Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2022 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 4: 1/20 - 1/27
I believe we hit -15F with wind chill last night. Noooo thank you. Grateful for heat, four walls and a roof, and wishing everyone had it. I spent all day yesterday chatting comics with my best friend, so I didn't listen to any of my audiobook. Do I mind? Nahhh. Finished this week:
Catwoman, Volume 1: Trail of the Catwoman - 4 stars
Catwoman, Volume 2: No Easy Way Down - 4 stars. Working my way through this series with my best IRL friend and it's been a blast so far! Book about a secret
The Girl from the Other Side: Si¨²il, A R¨²n, Vol. 1 - 4 stars. This originally caught my interest because Si¨²il, A R¨²n is one of my favorite traditional Irish songs. Still not quite sure what it has to do with the plot (a translation would be "Walk (or Go), My Love"), but we'll see how it goes. If you like unsettling/haunting/fairytale horror type stuff, check it out!
King Leopold's Ghost - 5 stars. Social horror book
The Fade Out, Act Two - 4 stars.
The Fade Out, Act Three - 4 stars. Brubaker has me on a noir kick and I'm not complaining. Book featuring a party
PS 5/50
Lots of comics this week! And as long as I'm neck-deep in noir, I'm hoping to start The Long Way Down sooner rather than later.
Currently:
A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix - Found family This is good so far, but I'm not sure I would count it as a specifically-Treasure Island retelling. There's pirates, but I don't get the Treasure Island vibe the way I did with the Little Women retelling, So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix.
Women, Race & Class - Different book by an author you read in 2021
The Silmarillion - Stalled in favor of ALL THE COMIX
ãy¤Î³× Silver Spoon 1 Gin no Saji Silver Spoon 1 - Cows! Ngl, this makes me wonder about what could've happened if I'd chosen vocational school when I was younger. So many options I never considered. But anyway, it's great so far and the art is adorable :D
QOTW: Building on last week's discussion of genres ... What is your favorite reading genre?
I've always read a TON of SFF, specifically fantasy. I get picky in the subgenres; I skip PNR and I'm super-picky about my UF, but epic fantasy and speculative fiction, that's my stuff. Historical fiction is another big one!
Good morning, everyone!It hasn¡¯t been the most productive of weeks (with respect to all of the things I actually needed to get done), but it has been a very good week for reading.
For this week¡¯s reading I focused pretty heavily on manga. I have quite a few manga series on my bookshelves that I either haven¡¯t gotten around to reading yet, or that I¡¯ve fallen behind on, and it felt really good to be able to check some of those books off my TBR list this week.
Because of all the manga I read, I¡¯ve actually made a significant amount of progress on my TBR goal. I¡¯m still under my self-imposed book buying ban, but it looks like I may make it to 150 books sooner than I thought.
Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ: 72/200
TBR checklist: 60/962
Finished Reading:
~Books of Adam: The Blunder Years
~The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 26: Comics & Stories
~Demon Love Spell, Vol. 1
~Demon Love Spell, Vol. 2
~Demon Love Spell, Vol. 3
~Demon Love Spell, Vol. 4
~Demon Love Spell, Vol. 5
~Demon Love Spell, Vol. 6
~The World of the Witcher
~Doctor Who: The Only Good Dalek
~Fushigi Y?gi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 01
~Fushigi Y?gi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 02
~Fushigi Y?gi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 03
~Fushigi Y?gi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 04
~The Blind Banker
~Sherlock: The Great Game
~Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia Part 1
~Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down: The Official Behind-the-Scenes Companion
~Fushigi Y?gi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 05
~Fushigi Y?gi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 06
~Fushigi Y?gi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 07
~Fushigi Y?gi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 08
~Fushigi Y?gi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 09
~Fushigi Y?gi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 10
~Fushigi Y?gi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 11
~Fushigi Y?gi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 12
~Fushigi Y?gi: Byakko Senki, Vol. 1
~The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
~Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 1
~Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 2
~Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 3
~Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 4
~Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 5
~Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 6
~Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 7
~Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 8
~Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 9
~Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 10
~Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 11
DNFed:
~Don't Look Behind You! A Safari Guide's Encounters with Ravenous Lions, Stampeding Elephants, and Lovesick Rhinos ¡ª I will probably borrow this book from the library again in the future, because I really enjoyed the author¡¯s first book, Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide. I guess I just wasn¡¯t in the mood for a memoir (even a funny one) this week.
Currently Reading:
~The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
~The Art of Game of Thrones, the official book of design from Season 1 to Season 8
~God Save the Queen
~Inuyasha (VIZBIG Edition), Vol. 1: Pulled Through Time!
QOTW:
My favorite genres are fantasy, science fiction, and mystery.
K.L. wrote: "Good morning, everyone!It hasn¡¯t been the most productive of weeks (with respect to all of the things I actually needed to get done), but it has been a very good week for reading.
For this week¡¯..."
Go KL go!! Look at all of those!
It's -9F here right now.I finished The Witches of Eastwick as my book about witches. Blech.
I'm now reading Cloudsplitter as my Anisfield-Wolf award winner. So far, so good, but I'm only on page 80 of about 750 pages and I have a feeling it's going to get long.
My favorite genre is historical fiction. Runner up would probably be courtroom dramas. But, I like most stuff. Except smut and gore.
We've been having "frost bite advisories" every second day for about 2 weeks. It's ironic because as the capital city, we often get protestors. But protesting in January in the sometimes coldest capital in the world is not always the best thought out plan. Better to stay inside with a book and a cup of herbal tea.Finished:
City of Fallen Angels
ATY prompt: A book with a non-human as one of the main characters
(everyone is a Nephilim, werewolf, vampire, fairy, or demon)
Popsugar prompt: couldn't find one
A Slow Fire Burning
ATY prompt: A book from NPR's Book Concierge
Popsugar prompt: A book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read (Angels - Slow)
ATY - 3/52
PS- 2/35
Series - 1/13
Clearing my TBR list: 3/40
Currently reading:
Eragon - about 85% done
Insurgent - about 95% done
QOTW:
My favorite genres are "classics", YA, and mysteries/thrillers.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Mata Oti: Eyes of Death by Lani Wendt Young - zombies! in Samoa! This was my Pacific Island author book, and it was gory and disturbing and kinda sad, but also - somehow - a lot of fun. Young has left herself open for a sequel, and I hope she writes it. Thank you to whomever (Ellie?) suggested this book for this category!!..."Yay! I'm happy to hear it's good. It's waiting for me on my kindle when I'm in the mood for gory-disturbing-sad.
