Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2021 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 24: 6/10 - 6/17
This week I finished: The Killer Across the Table: Unlocking the Secrets of Serial Killers and Predators with the FBI's Original Mindhunter: This was decent if you like this kind of book.
Mockingbird: I thought this book was very well written and well executed. The subject matter was a little challenging for me, but it was genuinely special, so I'll deal with it.
And Then There Were None: I want to love everything by Agatha Christie, because of her amazing contributions to the genre. I thought for the time period, this book was obviously unique and special, but the writing style was a bit of a struggle for me. There were too many characters to keep up with and the whole thing felt a little rushed. I wanted to lean into this a lot more.
The Bookworm's Guide to Dating: This one was pretty bad. I have no problem with swearing in a book, but this book used profanity excessively and unnecessarily. It read like when a 10 year old first learns how to swear and so they throw the "f word" into every sentence in weird places. Beyond that, the main character was so ridiculously unlikable that I did not want to root for the romance to happen.
Currently reading:
The Night Swim: I am only about 100 pages into this one and my expectations are pretty high at this point. I feel like I'm really going to appreciate this book.
Murder on the Orient Express: I just started this one as an audiobook and I'm having trouble with the accent again. I generally listen to books at 1.5x the speed or even faster, but I feel like I can't keep up with the author, particularly with dialogue, but when I slow it down, then I find my mind wandering. The narrator's voice is lovely, but I might have to get the physical book to get the most out of this story.
i finished The Jungle Book and Other Classics as a fave from a previous year, a childhood classic I never read. So, it was Jungle Book 1 and 2 and Kim. Some of the Jungle Book stories were fun, but most of them and Kim were just boring. I found my mind wanding a lot. But, again, I'm not the target audience.I read Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters as my book about body positivity.
I'm currently reading Criminal as my book that I got for free. I'm about 1/3 of the way through and I'm hooked. this is my first book by this author and I'm definitely going to seek out more.
QOTW: Good question. I read a lot of old books. I didn't care for Tenant at Wilfell Hall all that much, but I loved Agnes Grey
I've read all of Dickens's novels. He's my fave classic author. And my fave book my him is one of his lesser known ones, Dombey and Son
It's hard to think of lesser known books off the top of your head. Maybe I'll add more later if I think of any.
Mary wrote: "This week I finished: [Murder on the Orient Express: I just started this one as an audiobook and I'm having trouble with the accent again. I generally listen to books at 1.5x the speed or even faster, but I feel like I can't keep up with the author, particularly with dialogue, but when I slow it down, then I find my mind wandering. The author's voice is lovely, but I might have to get the physical book to get the most out of this story. ..."
That's myf favorite Agatha Christei Book.
Hmm. Nadine, maybe you saw me raving about The Bone Shard Daughter? I loved the audio and bought a paperback copy so I can reread it in October. Similarly, I too have a massive stack from the library and (apparently) misjudged my own ability to read; I only finished one book this week, and it was an audiobook to boot.Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao's Revolution - 5 stars. Extensively researched and well put together, covering 1937-1950s and then some. Not for the challenge.
PS 39/50 after realizing Witch: Unleashed. Untamed. Unapologetic. fit for Book by a blogger.
Currently:
First Among Sequels - Running behind on this one, I honestly thought I'd have finished it by now
An Unkindness of Ghosts - Started this yesterday and it has my attention!
Ace of Spades - Holding most of my focus tbh
The Unbroken - Distracted by Ace of Spades, but I'm already invested in the story here
How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective - Started this last night and didn't want to put it down
QOTW: Invisible Man was published in 1952 so it barely skates under the mark, but I would consider it a classic. I imagine it might also get ignored in favor of HG Wells's The Invisible Man; totally different stories. The Age of Innocence was another one I don't hear many people talk about, and I want to reread eventually.
Katy wrote: "I'm currently reading Criminal as my book that I got for free. I'm about 1/3 of the way through and I'm hooked. this is my first book by this author and I'm definitely going to seek out more.."Karin Slaughter is one of my absolute favorite authors and a must-read for me. She writes some really fantastic stand-alones too. Her books always seem to stick with me for a long time.
