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Yes, it is THURSDAY…again! 😊

I was reminded of the most recent Jewish holy day, Yom Kippur, on Friday. I hope that was meaningful for everyone to whom it is important.

Just a reminder to physical distance and mask up for your own safety and security, as well as that of others around you. That is my one PSA for this posting! (You’re welcome!)

Since no one else has volunteered to lead the October monthly discussion for Daisy Jones & The Six, you will have to endure me doing it. (That’ll teach you-all not to volunteer! LOL) Here is the link. I read this in June for another monthly discussion and really enjoyed it. I was a bit hesitant given the overall story arc, but I believe Reid could write a book I would enjoy reading with any plot! I have posted some pre-reading questions to get us started.

I got quite a bit of reading done this week. It helped that I never left the house this weekend! I ended up DNF’ing a book which is rare for me. In addition, I had some short stories in here��

FINISHED:
The Guest List by Lucy Foley for the Popsugar Summer Challenge: read a summer-set thriller. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ And the fact that a good friend gave me her copy once she had read it, and…I really want to read it! Wow. An excellently plotted and written mystery/thriller, IMHO! I will definitely read more of Foley!
POPSUGAR: #1, #3-“The lights go out.��, #6, #12, #20, #21, #24-I know nothing about making a large production of a wedding, #27-Pride, Lust, Greed, Envy, Wrath, #35, #41, #50
ATY: #4-This island is no place I would ever want to live, #6, #9, #16, #22, #33, #41, #43-Death, #48, #52
RHC: #3, #10
Reading Women: #22-Favorite publisher: William Morrow

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy (Penderwicks #1) by Jeanne Birdsall. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ For the Popsugar Summer Challenge: read a book with “summer�� in the title. I have owned The Penderwicks on Gardam Street (Penderwicks #2) for several years since I picked it up at a library sale for $.50 on a whim, but wanted to wait until I could read the first in the series and this just happened to be available on clearance at my favorite used bookstore for $.50! (Although the summer challenge is officially over, I plan to read a few of the books I really wanted to read for it anyway.) This was absolutely delightful! I cannot wait to launch into the second book of the series and then read through them all!
POPSUGAR: #3-“For a long time after that summer, the four Penderwick sisters still talked of Arundel.��, #6, #12, #14, #20, #21, #24-I know nothing about having sisters or a father in my life, #27-Pride, Greed, Envy, Wrath, #33-4.16, #47
ATY: #5, #9, #16, #33, #34-Young Adult, #36-Put there on a whim, #42-National Book Award for Young People’s Literature 2005, #49, #50, #52
RHC: #10, #14
Reading Women: #20

The Story of Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman, illustrated by Florence White Williams, available on Gutenberg. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I found this book to be hysterical! Yes, the images are rather like caricatures and stereotypical—a reflection of this time in history. The book was published in 1899! You just have to admire Sambo’s courage and quick thinking! And all those pancakes!
POPSUGAR: #3-“Once upon a time there was a little black boy, and his name was Little Black Sambo.��, #20, #35, #39
ATY: #9, #12, #19, #22, #43-Death, #47, #49
RHC: NEW #18
Reading Women: #20

A Precious Christmas (No. 1 Ladies�� Detective Agency #12.5) by Alexander McCall Smith was a ‘precious�� short story demonstrating how “the Christmas spirit�� always works. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
POPSUGAR: #3-“Mma Ramotswe had always known that her assistant at the No. 1 Ladies�� Detective Agency, Mma Makutsi, was a woman of exceptional character.��, #6, #12, #20, #27-Pride, #35, #46, #49
ATY: #2, #7, #9, #11-2011, #33, #45-The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salón (No. 1 Ladies�� Detective Agency #14) in September 2019, #52

Special Seasonal No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency StorySeasonal Special (No. 1 Ladies�� Detective Agency #10.6) by Alexander McCall Smith was published as three installments in The Daily Mail. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An absolutely delightful story about a wife trying to outguess what her husband has done�� Some wife somewhere was going to receive a red dress when her husband had specifically purchased a yellow dress which he had altered to better fit her. I can only imagine their faces, especially his when she opened the package and removed the red dress. lol
POPSUGAR: #3-“Very strange,�� muttered Mma Matsuki.��, #6, #12, #20, #27-Pride, Wrath, #33-4.00, #46, #49
ATY: #2, #7, #9, #33, #41, #45-The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salón (No. 1 Ladies�� Detective Agency #14) in September 2019, #52

The Relentless Moon (Lady Astronaut #3) by Mary Robinette Kowal ostensibly for a monthly challenge, but truly as a palate cleanser after 74 pages of One Hundred Years of Solitude which left a very bad taste in my mouth and soul! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I listened to portions of Kowal’s live stream recording of her narration of this one which was fascinating in and of itself. This installment was just as wonderful as the first two. She is a master at complex plots and extremely well-drawn characters. Can’t imagine I wouldn’t enjoy anything she writes and plan to try some of her earlier work. I believe she is planning for a fourth installment in this series, if memory serves��
POPSUGAR: #1, #3-“How many places do you call home?��, #6, #12, #14, #21, #22, #24-I know nothing about space or being an astronaut, #27-Pride, Envy, Wrath, #33-4.51, #35, #43, #46
ATY: #3-Read the first installment in 2019!, #9, #16-I would say the moon is about as “rural�� as it gets!, #19, #22, #25-Descriptions of art on display in the Artemis Art Museum, #27-history and historical fiction, #41, #43-Death, Famine, #45, #48, #50, #52
RHC: #3, #7, #9, #10-the moon is about as “rural�� as it gets, #16, #21
Reading Women: #12, #16, #17, #21

Rocket's Red (Lady Astronaut #4.4) by Mary Robinette Kowal. This short story is available on Kowal’s website. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely adorable story of a mother and son team. I particularly appreciate an elderly parent being given the “rescue�� role! 😊
POPSUGAR: #3-“Watching his mother kneel awkwardly in her rented space suit, Aaron worried his lower lip inside his own helmet.��, #6, #14, #20, #24-I know nothing about setting up a fireworks display, #27-Pride, in a good way!, #34, #46
ATY: #3, #9, #16-Mars!, #27-history, historical fiction, #45, #52
RHC: #7, #10
Reading Women: #12, #20

