Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2018 Weekly Checkins
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Week 14: 3/30 - 4/5
Well, on the weather front here in the west of Scotland, we've had more snow. Nothing dramatic, but still - it's April!My reading this week hasn't allowed me to cross anything off. I have a few hours to pull my research proposal for my MSc out of thin air, so most of my time has been spent reading academic writing, not books. I'm still working through Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books. I'm enjoying it (though I can't for the life of me keep the fractions of the conflict straight), it's always interesting to me to see someone else's take on a book I've read, and to learn more about modern history that I really should have a better understanding of.
My maternity leave ends in just over a week, and the only positive to that is a bit more reading time because I'll be commuting. Silver linings...
How have your reading tastes changed as you've gotten older? (or have they not changed at all?)
Well, I don't read Point Horror or Babysitter's Club any more... I guess adult equivalents to those would be horror and chick lit, and I've never really read those. I have read a couple of horrors as an adult, and I did have a chick-lit phase between 17-19, but I do think my tastes have refined and also broadened. I dabble in classics, love to read from/about people of different demographics, and I'm all about literary realism. I guess I read to understand the world and life a bit more, whereas when I was younger I read to escape it.
Hello from Brisbane Australia,I had plenty of time to read over the Easter long weekend so I got heaps finished:
Ender in Exile (next book in a series) I was disappointed in this as I really enjoyed the Ender’s game series. This was not up to the standard of the other books
The Client (a bestseller from the year you graduated highschool � 1993). This is not a genre a read a lot of but I really enjoyed this book.
Her Fearful Symmetry (a book with twins) This was a lot darker than The Time Travellers Wife. In this book there are two lots of twins and both are pretty creepy. It is not my favourite book as I hated all of the characters but other people may like it.
Ready Player One (Cyberpunk). I absolutely loved this book. I barely moved off the couch when reading it. I saw the movie too which was quite different, but still good.
The Transmigration of Bodies and Signs Preceding the End of the World (a book recommended by someone else completing the challenge). This was recommended by my aunt who is doing the challenge for the first time this year after watching her two nieces complete it in previous years.
Point of Origin (Author with the same first name as me). I thought this was ok. I am finding that I am not enjoying the later books in this series as much as I enjoyed the first couple.
Graceling (anti-hero) I quite enjoyed this book. In this book a woman graced with the gift of killing decides to do something positive with her gift. It was a YA fiction so quite easy to read.
Currently reading:
The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying (a book about death or grief). This is a tough read and quite sad
Fromelles and Pozières: In The Trenches Of Hell (a book read by a stranger) This is really heavy going so not sure how long it will take me as I keep needing to put it down
Noose True stories of Australians who died at the gallows (True crime) Also not a light read.
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (A book with an alliteration). I needed something a bit fun after all the heavy books I am reading.
Plum Spooky (Book set on Halloween) This is really light so I should knock it over quickly.
I am about to go on holidays so I won’t be checking in for two weeks. By that time I should have made a decent dent in the challenge.
QOTW
When I was younger I used to read a lot of Stephen King and thrillers. I could read these all the time and it not make a difference.
Now I am older I need to balance out my heavy reading with lighter novels. Maybe I am just world weary now I am over 40. What I do like about this challenge is that it does make you read a wider variety and I think that is good for me.
Mod
haha SAME!! but that Barbie movie was a good one! I still haven't read "Kingfisher" but I did read another retelling of this tale: Princess of the Midnight Ball.
Mod
This week I had some vacation time, but I didn't make any huge progress in my reading. My library pile taunts me. I've been returning books unread! I finished only two books this week: one graphic novel and one novel, and officially DNF'ed a book that I had set aside weeks ago (which was meant to be my local author book - this is why I don't like the "local author" prompt! I should seek out the author Theresa mentioned to me for this category, next). Again this week I've completed NO books for the Challenge, so I remain at 28/50. (Which, admittedly, is well ahead of where I need to be.)
Finished:
The Kingdom of Gods by N.K. Jemisin - this was okay, but disappointing. I've LOVED everything else I've read by Jemisin, so my expectations were set at Permanently Very High for her. I guess even great authors can create a hot mess now and then.
Saga, Vol. 8 - LOVED this, as always.
DNF'ed:
Tainted Moonlight (author from Syracuse, story set in Syracuse) - just, no.
QOTW:
My tastes have both changed and not changed. I think I still like the same kind of books I liked as a kid (sci fi, fantasy, and mysteries), but I experience them in a slightly different way, and I have a larger appreciation for "literary" fiction and historical fiction and romance and non-fiction than I ever had before. I used to think I didn't like literary fiction and romance, but now I love both! I also have less patience, perhaps ironic since people always complain that kids have no patience, but when I was a kid I had nothing better to do than sink into a book - now I've got so many other responsibilities, I could never manage to finish the Lord of the Ring series! So, I prefer shorter punchier books, but I also am fine with puzzling out hidden meanings and layers, which is something I (like most teens) wasn't very good at.
Good afternoon from Copenhagen, Denmark. Today and yesterday spring has arrived (who knows for how long?). The day before that it snowed and last thursday I built a snowfort with my sons, niece and nephew. I didn´t really check in last week, only left random comments. Too busy building snowforts...
I finished A Court of Thorns and Roses for favourite previous prompt (based on a fairy tale). I liked this, a light read with a well-built fantasy world with lots of references to several different fairy tales: Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping beauty (the title: in Danish (and other languages) "Tornerose" means Thorn Rose), Elverhøj (The Elf Mound) and probably more.
Born to Run as audiobook, read by the Boss himself. Bruce Springsteen is a really good storyteller, which you can hear in his songs, and this also works in his biography. I like how he connects his personal story to world events and culture, and his songs connects to my personal story. My first stadium concert was The Human Rights Concert in Harare, Zimbabwe in ´88, when I was 13. I met my husband in ´99 and he´s a Springsteen fan and collector, and so on. So the small and large stories of people and events are interconnected, I like that.
Currently reading:
µþÂáø°ù²Ô±ð²ú²â (Beartown) that I picked up again after a break reading other things.
Started Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore as audiobook. I´m liking it so far, though I think the narrator Ari Fliakos overdramatizes a bit.
Also always reading some non-challenge related children´s books for different work and interest things.
Question:
This is really hard to answer. I´ve had some periods reading specific things. hmmm. I think my reading has broadened, even though it´s always been quite broad. My most read genres were, and are, fantasy, sci-fi, historical fiction and who-dunnits. Now I read more contemporary realism and less historicals and who-dunnits. What I think is the most significant change, is the way i´m reading. As a child and young person, pre-children and pre-adult responsiblities I could get completely lost in a universe for hours and days on end, only to resurface temporarily in a grumpy state because someone told me it was time to eat/ go somwhere or some other unimportant thing. Now I only do that sometimes for half a night when everyone else is sleeping. But maybe that will change back, when my kids move out and I retire??
After a week of constant rain and dreariness, it's now a beautiful spring day on the south coast of England, it's just a shame it's when I'm at work! I didn't read as much as I'd liked over Easter but I did read one 5* book which makes up for it.I finished The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue which I liked but it just seemed too long for what it was. I'm using it for the LGBTQ+ prompt. I did like that the author had some notes on historical accuracy at the back because I was a bit sceptical about some things but turns out she had researched everything.
My 5* book was I Still Dream which I was super happy to discover fits the song lyric prompt (the title takes its name from Cloudbusting by Kate Bush). I have loved everything James Smythe has written and I think he's a really underappreciated author.
