Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2018 Weekly Checkins
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Week 15: 4/5 - 4/12
Wow, I seemed to have missed Thursday! Hello PS reading group! Hope everyone is having an okay week. Last week I read:
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Checking off the 2016 prompt, Classic from the 20th Century.
29/52
The traditional English butler on a road trip story that I never knew I needed to read. This book is heartbreaking. A perfect framework to tell a story between the lines.
QOTW
I guess my answer would be no. I don't think that bothers me. Maybe if it is a bad book with a bad title, I would pile on with a complaint about the title, but no.
Tomorrow, April 14th, we will have a snowstorm. I don't mind during actual winter, but now is too much. I guess it will give me more time to do house-stuff.I finish one book toward the challenge: Breakfast at Tiffany's for the lyrics prompt. It was really good. My second Capote this year and I loved both. It was a fast read also. I started it in my morning commute, and finished it in my way back home. I tried watching the movie, but I didn't like it.
I am now reading Elantris and don't know if it will fit any prompt. It's ok so far, but a little too much political for my taste.
QOTW: It doesn't bother me, but what does is the ''lost in translation'' titles.
Carmen wrote: "Johanne wrote: "Hi all....Ohman don't even get me started on translated titles! Even when they literally translate it, it just sounds ridiculous. It doesn't work. One of my major pet peeves. The first one to come to mind is the Chaos Walking series. Honestly, the Dutch titles are just like whaaat????."
My Dutch is not great - so what does the title mean? (and why did they change cover???. Cover changes can really get me started...)
Carmen wrote: "Someone also mentioned A Clockwork Orange, and I've never been bothered by the title, but of course now I am. Thanks guys xD."Well I just had to google it:
I was petsitting away from my house this week, which means I have tons of reading time.FINISHED
Up for Heir - A Netgalley ARC that needed reading and reviewing.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - listened to the Stephen Fry narrated audiobook, it was so good. Doing a reread of the series (and rewatching the movies) to prep for Binge Mode: Harry Potter.
Le Petit Prince - read in an afternoon, filled several challenges' prompts.
Brett - not for any particular challenge, it was just in my TBR folder on my Kindle, and I was in the mood for a romance.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - another audiobook listen for Harry Potter: Binge Mode
Quidditch Through the Ages - the Andrew Lincoln narrated version finally came available at the library, so I listened to it at work in a couple of hours. Not sure if I will use it as a prompt filler, or just let it pad my numbers.
CURRENTLY READING
Happiness: The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After - reading for Reese Book Club x Hello Sunshine April pick. I'm really enjoying it!
Persuasion - Reading for Catching Up with Classics.
QotW:
Titles don't really bother me if they don't connect to the plot at all. But a terrible (corny) title may deter me from reading a book.
Happy Friday,Only one book finished this week and I finished it up last night.
Finished:
The Bookshop on the Corner for for a book that involves a bookstore or library. I really liked this. I actually liked all of the main characters and most of the side characters. The story was really sweet and now I want to run a bookshop in Scotland.
Currently Reading:
This Is Our Story for a book by an author with the same first or last name as you. I am only a little ways in. I'm hoping to finish it up this weekend since it's pretty short.
QOTW:
I haven't ever really noticed this. It might bother me if I did actually pick-up on it.
Johanne wrote: "My Dutch is not great - so what does the title mean? (and why did they change cover???. Cover changes can really get me started...) "Ohman cover changes.. I already have issues with the different covers for US and UK, but then again, it's also fun to collect them and choose the one you think is prettier. Anyways, the Chaos Walking series consists of three books, and I'll mention them in this order: original title, dutch title, dutch title translation.
Chaos Walking itself is reduced to "Chaos" so that's not too bad, all things considered.
