Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Happy Thursday!!

May is almost over and I can’t believe how fast time goes by… I must attend a funeral tomorrow and I am dreading it. I find that I am just over the whole idea of a funeral. Period. But that’s just me. My newly-widowed next-door neighbor has a ton of stuff in their yard to be disposed of and I’m trying to help her with cleaning up, etc. I told her that when she is ready, I’ll help her get things loaded up and hauled. Our other neighbor has offered his truck and trailer for that purpose. One thing I have learned in this lifetime is that each of us has items we ‘treasure’ that are totally meaningless to others. (Even our spouses/partners!) I find that so very interesting. Then in the aftermath of our death, others must dispose of those items.

Our next-door neighbor (Her husband of 53 years!) adorned his yard/lot with all kinds of items: an old gas pump, a miniature wooden Welcome Wagon, and other items. His garage has a truck cab as a door. About 15 years ago he even built a miniature outdoor drive-in theater mockup with lights, signs, etc. About 5-6 years after I moved in with my husband, a person here in town commented about my neighbor’s lights, etc., indicating that she felt it was obnoxious, asking if I didn’t agree with her. (Yeah, I doubt anyone would approach me similarly 20 years later. They should know better by now! LOL) I answered that I felt his yard was way more interesting than others, AND it is HIS YARD, so he can do with it as he pleases and it’s really none of my business! (Nor hers, IMO!) He also completed some more practical projects, such as putting a tin ceiling in their kitchen, paving their short driveway with repurposed bricks, etc. He was a very creative guy! He built the garage and house himself many years ago with little help from others.

Two book lists! There wasn’t much crossover on these!
Most anticipated summer releases by Goodreads readers
Most anticipated summer releases by Goodreads Editors

And, it has happened! Percival Everett has won the Pulitzer for James! I just assumed he would win sooner or later! I also predict that he may well win a Nobel eventually. He and I are the same age. I'm glad for him and I am glad I was able to meet and speak with him! I am so anxious to reread The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and then read James yet this year!

ADMIN STUFF:
THE AUGUST MONTHLY GROUP READ NOMINATION POLL IS LIVE!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #28 A book with an unlikely friendship!
World UFO Day is July 2, 2025!!
https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...
(My first thought was of the movie ET! "Phone home") 😃

If you do not see the title you would like to nominate, please write it in. Please check the book's eligibility first! Only books that have NOT been discussed within the past two years (2023-present) are eligible. Remember to consult the listing of these books that are NOT eligible for this month HERE before nominating! :) There is an alphabetized listing by title as well as a chronological listing.

NOTE: This is the NOMINATION round, which is step one. We will select the top results from this round to create a new poll for a Final Vote to select ONE book for the August 2025 group read.

*** This poll will run from May 22rd through June 3rd. ***

There are currently seven books nominated:
James by Percival Everett
A Letter to the Luminous Deep (Sunken Archive #1) by Sylvie Cathrall
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami
Funny Story by Emily Henry

Nominate/vote HERE!

THE JULY MONTHLY GROUP READ IS Sunrise on the Reaping (Hunger Games #0.5) by Suzanne Collins!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #5 A book with a snake on the cover or in the title
World Snake Day is July 16, 2025 (I had no idea there was one of these!!)
I’m hopeful that a “sibilant superstar” will volunteer to lead this discussion! Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!! (I do not plan to read this one!)

THE JUNE MONTHLY GROUP READ IS West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #12 A book about a road trip. Take a Road Trip Day is June 20, 2025!
West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
Who is the "tricky traveler" willing to facilitate this discussion? Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!
I adore this book! And such an unknown bit of history. Unbelievable what was attempted…

THE MAY MONTHLY GROUP READ IS Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis This book could be used to fulfill prompt #3 A book about space tourism. National Space Day is May 2, 2025! https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat... Surely we have a "fearless facilitator" out there to lead May's discussion! Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer! The discussion is on!! Come join us, if you dare! LOL I will be posting final thoughts/comments/questions today!

THE LISTING OF 2025 MONTHLY GROUP READ TOPICS IS HERE!
***

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Do you believe in fairies?
The series I am currently reading, delves into this issue a bit, and it got me wondering. It would appear that Beatrix Potter believed in the possibility of fairies.

In all honestly, I believe there are ‘things’ out there that we have no clue about. I am not a person who believes humans are the all-knowing and superior beings of the Universe. We are, IMO, just one species and at least on this planet, it would appear we are “in charge.” (Probably to the detriment of our own race as well as the well-being of this planet…) There could be many other species/beings out there that we humans may never ‘know’ about! And I’m okay with that. 😊

If fairies do exist, hopefully, they won’t hold a grudge against us humans! Though I'm not sure I would blame them if they did... 😉😯

2025 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 39/50
Around the Year (AtY): 51/52
AtY 2025 Anniversary List: 10/10 FINISHED
Read Harder: 16/24
52 Book Club: 44/52

2024 Popsugar: 47/50

FINISHED:
*The Tale of Holly How (The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter #2) by Susan Wittig Albert ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was perhaps even more enjoyable than the first installment in this series! Albert does an excellent job of adding some new characters, as well as moving other characters out of the area and for the most part, out of the series. I just adore her writing and this series is definitely a favorite!!
POPSUGAR: #6, #16, #20, #24
ATY: #2, #3, #8, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #19, #31, #32, #37, #40, #45, #48
RHC: #11, #16, #24
52 Book Club: #2, #5, #7, #10, #16, #18, #22, #28/#29, #41, #42, #43, #51

*The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood (The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter #3) by Susan Wittig Albert ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wow. This is my favorite in this series thus far! So much packed into this one very readable and enjoyable book! Beatrix Potter may be on her way to a romantic relationship! As may one of her very best friends in Near Sawry! However, in the meantime, there are thieves to catch, houseguests to evict, a bigamist to expose, a scholarship to endow for a brilliant yet very poor student, rats to be rid of, and last but by no means least, fairies to discover! (Do fairies really exist...?) So glad my good friend recommended this series to me!
POPSUGAR: #6, #16, #20, #24
ATY: #1, #2, #3, #5, #7, #10, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #23, #24, #25, #31, #32, #37, #40, #41, #45, #48
RHC: #4, #11, #16, #24
52 Book Club: #2, #5, NEW #6, #10, #18, #22, #25, #28/#29, #38, #39, #43, #51-352 pages

CONTINUING:
*The Restoration of Celia Fairchild by Marie Bostwick for an IRL book club meeting
*The Double Life of Benson Yu by Kevin Chong for an IRL book club meeting
*The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty
*Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power by RebeccaSolnit

PLANNED:
*Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict
*The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley
*The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
*The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict

I am sorry, L Y N N, for your community's loss. He seems like a wonderfully unique man to have known.