Mod
I think that's it! Your "Holy Crap" meme got my attention LOL! I'll try to fit it in but The Survivors & Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe audiobooks are ahead of it in line, but if I can, I'll listen to it after those!!
Happy Thursday, y’all.I'm exhausted, y'all. Summer is a busy time of year for me -- not only does it mean yardwork and garden work, but it's the start of summer programs at the library and we get SLAMMED. It doesn't help that there's little to do in our town (no pool, theater, mall, etc.), so the library has become the social center. Which, y'know, isn't all bad, but does mean we get busy...
Books read this week:
The Minor Third -- still reading the Magic Misfits series. This one was darker than the previous two, but still an enjoyable read!
The Apothecary Rose -- murder mystery set in medieval Great Britian. I enjoyed the unique setting and following the twists and turns of the story, though I found the romantic subplot was kind of forced in.
Mars Evacuees -- an entertaining and often funny middle-grade sci-fi adventure about kids stranded on Mars during an alien invasion. I wanted to explore more of the alien culture, though, and have less emphasis on the junior-high-school antics.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune -- a short but powerful epic fantasy about two very different women, and the roles they play in overthrowing an empire.
Delicates -- graphic novel, sequel to Sheets. For being about a girl befriending ghosts that hang out in her family’s laundromat, this gets surprisingly heavy. It deals not just with grief and loss, but bullying and trauma.
DNF:
Dragon Bones -- just wasn’t holding my interest, and the main character felt dull as ditchwater.
Currently Reading:
The Line Between
The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Fourth Suit
Project Hail Mary
QOTW:
Hmmm... probably The Martian Chronicles. It was published in 1950, just barely counts, haha!
Nadine wrote: "Ashley Marie wrote: "Hmm. Nadine, maybe you saw me raving about The Bone Shard Daughter? I loved the audio and bought a paperback copy so I can reread it in October. Similarly, I to..."Ari & Dante was excellent on audiobook. Enjoy!
Hi everyone. I think the libraries of the world are all banding together because I have a huge pile of books I'll never get through in time too!I was on a roll this week. I finished Ariadne which, try as I might, I didn't love it.
I also finished Awful Auntie. I started reading it with my nephew but finished it without him so I guess I have become the true awful auntie.
Finally I finished A Deadly Education. I almost sent it back to the library unread because I'd already completed the dark academia prompt but I gave it a go and finished it in a day. I loved it and can't wait for the sequel.
Currently reading: Even though I have a million library books, my dad was giving away Freddie Mercury: The Definitive Biography so I had to rescue it and read it before it went to the charity shop. I don't really like the author's style but I adore Queen so I'm powering through.
QOTW: I don't read a lot of mysteries but The Red House Mystery and The Moonstone both came to mind first. Maybe I should read more?
Not a mystery but a very corny story I adored The Blue Castle
Not much to report on this week! I've been working with a GI to figure out why I get sick very randomly--we did an endoscopy and a CT scan (to check for inner ear problems) and apparently I'm perfectly healthy (I'd already had my gallbladder checked)! She put me on an anti-nausea medication that made me VERY dizzy, so...still no progress lol. I'm honestly ready to just embrace the fact that I throw up every so often for no apparent reason and move on with my life!Work is still busy. These precious baby students (who would probably hate hearing me call them that, since I work for a graduate institution) are in the midst of either taking their first round of Boards or starting their first year here, so they're all in a huge panic and want to figure out how to completely change all of their habits at once. So we've spent a lot of time reigning them in and talking about small changes over time. I love them but also want to shake them sometimes haha. Ah, overachievers!
Finished:
Scott Pilgrim, Volume 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
Scott Pilgrim, Volume 2: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Scott Pilgrim, Volume 3: Scott Pilgrim & The Infinite Sadness
Scott Pilgrim, Volume 4: Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together
Scott Pilgrim, Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe
Scott Pilgrim, Volume 6: Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour
These are going to be my "book in a different format," even though I do read graphic novels--I just don't read them as often. These were...fine. A couple friends of mine (who don't really love reading) have raved about these for years, so I finally asked to borrow them. If I were a male-identifying person in my teens/early 20s, I probably would have liked this more. The set-up was VERY cool, but gosh, I hated so many of the characters, including Scott Pilgrim. It's like when I read The Catcher in the Rye -- it just sort of makes me dislike males. Which isn't good.