The Knife of Never Letting Go - Het mes dat niet wijkt - The Knife that doesn't budge/move (in retrospect, this isn't so bad)
The Ask and the Answer - Het Donkere Paradijs - The Dark Paradise
Monsters of Men - Lawaai dat nooit stopt - Noise that never stops
I mean.. whether or not the titles still fit the book, it's just so completely out there. Like I said before, literally translating usually doesn't work either, so I'm not easily pleased to begin with, but this just.. *shudders*
Ellie wrote: "Carmen wrote: "Someone also mentioned A Clockwork Orange, and I've never been bothered by the title, but of course now I am. Thanks guys xD."
Well I just had to google it: ..."
Ohhh thanks! Now, that just cleared things up and we're all good here :D
I finally finished a book this week!!! For the next book in a series prompt, I listened to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on audiobook! I LOVED it and will never get over the fact it took me so long to get into this series. I already purchased the 3rd audiobook - haha!Currently Reading:
I’m fighting through the end of Americanah and will hopefully finish it this weekend! It’s not what I expected even though I have no idea what I was exactly expecting out of this book. Nonetheless, it was a huge let down.
I started reading PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives last night just for fun! It’s not going to count towards this challenge, but I think I’m in dire need of a fun, light and easy read, so I can get out of this reading funk.
QOTW:
It doesn’t bother me when the title and/or cover don’t match the content of the book, it only confuses me. I get really curious about how they arrived at the decisions of both things.
16/50
A day late, but hey - the sun is shining, the weather has warmed up (for a little while) and the cherry blossoms are in peak bloom!Books read: 20/52
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee for prompt 35, a past ŷ Choice award winner. I loved To Kill a Mockingbird growing up, it is still one of my favorite books, and this was therefore a hard read for me because it is so heartbreaking. I actually DO recommend it, but be prepared to cry. A lot.
QOTW: I don't think I've ever noticed? It might bother me if I did catch it, but I never have so who knows?
Carmen wrote: "Johanne wrote: "My Dutch is not great - so what does the title mean? (and why did they change cover???. Cover changes can really get me started...) "Ohman cover changes.. I already have issues wi..."
Just to add my 2 cents to the title change discussion, last week I reported finishing Midnight Riot whose original British title is Rivers of London, which is the actual name of the series! Why change it????? Especially since the actual rivers of London and their spirits play a huge role.
Minor changes don't bother me - even the whole Harry Potter Philosopher's Stone vs. Sorcerer's Stone debate - because that often has to do with what is considered the more familiar terminology for a particular country. Nor do changes caused by concepts that are nearly impossible to translate. But I do have a problem with titles that when translated change the meaning
completely - most famously for me is Proust - translations of the main title A La Recherche du Temps Perdu are bad enough, the English translation of A L'Ombre des Jeunes Filles en Fleurs is just wrong (In a Budding Grove). Literally it means In the Shadoew of the Flowering Girls -- a very different meaning!
Tania wrote: "I finally finished a book this week!!! For the next book in a series prompt, I listened to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on audiobook! I LOVED it and will never get over the ..."I totally hear you about Americanah, Tania! I was expecting to love it, and I very much did not. It felt like going on a date I was really excited about and getting all gussied up, and then realizing that I have absolutely nothing in common with the person seated across from me. Such a let-down!
Mod
Nadine wrote: "Christy - LOL at that image!!! (I didn't really have strong feelings about Americanah one way or the other.)"I think many people have had that sort of experience with some book or other! A book that checks all the boxes of your interests and preferences and sounds like your Perfect Book Date, but in the end just leaves you cold.
It felt like a pretty slow week this week, although I finished 3 books:- Finished Crossed, which I mentioned in my last weekly check-in
- Reached for a book written in first person for ŷ ATY
- Big Fat Manifesto for my realistic fiction book for my ATY Top Picks challenge. I originally had this in mind for my text-only cover, but because my edition from the library had a giant picture of an ice cream cone on the front, it didn't really seem appropriate
- Also read barely 25 pages of Lucy and Linh yesterday, but it's barely enough to be worth counting
QOTW:
I wouldn't necessarily say it bothers me much since I don't often think about the title while I'm reading the book. I tend to notice if if it comes up somewhere in the text, but otherwise I can't say it's something I pay much attention to.