I'm still dipping into Lost Mars: The Golden Age of the Red Planet and I've started reading Swimming Lessons for local author. One of the characters hoards old books and there are letters from his wife hidden in them, so there are lot's of other books mentioned. Some of them are a bit obscure but I'm taking note in case there's something I could use for that prompt. So far the only one of interest is Jaws and I was considering that for my movie one...
17/50
QOTW:
I think I was much less adventurous about reading new things when I was younger. I read a lot of chick lit as a young adult, and plenty of crime fiction in my twenties, but now I only read those genres occasionally. I'm now mostly drawn to SFF and non-fiction, with contemporary YA filling in for when I would have once picked up chick-lit. Yeah, I'm going about it the wrong way round!
I wonder if it's because contemporary adult fiction can feel a bit too close to real life now. I know I went off crime fiction because I was starting to see all the tropes and domestic thrillers just seemed to all be about horrible people after Gone Girl.
I seem to like my reading to either be escapist, comforting or to expand my mind these days.
Ellie wrote: "...My 5* book was I Still Dream which I was super happy to discover fits the song lyric prompt (the title takes its name from Cloudbusting by Kate Bush) ..."That is my favourite Kate Bush song (it kept me sane when I went overdue with my most recent baby, and felt pressurised by the midwife to book an induction - "I just know that something good is going to happen.") I need to read this book, just for that alone!
ETA - bonus, it sounds very similar to Person of Interest, which I loved.
Johanne wrote: "What I think is the most significant change, is the way i´m reading. As a child and young person, pre-children and pre-adult responsiblities I could get completely lost in a universe for hours and days on end, only to resurface temporarily in a grumpy state because someone told me it was time to eat/ go somwhere or some other unimportant thing. ..."Yes to this! I am signed up to Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon at the end of the month because it seems to be the only thing that will get me to dedicate a whole weekend to reading. I don't even have children but there always seems stuff to be doing!
Despite the long weekend (or maybe because of?), I didn't read much this week and finished nothing for this challenge. Good thing I'm pretty far ahead of schedule.Finished
I only finished two graphic novels this week. Both for Book Riot.
Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy
M.F.K.: Book One
Progress
Regular: 19
Advanced: 3
Currently Reading
Obsidio
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives
QOTW
I think the only thing that's changed is that I read more genres then I used to. I used to only pick up Scifi or Fantasy. And I look for more diversity in the characters and authors.
Ellie wrote: "Johanne wrote: "What I think is the most significant change, is the way i´m reading. As a child and young person, pre-children and pre-adult responsiblities I could get completely lost in a univers...I don't even have children but there always seems stuff to be doing! "
Yes! And work is so time consuming! I like my job, but seriously - why does it have to be on every day?
Good morning for a too cold Columbus. We keep wavering between nice days and then waking up to snow. One of these days it’ll be so hot that I’ll look back and miss this weather but still. I just want a nice spring day lol. I realized E. Lockhart wrote this random book I really liked in high school, so I decided to take a trip down memory lane this week. The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver
The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them
The Treasure Map of Boys: Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch, Gideon—and me, Ruby Oliver
I read the first one in high school and I guess I didn’t realize more books were in the series. These are the quintessential teen girl books. Boy obsessed, best frenemies, high school drama in its peak form. This is not something I’d pick up at the ripe old age of 30, but I absolutely loved this stuff when I was a teen. It’s good for what it is, and is great for feeling nostalgic. I don’t think these fit any prompt but oh well!
Fly on the Wall: How One Girl Saw Everything another E. Lockhart teen girl angst book. Really weird, kind of annoying but I overall like her writing style.
We, the Drowned was my book set at sea pick. The instant I saw that prompt on the list I immediately knew what book I was using. I’d been walking by this mammoth of a book for years, loving the title and the cover and wanting to read it but not wanting to tackle a book that size. If you’re still looking for a sea book, I HIGHLY recommend this book. It’s an epic tale spanning almost 100 years of a Danish port town and it’s residents adventures on sea. I absolutely loved it. Bonus points, when I realized the books were about Danes I figured I’d run across a Henning in there somewhere (my son’s name), and I was right! That’s always fun. Now I just need to find some books with my daughters name in it lol.
So I’m at 28/40; 0/10 with 56 books read this year.
QOTW: fitting question! I loved loved loved YA when I was a teen. I still have a soft spot but it’s obviously a lot harder for me to relate to high school aged characters and to not get frustrated with their teenage antics. I’m officially that person who says “youths!� in an exasperated way when they irritate me. But overall, I pretty much always read anything and I guess that’s still true.
Nadine wrote: ".... My library pile taunts me. I've been returning books unread!"I hate when that happens. I completely relate.
Happy Thursday! 22 of 50 down.Completed:
Tell No Onee by Harlen Coben for a different challenge. This was a thriller with an interesting twist at the end. I didn’t love it � too much breaking the fourth wall. The thrills were great. I don’t think I like Harlen Coben’s voice, but I’ll give him another shot.
Hush Now, Don't You Cry by Rhys Bowen for a different challenge, although it could work for song lyrics. This was a cozy that had some interesting ideas but I did not care for the resolution. It’s a shame, as the Molly Murphy series normally is pretty good.
Blown Away by Clover Tate for another challenge. This is one of those books that fulfills a very specific need in a challenge (protagonist with an E name residing in a specific region). I hated the protagonist. I honestly hated the protagonist. Since it’s a cozy, you are supposed to find her endearing � NOPE! She thinks she knows better than the police, has made questionable allegiances, and in the words of the old phrase rushes in where angels fear to tread. I have already decided that I will not be reading any more of this series. Add in poor business practices and a cocky attitude. And the only ‘real� possible killers were people who were not her friends. Ugh�
Currently reading:
The Expatriates by Janice Y K Lee for #14: an author with a different ethnicity than you. The writing is rich and the characterizations are great in this tale of Americans living in Hong Kong. We follow the path of three women � 1 loses a child (due to poor child tending by another) and the third debates marriage and adoption.
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson for #33: a childhood classic you have never read. It is kind of violent compared to what children read today!
QOTW : Reading tastes
Yes! My reading tastes have matured as I have. I’m in my mid-40s and enjoy a wide spectrum of reading (true crime, mystery, suspense, thrillers, biographies, non-fiction, and some chick lit). I need the books to be well written though. I have very little tolerance for precocious heroines or poorly written dialogue. I also despise the rewriting of history! I try to avoid YA, Sci Fi and I have to be picky about cozy mysteries. I have a much greater appreciation for literature and read the classics with much greater glee than in my youth.
It's cold here in NC. I've been on vacation in TN for the last several days and it was sooo nice up there, it stayed in the 70s with light breezes to keep it cool. Because I was on vacation I only finished 2 books this week which puts me at 16/521. Obsidio - I can't believe this series is over. I'm hoping there will be a novella or something. I need more! I'm using this for the prompt read a book set on another planet. It bounces back and forth between a spaceship and another planet but I'm counting it.
2. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue - There was a lot of hype for this book and I finally gave it and read it. It was ok, but not what I expected. I'm counting this for the LBGTQ+ prompt.
