Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Happy Thursday!   

This week has been so busy for me, it felt like a month.  We moved Lily to Boston for grad school - she will be getting her PharmD degree.  It's been so nice having her living at home this past year, I will miss her so much, but I'm also so excited for her new experiences.  (Britany, she went to Salem for lunch with a friend on Monday - maybe she walked past you - haha the two of you would never know!!)

Everyone talks about bad drivers in Massachusetts, and I've never really thought it's that bad there (Connecticut drivers are SO MUCH worse!! Do we have any members from Connecticut?) - just having returned from Boston, I can say I STILL have no idea what they're talking about.   The roads were narrow, windy, and bumpy, but the drivers were fine, some even signaled me to merge or turn in front of them.




***** Admin stuff *****
The September group read (a book told in letters) is:   The Correspondent.  You can join the discussion here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

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 2 books, one for this Challenge,  so I am now 46/50:

Accidental Assassin, Vol. 1: A WEBTOON Unscrolled Graphic Novel written by Molly Ni Chéileachair& art by Vi - Irish manga!  Not something I expected to find!  A fun story with clean art that is easy to follow.  I read this only because I saw the collected first volume available on NetGalley, but instead of requesting it, I found the whole continuing series available online.  I've never read a webcomic before, and I never expected to enjoy the experience.  So, while I did not originally intend for this to be a book "outside my comfort zone," I decided it kinda was, so I checked that box.  (Phew! Glad THAT category is over with!  I had been struggling through another book that I just NEVER wanted to read, because, YES, it's not the kind of book I normally read!)

Hawk & Sparrow by Ayana Gray - this was a YA fantasy/mystery/romance I got from NetGalley, it was just published this past week.   It's okay.  It's very YA.
 



Popsugar 92% 46 /50
Must Reads 0% 0 /1 2026
pub 126% 63 /50
NetGalley ratio 91%

 





Question of the Week
This week's question was suggested by Jennifer:

If you listen to audiobooks, have you/would you pick up a book just based on the narrator?
 

YES!!  So much yes!!!   Many times I've searched the Libby catalog for a narrator I love, and listened to a book I never would have otherwise read, I chose it JUST because they read it.  Will Patton and Johnathan McClain are my top two narrators that have gotten me to listen to audiobooks just because they read them, but also Adjoa Andoh and Barbara Rosenblat are in this category. 
 
In particular, I've listened to the The Raven Boys series almost in its entirety (one book left in the second series) SOLELY because Will Patton reads them. I don't even really like these books, but I love listening to Will Patton read them.  Patton also read several books by Denis Johnson, such as Jesus’ Son, which was just a match made in heaven.

Johnathan McClain has gotten me to listen to:  the Horizon series (so stupid, so addictive - sadly, the fifth book was never made available as audiobooks on Libby, so I never did find out what was going on), Full Wolf Moon (forgettable - I probably won't ever read another book by that author), and i was delighted to discover he read books that I wanted to read anyway, such as: The Good Son, The Last Days of Night (so good I picked up a paper copy), and, for this year's challenge: Crooks (which I read for "about a mob" this year - I loved this book, and McClain is a big part of the reason why, and I'm DELIGHTED to discover he reads more of Berney's books). He's also one of the narrator of A Brief History of Seven Killings, which is how I originally discovered him - I enjoyed his parts so much that I had to figure out which narrator read each character so I could hunt him down and listen to more read by him.

Happy Thursday all.

One of our area libraries hosted a free comic convention this past weekend -- the Boise Comic Arts Festival. I've enjoyed seeing this event grow from a tiny homebrew gathering in the library itself to a bona fide convention in its own right. And unlike a lot of "comic cons" that have turned into pop-culture-focused events (not that there's anything wrong with that), this one actually focuses on comics and graphic novels, including panels on how to create graphic novels, diversity in comics, etc.

All in all, I had fun. Even if I ended up spending over a hundred bucks at a "free" convention. Hey, entry was free, the dealer room and artist alley still charge...

Books read this week:

Etna -- an army dog sets out to find the farm where he was born at the end of a nameless war. Poignant, heartbreaking, and a devastating account of the effect war has on communities and cultures.

I Hope You Find Me -- a post-apocalyptic read about the survivors of a fast and deadly plague. I wish there had been more focus on the paranormal aspect present in the book and less on the love triangle, but overall this was decent

Pit of Eden -- graphic novel anthology. I can’t find it on Goodreads (it was a Kickstarter project), but it’s a fascinating urban-fantasy-horror mashup based on Babylonian mythology but also plays with themes of identity.

Birding Without Borders: An Obsession, A Quest, and the Biggest Year in the World -- if you haven’t yet read a book about birding, this is a good one! A man sets out on a global journey to see half the world’s bird species in one year, and has a hectic and fascinating journey along the way.

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 1 -- first volume in a manga that looks cute and has a beautiful art style, but hints at darker things in the worldbuilding...

Currently reading:

Feed
The Very, Very Far North
Manufactured Witches
The Peacekeeper

QOTW:

I can't say I've ever checked out an audiobook based solely on the narrator. I do enjoy when the narrator is either the author of the book, or just someone I recognize. I watch a lot of anime and cartoons and play a lot of video games, so voice acting and narration are underappreciated arts and I like to see what names I recognize.

And sometimes I'm completely floored when I recognize a narrator. Kirby Heyborne narrates quite a few audiobooks (such as Whalefall and A Wolf Called Wander), and it's nice to see he's found a career outside of starring in indie religious movies. And it was a shock to listen to Elsewhere and go "hey, that's the voice of Beffica from the Bugsnax video game!"

Question of the Week:

I'm not much of an audiobook listener, so the narrator is a big reason I might seek one out. Of my 7 audiobooks, 5 are narrated by Andy Serkis. The others are Christopher Lee and Andrew Robinson (the voice of Garak on Deep Space Nine and the author of A Stitch in Time about the character).