Happy Thursday! Our 36th anniversary was Tuesday, so Todd and I are heading out later today for a weekend away from home. We're going to Walla Walla. It's only an hour away, but even though we've lived here nearly three years we've never been. There are lots of wineries and great restaurants, and there's an olive oil store that I really want to visit. Looking for to lots of tastings (and relaxation)!

2025 Reading Challenges:

52 Book Club: 41/52 (May Mini-Challenge: 7/7)
ATY: 35/52 (ATY Anniversary Challenge: 7/10, ATY Spring Challenge: 30/30)
The Book Girls’ Guide: 32/74
Booklist Queen: 42/52
Popsugar: 34/50

My Ever-Growing TBR: 61/267 – 22.8% (My goal is 33.3%.)

Recently Completed:

All That Life Can Afford (Booklist Queen #7 – women’s fiction) ★★★★

Heartwood ★★★★
The Infinity Particle: A Graphic Novel ★★★★
The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America ★★★★★
Promise Me Sunshine ★★★★

The Age of Miracles: An end-of-the-world story… but it’s not a thriller, loud and cataclysmic. It’s a lovely, slow, personal story. (Popsugar #46 – nature is the antagonist) ★★★★★

Greenteeth (52 Books May Mini-Challenge #1 – a leafy, green cover/ATY #30 – a monster book) ★★★★

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President: Netflix is turning this into a limited series. I’m part of the Netflix Preview Club and got to watch the first episode a few weeks ago. I was hooked! ★★★★

The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science ★★★★

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (52 Books #30 – in the public domain/Booklist Queen #21 – a classic that was recommended to you/Popsugar #39 – a classic you’ve never read) ★★★★




Currently Reading:

Where You Are Is Not Who You Are
The Quiet Librarian (Booklist Queen #37 – about an immigrant/Popsugar #25 – main character is an immigrant or refugee)
The Haters (ATY Anniversary #5 – an emotion in the title)
Stuck Up and Stupid
Because He's Jeff Goldblum: The Movies, Memes, and Meaning of Hollywood's Most Enigmatic Actor
Queenie
32 Days in May (52 Books #6 – set in spring: romance)
This Book Will Bury Me
Finding Tess: Highland Legacy Romance: Goodreads Giveaway.
Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball



QOTW: No, I don't believe in fairies. However, there are lots of things we don't know and lots of things that we don't understand or can't explain. I'm leaving a space open for the unknown.

Happy Thursday!

Aw, Lynn, I'm sorry for your loss. Your neighbor sounds like he was quite a character.

We have a small road trip coming up in a week or so. Very much looking forward to getting away for a little while and taking some time off work.

Finished:
Overgrowth by Mira Grant - 4 stars - for an author who is neurodivergent. An alien invasion story from the point of view of one of the alien scouts sent ahead to blend in with the human race. I found it an interesting contemplation of what it means to be human.

Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - 3.5 stars - for an activity on your bucket list (more accurately, a location I'd love to visit). More of the same for this series. I enjoyed the stories, some more than others, some made me cry, and overall I liked it.

The Incandescent by Emily Tesh - 4.25 stars - for nontraditional education. This takes place at a magic school, but it is from the point of view of one of the teachers who previously attended the school, and what happens when the shadows of her past catch up with her.

Manga/comics:
Colette Decides to Die, Vol. 1

I am currently at 29/50 for Popsugar (25/40 and 4/10).

Currently reading:
You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle - for a book with a title that starts with the letter Y. I have to be honest, I'm not loving this three chapters in. Both the male and female lead seem to be awful people so far, and the MMC's mother is horrible. I'll give it to about 25% to get better before I look for something else to fill this prompt.

Upcoming/Planned:
Behooved by M. Stevenson - depending on how much politics is in this one, I might use this for the main character being a politician, since according to the blurb, the female lead is sent for a political marriage to a prince.

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman - not currently for a prompt.

QOTW:
I agree that there are things out there we don't or can't know about, and fairies might very well be one of them. I'd like to believe in them.

I went to a bookstore last night. First mistake. Not intending to buy any books. I bought three. Oh well. That was predictable. Actually, this is a bookstore that I used to always be disappointed by. It took me a long time to realize that they disperse their new books among their old books, not just in the new arrivals section! I also feel obligated to buy books when I find something interesting. This is the problem with being friends with booksellers!

Spring Library TBR: 23/39
Spring Purchased TBR: 18/23

Finished: Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life I didn't get a lot out of this book.

Return to Sender: A Novel This was so good! I read it in one day. Had a great message and a compelling plot.

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction Boring, out-of-date, and I didn't think the writer was that great.

Started: Journaling as a Spiritual Practice: Encountering God Through Attentive Writing It's going to take me a long time to get through this one because there are exercises sprinkled throughout. Good so far!

QotW: No, I do not believe in fairies. I believe that some magical things are possible, but I have never had an experiences to give me evidence that fairies exist. Perhaps in some alternate universe, but that's not the first thing I think of when I think of alternate universes.

Happy Thursday, y’all.

Sunday, the rain came back as a nice continual rain with little thunder or lightning. It had the feeling of hanging in all day. A nice reading day. Of course, I had to get out in it to be sure all the downspouts were draining properly. The weather man is predicting rain most of the week, although not all day every day.

