Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2022 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 5: 1/28 - 2/3
Mod
ATY: 34/52
RHC: 5/24
FINISHED:
*The Careful Use of Compliments (Isabel Dalhousie #4) by Alexander McCall Smith ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I adore Isabel’s philosophical moments as well as her sharp observational skills, and particularly her perseverance! Even Jamie had to admit her ‘interference� was a good thing this time around!
POPSUGAR: NEW #19-summer, #25, #28-In certain parts of the world “holiday� means “vacation�!, #29, #40-A book you own but had never read, #46-the painter
ATY: #2-Read another Alexander McCall Smith book in 2021!, #3, #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): The hand that mocked them, Isabel thought the painting was a fraud, #5, #6, #7, #15, #31-2007, #33, #34, #36-Brother Fox, #37, #40-The Lovers, Strength, Justice, Hermit, Death, Judgment, The World
RHC: #7-Isabel is 42 and Jamie is 28!
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for a January Buddy Read. Oh, my goodness! Isaacson’s writing was absolutely excellent, IMO! I never thought I would be interested in reading his other books, but I would definitely consider them now given that I love his writing! If you are at all interested in the science behind mRNA technology and how we got here, you should read this!
POPSUGAR: #36, #40-2015: prompt #1 A book with more than 500 pages
ATY: #3, #4-Although this technology can be used to alleviate illness, it could also be used to create “designer babies�, NEW #13, NEW #25, #34, #37, #40-Judgment, The World, #49
RHC: #22, #24-2016: Read a nonfiction science book
The Black Stallion Returns(Black Stallion #2) by Walter Farley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was excellent, IMO! I know some of you here did not enjoy it at all. I think maybe I’m still capable of reading like a ‘kid�! (I probably still think like a child as well! LOL) This was a perfect adventure story with horses, IMO! I rather enjoyed the travel described in that time period. The Bedouin culture and characters were so interesting! I’ll definitely keep reading these!
POPSUGAR: #19-summer, NEW #24, #25, #26-the Black Stallion doesn’t return to Alec, #29, #40-2015: prompt #27 A book you can finish in a day
ATY: #1-Alec, #2-Read the first installment in 2021, #3, #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): …sneer of cold command…The main villain and The lone and level sands stretch far away-Lots of sand in the desert!, NEW #10-Morocco = Africa, #20, #25-199 pages, #31-1945, #33, #36, #37, #40-Strength, Justice, Death, The Sun, NEW #41, #43, NEW #46, #49
RHC: #24-2016: Read a book that was adapted into a movie, then watch the movie. Debate which is better. The movie was nothing like the book, just used some of the same characters and a few of the same scenes. Book definitely better IMO! Movie just so very dramatic! Overly so�
CONTINUING:
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo for my University’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group read. Our facilitator is a black female and I believe that helps a lot!
*Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. I think this will be next! Along with *Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert for our February Group Read!
*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.
*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 This second one for the ATY winter challenge—I need Ls!
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 Díaz
*Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
*Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
Mod
I'm having troub..."
congrats on getting your plumbing sorted!!! It's so stressful when you can't casually do basic things like flush the toilet or throw in a load of laundry! we take these things for granted until we don't have them sometimes. Although, it's been a few years now since I got a new washer, and I STILL breathe a sigh of relief every time I start a load, knowing that it will successfully finish and I won't have to worry about ending with a tub full of water...
And since I’ve been dying to read it, I’m going to pickup Bluebird, Bluebird (Highway 59 #1) by Attica Locke. Finally!
I really enjoyed this book!! I liked it a lot more than Black Water Rising. I definitely plan to read Heaven, My Home and I hope she continues the series.
Happy Thursday. Our city did not get the major snowstorm, and we're probably the only city disappointed by that. We have an infestation of protestors right now, who are not the peaceful, civil disobedience types. They are are terrorizing women, POC, the homeless, and the disabled. Some hoped a storm would snow them in. Too bad, we can't swap weather and you could send us your snow.In book news, I finished 3 books. And I'm reading a cute middle school story that fits a PS and ATY prompt.
Finished:
Insurgent
ATY prompt: A book with a main character whose name starts with A, T, or Y (Tris)
Popsugar prompt: A book about a secret
Eragon
ATY prompt: A book connected to the phrase "Here (There) Be Dragons"
Popsugar prompt: A book that features two languages
The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories
ATY prompt: A book with 22 or more letters in the title
Popsugar prompt: A book you know nothing about
ATY - 6/52
PS- 5/35
Series - 3/13
Clearing my TBR list: 5/40
Currently reading:
Jelly Bean Summer
Mod
Is this your first time reading this series? I LOVED these books when I was a kid, but I'm afraid to re-read them now!
Mod
This week I finished 2 books, none for this Challenge, so I remain 12/50.
The Bees poems by Carol Ann Duffy- not for me. Duffy seemed very focused on being a Serious Poet who Represents Society in this collection. I've never read her work before so I don't know if she always writes like that, or if she was just feeling pressure as the UK Poet Laureate.
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney - I was surprised by how much I liked this (finally! a Tournament of Books book that I really enjoyed!!). I'm one of those contrary grumps who hates liking popular things, but, hello! I'm on the Sally Rooney Fan Wagon now!!
QotW
Yes!! Every year I like to select books to read for various Cultural Appreciation months. Come on over to Black History Month reading!
This month I'm hoping to read:
general fiction:
Passing by Nella Larsen - this is on my list of books I must read in 2022
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry - this is also on my list of books I must read in 2022 (maybe I can read this in one sitting?)
romance:
Can't Escape Love by Alyssa Cole - my mobility aid book (I am currently reading this and expect to finish today or tomorrow)
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams - my BIPOC romance. I have this book borrowed from the library right now.
SFF:
Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi - I've been meaning to read this for two years now. No time like the present?
graphic novel:
Making Our Way Home: The Great Migration and the Black American Dream by Blair Imani - a copy is waiting for me at the library.
mystery:
Children of the Street by Kwei Quartey - part 2 in the Darko Dawson series (I need part 3 for this Challenge, but I don't have a category for this one).
Blonde Faith by Walter Mosley - (I'm currently listening to this one) The Easy Rawlins series books are always good for an audiobook
The Big Gold Dream by Chester Himes - I'm slowly making my way through Himes' Harlem cycle; haven't read any in just over a year now.
general non-fiction:
Memorial Drive: A Daughter's Memoir by Natasha Trethewey - this is an Ainsley-Wolfe award winner; I'm definitely going to read it this year, and use it for the Challenge, but I'm not sure if I'll fit it in February.
poetry:
For Christmas I bought myself some poetry books (because my library has a crappy selection). I now own, and I know I won't have time to read all of these in one month (but, yay! they are all women! Women's History Month is right around the corner):
Rita Dove - Playlist for the Apocalypse: Poems (currently reading this one)
Amanda Gorman - Call Us What We Carry
Yona Harvey - Hemming the Water
Tracy K. Smith - Eternity: Selected Poems
And books to suggest? SO MANY!!! But I'll keep my list short, because this is already long enough.