At least I’m not the only one underwhelmed by Americanah. I thought it was just me not getting it. I liked the blog posts interspersed within it, but I didn’t particularly care for either main character.
The humidity and heat are building in Hong Kong. Ugh. It's that time of year again. I'm gearing up to move - still a question mark to what country! - but at least I can ignore boxes of things and keep my books ready at hand. Right now, I'm 29 books in total, 28 out of 50 for the challenge. Since I only started 2 months ago, I'm pretty amazed by what I've been able to read. Reduced screen time makes a big difference in my reading life. I originally put my ŷ goal at 30, but I've stretched it to 50 now, to at least cover the challenge, but I'm thrilled now that I've read more. I've been missing that!
Read this week:
The Pier Falls: And Other Stories - not for the challenge. I picked it up on holiday. It's a brilliant collection of short stories by Mark Haddon (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time fame) but ultimately quite disturbing - mostly because many of the stories expose the cracks in society we know are there but are like raw, sunburnt flesh in the way he represents them.
The Green Road - for the prompt "a book with your favorite colour in the title" - obviously, mine's green. I picked this up from our school library, and I saw it was a Man Booker winner. I can't say I enjoyed it, though. I wanted to shake all the characters to pieces and didn't like any of them. I wish they hadn't been so irritating.
The House on Mango Street - for the challenge prompt "a book with a fruit or veg in the title" - I can't believe I escaped reading this book since it's on the canon list for most high schools. I really enjoyed her lyrical writing.
Next week:
84, Charing Cross Road - I loved the film years ago, so I must read it. And it's about a bookshop. Win-win.
Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story - a book about grief/loss - I bought this at the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York. This day will forever haunt me.
Into the Water - for the prompt "a past ŷ award winner" - I liked The Girl on the Train so I got this on Audible. It's my listen for the month.
The Keeper of Lost Things - past prompt of an eccentric character. A friend wants to read it, so I better get on it!
QotW: Does it bother you if the book's title doesn't seem connected to the plot?
YES! At the very least, the title should have something to do with the book. The Green Road was about the green road in Ireland and it played a part in the plot. An American Marriage was about the trials and issues of a modern American marriage. Pride & Prejudice was about pride ... and prejudice. If Jane Eyre wasn't about Jane Eyre, I'd be ticked off. Fahrenheit 451 worked well as a title. Brilliantly. And Hallowe'en Party was indeed about a murder at a Hallowe'en party. When it's something that the reader doesn't get, it's a bit too obtuse, perhaps, or like the author was stretching too hard for something. I'm all for symbolic names of novels/stories, but if there's no connection, I have to ask, what's the point?
I am super late this week! I was traveling for work this week and have just been super busy!This week I finished Under the Tuscan Sun for the weather element prompt, and man am I glad to be done with that. I found the book to be really boring. It seems to me that the book is less about restoring a villa and more about what she likes to eat in Italy....
I also listened to This is How It Always Is this week. This was a book someone doing the challenge recommended. I loved this book so much! I gave it 5 stars.
QOTW: I also hate it when the title of the book doesn't appear to have anything to do with the book!
This week I finished reading Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda for my play/musical prompt. I found that the music was on Amazon prime, so as I read the words to the songs, I listened along. I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It was interesting reading all the back stories. I really enjoyed reading the footnotes throughout the songs. Hamilton was being performed in Portland at the time I was reading this and I tried to get $10 tickets, but alas, I didn't get any. Hopefully I will get to see it in the future.I am currently reading Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty on audio, reading The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas on Kindle, and And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini in hardback. (Reading more than one book at a time is new to me. I'm quite enjoying it!)
QotW: There are two things I really enjoy doing while reading. First, I relish the reading of the first sentence and paragraph. I love it when I find a really good one. My 14 year old daughter now does the same and when we find a good one, we share it with each other.
Second, as I read I try to figure out why the book is titled the way it is. In Turtles All the Way Down it took a while, but others it's obvious. If it isn't obvious I will google it, and see what other readers thought or sometimes the author's website explains it.
