Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2019 Weekly Checkins
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Week 34: 8/16 � 8/22
I am officially out of my reading slump thanks to the Kendra Elliot series I'm reading and I'm having a lot of fun trying to fit all 6 books into prompts from past challenges, but I have been successful so far.This week I finished:
A Merciful Secret: I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first two, but it was still very good and I'm onto book 4. I was surprised I didn't enjoy it more because of the witchy component, which I very much like, but I wasn't racing for the end of this one, just patiently enjoying it. The end did start to hit me right in the feels though.
A Merciful Silence: This one was back to being as good as the first two. I finished it in less than 24 hours and was racing to find out what was going to happen.
Small Sacrifices: I did the abridged audiobook version of this one and enjoyed it, but found Ann Rule's voice hard to listen to for a long period of time.
The Stranger Beside Me: I absolutely understand why this is THE true crime book, and the connection between Rule and Bundy, which I thought bogged down the book at the beginning is what made it really special at the end. It finally caught my attention at around page 380, which brings me to the book's biggest downfall... IT IS WAAAY TOO LONG and at times quite repetitive!!!!
Currently reading:
A Merciful Fate: I haven't been enjoying this one as much as the last few, but the characters are so likable that I'm sticking with it. I have complete faith that it will get better.
The Last Widow: I promised myself I wasn't going to go to the library until my Kindle Unlimited subscription expires in October, because their are 13 more books I want to read before my subscription runs out and I have a hold that should come available any day now, BUT I am a weak person and I wandered into the library (partially hoping that this book was already checked out by another patron, but desperately wanting to read it too). There it was calling my name. I only let myself read through Chapter 2 last night, but WOW. I love me some Karin Slaughter.
Question of the week:
Are you a fast reader or a slow reader? Have you ever tried to change your reading speed?
I think I'm fast reader, in that I tend to finish books in a day or two, but I think that's mainly because I make reading a priority and do it in almost all of my free time, but I don't think my actual reading speed is super fast. I did take a speed reading course before grad school, but I've found that I don't enjoy speed reading books for pleasure.
I'm having a pretty hectic work week. Which, of course, means less reading time. Plus, we were behind on watching American Ninja Warrior and I wanted to catch up before they start Vegas. Man, I love that show.This week I only finished one book, which was Say No to the Duke. I love a romance novel now and then and I'm really enjoying this Eloisa James series and I hate waiting for the next one.
I am currently reading:
Archangel, which is kind of slow going for me. I'm interested in the story and I want to know what's going to happen, but it's not grabbing me in a way where I can sit and read it for more than about 20 minutes at a time.
Also, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which is a book that takes place in one day. I've read some of his other books, mostly for classes I took in college. I'm really enjoying this one and thinking I should read some more of them.
And I have started Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with my read-along podcast. It's such a great book. And the podcast is delightful.
QOTW: I'm a pretty fast reader. My job is all reading and writing and being a fast reader helps me keep up with the volume of my work. It also helps me to read a fair number of books in my very limited amount of free time. So, I've always considered myself lucky that I read fast.
Most exciting news from me is that we have a fruit on our aubergine plant (egg plant)! We thought this would be too exotic to grow outside in the UK, but we like to give these things a try.I finished Sanctuary for review (also fits my ATY rejects - elements from multiple genres). I loved this, a modern day witch hunt where there is actually a witch and there's a police procedural element too.
I also finished The Nightjar for review and I also realised I hadn't ticked off myth/legend folklore yet, so I'll put it there. It's inspired by Finnish mythology, and I loved that side of it, but the main character wasn't fully fleshed out and was a bit stupid.
Currently reading The House of Sundering Flames for review. I've found with all three books that they take a long time to get going, but I've just hit that moment in this one, and it always makes up for it.
And currently listening to The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After for a book by two female authors. I have had trouble with this prompt, I discovered one of the authors on my planned read was non-binary so was trying to find something else on audio. Turns out a lot of the dual authored books don't have UK audiobooks. I just picked the first thing I could find available from the library, which was this. Bonus that it also ticks off a country (Rwanda) on my much-neglected Read the World challenge.
PS: 38/52 | ATY: 41/52 | GR: 87/100
QOTW:
I'm a reasonably fast reader compared to the general population, but I definitely think there are bloggers/GR friends that read a lot faster than me. It also depends very much on the book, some I can whizz through in a day, others need to be read slower to fully digest.
I only speed up my reading if I'm trying to finish a book I've lost interest in but I'm nearly at the end. Oh and sometimes for readathons, I'll push myself a bit more. I have probably slowed down my reading in recent years, though not on purpose.
I'm with you on the weather, Sara. You can't possibly complain about the heat as much as I do. I love fall so much.Finished:
Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts. Very fun audiobook with different people doing the dialogue, and Hungarian (or Transylvanian) music.
Authority I started this for cli-fi, but have to agree with Nadine that it doesn't work for that. I will read The Overstory instead. It was a good book though, so I am still glad I read it.
Rebecca Never read this one before. I loved it.
Currently reading:
The Wedding Party on audio.
The Sweetness of Forgetting for a book with sweet in the title.
QOTW:
I think I read written material at average speed. I have been flying through audiobooks lately though. I sometimes wish I could read faster, but not at the expense of my enjoyment.
They're predicting more comfortable weather for us here in St. Louis starting today, but it's been a tough transition coming back from the high desert temps of Santa Fe. I'll be happy to get settled in one place or the other.Challenge Progress: 40/50
Completed:
Ayesha at Last: This is a lovely homage to Pride and Prejudice (with more than a smattering of Shakespeare thrown in) featuring Muslim characters. The characters are strong and vividly rendered, and I enjoyed the juxtaposition of traditional Islam with more modern practices. Well worth reading.
Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump: Interesting and witty look at Trump's treatment of the presidency through the lens of golf. Sometimes funny ("The world of professional golf is just slightly more Republican than a Cabela's grand opening.") but more often horrifying. Trump's antics on and off the course are, well, deplorable.
Miracle Creek: This book has been described as a "courtroom drama" and a "murder mystery," and yes, it is that. But it's also a riveting look at really authentic characters, especially the role of parent to a child with special needs. "Having a special-needs child didn't just change you; it transmuted you, transported you to a parallel world with an altered gravitational axis." Brutal and honest.
For the Duke's Eyes Only: It was fine, but honestly it's my least favorite Lenora Bell romance that I've read. There needed to be more than just clearing up a silly misunderstanding to bring these two together. I'd rather Daniel/Raven had really been a rogue, not just playacting. And Indy? Really? A female archeologist named Indy? But it was fine. Not memorable, but still a pleasant read.