BCBS notified me this past week that my exercise benefit is changing to another contracted plan. And, wouldn’t you know that my gym is not included…after I contracted for those small group exercise sessions for a year? The customer service person sent through a nomination that my gym be included, and I guess I will find out this week if that was accepted. The new benefit starts on 6/1.

I decided to review all books read since January (and in the case of ATY Winter challenge – December) to see if any would fit prompts unfilled. I had no luck with both ATY and PS main challenges, but I was able to finish ATY Winter with books read during the time frame of the game and all but one prompt for the ATY Anniversary challenge. It gives me hope. Oh! And, I forgot that I was participating in the ATY Spring challenge, which I also completed with my review.

Finished:
From a Far and Lovely Country – ATY #33 (author haven’t read in a while). 4*. Continuation of a series.

The Sojourn – PAS. 4* This book is about a coming-of-age, brothers, WW I, and the finding of home. This book finally taught me what literary fiction was all about.

Miss Fuller – PAS. 3* And then I read this one. Definitely another literary fiction, although it is a fictional account about a real woman who existed.

Equal Rites – PAS. 4* My first ever Terry Pratchett book. I will most definitely read more.

Gabriel's Angel – Audiobook. Favorite Author. 4* A delightful story that felt like it could have become a trilogy or series easily.

Currently Reading:
Kate: The Journal of A Confederate Nurse – PAS. 15%. Committing to this book in the coming week.

Just Starting:
In the Shadow of the Valley: A Memoir – Kindle. PAS. 8%

Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All - ATY #30 (monster), PAS, PS #44 (book I have avoided). This book is soo big (over 800 pages) that the few I have read are not enough to even record 1% read!

On Deck: (owned)
The Pony Wife – PAS
The Brass Verdict – PAS

On Deck: (library) I plan to start reading these 6/1 as I have them planned for June.
A Moveable Feast – PAS (due 6/17 with no renewal)
The Wind Knows My Name: A Novel – PAS, PS (due 6/17 with no renewal)
Anybody Can Do Anything – PS (due 6/10 with renewal)
Waypoints: My Scottish Journey – ATY (due 6/10 with renewal)
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X – PAS (due 6/17 with no renewal)
The Warsaw Anagrams - PAS
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop - ATY seasonal

PS 19/50
ATY 18/52, Anniversary 9/10, Winter completed by books Dec – Feb, Spring completed (Mar-May)
GR 83/200

QotW: Do you believe in fairies?

I believe in the possibility of unseen others in our world. I would hope that one would be fairies, who I believe are gentle, delightful, kind beings.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

In comparison to the busyness of the past couple of weeks, this week has been downright boring. I’m not mad about it though. It’s been really nice to take a break from the chaos of household maintenance projects and just rest…especially since my allergies have been working overtime.

The break in household projects has also given me a chance to do some travel planning this week, and I’m really excited about the road trip I’m planning for this summer.

This has been a great week, reading-wise. I’m continuing to mood read this month, and ended up splitting my time pretty evenly between books from my TBR and “New Books” lists. I’ve actually read more nonfiction this week than fiction!

I also decided to sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge at one of my local libraries this week. The program started on the 23rd, and will run through July 31st. Library patrons get to set their own reading goal for the summer, and I’ve committed to reading 50 books by the end of July.

My other local library will be starting their Summer Reading Club on June 1st, and I look forward to participating in their program as well.

The SciFi Summer Readathon starts on Sunday, and I am really looking forward to diving back into the science fiction genre during the month of June. I’ve done this particular readathon a few times now, and I always enjoy it. I will also be reading books from other genres during this readathon, but I’d like to read as many SciFi titles from my TBR list as possible.

Here are my current challenge and TBR totals…

Goodreads Challenge: 192/250
Mount TBR Challenge: 114/150

📚Physical TBR: 93/731
📱Ebook TBR: 12/218
🎧Audiobook TBR: 9/12
TBR Checklist Total: 114/961

TBR Books DNFed in 2025: 3

I bought a few new releases this week, including: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime 26, by Fuse; Cutie and the Beast Vol. 4, by Yuhi Azumi; and The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association, by Caitlin Rozakis.

I also picked up copies of Loch Down Abbey, by Beth Cowan-Erskine; Who Fears Death, by Nnedi Okorafor; and Ghosts of Salem: Haunts of the Witch City, by Sam Baltrusis.

“New” Books Bought in 2025: 101
“New” Books Read in 2025: 78
“New” Books DNFed in 2025: 0

Here are the books I finished this week…

Finished Reading (Fiction):
~Strange New World — This is the fourth book in the Dr. Greta Helsing series. While I wouldn’t call this story my favorite of the series, I still thought it was a really good read. 📚: ⭐⭐⭐

Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
~Wander Woman: How to Reclaim Your Space, Find Your Voice, and Travel the World, Solo — I really enjoyed this book. Rather than focusing on the tips and travel hacks that so many other solo travel guides seem to recommend, this book encourages the reader to alter their perception of what it means to travel solo, with the goal of having a more meaningful travel experience. 📚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
~Greater Than a Tourist- Salem Massachusetts USA: 50 Travel Tips from a Local — This guide to Salem, Massachusetts is full of travel recommendations from a local. It includes descriptions of accommodations, food, shopping, and must-see attractions. The low page count and large print made this a fast, easy read. 📚: ⭐⭐⭐
~Weather: A Force of Nature — This book included amazing pictures of weather phenomena from all over the world, along with detailed descriptions. Also included in this book were six essays that addressed the issue of climate change. 📚: ⭐⭐⭐

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

Finished Reading (Poetry and Drama):
None

DNFed:
None

Currently Reading:
~Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince — This is the sixth book in the Harry Potter series. While this book is a re-read for me, it’s the first time I’ve had a chance to listen to the audiobook. I have a little less than 4 hours remaining, so I will probably finish it tomorrow. 🎧
~Dragons of Autumn Twilight — I’m currently a little over halfway through this book, and I’m still having a really hard time maintaining my interest in the story and characters. I am determined to finish this book before the end of the week though. 📚
~Vampira and Her Daughters: Women Horror Movie Hosts from the 1950s into the Internet Era — This book is an encyclopedia of women Horror Hosts. I'm currently about halfway through it, and it’s been an interesting read so far. 📚

QOTW:
To be honest, I’ve never really considered whether or not fairies exist outside of stories. I do think that there is more to be discovered about our world though, so maybe we’ll find out for sure at some point in the future.

