this weekend (so close to the end and Darren is in QUITE THE PREDICAMENT RIGHT NOW...I need to know what happens!!!);
* Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia written by Janet Wallach and narrated by Jean Gilpin, which is one of my book clubs' picks for October -- looking forward to discussing this weekend. The audiobook is 20+ hours but they are flying by -- I'm less than 2 hours from the end;
* Bad Day at the Vulture Club by Vaseem Khan, which has been a delight so far; and,
* Pirate Vishnu written by Gigi Pandian and narrated by Allyson Ryan, which I need to start in earnest (and finish) before the 28th when it will disappear from the Audible catalog.
QotW:
It seems every year there is at least one Popsugar prompt that has enabled me to read a book I totally enjoyed or that powerfully impacts my life and I might never have otherwise read. Has that happened to you? In 2024 or in the past? Tell us, please! 😊 I went back through my POPSUGAR shelves and can't say a single title truly jumped out at me. However, this challenge has given me the opportunity to revisit some of my childhood favorites and experience them as an adult reader, which has been an absolute delight. I loved rereading books by Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume. I also read some of the Judy Blume books that I missed out on when I was younger. There were also a couple of classics that I read for the first time and loved thanks to POPSUGAR (If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin and Passing by Nella Larsen). And the 2020 advanced prompt "the book that's been on your TBR list for the longest amount of time" gave me that nudge I needed to FINALLY read The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson, which had been on my TBR for more than a decade at that point even though I owned a copy. While I didn't love the book, I loved the prompt and try to keep that one in the back of my mind to encourage me to read the older titles on my TBR list (especially when they are books that I own 🤓).
I have to agree about the polls.I did get some reading done this week. I finished Beyond the Pale Moonlight: A UFO-Mothman Encounter by Linda Sigman which is a true (if you believe it) UFO encounter. I met the author at the Mothman festival and StitchesStitches by Hirokatsu Kihara and Junji Ito an illustrated 'true hauntings' from two of Japan's leading horror artists.
QOTW
Hmmm not really. Maybe Making It So: A Memoir by Sir Patrick Stewart. I don't like memoirs much but I might have read this anyhow because it's him.
I tend to read very diversely so if I have a prompt that I don't have something I already own or planned to read anyhow, chances are it's something I'm not inclined to like. And it generally does play out that. If it's something outside of my usual reading I end up being meh about it or outrightly not liking it
Happy Thursday! Not a lot of reading happened this week, but I got to see Michael Kiwanuka in concert tonight, which was really fun! One of my coworkers had their last day on Monday, so it's been slightly hectic trying to catch up on his projects.Finished:
The White Guy Dies First: 13 Scary Stories of Fear and Power- this was a mixed bag of short stories, but worth reading for the story by Tiffany D. Jackson alone!
-no prompt
Northranger- a modern, Texas-based graphic novel version of Northanger Abbey. Instead of being obsessed with gothic novels, the main character is obsessed with horror movies
-no prompt
Currently reading:
Potions and Proposals-finally started this one, and I'm having a good time!
This Thing Between Us- I started this one, and then my loan ran out. It should be available again soon
QotW:
There have definitely been a bunch of books I really love that I only read because of the challenge. Some of my favorites from past years were Colorful for book of afterlife, This Is Paradise: Stories for Pacific Islander author, Foster for set in decade I was born, and This Is How You Lose the Time War for booktok rec.
This year, most of the books I've read for prompts I was already planning to read, but usually the prompts have made me branch out and try books outside me usual go-tos.
Happy Friday, y’all. I seem to be getting back to normal, finally.
I made the decision to have my yard debris picked up, which happened last Thursday. I was dismayed at the yellow grass ring left but watering had been voluntarily suspended while electricity was off at the water plant. I haven’t been able to find out if it was rescinded so I made the decision to turn my system back on. Wednesday, my yard got watered for the first time since the storm.
My extension classes have ended, except for a couple in November.
My volunteer literacy tutor training is this coming Saturday. And, there is no guarantee that I will have a learner right away as they had not started looking for learners until they had tutors.
I did restart my blogs. And, I have been doing writing prompts on one. And, I got up my nerve to start a long stymied plan for a blog of just my pictures. My first post of nothing but pics from the Audubon Foraging Ponds is now live.
Finished:
Heaven Has No Favorites – PAS. 3*. This book was slow starting for me, but I did like the second half much better as the story started to grab me.