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America- this was so well-written, comprehensive, and informative.
The classics:
Their Eyes Were Watching God - it doesn't get any better than this; one of the few books I've re-read. (Audiobook is fantastic, too.)
The Street - this deserves a re-discovery in the 21st century.
Zami: A New Spelling of My Name- I read in a women's studies class in the 80s; it blew me away, and it deserves a much wider audience.
Contemporary fiction:
The Hate U Give for a contemporary YA voice.
Anything by Colson Whitehead, especially The Underground Railroad, The Nickel Boys, and Harlem Shuffle.
The Mothers or The Vanishing Half - both were wonderful
Homegoing - one of the best books I've ever read, an amazing debut.
Crime fiction:
A Rage in Harlem by Chester Himes
Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby
Fear Itself by Walter Mosley (audiobook is read by Don Cheadle!)
If you like graphic novels, the March series was wonderful.
... and there are SO MANY books I still want to read!!! In particular: Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Renaissance and Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America. I'll get to them someday ...
Good morning, everyone!It has been a pretty busy week! I am continuing to work on clearing out the junk that has accumulated in my home over the years, and I’ve made some decent progress.
I’ve also managed to get in a few days of exercise this week, despite some pretty lousy weather. It’s been so cold lately that I’m having to use the elliptical instead of walking outside, and I have to say that I would much rather take a walk instead. My legs feel almost as bad as they did after I tried a CrossFit class on “leg day.�
I decided to continue reading mostly manga this week, and ended up crossing off a considerable number of books from my TBR list as a result, including the entire Inuyasha manga series. I’ve still got 70 books left to go before I can lift my book buying ban, but I’m moving along a lot faster than I anticipated.
ŷ: 107/200
TBR checklist: 80/962
Finished Reading:
~Inuyasha, Volume 01
~God Save the Queen
~The Art of Game of Thrones, the official book of design from Season 1 to Season 8
~Inuyasha, Volume 02
~Inuyasha, Volume 03
~Inuyasha, Volume 04
~Inuyasha, Volume 05
~Inuyasha, Volume 06
~Inuyasha, Volume 07
~Inuyasha, Volume 08
~Inuyasha, Volume 09
~Inuyasha, Volume 10
~Inuyasha, Volume 11
~Inuyasha, Volume 12
~Inuyasha, Volume 13
~Inuyasha, Volume 14
~Panic
~The Okay Witch
~Inuyasha, Volume 15
~Inuyasha, Volume 16
~Inuyasha, Volume 17
~Inuyasha, Volume 18
~Ranma ½, Vol. 1 (Ranma ½
~Ranma ½, Vol. 2 (Ranma ½
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 3
~Ranma 1/2 Vol. 4
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 5
~Ranma 1/2 Vol. 6
~Ranma 1/2, Volume 7
~Ranma 1/2, Volume 8
~Ranma 1/2, Volume 9
~Ranma 1/2, Volume 10
~Ranma 1/2, Volume 11
~Ranma 1/2, Volume 12
~Ranma 1/2, Volume 13
Currently Reading:
~The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
~The Queen Is Dead
~The Princess Spy
~Ranma 1/2, Vol. 14
QOTW:
Since I’m currently focusing on my TBR list, I haven’t selected any specific books to read during February.
Happy Thursday! It is raining (again) in the PNW - though I am glad it hasn't snowed lately. Stay safe out there in the snow and ice!I haven't been reading very much lately but still making progress.
Finished:
Ugh - nothing
Continuing:
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert. This is definitely not my genre but it reads well so I am trying to push through.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I switched to Audiobook which is helping. It is entertaining at some points but I am just not "over the moon" about it.
QOTW:
The only book I had planned for this month is for the monthly read - I try not to plan to read books at specific times otherwise it feels like a chore. I have to mood-read. Which is probably why I am dragging on reading this month.
Mod
The plumbing was so cumbersome. I love to cook and do so quite often, but having to NOT run any water down the kitchen sink was such a drawback and what a hassle! Ugh... Glad it's over!
"I really enjoyed this book!! I liked it a lot more than Black Water Rising. I definitely plan to read Heaven, My Home and I hope she continues the series.."
I'm so glad you posted this, 'cause I thought you hadn't liked it for some reason. (I'm old and my memory is not always reliable!)
Mod
It is my first time. I have no idea how I missed them as a child/teen! Although I was limited to whatever our rather small rural library had available...
And I also watched the 1983 film adaptation of the movie immediately after reading the book. The movie used some of the characters and few scenes, but other than that didn't follow the book much at all. A real disappointment for me... But then there is the fact that after several of the Harry Potter movies, I would complain to my husband about all the what-I-felt-to-be very important and pertinent things omitted from the movie adaptation, and he would inform me that nobody would sit through a 4-6 hour long movie just to see all those things added... Humph! He may be right, but still... LOL
I'm almost 2/3 of the way through Cloudsplitter, depending on your definition of almost. It's very long. It's not bad, but it seems like nothing's happened.QOTW: Nope.
I haven’t done much reading this week. We went a nice long walk in the forest at the weekend and did some pottery using a kit I got for Christmas. I also started playing Evil Genius 2 which was a bit of a time suck.So I only finished one book, Dog Rose Dirt by Jen Williams for a book about a secret and Beat the Backlist. I enjoyed this, it’s about a woman sorting through her deceased mother’s things and she finds a pile of letters from a known serial killer. She slowly discovers about her mother’s past as well as that of the serial killer, with a present day copy cat killer mystery to be solved.
I’m currently reading Wild and Wicked Things and listening to Mrs England.
QOTW:
The UK has Black History Month in October, so I’m more likely to try and participate in that. I mostly just try and read diversely all year round. I might read Blackout this month.
Happy Thursday, y’all.I dyed my hair blue this week. Because why the heck not. Life is too short to be boring, right?
Books read this week:
Old Man's War -- for “your favorite prompt from 2019 (a book set in space).� While I do enjoy Jon Scalzi’s writing and the way he makes sci-fi fun and relatable, this one was just a little too close to the “Starship Troopers'' school of military worship and colonialism to sit completely right with me. Ah well.
