Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2019 Weekly Checkins
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Week 46: 11/8 - 11/14
I read Finding Dorothy last week, too. What a coincidence.QOTW: When I'm doing the challenge, I try to go in order so that I'm not stuck with what I think are the worst promps at the end. Otherwise, I just go to the library and look around until something speaks to me.
This was an exhausting week. I'm desperate for the weekend so I can hole up in my apartment with a good book. Tonight is another silent book club at the library, but I'm not sure I'm up for socializing of any kind, even the mostly silent variety, right now. People are too much this week.Finished
Before We Were Strangers by Brenda Novak. It was an okay book. I like romance and I like suspense, but I don't think I like romantic suspense. It seems characters have to make poor choices to service the plot, which makes the story feel unbelievable.
Reading
Heartless by Gail Carriger
QOTW
I'm a mood reader so I pick whatever I feel like reading next. It's never a problem for me to find a book. I have a huge TBR to pick from and being on 老虎机稳赢方法 and in this group means I'm always hearing about new books.
National Book Tokens have just released this year's hidden books game! It's so clever and takes me ages to guess all the books (you can play it without entering the competition if you're not in the UK). I haven't had much spare time today but managed to guess 7 so far. I love it!I'm in a good mood because I found a sheep on my smoothie this lunchtime! I don't know if Innocent's Big Knit is worldwide, but people knit little hats that go on the smoothies for charity. And today was the first time I found a special one. It's a little sheep munching on grass, it's so cute.
Not much reading done. Finishing my challenges has slowed me down! I did finish The Warehouse which I enjoyed even if it's a bit cheesy in places (idea's great though).
Still reading The Secret Chapter for review (I need to pull my finger out) and currently listening to The Toll.
QOTW:
I don't have a method, just whatever I'm in the mood for. Next year I'm trying to read ATY in order so we'll see how well that goes for me...
Mod
This week I finished 3 books.
Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke - my bed time books were dragging, so I set them all aside and picked up Zita. It鈥檚 always a good time for more Zita! This isn鈥檛 the best book in this tween graphic novel series, but it鈥檚 still pretty good.
Lucky Wreck - poetry by Ada Limon - Limon is one of my favorite poets. I鈥檝e already read her three most recent collections, and I was wondering if this freshman effort would stand up. It does.
Storm of Locusts by Rebecca Roanhorse - a great quest adventure story, and better than book one! At this rate, I鈥檓 very excited to see what Roanhorse has in store for us in books 3 & 4!
QOTW
I don鈥檛 really have ONE method. There are just ... a lot of books I need to read, for a variety of challenges, plus cultural appreciation month鈥檚 reading, plus books that have been lingering on my TBR for WAY too long, plus classics I think I 鈥渟hould鈥 read, plus I try to read as many new books as possible, and I like to mix up my genres so I鈥檓 not reading the same types of books back-to-back. And I鈥檓 almost exclusively a library user. So I put a mix of books on hold each week, and of the books I have borrowed, I read the one I am most excited about first. Maybe it鈥檚 a new book by a favorite author, or a book everyone is praising, or it just sparked my interest for some random reason. I usually have several books in progress at one time (a poetry book, an audiobook, an ebook, a hard copy ...) because I read different formats at different times of day.
I had a lot of travel this week. Some for fun and some for work. But it allowed me to finish three books, which is pretty amazing for me these days. I finished:
Borkmann's Point by H氓kan Nesser. I had started this series on a whim after finding it at the library. Even better, they have the whole series as ebooks without a wait. The books are fine. Just something relaxing to read between other books. I think I'm going to continue reading the series.
Someone to Hold by Mary Balogh is also part of a series that is available as ebooks from the library. These are romance novels, although Mary Balogh really focuses more on the romance and less on the explicit scenes. I really loved this book, it almost made me cry in a number of places. I think because it involved the idea of not knowing if one is lovable while learning how to love and be loved, not just by a romantic partner, but by friends and family as well. It was just really lovely.
American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson by Joseph J. Ellis, which is the only one of these three that is for the challenge. This is for the prompt of something I meant to read in 2018. I borrowed this book from my best friend a long time ago and have finally read it. I enjoy presidential biographies and I found this one very interesting. I have read some of Ellis's books before and I enjoy his approach and style.
I am currently working on the last two books for this challenge (The Night Tiger and Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?: Larry Norman and the Perils of Christian Rock). I am hoping to finish in the next two weeks. I probably won't finish before the new prompts are released because, based on the facebook group, it sounds like they are ready and coming soon.
QOTW: I generally read whatever I'm most excited about or in the mood for. If I have books from the library, I try to read those first, of course. But, I can't force myself to read something that I'm not excited about, I just end up putting it down and moving on to something else.
Mod
This week I read three books for my youth reading committee. All books were for the chapter book subcommittee, so all are meant for third through fifth graders (8-11ish years). I read:Stay- this was a short read about a dog, a homeless woman, and a Firefly Scout Troop that helps keep the dog and the woman together after the woman ends up in the hospital. One of the few dog books I've read that actually has a happy ending, so if the child in your life in into animal books...
Storm Blown- a survival story about a couple of kiddos facing the fictional Mega-storm Valerie. It has several POVs and that adds to the story IMO. For the committee this year there are three survival books (so far). This is the second one I've read and right now I like it the most. We'll see how the third one stacks up.
The Library of Ever- I wanted to love this book because, well, it is about libraries and books. It is really short (191 pages) and the author just tried to fit too many adventures in. I see why she did it, but the cost was poor world building and very little character development. On the other hand, kiddos who like books but struggle with reading would be a fantastic audience for this book.
QOTW:
Right now I am picking my next book by what is soonest due at the library. Since I don't have as much reading time lately I have been cutting it close with some of the due dates. I am also trying to get committee books read first, but sometimes I just need one written for older audiences. If I don't have library due dates looming I pick books based on my mood.
