Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Happy Thursday!  

We finally got some rain in the last few days - it was unbelievable how long we went without rain - and today looks gorgeous, so I guess that means I need to mow.  It was nice when it was hot and dry, the grass didn't grow. No mowing! 


***** Admin stuff *****
The July group read (granny hobby) is:  A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking   (Kingfisher has been popular this year in group reads!)  You can join the discussion here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The August group read (Afrofuturism) will be:  Death of the Author

The September group read (a book told in letters) will be:   The Correspondent

The October group read (overweight character) will be: The House in the Cerulean Sea

The November group read (debt) will be:   Spinning Silver  

The December group read (horses) will be:  Horse




Let us know if you'd like to lead any discussions!  







This week I finished 6 books, none for this Challenge,  so I remain 43/50:

I downloaded a bunch of books from NetGalley, and then I read most of them.

Birding Is My Favorite Video Game: Cartoons about the Natural World From "Bird and Moon" by Rosemary Mosco- this is fun and light and very short, not nearly as much about birding as one would assume based on the title!  But that's okay, I already read my book about birding, this was just for fun.

We've Been Here the Whole Time!: A Not So Sacred Guide to All Things Native America by Joey Clift- I thought this was going to be a graphic novel, but it's not, it's a humorous nonfiction book that seems to be aimed at teenage boys.  I liked his style, and I'd happily read another book by Clift if he wrote one for adults and/or if he publishes an actual non-fiction graphic novel, but I was a bit disappointed in this book since it's not what I expected it to be.

Unfinished Tales written by Ed Brubaker with art by Sean Phillips- another book that was not what I expected it to be!  The blurb  is misleading, and I would have enjoyed this a lot more if I had not been expecting a shocking speculative fiction version of Talented Mr Ripley, because that's not what it is.  There's nothing terribly shocking here, nothing speculative or fantastical, and there is no "Mr Ripley" type character.  I wish the publisher had not amped up expectations like that - truly, seeing "Brubaker / Phillips" on a graphic novel is enough for most readers to want to pick it up, they don't need to gild that lily by saying it's "The Lord of the Rings meets The Talented Mr Ripley." That's completely inaccurate.  This is a neo-noir style character study of a middle aged author who has been struggling with writer's block for fifteen years.  He's an average guy who was rather stunned by  his massive success, and he has dark thoughts, the  kind of thoughts most people have at one point or another.  The art is top notch. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys graphic novels and would like a neo-noir character study.

Ponyo: Film Comic All-in-One Edition by Hayao Miyazaki - rounding out my string of NetGalley downloads that were not what I expected is Ponyo!  I love Miyazaki and I LOVE Ponyo.  But this book adds NOTHING to the story, it's 500+ pages of film stills organized into comic book panels.  And maybe this misunderstanding is on me; maybe everyone else already understands that a "film comic" is movie stills in comic book format.   It feels like a money-grab.  I'd rather just rewatch the movie for the umpteenth time.

A Tender Age by Chang-rae Lee - this was so compelling and moving.  I know I complain often about books that are all character study and no plot, and this book is very character driven, but Lee is such a phenomenal author that I was riveted.  I don't understand why he seems to go under most readers' radar - he's truly one of the greats! No challenge category.

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 1 written drawn by Kamome Shirahama - surprisingly gorgeous artwork, something I don't expect from manga, but I found the protagonist incredibly annoying.  This was a "Camp NetGalley" book, so I look forward to my cute and meaningless new badge next month.


Popsugar 86% 43 /50
Must Reads 0% 0 /1
2026 pub 100% 50 /50
NetGalley ratio 88% (exactly the same as it was last week! because I downloaded a bunch of books, and then read and reviewed half of them)

 





Question of the Week

This week's question was suggested by Kenya

Do you read books in multiple formats (physical book, e-book, audiobook, some combination of the above)? And if so, do you find that certain types/genres of books work better for you in a certain format?


I do read in every format, and I do have some preferences. I won't listen to romance in audio, I don't like HEARING "she took his cock in her hands" etc. For audiobooks I'm mostly trying to replicate NPR: some non-fiction, mostly science, and some adventure tales to mimic their programming, including their Old Time Radio Hour with detective shows (do they still do that? I don't listen to the radio any more, but I used to enjoy it.) Also, if a book is LONG and rambling, I'll prefer it as an audiobook. And some books are just made for audio, like Sleeping Giants with the full cast audio for the multiple POVs.

I used to only read graphic novels as paper books, but as my eyesight has gotten worse, those squiggly dialogue boxes with gray text on tan background are getting really hard to read, so now I like to download the e-comic, so I can ZOOM in to read it!

Mostly for ebooks I prefer fluffy books, something that can grab my attention and hold it quickly whenever I dip into it. But now that I use NetGalley, and I have a big backlog, all of those books are ebooks, so right now it's all I read, so I am reading ALL genres as an ebook.

But I can't read ebooks in the sun, so for beach reading, I need a paper book. "Beach reads" for me include a variety of genres: mystery, adventure, romance, sci-fi, fantasy, as well as a token non-fiction book tossed in there, something focused on the ocean or the natural world (I read Close to Shore: The Terrifying Shark Attacks of 1916 at the beach, which was great because it took place on the same barrier island that I was on), so my mom knows I do sometimes read NF!

