Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

A Book You Have Always Avoided Reading

This is a personal/individual decision, so no Listopia for it!

I am already trying to read a true "horror" book for the 2024 Challenge, so not sure what I'll select for this prompt in 2025.

"Always" is tricky. I might read one of the books that's been on my TBR the longest. The one I keep passing up for newer or shinier books.

Dubhease wrote: ""Always" is tricky. I might read one of the books that's been on my TBR the longest. The one I keep passing up for newer or shinier books."
That's a logical rationale!

A Little Life- Hanya Yanagihara

I guess I'll finally read one of those super-popular books I've been dodging, like Fourth Wing or Educated.

I can read A Christmas Carol. I hate the story but it’s a short book and classic so reading it once would be okay.

I'm sure I can find quite a few books for this, but it just dawned on me that the one assigned school book that I never read was in 5th grade, The Great Gilly Hopkins, so if you want to talk about a book I have *always* avoided, it doesn't get much longer standing than that!

I've been avoiding A Brief History of Seven Killings due to its size, but I was gifted a copy of it years ago, so I may go with that one.

Dubhease wrote: ""Always" is tricky. I might read one of the books that's been on my TBR the longest. The one I keep passing up for newer or shinier books."

that would be the only way for me to do this because if I was truly avoiding something a prompt in a challenge isn't going to suddenly make me

I'm probably going to read something that's been super-hyped and not my usual genre like A Court of Thorns and Roses

To be honest, I am looking for this for a book that I avoided, but still want to read, so no books I had for school or no old adventure or travel books (as they tend to be from the POV of a colonialism and did not age well).
Sooo... probably Sanderson? I've been avoiding him for almost 12 years now. Or Pratchett. Similar story - always wanted to read one of his books, but avoided him for 12-ish years...

I think I am going to use my biggest book on my Owned TBR: Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All. I tend to avoid BIG BOOKS.

Maybe I'll see what's been on my Goodreads TBR for the longest and read that... it must be something I've passed up for however long, right? :) And if I really don't want to read it, I can take it off and tidy up my TBR.

Always is a bit of a weird addition to this prompt - suggests that you've been avoiding it since you first became literate.

Dubhease wrote: ""Always" is tricky. I might read one of the books that's been on my TBR the longest. The one I keep passing up for newer or shinier books."

That's what I was thinking too - although I have a few books that I've DNF'd several times on my shelf that would also work, like The Simarillion.

I am not sure how you "always" avoid reading, as that implies that somehow you are "supposed" to read it but manage to get out of it.

I'm taking a different perspective. I have this weird habit of not reading (avoiding) books I really want to read, because once I read it, it will be over. Kind of like when you don't want to see that last episode of a tv series because then it won't be on anymore. I have a few books like this, and I'm going to read one.

I ended up going with a book that I got at a book sale years ago but have avoided picking up because it's REALLY thick. Looks like I'm going with Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand.

I'm going with a book that's been on my tbr for awhile, so I'll be reading Pet Semetary by Stephen King.

If I end up doing the advanced prompts, my book for this will be just the opposite of just about everyone else. I've set up a personal challenge of reading books by year of publication, and I'm on 2014, so the books I've been avoiding will be some of the newer bestsellers.

Jen W. wrote: "I guess I'll finally read one of those super-popular books I've been dodging, like Fourth Wing or Educated."
Ooohhh, Educated was excellent! Scary and certainly made me appreciate my own childhood much more!

I thought of a different take for me. I have a few books that I really wanted to read but watching the movie/tv show made me leave them on the tbr. The Martian is a really good option for me.

There are books that I'm interested in, but every time I'm picking a book to read, I do not pick that one. I just never feel like reading them. So this is going to be that extra push I need to read Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or The Edge of Winter (LOL I know, Big Bird is now singing: one of these things is not like the others! But Edge of Winter is at the TOP of my TBR, I've avoided reading it for the longest.)

I was also thinking of Ulysses. I started it maybe 10 years ago, and it wasn't *bad*, it just wasn't very interesting. If anyone else wanted to tackle it with me, I'd set up a buddy read.

