Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Happy Thursday!

How is February already over? I feel like it just started last week. I think maybe I was buried by snow for so long that I lost track of the passage of time, I was both snow blind and time blind. I am happy to report that not only have we FINALLY experienced 24 hours without snow falling, we even got some SUN and BLUE SKY yesterday! Few things are more beautiful than a blue winter sky and white snow blanketing the ground.


Admin stuff
The February group read ("non traditional education") is A Deadly Education, join the discussion here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Thank you to Erin for leading the discussion!

March's group read will be: Station Eleven. March starts in two days - we still need a volunteer to lead this discussion! Discussion will be happening here, with or without a discussion leader:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The final poll for our April group read, for healing fiction, is closed, and the group chose: Before the Coffee Gets Cold


The nomination poll for May's group read, which could fill "space tourism" is open here: please vote for and/or write in your choice:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...





This week I finished 3 books, 2 for Popsugar.

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros- well ... it was ... not great? not as good as the previous two books. It had a lot of filler, a lot of rambling. But yes I'll still read the rest of the series, of course I will. I checked off "character with chronic pain" (ironically one night when I was reading this *I* was not feeling well, and I actually had to stop reading, because reading about HER pain while I was feeling my OWN pain was just too much!).

The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig - this was a NetGalley read from one of my FAVORITE authors, it publishes next week, and sadly I think it was her worst book. This is based on an actual murder trial in NYC, in which Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr both served as defense attorneys to the accused murderer. If you love historical novels based on real people and you can NOT get enough of Hamilton and Burr, you will probably LOVE this book. It just wasn't my thing. I wanted more of the murder investigation, less of the Hamilton/Burr shenanigans. It WAS interesting to see how much trials have changed over the years. Willig is a former lawyer, so I'm sure she researched the HECK out of those details and got it all right. I could not find a Popsugar category for this one, but I checked off "murder/true crime" in AtY.

Galatea by Madeline Miller- this turned out to be more of a short story than the novella I was expecting, and it was a lot more disturbing than Miller's other books. I confess I'd never spent much time thinking about the story of Pygmalion, but hell yeah he was a creep and he deserved this portrayal. This was one of the books on my "must read in 2025" list, and I checked off "book < 250 pages" for Popsugar, and "book by an author you've enjoyed" in AtY.


Popsugar 32% 16 /50
Must Reads 10% 1 /10
AtY 31% 16 /52
AtY bonus 0% 0 /10
2025 pub 14% 7 /50
NetGalley ratio 78%




Question of the Week

Do you prefer reading books set in far-flung locations you've never visited, or familiar locations?



I do get a kick out of books set in familiar locations (although invariably I'm so distracted by the small details they get wrong that I can't enjoy the book), but if I have to pick one, I'll choose far-flung locations.

Happy Thursday, all.

I got my book tattoo! Yes, it hurt getting it, though the pain was more annoying than anything else. Right now it itches as it heals, but I'm very pleased with the result.

Books read this week:

Rosemary’s Baby -- for “a book you want to read based on the last sentence.” I didn’t think this was quite as good as The Stepford Wives, but it was still creepy and riveting.

How to Age Disgracefully -- for “a book about a character going through menopause.” What a delightful cast of characters! Hilarious and heartfelt.

Unicorn Book Club -- not for the challenge. Another entry in the Phoebe and Her Unicorn series, and still fun.

DNF:

The Bandit Queens -- for “a book about a married couple who don’t live together.” Couldn’t get into it. Are there any books set in India that DON’T portray the country as a miserable place?

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend -- for “a book set at a luxury resort.” Could not bring myself to care about the main character.

Currently reading:

August Kitko and the Mechas from Space -- for “a book where music is an integral part of the storyline”
The Devil's Playground -- for “a book with a snake on the cover or in the title”
Fahrenheit 451 -- for “a dystopian book with a happy ending”
The Bones Beneath My Skin -- for “a book featuring an LGBTQ character that isn’t about coming out”

QOTW:

I love reading books set just about anywhere! I'm not picky about location.

The end of February, what?! That makes no sense at all.
2 months down already is crazy.

Things have been busy lately. Babysitting and then school is almost done. Also been working with a new psychiatrist this month. So not only do I have my regular therapy appointments, but I also have psychiatry appointments every 2 weeks as well. On a new anxiety medication.

This week because my official diagnosis report lists ADHD, they had me go in and take an ADHD test called a TOVA test. I get my results for that next week. I've been told I might have ADHD several times before but I dismissed it. Now though I'll have to face it whatever the results show. My psychiatrist told me she wants to get my anxiety under control first before we tackle the ADHD part.

School is almost over so that's a relief. Need to figure out my next steps with that, but I'm taking it easy.

*****

Book News:

I am loving this years Pop Sugar Challenge! I've been reading more books this time around than I have in a while. I think because there's more leeway for nonfiction whereas I've struggled with that in the past.

I've read 19 books for the challenge so far which is more than I've done on any of the past challenges which is excellent.

*****

Went to the bookstore last week. Had a heavy session so my mom figured I needed it which was fun. Got some neat stuff.

This week went to the comic book shop and got some great comics there.

****

With the month now pretty much over I finished 11 books which is excellent. In January I read 12. Even though I consider myself a mood reader, I find that doing monthly TBR lists is actually working out in my favor. I have yet to hit a reading slump and I'm loving the book choices.

I won't list all of the books I read, but I will list my top 3:

1. Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism - 5 stars. Wow what an incredible book! Hard to get through at times, but a much needed book.

2. Gather Me: A Memoir in Praise of the Books That Saved Me - 4 stars. Not one for memoirs that much, but I loved this one. There was so much I could relate to.

3. The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred - 4 stars. Not my typical read/genre but I found myself loving it. It got a little political at times, but I didn't mind that too much. Do wish she got into more science than politics though but these days it can be hard to separate them so that was okay.

*****

I have my TBR set for March and have some excellent reads that I'm excited for. I already got a head start on some of them.

*****

Currently Reading:

Is Earth Exceptional?: The Quest for Cosmic Life - Another science book. This asks the fundamental question from a scientific POV. I love this book! Currently on chapter 5. Chapters 3 and 4 were heavy with chemistry (a class I struggled with in school) but I am loving every minute of this book. It's different reading a subject when you're not told to.

Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us - First read this in 2023. I remember loving this book, but I don't remember the details too much. It's now out in paperback so I thought it would be fun to dive into again and since I don't remember much it's like I'm reading it again for the first time.

Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base - Currently have an issue with this book but I'm hoping as I read along I won't hold it against it as I get deeper.

The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us - Finally reading this one and it's off to a good start.

*****

QOTW:

Do you prefer reading books set in far-flung locations you've never visited, or familiar locations?

I like familiar locations. There's so much history in just my backyard (or places I've been to) so I like learning about those places first. If I genuinely get curious about a far-flung location like say Europe or Rome or some place like that then I'll read about it, but I have to be in a deep heavy head space for stuff that's beyond what I'm used to or beyond my own country for that matter.

This may be my earliest check-in ever! 🤓 I'm home this morning to get my roof replaced...but I really think it's not going to happen today since it's been raining lightly off and on. ANNNNDDDD, I just got the call that I've been bumped to tomorrow, so I guess I'll hit "post" and head into office 🙃 At least the temps are higher this week and there's no rain the forecast for tomorrow. Hopefully, the fourth time's the charm!

Anyway...I finished two books but they didn't fit any of my open prompts, so no movement on this challenge. I'm at 5/40 and 0/10 for this challenge, and 13/85 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge (though my GR tracker shows 14 since it includes a DNFed book).

Finished:
* Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? written by Martin Luther King Jr. and narrated by J.D. Jackson; and,
* Tidy Up Your Life: Rethinking How to Organize, Declutter, and Make Space for What Matters Most by Tyler Moore, which I mostly skimmed. It was ok but felt more like a memoir than a how to book to me, so it didn't really click with me since I don't follow the author on social media 🤷🏼‍♀️

Currently Reading:
* The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims; and,
* Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour.

I'll probably start one or both of my March book club picks tonight but haven't decided yet.

QotW:
Do you prefer reading books set in far-flung locations you've never visited, or familiar locations? I love both but if I had to choose, I'd go with books set in far-flung locations. I especially like it when they are locations I haven't been before since I get to experience some place new 🌎🌍🌏

Hi all. Still sick. Got pink eye on top of this cold/flu thing, so that's fun. Nothing much going on as a result. Been "warmer" here this week- into the 40s, and the robins and redwing blackbirds have returned! Otherwise, I've mostly been watching cooking shows and spring training baseball.

Read a few chapters in A Season with Mom: Love, Loss, and the Ultimate Baseball Adventure and The Poet X, but barely worth reporting. I can't focus when I'm sick.

QOTW: I've never really thought about it. I guess I don't pick books based on where they are set. I get a little thrill when I read a book that is set somewhere I know, but a book that can transport me to someplace I've never been is magical. It's tough to do though, few authors pull it off.

Jennifer W wrote: "Been "warmer" here this week- into the 40s, and the robins and redwing blackbirds have returned!..."



Wow!! No blackbirds here yet!!

Happy Thursday, everyone!

This really hasn’t been much of a week. I’ve been fighting allergies for the past several days, and the only medication that seems to be helping is Benadryl. Unfortunately, Benadryl usually knocks me out, so I’ve spent a significant portion of the week sleeping.

Despite the naps, I have managed to do a little reading this week. I’m going to be participating in March Mystery Madness beginning on Saturday, so I’m trying to finish the fantasy trilogy that I’m currently reading before the end of the month. The books have been really good, so I think I can manage to finish before the readathon begins...as long as I don't take any more 4 hour naps.

Here are my current challenge and TBR totals…

Goodreads Challenge: 082/250
Mount TBR Challenge: 064/150

📚Physical TBR: 58/731
📱Ebook TBR: 3/218
🎧Audiobook TBR: 3/12
TBR Checklist Total: 64/961

TBR Books DNFed in 2025: 2

Well, I almost made it to the end of the month without purchasing any more books…but my self-control was insufficient. I picked up a copy of the illustrated edition of The Princess Bride, by William Goldman, because after last week’s QOTW, I decided that I wanted to give the book another try. I also picked up a copy of As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride, by Cary Elwes, which I’m really excited to begin reading.

“New” Books Bought in 2024: 22
“New” Books Read in 2024: 18
“New” Books DNFed in 2024: 0

Here are the books I finished this week…

Finished Reading (Fiction):
~A Dragon of Black Glass — This is the third book in the Moonfall series. I thought this was a great continuation of the series, and can’t wait for the final book to be published. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book does include references to torture, as well as some animal deaths. (hide spoiler)] 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Burning Witch — This is the first book in the sequel trilogy to The Princess of Potential. I really enjoyed this story, and I’m already looking forward to continuing the trilogy this afternoon. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
None

Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
None

Finished Reading (Poetry and Drama):
None

DNFed:
None

Currently Reading:
~The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1001 Nights, Volume 2 — I am continuing to take an extended break from this book, but I may resume reading it in the next week or so. 📚
~The Return of the King — I am really enjoying listening to this book before bed each night. 🎧
~Parable of the Sower — I am currently five chapters into this book, which I am buddy reading with one of my really good friends. It’s really good, but the accuracy of the author’s predictions is more than a little terrifying. 📚
~The Burning Witch — I will be starting the second book of this trilogy later today, and I’m really looking forward to diving into it. 📚

QOTW:
I hadn’t really thought about this before, but I do tend to gravitate toward books set in far-flung locations. I also enjoy reading stories set in fantasy locations.

Happy Thursday!

Finished
The Other Valley I loved this, the story of a valley where other valleys, 20 years ahead and behind are to the east and the west. Travel between them is very tightly controlled - you have to be approved to go, and once there, you wear masks and other identity-concealing items, and are only allowed to observe, not interact. One day a young girl, Odile, sees some of these visitors, and figures out what their visit may mean, which then affects her subsequent choices.
I'm not sure why I loved this book so much - it's a little slower and more constrained than I'd tend to think of as my preference. Really, I think it was maybe that I emphasized so much with Odile, being stuck on this path, and not really being happy with that, but the amount of effort and discomfort and danger in trying to change it is so much that it results in a kind of paralysis.
I've described one other book this way, but I say it spoke to my soul (the other book was The Women Could Fly).
Didn't use it for a PS prompt, but it could fit like 10 AtY, of which I checked off a book set primarily in nature.