Happy Thursday!


This week flew by just like last week did. I can't believe it's Thursday, again! We are still getting SO MUCH RAIN. It did stop for a few days, so I got the lawn mowed at least. Now it's raining again. No drought here!!!



This week I finished two books, both for this Challenge (oddly, they were both audiobooks!):

I'll Love You Forever: Notes from a K-Pop Fan by Giaae Kwon - this was really disappointing. Rambling personal essays are only interesting if the author is a great writer or has had an interesting life, but neither was the case here. Also, she read the audiobook, and - like most authors - she was not a very good audiobook reader. I don't want to diss Kwon too much, because she's putting herself out there, being vulnerable and writing a book, and that's more than I've done, but ... I feel like I wasted my time listening to this one. I checked off "a book where music plays an integral part" with this one.

The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang- I love the cover and I love the title and ... that's about it. Story was blah. This is a very gentle story with zero surprises. I checked off "healing fiction" with this one. I kind of want to try another healing fiction novel to see if I don't like the entire sub-genre, or if it was just this book.




Popsugar 70% 35 /50
Must Reads 20% 2 /10
AtY 71% 37 /52
AtY bonus 10% 1 /10
2025 pub 50% 25 /50
NetGalley ratio 81%





QotW


No! I love reading fantasy and paranormal stories, but it's all solidly fiction for me. Fairies, zombies, werewolves, dragons, vampires, ghosts, unicorns, etc ... all fiction. That's why I enjoy it so much! If I thought some of it were real, it would be too scary to read.

As many have said, where has May gone? It went so quickly. Oh well it just means my summer break is that much closer

I finished one book, Anne of Avonlea L.M. Montgomery. I used it for book that reminds you of childhood

I am going to finish
These Precious Days: Essays tonight and this weekend work on:
The Wangs vs. the World
The Frozen River
War and Peace (year long buddy read)

QOTW:

no I don't believe in fairies or other magical creatures and I'm not a scifi/fantasy fan either

It's been a pretty quiet week over here. The weather is warming up, but still feels a little chilly for the end of May.

Finished:
Wayward Travelers - Not as good as the first, but still an enjoyable read.
The Girl from Earth's End - I enjoyed the story a lot (I listened to the audiobook and kept finding excuses to keep listening), but the heavyhandedness of certain topics was a bit much. The plot also had a lot of twists and turns, some of which could have been left out IMO.
Lo and Behold - Wasn't super wowed by this one, but it had an interesting concept, and believable emotional arcs for the main characters.
Hirayasumi, Vol. 2 - Another lowkey volume, though with a smidge more drama than last time.
Answers to Dog - (CL a sunrise or sunset) This book was written in a very flat, matter-of-fact manner, but that didn't keep me from being able to get into it. It was sort of like the reading equivalent of having something on in the background; I read the story here and there, and was fine with whatever was happening. Not too invested, but curious enough to keep going.
You Glow in the Dark - (PS A title that starts with Y) These stories were all kind of weird, so I'm not sure how I feel about them. The first was the most effective. Love the cover, though!

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
The Labors of Hercules Beal
Fowl Play

QOTW: I don't believe in fairies, but I do like to read about them.

Hi all! We had beautiful weather for Memorial Day parades and the kiddo had fun, so that was great! Otherwise, usual week of doctor's appointments and such. Still more rain than sun around here and last night I turned the heat back on. Ugh.

Still battling some medication side effects, but they're much better, so I got some reading done. Mostly I've been working on Never Saw Me Coming and I'm really liking it!

Picked up Bone, Vol. 7: Ghost Circles, just a little bit into that.

QOTW: I don't, but many years ago, I wrote a Nanowrimo of a girl whose mother is killed and she discovers a magical land of good and bad fairies. As she gets drawn into their world more and more, the people around her worry about her mental health.

Arthur Conan Doyle believed in fairies, and he thought he had photographic proof- The Coming of the Fairies.

I finished Shattered by Dick Francis as my book that reminds me of my childhood. Not his best work.

I am now reading Innocent by Scott Turow as my book I want to read based on the last sentence. I want to punch the main character in the face 647 times.

I'm also reading The Complete Book of the Cat as my book with less than a 3 star rating. It has none.

QOTW: I do not. But, I do like that they exist in stories and our imaginatiions.

Happy Thursday!

I finished one book. It was a fluffy little graphic novel, but I got another book ticked off. I only signed up to do 40 PS prompts - so I'm half way done.

My reading goal was to read one series book in May and one in June. Instead, I got them both at the end of May and will finish them both in June. (Reserves and inter-library loans problems)

The good news is that my library bought a second copy of Sunrise on the Reaping. I already zoomed up from 6th to 4th in line in a week. I think I'm on track to get it in mid-July. If I was certain, I'd get it earlier, I'd volunteer to get the discussion.

Finished:

Mooncakes
Popsugar prompt: A book about a POC experiencing joy and not trauma
ATY prompt: A book with a common household object on the cover (mixing bowl, plate, oven mitt)
Anniversary prompt:

Series - 3/10
Reading Across Canada - 5/10
Nobel laureates - 2/5

PS - 20/40
Regular ATY - 18/40
Anniversary ATY - 6/10

Currently reading:
Interior Castle - 25%
Death Bringer - 45%
The Woman Who Died a Lot - 50%

Buddy Reads:
none at present

QOTW: I don't, but that doesn't stop me from reading books and watching TV shows/movies that have them in it.