Nerd Camp -- for the prompt “a book that begins with the last letter of your previous read.� Very cute and fun read, and the camp these kids went to is one I would have LOVED to have gone to as a kid.
A Planet for Rent -- for “a book by a Latinx author.� A first-contact sci-fi story that also serves as an allegory for Cuba’s plight after the collapse of the Soviet Union and how it was treated by Western imperialism. Brutal, and often horrifying, but still a fascinating read. (Could also work for “an Own Voices fantasy/sci-fi novel.�)
The Girl From The Other Side: Siúil, A Rún, Vol. 9 -- manga, not for the challenge. AAAAAH this series is SO GOOD. Very Neil-Gaiman-esque in its feel, and feels a lot more like a Western fairy tale than a manga. I’m sad that there’s only two volumes left in this series�
Regular Challenge -- 13/46
Advanced Challenge -- 1/10
Not for the challenge -- 7
Currently Reading:
Carmen Miranda's Ghost is Haunting Space Station Three -- for “a book about the afterlife�
Devil House -- for the advanced prompt “book with a reflection on the cover or ‘mirror� in the title�
Upright Women Wanted -- for “your favorite prompt from 2020 (a book by a trans or nonbinary author)�
White Star: A Dog on the Titanic -- for “a book set on a plane, train, or cruise ship�
White Tears -- for "a social horror novel"
QOTW:
I hadn't PLANNED on reading something specific for Black History Month -- I knew I should have saved Hidden Figures for February. Though my social horror novel pick, "White Tears," might be a fitting pick for this month.
I wish I could say, "happy Thursday!" like normal, but it is not a happy Thursday here as yesterday I received the terrible news that a dear friend of mine suddenly passed away due what they think was a blow to her head when she fell down her stairs. She was only in her mid-30s and had just come to visit us last fall. Our home is covered in her beautiful artwork. I'm still in shock over it. Give your friends and loved ones a hug today. You just never know....Finished 7/50
The Anthill for "book by a Latinx author". I didn't hate this, but I don't love it. It was pretty dark, and the message was unclear. I don't feel like anything got resolved by the end.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for "book with onomatopoeia in its title" I had NO IDEA that this was A) a book before it was a movie and B) written by the creator of James Bond! How crazy! It's a kid's book, but I enjoyed it a lot. The plot is nothing like the movie, but I think both are good.
Fairest for "book with a reflected image on the cover". Yeah, this is so cheating as the image is technically a reflection in a mirror which I don't think is what was meant by "reflected image", BUT I'm going by the letter, not the spirit, of the prompt this year (just wait until you see the nonsense I'm gonna pull for "book featuring a party XD"). Basically, I just wanted to read this before I read Winter later this year.
Currently Reading
Rhythm of War for "book about a found family". This book...is...GINORMOUS....I'm so excited to read it though. I imagine this will take a couple weeks.
QotW
Yes, I'm kind of like you in that I don't read based off of monthly themes, but I do incorporate those books into my yearly reading. That being said, should I finish the above book soon, I'm slated to read Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story next, so the timing there really couldn't be more perfect. I'd also recommend The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, and my publisher is getting ready to release a book on African Orthodox saints called Become All Flame by John Gresham. It's 15% off right now, so check it out at parkendbooks.com!
Very sorry to hear about your friend, Alex. I lost two friends unexpectedly last year - as you say, make the most of those you care about.
Finished:Fate of the Jedi: Abyss by Troy Denning (3/5, reread)
I may have finished this last week but forgot to mark it complete in ŷ until this week. There are some good moments in all of the story threads, particularly in the Luke/Ben voyage. However, I am reminded now of just how irksome the "young Jedi are being driven crazy" plot was for me the first time around, and it has not gotten any better with age. I am taking a pause on completing this series reread.
DNF:
The Robots of Dawn by Isaac Asimov (3/5, reread for book club)
My first reading of this book was probably in high school or college, and I don't remember much from that reading. I made it over 200 pages into the book, but it was moving much too slowly. I read the summary of the rest to learn what happened to Jander, Baley, and the others. Daneel is still an awesome character, but I prefer him working with Seldon in Prelude to Foundation.
The Beatles - Album by Album: The Beatles - The Fab Four - by insiders, experts & eyewitnesses: The Band and Their Music by Insiders, Experts & Eyewitnesses by Brian Southall (3/5 for what I read, works for the book about a band prompt)
I read about the first five albums. It's not bad for a coffee table book type of read, but it is not that informative, either. You'd probably do better to read the Wikipedia page for each album.
Question of the Week:
No. I don't tend to organize my reading around calendar events and celebrations. If I do, it's around release dates or book club meetings.
Happy Thursday everyone. Sending love to those who are struggling with the week. I hope things improve. For the most part, this week was fine, though I woke up with a bad cough on Wednesday so I have to self isolate for the next 5 days due to the rules in place. So that's unfortunate. I don't think I'll get much reading done during this period as it ends up stressing me out.Books Finished
When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain - For a book with a Tiger in the title/on the cover. This was fun! 4 stars. Not as good as The Empress of Salt and Fortune but I listened to that one and read this one as an ebook, so maybe if I listen to it later, it'll improve the rating. It was still a great time!
Year of the Reaper - For a Book written by a Pacific Islander author. 4 stars. This was an enjoyable ride even though it was a plague related story. I think I enjoyed this just fine because it was not during a plague, but after the fact. The characters were good, and the protagonist was a lot of fun. I wish it had a sequel, but I'm more than happy to count a standalone. It was a great story.
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It - For a book about someone living a double life. 5 stars. I don't like thrillers or mysteries. I struggle to enjoy solving a mystery or on a high speed intense chase. But this nailed it and it worked for two reasons. One, the protagonist was not the smartest person in the world and that was fun, and two, it involved some really funny stuff. I just found it all sorts of enjoyable. I'm excited to get my hands on the sequel. I don't know if I'll read any other thrillers or mysteries but I'm not opposed to giving them a shot now.
Currently Reading
Among the Beasts & Briars - for a book with two POVs. I know it has two. It might have 3. But for the sake of the challenge, I'm counting it as such as I'm trying to get through some backlog.
QOTW
I don't try to limit my reading of particular authors to a particular month. I do have Witches Steeped in Gold to read but that's a long book so it might take longer than February to do. I try to read a variety of authors all year long. I'm certain I could diversify my reading any more but I'm just trying to get back into reading properly for now.