The Bedlam Stacks Another very slow, constrained story, but not enough happened in this one. It also seemed to be a critique of colonialism, in that the main character kept talking about the negative effects of Britain's activities in various countries, but then never questioned his own role within that or talked about how he felt about his own actions. Just left me wanting. Used for snake on the cover.

French Exit Enjoyable enough - more for the writing style than the content, I think. But I finished it like two days ago, and I already forgot that I read it this week until I checked my notes! No prompt.

Currently Reading
Poor Deer
Sociopath: A Memoir
Radiate

QotW
Since sff is my favorite genre, they're generally going to be really far-flung!

Nadine in NY wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Been "warmer" here this week- into the 40s, and the robins and redwing blackbirds have returned!..."



Wow!! No blackbirds here yet!!"


Just saw some yesterday morning when taking the kiddo out to the bus!

Jennifer W wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Been "warmer" here this week- into the 40s, and the robins and redwing blackbirds have returned!..."



Wow!! No blackbirds here yet!!"


Just saw some yeste..."


They are the true sign of spring!!! Their buzzy trill is the song of summer.

Happy Thursday!

2025 Reading Challenges::

52 Book Club: 20/52 (Lunar New Year Mini-Challenge: 3/3)
ATY: 15/52 (ATY Anniversary Challenge: 1/10, ATY Winter Challenge: 15/15)
The Book Girls’ Guide: 13/74
Booklist Queen: 19/52
Cover Lovers: 16/50
Popsugar: 20/50

My Ever-Growing TBR: 21/225 – 9.3% (My goal is 33.3%.)

Recently Completed:

The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future: Scary but eye-opening information about the fragility of our electrical grid. Reasonable Doubt Book Club. ★★★★

Alas, Babylon: First published in 1959, this is classic dystopian fiction. (Booklist Queen #41 – dystopian novel/Popsugar #49 – dystopian novel with a happy ending) ★★★★

Jackpot Summer (52 Books #7 – set in summer/ATY #2 – involving money/Booklist Queen #23 – set in summer) ★★★★

The Secret Garden: Frances Hodgson Burnett was a huge part of my childhood reading. My grandmother had those books at her house, so I think I read them every summer. (Popsugar #30 – reminds you of your childhood) ★★★★

Between Two Trailers: Scattered and sluggish, this was a chore to finish. The author skips over huge parts of her life, and, in the end, I felt like the author romanticized her childhood as the daughter of mentally ill drug dealers. Very disappointing. (Cover Lovers #26 – a number in the title or design/Popsugar #8 – under 250 pages) ★★

The Bookbinder: (ATY #17 – historical fiction before 1925/BGG Decades – 1900s to 1910s/Booklist Queen #47 – thought-provoking historical fiction) ★★★★

The Force of Such Beauty (ATY #24 – main character is a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, or a criminal/Popsugar #50 – a character with chronic pain) ★★★

Fang Fiction (ATY #33 – author you’ve enjoyed before/Booklist Queen #35 – a green cover/Cover Lovers #1 – your favorite color: green) ★★★

Just for the Summer (ATY #42 – sunset vibes/Booklist Queen #24 – a 2024 bestseller) ★★★★

Too Hot to Handle: Ugh. Jasper has a bad boy reputation – he’s known for his sexual prowess – but he loathes it. He wants to repair his reputation. Then he meets Rita, and he thinks it might be the real thing. Does he hold back? Try romance for once? No. They have sex. A lot of sex. Sigh. I obviously didn’t understand the premise of this book. (52 Books #45 – author publishes more than one book a year) ★★★

Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture ★★★



Currently Reading:

Karma: My Autobiography (52 Books #40 – stream of consciousness narrative)
Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver (ATY #8 – a collection of brief writings/Popsugar #36 – silver on the cover)
Isola (52 Books #21 – character’s name in title/ATY #25 – waves on the cover)
A Little Too Familiar (Booklist Queen #49 – a romance)
Nuclear War: A Scenario (52 Books #4 – title starts with N/ATY Spring Challenge #7 – JELLYBEANS: Annie Jacobsen)
All Systems Red (Booklist Queen #5 – becoming a movie/show in 2025)
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women (ATY Anniversary #4 – related to the periodic table of elements/BGG Decades #3 – 1920s)
Tangled Up in You (52 Books #34 – direction in title: Up/Popsugar #12 – a road trip)
Lore Olympus: Volume Seven (ATY #4 – set underground, undersea, or in an underworld)
Happiness for Beginners (BGG ICYMI Backlist #3 – published in 2015/Booklist Queen #15 – published in 2015)
Ready Player One (ATY Spring Challenge #8 – RAINSTORM: Ready/Booklist Queen #52 – reread of a favorite/Cover Lovers #44 – cover features a key or keyhole)



QOTW: As much as far-flung places can be romantic, I prefer books set in familiar places. I've moved quite a bit in the last few years, and I've really enjoyed embracing my new homes through books.

Guys! Pre-ordering new releases drives me nuts! I've been waiting anxiously for The Strange Case of Jane O. to come out, which it did on Tuesday. But I had forgotten that I pre-ordered it from Powells, so now, instead of being able to read it right when it comes out, I'm having to wait for it to ship. I know, first world problems, but I thought you guys could relate.

Purchased TBR 2025: 7/11
Library TBR 2025: 12/14
Library Challenge: 12/20
PS Challenge: 38/50

Finished: Weathering read for prompt has the same title.

The Cruelty Is the Point: The Past, Present, and Future of Trump's America read for politician is main character.

Weathering: The Extraordinary Stress of Ordinary Life in an Unjust Society 2nd book for same title. Even mentioned in the first one!

Everything Is Possible: Antifascism and the Left in the Age of Fascism

Recommended Reading

Started: Spiritual Housecleaning: Healing the Space Within by Beautifying the Space Around You

How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith I'm enjoying this book a lot.

QotW: This doesn't really seem like a salient question to me. Maybe because I read so much non-fiction? Maybe I don't pay much attention to the setting or assume that it's a fictional setting?

I can't decide if I'm happy March is practically here (new month, fresh start type of thinking) or if I'm not quite ready for it yet (not wanting to face what's on my calendar, etc.). I guess I'll know by Saturday! lol

Completed
10th Anniversary
The Last Séance: Tales of the Supernatural

PS challenge 17/50

Currently Reading
Brideshead Revisited: The Sacred and Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder
The Half Life of Valery K
The Patience Stone
A Certain Justice

QOTW
I don't prefer one over the other.