Happy Reading!
Hope everyone has had a good week.Y12s coursework went away on Tuesday and the Chem exam was yesterday and Psychology was today so that's year 12s at school done for the year for me other than graduation tomorrow evening. Hopefully that will mean a better reading week but unlikely since the other years have to finish next week so I can mark the last assignments and write reports before I go down to Adelaide to mark y12 Psychology for a week (when everyone else does reports).
Not a great reading week only finished Station Eleven which I enjoyed but would not rave about.
Currently working on Normal People for my IRL book club which meets next Thursday (theoretically but you never can be quite sure). Not sure about it yet but don't think it is my type of book, at least it is quite short.
QOTW
At the start of the year it was whatever I felt like. Now it is what looks like least effort and will count towards one of the challenges I'm behind in. I think those who suggested going in order may be right in terms of making the end of the year more fun.
This week I finished 4 books for the challenge, bringing my total to 42/50. It was a mixed bag.Finished:
Something In The Water by Catherine Steadman - for a book recommended by a celebrity I admire, this is a Reese Witherspoon pick. I did not like it. I thought the story was all over the place and the characters were incredibly stupid.
Fightin' Gators:: A History of the University of Florida Football by Kevin McCarthy - read for a book set on a college or university campus, this is a beautiful collection of images that are organized to reveal the history of UF Football with a lot of great information that was new to me.
Hey Grandude! by Paul McCartney - for a book that takes place in one day, this was an impulse read just because I was curious about what kind of story would come from the collaboration of a Beatle and a Pixar artist. I thought it was fun; honestly Grandude is an older male version of Mary Poppins.
Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler - for a retelling of a classic, I read this retelling of The Taming of the Shrew. It was ok. I don't love the storyline of The Taming of the Shrew,
The Lioness of Morocco by Julia Drosten - used for the Book Riot prompt translated book written by a woman, this is just an ok story but it is a beautiful portrait of Morocco.
I'm hoping to be more in love with the books I read this week. So far I'm working on Tony Wheeler's Dark Lands on Kindle and The Girl Who Played with Fire paperback, and I'm really into both of them.
QOTW: I can't say I have much of a method, but I guess if I had to pick it would be more mood than anything. This last week I was able to focus and get some prompts done, but sometimes my reading mood rebels and I read things so far removed from any challenge prompt that I think there should be an "offtopic" prompt on the list, like "read a book that matches no prompt ever created." Or a duplicate prompt would also be nice, because once I've read a book for the challenge, it seems like the next 3 books I read would have fit the same category.
Happy Thursday!This is the first week that I have not finished a book! Busy real life got in the way.
I'm currently reading The Sugar Queen for the last PS prompt.
I'm also reading The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware. I'm only about 75 pages in and already scared of the dark!
Slow Reads:
Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood; Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World; and on audio Emma by Jane Austen for my classic read of the month.
QOTW: 99% of my books come from the library. I put books on hold when I'm planning a challenge prompt, and pick up books just walking by (and make them fit into a prompt.) So I do both, plan and not plan. I always seem to be reading about 5 books at one time, so read whichever one I'm in the mood for.
Two Week Check-In and I鈥檓 close to being finished.Favorite past prompt (read for cover):
Wilder Girls by Rory Power. Great cover. Took me a minute to get into, then really enjoyed it but the end was very WTF for me.
Own Voices
The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman. Middle grade novel about homeless kids in India. This was the middle school pick for the Global Read Aloud. I read it to my 7th graders and they loved it.
Based on a true story
The Hunger by Alma Katsu. Billed as the Donner Party but supernatural. Blurb by Stephen King about how disturbing it was. Not supernatural enough for me and not disturbing enough to me.
Re-read of a favorite
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas. Kleypas was my entre to historical romance. I haven鈥檛 read this in a long while and there were some slightly icky consent issues.
A book about someone with a superpower
Ms. Marvel Vol. 4 by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated by Adrian Alphona. I really enjoy these graphic novels. I love the character of Ms. Marvel.
QOTW:
They are on my TBR shelf in the order I got them and I generally read in that order. However, I pulled 5 or so to read to finish the challenge.
Good morning! 10 days until the move to Santa Fe! I've got a lot of stuff to go through and organize. I probably won't get much reading done this next week, but I'm nearly done with this year's challenge. I sure wish they'd hurry up and release next year's list!Challenge Progress: 49/50
Completed:
One of Us Is Lying: With characters that initially spark memories of The Breakfast Club, this quickly becomes a fascinating murder mystery full of twists and turns... and character development. A surprisingly enjoyable turn. If this were a Netflix series, I'd devour it immediately. (A book read during the season in which its set - Autumn) 鈽呪槄鈽呪槄
The Girl with the Sweetest Secret: Sweet and lighthearted, but there was a lot going on here. Three(!) romances, a kidnapping, riches gambled away, an inheritance issue... it all just seemed a little jumbled. (A book with a title that contains salty, sweet, bitter, or spicy) 鈽呪槄鈽
Beneath the Sugar Sky: Seanan McGuire is so wonderfully inventive! The ideas behind the Wayward Children are so intriguing and unique, and the teenagers in her stories are both likable and tragic. I wish they could all find their doorways. (A book with a title that contains pop, sugar, or challenge) 鈽呪槄鈽呪槄
The Nightingale: When my nephew recommended this book to me, my eyes nearly rolled out of my head. WWII fiction (especially when set in France) is not my thing. I immediately think it will be trite, cliched, melodramatic... and The Nightingale was all those things, but I wiped tears away as I finished reading. "That was pretty damn good," I thought. Yeah, it really was. 鈽呪槄鈽呪槄
Currently Reading: The Nickel Boys
QOTW: What do I read next? Whatever pretty, shiny thing catches my eye! I love the library and usually have a fairly extensive hold list, but I also have a vast collection of books at home and on my Kindle that are begging to be read. (I'm going to try to complete at least half of next year's challenge using books I already own. Not that it will even make a dent in my TBR pile, but hey, goals.)