It's been a couple weeks since my last check in so I do have some books to report.For Popsugar-
The Snow Child(weather element prompt)- I liked this one much more than I thought I would. I enjoyed the fairy tale influence and how the Alaskan wilderness almost became a character itself.
Autonomous (cyberpunk prompt)- Nope. Interesting premise but under developed characters. There is also a very poorly thought out awkward subplot involving anthropomorphism and robot gender.
Not for the challenge-
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda- A book club pick that wasn't my cup of tea.
How Reading Changed My Life- I thought I was going to do the MMD reading challenge but then decided against it. Regardless, I liked this book.
Reconstructing Amelia- In my book club's back-list of picks. This was a debut and you can definitely tell. Flat characters and dropped plot lines are everywhere.
QOTW-
This is something I don't think I've thought about much. I guess it doesn't bother me too much then!
Christy wrote: "Nadine wrote: "Christy - LOL at that image!!! (I didn't really have strong feelings about Americanah one way or the other.)"I think many people have had that sort of experience with some book or o..."
I’m so happy to hear that I’m not the only one that felt this way about Americanah!! I’ve been so underwhelmed reading it! I would love to know why so many of my college professors recommended this book because I just don’t get what’s so great about it. Are any of her other books worth trying?
Mod
Purple Hibiscus is great. :) (Haven't read Yellow Sun.)
Hello,Not much to report this week. Still at 15/40.
Still working on:
Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help for Advanced #9 A book about a problem facing society today. It's really good, but I have been too tired to read at night. I hope to finish it this evening.
Not sure what I'm going to start next. Thinking of:
Salt to the Sea for #25 A book set at sea
or Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic for #12 A book with an LBGTQ+ protagonist. I saw the musical and loved it, but I want to read Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West for #26 A book that is also a stage play or musical
QOTW:
It does bother me if the title doesn't fit the book. I always have the title in the back of my mind the whole time I'm reading and am not satisfied until I figure out why it is called that.
I highly recommend Half of a yellow sun.
Procrastinating on finishing my taxes. And when I say finish, what I mean is that I only logged onto TurboTax about an hour ago and went through the setup portion of the process.FINISHED
This book would fit the prompt to select your favorite prompt from prior PopSugar challenges. I chose a book with a red spine, but I think I'll keep my original pick and just count this as a pleasure book.The Disappeared this week. This is the newest release, #18, in The Joe Pickett Series by C.J. Box. This is another unique story involving current events in the Wyoming area. Lovers of this series appreciate how relatable Joe is is to us. He's a normal guy, not a hero. But, I think more importantly is that he is that man who always does the right thing. Period. He does the right thing even if it is detrimental to himself. We wish or hope we have that level of integrity, and I believe we hope that the people around us, especially law enforcement personnel, have that same level of integrity. The surprise ending has left me hanging on for the next book. This book falls into my top 2 or 3 books of this series. - 5 Stars
Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA and More Tell Us About Crime - by Val McDermid � I’ve never read any of this author’s books, but apparently she is a prolific writer of crime fiction in Ireland. She took all the information she learned over the years and put it in this book. What I liked about it is that it explained the genesis of each of the forensic technologies she discussed and told the story of the crimes where the technologies were first used. I thought I might use this on a AtY52 prompt for a book about science of science-fiction. I had originally chosen Beyond the Body Farm: A Legendary Bone Detective Explores Murders, Mysteries, and the Revolution in Forensic Science, but when I saw this book, I thought I would give it a try. While I enjoyed it, I plan reading my original selection because it was written by Dr. Bill Bass who is a pioneer in the field of forensic anthropology and has revolutionized forensic science. I find the science of forensics fascinating. � 3 Stars
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers Who Helped Win World War II This book fits the prompt to read a micro history. I had planned on reading When Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II for this prompt and will still read this book. I enjoyed this book. I knew that women served as code breakers in World War II, but I did not have any idea of the sheer numbers of women that served in that capacity and in other capacities as well. I also didn’t know how secretive it was when they began to recruit these women. It’s also interesting to see the paths that these women took after the end of the war. If you enjoy reading histories about the homefront during wartime, you will enjoy this book. - 4 Stars
Little Beach Street Bakery A sweet story that makes you feel good in the end. I think all of us have thought about taking a huge step in a different direction in our lives like as this character did. I liked this book better The Bookshop on the Corner. I'll read more of Jennie Colgan's books. - 3 Stars
The Book Thief - This is for AtY52 prompt to read a book with a unique format/writing structure. A great book showing us that even when oppressed by evil, love can be an agent of change. I like the depiction of reading and writing as an expression of our freedom and that the author chose the innocence of a child to shows us this lesson. - 4 Stars
Challenge total to date: 20/40 and 2/10 - 22/50
CURRENTLY READING
The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry and loving it. It has captured my attention for its uniqueness. I received this from a ŷ Giveaway. I should finish it in the next day or so. It fits the AtY52 prompt for a book that won A Women's Prize for Fiction winner or nominee.
Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch by Nancy Atherton. The original book in the series, Aunt Dimity's Death, will always be my favorite in this series, but I rad this series for years then stopped. I decided to pick one out again for a lighter read. Coincidentally, it fits the AtY52 prompt to read a ghost story.
QOTW: Drives me bonkers. I agree with the moderator, it doesn't bother me if it is something like Sue Grafton's or Janet Evanovich's series, but otherwise it bothers me. After I finish the book, I always wonder if I missed something. Ditto when covers don't have anything to do the story, unless it's a no artwork type of cover.
Nadine, Johanne, Cendaquenta - thank you!! I will give both a try!
Finished this week:My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness Finished 4/10/2018, 4 stars, A book about mental health
Currently reading
The Blind Assassin
The Library at Mount Char
Dark Places
QOTW: Does it bother you if the book's title doesn't seem connected to the plot?
I'm surprised at how many people don't think about the title when they're reading. It does bothers me when the title doesn't connect with the book or series in some way, but usually I can see how the title is connected, though sometimes I think the connection is a little tenuous or obscure. I don't mind if the title is metaphorical or symbolic, and I don't need it directly stated or explained in the story, as long as the connection or representation makes sense (in my opinion). If I can't figure out a title on my own I'll see what other readers think or if the author has already explained it.
Weather here shifting from bare-feet days in sandals, and shoes and light coat, but that's what spring is about here in Jerusalem.Technically finished only one book last week:
1)
which I enjoyed. The voice started off so whimsically, it really drew me in. It was a book I bought to read for last year's challenge, since so many people doing the challenge recommended it, so that it technically counts for both prompts. I'll probably use it, though, for the meant to read last year prompt, and save the recommendation for something else. I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it. Also works as an alternative history for the ATY prompt.I also read/listened to the "complete and unabridged" Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, which was mentioned in a book I'd read the previous week. (it's also listed in Oprah's book club, so I may end up using it for that instead, we'll see).
I actually finished the last few pages of the book on Friday, but reading it made me think about a previous QOTW, about reading a book after seeing spoilers. Truth is, Anna Karenina is a classic which I've heard so much about it, that although I never read it or saw any of the movies, I knew a LOT about it, including how it ends. And still, it was a great read and I kept on reading to see how the story works, and how Anna progresses to the point where she does what she does. Another book I really enjoyed, although I did get a little tired at times of Konstantin's constant insecurities.
Now I'm reading Middlemarch, by George Eliot for a woman writer using a male pseudonym. This is going to be a busy week, so I doubt I'll finish it on time, but I'm already enjoying it. This seems like a month for classics...
QOTW: I've read a few books that when I finish, I turn back to the cover, look at the title, and go, "Huh?" But while I may wonder about the lack of connection/sense of it, I can't say that it's more than momentarily annoying.