Mod
And now we have much bigger plumbing problems! Two different companies were out and finally a third decided they could tackle our situation. Sounds as if we¡¯ll have to have all kinds of repairs done to get everything working correctly again. Unbelievable. *sigh* But¡the car is running!! LOL So there is that!!
Admin Stuff:
You can post the book you read to satisfy January's prompt here.
And, we have a "bubbly bibliophile" to lead May's group read discussion! Stormie ~ Book Dragon ~ will have that honor. That is truly courageous, considering that book has yet to be selected! Thank you, Stormie!
Question of the Week:
What is your favorite reading genre?
I have loved mysteries from the beginning of my independent reading as a child. And as an adult I discovered historical fiction which is a favorite! But now I would say my overall absolute favorite genre is Historical Fiction-Mystery or would that be Mystery-Historical Fiction? LOL Whatever... Behind that is fiction/literary fiction overall. And as a result of broadening my reading horizons by participating more in Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ groups, etc. I now can add SFF (Science Fiction/Fantasy) as my third preference.
FINISHED:
*The Right Attitude to Rain (Isabel Dalhousie #3) by Alexander McCall Smith ???????????????????? was absolutely adorable! I had totally forgotten exactly how calming and pleasantly entertaining this series is to me. Isabel is a self-proclaimed ¡°philosopher¡± and I believe one of the most appealing aspects of this series is my frequent realization that her own philosophical musings mirror my own¡ Yeah. I¡¯m not exactly a ¡®party animal¡¯!! LOL So glad I picked this up and read it and now, since I own the next 6 installments, I¡¯ll be reading one of these every once in awhile throughout 2022! *Squee!* BTW, this series is definitely NOT for everyone. If you desire action avoid these books! LOL
POPSUGAR: #25, #29, #40-2019 #7 Reread a favorite book
ATY: #2-I read another Alexander McCall Smith book in 2021, #3, #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine¡¯s proposal): Tell that its sculptor well those passions read-Jamie and Isabel¡¯s passions are finally realized, #12-Jamie drops his glass and breaks it when Isabel tells him, #15, #31-2006, #33, #40-The Lovers, Strength, Justice, Judgment, The World, The Fool
RHC: NEW #7-Isabel is 42 and Jamie is 28
CONTINUING:
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson for a January Buddy Read. This weekend was much busier than I had planned, so I was unable to finish. I should this coming weekend, however! Definitely a 10-star read for me!
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo for my University¡¯s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group read. I have high hopes for the discussion group to which I have been assigned. The leader is a black female which I believe is VERY appropriate AND there are 22 members, but hopefully this will be better than the last group. I have my fingers crossed! We will discuss the introduction and first chapter today.
* The Careful Use of Compliments (Isabel Dalhousie #4) by Alexander McCall Smith. Almost halfway through this one. I adore this series!
*Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. I think this will be next!
*Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson to complete two 2021 challenges!
*Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
*Paradise by Toni Morrison to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #25 A book written by Toni Morrison
PLANNED:
The Big Bad Wolf (Alex Cross #9) by James Patterson for a February Buddy Read.
Murder at Kensington Palace(Wrexford & Sloane #3) by Andrea Penrose for a February Buddy Read.
To complete some 2021 year-long challenges:
1) *Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
2) *The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
To complete the 2021 Read Harder Challenge:
*Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert (our February Group Read! How convenient! LOL)
*Ordinary Girls by Jaquira D¨ªaz
*Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
*Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
*The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday (Isabel Dalhousie #5) by Alexander McCall Smith
*The Lost Art of Gratitude (Isabel Dalhousie #6) by Alexander McCall Smith
Hi! I was half awake this morning. The chihuahua wanted back into the the covers and I let her in. Covered the chiweenie, settled down, got comfy, was half asleep, and THUNK! The holllow sound of chiweenie and blankets falling startled me wide awake at 3:40 this morning!
He¡¯s fine. He rolled off the bed. And all parts are in working order. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s the sharpest tool in the shed, but he has cuteness to cover up that fact!
I took a challenge break this week. I read some volumes of a manga. Dengeki Daisy, Vol. 1. I¡¯ve read a lot of it before when I borrowed it from my friend, but I¡¯ve never finished it. I want to know how it ends! I haven¡¯t spoiled myself (miracle since it¡¯s a older series) so I¡¯m excited.
I¡¯ve lined up my change books for the coming month. I may switch out a book on my list for a different one. I just don¡¯t have that feeling of anticipation thinking about reading it. Illuminae sounds good, but I¡¯m so ¡®meh¡¯ about it.
I finished Rebel Seoul ¡ªfinally! for #20. And is companion Rogue Heart. Oh! by the way, for those still looking for a duology or own voices sff, they fit the bill for both.
I have a bunch of library books lined up for February when I start the challenge again. They are for numbers 2, 14, 21, 23, 29, 31.
Im trying to get all the physical books out of the way before reading the kindle ones that I own.
QOTW: wow, okay, that¡¯s a scary thought. Being super duper vague now: I like romance in various genres, depending on the author.
Manga of all types including isekai, shojo, shounen, josei, paranormal, fantasy, sci-fi. Light novels same as manga.
Sheesh, I also like YA and Juvenile books but usually in the fantasy, sci-fi, and paranormal stuff.
I¡¯m into mythology and folktales, history, etymology (something about word meanings and their roots just make me giddy).
I won¡¯t turn down a book unless it doesn¡¯t sound interesting to me. Those usually tend to be the literary fiction. I see enough real life drama that I don¡¯t want to read about it. Unless there¡¯s a hot vampire to sweep the character into a life of fangy bliss then maybe . . .
Lynn wrote: "Happy Thursday, all! So, we were without water in our house at least 24 hours¡ Yeah, exciting, huh?!? I was appalled when I arrived home at 10PM last Wednesday and no water came out of any faucet i..."Oof! Plumbing issues are no joke and I'm glad your husband found the problem! Deeeeep breaths...