Happy Thursday, y鈥檃ll!Because I am an enormous nerd as well as a reader, I've been alternating my reading with watching one of the Transformer shows that came out in the '00s -- "Transformers Animated." Wish I'd watched this back when it first aired... and yes, I'm a grown woman with adult responsibilities who also enjoys watching cartoons as well as reading. ;)
Books read this week:
Prototype D -- what is it with sci-fi authors not bothering to learn how nuclear weapons really work? Though to be honest, if you鈥檙e reading a book about an intelligent robot that can experience human emotions, you鈥檙e probably not looking for scientific accuracy, right? XD Entertaining story, though all the characters save the titular robot were too flat for me to get invested in.
In Truth and Claw -- fourth book in the Mick Oberon series, which involves a Fae private detective in 1930s Chicago. This is a really fun series, though this book took a darker turn than the others (though still managed to balance it out with a fair amount of humor). Also this is probably the first book to (view spoiler).
The Twisted Ones -- I LOVE T. Kingfisher鈥檚 fairy-tale retellings鈥 but her take on horror is even more deliciously imaginative and subversive. I love that she manages to mix spine-tingling horror with some wry commentary on the part of the snarky, observant main character. And I have to say that I fell in love with the dog, Bongo, and (view spoiler).
Night Watch -- fascinating and morally complex Russian urban fantasy, and I really liked and felt bad for the main character throughout. Though despite the magic users literally being divided between Light and Dark in this book, EVERYONE does rather despicable things throughout, so in the end no one really comes out as a hero. (Kind of like real life, I guess?)
The Best of Planet Stories 1 -- collection of pulp sci-fi stories that I got in a pack of Ray Bradbury books. Some of these stories (okay, most of them) haven鈥檛 aged well, but they were still mindless brain-candy fun.
Currently Reading:
The Starless Sea
Tilly and the Bookwanderers
I Hope You Get This Message
Machineries of Joy
QOTW:
Most of the time I just look at my TBR list and either pick what's been on it the longest or pick something at random -- sometimes literally, using a Random Number Generator. XD If one of the new books I've requested from the library comes in, though, that moves to the top of the list. Like this week, when four of my requests came in at once...
Jen wrote: "QOTWAt the start of the year it was whatever I felt like. Now it is what looks like least effort and will count towards one of the challenges I'm behind in. I think those who suggested going in order may be right in terms of making the end of the year more fun. ..."
Well this describes how I feel right now :-) I thought I had the year well-planned, and suddenly it's mid-November!
Good Morning,The snowy weather here in northern Indiana has made me just want to sit at home and read all day, unfortunately I have to work and prep the 2020 budget before the end of the week...yeah I'm not even close to being done with that.
Finished:
Fangirl - Not for the challenge, I just wanted to read it. It was a super quick read and I enjoyed it. I want to read Carry On and Wayward Son now and will have to fit it in to my TBR for next year.
Currently Reading:
The Song of Achilles for a retelling of a classic. I am buzzing through this so quickly, I love it so much. I actually love it more than Circe. The relationship between Patroclus and Achilles is just so lovely (give or take a few things..hey no one's perfect). They are just so sweet with each other. They're going to get a happily ever after right...right?!?!?! Yes, I know how the story ends and I'm trying to prepare myself for it.
The Starless Sea for a LitRPG book. I'm not super far into this yet, I keep reading when I'm tired and don't get very far. So, far the story is really interesting and I can see the beginnings of the world Morgenstern is building and I'm looking forward to the journey.
DNF:
Mr. Rochester - I was going to use this for the re-telling of a classic but I just wasn't in the mood for it. I own it, so I'll try picking it up again next year.
QOTW:
Sometimes I'm great at picking what I want to read next and others times I'm not (i.e. Mr. Rochester). I have to be in the right mood for the right book and usually I can anticipate that but others I strike out. I do try to go through my stack of books at home first before seeking out the library or the Overdrive app.
Laura wrote: "Completed:One of Us Is Lying: With characters that initially spark memories of The Breakfast Club, this quickly becomes a fascinating murder mystery full of twists and turns... and character development. A surprisingly enjoyable turn. If this were a Netflix series, I'd devour it immediately. (A book read during the season in which its set - Autumn) 鈽呪槄鈽呪槄"
This is filming right now but I think it's for NBC's streaming service.
Cold wet week for me and hence a lot of reading, lots of short things/ some graphic novels because I figured I could make a real go at making informed choices in that particular goodreads choice category. Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker artist by Wendy Xu (Zodiac/astrology? Does moon count?) - This one was mostly (although not completely released as a webcomic on Tumblr and is really sweet. A chinese american witch falls in love with a non-binary warewolf as they learn to use their various powers. It's sweet. No regrets. But I'm not sure if there was another I'd go way, way, way out of my way for it either.
Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer (Two female authors). A fairytale character yearns to get out of his book, a lonely teen girl who fell in love with him on the page tries to help. This is pretty far up my alley but I sort of hated this book. I started to think I'd just gotten too old to enjoy YA but as you will see going forward that is not the case. The hatred extends only to this book. I think there are some really interesting issues that could be explored in the next book, but I won't ever know.
I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver (Own Voices). Adored this. Adored it so much I wanted to buy it a puppy. Everything resolves a little too easily at the end but that is my only complaint. But no, seriously. Non-binary Ben comes out to his parents, gets kicked out and goes to live with his previously estranged sister. Goes to a new school, makes peace of sorts with his identity and his family situation and works on his anxiety and depression (this part is comfortably messy the whole way through no easy answers here) and meets a boy. Is adorable.
Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks (takes place in one day) speaking of adorable? This one deserves a pumpkin spiced puppy! Maybe two. Two teens go on a quest so one can talk to the girl he's been crushing on for years, lots of missteps, a bit of growing up, and much fall flavor throughout.
