Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2025 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 17: 4/17 - 4/24
Hi all! I've got a whole house to clean before Saturday, so I am posting early so I can clean all day (ha....). Kiddo started karate class again last night. She did it last year and I was surprised when she asked if she could do it again. We had a busy weekend last weekend and will have another one this weekend, but then I think things settle down for a while! I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and it was a new doctor at a practice I've been at before, and he wants to try me on a stimulant for my fatigue! What a thought!!
I decided to give up on Call Me By Your Name. I almost never DNF books, so you know it's bad.
Mostly I've been reading Chasing Fireflies. It's a reread, but I don't really remember hardly any of it. I've been highly recommending this book for years, but I realized the blurb is stupid. So here's what the book is really about:
It's the story of a journalist, Chase, who is investigating the identity of a young boy who was found horribly abused and mute after his mom died. Chase knows something about being abandoned and was adopted by "Uncle Willee". Chase got into journalism to try to find out his own history as well as the events that lead to the ruin of Willee's life- when his father, wife and children were all killed and he was blamed for a bank robbery and did time in prison.
QOTW: I don't really read new fiction, so I don't know what's up and coming. This year I read and really enjoyed The Fox Wife. I have The Storm We Made and Namako: Sea Cucumber out from the library just by coincidence, so I will try to read them for May!
Morning all, happy Thursday. Can't believe it's the last Thursday of the month! Book News:
My volunteer work at the bookstore is going great. I love it. It's only a couple of hours a week, but I'm enjoying it for the time being.
Yesterday I got a nice surprise with a gift card. I don't do the volunteer work for praise or accoldaes. That's the last thing I think of, I just do it because I love being around books. It's really helping my social skills. I'm even making the first move on conversations so it's a great step to overcoming, or rather working through, all of my mental disorders.
*****
Since we're practically at the end of April I figure I'll break down some reading stats.
April:
Total: 16 Books
Genre: Non Ficton=81%
Fiction= 19%
Top 3 Genres: History, Science Fiction, Politics
*****
Yearly:
Total: 51
Genre: Non Fiction= 78%
Fiction= 22%
Top 3 Genres: History, Science, Science Fiction
*****
Currently Reading:
These books will roll over into May.
The Autistic's Guide to Self-Discovery: Flourishing as a Neurodivergent Adult - Excited for this one since I pre-ordered in December. I follow this author on social media and I love his work.
Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea - My first math book that isn't school related. I need a book that started with the letter Z and this one caught my attention. It's a mix of math but with biography and history as well
*****
Question of the Week
Are there any new books by Pacific Islander, Asian, or Asian-American authors that you would specifically recommend reading during the month of May in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Appreciation Month?
Good question. I'm always look for stuff like this but I can't find much that interests me.
There is a Power Rangers YA novel that's being released in May that's by an AAPI author that I'm excited for. There's never been a YA novel for Power Rangers before (they are always junior or elementary novels).
Force of Chaos (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Book 1): A Novel - This story will focus on Trini so that sounds cool.
Nadine, is your mom anywhere near the wildfires in NJ?
Oh that's right, wildfires in NJ. That's insane!
Happy Thursday, everyone! I can’t believe I’m able to say this, but we’ve had blue skies for two days in a row! I am loving the nice weather, and hope it will continue through the rest of the week. Being able to see the sun has definitely put me in a better mood, and I’ve noticed that I’ve been a lot more productive as a result.
Overall, it has been a pretty good reading week. I am continuing to focus on the reading the books I’ve purchased since the beginning of the year, and I’m feeling really good about what I managed to accomplish over the past few weeks. I’ve gone from having 36 new titles left to read down to single digits. With only 7 days remaining in the month, I don’t know if I will manage to finish all of my remaining books, but I think it will be very close.
Fortunately, this weekend happens to be the Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon, and I’m really looking forward to taking a day to do nothing except read. While I’m not planning to stay awake for the full 24 hours, I will be attempting to finish as many books as I can.
Here are my current challenge and TBR totals…
Goodreads Challenge: 159/250
Mount TBR Challenge: 097/150
📚Physical TBR: 78/731
📱Ebook TBR: 11/218
🎧Audiobook TBR: 8/12
TBR Checklist Total: 97/961
TBR Books DNFed in 2025: 3
I did not purchase any new books this week!
“New” Books Bought in 2024: 69
“New” Books Read in 2024: 62
“New” Books DNFed in 2024: 0
Here are the books I finished this week…
Finished Reading (Fiction):
~Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire — This is the fourth book in the Harry Potter series. While this book was a re-read for me, this was the first time I’d had a chance to listen to the audiobook. It had been a long time since I last read this one, so I really enjoyed having a chance to revisit the story. 🎧: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~When the Moon Hits Your Eye — This was a great SciFi read about the chaos that might ensue if the moon suddenly turned into cheese. I really enjoyed this story, and loved how Scalzi chose to tell it. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Au Pair Affair — This is the second book in the Big Shots contemporary romance series. I thought this was a pretty good story, and liked the main characters. The book does include a somewhat problematic power dynamic (view spoiler), but the MMC was at least aware it existed. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Lathe of Heaven — This ended up being a rather strange read, but it was a good one. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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 taking an extended break from this book during the month of April. 📚
~Dragonfall — I’m currently a little more than halfway through this book, but I have to confess that I am not loving it. I am planning to finish it this afternoon, but unless this book ends with a cliffhanger, I will probably read something else before moving on to the sequel. 📚
QOTW:
I really enjoyed The Teller of Small Fortunes, by Julie Leong, so I'd definitely recommend it.
Mod
Greetings from NYC! My apartment building is replacing the roof and the drilling as they demolish the area directly above my apartment has for 2 days been impossible. Fortunately I own good noise cancelling headphones but that doesn't help with the drilling vibrations. I'm on the 4th floor of a 6 story building and it's bad. I'd hate to be on the top floor!PS 25/60
ATY 37/52
Finished: -
Murder in the Bastille - PS prompt - music one - location in this book is by Opera Bastille and music and the Paris Opera play a role.
