Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2020 Challenge - General
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2020 Challenge - I Finished!!
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Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 215 on page 5
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book with a map - Mary Poppins in the Park - delightful map of the park!
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): so many, but most unexpected perhaps was Upright Women Wanted read for prompt binary author.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?: Inspector Imanishi Investigates- book set in Japan, host of 2020 Olympics
Least favorite prompt: A book featuring one of the 7 deadly sins
Prompt you hope to see again: a western
Last prompt you finished: A book by or about a woman in STEM
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Generally yes, especially given that the first 6 months of the year I was reading Proust.
Finally, are you in for 2021? Absolutely!

Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 494
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): “a book set in Japan� because I live in Japan now and I want to read more Japanese authors Convenience Store Woman
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo “book about a journalist�
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?: I was dreading “book about a world leader� until I realized I could read this while watching The Crown on Netflix The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1: Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and the Making of a Young Queen
Least favorite prompt: “a book with 20 in the title� was way too narrow. Luckily I hadn’t yet read Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
Prompt you hope to see again: “a book you picked because the title caught your eye� was a fun one. I read An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good
Last prompt you finished: “medical thriller� (also a close contender for least favorite prompt) Kingdom of Needle and Bone
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: yep, pretty much. I’m just happy I was able to finish. I didn’t think I would. But I do have 2 books doing double duty, I would have liked to gotten in 2 more books for those. Also I read a lot of short books and novellas this year and nothing at all over 500 pages.
Finally, are you in for 2021? Already got my first 6 books lined up and ready to go!




















































The message number of your list post (if you've got one): 437
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book by a trans or nonbinary author - I read I'm Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk. I read it for the 'A book with a pink cover' prompt.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?: Yes, I read Be Frank With Me by Julia Clairborne Johnson, for the prompt, 'A book with a pun in the title'. I liked the book and look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
Least favorite prompt: A book about a book club. Not only were the selections pretty slim, but I also began reading Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books and couldn't finish it.
Prompt you to hope to see again: A book by a WOC. I read Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas by Maya Angelou for this.
Last prompt you finished: An Anthology. I read Fresh Ink: An Anthology by Lamar Giles. I had another book planned for this prompt, but I forgot to buy it on time.
Finally, are you in for 2021? Absolutely! I have been participating in the Popsugar reading challenge since 2016. I have only skipped one year, 2019, since then.

Date you finished:
12/27/20
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
A book with a great first line was fun, content-focused, and flexible. I read A Christmas Carol
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
Network Effect - I've read it twice already! (A book that's published in 2020)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?:
The Widow Nash was not my usual thing at all, but I found it fascinating and well written.
Least favorite prompt:
Medical thriller
Prompt you hope to see again:
A book recommended by your favorite blog, vlog, podcast, or online book club
Last prompt you finished:
A book with "20" or "twenty" in the title
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?:
This was the hardest year for me - lots of false starts and overall slow pace of reading. But I'm glad I stuck it out and got over the finish line after a fashion!
Finally, are you in for 2021?
Yes! A fresh start with some new books is just what I need.

Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 157
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): book set in Japan (because I love Japan!). I read Silence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of Suffering and learned so so much!
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): So hard to choose just one! I'd say The Way of Kings for "book with a made up language" because it introduced me to this amazing series and now I must own all the books!
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?: Lonesome Dove. I've never really thought of myself as a "Western" type of person, but this book was really good!
Least favorite prompt: "A book with a pink cover". I hate pink.
Prompt you hope to see again: I like the "choose a past prompt" prompt. Is that too meta of an answer?
Last prompt you finished: "A book whose title caught your attention"
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes! I got to slam a hole in my TBR, discovered two new series' I like, branch out into new genres, and read on topics I enjoy. It was so much fun!
Finally, are you in for 2021? Already got my list set and my first few books reserved and ready! Bring it on!!