Abandoned for now…possible DNF:
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez has been abandoned. I was so anxious to see what I would think of it. Yeah, well, what I think of it is…there are events Marquez evidently considers humorous/entertaining in an absurd way that I do not. For example, (view spoiler)[pedophilia (an adult man obsessing over a 9-year-old girl whose parents are evidently willing to give her to him as a ‘bride��), a grandmother literally pimping out her granddaughter for minimal payment to as many as 70+men in an afternoon/evening. (hide spoiler)] I’m just not interested in continuing. I despised Chronicle of a Death Foretold and may or may not give Love in the Time of Cholera a try just because some Nobel committee honored this guy, but it won’t be for a while. I’m over it and him. My experience with this book would have been perfect for the QotW regarding a prize-winner with which I disagreed. At the halfway point of The Relentless Moon I wondered why in the world I would persevere to finish reading this book when I have so very many others that I will truly enjoy�� Just to say I have completed this “classic�� from a Nobel laureate? Nah. My time is valuable and I’ll spend it reading enjoyable-to-me books! Definitely DNF’ing this baby! 😊

CONTINUING:
Long Walk Out of the Woods: A Physician's Story of Addiction, Depression, Hope, and Recovery by Adam Hill. This is for an all-IU read this year. I am almost 25% done with this and hope to finish reading it this evening. Unbelievable the immense stress both physically and emotionally that medical students/residents must endure. I can easily imagine feeling beat up by each day’s end. I mean, 30-hour shifts! WTH?!? Why? Is it just considered an endurance test? If so, how is that useful?

The Angel of Darkness: Book 2 of the Alienist (Dr. Laszlo Kreizler #2) by Caleb Carr is the first of 3 October Buddy Reads. I surprised myself by truly enjoying The Alienist and am hopeful that this will be similar. Though there were somewhat more grisly details in The Alienist than I typically like, it didn’t gross me out so I trust this will be similar. I read the first few pages.

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi for the campus White Racial Literacy Project book club on campus. I have two other October Buddy Reads to complete before I can pick this back up again. Book club meets again October 13th.

The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Dubois, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, Learning Race, Learning Place: Shaping Racial Identities and Ideas in African American Childhoods by Erin Winkler, and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, are all on hold for now. I hope to reunite with them in October!

Amrita by Banana Yoshimoto, translated by Russell Wasden. I have great hopes for this after the first 52 pages!

PLANNED:
Ken Liu’s The Grace of Kings (Dandelion Dynasty #1) for another 2020 Reading Challenge August Buddy Read. This is another brickster and although I enjoyed The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories, a short story collection, this is the first Liu novel I have read. Fingers crossed��

China Rich Girlfriend (Crazy Rich Asians #2) by Kevin Kwan for another October Buddy Read.

Question of the Week:
Are there any books or a book that you purposefully plan to read and/or reread at a specific time of year? Ramadan? Halloween? Thanksgiving? Christmas? Easter? New Years? Valentine’s Day? President’s Day? Memorial Day? Veterans Day? Labor Day? Hannukah?

I know many readers plan a horror or suspense/thriller read for Halloween. I do not formally acknowledge Thanksgiving any more as an idyllic “pilgrims�� and “Indians�� shared meal. (I choose not to celebrate the attempted annihilation of native/indigenous people.) Though I do use it as an excuse to stop and list all that I am grateful for in my life. But...since 2010 I have planned what I want to read over the “holidays�� (Christmas, Hanukkah, etc.) at the end of the year way in advance. Our office closes down between Christmas and the first working day of the new year, so I get uninterrupted reading time!

I already have a trilogy selected: Compleat Cat by Cleveland Amory. I read the first book in this trilogy, The Cat Who Came for Christmas, over 5 years ago and swore I would read the other two. Then at last summer’s clearance/sidewalk sale at my favorite used bookstore I found a copy of this compilation volume which includes all three books for only $1.00! Bonus!

Holy early check in, Batman! Can anyone believe it's October? I swear it was August like two days ago.

Has anyone else seen the new Beta version for ŷ������? I'm really annoyed that they're spending time tweaking the site and not the app!

This week I finished Wuthering Heights. It was a re-read for me but now I can officially say I've completed the advanced challenge. Still working on the regular one though.

Currently reading: Doctor Zhivago for banned books week. I really wish this was one of those books wit a list of characters in it because some of them have such similar names, I can't remember who is who, but I am enjoying it so far.

Also still reading The Calculating Stars but I'm not into it. If I can find another book which won an award last year which I can get without library access, I'm going to DNF

QOTW: Not really. I do this much more with films. Hocus Pocus at Halloween and Muppet Christmas Carol at Christmas, every year lol.

If I'm going on holiday (vacation) somewhere, then I do like to try and read a book set where I'm going but this doesn't always work out. Last year I was sorely disappointed when I didn't see a single dinosaur in Costa Rica after reading Jurassic Park :D

I harvested my first squash this week, the first year I've tried growing them so excited to try it. I'm not sure the others are going to ripen in time now it's gone chilly, but I have my fingers crossed.

Finished:
Ninth House for a book that won an award in 2019. I don't know why I put off reading this for a whole year, I loved it. Very dark, but then I think her books have been gradually getting darker over the years anyway.

Solutions and Other Problems not for any prompts, but it was great to see Allie Brosh's second book finally out in the world. This had funny and sad stories as usual, I laughed out loud at some of the pet ones. Not quite as affecting as her first book but still enjoyable.

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires for a book recommended by a blogger and ATY (ing in title). This touched on a lot of serious issues, and was not the silly fun I thought it would be, but it was good.

Currently reading A Deadly Education and listening to The Fated Sky.

PS: 39/50 | ATY: 40/52 | GR: 84/100

QOTW:
I like the idea of theming my reading but in reality it hardly ever happens. I think I managed to read Pumpkinheads last year around the right time. I do usually read a festive romance in December so I'm probably going to read Someday at Christmas this year (I've enjoyed Tanya Byrne's YA writing).

Like Sarah I'm much more about the films, a horror for Halloween night and A Muppet Christmas Carol is a must every year!

Hi everyone! I'm so happy October is here. Halloween is my favorite holiday of all.