Happy Thursday! Todd’s Celebration of Life went beautifully! So many people from throughout our lives came to spend the day with us. I didn’t cry – although I came close a couple times. It was exactly what he would have wanted. A party, not a memorial service. On Sunday we scattered his ashes exactly as he asked.

We've had temps over 100 for the past few weeks, but it looks like it will start to cool down these next few days. So it's hot, but eastern Washington's dry heat beats St. Louis's heat and humidity every time!

Reading Challenges:

52 Book Club: 50/52
52 Books Read It, Watch It: 7/12
ATY: 50/52 (Summer Challenge: 22/25)
Booklist Queen: 50/52
Popsugar: 47/50
Goodreads Summer Bookmarks: 6/11
52 Books Mystery Challenge: 28/50

My Ever-Growing TBR: 73/276 – 26.4% (My goal is 33.3%.)

Recently Completed: Tough week of reading. I’m going to have to grab a comfort read for next week… something I know I’ll like.

🗽Death of the Author: Adventures Underground Book Club. (Popsugar #50 – afrofuturism/GR Summer #8 – Worlds Away) ★★★★
🗽A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy ★★★★
🗽The Power: Page Turners Book Club. ★★★
🗽The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, Dangerous Damsels #1 ★★★
🗽Red Rabbit ★★★★
🗽 Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery: Gavin Newsom’s memoir. I was hoping it would make me like him more. It didn’t. He's certainly lived a privileged life. ★★★
🗽Worse Than Strangers: Reese’s Book Club Selection. (ATY Summer #31 – set at the beach) ★★★



QOTW: I use e-books, audiobooks, and print for my reading. Print is usually more serious - or for book clubs - so I can do deeper reading. E-books are usually light reads, mostly romances. Audiobooks for everything! I like being able to listen when I walk, shop, and drive.

Laura Z wrote: "Happy Thursday! Todd’s Celebration of Life went beautifully! So many people from throughout our lives came to spend the day with us. I didn’t cry – although I came close a couple times. It was exac..."



I'm so glad it went well.

Happy Thursday!

I have been on vacation this week. I started another book that finally came in. However, I made great strides on all the books I'm reading.

My child had finished their library book in 2 weeks instead of 3, so I borrowed it and read it. Persepolis wasn't a book I planned on reading, but I'm glad I did. It put a lot of things I thought I knew about Iran into perspective.

Finished:

The Complete Persepolis
Popsugar prompt: A book about teen angst
ATY prompt: A book where all or part of the action takes place in a library, a museum, a school, or another public building
Summer prompt: A book in translation - 500 points

Series - 5/12
Number 1s - 6/10
Nobel laureates - 2/5
Rocky Horror challenge: 7/12
Summer Reading challenge - 2600/5000 points

PS - 22/30
ATY - 28/45
PS movies - 21/50

Currently reading:
The Grapes of Wrath - 75%
Survivor by Tabitha King - 35%
Rouge - 75%
How to Seal Your Own Fate - 50%

PopSugar movies
none

QOTW: My preference is physical books as I take them to the office to read on my lunch hour. I find the print is different from looking at a screen most of the day. I will use ebooks or internet archive if I can't get a physical book. I personally hate audiobooks. (If others like them - go for it) My husband has some on the hard-drive in our car. He made us listen to one on a long car trip and I dozed off. Maybe it's just the people they pick to do audio books - I feel like I could do a better job reading them.

Another year around the sun for me, and to celebrate I went and saw The Odyssey. I liked it a lot, and want to read it. Oddly, it's not on the 1001 Books You Must Read, nor is the Iliad. Who wrote that thing, anyway?

PopSugar 44/50
AtY 38/52
Curiosity Killed the Bookworm: 20/25
Rocky Horror Challenge 10/12

Finished:
A Heartbeat at My Feet by Kristin Judd This is one of Amazon’s First Reads, a choice offered to Prime members every month. I didn’t bother with them for years because they weren’t all that good. The quality has definitely improved. This book starts from the point of view of Cicero, a dog that’s tragically lost his owner, and alternates with Josie’s POV. Josie, just days before her long-awaited trip to Italy, discovered her husband’s affair, following which, he announced he wanted a divorce. What’s a girl in shock to do? She went to Italy by herself. I have to admit, for me, the dog is the strong point in this story, although Josie grew on me.

A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner Book 4 of the Queen’s Thief series. This is an audiobook, like the first 3 I listened to. This has a different reader however, and is not nearly as entertaining. This is 4 of 6 books, but I’m done with the series here. Possibly my fault but it was hard to follow or maintain interest.

The People's Library by Veronica G Henry. Another First Reads for Amazon Prime. For This Challenge Killed the Bookworm, also for Rocky Horror Challenge. Science Fiction, people in the present and the past are being scanned and added to a library, where you can go and check out a person and sit and talk to them for awhile. Kind of a fascinating concept, go and talk to AI Jesus or AI Malcolm X, or is it??? It started better than it finished, although that could be my fault.

Gerry Rafferty: Renegade Heart for #37 a book about a pop star. It was hard to follow and for once, I don’t think it was me. The author interviews people that knew and worked with the late rock star. But you forget who it is he’s interviewing, and what the question was, and even who is talking: the interviewer or the interviewee, and each individual section goes on and on.

Currently Reading
Better Than the Movies, German Edition by Lynn Painter (25%) A red-headed character, for the Rocky Horror Challenge.
The Marsh King's Daughter by Elizabeth Chadwick
Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman From my TBR list. I’m up to 2017.