Almost all of my completions this week were short stories/novellas (6 of the 8 fell into that category). While I read/finished a lot, most of them were 50 pages or less. None of my reads worked for my unfinished challenge prompts, so my overall challenge totals remain steady at 23/40 and 2/10. My ŷ Reading Challenge total is 52/75, which doesn't include three of the short stories I read since they aren't in the ŷ database as stand-alone entries. Finished:
* ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Murder in an English Village by Jessica Ellicott, which was the last Best Historical Fiction Agatha nominee I needed to read;
* ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Book Thing by Laura Lippman, which I could've used for "a book by a local author" but I want to use a full-length novel instead;
* ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Mothers by Brit Bennett, which was a strong debut novel and made me want to keep an eye out for future offerings from this author;
* ⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Library Ghost of Tanglewood Inn by Gigi Pandian, which is an Agatha nominee for Best Short Story;
* ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Double Deck the Halls by Gretchen Archer, which is an Agatha nominee for Best Short Story;
* ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Whose Wine is it Anyway?" by Barb Goffman, which is an Agatha nominee for Best Short Story;
* ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "The Night They Burned Miss Dixie's Place" by Debra Goldstein, which is an Agatha nominee for Best Short Story; and,
* ⭐️⭐️⭐️ "A Necessary Ingredient" by Art Taylor, which is an Agatha nominee for Best Short Story.
Currently Reading:
* Thin Air by Ann Cleeves, which is another non-challenge read;
* Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, which will probably be a non-challenge read; and,
* Mildred Pierce by James M. Cain, which I'll either use for "a novel about a villain or antihero" or "a book by a local author" (most likely the latter).
QotW:
Does it bother you if the book's title doesn't seem connected to the plot? This bothers me more when I'm reading non-fiction. In fact, I can't think of a fiction example where this bothered me, but can think of non-fiction examples. The one that jumps to mind is Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin by Jill Lepore. I felt like the book's content was much broader than the title led me to believe. To me, the book was more about life before/during/after the American Revolution and less about Jane Franklin. It almost seemed like the title had been based on the research thesis statement, but should've been modified once the research took the content of the book down a different path.
Chrissi wrote: "The humidity and heat are building in Hong Kong. Ugh. It's that time of year again. I'm gearing up to move - still a question mark to what country! - but at least I can ignore boxes of things and k..."Hi Chrissi,
No idea how old you are but if you don't know where you want to go next to teach what about downunder. The NT sponsors teachers for 2 year visas and if you are maths, science (but not bio there are loads of them), ESL, or special Ed it would be really easy to find work. There are maximum age restrictions on the visas though (used to be 30 but apparently it may now be 35). It is not easy but it will make you learn lots and the kids are just kids who want to have somebody stay around for a bit and not ditch them as soon as they settle. I know we are looking for teachers almost every term as are many other schools in the area. Pay is OK and if you go remote you get free housing too and a variety of other benefits including a set number of flights to Darwin per year,
Teri wrote: "I finished 5 books this week, but three of them were books I had been reading for multiple weeks.Prompt #1 (Book Made Into a Movie Already Seen) - [book:Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the..."
Thank you for reading "The New Jim Crow"! I imagine it was difficult to get through for someone in law enforcement, and I appreciate your open-mindedness. <3
Apologies for checking in so late. I read a couple of books but have been quite lacking on reading for some reason. I think work has been making me more tired than usual. Ten Thousand Miles by Freight Train: A Memoir of Beauty and Freedom on the Rails I read this for the Booked2018 Litsy challenge and ATY challenges. I did not like this, in spite of the good reviews (even the author gave herself 5 stars!). It was supposed to be about an adventure. She spoke frequently on when/where she was urinating and doing #2 and others things I wasn't expecting. She also stole from Michael's craft store. That didn't sit well with me as that is one of my favorite stores. LOL One star from me.
An Old-fashioned Romance which wasn't for a prompt but has been on my kindle for a while. Predicatable romance = one star.
Titanic I read for ATY challenge for either 15, 28, 30 or 42 I gave it 5 stars So far I haven't found a book I don't like on the Titanic.