I don't think I have any exciting life news. I did witness the dog making her sofa nest though. We usually wake up to find the sofa cushions rearranged and the chosen toy in pride of place. She must have been cold during the day because I saw her technique, which is kind of shuffling a cushion under and through her legs so it is neatly positioned by her bum. She could just lift the cushions with her mouth, but apparently this is how she does things.Finished:
Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson for ATY (less than 5000 ratings), Beat the Backlist and Pick Your Poison. Not as good as You Should See Me in a Crown, it was a bit weirdly instalovey for a contemporary, and it was like Olivia's whole thing was that she instaloved all the time and that led to a bad thing. And I felt she was hinting all throughout that it was a rape, but then it wasn't. I dunno, I think it suffered trying to cram in two main characters. The music festival setting isn't really my thing either.
How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu for ATY (prompt that didn't make the list - it's the end of the world as we know it). A powerful novel made up of interconnected stories, exploring rituals of death and grief in the face of a plague unleashed by climate change. This is not going to be for everyone right now, it was emotional but cathartic, and I think ended on a hopeful note. And Notorious P.I.G. was so noble, how I cried!
PS: 7/50 | ATY: 7/52 | PYP: 3/26 | BTB: 5 | GR: 12/100
QOTW:
My gut says science fiction but I know I read more fantasy than any other genre. I think fantasy gets more attention and there's just more about right now.
Two books and neither tick off promptsThe Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. Horror. Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about this book. It was very heavily character driven and I¡¯m still sitting with it.
Stormbreak by Natalie C. Parker. YA. Third book in a girl pirate series. I really enjoy the series as a whole.
I think I¡¯m pretty evenly split among YA, romance and thrillers.
School is getting into full swing now - and my internship has given me my first task to do! It's pretty straightforward so it's a good starting point. I've also been reading a lot this week - I have a light course-load but my friends don't, so lots of free time right now.Popsugar Updates (12/50):
Books read: (I got lots done this week!)
An Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winner - The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family
A #BookTok recommendation - Neon Gods
A book that features two languages - The Lost Lights of St Kilda
A book you know nothing about - The Spanish Daughter
Currently Reading:
A book about someone leading a double life - Little Thieves
A book about a secret - Our American Friend
Building on last week's discussion of genres ... What is your favorite reading genre?
This is a hard question! I read really widely. I like romance, and SFF, and historical fiction, and true crime, and more - and can't say what I like best!
So my dog and I were wrestling yesterday morning and he hit me in the eye with the back of his paw. I didn't get the lid closed in time, so it felt pretty terrible, but I bounced back fast, or so I thought. Turns out after an emergency visit to the optometrist this morning, I have a scratch on my eyeball and I need to put an antibiotic ointment in my eye 3 times a day (EWW!) But, oh wait, my pharmacy doesn't stock what he prescribed, so I am currently waiting for a mystery prescription to be delivered to my office. I have four court packets due and a training this afternoon, but I thought I would give myself 5 minutes to post here to get myself to chill out a bit. I am 21/50. No clue how I am accomplishing that pace.
This week, I finished:
A Flicker in the Dark: A book with a quote from your favorite author on the cover or Amazon page: This is one of those times where reading a review before reading the book causes problems. Karin Slaughter said, "smart, edge-of-your-seat story with twists you'll never see coming." So the whole way through the book, I kept thinking way outside the box to all the possibilities. In that way, it was easy to figure out one of the biggest twists, because it was the most dramatic thing I could think of. For the first half probably, I kept wondering what was so smart about the book, but then I got hooked, because I had narrowed things down to 4 big twists I thought might happen, and I was racing to figure out if/which was right. I stayed up way too late to finish, and I realized that was what was so smart about the book. Not that the twist was unpredictable, but that there were so many possibilities for what the big twist(s) might be.
One Last Stop: A book featuring a parallel reality: I definitely understand why so many people loved this book, but I knew going in this would be a rough one for me. The concept of parallel realities and time rips make me anxious and uncomfortable, so a lot of this book felt like that for me. I would have much preferred the book to be simplified without the trapped across time on the subway storyline because everything else was golden.
Daisy Jones & The Six: A book about a band or musical group: An incredible book. I can't imagine reading it in any other format than audiobook. If I hadn't forced myself to stop, I could have listened to it straight through in one sitting. I couldn't get my mind off the story when I wasn't listening. There's something so brilliant about reading a whole story about a band and never getting to hear the music. I was basically desperate to hear the songs in a Dolly Parton "Songteller" way, but of course that isn't possible with a fictional band. Also, the little ending was beautifully executed.
City of Ghosts: A book about the afterlife: Big thanks to K.L. for this suggestion last week. I thought this was a really cute ghost story. It was even a little spooky. I will definitely check out book #2 at some point.
Scream Hunt: A book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read: This was not good. I loved the idea, but the characters were not developed. There was no tension, and it wasn't scary. There was no hook.
Currently reading:
Mexican Gothic: When I started this book over the weekend, it seemed like the kind of book that I am likely to read completely in one day, but for some reason, I found myself wanting to move on to other books, so I have only been reading it in very small doses over the last few days. I hope I reengage with it, because I can tell how good it is.
My Best Friend's Exorcism: At the beginning, I thought this book was really fun and entertaining, but I'm almost to the halfway mark and I'm starting to get bogged down in it. I am hoping that it picks up the pace soon, or it is going to put me to sleep.
QOTW:
Thrillers/Mystery are my easy favorite, but I love lots of genres.
Ashley Marie wrote: "I believe we hit -15F with wind chill last night. Noooo thank you. Grateful for heat, four walls and a roof, and wishing everyone had it. I spent all day yesterday chatting comics with my best frie..."Love girl from the other side! Haven¡¯t finished yet but the story is interesting to say the least.
K.L. wrote: "Good morning, everyone!It hasn¡¯t been the most productive of weeks (with respect to all of the things I actually needed to get done), but it has been a very good week for reading.
For this week¡¯..."
Love your taste in manga! Haven¡¯t read fushigi yugi yet, but the entire series is on my tbr. Definitely need to talk otaku!