Good Morning Everyone!I cant believe it's time to check in again because I really haven't accomplished anything as far as reading this week. A couple of years ago I read 100 books and I'm currently wondering how I did that. Where did I find the time? Cause I really just don't have it anymore. This weekend I did paint my master bath and put up a new mirror and lights and storage and towel bars etc. though.
Anywho,
Currently Reading: See Me
I like it. It's an easy read but I'm thinking it's not going to be up to par with Nicholas Sparks older books. He may have lost his touch. We'll see.
QOTW: No. I don't organize around events. I also don't usually know anything about authors. I just decide to read what looks good to me.
It is so cold today... I think I might do some baking just to warm the house up a little. Our huge living room/kitchen combination has a ton of windows and very high ceilings, so even the thermostat says it's perfectly comfortable I'm still cold.Challenge Progress: 9/50
Completed:
The Secret History of Wonder Woman: I was expecting the story of Wonder Woman, the origins of the Amazon myth and Wonder Woman's evolution from the 1940s to now. This isn't that story. It's the story of her creator and his inability to hold a job, his incredibly unusual living arrangements, and his obsession with truth... and bondage. ★★�
How I Built This: The Unexpected Paths to Success from the World’s Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs: I've enjoyed listening to Guy Raz on NPR for years, but I didn't enjoy this nearly as much... Maybe because it's hours of listening rather than individual episodes? ★★�
Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001: Coll's accounting of the US's involvement, its mistakes and miscues, in Afghanistan prior to 9/11 is incredibly thorough and well-researched. It took ages to read - the text is dense - but it certainly kept my attention. Its Pulitzer Prize seems well deserved. ★★★★
Anthem: At first I thought I was really going to enjoy this book. But then it got weird... and preachy. If you're expecting Before the Fall, be warned. This is completely different, ugly and violent. ★★�
Reckless Girls: A week on a tropical island... sounds idyllic, right? Well, not with this group. Hidden motivations and betrayals can really mess up a vacation. Sure, some of the characters make really poor decisions, but with a title like Reckless Girls what else would you expect? (P40: A previous prompt - 2016 A book set on an island) ★★★★
The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter: Super enjoyable! A found family of monsters (the daughters of Jekyll and Hyde, Dr. Moreau, and Dr. Rappacini, along with Dr. Frankenstein's female creation) solving crimes in Victorian England along with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson? I'm totally in, and I'm definitely continuing on with this series. (P9: A book about a "found family") ★★★★
Currently Reading:
The Anthropocene Reviewed
Last Dance on the Starlight Pier
Gold
Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China
Impostor Syndrome
The Archive of the Forgotten
The Sweetheart
QOTW: I haven't really been planning my reading at all, but Harlem Shuffle and The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together are sitting on my bookshelf just waiting to be read.
Kenya wrote: "Happy Thursday, y’all.I dyed my hair blue this week. Because why the heck not. Life is too short to be boring, right?.."
That sounds fun!
Mod
that is shocking, and I am so sorry for your loss
Mod
My first reading of this book was probably in high school or college, and I don't remember much from that reading. I made it over 200 pages into the book, but it was moving much too slowly. I read the summary of the rest to learn what happened to Jander, Baley, and the others. Daneel is still an awesome character, but I prefer him working with Seldon in Prelude to Foundation. ..."
Ugh. A couple of years ago I had this grand idea to re-read all of Asimov's Robot, Empire, & Foundation books in order as one long series. And this is the book that broke me. The unrelenting and snarky sexism throughout was just too much. I love his sci-fi ideas, I love his writing, but I couldn't take it any more. After re-reading this book I started doing more research on Asimov's history of being a sexual harasser/assaulter, and it was overwhelming. At that point, I gave up my dream of re-reading his stuff. (I still hope to re-read series from Zelazny & Wolfe!)
Happy February, happy New Year, happy Black History Month! The buses here have 8x10 stickers on the first forward facing seat with a photo saying that seat is reserved for Rosa Parks. It's a nice little reminder as I make my way to my favorite seat, in the back corner. Thanks Rosa! I have one of those headaches that just make you feel sick and horrible today, so I'm home from work early. As soon as my groceries arrive I'll probably see if I can sleep it off. OW.
I've been binging picture books this year. I have no problem counting them for the challenge, but since there are so many this year I haven't decided if I should put them in and leave them, put them in until/if I read an older book for those prompts, or just wait and fill them in later in the year if I didn't read anything else. Hmmm.
Finished:
How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question - Fun(?) philosophy book from the creator of The Good Place. Well, fun for a philosophy book I guess. I never studied it or anything. Fun little tidbits in the audiobook read by the cast.
Griffin & Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence - checking off another book I own
Picture Books:
Nian, the Chinese New Year Dragon - Happy New Year
Eyes That Speak to the Stars - Follow up to Eyes that Kiss in the Corners with a boy this time
Explosion at the Poem Factory - Silly story using tons of poetry words with a big, fat glossary/examples in the back
My Daddy Can Fly! - Misleading title, Dad dances for ABT. The illustrations get the body positions very well.
Olivia - Why is this a classic?
Most of the Better Natural Things in the World - Each spread is a drawing of a different geographical feature with a cartoon tiger carrying a chair. Odd but nice.
The Capybaras - Translated from Spanish. I quite liked this one about prejudice.
Goodnight, Astronaut - Kinda odd. Autobiographical picture book by Scott Kelly using all of the different places he's slept. This would be a good bedtime book for an astronaut fan. The illustrations have a really fun glow.
/end Picture Books
Project Hail Mary - Heck yeah! I loved this! Bonus points for getting Ray Porter to do the audiobook, and fun effect on... something. I'd like to look up the print book to see how it was in text.
The House in the Cerulean Sea - Finishing my stress re-read
Currently Reading:
Black Heroes of the Wild West
Bibliophile: Diverse Spines
Discovering Architecture: How the World's Great Buildings Were Designed and Built
QOTW:
Yes! I love taking the Month to focus on seeking out lots of books for my TBR and also reading some. Last year I happened to get a lot of books about hockey for several of the Months, this year I think it might be Cowboys/old west. I have a MASSIVE list of possibilities in the thread Nadine linked.
Hi everyone, Bit of a calmer week this week, if quite a bit of snow yesterday. Think we got somewhere between 6-8 inches. Husband and I alternated shoveling, hit the drive about 5 times to clear it all. We like hitting often, so that the shovel loads don't get so heavy. Even still, the temperature dropped so this morning's shovel was all frozen and heavy snow, that took twice as long to clear.
This week I finished:
Alkarra Awakening - fun series, enjoying so far. Got it all really cheap, so totally worth it haha. Good magic school series if that's what you're into.