For driving in the Boston area, I have found a range of driving skills and attitudes. Some people are very courteous, as you have seen, Nadine. Others will honk at the slightest provocation. It is a different skill set to drive in a congested city on the East Coast versus a more spread out city out west.

I hope school is going great for those who have kids in it or are in it themselves.

Be kind to your tax accountants from now through October 15. We are dealing with multiple deadlines, and we have to complete returns for all the people whose stuff we couldn't or didn't want to deal with in the spring.

Happy Thursday! It's been a quiet week - just the way I like it!

Reading Challenges:

🏆 52 Book Club: 52/52
52 Books September Mini-Challenge: 2/3
52 Books Read It, Watch It: 9/12
🏆 ATY: 52/52
ATY Fall Challenge: 6/15
Booklist Queen: 51/52
🏆 Popsugar: 50/50
🏆 Goodreads Summer Bookmarks: 11/11
52 Books Mystery Challenge: 36/50

My Ever-Growing TBR: 97/304 – 31.9% (My goal is 33.3%.)

Recently Completed:

🍎 Midwives (Mystery #45 – a courtroom scene) ★★★★
🍎 Eloise and the Grump Next Door, Oakley Island, #1 (ATY Fall #7 – contains humor) ★★★
🍎 The Thief, The Queen’s Thief, #1 ★★★
🍎 The Amateur (52 Books September #1 – The Blank/ATY Fall #13 – an author with more than five published books) ★★★★★
🍎 Emma: Jane Austen Book Club. (52 Books #19 – a nosy neighbor) ★★★★★
🍎 This Is Me: A Reckoning: Hayden Panetierre’s memoir. Not as honest as I’d expected… it was restrained. ★★★
🍎 Chasing the Ring, Football and Feels, #1: Goodreads Giveaway. ★★★★
🍎 The Unmaking of June Farrow: BOTM Selection. (52 Books September #2 – The Blank of Blank/ATY Fall #14 – title with more than four words) ★★★★
🍎 The Housewife (ATY #16 – a Clue character: maid/housekeeper) ★★★★
🍎 Of Monsters and Mainframes: Adventures Underground Book Club. ★★★★
🍎 The Summer Job (ATY Fall #1 – an orange or yellow cover) ★★★
🍎 Free From Sin: Goodreads Giveaway. (ATY Fall #12 – more than one POV) ★★★★


 

QOTW: Yes, I have listened to audiobooks simply based on the narrator. Do I remember who they are now? Of course not.

Morning all! I finished my fifth and final reading challenge for this year (Around the Year in 52 books). The rest of the year is my "tome time:" clearing off my TBR shelves, especially the longer books that I'd left aside while doing challenges.

BTW Nadine when I lived in Connecticut, I tried to drive in Boston in the days before GPS. Always seemed to wind up on a 1-way going the wrong way, and had to pay a toll before I could get turned around.

On the heels of losing Gloria Steinem, I was saddened to see that Robin Morgan died. Sisterhood Is Powerful: An Anthology of Writings from the Women's Liberation Movement and its sequels were revolutionary.

Up to 107 books this year. Finished:

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall. Rom-com set on a competitive baking show. It's a love triangle, but we know early on which way it will go, so I felt like it spent too much time on Mr Wrong. I enjoyed having a bi heroine dealing with the stereotyping and casual biphobia, and standing up for herself. Used for "something edible in the title" for ATY.

Orient Express by Graham Greene for "book with an Agatha Christie connection" for ATY. There's a murder, but it's not a whodunit. It's from 1932, so the lesbian-coded character is portrayed in an almost comically negative way. There's one Jewish character, and we're reminded of this fact every single time he's mentioned. Fun fact: the original US title of Christie's classic was "Murder in the Calais Coach" to avoid confusion with this book.

Role Model by Rachel Reid. The "Game Changer" books have varied from ok to excellent, and this one is on the excellent end, partly because there's a lot of Ilya Rozanov and he steals every scene he's in. The story is a redemption arc for Troy Barrett, who was a minor villain in Tough Guy. Also, there's a puppy.

Also some poetry, Lord of the Butterflies by Andrea Gibson. Includes a couple of devastating poems about gun violence.

Currently reading:

This Is Not Who We Are: Confessions Of An Election Official by David Maeda, about being an election official during the 2020 election.

QOTW: I rarely do audiobooks, so haven't given it any thought.

I made some real reading progress this week, and in fact am having a fun reading month so far! Plus good news: I finished the Around the Year challenge, 52/52 books! Oddly enough, the last book I had to read was the easiest book - read something relating to the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie. Well, I'm doing the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge again this year, so easy, right? Well I used a lot of those books for 'harder' prompts initially, then I fell behind, as I did in all challenges actually, due to work and business travel. I find it pretty hilarious, actually.

PS - 42/50

Finsihed - really reveled in time to read and read fun:
The Rose and the Yew Tree by Mary Westmacott - a pseudonym used by Agatha Christie to write non-mystery contemporary fiction. This was my last ATY read.
Dragon Lawyer: Scales of Justice
Murder In The Supreme Court
The Dragons of Kellynch - Austen's Persuasion with dragons - 1st of a duology
Starter Villain

Currently reading:
Black Powder War
Fever Season

QOTW: I dislike audiobooks and rarely listen. When I do, usually long drives when I'm alone, I listen to books I've already read and have readers I like, i.e. Jim Dale and HP.

Laura Ruth wrote: "BTW Nadine when I lived in Connecticut, I tried to drive in Boston in the days before GPS. Always seemed to wind up on a 1-way going the wrong way, and had to pay a toll before I could get turned around. ..."



I can understand that! The streets were WINDING!!! And yes several were one-ways (and some of the two-way streets were so narrow I felt like they SHOULD have been one way!) I have a pretty good sense of direction normally, but that city had me feeling lost. After moving Lily in we went out to dinner and she came to our hotel for a little while, then I drove her home, and my CarPlay refused to connect, gahhh!! She read my GPS directions to me on the way TO her apartment, but I was on my own on the way back. I have gotten so used to having GPS displayed on my car screen, I felt like I was driving blind. It was almost a straight shot from her apartment to the hotel, so really I'm being overly dramatic about it.