Girls with Sharp Sticks: A sort of YA mash-up of The Handmaid's Tale and The Stepford Wives, but really well done. Suzanne Young keeps up the tension and is able to deliver a satisfying ending while keeping the story open for a sequel. Really enjoyable... and for once I didn't hate the poetry!
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood: Wonderful audiobook! I really love memoirs that are read by their authors, and Trevor Noah does not disappoint!
Currently Reading: Karamo: My Story of Embracing Purpose, Healing, and Hope, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Magic for Liars, They Called Us Enemy, The Huntress, Zodiac States
QOTW: My husband says I read fast, but I don't think I'm that fast. I finish a book every two or three days, but that's only because I have a lot of time to devote to reading. As far as trying to change my speed? Well, when I'm really enjoying a book I try to slow down and really savor it, and when a book is dragging (but I still feel compelled to finish), of course, I'll rush through it.
It's been an exciting week for me. I don't usually have so much going on, but it has made the week go really fast. We have new student orientation for about 600 people on Saturday, and my introvert soul is weary to my bones by the end of it every year. Sunday is going to be a do nothing but curl up and read day for sure. I didn't finish any books this week (again), but I'm close to finishing 2 books so I'll have something to report on next week. Reading
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Rip-Off! by John Scalzi
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
QOTW
I've taken a reading speed and comprehension test before. I read slightly slower than average, but my reading comprehension is high. I'm happy with that. When I was in school, it meant that I had to devote more time to reading, but less to studying because I remembered the reading, so I always thought that was perfectly fine. I don't see any point in trying to read faster now. Reading is a hobby. I don't want to rush through it.
Happy Thursday! I'm like you Sara and hate the hot temperatures so I'm ready for fall too! I had a decent week with reading and finished three books. Finished:
One S'more Summer - I'm using this for prompt #44 - read a book during the season it's set in. I had a copy of this on my kindle so figured why not! It's a cute, summer romance and an easy read. It would definitely be a good beach read.
The Whisper Man - I got this through BOTM and put another book on hold to read this one. It started off so creepy that I couldn't read it alone at night. The creepiness dies down, but the story and writing were so good. A must read in my opinion!
How to Walk Away - I listened to this on Audible and really enjoyed it. If you like contemporary, chick-lit novels, I definitely recommend this one.
Challenge Progress:
Regular Challenge - 36/40
Advanced Challenge - 7/10
Total - 43/50
Currently Reading:
Circe - yes, I'm still working on this one. Hoping to finish it this week though.
Hard Cider Abbey - I had this one my kindle so I'm reading this for prompt #50 - a book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent.
These Witches Don't Burn - I just starting listening to this. It's set in Salem, MA which is one of my favorite towns so I'm excited about it.
QOTW - Are you a fast reader or a slow reader? Have you ever tried to change your reading speed?
It really depends on the book if I'm a fast or slow reader however I consider myself a slow reader.
Hi everyone! I spent a long weekend in Denver hanging out with my sister and her kids, including taking them to their first day of the new school year on Monday. They are growing up too fast! I remember taking care of them when they were babies, and now they are in 3rd and 5th grade. *wipes tear* The downside of going to Denver is that my sister now owns a cat, and while he is really cute, I am allergic to him. Between the cat and spending a lot of morning time on the soccer field for my nephew’s tournament (I’m apparently allergic to the grass there as well, especially as it was freshly mown), my eyes watered like crazy. And the constant watering and rubbing of my eyes led me to catch a horrible summer cold this week. Boo!
37/50 for Popsugar
45/52 for Around the Year
Books I finished this week:
Good Intentions by J.D. Trafford. This was a decent legal thriller. A young judge’s mentor is murdered, and the judge goes through all of his mentor’s files & previous cases to figure out who did it.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (Around the Year: A book published before 1950) This is the first in the Hercule Poirot series and was fun. A little confusing at times as can be the case with Christie’s books because there is a large cast of characters/suspects.
Pride by Jonathan Hill. This was enjoyable yet heartbreaking and only took a couple of hours to read (it is under 160 pages). It could be used for own voices but I’ve already got a book slotted for that prompt.
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green. This was okay. The crippling anxiety of the MC was exhausting, so I’m glad her best friend provided a lot of comic relief along the way.
I am currently reading:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey (Around the Year: A book from the �1001 Books Before You Die� list)
The Red Hunter by Lisa Unger.
The Collected Schizophrenias: Essays by Esme Weijun Wang (Reading Women: A book about a woman with mental illness)
QOTW: Most of my friends think I am a fast reader because I get through so many books each month and can finish a book in 1-2 days. But like Mary said earlier, I think it is really because I spend a lot more time reading than they do. I would probably consider myself an average speed reader that can either speed up or slow down depending on the content or writing style of a book.
Greetings.Our community is still reeling from the death of a 5 yr old and a suicide last Friday so life is still a bit pants.
On the plus my y11 boys have started a car war with me.....they decided to decorate my bull bar with zip-ties so it looks like my Hilux has purple horns. Tomorrow is pay back. I have a free last lesson while they are in class and they will have feather boas and fairy wings attached to their bull bars. Perfect timing since the whole school will leave for the day and see it before they can do anything.
finished 2:
The Dry for the advanced season prompt since we have wet and dry season not winter etc. Very much liked it as you were never 100% sure who did what. I still want to know; did the poop ever get removed from the car?
The Walking Dead, Vol. 21: All Out War Part 2 just because the library got some new ones in and they put them to one side for me without me even asking.....how good is that?
Currently:
about to binge on the next few TWD comics
QOTW:
No idea. I read more than most (not recently admittedly) but no idea how fast others read.
Happy Thursday! 47/50Completed:
To cleanse the post Hare palate, I read a horse driven cozy mystery entitled Unbridled Murder by Leigh Hearon. Sometimes you need some fluff.
I continued the fluff with the easy to read The Saturday Evening Girls Club by Jane Heaney, following the path of four young girls in turn of the century Boston.
I had originally read an Agatha Christie novel for my international Belgium read, but it ended up taking place in England and France. As a non-Nazi and non-suicidal read, I turned to Carolyn Keene’s The Secret in the Old Lace. Gosh I love Nancy Drew novels!
36.) My ghost story is Agamemnon's Daughter: A Novella and Stories by Ismail Kadare. It’s also a novella set in Albania. We have the ghost of Agamemnon's sacrificed daughter. This was a more challenging read for such a short book.
Native Tongue by Carl Hiaasen for a random book on tape in the car. If you’ve never read Carl Hiaasen, he is interesting � he has a breezy style as a journalist, but some crazy characterizations.
In Progress
I read at least one Presidential biography each year. This year, I’ve selected John Tyler, as I’ll visit his home on vacation later this year. (Fun fact, his grandson and his wife still live in the house. Pretty amazing since Tyler died in 1862.) And Tyler too by Donald Carr
I picked up The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides at the library last night and got two chapters done. That's my plan for lunch today!