I'm currently reading:
1. The Tycoon's Make-Believe Fiancée -which I should finish today since its a short story
2. Meg - my hold from the library just came through so I'll be starting it tonight and I am SO excited!
QOTW: My tastes have definitely changed over the years but I feel like I'm coming back to what I liked as a teenager. When I was in high school I read a lot of Stephen King, mysteries, James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell stuff like that. I read some YA but not a lot (I was a big Twilight fan back then). Going into my 20s I started reading more romance-y type books like Nora Roberts and Janet Evanovich. Then Idk what happened. Over the last couple of years I've just started reading literally anything. I love thrillers, horror, dark mysteries, classics, I read a lot more YA, some fantasy, chick lit, literary fiction, even memoirs. I have to say my favorite is horror or anything dark and weird. I think that's why I've enjoyed this challenge so much. I loosely followed it last year but this year I've done better at trying to complete the tasks. I've read books that I normally wouldn't have picked up on my own and for the most part enjoyed them.
Mod
Same!! I have a good job but my life is so much more pleasant when I only work a few days a week. Two-day weekends are not enough time to Do All the Things! Especially when you have kids who have weekend activities (this upcoming weekend is fully booked with school band activities, sob!)
Sara said: The Girls at the Kingfisher Club: A Novel by Genevieve Valentine. This is a retelling of the twelve dancing princesses fairytale. I’m a sucker for fairytale retellings, and I think this is one of the most unique ones I’ve read. So happy to see more love for this book! I adore it and ruthlessly push it on people every chance I get. <3
Good morning, all! Fingers crossed - it looks like it MIGHT be sunny here today, and boy howdy could I use some sun to break up all the gray days we've had recently.FINISHED
My Brother's Husband, Volume 1 - I absolutely tore through this sweet, funny manga. Highly recommended! I used it for Read Harder's prompt of a comic published outside the big 3 publishers. Now at 10/24 for that challenge.
Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race - As I said in my review, I know shamefully little about race outside the U.S. American perspective, so this book was a great opportunity to broaden my knowledge. I definitely recommend it. I used it for Popsugar's prompt of "a book from a celebrity book club" (it was a selection from Emma Watson's). Now at 16/50 for this challenge.
IN PROGRESS
Currently I'm reading Love, Hate & Other Filters and listening to the audiobook of The Index Card: Why Personal Finance Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated. I also skimmed through the first chapter of The Summer of Jordi Perez and I can't wait to pick it up for real!
DNF
I quit Pick Three: You Can Have It All, which was an interesting idea for a blog post stretched out over a book. Nope.
QOTW
I think I used to really like family sagas, which usually get a pass from me now. I was more open to mystery in the past, too, and I used to really like books by comedians, neither of which are things I particularly enjoy anymore. (I will simply never care how someone got into improv.)
Hello hello! Had some family drama this weekend, but won't bore folks with the details... thank goodness for the escape that's books, I suppose.Finished FIVE books this week:
Heartless -- "next book in a series you're reading." Just as enjoyable as the rest of the series has been. If anyone likes steampunk, I highly recommend the "Parasol Protectorate" series!
Napalm & Silly Putty -- "bestseller from the year you graduated high school." I guess I feel that George Carlin isn't for me -- he has his funny moments, but overall his "nothing's sacred" attitude, foul mouth, and general misanthropy were more irritating than funny.
Watermelon Is Life -- "book with a fruit or vegetable in the title." The story of an American teacher in Namibia teaching English classes. Interesting read, if rather dry -- the author seems to prefer info-dumping over telling a story.
We All Looked Up -- "book about death or grief." Teenagers dealing with the possible end of the world counts as death and grief, right? XD Good but not great.
Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation -- graphic novel, not for the challenge. The striking art style really fits the story, and reminded me why I loved the original novel so much.
DNF:
A Clockwork Orange -- was going to read this for the "fruit or vegetable" prompt, but I didn't even make it five pages in! I like sci-fi, but my patience for made-up slang and jargon only goes so far, especially when A) every other word is a made-up word, and B) the author makes no effort to translate or explain said slang and jargon. No thanks.
QOTW:
I used to read science fiction and fantasy pretty much exclusively, and even went through a period during my teen years where I'd read anything with the world "dragon" in the title! (Which at least got me hooked on Anne McCaffrey, I suppose...) I still enjoy those genres, but after feeling like fantasy had gotten itself stuck in a rut that it's largely still trapped in (in my opinion), I branched out and have enjoyed books in other genres. I still won't touch certain topics (like erotica and, by and large, romance), but I've diversified what I read quite a bit. Anything out of the ordinary still catches my eye, though...
Gadzooks! I finished ten books this week! Granted, several of them are picture books, but still. Two of them fill prompts so I'm now28/50
Finished:
From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death - I finally wrapped up the book in my bag. This was an interesting selection of death rituals around the world and, fairly obviously, my book about death.
Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse - One of my favorite picture books! GORGEOUS illustrations. I would absolutely hang some of those pictures on my wall. No joke. A mouse engineers a plane and crosses the Atlantic.
Armstrong: The Adventurous Journey of a Mouse to the Moon - The sequel! I found both of these on sale and snapped them up! This mouse engineers a spacecraft to fly to the moon! This is my Animal book.
VERY excited the next book is on it's way in October! Edison: The Mystery of the Missing Mouse Treasure
March: Book One and March: Book Two are both excellent. I'l looking forward to Book Three and eagerly awaiting the new series, Run beginning in August.
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax and The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax - I'm loving Mrs. Pollifax! I should have read one of these for my espionage book last year.
They All Saw a Cat - Lovely picture book about perspective. We all see the cat, but we all see it differently.
The Blackthorn Key - Another middle grade adventure with ciphers, a favorite genre of mine. This would probably have been better physical instead of audio. Listening to someone read out encrypted messages letter by letter is less than thrilling.
I love it when a book I've been wanting is on sale, especially if it's a picture book. I adore them, but they are expensive compared to the time I will spend reading them. I was excited yesterday to finally get Now Playing: A Seek-and-Find Book for Film Buffs! Two of my loves! Movies and picture books. Forget Waldo, Where's Spielberg? Is he in Jurassic Park? Is that a Gremlin landing on Omaha Beach? Why is Marty McFly on Amity Island? FUN!
Currently Reading:
Flying Too High - The second Phryne Fisher book. LOVE HER! If you haven't watched Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, I recommend it. Completely feminist and OMG THE COSTUMES. Netflix has it, in the States at least. Fingers crossed the movie actually happens.
Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children's Literature as an Adult
Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Lord Verse
QOTW:
My reading has expanded, but I still love to read the same types of things I did as a child, as my list today should attest! I could have only wished for this many fun middle grade books when I was in school.
Hi everyone! I’ve used both my heater and my a/c within a 24-hour period, so I’d say it is spring in Texas. Each day the temperature is at least 10 degrees different from the last, and earlier this week we had 45 degrees at 3pm, 70 degrees at 10pm, 85 the next day at 3pm, then 60 the 3rd day at 3pm. At least I can go longer before doing laundry. LOLI finished 3 books this week, all for Popsugar, so I’m now at 22/52 for this challenge.
Books I finished:
Beartown by Fredrik Backman for a book about sports (19). I loved this. Backman spends about the first ¼ of the book talking a lot about hockey and the very small town of Beartown, which can put off a few non-sports fans, but he does it for good reason. Hockey is one of the only things bringing revenue to the dying town, and as a result the hockey players can do no wrong, similar to the culture around football or basketball players in the U.S. Once an accusation is made against one of the players, a line is drawn in the sand forcing people in the town to choose a side. Backman does an incredible job describing the emotions of the characters: the arrogance of the wealthy who “own� the team, the fear of the 15-year-old accuser, the love a parent feels for a child, the loyalty of friends. This was my second Backman novel, and I’ll definitely read more.
Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley for a book with my favorite color in the title (21). This was a classic mystery set in 1940’s Los Angeles. The whole time I was reading it I was envisioning a black & white movie. I liked it but didn’t love it.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid for favorite prompt of 2017, a story within a story. This is a journalist interviewing a former Hollywood star about her life, and I had to keep reminding myself that this was fiction because it felt like I was reading about real people. I enjoyed it, even though it spells out how fake Hollywood life is.
I am currently reading:
Red Rising by Pierce Brown for a book set on another planet (27). I should finally finish this one later today or tomorrow.
Red Clocks by Leni Zumas for the Around the Year challenge.
The Godfather by Mario Puzo for a book about a villain/antihero (9).
QOTW: I think my reading taste has changed, but not as dramatically as I thought as I look back on things. Post-schooling I read a few series by popular authors like Dennis Lehane and Patricia Cornwell. I looked down on books with paranormal characters and women’s fiction, but now I am more open to reading both as long as the story is good. I’d say today I am more concerned with the content overall than just it being a bestseller. The genre doesn’t matter as much, although I think I will always love WWII historical fiction and psychological thrillers. I also am more of a mood reader now, so I find myself reading a couple of heavier books followed by something light-hearted, just to keep me reading.
Down with a cold since Monday and the wife injured her knee (ACL?) last Saturday. Not been a great week.Last week I finished Sting-Ray Afternoons by Steve Rushin for a book set in the decade that I was born in. I wanted to like this nostalgia-fest so much more but the story was too thin for the thick layer of 70s TV jingles. it's a little like looking at a Pinterest page filled with 70s ads, for several hours.
QOTW
My taste in books is still changing. One thing that I used to do was dismiss a lot of genre fiction for being... genre fiction. "I won't like that because it is fantasy." or whatever. As I have gotten older I take a more, a good book is a good book attitude. I just look for things that are well written that I might enjoy, they are easy to find. #SoManyBooks
Weather is still crazy here in the midwest, and I've had one cold after another, plus some flare ups of my chronic health issues. The plus side is, I'm getting a ton of reading done, and my goodreads shelves are much better organized, but barely the basics on everything else. (I'm normally a winter person, but even I'm ready for it to just be spring already. My fingers should not go numb after 60 seconds in the wind in APRIL.)Finished Reading:
The Princess Pact: A Twist on Rumpelstiltskin I liked the themes in this story, and unusual angle on the original tale, since the original is just kind of weird.
Decimation: The Girl Who Survived A YA dystopian with very mediocre writing but a well constructed plot. It probably bothered me more than it would the average reader that the operating room scenes, supposedly from the patient's perspective, were not at all accurate to what it *feels* like to be about to have surgery.
A Midwinter's Wedding: A Retelling of The Frog Prince I really loved this one, partly because it felt like all the adventures I wanted to have as a twelve year old.
The Princess Game: A Reimagining of Sleeping Beauty One of my favorites of the series. It has a dash of Scarlet Pimpernel thrown in, and I found it strangely relatable. (I have a couple more bonus chapters from this series to read, but I'm putting them off because then the series will be completely over and that will make me sad.)
Shot All to Hell: Bad Ass Outlaws, Gunfighters, and Law Men of the Old West I used this for my true crime prompt. There were some stories I already knew pretty well, but a few really interesting new nuggets. (I'd never heard of Dynamite Dan before, but someone really needs to write a sci-fi story explaining why his death was reported in newspapers so many different times.)
Enchanters' End Game I finally finished this series, now that my Kindle Unlimited trial is over and I got back to print books. It's a really enjoyable fantasy quest series that I rated 4 stars overall, but I keep debating whether I need to bump that up to 5 stars. I'm not sure it was that amazing objectively, but I just really enjoyed it.
Pollyanna This could be a childhood classic I never read if I hadn't already filled that category. This book was okay, but if you want to read a 'young girl handles hard life stuff well' book I'd highly recommend A Little Princess instead.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World This book was adorably ridiculous. It has the same kind of fourth wall nudging footnotes as The Eyre Affair, which I loved, but if you don't like over the top and kind of silly, stay far away from this book. :-) (I could use this for animal in the title or two authors if I hadn't already filled those. I'm still deciding if it counts as an allegory or not.)
Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane This is the book I meant to use for 'next book in a series' but I accidentally filled that already. I didn't love this *quite* as much as the first book, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. I like heroic heroes, even if they're only eleven, and I'm also a sucker for a good big brother character, so Gregor is basically the best.
Currently Reading:
The American Indian For my book I meant to read in 2017.
The Richest Man in Babylon Because a friend recommended it. I'm listening to this on audio and it has good information, but nothing really new for me, so I'm not enjoying it a whole lot.
Fix, Freeze, Feast, 2nd Edition: The Delicious, Money-Saving Way to Feed Your Family; Stock Your Freezer with Ready-to-Cook Meals; 150 Recipes A cookbook from NetGalley. Haven't gotten very far, but it looks like it could be good.
Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods His mom is a bit annoying in this one, but overall seems like a good addition to the series so far.
DNF:
Graveyard Rose: A Gothic Paranormal Romance I was going through kindle books I've gotten for free, deleting a couple that just looked bad and adding a bunch to my want to read list. This one, the goodreads blurb looked so hilariously bad that my curiosity was piqued and I started reading the first few pages. I laughed so hard at the writing that I saved this one in case I want to come back to it and laugh some more.
QOTW:
In a lot of ways I have the same reading tastes I used to, just in a more refined form. I used to read Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys, fairy tales, Animorphs, Robert Heinlein, Louis L'amour and Janette Oke, then graduated to Agatha Christie and cozy mysteries, Timothy Zahn and Star Trek novelizations, and more Loius L'amour.
Now I read Neil Gaiman, Orson Scott Card and fairy tale retellings, along with a lot of other YA sci-fi/fantasy. (I love the themes and intensity of YA, where they still believe they can save the world, unlike a lot of disillusioned grown up books, but I do get fed up with some of the 'dumb teenager' tropes. I really enjoyed the Shatter Me series overall, but I kept wanting to the sit the main character down for a little chat about hormones.)
I still enjoy the occasional Agatha Christie, and I've loved what I read of the Flavia De Luce series, but in general I don't enjoy cozy mysteries anymore. Westerns have mostly dropped off my radar, though there are a few Loius L'amour books I'd like to get around to reading.
(Edit: I forgot to mention that in general romances have gone the way of cozy mysteries in my reading. I love romance added my stories, but I strongly prefer 'let's save the world together' to 'let's fight for a while and then fall in love'.)
I'm slowly discovering that I actually like a very few representatives of the horror genre as well, I just really hate most of the tropes that are used. Something like Dracula though, where it's more about good vs. evil and less about gore and pointless, depressing creepiness, is perfect.
Also, I appreciate nonfiction a LOT more than I did when I was younger, and I have a much lower tolerance for mediocre writing.
After two weeks in Asia, I have been relaxing a lot to adjust back to East Coast time, and work. The weather has been nice in DC, but we are expected to get snow this weekend! Finished Reading
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine - I really enjoyed this novel, but I can see why some people don't. I finished it in a little over a day, and have opted to keep the hard copy on my bookshelf to come back to in the future.