QOTW
I use all forms, but avoid physical books. They're hard to hold with my arthritis.

😊 😯😉☹

Nadine - your description of not wanting romance as audiobooks cracked me up

Ravenous Bonus Round: 12/22

Finished: Circe

Started: Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals DNF. I still haven't figured out exactly what it is about this book, but I hated it. So boring.

I've been struggling this week because I've been reading books I don't really like. And I have so many projects around the house to work on.

QotW: I usually read physical books. Right now I'm reading the same book (Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking) in both the physical and e-book. It's a little tricky because the pagination is different so I have to keep adjusting my place in the other version. I don't like audiobooks, but if I do use them, I like to follow along with a physical copy. I have done this for Spanish books in the past, listening to them in Spanish and following along in English.

Happy Thursday!

I'm very excited. We're going to see the proshot of Hadestown tonight at the movie theater. I highly, highly recommend it if you enjoy musicals. It's one of my favorite shows of all time.

Finished:
The Feywild Job by C.L. Polk - 3.5 stars - not for a prompt, although I suppose it would work for the platonic friendship prompt. A D&D tie-in fantasy adventure. I liked the characters and the story, but I was expecting more heisting from the description.

Comics/manga:
Colette Decides to Die, Vol. 7
RuriDragon, Vol. 1
Sheltering Eaves, Vol. 2

I am currently at 33/50 for the Popsugar reading challenge (25/40 and 8/10).

Currently reading:
Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper - for a book featuring birding. I've really been enjoying this so far. I had to put it down for a bit this morning after finishing the chapter on his experience of 9/11 because it hit me kind of hard.

Upcoming/Planned:
Nemesis Mine by Amy Archer - for a book about a horse or with a horse on the cover. There's a horse on the cover; good enough for me. :)

QOTW:
I do read in multiple formats, although I prefer them for different things. I mostly read ebooks for everything. Sometimes I read comics and graphic novels in print, and also puzzle books really only work in print. For audiobooks, I tend to prefer nonfiction, or else something episodic. I really enjoy audio dramas/fiction podcasts, so books that have a similar feel work for me.

Good afternoon, everyone! Happy Thursday!

Given the poor air quality and the current state of my allergies, this has been a fairly miserable (and consequently unproductive) week. Because of the various medications I’ve had to take to deal with headaches, allergy attacks, and hives, I’ve spent a greater-than-average amount of the week asleep.

Despite the frequent napping, I did make some progress on my TBR quest this week, and actually managed to reach my goal of reading 15 TBR books before the end of the month. I’m really pleased with the amount of reading I’ve been able to accomplish so far this month, and I’m excited to see how many more TBR books I can add to my monthly total before July ends.

Here are my current challenge and TBR totals…

Goodreads Challenge: 149/250
Mount TBR Challenge: 92/150

📚Physical TBR: 86/462
📱Ebook TBR: 5/161
🎧Audiobook TBR: 1/1
TBR Checklist Total: 92/624 (14% complete)

TBR Books DNFed in 2026: 5
TBR Books Soft DNFed in 2026: 3

I did not purchase any new books this week, and don’t plan to until I’ve read the ones I already own.

“New” Books Bought in 2026: 62
“New” Books Read in 2026: 56
“New” Books DNFed in 2026: 0
“New” Books Checklist Total: 56/62 (90% complete)

Here are the books I finished this week…

Finished Reading (Fiction):
This week I continued reading The Legend of Drizzt series. I’ve really been enjoying this series, and currently plan to continue reading until I have completed all 39 books. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ It is worth noting that many of the books in this series include harm that is done to animals (mostly occurring in battle). (hide spoiler)] I was able to finish books 5-8 this week, which included…
~Streams of Silver — This is the fifth book in the Dungeons & Dragons: Legend of Drizzt series. I really enjoyed the quest in this book, and immediately picked up the next book as soon as I finished. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Halfling's Gem — This is the sixth book in the Dungeons & Dragons: Legend of Drizzt series, and picks up immediately after the events of the previous book. I thought this was a great conclusion to the series’ second trilogy. It was very exciting. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Legacy — This is the seventh book in the Dungeons & Dragons: Legend of Drizzt series. While not my favorite book of the series so far, I still thought this was a good story. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Starless Night — This is the eighth book in the Dungeons & Dragons: Legend of Drizzt series. I really enjoyed this story, and loved the fact that Catti-brie (one of my favorite characters) had a more prominent role than she’s had in some of the previous books. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book does include a reference to rape. (hide spoiler)] 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
None

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

Finished Reading (Poetry and Drama):
None

DNFed:
None

Currently Reading:
~In a Sunburned Country — I’m currently just under 90% of the way through this book, and plan to finish it today. 📚
~Ode to the Half-Broken — I’m currently just under a fifth of the way through this book, and I’m sad to say that it’s not really holding my interest. I’m going to give it a few more chapters, but if the story continues at its current pacing, I might choose to DNF. 📚
~Siege of Darkness — This is the ninth book in the Dungeons & Dragons: Legend of Drizzt series. I’ve only had time to read a couple of chapters, but I’m enjoying it so far. 📚

QOTW:
I do read books in different formats, including physical, ebooks, and audiobooks. I don’t find that specific genres work better for me in certain formats, but I prefer to listen to audiobooks at bedtime or as an immersive read. I'm also more likely to use my Kindle while traveling, since it's much lighter than carrying around a big stack of books.