Finished

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid for "seven deadly sins." It was great! I'll definitely stop over to the monthly discussion!

I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown. This was very powerful, I highly recommend it.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas for my banned book. This is truly one of the best books I've read this read. Rather than being banned, I truly think this should be part of school required reading. And aside from being a powerful story, Thomas is just a really good writer. I felt like I was truly in Starr's world. Amazing!

Finishing up the audiobook of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. It's been really nice to revisit this novel after several years away.

Currently Reading

Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen. Not for a prompt, just for my own education. I myself am ace, but I only discovered this was an acknowledged orientation, um, this year lol. So I'm reading what few books about it exist!

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix. I just love that cover! And I wanted to read this before The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires since he said they were in the same town, just a few years apart.

QotW

I do that with horror books, actually! I pack October with all the creepiest, bloodiest novels I can find. I call it "HallowReads" and it's like my own personal challenge to scare myself lol. It's part of why I love October, because I get to read all the spookiest books I've been saving.

I finished The Two Towers as my book published in the 20th century.

I read The Burning Room as my book with at least a 4 star rating. Really good.

I'm not reading Gold of Our Fathers as my book with gold, silver, or bronze in it. Takes place in Ghana. Really interesting.

QOTW: I always read a Christmas book close to Christmas. In addition, I used to read a Christmas Carol every year, but I lost my copy years ago during a move. I recently got a new one because I figured since Christmas will be a solo affair this year, ought to have some form of comfort.

Finished: Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World Just okay.

I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf So fun! Any bibliophile would enjoy this one.

Started: Creative Calling: Establish a Daily Practice, Infuse Your World with Meaning, and Succeed in Work + Life Pretty good.

QotW: I usually read The Halloween Tree around Halloween and The Dark Is Rising around Christmas. I like the idea of integrating other re-reads into the year, but I don't know what/when they would be.

I read a lot this week, but apparently only actually finished one book, so I guess I'll have a lot finished this next week since they are all mid-read.

Finished:
An Arkansas Planter by Opie Read - read for the 50 States challenge, this is available free through Project Gutenberg. I liked it, but you really have to read it in the context of its time and place.

QOTW: I don't usually have any seasonal reads.

Happy Thursday!

My birthday was yesterday and I actually didn't get any books -- cue the shock and horror! -- but I did get $$ which is... basically the same as books, because that's exactly where it's going :D

I finished two books this week:
The Millionaire and the Bard: Henry Folger's Obsessive Hunt for Shakespeare's First Folio - 5 stars. I picked this up on a whim and fell completely in love with it. Such a fantastic story.
The Sword of Summer - 3 stars. I'm still not sure if I'll continue this trilogy or not; I'm not big on Norse mythology and it felt derivative of the Percy Jackson books. At this point I'm more interested in the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.

Currently reading:
Beloved - Banned books week
The Haunting of Hill House - Upside down image on the cover

Are there any books or a book that you purposefully plan to read and/or reread at a specific time of year?
Specific books are ehhhh, although I've been alternating between rereads of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow these past few years. I also read Little Women for December/Christmas a few years ago and that felt good - I think if/when I reread it, I'll come back to December again.

I generally like to read or reread spooky classics in October (Dracula/Dorian Gray/the aforementioned/Poe), and this year was the first time I strove to read only Black authors in February for Black History Month, which I want to continue in the future. Similarly, I want to get to a point where I only read Native/indigenous authors in November. I have a scattering of them planned this year but several other buddy reads that are outside that parameter.

Read a banned book during banned book week

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss. Cute children’s picture book about a gay bunny that wants to get married.

Don’t fit any prompts

One by One by Ruth Ware. Thriller about a company trapped at a ski resort and people start dying. It was just okay. I called the killer when the killer first appeared on page.

Lies, Lies, Lies by Adele Park. Okay thriller.

QOTW:
I don’t really do seasonal re-reads. Aside from the books I’m teaching in class.

Happy Thursday! I woke up this morning feeling a bit rundown and I'm hoping it's because I'm running myself thin with two jobs, two kids, and a house that needs constant attention as opposed to, you know, the 'rona. I am an elementary librarian though so who knows what kind of germs these kids are giving me.

I did manage to finish two books this week:
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You - a book published in 2020. I was excited I found a place to put this book. I listened to the audiobook and it was amazing. Jason Reynolds really brings history to life and puts his own spin on it that I think I would have lost if I had read it to myself. I was assigned this for professional development and I think it should be a must-read for everyone. It gave me a new perspective on some historical events and figures.

And Tango Makes Three - Banned book during Banned Books Week. I thought this was a super sweet story. I think kids would really love it because who doesn't love penguins. And it can open up the discussion to how every family looks different, but they're still a family.

I'm still a bit behind at 35/50 for the challenge.

QOTW: I don't consciously plan it out to read seasonally, but I do try and fit in a Christmasy book around Christmas if I'm done with the challenge. And I like to read at least one banned book during Banned Books Week every year.

Happy Thursday!

I finished two books this week. First, Boyfriend Material, which I absolutely loved. I love a good m/m romance and I am definitely going to read more of Alexis Hall. The writing was so good, I didn't want to stop reading. Then I finished How We Fight For Our Lives, which was a beautifully written memoir. Saeed Jones is a poet, and his writing makes that very evident.

QOTW: I often try to get in a Spooktober read, and I sometimes read a christmas themed romance, but that's it.

Hi All, I finished 1 book for the week. I felt like it was taking me forever to read & I was right. My Brilliant Friend (The Neapolitan Novels #1) by Elena Ferrante. 3 stars. Have you ever read a book that comes highly praised? Everyone loves it? It changes lives but you don’t feel the same way? That was this book for me. I kept thinking I should like the book more but the magic wasn’t there for me.
QOTW: Are there books that you purposefully plan to read at a specific time of year? Yes. I read Mexican Horror by Silvia Moreno- García for Hispanic Heritage month. I started reading certain books during the month celebrating them this year. I plan to do it next year too. Last December I read One Day in December for a Christmas read. Even though I didn’t like the book I have started a list of possible Christmas reads for this year. If anyone has a suggestion please let me know.