Up Next:
Crazy Stupid Bromance - this will be my "book set in a restaurant," since I know the female lead owns a cafe. This is still the only romance series I'll likely ever read.
How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain - not for the challenge, just because I really enjoy the brain. I imagine I'll be reading this one for a long time. I suppose if I get in to crunch time, I'll make it my "book on a topic you're passionate about."
ADHD Does Not Exist: The Truth About Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder - I haven't started this, mainly because I hate the idea of reading something about an affected group when it's upsetting to said group, or has contributed to problems that group has faced. I think there's some good information in it, but I don't know if it's the best way to get it. I may just return it to the library without reading it.
QOTW:
As much as I love A Christmas Carol, it makes me sad that it's overshadowed Dickens' other Christmas stories: The Chimes and The Haunted Man are also really good!
I'd throw in anything by Anthony Trollope - he's one where I knew his name and that's about it. But he does society/character comedy similar to Jane Austen. They're just very fun!
The House of the Seven Gables - I liked this SO much better than The Scarlet Letter
I second Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
I won't get into children's lit or plays, but there are lots of those I could bring up, too!
Happy Thursday! HA, I'm actually on time this week!Finished 23/50
Garden in the East: The Spiritual Life of the Body for "book on body positivity". I liked this. It was a little too poetic for my taste, but such a needed book. I'd heartily recommend it to teen girls to help them get a positive view of their body before all the nasty stuff in our culture attacks them.
The Time Traveler's Wife for "genre hybrid". I'm not big on romances, but this one was actually pretty good!
Currently Reading
Ten Dates for Mates for "book on TBR for longest amount of time", Goodness, I think this was recommended to me almost a decade ago. Better late than never!
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue for "book about forgetting". Wow, did this take forever to get to me from the library. So many holds! Everyone's reading this lately, it seems. I'm nearly done, and it's ok but starting to fall flat for me.
QotW
Anything by Dostoyevsky. Seriously. Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, The Idiot....all fantastic.
Don't shy away from War and Peace. It looks like a philosophy book, but it's just a giant novel. It's great.
Solzhenitsyn is a must. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is short but powerful.
The House of the Seven Gables, I second as fantastic. Little known Hawthorne book.
Walden is gorgeous. Rebecca is amazing. The Great Divorce is wild.
And if you're religious, you have to read St. John Chrysostom. Have to. He wrote hundreds and hundreds of years ago, but everything he says is still so fresh and modern. They don't call him "golden tongue" for nothing! I'd start with On Living Simply: The Golden Voice of John Chrysostom for a sampler, but there's literally tons of his writings available.
I love classic lit. I could go on but I won't.
Alex wrote: "Happy Thursday! HA, I'm actually on time this week!Finished 23/50
Garden in the East: The Spiritual Life of the Body for "book on body positivity". I liked this. It was a littl..."
Rebecca is one of my favorites! Also the reason I still haven't read Jane Eyre, bc Rebecca is seared into my brain and it draws a lot of inspiration from Jane.
Good Morning All. Nadine wrote The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi - I had resisted reading this book, and in a way I was right. I know exactly what you mean. I read Freshwater this year. It had the same effect on me. Freshwater was a hard read for me. It is magical realism with mental health themes. Their writing was powerful & beautiful but I don't think I will read their other books. I am so glad I read Akwaeke because the writing is worth experiencing. Very different. I read 3 books for the week. Two were for the challenge & one wasn't.
1. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart. 5 stars. Poignant fiction about having an alcoholic parent & being gay. I couldn't find a spot for it in any of my challenges but still a good read.
2. Broken (in the best possible way) by Jenny Lawson. 5 stars. A book with something broken on the cover. Jenny Lawson is a new to me author. I laughed out loud & read passages to my husband. I will definitely read her other books.