Sheepfarmer's Daughter - PS prompt - oldest author on TBR - she's 80. FYI - given the massive size of my TBR, I elected to pick the oldest living author in the books off my TBR I'm reading this quarter.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest - PS prompt - silver cover -
Currently reading:
QOQOTW: No suggestions from me.
Happy Thursday! We had a great Easter weekend with family in St. Louis, but Ava was sick… so we still haven’t met our grandniece. At home it's finally warm enough to put out annuals, so I'll be busy the next few days filling containers and window boxes. Costco had gorgeous hot pink potted geraniums that have already brightened up my front porch!2025 Reading Challenges:
52 Book Club: 36/52 (April Mini-Challenge: 2/2)
ATY: 30/52 (ATY Anniversary Challenge: 6/10, ATY Spring Challenge: 25/30)
The Book Girls’ Guide: 25/74
Booklist Queen: 37/52
Cover Lovers: 28/50
Popsugar: 28/50
My Ever-Growing TBR: 42/250 – 16.8% (My goal is 33.3%.)
Recently Completed:
Show Don't Tell: Usually, short stories aren’t my favorite reads, but I really enjoy Curtis Sittenfeld’s work, and I love all the references to St. Louis. (ATY Spring Challenge #8 – SPROUT: Show) ★★★★
Tacos for Two: I’m glad I finished the “food truck” prompt. (52 Books April Mini-Challenge #1 – related to the phrase “let out a breath they didn’t know they were holding”/Popsugar #29 – about a food truck) ★★★
Fortune Favors the Duke ★★★
Liars (52 Books #13 – title is 10 letters or less) ★★★★
Pictures of You: BOTM. (Cover Lovers #20 – cover shows someone fully or partially submerged in water) ★★★★
The Story She Left Behind (ATY Spring Challenge #11 – SPRING BREAK: Story) ★★★★
Mirror Mirror: I was looking for a Snow White retelling, and it was mostly successful. I liked that Maguire adhered to the original Grimm version, but it wasn’t enjoyable. T. Kingfisher’s got one coming out in August; however, this ATY prompt is supposed to be fulfilled in April, May, or June. Boo. (ATY Read It Watch It #2 – a fairy tale retelling) ★★★
The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family (Booklist Queen #36 – a five-star read) ★★★★★
After I Do: Taylor Jenkins Reid’s second novel. I like that she doesn’t write heroes and heroines. Her characters – even the secondary ones – are complicated and flawed. That’s a good thing. (Cover Lovers #36 – cover features a cityscape/Popsugar #48 – a married couple who don’t live together) ★★★★
Memorial Days (ATY #51 – published in 2025/Popsugar #16 – set in or around a body of water) ★★★★
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Currently Reading:
Here for It; Or, How to Save Your Soul in America: Essays
A Sorceress Comes to Call (ATY Spring #1 – SPRINGTIME: A Sorceress)
The Sirens (Booklist Queen #4 – about siblings/Cover Lovers #37 – cover shows an aquatic animal)
Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet: Reasonable Doubt Book Club.
Deadly Animals
Adam & Evie's Matchmaking Tour
Roommates (ATY Spring #12 – RAINCOAT: Roommates)
The Duchess War (Popsugar #45 – a left-handed character)
Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection (ATY Spring #14 – EARTH DAY: Everything/Booklist Queen #9 – nonfiction book about health)
Six-Gun Snow White
Birth Strike: The Hidden Fight over Women’s Work
QOTW: None of these are particularly new, but I regularly read books by Asian/Pacific Islander authors. I'm planning to read A Song to Drown Rivers in a couple weeks. I also need to pick up some "healing fiction"... I loved The Travelling Cat Chronicles, so I may try to pick up The Goodbye Cat. As far as suggestions go, R.F. Kuang is a good pick, and if you've never read any Kazuo Ishiguro, you're really missing out!
Oh my night was so messed up! I fell asleep at 11 PM, woke up at 12:30 AM and was up until 4 or so. Now I'm up at 8:53 AM so I only got 6.5 hours of sleep which is not enough for me. Hoping to get back on a reasonable schedule before the Dewey readathon starts on Saturday!My book counts have become ridiculous since my birthday:
April Purchased TBR: 3/9
April Library TBR: 3/16
Birthday Gifted: 1/9
Finished: Thinking Forward: Learning to Conceptualize Economic Vision This had a lot of questions and I like questions, but in general, this guy's ideas are better than his writing!
Thinking About Thinking: Impossible Thoughts and Complicated Feelings This book was fun, but pretty redundant. I enjoyed I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf better.
Hmm, well, I guess that's all the books I finished this past week!
Started: Free and Equal: A Manifesto for a Just Society
Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives
Dismantling the Master's Clock: On Race, Space, and Time
Syme's Letter Writer: A Guide to Modern Correspondence About (Almost) Every Imaginable Subject of Daily Life
Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life
QotW: No. This is a prompt I often struggle with when it shows up in challenges. I'm planning to do a Pope Benedict/mother's/women's/peace studies display at my bookstore rather than Pacific Island month in May.
K.L. wrote: "Fortunately, this weekend happens to be the Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon, and I’m really looking forward to taking a day to do nothing except read. While I’m not planning to stay awake for the full 24 hours, I will be attempting to finish as many books as I can...."Hope to see you there!
Happy Thursday!We're going back to remote work this week after an attempted hybrid back to the office stint, so I'm happy about that. I'm one of those who gets way more done when I'm at home.
Finished:
Last Chance to Save the World by Beth Revis - 4.5 stars - I rearranged books to put this in as my highly anticipated 2025 read. It ends the arc started with the first novella, while leaving things wide open for more books. I'd love to see her write a full novel in this series and explore more with these characters and the world-building.