It's really fall  now, we're still getting some warm days and sun, but also a lot of crisp cold nights, and rain, and my maple tree is wearing its bright orange & red fall jacket.

I finished three books and DNF'ed one this week.  One book was for the main Challenge & one was for the Fall Challenge, so I am now 46/50 & 1/10.

Cantoras by Carolina De Robertis- this got rave reviews so my expectations were too high, because this is a good story but not my preferred kind of writing.  This was a good choice for my Latinx Heritage month reading, though, since it's set in Uruguay.  I decided to try to do the Fall Challenge,and I checked off "strong friendship" with this one.

Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby- I loved this book SO MUCH.  It's violent and crime-ridden and not for everyone.  It's like a fantastic mash-up of The Transporter and Mission Impossible with a touch of Death Wish.

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez - This was for my Latinx Heritage reading. I hated this and DNF'ed.  Sometimes you just know. It's racist and I hate first person present tense.

George by Alex Gino- my banned book, read during Banned Book Week!  This was okay, I thought it would be better.



QoTW
Are there any books or a book that you purposefully plan to read and/or reread at a specific time of year?

My immediate reaction was: No!  Other than: One year I read A Night in the Lonesome October, one chapter each day of October.

But after about two seconds of thinking about it, I realized the answer is YES.  I don't re-read specific books each year, but I do read certain types of books at certain times of year, each year.

Every year I set up a pile of graphic novels that I read on Christmas Day (I never get through all of them, but that leaves me reading for the rest of the week!)

And every year I read a select list of books for various cultural appreciation months (the months I follow are: Black History Month, Women's History Month, Asian American & Pacific Islander Month, Pride month,  Latinx Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month - there are others, but I can't fit in any more books in my year!).

Happy Thursday, y’all.

Not much to report, so on with the show...

Books read this week:

Piranesi -- Picked up on a whim because I’ve wanted to read Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by the same author for awhile. Wow�� what a strange, haunting, lovely read. It’s one I’m going to be thinking about for a long time.

Alive? -- Zombie apocalypse novel with an interesting twist. Ultimately brain candy (haha, see what I did there��) but still entertaining.

Mighty Fitz: The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald -- Was drawn to this book because I love Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,�� and wanted to learn more about the tragedy that inspired the song. Melancholy but informative.

Kenny & the Book of Beasts -- Not as good as the first book, Kenny & the Dragon, but still a cute YA book, and as always Tony DiTerlizzi’s illustrations are wonderful.

Solutions and Other Problems -- If anything could brighten up my 2020, it was the news that Allie Brosh had released another book! Hilarious and heartwrenching, and managed the rare feat of making me laugh and cry at the same time.

Kodi -- Graphic novel. Great artwork, predictable but cute story.

DNF:

Anxious People -- I loved A Man Called Ove, but just couldn’t get into this one. I feel like I was promised a story but am only getting the “after all the action is over�� part, which sucks...

Currently Reading:

The Sea Beast Takes a Lover: Stories
Too Young To Be Old: From Clapham to Kathmandu
A Game of Universe
The Midnight Library

QOTW:

I don't do a lot of re-reads, but I try to save a spooky read for around Halloween and a Christmas-themed read for around Christmas.

I finished books this week! I’m very excited to have finished a couple of long books that I’d been reading for most of September.

My own personal challenge for the remainder of the year is to read all of the books I own, but haven’t read yet. I’m making exceptions for two series because they’re long, and I’m reading one book a month, and for audiobooks which I mostly save for road trips. I’m almost there! I have 6 books left on my list. I just need to not get distracted by new releases and library books.

Finished
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger. Coming of age literary fiction isn’t my usual genre, but the writing is beautiful and I cared about all the characters. If you’re still looking for a bildungsroman, this would be a great pick.

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon. This is my favorite Outlander since the first book, but I wish the ending had been a little slower. The pace felt so much faster than usual. I hope the cliffhangers are resolved in the next book, which I’ll have to read soon.

Reading
The Guest List by Lucy Foley

The Atomic Weight of Love by Elizabeth J. Church

The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present by David Treuer

QOTW
Not particularly. I only read Christmas books around Christmas, and if a book has a certain seasonal atmosphere, I’ll save it for that season. Otherwise, I read whatever appeals to me at the moment.

Sarah wrote: "Holy early check in, Batman! Can anyone believe it's October? I swear it was August like two days ago.

Has anyone else seen the new Beta version for ŷ������? I'm really annoyed that they're spen..."

My copy of Dr. Z has a list of characters (with their nicknames and relations). Russian characters are especially difficult to track since they all have 2-3 version of their first names. ;) I'd be happy to take a photo and send the list to you if you want to message me your email address.

Happy October!

Still reading:
I am still slogging through 927 pages of Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith but finally made it to the half-way mark.

QOTW:
I was saving The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires for this month and I also plan on reading Rebecca and watching the new Netflix film with my mom. She said it was her favorite book and has read it multiple times (of course my reaction was "well how come you never told me I should read it!" LOL)

Greetings from NYC! The parks are still green but we are finally experiencing cooler nights and generally mild days so I expect change soon. I've personally hit another reading funk - and some of that is over work. I am heading off to 4 days off-grid early next week - staying at Mohonk Mountain House which actually does have full internet/WiFi but shhhhh! As far as my clients and colleagues are concerned, it is off grid!

Finished:

A Bone to Pick - second in the Aurora Teagarden mysteries and it was so disappointing - Aurora is nearly Too Stupid Too Live, and the mystery had so many holes... I seriously doubt I'll read any more of this series.

The Masterful Mr. Montague an audio re-read Quaratine Insomnia Listen - I disliked the reader Napoleon Ryan so much that I finished by re-reading it in print.

Currently reading:

I have 3 for Banned Books Week - Fahrenheit 451, Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood and Nancy Drew's The Secret of the Wooden Lady. So far Nancy is the only one I've read even a page in!

QOTW: Christmas! Christmas! Christmas! Mostly mysteries and romances, especially historical romances. I actually read them at different times of the year, not just in December. However, there are at least 2 favorite cozy mysteries I re-read just about every single year:

Rest You Merry
The Twelve Deaths of Christmas

I also dip into Holidays on Ice

Happy first day of October! I'm so relieved the weather is getting nicer here in Texas.