Nightbitch - this was a weird one. I appreciated the womanly rage of hidden work like housework, child care, planning things getting dismissed because it doesn't come with a paycheck. But it also got very weird, and it needs a tw: for pretty brutal animal deaths. I actually almost dnfed, but it had this train wreck fascination of needing to finish anyhow. I wouldn't say i LIKED it at all, but it had some interesting things to think about, and made me feel a lot of emotions. Kind of felt like Black Swan meets Metamorphis.
Bettie Page: Curse of the Banshee Collection - this was fun, catching up on comic backlog.
The Deep - I liked this quite a bit, if sad and hard to read at times. Interesting take on the mermaid mythos.
Currently reading:
Nettle & Bone - i won a goodreads giveaway for this, woo! I started it right away, liking it a lot so far.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue- still plugging away. I get in moods with audio books, where i either listen all the time, or I have to keep reminding myself to listen. I'm currently in a having trouble concentrating on them mode.
QOTW:
I don't really participate in the cultural reading months, at least not purposefully. I try to diversify my reading in general. Honestly a lot is due to library holds. It just feels impossible getting a hold to line up with when you actually want the book, haha. My book club is doing The Vanishing Half for February, but I read it in January because that's when my hold was up. I just read The Deep, but again it's because i recommended it last year and the library just bought it, so I got it. I just won a giveaway, so that's what i'm reading now because I was excited to get it. I have two more books that just dropped in my holds. Maybe towards the end of the month if my holds clear up, I could intentionally read some titles from my kindle stash.
Some recommendations for black history month:
Nonfiction:
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America - this really rocked my whole understanding of American history. It's hard to get through, but so important.
So You Want to Talk About Race - her writing voice is very personable, and it felt like a good way to get into new ways of thinking and how to approach others.
Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot - this is a good book for improving intersectionality between feminism and being anti-racist.
Fiction:
I love NK Jemisin, especially her Broken Earth Trilogy and the The City We Became
The Brown Sisters books are fun romances, and as mentioned the first is the current popsugar pick.
The Prey of Gods - I really liked this one, a cool combination of AI and African based mythology.
Skin of the Sea - a retelling of The Little Mermaid based in West African mythology.
Alex, So sorry to hear that. So devastating. Much love to you and her family.
Alex wrote: "I wish I could say, "happy Thursday!" like normal, but it is not a happy Thursday here as yesterday I received the terrible news that a dear friend of mine suddenly passed away due what they think ..."That's terrible news. I'm so sorry for your loss. <3
Mod
Radiant heat loss. Your thermostat has no idea about radiant heat transfer, it only measures convective heat transfer. But your body is VERY aware. My desk is near the front wall and brrrrr when it's subzero outside, I feel it.
Mod
Hahaha! Because it's awesome! That's a perfect example of a book that appeals to children, but doesn't offer that much for adults. (The rest of the series fell flat for me, but I loved reading this first one to my kids. Kids can really identify with Olivia.)
Nadine in NY wrote: "It's been another cold week. Yesterday the temps finally rose above freezing, my dogs had a blast playing in the snow, and my driveway is FINALLY clear ... just in time for tonight's storm coming i..."Carol Ann Duffy read at my university graduation and I don't remember any of it. Definitely not my thing!
Alex wrote: "I wish I could say, "happy Thursday!" like normal, but it is not a happy Thursday here as yesterday I received the terrible news that a dear friend of mine suddenly passed away due what they think ..."So sorry for your loss Alex! Life's unfair sometimes.
Project 1 finished: changing software for our webforms. Up next: changing software for our website. But first I’m getting some rest. My body used the emergency break today so I didn’t sleep last night and was in bed all morning with a bad headache. It’s better now, but I’m soooo tired. Guess I'm going to crash on the couch this weekend watching the Winter Olympics (speedskating!). 3/40
Finished
Het vervallen huis van de islam by Ruud Koopmans. Not for PS.
Why is the islamic world economically behind? Professor Koopmans is fact slapping in this book with so many figures� My take away: education, education and women.
Currently reading
We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas
QOTW
No. This year I’m reading whatever I like or is available at the library. No PS or other pressures this year. It is challenging enough with 3 major content software projects at work (see top of my post).
Nadine in NY wrote: " Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America. I'll get to them someday." Devil in the Grove is so good
16/50My local library finally has a challenge with prompts which I'm excited about! I'm 3/25 for that one. How do you guys who do multiple challenges keep them straight in your head?? I'm finding that keeping track of 75 prompts is a lot.
Finished: Everything Must Change!: The World after Covid-19 I got pretty bored with this one, actually.
The Book of Disquiet: The Complete Edition disjointed and depressing. For prompt recommended by a favorite author.
I Didn't Do the Thing Today: Letting Go of Productivity Guilt to Embrace the Hidden Value in Daily Life How did she write a whole book on this topic?
Play Anything: The Pleasure of Limits, the Uses of Boredom, and the Secret of Games re-read. One of my all-time faves!
Started: Another Now: Dispatches from an Alternative Present
Qotw: I don't really enjoy these identity months. Mostly because they are the same every year and I would enjoy more variety. I recently acquired American Street, so I'll be reading that at some point. But probably not this month.
This week is going by quickly, which is good, but there's still a chance we'll lose our power in Central Texas again with our current freeze... This week I finished:
Counting Descent Wow, I LOVED this. Such moving and accessible poetry. Can't wait to start this author's other book How the Word is Passed soon! 5 stars
Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches Great stuff! Some of it felt very much like it was written in the '80s, while other parts are just as relevant today. 5 stars
The Book of Form and Emptiness This was... a lot. Some good parts, some not so good. Wish it had been shorter, but I did enjoy most of it. 3.5 stars
Currently reading In Concrete in print and listening to The Downstairs Girl.
QOTW: I use cultural appreciation months as a way to prioritize books when I always have about 100 books I want to read each month, but can only actually get to about 20. I read Black books all year, but in February I'll move a few books up to the top of my TBR mountain based on it being Black History(/future/culture/joy) Month.
As far as recommendations... I have hundreds, but will narrow it down to these:
-Poetry: Counting Descent This is now in my top five of all poetry collections I've read!
-Comedic fiction: Skye Falling This was so fun!
-Nonfiction: The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together Such important information here!
Alex wrote: "I wish I could say, "happy Thursday!" like normal, but it is not a happy Thursday here as yesterday I received the terrible news that a dear friend of mine suddenly passed away due what they think ..."Oh Alex, that is such devastating news. Death is always hard, but especially when it is so sudden and unexpected. My heart goes out to you.