Ravenous Bonus: 19/22
Powell's: 7/25

Finished: Repair Revolution: How Fixers Are Transforming Our Throwaway Culture
Mending Life: A Handbook for Repairing Clothes and Hearts

Started: Taipei Story

QotW: I don't listen to audiobooks.

We had another lovely week off and I did A LOT of reading this week.

Read this year: 50
PS: 21/40
Finished this week: Dievenland by Janna Coomans, PS #36, ⭐⭐⭐. About criminals in the late Middle Ages in the Low Countries, from small thiefs to gangs (mobs). It won the History Book of the Year Award 2025 in the Netherlands.
For a Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer ⭐⭐⭐⭐. Love the series.
The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett, PS #28, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Loved it. Stockett transfers you to Oxford, Mississippi, 1933.

QOTW
I don't listen to audiobooks.

Happy Thursday!
So I’m 50/50 for PS, but I’m not really done yet as there were a couple of duplicates in categories. I won’t be done until they’re all full.
PopSugar 51/50
AtY 40/52
Curiosity Killed the Bookworm: 23/25
Rocky Horror Challenge 12/12

Finished:

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans For #47, a book told entirely through letters, also our monthly group read for September. And for ATY, a book with a primary character who is a woman over 40. This was way better than I had been expecting.

How to Rule the World by Theo Baker A 17 year-old goes to Stanford, joins the staff of the student newspaper and in a matter of months investigates and writes a story that leads to the resignation of the president of Stanford, then before he graduates, writes this book. A true story that provides a fascinating look at the workings of a college newspaper, far more complicated than I ever would have thought. For #33, a book about college

The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy Audiobook. Another hockey book! Is this now a thing? This has both women’s and men’s collegiate hockey wrapped into a romance. This could be for #33, a book about college.

Currently Reading

Das Erbe von Winterfell by George RR Martin 2nd part of Game of Thrones
Four Thousand Paws: Caring for the Dogs of the Iditarod: A Veterinarian's Story
Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty A sequel to Big Little Lies
Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution by Steven Levy Not hackers like the ones trying to break into your computer, this is more a history of computing. And yes, it is quite dull . . .
The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier I love all things glass.
A Wraith Beneath the Tides by Emilia Jae. Could be used for #32, an underwater civilization

DNF
Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach A strong start, but it’s like a soliloquy from a 13 year old to a 16 year old.

QOTW
I had an extremely boring job the only saving grace was Books on Tape from the library, which we would pass from one to the other. Since we were limited by what was on the shelves, I never really picked by reader although there was one in particular that I absolutely loved. Can't think of his name now, but I think he read many of Larry McMurtry's books. Now, I pick from what's available on Libby and don't search for readers. Honestly, it never occurred to me that I could do that. I'll have to give that some thought.

I finished Angels Dark and Light as my FOMO book.

and I'm not even 100 pages into Arkansas Traveler as my book with a couple that defies social boundaries or whatever.

I'm having trouble getting into it. I haven't read much this week. My parents sold their house and we had a tag sale this weekend, and I got up all 3 mornings at 5 and 2 of them I was lugging things outside steadily for at least 2 hours. Which would have been fine, but it seems like there was as much stuff still there at the end as there was at the beginning. And to top it off, i forgot my phone charger, so Tuesday after work, I had to run back up again to get that. Today's the first day I haven't been exhausted.

QOTW: I don't listen to Audio books.

Laura Ruth wrote: "Morning all! I finished my fifth and final reading challenge for this year (Around the Year in 52 books). The rest of the year is my "tome time:" clearing off my TBR shelves, especially the longer ..."

Congratulations!!!

Hi all! Kiddo is back to school and seems to be enjoying it. I have not had as quiet of a week as I might have hoped, I had an appointment yesterday and 2 nights ago, a filling in my tooth cracked and fell out. It hurts, but it's not agony. My dentist is on vacation and can't get me in until next Weds. Fearing that it will become agonizing over the weekend, I called my primary care. They wouldn't prescribe anything for it without seeing me in person, so instead of a quiet day at home doing dishes, I had to drive 45 minutes there and back just to get a prescription mouthwash and told to max out on tylenol (and the doctor didn't call in the mouthwash and now they're closed, so yay). It's always something.

I have done some more reading this week. I haven't finished anything, but I've been getting into 3 books. Probably the best of the bunch is The Forever Witness: How Genetic Genealogy Solved a Cold Case Double Murder. The first couple of chapters were a little slow, but it's already picking up.
Also started reading The Turn of the Key. I think, for some reason, I'm extra sensitive to tension in books lately. I noticed this with 10 Hours to Go and now this one. Nothing bad has happened yet, but I know it will and knowing that, I'm seeing signs of creepiness everywhere. I think my imagination is getting ahead of the book with all the horrible things to come (it did with 10 Hours, and then things weren't actually that bad). The Forever Witness isn't hitting me like that, and I'm up to the point where they've actually discovered a dead body.
So for something completely different, I've been listening to Who Censored Roger Rabbit?. My free "trial" of Audible ends in like 2 weeks and then I'll lose this, so I'm trying to keep at it. I tried the new reduced version of Audible where you don't actually get to keep the books once you stop paying. You also only get podcasts, no other "free" books. I knew I wouldn't like it, but it was free, so what the heck? The book itself is entertaining and I know it's different from the movie, so I'm not entirely sure where we're going with this.

QOTW: So I have listened to lots of audiobooks with great narrators, but I have a really hard time listening to something else with the same narrator! Somehow, there's a weird carry-over and it messes with my brain. I'm thinking like years might have to go by and then *maybe* I can double up! To actually answer the question I posed, I would definitely give a good narrator a chance on a book that wasn't otherwise on my radar, but I don't know how quickly I could do so!

Happy Thursday! Another day, another house showing. I really hope they buy it. I'm so ready to move.

Finished 39/50

The Woman in Me for "book about a pop star". This was so sad. It reminded me a lot of Prince Harry's memoir. We gotta do better by these people!