This week I finished:
Clap When You Land I loved this! It was even better than I expected. 5 stars

Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman This was another pleasant surprise. One of my coworkers is best friends with the author, so it was fun to hear her being mentioned throughout. I'm now a big fan of Lindy West and really grateful for the important advocacy she's doing. 5 stars

The Sellout This was a strong satire and important novel, but the frequent use of the n-word did get to me. I'm stressing about how this is our book club pick for January for a Black-led organization and I don't want it to cause harm. I'm having conversations with other members about it but I'm getting mixed responses. 4 stars

The Last Story of Mina Lee This had it's strong points, and some weak points. It was an engaging story but could have been improved in a few ways. 3 stars

The Sisters Brothers I had low expectations for this since I'm not interested in westerns, but I wanted to be a completist for the Super Rooster. It actually wasn't too bad. 3 stars

Optic Nerve I read this in print after the audio version doing nothing for me last year. It's not my favorite book, but was a bit stronger and easier to follow in print. 3.5 stars

Inheritors This was great! Similar to Cloud Atlas, but a bit more specific (everything was connected to Japan and WWII). 4.5 stars

I'm currently listening to The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez: A Border Story and reading Cuicacalli / House of Song in print.

QOTW: I focus a lot more on cultural heritage months than holidays for reading, but I have picked out some "spooky" books for this month: The Good House, Practical Magic, and Home Before Dark on audio (although I have six weeks left on my hold, so it will be November by the time I get to that one), and I have Mexican Gothic in print.

Hello everyone! Fall has most definitely arrived in Minnesota. The neighbor's tree that was so gorgeous with reds and oranges and yellows last Thursday has almost completely lost its leaves already. There's talk of frost tonight, so I did my last jalapeno harvest last night. My husband roasted all of them in the broiler and then pureed them to make a very spicy salsa. I didn't get as much read due to hockey playoffs, but now hockey is over and my team eliminated in baseball, so my evenings are free again.

Finished this week:
Everything is Flammable I needed a graphic memoir for Read Harder and discovered it's a whole genre at my library. I put two on hold and this was the second. In this one, the author's mother's house burns down, and the book chronicles the author as she struggles with getting a new house for her mom while dealing with her own issues. The art was great, the story just seemed to end.

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex I picked this up for a microhistory as a past PS challenge. I'd read her book about the digestive system earlier in the year, and thought I'd check this one out too. It's a book I found best read a chapter at a time, since the topic changes so drastically with each one. By the end, I couldn't tell if a fact sounded familiar because it was in an earlier chapter or a different book I'd read this year.

Ella Enchanted I was going to use this for the PS Fall challenge with orange and brown cover, but the library had a completely different cover. I'd seen the movie ages ago, but the book keeps far closer to the Cinderella fairy tale (there are even glass slippers, tiny feet and a shoe trying on session). I need to get the movie to watch it again now.

Fahrenheit 451 I had intended to read Beloved for Banned Book Week, but I ended up reading this on Monday. I've only read Starship Troopers by Ray Bradbury in the past, but my dad is a huge fan of 60s and 70s science fiction, so I thought this was something I should read. I was annoyed by the main character a lot, so I may need a re-read to appreciate it.

When Snowflakes Fall I went looking for an indie romance with a single parent to knock out multiple prompts, and the Kindle version of this was free. It's super short, the plot isn't that believable, but there's (mostly) more plot than sex. At least I didn't pay for it.

PS: 45/50 RHC: 18/25 RW: 22/26 ATY: 48/52

Currently Reading:
Cook Korean!: A Comic Book with Recipes I'm going to finish this eventually. I was reading it during hockey period breaks, but with hockey over, I need to just sit down and knock the rest of it out.

Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth I finally started this one. There's a long waiting list behind me at the library and I'm feeling guilty for hogging it. May knock it out this weekend.

QOTW:
Every December, I try to read some of my Pearl Harbor books. This year will probably be And I Was There: Pearl Harbor and Midway--Breaking the Secrets, or possibly finally read Scapegoats: A Defense of Kimmel and Short at Pearl Harbor. And I'll probably reread Day of Infamy because it's just so good.

Also, weirdly, I seem to reread Chalice around New Year's Eve every year. Probably because it's fairly short, and I'm usually scrambling to finish my ŷ������ challenge, but now I associate it with the end of the year.

Good morning all,
I’ve been phone-banking for a number of candidates the past couple weeks, none of whom are in my state lol. I got tapped to
speak Spanish with voters. Pretty sure October is spoken for now.

Finished:

I reread Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America for a banned book during Banned Book Week. Just as great the second time around. And I'm officially done with the yearly challenge

Currently reading:
Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race. Loving this! The author so gets it.

Behind Her Eyes. Jonesing for a dark read.

QOTW:

I don’t think I plan it so much as just gravitate to seasonal reads. October is my absolute favorite month �� Halloween, Samhain, Ge’tuntiep (our harvest holiday). I gorge on deep, dark, gritty, spooky, frightening, twisty thriller type reads. Without planning, Shirley Jackson always makes an appearance.

I also like all the Winter solstice holidays reads and the Banned Book Week read. November is for Indigenous writer and poets I want to catch up on. I rarely reread, but then again, I go with my mood.

Sarah wrote: "Holy early check in, Batman! Can anyone believe it's October? I swear it was August like two days ago.

Has anyone else seen the new Beta version for ŷ������?"

I had absolutely no idea about this...

"Currently reading: Doctor Zhivago for banned books week. I really wish this was one of those books wit a list of characters in it because some of them have such similar names, I can't remember who is who, but I am enjoying it so far."
I reread this earlier this year and was sorely disappointed in it. Though I LOVED it when I first read it at age 15 or so! Turns out I much prefer the movie ending.

"Also still reading The Calculating Stars but I'm not into it. If I can find another book which won an award last year which I can get without library access, I'm going to DNF"
How funny! In the first two postings we have exactly opposite reactions to the same series! I love it!! Though I am sorry this isn't hitting the mark for you... :(

"QOTW: Not really. I do this much more with films. Hocus Pocus at Halloween and Muppet Christmas Carol at Christmas, every year lol."
Hadn't even considered movies... Cool!