In This Grave Hour – ALCM. 4*. A continuation of a series - Maisie Dobbs.
To Die But Once – ALCM. 4*. Same series, next book. These books are engaging and keep me reading.
Pray for Silence – ATY #41. An Amish mystery. Really enjoyed.
Currently Reading:
The Gray House (Kindle) – BIG book of over 700 pages. Owned. 30%. Quit on this one this past week. I want to get back to it this week and am aiming for 70%.
West with Giraffes – ATY #40. CD Audio. 33%
Skin – PAS. 30%. Still nervous about how scary it is going to be.
Killers of a Certain Age – Library Book Club. 71%. This one will be finished today. Fun read.
Just Starting:
Silver Sparrow - PAS. 1%
On Deck:
East Wind: West Wind – PAS
Parable of the Talents - PAS
PS 32/50 (No headway on this challenge, although I own 4 of the remaining books and have one on hold)
ATY 40/52 (Still working on #40…audio CD. I went on and read the #41 and will start #42 this weekend. Just a little bit behind on read in order.)
GR 171/200
QotW: It seems every year there is at least one Popsugar prompt that has enabled me to read a book I totally enjoyed or that powerfully impacts my life and I might never have otherwise read. Has that happened to you? In 2024 or in the past? Tell us, please!
Can't really think of any, although I have had several 5 star reads this year, which impacted my thinking...but I don't think any of them were books I wouldn't have read except for a PS prompt.
Happy Friday! Had another interview today so my brain has been stuck on fear mode all week. This was the best option so far, so finger crossed.The weather has been so mild for October. It got up to 21C the yesterday, and that's like an average British summer day! I traded my shorts and dresses for jeans and jumpers, so now I'm too hot everywhere I go, but it just feels weird to wear summer clothes now. At least our acer looks gorgeous. It's usually dropped its leaves before it does its gold and red thing.
Finished:
The Vengeance by Emma Newman for ATY (sea). Fun swashbuckling adventure inspired by the world of Dumas. My knowledge of Dumas ends with Dogtanian, but I enjoyed this non-the-less.
Darkly by Marisha Pessl which I'm shoehorning into the bildungsroman prompt. I loved this. It has puzzles within puzzles, and the boardgames are kind of over the top but in a way I would love to play.
QOTW:
I try and work it so I read books for Popsugar that I would read anyway, and often the ones I wouldn't have read anyway are the ones I feel a bit meh about. I can't think of any right now where I think I'm so glad Popsugar forced me to read this, but maybe it had happened.
Ellie wrote: " My knowledge of Dumas ends with Dogtanian, but I enjoyed this non-the-less...."Dogtanian was great fun. It's now hard to envisage the historical characters as actual people!
I can't wait for all of this political stuff to calm down. Either we revert to the past or we take the path of a better future. That's all I'll say on it though.******
Book News:
- Haven't been reading that much this month. I've read 6 books so far, but that's it. I'm hoping to get in at least a short one between now and the end of October.
This month my focus has been on planning for Nonfiction November and Native American Heritage Month. I've got 20 books planned. While I know I won't get to all of them, I at least want to have options so I've ordered them from my highest priority to my least. Also to fulfill the Nonfiction November prompts.
Since this is Olive's last year hosting, I figured I would literally go out with a bang and get new books for it. I'm doing 4 books for each of the prompts.
It's also Native American Heritage Month in November so I'm making sure to read some Indigenous books as well.
*****
It seems every year there is at least one Popsugar prompt that has enabled me to read a book I totally enjoyed or that powerfully impacts my life and I might never have otherwise read. Has that happened to you? In 2024 or in the past? Tell us, please
I can honestly say that's not the case for me. As it is I forget the PS prompts so I have to go back. As it is this year I struggled with it since most of the prompts were geared toward fiction. I had to dig deep for nonfiction books that could fit and even then it was a hit or miss so whatever book I'm reading I'll check if they fit the prompts. If the PS Challenge is done next year for 2025, I'm hoping the prompts will be better.I can't wait for all of this political stuff to calm down. Either we revert to the past or we take the path of a better future. That's all I'll say on it though.
******
Book News:
- Haven't been reading that much this month. I've read 6 books so far, but that's it. I'm hoping to get in at least a short one between now and the end of October.
This month my focus has been on planning for Nonfiction November and Native American Heritage Month. I've got 20 books planned. While I know I won't get to all of them, I at least want to have options so I've ordered them from my highest priority to my least. Also to fulfill the Nonfiction November prompts.