I agree that February has flown by, although our blackbirds and robins don't leave over winter. They do seems a lot chirpier of late though! And we've had a few nice days of sunshine at last.

Finished:
Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire. I thought the real world half was much stronger than the part where she was in the underwater world, although I loved the turtles. And yay for a book pointing out that tortoises and turtles aren't the same thing.
Popsugar: 45 A book with a left-handed character
ATY: 1. A book with a cover that has an image of something that starts with A, T, or Y
Cover Lover: 37. an aquatic animal

Tilt by Emma Pattee. I enjoyed the parts about the earthquake and the main character trying to find her husband while heavily pregnant and Portland is falling apart around her. I wasn't so fond of the before sections, which were mostly about regret at not succeeding in the arts which is incredibly hard as we all know. She does the right thing and gets a job with healthcare, while her husband keeps trying to chase his dream, but at what cost to her? Ending was a bit sudden, I would have liked to have known who was OK, but I guess that's not very literary!
ATY: 43. A book whose title has ten or fewer letters

QOTW:
It's so rare that books are set anywhere I've lived that it's a novel experience reading them. It was a nice surprise when The Wake-Up Call was set locally and I could easily imagine all the places. But mostly I don't pick books based on location - especially as I read a lot of fantasy.

Happy Thursday!

Had a nice long weekend for my birthday and now I am moderately busy (but not crazy) at work, which is the best kind of busy, IMO.

Finished:
This Ends in Embers by Kamilah Cole - 4 stars - I wound up using this for Popsugar's book set in or around a body of water, since it mostly takes place on islands. A nice close to the duology, but I think I still enjoyed the first book more.

The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 12 by Natsu Hyuuga - 4 stars - not for a prompt. I always love spending more time with Maomao. I think I'm almost caught up to the English releases, though!

Comics & manga:
Cinderella Closet Vol. 8
Honey Lemon Soda, Vol. 1
Natsume's Book of Friends, Vol. 30
Don't Call it Mystery (Omnibus) Vol. 11-12
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Vol. 12
Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc., Vol. 6
Akane-banashi, Vol. 10

I am currently at 10/50 for Popsugar (8/40 and 2/10).

Currently reading:
A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall for Popsugar's book with two or more books on the cover. Just starting this, so no real opinion yet.

Upcoming/Planned:
We'll see what the library brings me next. I'm also due to reread the first two books in the Little Thieves trilogy since book three comes out in April. I'll probably start that if nothing more urgent pops up.

QOTW:
I like a little of both. I love reading books set in New York City, because that's where I lived for twenty years and I still love the city. But it also annoys me when I know they got something wrong, I'm much less likely to pick up on that for books set somewhere less familiar. And obviously, for fantasy and sci-fi, that doesn't matter as much because most of the worlds are created.

Happy Thursday!

Nadine and others in cold, snowy climates will probably kill me for saying this, but I am not ready for winter to be over. Maybe it's because I just came back from a warm weather vacation, maybe because it's so mild here in downstate NY. I got back on Monday night and it's been in the 50s ever since. It was 17 when I left 5 days before that. I am just not ready, because spring means summer will come eventually. I really dislike summer.

We went to a family wedding in Cancun (Playa Mujeres, to be exact), followed by a few extra days of vacation. The wedding was the most fun one I have been to in a while. I've never been to a destination wedding before. Maybe that alone makes them more fun.

Finished:
We'll Prescribe You a Cat for healing fiction
The Ink Black Heart for a character with chronic pain. There were quite a few in this book, not just Strike.

Currently reading:
To Kill a Matzo Ball This book is terrible. It's short, so I kept going since it fulfills a prompt in another challenge. But it's taking so long. I just want it to be over.
The Teller of Small Fortunes on audio

QOTW:
I read for pleasure and escapism, so I will say far-flung. I love to live vicariously in places that I will not likely get to.
But I also love books set in Brooklyn. And there are so many. There are very few books set on Long Island, where I currently live, although there are 2 recent ones that I have yet to get to.

Milena wrote: "Happy Thursday!

Nadine and others in cold, snowy climates will probably kill me for saying this, but I am not ready for winter to be over. Maybe it's because I just came back from a warm weather vacation, maybe because it's so mild here in downstate NY. I got back on Monday night and it's been in the 50s ever since. It was 17 when I left 5 days before that. I am just not ready, because spring means summer will come eventually. I really dislike summer...."


LOL it has been in the 40s here, and it feels like summer, especially at night! My furnace is taking a nice rest, the snow is slowly melting, all day long I hear drip-drip-drip outside. We still have a heavy snow cover on the ground (we still have snow on our roofs!), and I am 100% confident that winter is NOT over and another cold snap is coming. Just when we least expect it ... BAM! cold weather again!

I'm in a reading slump both the arcs I have and the stuff I've picked for prompts are not grabbing me. All I managed to read was a sapphic graphic novel rom-com The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz, Not my cuppa

QOTW

Both though I also read a lot of SF/F so I guess far flung gets the nod. That said, I prefer they don't change the location much to fit their story. I'm always disappointed when I see I set this in so & so city but I changed these 20 things to make my story work

I'm with Milena - we still really haven't had a real winter here in NYC. A few dustings of snow and temps dropping below freezing a handful of days is not winter.

PS 13/60 ATY 20/52

Finished:
The Bombay Prince
India Black and the Shadows of Anarchy - prompt happily single
India Black in the City of Light and India Black and the Rajah's Ruby - short stories in series
Lessons in Chemistry - prompt - changes careers - fits other prompts I'm sure. I loved this btw. I was resisted reading it because of all the buzz. Haven't seen the series either. Then last fall I overheard at dinner a table of Jesuits comparing book to series and realized I needed to read this! True story.

Currently reading:
The Odyssey

QOTW: I certainly embrace reading books set in or from far flung places, and read a lot. But I read very diversely anyway. I'm one who always looks up setting locations to see where they are, identify movements of characters, important buildings, etc. I do get a special thrill when reading one set someplace I have traveled -- Paris, Istanbul, Egypt, etc. And of course I read any set in NYC with a gimlet eye -- Paris too since I lived there for a while - and get really ticked off if author gets it wrong -- streets, and especially in NYC, claiming someone can get a subway and be in Brooklyn from Manhattan in 10 minutes - that only works if leaving from the last top in Manhattan and stopping in one of first stops in Brooklyn!