"If I'm going on holiday (vacation) somewhere, then I do like to try and read a book set where I'm going but this doesn't always work out. Last year I was sorely disappointed when I didn't see a single dinosaur in Costa Rica after reading Jurassic Park :D"
You made me laugh in the beginning and again here! I am so sorry Cost Rica did not provide you with dinosaurs! Darn! ;)

Ellie wrote: "Currently reading A Deadly Education and listening to The Fated Sky.."

I sense a theme in the first three postings: Among all three of us we are reading all three books currently available in the Lady Astronaut series. Funny!

It's finally October!! I'm a total Halloween nerd so this is my favorite month. Plus, it finally starts to cool off around here (even though we'll still be getting 90+ degree weather for about another week, ugh).

Last week, I finished Chronicle of a Death Foretold and I'm still working on Massacre in Mexico and I started A Farewell to Arms. I'll admit, I'm having some trouble getting into the latter. I like some parts and then some parts drag on. My reading in general has been pretty slow this week, but it's also been super busy, so hopefully I'll have some downtime this weekend to finish A Farewell to Arms at least.

QOTW: While I do love rereading, I don't have the time to reread any favorites for the rest of this year. Like Lauren, I also base a lot of my TBR on cultural heritage months. However, in November, I love reading Give Us This Day in honor of Veteran's Day (U.S.). It's one of my absolute favorite books about finding one's inner strength to overcome life's horrors and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Hi everyone,

Had an unexpected three day weekend last weekend, so my timing has been off this week. My bosses are Jewish, so while I'm not, I get Yom Kippur off. I always kind of forget about it until they tell me I don't have to work, just because it's not my holiday. It was nice, i made grape jelly and sourdough crackers.

This week I finished:

This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America - lazily filling in the couple prompts I don't have on ATY, i didn't officially do it this year but I went back and matched up prompts, only missed 3 or so so figured I could easily do those if what I want to read fits. This was my 20th book, set my kindle to sort by unread, 20th book in. It was a good read for learning more about feminism and being a Black woman in America.

Artificial Condition - re-read so I can go on to the rest of the series, still good the second time around

Mexican Gothic - hold came up on this, ended up being more seasonal than expected with Latine heritage month, and starting spooky season. I liked it, even if I kinda guessed how it was all going down. Gave me good Rebecca/Yellow Wallpaper vibes though, so I enjoyed. Also going to count it for the fall challenge, book involving falling. there were some literal falls, falling for traps/plots, etc.

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking - friend recommended this to me, she'd gotten it basically as soon as it came out. I really loved it, perfect book for 2020. Railing at the establishment, chastising them for failing to do something about situations before they get untenable, railing at the concept of heroes, saying people shouldn't HAVE to be heroes, leaders should prevent things from getting that bad in the first place. Also carnivorous sourdough.

Currently reading:

Lab Girl - had this on hold for women in stem, but ended up being impatient and reading something else, challenge is done. Still interested though, I think i'll use it for fall nature prompt. Just started, no real opinions yet.

Nocturna - finally got this back out, can finish up the last couple hours.

QOTW:

I don't really intentionally do seasonal reads, but it's fun when they accidentally work that way. Like reading Mexican Gothic, and it happening to be start of spooky season/Latine heritage month. Most my seasonal stuff is more in listening to playlists or watching movies, rather than books.

Elaine wrote: "Hi everyone! I'm so happy October is here. Halloween is my favorite holiday of all.

QotW
I do that with horror books, actually! I pack October with all the creepiest, bloodiest novels I can find. I call it "HallowReads" and it's like my own personal challenge to scare myself lol. It's part of why I love October, because I get to read all the spookiest books I've been saving."
I am so glad someone likes to be scared! ;)

"Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid for "seven deadly sins." It was great! I'll definitely stop over to the monthly discussion!"
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed it and anxious to see your reactions. I'll post some more questions this weekend, but please feel free to just post your thoughts. Many times those are the best conversation/discussion starters!

"The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas for my banned book. This is truly one of the best books I've read this read. Rather than being banned, I truly think this should be part of school required reading. And aside from being a powerful story, Thomas is just a really good writer. I felt like I was truly in Starr's world. Amazing!"
I am planning to read this in November. Now I'm even more anxious after reading your recommendation!

"Finishing up the audiobook of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. It's been really nice to revisit this novel after several years away."
As you probably are aware, this was the September monthly read. That discussion will still be available, if you'd like to visit and or post to it!

Sarah wrote: "Holy early check in, Batman! Can anyone believe it's October? I swear it was August like two days ago."

I KNOW RIGHT

A few days ago I got woken up by an early morning fire alarm. So I rushed outside and discovered: huh, it's cold! The outside world exists and it has weather! Who knew!

(It wasn't a real fire. My apartment building's sensors are just oversensitive, we always get false alarms from people cooking and stuff.)

Finished reading: (34/50)

Revelation Space (vision impairment/enhancement, cyborg/AI characters, passes Bechdel test) - Intricate, well-plotted sci-fi with great worldbuilding. The main character (the archaeologist) was kind of a boring smug asshole, but the two other POV characters (the assassin and the ship's officer) were both great.

I picked this book solely because the sequel, Redemption Ark, has a pun in the title, so I'm glad it didn't disappoint. Looking forward to book 2!

The Perfection of Theresa Watkins - Short story. I...kinda hated this but in a good way (because it was very thought-provoking). Suppose you could "resurrect" a dead loved one by mind-wiping a volunteer and superimposing your loved one's brain circuitry, would you do it?


QotW: Not really. I'm too much of an impulse reader to save books for certain times of year. Though I'm always happy when I stumble into anything seasonally/thematically appropriate. A few years back I was on a cruise and the two books I grabbed for the trip were The Drowned Cities and Railsea. It wasn't until we departed that I realized "This is interesting reading for a sea voyage..."

Also I'm currently in the middle of Latchkey, a ghost story, so that's pretty cool too.

Ellie wrote: "I harvested my first squash this week, the first year I've tried growing them so excited to try it."

How exciting! What kind of squash? I do miss gardening...

It's Thursday! And October!! Wow! The leaves are finally getting ready to turn. One tree outside my window is almost entirely yellow! I love it!

