Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Happy Thursday!

It's the season of late summer bounty, my second crop of raspberries are coming in (and the yellowjackets have found the raspberries dang it), goldenrod is just starting to bloom, and for some reason the catbirds in my yard will not stop squawking.  I think they are excited about the elderberries growing by my dining room window - I was thinking I should cut that down, but maybe I'll leave it there.  (After all, I DID cut it down two years ago and now it's back, with more vigor!)



***** Admin stuff *****

August's group read is: Remarkably Bright Creatures.  You can join the discussion here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

September's group read, which could fulfill "A Book About an Overlooked Woman in History," will be:  Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail.  

The October group read, which could fill "A book containing magical creatures that aren't dragons" will be: The Fellowship of the Ring.  

The final poll for November group read  (which could fill "book about a food truck")   is here!
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...

Let us know if you'd like to lead the September or October (or November or December!) discussions.




This week I finished 4 books, 1 for this challenge, so I am now 46/50

Bear by Julia Phillips- I loved Phillips first book (Disappearing Earth), and this got so much praise, and was on the best seller list, so I went into it with the highest expectations.  Ugh.  Expectations dashed. One star.  I tried to read some five star reviews to see what I'd missed, but they just said vague things like "I really enjoyed this" and didn't explain why.  I suspect that the people who enjoyed this are people who are fine with unpleasant characters locked into depressing situations.  I don't need to LIKE all the characters, I don't need it to be all rainbows all the time, but I need to CARE about the characters.  That never happened here.

A Suit or a Suitcase: Poems by Maggie Smith - this was a NetGalley read; maybe Maggie Smith is becoming one of my favorite new poets, her poems are so relatable.  Funny story, for years I thought she was a British woman in her 60s; I guess because of the actress, I assumed all women named "Maggie Smith" were older British women.  A lot of the poems in this collection seemed to be from the point of view of someone just entering middle age (like me) so I looked up how old she is.  Turns out she's in her 40s, and American, from Ohio!

Instant Ramen Kitchen: 40+ Delicious Recipes That Go Beyond the Packet by Peter J. Kim - this was a NetGalley "Read Now" book that I downloaded and read and reviewed all in one glorious day (yes I had to make myself ramyun in the middle of it) and then I went and pre-ordered a copy for myself to keep (since I could only read it in the NetGalley reader, so it will POOF disappear eventually).  Five Stars.  It comes out next week. Get this if you enjoy tinkering with your instant ramen.

The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan - I didn't like the book I borrowed for "books on the cover or in the title" and then I discovered I had borrowed this novella via Prime last December but never read it! Unfortunately, this book was just okay.  I felt like Colgan was told to write a Christmas story and she dashed this all off in one night.  But I checked off the "book" category anyway!  And in AtY I checked off the "Do Re Mi" category, since the character travels a far way in her search for the book, and she also drinks quite a bit of tea while she's doing it, so that's Fa AND Ti.


Popsugar 92% 46 /50
Must Reads 50% 5 /10
AtY 88% 46 /52
AtY bonus 100% 10 /10
2025 pub 78% 39 /50
NetGalley ratio 88%

Even though I read & reviewed TWO NetGalley books this week, my ratio is lower than before, thanks to the peculiarities of round-off errors, because I added one more book to my "give feedback" shelf  (a new book about poetry by Tracy Smith).



Question of the Week
Has a really popular book ever disappointed you?

So much yes!!!  And some of my most "liked" reviews are reviews where I rage about how disappointed I was in super popular books, such as A Gentleman in Moscow and The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women (my one star review of this book is my most popular review ever, although at least a third of the comments are people telling me I'm wrong).

I got so worked up about being disappointed by popular books that I created a Goodreads shelf for them:  "Everyone Loved It Except Me."  A few other residents on that shelf:
Lessons in Chemistry
The Paris Apartment
The Great Alone
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
A Man Called Ove
Red Rising
Dark Matter
All the Light We Cannot See

Wow, here we are at Thursday, the final Thursday of the month. August flew by, like all the others.

Things have been going okay. Work is great. I love working at a bookstore, talking about books and other things with people.

School just started up so that's been neat. I have to read 10 books that are required for one class (it's a nature writing class and we're doing a lot of novel/nonfiction reading), Then there are like 3 or 4 other books that aren't necessarily required but recommended. We can find the pdf's online, but I don't like to read digitally so it's easier to just get the physical copies for me.

*****

Book News:

So I finished off August with having read 27 books. Most were poetry since I did the Sealey Poetry Reading Challenge. I know we still have a couple more days left, but I don't plan to read anything between that time so 27 is the offical August number.

Now I'm at 121 books read for the year so I can't even begin to speculate what my number will be at the end of it. I'm excited to see where I end up.

*****

- My Currently Reading is TBD. I'm anticipating some new arrivals this week so I'll probably either start some of those, work on school books, or find something on my September TBR shelf. Just haven't figured out what yet.

*****

Question of the Week
Has a really popular book ever disappointed you?

I usually don't read popular books. I tend to stay away from the mainstream stuff. For me popular books are usually a turn off because they tend to be the types of books that so many people talk about and I just don't find that fun or interesting.

I've only read 2 books (out of 121) that would be considered popular/mainstream. Of those two, only one was a disappointment.

Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again

Happy Thursday, y’all.

Finished ATY anniversary challenge; now to finish the big challenge.

Darla and I are beginning to find a routine that works. She is both frustrating and amazing. She still insists on checking out the fire pit (seems she smelled the vomit paper towels even after I burnt them) and the compost pile. Still she comes away from both when I call her name.

Today is the day that I will attempt her first bath. Actually it will be a first for me also as I have never bathed any of my dogs! Always had a groomer do it. Darla is supposed to have a bath weekly for her skin and that is more than I can afford to have it done professionally. So…bath time later.

Her skin has much improved with the anti-itch medication, though.

Extension classes are beginning. The first this week was on Fake News and how to evaluate the many sources of news that bombards one in a day. Great info, but whether or not I take the time to do the assessment or just keep on with my usual is yet to be seen. Basically I am lazy and an ostrich at times.

My yoga sessions have dropped out. Primarily because of Darla as I am still a bit nervous about leaving her for long periods. And, I miss that practice. Oh, to be able to figure out home yoga that works for me.

Finished:
The Hydrogen Murder – ATY Anniversary. 3* Interesting story that entertained me but didn’t engage me.

Curse the Day – Kindle. No prompt. 4* Fun cozy mystery. A young woman tries to save a man contemplating suicide and ends up trapped in a paranormal town. She finds the one she tried to save is a fallen angel, and that she is a undiscovered witch. And, of course, there is a murder to solve. Loved this romp in Spellbound.

Zeus's Cookbook: Most Ungodly Appetizers – PAS. Kindle. 4* Well, this story did not involve cooking as I expected it to do. Nope, not at all. It was about spices. Seems some spices can cause a person to transform into Gods and Monsters from Olympia for a space of time. Whether the spice has a good effect or bad effect depends on the type of spice. Quite a wonderfully imagined cozy mystery. Fun!

Porgy – PAS. 3* I remember watching Porgy and Bess, the musical, on TV a very long time ago. This was the original book with an addendum about the real Porgy. I enjoyed the writing, but the story was a hard one with no feel-good ending. Sad.

The Witchfinder's Sister – Audiobook. No prompts. 3* I don’t know why I wasn’t fully in love with this story. Perhaps it was because I never found myself truly liking any of the characters. And the very ending was one that I predicted. Still it was a different take on witch hunting.

How to Read a Book – Book Club choice. 4* Another fun book. The Library Book Club was supposed to read this book in July but was unable to get enough copies. It would have been a good book to have discussed. Lots of characters, some bad (or were they) and some good. A bit of elder romance, a bit of past grief, and lots of life can get better with a little caring. Enjoyed; uplifting.

Currently Reading:
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All - ATY #30 (monster), PAS, PS #44 (book I have avoided). 97%. Yay! I will finish this one later today!!!!

Shaman – PS #38/#39 (same title). 11%.

Spiritual Reading:
Navigating the Bible: The 5-Minute Guide to Understanding God's Word – I am using this book as a brief overview of whatever Bible book I am reading. Currently it is 1 Corinthians.

The Practice of the Presence of God – Devotional reading. 86%

Stories of the Spirit, Stories of the Heart: Parables of the Spiritual Path from Around the World – Devotional bedtime reading. 34%

Just Starting:
The Silver Needle Murder – PAS, PS #36 (silver in title). 7%

The Kept Woman – PAS. Due 9/2

Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection - no prompt. Due 9/9

On Deck: (library)
The Scarlet Letter – Library book/movie discussion. Reread. Due Sept. (Too many issues on GR to find the specific book that I am reading!). I think I will be looking for Cliff Notes rather than doing a reread.

The Henna Artist – Book Club choice for Sept.

Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail - PS #32 (Due 9/9)


PS 33/50
ATY 38/52
GR 143/200

QotW: Has a really popular book ever disappointed you?

I don’t usually read really popular books when they are REALLY POPULAR. Sometimes, but seldom.

However, the reason is related to the question. I don’t often find that what makes a book REALLY POPULAR matches with my own take of the book.

I read for fun, for escape, and for information. I read to learn. I’m read to exercise my solving skills. Most popular books just do not tick those boxes in the right way for me, plus the books’ popularity demands that I need to read it first before others that I may have on my desk (due to holds). I like reading what my mood dictates…and I dislike returning a book unread.

Happy Thursday all.

Not a lot to report this week, so on to the book roundup.

Books read this week:

FantasticLand -- a hurricane-striken theme park becomes a nightmare for the employees stranded by the storm. Brutal and has some damning things to say about corporate apathy and crowd mentality.

Obsidian Son -- okay urban fantasy made nearly unbearable by an unlikably smug wish-fulfillment protagonist. We get it, he’s rich and snarky, move on…

Twilight Falls -- yes, more of the Shady Hollow series. I’m enjoying this series a LOT.

Voyage of the Dogs -- I wasn't expecting a book about dogs in space to get me so emotional… but it did.

Old School -- a kid raised in a retirement home attends a normal middle school for the first time. Funny and sweet.

Spy x Family, Vol. 2
Spy x Family, Vol. 3
Spy x Family, Vol. 4

DNF:

We Had to Remove This Post -- this was super short, so I was just going to power through it… but I lost interest FAST.

The 19th Wife -- wasn’t holding my interest

Currently reading:

The Best of Catherynne M. Valente, Volume One
Dark Bayou
Summers End
The Wild Wood
Spooked!: How a Radio Broadcast and The War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America

QOTW:

I'm often disappointed by popular books. The only one I can think of right off the bat is Remarkably Bright Creatures -- it was by no means BAD, but I'm not sure I get all the hype.

Happy Thursday! Still hanging out in southeast New Mexico. It's so dry and hot! Even if it's not particularly sunny, I have to wear sunglasses just to keep the dust out of my eyes. Todd's been living in a hotel since June and finding it impossible to find a rental, so he's decided to buy a tiny little two-bedroom house. He put in an offer yesterday... Here's hoping! Seth and I are going to the Carlsbad Museum today. It's free and they're featuring a quilt and textiles show.

2025 Reading Challenges:

52 Book Club: 46/52 (Connections Challenge: 13/21)
ATY: 40/52 (ATY Anniversary Challenge: 8/10, ATY Summer Challenge: 25/25 – Finished!)
The Book Girls’ Guide: 50/74
Booklist Queen: 46/52
Popsugar: 47/50

My Ever-Growing TBR: 109/305 – 35.7% (My goal is 33.3%, so I’m golden if I just balance my book buying with book reading!)

Recently Completed:

✅ Spectacular Things: Reese’s Book Club. I loved this book! (Popsugar #22 – about soccer) ★★★★★
✅ Say Everything: A Memoir ★★★
✅ Scandalized (52 Books Connection #13 – cover colors on the opposite side of the color wheel compared to the previous book) ★★★
✅ Improvement: Helped me get the “Acclaimed Titles” bookmark from Goodreads… 9/9 on the Summer Challenge! ★★★★
✅ Too Old for This: Lottie Jones is an aging serial killer trying to cover up her crimes – with more murders! I liked her. ★★★★
✅ You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism: Goodreads Giveaway. ★★★★
✅ American Oasis: Finding the Future in the Cities of the Southwest ★★★
✅ Family Lore ★★★
✅ Truth or Beard ★★★★
✅ Isles of the Emberdark ★★★★
✅ You ★★★★
✅ The Warbler: Kindle First Reads. ★★★★




QOTW: Two that immediately come to mind are The Great Alone (disaster upon disaster upon disaster) and Where the Crawdads Sing (highly improbable and atrocious poetry).

Good morning, everyone! Happy Thursday!

This has been a super busy week! The office clean-up project has continued this week, and I am pleased to report that I am continuing to make steady progress. The room is looking a lot less cluttered than it was at the beginning of the week. I’ve also managed to go through a little over half of my filing cabinet, which has resulted in a couple massive piles of shredding that I plan to take care of later this afternoon.

I’d love to say that I’ll be done with this project by the beginning of next week, but I honestly don’t know if that will be the case. I still have a lot of stuff to sort through, and I haven’t even started on my desk drawers yet.

Despite a busy schedule, this has been a great week for reading. I had a chance to read several fantastic books, and made a significant dent in the stack of books I purchased last week. There’s no way I’ll manage to finish all of my new titles before the end of the month, which is unfortunate since that was one of my reading goals for August, but I should be able to get caught up pretty easily at the start of September.

Here are my current challenge and TBR totals…

Goodreads Challenge: 292/250 (116% — Challenge Complete!)
Mount TBR Challenge: 151/150 (100% — Challenge Complete!)

📚Physical TBR: 106/731
📱Ebook TBR: 34/218
🎧Audiobook TBR: 11/12
TBR Checklist Total: 151/961 (15% complete)

TBR Books DNFed in 2025: 3

I did not buy any new books this week!

“New” Books Bought in 2025: 141
“New” Books Read in 2025: 132
“New” Books DNFed in 2025: 1
“New” Books Checklist Total: 94% complete

Here are the books I finished this week…

Finished Reading (Fiction):
~Sword of Destiny — This is the second book in The Witcher series. I have read this book a couple times before, but still enjoyed listening to it before bed and while I was working on my office. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book does include unwanted sexual attention (in the form of groping), and threats of rape. (hide spoiler)] 🎧: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Six Wild Crowns — This is the first book in the Queens of Elben series. I thought this was a fantastic story, and thoroughly enjoyed all of the intrigue and court politics. I picked this book up on impulse, and I am so glad I did. I’m already looking forward to reading the next book. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book includes references to toxic family relationships, unwanted sexual attention and rape, self-harm, bullying and abuse (both verbal and physical), abortion, and miscarriage. One of Seymour’s brothers also attempts to harm her pet. (hide spoiler)] 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Late-Night Witches — I picked up a copy of this book the last time I was at Barnes and Noble, and I’m so glad I did! I really enjoyed the story and characters, and loved the blend of humor and emotional content. I’m definitely interested in reading more books by this author. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Dungeon Crawler Carl — This is the first book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. While this book is a re-read for me, this is the first time I’ve had a chance to listen to the audiobook edition. I’d been hearing online that the audiobook narrator is fabulous, and I’m very happy to say that the reports are correct. I really enjoyed listening to this book at night and while cleaning up my office. I’ll definitely be continuing to buy the series on audio, because it is a lot of fun to listen to, but I will be waiting until I have more available Audible credits to purchase books 3-7 (as the audiobooks are not cheap). It is worth noting that the audiobooks do not include the Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret novellas, which are found at the end of each of the hardback editions. So if you want all of the DCC content that has been released, I actually recommend getting a copy of the hardback instead. 🎧: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
~Six Women of Salem: The Untold Story of the Accused and Their Accusers in the Salem Witch Trials — After several weeks of being stuck on the same chapter, I decided to borrow the audiobook edition to listen to while working on my office. I found the book very interesting, and really liked how the author focused on six specific women while also giving you a comprehensive history of the Salem Witch Trials. The only criticism I have of this book is that it does include some fictional elements, such as thoughts the women might have had during critical moments of their trials (or just prior to being hanged). I wish those had been left out in favor of a purely factual narrative. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
~The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 14 — This was a great continuation of the series. I really enjoyed the stories in this volume. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finished Reading (Poetry and Drama):
None

DNFed:
~The Library at Hellebore — This book was one of my impulse purchases during last week’s Barnes and Noble trip, and I really wish I’d just left it on the store’s shelves. I got about 50 pages into this book, but the combination of graphic, gory violence and unlikeable characters destroyed any interest I had in the book’s plot. I also found the frequent time jumps frustrating. I’m disappointed, because this is officially the first “new” book that I’ve DNFed in 2025. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book is full of graphic, gory violence (including torture and cannibalism). It also includes references to (and a scene of) attempted rape. (hide spoiler)] 📚

Currently Reading:
~Hemlock & Silver — I’m currently about 10 chapters into this book, and I’m really enjoying it so far. The story is intriguing, and I really like the main character. I will probably finish this book later today. 📚
~The Bone Raiders — I picked this book up on impulse during my last trip to Barnes and Noble. I’m currently on chapter 4, so I don’t really know how I feel about the story or characters just yet. 📚
~Let It Go: Downsizing Your Way to a Richer, Happier Life — After last week’s QOTW discussion, I decided to pick up a couple of downsizing/decluttering books on Libby. This is the first one I’ve had a chance to read, and I’m finding it really interesting so far. Hopefully this will give me the encouragement I need to get rid of some things in my home. 📱
~Carl's Doomsday Scenario — This is the second book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. This book is a re-read for me, but this is the first time I’ve had a chance to listen to the audiobook edition. I am currently about halfway through the book, and I am loving it. The narrator continues to be awesome! 🎧

QOTW:
I know there have been several popular books that disappointed me, but I don’t really remember which ones they were.

VPL Reading Challenge: 5/24
Mar.-Aug. Purchaesd TBR: 24/53 45%
June-Aug. Library TBR: 14/29 48%

Finished: Democracy: Volume 17, Part 1

Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health I read this for an IRL book club. Holy crap, it was controversial! I didn't read it at all critically (by looking up references) even though the whole book was on evaluating sources more critically. Turned out the book was written by a guy who was appointed by Trump. Everybody had a hey day with that!

On Democracy This book was okay. Definitely on target with what I was looking for in terms of defining and defending democracy. I'll probably need to re-read it.

Started: Katabasis I am LOVING this book! Dark Academia and Dante's Hell. Magic built through the construct of paradoxes. Need I say more?

QotW: I am often disappointed by popular books, so I don't read them very often. The main one I can think of is My Brilliant Friend. I tried to read that three times, but it just didn't gel. I didn't care about the characters.

I'm at 76 books for the year, 39 for the Popsugar Challenge.

My project since moving is finding all the Little Free Libraries in my area. I'm starting to suspect that one of my neighbors is also doing the Popsugar Challenge, as some of my recent finds were popular choices for the categories, like The Midnight Library (healing fiction), A Gentleman in Moscow (luxury resort), and Book Lovers ("book" in the title). I'm giving some thought to joining the Little Free Library network and setting one up in front of my home. Would probably be a great way to meet the neighbors.

Finished:

Charlotte Temple - This was mentioned in Jane Austen's Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector's Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend as the first bestseller in North America, back when the states were still British colonies. It's not so much a story as a sermon, where a naive maiden is seduced and abandoned, leading to one tragedy after another. Best I can say is that it's very short.

A Good Cry: What We Learn From Tears and Laughter - one of Nikki Giovanni's last poetry books. Also includes a few articles she wrote as tributes to Maya Angelou and others.

Psychic Hang Gliding: A Sexy Beach Book - a very weird but enjoyable book about a guy having strange spiritual experiences. I read it for the "bucket list" prompt (MC is a hang gliding instructor), but it currently has no ratings on Goodreads, so it can be used for the "under 3 stars" prompt, as well as "under 250 pages."

I almost never DNF books, but I gave up on They Don't Kill You Because They're Hungry, They Kill You Because They're Full. The title was intriguing, but I found the poems incomprehensible.

Currently reading Breakfast of Champions. I love Vonnegut when I'm in the mood for weirdness.

I got curious about the other reading challenges that I see mentioned here, so I looked them up and got interested in the Booklist Queen challenge. Printed up the list, inserted all the books I've read this year into the matching categories, and realized I only need 4 or 5 more to complete that one. So it looks like I've been hooked in :)

Happy Thursday! It's been hot here this week.

I'm starting to feel excited about our upcoming vacation. Just one more week, then we go!

Finished:
Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner - 3.5 stars - for a book about soccer. This was cute, but didn't really change my interest level in soccer.

The Bright Side Running Club by Josie Lloyd - 3.5 stars - for a book about a run club. I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. A slightly soapy story about a woman being diagnosed with cancer, based on the author's own experience. The running club of the title is a group of women who either have cancer or have survived it and form a running club to encourage each other.

Comics & manga:
Don't Call it Mystery (Omnibus) Vol. 13-14

I am currently at 42/50 for Popsugar (35/40 and 7/10).

Currently reading:
Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders - not currently for a prompt.

Upcoming/Planned:
The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed - not currently for a prompt

Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher - not currently for a prompt

QOTW:
Sure, I'm regularly disappointed in books that become popular. I also have an "everyone loved it but me" shelf.

Most popular books aren't really to my taste, because they tend to be "literary fiction" or over-the-top, unrealistic drama. There are also some popular genre titles in my favorite genres that I just didn't enjoy.

Hard to believe August is almost over! While I'm sad to see summer go, I'm definitely appreciating cooler temperatures. And I'm glad for the long weekend, since I have a crochet project I need to finish by Monday in order to enter it for a prize in an online make-along group I'm part of.
I got to meet the other new member of my section, and unlike the first, I'll get to interact with them on a regular basis. They seem pretty nice, so we'll see how things go.

Finished:
The Witches of Pepperwood Bay - A netgalley read, and a very quick one. I love the art, but apparently this is only the first volume and there's no word on when volume two is out. I want to know what happens next!
Sea Monsters - (GR Summer Challenge - Acclaimed Titles) Despite being a relatively short book, this took me a while to read. It was more about the atmosphere than the actual story.
Wild Dark Shore - (GR Summer Challenge - Chart Toppers) I picked this up on a recommendation, and I'm so glad I did! I listened to the audiobook, which really enhanced the experience.
Murder by Memory - (GR Summer Challenge - Lightning Round, RH A queer mystery) I almost wish this wasn't a novella. I would have liked to spend more time in the world of this book, so it's a good thing another one is coming out next year.

Currently reading:
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone
A Method for Magic and Misfortune
Bring the House Down
Patty Lyons' Knitting Bag of Tricks: Over 70 sanity saving hacks for better knitting

QOTW: I don't actually read a lot of books that are considered pretty popular, or if I do it's long after they're popular. But I did attempt to read Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, since I'd heard such good things about it, and I couldn't even finish it. I just did not care about the characters. And while I wasn't disappointed with The Midnight Library itself, I was disappointed with the fact that it stayed on the NYT Bestsellers list for over a year! It was good, but it wasn't *that* good.

Laura Ruth wrote: "I'm giving some thought to joining the Little Free Library network and setting one up in front of my home. Would probably be a great way to meet the neighbors."

I have an LFL in front of my house. It's so interesting to see what people pick up... and what weird books they leave behind in exchange. I'm not very good at building things, so I ordered a premade LFL from Simplay3. You don't even have to put it in the ground - just fill the base with sand. We sometimes have very windy conditions, but I've never had a problem with it. It's very sturdy.

Here's an Amazon link if you want to look at it: https://www.amazon.com/Simplay3-Indoo...

I finished Red Queen as my first of two books with the same name.

I'm now reading Disaster! The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906 as my book where nature is the antagonist.

QOTW: I'm sure, but I can't think of anything off the top of my head.

Laura Z wrote: "Laura Ruth wrote: "I'm giving some thought to joining the Little Free Library network and setting one up in front of my home. Would probably be a great way to meet the neighbors."

I have an LFL in..."

Thanks! It looks like fun. The LFLs in my area always have a fascinating mix of popular and obscure books.

Wow Nadine - you have raspberries and elderberries.

I finished my bonus book for August. And I got a second mystery to get me through the rest of August. And my first September book came in, so it looks like it's a mystery/thriller long weekend.

I finished my summer reading challenge!

Finished:
Everyone Here Is Lying
Popsugar prompt: can't find one
ATY prompt: A book with a sunset vibes on the cover
Anniversary prompt:
Summer prompt: Author's initials are in: FRESH-SQUEEZED LEMONADE (SL) - 200 points

Series - 7/10
Reading Across Canada - 7/10
Nobel laureates - 3/5

PS - 32/40
Regular ATY - 31/40
Anniversary ATY - 8/10
Summer Challenge - 5100/5000 - 102%

Currently reading:
Interior Castle - 35%
Mother-Daughter Murder Night - 40%
Home Is Where the Bodies Are - starting tomorrow

Buddy Reads:
Library of Souls - 10%

QOTW: Definitely! I found Daisy Jones & The Six to be so over-hyped and underwhelming that I don't get her attraction as an author. Also, the only book I ever read by Margaret Atwood, I gave 1 star to it. Ditto Camus. We had to read one of his books in high school and I hated it. Everyone kept saying that I would like L'Étranger better. Nope, I hated that one too.

Dubhease wrote: "Wow Nadine - you have raspberries and elderberries.

I finished my bonus book for August. And I got a second mystery to get me through the rest of August. And my first September book came in, so it..."



And wild grapes. SO MANY grapes! I was out back today and saw the stupid weed bradford pear tree that I hate has been overwhelmed by grape vines and there are grapes EVERYWHERE on it. THAT might explain some of the catbird calls too! Because it's been in that tree a lot, I just didn't realize how many GRAPES there were! My catbird is having a great time of it. Not too many of my raspberries are being eaten, perhaps it prefers the grapes.

I know catbirds eat insects, too - I wonder if they eat yellowjackets?? That would be AWESOME, because the danged yellowjackets are eating my raspberries.

I used to have blackberries, too, but I didn't see any this year, perhaps it was strangled by the awful multiflora rose that attacks me every time I walk by it and I really really need to hack that thing down.

Dubhease wrote: "... Also, the only book I ever read by Margaret Atwood, I gave 1 star to it. ..."



True confessions time - I've disliked some really beloved books, so beloved that I hesitate to say sometimes ...

And one book that I was thoroughly underwhelmed by was The Handmaid's Tale. I do not get the hype. The writing was so clunky!! I disliked it so much that I just wrote off Atwood as an author I want to read.

Looking forward to a long weekend...cannot start soon enough! I finished one book since the last check in and decided to use for a prompt that sort of fit (close enough!). I won a Goodreads Giveaway (hooray!) this week and it was an ebook copy, so instant gratification in receiving it 💃🏼 I also started several books before winning that one, so I've got six books in various states of being read. I'm at 14/40 and 0/10 for this challenge, and 49/85 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge.

Finished:
* The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso, which was my #CampNetGalley selection. Based on other reviews I skimmed, I think it as a bigger hit for others than for me. I used it for "a book containing magical creatures that aren't dragons."

Currently Reading:
* The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims;
* The Seed Keeper written by Diane Wilson and narrated by Kyla Garcia;
* Sing Her Down by Ivy Pochoda, which is one of my many NetGalley backlist titles;
* Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto;
* The Bookstore Family by Alice Hoffman, which is the fourth story in the Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories series; and,
* Expanding Your Power: A Woman’s Opportunity to Inspire Teams & Influence Organizations by Marsha L. Clark, which is my latest Goodreads Giveaways win 🏆

QotW:
Has a really popular book ever disappointed you? Frequently! I normally try to stay away from really popular books or wait until the fervor dies down before I read them. I saw a couple of titles mentioned by others that also disappointed me (thank you for making me feel un-alone in my feelings for those titles, y'all! 🤣). Two of them were The Great Alone and My Brilliant Friend. Some more recent buzzy book reads that fell flat for me were The Art Thief, Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know (I also did not gel with Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World, so I suspect this is not the author for me!), and Anita de Monte Laughs Last.

Nadine - I never read the Handmaid's Tale - I only watched the movie. I remember in one prompt group there was a prompt about Canadian or Australian books and literally the only writers anyone had heard of from Canada were Margaret Atwood and Louise Penny.

It was like hearing American literature reduced to Colleen Hoover and Stephen King.

Just barely making the Thursday deadline here! Phew!

Finished 35/50

Isles of the Emberdark for "highly anticipated read of 2025". WOW. If you're a fan of Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere...this book SLAPS. Don't sleep on this!!

Currently Reading

The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection for "a classic you've never read". NEARLY DONE.

Revolutionary Girl Utena, Vol. 1: To Till for "book centering LGBTQ characters that isn't about coming out". C'mon. This is a classic. No anime has had a bigger impact on me than this one, and it's about time I read the manga!

QotW

Is it by Ernest Hemmingway? Then yes, I've been disappointed by it. Also did NOT like ACoTaR. Or The Great Gatsby. And....

I'm not a fan of Tolkien's writing style....

*runs away and hides*

Happy Thursday, everyone! Our library’s network will finally be back on Tuesday, so we’ve been busy getting ready for the relaunch. It’s been rough telling patrons that nothing’s been available since February, so we’re making sure everything runs smoothly, especially with Labor Day on Monday. To celebrate, we’re even throwing a big community party.

On the reading front, I wrapped up the PopSugar challenge this week along with two others! Unfortunately, most of the books weren’t all that memorable, so my mid-August slump continues. I’m shifting gears and aiming to read as many Booker nominees as I can before the shortlist is announced. I’ve started one that I’m really enjoying, have two more checked out, and own another two.

2025 Reading Challenges
PopSugar- 50/50 COMPLETED
ATY- 52/52; Anniversary- 10/10; Summer- 7500/5000 COMPLETED
52 Book Club- 51/52; Connections- 21/21 COMPLETED
Barnes & Noble- 50/52
Booklist Queen- 48/52
Read Good- 12/12 COMPLETED
Buzzword- 8/12; Cover- 8/12

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

Finished
Wide Sargasso Sea- I thought this was good, but I just hated how the husband treated the main character. Makes me want to revisit Jane Eyre with new eyes. ☆☆☆
B&N #27- prequel
52BC #11- a prequel

The Grand Paloma Resort- read this to complete my final prompt for PS, and I did not enjoy this at all. Every character was terrible, and I felt like we were expected to forgive them but it didn't feel earned, especially when their actions hurt kids! No thank you. ☆☆
PS #27- a book set at a luxury resort
ATY Summer #2D- author's initials in: FRUIT PUNCH

When Clouds Touch Us- I read the first book last year, had some free time and read this sequel to complete the series. I liked it, just not as much as the first. ☆☆☆ 1/2
ATY Summer #4A- a book with a child main character

Silk- Getting this book was like a scavenger hunt! I needed to read a book with one vowel in the title for a prompt. I looked through the 1000 Books list and came across this book which was below 100 pages. My library's catalog is still down, so I looked to see which library closest to me had it and it was my brother's university library. He checked it out for me, and I finished it in 2 days. It has a repetitive writing style that gives it an almost fairy tale feel. It explores desire and finding meaning in life. I liked it. ☆☆☆ 1/2
50BC Connections #20- title has same number of vowels as previous title

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin- I listened to the first chapter and then immediately tried to find a recap of the first book because I forgot some of the characters and plot points. It took me awhile to get caught up. Overall, I thought it was a solid read, I just enjoyed the first book more. ☆☆☆
50BC Connections #21- its somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks
Buzzword Cover: transportation

Currently Reading
Misinterpretation
Scythe & Sparrow

QOTW
I picked Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow as my BOTM when it came out, read it right away, and really didn’t like it. Then it went on to win the Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction and BOTM’s Book of the Year, so clearly I was in the minority. Last year, I tried the first two books in the Fourth Wing series because I was curious about the hype (and it fit the PS dragon prompt). While it was action-packed and fast-paced, I thought the writing was pretty bad. Everyone on TikTok was raving about the romance, but I just found it cringe. Honestly, most of the romantasy and dark romance books trending online just aren’t for me.

Laura Ruth wrote: "I got curious about the other reading challenges that I see mentioned here, so I looked them up and got interested in the Booklist Queen challenge. Printed up the list, inserted all the books I've read this year into the matching categories, and realized I only need 4 or 5 more to complete that one. So it looks like I've been hooked in :)"

This literally happened to me last month! I finished a couple of my challenges early so I started exploring other reading challenges people on here were doing. I filled in the Booklist Queen prompts with the books I read so far this year and also have about 4 left!

Nadine in NY wrote: "Has a really popular book ever disappointed you? [ . . . ]
All the Light We Cannot See"

Omg, yes! To this day I'm baffled as to how this won the Pulitzer.

Still having almost no time to read but I did finish What Cannot Be Said by C.S. Harris Really good Napoleonic era historical mystery. I love this series


QOTW

Oh yes, so very many. Of course, my brain isn't bringing up any titles. It is late and I am tired but yes this happens often actually

Life update: As I write this, my husband is waiting at A&E (the emergency room) for tests to determine why he has sudden severe abdominal pain. He woke me during the night panicking because the pain was so bad it was giving him angina, so he thought he was having a heart attack (he definitely wasn't, thank goodness). The ambulance service was great, got to us in 20 minutes, got him on an IV for the pain and had him at the hospital within the hour. Our son is with him, so there's not much for me to do but try to get on with my normal routine, but I haven't slept and feel pretty rough.

Reading update: I finished three books this week:
Archive of Unknown Universes to complete the Goodreads Summer bookmarks. Really moving, if a little confusing at times.
Factotum for research
Rogue Protocol to try to finish the series before the next one comes out

Stats
PopSugar Challenge: 0 this week, 49/50 total
GR Summer Challenge: 1 this week, 6/6 total
Disability Pride Challenge: 0 this week, 3/5 total
Star Trek Series Challenge: 0 this week, 16/18 total
Readers of the Wild Moor: 0 this week, 22/30 total
Politics & Philosophy: 0 this week, 4/15 total
Queer Reads Bracket Challenge: 0 this week, 4/6 total
Anti-Capitalist Inspiration: 0 this week, 7/30 total
All books finished this year: 3 this week, 113 total
DNF or paused: 0 this week, 20 total

Challenges completed this year:
GR Community Favorites, GR Seasonal Bookmarks, GR Summer Challenge, Pride Season

Currently reading:
Katabasis for the second of my 2 books with the same title - really enjoying this so far
Memoirs of a Beatnik for research
Exit Strategy - next in the series

QOTW: The first Lemony Snicket book - it just wasn't my sense of humour, and I didn't even try the subsequent ones. Also everything I've ever tried by Iain (M) Banks, who was very popular in my last RL book club, but I just couldn't get along with at all.

Dubhease wrote: "Nadine - I never read the Handmaid's Tale - I only watched the movie. I remember in one prompt group there was a prompt about Canadian or Australian books and literally the only writers anyone had heard of from Canada were Margaret Atwood and Louise Penny.

It was like hearing American literature reduced to Colleen Hoover and Stephen King...."



LOL oh no!!!


I don't know very many Canadian authors either, and I live right next to Canada. Let's see, without doing any research whatsoever, just off the top of my head ... Emily St. John Mandel, Mary Balogh, Mary Lawson, Carol Shields, Cherie Dimaline, Richard Wagamese, & Jackie Lau. And of course Atwood & Penny. Cheating a bit by looking at my list of books I've read this year, I also came up with Susanna Kearsley and Liann Zhang.

I think people probably know a lot more Canadian authors, they just don't realize they're Canadian. Like, Lau & Mandel are easy because they set their books in Canada (and yes I realize most people have not heard of Jackie Lau, she writes fluffy rom-coms that almost always involve ice cream and/or doughnuts, and are usually set in Toronto).

But I only knew Kearsley was Canadian because I looked it up when I read her latest book earlier this year. And there's nothing in Zhang's book to indicate she's Canadian, it's set in NYC & some random tropical island.

Alex wrote: "Just barely making the Thursday deadline here! Phew! ..."


LOL it's not a deadline!! Post whenever you have free time to enjoy the chat. (But I know you know that.)

Hi all! Stayed up to finish a book last night and then was too tired to post.

I know I'm in the minority, but I do NOT appreciate this cool down! It's 56 here right now, and I'm tempted to turn on the heat! Before Labor Day! Insane! The Weather Channel has a question of the day and the other day it asked, "what does this fall-like weather make you eager for?" My answer- summer! NY summers are so short as it is, don't cut me off early! It's supposed to be almost 80 this time of year.

Since last week, my grandfather has gone from ICU, to transitional wing to regular hospital room! I think they'll start talking discharge (to a nursing home or rehab) soon. I honestly cannot believe it.

We're hosting a tie dye party tomorrow for the kiddo and her friends! I'm going to try to make a heart pattern on a shirt, last year, it turned into a triangle! lol
And then school starts on Wednesday.... I'm so peopled out (even my own family). I just need a few hours of quiet....

I finished 2 books this week! How I Paid for College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship & Musical Theater, totally ridiculous and unbelievable, and lots of fun! Definitely what I was in the mood for for a summer read. Not sure if it fits a prompt.

Hanging Mary for an underrecognized woman. I knew of Mary Surratt, but it was interesting to see how much (or little) she was involved in the plot to assassinate Lincoln. I looked up her wikipedia article and was surprised how closely this novel followed the history. I listened to this on audiobook, and really enjoyed the narrator. The one drawback is that this book is told from 2 POV, and at times gets *very* repetitive. I was invested enough in the story that I didn't mind too much, but if that sort of thing bugs you, you might not like this book (and can go read the wikipedia article instead!).

QOTW: I don't often read really hyped books, and almost never when the hype is high. When I do get to them, they usually are pretty good. There are always a few though...

I'm with Nadine and Andrea, All the Light We Cannot See didn't do it for me. I can read WWII books until the cows come home, but if I have to suffer another "Nazi with a heart of gold" story....

Also, Life After Life was horrendous. I would have liked to kill Ursula myself. But she'd just come back.

And honestly, I wasn't a huge fan of Murderbot. It was OK, but I read the first one years ago and haven't felt the urge to pick up the second.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Dubhease wrote: "... Also, the only book I ever read by Margaret Atwood, I gave 1 star to it. ..."



True confessions time - I've disliked some really beloved books, so beloved that I hesitate to ..."


Atwood's writing is pretty clunky. I've still liked the books by her that I've read (especially Handmaid's Tale), but I have definitely tried to read her when I'm not in the right frame of mind and can't get past her style and don't get anywhere.

Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! Stayed up to finish a book last night and then was too tired to post.

I know I'm in the minority, but I do NOT appreciate this cool down! It's 56 here right now, and I'm tempted to turn o..."




It is pretty cold today!! My daughter is going to the State Fair with her dad today, and it just seems wrong to go to the Fair when it's chilly. I associate the Fair with unbearable heat, you should end the day covered in sweat, dust, cotton candy, and spilled beer.

Happy Friday! And happy Labor Day to my fellow americans! Who else is super ready for a three day weekend? My husband took today off as well so he and the little guy are at the zoo. The weather here is absolutely picture-perfect autumn: cool but not cold, light breeze, slightly cloudy but not overcast. I just want to spend the whole day baking and instead I'm doing work, like a productive member of society.

Finished:
Bright Dead Things: makes me want to try reading all the US Poet Laureates

Currently:
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea: a reread but one I've been meaning to pull out for a while.
The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream: The Hunt for a Victorian Era Serial Killer: is it even fall if you're not reading a historical true crime? time to read along as the justice system repeatedly fails to do the bare minimum

QOTW: All. The. Time. I've been so frequently let down by popular books that now I tend to be very hesitant about picking them up.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday!

It's the season of late summer bounty, my second crop of raspberries are coming in (and the yellowjackets have found the raspberries dang it), goldenrod is just starting to bloom, ..."

This is why I love reading these posts, to see others' opinions. I loved All the Light We Cannot See. I'm with you on Lessons in Chemistry. It was ok but....I tend to not be a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid as I find her books to be inconsistent, but people love her books. I'm struggling to get through Atmosphere for a book club

August flew by. I think it's because I'm getting old.

I finished 1 book this week for the soccer prompt:
How Steeple Sinderby Wanderers Won the FA Cup

Currently reading:
Atmosphere
Fabric: The Hidden History of the Material World
Three Days in June
War and Peace

QOTW:

All the time. Most recently, I didn't like The Women. It's fine with me if you loved it, no one has to agree with me. I also hated Yellowface and Babel. She is just not a writer for me.

I generally read a popular book with a grain of salt knowing that hype can distort a view of a book. That said, I still thought these books were just ok: Lessons in Chemistry, Remarkably Bright Creatures, and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

I only chose 2 of those books on my own (lessons and babel), the others were for book clubs, but I probably would have read Remarkably on my own also.

Sorry if these are your faves, this is just my opinion. You read what you like.

Hello all! Wishing you well on this last Thursday in August.

Okay, so before I get sidetracked again, I will just go ahead and post before catching up on these posts. A few weeks ago I had caught up but now I am behind again. :(

It has been about 8 weeks since I last posted an update on here so this will be a long one. Apologies!

I have had some weeks with multiple completions and some with none so, overall a good haul of books in the last two months.

2025 Challenges:
Popsugar: 42/50
ATY: 45/52 & 8/10
A to Z (Kindle edition): 2/26

Goodreads: 138/150
GR WTR: 17/433

Physical TBR: 8/121
Kindle TBR: 0/127
TBR Goal: 8/248

Book Clubs:
PS Monthly: 29/66
Reese: 35/111
Oprah: 14/110
Jenna: 10/78
OSS: 7/39

----------------------------------------
Finished:
46 Finished, 5 Completed Popsugar

Once Upon a Chef: Weeknight/Weekend: A Cookbook
The Milk Street Cookbook: 2017-2024
Love Is for All of Us: Poems of Tenderness and Belonging from the LGBTQ+ Community and Friends
Heirloom Rooms: Soulful Stories of Home
Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder, and a Woman's Search for Justice in Indian Country
Beautiful Ugly ATY #29
Chicken Little: The Junior Novelization
Before the Coffee Gets Cold PS#23, ATY#22
Old Brand New: Colorful Homes for Maximal Living
Her, Him & I: Poems
Ain't Burned All the Bright

The World of Banksy
So this one was broken into three books and I only read the first 2 so far. I will go get the third soon.
Book one: Rats & Monkeys
Book two: Children

Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir in Love Poems, Letters, Recipes, and Remembrances
Washing My Mother's Body: A Ceremony for Grief
Rebellion 1776
Why I Wake Early

A Fairytale for Everyone
A cute Hungarian translated novel that turns classic fairytales into LGBTQI+ and more inclusive versions.

A Snake Falls to Earth PS#5, ATY#6
I FINALLY finished this book. I had a very hard time getting through this book. But I didn’t want to find another book with a snake on the cover. This makes me not ever want to pick up Elatsoe, which is also by this author.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
This was a bit surreal to read after his death. I kept going ‘yeah, but you did/do die.’ I knew he had had addiction problems during Friends but I see now it was way more extensive than that for many years, pretty much his whole adult life.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory PS#30
Falling Up PS#36
Wild Dreamers
Found another Margarita Engle book-in-verse and so I just had to read it.

Graphic:
Stars in Their Eyes: A Graphic Novel
Tales of a Seventh-Grade Lizard Boy
Punycorn
Growing Pangs
Ash's Cabin ATY#47
Kiss Number 8
Turning Twelve
Dr. Seuss Graphic Novel: The Grinch Takes a Vacation: A Grinch Story

EndGames
Since I read the first one I felt like I should read the second. I didn’t like it as much however.

I Feel Awful, Thanks
This was really great at describing emotions and why we have them and showing you how to manage your emotions in a healthy way.

Lunar Boy
My Time Machine
Stuck
Garfield Fat Cat 3-Pack #22
Stand Up!: A Graphic Novel

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees
Honestly, I picked this up saw the cover and that it was a graphic novel and was like ok, I’ll take it. So of course this was totally not what I was expecting. It was good and has good graphics. And even a non-horror person could like this, it even was a little humourous.

Naked City: A Graphic Novel

Loving, Ohio PS#7
Had one of those, Wow, what did I just read moments with this book. Kept thinking how did the author think of this?

The Night Librarian: A Graphic Novel
This was really neat, I loved the concept. Books are magic and the characters &/or the setting can come out at anytime but the Night Librarians are there to keep them in check so disaster doesn’t happen…until of course a rouge Dracula gets lost in the library and chaos ensues.

The Accursed Vampire
The Accursed Vampire #2: The Curse at Witch Camp
Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Vol. 1
Second Hand Love
This was my first time reading an actual Manga and it took a bit to get used to.

DNF
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry
I just couldn't with this book anymore. I might give it another try later.

-------
Currently Reading
While We Were Dating
Encanto: Nightmares and Sueños
Ripples & Waves: A Queer Retelling of The Little Mermaid
West With Giraffes
Sticky Notes: Memorable Lessons from Ordinary Moments
Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI

On the Backburner
Libby
The New Girl

Physical Library Rentals
Return to Sender
Drafted: An Illustrated Memoir of a Veteran’s Service During the War in Vietnam
The Secret Garden on 81st Street: A Modern Graphic Retelling of The Secret Garden
Murder by Cheesecake
Project Nought: A Graphic Novel
Witches of Brooklyn
Witches of Brooklyn: What the Hex?!:
Witches of Brooklyn: S'More Magic: A graphic novel
Ghost and Bone
Dear Wendy
Kuleana: A Story of Family, Land, and Legacy in Old Hawai'i

Magazines: (10/151)
Read since last check-in: 1

Question of the Week: Has a really popular book ever disappointed you?

Yes. Quite a bit actually.
One I can think of is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I couldn't even get into it. I think I read about a third of it before DNF'ing it.

Happy check-in! This Labour Day Weekend looks like it's going to be great weather. I'm not ready to let go of summer even though September means pumpkin spice comes back.
I have three books I'm currently reading and each one works for a different GR bookmark. Hopefully I can stay on task and finish them.

Finished Reading:

That Ain’t Witchcraft ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY SFF written by a woman)
I loved how the main character just decided to adopt a brother. Anyway I'm only 7 or 8 books behind in this series.

The Invisible Parade ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY anniversary 5 vowels in author name)
Leigh Bardugo co-created a picture book and it was awesome.

Warrior Princess Assassin ⭐⭐
This is almost a 1 star read. The author really wanted to write a throuple and the fantasy world and plot were ignored.

Lazarus, Vol. 1: Family ⭐⭐
Nothing special dystopian with a engineered regenerative human.

Shadow & Flame ⭐⭐⭐
Duology ender of a ya fantasy.

PS 45/50
ATY 47/52 Anniversary 6/10 Summer 25/25
Goodreads 199/250 Bookmarks 6/9

QOTW:
For sure, although I still read popular things because if a lot of people liked it, why wouldn't I? I also want to know what the hype is about.
The Lemony Snicket series majorly upset me as a kid because I was so offended that the author wrote a 14 old girl that dumb! 🤣
Watchmen, The Great Gatsby, The Outsiders, Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic and T. Kingfisher is hit or miss. I also don't understand the appeal of Stephen King and James Patterson as writers, I know they had good story ideas because I've enjoyed the movies/tv shows.

Happy Friday! Another week got away from me- very excited for the three day weekend! I'm going with a friend to see the Ruth Asawa exhibit at SFMOMA this weekend, and I finished her biography just in time. Really looking forward to the exhibit, and there's a a great bakery near the museum too, so it should be a fun day!

Finished:
The Haunting of William Thorn- a spooky tale about a haunted manor. I thought this had potential, but the writing was a little uneven, and it felt very young
-no prompt

The A Word: A Global History of the Abortion Struggle- a nonfiction graphic novel about the history of abortion access. I thought this was really good
-no prompt

The Duke Undone-such a fun historical romance. Will definitely read more from the author
-no prompt

Everything She Touched: The Life of Ruth Asawa- I loved this biography of Ruth Asawa. What a remarkable person. I need to do a tour now of all her work around the Bay Area
-no prompt


Currently reading:
Everything Happens as It Does- this is a very short book by a Bulgarian author I found at the library bookstore for $2. So far I like it, but I'm curious to see where it's going

QotW:
Yes definitely. Two that really stick out recently are The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and H is for Hawk- they're both so loved, and I hated both. And then a book that literally everyone I know loved, and I couldn't stand- Just for the Summer. Abby Jimenez is just not for me.

Hello from Columbus where the temperature is mercifully dropping. I’ve had a whirlwind week and just realized it’s Friday evening and that I missed yesterdays check in. Tomorrow I’m taking my son to our church’s parish festival. It’s always a really nice time, rides and games, live music and good food. This year the temp will be perfect and no rain (it rains literally every time we go). I got some really scary health news about my boyfriend, and with the holiday his biopsy is likely going to be delayed. He’s admitted right now to manage the pain, and it’s killing me that I can’t be there. I’m hoping for the best news we can get in this scenario but my anxiety levels are at an all time high.

Finished:
Lost in the Moment and Found for a book under 250 pages. I am so fond of this little series. I truly hope she never stops writing them because I love exploring all the worlds connected to the kids featured.

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known for a neurodivergent author. Loved, needed more dinosaurs.

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear for the chosen family prompt. A turtle world? Come on now. These are getting a little outrageous but I still loved every second of it.

I’m not going to tag each individual American Girls Pastimes: Felicity's Pastimes (Cookbook, Craft Book, Paper Dolls, Theater Kit) by Valerie Tripp I read last night but it was 6 of them and my delve into the world of Felicity Merriman is almost complete. I can’t decide which American Girl to revisit next. Chronological order or order of release? Tough decisions lol

Currently Reading:
Blue Light Hours
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Great Adventure Catholic Bible

Recently Watched:
Season 1 of The Last of Us. I’ve already watched the game play of both games so I’m fully aware of what trauma I’m inflicting upon myself.

Challenges:
Popsugar - 24/40; 0/4; 1/3; 2/3
Read Harder - 15/24
Classics - 8/12
European Tour - 7/10
12 Friends - 6/12
Yearly Goal - 96/180

QOTW:
I’m so hard to displease when it comes to media, I’d be a terrible book reviewer because I enjoy mostly everything.

Greetings a day or two late from Santa Fe, NM! I'm here on business - starting with settling the estate of a long time friend - so I've been running from appointment to appointment, dealing with bureaucracy and the hurdle of selling a 1 year old car with less than 6,000 miles on it when I'm not a resident of New Mexico. Don't ask - it's just one of the quirky legalities that has consumed my week. And people think NY is problematic!

But I have had time for some good meals. Today Saturday is the Celebration of Life Memorial, then one more day to make some progress in her condo (it is basically a daunting task for many reasons) before heading back East. I have had little time or energy to read. Really looking forward to the flight to get some solid reading time in. I have a new thriller mystery to start.

Finished:
Night Boat to Tangier - book by an Irish Author for ATY
Murder in a Scottish Garden - 2nd in series and perfect audio listen when sorting through mountains of paper and other stuff

Currently Reading:
The Uninvited Guests - this is my less than 3 stars read -- it has 2.96 and is a quirky satire.
The Holy Thief by William Ryan - my return home flight read!

QOTW: Oh absolutely!

Wolf Hall - I even started a "Hate Wolf Hall" support group in another GR group! So poorly written and it won so many accolades, prizes, and fans.
Memoirs of a Geisha - I read this years after everyone raved about it - and there was too much about it that I just wasn't buying into -- and then when it gets to WWII - it skips over it all! After finishing, I read about the scandal and litigation over it - how the author basically stole the personally written memoir of an actual geisha.

Recently, Foreign Affairs by Alison Lurie failed to impress me - especially given it won a Pultizer.

Theresa wrote: "Memoirs of a Geisha - I read this years after everyone raved about it - and there was too much about it that I just wasn't buying into -- and then when it gets to WWII - it skips over it all! After finishing, I read about the scandal and litigation over it - how the author basically stole the personally written memoir of an actual geisha."

I definitely preferred Geisha, a Life over Memoirs of a Geisha. The true story is more interesting than the fictional one.

JessicaMHR wrote: "A Snake Falls to Earth PS#5, ATY#6
I FINALLY finished this book. I had a very hard time getting through this book. But I didn’t want to find another book with a snake on the cover. This makes me not ever want to pick up Elatsoe, which is also by this author. ..."



LOL I read Elatsoe and that's the last book I'll read by this author. It was a tween book, which is fine, but it's being marketed as an adult (or maybe YA) book, so there's a major disconnect between the plot complexity I expected and the plot complexity that I got.

Happy Saturday, Take 2. I had the post almost done, and then I hit something and lost it all.

Stats
GR: 177/250
PS: 39/50
ATY: 44/52
Anniversary: 9/10
Rejects: 21/28
Rewind: 7/10
GR Choice: 18/30
TBR: 4/10

Finished

What Will People Think? ⭐⭐⭐
ATY: 2 connected books, different genres, book 2
GR Debut Darlings bookmark
It was boring, but I wanted the bookmark.

Solo Leveling, Vol. 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
LitRPG Manhwa, good artwork.

Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A too short Murderbot story following ART aka Peri.

Better Hate than Never ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rejects: Negative in title.
A modern 'Taming of the Shrew' retelling.

The Fake Boyfriend Fiasco ⭐⭐
Rejects: Spanish speaking setting. (Spain)
If you like spice in your romances and don't care about ANYTHING else, this might work for you. But if you want banter, believable characters, or a plotline that is not insanely stupid, skip this. I needed it for a August challenge in another one of my groups and I didn't have time to find a replacement, so I pushed through.

How to Steal a Galaxy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Heists in space.

In Progress

Three Shattered Souls

QotW

There are plenty of popular books I've loved and plenty I've thought were just okay, but only a couple that I really hated: Gone Girl & Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.

Happy Saturday everyone!

I finally have a job, yay! It’s temping, but it’s medical admin at an amazing hospital, and these adventures often turn into temp-to-perm. Sigh, you have to do loads of interviews and other procedures to be accepted into this hospital’s temp service, but it’s an income stream. So relieved to have finally snagged something after 7 months. It’s brutal out there. If I ever get laid off again, I’m just taking Social Security and working in a dungeon and/or selling plasma.

Now we wait for the background checks and the appointment at health services to get immunizations and/or titers. There are so many “childhood illnesses” I’ve had, but my pediatrician passed away a long time ago, so I have no proof. I guess I'll have complimentary immunizations coming up. I always do at hospital jobs.

I’ll really miss my volunteer work and activism. We got into “good trouble” in Framingham the last 2 Saturdays (I am seeing sooo much of Massachusetts, and meeting up with other like-minded folks), and planning to get into more with Indivisible/ Bernie on Monday!

I have not posted in a looong time, so I apologize for the length ahead.

Finished:

The Mistletoe Mystery. For the final Summer GR bookmark. Very endearing story. I’ll have to check out the rest of the series.

Neptune Rising: Songs and Tales of the Undersea Folk. Filled with mermaids, selchies, undines, and sea-dwelling creatures who are not dragons , if you need to fill that prompt. Really enjoyed these retellings and original fantasies.

Frida Kahlo: Her Life, Her Work, Her Home. Read for an IRL challenge. Beautiful graphic novel with loads of information. And lots of Spanish for my hungry brain.

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Brutus’ sentiments were oddly timely, and the rest of the characters made me grapple with their motives. Beautifully written, but incredibly sad. I had to enjoy Christmas in August after this read. Julius Caesar was left-handed, so fits a prompt.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Agatha is the oldest author on my TBR, at her time of death – and older than the living authors. I have loads of other authors whose writing dates back millennia, but they did not live as long as she did. There are dated references and some racism that is rough, but thinking of the times, the plotting was wonderful. Quite a debut mystery!

Dear Scarlet: The Story of My Postpartum Depression. I just loved the cover. Does this happen to anyone else? I go to the library for one book, and randomly pick up something else entirely. So glad I read it, as PPD needs to be talked about. I will definitely check out more by this author. Her willingness to share vulnerability was deeply moving.

The Book of Questions. Thanks to my IRL challenge, I went on a Neruda binge, and it was fantastic. So struck by the imagery, and the tangents ignited. This read was in both Spanish and English. My Spanish synapses were very happy.

Tilt. I actually really liked this, though I can see so many mixed reviews. Oddly, I liked this essentially unlikable character – I do enjoy flawed people, which is likely most of us on the planet, at times. I was mesmerized by the mix of kind acts and selfish, great people and not-so-great, and I even liked the ending. Usually I’m ok with ambiguity, and this was no different, especially as I did not have to figure out whether it had a happy ending. This could fit the “road trip” prompt … it did remind me a lot of The Road.

There are loads more, but I’ll add some to next week’s post.

Currently reading: Sweet Bean Paste. Set in Japan, found family, loving the quiet pace so far.

QOTW : Oh my, yes! I’ve been disappointed by so many “hyped, new” books that I just wait till they’ve been around a while. Sometimes that allows me to get into the right headspace for them.. and sometimes nothing does.
I’m at peace with the fact that my tastes are a little different from mainstream reads. I can enjoy a lot of “less than 3 star reads”, as I can relate to some unique experiences. But I’m always excited when I actually like a popular book. Like The Change!

Lilith wrote: "Happy Saturday everyone!

I finally have a job, yay! It’s temping, but it’s medical admin at an amazing hospital, and these adventures often turn into temp-to-perm. Sigh, you have to do loads of in..."

Congratulations on the new job, Lilith! I hope you enjoy it.

Happy Sunday! Since tomorrow is Labor Day in the U.S. my typical gym schedule for a Monday is completely different. Rather than teaching at 6PM, I am scheduled to teach at 9AM! Ugh. Early bedtime for me tonight!

I have now ended up with three male cats (well, 2 cats and 1 kitten) in my household. This is the first I’ve heard of this working. The typical advice is not to house even two male cats together… But it has worked thus far. This is the result of my newly widowed neighbor obtaining a kitten upon her husband’s death. I didn’t think she had much experience with being a furbaby mom…and I was right. He is adorable!

The Goodreads Guide to Fall’s New Nonfiction Books

The Goodreads list of Readers’ Most Anticipated Fall Books

And a favorite of mine…Goodreads’ Month-by-Month Guide to Fall’s Biggest Mystery Novels

ADMIN STUFF:
THE NOVEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ FINAL SELECTION POLL IS LIVE HERE!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #29 A book about a food truck
National Fast Food Day is November 16, 2025
https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...
There are three titles still in contention:
The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo
Geekerella by Ashley Poston
A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot #1) by Becky Chambers
I read and adored one of these and am definitely up for reading both of the others after reading the synopsis for each!

THE OCTOBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS The Fellowship of the Ring (Lord of the Rings #1) by J.R.R. Tolkien! This book could be used to fulfill prompt #18 A book containing magical creatures that aren't dragons!
National Black Cat Day is October 27, 2025
https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...
Dubhease is the “magical manager” who has graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! Thank you ever so much! 👏👏👏👏👏👏

THE AUGUST MONTHLY GROUP READ IS Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt!
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...
Vaish B is the "fun-filled friend" who has graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! Thank you so very much!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏
I absolutely adored this book and wouldn’t mind rereading it, if I can make the time to do so.

THE SEPTEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #32 A book about an overlooked woman in history
Emma M. Nutt Day is September 1, 2025
A fascinating story of the world’s very first woman/female telephone operator!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Nutt
Who is the “adventurous advocate” willing to lead this discussion? Message either Nadine or myself to volunteer, please!
I plan to read this one this next week and post some questions. I am especially interested in reading this since one of my best friend’s grandsons is currently walking the Appalachian trail!

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

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Has a really popular book ever disappointed you?
Oooph! Yes! The Wedding People is the most recent and memorable. Although I feel that may partially be due to the fact that I had just finished Tom Lake, a book I could relate to in so many ways and that totally resonated with me…whereas I felt Espach’s writing to be a bit choppy at times and some of her metaphors/similes were disruptive to me as I had to try to ‘get’ the connection!

2025 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 42/50
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 Pawful Truth (Cat in the Stacks #11) by Miranda James ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was a bit scarier than usual for this series. Charlie ends up confronting the killer, believing that with Haskell and Stewart alongside him he was safe… Diesel to the rescue!! Though Charlie suffered in the aftermath. Both Sean and Laura yelled at and lectured him. Helen Louise refused to speak to him for three days. Thank goodness for Diesel and Ramses for company during his exile from family and friends!
POPSUGAR: #1, #2, #4, #6, #40, #43
ATY: #2, #5, #11, #13, #15, #16, #23, #24, #26, #30, #32, #36, #37, #40, #41, #45, #48
RHC: #4, #11, #24
52 Book Club: #1, #2, #10, #22, #28/#29, #36, #41, #43

*Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was a reread for an IRL book club meeting last weekend. It had been 7 years since I had read it the first time and I realized that this time around I paid much more attention to Baldwin’s ingenious writing skill. His descriptions were intimately detailed and amazingly depicted. What an artist! This was an amazing book to prompt discussion!!
POPSUGAR: #6, #11, #14, #20, #35
ATY: #1, #2, #5, #13, #15, #16, #24, #26, #37, #44, #45, #48
RHC: #4, #8, #12, #24
52 Book Club: #2, #8, #22, #33, #37, #43

*His Spanish Bride (Rannoch Fraser #0.5) by Tracy Grant ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ is the first book in a new-to-me mystery series whose author was mentioned in The Pawful Truth! I love it when I enjoy a book or series that is mentioned by an author in another (unrelated) book! This is an amazingly unique premise. Two spies marry—each a spy working for opposing forces during wartime… Wow. Exactly how will this end? And within another 6 months there will be a baby! Uh-huh. Intriguing
POPSUGAR: #2, #6, #8, #11, #20, #25, #28, #31, #40
ATY: #2, #3, #13, #15, #16, #17, #23, #24, #25, #26, #27, #31, #32, #37, #41, #46, #47, #48
RHC: #11, #16, #24
52 Book Club: #9, #10, #22, #41, #43

*London Interlude (Rannoch Fraser #0.6) by Tracy Grant ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was fascinating! To imagine being in Suzanne’s position! Ugh…
POPSUGAR: #6, #8, #25
ATY: #2, #13, #15, #16, #17, #24, #26, #32, #40, #42
RHC: #11, #16, #24
52 Book Club: #7, #10, #22, #28/#29, #39, #43

*Mission for a Queen (Rannoch Fraser #7.5) by Tracy Grant ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was another unique installment in this series. I don’t recall ever having read this type of writing. A book starts out with depictions of the characters and mentions of interactions/events/revelations that have not yet been described to the reader. As you read, these past experiences are slowly revealed. I will say, especially since these first 3 installments were only available via ebook, I had to work at keeping the characters straight, especially given all the varied interrelationships that change throughout. Anxious to finally read an installment that is in true “book” form to see if my retention is helped, as I expect it will be…It has made it a bit more difficult for me to keep characters and their interrelationships in my mind as I read an ebook. However, my reading experience is always a good one. I am accustomed to some information being withheld and slowly revealed throughout an installment, but not this much in each and every book thus far. It proves to be a bit more challenging for me, but I am anxious to continue!
POPSUGAR: #2, #6, #8, #16, #25, #26, #28, #35, #40. #43
ATY: #2, #5, #13, #15, #17, #24, #25, #26, #32, #40, #41, #42, #45, #48
RHC: #4, #5, #11, #19, #24
52 Book Club: #3, #5, #7, #10, #22, #29, #43, #47

CONTINUING:
*The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race by Jesmyn Ward
Definitely reading more from Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah in the future! (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_...)
*East of Eden by John Steinbeck
*Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own by Eddie S. Glaude Jr. is an excellent way to better understand and/or relate to James Baldwin’s experiences and writing!
*The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré is one I’m anxious to get back to and finish!
*The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
*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:
*Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe for an IRL book club meeting
*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

L Y N N wrote: "... Oooph! Yes! The Wedding People is the most recent and memorable. Although I feel that may partially be due to the fact that I had just finished Tom Lake, a book I could relate to in so many ways and that totally resonated with me…whereas I felt Espach’s writing to be a bit choppy at times and some of her metaphors/similes were disruptive to me as I had to try to ‘get’ the connection! ...."


Wow we truly are opposites! I really loved The Wedding People, so much more than I thought I would. It was so relatable for me, and so funny, despite some of its dark themes. I'd best not read Tom Lake, I'm sure to not like it!


(And Margo's Got Money Troubles was one of my all time favorite books. LOL I bet you don't like it hahahahah)

Nadine in NY wrote: "L Y N N wrote: "... Oooph! Yes! The Wedding People is the most recent and memorable. Although I feel that may partially be due to the fact that I had just finished Tom Lake, a book I could relate t...
Wow we truly are opposites! I really loved The Wedding People, so much more than I thought I would. It was so relatable for me, and so funny, despite some of its dark themes. I'd best not read Tom Lake, I'm sure to not like it!


(And Margo's Got Money Troubles was one of my all time favorite books. LOL I bet you don't like it hahahahah)"
Yep! I'm always thrilled when we agree on a book! LOL

Lilith wrote: "I finally have a job, yay! It’s temping, but it’s medical admin at an amazing hospital, and these adventures often turn into temp-to-perm. Sigh, you have to do loads of interviews and other procedures to be accepted into this hospital’s temp service, but it’s an income stream. So relieved to have finally snagged something after 7 months. It’s brutal out there. If I ever get laid off again, I’m just taking Social Security and working in a dungeon and/or selling plasma."
You make me laugh! But I can relate... I hope this proves to be worthwhile to you!

"Now we wait for the background checks and the appointment at health services to get immunizations and/or titers. There are so many “childhood illnesses” I’ve had, but my pediatrician passed away a long time ago, so I have no proof. I guess I'll have complimentary immunizations coming up. I always do at hospital jobs."
Here's hoping you do not react to those immunizations! And that they're still available in the U.S.... 😬

"I’ll really miss my volunteer work and activism. We got into “good trouble” in Framingham the last 2 Saturdays (I am seeing sooo much of Massachusetts, and meeting up with other like-minded folks), and planning to get into more with Indivisible/ Bernie on Monday!"
Please know that I am jealous of your experiences and always with you in spirit, if not in body!!

"I have not posted in a looong time, so I apologize for the length ahead."
No apologies necessary! And please know that you can always complete two postings to include everything, if you wish to do it that way... I certainly have done that in the past!! Not that anyone has to have permission! LOL

"The Mistletoe Mystery. For the final Summer GR bookmark. Very endearing story. I’ll have to check out the rest of the series."
I love this series!!

"The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Agatha is the oldest author on my TBR, at her time of death – and older than the living authors. I have loads of other authors whose writing dates back millennia, but they did not live as long as she did. There are dated references and some racism that is rough, but thinking of the times, the plotting was wonderful. Quite a debut mystery!"
I feel as if I need to start rereading her books...and reading the ones I have not yet read for the first time. She was certainly prolific!

"Tilt. I actually really liked this, though I can see so many mixed reviews. Oddly, I liked this essentially unlikable character – I do enjoy flawed people, which is likely most of us on the planet, at times. I was mesmerized by the mix of kind acts and selfish, great people and not-so-great, and I even liked the ending. Usually I’m ok with ambiguity, and this was no different, especially as I did not have to figure out whether it had a happy ending. This could fit the “road trip” prompt … it did remind me a lot of The Road."
Huh. That's a new one for me.

"Currently reading: Sweet Bean Paste. Set in Japan, found family, loving the quiet pace so far."
This one intrigues me... Anxious to see what you think of it!

L Y N N wrote: "Lilith wrote: "I finally have a job, yay! It’s temping, but it’s medical admin at an amazing hospital, and these adventures often turn into temp-to-perm. Sigh, you have to do loads of interviews an..."

Thanks, Lynn! Sheesh, onboarding can take a while, lol.

Oh, you are definitely with me in spirit! You would really enjoy meeting and talking with people here. You'll definitely find many like-minded folks, and make lots of friends!

I'm enjoying Sweet Bean Paste. It is slow-paced, and the friendship develops slowly, but it's perfect for a quieter novel between heavier reads.

Sasha wrote: "Lilith wrote: "Happy Saturday everyone!

I finally have a job, yay! It’s temping, but it’s medical admin at an amazing hospital, and these adventures often turn into temp-to-perm. Sigh, you have to..."

Thanks, Sasha! Congratulations on finishing the PS challenge! I hope you can stick around for conversation and gathering bookmarks!

Lilith wrote: "L Y N N wrote: "Lilith wrote: "I finally have a job, yay! It’s temping, but it’s medical admin at an amazing hospital, and these adventures often turn into temp-to-perm. Sigh, you have to do loads ...

Oh, you are definitely with me in spirit! You would really enjoy meeting and talking with people here. You'll definitely find many like-minded folks, and make lots of friends!"
Thanks!!

"I'm enjoying Sweet Bean Paste. It is slow-paced, and the friendship develops slowly, but it's perfect for a quieter novel between heavier reads."
And that is exactly what I would expect! 🤗

Lilith wrote: "Sasha wrote: "Lilith wrote: "Happy Saturday everyone!

Thanks, Sasha! Congratulations on finishing the PS challenge! I hope you can stick around for conversation and gathering bookmarks!"
Okay, y'all! I'm going to show my total ignorance here, so get ready to chuckle and shake your head. WTH are "bookmarks"?!?😯😋 I realize I've probably missed something so obvious it's ridiculous, but I am truly curious! LOL