Currently Reading

Journey to Reality: Sacramental Life in a Secular Age (not for challenge). Our parish book club just started this, and it's really good so far!

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos for "a book outside your comfort zone". There isn't much outside my comfort zone, to be honest. There are genres I don't like, but as far as being uncomfortable? Eh. I chose this book though because the author makes me raise eyebrows and the person who recommended it to me caused so much chaos in my life (despite saying the book changed their life, lol), so just picking up the book makes me feel ick. But we shall see!

QotW

I don't. I need something in front of my face or I zone out.

Happy Thursday! We're having a mini-heatwave right now- yesterday it got up to 93 degrees, which isn't too hot compared to where I grew up, but it felt pretty unbearable. I think the new windows helped a little at least?

It seems like the window/construction issues are done for the moment- or at least they haven't had to come back into my apartment. There are still gaps between the outer wall and the window sill, but it's sealed up on the inside, so maybe they'll come back after the heatwave? I really have no idea.

Currently at 34/50 for the challenge!

Finished:
Yakuza vs. Cat, Vol. 1- this was a funny but pretty forgettable manga I picked up for the mob/mafia prompt. Some cute cat shenanigans
-mob/mafia prompt

Espíritu- this was a very good sequel to Cemetery Boys. Loved these characters, and some really creepy moments with the ghosts/demons
-no prompt, netgalley


Currently reading:
Problematic Summer Romance- really liking this so far!

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood- listening to this, liking it so far, but there was a bit about a cat that I wish I hadn't read


QotW:
No specific narrators, but I do tend to stick to audiobooks that are read by the author- especially for memoirs.

Happy Thursday! I go out on vacation for two weeks starting Monday, and I cannot wait.

I need to buckle down and finish my challenge reads. I keep getting distracted by new releases that don't fit any prompts.

Finished:
Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen - 4 stars - not for a prompt. I thought it might work for the travel ghost prompt, but it doesn't really fit, IMO. This is a family saga about generational trauma, with ghosts involved.

Comics/manga:
Magical Girl Dandelion, Vol. 1
Magical Girl Dandelion, Vol. 2
Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc., Vol. 11
Drawing From Your Memory 1
Half Is More, Vol. 1
You Can't Bluff the Sharp-Eyed Sister 3

I am currently at 41/50 for the Popsugar reading challenge (31/40 and 10/10).

Currently reading:
Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst - not currently for a prompt.

Upcoming/Planned:
Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher - not currently for a prompt.

Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn - for a granny hobby.

QOTW:
I'm not a big audiobook listener, but I love Wil Wheaton as a narrator. I've also enjoyed books read by Grover Gardener, who reads the Vorkosigan audiobooks, and Saskia Maarleveld, who reads a ton of books across different genres.

Happy Thursday

Vacation is over and I'm back going to the office and carpooling with my kids. Traffic is horrid every September until enough people realize they could be there quicker with public transportation and then the roads get better for everyone else.

I finished two books! Reserves that weren't supposed to come in for weeks did, leaving me still balancing 4 books. I'm not requesting anything else until I finish a few more. Fortunately, I really moved everything along, especially the new books.

I watched 3 movies for my silly using the book prompts as movie prompts. Shark Tale was surprisingly good. Folklore had been on my watch list since 2020, but it was fun to hear her explain some of the songs. Best Night Ever was a terrible movie - I'm enjoying my bachelorette party book so much more.

Finished:

The Lovely Bones
Popsugar prompt: can't find one
ATY prompt: can't find one

The Casting of Bells
Popsugar prompt: can't find one
ATY prompt: A book that is not a novel

Series - 7/12
Number 1s - 7/10
Nobel laureates - 3/5
Rocky Horror challenge: 8/12
Summer Reading challenge - 5400/5000 points - Completed!

PS - 29/30
ATY - 36/45
PS movies - 31/50

Currently reading:
Out of the Silent Planet - 60%
Poirot Investigates - 55%
A Game of Fate - 60%
The Cliff House - 75%

PopSugar movies

A movie about a bachelorette trip - Best Night Ever
A movie with an underwater civilization - Shark Tale
A movie about a pop star - Folklore

QOTW: I dislike audio books. My husband loves them and keeps putting them on the hard-drive in the car. His always have the worst narrators. I should have a gig reading books as I could read better than some narrators.

Happy Thursday, everyone! I finally got a haircut after two years. My hair just got too long, and it was too much for this heat. Going to see if I can get my cut braid donated; it was that long!

I read four books this past week. Most of them were meh.

2025 Reading Challenges
PopSugar- 43/50
ATY- 52/52; Winter- 14/14; 24/24; Spring- 16/16; Summer- 7500/5000; Fall- 6/15 COMPLETED
52 Book Club- 47/52; Beach Reads- 24/24; Monthly Mini-Challenges- 14/15
HRCYED 3.0- 70/150; Side Qwests- 3/12
Asian Read-a-Thon- 5/5 COMPLETED
New York Times Summer Bucket List- 10/10 COMPLETED
Read Good- 13/13 COMPLETED
Buzzword- 12/12; Cover- 12/12 COMPLETED
GR Bookmarks- Winter- 12/12; Spring- 12/12; Summer- 10/11
BOTM- 13/15; Omnivoreader- 6/6; Long Hauler- 3/4; Debut Darling- 5/5

1001 Books- 14/20
TBR- 38/50

Finished
Kitten- I added this to my TBR because I've been really into sad girl/weird girl lit. This was unfortunately disappointing. The FMC is immature, indecisive, and has mommy issues. I was expecting something traumatic, but the reason behind their estrangement turned out to be so petty? It wasn't that interesting and I felt like it was missing a heart. ☆☆
ATY Fall #9- a book published in the last 12 months
HRCYED 3.0- titular counting #8; HRCYED mash-up #3
TBR #38

