ŷ������

Well, better late than never! I had planned to do this much earlier, but was interrupted by phone calls, etc! My friends don’t always follow MY schedule! LOL A neighbor gave birth at midnight. All was successful and the baby is healthy. She already has one special needs child, so that is great news for all of them!

For March I am in the enviable (or ridiculous) position of having 2 IRL book club meetings AND an author event on the same day, the 14th! I had to cancel on one of the book club meetings which directly conflicted with the author event. Sheesh! I wish these people took into account MY schedule! LOL

ADMIN STUFF
The March Monthly Group Read is The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh! You can find both February discussions in the Current Monthly Group Read folder HERE! This book can be used to fulfill prompt #7 A book with “Girl�� in the title in honor of Women’s History Month in Australia, UK, and US. I was lucky enough to be able to purchase a copy of this on Tuesday from one of my favorite used bookstores! Although I’m not into “mythology�� per se, I am finding Oh’s writing to be compelling. I plan to finish this one today. Although no one person volunteered to lead the discussion this month, LeahS has posted some questions and I have a few resources and questions to post. I encourage anyone currently reading this or who has read it to stop by and post any comments/questions you may have. Or even if you just want to know more about the book. These discussions should always be organic in that way regardless of any one person being specified as “leader��! Let the thoughtful chaos unfold! LOL :)

The February Monthly Group read was The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon!! This book can be used to fulfill prompt #43 A book that takes place entirely in one day. In honor of Groundhog Day, a North American tradition observed in the US and Canada on February 2! Katrina is the "knowledgeable navigator" who has graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! Thank you, Katrina! This discussion will be available in the Monthly Group Read folder HERE
along with the thread to list the book(s) you’ve read to fulfill this prompt for February! Many thanks and much gratitude to Katrina for enlivening the discussion!

We are currently searching for two monthly group read discussion leaders:
2) A “reading wrangler�� to facilitate April’s Monthly Group Read discussion of Legends & Lattes (Legends & Lattes #1) by Travis Baldree! This book can be used to fulfill prompt #27 A #BookTok recommendation. In honor of April Fools! You might have thought this was still the 2022 Popsugar Challenge, but it is actually a prompt repeated from 2022 for the 2023 Challenge!!
3) A "literary luminar" to lead the discussion of the May Monthly Group Read! Hmmmm...would this happen to be YOU?!? ;) Bunny by Mona Awad that can be used to fulfill prompt #24 A book with a rabbit on the cover, in honor of springtime in the Northern Hemisphere when rabbits are aplenty!
Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer! :)

Just a reminder that the comprehensive listing of 2023 Monthly Group Reads can be found HERE

Question of the Week
March is celebrated as Women’s History Month in Australia, the UK, and the US. Are there any books or authors you are specifically targeting to read this month or to add to your TBR? Or even better, what books/authors could you recommend to others?

I realize many of you do not plan specific books for recognition months, etc., but I always enjoy hearing recommendations of books you’ve read and enjoyed that would fit the category. This is how I have greatly increased the diversity of my “to-read�� listing over the years, by adding such recommendations!

Ron actually started a thread for February & March 2023: Women’s Role in History Month (Feb) & Women’s History Month (March) HERE

And, of course ŷ������ has a listing HERE!

.
This is a resource for March themes from SPARK that I thought was interesting, especially for those who are in a "workplace" environment. According to this site, the 2023 theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories�� and they include a history of this recognition month.

I can highly recommend
Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz by Coyne S. Sanders and Thomas Gilbert
(set in Hollywood)
Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball
(published posthumously)
Amazing what she (and Desi) both accomplished, but especially a woman who was expelled from drama school after the first semester, stating that she was wasting her time due to a lack of talent! Talk about pereseverence!
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
She wrote this specifically as an abolitionist to depict the unlimited cruelties of slavery as sanctioned by law. Quite brave for a female in 1852 to publish under her own name AND to make a political statement.
Chengli and the Silk Road Caravan by Hildi Kang
Kang is married to a Korean man and has been living in Korea for decades. She studies Korean history and works to disseminate that information, even to younger readers. This is a fascinating adventure starring an orphaned male child during the 7th Century.
The London House by Katherine Reay
A woman chooses her own life independent of marriage, etc., during the second World War.
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
A man choosing to defy his father to marry the woman he loves. A father determined to select "appropriate" (read--financially well-off/titled) mates for his children in the 19th Century.

Authors:
Paula McLain: The Paris Wife, Circling the Sun, Love and Ruin, When the Stars Go Dark, Like Family: Growing Up in Other People's Houses
The first four are historical fiction depicting strong women dealing with misogyny and discrimination, among them Hemingway’s 1st and 3rd wives and Beryl Markham. The last is her memoir of growing up in foster care from age 4.
Stephanie Burgis�� Harwood Spellbook series: Spellswept, Snowspelled, Thornbound, Moontangled, Spellcloaked: A Harwood Spellbook Story, Frostgilded
These are fantasy and all depict feminist themes in a world where women are the ‘rational beings�� entrusted to run the world (politics) and men are more emotional and flighty, therefore relegated to be magicians�� Not only are there interracial relationships, but also "inter-species"! :)
The Women in Black by Madeleine St. John
Historical fiction set in 1950s Australia depicting the personal lives of several women who work selling women’s clothing in a department store.
Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series and the last 3 books in her Shetland series
Women who live life on their own terms.

Popsugar: 35/50
Nadine’s Q1 Mini-Challenge: 7/10
AtY: 44/52
RHC: 11/24

FINISHED:
My Girl 2 by Patricia Hermes ✶✶✶✶�� was yet another wonderfully enjoyable adaptation from a movie! Very sweet and I felt very realistic coming-of-age. Also a quick read. Just a nice between-more-intense-reads book!
POPSUGAR: #3, #7, #19-2018: prompt #28 A book with song lyrics in the title, #28, #31, #42
ATY: #3-A book involving friends, family, or a found family, #5, #19-Vada writes poetry!, #26, #29, #34, #37, #45, #46-��2��, #52
RHC: #14-204 ratings, #24-2015: A YA novel

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon ✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶ was absolutely brilliant and adorable! I LOVED Yoon’s format and the science-y nerd that is still me so appreciated the bits of scientific trivia! Wow! Really anxious to read her other two books and now she is another author whose new releases I will want to read asap!
POPSUGAR: #4, #6, #29-2017: prompt #45 A book about an immigrant or refugee, #28, #31, NEW #43, #50
ATY: #3-A book from a genre that starts with any letter in your name—Young Adult (Lynn), #4, #5, NEW #9-Walter Dean Myers Award Nominee (2017), #10-Scary, #18-Natasha is a science nerd!, #19-Daniel writes poetry!, #37, #38, #50-John Steptoe Award for New Talent (2017)
RHC: #24-2017: prompt #5 Read a book by an immigrant or with a central immigration narrative

*Wild Fire (Shetland Island #8) by Ann Cleeves ✶✶✶✶�� was an excellent ending to this series, IMO! It demonstrated that Jimmy was not ALWAYS “emotionally incontinent��! LOL I feel as if Cleeves definitely left room for the series to continue if she ever wants to do so in the future. A good mystery and I appreciated the theme of abuse carrying forward through generations, as, unfortunately, often occurs.
POPSUGAR: #17, #19-2018: prompt #34 A book published in 2018, #28, #29, #31
ATY: #2, #3-A book set on an island, #5, #14, #19-Helena a designer, Daniel an architect, Emma designed and sewed her own clothing, #26, #27, #28, #37, #43, #45
RHC: #23, #24-2017: prompt #12 A fantasy novel