Direct Descendant by Tanya Huff - 3.75 stars - not currently for a prompt. This gave me some of the same fun vibes as Huff's urban fantasy that I loved in the 90s, like the Keeper series. The romance was a little insta-love, but overall I still really enjoyed this.
Comics & manga:
Tamon’s B-Side, Vol. 7
Rainbow Days, Vol. 15
A Man and His Cat 13
Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc., Vol. 7
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!, Vol. 1
Akane-banashi, Vol. 11
I am currently at 20/50 for Popsugar (17/40 and 3/10).
Currently reading:
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert - for a book about a POC experiencing joy and not trauma
Upcoming/Planned:
Iron Tongue of Midnight by Brittany N. Williams - not currently for a prompt, although that looks like silver on the cover to me, in the text and the sword at least.
Before We Say Goodbye by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - for a book that is considered healing fiction.
QOTW:
I second the recommendation of The Teller of Small Fortunes, by Julie Leong.
QotW: looking forward to R.F. Kuang's Katabasis, but that doesn't come out till August...
The weather has been gorgeous lately, and I definitely took advantage of that this weekend. My church's handbell choir performed on Sunday, and while I always enjoy playing, I'm particularly glad to be done with these pieces. And to have my Friday nights free again (until September anyway)!Finished:
Vanya and the Wild Hunt - I got this from netgalley, but didn't get around to reading it until it was already out OTL It was mostly an okay read, but it didn't really catch me, not even with a cliffhanger ending.
The Night War - (RH A genre blending book) Between this and Max in the House of Spies, that's two books I've read in as many months where the main character is a Jewish child in WWII, sent away from their home but trying to get back to their parents, who encounters and is helped (and sometimes hindered) by supernatural beings. Which, to quote the meme, isn't a lot, but it's weird that it's happened twice. Though Miri's ghost was more useful than Max's kobold and dybbuk. As for the book itself, it was better than Max in the House of Spies, but still not my cup of tea. It's fine for what it is, but I'm hoping this is the last WWII narrative I have to read for this committee.
Kwame Crashes the Underworld - I enjoyed this one a lot more than the previous two. I learned a lot about Ghanaian folklore, and had a fun time doing it.
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War - (RH a banned book, PS overlooked woman in history, CL real historical photograph) Very informative, and told in an interesting way.
Currently Reading:
The Sound of Music Story: How A Beguiling Young Novice, A Handsome Austrian Captain, and Ten Singing von Trapp Children Inspired the Most Beloved Film of All Time
The Book of Heartbreak
All the Best Dogs
Shadow Fox
QOTW: You'd think that being a librarian, I would be on top of that, but other than the titles people have already mentioned, I'm drawing a blank.
Hi everyone.Just gonna do a quick pop-in before going to work. I had a decent Easter weekend. Took the kiddo to an Easter event on Friday that was crazy insane but, he handled himself rather well even though it was right at the time when he needs more meds. He didn't get too many eggs that day but did get more the next day at an event that the local Ford dealer put on. That one was MUCH smaller and we got there right when it started. As for actual Easter he went to his father's and my sister and I just vegged out at home all day.
I've done some reading but I feel like I have more in progress than I have been completing.
2025 Challenges:
Popsugar: 26/50
ATY: 33/52 & 5/10
A to Z (Kindle edition): 1/26
Goodreads: 47/150
Physical TBR: 4/112
Kindle TBR: 0/126
TBR Goal: 4/238
Book Clubs:
PS Monthly: 27/61
Reese: 35/111
Oprah: 14/103
Jenna: 10/77
OSS: 7/39
Finished:
4 finished, 1 Completed Popsugar
Black Star
PS#48
Plain Jane and the Mermaid
ATY#4
Swing
The Stories We Tell: Every Piece of Your Story Matters
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Currently Reading
While We Were Dating
Encanto: Nightmares and Sueños
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry
Ripples & Waves: A Queer Retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid
The Language of Dogs
Queenie
Yes Please
On the Backburner
Libby
Physical Library Rentals
Blackmail and Bibingka
Murder and Mamon
The New Girl
All the Broken Pieces
Pride and Prejudice in Space
Year of Yes
Magazines: (5/147)
Read since last check-in: 2
Question of the Week:
I'm not too sure. I know I have read some... The Tita Rosie books by Mia P. Manansala are okay. I've read the Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi and that was good. I just discovered Jesse Q. Sutanto and haven't read her book yet (it is waiting on my nightstand). The Night Eaters books by Marjorie M Liu was really good, and I am patiently waiting for the third one. Her Wingborn book was also good.
Some other books I have read so far this year:
*Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang
*In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo
*And honestly Joanna Gaines is a good writer so don't feel bad or weird about reading her books.
Happy Thursday! I'm continuing to prioritize books by Arab authors for Arab American Heritage Month. I managed to read 3 books this week, and all of them were good.2025 Reading Challenges
Popsugar- 37/50
ATY- 48/52; Anniversary- 8/10
Buzzword- 4/12; Cover- 4/12
1001 Books- 5/10
TBR- 19/20
Finished
The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between- the writing was just exquisite, and I can definitely see how the author's personal life influenced My Friends, one of my favorite fictional reads from last year
ATY Anniversary 2021- A book related to a codeword in the NATO Phonetic alphabet (P=Papa)
Minor Detail- a short novel that packs a powerful punch.
Godwin- this book was quite a ride! It was understatedly funny, took some unexpected and dramatic turns, and that last sentence-what a gut punch! There's a lot of thought-provoking themes in here, however, the story can get tedious at times, especially around the 75% mark.
Popsugar #22- a book about soccer
Currently Reading
An Unnecessary Woman- good so far!
A Room of One's Own & The Voyage Out- on pause for now until I finish grad school.