3. Midnight At The Barclay Hotel by Fleur Bradley. Illustrator Xavier Bonet. 4 stars. Middle grade mystery. I used it for set somewhere you would like to visit in 2021. It is set in Aspen Springs, Co.
QOTW: Question of the Week
What "hidden gem" classics would you recommend to a well-read person? (For the purpose of this discussion, let's say a "classic" is a book published before 1950.) This is a good question but I can't think of anything right now.
Hello hello! The weather has been so lovely lately, I have pet so many good dogs, I did not have to deal with ANY bug monstrosities this past week - things are good! Haha.Finished:
Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow: I've had this audiobook for a while and been putting off reading it because I was worried it'd just be traumatizing, but I ended up listening to the whole thing in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. It was so fascinatingly presented and there were so many details of the situation I hadn't known. I appreciated how Farrow portrayed himself in all this: involved but not centered, intending to do good while making up for past wrongs/still being flawed. I also appreciated all Farrow's cute little asides with his husband, since it let me keep up my accidental reading-only-queer-inclusive-books-in-June streak. 😂
Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe: oh I loved this! While we're different people in many ways, Kobabe spoke to so many of the feelings and experiences I had growing up. not fitting in even among the other 'misfits' by having a queer/gender identity that didn't fit nicely into any of the commonly accepted categories of the time. Used this for the 'subject you feel passionately about' prompt.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli: this was a cute story with some potentially interesting characters and all of it was overshadowed by how utterly insufferable I found Simon to be. From the beginning straight to the end, I could not stand him, which is a shame.
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade: this was cute! I participate in enough fandoms for this to have felt familiar and fun. 😂
Currently Reading:
One Last Stop
The Worst Best Man
Elatsoe
Loveless
Orpheus Girl
QotW
I know Jane Austen doesn't really qualify as a "hidden" gem, but my two favorite novels of hers are ones I feel like get less attention: Northanger Abbey (it's about a girl who loves reading books geeking out with people who love reading books! come on!) and Persuasion. I also have a lot of fond feelings for The Princess and the Goblin, though I don't know how much of that is childhood nostalgia, haha.
Hi all,Much calmer week than the last few. Not amazing but at least no major crisis.
Weather's also cooled down a bit, in the 70's/low 80s most the week instead of pushing 90 or breaking it. Lots of walks and running
This week I finished:
Tall, Dark & Hungry- finished up the re-read, just fluff as a brain break.
The Traitor Baru Cormorant- finally got through this. Bit mixed feelings. I liked the idea of a lead that was an accountant, rather than a warrior or adventurer or something more physical/heroic. But it made a lot of the middle part very dry and hard to follow. Lots of political maneuvering. Also I did NOT like the ending, but that's 100% a me thing. I think it was well written, and probably cleverly done. If I'd LIKED how it turned out, I probably would have thought it was brilliant. I don't think I'll be continuing the series. This was my book with something broken on the cover, as well as book nerds book with a brain.
Dryad, Vol. 2 - caught up on some comics, this one's alright. Not as good as rat queens, but still not bad.
The Last Witch: Fear & Fire - this is a cute comic, I like it quite a bit. Nice art, cute story, looking forward to continuing.
With the Fire on High - this was really good, nice fast read. I read it because the listopia for book set in a restaurant had it on there, and I owned it. But honestly, I don't feel great about using it for the prompt because of how little was actually set in a RESTAURANT vs just cooking in a home kitchen/in class. But I did read it in good faith that it WOULD work. So I'm leaving it for now, and if I feel ambitious later I'll go back and read something else for it later. Also counted it for read harder, YA by a latine author.
Mirka Andolfo's Mercy: The Fair Lady, the Frost, and the Fiend - loving this series. art is gorgeous and creepy, story is intersting. Not really sure why 6 issues got broken into 2 vols but ok.
Currently reading:
Deep Beyond, Vol. 1 - missing an issue to finish this off, will have to wait a bit. Lovely art, although it took a while to really get going.