QOTW Yes I think the title should have something to do with the storyline. A couple years ago I read a book titled 'Murder in the South of France' Murder in the South of France and the murders took place in Atlanta which was also where the book was set. This was also more of a romance which distracted from the mystery. Very frustrating.
@Kerry I'm one who said I don't really pay attention to titles. I don't particularly mind if they don't fit well. Clearly, I did not see your example coming! Wow. If I did hate reading, I would definitely have to hate read that book.
Yeah, I don’t pay attention much but that sounds pretty jarring.
I would be wondering all through the book, when they were going to Paris...
That would be really annoying! I also said it doesn’t bother me much but that definitely would!
The original title of the book doesn’t seem to be muh better, and I’ve already read multiple reviews questioning either title. What were they thinking???
Exactly. Yes, I was a bit mad about that. Hence why I now read the 1 and 2 star reviews and when I can, send myself a sample on the Kindle. Also why the titles are a bit important to me.
Kerry wrote: "Apologies for checking in so late. I read a couple of books but have been quite lacking on reading for some reason. I think work has been making me more tired than usual. [book:Ten Thousand Miles..."
they do say the bathrooms measure the level of civilisation hence the Romans being considered a great civilisation despite their bloodthirsty entertainment.
Well this week I've kept on track of reading two books a week. I finished:Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore &
Zoo
Only one of those was for this particular challenge, but at the close of this week I was at 31 total books read with only 10 of those being for this challenge.
QOTW: Does it bother you if the book's title doesn't seem connected to the plot?
Only if i notice quite honestly. I mean i really enjoy the "ah ha" moment of connecting the title to the story line/plot, but if i get through a book and don't have the "ah ha" moment i don't tend to notice that i didn't have the moment. So i guess the answer is more times than not it doesn't bother me.
Lauren wrote: "Thank you for reading "The New Jim Crow"! I imagine it was difficult to get through for someone in law enforcement, and I appreciate your open-mindedness. <3"Now if I can get others to read it around my office. I'm trying. My state has actually figured out that the way we've incarcerated drug addicts has been worthless and has been changing their methods more toward treatment, but the facilities are not yet in place. Not everyone in my office is on board, and I think this book would help them understand it better.
Hayjay315 wrote: "Alas, I do not have any completed books to share about for this week's check in. It's been an odd week for me and I think focus has been lacking. I am currently reading the following three books:..."
I will be adding The Game to my list. I am also a huge hockey fan. I have been watching as many play off games as I can even though my beloved Panthers missed getting in by 1 point. Hoping the Golden Knights and Gallant can take it all the way. I'm currently listening to Ice Capades by Steve Avery. I'm enjoying some of the behind the scenes life of a hockey player.
Incredibly late check in from me again. I think I need to set myself a check in reminder.I finished 3 books this week:
For a book by 2 authors, I finished Want To Play?
I also read The Upside of Unrequited, probably for the alliteration in the title prompt.
Finally, I finished Earth Inc for cyberpunk. So glad to got this one done! It's just not my genre and has taken me ages to finish.
QOTW
I don't really mind if a title is unrelated, but I do appreciate that moment in a book when you realise why it is has its title.
Theresa wrote: "Carmen wrote: "Johanne wrote: "My Dutch is not great - so what does the title mean? (and why did they change cover???. Cover changes can really get me started...) "Ohman cover changes.. I already..."
Changes to books do actually annoy me. People outside America have had to deal with Americanised words and things forever and we cope ok. American books and movies are everywhere. English and Australian books have heaps of words changed for the American market. Jumper is changed to sweater, foods are changed....the list goes on. It's like they think Americans are too dumb to understand and can't work things out in context. So many years we wondered why people would put jelly on sandwiches.
Reading is how we understand other places. When we go to America I can talk to Americans using their words for things (after forgetting and saying stuff as we would say it here then I have to translate it into American for them). They have no hope of understanding since they aren't actually exposed to other cultures properly.
Jacqueline wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Carmen wrote: "Johanne wrote: "My Dutch is not great - so what does the title mean? (and why did they change cover???. Cover changes can really get me started...) "Ohman cover cha..."