Since this is Olive's last year hosting, I figured I would literally go out with a bang and get new books for it. I'm doing 4 books for each of the prompts.
It's also Native American Heritage Month in November so I'm making sure to read some Indigenous books as well.
*****
It seems every year there is at least one Popsugar prompt that has enabled me to read a book I totally enjoyed or that powerfully impacts my life and I might never have otherwise read. Has that happened to you? In 2024 or in the past? Tell us, please
I can honestly say that's not the case for me. As it is I forget the PS prompts so I have to go back. As it is this year I struggled with it since most of the prompts were geared toward fiction. I had to dig deep for nonfiction books that could fit and even then it was a hit or miss so whatever book I'm reading I'll check if they fit the prompts. If the PS Challenge is done next year for 2025, I'm hoping the prompts will be better.
Happy Saturday! I didn’t love the thunderstorm we got last weekend, and I’m completely miffed at baseball, but book-wise things are good! I made it to the bookstore and picked up a print copy of If We Were Villains thanks to a gift card from my sister, and was immediately reminded why I only duck in there about once a year 😂 bookstores are dangerous places! If I could live there with all the gorgeous books I would do it in a heartbeat. As it was, I dispensed some unsolicited (although much appreciated) advice to a mom whose teen kiddo was hunting for a book for school. I do hope she ended up finding something manageable for the semester!Read this week:
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - DNF. I liked it very much at first but around 30% it took a weird turn that I wasn’t a fan of. Also, Dov. Ew. Book that centers on video games
The Kaiju Preservation Society - 4 stars. Fast, fun, and nerdy as hell. 24 letters in the title
Paladin's Strength - 4.75 stars. Is it weird if I say this one was giving Brave vibes, for the shapeshifting? Istvhan felt a bit bland early on but he found his rhythm again, and I love Clara to bits. Nicely narrated by Joel Richards once again.
PS 44/50
ATY 50/52
Mount TBR 27/48
Currently:
The Blade Itself - Giving this another go and I’m optimistic!
The Last Final Girl - This is everything I want in a horror book. The perfect send-up of classic slasher films. His pop culture references are on point and crack me up every time!
The Republic of Thieves - My audiobook lapsed so this is on the back burner.
QOTW: It seems every year there is at least one Popsugar prompt that has enabled me to read a book I totally enjoyed or that powerfully impacts my life and I might never have otherwise read. Has that happened to you? In 2024 or in the past? Tell us, please! 😊
Ooooh boy, I don't know that many of my PS reads are books I wouldn't have otherwise picked up, because I tend to read fairly widely. Mine tend toward books that have moldered on my backlog for years and I'm glad to have finally gotten around to reading, and they didn't disappoint - a few that fit the bill this year are The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin, Emma, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, and Hild.
Mod
I just gave a copy of that book to my (18 yo) daughter!
She asked for a horror novel that is similar to Junji Ito. Something "really disturbing," she said. I don't read disturbing stuff so it was hard for me to think of anything. I DO happen to own The Last Final Girl & Night of the Mannequins (the latter is actually a book I bought for her a few years ago, but then I read it and decided it was too disturbing to give to her! but she's older now so I figure it's okay) so I gave those to her.
But I know that SGJ is NOT similar to Junji Ito so it might not be what she wants. I read a lot of zombie books (which she says she does not want, she thinks zombies are boring) but I don't read a lot of body horror, so I'm having hard time finding anything that fits what she's asking for.
Any recommendations?
I put the following on hold for her:
Jawbone
Wilder Girls
House of Hollow
Camp Damascus (this is not erotica like his other stuff, RIGHT? I hope? Otherwise she's going to be wondering what mom was thinking LOL)
The Murders of Molly Southbourne
The Family Plot
Broken Monsters
The TRUTH is, she's not going to read any of these. She's just not a big reader. But I can't resist a book request!
Camp Damascus is an excellent choice! Definitely not erotica! She may also like Kalynn Bayron's You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight
Mod
Thank you! I'm adding that to the pile of holds. What's more exciting than a shelf full of held books at the library? LOL
Happy Saturday! It's been over a month since my last check in. I was dealing with my cat. Turns out she has polyps in her ears which are thankfully not cancer. The vet had her on medication and ear drops. But the polyps were causing ear infections so she had to have surgery to get them removed. She is doing well now. I have discovered she will escape from the cone if I'm not looking. Sneaky. I ordered a soft pillow cone from amazon that she has not escaped from..... yet. Finished:
The Pairing (PS second chance romance) 1 star. I was super disappointed in this one. I really enjoyed another book by this author Red, White & Royal Blue but this book was nowhere close. Two ex’s getting back together is already a hard sell for me since you don’t get to see what caused them to fall in love the first time. I did not believe this couple were at all healthy for each other. And every other character was basically an interchangeable hot person who wanted to sleep with them.