The Twilight Garden- read this for my library's book club. I went into this expecting a cozy fantasy or magical realism, but it turned out to be just a contemporary with alternating timelines. It was fine, but a bit too sentimental for my tastes. ☆☆☆
ATY Fall #15- a book with a nature scene on the cover
HRCYED 3.0- animal families #2; side qwests #3

The Start of Me and You- I read this because I needed to read a book by an author who shared the same name as a character from another book (Emery). This was a solid YA contemporary. ☆☆☆
ATY Fall #3- a book with a school-age character
52BC September Mini #3- The ___ of ___ and ___
HRCYED 3.0- US road trip #2; characters to authors #2

Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump- these political books are always page-turners for me, but a lot of the information I already knew so nothing was particularly revealing. ☆☆☆☆
ATY Fall #4- a nonfiction book
HRCYED 3.0- curriculum #4; shiritori #3

Currently Reading
Audition

QOTW
I loved the first book in the You series in huge part because the audiobook narrator just sold the character of Joe for me. Every book after has been a disappointment story wise, and I keep telling myself I'm officially done with the series. But every time I see the newest audiobook release pop up on Libby, and I see the same audiobook narrator, I instantly check it out. I know it will probably be trash, but I know the narrator will deliver a good time, lol.

And of course, anything narrated by Julia Whelan I know is going to be good.

I just checked in a few days ago so there's nothing new. Just wanted to address the QOTW:

I listened to 2 audiobooks for the first time a couple of weeks ago, both short stories. I decided I do not like audiobooks. But I still could tell that I enjoyed the narration of one book (done by LeVar Burton!) more than the other one so I think if I ever get into them, I will definitely track down certain narrators.

Life update: I'm going to start with a shout-out to anyone else who's affected by the 9/11 anniversary today. I know that ironically, the anniversaries that get most media attention are often the hardest because of the memories they stir up. I was "only" affected indirectly at the time, through trying to support friends who had a loved one missing and then eventually confirmed lost, and even still it's hit me harder than I expected.

In happier news, the German court has finally appointed a guardian for my mother, so next week I will go over there to meet with him and agree how we're going to handle the overlap between what's now his responsibility (thank the gods) and what's unfortunately still mine because the court order doesn't cover it (some of the landlord stuff, it seems). I get the impression that he will at least be willing to give me some guidance on the latter, which I sorely need.

Reading update: I finished three books:

Violeta - Diversity: Hispanic heritage (2 of 2); Flowers for your shelves: Violets, Spanish Titles: V. Because I read this in Spanish, it took me longer than a book of this length usually would - 15 days. It's a tribute to the quality of Allende's writing that I persisted, especially since the book has an unreliable and often unlikable narrator, which is a trope I don't usually enjoy. It basically tells the history of the 20th century in Latin America through its impact on one woman. 4 stars.
Stealing Thunder - r/Fantasy Bingo, hard mode: Trans or nonbinary character from a premodern period (the organisers have clarified that they intend premodern to be interpreted loosely). This follows a hijra (third-gender) courtesan in a version of Mughal India, written by a cultural anthropologist who is trans herself and has spent time with a hijra community. It's interesting for that reason, but very tropey. 3 stars.
Sackett's Land - no prompt, part of a prequel series for a Western series I've been enjoying as audiobooks. I prefer the main series, but gave this one four stars, rounded up.

Stats:
Diversity Challenge: 1 this week, 12/14 total
Queer Reads Bracket Challenge: 0 this week, 6/7 total
Flowers for Your Shelves: 1 this week, 8/22 total
r/Fantasy Bingo: 1 this week, 9/25 total
Odd Formats: 0 this week, 3/11 total
Spanish Titles ABC: 1 this week, 3/26 total
French TBR: 0 this week, 2/50 total
Great Big Jewish Literature Challenge: 0 this week, 7/24 total
Anti-Capitalist Inspiration: 0 this week, 21/30 total
Reading About Writing: 0 this week, 4/40 total

All books finished this year: 3 this week, 117 total
DNF or paused this year: 0 this week, 27 total

Challenges completed this year: 3
Challenges in progress (end date in 2026): 1
Challenges in progress (no end date or end date in 2027): 9

Currently reading:
To the Far Blue Mountains - continuing the prequels, no prompt
Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite - audiobook, no prompt
The Edge of Sentience: Risk and Precaution in Humans, Other Animals, and AI - research, no prompt
THE COMPLETE MAHABHARATA UDYOGA PARVA VOL 4 - spiritual reading, no prompt

QOTW: I'm picky about audiobook narrators, so when I find one I like, I do check out their other work. It's actually surprisingly rare that it leads to adding anything new to my TBR, though. Most often, either their work is mostly longer books than I like for that format, or else the blurb doesn't interest me enough. My favourite is David Strathairn, who narrates some of the Sackett Family series that I'm currently working my way through.

Good morning, everyone! Happy Friday!

This has been a pretty busy week, which is why I'm posting a day late, but I’ve managed to accomplish a decent amount. I’m hoping to finish up a couple of household projects before the weekend arrives, because I’d really like to spend the whole weekend reading.

Speaking of reading, this has been a great reading week. I’m currently in the middle of two really good series, so I’ve kept the television turned off for most of the week in favor of reading during the evenings.

Here are my current challenge and TBR totals…

Goodreads Challenge: 198/250
Mount TBR Challenge: 121/150

📚Physical TBR: 113/462
📱Ebook TBR: 7/161
🎧Audiobook TBR: 1/1
TBR Checklist Total: 121/624 (19% complete)

TBR Books DNFed in 2026: 6
TBR Books Soft DNFed in 2026: 3

I went a bit overboard on the book purchases again this week. I got copies of All Hallows Eve, by Christopher Golden et. al.; Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats, by Pandora Pierce; Deadworld Isekai, by R.C. Joshua; Code Bound, by Kendra Moreno; Patch Notes: A Progression LitRPG Survival Novel of Glitch Hunting and Data Integrity, by Nicole Gange; A Day in the Life: An NPC LitRPG Anthology, by Eura Abrams et. al.; Wriggly Little Hands, by Alex Knight; and Into the Dungeon: A Choose-Your-Own-Path Book, by Hari Conner.