Hi everyone. After all the stress and struggle of just making it through last year, apparently I was doing better than I thought as I've been awarded employee of the year. Go me! I'm a little in shock but I'm pleased that my hard work has been recognised. Unfortunately I now have to go to an awards ceremony, mingle with people I don't know and make a speech, which feels more like a punishment than a prize for super introverted me.My goal this year was to try to get through more of the books I own but I've had an influx of library holds come in all at once so that's out the window.
First up I finished Gilded which I loved. Fairy tale re-tellings are my not so guilty pleasure and Rumpelstiltskin doesn't seem to get the same amount of attention as some of the other fairy tales. I loved this one and didn't want it to end. Unfortunately I thought it was a stand alone so when it ended on a cliff hanger I was distraught. Now I need to wait (impatiently) for the sequel.
Next up was Hello, Cruel Heart. I've read a lot of darker books recently (ghosts, undead, plagues) so I thought a fluffy Disney book would be a change of pace. It turned out to be dark in a different way. I loved the way it evoked the swinging 60's London vibe but I really felt bad for Estella when she faced her trials and tribulations. Still doesn't justify attempted puppy murder with a tragic back story though
Currently reading: A Trip of One's Own: Hope, Heartbreak and Why Travelling Solo Could Change Your Life. I just started this and I'm hoping for good things.
QOTW: I don't really pay attention to that kind of thing. If my library holds coincide, it will be purely incidental
Happy Thursday, everyone! Another weekend, another winter storm expected. It's not supposed to be too bad here. My daughter has been coming over on the weekends with her puppy to let her play in our fenced back yard. Missed last week due to the snowstorm, so I hope it can happen this weekend.Finished:
Murder with Fried Chicken and Waffles for book with a recipe.
Doctors and Friends
Currently reading:
The Narrowboat Summer
The Thirty Names of Night
The Life of Charlotte Brontë
Under the Whispering Door on audio
QOTW:
I like to, but I have been very disorganized about it this year. I just finished Murder with Fried Chicken and Waffles in January, I could have help off a few days. Since I am dependent on the library, I have to plan. I do have The Prophets sitting on a defunct Kindle, so I can get to that this month.
Alright, I won't start by saying it feels like spring here in Switzerland, but it kind of does ... however, we had some icy rain this week, which was loads of fun to walk through! My family got about 12 inches of snow, I think, near Chicago. The snow pretty much stays up in the mountains here ... I haven't checked in yet this year, so my list will be long. I got through 14 books in January (also: teacher on winter break ...) and shifted my graduate classes to only one per term, so I have more time for reading, thank goodness!
Currently reading:
The Book Thief for prompt #49 - one of the sister cities prompts (set near Munich, Germany). For someone who loves WWII historical fiction and nonfiction, I don't understand how I've never read this. I was aware of it, obviously, and I've seen the film, but I'd never picked it up. Don't know! Loving it so far.
Luckenbooth for prompt #50 - sister city prompt. My sister city for Munich is Edinburgh, home of my current graduate studies programme and the setting for Luckenbooth. It's one of my top favorite cities, so! I'll be heading there in just one week, and I'm so happy to visit again.
If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home - prompt #14 - a book with cutlery on the cover or in the title. I love domestic material histories, and Worsley is funny and informative. My book copy has a spoon on the cover.
Finished this month:
1. We Set the Dark on Fire - prompt #44 - duology 1
2. We Unleash the Merciless Storm - prompt #45 - duology 2
3. Bob - prompt #43 - palindrome in title
4. The Bone Collector - prompt #8 - a book with a protagonist who uses a mobility aid
5. Replica - prompt #33 - social horror
6. The Poppy War - prompt #39 - An #ownvoices SFF
7. The Last Thing He Told Me - prompt #46 - a book about someone leading a double life
8. Station Eleven - prompt #21 - a book about a band or musical group
9. Arsenic and Adobo - prompt #23 - a book with a recipe in it
10. Jurassic Park - prompt #31 - a book featuring a man-made disaster
11. Shuggie Bain - prompt #13 - a book set in the 80s (most of it is)
12. An English Murder - prompt #28 - a book set during a holiday (Christmas)
13. The Manningtree Witches - prompt #16 - a book about witches
14. Assembly - prompt #24 - a book that can be read in one sitting
Of the above, my favorites were Shuggie Bain (beautifully written, absolutely heartbreaking!) ;The Manningtree Witches (an interesting POV of the English witch trials and the Witchfinder General history); Station Eleven (even if written before our current pandemic, it still resonates, and I can't wait to watch the HBO series); Jurassic Park (have loved the films for years, so I finally read the book!).
I finally slowed my reading pace this week. I think it was probably in preparation for a very challenging court day today. What a morning in court I had! These kids! I have no words. It is only the beginning of February, and I'm already feeling like I need a vacation. In looking at the weather forecast, I might get an extra day off tomorrow. I am 24/50.
This week I finished:
Seven Ways We Lie: A book with a character on the ace spectrum: The concept of this book was great. 7 characters. 7 deadly sins. I thought the plot could've been a bit...more. The character development started a little slow, but ended up being worth the wait, if a smidge predictable. Overall, I really enjoyed it and will recommended it to some of the kids that I work with. It was especially appropriate in the Digital Boundaries class that I teach for kids busted for sexting.
Girls of Paper and Fire: An #OwnVoices SFF (science fiction and fantasy) book: Even as someone who does not generally enjoy SFF, I thought the description seemed like something that I would enjoy, but this book was really not for me. It felt extremely long, even though it was under 400 pages. It seemed repetitive and extremely dark and depressing. The character development wasn't enough for the relationship to be a bright spot in such a dreary book. And, of course, the book did the-thing-that-must-not-be-named which will always result in a lower rating from me. (Sidenote: I'm not sure how many more books I can manage that continue to include this. I need a trigger warning, so that I can steer clear.)
Currently reading:
Mexican Gothic: I continue to make little to no progress on this one. I know it is a me thing and not a book thing, but I am still very committed to finishing it.
See Her Die: I'm glad that I decided to give this series a second chance. So far, I'm feeling like this book is better than the first, and I think the less-is-more approach with regards to the romance is a great approach that is helping me invest in the character development and focus on the action. It has some problems still, but I feel sure that I will want to read book 3 before my Kindle Unlimited subscription runs out.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Of course this is a re-read, but when I saw it on the list of Hugo award winners, I couldn't choose anything else. This is my favorite of the books and I love the audiobooks, so I've been using it as a bedtime story (because I am a 33 year old child).
QOTW:
I plan to read Hidden Figures hopefully this month, but I agree with everyone else's recommendation of So You Want to Talk About Race. It stuck with me after reading it in a really positive way.