CONTINUING:
*The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh for the March Monthly Group Read.
*Like Family: Growing Up in Other People's Houses by Paula McLain
*The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones
*The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed
*Festival Days by Jo Ann Beard
*Mrs. 'Arris Goes to New York (Mrs. ‘Arris #2) by Paul Gallico
*Beloved by Toni Morrison

PLANNED:
February (Yes, I am well aware…it is already MARCH! LOL) Buddy Reads:
*The Darkest Evening (Vera Stanhope #9) by Ann Cleeves
*Cross My Heart (#21) by James Patterson
For March 14 author event:
*Quint by Dionne Irving
*The Islands: Stories by Dionne Irving
For IRL book club, also on March 14 (!!!!):
*Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
*Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales from the Café (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #2) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
*Before Your Memory Fades (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #3) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Finished: Coming of Age in 2020: Teenagers on the Year that Changed Everything This was a very interesting collection of works produced by teenagers and compiled by the NYTimes about the pandemic.

Living the Quaker Way: Timeless Wisdom For a Better Life Today Organized by SPICE (Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, and Equality), I found it more helpful as an introduction for someone not familiar with Quakerism than for someone living the faith

Do You Think What You Think You Think? These quizzes were cleverly designed to make you rethink some beliefs/actions you hold in your life

The Ministry for the Future This one was long and took quite awhile to get to the hopeful part. It was very similar to Another Now: Dispatches from an Alternative Present but I liked that one better. I don't know why. I would have to re-read it!

The Castle of Llyr I love the idiosyncratic way the characters talk and the inevitable way that the villains become friends, for the most part.

Started: He Mele A Hilo This is written by the same author as Light from Uncommon Stars and has the same quirky feel along with emphasis on music and food. I'm enjoying it.

How to Get to Great Ideas: A system for smart, extraordinary thinking This will probably be a DNF to me. I'm not finding it particularly helpful nor compelling.

God: A Biography This will be the third time I've tried to read this! I love the idea of God as a dynamic character, but the book is kind of a slog for some reason.

Raising Free People: Unschooling as Liberation and Healing Work Haven't gotten far enough into this to have an opinion yet.

QotW: I resist these identity-themed months. I don't know why. When I look at the books I'm currently reading, the only ones written by women are He Mele a Hilo and Raising Free People. So it would probably be useful for me to try to expand my reading somewhat by focusing on women authors. Currently, my challenge is to read the books I already have and not get anymore!

Wow! I thought I was going to be really late today. We're all still fighting sickness. Nothing terrible (although Ashley got pinkeye) - just snottiness and a general feeling of malaise. But it's no fun not being able to go anywhere or do anything. Ewan had his 4-month check-up yesterday, and he's doing great! 18 lbs 10 oz and cleared for solid foods. I thought that such a chunky baby would be excited about solids, but he's really not sure yet.

Challenge Progress: 15/50 I feel like I should be farther along than this, but I'm doing three challenges this year as well as Nadine's 1st Quarter Challenge (8/10).

Completed:
The Many Daughters of Afong Moy ★★★★��
They Both Die at the End (PS43: a book that takes place entirely in one day) ★★★★
The Family (PS31: a book about a family) ★★★★
The Matzah Ball (PS47: a book about a holiday that's not Christmas) ★★★★
Couple Found Slain: After a Family Murder ★★★★
Opposite of Always ★★★★
What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix ★★★★
Sea Prayer ★★★★��
Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard - So much better than I expected! (PS8: a celebrity memoir) ★★★★



Currently Reading:
Siren Queen (PS11: a book about or set in Hollywood)
A River Enchanted (PS23: a book with a map)
The Royal We (Q1.2: the 23rd book on a list - )
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books
Lavender House
The Faraway World: Stories
All Hallows
Heartstopper: Volume Four

QOTW: I'm not a planner, so I don't really have anything set aside specifically for Women's History Month although The Many Daughters of Afong Moy has themes about women and identity that really resonated with me. It's a great book.

Since I'm procrastinating on doing a tedious bit of editing ... I'm here early for me!

PS - 20/50. ATY - 25/52. I am very pleased.

Finished:
I went on a bit of a regency romance binge - just needed that comfort and ease, primarily to recover from reading The Turn of the Screw! I ended up finishing reading the Jaded Gentlemen Quartet by Grace Burrowes - Axel which was terrific, and Jack which was almost as good. As you will see from my currently reading, I've started another of her series.... I used Axel for PS Historical Fiction and ATY - Science - as botany and cultivation of roses has a huge part in the romance. I just Jack for ATY - Spice Girl - Ginger - as our heroine is a redhead.

Also finished Partners in Crime by Agatha Christie, a collection of very short stories featuring Tommy and Tuppence. It's a museum piece to read, best enjoyed by those familiar with the Golden Age Detective Fiction and its writers as each is a parody, and very humorous. If you want to enjoy an adventure with Tommy and Tuppence, read one of the 3 novels featuring them, not this collection of stories. I did use it though for ATY - set in the 20th Century because it is firmly set in the 1920s period of crime fiction writing and scandals - one of the stories was based on Fannie Hurst and her obsession with her weight and affair with a famous arctic explorer.

Currently Reading:
Darius: Lord of Pleasures - first in Burrowes' Lonely Lords series of Regency Romances. I continue to pepper my reading with pure escapism.
White Is for Witching - reading for my IRL modern gothic novels written by women discussion group.
Hamnet

In the wings ... Harrow the Ninth and Network Effect.

QOTW: I do not target any specific reading but I also read a lot of books about and by women on issues all across the board. I agree with a lot of the recommendations that Lynn has already made. For some historical fiction reading, I recommend authors Fiona Davis, Tracy Chevalier, Marie Benedict. Historical mysteries by Mariah Fredericks and Victoria Thompson center on women's issues in NYC's past. More contemporary mystery author Cara Black writes an Aimee LeDuc detective series set in Paris in the 1990s that is excellent. The best autobiography I have ever read is Personal History by Katharine Graham - a woman who led the Washington Post during one of the most politically tumultuous times our country has experienced -- prior to 2016 to now that is. The movie with Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, The Post, was based on a small section her autobiography. The book is an absolute page turner.

I finished Get a Life, Chloe Brown as my romance with a fat lead. It was OK, but just not my kind of book.

I read An Assassin in Utopia: The True Story of a Nineteenth-Century Sex Cult and a President's Murder as my book published in the first half of 2023 (I know, the prompt says spring, but that's to specific, IMO). It was quite disturbing. Mostly because the only reason I read it is because I am a distant cousin of John Humphrey Noyes.

I've started Water for Elephants as my nanowrino. On page 60 something, so don't really know what's going on yet.

QOTW: Nope. But, including the book I'm reading, the last 4 have been by women, so not worried about it.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

This week has been pretty good, but not overly productive. My ankle does seem to be improving, and the boot has been great for my overall mobility. I’m still trying to rest my ankle as much as possible though, so I’m continuing to spend a significant portion of each day on my couch, napping and watching television. I’m continuing to watch The Great British Baking Show on Netflix, and I’m completely hooked.

Although I spent a lot of my time in front of the television this week, I did finish a few books as well. It seems like I’ve managed to make my way out of my reading slump, which I’m very happy about.