Finished 38/50

A Tale of Two Cities for "book with a great first line". This was my second read and it was even better than the first time! I love this book so much. The writing style is pretty complex but so worth it. The ending gets my heart racing!

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader for "a bildungsroman". Also a reread and one of my favourites of the Narnia series. The ending of this just put me in such a fabulous mood. I would give anything to visit Narnia. It's #1 on my "fictional worlds I want to live in" list.

Currently Reading

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea for "book by a journalist". I'm only a few pages in and totally hooked. I cannot imagine living in that country and what it must be like to escape it into a world that is totally different. North Korea has always fascinated me and I'm already learning!

The Wilderness Journal: 365 Days with the Philokalia for "book whose title caught your attention". It's not bad. It's just getting really dull. I think it needs more voices. 365 days with the same voice is starting to feel long.

QotW

Usually I try to pick up a special book for Holy Week/Pascha or even all of Lent, but I didn't this year since I had the above book to read. Might try again next year. Otherwise I don't really plan reads based on time of year (unless for a challenge liked the banned book one this year). I like the concept, but I don't think it's realistic for me to try to do that AND complete a challenge (and I find the challenge more fun). I do plan rereads though. Every few years I like to reread the Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter. Wheel of Time is begging for a second read through, and I should really dive back into Dostoyevsky now that I'm Orthodox and can appreciate him better. I'm HOPING to do that for this year's challenge but that depends on my on-line book club podcast that went on hiatus due to pandemic/schooling kids. *come baaaaaaack* T.T They're due to read Crime and Punishment next, and I am SO READY. It's one of my favourites of all time!

TL:DR: No. XDDDDD

Katy wrote: "I'm not reading Gold of Our Fathers as my book with gold, silver, or bronze in it. Takes place in Ghana. Really interesting."
I read Wife of the Gods which is the first book in that series 8 years ago. It had slipped off my radar, but I just ordered the second book in the series to continue it. Thanks for the reminder!

"QOTW: I always read a Christmas book close to Christmas. In addition, I used to read a Christmas Carol every year, but I lost my copy years ago during a move. I recently got a new one because I figured since Christmas will be a solo affair this year, ought to have some form of comfort.."
Glad to know you have reunited with a favorite read!

Ellie wrote: "I harvested my first squash this week, the first year I've tried growing them so excited to try it. I'm not sure the others are going to ripen in time now it's gone chilly, but I have my fingers cr..."

I have seen many film versions of A Christmas Carol, and I am convinced that the Muppet version is the best. I love it.

Sarah wrote: "Holy early check in, Batman! Can anyone believe it's October? I swear it was August like two days ago.

Has anyone else seen the new Beta version for ŷ������? I'm really annoyed that they're spen..."

I also didn't care for The Calculating Stars. So many good messages but the writing style and characters just didn't hold my attention.

Lynn wrote: "How exciting! What kind of squash? I do miss gardening..."

The one that's ripened is a Uchiki Kuri (or red kuri). The other ones look like patty pans... but I am pretty sure I didn't buy any patty pan seeds, so I'm not sure which ones those are!

We have a tiny garden but still manage to grow quite a bit in our raised beds and containers. We have cucumbers and tomatoes coming out of our ears at the moment!

Ashley Marie wrote: "Happy Thursday!

My birthday was yesterday and I actually didn't get any books -- cue the shock and horror! -- but I did get $$ which is... basically the same as books, because that's exactly where it's going :D"
I bet anyone who gifted you money knew that was what you would purchase! :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

"The Millionaire and the Bard: Henry Folger's Obsessive Hunt for Shakespeare's First Folio - 5 stars. I picked this up on a whim and fell completely in love with it. Such a fantastic story."
Though I have no attraction to Shakespeare, this book sounds fascinating!

I can easily see Little Women as an end-of-year/Christmas read! I just reread that earlier this year and loved it even more 50+ years later!

Charlotte wrote: "Happy Thursday!"
It's true. I think everyone immediately fears COVID-19. I trust yours is just a temporary state that you will overcome. Thank you for working with children and helping them connect with books/reading! I did that and it was so fulfilling! Though much of my time was spent with administrative "stuff." :)

"Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You - a book published in 2020. I was excited I found a place to put this book. I listened to the audiobook and it was amazing. Jason Reynolds really brings history to life and puts his own spin on it that I think I would have lost if I had read it to myself. I was assigned this for professional development and I think it should be a must-read for everyone. It gave me a new perspective on some historical events and figures."
I am so anxious to get back to this one and finish it. If I have time this weekend I may sneak it in. He is amazing!

"And Tango Makes Three - Banned book during Banned Books Week. I thought this was a super sweet story. I think kids would really love it because who doesn't love penguins. And it can open up the discussion to how every family looks different, but they're still a family."
I adore this book. Did you know that eventually, they broke up? As I recall, one of them became "heterosexual." I think that's what one of my friends (and former Borders co-worker) told me.

Lynn wrote: "Yes, it is THURSDAY…again! 😊

I was reminded of the most recent Jewish holy day, Yom Kippur, on Friday. I hope that was meaningful for everyone to whom it is important.

Just a reminder to physica..."

Lynn, yes, the author is working on the next book in the Lady Astronaut series. It'll be what happens when they get to Mars. Also, I wasn't aware of that short story you read, so I'll have to check it out.

Sherri wrote: "Hi All, I finished 1 book for the week. I felt like it was taking me forever to read & I was right. My Brilliant Friend (The Neapolitan Novels #1) by Elena Ferrante. 3 stars. Have you ever read a book that comes highly praised? Everyone loves it? It changes lives but you don’t feel the same way? That was this book for me. I kept thinking I should like the book more but the magic wasn’t there for me."
Ack! I just purchased a copy of this super-cheap and am anxious to see what I think since I've seen this series get so much praise from others! I won't feel as bad if it doesn't work well for me now! :)

"Last December I read One Day in December for a Christmas read. Even though I didn’t like the book I have started a list of possible Christmas reads for this year. If anyone has a suggestion please let me know."

One of my book clubs read that last December as well! But I really enjoyed it! Sorry it didn't work that well for you.

In a Holidaze is the book I have suggested for our December read this year. Christina Lauren (a two-member writing team pseudonym) also wrote The Unhoneymooners which I loved.