Dubhease wrote: "Nadine - your description of not wanting romance as audiobooks cracked me up"



LOL it happened to me back when I'd first started listening to audiobooks, and it was a horrifying record-scratch moment for me! (I looked it up, it was Thief of Shadows, read by Ashford McNab who has a very proper British accent which somehow made the whole thing worse.) Luckily I was alone in my car. I vowed then: no more "spicy" romances of any sort as audiobooks!!

Doni wrote: "I have done this for Spanish books in the past, listening to them in Spanish and following along in English. ..."


that's a good idea! when I watch shows that are in other languages and I'm reading the English captions, I do pick up a lot of the words and I feel like I'm learning more of the language. It has to be a language I have an elementary knowledge of already. Of course I forget it all again later.

Happy Thursday all.

It's hot AND smokey here! We're getting a lot of wildfire smoke, which is making it hard to do much outside safely. I miss my evening walks...

Books read this week:

What the Jaguar Told Her -- a bit overlong, but a nice look at identity and recovering from loss from the point of view of a young woman of mixed Hispanic and Irish ancestry

Assassination Classroom, Vol. 12
Assassination Classroom, Vol. 13
Rooster Fighter, Vol. 6

DNF:

Moo -- the premise looked cute, but the parents’ treatment of their kids turned me off in a hurry.

Currently reading:

Eternal Night
The Berry Pickers
Yesteryear
Tuck Everlasting

QOTW:

Yay, my question was used!

I listen to a lot of audiobooks on my commute, and I've personally found that certain books work better in audio format. Horror, drama, thriller, and complex fantasy and sci-fi usually require a physical format from me, while memoir, biography, non-fiction, and lighter fare can be audio.

Normal temperatures (even “just” 20 degrees), still (almost) no rain. I hope my hands and feet are right by hurting so much: normally this means rain is on the way. But I'm also reaching a certain age where things like hormones are throwing everything upside down. I hope it's the rain. Because of my garden, obviously.

Read this year: 36
PS: 16/40
Finished this week: Negentien Negentien by Aline Sax ⭐⭐⭐⭐Belgium, 1919. A wonderful story—it’s impressive how it draws you into Henry Bennett’s mind. Bennett is a World War I veteran who returns to the battlefield the summer after the war because he can no longer settle down at home in England.

Finished earlier and not mentioned before The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon ⭐⭐⭐I missed the clue, I guess. Very British read, it felt a bit like Midsummer (of the tv series Midsummer Murders).

QOTW
I prefer to read paper books. I only read e-books when flying. In those cases, I prefer not to read books that are too complicated, where you constantly have to “flip through” to a list of characters, a family tree, or a glossary.

Happy Thursday, everyone! I read five books this week. They were all pretty average, but I did manage to have one five-star read in the mix so yay! I went back through all the books I had read this year to see if I had read anything with a border or frame that I missed since that was the only prompt I had left for the Buzzword cover challenge and it turns out I had read a couple back in February! So, now I'm officially done with that one.

2025 Reading Challenges
PopSugar- 37/50
ATY- 52/52; Winter- 14/14; 24/24; Spring- 16/16; Summer- 5400/5000 COMPLETED
52 Book Club- 46/52; Monthly Mini-Challenges- 12/12; Beach Reads- 11/24
HRCYED 3.0- 18/150; Side Qwests- 1/12
Asian Read-a-Thon- 5/5 COMPLETED
New York Times Summer Bucket List- 8/10
Read Good- 13/13 COMPLETED
Buzzword- 12/12; Cover- 12/12 COMPLETED
GR Bookmarks- Winter- 12/12; Spring- 12/12; Summer- 4/12
BOTM- 12/15; Omnivoreader- 6/6; Long Hauler- 3/4; Debut Darling- 4/5

1001 Books- 12/20
TBR- 28/50

Finished
Bee Season- read this because I needed to read a book with a red spine for the Beach Reads challenge and this has been on my Goodreads TBR for a few years now. It was your typical contemporary novel about a dysfunctional family. I liked it. ☆☆☆
ATY Summer #1A- red on the cover
52BC Beach Reads #17- a red spine (Any)
HRCYED 3.0- curriculum #1; HRCYED Mash-Up #1
TBR #26

We the Animals- browsed through the NYT's best books of the 21st century for a book prompt and found this book, which was short and had an author whose last name started with T, which was another prompt for another challenge. I had watched the movie, which was like a three-star watch and the book was pretty much the same, lol. It was fine, nothing revelatory. ☆☆☆
52BC Beach Reads #19- author's last name starts 4 letters after yours (Literary Fiction)
HRCYED 3.0- weather #1; Not so secret prompts (movement) #1
NYT Summer #3- read one of the NYT's Best Books of the 21st Century

How Freaking Romantic- I was going to use this for the umbrella prompt from ATY's last seasonal challenge, but my hold didn't come in until now. Unfortunately I was disappointed by this romance. The protagonist kept calling the male interest "an asshole", and that got old real quick. Her constant flaking also got repetitive, and she would get mad at the MMC for doing exactly what she said! You keep telling him you don't want anything to do with him, and then you get upset when he respects your wishes! The FMC's trust and commitment issues are the main conflicts in this romance, so I don't know why there was the need to add a 3rd act conflict in addition to this, a conflict that could have been solved with a quick conversation. ☆☆ 1/2
PS #33- a book about college
52BC Beach Reads #20- a "watery" scene (Romance)
HRCYED 3.0- weather #2; Shiritori #1