Yesterday was the first day of the March Mystery Madness readathon. I was kind of questioning whether or not I wanted to participate this year, but ultimately decided to go for it. I am going to continue reading the books that are already on my “Currently Reading�� list, but I’m also going to be getting back into the Hamish Macbeth series, by M.C. Beaton. I don’t know how many of those books I’ll be able to finish, but I’d like to get through at least ten before the end of the month.

Here are my current challenge and TBR totals��

ŷ������ Challenge: 120/400
Mount TBR Challenge: 88/150 (Climbing Mount Olympus)

📚Physical TBR: 76/634
📱Ebook TBR: 6/236
��Audiobook TBR: 6/13
TBR Checklist Total: 88/883

I have to confess that I went a little overboard on book buying this week��

After my doctor’s appointment last Thursday, my dad took me to Barnes and Noble just to get out for a bit, and I did get two new books. The first is The Masked City, which is the second book in Genevieve Cogman’s The Invisible Library series. I also picked up The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 9, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I also placed an order on Amazon for some new comic book collections and another new novel. I got the first two volumes of Scales & Scoundrels, by Sebastian Girner; the Spider-Gwen Omnibus, by Jason Latour; the Captain Marvel by Kelly Sue Deconnick Omnibus, by Kelly Sue DeConnick; Fables, Compendiums 1-4, by Bill Willingham; and Barbarian's Prize, by Ruby Dixon.

I’m not sure when I’m going to get to them, but I’m really looking forward to reading all of these books!

“New�� Books Bought in 2023: 51
“New�� Books Read in 2023: 27/51

Here are the books I finished this week��

Finished Reading (Fiction):
~What Happens In London �� I really enjoyed the second book in the Bevelstoke trilogy. I liked the progression of the relationship between the main characters, and loved all the references to Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
None

Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
~The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 9 �� This continues to be a really fun manga series. I’m already looking forward to the next volume, which is supposed to be released on August 15th. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Showcase Presents: Phantom Stranger, Vol. 1 �� I bought this comic book collection at Half Price Books several years ago, and I really wasn’t sure what to expect from it. I usually prefer Marvel over DC, but since I’ve enjoyed some of DC’s other supernatural titles, I wanted to give this one a chance. There were a few stories I didn’t care for, but I ended up enjoying most of them. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

DNFed:
None

Currently Reading:
~H.H. Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil �� I am slowly continuing to make progress on this book. 📚
~The Count of Monte Cristo �� I’m currently on chapter 100, and continuing to enjoy the story. I’m hoping to finish reading this one over the weekend, but we’ll see what happens. 📚
~Doctor Who: Winner Takes All �� I’m currently taking a break from this book. I just haven’t been in the mood to listen to an audiobook this week. ��
~Beyond the Kingdoms �� I’m currently taking a break from this book as well, but plan to get back to it in the coming week. I’d really like to finish reading The Land of Stories series in the next few weeks. 📚
~Death of an Outsider �� I’m really enjoying this Hamish Macbeth mystery! 📚

QOTW:
I haven’t planned any books for Women’s History Month.

What a relief a visit to a physiotherapist can be! My lower back (actually my SI joint) was completely stuck this week. And in just 20 minutes she did her magic and I can put my shoes off myself again. I’m apparently sitting too much, so I guess it’s time to start riding my e-bike to work again.

PS: 11/50
Total 2023: 13

Finished
Communiceren met focus - voor meer maatschappelijke impact by Renata Verloop⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another business book.

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys⭐⭐��
PS #23, a book with a map
After Maria Dueñas this was plain storytelling. And a little disappointment. It’s well-written and I guess teenagers will like this book. But the character were too stereotyped and the story too simple and straightforward for my taste.

Currently reading
De uittocht en de intocht by Guus Kuijer

QOTW
I don’t read intentionally in Month’s or whatever. Having said that, I recommend Isabel Allende’s books if you want to read about strong women. And I highly recommend Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Pérez as nonfiction read.

February was a successful time for my reading. I read 11 books which was awesome. 10 were nonfiction and 1 was fiction so I'm extremely proud of that count.

I keep track of my stats on StoryGraph which I love. I used to do it on my own excel sheets, but StoryGraph is so much better.

My top 3 favorites of February were:

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole
Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World

(talk about my sub-genres being all over the place!)


Currently Reading:

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People - I've wanted to read this YA version for a year now so I'm happy to finally getting around to it. I've started chapter 5 and already I'm in love with it. How it can be a banned book is rediculous. If anything this should certainly be used as a for of curriculum in schools.

Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick - Surprisingly, I was already looking into this topic when it came up in some school work. This book in particular caught my attention after my professor sent us an article that mentioned it. Sounded interesting.



QOTW:

March is celebrated as Women’s History Month in Australia, the UK, and the US. Are there any books or authors you are specifically targeting to read this month or to add to your TBR? Or even better, what books/authors could you recommend to others?

All set for my March reads. All female authors this month so that will be fun. I spend so much time on male authors simply because that just randomly happens with books I choose so I think it will be fun to take it a feminist route for a change.



Upcoming Reads:

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents - I've wanted to read this one, but have anxiously been waiting for the paperback so it will be easier to annotate.

Lesbians on Television: New Queer Visibility the Lesbian Normal - My first LGBTQ+ book of the year. I've been looking for books regarding LGBTQ+ and pop culture and this one came up. Seemed like a good read, especially since it talks about the show 'The Fosters' which I loved, as well as the LGBTQ+ themes on 'Glee'.

Happy Thursday!�� Winter has finally arrived in upstate��NY, and I don't know how I feel about it.�� ��Is it here to stay? or do we get one week of winter and then move on to Spring as originally scheduled?�� only time will tell.��

My college kid is visiting for a few days, and she brought me a belated birthday present: my very own Binghamton University sweatshirt!! So it might be cold and snowy outside, but I am warm and cozy inside in my new sweatshirt :-)



This week I finished one book, and I am now 12/50 in the Challenge.

Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution by Neil deGrasse Tyson - I usually enjoy listening to books about the cosmos and astrophysics, but my attention really wandered during this book, and it felt like a chore.�� This was my last��BHM book for Feb, and my book with an author who has the same initials as me.


Pop: 12/50�� ��
Winter: 1/10�� ��
AtY: 12/52�� ��
2023 must-reads: 2/12




QotW
I didn't make much of a dent in my BHM reading, so I'm feeling a bit deflated about any WHM reading plans.�� But I do have SOME plans.�� ��We are discussing it over here:��/topic/show/...

I am currently reading Exiles by Jane Harper and The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter. I didn't pick them up specifically for WHM, but ... they're written by women, so I'll count them!


Other books I might read this month:

Mercy poems by��Lucille Clifton��
The Collected Poems of����Sara Teasdale
One Secret Thing poems by��Sharon Olds
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - My hold finally came in, after the longest wait!�� I usually am not a fan of wildly popular books like this, so I'm not sure what to expect here, but it sounds like it would work just fine for WHM reading. This would fill "school subject" in AtY & "becoming a show" for Popsugar.
The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter - (currently reading) Slaughter is a giant in the world of thrillers; this will be my "longest book" for the Challenge.��
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey ��Lee - "Girl in the title" - appropriate, right?! ��(there's also a chance I'll skip this one and read The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea with our group.)
Those Who Walk Away by Patricia Highsmith - Highsmith is a modern classic author who doesn't get talked about nearly enough, and I think that's due to general sexism when it comes to deciding who is a "classic" and who isn't; this will be my book published the year I was born.
Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists: A Graphic History of Women's Fight for Their Rights by Mikki Kendall
��Mockingbird, Vol. 2: My Feminist Agenda by Chelsea Cain (really more of a superhero comic than anything feminist, but I've owned it for years now so I really need to just read it already)



Most of my books are not specifically about women's history, because I don't really read many books about history, just in general. A few books that I have read in the past and recommend:
Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong—and the New Research That's Rewriting the Story
Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger
Remarkable Creatures (a novelization based on Mary Anning)
Hidden Figures
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The Secret History of Wonder Woman

Not much to report this week -- just work, school, and trying to stay warm, hehe...