Date you finished: 12/31/20
Message number of your list post (if you've got one): My List
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book you meant to read in 2019, because I like having second chances. I read When Breath Becomes Air, and it was fantastic.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): A Gentleman in Moscow was the best book I read in 2020, and the best book I've read in many years. It is a perfect book. I read it for the Book with a Map prompt.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?: I don't think I would have found Among Others if not for the Book Club prompt, and I enjoyed it a lot.
Least favorite prompt: I couldn't find anything I liked for the book by a trans or nonbinary author prompt. I don't think writing ability or finding a story or writing style that I'd like has anything to do with an author's gender in any iteration, and none of the books I found appealed to me at all.
Prompt you hope to see again: I like the prompts that need things on a cover or in a title or in an author's name, because I enjoy the hunt.
Last prompt you finished: A book with a bird on the cover. I read The Once and Future Witches and I loved it.
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: It was harder this year. Everything was harder this year. So I am simply glad I finished, even at the last minute.
Finally, are you in for 2021? Yep.

Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 41
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): Probably prompt #10 "A book recommended by your favorite blog, vlog, podcast, or online book club" because I watch a lot of booktube. I read Rogue Protocol. I also really liked #14 "A book by an author with flora or fauna in their name" for which I read Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):Exhalation: Stories for #13 "A book with the same title as a movie or TV show but is unrelated to it."
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?: Lock Every Door by Riley Sager, it was on my TBR, but I probably wouldn't have read it this year if not for this challenge, and I really loved it.
Least favorite prompt: Definitely #26, "A book with a pun in the title" and from the advanced section #9, "A book from a series with more than 20 books." I just found both of these to be too restrictive in choices, and had trouble trying to find something I wanted to read.
Prompt you hope to see again: I always enjoy the prompt "A book you meant to read in (insert previous year)" since I usually always have so many books I meant to get to but didn't.
Last prompt you finished: From the Advanced Section: #8 "A book published in the 20th century." I read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote and really enjoyed it.
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: I think so. I had quite a difficult and busy year in 2020, never mind the Pandemic, and so there were almost three months where I barely had time to read at all, so I'm proud I finished. I'm hoping that this next year will be a bit calmer at least, and I will finish with more time to spare. I don't like having to rush in December.
Finally, are you in for 2021? Yup! Can't wait.
Date you finished: Deceber 31st 2020
Message number of your list post (if you've got one):i dont but i am on page 10 and i posted on December 30
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?: absolutely 100% I wish you all the best by Mason Deavor
Least favorite prompt:
Prompt you hope to see again:
Last prompt you finished:read a banned book
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?:100% yes
Finally, are you in for 2021? Of course!!!!
Message number of your list post (if you've got one):i dont but i am on page 10 and i posted on December 30
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?: absolutely 100% I wish you all the best by Mason Deavor
Least favorite prompt:
Prompt you hope to see again:
Last prompt you finished:read a banned book
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?:100% yes
Finally, are you in for 2021? Of course!!!!

Message number of your list post (if you've got one): #15
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): I actually really enjoyed all of the prompts. So its hard to pick. I liked the social media, the one suggested by a vlogger, and all the advanced ones (themed to 20s)
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): The Unhoneymooners - more than 20 books.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?: I gear a lot of my reading towards this challenge. I add a ton of books to my TBR based off of these prompts.
Least favorite prompt: Bechdel test mostly because I still don't really know what it means even after looking it up all year haha!!
Prompt you hope to see again: The list is out but I always like how there are some carry overs from year to year. Ones like published in the current year and our favorite prompt from years past.
Last prompt you finished: Published by journalist
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes, I'm so glad I finished. I've been doing these since the very beginning and every year I vow to get it done earlier in the year. Maybe 2021 will be that year.
Finally, are you in for 2021? Yep but I have to do some chores I've been putting off in order to finish 2020 challenge! Then I'll get back to reading

Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 580
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
"A book with a great first line": I read The Night Circus. First line is "The circus arrives without warning."
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
I had several 5 star books this year, but I will choose The Vanishing Half. I used it for prompt 5: A book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics. (Los Angeles is one of the major locations in the book.)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?:
Probably wouldn't have read Strange Weather in Tokyo - used it for advanced prompt #5 - a book set in Japan, host of the 2020 Olympics. I don't read a lot of books in translation but this one was good.
Least favorite prompt:
#28 - a book with a robot, cyborg or AI character. I don't read a lot of science fiction. I read Cinder for this which was good, but didn't love it enough to read rest of the series.
Prompt you hope to see again:
I thought #26 - a book with a pun in the title - was fun. I read Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation which was very humorous.
Also like any prompt that focuses on LGBTQ, WOC, classics, or translations because it generally expands my horizons.
Last prompt you finished:
#31 - A book with "gold", "silver" or "bronze" in the title. I started Quicksilver but way too late to finish it. So I substituted a book I read earlier in the year. Since this prompt was related to an Olympics that didn't happen, I used a book set in a city that was awarded the Olympics (Chicago - 1904), but it didn't get to host, because it was moved to St Louis. The book I read was The Great Believers which I actually read in April, and it didn't fit a prompt at that point.
Technically the last book I read for the challenge was Binti which I finished on 11/23 because I was reading it for another challenge and a prompt on Afrofuturism books. Then realized it fit this one! #18 - a book with a made-up language.
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?:
YES! Almost all of the books I used for the challenge were rated 4 or 5 stars with a few 3-star books. I read 88 books overall so had multiple choices for many prompts, but I struggled with the last two prompts.
Finally, are you in for 2021? I think I'm only going to do the advanced prompts in 2021, because I really need to tackle my physical TBR. Seems like a good way to help me focus on that. I may also try to go back and complete some of the 2016 and 2017 prompts.
OK, I know I'm super, super late finishing, but I finally got through it (and I had at least *started* all the books by the end of 2020...)
Date you finished:
23rd January 2021 (oops!)
Message number of your list post (if you've got one): N/A
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
A book set in Japan � read Before the Coffee Gets Cold, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
Unnatural Causes, by Richard Shepherd (A book on a subject you know nothing about)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?:
The Saturday Night Ghost Club, by Craig Davidson (A book set in a country beginning with ‘C�)
Least favorite prompt:
A book with the same title as a film or TV show but unrelated to it
Prompt you hope to see again:
A book you picked because the title caught your attention
Last prompt you finished:
A book by or about a journalist (Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett)
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?:
Mostly � some books didn’t really fit the prompt, some were too long, and I would have liked to finish on time.
Finally, are you in for 2021?
Yes, the prompts look more interesting! I like the section all about the TBR pile.
Date you finished:
23rd January 2021 (oops!)
Message number of your list post (if you've got one): N/A
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
A book set in Japan � read Before the Coffee Gets Cold, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
Unnatural Causes, by Richard Shepherd (A book on a subject you know nothing about)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?:
The Saturday Night Ghost Club, by Craig Davidson (A book set in a country beginning with ‘C�)
Least favorite prompt:
A book with the same title as a film or TV show but unrelated to it
Prompt you hope to see again:
A book you picked because the title caught your attention
Last prompt you finished:
A book by or about a journalist (Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett)
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?:
Mostly � some books didn’t really fit the prompt, some were too long, and I would have liked to finish on time.
Finally, are you in for 2021?
Yes, the prompts look more interesting! I like the section all about the TBR pile.

Message number of your list post (if you've got one):
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book you meant to read in 2019- Diamonds Are Forever by Ian Fleming
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):- 17. A medical thriller- perhaps- The Man Who Died by Antti Tuomainen
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Least favorite prompt: A book with a made-up language
Prompt you hope to see again: A book that won an award in 2019
Last prompt you finished:-26. A book with a pun in the title- The Call of the Weird: Travels in American Subcultures by Louis Theroux 12/12/20
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes
Finally, are you in for 2021? Yes
Books mentioned in this topic
The Call of the Weird: Travels in American Subcultures (other topics)Diamonds Are Forever (other topics)
The Man Who Died (other topics)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (other topics)
Cinder (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
J.K. Rowling (other topics)Antti Tuomainen (other topics)
Louis Theroux (other topics)
Ian Fleming (other topics)
Angie Kim (other topics)
More...
Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 739
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): - A book with a map - I read Grandma Gatewood's Walk.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): - For A book set in a country beginning with "C" I read The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane and it was one of my favorite books this year.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? - Yes. I would not have read Spinning Silver were it not for the prompt, A book with "gold," "silver," or "bronze" in the title. It turned out to be a novel I liked.
Least favorite prompt: - A book published the month of your birthday... it seems there aren't very many great books published that month. I read The Nickel Boys but didn't like it.
Prompt you hope to see again: - The first book you touch on a shelf with your eyes closed - just because that was fun.
Last prompt you finished: A book by a trans or non-binary author.
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading? Yes!
Finally, are you in for 2021? Yes!