Hello from Hilton Head Island and happy Thursday! We’ve hit about the halfway point of our vacation, we got here Friday evening and will be heading home Wednesday. We’ve had a lot of fun, and had some strenuous activities I don’t care to repeat (walking about a mile out on low tide exposed ocean bed to go shelling with my son, almost lost my shoes to mud, blah). I love alligator spotting and all the pretty birds.

Finished:
Nothing! I’m working my way through Lonesome Dove which is an exceptionally long audiobook. I listened to half of it on the drive down but at that point I felt I was getting delirious and needed to switch to something a little more “my style”.


Currently Reading:
Lonesome Dove
John Dies at the End
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Great Adventure Catholic Bible

Challenges:
Popsugar - 15/40; 0/4; 0/3; 2/3
Read Harder - 9/24
Classics - 4/12
European Tour - 4/10
12 Friends - 3/12
Yearly Goal - 42/180

QOTW:
I do not. Even before I converted I didn’t believe in stuff like that. There’s just so much evidence we don’t have and from a lot of the lore I don’t think they’d be nice to have around. I however love supernatural elements in my books and movies.

Blessed Feast of the Ascension to those celebrating! And I'm so sorry to hear about your neighbor! May his memory be eternal. <3

Finished 19/20
Currently Reading
The Games: A Global History of the Olympics for "book about a run club". This is a FASCINATING read. Wow! I'm 2/3 of the way through.

QotW
I do not believe in faeries, but I'm 100% willing to be proven wrong!

Hi all,

Been feeling a little crazy this week what with the holiday. All day I was thinking it was Friday and that I still had so much work to get done before the weekend... Weekday holidays always throw me off.

Finished:
One Corpse Too Many: another delightful medieval mystery, although I did spoil myself by reading a later entry before this one. Oops!

Underland: A Deep Time Journey: it's really good travel writing, but it did feel more like a collection than a single cohesive work.

QOTW Nah. They're fun in stories but that's it for me.

I rediscovered a treasure trove of Lord of the Rings items that I’d left behind at my mom’s house when I moved out in 2007. I guess I didn’t have room for them in my first apartment, so I left them in my bedroom at her house. I’d completely forgotten about them. Mom has moved since then, and I rarely go into the closet where she stored them. She found them while going through closets and drawers to find items for a garage sale. All of the memorabilia is finally in my apartment 18 years later!

There are a few items I remember having, but they’ve gone missing over the years. I’ve been spending way too much money on eBay trying to replace them. I have no idea how my copy of The Silmarillion got lost, but another one of that out of print edition is on its way. The cover matches my Hobbit and Lord of the Rings covers. I couldn’t settle for any other edition. I feel like this group would understand.

Finished
Secrets (a book you’ve always avoided reading). I liked this book a lot. Several plots from earlier in the series are coming together now.

Full Speed to a Crash Landing (a book under 250 pages). I loved this book! I gave it 5 stars without hesitation. It might be perfect, actually? I wanted to start the sequel immediately, but all my library’s copies are checked out. I’m waiting impatiently for my hold to come in now.

Reading

The Twisted Women's Book Club (a book with two or more books on the cover or "book" in the title)

Tess of the D’Urbervilles (a classic you’ve never read)

QOTW
I think there are things in the world that we don’t know about or understand, but I don’t think any of them are magical.

Happy check-in! I'm impatient for June because then I can start books for the ATY Summer challenge. However, not allowing myself to start certain books means I can focus on finishing books I've been reading for a long time.

Finished Reading:

Floating Hotel ⭐⭐ (PS luxury resort)
I'm glad I finished this before the end of the month. I did post more to the BOTM thread. A weak start and end for me. I like a book with more plot but the author did create some great characters.

The Girl in the Tower ⭐⭐⭐ (PS not dragons)
I started this in 2023 so I'm happy it's off the currently reading shelf. I'll definitely be finishing this series.

House of Slaughter, Vol. 6: Azure ⭐⭐⭐
A little tough to follow for me, but a good ending.

Across the Universe ⭐⭐⭐
A ya sci-fi book by Beth Revis. A great dystopian setting but it was rather dark. Too many chapters and little details that slowed the plot causing me to take a long time to finish it.

Magic Triumphs Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The main series is now finished. 😥

PS 30/50
ATY 39/52 Anniversary 4/10
Goodreads 137/250

QOTW:
No. I do love to read fantasy books with fairies though.

Finally actually getting a weekly post on the right day for once!! HAH - Rainy week here in Charlotte, and I'm not mad about it.

17/75 GoodReads Challenge
15/50 PopSugar Challenge

Finished:
Nothing

Currently Reading:
1.) The Spellshop - #18 Magical Creatures
2.) Floating Hotel - #3 Space Tourism



QoTW: Do you believe in fairies?
Absolutely, YES!

So I got massively sick last week for my work conference (bronchitis on top of my asthma) so I was too poorly to go out at night. the hidden bonus was I had plenty of time at the hotel to read and write so I made some progress.

Under This Red Rockby Mindy McGinnis (PS 6. A book that fills your favorite prompt from the 2015 PS Reading Challenge) The favorite prompt was 'written by a woman' This one is dark and deals with mental health and suicidal ideation (and murder) I did like it very much

Last Dance Before Dawn by Katharine Schellman (PS 40. A book about chosen family) This is an arc of the last book in a 4 book mystery series set in a 1920s speakeasy in NYC. Really enjoyed this one

QOTW

I am there for fairy festivals. I use them in my stories often. I think the idea of looking for them is fun. That said, no I truly do not. Now, do I believe there could be interdimensional creatures that slip into our reality from the multiverse? Yes I do believe that is a mathmatical possibility and I'm not sure how I feel about it

Finished

Jungle by Yossi Ghinsberg for nature as the antagonist …bonus is only has like 34 ratings on Goodreads and was made into a show.