Pride and Prejudice - I read/listen to this book at least once a year. This go-round, I listened to the audiobook, superbly narrated by Rosamund Pike. Lucky me, it knocks out a prompt for ATY and PS as well.
How to Walk Away - Won an ARC from Bookish First and needed to read and review prior to publication. I read this in a day, and absolutely loved it.
ATY: 8/52
Book Riot: 6/24
Popsugar: 10/42 Regular, 2/10 Advanced
Currently Reading
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows - Reese's March Book Club pick, finishing up in time for April's pick to be announced this week.
Happiness: The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After - Reese's April pick.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - one of my fave pods, Binge Mode, is doing a HP series this spring/summer, so I am rereading the series in anticipation.
Vanity Fair - Catching up on Classics' 2Q long read.
I am also trying to get a bit ahead of my schedule by knocking out a few shorter reads for prompts, including:
Black Panther #1
Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal
The Little Prince
White Nights (also a read for Catching up with Classics)
QotW:
My reading tastes have changed more in the past year, as I have participated in challenges to get me out of reading romance novels and non-fiction almost exclusively. I have also started listening to more audiobooks in the past 2 years.
This year, I started tracking more data regarding what I read, outside of number of books and genre. I noticed almost immediately that 90% of what I'd read so far this year was written by white women. So I changed up some selections for challenges prompts this year to include more authors of color, male authors, and LGBTQIA authors, and will definitely be more intentional about reading more diversely in the future.
Good Morning,It's the second really cold morning in a row here in Northern Indiana. More snow in the forecast for later today. I'll be glad when it warms back up again.
Finished:
I finished two books this week!!
Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman for a book about feminism. I enjoyed it well enough. Some of the essays engaged me more than others.
The Woman in the Window for a book that's published in 2018. I love a good mystery/thriller and so far this is my favorite of the year. Two very enthusiastic thumbs up from me.
Currently Reading:
The Bookshop on the Corner for a book that involves a bookstore or library. I have it on audio and actually haven't started it yet but plan on to tonight on the drive home from work.
This Is Our Story for a book by an author with the same first or last name as you. The authors first name is Ashley and it's a mystery/thriller...I'm SOLD!!
QOTW:
My taste in books has and hasn't changed. I do read a lot of mystery/thrillers now. I didn't really do that as a teen or in my 20s. I still like fantasy, scifi, a good chick-lit book, etc. There are just so many good books out there that it's hard to not want to branch out to wanting to read everything.
Well, at least the rain stopped here in NYC but now it's back to winter temperatures and the forecast calls for snow again this weekend! Spring, where are you?!Finished this week:
The Broken Girls I really enjoyed this one. It's a ghost story wrapped into a murder mystery and I read it for another challenge. There were a lot of threads and the author did a great job of working everything together without it being too perfect.
Ready Player One Read this for the Cyberpunk prompt and I liked this much more than I expected to. I am not much of a gamer but I did grow up in the 80s so the nostalgia was a big part of what I enjoyed.
Currently reading:
Hidden Bodies I don't read many series so I'm reading this follow-up to You for the "next in a series" prompt.
I also just checked out The House on Mango Street from the library and will start it today.
QOTW: My reading has definitely evolved a I've aged. In high school, I read mostly best sellers and was a fan of John Grisham, Michael Crichton, Anne Rice with some trashy Jackie Collins and Danielle Steele thrown in. In college and my 20s, I read a lot of chick lit and historical fiction along with an occasional classic and was also into books that explored spirituality.
In my 30s and now 40s, I'm much more diverse in my reading. I still enjoy a good historical fiction novel but I also read more non-fiction and a lot of contemporary/literary fiction. I have also developed an interest in some science fiction and fantasy.
Sara wrote: "The Girls at the Kingfisher Club: A Novel by Genevieve Valentine. This is a retelling of the twelve dancing princesses fairytale. I’m a sucker for fairytale retellings, and I think this is one of the most unique ones I’ve read. I had never heard of the twelve dancing princesses until my daughter watched the Barbie version. Then I read The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell a few years ago which is another retelling (very good as well). ."I read all the way through Grimm's original fairy tales when I was a kid, so I was familiar with the twelve dancing princesses, but I didn't run across any retellings of it until recently. I loved A Dance of Silver and Shadow: A Retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses (which also happens to have twins in it) and The Thirteenth Princess was also good.
I added a couple of the retellings mentioned above to my reading list so I can try out more versions. :-)
Johanne wrote: "Nadine wrote: ".... My library pile taunts me. I've been returning books unread!"I hate when that happens. I completely relate."
Do your libraries have the option to "pause" your holds? DC library has this feature where you can set your hold up so you will progress through the waiting list, and then when you get to #1 spot, you will stay in that spot until you unpause. Everyone behind you will still progress through the waitlist, and "jump" you to get the book, but as soon as you remove the pause, you will receive the next available copy. This is so great for when you either have a bunch of holds all set to arrive at the same time, or during an exceptionally busy time in life, where you may not have time to read a lot, but also don't wanna lose your spot after waiting 12 weeks for a book.
Nadine wrote: " I also have less patience, perhaps ironic since people always complain that kids have no patience, but when I was a kid I had nothing better to do than sink into a book - now I've got so many other responsibilities, I could never manage to finish the Lord of the Ring series! "I think kids have a lot more patience than they get credit for, they just only care about things they're interested in. Adults are just better at faking interest in boring things. :-)
Happy Thursday! I finished my photography project this week. All my digital pictures from 2017 are printed, labeled, and in photo boxes. It feels gratifying to finish a project, but I wish I'd taken more pictures. I know there are moments I didn't capture.Finished
To Kill a Mockingbird (an animal in the title) - I waited so many years to read this. I'm glad I finally picked it up. But I'm also heartbroken that the story is still too common.
Love, Rosie (book made into a movie you've already seen) - I'm so disappointed. I usually love Cecelia Ahern books, but I just did not like this. I don't like when the plot hinges on simple misunderstandings and this book has decades of them.
A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo - This was a cute children's book. I bought the audiobook and enjoyed the performance. I don't think I'll use it for the challenge, but it is an allegory.
Reading
The Light Between Oceans - I cried my eyes out when I watched the movie. I suspect this will be the same.
The Shadow Land - I've picked this for my next audiobook. I really love full cast audiobooks and Elizabeth Kostova's writing so I'm looking forward to this one.
The Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Revelled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime - I'm going to give this book one more chapter to capture my attention. If it doesn't, I'll DNF.
QOTW
I've always read pretty broadly, with the exception of a couple intense phases. As a kid, I was on a mission to read every Babysitters Club book ever published. (I did not succeeded.) In college I went through a Gothic phase and wallowed in the isolation metaphors. Then I made some friends ;) I discovered fantasy in college too, but that's become a favorite genre instead of a phase. Since then, I've come to prefer something speculative in books, whether that's magic, science, mythology, or even history, if I'm not familiar with the time period.
Ellie wrote: "Yes to this! I am signed up to Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon at the end of the month because it seems to be the only thing that will get me to dedicate a whole weekend to reading. I don't even have children but there always seems stuff to be doing!"I love Dewey's Readathon!!! Have you done it before? I do it in April and October every year. I don't do mini-challenges anymore, but I like cheerleading informally. I've had some really fun conversations that way. I'm picking my books now. It's like a delayed gratification thing. I set them aside for a couple weeks, then I'm super excited when the Readathon starts. So far I only have one book selected, though. I need to get on this!