QOTW
I haven't read any AAPI new releases this year. I do have We Do Not Part, Hunchback, I Leave It Up to You, and Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng on hold though, so hopefully they come in before the end of next month. I listened to Viet Thanh Nguyen interview on NPR, as The Sympathizer is one of my favorite books of all time, and apparently he has a collection of essays that recently came out. The discussion peaked my interest, so I might check it out as well!
I second the Rejection recommendation. Other backlisted AAPI that I would recommend are Homeland Elegies, Severance, and A Place for Us. There's a whole lot more, but I don't want to make this post super long!
Happy Thursday.In addition to AAPI appreciation month in May, today is also Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day (which is why I am at home checking in instead of at work, school is closed today for it) and April is Arab-American heritage month
I finished my under 3 star rating book this week, and I really liked it. The low ratings were mostly because (a) it was satire and people didn't get it so they rated it low and (b) many people purposely rated it one star because they did not like the references/one scene about eating disorders. So go read the reviews of those sub-3 rated books, you may find one you really like! This book was already on my TBR before the prompt came up. It is also by an Iranian-American author but its a couple of years old
Read:
Tehrangeles
PS: used for sub-3 rating
ATY: Set in a mansion
52: non-human antagonist (Covid)
Currently reading:
The Wedding People
A Separate Peace
The Book of Lost Names
The Many Daughters of Afong Moy
War and Peace
1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
Five Winters
The Humans
QOTW: I read a lot of books translated from Asian countries and/or AAPI authors all year so I don't set them aside for May. No new ones to recommend but some old ones:
No Land to Light On (one of the most beautifully written books ever)
The Many Daughters of Afong Moy (currently reading this)
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (same author as above)
The Henna Artist
Before the Coffee Gets Cold series
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library
If Cats Disappeared from the World
and so many others
Happy Thursday!One book to go for my challenge! Whoo!
Counting down the days to my Italy trip. Less than a month to go! Anyone know of any good books that take place in Italy? I've already read You Deserve Good Gelato.
Books read this week:
The Saturday Night Ghost Club -- for “book you got for free.” Not actually a ghost story, but a coming-of-age story about the fragility of memory. Really good!
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth -- not for the challenge. A historical fantasy with queer and autistic rep and an absolutely savage strike against the patriarchy of Victorian times? Sign me up.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees -- graphic novel, not for the challenge. A cozy town of cute anthropomorphic animals… with a serial killer on the loose. Very much NOT for children, but if you like “Dexter” you might like this.
DNF:
Sisters of the Lost Nation -- hard to get into, and I feel like it was mismarketed as horror when it’s not (though it does deal with real-world horrors)
Eyes Guts Throat Bones -- not holding my attention. The stories are WEIRD and, while I appreciate that they celebrate queerness, don’t seem to have a lot of point.
Currently reading:
The Book of Gothel -- for “book with two or more books on the cover or ‘book’ in the title”
Iron Hearted Violet -- not for the challenge
Gwendy's Button Box -- not for the challenge
The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic -- not for the challenge
QOTW:
Nothing new comes to mind, but I recommend Iron Widow, Year of the Reaper, Dragonfruit, and The Kamogawa Food Detectives.
I keep forgetting to check-in this year. I’ve been spending my time creating a ride based on The Hollow Places in Planet Coaster 2. Pretty niche crossover interest but I'm having fun. This means my reading is falling behind though.Finished:
Swept Away by Beth O’Leary. I loved the combo of survival story and romance but I found the added drama at the end so irritating. I wish it had ended (view spoiler).
ATY: 25. A book with waves on the cover
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar. I liked the part about grammar and magic being one and the same. Short and ended a bit abruptly but I enjoyed the fairytale style.
PS: 8 A book under 250 pages
ATY: 6. A book with a serpentine element on the cover
Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green. A short but fascinating history of TB combined with the modern day issue of drug resistant TB in poor countries. Kind of awful to read as the world's rich countries are cutting foreign aid that is so needed to treat infectious diseases, and prevent their spread. It's so short sighted.
ATY: 5. A book with a weird or intriguing title
Currently reading The Ashfire King and listening to Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man).
QOTW:
I'm a fan of Jesse Sutanto too. Sometimes you just need something a bit silly to cheer yourself up with.
Nadine in NY wrote: "She is! She says the sky is like a solar eclipse, it’s so dark from the smoke. She’s on a barrier island and fire doesn’t generally jump across water so she doesn’t have to evacuate. That fire is a..."Yikes! Hope she stays safe!
I finished Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as my book with mythical creatures that aren't dragons. I liked it, but I felt it was padded and a little longer than it needed to be, which makes me nervous for the next 3 books.I am now reading The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel as my book about a politician. Pretty interesting, but when I'm not all that familiar with a subject and I spot a wrong fact in a book, it makes me wonder if there are other errors. The author stated that Condoleeza Rice was the first African American secretary of state and I'm pretty sure that was Colin Powell.
I almost forgot it was Thursday. (Well, really I almost forgot that Thursday is update day, but...)One of my local libraries has a huge book sale each year. It started today and will run through Monday. It was nuts! (Last year I went later in the sale, so it was still crazy but not like today.) I didn't really find much on my desired books list, but I did walk away with 6 vinyl records and 3 books. If I thought there was any chance my desired authors would show up later this weekend, maybe I'd go a second time, but I'm doubtful based on what they had out this morning.
Also, the other day my cousin texted me a social media video of someone sharing the idea to crochet a granny square for every book they read this year using the colors on the book's cover. So, now I've gone down that rabbit hole and am 9 squares into a backlog of 44 books and, of course, the Read list just keeps growing!
Read
Provenance
Just one book this week? I feel like that can't be accurate. But that book did take me a bit to get through, especially after I was distracted by granny squares, so that's probably accurate after all.
PS Challenge: 34/50
Currently Reading
No Middle Name
Bless Me, Ultima
The Mistletoe Secret
QOTW
I second someone else's suggestion of The Travelling Cat Chronicles. I also enjoyed The Cat Who Saved Books and Crying in H Mart within fairly recent memory.