Hello from an iced over Columbus! Today is a snow day so we’ve been laying around not doing much of anything. Northanger Abbey for a back to the classics prompt. I generally try not to use rereads for challenge prompts but I guess I was feeling lazy when I picked it lol. I love Austen and while this isn’t my favorite Austen novel, it’s still fun to revisit.
The Ceely Rose Murders at Malabar Farm for a book riot prompt. This is recently published which was kind of funny considering how I stumbled across it. Malabar Farm is in a state park in Ohio and I went there as a kid with my Girl Scout troop. One of the tour guides told us about the case of Ceely Rose where she poisoned her family because she was under the impression her family was the only thing in the way of her marrying the man she liked. It popped up in my head in October, I could remember the details but not the name of the area we had been in or the family’s name. I was googling trying to figure out if this was a thing that actually happened or a creepy story a tour guide made up to spook some kids. Turns out it was real, and a local historian had published a book over the summer detailing the case! Took me several months to finish since I only really read ebooks during pedicures and hair appointments but it was very interesting and it’s always cool to learn weird bits of Ohio history.
14/150 books for 2022
6/40; 0/10 Popsugar
1/24 Book Riot
1/12 Back to the Classics
QOTW: looking at the books I have checked out on overdrive, it doesn’t look like I will be getting to any black authors this month. Beyond spooky books in October, I don’t really plan to read certain books at certain times of the year. I just put stuff on hold and read them as they come in lol
Hello! It's been a long week my way, but I'm making my through. Even with the little time I've had to read it's a welcome distraction. Finished:
The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo- I really enjoyed this one. The culture and lore from Malaysia it incorporated was wonderful and enthralling. There was a step-sibling romance included which was a little off pointing. Not because they were step-siblings but because of some controlling comments and actions in the relationship. This was a minimal part of the story luckily and the rest definitely kept me interested.
Prompt: A book with a tiger on the cover or “tiger� in the title
Currently Reading:
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert for the Monthly Group Read
Prompt: A romance novel by a BIPOC author
Overall Progress:
3/50
QOTW:
I don't typically go out of my way to read certain things at certain time, but I do try to keep the diversity of what I'm reading in the back of my mind if I can. I've been trying to work on this more and If I find I've read a lot of white authors lately I'll definitely make an effort to try and pick up something diverse next. As far as recommendations go I love The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood, Red at the Bone, and if your into picture books any written or illustrated by Christian Robinson is wonderful.
Mod
Carol Ann Duffy read at my university graduation and I don't remember any of it. Definitely not my thing!.."
Does anyone ever remember the speaker at their graduation? I think Anna Quindlen read at mine, and I don't remember a thing. (tbh, I'm not 100% sure she was the speaker)
Mod
Devil in the Grove is so good"
I should push it to the top of my list then!!
Hi everyone!Friday was a busy. My doggies went to the vet. The Chuie got her teeth cleaned and a couple of teeth pulled and our new Chuweiner got neutered. So it's been fun blocking off all furniture and keeping him calm, crushing pills, and basically making sure they're okay.
I finished reading 8 books.
Because I can books:
Dengeki Daisy, Vol. 04
Dengeki Daisy, Vol. 05
Garden Spells Had to recap this one for reading First Frost. I enjoyed it just as much as the first time I read it.
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. Light Novels, Vol. 1 Recapping both volumes 1 and 2 since it's been a while since I read them.
The antics that Maple get up to in the game is hilarious. Somehow she became a broken character without trying.
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. Light Novels, Vol. 2 Maple's friend joins her in the game and new hijinks begins.
My Happy Marriage, Vol. 1 This is Japanese historical/alt history-ish book with magic and monsters. The main female character is very Cinderella-esque. She is both physically and emotionally abused by her stepmother and sister. Then she sent off to marry a stranger. So trigger warnings here, but I liked watching her blossom after what her 'family' put her through.
Popsugar Challenge:
Lore Olympus: Volume One This was a five star book until I reached the end. The last chapter made me angry. (trigger warning, which was mentioned at the beginning of the book). This one was for #30.
Finished Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. Light Novels, Vol. 3 in one sitting. I was laughing out loud multiple times. This was for #29.
I'm currently reading First Frost This one began slow for me.
I will probably start Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense., Vol. 4 tonight because I really need to find out what happens. I watched the anime, but reading it is more fun.
Not going to have much reading time this weekend. My sister is visiting with the baby (omg! he's going to be 2 in April! Ah!!!)
Mod
My local library finally has a challenge with prompts which I'm excited about! I'm 3/25 for that one. How do you guys who do multiple challenges keep them straight in your head?? I'm finding..."
Hah! I keep NOTHING straight in my head! It's all SPREADSHEETS :-)
Mod
Well congratulations!! I'm so sorry they are punishing you with a dinner ceremony ;-)
Mod
oooh that sounds like Life Goals!! When my daughters are grown, I would LOVE it if they came over every weekend with a puppy!!!!
Mod
Welcome back! I'm glad you're getting to enjoy early spring in Switzerland. It's okay. I'm not jealous or anything ... Honestly though I don't mind winter that much in February. It's winter in March that gets me agitated, then it feels like EVERYONE is having spring except my town.
Luckenbooth for prompt #50 - sister city prompt. My sister city for Munich is Edinburgh, home of my current graduate studies programme and the setting for Luckenbooth. It's one of my top favorite cities, so! I'll be heading there in just one week, and I'm so happy to visit again.
I looked up the blurb for that and wow that sounds like a weird book!!
The devil's daughter rows to Edinburgh in a coffin, to work as maid for the Minister of Culture, a man who lives a dual life. But the real reason she's there is to bear him and his barren wife a child, the consequences of which curse the tenement building that is their home for a hundred years. As we travel through the nine floors of the building and the next eight decades ...
How are you liking it so far?
As I sit here mentally debating if I should have gone to town to a hotel (it'll get it's power back faster than me) or ride out the ice storm in my apartment, I figured might as well distract myself with this.For the prompt A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society I read Wonder Woman: The True Amazon by Jill Thompson. While I highly rec reading Wonder Woman for this prompt, there are better graphic novels that this one. I didn't care for this retconning and retelling of Diana's origin story
I read Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia for a book by a Latinx author and I absolutely loved this.
Read another graphic novel for the prompt A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2022 Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson It was pretty good, could have been better. It has a Muslim-American girl as the protagonist which was nice to see
And finally I read From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death by Caitlin Doughty for a book you know nothing about. I knew very little about various funerary practices around the world. This is graphic, doesn't bother me but it might others. Caitlin is a mortician and she takes a hard look at some barely ethical practices in the American funerary system.. Also there is a fair amount of humor in this.