John of John- this book was on my TBR ever since its publication was announced. I loved the author's previous two novels, and I'm glad to say this book was no exception. It's an atmospheric read about fathers and sons, their small island rural community and the secrets and traditions they hold on to. It's an excellent character-driven novel, a slow-build with just enough messy secrets that keep you glued, and I didn't even mind that the characters were unlikable. Even though I kind of wish the book would have stuck with a particular ending, I can't hate on it because the book was just that great. ☆☆☆☆☆
ATY Summer #4E- hiking/walking
HRCYED 3.0- weather #3; Bookception #1
GR Bookmark- Chart Toppers
TBR #27

The Romance Revival- this was a quick romance read. It was light and fun with a fair amount of spice, what I would expect from the author duo. Didn't expect the sci-fi component, but I didn't mind it. Solid rom-com, but not my favorite from the authors. ☆☆☆
ATY Summer #3A- beach
52BC #27- two or more authors, one pseudonym
52BC Beach Reads #3- CHANCE: pick 6 books from TBR and roll dice (Any)
HRCYED 3.0- curriculum #2; character to author #1
TBR #28

Currently Reading
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
The Very Definition of Love

QOTW
I usually reserve the "popcorn" reads for audiobooks since they're fast-paced, the plots are easy to follow and I won't miss much if I'm not fully locked in. So basically your thrillers, contemporaries, mysteries, and romances. I also enjoy using audiobooks for nonfiction books, especially if its a topic I'm familiar with or narrative nonfiction that, again, is easy to follow.

Now for books that require more attention, have unusual character names, or uses too much technical jargon, I prefer to read through physical books or ebooks. These would be like high fantasy or sci-fi, literary fiction, classics, translated works, and nonfiction that covers topics I am unfamiliar with.

I read multiple books at a time. I usually have an audiobook to listen to during commutes, work outs, and chores; a physical book from my library or shelf to read before bed; and an ebook to read at my desk at work when there's no activity.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Look at me, checking in twice in a row! Really feeling like my slump is finally over. It was a 5~ year slump so this is thrilling to me. This week I was able to fit some reading in, but not as much as last week. I applied for a job yesterday that feels like a really good fit so I'm hoping something comes of it. I love running my little puzzle shop, but it does not pay a living wage. Also, I think it would be nice to have some in-person coworkers again. I worked remotely for 9 years before starting my shop so it's been 11 years since I worked in-house with other people. I'm kind of craving a social connection again. Onto books!

Currently Reading: Nothing! I just finished my current read about 10 mins ago.

DNF'ed:
Curious Tides - I wanted to love this book. The magical world was such a cool concept (magic based on phases of the moon), but the plot was SO SLOW. I also did not connect with the FMC and while I don't mind a character with flaws, she just kept annoying me in the smallest ways. It didn't help that Libby didn't have a kindle/ebook version so I was reading this on my phone and that's my least favorite reading format. I got 53% through which is probably around 300 pages and I just couldn't talk myself into sticking it out for the rest. That's 300 pages of my life I could have spent reading something else.
I was going to use this for: A book about college.

Read:
The Mistake - Second in the Off-Campus series. I watched the show last month and finished the third book The Score last week. I didn't realize I had put this one on hold but decided to give it a chance anyways. It was cute. I don't think the 'mistake' in the book was big enough to be used for the title of the book though. I also thought it was funny because there was a line in the book that the FMC hates wearing hats because they never look good on her (so she doesn't wear them) and the girl on the cover is wearing a hat.
Used for: A book about college (might switch this though because the characters were in college, but being students really didn't feature much)

The Someday Garden - I struggled to get through this book to be honest. I was listening to it as an audiobook and I had to crank it up to 2x in the last half to get through it. The writing style, characters and setting were beautiful, but the plot was a bit on the slow side and just not compelling enough.
Used for: A book where gardening is central to the plot

Witch King - I do love Martha Wells, but this one ended up being just okay for me. The story jumped back and forth between the present and the past, which isn't my favorite style. I do have the sequel which was released recently so I might still give that one a shot. I liked a lot of the premise of the books and the characters. If it's a more straightforward plot I could see myself enjoying the world she created.
Used for: A book that features a platonic relationship between a man and a woman.

QOTW:

I read books in all formats! Physical books, e-books, audiobooks, children's book walks at the library where they take the pages out and you have to read them while walking down the sidewalk, books on my phone/desktop, large print (though I try to limit this one so I don't remove availability for people who need it). I'll switch back and forth between physical and audiobook if I happen to have both, If there is a book format out there, I'm here for trying it out. That's actually what makes '#41 - A book in a different format than your usual: physical, audio, eBook' into a real challenge for me. I pretty equally utilize most formats. I think I'll have to be creative with that one!

I think audiobook is great for books that you might struggle to get through normally. Like subjects that are a bit on the dry side (like some non-fiction). That's probably the only way I got through The Someday Garden book.

I do think that certain self-help books or books that have a workbook element to them don't really work as an audiobook. If it requires you to do homework or asks questions that you are supposed to legitimately answer, then physical formats are the best. My least favorite format is when the book is digital, but not set up for an ebook reader so you have to read it on your phone or desktop. I really enjoy the full cast dramatization audiobooks (when they are done well).