Nadine wrote: "I finished three books and DNF'ed one this week. One book was for the main Challenge & one was for the Fall Challenge, so I am now 46/50 & 1/10."
We both had a DNF this week! ;)

"Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez - This was for my Latinx Heritage reading. I hated this and DNF'ed. Sometimes you just know. It's racist and I hate first person present tense."
Ooohh...now I'm really curious about this one!

"George by Alex Gino- my banned book, read during Banned Book Week! This was okay, I thought it would be better."
Aw... I loved this one! Sorry it didn't meet your expectations. :(

Hello. Happy October!!!!

Hope everyone is well.I have been a little burnt out on reading this week but that's ok.

Finished



Currently Reading





Question of the Week:
Are there any books or a book that you purposefully plan to read and/or reread at a specific time of year?I have never really read according to holiday but this year I intend to. I have a ton of spooky books picked out for this month. I also don't celebrate Thanksgiving due to the genocidal history but I do plan to read some books related to family in November. I have some fun Christmas books picked out for December. I am a mood reader so my mind may change 16 times throughout but that is the plan as of now.

Kenya wrote: "Alive? -- Zombie apocalypse novel with an interesting twist. Ultimately brain candy (haha, see what I did there��) but still entertaining."
I do see what you did there! And you made me laugh! Thank you!

"Anxious People -- I loved A Man Called Ove, but just couldn’t get into this one. I feel like I was promised a story but am only getting the “after all the action is over�� part, which sucks..."
Wow. I cannot imagine not loving a Fredrik Backman book, but I suppose it is possible! ;)

Heather wrote: "Reading
The Guest List by Lucy Foley"
I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!

"The Atomic Weight of Love by Elizabeth J. Church"
Aw sighed when I saw this title. I loved this book

Katelyn wrote: "I also plan on reading Rebecca and watching the new Netflix film with my mom. She said it was her favorite book and has read it multiple times (of course my reaction was "well how come you never told me I should read it!" LOL)"

I read this for the first time last year. It was really creepy, IMO! Good. But creepy! I must live under a rock. I had no idea there was a Netflix film. I'll have to check that out!

Theresa wrote: "I have 3 for Banned Books Week - Fahrenheit 451, Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood and Nancy Drew's The Secret of the Wooden Lady. So far Nancy is the only one I've read even a page in!"

Just a reminder that Fahrenheit 451 was last month's monthly read. The discussion will still be available if you'd like to read and/or post to it.

Lynn wrote: "Katelyn wrote: "I also plan on reading Rebecca and watching the new Netflix film with my mom. She said it was her favorite book and has read it multiple times (of course my reaction was "well how c..."

I also read Rebecca for the first time this year, and just loved it! I'm definitely going to read more Daphne du Maurier in future. Maybe for spooky October??

Drakeryn wrote: "Revelation Space (vision impairment/enhancement, cyborg/AI characters, passes Bechdel test) - Intricate, well-plotted sci-fi with great worldbuilding. The main character (the archaeologist) was kind of a boring smug asshole, but the two other POV characters (the assassin and the ship's officer) were both great."

Ooh, I need a book about an assassin, and this sounds right up my alley. Will need to grab it from the library.

Hello everyone! Fall is not here yet in California. Sigh. It annoys me every year how late the fall starts. I'm ready to be cozy!

Finished:
Unnatural Death: the mystery wasn't particularly mysterious if I'm honest, but that's ok. Lord Peter was still enjoyable.
Love Medicine: I LOOOOOVED it! So good! Go read this book, everyone! I think multiple voices are difficult to do well; either the book becomes disjointed or everyone sounds like one person, but Love Medicine threaded the needle perfectly. There were stylistic threads that carried through the whole book, but each person had their own distinct perspective and voice. Fantastic. Did I mention I liked it?

Currently reading:
My Man Jeeves
Gideon the Ninth: oh this is loads of fun.
Slouching Towards Bethlehem: PSA: do not, I repeat DO NOT, get the Audible audio version read by Diane Keaton. She is terrible, stumbles over sentence structure, and mispronounces a ridiculous number of words. San Bernardino is "San Berdino" dozens of times. Merced is pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable. It's a book about California! Spend five minutes getting the names right!

QOTW: I truly love October and Halloween times, but I am easily scared and have nightmares, so my Halloween atmosphere level hovers around "spooky to spoopy". I try to find some delightfully spooky/spoopy books that won't scare the pants off me every year and read them while drinking hot spiced cider and all is right with the world.

Christy wrote: "Merced is pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable. It's a book about California! Spend five minutes getting the names right!..."


uh-oh, maybe I've been pronouncing this one wrong in my head all these years. What is the correct way?

Melissa wrote: "Fahrenheit 451 I had intended to read Beloved for Banned Book Week, but I ended up reading this on Monday. I've only read Starship Troopers by Ray Bradbury in the past, but my dad is a huge fan of 60s and 70s science fiction, so I thought this was something I should read. I was annoyed by the main character a lot, so I may need a re-read to appreciate it."
If you are interested, you might find some helpful information/reactions in the discussion for this book for last month's group read. It will remain posted. Feel free to post to that discussion if you wish...

"And I'll probably reread Day of Infamy because it's just so good."
Nonfiction history is typically not my jam, but this does look interesting. I added it to my TBR listing. All I can ever think of with regard to Pearl Harbor is that supposedly records were released proving Roosevelt had prior knowledge of the planned attack. I don't know if that is true. I find nothing in a Google search confirming that... According to Wikipedia that is still just a fringe conspiracy theory.

Lynn wrote: "Heather wrote: "Reading
The Guest List by Lucy Foley"
I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!

"The Atomic Weight of Love by Elizabeth J. Church"
Aw sighed when I saw this title. I love..."

I'm about 30% into The Guest List, and I'm really irritated with work keeping me from reading!

I keep putting off The Atomic Weight of Love. I've had it down as a possibility for about 6 different prompts over the past few years, but always picked something else instead. I'm reserving judgement until I read more of it.

Lilith wrote: "I reread Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America for a banned book during Banned Book Week. Just as great the second time around. And I'm officially done with the yearly challenge."

I have yet to read that book!

And congratulations on finishing the challenge! Whoo! Whoo! :)

And good for you for your political actions!