Doni wrote: "Guys! Pre-ordering new releases drives me nuts! I've been waiting anxiously for The Strange Case of Jane O. to come out, which it did on Tuesday. But I had forgotten that I pre-ord..."

The only book I ever pre-ordered was the last book in the Hunger Games trilogy, and yeah, I had to wait a week before I got it, so what the heck was the point??

Nadine in NY wrote: "Milena wrote: "Happy Thursday!

Nadine and others in cold, snowy climates will probably kill me for saying this, but I am not ready for winter to be over. Maybe it's because I just came back from a..."

Here in the Finger Lakes, I don't feel like we had a proper winter. It was either warm enough to rain or bitterly cold but no snow. We need snowpack for the growing season, so I hope that's going to be ok... My ground is probably 95% bare right now. But yes, March can still throw some wild weather our way.

Hi all,

It's been much warmer this week, a nice change! Tuesday was nice enough I even went for a lunch walk, with a leather coat instead of a winter one! There's actually grass visible in the yard!

This week I finished:

A Letter to the Luminous Deep - I bought this mostly based on the gorgeous cover and that it sounded interesting and like it maybe was about mermaids. Mostly no, the underwater woman just lived in a house at the bottom of the ocean. It was really interesting, I hadn't really known what to expect and it certainly didn't go where I might have thought. Much more speculative and fantastical than I had imagined. I really enjoyed it. The good news about procrastinating reading it for a while is the next book comes out in May, so not too much longer to wait.

Currently reading:

Assistant to the Villain - I accidentally bought apprentice to the villain instead of this one. So I grabbed this from the library and I'll read the next one for my TBR challenge. It's fun so far.

QOTW: I read a lot of fantasy and sci fi, so often set in entirely imaginary places. I live in Michigan, there's not a whole lot of fiction set there. So I guess in far off places.

Theresa wrote: "I'm with Milena - we still really haven't had a real winter here in NYC. A few dustings of snow and temps dropping below freezing a handful of days is not winter.

..."


That is so weird, because the last few years were mild, but this year we have most definitely had true winter here.



Jennifer W wrote: "... My ground is probably 95% bare right now. ..."

We got allll your snow. When it melts it will make it's way down there!!

Happy Thursday

It is definitely spring in LA. At least 80 today

I finished two books this week, one for a PS prompt:
Horse married couple who don't live together (there are actually 2)
The Picture of Dorian Gray

Currently reading:
Bibliolepsy
The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers
Wow, No Thank You.: Essays
War and Peace

QOTW:

Other locations. Although I do get a thrill from recognizing places in books, which happens whenever I read books set in Los Angeles and its surrounding areas. But if I were choosing it would definitely be other locations. Unlike most people I have no desire to travel the world, but I want to read books that take place everywhere

It's been on the milder side over here, and all the snow and ice we got earlier in the month finally had a chance to melt. The rain we got today decimated the last of it. I'm definitely ready for spring!
I took my car in for some routine maintenance today, and got some good reading time in, even finishing one book and getting close to finishing another.

Finished:
The Selkie's Daughter - I love the movie Song of the Sea, so I enjoyed this book, too, though more for the sense of place the author created than the actual plot.
Pass the Monster Meat, Milady! 2 - An all right continuation of the series. Not sure I'll keep going with this one, though.
The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue - I loved the juxtaposition of cute animal characters in a high fantasy world. I don't know if I'd read another book in this world, but I'm glad I read this one.
Margo's Got Money Troubles - (PS Features a character with chronic pain) I found this book more engrossing than I thought I would, and that was exactly what I needed right about now. I'll admit, the switching between first and third person was a little distracting at times. I listened to the audiobook, and my only quibble is that the narrator mispronounced Vegeta multiple times.

Currently reading:
Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of World War II
A Spoonful of Time
Not an Easy Win

QOTW: I don't really think about location when I'm choosing a book to read.

I finished Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban as my book about non traditional education. I don't know why I waited so long to read these. I think they're great.

I'm now reading Dubliners as the book I've been avoiding. I do know why I waited so long to read this. Luckily it's short. And short stories.

QOTW: I certainly don't mind books that take place in familiar locations, but I definitely love to travel by literature. I love to travel for reals, too, but reading is a lot less expensive. Planning to go to Switzerland next year. Whoo-Hoo!

Happy check-in! It's Freedom To Read Week here in Canada and I made sure to read at least one banned book.

I'm ready for the ATY read-a-thon to start on Saturday. So many books I'm waiting to start.

Finished Reading:

Sweep in Peace ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm enjoying rereading books in graphic audio.

The Last One ⭐ (PS less than 3 star rating)
This was awful and it earned a less than three star average rating. It reads like a bad video game. Way too many pages of repetitive chapters yet there wasn't enough detail sometimes.

Swamp Thing by Brian K. Vaughan, Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐ (ATY author 10+ year career)
This follows Swamp Thing's daughter who is half human.

Aurora's End ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY time travel)
I finally finished this series off. I'm happy with the ending and the time travel was interesting.

A Wrinkle in Time ⭐ (ATY fictional location)
I didn't like the characters and writing, but still more enjoyable than The Last One.

PS 12/50
ATY 19/52 Anniversary 1/10
Goodreads 48/200

QOTW:
SFF fan so made up or far away is preferable.

Erica wrote: "The Last One ⭐ (PS less than 3 star rating)
This was awful and it earned a less than three star average rating. It reads like a bad video game. Way too many pages of repetitive chapters yet there wasn't enough detail sometimes...."



She's such a popular author and I just don't get it. I read only one book by her (the one with a Camaro on the cover, whichever book that was) and it was so flat and boring and kinda stupid that I'll probably never read another.

Happy Thursday!

I finished 2 books and am also done my last book. I feel like I ended February strong.

The weather has been snowy and miserable. We had a parking garage collapse in Ottawa due to snow piling up. (Google it - the video is out there.) We had half a week with temperatures finally above zero, but it was short lived.

Today is also a provincial election day. I voted, reminded my husband (who forgot) to vote, and drove my daughter to the polls. So, I feel like I did my part.