Books read this week:

Star Wars: Splinter of the Mind's Eye -- for the PopSugar prompt “book based on a popular movie�� and the Extreme Book Nerd prompt “about a war other than WWI or WWII.�� This was the first Star Wars spinoff novel ever written�� and seeing as it came out in 1978, it has not aged well. And the romantic tension between Luke and Leia gets WEIRD after you watch “Return of the Jedi��...

Just Like Home -- for the PopSugar prompt “book about a family�� and the Extreme Book Nerd prompt “book with an art or music theme.�� Weird and creepy and surreal, and definitely not for the faint of heart.

The Cat Who Saved Books -- for the PopSugar prompt “favorite prompt from the 2015 challenge (book originally published in another language)�� and the Extreme Book Nerd prompt “second book that fits one of the regular prompts.�� Cats and books should have been a perfect mix, but this one fell flat for me. It doesn’t help that there’s a weird elitist tone throughout, as if only literary classics matter.

Cursed Bunny -- for the PopSugar and Extreme Book Nerd prompts “book with a rabbit on the cover.�� A weird but surprisingly effective collection of horror, fantasy, and science fiction stories that also make interesting statements about capitalism, patriarchy, and our modern life in general.

DNF:

Contact -- for “favorite prompt from the 2016 challenge (sci-fi novel).�� Carl Sagan was a brilliant man, but he should have stuck with non-fiction. This was dull.

Currently Reading:

Pet Sematary -- for “book published the year you were born��
Braver: A Wombat's Tale -- for “favorite prompt from the 2017 challenge (book written from a non-human perspective)��
Nala's World: One Man, His Rescue Cat, and a Bike Ride around the Globe -- for “book with a pet character��
The Selection -- for “book with a love triangle��

QOTW:

I don't have any specific reads planned for Women's History Month.

Another Thursday, another exhausting week. My sister’s been in contact again with her manipulative ex girlfriend (since 24 hours since we last caught them and contact was cut, so for over a month). I just don’t know anymore. At least my best friend was with us when we found out so I had someone to vent with. Also, having her here again for a week was wonderful and I can’t wait for her to come back again!

Weather: Sunny, but freezing

Bunnies: Success! Ezra and Nancy (formerly known as Banja) have been relocated to their outside enclosure, and it’s been going well! I keep finding a few tufts of hair every day, but they’re both crabby when breakfast and dinner come along (like with Ezra and Ferb) so that explains it. The rest of the day they spend glued together, washing each other, woohoo!

Cats: Thor’s manes are gone and instead he’s got major bald spots. It all points towards allergies, as Zira has the same thing though less bad, so they’ve been on different food for a while, but they also keep eating the other food, idiots. But then, Thor also had one flea, and if he’s allergic to fleas this would also be explained (it has been weeks that he’s been scratching out his neck fur. So we’ll be going to the vet soon to have them tested, to see what kind of allergy/allergies we’re dealing with. Poor guy. Just turned one and he looks like a proper baby again.

Puzzle: Made good progress with my best friend, as she sorted pieces and I puzzled them together! I do still have to force myself to stay calm at times to not get overwhelmed, but I’m getting better at it, and actually enjoying it! I’m quite happy with how far along I am, even if it’s been 24,5 hours and I feel like my progress doesn’t actually look like 24,5 hours xD (but then I remember Ravensburger says 600 hours for the whole puzzle, so 60 hours on average per section, and I’d like to think I’m quite on track. But then the hardest parts still have to be started so��.)

Tomorrow a friend is coming over to play games, on Saturday dad and I are going to thermal baths and getting a massage (even more needed than when we booked), then I have two weekends at Disney, and then Snollebollekes in Concert! (I also have my food consultant sometime in between which I dread cuz everything going on means I’ve not been eating very well�� my Australian marshmallows came in and so far 1/3 is a total letdown, another quite good, and another alright. Which is a blessing in a way cuz that means I’m not eating all of them at once ajkhsdg)

DAMN I gotta stop unloading here every week

Read
The Wedding Date for written during NaNoWriMo
Hated this. Terrible fanfiction, juvenile, forced conflict�� Just made me go and read a dozen fanfics that did it better

The Jealousy of Jalice for alliteration in the title and 23rd on a list
I enjoyed this! Sadly it was very predictable and I don’t really feel tempted to read the sequel. The summaries of that and the third book don’t even compel me, so *shrugs*. Oh well, another old eARC read!

Popsugar: 25/50
ŷ������: 19/50
Nadine's Challenge: 9/10

Currently Reading
Moby-Dick��
Still going strong, still wishing I could shove an editor this way. Today’s chapter was an actual story chapter for a change, though, so that was nice.

Have not picked up a new book yet, I’m so exhausted. I did open my oldest unread eARC on the Kindle App (The Happiness Project) so let’s see if I’ll actually read it.

QOTW
Just like with Black History Month, I don't read specifically for months. It's enough of a struggle to read as is, haha!

Happy Thursday. We're supposed to get more snow this weekend. I'm completely over winter. It sucks that it's so hard to get to the gym. Cozy days to stay home to read are great ŷ������ still tells me I'm two books ahead of schedule.

I finished another book. I made amazing progress on my Nobel laureate book. And I started two March books yesterday. One is part of my quest to read more books from series that I'm in the middle of, and the other is the 23rd book on my TBR (for Nadine's 23 challenge).

Finished:

Survive the Night
ATY prompt: A book where the cover design includes text that is not completely horizontal
Popsugar prompt: A book that takes place entirely in one day

Series - 4/15
Series Completed: - Lying Games, Bronwyn the Witch, Divergent

Nobel laureates - 0/7
Random books - 1/7

ATY - 9/40
PS - 9/30
Nadine's 23 challenge - 6/10
Around the year in 52 movies - 10/52

busy weekend - no movies

Currently reading:

A Ballet of Lepers: A Novel and Stories - 75% done

The History of Rome, Vol 1: The Period Anterior to the Abolition of the Monarchy - 90% done

Prentice Alvin - Just started

When We Were Vikings - Just started

QOTW: Like Doni said, I don't seem to follow these themed months. I probably read more female authors than males over the course of a year. (Oddly, all four books I'm reading were written by men.) My own reading goals don't always line up with "official months". Although, I think they are good for bringing more awareness and focus to writers of different religious or ethnic backgrounds, nationalities, or other characteristics.

Hi all,
I feel like I haven't checked in in a while again. Things keep being busy and then i say I'll check in later and then I don't. Oops, sorry!

things I've been reading:

Keeper of Enchanted Rooms - amazon first reads book. this was charming! A nice cozy read. It's also nice because while it's part of a series, it stands alone nicely enough that you don't HAVE to run out and read another.