Actually, even within the USA there are vocabulary variations, and which word is chosen helps identify locale -- and if you are reading a book set in a certain city or state, you will know instantly if the author did their 'research' - i.e. in NYC you drink 'soda' when you want a diet coke and 'pop' is a nickname for one's father, but in Buffalo NY or in Michigan, you drink 'pop" when you want a diet coke and 'soda' is club soda or seltzer. In NYC you eat 'subs' (giant sandwiches) but it's a grinder elsewhere.
I personally like encountering local and national terminology when I read, and yes it irritates me often when vocabulary is changed for American or British markets, and even more so when changed regionally within a country.
Localized editions of books are the woooorst. I have the Inkheart trilogy in Americanized editions and the Percy Jackson series in British-ized editions, and it really takes you out of the story with a clang when you find an obviously changed line - for example, Percy the American boy suddenly referring to "maths" and "crisps".In Inkheart there's a particularly awful example. A line from a Rudyard Kipling poem is quoted - "this is the hour of pride and power, talon and tush and claw". The American edition removes the word "tush", thus sending the rhythm of the poem into an absolute trainwreck. Plus it was a translated work anyway: German > British English > American English. What a mess.
Now to my check in....Good Morning from my rather lovely sunny farm. Spending the day waiting for a new lounge my daughter bought yesterday. Could be nice sitting on a comfy lounge here again. The last one has really stuffed my back.
This week I read
Breath by Tim Winton (audiobook) Listened to this driving to and from a funeral. It turned out to be an interesting choice since there is a lot of living life to thefullest and death in there. In fact it started off with the death of a 17 yr old which then got the paramedic telling his story. Good book though and the audiobook was excellent.
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Molly Ringland. Bloody brilliant book telling the story of a girl who came from an abusive home life and what subsequently happened to her over the next 20 years. This will become a modern classic.
Currently reading
Throne of Glass (paperback) Enjoying this story of a young assassin. I bought the second one in the series this week.
Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks: A Librarian's Love Letters and Breakup Notes to the Books in Her Life (iPad) Read a few more letters this week. I will not let this tripe beat me.
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin (iPad) Got a couple of chapters of this in waiting at the doctors this week. I am enjoying it but I've been reading a heap of paperbacks instead of my iPad recently.
Anansi Boys (audiobook) was listening to this and I stopped for food and when I got back into the car it was running at chipmunk speed on my iPod. Got to work out how to get it back to normal speed. Lenny Henry on speed is impossible to understand.
QOTW
It doesn't make any difference to me if the name doesn't have anything to do with the book. Sometimes I have an aha moment when I see why it's called something that doesn't seem to have anything to do with the book but I don't notice otherwise.
Theresa wrote: "Jacqueline wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Carmen wrote: "Johanne wrote: "My Dutch is not great - so what does the title mean? (and why did they change cover???. Cover changes can really get me started...)..."I have such fond memories now of my confusion over words when reading the Narnia series as a small child. Electric torches probably should have been obvious, but to my mind, 'torch' had a very specific definition that involved flames on the end of a stick. And I was so confused about men/boys going around wearing jumpers, because I only knew that word as a kind of sleeveless dress.
I just can't imagine taking away that confusion for people, because then we also lose that moment of revelation and understanding that the world is a bigger place than we knew.
Side note: Where I grew up in Pennsylvania subs/grinders were known as 'hoagies'. Here in the Midwest they're subs.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Murder on the Ballarat Train (other topics)Flying Too High (other topics)
Zorba the Greek (other topics)
Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks (other topics)
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jill Lepore (other topics)Gretchen Archer (other topics)
Gigi Pandian (other topics)
Laura Lippman (other topics)
Jessica Ellicott (other topics)
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Nadine, me too! My original major was chemical engineering, and my chemistry class was at 8:30am every MWF, and I had to walk up a hill to get there, only to sit in an auditorium with 900 students. That was more than my entire high school! Anyway, the intro chemistry class wasn't easy, but organic chemistry was worse, IMO.