Finished:
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands
Popsugar prompt: A book where an adult character changes careers
ATY prompt:
Anniversary prompt: A book whose title doesn't contain the letter "E"

Hometown Ties
Popsugar prompt: A book that features a character going through menopause
ATY prompt: A book with a sunset vibes on the cover
Anniversary prompt:

Series - 1/10
Reading Across Canada - 2/10
Nobel laureates - 0/5

PS - 9/40
Regular ATY - 7/40
Anniversary ATY - 2/10

Currently reading:
Mirèio, a Provençal Poem - 75%

Buddy Reads:
none at present

QOTW: I actually almost prefer fictitious locations over either. But I guess far away is better.

Happy Thursday! I was in the 70s today, which is so weird after I've been bundling up all month. I walked out of the office this afternoon, and was confused for a second about it not being cold enough to be wearing a jacket.

Currently at 17/50 for the challenge! Which is good because most of the books I'm planning to read next don't work for any prompt.

Finished:
Counterattacks at Thirty- I liked this book about people pulling pranks to get back at people who've mistreated them, but it went a little bleaker than I was expecting.
-no prompt

Whiteout- YA interconnected short stories about a bunch of couples during a snow storm. I thought the writing was really good, but some of the characters got on my nerves with how they treated people. But then, they are teenagers so it was also pretty realistic?
-37 Two books with the same title (1)- as long as one of the other books with the same name is decent

Deep End- I love Ali Hazelwood, and this book was so fun.
-19 A highly anticipated read of 2025

Veil, vol. 2- next volume in this manga series with beautiful artwork. I want the rest of the series to be released in English asap
-no prompt

Autocracy, Inc.- very bleak, depressing look at the ways authoritarian states work together to stay in power. Very important info, but very depressing
-no prompt

Possibly up next:
Iron Flame
Fearless and Free: A Memoir
The Bane Witch

QotW:
Either is good for me, unless you can really tell that the writer has never actually been to the place before. But if a book is written by someone who lives there, and you can tell they know it really well, I love being able to recognize little landmarks or stores.

I do tend to avoid any book that's set around the area I grew up though- it was pretty touristy and usually when people write about it, it's very frufru and romanticized, and just pulls me out of the story completely.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Erica wrote: "The Last One ⭐ (PS less than 3 star rating)
This was awful and it earned a less than three star average rating. It reads like a bad video game. Way too many pages of repetitive chapte..."

It seemed like as a mystery writer she was told to cash in on romantasy and write something. Anyway the mystery of the book could have been solved with a question or two at the beginning, not in nearly 500 pages. I spent most of the book hoping the main character would die, spoiler alert she didn't and there's a sequel to come. 🤷‍♀️

Happy Thursday! It finally warmed up a little this week. It was so nice. Sun was out and snow was melting!

Finished:

Adult Assembly Required (ATY author with common noun in name) 1 star. Hated this. I thought it would be a cute found family book. Found family was there but not as big a part of the story as the romance ended up being. And I hate romances with manufactured misunderstandings. If you want your couple to not get together till the end of the book, make it be because of real reasons.

Starling House (ATY set in a manor, mansion or estate) 3 stars. I really liked this to start with but by the end it was just ok. I think the author should have had more mysterious stuff happen before she started to explain things.

Currently reading:

Young Avengers Omnibus

Cloud Atlas

QOTW: If I read a book set in Boston and the author gets stuff wrong it immediately takes me out of the story. I generally prefer reading about places I've never visited. If there are mistakes in those, then I would never be able to tell.

Three week check in here. It's crazy how fast February went this year.

Stats
PS: 10/50
ATY: 12/52
ATY Anniversary: 2/10
ATY Rejects: 5/28
ATY Rewind: 1/10
GR Choice: 4/30
TBR: 1/10

Books I Finished:

Audacity ⭐⭐⭐⭐
(PS: Overlooked woman in history)
When He Was Wicked ⭐⭐⭐
(ATY: Set in a manor)
Midnight Crossroad ⭐⭐⭐
(ATY: Author you haven't read in a while)
It's In His Kiss ⭐⭐⭐⭐
(Anniversary: No E in title)
Spy x Family, Vol. 13 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
(ATY: Secrets, lies & deceptions)
Under the Smokestrewn Sky ⭐⭐⭐⭐
(ATY: Related to fire)
Magic Slays Dramatized Adaption ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spy x Family: The Official Guide―Eyes Only ⭐⭐⭐⭐
(Rejects: About manga)
The Innkeeper Chronicles: Clean Sweep The Graphic Novel, Volume 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(Rejects: Multiple authors)
Gunmetal Magic ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magic Gifts Dramatized Adaption ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Games Gods Play ⭐⭐⭐⭐
(Rejects: Related to a game)
Magic Rises Dramatized Adaption ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pearl, Vol. 2 ⭐⭐⭐

In Progress
When I Think of You
Four Ruined Realms
Northanger Abbey

QotW
Week 7
I always liked it best when the teachers would give a list of books and let me pick which one I did my projects on. That way I could read a bunch of them and then do the projects on the book I liked best, and if I didn't like a book, I could DNF it. But I would love to add books by Elizabeth Acevedo & Tommy Orange, and I would try to add more Canadian lit that was originally published in French, and World lit that was from somewhere other than the USA, UK or Australia.

Week 8
I second the people who mentioned Austenland &The Jane Austen Book Club but the first book that came to mind was Jaws. If I had read any of those books first, I would have steered clear of the movies. And I hated Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West so much, I've never been able to bring myself to even listen to the music from the show, let alone see the movie.

Week 9
I don't really care one way or the other. It's fun to read something set somewhere I know, but given my fav genres are sff and romance, it doesn't happen very often.

What is with the wacky weather? They said temps were going to be in the 80s (F) yesterday, but it was cold and windy instead. I love when they're wrong! LOL!

Life update: I'm still feeling very tired, not helped by the fact that our dog's habit of whining at any closed door she encounters seems to be getting worse. I'm excited because the MotoGP season is starting this weekend, but that also won't help, since the first few races are in Asia and we're in the UK...

Reading update:

I've been making good progress this week in all three of my usual formats (audio, print and Kindle). I finished three books in total:

The Last Best Hope for the Star Trek Series Challenge
Sadhana Panchakam in the Chinmaya Mission app
Fabio Quartararo, l'ascension d'un prodige - Nouvelle édition for "your favourite prompt from the PS 2015 Challenge" - book originally written in a foreign language

I did decide to DNF Ready for Anything: 52 Productivity Principles for Getting Things Done. It was a re-read, and I didn't feel I was getting much out of it this time round.