The Raven Tower - I really loved the Ancillary Justice series so I was really looking forward to this. I didn't end up loving it, but I don't know if it's maybe just me. The perspective really distracted me. It was told from an outsider talking to one of the characters, narrating what they were doing, "You did this, and then you did that". I found it distracting as i tried to figure out who was talking. Also it kept jumping around in time in a way that wasn't very clear to me, i had trouble keeping the timeline straight and figure out what was happening when and what was relevant to what events. Maybe someone else wouldn't have a problem with these things. The premise was certainly interesting, it was more a formatting/presentation issue for me.

House of Earth and Blood - I wasn't super keen to read more Maas, especially a 800 page one. But the Vaginal fantasy book club is reading it for march, and most people are having trouble getting ahold of it. So when I looked and found I could get it in less than two weeks, and I knew my reading speed meant I COULD read 800 pages in time...I felt like I should at least give it a try so SOMEONE could participate in next month's discussion. Hopefully a couple others do manage to get their copies so i'm not the only one. It ended up being better than I expected, I liked it better than a Court of Thorns. I still don't think it needed to be 800 pages though. Around 400 pages in, i was going "why on earth hasn't this plot moved more?". If you're racking up that kind of page count, the reader should be so engrossed they don't even notice. However it DID pick up in the back half, and there were some genuinely moving moments. I'm on the fence on book 2. It's only a duology, so reading it would finish out the story. but it's another 800 pages. Maybe towards the end of the year when I'm in a lull.

The Wedding Date - I'd hoped for a nice easy read after the big tome of Maas. It was easy at least, just not very nice. It started off ok ish, but it just got...meh for me. I hate romances where the drama is based on lack of communication. JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER. Also I feel like characters kept SAYING Drew was a nice guy, but his actions didn't really seem to back it up very much. It also felt like the author couldn't decide on how steamy she wanted her book to be. I seriously thought i skipped parts because the sex scenes read like she wrote the explicit parts out, changed her mind and deleted them, and then didn't bother re-working the scene in any other way. I'm not saying the explicit parts had to be there, but write in a proper fade to black please, I thought my brain was glitching.

Currently reading:

I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself - random book i picked up from the library, i don't think i can form an opinion yet.

The Cloisters - audio book - will work for a celebrity book club. not too far yet

Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockey - will be a bock on sports

QOTW:

I don't really do the special reading months, due to library holds and such. Although looking at my reading I see that if I remove comics from the list I have only read 5 books by men this year so far out of 26. (Most the comics are written by men though). So I think I'm good for Women's history month. ( a couple authors are nonbinary).

Some favorite women authors are Seanan McGuire, Becky Chambers, N. K. Jemisin, Ursula K LeGuin, Alix E Harrow, T. Kingfisher, Martha Wells, Naomi Novik

Happy Thursday!

I LIVE!!! Oh my goodness that cold was hellacious. I was out 8 days of work. I had Feb. 20th off for a holiday I cannot remember right now. I'm still a bit coughy and snotty, but I feel human again. And finally got to sleep in bed on Saturday! I was sleeping on the couch in an upright position to breathe. I did have furbaby company so it wasn't horrible.

I read while I was sick, but I mostly read brain dead stuff that needed no concentration. It was beyond me to concentrate on anything that took a modicum of thinking or comprehending.

Right now we are in the midst of 3rd winter. The passes going into California have been closed for most of the past few days. A place in Tahoe got 15 ft. of snow. Our grocery store had some pretty slim pickings. The Sunday truck finally came in last night. And there is another storm that's supposed to hit this weekend. Joy.

I did however get a Vegas e-library card. I was having a lot of fun looking at the cool stuff Vegas has that our Libby doesn't. I may have gotten like 8 books from there while I was sick.

Popsugar:8/50
Finished:
I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss, Vol. 2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book takes place in the second otome game of the fictional franchise. ps 46 aty 5

Reading: None

Aty:10/52
Finished:
Why Shouldn’t a Detestable Demon Lord Fall in Love?! Volume 1 aty 7
I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss, Vol. 2 ps 46 aty 5
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense., Vol. 8 (light novel) (Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. aty 48

Reading: None

ŷ������ Challenge 149/400
Finished:
Books From 2/16 �� 3/2

Pink Is Not a Color
Cat Problems
Tempting my Stepbrother
Daddy's Secret Angel
Virgin Bride
Daddy Crush
Teach Me, Mr. Asher: A Forbidden Teacher Student Instalove Romance
Teach Me, Mr. Cole: An Age Gap Instalove Romance
Teach Me, Mr. Barclay: An Instalove Age Gap Romance
Stepbrother Sleepover
Protecting His Curvy Girl,
My Ex-Best friend's Daughter
Melting with Marcus: Home Cooked Holidays: Home Cooked Holidays
Ward's Castle I was surprised and delighted to see a Spy x Family reference in this one.
King's Castle
Fight Dirty
A Baby For The Outcast
Silas The Mountain Man: An Insta-Love Romance
The Alpha's Obsession Box Set
Desert Island: Hidden Oasis
Desert Island: Paradise Cove
Desert Island
Sold to the Hitman
Trafficked
Stealing Her
I Hired a Hitman
Taken by the Hitman
The Tycoon's Pregnant Mistress
Yakuza Lover, Vol. 3
Yakuza Lover, Vol. 4
Yakuza Lover, Vol. 5
The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 9
Oh My Goddess! Volume 12: The Fourth Goddess
Kenka Bancho Otome: Love's Battle Royale, Vol. 1
Kenka Bancho Otome: Love's Battle Royale, Vol. 2
I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss, Vol. 2
Why Shouldn’t a Detestable Demon Lord Fall in Love?! Volume 1
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense., Vol. 8 (light novel).

Reading:
The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 3
I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss, Vol. 3
Oh My Goddess!, Volume 13
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

Nadine's Mini Challenge 7/10
Finished:None

Reading: None

Mount TBR:
23/150 Ebook
19/150 Physical

QOTW:

I'm not much on planning to read anything for any of the dedicated to this subject months. I just like reading what I want to read.

Sheri wrote: "I'm on the fence on book 2. It's only a duology, so reading it would finish out the story...."

I think it's meant to be a four book series. There's definitely a third book on the way. I think she's at that career point where her editors don't tell her to cut bits out.

Harmke wrote: "What a relief a visit to a physiotherapist can be! My lower back (actually my SI joint) was completely stuck this week. And in just 20 minutes she did her magic and I can put my shoes off myself ag..."

It took me a while to realise my back/hip aches were my SI joints, not my back or hips. They really complain when I carry uneven loads these days, which means I need to get myself a backpack for carting round my ridiculously heavy work laptop.

Finished:

Saturn's Children by David Mack (reread, 3/5, found in the Star Trek: Obsidian Alliances collection)

Tales of the Dominion War edited by Keith R.A. DeCandido (reread, 4/5)

Godzilla - The Official Movie Novelization by Greg Cox (3/5, book with mythical creatures)

B^F: The Novelization Of The Feature Film by Ryan North (5/5, a book based on a popular movie)

I don't give out too many five-star ratings, but I feel like this one earned it. While some of the experience is just laughing at some of the absurdity that made it into the original novelization of Back to the Future, there is much more included. There is in-depth examination of the craft of storytelling in book and movie form and lots of discussion celebrating and critiquing the film. I highly recommend this for any fan of Back to the Future.