“New” Books Bought in 2026: 116
“New” Books Read in 2026: 76
“New” Books DNFed in 2026: 0
“New” Books Checklist Total: 76/116 (65% complete)

Here are the books I finished this week…

Finished Reading (Fiction):
~Apprentice to the Villain — This is the second book in the Assistant to the Villain series. I thought this was a very fun read! While I currently do not own the remaining books in this series, I will definitely be getting copies of them, because I really want to continue reading it. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book does include examples of toxic family relationships. (hide spoiler)] 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Heretical Fishing — This book was a re-read for me, but I wanted to revisit the first book before diving into the rest of the series. I really enjoyed this book the first time I read it, and actually liked it even better on my second read-through. This story is a bit slower paced than some of the other LitRPG books I’ve read, but the pacing really fits the cozy feel of the plot. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Where the Library Hides — This is the second book in the Secrets of the Nile duology. I read the first book back in 2024 and really enjoyed it, but I found this one somewhat disappointing. The plot was fast-paced and interesting, but I spent nearly the entire book annoyed by the main characters (especially the FMC). The relationship and family drama felt extremely over the top, while the fantasy element seemed to be somewhat downplayed. I’m actually glad that this was a duology, because I don’t know if I would’ve committed to reading a third book. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Formidable Miss Cassidy — Although I went into this book thinking that it was a standalone novel, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it’s actually the first in a trilogy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and had a very difficult time putting it down. I’ll definitely be continuing this series as soon as possible. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Falling Kingdoms — The first book in the Falling Kingdoms series was a fast-paced introduction to both the characters and the world they inhabit. Although I would’ve enjoyed a bit more world-building, I was so invested in the characters that I could not put this book down. I finished the entire thing in a single afternoon. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book does included references to abuse and incest. (hide spoiler)] 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Heretical Fishing 2 — This is the second book in the Heretical Fishing series. Like the previous book, this one was slower paced than other LitRPGs I’ve read, but I thought it was a great continuation of the series. I really enjoyed seeing Fischer’s found family continue to grow. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Rebel Spring — This is the second book in the Falling Kingdoms series. This was a very exciting and fast-paced continuation of the story. I ended up reading the entire thing in a single evening because I could not put it down. Content Alert: (view spoiler)[ This book does include references to incest and abuse. There is also an animal death and an attempted 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:
~The Butcher's Masquerade — This is the fifth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. While this book is a reread for me, this is my first time listening to the audiobook edition. As always, I am loving Jeff Hays’s narration. I currently have just over 5 hours remaining. 🎧
~UNCAGED: SOLDIER, SURVIVOR, SHARK GUY. — I’m only about a tenth of the way into it, but Paul de Gelder’s autobiography has been a really good read so far. 📚
~Gathering Darkness — This is the third book in the Falling Kingdoms series. I’m currently about a quarter of the way through this book, and plan to finish it today. 📚
~Heretical Fishing 3 — I’m only about 50 pages into this book, but it’s been a lot of fun so far. 📚

QOTW:
The narrator is what makes or breaks an audiobook for me. I will 100% DNF an audiobook if I dislike the narrator, and I’ve also finished books that I would have DNFed if I’d been reading them physically because the audiobook had a really good narrator.

My favorite narrators are Jeff Hays, Kevin R. Free, and Andy Serkis.

Jennifer W wrote: "QOTW: So I have listened to lots of audiobooks with great narrators, but I have a really hard time listening to something else with the same narrator! ..."



This happened to me when I first started listening to audiobooks, I associated that voice SO strongly with that one book or series, I struggled when I encountered them reading a different book or series. It was like growing up watching the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" for years, and then having to deal with seeing her as a completely different person in "Ordinary People" - it's jarring! Eventually I pushed through and got past it.

Alex wrote: "12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos for "a book outside your comfort zone". There isn't much outside my comfort zone, to be honest....."




You're very brave. I couldn't go THAT far outside my comfort zone!!!

Andrea wrote: "I loved the first book in the You series in huge part because the audiobook narrator just sold the character of Joe for me. Every book after has been a disappointment story wise, and I keep telling myself I'm officially done with the series. But every time I see the newest audiobook release pop up on Libby, and I see the same audiobook narrator, I instantly check it out. I know it will probably be trash, but I know the narrator will deliver a good time, lol. ..."



LOL I love Santino Fontana!! I will only consume the "You" books as audiobooks, I MUST hear him read them to me. But it sounds like I enjoy the series a lot more than you do, I wouldn't call it "trash." (but I get it! I have listened to "trash" books solely for the narrator)

Oh thanks never heard of that Irish webtoon so I need to look that up.

I'm on a break from the challenge this week (only have 4 left to go) to catch up on my spooky season reads including this month's and next month's in person horror book club reads.

Finished this month's horror read Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman. This one is the book the new movie The Other Mommy is based on. I was a little creeped out but definitely the writing style will not be for everyone. It wasn't for me, took some getting used to (and if i'm honest if this wasn't for book club I wouldn't have gone on)

I also read The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells for both spooky season and me trying to read the classics I wanted to read back in high school and in college but they were genre and therefor somehow inferior and not worth my time (snobs, there is some glorious works in genre fiction).

That said I was never so bored. I found that YouTube has a ton of Victorian and Edwardian horror (and presumably other genres) as audio books. Some by real people (Miss Worm is my current favorite) and unfortunately some by AI. I did this via audiobook and I think I tuned half of it out because I was so bored. None of them movies resemble this and that's not bad. Griffin (the man) whines his way through five hours of narration.


QOTW

Honestly I am not much on audiobooks. That said, yes I have. I just mentioned Miss Worm above. She's a good narrator but not good at doing voices but that said this is free and she's not AI so...

I have looked specifically for James Marsters and Wil Wheaton and honestly there are voices if I knew there was a good by them I'd go looking for it (Patrick Stewart, Keith David, Ron Perlman) but over all I usually got mine from the library so whatever I got I got.