Nadine in NY wrote: "A Tender Age by Chang-rae Lee - this was so compelling and moving. I know I complain often about books that are all character study and no plot, and this book is very character driven, but Lee is such a phenomenal author that I was riveted. I don't understand why he seems to go under most readers' radar - he's truly one of the greats! No challenge category."

I came across My Year Abroad through a magazine review, and I was surprised I enjoyed it and that it hadn't been getting much attention. When I saw he had a book coming out this year, I added it to my TBR and I'm glad to hear it's a great read.

Nadine in NY wrote: "I won't listen to romance in audio, I don't like HEARING "she took his cock in her hands" etc.."

Haha, I think I'm the opposite. I find romance audiobooks fun! Sometimes, the audiobook narrators can sell dialogue that would have been cringe on paper. I listened to Lights Out, and I hate dark romances, but the narrators had me laughing, so I ended up having a good time overall.

Andrea wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "A Tender Age by Chang-rae Lee - this was so compelling and moving. I know I complain often about books that are all character study and no plot, and this book is very character driven, but Lee is such a phenomenal author that I was riveted. I don't understand why he seems to go under most readers' radar - he's truly one of the greats! No challenge category."

I came across My Year Abroad through a magazine review, and I was surprised I enjoyed it and that it hadn't been getting much attention. When I saw he had a book coming out this year, I added it to my TBR and I'm glad to hear it's a great read...."


That's funny, because out of the five books I've read by him now, My Year Abroad is my LEAST favorite. It was just so odd and unsettling. A Tender Age is unsettling too, but not as much, and it feels more balanced.

Greetings! While I know longer have to travel to Santa Fe to work on my friend's estate, I'm heading to the airport at a reasonably civilized hour tomorrow AM (so civilized I'm considering public transport rather than car service!) but this is to attend a family reunion in Maine on the maternal side of my family. My mother's generation is now gone, leaving mine as 'the Daisies' as the elders are caused. IYKYK. These reunions are biennial, started 30 or so years ago, interrupted only by Pandemic. This year my older cousin Nicky is hosting at his summer house in Maine. I'm planning to sit on his porch and when not eating, drinking, staring at the ocean or schmoozing, I'm going to read.

PS 38/52 ATY - 48/52

Finished:
The Whiskey Rebels
City of Secrets
Jazzed by Jill Dearman - PS - birding! Ornithologist is one of the main characters and her birding and skills are critical to the plot. - this is a small press but NYPL had it in ebook as does Amazon. Murder mystery based on true crime set in 1924

Currently reading:
The Betel Nut Tree Mystery - I'd forgotten how light and amusing these are to read. I need it after the book I just finished!

QOTW: I do use all formats, but rarely audio unless it is a book I've already read and then only for long travel, especially when I'm driving alone. I also use them when sleeping is more insomnia caused by too busy a mind. I really don't like audio because I don't want someone else's interpretation of characters, voices, etc. to supplant what is in my head. I hear and see what I read like a live action movie in my head. That definitely makes it easier when the gender of a character as neither clearly male or female. I am getting really good of keeping it neutral in my head!

These days with aging eyes and arthritis in hands/fingers, I read ebooks more and more, even downloading them from NYPL when I have a print copy. Easier to hold or just rest on surface, ability to adjust light and font size, and oh, highlighting! Falling down Google Rabbit Holes!

But print books will remain in my life, if in a diminished way.

I often swap between and among. I recently read a novel where the dialect reflected in the dialogue was hard to get past, and I usually have little trouble. My ebook came from Kindle Unlimited with a free audio of the great late Ruby Dee reading it -- and I listened and read sometimes at the same time, sometimes alternating. Worked great!

I finished Fatal Majesty: A Novel of Mary, Queen of Scots as a book with a character with curly hair. I actually ended up really liking it after a rocky start. This is the third novel I've read about her, and the one that made her seem the least like an idiot (not completely not one, but less of one).

Now I'm reading The Christmas Bookshop as a book with a character who does pilates. Someone put it on the listopia list for this and I googled and aske dif there was a character who does pilates and was assured that there was. But, I'm 120 pages in and so far no mention. Someone does yoga, though, so if there are no pilates, I'm calling it close enough. This year's list is giving me a hard time.

QOTW: I'm old school (and old), only physical books for me. I spend enough time on the computer at work, that I don't want to read a screen, and I'm a visual concentrator, so I don't even think I could tell you what an audio book was about 3 minutes after listening to it.

Theresa wrote: "This year my older cousin Nicky is hosting at his summer house in Maine. I'm planning to sit on his porch and when not eating, drinking, staring at the ocean or schmoozing, I'm going to read...."


That sounds absolutely lovely!! I wish one of my cousins had a summer house on the ocean in Maine!

Of course I can't complain too much, my mom has a house three blocks from the ocean. We just can't see it (or hear it, or smell it) from her porch. I wish we could.

Nadine in NY wrote: "That's funny, because out of the five books I've read by him now, My Year Abroad is my LEAST favorite. It was just so odd and unsettling. A Tender Age is unsettling too, but not as much, and it feels more balanced"

If that's the case, then I'll have to check out his backlist books and see how they compare!

Hi all! Pretty low-key week around here. Kiddo just had 1 birthday party, a church trip to play minigolf, and her weekly gymnastics class. It was nice to be a slug for a few days!

Though my parents had horrible storms last weekend with 70+mph straight line winds that knocked out power for 48 hours for them! I didn't lose power at all. The few pictures I've seen, the ground was covered with large branches and whole trees!