PS 2023 progress: 24/50

Question of the Week:

I don't participate in themed months in general. If you want my recommendation for a female writer, try Una McCormack.

Ellie - Is it? Amazon had it listed as book 2/2 so I thought that meant it was a duology. That makes me feel less inclined to continue, slogging through one more 800 page "probably should have been edited harder" book is one thing. Slogging through THREE more is a whole different thing. I enjoyed it more than expected, but I didn't LOVE it and I'm certainly not sitting on the edge of my seat dying to know what happens.

book with your same initials
Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth. YA about a girl with a difficult homelife who ends up "fixing" problems for kids at school by trading favors. There was a thread going around last week about how they wished that YA wasn't only romance and/or the main person saving the world and there's a ton of YA that isn't that. This book has a romance subplot but it's more about friendships.

written during NaNaWriMo
The Wicker King by K. Ancrum. YA book about mental illness. There is a romance subplot but this would also be one of those YAs that isn't a romance or saving the world.

Celebrity book club
The Sanatorium by Sarah Pease. Enjoyable mystery/thriller.

no prompts
Heartbreaker by Sarah Maclean. I can't believe it took me this long to pick this up from my bookshelf. It's the perfect historical romance.

Hacked by Lucy Lennox and May Archer. Mid contemporary romance.

I get to find out how my thyroid is responding to the radioiodine treatment next week...and I'm kinda hoping it's a bit wonky as my mood has been all over the place, and I'd rather blame it on hormones than me just not being able to cope with work!

Finished:
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng for celeb book club (a prompt I had crossed out, but I guess I'm uncrossing it now). This was a bit unsubtle and I kept zoning out. Believable idea but lacking something.

Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman for retelling of a classic and ATY rejects (revolution). This was a fun retelling of the Scarlet Pimpernel stories, the French Revolution with added aristocratic vampires, told from the point of view of a housemaid who gets embroiled in the Pimpernel's plots.

Murder at Haven's Rock by Kelley Armstrong for self published (well she self published these books in the UK at least) and ATY (murder). I enjoy these as fairly mindless reads but the change in location hasn't really added anything new to this series.

I need to go through my recently read books and see what fits my side challenges...

QOTW:
I read more women authors than men in general, so I don't feel a need for a month to try and read more! If the point is to read about historical women I might get round to A Gift of Poison about the Brontë sisters, albeit solving crime.

Sheri wrote: "Ellie - Is it? Amazon had it listed as book 2/2 so I thought that meant it was a duology. That makes me feel less inclined to continue, slogging through one more 800 page "probably should have been..."

Amazon's probably just counting books it can sell, and there's no date or title for book three yet. I was kinda surprised how much I enjoyed them despite the length. I didn't care for how drawn out ToG got and I didn't like her other series at all. But yeah, it's a lot of pages if you're meh on it.

Doni wrote: "Finished: Coming of Age in 2020: Teenagers on the Year that Changed Everything This was a very interesting collection of works produced by teenagers and compiled by the NYTimes abou..."


Oh that book looks interesting!! My kids were in high school & junior high in 2020, so we kind of lived this. Oldest graduated in 2021 and we felt so lucky to even have a graduation ceremony, the 2020 graduates did not. I don't know if that means the book will be more or less interesting for us.

Sheri wrote: "Hi all,
I feel like I haven't checked in in a while again. Things keep being busy and then i say I'll check in later and then I don't. Oops, sorry!

things I've been reading:

[book:Keeper of Ench..."

I know we talked about this in the Discord server but I'm still sitting here clapping at your notes on The Wedding Date, hahah!

Chandie wrote: "book with your same initials
Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth. YA about a girl with a difficult homelife who ends up "fixing" problems for kids at school by trading favors. There was a thread going ar..."

For me personally the problem with YA isn't that it's all romance, it's that it has romance forced into it in every single one of them, even if just as a subplot, and I'm just so tired. A book doesn't need romance to be good, especially not when it makes no sense and is only there because the author felt it had to be. I'm glad you enjoyed your picks, though!!

Hello all! Blessedly our snow is starting to melt, but on the other hand, my dog's paws are very muddy. Sigh, it's always a trade-off.

Finished
The Genius of Birds: on audiobook, interesting but not fascinating

I'm Glad My Mom Died: I read this in a flash but it is such heavy subject matter. Go in with caution.

Currently reading
The Secrets of Winterhouse: I need a palette cleanser and the first in this series was fun

QOTW
I never really plan for any of the x history months, but I read a lot of women authors and historical fiction about women, so I'm probably good.

Happy Thursday! Much later than my normal check-in first thing in the morning, but I've got the week off from work after having surgery on Tuesday. Everything went well and the pain/discomfort level is surprisingly manageable, just doing my best to take it easy and rest (which is surprisingly difficult, because when I have extended off-time at home I tend to think about what needs done around the house). But I've got a stack of books and the cats to keep me company while Husband is at work, and when he's home he takes excellent care of me :)

Finished this week:
Catwoman: Lonely City - 5 stars. Might edge out Hush as my favorite Batverse comic. This one had everything I wanted, with solid writing and Cliff's beautiful artwork.

The Neon Boneyard - 5 stars. A very memorable installment in this excellent series. The crossover trilogy is up next! A book that was self-published

Currently:
The Count of Monte Cristo - my audiobook is on hold this week while I'm at home, but I'll get back to it on Monday.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - still poking along with this one as well (another mostly-audiobook).

The Cruel Prince - just started today! I haven't read Holly Black in ages but it already feels so good. A book your friend recommended

PS 14/50
ATY 12/52
Mount TBR 9/60

QOTW: March is celebrated as Women’s History Month in Australia, the UK, and the US. Are there any books or authors you are specifically targeting to read this month or to add to your TBR? Or even better, what books/authors could you recommend to others?
I recently read and loved Tia Haynes's poetry collection leftover ribbon, which can be found on Amazon (support your indie authors however you can, y'all). An excellent collection especially with postpartum mothers in mind.

Other recent favorites:
The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family
anything by Alix E. Harrow
The City We Became duology
anything by Craig Schaefer, pen name of Heather Schaefer
Braiding Sweetgrass

Hi all. I think winter is going to try to cram itself into March (leaking into April?? it does that sometimes). We've got the biggest storm of the season predicted to hit tomorrow night at 5-8 inches.
I reconnected with my best friend from college this week. We haven't spoken since before my daughter was born! Her oldest is learning to drive! How time flies!!

Welp, I've bitten off more than I can chew reading-wise again. I was working on Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, which I can only have for 2 more weeks. It's quite well written and I'm enjoying it. But then my hold came in early for Our Missing Hearts for a buddy read, so I'm going to have to cram that in, too.
I am still working on When Christ and His Saints Slept, which I'm still liking, too.
I had started Gospel of Freedom: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail and the Struggle That Changed a Nation for BHM and for a book about a holiday that's not Christmas. It's pretty dense and I haven't made a ton of progress. I'm thinking that one will fall to the wayside.
I was also wanting to read The End of the Affair for a group read in another group.
And my bed time reads of Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War and Les Miserables....

QOTW: I don't count women authors just because they're women. The books I count this month would include books by or about women who made an impact for women's rights or did something to challenge the status quo. Though take my 2 cents with a grain of salt, cause I never get around to the books I think I'm going to read for a specific month anyway! Right now, if I made significant progress in When Christ and His Saints Slept and Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War, I'd call that good (for me) for this month.