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata (author from Asia):: I found this both disturbing and charming in the ways I was supposed to. Quick, easy read. I have some questions about the main character's choices that aren't really addressed but I'm not mad at it. I also kind of want to go to a Japanese convenience store now.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (Unusul chapter headings) No puppies here. But this book told in poetry about a boy struggling with what to do in the wake of of his brother's death by gang related gun violence? Yeah, worthy read. But again.. no puppies. In fact if you want to read it, and I do recommend. Give yourself some time to read it and think about it and then have one of the multi-puppy worthy books discussed above in case needed. But, no seriously, so good.
And finally Kiss Number 8 by Colleen A.F. Venable illustrated by Ellen T. Crenshaw --The reviews for this graphic novel are quite decidedly mixed but I liked it a lot. Trigger warnings for extreme homophobia and transphobia as a girl comes of age and deals with learning her family history while figguring out her own life. Kind of a alot was piled on the protagonist here and I never quite figured out why she crushed so hard on the person she crushed on... but I enjoyed it a lot...
QOTW
I mostly get stuff from my locaal library so a lot of my choice is made by, "Oh crap I've got to read that before it checks itself back in!!!!!" Sometimes I pick out a prompt and get a bunch of book recommendations that look good to me and read the first one and go, "Oh this totally works for something else" and happily go on to another choice. Sometimes a cover catches my eye. Sometimes I've heard good things. (despite my entire list of books above being nearly completely YA I read a lot of genres and titles and so if it seems at all interested it goes on a list. If my library has it goes higher on my list. And I often have a few things going at once so I can change when the mood strikes.
I don't mind so much that the 老虎机稳赢方法 book/author search engine doesn't automatically pull up illustrators when a graphic novel is selected because graphic novels aren't really what this site started out for. Having just done a whole bunch of books with two female authors that I then migrated to other prompts that weren't graphic novels, I have to say I'm not terribly happy with how the 老虎机稳赢方法 add book/author widget works when there are two authors on a novel.
Ellie wrote: "National Book Tokens have just released this year's hidden books game! It's so clever and takes me ages to guess all the books (you can play it without entering the competition if you're not in the..."This game is now KILLING ME. 馃槶
I managed to figure out 16/20 and then got stuck. Can't get:
- Al's Pharmacy
- the car with the bow
- Angel's Butchers
- the road sign with the bee on it
QOTW: I do quarterly and monthly challenges in the Reading Challenge group as well as yearly ones. I'm very "Type A" so I will go through and see what percentage completion I have on all my active challenges and find a book for the one with the lowest percent. If I'm done or almost done with all my challenges, I'll occasionally just randomize my TBR list and read whatever comes up first that's available at the library.
Finally I read something, just one thing but I'm taking that and running. And with this one I'm down to just one prompt left to fill and I'm halfway through that so huzzah.For the prompt A book written by an author from Asia, Africa or South America I read Ai no Kusabi Vol. 2: Destiny by Rieko Yoshihara
This was written in the 80s and basically was the seed for yaoi in Japanese literature and manga. That said, it has a lot of unsavory aspects (some of which might have been the limitations of what could be published at the time, namely so many of the characters are homosexual because the women are limited to a certain percentage of the population and kept in high status breeding areas due to over population. That and the fact that the protagonist is a fifteen year old boy in an abusive relationship with a much older man)
QOTW Honestly any more, I pick based on what prompt in which challenge does it fit. This year I've done less challenges because of that. I have a huge (spanning three rooms and a storage locker, not to mention a fill to the gills ereader) TBR pile and too many of the challenges were driving me away from it to the library to find ones that I needed for a challenge but didn't own.
Other than that, there is no rhyme or reason to my choices. I usually just rummage around and what sounds good to me that day is what I run with.
Happy Thursday! I am so torn over whether I like the sneak peeks for the challenge. I want them all at once so I can start fully planning but I suppose it's better than nothing. I finished one book this week: Requiem for your favorite prompt from a previous challenge. This book was a bit of a disappointment. I felt like it dragged out the love triangle which made little sense and then the ending felt unfinished. But I'm glad I'm done with the trilogy finally.
That puts me at 48/50 which is good because I think Disney+ is going to take up a lot of free time!
QOTW: I'm mostly a mood reader but at the beginning of a challenge I like to knock out the prompts I'm looking forward to least so I'm not stuck with a slog at the end of the year.
Happy Thursday all! I didn't complete any books this week. Last Thursday was my birthday and I was so excited about me traveling the next day to see my love. I did manage to read on the plane and on the way back. All the current books I'm reading are for my prompts now. I have about 10 books left for the challenge so I'm ticking them off.Currently Reading:
Becoming for prompt #28 A book recommended by a celebrity you admire
Sing, Unburied, Sing for prompt #36 A ghost story
What Love Is: And What It Could Be #29 A book with Love in the title.
QOTW:
Lately I've been just picking up what's available for the prompts. Some of the books I have or I'll have to request them from the library so I try to read those first.
It's been a tough week. I've loved the job I've been at the past 1.5 years but my boss has been a nightmare to work for and it just kept getting worse over the past six months. I have never experienced so much disrespect and insults for doing work that everyone else raves about and is so grateful for. Some people should never be allowed to manage other people. It was affecting my health so I had to put in my notice on Monday. I said I would work through the end of the month since I have a lot of projects to wrap up and I wanted to give them a few months' worth of material for a new program I had started. I guess she noticed that the last week included the Thanksgiving holiday so she decided yesterday to cut my time short and I have to turn everything in next Friday. Super stressed about money and looking for side gigs I can do while waiting for interviews for the jobs I applied for last week. :(But at least I still have books...
This week I listened to How We Fight For Our Lives and it was excellent. I read a lot of memoirs and most of them end up being 4-star reads. If they include a little something extra where they compare their life experiences to broader issues and do it in a powerful way, they get 5 stars. That's what this one did.