Mary wrote: "City of Ghosts: A book about the afterlife: Big thanks to K.L. for this suggestion last week. I thought this was a really cute ghost story. It was even a little spooky. I will definitely check out book #2 at some point."I'm so glad you liked it!
Mandy wrote: "Love your taste in manga! Haven¡¯t read fushigi yugi yet, but the entire series is on my tbr. Did you see there is a new series for it. ¤Õ¤·¤®ß[‘ï °×»¢ÏÉÓ› 1"Thanks! Fushigi Y?gi is definitely one of my favorite manga series (I also love the anime adaptation). I read the original series when I was a teenager, and I had a lot of fun reading Genbu Kaiden this week. I did get a chance to read the first volume of the newest series as well, Byakko Senki, and thought it was really good. It's going to be so hard to wait until the next volume comes out though...
Mod
This is on my short list of ideas for the "man-made disaster" category. I'm going to try to find non-fiction for the category, but if I can't, I've got a few fiction ideas. Do you think this book fits?
Mod
Yikes, plumbing problems are awful!
Mod
ATY prompt: A book from NPR's Book Concierge ..."
yay! you finally got a copy back and finished! was it worth the long wait?
Happy Thursday! So enjoying this cold weather. About time we have a winter!! Could use more snow though. Finished 4/50
The Eye of the World for "book set during your favourite season [winter]". This series has such reread value. I enjoyed this more than the first time I read it!
The Days Are Just Packed for "book with a tiger on the cover". Can't go wrong with Calvin & Hobbes.
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe for "a sapphic book". I'd seen the movie awhile ago and liked that. The book was ok. Not my favourite but not bad.
Currently Reading
The Anthill for "book by a Latinx author". This is really dark and somewhat triggering so far. I should finish it today, and a lot is riding on the ending as far as whether I like it or not. This is my first encounter with a book that doesn't use quotation marks during conversations. Definitely not a fan of that trend. It's confusing!
QotW
High fantasy! Bring it on. A good sci-fi is also up there. On the non-fiction end I like religious, philosophy, science, and historical books too.
Nadine in NY wrote: "This is on my short list of ideas for the "man-made disaster" category. I'm going to try to find non-fiction for the category, but if I can't, I've got a few fiction ideas. Do you think this book fits?..."I would think so, the whole thing kicks off because the Siberian tundra is defrosting due to climate change.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Dubhease wrote: "A Slow Fire BurningATY prompt: A book from NPR's Book Concierge ..."
yay! you finally got a copy back and finished! was it worth the long wait?"
I really liked it. Many people have not forgiven her for not constantly re-writing Girl on the Train. It's like music. If all your albums sound the same, the critics slam you for that. If all your albums sound different, the critics slam you for that.
I gave The Girl on the Train four stars, Into the Water four stars, and A Slow Fire Burning four stars. But they are all written very differently. Personally, I appreciate that she's trying new things and not cranking out the same old same old.
A Slow Fire Burning was more of a character study than a mystery. I mean there was a dead body and eventually you learn who killed him, but the book was really a character study of three women and why each was a slow fire burning because of all the wrongs done to her in their lives.
Good morning from Louisville, where it is a comparatively balmy 24F. Expecting snow this evening. Sounds like a good night to make chowder and curl up with a book! Unfortunately I do have to brave the temperatures to go in to the office and process some affidavits, but based on what some of you have said about your workplaces, I'm trying to just be thankful that I will be the only one there and needn't worry about COVID exposure on top of everything else.I didn't finish any books this week but am slowly making my way through Matrix. It's enjoyable, but meh, I have read better books about nuns. Looking forward to starting We Were Never Here afterwards.
QOTW: Building on last week's discussion of genres ... What is your favorite reading genre?
Give me any detective novel and I'm happy.
Happy Thursday! Minor plumbing problems compared to Lynn's. This is the second time our pipe leading to the upstairs part of the house froze. It wasn't even that cold compared to what some of you are experiencing. It was 16F when I got up this morning. This is the second time this winter this has happened. Both times the pipe thawed over the course of the day. What can you expect from a 1923 house?I am at 8/50 for Popsugar. Not even sure how that happened. I have never gotten such a good head start before.
Finished:
Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal for onomatopoeia in the title. Not as good as some of Mary Roach's other books. Happy to have this prompt done.
Stalingrad for book 1 of a duology. This was very long, I actually started it at the end of December. Also really happy to have this done as it frees me up to read many more books in the same amount of time.
The View Was Exhausting for a book with a blurb from a favorite author. This book has a blurb by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I can see why. It's very TJR-ish. It's about actors, musicians, fame, publicity, etc. But it's not nearly as well executed. I found it repetitive and boring in parts, and the MC was just so selfish and self-obsessed.
Currently reading:
Murder with Fried Chicken and Waffles
The Life of Charlotte Bront?
Doctors and Friends
QOTW:
Mysteries are my life-long favorite. Not thrillers though, there has to be a police officer or detective investigating the case. Amateur detective is fine, cozy mysteries are fine. But police or professional detective are my favorite. Gritty is good.
I also love historical fiction. This is more of an adult acquired taste. I don't read that many historical mysteries, although I am sure I would like them. Recommendations welcome.
I also love sci-fi, fantasy, romance, chick lit, literary fiction, classics, and any books centered on food (cozy mysteries, chef memoirs, etc.).
Mod
OUCH!!!
Mary wrote: "So my dog and I were wrestling yesterday morning and he hit me in the eye with the back of his paw. I didn't get the lid closed in time, so it felt pretty terrible, but I bounced back fast, or so I..."My daughter scratched my cornea with her fingernail when she was a baby. It's so painful. Once you get the drops, it should feel better fairly soon. Back in those days they also used to tape gauze over your eye and give you an eyepatch, so that was fun.
Mod
UCK how much do I hate this trend!!!!! I just started Sally Rooney's new book and apparently she is another author who thinks she transcends basic punctuation. Suddenly I am beginning to understand why so many readers complain about her because this is not a good sign. I see a fan defending her by claiming: "it's an unnecessary convention. With well rendered characters - and let's be real, those are the only ones who Rooney fucks with - the audience is already aware of who is speaking. It becomes intuitive, so that we don't need speech marks cluttering up the page." And I'm sorry BUT WHAT. Who among us has ever been distracted by quotation marks on the page? how do they clutter up the page? what inanity is this?????