Good morning! I've gone on a reading tear recently and really plowed through some stuff! It's been great.Finished:
Wilde in Love which was fantastically fun.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda which immediately made me want to run out and see the movie this weekend (this is a book with an LGBTQ character and if you catch "Love, Simon" in theaters you could then read this for a book made into a movie you've already seen).
Currently reading:
Educated: A Memoir and so far it lives up to allllll the hype. Has anyone else read this/can you think of a prompt item for it?
The Secret of Flirting because there is so much good new romance coming out right now and the holds are coming in at the library faster than I can read them!
QOTW: The main consistent thing about my reading taste has been that I have always read widely. I have definitely shifted more toward literary fiction in my 20s but I have read chick lit, historical fiction, crime series and classics for my entire adult reading life and haven't really moved away from anything, just added.
I'm in the too busy to read part of the semester as I have 1001 things to grade (turned in by people who waited to the last minute). I did get two read for the challenge though.For A book mentioned in another book I read The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (mentioned in Among Others by Jo Walton). Technically this is a reread for me from my teen years so we're talking a good 30 years, outside of the sequential hermaphroditism of the alien race I remembered nothing). I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I did then.
And for the advanced challenge prompt A bestseller from the year you graduated high school I read Thinner by Richard Bachman (Stephen King). Technically it was published in 84 but in 1985 this thing spent like half a year on the bestseller list. In fact King had two others on the list at that time too (Skeleton Crew & The Talisman along with Straub). Thinner was the shortest of them and all of them would have been rereads, much like Left Hand from 30 years ago. It was an interesting idea that was a bit to thin, pun intended, to be as long as it was.
QOTW No and yes. No in that I still prefer mystery, SF/F/UF and horror (and true crime) just like I always have but yes in the aspect that some of the stuff I read as a team makes me wince these days and wonder if I was high back then. And my patience for 500+ page books has left me.
Heather wrote: "I love Dewey's Readathon!!! Have you done it before? I do it in April and October every year. I don't do mini-challenges anymore, but I like cheerleading..."I've done all but one of them since 2011! And I think I only missed one because I was at a bookish thing in London. I have hosted a few mini challenges but don't usually complete any, I just hang out on Twitter and Instagram. I usually do about 20 hours as my starting time is too far into the day to not sleep! I love it though.
Hi all! I'm travelling this weekend so I'm hoping I'll have some time to do some reading on my flights and time in the airport. We'll see!I finished Ariel by Sylvia Plath which didn't count for any challenge. I quite liked this and I want to purchase a copy so I can go back through the collection and annotate it.
I also finished An American Marriage by Tayari Jones which I counted for the advanced prompt "a book about a problem facing society today." The book is about a marriage that is disrupted when the husband is wrongfully convicted for a crime and sent to jail, so I interpreted the problem as mass incarceration and biases against black men that are more likely to be imprisoned. Anyway, this book is really character driven and is such a compelling story about love, commitment, and relationships (not just romantic).
I'm technically currently reading Men Explain Things to Me but I had to return the ebook because I was so busy, and now I'm waiting for it again. Next I'm gonna pick up A Princess in Theory and Heart Berries: A Memoir
QOTW: this is a super interesting question! I loved mystery novels as a kid, and I don't really read mysteries anymore. I'm still reading YA, but I find myself trying more and more adult literary fiction. I got into historical romance a couple of years ago and that was a big chunk of my reading when I was stressed from college and needed to unwind. Also, I was so anti e-books when that first became a thing, but now I find them so useful! Plus, I read audiobooks a lot now. So I feel like so much of my tastes have broaden as I've grown up.
Finished Little Fires Everywhere. I think I'm the only person in the world who isn't head over heels in LOVE with this author. It was an ok read for me. Using for celebrity book club.Currently reading/listening to Geekerella. Its cute so far. Going to use it for goodreads choice winner.
10 Regular, 1 advanced, and 4 Non-challenge books. Still behind but honestly with work being so busy and the other things I've got going on I'm just happy I get to squeeze in any type of reading in.
Hi from chilly DC! Hope everyone has had a wonderful, productive week.Finished
- The Pisces - not for the challenge; received an ARC from First to Read. I was not the biggest fan of this book. I thought the premise was enticing and I even liked the main character, because of how brutally honest she was. However, there is little growth in the main character until the very last page, and even then, that is debatable. I also think the author was trying to do a bit too much, and in that regard, the book became a little too heavy, dark, and philosophical.
- Two Girls Down - not for the challenge. A fast-paced thriller that I scarfed down in two days. Two sisters are abducted from the parking lot of a K-Mart, when their mom runs into the store. Everyone in this book is flawed in some way, and I appreciated that does of reality in the novel. Though (excuse my language), the main antagonist is really f-ed up, and it's scary to think people like the antagonist in this book really exist.
- Tin Man - LGBTQ+ protagonist; received a free galley from First to Read. Oh my, what a beautiful, bittersweet, heartbreaking story. Reminded me greatly of The Heart's Invisible Furies, but stands at only 200-some pages and packs a big punch and is its own thing too. I loved the main characters of this book, and at its core, the book is about the power of first love. I highly recommend to all, and it is such a quick read! I was deeply moved by this book!!
So this puts me at 18/52 with 15/42 and 3/10.
Currently Reading
I finished Tin Man this morning on my commute into work, but will likely pick up Women in Sunlight, another free ARC from First to Read, this evening on the way home. I'm planning on using it for the "weather element" prompt.
QOTW
I do believe my reading preferences have changed. As a teenager, I purely loved thrillers, historical romances, and general romances. Now though, my reading taste has diversified and I also enjoy non-fiction novels greatly, as well as some fantasy and sci-fi books. Thrillers and contemporary fiction, I would say, though are probably still what I read most.
After two weeks of reading a lot of books, I finished absolutely nothing this week.I'm in the middle of one of the Dresden series books but it's been a long, stressful week.
QOTW:
I don't think my tastes have changed all that much other than I'm willing to try new things.
Although, I do read a lot more non-fiction now than I did as a kid.
Mod
Me too! I was completely "meh" about Everything I Never Told You and I have zero interest in reading "LFE."
Megan wrote: "Finished Little Fires Everywhere. I think I'm the only person in the world who isn't head over heels in LOVE with this author. It was an ok read for me. Using for celebrity book clu..."I was not completely charmed by this book either. I do think about the characters and I really enjoyed the description of the art pieces and the debate about adoption. But I just don't get the fuss.
Monkiecat wrote: "Raquel wrote: "I think kids have a lot more patience than they get credit for, they just only care about things they're interested in. Adults are just better at faking interest in boring things. :-..."Whoa! The neighbors sound like the icing on the cake. Hope you have a more peaceful week to come.
Oregon is warming up! Finished:
The Handmaid's Tale (feminist book and March Group read) I liked the idea of the story it was just the ending was super weird.
A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel (book set on a different planet) Not what I was expecting, interesting but strange. I liked the speech by Madeleine L'Engle more than the book itself.
Baby-sitters' Fright Night (just for fun) Not well written but it is fun to revisit childhood characters
Progress: 14/40 & 0/10
Currently:
Here are a few I put in the DNF pile for now while I try to stay on track with the challenge: Who Needs Theology?: An Invitation to the Study of God, The Chance, and Bad Girls of the Bible: And What We Can Learn from Them
Why Her?: 6 Truths We Need to Hear When Measuring Up Leaves Us Falling Behind (book with song lyrics in title)- Just started for a book club, too. I don't know what to think about it yet.