The Authenticity Project (PS travel destination on bucket list) 3 stars. A cool premise but I wish the author dug a little deeper into it.
Station Eternity (ATY title ends in a, t, or y) 2 stars. I just could not get into this. It was a bit confusing in places.
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics (ATY related to going for the gold) 4 stars. I really enjoyed this. It’s very impressive to be able pull off writing about boat races and manage to make it really compelling.
Magic for Liars (PS trans or non-binary author)3 stars. Solving a murder at a magic school is fun. I do wish we had got a POV from other characters since the main character is not my favorite.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built (ATY best book of the month ATY thread) 4 stars. I sometimes have a hard time getting into novellas. It seems like it takes a delicate balance to write enough world building as well as plot in a shorter story. This one was very well done.
Bright Young Women (PS recommended by a bookseller) 5 stars. I devoured this one. This was about the fictional lives of women victims of a real life serial killer. I like that the actual serial killers name is never said in the book (if you know the real story it is obvious which serial killer it is). It pokes at the myth of the charismatic escapee killer and instead he’s some loser who only benefited from law enforcement incompetence, politics, and greed.
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (PS set in the future) 3 stars. I liked this a little less than the first one but it was still worth reading.
The Paradox Hotel (ATY involving travel) 2 stars. I love time travel books but this one was not good. If you want to use time travel in your book than your conclusion has to be clever. It has to draw all the seemingly random pieces together. This did not.
VenCo (ATY single word title) 2 stars. Witchy fun but the bad guy creeped me out a bit too much for me to enjoy it.
Currently reading:
The Book Eaters (PS recommended by a librarian)
Somewhere Beyond the Sea (PS published in 24)
QOTW: I can't think of any off the top of my head but I'm sure I have. So far I'm really enjoying The Book Eaters and its not a book I would have chosen at all. Hopefully, the ending holds up.
Ended up with 3 new books yesterday.One of them was a gift. I'm thinking of using it come Halloween. I recently bought some blood bags to use as red kool-aid pouches so maybe making something from the new cookbook I got will be fun. (GR doesn't have the book listed. It's a Spiderman Official Cookbook).
These were the other books I got:
The Science of Reading: Information, Media, and Mind in Modern America - This one looks like a lot of fun. Complex to a degree but I like books like that.
Conquistadors and Aztecs: A History of the Fall of Tenochtitlan
The cooler temps are hitting NC this week and I am here for it!! Still failing at dating on the apps and work is kicking my butt these days, so taking tomorrow off to try to get a "break".Challenges:
72/75 GoodReads Challenge
38/50 PopSugar Challenge
Finished:
1.) Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter (No Prompt) ⭐⭐⭐⭐: I really enjoyed this much more than I anticipated - the mixed media components on audio really worked for me. About an influencer that goes missing.
Currently Reading:
1.) Project Hail Mary
QoTW: It seems every year there is at least one Popsugar prompt that has enabled me to read a book I totally enjoyed or that powerfully impacts my life and I might never have otherwise read. Has that happened to you? In 2024 or in the past?
I can't think of any off hand. I'm so behind this year, I fear I won't finish the challenge this year - I'm 12 books behind and of course they are all the prompts that are out of my comfort zone.
Hello all,I had a weird week and then a busy weekend. I went on a hike, visited an event at the astronomy center and also had a funeral so... very busy weekend.
As for books I had a decent week but, also have more started than finished. As well as more borrowed books than I could possibly read in the three weeks I have them.
2024 Challenges:
Popsugar: 44/50
ATY: 52/52
Robot Librarian: 48/52
Booklist Queen: 50/52
A to Z: 26/26
Physical TBR: 2/99
Kindle TBR: 3/122
Goodreads: 201/200
Book Clubs:
PS Monthly: 23/60
Reese: 32/102
Oprah: 13/103
Jenna: 10/71
OSS: 7/39
Finished:
15 finished, 0 Completed Popsugar
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
I don’t feel like I got much out of this.