Hello and happy Friday from a hot and humid Columbus! As soon as September 1st I shift fully into soup and pumpkin mode, so this weather has really been bumming me out lol. I’m still on the job hunt. Still incredibly thankful I have family who can help financially until I get settled in a new position.

Finished:
The Sparrow for my 12 friends challenge, and for one of the Goodreads bookmarks. Why didn’t anyone tell me there was a book about jesuits in space lol. If you’ve met any jesuits, the idea of them being the first ones in space so they could spread the gospel to aliens would be so hilariously on point. However this book isn’t really the kind you chuckle while reading. It got really heavy, but I’m looking forward to reading the second book in the duo.

Mooncakes for a book riot prompt. Man I really love a cozy graphic novel. I especially loved the main characters style, I actually took some pictures of her outfits so I could refer back to them next time I’m clothes shopping. I don’t always love books with witchcraft, but I’ll make allowances for fictional witchcraft being used for the good of the community.

This Is Me: A Reckoning not for a challenge. This is going to tie into the question of the week, but I love a celebrity memoir audiobook narrated by the author. I actually purchased this back in June or July but didn’t get around to reading it until now. Weirdly, I also got Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing right before Matthew Perry passed so I’m thinking maybe I should stop getting these memoirs 😵‍💫
Anyway, this was very bittersweet sitting with, many of these memoirs end on such a positive, hopeful note and it really breaks my heart that she went through so much.

The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep yet another book I put on hold and then when it came time to check it off on my reading challenges, it’s no where to be found. I can never remember where these books came from, but I was obviously putting a hold on them for a reason. This one was fun, a man can bring characters out of books he reads, and this sometimes leads to sticky situations where his older brother has to step in and help him get the characters back in their stories. A very interesting concept as a book lover.

Currently Reading:
Water Moon
The Count of Monte Cristo
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Great Adventure Catholic Bible

Recently Watched:
Nada this week

QOTW:
Yes haha. I am easily influenced by a fun narrator. And as I mentioned above, I love an author narrated memoir. I think Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Jazz Chickens is my favorite in this category. And I know I mention this book no less than three times a year every year here lol. I just really love his style of comedy and the audiobook includes all these extra tangents that make the experience a lot like one of his stand up routines. I also really like a book narrated by a celebrity, if they do it well. Maggie Gyllenhaal reads Anna Karenina, Scarlet Johansson does really well narrating and I especially love Michael C Hall as an audiobook narrator.

2026 Challenges:
Popsugar - 19/40; 0/10
Read Harder - 16/24
Classics - 7/12
European Tour - 12/10
12 Friends - 11/12
Yearly Goal - 96/180

Hello, y’all.

Well, it’s Sunday, and I am just now posting. I seem to have become much more relaxed about checking in on Thursday. And, it is a change that feels nice. No longer a HAVE TO and more a WANT TO.

I spent four days visiting my brother and sister-in-law in Tennessee. He has gone blind in the past year or so but seems to be coping well within his home.

Planning for the trip and having to adjust the plans while gone went well. I was relaxed and not bothered by the changes needed for Darla. I doubt that I will do many trips, but this one did show me that it is possible. Now to find places my bully breed can go with me!

Since my brother’s Dish TV was down, I actually read three books and nearly finished two more in that time! It was rather amazing to me.

I am on track for finishing ATY soon. However, I do not see the same result for PS. And I have essentially quit on PAS for the most part.

Finished:
Insatiable - Audible. 4*. Continuation of series.
Future Forward: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence - ATY #21 (Tomorrow). 4*. Scary in that much of the progress of AI is happening way too fast and the future is coming without much control.
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency – ATY #25 (1001 books). 3*. I think that I am not a fan of Douglas Adams' writing. I did not fully enjoy the other book of his that I read...nor this one. Way too chaotic.

Currently Reading:
The First Fig Tree – PAS. 16%. On hold while I read library books. Own.
True Detectives – ATY# 52 (sunset vibes - 2025), PS #44 (spouse #2). Own. Also waiting patiently for me to get back to it. 2%
This Is How You Lose Her - ATY #47 ("this" in title)
Game On: Tempting Twenty-Eight - PS #27 (Curly hair)
The Garden Tour Affair: A Gardening Mystery - PS #1 (Garden)

On Deck:
(library)
The Ephemera Collector - PS #50 (Afrofuturism)
Life, Loss, and Puffins – PS #2 (Platonic friendship)
A Dying Fall – ATY #31 (Backlist), PAS

(owned)
Tainted Sand - ATY #44 (Symbol of death)
Dancing on My Grave - ATY #52 (Reindeer)
Tales for Twilight: Two Hundred Years of Scottish Ghost Stories - ATY #46 (Not a novel)

PS 27/50
ATY 46/52, Seasonal Winter 9/14, Seasonal Spring 9/15, Seasonal Fall 4/15
GR 102/150

QotW?

I don't usually notice who is narrating. Most of the time I choose the book for interest or as a continuation of the series.

Salem was wonderful - traveled with one of my friends from Florida and she might just be my FAVORITE person to travel with, we were exactly the same - hard to make decisions, but vibes were high. I feel like we also had some time to read, which was nice.

58/70 GoodReads Challenge
41/50 PopSugar Challenge
48/52 ATY Challenge

Finished:
1.) Piranesi by Susanna Clarke [ PS - REALLY hoped to use this for underwater civilization, but it doesn't really take place underwater || ATY #10 Award Winner] ⭐⭐⭐⭐: Picked this up for a buddy read after a blogger said to remove this from your TBR - color me intrigued, and it made me put this at the top of the list. The world that Clarke created is incredible and while hard to read at times (the transcendentalism was a bit over my head) I really enjoyed this.

2.) All Systems Red by Martha Wells [PS #34: NB MC || ATY: None] ⭐⭐⭐: Was so short and left me on SUCH a cliffhanger. Intrigued to read more...

3.) Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan [No prompts] ⭐⭐⭐💫: Enjoyed this, but wasn't my favorite - really didn't appreciate the ending and how the characters could not just talk to each other.



Currently Reading:
1.) When Mikan Road Was Ours
2.) The Amalfi Curse
3.) Magic Lessons



QoTW: If you listen to audiobooks, have you/would you pick up a book just based on the narrator?
Yes, absolutely!

Nadine in NY wrote: "(Britany, she went to Salem for lunch with a friend on Monday - maybe she walked past you - haha the two of you would never know!!)."

The kind of serendipity I absolutely LOVE.

Dani wrote: "I love an author narrated memoir...."



Some authors are terrible narrators! But if the book is by an actor or radio/TV personality, I will seek out the audiobook read by them. I don't read a lot of celebrity memoirs, but sometimes it happens. Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Anna Kendrick spring to mind. David Sedaris is always reliable.

Or just in general if an actor reads an audiobook, I'm interested. Two of my favorites, Adjoa Andoh & WIll Patton, are also actors. (Actually, Fontana & McClain might be, too, but I've never seen them in anything.)

Jeremy Irons read Lolita.

Don Cheadle read a Walter Mosley book (Fear Itself). Lin-Manuel Miranda read The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

Nick Offerman reads one of the short stories in The Largesse of the Sea Maiden (actually that entire book is read by some great voice actors) & in The History of Sound.

The ONLY reason I listened to Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre was because Nathan Fillion was one of the voices (sadly just a bit part).

All of these guys are great to listen to and I want them to read more audiobooks!!!

Britany wrote: "Piranesi by Susanna Clarke [ PS - REALLY hoped to use this for underwater civilization, but it doesn't really take place underwater || ATY #10 Award Winner] ⭐⭐⭐⭐: Picked this up for a buddy read after a blogger said to remove this from your TBR - color me intrigued, and it made me put this at the top of the list. ..."



LOL what? why did the blogger say that?? (I'll probably never read it, because I REALLY did not like Jonathan Strange, it turned me off of EVER reading her again)

I loved Jonathan Strange but wasn't so keen on Piranesi!!

No idea!! It was a bit of a mindf*ck so I could see why people get so frustrated with it.

GR is pushing some updates, the book page looks different and my search results look different (everything looks HUGE) and fine whatever I can get used to that. BUT when I want to update the shelves for a book I'm currently reading, and I open up the drop down menu, the shelf names are ALL OVER THE PLACE. What insane order are they in??? They used to be alphabetical. I want them to be alphabetical again. If I open the "edit my review" page and choose shelves from that view, they are still alphabetical.

What is going on and how can I fix it??



ETA: after poking around a bit, I found some people on the help page saying it's a bug and GR is aware. Why do they have to change things we don't want changed, and not change the things we do want changed?

Nadine in NY wrote: " Why do they have to change things we don't want changed, and not change the things we do want changed?e..."

I've wondered this about so many pieces of tech. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. They don't listen to me.

Nadine in NY wrote: "GR is pushing some updates, the book page looks different and my search results look different (everything looks HUGE) and fine whatever I can get used to that. BUT when I want to update the shelve..."

I noticed it too this morning. It's still different now. I love the 'bigger design': I tend to lean right into my screen browsing GR.

Never fear, Bea! I am here to absolutely bring up the rear for this week-long update! LOL

Thankfully, my husband and I just had our monthly doctor appointment today and I don't have to accompany anyone else to a medical appointment now until October 6! YAY!! Though I do have my own maniupulation by my D.O. scheduled for October 5 and that is merely relief for me!! 😁 In the meantime I am going to have to break down and schedule shoulder surgery for my left shoulder. Although I have been able to delay this for 6 months by working out in the pool and purposefully concentrating more on the shoulder, it is time... Ugh. I am trying to concentrate on the fact that there is a fix out there--otherwise I would be stuck with very limited mobility for however long my lifetime my extend beyond the present. As I tell myself, "GRATITUDE, woman!!" LOL

ADMIN STUFF:
THE AUGUST MONTHLY GROUP READ IS Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #50 A book about Afrofuturism
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is August 23
https://www.unesco.org/en/days/slave-...
Kate is the “future foreteller” who very graciously led this discussion!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Miss Kate!! 👍😁🎊🎊🎉🎉👏👏👏👏👏
Great questions and excellent discussion!! I’ll retain this in the Current Monthly Group Read folder for a bit yet!

THE SEPTEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ SELECTION IS The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #47 A book told entirely through letters
World Letter Writing Day is September 1
https://nationaltoday.com/world-lette...
Doni is the “literary luminary” who courageously volunteered to facilitate this discussion!!
Thanks so much for your willingness to guide this discussion!! 👍👏👏👏👏👏🎊🎊🎊🎉🎉🪄🪄
Thought-provoking content and questions!!

THE OCTOBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles #1) by T.J. Klune
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #6 A book with an overweight main character whose story isn't about losing weight
National Plus Size Appreciation Day is October 6
https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/na...
Who among you is the “rambunctious rule-minder" to lead this discussion?
I recently reread this and I swear it is a book I believe I would immensely enjoy after reading it 10 times!!

THE NOVEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS *Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #28 A book about debt
Buy Nothing Day is November 27
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buy_Not...
Which one of you is the “silvery spinner” ready, willing, and able to lead this discussion?

THE DECEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ FINAL SELECTION IS Horse by Geraldine Brooks
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #10 A book about a horse or with a horse on the cover
National Horse Day is December 13
https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/n...
Surely there is "heroic horse handler" amongst you to facilitate this discussion!
I have been curious about this book and luckily obtained a cheap used copy!

THE LISTING OF 2026 MONTHLY GROUP READ TOPICS IS HERE!
***

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
This week's question was suggested by Jennifer:
If you listen to audiobooks, have you/would you pick up a book just based on the narrator?
I have listened to maybe 10 audiobooks in my 70+ years. I just don’t appreciate the fact that IMO this adds yet another layer of interpretation to a book. A narrator’s voice, etc., can give me a different impression from reading the actual words, IMO! And I am easily distracted by simply 'listening'!