Nadine in NY wrote: "There are books that I'm interested in, but every time I'm picking a book to read, I do not pick that one. I just never feel like reading them. So this is going to be that extra push I need to read..."

Lol, Big Bird often sings that in my life!

Jeckyll and Hyde was *fabulous*. You know how some classics you're like, "why the heck are we still reading this??" Definitely not the case with that one. Plus, it's short!

I avoid popular, everyone-is-reading-these books, so I GUESS I'll read I'm Glad My Mom Died

I might just repeat #39, A Classic You've Never Read because I don't really read classics very often

Jen W. wrote: "Maybe I'll see what's been on my Goodreads TBR for the longest and read that... it must be something I've passed up for however long, right? :) And if I really don't want to read it, I can take it ..."

That sounds good. I have some books on my list that I added but when I think about reading them, I think "not yet".

Megan wrote: "I avoid popular, everyone-is-reading-these books, so I GUESS I'll read I'm Glad My Mom Died"

I gave that one 4 stars.

There are several that I could choose from, but I might go with The Stand. I own the book, but have never read it, after my mum read it in 1994, and advised me not to, because it made her sick.

Either that, or I'll give a book like ACOTAR, another try. It isn't my thing.

Tough prompt. It seems easy, but it's not. I don't read a lot of fiction so I might go that route. Then I have to break it down by what fiction genre. I own several that I keep as a way of 'challenging' myself because I struggle so much with these. So this seems like a great prompt to work through that.

I'll have to go through my books and see what I find.

I would just like to point out that their grades of difficulty on the advanced prompts are misleading. A book I've always avoided reading would qualify as HARD to me!

This year after reading a sports book on Jim Thorpe (something I'm not big on, not into reading about sports), I told myself I would try more sports books, specifically Indigenous athletes.

This book has been sitting on my shelf forever. I have it because it's an Indigenous book. I avoid it because it's about sports.
'
Call Me Indian: From the Trauma of Residential School to Becoming the NHL's First Treaty Indigenous Player

I just discovered that the book that's been on my to-read shelf the longest – Foundation – was added in 2011! I actually bought a copy recently with the intention of reading it, but haven't yet, so I'm going to put that as my book I've been avoiding.

My other option would be a book I tried once, but DNF, and have been actively avoiding trying again, despite everyone telling me to power through it to get to the rest of the series – A Court of Thorns and Roses

I will be reading a book from a genre I do not normally read from (so avoid it all the time)...and, that genre is HORROR/DYSTOPIAN

I will be reading:
Bird Box by Josh Malerman


HAPPY READING!!

I'll probably end up using Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. I've avoided it so much it's not even on my TBR list, but my book club selected it, so I'll at least give it a shot.

I hate to admit it...but I think I'm going to use Jane Eyere for this one. The problem is my bookclub started it last year. What do you guys do with books you started the year before?

Anna wrote: "I hate to admit it...but I think I'm going to use Jane Eyere for this one. The problem is my bookclub started it last year. What do you guys do with books you started the year before?"

For me, personally, as long as I finish it in the current year, it counts toward the current year's challenge, even if I started reading it the previous year. It's how I get a head start on longer books, or books that need to go back to the library sooner.

Like many others, I'm going to go with a book I keep neglecting. I misplaced Yumi and the Nightmare Painter a couple of chapters in, and kept forgetting to go back to it.

So Yumi it is!

Well crap. There is a book I really want to read but have avoided for ten years…

The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett

It's the tenth anniversary of his death in March. It might be time I come to terms with the end of the Discworld and finally read the last novel Sir Terry wrote…

There will be tears.

Now to decide if I'll read it in March, (the anniversary of his death), August (the anniversary of its first publication), or September (the anniversary of its US publication).

Tania wrote: "That's what I was thinking too - although I have a few books that I've DNF'd several times on my shelf that would also work, like The Simarillion.
"

I think I'm about to take a third run at the Silmarillion, too. It's just so dense! Here's to making it more than 50 pages in this time. I may still not finish it.

Here are a couple ways that The Silmarillion may go down easier:

1. There is an audio version read by Andy Serkis. I've tried the first section in that format, and he does an astoundingly good job with it.