Hero Tales: A Family Treasury of True Stories from the Lives of Christian Heroes- We are having rough nights even though I still try to read to my girls at this rate we won't be done with this book till summer.
I have read a slew of picture books with my Kindergarten daughter.
QoTW: I don't know. I obviously still read the Babysitters Club because I am really nostalgic, but I don't read as many classics as I use to. I feel like my attention span for them as gone out the window. The reason I do reading challenges like this is because I have a really hard time narrowing down my next reading choice and I like to try to read different genres even if I might not necessarily like them. I am really optimistic about finding books that don't look like "my thing" but end up being great.
I'm still at 26/50 for the challenge.This week I read:
Herb Gardens of Delight - published in the 1970s, I came across this book in a pile that my friend had given me, and used it for another challenge, it is very detailed and pretty interesting
The Circuit Rider - I read this for the BR western prompt, did not love it
Watch Me - I won this book a few months ago in the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Giveaways, it is quite the thriller
Ancient Rome: A History From Beginning to End - a very brief overview of Ancient Rome that covers a surprising amount of ground; I loved it because it did exactly what it promised, which is give you a broad overview of the entire history, no frills but plenty of information
The Red Pony - I've read a story from this book countless times, as The Gift always appears in nearly every volume of horse & pony stories that they put together, but I'd always wondered what else was in this book. I find it odd that the title is really based on the first story, but the rest of the stories in the book were equally good.
Currently reading Forever, Erma for a nonfiction challenge and The War in Nicaragua because I started it last year and forgot that I was reading it (not a reflection on the book, just my memory, lol).
QOTW: I would say my reading tastes have evolved to enjoy even more genres, but I've always been an eclectic reader - a little of this, a little of that. The biggest difference is that I read a lot less romance than I did back then. My grandma used to subscribe to the Harlequin book club, and when she finished a set of books she would give them to me, so I read a ton of romance novels as a teen. Once she passed away, I didn't really continue to do that... but I do still have a set she gave me from the 50 states series because, well, they remind me of her. Romance is all I ever saw her read.
Good morning everyone! It's definitely "spring" in AZ now (sometimes I wonder if we even have a spring), which means we went from using the heat to the A/C in one day. Now it's in the 90's most of the day here - I think we're going to hit 97 one day this week. I finished five books this week, only two of which counted for the challenge, and four of which were graphic novels. My challenge count is 26/50.
Finished:
The Name of the Wind. I used this for a prompt from the 2015 Popsugar Challenge, a book you started but never finished, but might move it to the weather element prompt. I had read this when it first came out while I was going through a lot, and didn't remember most of the book. Not really sure if I ever finished it. So I gave myself a pass on my "no re-read" policy and slotted this one in. I'm so glad I did! I found I didn't remember probably 75% of it - as if I'd never read it at all - and don't understand how that happened. Because this book is amazing. It took just a little bit for me to get into the story, but once I did, I was hooked, and I absolutely LOVED it. I'm considering changing my "next book in a series you've started" to The Wise Man's Fear.
Saga, Vol. 2, Saga, Vol. 3, and Saga, Vol. 4. I'm still absolutely loving this series. I have the rest of them sitting here staring at me, so I'm sure I'll have those finished by next week as well. I used volume one as the "book set on another planet" prompt, but I'm not counting the rest of them for anything.
Paper Girls, Vol. 1. I was happy to find this is written by the same author as Saga, and enjoyed this one quite a bit as well. It's either going to be slotted into the Halloween prompt, or the "decade you were born" prompt. I haven't decided yet.
Currently reading:
Under the Udala Trees (I'm not very far, we'll see if I can finish before my e-book checkout is up).
Saga, Vol. 5 (and then 6, 7, and 8).
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. I feel like I've been reading this on audio for months, but I'm in the home stretch now - only a couple more hours to listen, I think.
Before We Were Yours I haven't started this, but have to go pick up my hold today. There are a ton of holds behind me, so I'm sure it will be "in progress" by the end of the day today.
QOTW: Some of my tastes have stayed the same, some have changed. As a pre-teen/teenager, I read a ton of sci-fi and fantasy (the Hobbit was one of my absolute favorites) and read quite a few classics over and over that I really enjoyed. I also read encyclopedias. For fun. No way I would do that now. In my mid teens to early twenties, with the exception of Harry Potter somewhere in there, I read almost exclusively horror and some mystery (basically, Stephen King and Patricia Cornwell). I detested historical fiction and non-fiction, slowly lost patience for many of the classics (sadly), and also went through a brief romance phase somewhere along the line. But once I started reading LGBT in my late 20's, my focus shifted almost exclusively to LGBT romance. Now in my late 30's, I still read horror, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, and lots of books with LGBT characters. But now I also enjoy various other genres, including historical fiction and non-fiction, and am no longer a fan of romance novels (unless romance is just part of the story and they contain other elements).
Nadine wrote: "Megan wrote: "Finished Little Fires Everywhere. I think I'm the only person in the world who isn't head over heels in LOVE with this author. It was an ok read for me. Using for cele..."I wasn't wowed by the first 60 pages, but I'm going to go back and try it again next month. I may have to DNF, and then find other options for the prompts it fit.
Happy Thursday! It was a busy Easter weekend with the family, so I didn't get a whole lot of reading done, but did enjoy time with family. On Friday, the kids had school off so we drove down to Tucson and went to the Pima Air and Space Museum for the first time. If you live in or will be visiting Arizona I can't recommend this museum highly enough. I'm not even into planes or war, and I loved it. I somehow even have a favorite plane now (SR-71 Blackbird if you're wondering). Tucson is about 90 min-2 hours from the Phoenix area. Finished
What's That Pig Outdoors?: A Memoir of Deafness This was a non-challenge book I read for a sign language class I'm currently taking. It is a memoir written by a man who became deaf at a young age. He learned to communicate not with sign language, but using the oral method of speaking and lip-reading, and had a very successful career as a journalist. I learned a lot from it, but overall I felt that it was just okay. I didn't find him to be real likable, which makes it hard for me to enjoy a memoir.
Currently Reading
Still working on my two doorstopper books:
Angle of Repose (36. Book set in decade I was born)
At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years 1965-68 (3. Next book in series)
I wanted to finish at least one this week and didn't, but I have less than 100 pages to go in Angle of Repose so that one I'll definitely finish before next week's check in.
Till We Have Faces This is a re-read that I'm listening to on audiobook this time. Is anyone else ever afraid to re-read a book they loved?? I'm always worried I won't love it as much the second time, so I rarely re-read, but this one is definitely holding up. It is so good. I'm not using it for the challenge, but it could definitely fit perfectly into the Allegory prompt.
Beezus and Ramona Reading this with my 7-year-old daughter, and she's loving it.
QOTW
What a great question! I've never really even thought about if or how my reading tastes have changed. But I think they've mostly stayed the same. When I was young I liked realistic fiction - Babysitter's Club, Sweet Valley, Judy Blume. And now my favorites are Historical Fiction and Realistic Fiction. I've never been real into Fantasy or Sci-Fi and I'm still not. One thing that has changed though is that since I became a parent I absolutely cannot handle books where kids are killed or kidnapped. Nope.