Stats:
Finished for the PopSugar Challenge: 1 this week, 10/50 total
Finished for the Star Trek Series Challenge: 1 this week, 3/18 total
Finished outside the challenges: 1 this week, 3 total
DNF this week: 1 this week, 3 total

Currently reading:
Babel for "silver on the cover" and for several of the GR bookmarks. I am enjoying this one even more than I expected; it's like someone wrote a book specifically to cater to my interests!
Meditate with the Master in the Chinmaya Mission app. It's listed as "unknown author", but is actually by Swami Chinmayananda, the guru whose students founded the mission.
Invisible Things for "a book rated less than 3 stars". I am enjoying it a lot, which is not surprising, since I loved part 1 of the series.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The High Country for the Star Trek Series Challenge
The Valmiki Ramayana Vol. 2, although this is the one book I don't think I've actually made progress on this week. It's my bedtime spiritual reading, but by bedtime I'm often feeling too tired and nauseous to open it.

QOTW:

I love reading books set in familiar places because it deepens my own sense of connection with those places. It only works if the author is genuinely familiar with the place, though; inaccuracies will throw me right off.

When I read about far-flung places, I will often also check whether the author seems to be connected to them, because I don't want to get a misleading impression. Learning about new locations through fiction written by locals is something I do enjoy, but if I had to choose, I would choose a book about somewhere familiar by a knowledgeable author.

Entirely fictional locations are not attractive to me per se, but I do like good worldbuilding, which is a different-but-related point.

Happy Friday. This week has been crazy. My best friend got married, I'm finally relieved of my duties and and now I can finally rest! Still can’t believe she’s married. I feel like we just finished college a couple of months back, but here we are... time flies by so fast.

The weather is in mid 20's here in India. I'm dreading for the upcoming weather.

Onto the book news, I finished six books this month.

1. Golden Son - [PS 3][52BC 43]
5/5 definetly better than the first book. The last part of the book gave me chills. I laughed, I cried. 100/100

2. Muses & Melodies [PS 31][52BC 3] meh.

3. Moti on the Water[PS 27][52BC 25]
4.5/5 I loved everything about except for the hindi pronunciation! I wish they opted for an Indian narrator. But other than that I don’t have any complaints.

4. Maame[PS 1][52BC 40]
5/5 Its coming of age book but in her mid twenties. Enjoyed it. Can't believe this is a debut!

5. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches[PS 26][52BC 12]
3.5/5 I like it fine. I saw couple of good reviews on insta and this book happened to be on two of lists for the new bookmark feature on goodreads. So I read it...

6. Under One Roof [PS 8][52BC 2]
4/5I just read this yesterday in like 2hrs or something.


Question of the Week:

Do you prefer reading books set in far-flung locations you've never visited, or familiar locations?:

Far flung locations. I learn a lot about new stuff and places.

Dubhease wrote: "The weather has been snowy and miserable. We had a parking garage collapse in Ottawa due to snow piling up. ..."




whoa!!! that's the sort of thing I'd expect to never happen in Ottawa - do they not take into account weight of snow when they design structures??? it should be in the local building code.



Finished:
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands
Popsugar prompt: A book where an adult character changes careers

Was this good? I borrowed it from the library last year, but I had so many other library books out at that time that I never got to it before I ran out of renewals and had to return it.

Erica wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "Erica wrote: "The Last One ⭐ (PS less than 3 star rating)
... Anyway the mystery of the book could have been solved with a question or two at the beginning, not in nearly 500 pages. I spent most of the book hoping the main character would die, spoiler alert she didn't and there's a sequel to come. ..."




YES!! That was my main problem with the book I read by her. If people would have just TALKED to each other or LISTENED to each other, there would have been no mystery at all! And I also hated the protagonist, if she wasn't so busy feeling superior she would have taken one second of her life to listen to her cousin and - again - there would have been no mystery.

Sasha wrote: "Life update: I'm still feeling very tired, not helped by the fact that our dog's habit of whining at any closed door she encounters seems to be getting worse. I'm excited because the MotoGP season ..."



is your dog confused about doors like my dogs are? Every other dog I've had in my life has understood they can push a door and it might move. Even my ex's dog, who barely has three brain cells to rub together, knows how to push open a door - but not these two. My house is stupidly designed, and there are many places where an open door blocks the walkway. My dogs could easily just nudge the door with their paw or nose and it would move, but ohhh nooo they just stand there and whine. (It IS convenient at times, if I don't want them in a place I just leave the door ajar and they won't go. I've gotten so used to this that I have to be careful when the three-brain-cell dog visits, he will easily bust his way into places he shouldn't necessarily be, like the room where we keep the big bag of dogfood.)

Hi guyss!!
I feel you Jenn, also sick here and even though there´s so much precious time in my hands rn, I can´t get myself to reading, either.

However, I found myself today looking at some online book stores, because I´ve spent exactly zero on books since the start of this year (wow proud at myself), but it´s time to change that:) I decided that mostly because there´s an upcoming book from my favorite author, but before that, I need to get on reading the first two books from that series!!

I hope it´s alright to summarize the whole month, as I did in January, because I´m not that of a fast reader like you all. Also, how can you read more books at once??? Genuelly interested, so spill your secrets! I mean, my highest amount possible is two, and it´s best if they´re written in different languages:D

Anyway, here´s my "finished reading" list:

The Catcher in the Rye - 5/5
I appreciated this book more than I thought I would, the way Holden´s disillusioned about life, it gets really relatable sometimes. Also the language got me really into the atmosphere

Part of Your World - 2/5
Okay, I know I said before that a light romantic read is crucial for an afternoon on a beach. Buuuut I may have realized that it´s not for me anymore. I was sooo dissapointed, because the plot was really obvious and the ending - soo unexpected (kidding). Yes, it can definitely be someone´s cup of tea, I´m more angry with myself here, because I had the idea that it will end up like this.
Anyway, the one thing I take away from this book is to never lower my standards. Because the only standard is Daniel!!!!! (the male lead of this) pls I loved him

The Egg - 5/5
I stumbled upon this randomly and found it really thought provoking!!! Plus, it´s only like 5 min read so

Létající jaguár - 5/5
I´m really mad that my book starts on page 27. 27!!! How´s that even possible???! So I look online and couldn´t find the missing pages to read for free, so I´ll just have to look better. But still, I enjoyed reading it so much, the plot, the way the characters were introduced and connected and even the background of this book is so cool. The reason this even exists is because of a bet. A bet between the author and the distributor (i think), it was written in under 12 hours in a public place while people were watching. The author, czech writer, finished at like 2:40 am and it broke some kind of a record back in 2004:)

Deadly Education - 4/5
I wasn´t sure in the beginning if this is really the one for me but let me tell you, this book is something. The plot and setting is super extraordinary, howeveeerr I was so so fond of El and Orion´s situation/bond/friendship lol!!! That and the ending forced me to not forget about this series, so I plan to come back to it!

