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K.L. wrote: "This has been a really tough week. As many of you already know, my mum was diagnosed with brain cancer back in 2019. She has had a total of three surgeries to remove tumors over the past couple of ..."


I'm so sorry. When my father was dying, I turned to the classics - I listened to the audiobook of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall when I drove down to say goodbye to him. Coincidentally, the protagonist of this book is named Gilbert, which I did not know - my father's name was Gilbert, also!


I was reading an ebook too in the hospital, but I can't remember what book it was at all.

Happy March Friends! Officially feels like Spring here in Chicago, they sneakily dyed the river green this morning after communicating that the event was cancelled this year. I'm excited and planning a walk down to go see it in person at some point this am. 🍀🍀

9/40 PopSugar
1/10 Advanced PopSugar
10/80 GoodReads

Finished Reading:
1.) Beach Read by Emily Henry (#40- Previous PS Prompt - Book pub in 2020) ⭐⭐��- liked this but didn't love it. Felt much too long and had a hard time really connecting to these characters for some reason, so just falling into the solid "like" category.

2.) The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (#21 Genre Hybrid) ⭐⭐��- The 5th installment of the Outlander series and this was just way too long and too many escapes from death that were far too convenient for me.
3.) Pray for Silence by Linda Castillo (#50 Freebie) ⭐⭐⭐⭐- 2nd book in the Amish murder series and even better than the first (is that possible?) Will continue on with this one. Love the banter between Kate & Tomasetti.

Currently Reading:
1.) Les Miserables
2.) The Song of Achilles
3.) Leonora in the Morning Light

QOTW: Are you also a writer, in addition to being a reader? If so, what type of books do you write?

I am not, but love the idea of it!

Doni wrote: "I'm loving getting to hear about other people's writing experiences!"

I am, too!

K.L. wrote: "This has been a really tough week. As many of you already know, my mum was diagnosed with brain cancer back in 2019. She has had a total of three surgeries to remove tumors over the past couple of ..."

I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's health, and I hope that she has less pain. Hospice nurses and workers are amazing, special people, and I hope for her that they are taking amazing care of her. Wishing you more time together, and comfort for your whole family.

Unusually late check-in for me, but work was something else this week. We had a huge project to present on Thursday, and I couldn’t think about anything except finding time to eat between scheduled sessions. I think it was a success, though, which makes all the hard work and very, very long day worth it in the end. I scheduled a vacation day yesterday to recover and decided to take a break from the computer too.

Finished
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (a book with a black and white cover). I really struggled to get into this one and to finish it. The concept is so good. I don’t know why I basically didn’t want to read it. But only an upcoming library due date and maxed out renewals motivated me to pick it up and finish it.

The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester (a bestseller from the 1990s). It was an interesting story once the book got going, but I thought for a couple chapters I might have to DNF. It’s a book about a dictionary. I guess it was going to be dry in places.

Reading
Watership Down by Richard Adams (a book set mostly or entirely outdoors)

QOTW
No, I’m not a writer.

I've got a question and maybe someone in this group knows the answer. I just started listening to Remarkable Creatures and the cover art for the audiobook looks like this: . Obviously the background is an ammonite fossil, but ... What are those shadows???

Hello all!

Haven't shared an update for a minute, but I've been going strong with the challenge!

I've currently read 14/40 books for the Pop Sugar Challenge and for the year (they've all fit prompts!).

This week I finished the following books:

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (a book everyone has seemed to read but you). I loved this book! I'm queer and non-binary and look for reads like this and thought it was so much fun, heartfelt and a great escapist read.

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado - I read this one for my genre-hybrid and LOVED it. Thought it was breathtaking. As a person who has been in similar abusive relationships as the one that she described, I felt seen by this book.

You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar. I liked this book a lot! It ticked off the Book published in 2021 prompt for me as it was published in January, though I'm looking to see if might be better suited elsewhere. Amber and her sister Lacey are so funny to read, even as their countless stories about racism were horrifying. A solid read that can also work for the Book by a blogger, vlogger, etc. prompt (I had read Well, That Escalated Quickly: Memoirs and Mistakes of an Accidental Activist by Franchesca Ramsey for that one which I really enjoyed).

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab which I read for the Book you saw on a zoom call prompt (though it would be perfect for the Book about forgetting prompt! I'm planning on reading Please Look After Mom by Shin Kyung-sook for that one). I LOVED this book, it was incredible. Highly recommend, especially if you like romance and a queer/feminist take on Faust.

I'm currently reading:

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng which I'll be using for the Family Tree prompt, as well as Zami by Audre Lorde for the prompt with the letters lol.

I've been so energized by this reading challenge and have so many books on my TBR that I'm actually reading! It's a great feeling!

K.L. wrote: "This has been a really tough week. As many of you already know, my mum was diagnosed with brain cancer back in 2019. She has had a total of three surgeries to remove tumors over the past couple of ..."

I'm so sorry to hear that your mom is now in hospice care. I hope where you live has compassion in the covid restrictions to allow your family to be with her. I remember that musical therapy made a huge difference for my grandmother when she was in end of life care. I don't know if this is something your mother would enjoy but I thought I'd mention it in case you haven't heard of it. Please take care as best you can.