Happy Bright Thursday! It's lovely here! Spring has sprung and the weather is quickly getting warmer and sunnier.Finished 15/50
Tending the Garden of Our Hearts: Daily Lenten Meditations for Families for "book you got for free". This was a perfect Lenten family read. We enjoyed it a lot! My daughter also loved it and seemed to grow in her faith through it, so definitely a win in my book.
Currently Reading
In the House of My Pilgrimage: Violence, Noetic Healing, and Personhood for "book with less than 3 stars on GR". Really deep so far. I'm liking it more than I thought I would.
The Rithmatist for "book about a non-traditional education". I'm nearly finished with this!
QotW
Geisha, a Life I just finished and would recommend.
Alex wrote: "Geisha, a Life I just finished and would recommend."This was a fascinating book! I definitely second this recommendation.
Happy Thursday.It's that spring time of year, when it's often heat on in the car in the morning and AC on the drive home. And I struggle to dress myself when it's 2 degrees when I leave and 19 when I get home.
I finished 2 books! I loved The Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run. I know the prompt was incredibly narrow, but I got so much out of it. I used to run and thought I was too old and fat to get back into it, but the author weighs 300 pounds and runs marathons. So, maybe I should work my way to a 5K again.
A Complicated Kindness was disappointing because it doesn't resolve things. (view spoiler)
The joke is that Canadians hate Canadian literature because it has ambiguous endings and symbolism no one gets. (It isn't true because there are a ton of great Canadian books.) It was well written, but given how many awards Miriam Toews wins, I expected ... more.
I'm still slogging through Ulysses. Chapter 14 was the hardest because he satirizes a bunch of historical styles so it's needlessly harder to understand. I'm in chapter 15 which is the longest - it's as long as the first 8 chapters put together. But it has a ton of dialogue, so it at least moves along. My goal for next week is to finish 15. Starting 16 is bonus.
I am loving the Heather O'Neill book I started today.
And I got proactive. I got my name on the list for Sunrise on the Reaping (I'm 9th), With a Vengeance (third), and The Woman in Suite 11 (second). The last two aren't even published, let alone at the library. I just hope I don't end up with everything at once.
Finished:
Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run
Popsugar prompt: A book about a run club
ATY prompt: A book with a cover that has an image of something that starts with A, T, or Y (a track)
Anniversary prompt:
A Complicated Kindness
Popsugar prompt: A book about a cult
ATY prompt: Two books with a pair of opposites in their titles
Series - 2/10
Reading Across Canada - 4/10
Nobel laureates - 2/5
PS - 15/40
Regular ATY - 13/40
Anniversary ATY - 5/10
Currently reading:
Ulysses - 65%
The Crystal City - 85%
The Lonely Hearts Hotel - 5%
Lent:
Interior Castle - 25%
QOTW: The only Asian book I've read lately, I don't recommend.
Ron wrote: "Oh that's right, wildfires in NJ. That's insane!"I didn't know about this. That is not a state I associate with wildfires.
Jen W. wrote: "Happy Thursday!We're going back to remote work this week after an attempted hybrid back to the office stint, so I'm happy about that. I'm one of those who gets way more done when I'm at home.
Fi..."
Everyone gets more done at home. Plus I get 2 hours extra sleep when I WFH. Aside from no chatter around me, getting more sleep makes me more productive. Aside from our one anchor day (when the whole team comes in), the rest of hybrid is useless.
Today was my Friday since I decided to take tomorrow off 🥳 I finished one book (couldn't find an open prompt that fit) and started another one. I'm at 8/40 and 0/10 for this challenge, and 22/85 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge. Finished:
* The Backyard Bird Chronicles written, illustrated, and read by Amy Tan, which was one of my book clubs' picks for April -- we'll be discussing it this weekend.
Currently Reading:
* The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims; and,
* Our Best Intentions by Vibhuti Jain, which is one of my NetGalley backlist titles. It really drew me in, so I'm glad I finally started it!
QotW:
Are there any new books by Pacific Islander, Asian, or Asian-American authors that you would specifically recommend reading during the month of May in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Appreciation Month? Here are a few suggestions:
* The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan - since I just finished it! Really lovely read and the illustrations are gorgeous.
* The Chow Maniac by Vivien Chien, which is the newest installment in the Noodle Shop Mystery series. While I haven't read this one yet, I love this cozy series and just finished Misfortune Cookie.
* The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai, which is the second book in the Kamogawa Food Detective series that's been translated into English. Book three comes out in the fall in the US!
* The Library Game Gigi Pandian, which came out in March. She's got three series going right now, so lots of great options to choose from!
* Invisible Helix by Keigo Higashino. I have a NetGalley copy of this one that I need to read still since I've enjoyed all of the mysteries I've read by this author.
* The Mistress of Bhatia House by Sujata Massey, who is one of my favorite authors (and local 😊).
* Hula by Jasmin Iolani Hakes, which was one of my favorite reads from 2023.
* To Save and to Destroy: Writing as an Other by Viet Thanh Nguyen, which I haven't read but this sounds really interesting and I loved the Sympathizer series.
* The Museum of Failures by Thrity Umrigar, whose books I always love (though I haven't had a chance to read this one yet).
*Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See, who is another favorite of mine.
Happy check-in! It waited until after Easter for the snow and then back to spring here. 🙃 I got the best fortune cookie this past week "read a new book to expand your horizons". You'll be shocked to know I read more than one.
Finished Reading:
Reflection ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS childhood)
A Mulan retelling from a fave young adult author. This takes place mid disney movie.
The Twisted Throne ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I can't wait for the final book in the series.
Last Chance to Save the World ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS climate antagonist)
I loved this and I'm very sad it's over. I hope the open ending leads to more books. This series definitely needs to be read in order.