I find that a lack of quotation marks makes everything seem remote. This is not happen in real time with real dialogue, this is a memory or a retelling, where someone is remembering the dialogue. I am not a fan!!
After reading a few books where the lack of quotations marks was an indicator that the person speaking may not really exist, that's now what I expect when anyone does it. I'm fine with it when there's good reason, but just because readers "should know who is speaking" isn't good enough for me.
I haven't read too many books without quotation marks. I shudder even at the thought of it. I have been thinking of reading the ToB longlist, so I guess I need to steel myself.
I¡¯m in upstate NY and also trying to survive the cold. This week I finished Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune for the ¡°book about the afterlife¡± prompt and Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins by Emma Donoghue for my sapphic book.
I also read The End of Men by Christina Sweeny-Baird. I had thought to count it as a book about a non-patriarchal society, but I¡¯m not sure it really fits, since so much of it is defined by men. The personal loss of men in the lives of the women is a major theme, but beyond the way in which women are underrepresented in positions of power or in certain fields means that they are fighting the fallout of the patriarchy even when the men are gone. It¡¯s fascinating to think about, but I think I¡¯m going to look for something else for that particular prompt.
edit - and belatedly I also finished The Committed by Viet Thanh Nguyen. It is the sequel to The Sympathizer and I read the pair for my duology challenge.
I'm still reading Seveneves for the palindromic title prompt. It would be nice to get that behemoth done by the end of the month. I just picked up The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker for the character using a mobility aid. I might dedicate a weekend day to reading that, since it looks pretty easy.
QOTW: Science fiction. I grew up with it, and still adore it. I like all kinds of SF, and especially like how diverse the field has become. If you don¡¯t know who the Sad Puppies are, consider yourself fortunate, but their failure to get their favorite cis/het/white/male fiction wins for the Hugo awards is so sweet.
Everyone's talking about freezing temps and ice; meanwhile, it's still 50s and 60s here in North Texas. Someone mentioned a chance of snow for next week, but I won't be at all surprised if that goes away. Alas.Finished:
I've read nothing lol. I'm off to a rough reading start this year!
Currently Reading:
I'm hoping to finish How to Listen to and Understand Great Music on my trip to my brother's this weekend. I also need to get back into The Real James Herriot: A Memoir of My Father. And I'm hoping to read Toothiana: Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies for non-patriarchal society.
QOTW:
I wouldn't call it a genre but I love middle grade lit. Fantasy light (or low fantasy or whatever the term would be) is another favorite, alongside YA realistic fiction (I think middle grade and YA are the only types of realistic fiction I like). And I love a good mystery!
Happy Thursday through the dense fog that used to be the PNW! We have been shrouded in so much fog lately that it feels like living in a horror movie. BUT I did get reading done!
Finished:
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Macado (A book by a Latinx author). This book was fantastically written. I loved the set up with the small bursts of information in essay style. Highly recommend.
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker (A book that fulfills a past prompt: 2017 A book with a subtitle). Another 5-star read for me. I have been getting really into Nonfiction-via-Audiobooks. It feels like the author is telling me about the story.
Continuing:
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (A #Booktok recommendation). I have had this physical book on my shelf for probably 3 years now. I have almost started reading it a dozen times but usually pass it over for a different book. I don't love the format of this one but the story is good. I am about 100 pages in.
Starting this weekend:
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert (A romance novel by a BIPOC author). Starting this soon for February's Group read! This was another one I have had on my list for awhile. I don't love romance books but since I read so many murder/thriller books throwing one in every now and then isn't so bad.
QOTW:
Murder/Thriller books definitely keep me entertained and are my go-to. For audiobooks my first genre choice is nonfiction. I have expanded my genre-preferences since starting this reading challenge 2 years ago. I would never have picked up a YA novel, SFF, or anything that wasn't my chosen genres. But I am happy to say that my preferences have changed for the better.
Shannon wrote: "Everyone's talking about freezing temps and ice; meanwhile, it's still 50s and 60s here in North Texas. Someone mentioned a chance of snow for next week, but I won't be at all surprised if that goe..."We're supposed to get 8-12 inches, but every time they say that it turns into 3. I want my foot of snow!!!!!!
Katelyn wrote: "Happy Thursday through the dense fog that used to be the PNW! We have been shrouded in so much fog lately that it feels like living in a horror movie. BUT I did get reading done!
Finished:
[boo..."
The audiobook of The Book Thief is fantastic. It might help, if you're having a hard time getting into the print book.
Finished:The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan (3/5)
There's enough good here to make the book readable. However, I am getting really ticked off by characters never getting to finish conversations that would give Percy and the reader enough information to better understand what is happening. The infodump by dreaming is also a bit overused. I was happier with the quest group this time around.
Question of the Week:
I gravitate to science fiction, fantasy, and mystery the most.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Alex wrote: "This is my first encounter with a book that doesn't use quotation marks during conversations. Definitely not a fan of that trend. ..."UCK how much do I hate this trend!!!!! I just ..."
I read one book with this and I couldn't tell who was speaking half of the time. If we ever had a QOTW about trends in books that we hate, I would definitely nominate this one. Fortunately, most of my favourite authors don't do this.
Happy Thursday, y¡¯all.This year our library has set up what they call an "Extreme Book Nerd Challenge," which is essentially their own PopSugar Reading Challenge -- it even requires you to read 50 books. And I love how almost all the prompts they have are mined from previous years of the PopSugar Challenge, haha...
Books read this week:
Coraline -- for the advanced prompt ¡°a book featuring a parallel reality.¡± Deliciously creepy and imaginative. In all honesty, I probably like Neil Gaiman¡¯s children¡¯s/YA books better than his adult books¡
Fire in the Grove: The Cocoanut Grove Tragedy and Its Aftermath -- for ¡°a book about a manmade disaster.¡± A brutal and horrifying, but fascinating, account of the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire in 1942. And yes, it was a manmade disaster -- it¡¯s generally accepted that either faulty wiring or a busboy¡¯s match that started the blaze.