Nadine wrote: "I've got a question and maybe someone in this group knows the answer. I just started listening to Remarkable Creatures and the cover art for the audiobook looks like this: [bookcover..."

I... I think it's meant to be people in bonnets? But honestly "xenomorphs" was the first answer that came to mind.

Are you also a writer, in addition to being a reader? If so, what type of books do you write?

I am a published writer. I wrote a monthly column for a local newspaper, an instructional article on genealogy. I did a feature article on the local pioneer cemetery as well.

I am wanting to write a fictionalized account of my 4 great great grandmothers who were early settlers of Kansas, telling their stories traveling from 4 different states. I signup for NaNoWriMo every year but so far only have a few things written down.

I used to write poetry, but haven't for a while.

Cendaquenta wrote: "Nadine wrote: "I've got a question and maybe someone in this group knows the answer. I just started listening to Remarkable Creatures and the cover art for the audiobook looks like t..."


those were my thoughts: maybe it's a shadow of women in bonnets? but what I'm seeing is Alien vs Predator. I didn't want to sway anyone by mentioning that right off the bat. (And when I showed my daughter, also without mentioning what I see, she replied: "aliens")

Nadine wrote: "Cendaquenta wrote: "Nadine wrote: "I've got a question and maybe someone in this group knows the answer. I just started listening to Remarkable Creatures and the cover art for the au..."

Lol. The other editions of the book have 2 women looking at something, so I think it's women in hats. But if the book turns into an alien invasion, be sure to let us know! I'm pretty sure that would count as a genre hybrid! :)

Nadine wrote: "I've got a question and maybe someone in this group knows the answer. I just started listening to Remarkable Creatures and the cover art for the audiobook looks like this: [bookcover..."

Definitely 2 women in the broad brimmed sunhats of the period.

It was a busy week, so this is my first chance to check in (and I need to type fast because I need to start dinner -- ugh! how is it already after 5?!). I finished three books and used all of them for open prompts (hooray!). I'm now at 8/40 and 1/10 for this challenge, and I'm at 18/100 for my overall ŷ������ Reading Challenge.

Finished:
* The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey, which I used for "a book with a family tree" (an unexpected bonus when I opened the book!). Now I can't wait for June, when the third book in the series comes out!;
* The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson, which I decided to use for "a book found on a Black Lives Matter reading list."; and,
* A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell and narrated by Juliet Stevenson, which is one of my book club's picks for March (we'll discuss a week from today). I decided to use it for "your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR reading challenge" -- I chose the 2017 prompt "a book about an interesting woman" since this was a perfect fit (plus, the book was written and narrated by women!).

Currently Reading:
* Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey, which is my other book club's pick for March (we'll discuss on Saturday). I am likely going to use this for the dark academia prompt; and,
* Who Is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews, which is my latest Giveaways win and arrived this week (hooray!). I'm going to use it for "a book that's published in 2021" since I received a hardback copy AND the book is officially out as of this month :)

QotW:
This week's question is from Lauren (I think you suggested this last year! do you still remember?): Are you also a writer, in addition to being a reader? If so, what type of books do you write? Nope, I'm not a writer of books.

poshpenny wrote: "Give me a sweater and cocoa any day.."

ME TOO poshpenny! 😍🤗

K.L. wrote: "This has been a really tough week. As many of you already know, my mum was diagnosed with brain cancer back in 2019. She has had a total of three surgeries to remove tumors over the past couple of ..."

I'm so sorry to hear about your mum KL. This is heart breaking to read about and cannot even imagine processing it.

K.L. wrote: "This has been a really tough week. As many of you already know, my mum was diagnosed with brain cancer back in 2019. She has had a total of three surgeries to remove tumors over the past couple of ..."

Very sorry for what you and your family are going through. Sending hugs. <3

Lynn wrote: "Maybe you needed a short break! 19 is good!"

That is a helpful way of looking at it. My theoretical ideal way to use time is to devote hours to uninterrupted reading. But I think I need to recognize when I need breaks. In the past, I've faulted the reading material. But maybe reading for hours on end, just ain't what it's cut out to be! But also, I've gotten back into the swing of things this past week; finished 4 books so far, I think.

Lynn wrote: What is the title of your grandfather's biography?

It's called To Whit, but it's not available anywhere. This was pre-print-on-demand days. Thanks for your interest though!

K.L. wrote: "This has been a really tough week. As many of you already know, my mum was diagnosed with brain cancer back in 2019. She has had a total of three surgeries to remove tumors over the past couple of ..."

I am so, so sorry that things have taken this turn for your mom and your family. I'll be keeping you all in my prayers, hoping for at least some relief from pain.

Nadine wrote: "I've got a question and maybe someone in this group knows the answer. I just started listening to Remarkable Creatures and the cover art for the audiobook looks like this: [bookcover..."

Ignoring the aliens on the cover, I loved that book. It's set in my part of the world and I'm looking forward to going to visit Mary's new statue in the future. It's about time she had one.