QOTW Speed of reading
I’m a pretty fast reader. I do slow down for comprehension, but that’s more for my forays into nonfiction.
I finished The Leopard as my book that takes place in Scandinavia. I wish there was less disgusting torture, but it's a good story with twists that make sense but aren't predicitable.Then I read The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Bible as a favorite past prompt-a book with a cat on the cover. It was interesting
QOTW: I don't know. I don't really time myself. I'm pretty sure I read fiction faster than non-fiction.
Hey guys, one more week of summer til most people go back to school in CT! This week I finally finished American Gods. I’m using it for #27 - imaginary or extinct creature. I thought it was ok. I have been on a ton of road trips with my mom and been to the places in the book so I loved this aspect. I didn’t really like the story though and found it confusing. I’m wondering if that is because it took me so long to read it that I was forgetting bits and pieces.
QOTW:
I am a slow reader and even slower with audio books. I am always rewinding when I listen to audio books because I find myself not paying attention. I won’t read any book that I’m really interested in on audio. These are great for my commute to work and for the monthly group reads or books that everyone is talking about. I have tried to read faster but don’t feel like I absorb as much so now I just read at the pace I’m comfortable with.
Happy Thursday friends! I read a grand total of zero books this week. I started 3 but am likely to DNF 2 of those. I stumbled across both and realized they had elements which would allow me to cross off separate prompts I still need to do but I didn't get very far into either before I realized that I was enjoying myself.
The book that I think I'll end up finishing is The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World which is about the flooding consequences that come with global warming. Probably not a great idea for me to read considering I live on an island that will be directly affected by this mainly via hurricane flood surges but I'm almost morbidly interested in this topic. I know it's going to freak me out but what the heck right?
QOTW: Are you a fast reader or a slow reader? Have you ever tried to change your reading speed?
I think I'm on the fast side but I do agree with the other posters that I make reading a priority and therefore I finish more books than most people. My dad reads as fast as I do and we've had discussions where I've tried to point out that he is fast but I just put more time into reading. He always feels guilty for spending dedicated time to read and will stop and go do something active where I'll go ahead and finish that book and start the next in the same day. He is still convinced he's slow because it will take him days to finish a book because he reads in those shorter bursts.
I do feel like I read slower on a kindle than with regular book. I'm beginning to think it's because I have a harder time forgetting that I'm reading and so it takes me out of whatever story I'm reading. Audiobooks I always listen to on at least 1.25 and sometimes higher.
I have tried to change my reading speed but do recognize that there is a loss on information retention at a certain point so I've made peace with my 'normal' speed. I do sometimes speed up when I'm losing interest in a fiction story.
Hey y'all. Hope your week was good. The Hugo Awards were this past weekend... and while my favorite author (Catherynne M. Valente) didn't win this year, I was shocked to see that Archive Of Our Own, a fanfiction website, won the Hugo for Best Related Work! Whoo! Fan fiction has come a long way from the days when people furtively hid it in 'zines or dark corners of the Internet, and authors sued fanfic authors...
Books read this week:
±á´Ç°ù°ù´Ç°ù²õ³Ùö°ù -- could work for “ghost story.â€� A sort of generic (but still chilling) horror story, but in a retail setting and packaged to look like a catalog for an IKEA-style store. Was a lot of fun to look at, and having a horror story set in an atypical setting was fun.
It's the Apocalypse, Dave: Try to Have Fun -- goofy and weird but often hilarious take on an apocalyptic scenario. Don’t know if I’ll read the rest of the series, but it was nice to read an end-of-the-world book with its tongue firmly in cheek.
Black Canyon -- short but disturbing horror novella about a family camping trip gone horribly wrong.
The Napoleon of Notting Hill -- old-ish satire (written in the 1900s) that is a little odd and quirky but still entertaining if you can wrap your head around the antiquated language and terms.
Through the Woods -- graphic novel. A collection of creepy (but gorgeously-illustrated) stories that’s going to haunt me for some time to come. Excellently done!
DNF:
Gods of Jade and Shadow -- I actually pestered the library into buying this one, so I was crushed to dive into this one and find it so BORING. The main character is uninteresting, and the writing is stilted and awkward. Which is a shame, because I love Mesoamerican mythology and was excited for a book about Mayan gods�
The Colony Cat Caper -- just meh. Bland and uninteresting.
Currently Reading:
Windhaven
All Against All
QOTW:
I'm a pretty fast reader. I've tried to slow down a bit, but I always seem to devour books.
Hello! I know what you mean about the summer heat. Especially since we're about to move to fall activities full swing and it's going to be stifling hot here for at least another 8 weeks (and that's probably me being optimistic, lol).This week I finished:
A Man of Honor: The Autobiography of Joseph Bonanno by Joseph Bonanno - I read this book about the infamous crime boss of the Bonanno family because of my husband, who is a big fan of the Godfather trilogy. I found it quite fascinating, although since it's the autobiography of a criminal who claims he was not a criminal it really has to be taken with a grain of salt. His book covers a span of about 60 years in his life, from when he immigrated to America from Sicily up through his final trial and retirement.
Grandfathers Are to Love by Lois Wyse - this sweet little book came back into my possession after we lost my grandfather (many years ago), it was something we'd given him when we were too young to sign our own names and he kept it along with his most precious pictures. For that it's a real treasure for me, but it's also a sweet sentiment about the relationship between grandkids and grandfathers.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas - after having heard so much about this book, I'm glad to say it lived up to its reputation for me. I do think there's a big difference between not wanting things to be true and not believing they are true - I know it deals with a lot of relevant issues, even though I wish they weren't real. I read this in one night, staying up way too late, because I just couldn't put it down.
QOTW: I am a fast reader, and I'm fine with that. I've never tried to change my reading speed, though I agree that some books are just faster to read than others. I read fiction faster than nonfiction, for example. But I walk fast, I talk fast, so I feel like that's just my speed, lol. I never feel like I'm rushing.
Mod
The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells - my first Wells! His writing is better than I anticipated, but after being a classic for so long, the plot held no surprises (except that there is no daughter in the original). I saw this book being read (by a parking garage attendant?) in one of the Marvel movies.
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari - this started strong but finished weak. This book was recommended by President Obama AND Chris Evans :-) so I used it for that category.
Redesigning Happiness by Nita Brooks - a contemporary romance I read on a whim; it was ok. I don’t really recommend it.