Sweet, found my book for the 'a book about a holiday that's not Christmas' prompt via a random amazon search:

Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween

*Bonus: It's a female author so it will be perfect for this month.*

I had a lot of reading time over the three day weekend last week and got to finish several books just before their due dates at the library. Now I have a whole fresh batch checked out. I don’t remember adding some of these books to my want-to-read list and can’t remember what they’re about so it’ll be a reading adventure!

Finished
It's in His Kiss by Julia Quinn (a book with song lyrics in the title). I liked this book a lot! It’s my favorite Bridgerton since The Viscount Who Loved Me. Hyacinth and Gareth are a lot more sensible than Antony and Kate, which makes for a less funny book, but also a less frustrating one.

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers (shortest book on your tbr). This is just as good as the first book. I adore this series.

Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski (a book with mythical creatures). I’m loving this series so much. I have the next book from the library, and I’m excited to get started reading this weekend.

Reading
On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn.

The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski.

QOTW
I read more books by women authors than men authors, but I don’t specifically read for monthly themes.

Happy Thursday! It looks like winter has finally decided to ramp up just when I was wishing it to be over.

Challenge Progress:
ATY 9/52
PS 7/50

Finished:
A Game of Thrones (PS book read more than 10 years ago) 4 stars. The first time I read this it took a couple hundred pages for me to get into the story. The world is just so big with so many characters and so much history. I'm not a big re-reader but I liked this so much more this second time. Since I have read all the later books in the series, I spent most of this reread shaking my head at all the poor choices the characters made and all the ways they will later regret them. Which was super enjoyable lol.

Tuesday Mooney Talks To Ghosts (ATY book related to a ghost) 3 stars. I mostly enjoyed this book. A rich eccentric man dies and leaves a treasure hunt for the public. I do think the ending was not as quite good as the rest of the book but I generally liked the journey. Bonus points that it was set in Boston and clearly written by someone who had spent a considerable amount of time there.

Currently reading:
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing (PS celebrity memoir)

The Woman in the Library (ATY book involves a murder)

QOTW: I don't specifically read for Women's history month. I do have some authors I enjoy like Emily St. John Mandel, Elizabeth Acevedo, and R.F. Kuang.

How is it March already? I did get some reading done (but I have one now that's 500pages plus slowing me down.)

For The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list I read The Keeper's Six by Kate Elliott. This was a fun novella. I had it as an ARC so I decided to use it for this. Though I think one I just plucked from the library for Nadine's mini challenge (and for another challenge) that's shorter, The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle. I absolutely loved this one.

I also read The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh for A book about a holiday that's not Christmas. This Welsh mystery is set during New Year's eve. I did very much enjoy this mystery but it is needlessly overcomplicated.

I also read Spy x Family, Vol. 3 by Tatsuya Endo. I am not as big a fan of this as many are but it is cute

QOTW My way of dealing with Women's history month isn't really to read a lot of history. It's more supporting female authors by getting their books. Luckily I read a ton of mysteries and that is a female heavy genre.

But I also love SF/F and women are always being told we can't write in those genres so I really seek them out.

Cornerofmadness wrote: QOTW My way of dealing with Women's history month isn't really to read a lot of history. It's more supporting female authors by getting their books. Luckily I read a ton of mysteries and that is a female heavy genre

That still works.

As long as I read nonfiction books that are by female authors and support them or I read nonfiction books that are about women's history then it works for me.

Cornerofmadness wrote: I have one now that's 500pages plus slowing me down.

This has always been my issue. Despite how much I read, I have a very difficult time reading books above 350 pages. I just get distracted or I can't focus as much. Also given that I mainly read nonfiction and annotate that takes up even more time that I don't have, but I will count them to my monthly reading anyways because at least I read them even if I did not finish because of how long they were.

Lately I've been thinking about the quote "No two persons ever read the same book," by Edmund Wilson.

I was told this quote once back in 2020 and it stuck with me.

Lately it's been in my head because a friend recently moved a couple of weeks ago and he gave me all of his books because he didn't want to take them with him. There were only two books in his boxes that I already owned, but the rest were books that I had not even heard of. Still, even if I do not read them I'll treasure them nonetheless because he gave them to me.

That quote just hits home so much. And then I look at all of the books that people talk about here and I'm reminded of it as well.

I finished:

Nothing More to Tell: Not for the challenge: I enjoy Karen McManus and I thought this one was good, but not her best.

The Giver: Should have read in high school: I liked this a lot more than I expected to and I'm actually glad that I waited until I was an adult to read this. I thought it was really beautifully written, until the end, which was too abrupt for me.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much: not for the challenge: This book was okay. The idea was really interesting, but the story didn't reach the potential.

Currently reading:
The Island: vacation: This book is giving me terrible anxiety so I have to read it in very small doses.

The Butcher and the Wren: Not for the challenge: I am surprised I'm still going with this one. It is pretty gross and there was one scene that I wish I had never heard. I'm not sure the story is going to be strong enough for me to accept what I feel is unnecessary descriptions and anything that involves an animal injury is something I don't want to read ever.

My biggest challenge this week was the shortest book on your TBR. I thought this would be an easy prompt to fill, but I started and DNF four books for that prompt this week. Apparently my reading preferences are shifting.

QOTW: I don't generally do specialized reading.

K.L. wrote: "I also placed an order on Amazon for some new comic book collections and another new novel. I got the first two volumes of Scales & Scoundrels, by Sebastian Girner; the Spider-Gwen Omnibus, by Jason Latour; the Captain Marvel by Kelly Sue Deconnick Omnibus, by Kelly Sue DeConnick; Fables, Compendiums 1-4, by Bill Willingham ..."



Nice selection!!! I think DeConnick's Captain Marvel would be the perfect read for Women's History Month!!!

Comics, especially superhero comics, are so dominated by male writers, male artists, and male characters, that the few volumes out there by and about women are extra-special. DeConnick, Chelsea Cain, Joelle Jones, Gail Simone, and G Willow Wilson are the few I know of who are women writing women superheroes. (sorry, the link function isn't working right now)

Ellie wrote: "It took me a while to realise my back/hip aches were my SI joints, not my back or hips. They really complain when I carry uneven loads these days, which means I need to get myself a backpack for carting round my ridiculously heavy work laptop.
..."

I didn't know either, my physiotherapist told me.

Hi All, I read 4 books this week.
1. The Invention of Wings. eBook. 5 stars. PS #30 A book that's on a celebrity book-club list. Oprah 2.0 list. I've wanted to read this book for a couple of years but keep pushing it aside.
2. Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco. Audio Book. 5 stars. PS# 29 A book a friend recommended. My son recommended it to me. I enjoy nonfiction by journalists. I like reading about people's lifestyles & the inner workings of companies. I learned about LBO's & Wall Street in the 1980's. I'm not sure listening is the best way to read this book. There are a ton of names & companies in the book to keep track of. Also there are a lot of men in these companies that hate each other.
3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. eBook. 5 stars. PS #16 A book where the main characters name is in the title. Another book I have pushed aside since it came out in 2017.
4. The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion. Paperback. 5 stars. PS# 7 A book with "Girl" in the title. This is only the second Fannie Flagg I have read. I will read others in the future. There was a discussion toward the end of last week's check in about books with mean mothers. This book has a mean mother in it. It also talks about women pilots in WWII making it a good book for Women's History Month.
QOTW: I'm aiming for 4 books that I own but I have 2 library books coming in soon that have nothing to do with Women's History Month.
1. Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships. I'm currently reading it now & loving it.
2. The Marriage Portrait.
3. Woman on Fire
4. First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies.
I'm trying to finish Nadine's Mini-Challenge before the end of the first quarter. I will fit in The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race somehow. That still leaves me 6 prompts to finish. Now that I see this in writing I think I will be behind on this challenge.