Sweep of the Heart Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Now I'm through this series. I think this one is my favourite because the idea to have a bachelor inspired event at the inn is great.
The Phantom Tollbooth ⭐⭐⭐
A clever idea for a kids book.
Reckless ⭐⭐
This is not good ya but this book was the best so far.
Great Big Beautiful Life ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Her books always make me laugh and cry. This would work for the cult or music prompts fyi.
PS 25/50
ATY 32/52 Anniversary 2/10
Goodreads 110/250
QOTW:
I'm waiting for Six Days in Bombay to be published soon. I loved the The Henna Artist series by the same author.
I've got The Night Eaters, Vol. 3: Their Kingdom Come to read next.
Life update: I had an introductory meeting with my new HR rep, so I took the opportunity to tell her that I'm retiring at the end of the year. My line manager already knew, but it's HR who handle the formalities. She was very supportive. Now I just need to find the right time to tell my head of department.Reading update: I cleared my physical TBR this week! It was a nice dopamine boost and wouldn't have happened if not for this challenge. Now I just have the 50 books in my Kindle TBR and the 1031 in my GR/SG TBR to go....
I finished six books:
The Haunting of H. G. Wells for a left-handed character. This one was rather spoiled for me by anachronisms and Americanisms.
The Secret Book of Flora Lea for book in the title. This one also had some annoying Americanisms and one glaring anachronism that made one of the characters unbelievable, but overall it was charming and at times difficult to put down.
All Systems Red for a neurodivergent author. I'd been avoiding this book because I got the wrong impression of what it was about. I ended up loving it. The central character really resonated with me as an autistic person myself.
Star Trek Discovery: The Book of Grudge for the Star Trek Series Challenge. There's not much substance to this, it's a gag book with cat pictures. But it does that pretty well, and I needed a Discovery book and was struggling to muster much interest in any of the ones I found.
Vanya and the Wild Hunt for magical creatures that aren't dragons. I enjoyed this a lot. It's an alternative take on the magical school trope, with a cast of characters that's properly diverse in nationality, ethnicity, orientation and neurotype. I will definitely be reading more in this series.
Assembly for a main character who is an immigrant. Very thoughtful and very painful to read because of how damaged the main character is by her experience.
I also moved Weird Walk: Wanderings and Wonderings through the British Ritual Year from my TBR to my reference shelf. After reading the introduction and first chapter, I realised that it's intended more for actively planning walks than it is for browsing. I guess I'll count that as paused, since I did read part of it and intend to come back to it.
Stats:
Finished for the PopSugar Challenge: 5 this week, 33/50 total
Finished for the Star Trek Series Challenge: 1 this week, 9/18 total
Finished outside the challenges: 0 this week, 8 total
GR Bookmark Challenges: Community Favorites Challenge (6/6)
All books finished this year: 6 this week, 48 total
DNF or paused: 1 this week, 11 total
Currently Reading:
How to Sleep at Night for a politician main character
Smart Legal Contracts: Computable Law in Theory and Practice for a book I got for free
Star Trek: The Official Guide to the Animated Series for the Star Trek Series Challenge
Too Bright to See as my current audiobook, not for the challenges
The Valmiki Ramayana Vol. 2 for spiritual bedtime reading
QOTW:
For Asian American authors, I really loved Babel and am looking forward to Katabasis by the same author. Mabuhay! would also count. Fans of murder mysteries might also like the Perveen Mistry series by Sujata Massey.
I haven't read as much by Asian authors living in Asia as I probably should. The one I finished most recently was Before the Coffee Gets Cold, but I felt ambivalent about it. Goodreads tells me the most recently published of the ones I've read is The Bride Was a Boy, which is an autobiographical manga by a trans woman that I rated 4 stars.
If we widen the category to include British Asian authors, then I would recommend Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna and anything by Aliette de Bodard. The most recent ones of hers that I've read are In the Shadow of the Ship and A Fire Born of Exile, both of which are in her Vietnamese-inspired SF universe, but she's also written some historical urban fantasy and a historical mystery series.
As you'll see from my comments, I've had terrible luck with books lately. I've had very few 4- or 5-star reads this year actually. I've decided to hit restart and just DNF everything I'm not enjoying.This weekend is Dewey’s readathon. I’ve loaded up my Kindle with (hopefully good!) books. There are a few I’ve been saving because I know I won’t be able to put them down (Simone St. James!!) or because they’re shorter and perfect for readathon days. I’m hoping for nice weather so I can read outside and go on a walk.
Finished
Cleat Cute (a book about soccer). It was fine. Not really my cup of tea, but not bad either.
DNF
Assistant to the Villain. This book is not good. I'm not reading a book based on a TikTok ever again. I made it to 67% and then just could not go on.
The Break-Up Pact. I usually love fake relationships, but I'm just not feeling the chemistry here.
QOTW
I don’t have any new recommendations.
Mod
Mod
One book to go for my challenge! Whoo!
Counting down the days to my Italy trip. Less than a month to go! Anyone know of any good books that take place in Italy? I've already read ..."
A Farewell to Arms is set in Italy!! But I don’t recommend it. (Only four chapters left! I’m almost done!!)
Have you read The Talented Mr. Ripley? I like Highsmith a lot. Those Who Walk Away is also set in Italy.
Happy Friday! Despite having a quiet and short week, I am ready for it to be done!One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest No prompt, but this was the second book on my TBR, added in 2015, so I still feel good about it! I liked it but wanted more with our narrator rather than McMurphy. Some of his "delusions" were so insightful (the fog) that I wanted to know even more of how he saw the world.
Little Ship of Fools: Sixteen Rowers, One Improbable Boat, Seven Tumultuous Weeks on the Atlantic Really enjoyed this, it made my top ten of the year so far. Although that may be because I sailed across the Atlantic at the end of last year, and reading his experience of rowing it brought back memories and also made my experience feel so much easier in retrospect! Someone told me about this book just before I went, but I kind of wish I had read it before or during my trip. No PS prompt as I already filled in the 'body of water' one.
Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear This was my highly anticipated 2025 read, as a new Wayward Children is always something to get excited about, but it fell a little flat for me - maybe because Beneath the Sugar Sky was my least favorite and least memorable of the series up til now, so it felt fairly disconnected? Did make me feel that it might be time for a reread of the complete series though.
Currently Reading
The Interestings
The Ever After of Ashwin Rao
QotW
A lot have been mentioned, but Ted Chiang and Ken Liu come to mind.
Mod
Every one of her books is longer and more bloated than the last. It’s as if the more popular she got, the less she listened to her editors who might have tried to cut out some chaff. That’s one of the reasons why I finally gave up on the Cormorant Strike series. No book needs to be THAT long.
Did I spell that right? Is it Cormorant? Or Cormoran? I’m so handicapped without my computer!!
Mod
Oh that sounds like fun!! And it would make a nice sized afghan!!
If only I knew how to crochet. Someday I will learn to knit & crochet. Maybe. I guess that’s another bucket list item for me.
Listen to audiobooks while crocheting and you’ll never be without a book:-)
Mod
We're going back to remote work this week after an attempted hybrid back to the office stint, so I'm happy about that. I'm one of those who gets way more done when I'm at home.
Fi..."
That is awesome!!! How did you all convince them to go back to remote?
Mod
I had been excited to read that. I got rejected in NG and maybe that’s a good thing - if you found it disappointing, odds are good I will too.
Mod
I didn't know about this. That is not a state I associate with wildfires."
Right?
The Pine Barrens are burning. You know how flammable pine treees are, so once it starts, it really gets going. Seems to happen every 20 years or so. Last big pine barrens fire was accidentally set off by some idiot Air force exercises - there are several military bases in the area. I don’t know what started this one. Conspiracy theories abound. They are pointing at one guy who was carelessly burning scrap wood.
Mod
Reflection ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (PS childhood)
A Mulan retelling from a fave young adult author. This takes place mid disney movie ..."
There’s another Mulan retelling coming out this summer!!!! Disney has been publishing contemporary rom-coms by various popular authors based on the Disney princess stories. Next book up is Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto!! I’m excited to read this soon.
Nadine in NY wrote: "That is awesome!!! How did you all convince them to go back to remote?"I think it was more the rent prices that convinced them. They're trying to keep costs down.
Katy wrote: "The author stated that Condoleeza Rice was the first African American secretary of state and I'm pretty sure that was Colin Powell.,..."I checked you are right. Colin was appointed in 2001 and Condolessa wasn't until 2005. Unless the author meant first African-American woman, he was wrong.
Interesting fact... it was Madeline Albright (first woman) then Colin Powell (first African-American) then Condolessa Rice (first woman African-American).
----------------
And Nadine it's Cormoran. :)
So a few days ago, even though I am reading like three other books, I started Queenie. It is from my TBR shelf and I felt guilty picking it up because I have a bunch of library books due real soon. But I just felt like this book was what I wanted to read, and wasn't as into the other ones I am reading. Well I picked it up, and read like 5 chapters in the first sitting! And my only thought was 'Why have I been putting this book off?" I'm really enjoying it.
Thanks Nadine I’ve added it to the tbr.
With April pretty much over I've started my May reads. I've got 4 books going now and gonna start 2 this coming week.
My weeks blend together…Finished (I think this week):
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies (may have been a week prior tho).-Non-hormonal, non-pregnant me would probably have loved it. However, hormonal me was anxious and slightly triggered. Still liked it, but glad to have it over.
An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good -Despite the violence it’s less personal and more abstract. No significant triggering.
The Spellshop (audiobook)-Hormonal me enjoyed this one. It was feel good and light.
Started: Raising Twins (for self explanatory reasons)
Daisy Jones and the Six (small town lib book club, but going to use for music prompt) -so far an easy read. I’m not particularly in love with it, but I don’t hate it.
Assassin’s Apprentice-liking it. It’s not full fledged world building so far, which I actually prefer. In this way, I can just accept it as is without being annoyed by all the plot holes/inconsistencies. I also really like a slow burn.
Minimal progress:
Death on Eat Street (it’s currently my purse book, with no spontaneous reading opportunities).
Three Dark Crowns-liking it but not dying to tear through the chapters so far.
Happy Friday! Don't know how yesterday got away from me, and then I meant to check in at lunch today and forgot again! It's been a long week- I had an allergic reaction to something last week, and my skin still feels like it's trying to crawl away from me. Went to make a doctor's appointment, and the first appointment isn't for another 2 weeks. So I've been a twitchy mess all week. Not ideal.For reading, I keep starting books, then hoping to new books, and not really making any real progress. Did manage to finish two books that had been lingering though.
Finished:
Strong Female Character- I've been watching tons of Taskmaster, and Fern Brady was one of my favorite people on that show, so I bumped this memoir higher on my to read list. She was diagnosed with autism in her 30s, and this goes over how not being diagnosed earlier or given the accommodation she needed really impacted her life. Great memoir, highly recommend the audiobook
-34 A book written by an author who is neurodivergent
Miri Lives in the Cat's Eyes- such a pretty cover, such an interesting premise, such a disappointing read
-no prompt
Currently reading:
Let Them Stare- a book by Jonathan Van Ness and Julie Murphy about being young and queer in a small town with a supernatural touch- I really like it so far
To Save and to Destroy: Writing as an Other- just started listening to this, Viet Thanh Nguyen is giving a talk in Berkeley next month that I want to go to
QotW:
I'm not sure about recommendations, but a few books that I'm interested in reading soon are:
The Lost Queen- ya fantasy
The Night Ends with Fire- more fantasy
Elephant Herd- literary fiction from netgalley that I need to review asap...