The Stories You Tell by Kristen Lepionka - third in the Roxane Weary series, and just as great as the previous two!
currently reading
After I finished Dr Moreau, I planned to read a book I own for the AtY Challenge, but a whole bunch of library holds came in all at once (yes I know how to suspend holds, but there is still some juggling needed, and I didn’t juggle well this week) plus a pre-ordered book was released, and I was super excited to read alllllll the books and couldn’t decide which one to read first, so ... I started all of them. So I am currently reading way too many books:
Pieces of Her
Mapping the Interior
How to Be an Antiracist
The Reckless Oath We Made
Dust
Losing It
Villette
Red, White & Royal Blue
Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
plus two audiobook holds just came in:
The Lost Man
Still Life
QOTW
I have no idea! I don’t consider myself a “fast� reader, I just read a lot, so I get through books faster than the average person who is not so obsessed. If a book is dull but I don’t want to DNF, I’ll start skim-reading: just letting my eyes skim the page and pick up a few words in each sentence to catch the gist. That’s the only time I try to change my reading speed.
I’m pretty sure we were given lessons in “speed reading� in 7th grade English class haha I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to do that! I guess it’s handy when reading boring books.
This week I listened to Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges based on the TED talk that became really popular about five years ago. It was interesting to learn more of the background on her power poses suggestions. 4 starsI also listened to You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain, which I enjoyed. Her style reminds me of Aziz Ansari sometimes, and she makes some great points about race issues (and being a woman in comedy). There are only a handful of black female comedians, and I plan to get to know all of them through their audiobooks if possible. 4 stars
I read The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope, which was a great story, and I really admire William and his hard work. However I found the messaging to be a bit too much in line with "exceptionalism" and "boot strap" theories ("everyone can accomplish great things if they just try/work hard...") which are problematic for holding systems accountable. But it was still worth reading and learning more about Malawi. 3 stars
I finished my paperback copy of Out of the Easy and the writing style had me flying right through it. It's kind of a typical southern-style mystery, which I didn't expect after reading the same author's Salt to the Sea. I don't dislike those, but just don't read them very often. I really loved the setting though (New Orleans) and I found it easy to connect with the characters. I didn't want it to end and I wish there were a sequel. 4 stars
I'm currently finishing up A People's History of the United States and Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen on audio. I am reading my hardcover (and signed - I met the author) version of The Reckonings which is difficult, but very good.
QOTW: My reading speed is probably just average, but because I spend more time reading than the average person, I finish 3-4 books per week. The audio books really help because I get to read while driving, doing dishes, laundry, getting ready, etc. It creates a lot more reading time each day.
Just finished one this week:Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart by John Guy. (over 500 pages ATY): Mary makes terrible choices and trusts all the wrong people, lather, rinse, repeat.
Currently reading:
An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
and
Snow White Red-Handed by Maia Chance
QOTW: It really depends on what I'm reading.
Hi Everyone!I think our house project is finally almost done! HVAC is putting in the missing dryer vent today, and I need to get ahold of the electrician to put in our final lights. then the rest is just touching up paint/painting baseboards and finishing, installing stuff like towel holders and all that.
This week I finished:
Pollyanna - ATY childhood classic you've never read. This was cute, maybe a little twee for adult me. I might have liked it as a kid, it's hard to say. I tended to read kid sci-fi/fantasy or books about horses.
Storm Cursed - the book I needed to get from the library was checked out between me checking to see if the library had it and going to the library to get it. So I didn't want to waste the trip so grabbed the new Mercy Thompson. It was a good addition to the series
Currently Reading:
About the Night - ATY book set in the Mediterranean, Read Harder book by a journalist. Got this free from the Amazon world reads, was looking through them for one that would fit Mediterranean. It's ok, I'm pretty annoyed at the romance. Just trying to finish up all the reading challenges so I can go back to reading stuff I actually want to read. I think i'm going to scale back on challenges next year. Getting a little burnt out and there's books sitting in my shelf and on my kindle I'd like to read but can never manage to fit into prompts.
QOTW:
I think I'm a fast reader in comparison to most my friends, but it doesn't seem like I'm that fast compared to some people in here. I don't know how much is my actual reading speed vs. how much I prioritize reading. I generally have a book in my hands all day, working from home. Computer is rainbow wheeling? read a page or two until it stops. Waiting for a bunch of stuff to download? read a page or two. Fitbit buzzes and says to go walk around? grab a book and wander the house a few minutes to get steps in. I don't really try to change my speed, except to speed read if I'm bored of a book and just want it over with. Usually if it's for a challenge and I can't just DNF it.
Finished: Hothouse for A "cli-fi" book. I started out quickly enjoying the wacky premise, but then it started to feel like the author realised he didn't really know what to do for a plot, and so just decided to make it weirder and weirder as a consequence (although I do know that it was originally published as a series of short stories, which probably accounts for some of the plot issues when they're strung together as one novel). This led to it dropping from a 4-star to a 3-star.Started: Eat, Pray, Love for A look with "love" in the title. I think I might get quite irritated with this book, but at the moment I'm persevering. I'm not very far in yet, and bits of it have been quite engaging, but then they'll be followed by a bit that makes me mentally roll my eyes!
QOTW:
I am a fast reader - my husband and school friends have commentated about how fast my eyes move backwards and forwards across the page when I read! My husband often wonders how I can actually be taking the story in. I don't think I could change my reading speed - I don't want to slow down, and if I was any faster, smoke would probably start to rise from the page!
Mod
Haha the instant I read that title, that Iggy Azalea song “Fancy� popped into my head and now it’s stuck in my head and I don’t even like Iggy Azalea!! I’m so fancy! You already know - I’m in the fast lane ...
Probably a completely different “mood� than the book!!
Good Morning! It's such a nice day out today, that I wish I didn't have to be inside all day for work. This adulting thing isn't fun all of the time.
I didn't get a ton read this week. I spent two nights watching America's Got Talent (which I've never watched before) because a college friend is competing on it. It's fun to see him on TV but man they really drag these competition shows out and it's so distracting that I can't get any reading down while it's on.
Finished:
I finished two books this week but they weren't for the challenge, I just really wanted to read them.
Red, White & Royal Blue - I buzzed through this book in two sittings and loved every second of it. I loved Alex and Henry, I loved the enemies to lovers trope, I loved the politics shop-talk, I loved how sweet and steamy it was. I really loved this book.
The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World - I also really loved this book as well. It was way funnier than it had a right to be and it was still super informative without being boring. Highly recommend this.
Currently Reading:
Northanger Abbey - for a book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent. I really need to make time to get through this. It's not that I don't like it, it's just that I'm getting distracted by other books.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society for a book with no chapters / unusual chapter headings / unconventionally numbered chapters. I've seen the movie, so I already know the basic premise of the book. I'm still pretty early in my reading of this, so I can't say how I feel about it yet.
QOTW:
I'm a fast reader for some books and a slow reader with others. If it's non-fiction, it takes me awhile to get through it. If it's something like a romance or a mystery/thriller, I'll get through it pretty fast. I would say my actual reading speed falls somewhere in the middle.