Sheri wrote: "The Raven Tower - I really loved the Ancillary Justice series so I was really looking forward to this. I didn't end up loving it, but I don't know if it's maybe just me. ..."



It's not just you. The Ancillary series is one of my all-time favorites, but Raven Tower was very meh. I listened to the audiobook, too, read by one of my favorite audiobook readers, Adjoa Andoh (the same woman who plays Lady Danbury on Bridgertons), and if SHE cant' get me to love a book, then there's no hope! I'm glad I read it, because it was weird and different, but I can't say I loved it. I'm still super excited for Leckie's new book!!!!!!!

Mandy wrote: "Happy Thursday!

I LIVE!!! Oh my goodness that cold was hellacious. I was out 8 days of work. I had Feb. 20th off for a holiday I cannot remember right now. I'm still a bit coughy and snotty, but I..."




woooooowww 38 books in 14 days!!!! I know you say they are brain dead books and I can see some are graphic novels, but still HOLY COW!!!


Welcome back to good health!

Ashley Marie wrote: "... Catwoman: Lonely City - 5 stars. Might edge out Hush as my favorite Batverse comic. This one had everything I wanted, with solid writing and Cliff's beautiful artwork. ..."



I bought this for my daughter for xmas, and SHE is not reading it, so maybe I will!!!

Happy Friday! I'm on vacation today and Monday, and we're going out of town for the weekend. I'm looking so forward to getting away, at least for a little bit.

Finished:
The Afterward - 3.5 stars - for a book with a queer lead. I enjoyed it overall, but I feel like the author just skipped over the actual plot resolution and took us right to the aftermath, with a "I'm glad we were able to...." tell not show. It kind of sapped the power out of the ending.

Nick and Charlie: A Heartstopper Novella - 3.5 stars - not for a prompt; just a short little novella about the Heartstopper characters, taking place after the events of the comics.

Comics & manga (not for prompts):
Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 2
Skip and Loafer, Vol. 5
The King's Beast, Vol. 9
Something's Wrong With Us, Vol. 13
Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 23
Komi Can't Communicate, Vol. 23
Rainbow Days, Vol. 1
Rainbow Days, Vol. 2

I am currently at 11/50 for Popsugar (6/40 and 5/10). I am also at 5/10 for Nadine's Mini-Challenge #1.

Currently reading:
The Wicked Bargain - for the prompt of a book that features two languages. This is a historical fantasy taking place in the Caribbean with a queer, nonbinary lead and lots of Spanish sprinkled in. I'm not too far in yet, but so far I'm enjoying it.

Planned:
Ariadne
The Mimicking of Known Successes

QOTW:
I think the majority of what read is female authors anyway. Some of my favorites are:
T. Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon)
Margaret Owen
Naomi Novik
Seanan McGuire
Lois McMaster Bujold

Jennifer W wrote: "Welp, I've bitten off more than I can chew reading-wise again. ..."



saaaame!!! I am really taking advantage of the fact that my library did away with late fees. First I had Jordan Harper's new book, other holds waiting so I couldn't renew it, I turned it in a week late. And because I had to finish that, Jane Harper's new book Exileshad to wait for me to start it, which means I'm not going to be able to finish it before it is due. Again, holds on it, so I can't renew. I'm almost halfway through right now. And that means when I pick up Lessons in Chemistry this weekend - because it was a crazy long holds wait and it's finally in and I cannot pass this up - IT is going to have to wait for me to finish Exiles, so I probably won't be able to finish it before it is due back.

Oh, and poor Vampire Weekend is sitting there, staring at me, saying "but what about meeeee? I'm a new book too!!" And yes I want to read that too but I think the holds list won't be too bad if I have to put it on hold again.

It's an endless cycle!!!!

Ron wrote: "Sweet, found my book for the 'a book about a holiday that's not Christmas' prompt via a random amazon search:

Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween

*Bonus: It's a female author s..."


That looks interesting!

I hope you love Lonely City, Nadine!

Ron wrote: "Cornerofmadness wrote: I have one now that's 500pages plus slowing me down.

This has always been my issue. Despite how much I read, I have a very difficult time reading books above 350 pages. Welp, I've bitten off more than I can chew reading-wise again...."



yes I struggle with long books, too. My mother and I disagree about this - I remember some book came out that was 900 pages, and I just said "well I won't be reading that!" and she said she'd rather read one good long book than several shorter ones. And, sure, if you know for sure it's going to be a good book, then I could get interested. But you don't know.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Mandy wrote: "Happy Thursday!

I LIVE!!! Oh my goodness that cold was hellacious. I was out 8 days of work. I had Feb. 20th off for a holiday I cannot remember right now. I'm still a bit coughy and..."

Thank you, Nadine.

There was only so much tv i could watch while trying to breathe.

I definitely had trouble concentrating on the longer books on there. longer books being over 100 pgs.

I'm enjoying a 3-day weekend since I took the day off, so I thought I'd check in while I've got some time today. I finished one book, which fit an open prompt (woo-hoo!). I'm now at 10/40 and 1/10 and 20/75 for my overall ŷ������ Reading Challenge.

Finished:
* Hell of a Book: Or the Altogether Factual, Wholly Bona Fide Story of a Big Dreams, Hard Luck, American-Made Mad Kid by Jason Mott, which I used for "a book that's on a celebrity book club list" (Read with Jenna).

Currently Reading:
* Now You See Us by Balli Kaur Jaswal, which is one of my many NetGalley books (but I am making a dent in the virtual pile :));
* Jacqueline in Paris by Ann Mah, which is one of my book clubs' picks for March;
* From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home written and narrated by Tembi Locke, which was offered as a Lucky Day! title on my Libby app...but it let me check it out longer for some reason, so I guess I'm extra lucky ;-) and,
* Dead of Winter by Stephen Mack Jones, which is one of the books I received for Christmas.

QotW:
March is celebrated as Women’s History Month in Australia, the UK, and the US. Are there any books or authors you are specifically targeting to read this month or to add to your TBR? Or even better, what books/authors could you recommend to others? As a mood reader, I don't usually pick books that match a month's theme. Of the books that I've read so far this year that fit the Women's History Month theme, I'd highly recommend Mother Daughter Traitor Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal. While it is historical fiction, it is based on real events. Plus, Susan Elia MacNeal is one of my favorite authors :) For a non-fiction pick, I'd highly recommend A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell (the audiobook version is fantastic). Amazing!

Nadine wrote: That looks interesting!

Thanks, I thought so too. I was just randomly searching Halloween nonfiction books and that one came up.

Nadine wrote: yes I struggle with long books, too. My mother and I disagree about this - I remember some book came out that was 900 pages, and I just said "well I won't be reading that!" and she said she'd rather read one good long book than several shorter ones. And, sure, if you know for sure it's going to be a good book, then I could get interested. But you don't know

Exactly. I find it cool how people can read long books. The first time I ever did was in the 7th grade with The Mists of Avalon is 876 pages. As a 7th grader that was huge for me, both the fact that it was a big deal and a long book.

After that though I've never really been able to. Add in the annotating that I do now and that takes reading a lot longer time period.