Banyan Moon (immigrant)

Working on In A Book Club Faraway (last sentence)

One Goal: A Coach, A team, & a game that brought a divided town together (soccer)

Happy Thursday! It has been quite a week. After the power outages last week, this week my apartment building keeps having water shutoffs scheduled- for "emergency leaking." Which is funny, since there was no leaks until the new fixit guy started banging around in the newly empty apartment. On Wednesday, I looked out my window and watched them turn off the water from the city- with no notice, which is very not legal! They're shutting it off again tomorrow, so I'm heading back into the office for half a day. Oh, and the water is on now, but not the hot water... not a fun shower. What a mess!

There's a book festival happening in Berkeley this weekend, which I'm really excited for. A lot of interesting panels are happening, and I'm letting myself buy a couple books a day- to support the event and all the independent bookstores supporting it.

Finished:
A Cruel Thirst- this was a really fun, historical ya book with vampires. The author's also going to be at the book fest this weekend!
-no prompt

Small Boat- this was shortlisted for the booker international. Very grim book inspired by the tragedy in 2021, where a dingy carrying 29 migrants capsized in the Channel and help wasn't sent to them in time. I found this interesting, but it definitely wasn't a fun read
-no prompt



Currently reading:
Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection- this is really great so far, recommend the audiobook

Lessons in Magic and Disaster- got this through Netgalley, and I am so excited! I saw Charlie Jane Anders at a book event last year and she mentioned she was working on this, and I've been looking forward to it ever since

QotW:
There's this video about this Irish guy and fairy circles, and sure he doesn't believe in fairies, but also maybe don't mess with the fairy circle? Just leave it alone? To be safe?

That's how I approach it. Best to be respectful and not to press our luck.

Jennifer W wrote: "I wrote a Nanowrimo of a girl whose mother is killed and she discovers a magical land of good and bad fairies. As she gets drawn into their world more and more, the people around her worry about her mental health."

Jennifer, that sounds awesome! Did you ever publish it or post it anywhere? It sounds like exactly the kind of story I enjoy!

Life update: My symptoms have been bad this week, and my promised ENT appointment has not come through, which means that I'll have to follow up next week. Ugh.

Also, a few days ago there was some banging coming from the house next door (which is used as an AirBnB), and then our water was tinged with yellow for 24 hours, and yesterday we started to see signs of water damage in the ceiling of our upstairs hall. So my husband assumes that whatever caused the banging has damaged the pipe that leads from the water tank to the cold tap in the bathroom. He's currently collecting the tools he needs to go and investigate it properly, and swearing a lot because it means crawling through a narrow, heavily insulated space on a warm day.

Reading update: I joined another challenge. Oops. They're kind of addictive, aren't they? This one is the Readers of the Wild Moor challenge by Wild Moor Books. I also finished three books, which feels like pretty good going considering the headaches I've been having:

Nocturnes for the King of Naples, which was left at my house by a friend. It's about a gay man in the late 1970s, wrestling with internalised homophobia and the legacy of his troubled relationship with his father. It has some beautiful writing about some very dark topics. Not for a prompt.
Eight-Lane Runaways for a run club, but the race it centres on is really a metaphor for life. This is one of those books that is continuing to grow on me after I finished it.
Sweet Bean Paste. Not for a prompt, but it would work for an unlikely friendship or for chosen family. It's bittersweet and delightful once you get over some cultural /contextual differences.

I also watched a video that mentioned Finnegans Wake, which prompted me to read a free sample of it to confirm that it wasn't something I wanted to put on my TBR. It feels like something I might enjoy if it were a lot shorter, but at its current length it would require more of a time investment than I feel it justifies for me.

Stats:
Finished for PopSugar Challenge: 1 this week, 44/50 total
Finished for Star Trek Series Challenge: 0 this week, 13/18 total
Finished for Readers of the Wild Moor: 0 this week, 15/30 total
Finished for Cosmere Challenge: 0 this week, 2/48 total
Finished outside the challenges: 2 this week, 14 total
GR Bookmarks: 0 this week. Community Favorites 6/6, Seasonal 5/7
All books finished this year: 3 this week, 72 total
DNF or paused: 1 this week, 16 total

Currently Reading:
The Calculating Stars as preparation to read later book(s) in the series for a married couple who don't live together
Star Trek: The Newspaper Comics, Volume 1: 1979-1981 for the Star Trek Series Challenge
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (volume 1) for my current audiobook
The Valmiki Ramayana Vol. 3 for spiritual bedtime reading

QOTW: I can feel my Scottish, Irish and Welsh ancestors bristling at the question. I would never dare disrespect the Good Neighbours by suggesting that they don't exist. Especially since they're often so good as to bring back my lost items in exchange for gifts of chocolate and nuts.

Happy Friday!

Time is flying by while I am in my haze of trying to staying afloat. When Lucy (bunbun) was unwell a few days ago I couldn't go out for a walk or read, so I started Assassin's Creed II. Best and worst decision, haha! Best because I'm having fun (mostly jahdgjds), worst because it means I just wanna play, haha! Not helped of course by the fact I'm not enjoying my current read due to all the mistakes.

I now have officially less than 150km to go for my Scotland challenge! Starting Monday we have a 'avondwandelvierdaagse', which is four evenings (but you have five days to do it) of walking your selected distance. They have a 5km option, so I am hoping to do that one. The weather isn't looking great, and I am of course exhausted from everything, but I think it would be good for me. That would add another 20km just like that!

It's also been productive TV show wise. Tomorrow is the finale of Doctor Who, but this week (on our TV schedules) we finished Grey's Anatomy season 21 (finally a proper GA finale again!), The Handmaid's Tale season 6 (ohmygod the finale was so boring. I'm good where we are storywise, and I'll most likely watch The Testaments, but this episode should have been a 15 minute add on to last week's episode). We also finished the Flemish court show, and I got it right! The majority of Flanders (and my parents!) however didn't, so they sent not guilty (the show uses innocent but I refuse to call them that) people to jail.