Happy Thursday, all!Finished reading: (35/50)
Wilder Girls (plant on the cover, multi-POV, published in 2019, debut novel) - This was so good. It's about a mysterious disease outbreak at an all-girls boarding school, which transforms their bodies in weird ways; and now they are quarantined and struggling to survive with limited supplies and fending off attacks from disease-feral animals. Incredibly atmospheric, and I loved the writing so much.Accidental Thief (litRPG) - zzzzzz. Not exactly terrible, just very consistently mediocre (boring characters, awkward/clunky writing, generic world, formulaic plot). Hopefully everyone else found/will find something better for litRPG than this.
Exquisite Corpse (multiple female authors, multi-POV, takes place in a single day) - This was a cool experimental piece of fiction with 10 authors. First author gets a prompt and has one hour to write the first chapter. Then she passes it on to the second author, who gets one hour for their chapter, and so on. It was neat to see how it came together, despite some issues (some parts were confusing, and it didn't always cohere). It was a timely story too, about a director who abused a lot of women getting his comeuppance.
QotW:
I'm a middling reader, I guess. When I was a kid, I always got praised for my fast reading speed, but I don't think it's the case any more.
In terms of reading habits, I'm very much a burst reader. I may read nothing for a week, then one afternoon I'll sit down and read an entire novel, then nothing more for the next few days.
Greetings group! We are experiencing a bit of a cold front today in central Oklahoma. Only a high of 91! And after a heat index of 111 on Monday, it's a welcome relief, and this coming from someone who loves summer with all her heart!I only finished one book this week but I forgot one of my books last week. I read American Panda for a book set on a college or university campus. I enjoyed this read but it was rather forgettable and thin overall. I like Mai a lot and I really enjoyed the premise of grappling with two clashing cultures while trying to be your authentic self. I just wanted more!
I also finished The Kite Runner for a book with over a million reviews on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. I enjoyed this book a lot. Even though I wasn't a fan of the main character, I liked his journey and character arc. It gave me a new perspective on the Middle East and Afghan culture.
I think this puts me at 33/50.
QOTW: I actually consider myself an average to slow reader. I remember having speed reading lessons in middle school and it frustrated me so much. I could read faster but my comprehension of the story dropped drastically when I was aware of my speed. Mostly, I just read a lot so, to others, it seems like I read fast. On audiobooks, I set the reading speed to 1.25 because the default speed seems too slow to me.
Sara wrote: "...A book train is when a print book is read and sent along to the next person on the “train� (i.e. list)...."This sounds like so much fun! I grew up a military brat so my friends are spread far and wide. I wonder if I can get any of them on board with this.
I agree about the weather too, Sara! Yesterday was a lovely rainy, misty sort of day and I broke some cinnamon spice scented candles to fully embrace the fall weather in August. Even though I had a respectable number of books finished this week, my reading is still feeling a bit slumpy, or maybe just really picky. I finished a couple short/light books, some audio, and a couple of very photograph heavy non-fiction books.
AND I've been organizing my TBR, which leads to putting way too many books on hold at the library at the same time. At least I'm mostly adding graphic novels, so I have small shot at finishing them all in a reasonable amount of time... (Or so I'm telling myself.)
Finished Reading:
Voice of Dominion I *think* this managed to avoid the really dumb twist it seemed to be heading for near the end, and despite occasionally being annoyed by the characters, I continue to enjoy the series and understand the *why* behind the character's dumb choices. There's one book left in the series, but I don't have the audio for that one, so I'm putting off starting until I have fewer books I'm already in the middle of reading visually.
The Nesting Place: It Doesn't Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful Five stars, and highly recommended for homemakers or anyone who is interested in crafting pleasant spaces. If you're completely clueless about decorating (like me!) you may need a book like The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate & Live Well or at least browsing Pinterest to spark more specific ideas, but The Nesting Place is the main one I'd recommend because of the fantastic approach/attitude toward decorating and creativity.
Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Lord Verse A fun idea, but most of the poems were meh for me. Three stars.
Cheshire Crossing I was surprised I got to read this so soon! I must have managed to get in to the library hold line early. This was a fun story, though I have to admit I didn't love it as much as his sci-fi.
Mary Poppins Audio. I enjoyed this much more than when I read it (or probably tried to read it and gave up...?) when I was a kid. Back then I just couldn't get past the differences from the movie, but now I kind of appreciate the more human version of Mary.
The Nerdy Nummies Cookbook: Sweet Treats for the Geek in All of Us Mostly just browsed the pictures in this one, and enjoyed it quite a bit. There are some overly complicated and time consuming projects, but some of them are things I could actually see myself doing, especially for the right big occasion.
Currently Reading:
Les Misérables Finally got the digital audio book from the library again, trying to get back in the groove. While it's understandable, the extreme French patriotism does make me want to roll my eyes a little.
A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael Really loving this life story and the history of India that comes with it.
Traitor's Masque Enjoying this when I read it, but not usually much in the mood. Which is funny, because I thought light and fluffy was going to be what I needed for my reading slump...
The Ordering of Love: The New and Collected Poems of Madeleine L'Engle Not sure what I think yet... I'm just not connecting with the style well, but the content, or at least lines here and there, I'm loving.
DNF:
And Less Than Kind Officially gave up on this one after it sat open on my desk for several days without me ever wanting to pick it up again.
The Survivor's Guide to Family Happiness This actually seemed really well written and interesting, it's just at this point in my life, I don't feel like I can take all the different flavors of depressing going on at the same time.
QOTW:
While I do give the appearance of an even faster reader than I am because of the amount of time I spend reading, as others have said, I know I do literally just read faster than my husband, at least. When we're both reading an article or something on the same device, I always get to the bottom of the screen first and have to wait for him to catch up.
And my comprehension is okay, too--sometimes I miss or forget parts of a book, but I think that's more to do with the brain fog and memory problems that come along with my fatigue health issues because I'm even worse about movies.
I don't try to adjust my reading speed in general. I do speed up if I'm trying to get the end of a book I'm not really enjoying, and tend to read faster for lighter books and most fiction. And I do slow down if it's a heavier/non-fiction book, or if I'm really trying to remember more details for a specific book/scene, or sometimes if I just feel like that would improve the experience for a specific book. I don't feel like my fast reading speed is 'rushing' though, it's just what comes naturally most of the time.
Mod
There was a boy named Joseph Bonanno in my school (in the 70s / 80s, in NJ), and I just thought it was funny that his name was like banana, but my parents commented on it being like a Don’s name, whom I of course had not heard of back then. But now that I’m all adulty and everything, I think of that kid every time I hear of “the� Joseph Bonanno, and I wonder: what the heck were that kid’s parents thinking???? I mean, it was close enough in location and time period that any Italian parents would have heard of this guy.