Tara wrote: "On Friday, the kids had school off so we drove down to Tucson and went to the Pima Air and Space Museum for the first time. If you live in or will be visiting Arizona I can't recommend this museum highly enough."I've lived in Phoenix for eight years and have never been, despite plenty of trips to Tucson. Glad to hear you enjoyed it - I'll have to put that on my list of things to do. Sounds like it might be good for kids, too, so will probably plan to go when the niece and nephew are down here visiting.
Hi everyone. I finished 2 books this week so am 15/40 and 3/10
I finished David Copperfield on audiobook. I’m using this as my favourite prompt from last year’s challenge (an audiobook) because despite not having got on with them in the past, listening to one (it was one of Elena Ferrantes Neapolitan series) last year in the car to and from work, I really grew to enjoy the format, and now it’s something I enjoy regularly and a way to get more books into my life which can’t be bad. This version was read by (I should say performed by really) Richard Armitage and he did an amazing job. I doubt I’d have finished this in paper book format as it was looooong and could have felt tedious, but Armitage made it fun.
I also finished Early One Morning on kindle, which I’m using for book with a time of day in the title - this was ok, I loved the premise and had high hopes which it didn’t quite live up to.
QOTW - I read tons of Austen, the Brontes, Gaskell etc from around age 12-13 and still love that now. I also liked a lot of bestsellery type chick-lit page turners which I have a lot less patience for now, though if something is well written I will still enjoy it. I love historical fiction but again, if well written and researched. I’ve always read most things I can get my hands on really, and that’s not changed. I do make more of a conscious effort to read more female authors and authors of different ethnicities and different perspectives these days. What has changed is that I’ll give up on things I’m really not enjoying now whereas I always used to force myself to finish.
Luna (who continues to follow me everywhere as she can't trust me since I left her over spring break) and I have finished 3 books for the challenge this week:*A book by an author who used a male pseudonym: Jane Eyre. This was my first time reading this classic. I mildly liked it. I admire Jane and her convictions. Not crazy about the male characters and the author's convention of directly addressing the reader. I keep reminding myself writing styles and characters reflect the era.
*A book which was a previous Good Reads winner: Little Fires Everywhere. Hmmmm. I live in a neighborhood which pale-ly reflects Shaker Heights including its faults so I can relate to the youngest daughter. I lingered over the descriptions of Mia's art pieces. I feel deep empathy for the Chinese waitress and her struggle. Overall, however, this book left me feeling flat and unhappy. Not seeing how it is as celebrated as it is; but I understand taste in writing styles, character, plot lines is very personal.
*A book that is an allegory: The Alchemist: JK Rowling clearly liked this book as well. Where your heart is, there be your treasure. Very happy to have read this slim book.
I purchased The Alchemist while on vacation in Carmel by the Sea in California at a lovely bookstore called Pilgrim's Way Community Bookstore and Secret Garden. If you pass near this breathtakingly beautiful part of California please visit this small gem of a bookshop. Oh and I could not stop staring at the Elephant Seals in San Simeon, too.
QOTW:
Truth? The types of books I treasure have not really changed since I was young. Yes, I read more widely now and this introduces me to the classics and thoughtful novels and works of nonfiction for adults. But in my heart I long to escape to worlds of high fantasy written by authors who know how to build worlds that are fabulous yet so detailed they seem possible. I have also always sought books about other countries and other time periods. I am a lover of escapism, and have been since I was a child.
Hi all,Very rainy in Vancouver today! Giant puddles on my way to work :)
I am at 9/40 and 3/10 for the challenge.
I read The Old Man and the Sea, for a book set at sea. I am not really a fan of books like this. You have to read so much into it. It is more of an allegory, or prescription for your life. Not really my thing.
I also read Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea, for #7, a book set in a country that fascinates you. I have been on such a kick of reading books about North Korea. This book was a graphic novel, but also like a travelogue....it was very interesting, in a good way. The author also has a great sense of humor (it was funny!)
Currently reading The Boy on the Beach for a book by an author who is a different ethnicity than you. I am enjoying it so far....but it is sad. It is about the Kurdi family, and their desperate attempt to leave Syria. The author, Tima Kurdi, lives near me in the Vancouver area (interesting side note).
QOTW: I used to be allllll about reading series (BIG TIME). I am especially thinking of Baby Sitters Club and Sweet Valley Twins. I am sad to say, I used to read Danielle Steel as well. I've come along way -- I have really expanded my reading interests. I've gotten into mysteries and true crime. I also read way more memoirs now. I am also much more critical of the quality of writing...I hate reading a badly written novel.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Scarlet Letter (other topics)The Remains of the Day (other topics)
Revival, Vol. 4: Escape to Wisconsin (other topics)
The Demigod Files (other topics)
Once Upon a Time in the North (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Turia Pitt (other topics)Heather Morris (other topics)
M.J. Arlidge (other topics)
Amy Dale (other topics)
Jojo Moyes (other topics)
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We woke up to 30F temps this morning (about a 20 degree drop from what the morning temps have been). My house was super cold, and I had to pull out my heavy sweater again. I wish spring meant a gradual warmup instead of ping ponging our temperatures all over the place.
***Discussion of April's group read is underway. If you would like to participate in the discussion of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore you can go here to do so:
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Next up, in May, will be Turtles All the Way Down by John Green for a book about mental health with discussion led by Megan.
All the selected monthly reads are available at the link below. We are still looking for discussion leaders for July and August. Send a message to me or Nadine if you are interested!
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I finished two books this week:
Still Alice by Lisa Genova. This was a tough read. I don't have any family members suffering from Alzheimer's, BUT I do have a close family member with a degenerative disease so this book just reminded me how we will eventually see decline in mobility functionality over time. It's a really well-written book that I would recommend. I have this one slotted for a book that I've already seen the movie for. If I shift some things around I may end up putting it in as a book about mental health.
The Girls at the Kingfisher Club: A Novel by Genevieve Valentine. This is a retelling of the twelve dancing princesses fairytale. I’m a sucker for fairytale retellings, and I think this is one of the most unique ones I’ve read. I had never heard of the twelve dancing princesses until my daughter watched the Barbie version. Then I read The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell a few years ago which is another retelling (very good as well). The Girls at the Kingfisher Club, though, reimagines the tale as a group of 12 sisters in 1920s New York. They are confined to the upper floors of their father’s house until they start sneaking out to the speakeasies to dance. Really enjoyed this one! It is my book with an animal in the title.
Currently reading:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows � finishing off my reread of the series. I was a little late to the HP craze so this was only the second book for which I was waiting on pins and needles to get my hands on. I think this one has grown on me as I’ve gotten older. I can appreciate some of the slower parts (i.e. ALL.THE.CAMPING) more now than when it first came out. Of course, I’m also less frantic to find out what happens since I already know :) I only have a couple hours of audio left so will likely finish today.
American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land � reading with some friends. I have only just started it. There were a series of fires several years ago on the east coast of my state (Virginia). This book dives into the suspects, their motives and a twisted tale of love that motivated their actions.
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. I am slowing picking my way through this reread. I need time to really dive into the language and story rather than reading a page or two at a time.
16/50
Question of the week:
How have your reading tastes changed as you've gotten older? (or have they not changed at all?)
My reading tastes have definitely changed. When I was a teenager I preferred historical romance novels, then in late teens/early 20's I moved into gritty murder mysteries (Patricia Cornwell). In my late 20’s I started showing a clear preference for historical fiction. I still read a large number of historicals, but I have really broadened my taste to a wide variety throughout my 30s. Can’t wait to see what my 40’s will bring!