I also listened to The Night Tiger and it fell a bit short of my expectations. It didn't capture my attention as well as I was expecting and I wasn't wild about the (view spoiler) Oh well, it was decent because of the Chinese culture aspects. 3 stars
I finished my signed copy of Brownsville: Stories and it was very good. I absolutely loved the second story, really liked a few others, and one or two were decent, so 4 stars overall. This was a pretty unique style and I recommend if for short story readers and writers.
I listened to An Anonymous Girl and liked it more than I expected. My interest waned a bit in the middle when we found out what the main theme was, but I have to say that the ending was perfect. Excellent choices on that. 5 stars
I finished Challenger Deep for our monthly discussion and it was quite unique. I appreciated the author's creativity in expressing this story. 4 stars
I'm currently reading Red at the Bone and listening to God Save Texas: A Journey Into the Soul of the Lone Star State.
QOTW: Good question! My book selections are dictated by various factors. For audiobooks I go by which ones are due back to the library the soonest. For my hard copy books I'm more of a mood reader. But my book clubs also affect my choices and what needs to get read by a certain time. And then there are the seasonal influences... late November and December I start reading books on the ToB lists and then once the new year starts I focus on books that fit the challenge prompts. I typically finish the Popsugar challenge in the middle of the year, so summer and fall are my most open reading times where it's mostly based on mood.
Katy wrote: "I read Finding Dorothy last week, too. What a coincidence."Katy - what did you think of it? It took a little bit for me to get into the story, but I really loved it! I was just watching Return to Oz on the new Disney+ streaming service last night which makes me want to read ALL the Oz books (I've only read the first one).
This week has been a pretty good one. I've actually done more writing than reading, working on posts for my blog and the next chapter of my original novel. That being said, I am down to my final Reading Challenge prompt: "a book that has inspired a common phrase or idiom."Finished:
Number the Stars - I read this book for the "a book that takes place in Scandinavia" prompt. I hadn't read it since I was in elementary school, and I found that I loved it just as much this time around. If you haven't read this one, you need to!
Sleeping Murder - This was my choice for the "a book published posthumously" prompt. I'm a big fan of Agatha Christie's work, so I really enjoyed this one. Miss Marple is a fun character.
Sandstorm - This book was not read for any reading challenge prompts. It was action-packed, and very interesting, but I would not call it a quick read.
Lock Every Door - This was another book that I read outside of the Reading Challenge, and it was a fast-paced, creepy read. If you're interested, my review of Lock Every Door can be found at .
Reading:
I am currently reading my final book for this year's challenge, George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones. I decided to end the challenge with this book so I could immediately move on to the rest of the series without feeling like I should be reading other things.
QOTW:
I tend to read according to my interests, with very little regard given to Reading Challenge prompts. I read a wide range of genres even when I'm not doing a challenge, so most of my books end up fitting at least one of the prompts. If I can't decide on a book to read (usually because I have too many options to choose from), I make a list of 20 books from my TBR shelves and let a throw of a D20 decide which book I will read next. Library books always end up being my top priority though, especially if they're 14-day loans.
Brandy wrote: "Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker artist by Wendy Xu (Zodiac/astrology? Does moon count?)"Yes, it counts. The Moon is an important part of natal charts, and it rules the sign of Cancer.
Hello from a chilly Columbus! I hope this early snow means we鈥檒l have a white Christmas but I won鈥檛 get my hopes up just yet. I haven鈥檛 gotten as much reading as I鈥檇 like done, I keep forgetting to bring headphones to school so I can listen to audiobooks while I practice on fake hands. The Testaments not for the challenge, I just wanted to read this. I was pleased with this book, and the redemption of Aunt Lydia. Not quite as impactful as the handmaids tale but I enjoyed the additional material.
Less for marisha pessls challenge. I don鈥檛 closesly follow the Pulitzer or other big book awards but anytime I read a winner I鈥檓 always pleased. This was beautifully written.
The Right Side of History: How Reason and Moral Purpose Made the West Great not for a challenge, I just forgot I had a hold on this and it auto checked out. This was more a look at history, religion and philosophy than it was political so I enjoyed the direction it went in.
Like Water for Chocolate for the book riot challenge. Fun book, I really enjoy magical realism. And it made me hungry with all the recipes and talk about food. A touch dramatic but I can see why this is a book it seems like everyone has read, or at least heard of.
Stay Sexy & Don鈥檛 Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide this was more autobiographical than murdery, so it鈥檚 not what I was expecting but I was pleased to learn more about the two charming ladies to I listen to on the podcast.
Qotw: my decisions get made partially on what I feel like reading and what the library has ready to check out.
Yay! I have defeated the Hidden Books game!*prays for that sweet, sweet book token*
As an aside, has anyone else stopped getting notifications all of a sudden?
Hello from beautiful but chilly New York. I am in the camp of loving the sneak peeks of the prompts. It gives me something to look forward to every day. And I remember when today's prompt was suggested.Finished:
Royal Holiday
A Head Full of Ghosts
Currently reading:
The Chestnut Man
Girl in Disguise
QOTW:
Mostly the library controls what I read next, especially for audiobooks.
Cendaquenta wrote: "Yay! I have defeated the Hidden Books game!*prays for that sweet, sweet book token*
As an aside, has anyone else stopped getting notifications all of a sudden?"
I haven't been getting notifications for the past couple hours. I thought it was my connection or something.
Wow, I really got basically no reading done this week. I'm involved with a performance art piece that's premiering next weekend and we've been really busy with rehearsals! I read:Romancing the Duke: I didn't love this as much as the last Tessa Dare book I read, but this was still really fun!
Currently reading:
What Happened (audio)
Undone by the Earl
Signal to Noise
Sandry's Book
QOTW: Like a lot of other people I'm motivated by what's soonest due back at the library, but since I also have two shelves full of books I own that I haven't read, I have a TBR Jar! I wrote all the titles on colorful little pieces of paper and folded them up, so when I'm deciding what book to read next I pick a title out of the jar and let fate decide. It also makes a nice decoration for my shelves!
Hi all- not very into reading this week. Although I made it through many more audiobooks than normal as I had a significant drive to a funeral. This week I finished:
Amsterdam: A History of the World's Most Liberal City which was the first audiobook of the week.
How Far Can You Go- my second audiobook of the week
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. Audiobook I finished on my drive into work this morning.
For ebooks I finished:
The Test. Which was ok- I figured out what was going on almost immediately.
To Be Taught, If Fortunate. Really enjoyed this book but boy did I have trouble making myself sit down and read it. It took the entire week to read this short book! Just finished it this morning.
I am currently reading:
The Penguin Lessons my current audiobook- started this morning.
Hot Lead, Cold Iron also started today.
I have a lot of other books I鈥檝e opened but I鈥檓 in a reading slump so looking for something I鈥檓 willing to read.
QOTW-
Which leads to this- I like to plan my reading but it ultimately comes down to what I鈥檓 interested in reading at the time. Which can be really frustrating when I鈥檓 in a reading slump and a hold comes in from the library that I am not interested in reading at all. Oh well.
I finished 2 books this week, but neither for PS challenge.Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune for ATY
The Left-Handed Fate just for fun because my daughter recommended it
Still reading from last week:
Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything for ATY
The Sparrow for set in space
Gaudy Night for amateur detective
Waiting on holds from library:
The Alcatraz Escape for puzzle
We Have Always Lived in the Castle possibly for ATY
QOTW: I read ATY roughly in 4 book monthly sections, so I choose a book from those prompts as I finish one. Other than that, it depends on mood, which library holds have arrived and which ones are due back soon.
Lisa wrote: "Hi all- not very into reading this week. Although I made it through many more audiobooks than normal as I had a significant drive to a funeral. This week I finished:
[book:Amsterdam: A History o..."
Aaaaaah, I hope you like "Hot Lead, Cold Iron"! That series is so much fun!
I've been feeling older than dirt. One of my good friends had a 40th birthday party the other night, and I realized that I was 15 years older than the next oldest person at the party. Maybe my youngish friends are keeping me young? I finished three books this week:
The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare; 4 stars (not for challenges)
My Shakespeare book of the month. It was a funny and silly farce about twins and mistaken identity.
Master of the Phantom Isle by Brandon Mull; 4 stars (not for challenges)
Latest in the middle-grade fantasy series Dragonwatch, and this series is the sequel to the Fablehaven series. The storylines are clever and the characters are great. I love all of his books.
Renegades by Marissa Meyer; 4 stars - #18 (someone with a superpower)
The first book in the Renegades series. I listened to it on audiobook and while I don't love it as much as the Lunar Chronicles, I started the second book on audiobook this morning. Gotta see what happens with Nova and Adrian.
GoodReads: 78/80
PopSugar: 41/45, 8/10
Around the Year: 49/52
QOTW:
I usually read whatever is due back to the library first, especially if it fills a challenge prompt. I have no real system, although I do have monthly personal challenges: a Shakespeare book, an Agatha Christie book, a new release, and a next-in-series every month, plus a well-read list and a Pulitzer Fiction list I'm slowing working on). I have so many books to read at any given time, so basically I look at the stack and grab what sounds interesting at the moment.
Happy check-in everyone. Ellie, thanks for the heads up about the Hidden Books release, I love doing that!!I read two books this week, one for PS taking me to 47/55 (37/45, 10/10).
My first book was for prompt #18 someone with a super power, and I read Touch Not the Cat by Mary Stewart. This was a good, well-paced family mystery with a supernatural element. I did guess the twist pretty early on, but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of watching the story pan out to see if I was right. I will say, I struggled to shake the ickiness of narrator Bryony referring to the unknown member of her family - whom she has been communicating telepathically since childhood - as her "lover". Even if it was certainly one of her cousins (technically legal and totally ok in the UK...still ick to me). I'm adverse to that word anyway, but especially when it's used to refer to a voice in your head that you have conducted zero lovin' with... Anyway, it was the 70's, so I'll let it slide. Not least because it isn't the only stupid thing Bryony is guilty of in the name of family. It's a shame she could be so annoying, because I actually liked Bryony for the most part. I also loved the ramshackle castle which is the central setting and cause for the family feud after the death of Bryony's father. I wont say much more, as this is an easy story to spoil, but it was a fun read.
My second book this week was Leave a Cheater, Gain a Life: The Chump Lady's Survival Guide by Tracy Schorn. I hope to god you will never need this book, but if you do then PLEASE read it. I wish I had read it months ago. I was in two minds of whether to review this publicly, because the title tells you a lot about the reader. But I have been living with a shame imposed on me for seven months, and this is probably the most important resource I have come across in that time. And it has lifted that shame, because unlike so many resources it resists (in fact, it delivers a swift kick in the balls to) the compulsion to blame the hurt person for the selfish, ugly actions of the person they trusted most in the world. This book is all real talk - self-preservation, action plans and a hefty dose of compassion. It's completely different to anything else I've read, heard or followed in these desperately lonely months (and in my pain I have read, heard and followed a lot of advice). I wish I had read this right at the beginning of my own personal journey. So much of the things I've gone through - both emotions and actual events - are laid out here, almost as if people who choose to betray others are working from the same rulebook that us "chumps" didn't even know existed. It has totally changed my perspective on what I should expect in life, love and how I am treated, and while that is quite difficult to get my mind round right now I am so thankful I read this book. And that's why I'm putting this out there - even if you're not sure what your next move should be when your heart has been broken, this is a much needed counterweight to the "forgive and forget, because it was probably your fault" narrative so many resources and counsellors put out there. Your next move is your own, but this book will help you make the best one for you, armed with the whole picture.
QOTW - How do you choose the next book that you're going to read?
I'm not a mood or seasonal reader really, so I've found reading challenges are a great way to take out the decision making. This is my first ATY year, and I've tried to follow the weekly prompts. That has slipped as the year has gone on. But I think I'll stick to that approach in 2020 as well.
Mod
Oh, boy. I can so relate! I want to just walk out of here so f-ing bad!! But I can't take the financial hit/risk. So onward and upward with the job hunt!
I finished my challenge, y'all! Woot woot! My last category was a book that takes place in one day, so I chose Mrs. Dalloway, which I finished last night. It's a fascinating book, and I definitely intend to read some more Virginia Woolf after this.Other books I read this week:
Washington Black: I was a bit disappointed in this one, to be honest. I feel like the author almost got to some insight into human nature, but not quite, which is more frustrating to me than an author who doesn't even try. I do value the attempt, though.
Every Heart a Doorway: this book was fun, but quite short. I feel like there could have been more story there? I dunno, I liked it quite well but it seemed to be over just when it was getting started. Maybe I'm just not a short book person :)
Currently reading:
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland: fascinating from the first word. So excited to learn more about this history!
Fruit of the Drunken Tree
QOTW: I try to narrow down the wide world of books with lists of favorite authors, books I'd like to read, reading challenges, and things like the 1001 books to read before you die list, and I usually have a mental list of about 5 books to read soon. Then I choose among those by gut. I don't like to read books with a similar feel in a row (mostly), so usually I pick the one among the 5 that feels the most different from my previous read.
I haven't posted in a while. I got caught up in life and work and haven't really paid attention to all of my book challenges that I set out to accomplish. That being said, I'm stuck!!! I started The Alienist by Caleb Carr last month and it's been taking me longer to finish it than any other book that I've read this year.That being said, I've read a ton so far! I've read 82 books but I'm 14 prompts away from finishing the challenge and I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do it. I need to go back through the spreadsheet I've kept and see if maybe I can rearrange some books.
This is my first year trying the Popsugar challenge, so even if I don't totally finish, it's still an accomplishment :)
QotW: The book I choose is dependent on my mood more than anything. It might also depend on what I have out from the library that needs to go back or if there is a prompt that I'm trying to fill for one of my challenges that sounds interesting.
So the end is in sight. I'm at 49/50 for the 2018 Popsugar list, and 48/50 for this year, and I have my books picked so I just have to get around to reading them now.Books I Finished:
99 Percent Mine - As far as silly romances go it was okay. Not bad, but nothing special. 
Aurora Blazing - It wasn't quite as good as the first book, but I still loved it. And I'm now eagerly awaiting the 3rd book.
Can You Ever Forgive Me?: Memoirs of a Literary Forger - I read this for a book where you watched the movie first. I actually hadn't seen the movie before this week, so I ended up using this to push me to get something off my to watch list AND my to read list. The movie was fine - excellent performances, but the movie was a little depressing. The book however had a real sense of humour that kept the subject light and breezy.
Night Shift - I've always just read the Ilona Andrews story and skipped the other 3 stories, but this time I made a point to read it all. The Nalini Singe story was decent, but didn't have much of a plot. The Lisa Shearin was wonderful, and I now have a new series to track down. The Milla Vane story was not to me taste though.
Shadow of Night - I'd forgotten how much I like this series. Yes it's a longer read than most, but I'm still glad to revisit this.Books I Made Progress On:
The Winter LongQOTW
I'm a complete mood reader. That being said, I usually have a vague plan of what I'm going to read soon, and I do try to push myself if a due date is coming up, but if I'm really not feeling it, I'll send books back, and just try to get it again at a later date. I definitely go through reading challengers and try to get the 'hard' challenges over and done with first, and then I always go for a 'reward' book afterwards.
Cendaquenta wrote: "This game is now KILLING ME. 馃槶I managed to figure out 16/20 and then got stuck. Can't get:
- Al's Pharmacy
- the car with the bow
- Angel's Butchers
- the road sign with the bee on it"
I looked at it briefly, figured one out, then realized I had to leave it before it consumed the rest of my day.
This week I finished: Shamed: Excellent addition to the series.
In the Dark: There were a LOT of problems with this book, and I had to keep reminding myself to not bother trying to outsmart something that's purpose is to entertain me, and I was mostly successful. I figured out the twists and had to suspend my disbelief for most of the book, but overall it sucked me in and was quite enjoyable.
Currently reading:
Not Her Daughter: Not enjoying this one so far, but I paid money for it, so I continue.
Sweet Revenge: Reading for a short cozy mystery. It is fine. Nothing too special so far.
To Kill a Mockingbird: I tried to read this once before and kept not concentrating on it and giving up, so I got the audiobook this time and Sissy Spacek does a FANTASTIC job reading this.
Question of the week:
How do you choose the next book that you're going to read?
Basically whatever I find at the library or whatever strikes my mood just right. There is absolutely no method to my madness.
It's getting cold in New York!I finished one book between 11/8 and 11/14: Northanger Abbey (Jane Austen) 鈥 nothing like a work in the public domain; there is a decent recording on LibriVox.
I am at 46/50 for this challenge. I pretty much have my last books mapped out (which feels a little constricting, to be honest, at this point鈥攇lad for the sneak peeks of next year's prompts!).
Books in progress: Lost Children Archive (Valeria Luiselli), Dawn (my first foray into the works of Octavia Butler), and technically Rayuela (Julio Cort谩zar), although I may switch the Luiselli book to the "unusual chapter headings/unconventionally numbered chapters" category and choose a different book for the "novel based on a true story" category.
The last book on my list for this challenge is The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration (Isabel Wilkerson).
QOTW: Lately, the books often choose me, in that I have been on months-long waitlists for various digital holds from the Libby app. I only recently started making use of the "suspended holds" feature, which is useful since before there were a few longer titles I could not finish before my hold expired and I had to wait a while to be able to finish reading them. Now I can make sure they don't all arrive at once. I enjoy the gamification of this process鈥 it seems that the books usually arrive at the right emotional moment.
Otherwise, I have been working through the list, storing multiple possibilities in a spreadsheet and moving everything around as I hear of books through reviews in newspapers, through friends, or on the shelves of my nearby bookstore.
I like Bree's idea of a TBR jar!
Sarah, I'm sorry that you've had to go through such a tough year. Thanks for sharing your feelings on a book that has helped you. It will likely help others. Best wishes to you in your future. You got this!
Christy wrote: "I finished my challenge, y'all! Woot woot! My last category was a book that takes place in one day, so I chose Mrs. Dalloway, which I finished last night. It's a fascinating book, and ..."I bought a copy of Mrs. Dalloway for this challenge but ended up putting something else in that category instead鈥 now I am looking forward to reading it at some point!
I agree with you about Every Heart a Doorway (and all of the other books in the series, which I have now read)鈥 it always seemed like there was some backstory I was missing. Each of the books could easily have been three times as long and I wouldn't have minded. The shortness feels almost like a punishment, haha.
Lauren wrote: "It's been a tough week. I've loved the job I've been at the past 1.5 years but my boss has been a nightmare to work for and it just kept getting worse over the past six months. I have never experie..."Some people just shouldn't be allowed to manage other people. I'm sorry you had to leave a job you otherwise loved, but I certainly understand. I left my last job (luckily I was able to retire) feeling much the same way. I'm shocked(?) and saddened to read social media posts from former colleagues that show that things haven't gotten any better even though leadership has changed on many levels. Sometimes I think that only people who are bad at their jobs are promoted to management. Good luck on your job search!
I'm trying to get through my library books as fast as I can so I can make as many informed decisions as possible in the GR Choice Awards. Pumpkinheads: cute, but not much else.
Book Love: like a sappy Hallmark card; just awful.
The Octopus Museum: Poems: DNF'd. I was just so lost and confused. The premise is that octopi have taken over the world since humans have messed up the climate so bad, but the poems mostly just seem to be her thoughts about motherhood. I just couldn't get any further.
They Called Us Enemy: Just an incredible memoir and history lesson. I have one more graphic novel to get to, but it will have to be incredible to steal the vote from this.
How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems: An excellent follow-up to What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions. As the man says, physics doesn't care how silly your question is, it just gives you the answer without being all judgey about it.
I've started Black Leopard, Red Wolf, but I'm going to have to set it aside for the moment because The Turn of the Key came in and I've only got a week to read it!
QOTW: Well, right now, I'm trying to read all the GR award nominees that interest me before voting closes. My other big limit is availability from the library and due dates. Otherwise, I enjoy just scrolling through my tbr and picking whatever I'm in the mood for.
Whoa I was so caught up in new prompts I forgot it was Thursday!Finished reading: (42/50)
Carter & Lovecraft ("love" in the title, superpowers, imaginary creatures, multi-POV) - An ex-cop private investigator inherits a bookstore under mysterious circumstances. Shortly thereafter, he gets pulled into investigating a paranormal murder. This was...okay. There were some really top-notch horror scenes, and a good villain, but I struggled to care about anything the main character was doing.
Skinner Box - Short story. This was wild. So there's three people cooped up on a year-long spaceship journey: a neuroscientist, her violent/abusive husband, and the ship's engineer. The neuroscientist has had enough, and is plotting to kill her husband. Then things take a turn for the unexpected. Many turns, in fact. I nominate this for Most Plot Twists of 2019.
Sweetlings ("sweet" in the title, cli-fi, imaginary creatures) - Short story. This started as standard cli-fi (a hardscrabble community trying to survive after global warming has ended civilization) and then suddenly (view spoiler)! I liked it, but if you like your sci-fi to be scientifically accurate it's probably not for you.
(I haven't decided whether to count short stories for the challenge, but I might end up using a couple, since the year is winding down.)
Currently reading:
The Rogue Crew (posthumously published, nostalgic, set in an abbey) - The final Redwall book! I used to love this series so much.
QotW: Definitely a mood reader. I used to try and vary my reading (e.g., alternating between fantasy and non-fantasy) but now I just read whatever I feel like.
Hello reading friends. I am rolling right along and might even be able to finish this thing. *Fingers crossed* I am back to work from my unplanned/unwanted sabbatical and trying to get my head together. Holiday cheer has got me going.33/40 Regular
5/10 Advanced
Finished:
18. Book about someone with a superpower
Five stars!!! Loved this so much. Strong women, demons, ice kings! What more could you want?!
Currently Reading
QotW:
(From Raye) How do you choose the next book that you're going to read?
I am very much a mood reader although my moods currently WANT to read popular, newer books and get them from the library. This makes things difficult. By the time I get the book, the mood has passed. LOL. When I plan things tend to go astray. I need more time and energy.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
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The Starless Sea (other topics)
Shine! (other topics)
Cocktail Time (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Vivien Chien (other topics)Peter Robinson (other topics)
Val McDermid (other topics)
Chris Cleave (other topics)
Aimee Hix (other topics)
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I'm not at my computer yet this morning due to an appointment so I'm just going to make a quick opening to get you all started!
Also, thank you all for the birthday wishes last week!
I finished two books this week:
The Bromance Book Club
Finding Dorothy
I enjoyed both books!
I still have one last book for this challenge:a book set in space. I have started and stopped several books. I need to just pick one and make it happen!
Question of the week:
(From Raye) How do you choose the next book that you're going to read?
I'm really a mood reader so I'm going to pick up whatever sounds good in the moment. Often it is something my bookish friends have been talking about, but I do try to scan my physical shelves to find something that's been patiently waiting for me to select it.