Raquel wrote: "When we're both reading an article or something on the same device, I always get to the bottom of the screen first and have to wait for him to catch up."This happens with me and me partner, and he gets annoyed at me reading ahead and going ahhhh, or laughing, before he gets there.
Happy Thursday! This morning was stressful, so I'm glad to a moment with my ice coffee to read these responses and type up my own. This check in is basically my Thursday meditation!I finished 5 books this week, but 4 of them were graphic novels, so it was easy to fly through them. None were for popsugar, as I'm still working on my NEWTs!
First was Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey for my Divination, O, the last book you bought/took from the library. I did not like this. I thought all the characters were really flat and under developed and there wasn't enough home renovation! I will say that Bailey's sex scenes are VERY steamy and just about the only thing I enjoyed.
Next was The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill, which was my Charms, A, a book you think has a gorgeous cover. This was the most delightful little graphic novel! The art is gorgeous and while there isn't much of a story I was really charmed (lol). Can't wait to read the sequel!
Then last night I finished Saga, Vol. 7, Saga, Vol. 8, and Saga, Vol. 9 all by Brain K Vaughn and Fiona Staples. They checked off my NEWTs prompts of Charms e & O, read a comic book/graphic novel/manga & read a paperback, as well as Care of Magial Creatures E, a book under 300 pages. I loved all three volumes! They were dark, intense, fun, gorgeously illustrated (as usual), topical, and had the biggest plot twists!!! The series is on hiatus now and after the cliffhanger ending of Vol 9........ i'm mad!!!!!!!!!!!!
QOTW: I think I'm fast reader? I definitely read A LOT more than anyone I know, but I don't know if my pace is necessarily that much faster than average. Although I often have to remind myself to slow down and take in a book more leisurely, especially a book with good prose.
Books I Finished:Storm of Locusts - I read book one for my Cli-Fi book, and it was interesting enough that I checked out book 2.
City of Golden Shadow - So I'm rereading The Otherland series. They are dense books, so it can take me a bit longer to get through them, but I still love them. And it's fun coming back to them. The last time I read them, VR was a fad that had passed long ago, and now it's come back (sorta).
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - This was for my book with 1 million Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ ratings. It was interesting but the writing style started to irritate me by the end. But this book has sat in my pile for years, and it was decent.
The Book Charmer - This was in the list of recently added books on Overdrive, and it just sorta jumped out at me. It was cute and sweet, but it was a little superficial - it skipped over time and didn't go very deep into anything.
Books I Made Progress On:
River of Blue Fire
Watcher in the Woods
QOTW
I'm a fast reader, when I can focus. Some days I just end up staring at the page and reading the same bit over and over without actually taking it in. But when I do focus, I can speed through books. I tend to not see the individual letters when I'm reading - I just recognize the word from the way it looks, which makes me a fast reader and a terrible speller.
Hello from Columbus! School is fully back in session and I’m loving the few hours of peace I get while my son is in kindergarten. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness for a book written by an author living in Asia. I enjoyed the overall story and her writing style but I found it really hard to connect dots and really retain the “point� of the book. Overall it seemed like a commentary on Indian culture and society in the context of marginalized communities but I literally have no idea lol.
True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa for book riot’s book by a journalist prompt. This is by the same author who wrote The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit. This book was a rough topic, but I really enjoyed his story telling. Shortly after Finkel was fired from the NYT, he found out a man arrested for murdering his wife and children had been using his name and career as an alias while on the wrong. They ended up corresponding and Finkel writes about the crime, the trial, and the relationship they had during that process.
Beware the Kitten Holy for book riot’s a comic by an lgbt creator. This was the first volume so the first five comics I think. A cute, quick read. I already have the second volume checked out.
Long Black Veil for book riot’s a novel by a trans author. This was kind of a thriller, as there’s a murder and the mystery surrounding that. But it was more a story about growth, change, and accepting your past. A pretty decent read, I’d be interested in picking up more books by this author.
The Last of August not for a challenge, I was just looking for a book that was available now while I waited for some holds. This is the second book in the Charlotte Holmes series. Very YA, a mix of drama and humor and romance and everything you’d expect from a YA book.
Popsugar: 26/40; 5/10, Book Riot: 13/24, Back to the Classics 1/12, Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Summer: 21/21
102 books read this year
QOTW: I’m a pretty fast reader, I could get through so many more books if I weren’t as busy as I am.
Ali wrote: "First was Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey for my Divination, O, the last book you bought/took from the library. I did not like this. I thought all the characters were really flat and under developed and there wasn't enough home renovation! I will say that Bailey's sex scenes are VERY steamy and just about the only thing I enjoyed."I read that 2 weeks ago and completely agree! Especially about there being a pretty big lack of home renovation. I was kind of fine with that as a whole, except the title, cover and blurb all made it sound like that was going to be the primary plot.
Didn't check in last Thursday due to being at Worldcon in Dublin and having no functioning internet in our hotel, so this'll be a 2-week check in... which is actually good because I read hardly anything over the time period of the con.The trip was amazing, I had such a good time, met loads of authors, got a bunch of signed books. Even went to lunch with Seanan McGuire, who was a delight even while battling a migraine. â�
So, books!
Completed:
Deathless - This was a lot. Deep and dark and bloody. I can't believe this is the same author who wrote Space Opera. How one person can contain such a mind I do not know.
A Thousand Ships - Brilliant Trojan War retelling. Really good at both showing the pathos, gravity and solemnity required for the subject matter and bringing in some wry humour in certain chapters, particularly with the gods and Penelope (who spends most of the book essentially screaming "Are you freaking kidding me?!" at the absent Odysseus).
Middlegame - Took me a whole week to read this due to convention stuff, which perhaps was not an advantageous way to experience it. Not sure what to think of it right now.
At one point during an awkward silence with Seanan I ended up sliding it out of my bag, so I have now officially used a book to avoid making small talk with its author.
To Be Taught, If Fortunate - Picked this up at the con. Really interesting novella though not plot-heavy, more about the concepts + characters.
Currently reading Karen Memory, also picked up at the con. Seems to be an alt-history steampunky Western murder-mystery with hints of an upcoming f/f romance, or, in other words, YES PLEASE.
QOTW: I'm quite a fast reader (in fact I suspect I may have hyperlexia). I don't read each word individually, my eyes sort of suck in a couple of lines at once. I also have lots of time to read which helps.
I do wish I had a method to slow down my reading speed occasionally - often when I read shorter books I feel like I haven't had time to absorb them properly. Sometimes I read out loud to myself, which helps me form a deeper connection to the text.
I finally finished some books! I've definitely fallen behind on both PS and my yearly reading goal. I'm still working on getting myself to do things outside of work (besides browsing Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ or Pinterest, or playing Sims).Finished:
The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle: This was for "a book that place in a day." I LOVED this. SO much. It really isn't like anything else I've ever read. The only problem is that it took me so long to finish (because I kept stopping) that I forgot some of the details that ended up being important at the end. I'll likely go back and re-read it at some point.
The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business: My new boss asked me to read this one, which is why I finished it so quickly (it helps that I could read it while at work). It was a business book. There's some good advice in there.
Currently Reading:Crazy Rich Asians
The Grey Fairy Book
I haven't decided what's next on my list...
QOTW: I'm a fast reader. I adjust my speed according to what I'm reading, though. If it's exciting (like getting to the end of a mystery), I tend to start reading faster but more focused. If I just want the book to end, I'll speed read and ignore most of the content/descriptions.
Hi everyone. I am jealous of all of you who are over the hot weather. We had about a week of sunshine in July and it's been autumnal winds and rains ever since.This week I finished Ivanhoe. Sometimes you go into a classic knowing that it will be outdated and offensive to us in the 21st century but sometimes it takes you completely by surprise. The relentless antisemitism in this book was exhausting to read through. If I hadn't read most of it on holiday a few months ago I probably would have DNF'd it a long time ago.
I also finished The Subtle Knife as a re-read. The film of The Golden Compass was on TV last week and I had an urge to read the sequel.
QOTW: I think I am a fast reader. I don't speed read or anything but if I am ever reading any thing at work with everyone else I am usually finished first.
Greetings from the Big Apple! A break is finally happening in the weather this weekend, and I plan to maximize my enjoyment by a visit to the Cloisters Museum in upper Manhattan that will include stitching outside by one of the cloister gardens. I only have 3 prompts remaining each for PS and AtY! I've got options identified for each from my TBR too. I've already decided to expand PS to include some of the 'options' that we could choose within prompts - and I even have most of those filled.
Finished:
1984 - read for PS common phrase - and first time reading it. Powerful, chilling book.
Snowdrift and Other Stories - collection of regency short stories by Georgette Heyer. I like all of them, favorite being A Husband for Fanny. I used this as my relief while reading 1984 - especially just before going to sleep so I didn't have bad dreams!
Currently Reading:
The Eight - enjoying this immensely. Not for challenge but would fit puzzle or game and also takes place in an abbey.
A Yuletide Regency - collection of regency christmas shorts -- using it as relief when I hit a passage in whatever else I'm reading that would give me nightmares if read before sleep.
Home to Stay - about a third through - will finish when in mood for a romance.
Still on the nightstand:
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
The Master and Margarita
And then there is Proust... my september reading class on this was postponed a week. As I can't find my hardcover set, I've located online a super cheap paperback version of the same set. As soon as the first volume arrives, I need to start.
QOTW:
I'm a pretty fast reader -- about 1000 pages a week on an average and I can absolutely read a 300 page book in a day. However not all books read equally fast...1984 was a very slow read for me given how short it was -- only 237 pages but took me 3 days. Currently I'm averaging about 100 pages a day on The Eight...but I'm also really busy with work and have evening plans every night.
Cendaquenta wrote: "Deathless - This was a lot. Deep and dark and bloody. I can't believe this is the same author who wrote Space Opera. How one person can contain such a mind I do not know..."Catherynne Valente is a very... eclectic writer, and unusual as well. But that's a big part of the reason why I like her. You never know what to expect out of her.
Mod
You made me laugh regarding your unplanned trip to the library... Reminded me of myself...you just can't resist! :)
After so many weeks withouth coming to check in, I finally got time to do it. Here in São Paulo Brazil, we are in winter, so weather is chilly, and I'm not complaining, I'm not anxious for the warm weathers to come.
This week I finished Made You Up, from a reading group outside Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, it was ok for me. Now I'm reading The Princess Bride. I don't know if those books will fit any prompt, I will check the prompts to confirm.
Question of the week:
I consider myself a slow reader. If I read 50 pages in a day I consider it a successful day of reading. I've never tried to change that because it would need much work and attention to read faster, and I don't like to think "I should read as much as I can", it's better for my anxiety if I think "I should read as much as I want". So this is what I do.
Mod
all this time I've been assuming that your GR profile pic is you embroidering in the Cloisters café!! Am I close?
Nadine wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Greetings from the Big Apple! A break is finally happening in the weather this weekend, and I plan to maximize my enjoyment by a visit to the Cloisters Museum in upper Manhattan tha..."Absolutely is! Excellent catch, Nadine! My stitching group has at least one annual stitching event there. Which I missed this year due to travel, unfortunately. My profile photo was taken not too many years ago at one of our Stitching at the Cloister get- togethers. Although, looking at the haircut - maybe longer ago than I think, LOL!
Finished The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin for the cli-fi book. For those of us who don't like dystopic tales, this book is fairly easy to take. The disaster stuff comes and goes as the book's hero dreams and redreams the world. The book also is fairly short, and Le Guin's writing is so lovely.I'm currently reading Our Souls at Night by the late Kent Haruf. I adore Haruf's quiet, simple stories about good people in a small Colorado town. In a review of this book, one reviewer said: "In his obituary, there was mention of a manuscript he’d completed just before dying, and now we have a chance to read that final book. Such posthumous publications come trailing clouds of skepticism, but “Our Souls at Night� is such a tender, carefully polished work that it seems a blessing we had no right to expect. . . . " I'm enjoying it very much, and when I finish I'll try to locate the movie (with Robert Redford and Jane Fonda; it's on Netflix).
So far this year: PopSugar 36/40, 9/10. BookCrossing Decade Challenge: 12/12. Ravelry 52 in 52 Weeks and GoodReads How many Books...? (both 40/52).
QOTW: I'm a reasonably fast reader, when I have the time. But I have to read a lot for work, and I don't get a chance to read for myself as often as I'd like.
ETA: Finished Our Souls at Night. Beautiful book, even if the characters don't get the ending you want for them. Watched the movie today, too.
Lynn wrote: "Mary wrote: "I am officially out of my reading slump thanks to the Kendra Elliot series I'm reading and I'm having a lot of fun trying to fit all 6 books into prompts from past cha..."I work right across the street from the library! Way too hard. I had to go back today for a meeting and I may or may not have spent some time perusing the shelves on my way to and from the meeting room.
Good afternoon. It’s been a busy week but here we are. It’s starting to feel like fall on some days and I am enjoying it! This week I finished:
The Priory of the Orange Tree. I am glad I stuck this out. It was hard going at first but I ended up loving it!
Saint Badass: Personal Transcendence in Tucker Max Hell. This was just ok. I spent a lot of the book thinking “yeah, they are taking you for a ride�. I did change my mind towards the end and am glad I finished. It was my audiobook.
The Screwtape Letters. So this was the audiobook I listened to after finishing the one above. I read it in high school and remembered enjoying it. Would probably have been better as a read book.
I am currently reading:
Lock Every Door. So I had to put this one down last night when the dumb waiter started moving on it’s own. It looks like a book I’m going to have to keep to daylight hours.
Cinder. I picked this up when I had to put the other down. I’ll alternate them until I’m done. A daytime and a night time read!
The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland. I am really enjoying this. It is my current audiobook.
I had also started The Most Fun We Ever Had last week but then my library holds on the 2 books above came in. I’ll pick it back up once I’ve finished with them.
Question of the week:
Are you a fast reader or a slow reader? Have you ever tried to change your reading speed?
You know, I read a lot but I think it’s because I take every opportunity to read. So if you define fast reader by hi many books you get through I would say yes. However, I typically define a fast reader by how many words are read in a period of time and by all tests I’ve seen I come out really slow. I am someone who hears every word I read and imagines the settings. Everything I read about reading says I should skim more and not “pronounce� the dialogue to myself (with accent sometimes!) but that’s just not how I read!
Hello everyone! I had a pretty ok reading week, though I had to DNF a book, which is not something I usually do. I wanted to read (listen to) We, the Drowned for set in Scandinavia because it's set in Denmark, but I really wasn't enjoying it and I had to force myself to listen to it. Eventually a scene came up that looked to become particularly violent but with a kind of flippant tone (a combo I cannot abide) and I noped out of there. Luckily Audible let me return the book and pick another!I did finish Shelter in Place, which was just fine, but I don't think it will work for any of my remaining challenge categories.
Currently reading:
Smilla's Sense of Snow: this is my new Denmark choice, and I'm very much enjoying it so far. I tried reading this when I was maybe 17 and hated it, so it's kind of fun to see how much differently it hits me now.
Love's Labour's Lost (Love in the title): sadly this is turning out to be a bit of a slog. I keep wanting to do an impression of John Mulaney doing an impression of Mick Jagger yelling "Not! Funny!" I will finish it, though, because canon.
Treasure island: An Audible Original: I'm not sure if this will fit any prompts for me (maybe someone in a movie read it?), but it's SO fun. The full cast recording is great.
QOTW: I'm a fast reader, but I try really hard to slow down when I'm reading poetry. It doesn't always work. :-)
It's been a stressful week so far, and too hot as well. I've started physical therapy for a hip problem I've had off and on for 16 years. I don't know why I let myself suffer for so long, although I suppose it was because I had more pressing health issues. Hopefully stress and pain will reduce soon.I finished one book this week.
Beloved by Toni Morrison; 3 stars
PS #36 (ghost story); ATY #48 (National Book Award)
I began the audiobook the morning after Toni Morrison passed away. I've been meaning to read it for many years, and it seemed like a fine time to listen to her read me the story. I struggled at the beginning to understand her soft, lilting voice but it grew on me and became my favorite part. I understand why people love this book, but the writing style and subject matter was a bit too much for me. Still, I'm glad I'm finally able to check it off a few lists (Pulitzer prize winners, well-read list, etc).
GoodReads: 50/80
PopSugar: 33/50
Around the Year: 42/52
QOTW:
I was a very fast reader until I hit middle age (45ish). Health problems have changed my brain some, I believe, and certainly has lessen my reading comprehension, so my pace is much slower. It doesn't matter, though - no one is timing me and I'm not worried about it. I read at whatever speed I need to for the book.
Happy Thursday all! Finished 2 books this week, neither for the challenge so I'm still at 49/50.Finished:
Anansi Boys- I quite enjoyed this one! Neil Gaiman is hit or miss for me, but I related so much to Fat Charlie and the narrator for the audio is brilliant.
Rise of the Evening Star- This is okay; the preteens at the library love this series but I find it too slow for my tastes. It did end with a pretty good twist so I might check out the next one.
Currently Reading:
Like Water for Chocolate
The Iron Gauntlet
QOTW:
People tell me I'm a fast reader but it might just be I spend more time reading than the average person!
Nadine wrote: "After a few slow weeks, I’m back to my usual reading pace! I finished four books this week, two for this Challenge, so I am now 47/50.The Island of Doctor Moreau by [author:H.G. Well..."
I hear you on wanting to read them All right NOW! So sad when you can't.
Mod
I loved this book and I think it was all due to the awesome narrator!!! (well, okay, maybe not ALL due to him - I do tend to like Gaiman's books) Lenny Henry is fantastic.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
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Looking ahead � the September group read of A Discovery of Witches will be starting around September 1st if you plan on participating.
We are still looking for a discussion leader for November’s book � Challenger Deep. If you are interested in leading that discussion please PM myself or Nadine!
Finished:
The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay � I read this as part of a book train with some friends. A book train is when a print book is read and sent along to the next person on the “train� (i.e. list). This book traveled from California to Hawaii to Virginia and will next be sent to Washington. Katherine Reay’s books are hit or miss for me. Her characters can be borderline unlikeable sometimes. Her books that I’ve enjoyed are the ones where the characters end up on the likeable side of the spectrum, and these characters fall into that group.
Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart. My dad has been pushing me to read Mary Stewart’s Merlin trilogy since I was a teenager�*cough* a very loooong time ago. I finally read the first one last year. I didn’t know anything about other books by her though. So when I saw this a few months ago (I think Amazon recommended it to me?) I decided to give it a try. It has a Rebecca feel with several nods to Jane Eyre. The mystery component is predictable, but it is still a suspenseful read while you weave through the story. Great read on audio!
I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel. It’s funny. I had pre-ordered this book and have had both a paper and audio copy since it released last fall. I started reading it immediately with the plan of reading one essay per night. I forgot after a few days and have been meaning to come back to this ever since. I finally picked it back up this week on audio. I love Anne’s voice and listening to her read her books is a delight. This will be a reread book for sure!
Like Water for Chocolate � I finished this last night. It’s my book club book for this month. I enjoyed it. It’s a little odd and a little magical all at the same time.
Currently reading:
Plain and Fancy � My daughter wanted to do a buddy read with me, and this is the book she selected. There may have been some eye-rolling for me in the first few chapters. Not because of the Amish component. I have read and enjoyed many over the years. There’s so much stereotypical romance-y statements that just need a little eye roll :)
I need to do a count to see how many books for the challenge I've read. I think I'm somewhere in the 30's.
Question of the week:
Are you a fast reader or a slow reader? Have you ever tried to change your reading speed?
I am a pretty fast reader in print or on Kindle. I am a slower reader on audio just because I absorb that format so much more slowly. I have never tried to change my reading speed, but I'm pretty content with the level I'm at so I don't feel the need to change it.