Okay, that´s it for this month. I look forward to the next one.
For March, I have planned finishing Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood, then probably two books for school (one I would like to finally be poetry), the Station Eleven, even though I have a hard time finding it here in my country so wish me luck. Then I´d like to set eyes on I Who Have Never Known Men.

QOTW: That´s a good question. I mostly read books set in different countries, but everytime I read something from my homeland, it hits the special place in my heart, so I´d choose that.

Hi all, it's slightly warmer here which has been a wonderful respite from the extreme cold we've been having. Winter's a long way from over but I'll take what I can get. I could do without all the muddy puppy paw prints though...

I'm still working my way through Martyr! - I like the writing, but it's not keeping my attention.

QOTW: I like some good armchair travelling, especially this time of year. It's nice to mentally go somewhere warm and sunny.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Sasha wrote: "Life update: I'm still feeling very tired, not helped by the fact that our dog's habit of whining at any closed door she encounters seems to be getting worse. I'm excited because the ..."

Hahaha! I have a cat who thinks all doors have to be pulled open. There are a couple of doors in our house that don't latch shut, so he can pull them open, but when he is on the other side and would just need to give a gentle push... he pulls (it always reminds me of the Farside cartoon of the school for the gifted!).

Long ago, I came up with a reason why cats always want to be on the other side of doors, memory issues. They see a door and think, "hey, a door! I wonder what's on the other side?" and then when you let them out, they realize, "oh, I've been here before. *pause, turn* Hey! A door! I wonder what's on the other side?"

A day late and a dollar short! It's been a week...

Finished 07/50

Geisha, a Life for "book about a POC experiencing joy, not trauma". I'm reaaaaally stretching this prompt. Technically, she does experience some traumatic things in this book. But the main plot of the book is about her being a very famous geisha and finally breaking out of that life to live her own way and change the system an enjoying dance. So. I'm gonna say it fits.

Currently Reading

The Thirteenth Tale for "book with books on the cover". I got this book from a little free outdoors library outside a moonshine store in South Carolina. It's pretty good so far. A bit of a ghost story.

QotW

I mean....I read fantasy....so....XD

Jennifer W wrote: "Long ago, I came up with a reason why cats always want to be on the other side of doors, memory issues. They see a door and think, "hey, a door! I wonder what's on the other side?" and then when you let them out, they realize, "oh, I've been here before. *pause, turn* Hey! A door! I wonder what's on the other side?"..."



haha entirely plausible, for both cats and dogs!!

Marketa wrote: "there´s an upcoming book from my favorite author, but before that, I need to get on reading the first two books from that series!..."



oooh who is the author?!

Nadine in NY wrote: "Dubhease wrote: "The weather has been snowy and miserable. We had a parking garage collapse in Ottawa due to snow piling up. ..."

whoa!!! that's the sort of thing I'd expect to never happen in Ottawa - do they not take into account weight of snow when they design structures??? it should be in the local building code.."

We've had a record snow fall in February - something like 70 cm. The parking garage was an above ground multi-level one. I guess the for-profit company that owned it was trying to maximize profits by figuring how to change the most for parking while doing the minimum in building upkeep and snow removal. And they lost.

It was on Slater Street - 4 streets south of Parliament.

Re: Ducks

I liked it and gave it 4.5 stars. I mostly read it because I'm reading a book set in each province and this book was so Alberta. I think she does a good job explaining the reality of life on the east coast at the start that I don't think you need to know a lot about Canada to read it. The part of the story about being a woman in a place that is mostly male is also pretty universal.

If you do read it, I'd love to know what you think.

Dubhease wrote: "We've had a record snow fall in February - something like 70 cm...."


but that's only 2 ft! that's nothing for a full month snowfall in Ottawa!! I think I have 2 ft of snow in my backyard right now, and that's after this week of thaw. (I have an old wooden picnic table, and the benches are still fully covered, so I figure that's about 2 ft) I'm sure the investigation will show that the builder cut corners to save cost. I hope no one was harmed, and that owner is forced to fully reimburse all damages.

The mood reader in me kicked in, and I DNFed a book that I had been enjoying but didn't want to pick up anymore. I think I'll come back to it later, but for now I returned it to the library.

I'm having oral surgery next Thursday :( This will be my 4th surgery, and I hope this solution is permanent. I have no idea what I'll feel like after, but I'm ready with soft foods and books I may or may not read.

Reading
Boy From the Valleys: My unexpected journey

The Frozen River

When Calls the Heart

DNF
The Door in the Hedge and Other Stories. This book title is baffling. You would assume one of the stories in this book is “The Door in the Hedge” and you would be wrong. The author has written a story called “The Door in the Hedge”, but it’s not in The Door in the Hedge and Other Stories. I feel like there has to be some comedy of errors story behind this.

Anyway, this is only a DNF for now. I'll come back to it when I'm in the mood for fairy tales again. Baffling title or not, I enjoyed the stories I've read so far.

QOTW
I like books set in far-flung or fantasy/sci-fi locations.

Nadine in NY wrote: "is your dog confused about doors like my dogs are? Every other dog I've had in my life has understood they can push a door and it might move."

Yeah, I think that's part of it. She won't push a door, or even a baby gate! She's easily confused about other things, too - like she'll leave the kitchen and go look for my husband in his study or his workshop, except he'll be... in the kitchen... that she just left. Logical reasoning isn't her strong suit, poor dear.

Heather wrote: "The author has written a story called “The Door in the Hedge”, but it’s not in The Door in the Hedge and Other Stories."

Wow, that's truly bizarre. I would love to know what the thinking was behind that!