QOTW Honestly no. I tend to read whatever I'm in the mood for versus trying to read for a theme. That said I'm tweeting a book a day by a PoC for the Black History month based on my readings throughout the year(s) as I tend to read diversely to begin with.
Ta-Nehisi Coates, Nicole Glover, Tracy Deonn, N.K. Jemisin, Nnedi Okorafor, J. Elle just to name a few (these are all SFF authors fyi)
Nadine in NY wrote: "Milena wrote: "... My daughter has been coming over on the weekends with her puppy to let her play in our fenced back yard. ..."oooh that sounds like Life Goals!! When my daughters are grown, I..."
Yes, we would see her much less if not for the puppy. And also lucky that she lives in an apartment and doesn't have a back yard of her own.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Muted (other topics)2043... a Merman I Should Turn to Be (other topics)
These Alien Skies (other topics)
Beauty's Release (other topics)
Wild Beauty (other topics)
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Kofi Awoonor (other topics)Audre Lorde (other topics)
Martin Luther King Jr. (other topics)
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Bryan Stevenson (other topics)
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I'm having trouble posting anything on ŷ this morning (yet again!) so will keep working on links, etc., for this posting IF I can ever get it posted!
I am working remotely due to back-to-back snowstorms. We got 4-5 inches yesterday and I'm not sure how much more is expected today. I'll have to dig out this afternoon... A good workout since the gym closed early yesterday and I wasn't going to drive anywhere anyway!
Tuesday was a very happy day for me! Not so much for our savings� But, we have a working plumbing system again! We can flush toilets to our heart’s desire and I have a washing machine that is usable once more!! YAY!! No more toting to the laundromat. And they were able to clear everything in less than 2 hours AND they didn’t have to locate a clean out or do anything else more than clearing all the drains here in the house. It was buildup of grease from the kitchen sink over the years that caused all the trouble. I was appalled, because I try to be so careful of that! He reassured me this is what happens over the years and that the best thing to do is always run lots of hot water. Which I thought I was doing� I’m just so grateful to have working drains again! I shed a few tears of relief after they’d gone. Fortunately, the bill was much much less than I expected and feared, so it’s a win win! I kinda feel human again!
I think I’ve mentioned it once before, but Roxane Gay has established a podcast, and regular newsletters, book discussion group, etc., kinda all located under “The Audacity.� The most recent posting was packed with so many interesting links! It is here () if you are interested� I discovered it Saturday morning and realized I could probably spend 2 hours or so reading everything she lists. But I picked up my book instead and decided to share the link with you-all!
I guess this last Saturday, January 29, was National Puzzle Day, at least according to a Half Price Books email I received. I do miss jigsaw puzzles in my life, but with 4 cats I dare not try to tackle a large puzzle! 😊 I do use a puzzle app on my phone every once in a while though!
Admin Stuff:
It is a new month and a new monthly group read! YAY!! You can find the February discussion thread for Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert here. And, you can post the book(s) you have read to fulfill prompt #18 A romance novel written by a BIPOC author here. Sherri is our "gracious gifted guide" who has volunteered to facilitate February’s discussion! Thank you, Sherri! I just started this last night and so far, so good!
I waited until this morning to move the People We Meet on Vacation thread to the 2022 Monthly Group Reads folder. Please remember that all of the past monthly discussion threads are archived and available for your reading pleasure at any time in the future! Erica facilitated a very participatory group of readers for this discussion. It proved to be a great start for 2022! THANK YOU, Erica!!
We have a tie in the voting for the April monthly group read poll that just ended! So now we have a tiebreaker poll setup here. Such a Fun Age and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder both garnered 16 votes each! Please help us with this final final selection! 😉
We are still in search of a “literary luminar� for the March discussion of The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See and a “guru guide� for the April discussion of either A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #1) by Holly Jackson or Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid. I’m anxious to see which of these is selected!
Next week, Nadine will get us started with a nomination poll for May’s Monthly Group Read to fulfill prompt #15 A book written by a Pacific Islander author. And thanks to Nadine’s detailed information for that prompt, you should have no problem selecting a book to nominate. I’m sure the Listopia has some good suggestions as well. Then the following week the poll for a final selection will be posted. That means that by the end of February we’ll have books selected for the first 6 months of 2022, hopefully allowing plenty of time for everyone interested to obtain a copy and be ready to read and discuss!
Question of the Week:
Are you planning to read any specific books during February in honor of Black History Month being celebrated in the US and Canada? And/or, do you have any books to recommend?
I am sure Nadine and others will have tons of suggestions for us. What I have realized is that although I don’t necessarily tend to focus on such representative books/authors during a limited time period, I do incorporate these books into my TBR listing and then they are included in my reading much more so than ever before. Of course, it is extremely helpful that publishers appear to have finally diversified their authors much more so than in the past! I am always thrilled to see non-white authors listed! It just makes me smile and nod my head, “Yes! Finally…�
I will definitely be reading Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert since that is our monthly group read!
And since I’ve been dying to read it, I’m going to pickup Bluebird, Bluebird (Highway 59 #1) by Attica Locke. Finally!
I will also be reading Raybearer (Raybearer #1) by Jordan Ifueko for my favorite used bookstore’s book club.
I will hope to finish book:Yes, Chef|13069213] by Marcus Samuelsson.
I read Black Water Rising (Jay Porter #1) 9 years ago and although I remember much of it, if time allows in February, I am going to reread it before launching into Pleasantville, the second installment in Attica Locke's Jay Porter series.
That’s probably all I can possibly fit in along with other planned reads for February! (And may not get that far!)
Powell Books has a listing of New Fiction and Nonfiction for Black History month: . Also a listing celebrating books written by Black authors and centering Black life:
I would definitely recommend the following:
*So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
(I highly advise you watching some of her videos. She is very outspoken and forthright about the horror inflicted by White Supremacy "terrorists.")
*How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
*The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
*The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride
*There There by Tommy Orange
*Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala
Urban Tumbleweed: Notes from a Tanka Diary by Harryette Mullen
*How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
*A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology edited by Dhonielle Clayton
Great introduction to new-to-me SFF authors!
Black Klansman: Race, Hate, and the Undercover Investigation of a Lifetime by Ron Stallworth
*You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
**When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors
Any book written by Terry McMillan, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Rita Williams-Garcia (especially the Gaither Sisters trilogy), Marcus Samuelsson, Nic Stone, Roxane Gay.