Children of Ruin -- for ¡°a different book by an author you read in 2021.¡± Fantastic sequel to Children of Time. Both of these books would also count for ¡°non-patriarchal society¡± and ¡°duology.¡±
The Girl from the Other Side: Si¨²il, A R¨²n, Volume 8 -- this volume BROKE my heart! This series better not end on a bleak note or I¡¯m going to throw the last volume across the room¡
Regular Challenge -- 9/46
Advanced Challenge -- 1/10
Not for the challenge -- 6
DNF:
The Guncle -- for the advanced prompt ¡°book with a reflection on the cover or ¡®mirror¡¯ in the title.¡± This has such amazing reviews on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, but I found every single character to be obnoxious, including the main character.
Currently Reading:
Carmen Miranda's Ghost is Haunting Space Station Three -- for ¡°a book about the afterlife¡±
Old Man's War -- for ¡°your favorite prompt from 2019 (a book set in space)¡±
A Planet for Rent -- for ¡°a book by a Latinx author¡±
Devil House -- for the advanced prompt ¡°book with a reflection on the cover or ¡®mirror¡¯ in the title¡±
QOTW:
Definitely fantasy and science fiction. I was psyched to see quite a few fantasy/sci-fi based prompts this year, hehe...
K.L. wrote: "Mandy wrote: "Love your taste in manga! Haven¡¯t read fushigi yugi yet, but the entire series is on my tbr. Did you see there is a new series for it. ¤Õ¤·¤®ß[‘ï °×»¢ÏÉÓ› 1"Thanks! Fushigi Y?gi is definitel..."
I know that feeling with other series. have you tried Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 1 or Living-Room Matsunaga-san, Vol. 1? I loved the anime of the first (wish they had animated more) and i'm a sucker for om/yw.
Hello! We are home from vacation and the weather reminded us that we chose to live in Minnesota. Saturday and Sunday it snowed and Monday and Tuesday had wind chills around -25F. Right now it's +29F, downright balmy, but the next blast of cold air is on its way. Tomorrow at this time it will be -12F again (plus wind chill).I'm struggling with how to handle the books that I meant to read for last year's challenges but finished this year. I've read three books so far this month that I intended to read in December. Can I count them for the 2022 challenge, even though I'm also counting them for 2021? I wouldn't use it for the same challenge in both years, so a book for Read Harder 2021 wouldn't also be used for Read Harder 2022. I know, my challenge, my rules, but I would welcome others' thoughts on this.
Finished this Week:
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. It was a faster read than I expected, for its size. I knocked it out on the couch Sunday afternoon while waiting for football. Although after only reading this and The Nightingale by her, I hope the pattern I've found isn't true of all of her books. Using for #29, author I read last year.
Love Scenes by Bridget Morrissey. This was a giveaway I didn't win last summer, and I finally got the book from the library. It was a quick and light romance, which is what I needed after two heavy historical novels. I was left with a lot of questions about the motivations for multiple characters. Not for PS prompt (that I can tell yet).
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver. Instead of a Doing It All Over, where the main character finds herself reliving part of her past, the main character in this book experiences an alternate universe in her sleep with the help of an experimental sleeping pill. When she's sleeping, she's living a life where her boyfriend didn't die. I was surprised with how quickly the author moved through the months, as the book covers almost two years. Heavy at times since they're dealing with death, but another quick read. Using for #47, Parallel Reality.
PS 5/50 GR: 12/100
Currently Reading:
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. Trying again. I've made more progress this time than when I tried to read it last fall. I'm a little less than halfway. Not sure for PS prompt.
Up Next:
Forget the Alamo: The True Story of the Myth That Made Texas by Bryan Burrough. I heard about this book when the Texas government prevented the authors from doing a book reading across the street from the Alamo site. I don't remember what the argument they used was, but it made me want to the read the book that had made them so mad. Due back to the library in a week.
A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H.G. Parry. Book club pick for January, and we're meeting tonight, but haven't started it yet. Will try to read it for February.
QOTW: What is your favorite reading genre?
These days, I'd have to say fantasy. I read a smattering of science fiction because I'm usually just aware of what the SFF community is doing. I keep trying to read romance, but it's not my favorite like it was in the past. I also love history non-fiction, and will pick those up eagerly if they're about a period I'm interested in.
Hello from a bone-chillingly cold Columbus! I missed last weeks check in, so this will contain two weeks worth of books!The Drowning Faith for the own voices SFF. This is the last book in the The Poppy War trilogy. A very exciting series, each book I got through very quickly despite them being long AF. These are dense books and I find I can¡¯t always remember who characters are or what past events they¡¯re referencing but I didn¡¯t find that it took away from my overall enjoyment. These are very brutal books that most definitely do not glamorize war.
Building Stories this was for a prompt last year, but I had two sections I needed to finish and I finally got around to that. This is probably one of the most interesting things I¡¯ve read to date. It¡¯s a comic, but in an unordered series of different media. Books, newspapers, game boards, etc. They all tie in together, and mostly focus on a woman living in Chicago. There¡¯s a very melancholic, lonely vibe to it all and I found I really grew to love the unnamed main character. To the point where I miss her now that I¡¯m done and would really like the author to make more content featuring her lol. A++ would recommend to anyone
Olga Dies Dreaming this wasn¡¯t for a prompt, I put this on hold last year and can¡¯t really remember why. A good read regardless! Olga¡¯s mom is this book made me so mad I found myself literally seething anytime her letters came up. Her parents refusal to let her follow her calling to participate in the church with grandmother particularly struck a chord with me. But overall I think this is an important read for anyone wanting a glimpse into the Puerto Rican struggles, and the complexities of identifying with your roots and your present.
The Way We Live Now a very long satirical Victorian novel about financial scandals and interpersonal dramas. I¡¯ll always love me Victorian novel. This was me finishing off the last prompt from last years back to the classics challenge.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club for a romance by a BIPOC author. This was alright. Not my favorite but not bad at all. I¡¯m generally not crazy about romance.
Dune not for a prompt, my boyfriend just talks about it all the time so I figured I¡¯d give it a go. I uh, don¡¯t really know what was going on but I enjoyed the ride I suppose lol.