Sinophagia: A Celebration of Chinese Horror- short story collection
Haven't been reading much (and I keep forgetting to check the threads now that we no longer get emails) I did readThe Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn, Vol. 1: A Graphic Novel by Trí Vương which was odd but good and it fits this week's question. Almost all my recs will be manga and graphic novelsH.P. Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth by Gou Tanabe is a beautifully drawn interpretation of Lovecraft's story
Carmilla: The First Vampire by Amy Chu is an interesting reimaging of Carmilla with a Chinese history spin
Ill-Fated Fortune: A Magical Fortune Cookie Novel by Jennifer J. Chow came out last year and I think the second is due soon. It's a magic realism cozy mystery
Stitches Stitches by Hirokatsu Kihara and Junji Ito Ito is a giant in Japanese horror manga
Dinghai Fusheng Records (Novel) Vol. 1 by Fei Tian Ye Xiang Not really my cup of tea but if you like Asian boy love books you'd probably like this, the art is lovely
Kenya wrote: "Happy Thursday!One book to go for my challenge! Whoo!
Counting down the days to my Italy trip. Less than a month to go! Anyone know of any good books that take place in Italy? I've already read ..."
Hi Kenya! I hope you have a great trip! Some books that I liked that take place in Italy are The Name of the Rose and A Room with a View.
Sasha wrote: "Kenya wrote: "Happy Thursday!One book to go for my challenge! Whoo!
Counting down the days to my Italy trip. Less than a month to go! Anyone know of any good books that take place in Italy? I've..."
Still Life and The Marriage Portrait
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Mitford Affair (other topics)A Magical Girl Retires (other topics)
Floating Hotel (other topics)
XOXO (other topics)
Before the Coffee Gets Cold (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Lynda Rutledge (other topics)Axie Oh (other topics)
Victoria Christopher Murray (other topics)
Park Seolyeon (other topics)
Cho Nam-Joo (other topics)
More...
My internet is down, probably because they sent me a new Fios device weeks ago and I never unpacked the box to install it. I’ll deal with that later after I’ve had coffee. So I’m posting this from my phone.
We've had a nice stretch of mild and sunny weather!! The leaves are JUST starting to appear on the trees - by next week, everything will be green ... and covered in pollen LOL. Thus begins the season when I cannot have my windows open.
Admin stuff
The April group read, for healing fiction, is: Before the Coffee Gets Cold, and Sasha has stepped up to lead the discussion. Join here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
The May group read, which could fill "space tourism," will be: Floating Hotel. Let me or Lynn know if you are interested in leading the discussion! May is coming fast and we still do not have a discussion leader!
The June group read (which could fill "road trip") will be: West With Giraffes! Let me or Lynn know if you are interested in leading the discussion!
The nomination poll for the July group read (which could fill "snake on the cover or in the title") is open, vote for or write in your choice here:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...
This week I finished 3 books, one of them for a Popsugar category:
Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang - this was a NetGalley book, no Popsugar category, but I did check off "'related to fire" in AtY. This balances on the line between thriller and horror, similar to The Only Black Girl. I got the feeling the author wanted to write a book like Bunny, but couldn't let herself go full batshit. It's a fast and engaging read, with some very disturbing elements. (Don't read while eating.)
Erasure by Percival Everett - this is not what I expected, but I think I can say that about every book I've read by him! I checked off "book mentioned in another book" with this one, since it was mentioned in The Sentence.
Ararat poems by Louise Glück - I managed to read a book of poetry for Poetry Month! (I haven't been reading as much poetry as in past years.) This prize-winning collection has been posthumously re-released for some reason, so I got a copy from NetGalley. I knew Gluck tended to be morose but wow I was not prepared. I'm glad I'm not in her family because she is merciless!! These poems are exquisite but also so unhappy. If she writes about autumn, she doesn't write about the gorgeous colors, the lovely weather, the bountiful harvest ... she writes about death and the end.
Still working on A Farewell to Arms. I should finish by next week. It's not a slog, but it's not great. Did I pick the wrong Hemingway or are they all like this?
Popsugar 58% 29 /50
Must Reads 20% 2 /10
AtY 62% 32 /52
AtY bonus 10% 1 /10
2025 pub 30% 15 /50
NetGalley ratio 82%
Question of the Week
Are there any new books by Pacific Islander, Asian, or Asian-American authors that you would specifically recommend reading during the month of May in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Appreciation Month?
I've read several great books by Asian authors this year (both Asian and Asian-American):
Apartment Women by Gu Byeong-mo - this Korean novel about several families living together in an apartment complex was a very quiet book that didn't seem to have any big plot or wow factor, but I still think about it months later
I Leave It Up to You by Jinwoo Chong - I really enjoyed this story about a young man who wakes up from a coma and has to find his place in the world (in Fort Lee NJ) all over again, it was funny and sweet and thought-provoking and a little bit feel-good.
Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping On a Dead Man by Jesse Q. Sutanto - Sutanto has become one of my favorite authors!! This is a fun madcap cozy mystery. In this case, you have to read the first "Vera Wong" first, but they are both super fast reads.
Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte - a good choice if you're looking for literary fiction that looks at belonging and exclusion and doesn't pull any punches. (Any GR librarians seeing this? There’s something wrong with that listing, part of the blurb copies over along with the title in the book link)
Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang - I gave this book 4 stars, not five like the others I've listed, because it never fully committed to being truly insane, but it's fun, and different, and a little bit gross,and a little bit thought-provoking. If you're looking for "Mona Awad lite" try this.
And right now I'm reading the new YA fantasy from Axie Oh, The Floating World, and so far (only a few chapters in) it's really good!! This book comes out next week, if you liked her other books, I recommend this one too! (Full disclosure: I did NOT like The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea and I actually DNFed it, which is weird because I ended up loving ASAP and XOXO and now Floating World, so clearly I was just in a bad mood that day when I DNFed TGWFBtS!!)