Florida WDW prep is also in full force, with only 114 days to go. I'd bought shorts, but they were denim which is a bad idea (a friend tipped me off, I hadn't even thought about it in my excitement) but I can't wear cotton due to my thighs. Our solution was to wear biker shorts underneath the denim and then I realized I COULD WEAR THEM UNDERNEATH THE COTTON. So now I've ordered a couple bikershorts to try, and cotton shorts (I've got 7/8ths of the same ones and I love them) and we'll send back two of the denim shorts. I also found out Snag Tights does Stay Cool Chub Rub shorts and they come in colors I got my cotton shorts in so I'll get those too!

Next up is figuring out underwear. I thought I had it, but I am now doubting the wisdom of my regular underwear (boxer briefs) in Florida humidity. Now thinking of regular underwear without legs!
Will also be ordering shampoo of the same brand as my hair dye to see if that protects it longer to try and minimize the need for dying when there, and an anti transpirant cream for the sweaty areas in more private places.

Read
Nothing. Still plugging away at my current read.

Currently Reading
The Book Eaters
Only about 50 pages to go though! I am determined to finish it this month. June's TBR is looking insane, but a lot of audios so hopefully it won't be too bad.

QOTW
Not particularly, but I also would never dare proclaim that no such things exist. I would never mess with fairy circles for example! Better safe than sorry, it's so unlikely our animal kingdom (including us) are the only ones!

Heather wrote: "Full Speed to a Crash Landing (a book under 250 pages). I loved this book! I gave it 5 stars without hesitation. It might be perfect, actually? I wanted to start the sequel immediately, but all my library’s copies are checked out. I’m waiting impatiently for my hold to come in now...."




I loved this too!!! In the author's note she says she wrote this in a fit of rage, and I think that rage served to really make this book GLOW. The sequels are not shining with rage and so I did not love them as much.

This was a fast week. Had a nice weekend, got to spend some time with friends and family I haven't seen in a while. On the way home we had to go thru Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and as I was looking for the smoke from the crater it started erupting! It was so awesome and just wild to see it start. And to see it from the highway just fountaining hundreds of feet into the sky was...chicken skin.

I totally forgot it was Thursday yesterday since I was super busy attacking a bunch of the to do list both inside and outside the house.

It is the last day of school today and summer starts when he gets home, eek! They are having a water day today. Where they bring in those blowup slides and stuff. Pretty much all the schools do that now. He was so tired that I had to wake him up about 10 minutes before his bus and I actually scared him, LOL! I told him if you miss your bus you don't get to do water day! Fast he woke up.

I had one of those weeks where I started more books than I finished. But the library summer reading starts on Sunday. It runs until the end of July. The are going by the amount of books read this year instead of minutes (the kids are still minutes). I think it's just 8 books you have to read to finish. I feel like I could do that no problem.

2025 Challenges:
Popsugar: 35/50
ATY: 38/52 & 7/10
A to Z (Kindle edition): 2/26

Goodreads: 67/150
GR WTR: 7/432

Physical TBR: 7/117
Kindle TBR: 0/127
TBR Goal: 7/244

Book Clubs:
PS Monthly: 27/66
Reese: 35/111
Oprah: 14/110
Jenna: 10/78
OSS: 7/39

Finished:
5 finished, 1 Completed Popsugar

Thief of the Heights: A Graphic Novel
PS#49, ATY#11

Poetry Is Not a Luxury: Poems for All Seasons
ATY#51

Love and Numbers: Using Numerology to Decode Your Relationships
PS#10

Iconic Home: Interiors, Advice, and Stories from 50 Amazing Black Designers

Safer Places

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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
Every Drop Is a Man's Nightmare
May I Come In?: Discovering the World in Other People's Houses
A Snake Falls to Earth
Fat + Flour: The Art of a Simple Bake: A Cookbook

On the Backburner
Libby

Physical Library Rentals
The New Girl
Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder, and a Woman's Search for Justice in Indian Country
American Poison: A Deadly Invention and the Woman Who Battled for Environmental Justice
Aspca Complete Dog Training Manual
Puppy Brain: How Our Dogs Learn, Think, and Love
Rebellion 1776
My Passion for Design
Old Brand New: Colorful Homes for Maximal Living
Heirloom Rooms: Soulful Stories of Home
The Rebel Diet: Feed Your Appetite and Lose Weight with 100 Defiantly Delicious Recipes
The Milk Street Cookbook: The Definitive Guide to the New Home Cooking, with Every Recipe from Every Episode of the TV Show, 2017-2024
The Art of Home: A Designer Guide to Creating an Elevated Yet Approachable Home
Love Is for All of Us: Poems of Tenderness and Belonging from the LGBTQ+ Community and Friends
Beautiful Ugly
Pride and Prejudice in Space

Magazines: (10/149)
Read since last check-in: 0

Question of the Week:
I like to think there are other things out there. But mostly it is just fun to go to those other fantasy places in books and shows/movies.

JessicaMHR wrote: "On the way home we had to go thru Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and as I was looking for the smoke from the crater it started erupting! It was so awesome and just wild to see it start. And to see it from the highway just fountaining hundreds of feet into the sky was...chicken skin...."



What timing!!! that is so awesome for you!

It's been a blur of a week, so I'm looking forward to a quiet evening tonight...despite the tornado warning that we just had (we're back to a tornado watch). I finished three books (one was a short story...one was a 24-hour-long audiobook...and the third was a relatively short non-fiction read). Only one fit an open prompt, though the other two worked for other challenges I'm working on (BookRiot Read Harder, Libro.fm Audiobook, and Politics & Prose), so I had a lot of movement on all of my challenges this week. I'm at 11/40 and 0/10 for this challenge and 29/85 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge.

Finished:
* The Art Thief by Michael Finkel, which is one of my book clubs' picks for May/June. It was fine but I was definitely not in the mood for it and was so mad about the destruction of some of the stolen art pieces;
* The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez, which was a FirstReads bonus short story in February; and,
* The Women of Chateau Lafayette written by Stephanie Dray and narrated by Emma Bering, Tavia Gilbert, and Rachel I Jacobs, which was my other book clubs' picks for May/June. Really enjoyed it and was secretly glad I was stuck in traffic on Wednesday afternoon since I was able to finish up the last few chapters and the epilogue! I used this for "a book about an overlooked woman in history."