11/150 books read this year
6/40; 0/10 Popsugar
0/24 Book Riot
0/12 Back to the Classics
QOTW: some of my favorite genres are gothic, classics, supernatural, private investigator/thrillers/mysteries types of books.
13/50I read lots this past week! Yay!
Finished:
The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity This was a L-O-N-G read. Though I got kind of bogged down in the middle, it was worth the read. The authors challenge a lot of commonly held assumptions in World History. I wanted to count it for book with matriarchal society, but that was only covered in a couple of pages, so I'll have to read something else for that prompt.
A Kind of Spark book with a neurodiverse character. It's kind of funny because I remember Real as being much better than this book, but they BOTH have bullies for teachers which requires a trigger-warning.
Little Big Minds: Sharing Philosophy with Kids This covers a topic I'm very into recently, but for some reason, I had to force myself to get through this. It was almost too tidy of a package, felt too resolved.
Finding Your Way in a Wild New World: Reclaim Your True Nature to Create the Life You Want for prompt book I knew nothing about. Has anybody read her Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live. That's a book I've seen in used book stores a lot, but ignored until now. Anyway, Finding Your Way felt like an important read, but I often feel like that about self- help and then forget about its teachings shortly thereafter.
Started:Robust Comprehension Instruction with Questioning the Author: 15 Years Smarter I read an earlier version of this book that was great because it included a lot of trouble-shooting chapters. This one is so boring!
QoTW:I have to admit, in the past, I've looked down on genres. But I've realized there are quality books in every genre and there's also a lot of variety within genres. (If you don't like bodice-rippers, there's more PG versions of romance. If you don't like hard-boiled mysteries, cozy might be your cup of tea.) My favorite genre is middle grade fiction, though that cuts across genres: could be fantasy, realistic, historical, sci-fi, etc.
Lynn wrote: "*The Right Attitude to Rain (Isabel Dalhousie #3) by Alexander McCall Smith ???????????????????? was absolutely adorable! I had totally forgotten exactly how calming and pleasantly entertaining this series is to me. Isabel is a self-proclaimed ¡°philosopher¡± and I believe one of the most appealing aspects of this series is my frequent realization that her own philosophical musings mirror my own¡ ..."I'm so glad you posted about this series! Somebody left The Sunday Philosophy Club in our Little Free Library and I grabbed it. Now I'm more looking forward to reading it!
A quick check-in. I¡¯m done with screens for today. Have been checking forms for over 8 hours today, so my brain needs something else.Oh, and I switched from a work-out class to a Pilates class. My back loves it. So I¡¯m loving it too.
3/40
Finished
Haagse jaren: De politieke memoires van Ruud Lubbers by Theo Brinkel
#13, a book set in the 1980s
The personal memoires of Ruud Lubbers. He was prime minister of the Netherlands from 1982 until 1994. I only knew him from stereotypes. I learned a good deal about his motivation, political history and the history of his political party (which I worked for from 2002-2017). The writer is a former colleague, it was nice to see his way of speaking in this book!
The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton
#2, a book set on a plane, train or cruise ship
Based on the true story of Truus Wijsmuller who personally travelled to nazi-occupied Germany and Austria to pick up Jewish kids. Impressive lady, she deserved her spot in history. Her story is mixed with the story of a Jewish boy in Vienna and his girlfriend. Tissues recommended.
QOTW
History. Both fiction and non-fiction.
We started house hunting last weekend, and I think the sticker shock is going to kill me. Santa Fe is so much more expensive than St. Louis! We'll keep looking, but this first foray into the housing market was really disappointing. You'd think for $600K you could get something that doesn't need a ton of work.Challenge Progress: 7/50 I've read more than 20 books so far this year, but I haven't been planning my reading. I feel like I'm falling behind even though I'm reading a ton.
Completed:
The Duke's Detour: Not a bad story, but there were an awful lot of coincidences. I know reality doesn't really figure into this type of story, but this one sometimes really strained credulity. (P40: Past Prompt 2018 - a book featuring twins) ¡ï¡ï¡ï
The Reckoning: Our Nation's Trauma and Finding a Way to Heal: Interesting distillation of white nationalism and it's prevalence throughout US history... and today. ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
The Echo Wife: Domestic suspense... with clones. Weird but worth it. ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
The Collective: This is another book that really requires you to suspend belief. But this twisted (maybe convoluted?) tale of a mother's grief and revenge is thrillingly worth the read. ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
Femlandia: Having read Dalcher's other novels, I knew Femlandia would not be the utopia it portrayed itself to be, but I was ready for it. Bring on the matriarchal dystopia! It was ugly and horrifying and compelling (just as I expected) right to the very end, but the epilogue completely ruined the book for me. I wish I hadn't read those last few pages. (P3: A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society) ¡ï¡ï
Eli, Seth, and I read three books this week: Lion and Mouse ¡ï¡ï, Blue Penguin ¡ï¡ï¡ï, and Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï.
Currently Reading:
Reckless Girls
The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter
Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001
How I Built This: The Unexpected Paths to Success from the World¡¯s Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs
Anthem
The Archive of the Forgotten
The Secret History of Wonder Woman
QOTW: Do I have a favorite genre? I'm not really sure... I read everything. It just depends on my mood.
Hey all. We have a 28 mph wind today giving us a 25F wind chill, which I have to walk around in now that I"m back at work. After my emotional drama this past week, I basically stopped reading completely. I went into self preservation mode which this time manifested as watching every remotely interesting video in my youtube feed, and then binging 7.5 seasons of Taskmaster. It helped. Finished:
The Pet and the Pendulum - Last of the cute little Poe twins books
Oh Look, a Cake! - picture book
William Powell: The Life and Legacy of One of Early Hollywood¡¯s Most Acclaimed Actors - Short little bio of one of my favorite actors, but it was basically an extended Wikipedia page.
Currently Reading:
Nothing really, because of reasons. I have been falling asleep to Emperor MolIusk lately, but I really just pick a random chapter. I find the narration so delightful that it's weirdly soothing. I was in the midst of things though.