I actually finished 2 books this week!

Attack of the Theater People. Not sure if it works for PS, but it works for ATY, book based on something you read last year. It was a fun book, but not as fun as the first one.

This afternoon, I finished The Swimmers. Otsuka's books never quite do what I expect/want them to do. It's been a long time since I read When the Emperor Was Divine, but I think I remember she writes with a very dreamlike prose. I don't totally dislike it, but her books leave me feeling unfulfilled. Anyway, this book works for the under 260 pages prompt.

I've picked up Clarence Darrow: Attorney for the Damned. Really looking forward to getting into it, I'm still in chapter 1 at the moment.

QOTW: I prefer print books, but I do listen to audiobooks and even occasionally read ebooks if I can't get the book any other way. I listen to audiobooks a lot less than I did when I was working. I had a half an hour drive to and from work, but I also drove a lot for work, so I could knock out some good chunks that way! Though I discovered that I couldn't listen to mysteries on my way in to work when I got to the office and the chapter ended on a cliffhanger! I have found that I have a lot more patience for character driven stories when it's on audiobook. However, I really struggle with nonfiction on audio. Other than wanting to see photographs, I can't figure out why that is.

Nadine, I don't read a lot of romance, but whether it's a sex scene or the horrible racist going off and using the worst words in the English language, I have found that those moments ALWAYS coincide with me being at a red light with the windows down....

Happy Thursday! I was on vacation last week which was so nice. Missed all the smoke that hit the East Coast while we were gone too!

Finished 28/50

Lights on the Mountain: A Novel for "book that takes place during harvest season". Technically it jumped through multiple times of the year and they do harvest hay and milk in this book so I'm saying it counts!

Currently Reading

Horror Tales of Japan: 21 Japanese folktales not to be read to children, coupled with (mostly) uplifting cultural commentary for "traveling horror". At least one of these counts so far!

QotW

I am a strict "paper-only" reader. I don't know why. It's just not the same in any other format. I do electronic only when I have to, and I don't have enough attention span to do audiobook. So. Here we are!

Howdy all! Last night I had dinner at a restaurant with a champagne vending machine. No, I don't know why.

I'm at 84 books, will have to figure out where I am for challenge prompts because I'm moving some around to different categories.

Finished:

Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the Creative Genius Within You by Ray Bradbury. Some of it was writing advice, some a recounting of his rather weird writing career. He advises writing a lot of stories - ideally, one a week - with the understanding that most will be "practice."

Father Material by Alexis Hall, the final book in the trilogy with Boyfriend Material and Husband Material. Ever read a book and think "Has this author been spying on me?" It's about a same-sex couple who become foster parents for a 14-year-old girl, and they have opposite ideas about parenting, one strict and one permissive. This being a rom-com, naturally they meet in the middle. I was pleased to see that the author didn't sugarcoat the foster daughter's situation, nor was the social worker a heartless bureaucrat. (To be clear, the parts of the book resembling my life did not include running a music festival where one men's choir chained a rival men's choir inside the port-a-johns.) Will probably use this one for "father as primary caregiver" and move Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values to "starts with Z."

Currently reading:

How Long 'til Black Future Month?, short stories by N.K. Jemisin for "Afrofuturism". The first story, "The Ones Who Stayed to Fight," is clearly a literary response to Ursula K. Leguin's classic "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas."

QOTW:

Like Katy, I'm old school and prefer physical books. I'll read an ebook if it's the only format available at the library, or if the difference in purchase price is large. Audiobooks don't seem to work well for my short attention span.

I had a great start to the week since I attended an author event featuring Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella with my Mom. They were just as warm and lovely as I'd imagined them to be. It such a fun evening with my Mom (plus, I got to spend a few days with her and my Dad since the event was closer to their house than mine). I'm looking forward to diving into the two books (This Changes Everything and Full Bloom) we got at the event soon!

And now the bookish reading stats update...I finished one book since the last check-in (didn't fit any open prompts). I remain at 15/40 and 1/10 for this challenge, and am now at 38/75 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge.

Finished:
* The Mailman: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home written and narrated by Stephen Starring Grant, which is one of my book clubs' picks for August. I really enjoyed this one!

Currently Reading:
* The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims;
* Peking Duck and Cover by Vivien Chien;
* The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves, which is a NetGalley backlist read; and,
* The Glassmaker written by Tracy Chevalier and narrated by Lisa Flanagan, which is my other book clubs' pick for August.

QotW:

This week's question was suggested by Kenya

Do you read books in multiple formats (physical book, e-book, audiobook, some combination of the above)? And if so, do you find that certain types/genres of books work better for you in a certain format? I usually have one physical book, one ebook, and one audiobook going at the same time 🤓 I used to only listen to non-fiction in audiobook format but have expanded it to just about any genre. I tend to avoid romance or books that might have descriptive graphic violence scenes in audiobook format. I don't find either to be particularly conducive to cooking dinner, which is when I do a lot of my listening 🤣 I've found audiobook to be a good option for my book club reads, so I may stick with that as my go-to format for them.

It's a cool and wonderful week. If I wasn't so busy prepping the classes for fall I could have enjoyed it. And oh I bought a new CRV so now I have no book money left.

I did get a few read for the challenge.

Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill. This is pretty much meta fiction for Agatha Christie's Poirot mystery on the Orient Express. Meri and Joe Penvale are on the Orient Express to celebrate him being cancer free. You can see where this is going. Loved it.
I read it for PS 3 A book you meant to read in 2025

For ps 29 A book that takes place during harvesting season I finally took on a book that has been on my shelf for years 29 A book that takes place during harvesting season The Harvesting by Melanie Karsak It's zombie apocalypse fare with Slavic folklore mixed in. I'm not a big zombie fan. It wasn't a bad read though.


I stand at 41/50 for the challenge.

Also read To Die For: A Cookbook of Gravestone Recipes by Rosie Grant I have seen headstones with recipes before in RL but didn't know there were so many of them. It's a sweet homage to the cooks with a mini bio of each person whose family memorialized them with a recipe on their headstone

QOTW

I do read via all three format but only rarely in audio. My job/drive isn't conducive to listening to audio books and when I'm on the computer at home I'm working on my own fiction writing so...

In many ways I prefer physical books because eBooks hurt my eyes/head even with the blue light glasses. So basically genre does not influence how I read it.

I only read audio books when I got them as library discards so since they don't buy cds any more I probably won't be reading a lot of audio books.

I only read ebooks as Netgalley arcs or the occasional freebies from an author.

Mostly I read physical books. I get a lot of them as library discards these days or borrow them from their new book shelves.

Happy check-in!

Finished Reading:

A Curse of Beasts and Magic ⭐⭐⭐
Good enough romantasy to continue the series. Beauty and the beast inspired.

Break Room ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY Koren author)
A novella about obnoxious work break room behaviour through a reality tv show.

Season of the Bruja Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐
Beautiful artwork but the plot was choppy. Interesting to read about Spanish colonialism in Latin America.

Griffin & Sabine ⭐⭐⭐
Another book of the epistolary listopia. About a friendship between two artists that develops through post cards and letters. You have to remove the letters from envelopes within the book. A strange little book.

Lessons in Chemistry ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY award win) (Goodreads Bookmark Fact or Fiction)
Loved this book and the interview with the author at the end. Very annoyed that goodreads won't give me the bookmark for reading this despite it being on the list.

Unwritten by the Gods ⭐⭐⭐ (ATY novella)
A prequel for the Kissed by the Gods.

PS 37/50
ATY 43/52 Summer 6900/7500
Goodreads 152/200 Bookmarks 8/11 (hopefully it unglitches)

OTW:
Whichever format I can get first. Although graphic novels are usually best in paper and classics are easier to finish on audio. Mostly my mood effects which format I can focus on.

Happy Thursday!

Finished:
Vera Stein Is Fine- I loved this! Vera is at a crossroads in her life after her mom passes away, winds up working at a senior center for former hollywood stars, and reconnects with a college fling. Deals a lot with grief and regret and figuring out what you want in life
-no prompt, netgalley book

Tough Guy- this is my favorite of the series so far. I love Ryan Price, he's definitely one of my favorite characters in the series. And Fabian and his friend group are great.
-no prompt

Stay True- this was a great memoir that was a tough read. Made me cry a lot. Made me reach out to my friends more this week.
-no prompt, works for the 90s goodread bookmark

Advice No One Asked For: Essays- I started listening to this at work when I realized that if I kept listening to Stay True I would start crying. This is by one of the writers from the Seth Meyer's show. Funny and entertaining, but also had some heartfelt moments.
-no prompt

Currently reading:
Shield of Sparrows-this got a little bogged down in the middle, and I wound up getting distracted by other books, but I'm planning to pick it up again soon

QotW:
I pretty much only use audiobooks for nonfiction. Something about the narration in fiction audiobooks always feel a bit like pantomime to me, and I can never get lost in the story. Nonfiction, especially when it's read by the author, doesn't really have that issue for me.

For fiction, I'll use ebooks or physical books pretty interchangeably. But I have realized with this book Shield of Sparrows that I'm not a big fan of reading really big hardback books. They're so heavy and bulky and I can't read them in bed. So maybe moving forward for chunky books I will stick to paperback or ebooks.

Happy Thursday.

We have a heat wave in SoCal too, but it's been nice at the beach. But the ocean water has been warm which means it's also been angry. The Pacific does not like being warm. Today was the roughest trip I've taken this summer (I go 2-3 times a week while on summer vacation), very strong undertow and larger waves that knocked me down occasionally. The lifeguards were busy...and sure enough when I got back to my phone I saw the weather service issued a beach hazard warning just as I was parking. This is the 3rd or 4th one this summer, common when the water warms up. But I'm going to risk it again tomorrow even though I generally avoid going during hazard warnings because I only have one more week off and I know to stay near shore when the ocean is angry, and I ALWAYS swim in front of a lifeguard station

I finished a book, Anne of the Island which I used for book about college.

Currently reading:
The Fifties
Slouching Towards Bethlehem
Death on the Beach: Essays from a Marginal World
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
One Italian Summer
Expiration Dates

QOTW:

I love paper books and that's my preference and have tons to read. But I have accepted the existence of e-books, especially since they are often cheaper to buy and you can get great $1-$4 deals, or even free books. So usually my e-books tend to be classics or light weight books that are offered free or on Kindle Unlimited. But sometimes you get heavier books on sale, I bought Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity for $2 this week, and I also got the book I am going to use for the birding prompt, Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing for $2 last year.

I do not do audiobooks. My mind drifts off too much. I've never been an auditory person/learner. I do listen to podcasts but often have to rewind them because I start thinking about something else and miss stuff