Currently Reading:
* The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims;
* The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis, which is one of my book clubs' picks for June (at least I think we're reading it for June even though we doubled up on things!); and,
* A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Best Investment Guide That Money Can Buy by Burton G. Malkiel, which was recommended by one of my coaches. He recommended the 50th anniversary edition specifically, so Libby came through for me! 🤓 He also recommended (The Simple Path to Wealth: Your Road Map to Financial Independence and a Rich, Free Life by J.L. Collins), so I'll check that one out when the Libby hold comes in.

QotW:
Do you believe in fairies? When my goddaughter was born, I was referred to as the Faerie Godmother, so I'll say yes because why not?! 🧚🏻‍♀️

Happy Friday.

Stats
GR: 102/250
PS: 24/50
ATY: 29/52
ATY Anniversary: 5/10
ATY Rejects: 10/28
ATY Rewind: 4/10
GR Choice: 12/30
TBR: 3/10

Books I Finished:

Lore Olympus: Volume Eight, Lore Olympus: Volume One, &Lore Olympus: Volume Two ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
ATY Rewind: Book based on a myth
I loved the newest book, and immediately felt like doing a reread of the series to date.

The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ATY: Related to Do Re Mi (La, A note to follow So = Sequel)
It reminded me a bit of While You Were Sleeping, one of my all time favorite movies.

The Blanket Cats ⭐⭐⭐
ATY Anniversary: All 5 vowels in author's name.
🔖GR Heritage Reads Bookmark
This was a darker book than I was expecting, and there wasn't much resolution, but I still enjoyed it.

Bone Key ⭐⭐⭐
ATY Reject: Something that goes bump in the night.
I've been doing a Supernatural rewatch lately, so I decided to try out one of the tie-in novels. As far as these types of books go, it was good. Nothing super special, but it could have fit in as a lost episode.

Pronoun Trouble: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ATY: Related to Do, Re, Mi (Mi, a name I call myself = Pronouns)
I love linguistic books, and McWhorter is one of my favs and this is his newest book.

In Progress
The DallerGut Dream Department Store

Coming to you from Santa Fe. NM. Thursday was a travel day and today was meetings. I'm here to deal with an estate where I am the executor, flying home on Monday. There will be a couple of future trips as well, longer ones. Gorgeous weather here though and I found the coolest funky hotel - on the original Route 66, it's a modern western funky renovation of one of those motor courts that were common along it. Called Mystic Santa Fe - look it up and read its story. I have one of the vintage rooms - very small, cozy, comfortable.

31/60 - PS
44/52 - ATY

Finished only one book this past week - A Scream in Soho - fit no prompt.

Currently reading:
You Send Me
Fugitive Telemetry

QOTW: Nope.

Sasha wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "I wrote a Nanowrimo of a girl whose mother is killed and she discovers a magical land of good and bad fairies. As she gets drawn into their world more and more, the people around..."

I have not. TBH, I'm not even entirely sure I finished writing it.

Megan wrote: "* The Women of Chateau Lafayette written by Stephanie Dray and narrated by Emma Bering, Tavia Gilbert, and Rachel I Jacobs, which was my other book clubs' picks for May/June. Really enjoyed it and was secretly glad I was stuck in traffic on Wednesday afternoon since I was able to finish up the last few chapters and the epilogue! I used this for "a book about an overlooked woman in history."..."


Congrats on the finish!!! I don't like long books, but every now and then I read one, and when they are worth the work to get through them, I do love that feeling of deep satisfaction.

I feel like this same castle was mentioned in another historical fiction novel I read, maybe in The Book of Lost Names or The Nightingale or The Alice Network or Band of Sisters or something by Beatriz Williams?

I wanted to wait till the end of the month to post my check in for the week. I read 14 books in May and 13 of those were by AAPI authors. I was hoping to finish Midnight's Children by the end of the month, but the book is rather zany and requires my absolute focus, so it's been a slower than expected read. For June, I will try to prioritize LBGTQ+ books and authors.

I anticipate finishing the ATY challenge next month and PS not long after. When those are complete or near completion, I will get started on the 52 Book Club and maybe even the Booklist Queen challenge prompts with books I've already read this year. In the meantime, I've been going back and filling in the monthly mini-challenges from the 52 Book Club with great success!

2025 Reading Challenges
Popsugar- 41/50
ATY- 51/52; Anniversary- 9/10
Read Good- 12/12 COMPLETED
Buzzword- 5/12; Cover- 5/12
Asian Read-a-thon- 5/5 COMPLETED
May Mini-Challenge- 3/3 COMPLETED

1001 Books- 5/10
TBR- 20/20 COMPLETED

Finished
The Kite Runner- this was tragedy after tragedy. Had to take breaks from the book because sometimes it was just too much. Glad it gave me the Goodreads Centennial Picks Bookmark ☆☆☆
ATY Anniversary 2024- a book that has been on your TBR for over a year
PS #11- a book mentioned in another book

The Way You Make Me Feel- Only read it to fulfill the food truck prompt, and it was just fine ☆☆☆
PS #29- a book about a food truck

Black Woods Blue Sky- I was expecting fairy tale vibes, but got something darker instead. I actually liked how it defied my expectations ☆☆☆ 1/2
May Mini Challenge- a book set in Alaska

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng- I rarely read horror, but the premise intrigued me. I found it grotesque and truly horrifying, so I guess it did its job, lol ☆☆☆ 1/2

Currently Reading
When the Tides Held the Moon
Midnight's Children
A Room of One's Own & The Voyage Out

QOTW
When I was younger and had a wild imagination, yeah, but now that I'm older and jaded, I do not.

Jennifer W wrote: "TBH, I'm not even entirely sure I finished writing it."

LOL! Sounds like too many of my own writing projects.