Discovering Architecture: How the World's Great Buildings Were Designed and Built
How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question
The House in the Cerulean Sea
And of course this was the week I had a ton of library holds come in, so I put some of those on hold and am just hoping I'm back on track to get to the others in time.
QOTW:
Looking at my spreadsheets for the past few years it looks like about 40% of what I read I've labeled "fiction." I don't separate contemporary from historical, and that's also my dump label, if I can't be bothered to think about it very hard. Behind that are combined all versions of non-fiction. Then my top three others are SFF and mystery.
Happy Thursday, everyone! I have tomorrow off from work, although not for anything happy (running errands and getting ready for a funeral on Saturday). Still, I'll enjoy having a day off.Finishes:
Iron Widow - 4 stars. This is a sci-fi, not historical, but the society is basically ancient China. It was very fast-paced and fun, and the main character was so fierce and angry. I read this for a book with a protagonist who uses a mobility aid, because walking is painful and she uses a cane and a wheelchair to get around.
Daisy Jones & The Six - 4 stars. But if I hadn't listened to this as an audiobook, this probably would have been 2 or 3 for the story itself. The book is written in the style of nonfiction, like a series of interviews of the band members and those around them. The audio is full cast, with different actors for each character, and comes off more like a radio play. I used this for the prompt, a book becoming a TV series or movie in 2022, since there's a series coming out on Amazon Prime, I believe.
Manga:
After-school Hanako-kun
Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, Vol. 8
Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, Vol. 9
Spy x Family, Vol. 5
Spy x Family, Vol. 6
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Vol. 20
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Vol. 21
Noragami: Stray God, Vol. 23
The King's Beast, Vol. 4
How Do We Relationship?, Vol. 1
Currently reading:
Vespertine - a book featuring a man-made disaster or possibly a non-patriarchal society. It's been a little slower going for me this week, because I've had more life stuff going on, but I'm about halfway through and I'm enjoying it.
QOTW: What is your favorite reading genre?
Sci-fi and fantasy, 100%. Adult, YA, middle grade, it doesn't matter to me. Those have been my genres since I was old enough to read, and while I have branched out, they are still my comfort genres.
Mod
The Guncle -- for the advanced prompt ¡°book with a reflection on the cover or ¡®mirror¡¯ in the title.¡± This has such amazing reviews on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, but I found every single character to be obnoxious, including the main character. ..."
oh no!! that's my choice for the BookTok book! I'll make sure I have several good backup choices at the ready.
Mod
This reminds me of a book I'm reading!! I just started reading the romance novella Can't Escape Love (I'm reading it for "mobility aid" but it would also work for BIPOC romance) and it starts out with the heroine having insomnia and needing to get voice recordings of a guy who used to have a sort of puzzle podcast, because his voice was so soothing for her.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Year of the Reaper (other topics)In Another Time (other topics)
Girls of Fate and Fury (other topics)
Wild Beauty (other topics)
See Me (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Natasha Ngan (other topics)Stephanie Garber (other topics)
Jackie Lau (other topics)
Stacy Schiff (other topics)
Cheryl Diamond (other topics)
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Temperatures continue to be arctic here in NY. It's 0F right now, which is really cold for us. My daughter has gone back to college, and the house feels so empty without her. I won't see her again until March. That's a long time.
Admin stuff
The January group read of People We Meet on Vacation is in its final week, discussion is here:
January group read
February's group read will be: Get a Life, Chloe Brown
The poll to choose our April group read is open!
April poll
If you are interested in leading the group discussion for March (The Island of Sea Women) or April (tbd this week) or any other future month (live dangerously!), let me or Lynn know.
This week I read three books, all count for this Challenge, and I am now 12/50.
Our Country Friends by Gary Shteyngart - this book is getting a lot of praise from critics and readers alike, but holy cow I did not like it: it was dull and pointless, everyone smelled bad, I didn't like any of the characters, I didn't care about any of the characters, and I'm convinced the author didn't either. This is one of those "middle aged guy bumbles through life and has a reckoning" books that are always very popular, maybe because the critics are also middle aged guys bumbling through life? I'm the right age, but this one did not work for me. I shoved this book into my Challenge list out of spite, because that kind of struggle needs to count for something. I picked this up because it was in the Tournament of Books list, and I didn't know anything else about it, so I checked off "book you know nothing about" with this one. I'm really batting 1000 w/ the ToB ;-)
Mata Oti: Eyes of Death by Lani Wendt Young - zombies! in Samoa! This was my Pacific Island author book, and it was gory and disturbing and kinda sad, but also - somehow - a lot of fun. Young has left herself open for a sequel, and I hope she writes it. Thank you to whomever (Ellie?) suggested this book for this category!!
Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge - I just finished this last night. I shoved this into "features two languages" because the last third included quite a bit of Creole. I am just striking out with the Tournament of Books! Last year I loved almost all the books on their list! What happened this year? Because I did NOT like this book. It was beautifully written, with lots (LOTS - good lord LOTS) of detail, and I think there was supposed to be lots of character development, a la a coming of age novel, but ... if you ask me, this character is just circling. She starts out as a young woman in Civil War era Brooklyn, with a lot of obstacles to overcome and a lot of skills, who doesn't know what she wants to do with her life, and she ends up a married young woman in Haiti who still doesn't know what she wants. She's made a series of choices, and each time she thinks "this is it, this is what I want, this is how I'll find true freedom!" and ... nah. The entire ending irritated me. (view spoiler)[ She became SO ANGRY with her HUSBAND because his father was shtupping all the women in town? why? Why did she blame her husband?? And what kind of new mother decides to run away with her newborn babies and leave her husband behind? And go on a long ocean voyage that she knows will leave her seasick the entire time, WHILE she's going to be single-handedly caring for two newborns???? Good luck with that. She's going right back to where she came from, where she was so unhappy - why does she think it's going to be different this time?? Wouldn't it have made more sense to start asking her husband if they could live elsewhere in Haiti, not in his father's house? She didn't even try that. (hide spoiler)] Hmmm that was a pretty good rage-summary, I'm pasting that whole mess into my review.
Question of the Week
Building on last week's discussion of genres ... What is your favorite reading genre?
I've always been primarily a genre reader, I love both mystery and SFF, with SFF in a slight lead as my favorite go-to genre.