2. If you know you love Middle-Earth but are struggling with a particular section of The Silmarillion, the Prancing Pony Podcast covered the entire book in their earlier episodes. Of course, this takes up some time, but it is a fun way to clear up confusion about what is important and what is happening in the book.

Brandon wrote: "Here are a couple ways that The Silmarillion may go down easier:

1. There is an audio version read by Andy Serkis. I've tried the first section in that format, and he does an astoundingly good job..."

Those are two great suggestions! I only wish I could go back in time and hand younger me who had vast amounts of free time an interest in LOTR a little sooner (didn't read the books until I was 18, and fell head-over-heels)

I'm going to read Frankenstein: The 1818 Text for this one. I learned about it as a young teen and instantly thought the premise was so ridiculous that I was put off. Now that I understand better what an important role it played in the history of literature, I think it's time to read it for myself.

Klau wrote: "Sooo... probably Sanderson? I've been avoiding him for almost 12 years now. Or Pratchett. Similar story - always wanted to read one of his books, but avoided him for 12-ish years..."

If you want one of Sir Terry Pratchett's earlier old-school books, which still has plenty of subtle social commentary hiding behind comedy and satire, I recommend starting with Guards! Guards!, the entry point for the City Watch storyline. If you want to start with a more modern work, the Moist von Lipwig books would be a good choice: Going Postal.

The Granny Weatherwax/Witches and Unseen University storylines are also wonderful, but many people find them to be a less-accessible starting point.

If we're talking Sanderson, I may be biased but I always recommend starting with Mistborn. Mistborn: The Final Empire is the first book of the original trilogy.

The Stormlight Archive gets the most hype now. It's a great series (and huge), but the first book is confusing to start. I love it, but it is a harder start. Even many Cosmerenauts like me had to set it aside initially and then come back to it. The first third of the book starts like four or five different storylines!

Brandon wrote: "Here are a couple ways that The Silmarillion may go down easier:

1. There is an audio version read by Andy Serkis. I've tried the first section in that format, and he does an astoundingly good job..."

YES! The Andy Serkis audio is great. Sadly, I'm still waiting on it from my library on Libby. I got halfway through before my loan expired, which is way more than I ever got before.

And thanks for the tip about Prancing Pony. I may do that in tandem with book when my loan comes available again.

Anna wrote: "I hate to admit it...but I think I'm going to use Jane Eyere for this one. The problem is my bookclub started it last year. What do you guys do with books you started the year before?"



I count books that I finish this year, doesn't matter when I started them.

Dea wrote: "Well crap. There is a book I really want to read but have avoided for ten years…

The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett

It's the tenth anniversary of his death in M..."



You make a good point, there are several books I think I would enjoy that I am actively avoiding because the author died and I'm reluctant to finish the last books they read and find myself with no more books to look forward to.

Nadine in NY wrote: "There are books that I'm interested in, but every time I'm picking a book to read, I do not pick that one. I just never feel like reading them. So this is going to be that extra push I need to read..."

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is one of my favorite books! I definitely recommend checking it out.


Jennifer W wrote: "Jeckyll and Hyde was *fabulous*. You know how some classics you're like, "why the heck are we still reading this??" Definitely not the case with that one. Plus, it's short!"

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is also really good! I listened to an audiobook version of the story last year, which was read by Richard Armitage, and really enjoyed it.

As You Wish wrote: "I think I'm about to take a third run at the Silmarillion, too. It's just so dense! Here's to making it more than 50 pages in this time. I may still not finish it."

The Silmarillion can be a tough read. I definitely agree with both of Brandon's suggestions, and also recommend reading it with another person (or a group) if you can. It's really helpful to be able to discuss each chapter as you are reading.

I also recommend checking out the Tea with Tolkien website. They provide a lot of great Tolkien resources, including a reading schedule, blog, and a free reader's guide for The Silmarillion. The web address is... https://www.teawithtolkien.com/silmar...

I’m going to choose a book that I purchased and continue to ignore because, “Oooh! New books!” Maybe this will be a good place to put Little House on the Prairie. I’ve only had the set since the 1980’s and don’t think I’ve ever fully read any of them! 🤦🏻‍♀️