Amulet 3: The Cloud Searchers
Amulet 4: The Last Council
Amulet 5: Prince of the Elves
Amulet 6: Escape from Lucien
Amulet 7: Firelight
Amulet 8: Supernova
Amulet 9: Waverider
Lo and Behold
Hello, Little One: A Monarch Butterfly Story: A Monarch Butterfly Story
Monarch and Milkweed
Click
Camp
Act
Parachute Kids: A Graphic Novel
-------
Currently Reading
While We Were Dating
Red, White & Royal Blue
Treasure Island
The Four Agreements
The Enchanted Hacienda
On the Backburner
Libby
Physical Library Rentals
Modelland
Queen B: The Story of Anne Boleyn, Witch Queen
Wicked As You Wish
An Unreliable Magic
Crunch
Break
This Is Not the Jess Show
Swan Song
Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism
The Cuckoo's Calling
Drama
Wingbearer
Ink Girls
Magazines: (13/150)
Read since last check-in: 0
Question of the Week:
I can't really think of any.
JessicaMHR wrote: "Hello all,I had a weird week and then a busy weekend. I went on a hike, visited an event at the astronomy center and also had a funeral so... very busy weekend.
As for books I had a decent week ..."
I noted your Monarch books. I went last week to a talk on Monarchs and caring for them. I discovered that there is a monarch group locally and that they raise monarchs!
Mod
And here is my FAVORITE picture book about Monarchs: Gotta Go! Gotta Go!: A Picture Book I highly recommend this, it's so much fun to read aloud!!!
Sweet, all set for my Nonfiction November TBR. That's how I've been spending my October, planning that out. I've got a list of 20 books (4 for each prompt, plus 4 bonus books). I won't get to them all obviously, but I look forward to seeing how much I can do.
It's also Native American Heritage Month in November so I've got some Indigenous books planned.
On top of that I'm taking a class this term so I'll be busy with that. It's a Cultural Diversity in Education class so that sounds like a lot of fun and right up my alley in terms of what I like reading about anyway so I think the class will be easy.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Gotta Go! Gotta Go!: A Picture Book (other topics)Escape from Lucien (other topics)
The Last Council (other topics)
Prince of the Elves (other topics)
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Olivia Muenter (other topics)Junji Ito (other topics)
Michael Sims (other topics)
Dan Buettner (other topics)
Attica Locke (other topics)
More...
Looks as if I’m taking on another class at the gym to teach, so you would think I would be super-skinny by now!! LOL 😊 I am so grateful for having discovered this huge heated therapy pool and being allowed to teach, because that means I cannot just “skip” class!! It keeps me faithful to working out! Such a good thing! 😁
ADMIN STUFF:
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!
One "bubbling bibliophile" is needed to lead this discussion! Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!I posted some questions to get us started.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 DECEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde!
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!
I know virtually nothing about this book, so I will probably join in the monthly read discussion! Dubhease is the "End-of-Year Innovator" who has graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! YAY Dubhease! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
The comprehensive listing of 2024 Monthly Group Reads resides HERE for your perusal and reference throughout 2024!
***
Question of the Week:
It seems every year there is at least one Popsugar prompt that has enabled me to read a book I totally enjoyed or that powerfully impacts my life and I might never have otherwise read. Has that happened to you? In 2024 or in the past? Tell us, please! 😊
For me that was Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. I read it at the very last minute in 2021 to complete the Popsugar challenge and it was mind-blowing in so many ways for me… Can I honestly say I “enjoyed” it? Probably not, but Patchett’s writing totally drew me into the story and I found it to be an extremely compelling, if emotionally upsetting, read. This one book will definitely stay in my head forever, and I think that can be just as powerful, if not moreso, than pure ‘enjoyment’.
2024 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 36/50
Around the Year (AtY): 51/52
Read Harder: 17/24
52 Book Club: 45/52
Yep! I’ll document these later!
FINISHED:
*Labyrinth by Kate Mosse ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for the BBC World Book Club interview with the author October 23, celebrating the 20th anniversary of its release.
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
52 Book Club:
*The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club #1) by Richard Osman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
POPSUGAR:
ATY:
RHC:
52 Book Club:
CONTINUING:
*The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali for an IRL book club next Tuesday
*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:
*21st Birthday (Women’s Murder Club #21) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*22 Seconds (Women’s Murder Club #22) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23rd Midnight (Women’s Murder Club #23) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*23 1/2 Lies (Women’s Murder Club #23.5) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
The 24th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #24) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin