Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Happy Thursday! 

We've had nights below freezing every night this week, so most of the trees are naked now, and all of the tender plants are done.

I'm getting my new oven delivered tomorrow, so I've got big plans for all the things I can bake once I've got an oven again!!  I didn't think I used my oven much, but after a few months without one, I'm really missing it.  Baked potatoes, roast potatoes, sheet pan dinners, casseroles, baked pasta, Pillsbury crescent rolls, roast vegetables, roast winter squash, brownies, cakes, COOKIES.  
 




  ***** Admin stuff *****
The October group read, which could fill "A book containing magical creatures that aren't dragons" is: The Fellowship of the Ring.  You can join the discussion here:https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The November group read  (which could fill "book about a food truck") will be A Psalm for the Wild-Built.  That's a popular author in our group - let us know if you would like to lead the discussion!! You can join the discussion (when it starts) here:https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The December group read, which could fill Prompt #25, A book where the main character is an immigrant or refugee, will be:  Everything I Never Told You.   Let us know if you'd like to lead this discussion.



And, we finally have news from PS!!!

***  THE 2026 LIST WILL BE RELEASED NOVEMBER 1st  ***


So I'll see all you Thursday folks right back here on Saturday :-) Same bat channel, same bat time ...
 




This week I finished 1 book:

The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas - good solid demon possession story, set in silver mines in 1700s Mexico; this one got me the "Hispanic Heritage" bookmark on the GR challenge.  


Popsugar 100% 50 /50
Must Reads 70% 7 /10
AtY 92% 48 /52
AtY bonus 100% 10 /10
2025 pub 108% 54 /50
NetGalley ratio 94%

I've got 4 categories left for AtY and I know exactly which four books to read for them, and I even own two of them, I just need to find time to do it.  And I've got 3 books left on my "must read list" (2 of them are the two I own that will fill AtY categories).  And I've got 4 books left in NetGalley.  But right now I've been prioritizing some library books that I really wanted to read, just because, so I'm not making progress on any of my lists.  

This sounds really stupid, but I think you'll understand:  it feels weird to read a book just because I want to read it and not because it fills any sort of challenge category.







I previously had a  stupid question prepared asking what your favorite oven food is, because I thought THAT was going to be the highlight of my week hahaha ...  but ...  now that we know the new list is coming, it's all I can think about.

Question of the Week

1) For the Oct 30th & 31st posters:  what category are you REALLY hoping for?  And then you can come back this weekend to answer part 2:

2) For the Nov 1st and after posters:  what category jumped out at you as The Most?  (Interpret how you will: most surprising or most exciting or most fun or just your favorite?)



I am really hoping for a category that surprises me and makes me do research that leads to the Perfect Book.   LOL I know that's so vague.

The thing I missed most without an oven was being able to bake a cake.

And, fun fact, here in Syracuse we have a children's museum called The MOST (Museum Of Science & Technology)  https://www.most.org/

Hello, y’all.

Still learning how to control and live with Darla. It is a process…and I WILL NOT return her to the shelter.

DOWN is not a command that either of us are good at. She thinks it is a game to find and get the treat and so aggressively digs for it in my hand. I think the floor is dangerous as I have difficulty getting up…and when she is excited about treats, she jumps at me.

As long as she sits and walks nicely, I am OK with no Down. BTW, she is good at SIT with food or treat but not when neither is available.

It dawned on me earlier this week that my exercise routine 2x a week has only been going on for 6 months! Wow! I have accomplished a lot in that time. I am pleased.

Most of this week has been rain...or mist and windy. On the chillier side of things. Darla does not do water falling from the sky, so her energy level is off the wall. I did manage to get a walk in yesterday with her. Hopefully another today.

Finished:
Eat a Peach – PAS. Memoir. 3* Typical chef behaviour based on TV chefs, but not what I admire. He did make a change in the second half of the book, though.

Murder on Black Swan Lane – PAS. 4*. Really enjoyed this one with the two MC from different levels of society.

Currently Reading:
Black Hotel: A Supernatural Thriller – Kindle. PAS. 16%.
Clear – No prompt. 25%

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 Luke.

The Imitation of Christ – Devotional reading. 35%

Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much – Bedtime devotional reading. Started Oct. 3. This is more for workaholics than a retired elder. Thinking about DNF and just letting it go, but not yet.

Just Starting:

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle – PS #10 (free). Owned and waiting for library books to get out of the way.

The Blue Between Sky and Water - PAS. Read enough of the prologue to learn this is about Hamas and Israel conflict area. Not sure that I am in a place to read this. Will hold until the weekend to decide.

On Deck: (library)
All the King's Men – Book Club December
The Ardent Swarm - PAS
A Study in Drowning – GR bookmark

PS 40/50
ATY 39/52
GR 176/200

QotW: 1) For the Oct 30th & 31st posters: what category are you REALLY hoping for?

Nature focused...nonfiction as well as fiction.

And then you can come back this weekend to answer part 2:

2) For the Nov 1st and after posters: what category jumped out at you as The Most? (Interpret how you will: most surprising or most exciting or most fun or just your favorite?)

Happy Thursday all!

So hyped for the challenge. I have to work the day it comes out... part of me is hoping for a slow day at work so I can spend some of the down time planning out the challenge, haha...

Also I know the release of the challenge will inevitably lead to people complaining about That Prompt (whichever one it is). It's practically tradition at this point. But hopefully the overall list will be fun!

Books read this week:

The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night -- figured this would make an appropriate Halloween read that wasn’t spooky or horror-themed. Very cute and would fit the “found family” prompt.

Phantom Pond -- cute novella set in the Shady Hollow series. Another Halloween-themed read.

Free Country: A Penniless Adventure the Length of Britain -- two men decide to bicycle from one end of Great Britain to the other without spending a penny. Funny and a testament to how generous people can be.

Assassination Classroom, Vol. 03: Time for a Transfer Student

DNF:

Dead Water -- a book that’s 500 pages long should NOT take half the book to get the plot started…

Currently reading:

The Best of Catherynne M. Valente, Volume One
Mockingbird Court
The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Ex-Heroes

QOTW:

I'm hoping for prompts that encourage me to read more diverse and inclusive authors -- people from other countries and backgrounds, POC authors, LGBTQ authors, disabled authors, neurodivergent authors, etc.

Kenya wrote: "Also I know the release of the challenge will inevitably lead to people complaining about That Prompt (whichever one it is). It's practically tradition at this point. But hopefully the overall list will be fun! ..."




LOL I cannot wait for the complaining!!! Bring it on! Every single one of us is going to hate at least one of the prompts.

Brain's not awake yet for a full post, but Bea, I saw a dog trainer who used a piece of plywood with an eye hook drilled into it. You loop the dog's leash through the eye and attach it to her collar. You say "down" and pull, and it brings her head down. Might be easier/safer than you trying to get to the ground. Though I also think there are treat dispensers on "arms" that can also help you reach. I can't remember the guy's name (he wasn't a big name famous guy), but if it comes to me, I'll let you know, cause he had a bunch of youtube videos for dog training.

Nadine in NY wrote: "I'm getting my new oven delivered tomorrow, so I've got big plans for all the things I can bake once I've got an oven again!! I didn't think I used my oven much, but after a few months without one, I'm really missing it. Baked potatoes, roast potatoes, sheet pan dinners, casseroles, baked pasta, Pillsbury crescent rolls, roast vegetables, roast winter squash, brownies, cakes, COOKIES. "

Yay! I don't think I could live without my oven. I use it almost every day.

Happy Thursday! Today is all about Halloween prep. I need to make jello shots, paint and seal some rocks, do some work with Cricut for last minute costume ideas, carve some pumpkins, and keep an eye on Ewan (3) and Seth (33). No, no. It's not going to be busy at all!

Reading Challenges I finished the Popsugar challenge!

52 Book Club: 50/52 (Connections Challenge: 16/21, October Mini-Challenge: 3/3)
ATY: 48/52 (ATY Anniversary Challenge: 8/10, ATY Fall Challenge: 33/36)
The Book Girls’ Guide: 61/74
Booklist Queen: 49/52
🏆Popsugar: 50/50
Goodreads Fall Challenge (Bookmarks): 7/12

My Ever-Growing TBR: 130/319 – 40.8% (My goal was 33.3%.)

Recently Completed:

👻 Death of the Author (ATY #14 – sci fi or fantasy written by a woman) ★★★★
👻 Other People's Houses, DC Morgan #3: So glad we got to see more of Ffion and Leo’s relationship! (Popsugar #38 – two books with the same title: Book 2) ★★★★
👻 When the Moon Hits Your Eye: Narrated by Wil Wheaton… that’s always a winner! (52 Books #12 – a moon on the cover) ★★★★★
👻 The Ordeals: Allurial Book Selection. Not listed as first in a series, but the ending was left w-i-d-e open for more books. (52 Books #23 – a sprayed edge) ★★★★
👻 Fahrenheit-182: A Memoir: Tom Hoppus of Blink-182. What’s my age again? ★★★★
👻 Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind ★★★
👻 Salaam, with Love ★★★
👻 Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist: I wasn’t expecting much, but it was surprisingly enjoyable. ★★★★
👻 Woodworking: If you’re looking for a book with a trans character, try this one! ★★★★★
👻 Incendiary, Hollow Crown #1 (ATY Fall #2 – author’s initials in CORN MAZE/Booklist Queen #6 – a spy thriller) ★★★★



QOTW: I don't really have a prompt I want to see in mind... Once again, it's easier to say what I don't want. I don't want to see anything super specific: about a 26-year-old, exactly 26 letters in the title, published in 1926, published 26 years ago.

Happy Thursday,

The final Thursday of October, that's insane!!!!!

OMG, the PS 2026 Challenge Prompts are going to be released Nov. 1st?! Why does that feel like fast timing all of a sudden? So stoked regardless and can't wait to add them to my reading challenge journal.

*****

Personal:

Well school is going good. Passed my psychology class. Taking 2 literature classes at the moment which are going well.

Tomorrow being Halloween, I actually have Halloween plans for the first time in forever. I'll be working but I get to dress up so I'm excited. Really hoping to see kids dressed up since I work at a kid friendly place and we've told them they can dress up and we'll be handing out candy.

I'm dressing up as a crew member working at Jurassic Park. Even got the JP hard hat!

******

Reading News:

With October nearly out of the way, I read 19 books this month which is great. Overall I'm at 162 for the year. By the end of 2025, I don't know how I'll ever match that. We have 2 more months so clearly I'm going to read between 15 and 20 more books.

Also planning out my 2026 TBR's and my 2026 Reading Journals so I can be prepared and not have to rush them later.

*****

Out of the 19 books I read this month, I had 4 books that were 5 star ratings. Of those it was certainly hard to chose but this one ended up being my favorite:

American Civil Wars: A Continental History, 1850-1873 - This book was insane. Finally history that wasn't taught in school. Growing up I just learned how the Civil War affected whites/Blacks/slaves, but we never learned how it affected other parts of the country. This book really digs deep into those aspects so I loved it.



*****

Currently Reading:

I've started a couple of my November reads, early start so it's too soon to judge these books.

Genocidal Love: A Life after Residential School - My only issue so far is questioning how this book can be considered a memoir. The author says that she changed it so that it's a fictional tale of reality, so wouldn't that make it fiction? And how much of it is real? When I rate and review this book, I'll probably put it in the Indigenous Fiction genre for that reason.

Believing in Indians: A Mixed-Blood Odyssey - Not sure what to make of this quite yet. I don't undertstand the author's point.



******

Question of the Week

1) For the Oct 30th & 31st posters: what category are you REALLY hoping for? And then you can come back this weekend to answer part 2:

I'm just honestly hoping there's more leeway for nonfiction books like there was this year. I had a blast even though there were a few prompts I haven't gotten to. While I have plans to read more fiction next year, I still want there to be a good mix.

Bea wrote: "Hello, y’all.

Still learning how to control and live with Darla. It is a process…and I WILL NOT return her to the shelter.

DOWN is not a command that either of us are good at. She thinks it is a..."

Are you trying to teach her to lie down or to stop jumping? Sometimes dogs just learn that a word means a thing that's not quite right and then you need to start again with a new word. Whenever you see her just lying down by herself, say the word and good girl and she will soon learn what it means. Getting on the floor with her is exciting and not conducive to lying down calmly in dog logic.

Read my 101st book for the year!

We had a major storm that knocked the power out for 25 hours. Gotta say, I really love my neighbors. There was one couple going door to door with a portable generator so people could run appliances & charge their phones. We asked the neighborhood group chat if anyone knew how to work our gas fireplace (at our old place, it was a flip of a switch). Two different neighbors came over to help, and a third offered. It's a very neighborly neighborhood!

We tried putting the kittens in a little playpen. They're now 3 weeks old and they seem to like exploring, but Mama Cat immediately started carrying them back to the bathtub. They are doing their best to escape the tub, and will soon be big enough.

I'm at 48/50 for the Popsugar, 51/52 for the Booklist Queen.

Finished:

Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood for the "chosen for the last line" prompt. It's about childhood bullying and how it's affected the narrator as an adult. Also about time and memory, and trying to piece together real memories and partial ones. It held my interest more than Atwood's earlier (pre-The Handmaid's Tale) books, but it does kinda drive me crazy how "literary" novels about childhood always have to describe every single detail.

19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East by Naomi Shihab Nye was for the Booklist Queen category of "book set in the Middle East." My library lists it as YA, but I'm not sure why. There are poems of home, family, war and oppression.

Grabbed: Poets & Writers on Sexual Assault, Empowerment & Healing had some really powerful poetry by both male & female survivors of harassment & assault. Afterword is by Anita Hill. Be warned: despite the title, there's a lot more about assault than about empowerment or healing. That's probably why the most affecting poem, for me, was Ellen Bass writing about how she told her mother when a man working for the mother forcibly kissed young Ellen: the mother believed her and fired the man. Bass credits this with her ability to later write The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse.

Next up:

No Straight Road Takes You There: Essays for Uneven Terrain by Rebecca Solnit.

Question of the Week

1) For the Oct 30th & 31st posters: what category are you REALLY hoping for?

I don't usually like the same category tice, but "POC experiencing joy & not trauma" was awesome and SO needed these days.

I have finished any books this week. After a period of stability my gaming PC has started crashing again so I've spent a frustrating amount of time troubleshooting that.

QOTW:
I think I said last week, I have my fingers crossed for mushroom horror. After this year, nothing is too niche for them.

Good morning, everyone! Happy Thursday!

This week ended up being a bit more laid back than I originally anticipated, mostly because the migraines have returned with a vengeance. I have managed to schedule an appointment with the neurologist, which will be happening in a couple of weeks, so it shouldn't be too much longer before I get some answers about what's going on.

Since reading is one of very few activities that doesn't seem to make the headaches worse, I ended up doing a tremendous amount of it this week. In addition to continuing my reading for FrightFall, I had a chance to get completely caught up on all of my newly purchased books!

Speaking of FrightFall… the readathon officially ends tomorrow night, and I'm feeling really good about the number of books I was able to finish. I ended up reading a total of 23 books specifically for FrightFall this month, most of which came from this year's physical TBR. I am kind of sad to see this readathon end, because I've really been enjoying it, and I still have several spooky titles to read that I just won't have enough time to get to.

But…I'm also really excited for next month, because it's Nonfiction November! I have a ton of nonfiction books on my physical TBR this year, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how many of them I can read before the end of November. I've got a wide range of titles and topics to choose from, so it should be a fun time.

Here are my current challenge and TBR totals…

Goodreads Challenge: 352/250 (140% — Challenge Complete!)
Mount TBR Challenge: 176/150 (118% — Challenge Complete!)

📚Physical TBR: 129/731
📱Ebook TBR: 36/218
🎧Audiobook TBR: 11/12
TBR Checklist Total: 176/961 (18% complete)

TBR Books DNFed in 2025: 5

This week I managed to pick up a copy of Legend of Zelda - Legendary Edition Box Set, which includes the following manga volumes by Akira Himekawa: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Vol. 2: Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages , Perfect Edition, Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask / A Link to the Past -Legendary Edition-, Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap / Phantom Hourglass -Legendary Edition-, and The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition, Vol. 5: Four Swords. The books came in a treasure chest (just like the ones you see in the games), and I am completely obsessed with it.

“New” Books Bought in 2025: 165
“New” Books Read in 2025: 164
“New” Books DNFed in 2025: 1
“New” Books Checklist Total: 100% complete

Here are the books I finished this week…

Finished Reading (Fiction):
~The Keeper of Magical Things — I loved this book! It was such a cute, cozy read, and the perfect break from all the horror I’ve been reading for FrightFall. I loved the main characters, and now I desperately want to have a catdragon as a pet. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Long Walk — Even though I was intrigued by the premise of this book, I honestly did not think that I was going to get as invested in the story as I did. I ended up reading most of it in a single sitting, because I just could not put it down. I wouldn't say that it was a scary read, but there were definitely some moments that scored fairly high on the disturbing scale. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book includes racial slurs, homophobia, objectification of women, references to rape, graphic descriptions of gunshot wounds, and an animal death. (hide spoiler)] 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Casting Call — This is the first book in the fourth part of The House Witch saga. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and loved the characters! I could not put the book down, and ended up reading the entire thing in a single day. I'm already looking forward to reading the next one as soon as it's released. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book does include references to human trafficking, as well as a few toxic family relationships. (hide spoiler)] 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga — Despite technically being fantasy, this anthology of stories about Baba Yaga turned out to be a great match for the spooky season. It included a wide range of stories, featuring Baba Yaga in many different roles (including surrogate mother, sister, mentor, and monster). Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book includes references to torture, mutilation, loss of a child, abortion, and cannibalism. There are also animal deaths. (hide spoiler)] 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Dracula — I thought this was a pretty good book, and I'm glad that I finally got around to reading it. That being said, the book is very much a product of its time, and there are elements that definitely have not aged well. The narrative pacing is also quite slow at times, which kept me from tearing through it the way I have with the other horror books I read this month. This is one of very few times that I will say this, but I actually prefer the movie adaptation to the original novel (the one directed by Francis Ford Coppola, rather than the Universal Studios monster movie). Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book does include animal harm and animal deaths. Also, there is some casual sexism inherent in some of the characters' comments (and compliments) about Mina. (hide spoiler)] 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Carmilla — This book is credited with being the first vampire story. I thought it was a fantastic book, and enjoyed it so much more than Dracula. The story and characters were so interesting, and because I didn’t want to put it down, it ended up being a very quick read. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book does include a reference to suicide. (hide spoiler)] 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
None

Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
~The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time — This book includes both volumes of the Ocarina of Time manga, which is based on the N64 game. Ocarina of Time is my favorite game in The Legend of Zelda franchise, so I was really excited to finally have a chance to read the manga. There are some significant differences between the two, but overall I thought this was a great adaptation of the game’s story. I loved the artwork, and really enjoyed the side stories that were included. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ There is a fantasy animal death in this book that totally made me cry. (hide spoiler)] 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Legend of Zelda: Vol. 2: Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages , Perfect Edition — This book includes the manga adaptations for the Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages video games. I have not had a chance to play these particular games, so I don’t know how they compare to the original stories, but I did really enjoy them. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask / A Link to the Past -Legendary Edition- — This book includes manga adaptations of the Majora’s Mask and A Link to the Past video games. I thought the Majora’s Mask section of this book was fantastic! That is probably one of the most frustrating Zelda games I’ve ever played, so it was nice to get to enjoy the story without feeling like I was in a fantasy version of Groundhog Day. It’s been a very, very long time since I last played A Link to the Past, so I can’t accurately compare it to the manga, but I really enjoyed the story and characters. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap / Phantom Hourglass -Legendary Edition- — This book includes the manga adaptations of The Minish Cap and Phantom Hourglass. I haven’t had a chance to play either of these games, but really want to after reading the manga. I especially enjoyed the story and characters in The Minish Cap. The Picori are absolutely adorable!!! 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition, Vol. 5: Four Swords — This book includes both volumes of the Four Swords manga adaptation. I haven’t had a chance to play this particular game, so the story was brand new to me. I really liked the concept of Link being split into four versions of himself, especially since they all have different personalities. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finished Reading (Poetry and Drama):
None

DNFed:
None

Currently Reading:
~NIV Audio Bible — This audiobook edition of The Bible is read by David Suchet. I currently have a little over 65 hours remaining. 🎧
~The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1001 Nights, Volume 2 — I have not made any additional progress on this book since the 24-Hour Readathon, but I will be returning to it as soon as FrightFall has officially ended. I should be able to make a decent amount of progress over the next week. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book includes, but is not limited to: references to bestiality, size shaming, and insults toward people of various skin colors. (hide spoiler)] 📚
~The Shining — This will probably end up being my final book for this year’s FrightFall readathon. I just started it last night, and I’m about 70 pages into the story. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book includes references to alcoholism, rape, suicide, and spousal abuse. It also includes references to, and scenes involving, child abuse. One side character also expresses homophobic and misogynistic attitudes. (hide spoiler)] 📚

QOTW:
I'm really hoping that we'll get some prompts that are TBR focused.

well that's exciting about the prompts for next year. Mostly been getting ready for Halloween here (and battling my depression which was getting in the way of that)

I read nothing for the prompt but finished two of my arcs that I'm woefully behind on. Might even slip out of the 90% range if I'm not careful.

The Gallery Assistant by Kate Belli (did I share this already?Hmm) Anyhow it's set soon after 9-11 and the whole reason for the titular character to be in the frame for murder is her coping mechanism is getting black out drunk so she has to figure out what really happened the night of the murder

Mirage City by Lev A.C. Rosen It's next in the series after Lavender House It's good but it is deeply steeped in 1950s attitudes about homosexuality and LGBT rights (such as they were there), The lead is a gay P.I. (former cop) so these issues are woven tight into the narrative,

QOTW I would love things that are more TBR focused, maybe some horror, SF or mystery thrown in for good measure

I am NOT ready for the 2026 list to drop!! I usually start right away, so maybe this time I will wait until January 1st or at least Dec. 1st!

Vancouver Public Library: 23/24
Anti-Capitalist Inspiration: 6/30
Purchased TBR: 38/67
Library TBR: 27/38

Finished: The Rose Field I have been long anticipating this. I mostly enjoyed it, but it was such a behemoth and the end felt too quickly wrapped up like his publisher was nagging at him to finish and he had no idea how to pull it all together so he just stopped. There was more resolution than with the second book which ended on a cliff-hanger, but I still wasn't completely satisfied.

How to Read Like an Anti-Fascist: Storytelling and Narrative Literacy for Young People I picked this up mostly because it mentioned JK Rowling and I thought it would be interesting to see how it addressed her books and political issues. It also suggested some books that are better at addressing anti-fascism, most of which I was familiar with. I agreed that critical race theory isn't too "complex" for kids. You just have to approach them at an age-appropriate level like with good novels!

Wake the Others My friend wrote this book and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they mentioned me in the acknowledgements! How cool is that. The book is a powerful book of poetry about their matriarchs from El Salvador.

Concrete Rose Read this for banned book prompt. It's an #ownvoices, but it made me think about the biography of Lin Manuel Miranda. When he was promoting In the Heights, a lot of investors thought it didn't have enough violence and drama. Miranda insisted that the Latino culture didn't have to be portrayed with those elements in order to be representative. There was plenty of violence and drama in Concrete Rose and I thought how unfortunate it was if that feels like a necessary element to include in the Black portrayal.

Meet Me at the Library: A Place to Foster Social Connection and Promote Democracy Libraries are cool, yeah. The author mentioned our county, "Meet our Neighbors," program. I've never participated in it, but this made me want to.

Started: Tom's Crossing Holy mother! This sucker clocks in at 1200 pages! It's going to take me forever to read because I'm also reading other things. Danielewski is coming for an author event next week. This book is particularly fun because it takes place in "Orvop," Utah.

Identity in Democracy A look at how identity politics differs from interest groups. So far, pretty thought-provoking.

QotW: Now that I've had a week to think about it more... I like the book pairings like the two twin cities or the two books with the same title. Maybe something like a book that you share an identity with and a book that differs from your identity. I am also hoping for ones that target our TBR lists. I also really enjoy when a prompt informs me of a sub-genre I was not previously aware of like dark academy or healing fiction. I am not particularly looking forward to the gardening theme as I do not garden. Hopefully, there won't be a lot of "how to garden" books!

Nadine in NY wrote: "I'm getting my new oven delivered tomorrow, so I've got big plans for all the things I can bake once I've got an oven again!! I didn't think I used my oven much, but after a few months without one, I'm really missing it. ..."

The worst thing about the power outage was waking up to NO COFFEE because our stove is electric. BOO!

Happy Thursday!

I can't believe the list comes out Saturday! I'm not even done with this year's list, and I'm going to get distracted with next year's.

Finished:

No new finishes to report this week; work's been busy.

I am currently at 46/50 for Popsugar (38/40 and 8/10).

Currently reading:

The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong - not for a prompt. This is so good so far!

Upcoming/Planned:

Slayers of Old by Jim C. Hines - not for a prompt.

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine - for two books with the same title.

Emma by Jane Austen - for a book by the oldest author in your TBR pile.

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest - for a book you have always avoided reading (aka the book that's been on my TBR the longest).

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley - for a book that reminds you of your childhood.

QOTW:
Mostly, I'm hoping for some prompts that get me a little out of my comfort zone without being too niche or hard to identify.

Ellie wrote: "I think I said last week, I have my fingers crossed for mushroom horror. ..."



I would love that

Laura Ruth wrote: "Read my 101st book for the year!

We had a major storm that knocked the power out for 25 hours. Gotta say, I really love my neighbors. There was one couple going door to door with a portable genera..."




Woohooo for 101!!

And what nice neighbors you have!! A few decades ago we lost power in our neighborhood for three days in September, and there was none of that! It was hot and humid and I was actually grateful to go to work every day, for the air conditioning. I think that was back before cell phones so I didn't care about charging my phone.

Laura Z wrote: "Reading Challenges I finished the Popsugar challenge!..."



Yayyy!!! And what good timing for you :-)

Just FYI: I will be out of the house and busy today, but will complete creating placeholders for the soon-to-be-announced 2026 Popsugar Challenge tonight and tomorrow! Whoo! Whoo! So anxious to see what they've created!!

How is it almost Halloween already? I'm planning to do my go-to costume of dressing in black and wearing my crocheted spider web poncho. Low effort, but effectively spooky.
Another low reading week, partly because of Halloween (listening to my spooky playlist instead of my audiobook), but mostly because season two of Hazbin Hotel dropped this week, and has taken over my brain.

Finished:
The Weirn Books, Vol. 2: The Ghost and the Stolen Dragon - I loved the first book, and while this one was still fun, it wasn't quite as good. Still, I'm looking forward to the next one, whenever that may be.

Currently reading:
Maelstrom: A Prince of Evil
Awakened
Cursed Bunny
Hit Me with Your Best Charm
Explainers: The Complete Village Voice Strips, 1956-1966

QOTW: Add me to the list of folks hoping for some TBR focused prompts.

I love how many of us are excited for the 2026 PS list to come out. I really was not expecting it so soon!

Hello and happy Thursday! This will be a three week update since I’ve been so busy and Thursdays keep slipping past my attention. I took my son to renaissance fest, to a pumpkin festival, and the Halloween lights at the conservatory. I also went to Cleveland last Friday to take my daughter to see a test screening of movie (Night Shift) by this indie horror game creator (puppet combo? Maybe) that she’s been into for a few years now. And then on Sunday I went and got a new kitten on an impulse. She’s from the same breeder I got my other two from. I’m so happy with her, she’s so cuddly and wants to be on me all the time which is exactly what I hoped my first two would be like lol. For the fantasy book fans, their names are Mogget, Calcifer, and Lady Amalthea.

I haven’t really gotten a ton of reading done since I’ve mostly just been reading the entire collected fiction of HP Lovecraft and that’s been taking quite a while lol.

Finished:
A Psalm for the Wild-Built for a read harder prompt. This was cute over all but I’ve felt Becky Chambers was just a little too progressive for my personal taste lol. And I know how that makes me sound, but I promise I’m not the kind of person out there dunking on things outside my own preferences lol. I think I still gave this 4 stars because it was pretty cozy but this earned a few notable eye rolls as I was reading it.

Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives okay now this one I absolutely hated and I will dunk on it. This was for my friends recommendations reading challenge, and whoever ever recommended it must have deactivated Facebook because the comment is gone and I can’t remember who recommended it. I specifically went back to the post I made asking for books so I could find out who told me to read it so I could either block them or ask them why they subjected me to this book. I’m so sorry if someone in this group read this and loved it, but I simply cannot. I could rant for hours how absurd I found every aspect of this book, but I’ll just keep it succinct and say that I find the notion that some hypnotist magically found a way to tap into people’s past lives and their times as spirits utterly preposterous.

Open Throat for a nonverbal character prompt. Can’t get more nonverbal than a literal cougar. This was a fun novella about a cougar living LA. I typically really enjoy books told from nonhuman perspectives, and this was no exception.

Currently Reading:
Night Film
The Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft
The Silent Stranger: A Kaya Mystery
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Great Adventure Catholic Bible

Recently Watched:
I watched Chernobyl with my daughter recently, and mildly traumatized my mom by getting her to watch The Substance with me

Challenges:
Popsugar - 28/40; 3/4; 2/3; 3/3
Read Harder - 17/24
Classics - 8/12
European Tour - 8/10
12 Friends - 7/12
Yearly Goal - 126/180

QOTW:
I was always a fan of prompts about the physicality of a book, like the color of the cover or with a specific thing on the cover. I’d love a prompt about a book written in a non standard format. Like House of Leaves, Night Film or The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet. I love a book with notes in the margins or little pictures or attached documents.

I finished Sing You Home as my book about music. All I have to say is I'm glad that's over with. It's really hard to read a book where all the main characters and most of the minor ones are horrid people.

I just started Home Front as my book with a married couple living apart. Hopefully she gets deployed soon, or there won't be much apart living, LOL.

QOTW: I don't have a particular category, just stuff that's not super hard to figure out what to read, and hopefully able to fill in with books that I would actually enjoy reading. I know, I ask a lot.

*gasp* NOV.1ST??? It's that tiiiiiime!!!! How exciting! Well, there goes my weekend plans!!

Currently Reading

Elantris for "book about a married couple who don't live together". Halfway through! Still enjoying it.

The Spiritual Life and How to be Attuned to it for "book featuring an activity on your bucket list" This has been a fabulous daily read. Definitely loving it.

QotW

Whatever helps me knock titles off my TBR is fine by me!!

Recovered from my horrible virus, then caught a cold. Really really tired of being sick. It's been a month of illnesses 🤬. At least with a cold I know what to expect but still...

Still finished three books, two for prompts:

Knickerbocker's History of New York--no prompt
Mansfield Park: AI chatbot (actually it was the goodreads algorithm)
Before We Forget Kindness: interconnected short stories

QOTW: I don't hope to find any particular prompt. I do always like the banned books one though. I hope in general the prompts are more open..."sports" rather than "soccer" or "run club". It would be nice to have some cover prompts. I just want less specificity. You can push people put of their comfort zone without being so restrictive that you just want to ask, "What book exactly did you want me to read?"

And please no more NaNoWriMo

Hi all! Feels like it's been a hectic week around here. Kiddo twisted her ankle at the end of last week, had a sleepover over the weekend, and I worked yesterday. Monday night, I watched football and baseball, and everything was fine. Tuesday morning, I got kiddo off to school, turned on the TV, and there was no picture, just sound! So I spent all that day looking for a new one and went to pick it up today in the pouring rain. (good thing I worked yesterday!)

Halloween looks awful. :/ We've already got a wind advisory for tomorrow and it's supposed to rain and be in the 40s. Blah.

I finished The Carpet Makers the other night. I liked it. Remember a while ago we had a QOTW about wanting to discuss books with a group or in school or something? This fits with that. I have so many questions. I read it thinking it would fit space tourism. It doesn't. It would be a better fit for interconnected stories, but I already did that one. I will have to look and see where else I can put it.

Made some progress in Promise Boys for a book recommended by AI- I used GR recs, based off of We Deserve Monuments, which was my favorite book of last year. I'm liking the format that's being used to tell the story, most of it is like interviews with classmates, teachers, community members, and then it switches to each of the boys involved.

Picked up Jailbird for a buddy read and a book about a politician. Too soon to tell with it, but I'm getting good vibes.

Read another chapter or 2 in both Children of Blood and Bone and The Storm We Made, still liking them both, just not enough time!

QOTW: I'm hoping for something outdoorsy or science based. I'm surprised they're releasing the whole thing this weekend. Usually it's in December. Kiddo has a Girl Scout meeting 12-2, so if they release it in the morning, I'm going to have to tear myself away from the computer, if they release it at noon, I won't be able to see it! (until I get home) I know, I know, first world book problems!

Happy Thursday.

I'm still horror-booked out. I started reading The Jane Austin Book Club, which I'm loving to help break up books about serial killers and slow decapitations.

I finished a book! However, there are literally no PS or ATY prompts that fit it. But it counts as one of my Nobel books, and I actually enjoyed her poetry.

Finished:
Selected Poems of Gabriela Mistral
(no prompts to be found)

Series - 8/10
Reading Across Canada - 9/10
Nobel laureates - 4/5

PS - 36/40
Regular ATY - 39/40
Anniversary ATY - 8/10
Summer Challenge - 5100/5000 - Completed!

Currently reading:
Interior Castle - 45%
Kingdom of the Wicked - 75%
Find You In The Dark - 85%
The Pit and the Pendulum -50% done
The Jane Austen Book Club -35% done

Buddy Reads:
Library of Souls - 20%

QOTW: I hope there are some prompts broad enough that I can use some of my series books and other books I was planning on reading.

I know they love to spring one or two overly narrow prompts on us.

Laura Ruth wrote: "The worst thing about the power outage was waking up to NO COFFEE because our stove is electric. BOO!..."



Oh I hear that!! I remember being glad that we had a gas range. I don't remember what we did for coffee, maybe instant? And probably stopped at Dunkin on the way to work. I don't normally do that, but it was a weird time!

Joanna wrote: "How is it almost Halloween already? I'm planning to do my go-to costume of dressing in black and wearing my crocheted spider web poncho. Low effort, but effectively spooky.
Another low reading week..."


cool costume!!


I used to have a Tshirt I wore every year that had a horned skull, but I'm not sure what happened to it - maybe my daughter has it now
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/5307211...

Ron wrote: "I love how many of us are excited for the 2026 PS list to come out. I really was not expecting it so soon!"




None of us were! It's never come out so soon!! When I first saw the announcement, I didn't know how to feel, I was just shocked.

Dani wrote: "Recently Watched:
I watched Chernobyl with my daughter recently, and mildly traumatized my mom by getting her to watch The Substance with me..."




We were going to watch The Substance this year! But my ex watched it and said it was freaky and then my older daughter who was already feeling iffy about it got massive cold feet and then no one wanted to watch it and it was due back at the library. Another time.

This weekend we are watching Rambo! LOL! I've actually never seen it. And apparently a very very young Nicholas Hoult once declared it was his favorite movie, so naturally we need to watch it.

Another short update from me. I finished two short stories and a children's book because that's about all my attention span can handle right now. I didn't think any of them fit any of my open prompts, so I'm still at 17/40 and 2/10 for this challenge and am now at 71/85 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge.

Finished:
* The One That Got Away by Mike Gayle;
* When We Were Friends by Jane Green; and,
* Best Day Ever by Lindsay Ward and Frank Tupta.

Currently Reading:
* The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims;
* All Fours by Miranda July;
* Joyride: A Memoir by Susan Orlean, which is my latest Giveaways win; and,
* The Body in the Garden by Katharine Schellman, which is one of my book clubs' pick for November.

QotW:
1) For the Oct 30th & 31st posters: what category are you REALLY hoping for? I would love a prompt involving books you already own. I'm not sure if I'll make it back this weekend, but hope springs eternal, so I'll leave space for a response below 🙃

And then you can come back this weekend to answer part 2:

2) For the Nov 1st and after posters: what category jumped out at you as The Most? (Interpret how you will: most surprising or most exciting or most fun or just your favorite?) Since I remembered to 1)look at the list and 2)update my post, the prompt that stood out The Most to me is "A book you were hoping would fit into a prompt but doesn't." Because I feel like that happens every year for every reading challenge I try, so it's fun to see a prompt that speaks to it.

Happy check-in! I completed my goodreads challenge this past week and I'm not raising it again. I probably should because I need to read 311 books to get the final bookmark come December. Two more prompts left for this year's PopSugar challenge so I won't finish before the new list. There's also two more bookmarks that unlock Saturday as well.

Finished Reading:

The Princess Knight ⭐⭐⭐
I'm a little disappointed with this one. This was a highly anticipated read for the year because I first saw this book titled Medievally Blond. The author did a good job of reworking Legally Blond to make her own story, but it just didn't live up to my expectations.

Dungeon Crawler Carl ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm now obsessed and unhappy waiting for the library to send the next one.

Tall Water ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Graphic novel set in Sri Lanka during the Christmas when the massive tsunami hit.

Night Broken Dramatized Adaptation ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Not the best book in the series so I was shocked to enjoy the Graphic Audio more than the book.

The Hollow Places ⭐⭐⭐ (Goodreads bookmark Spine Tinglers)
I got deja vu reading this, it had a similar start to A House with Good Bones. Also I think the bookmark for Spine Tinglers is the best one they've made.

I Hope You Remember: Poems on Loving, Longing, and Living ⭐⭐⭐
I liked it, though be prepared for sad girl poems.

PS 48/50
ATY, Anniversary, Summer completed
Goodreads 255/250 Bookmarks 6/12

QOTW:
I like prompts that link to 2026 and I'm hopeful the theme is used well. Two of the best books I read for the challenge this year were because of the specific prompts so I want some of those too. (Menopause and run club)

Happy Thursday and early Happy Halloween! This year I'm actually putting together a costume- I'm planning to be Anya from Spy x Family. Not sure how I'm going to fit all my hair under the wig, but we'll make it work. I"ve really gone hard this year on the halloween themed books, movies and tv shows, which has been fun but I also think I'm ready to read some other stuff now!

I'm down to 9 prompts left for this years popsugar- the end is in sight!

Finished:
Frankenstein: The 1818 Text- after reading several takes on the story, finally read the original! Not my favorite classic, but I did like it- I just hated being in Victor Frankenstein's head.

The copy I read was from this classics collection my dad bought back when my brother and I were little kids because he thought one day we would get to them. This book had scratches from our old cat, who didn't understand scratching posts, and paints drops from when I did an iffy job painting my room- it felt very nostalgic
-classics prompt

The Walking Cat: A Cat's-Eye-View of the Zombie Apocalypse Vols. 1-3- this was so fun, I liked it so much, would love it if they released a sequel. Basically a manga of a zombie apocalypse that follows a cat's journey
-no prompt

A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer- this was fun, I just wish the main character hadn't talked about herself like she was some washed up spinster who's life was already over. Girl, you're 40. Makes me wonder how old the author is
-married couple not living together

The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom- I think what the author lived through is horrible, and shedding light on how family vlogging can cover up darker secrets is always important. I do think that it would have been beneficial if the author had had more time away from situation to reflect on everything before writing this, because it feels like there's a lot more unpacking that needs to happen
-no prompt

Currently reading:
Revenge- interconnected short stories that are getting progressively creepier. I'm really liking this

QotW:
I'm seconding the wish for a prompt about non-traditional formatting, like letters, interviews etc. And I don't know if I can stomach mushroom horror, but I could handle mushrooms on the cover... Also maybe a paired prompt where it's two retellings of the same story- but in different genres/cultures/time periods

I also like the prompt we had a year or so ago where it's a book you know nothing about. Gives me a reason to browse the library stacks

The leaves on our trees are in full color and with the wind these past couple of days our yards are now very colorful!

I have been concentrating on reading Sigrid Nunez’ backlist in preparation to meet her in mid-November. Her writing is, IMO, unique and intriguing, though unexpectedly very readable! Definitely thought-provoking and poignant.

And one of the authors I met last week, Hank Phillippi Ryan, was asked to compile a listing of “locked-room” mysteries! Great Locked-Room Mystery Novels: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/22/bo...

LISTS!!
Simon & Schuster: The Best Books for Spooky Season
https://www.simonandschuster.com/p/ha...

Penguin Random House: The Most Anticipated Kids’ & Young Adult Books of Fall 2025 https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/th...

Penguin Random House: The Most Anticipated Biographies & Memoirs of Fall 2025 https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/th...
The older I get, the more I appreciate reading about others’ lives!
***
ADMIN STUFF:
THE DECEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ FINAL SELECTION POLL IS Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #25 A book where the main character is an immigrant or refugee
International Migrants Day is December 18, 2025
We are searching for a "year-end yeoman" to lead this discussion! Message either Nadine or me to volunteer!

WE NEED YOU TO LEAD THE NOVEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot #1) by Becky Chambers!
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...
Who among you is the “fearless foodie” willing to lead this discussion? Message either Nadine or me to volunteer!

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

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
1) For the Oct 30th & 31st posters: what category are you REALLY hoping for?
Ach! Whatever… Hoping for creativity!!
And then you can come back this weekend to answer part 2:
2) For the Nov 1st and after posters: what category jumped out at you as The Most? (Interpret how you will: most surprising or most exciting or most fun or just your favorite?)
ANXIOUS TO ANSWER THIS LATER!!

2025 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 42/50
52 Book Club: 47/52

2024 Popsugar: 47/50

FINISHED:
*On Wings of the Morning (Dillon, Oklahoma #2) by Marie BostwickMarie Bostwick ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ is such an amazing sequel to Fields of Gold! Not at all what I expected…in such an awesome way! Although there was a bit more organized religion included in this book than I would prefer, I think it worked. (I also realize that as an avowed atheist I might be hyper-sensitive to such…) I loved Morgan and his forceful nature to finally ‘reveal all’ and no longer allow secrets to reign in his life or the lives of those he loves! And yet, as with most people I know, he still had regrets regarding those who had passed from this lifetime before he visited with them to fully express his feelings/forgiveness/gratitude…
POPSUGAR: #6, #14, #20, #26, #33, #40
52 Book Club: #18, #22, #28/#29, #36, #38, #43, #46, #51

*Sempre Susan: A Memoir of Susan Sontag by Sigrid Nunez ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was so very well-written and informative, but in a very personally intimate way, as might be expected from a woman who had an intimate relatively long-term relationship with Sontag’s son and lived with them…
POPSUGAR: #6, $8, #14, #20, #33, #35
52 Book Club: #21, #25, #43, #44, #46,

*The Vulnerables by Sigrid Nunez ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was set during the COVID pandemic and yet just a rumination on human relationships, particularly when forced to remain in place with in-laws or strangers! Very creative and enjoyable, though in its own way, thought-provoking as well! A nurse from Colorado actually moved to New York as the first wave of COVID hit that state. How brave and courageous was she? And I’m sure there were millions who risked (and perhaps sacrificed) their own lives to care for others. A pregnant woman forced to remain in place at her in-laws and eventually give birth to her firstborn while living out-of-state (across the U.S.—east coast to west coast). How upsetting that might have been. And of course, Eureka, the oh-so spoiled (though still captive) parrot!
POPSUGAR: #2, #6, #14, #20, #24, #28, #43, #46
52 Book Club: #18, #33, #42, #43, #46

*A Feather on the Breath of God by Sigrid Nunez ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was mostly autobiographical and quite poignant while being extremely readable and realistic. Though I am anxious to speak with her about her relationship with a certain Russian… 😉
POPSUGAR: #2, #6, #8, #20, #24, #28
52 Book Club: #33, #35, #43, #46, #47

CONTINUING:
*Naked Sleeper: A Novel by Sigrid Nunez is proving to be a quite unique read. I am about halfway through and am really wondering exactly how this will end…
*Hope on the Inside by Marie Bostwick is not what I was expecting! Bostwick is so savvy at connecting titles…
*The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
*Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power by RebeccaSolnit
*East of Eden by John Steinbeck
*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

PLANNED:
*All the Way to the River: Love, Loss, and Liberation by Elizabeth Gilbert for an IRL book club meeting last Sunday which ended up getting canceled due to several members being ill. So I will be reading this one in November. I hope also to finally read Eat, Pray, Love!
*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

Kenya wrote: "Happy Thursday all!

The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night -- figured this would make an appropriate Halloween read that wasn’t spooky or horror-themed. Very cute and would fit the “found family” prompt...."



Thanks for this! I too am reading this and didn't think about using it for found family. Now I can because that is one of my 3 left.

Denise wrote: "And please no more NaNoWriMo
..."

AMEN!

Life update: I'm still slowly recovering from my cold, and also very busy with work. Meanwhile, the company that owns the house next door has "objected" to our chimney repair plans; I put that in inverted commas because our contractors are pretty sure it's just a routine step so that they can get a report from an independent surveyor, but it's still going to delay everything. I really hope it gets sorted out soon so that we can get the work done before Christmas. We've seen a new housing development in the town we want to move to that looks just right for us, and it would be a shame if they all sold before we're in a position to make an offer.

Reading update: As soon as I got my NetGalley percentage up to 100, a publisher that had been sitting on an old request finally decided to approve it. LOL! It isn't published for a few months, so I'll wait till I've made a bit more progress on my challenges before I tackle it. I finished four books this week:

The Man in the McIntosh Suit - research; would work for a refugee character
The Best We Could Do - GR bookmarks: Memorable Memoir; would also work for a refugee character
Switchers - audiobook, no prompt
Die Schachnovelle - German Challenge: a classic

Stats:
Disability Pride Challenge: 0 this week, 4/5 total
Readers of the Wild Moor: 0 this week, 26/30 total
GR Fall Bookmarks: 1 this week, 1/9 total
Queer Reads Bracket Challenge: 0 this week, 4/6 total
Horror Subgenre Challenge: 0 this week, 9/11 total
The German Challenge: 1 this week, 3/10 total
Spanish Titles ABC: 0 this week, 1/26 total
The Great Big Jewish Literature Challenge: 0 this week, 4/21 total
Politics & Philosophy: 0 this week, 5/15 total
Anti-Capitalist Inspiration: 0 this week, 8/30 total
Reading About Writing: 0 this week, 2/40 total
All books finished this year: 4 this week, 143 total
DNF or paused: 0 this week, 22 total

Challenges completed this year:
PopSugar, Pride Season, Star Trek Series, GR Community Favorites, GR Seasonal, GR Summer

Currently Reading:
A Gentleman in Moscow - GR Fall bookmarks: Heart-Warmers and Fiction Faves
Hondo - audiobook, no prompt
The Valmiki Ramayana Vol. 3 - spiritual reading
Journey to the West (Chinese Lore podcast) - Discord book club

QOTW, part 1: I really like the idea of the gardening theme! I'd like to see prompts that capture the joy and beauty of a garden. I think in the current climate, we can all use as much joy and beauty as we can get!

I will be glued to my phone on Saturday until the list is out and I can come back to answer part 2!

Nadine in NY wrote:

None of us were! It's never come out so soon!! When I first saw the announcement, I didn't know how to feel, I was just shocked.

Right! I'm still shocked too.

But I suppose it's a good thing for those for us who like to prepare our TBRs/reading lists months in advance.

I already have 2 reading challenges set for 2026 so far.

This year I did wrapped TBR's and it worked so well for me that I decided to continue that in 2026 so I have books wrapped (and numbered which then go into a TBR jar) all the way from January through September.

Ellie wrote: "Are you trying to teach her to lie down or to stop jumping? Sometimes dogs just learn that a word means a thing that's not quite right and then you need to start again with a new word. Whenever you see her just lying down by herself, say the word and good girl and she will soon learn what it means. Getting on the floor with her is exciting and not conducive to lying down calmly in dog logic."

Thanks, Ellie. That is a great idea!

Denise wrote: "And please no more NaNoWriMo..."


ohhhh I forgot about the awful NaNoWriMo prompts - didn't we have that two years in a row? (or it just felt like it). I agree, let's not do that one again, ever.

I guess if I don't check in Thursday or Friday, it just won't happen because it goes completely out of my head. This is another multi week check in.

I'm very excited about the new list tomorrow. I didn’t mind it coming out December 1st, but won't complain that it's earlier this year.

Finished

Third Path. The “final” book in the Stargate Atlantis Legacy series didn’t seem very final, but I did like the book and where a lot of the characters ended up. There are some short stories and novellas that follow this book. I don’t expect any definite endings there either.

Swordheart. I really love everything I’ve read by T Kingfisher. This story was so much fun.

We Speak Through the Mountain. This is the second book in the series, and it took a turn I really didn’t expect. I’m not sure how I feel about it, so I rated it 3 stars.

Phantom Pond. I saved this novella for over a year so I could read it around Halloween. It’s always wonderful to go back to Shady Hollow, and this story was wonderfully atmospheric. I’m glad I saved it for October.

As The Crow Flies. This is my least favorite Longmire book so far. It was kind of a slog until the end.

Reading
Something in the Walls

Crime and Punishment

DNF
Our Infinite Fates. It sounds like a book I would love with the reincarnation and fated lovers. But I just didn't.

Running Close to the Wind. The first few chapters were humorous, but the style and characters got tedious really fast. It’s too bad because the plot sounded promising.

QOTW
I’m hoping for some comfortable prompts about favorite genres or authors. It’s great to have prompts about new concepts and genres, and there probably will be some of those, but the world is difficult and probably will be next year too, and I’d love to see the challenge be a form of comfort and self-care too.

I'm going to kindly ask anyone who edits in their answer to Part 2 of the QOTW to their original post to please say something like "added answer to Post #5" in a new post.

Finished:

Sanctuary: A Bad Batch Novel (4/5)

This is an almost perfect blend of what is great about the show Star Wars: The Bad Batch and the strengths of the prose medium.

Tears of the Nameless (3/5)

It has some good material, but it felt quite long for what it is.

Lost to Eternity (4/5)

This book features a true crime podcaster in 2024 investigating the disappearance of the whale scientist from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. It also has two other time periods, the original series era and the movie era, that get a lot of page time. This is an easy recommendation for anyone who likes the original Star Trek characters (Kirk, Spock, McCoy, etc.).

Currently reading:

Beware the Nameless

It's got a gentle, frightened Hutt character in it, so it already has a leg up on most Star Wars books.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

The Joiner King (reread, 1st time since 2006)

Question of the Week, Part 1:

I hope for at least one really easy prompt like a book with a detective in it.

I haven't participated in PopSugar for a few years now, but I'm feeling kind of "whelmed" by the ATY 2026 list so I'm lurking to see if I like PopSugar's better 👀 I'm crossing my fingers that they might give us a Halloween treat and release it early...
If not, looking forward to discussing with everyone tomorrow!

Erin wrote: "The copy I read was from this classics collection my dad bought back when my brother and I were little kids because he thought one day we would get to them. This book had scratches from our old cat, who didn't understand scratching posts, and paints drops from when I did an iffy job painting my room- it felt very nostalgic ..."



that is very awesome!!

Brandon wrote: "I'm going to kindly ask anyone who edits in their answer to Part 2 of the QOTW to their original post to please say something like "added answer to Post #5" in a new post. ..."


Good point. If someone just edits their original post, I'll never see it. I only read new posts.

Jennifer W wrote: "Halloween looks awful. :/ We've already got a wind advisory for tomorrow and it's supposed to rain and be in the 40s. Blah...."



yeah it really does. That, combined with the ever-dwindling number of trick-or-treaters in my neighborhood year after year, and I might not even bother turning my lights on this year.

I'll be holed up in my kitchen baking things in my new oven all night LOL!

I was curious, so bopped onto the 52 Book Club Challenge and that 2026 challenge is being revealed slowly, but surely! There are four prompts listed now! Cool!

L Y N N wrote: "I was curious, so bopped onto the 52 Book Club Challenge and that 2026 challenge is being revealed slowly, but surely! There are four prompts listed now! Cool!"

Wow, a lot of places are doing them early this year!

I'll go check those ones out.