Mirka Andolfo's Mercy, Volume 2: The Mine, the Memories and the Mortality - will finish later today likely. Still gorgeous, still enjoying.
QOTW:
I have no idea, I've been slowly trying to read at least some classics. But I don't really enjoy most of them, I read them more feeling like I "should" read them to be considered well read. I barely have skimmed the surface of pretty well known classics, so I don't think I've read anything that could be considered a classic but also hidden? much less any that i'd consider a gem. Rebecca's probably my favorite of the classics, but I don't think you can really consider ti a hidden gem since there was a Hitchcock movie based on it as well as the more modern netflix version. I always have trouble with the concept of hidden gems in general. I don't go out of my way LOOKING for obscure stuff to read, so I kind of assume if I've read it, it's not that hidden.
Mod
Jane Eyre isn't my favorite, but if that's the only thing holding you back, go ahead and read it. They really aren't that similar, other than both being written by a woman, with a title that is a woman's name, a main protagonist who is a woman, and a slightly gothic feel in a giant mansion. But the protagonists are completely different types of characters, and the plot (and "plot twists") are quite different.
It’s hot here in the Netherlands: temperatures over 30 Celsius (upper 80’s/lower 90’s). So we went on a little trip to our coast for some more enjoyable temperatures. We’ve been away for just one night, but it feels like three. 21/40
Finished
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, ⭐⭐
Prompt: #25, a book that was published anonymously
Don’t know what to think of it� it was a dull story, especially the first part. That said, the lives of Lena, Lila and their friends also fascinated me.
Currently reading
John Adams
QOTW
I liked Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family by Thomas Mann. Beautifully written struggle between collective (family) duty and individual freedom. You see the Buddenbrook family rise to the top of wealth and influence, but meanwhile, the family’s decadence is already nearly shattered during the housewarming dinner in the first chapter. Very German it does not collapse with a thunderous roar, but very orderly piece by piece. It's also very dull (German, you know), but it's fascinating. A bit like My Brilliant Friend I guess... so maybe I should like that book a bit more...
Thyroid update, apparently everything is "normal" but I don't feel right so we're repeating the tests in a month to see if it's stable. Other than that I had a lovely long weekend, visited Exbury Gardens, hung out at the beach and generally enjoyed being outside in the sun. Today it is raining again.Also just released an army of ladybird larvae (native species of course) into my garden so they can eat all the aphids. I hope they enjoy the buffet!
Finished:
The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid for mostly set outdoors. I loved the Hungarian inspired mythology in this one, it's a slow burn but enjoyed it a lot more than the other wolfy woods fantasy out this summer.
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé for spade on the cover. The only two black kids in a prestigious private school start being targeted by an anonymous texter, spilling their secrets. This was pretty tense, I didn't especially like the characters but I felt I wanted justice for them and was angry at what was done to them, so I'd say it;s a strong debut.
Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry for ATY (racism/race relations). Oddly this had a few things in common with Ace of Spades but completely the opposite tone! Quinn loves writing lists in her journal, until the day she loses it and it falls into the hands of a blackmailer. If she doesn't complete her to-do list, her other lists will be leaked too. Lots of fun, read it at record speed, but also sneaks in a few lessons on race.
Currently reading The Swallowed Man and listening to Arsenic and Adobo.
PS: 29/50 | ATY: 29/52 | GR: 63/100
QOTW:
I don't read many pre-1950s books... but if I can sneak in a slightly later book I think John Wyndham's Trouble with Lichen is underrated. Basically a young female scientist discovers a genuine anti-aging chemical, extending life expectancy by centuries. But instead of sharing it with the world, she shares it as a beauty treatment, and none of the male-dominated science take any notice of it, whilst a small group of women gain power through their longer life spans, no longer tied to the biological clock. For 1960s science fiction it is surprisingly feminist!
Ack, this week has been a horror, and we haven't even got to the worse bit yet (that's tomorrow)! So let's just think about books for a while, shall we? :)Finished:
The Endless Beach for A book set in a restaurant. Kind of a tenuous fill for the prompt, but the main character does own a cafe, and several scenes are set in it, so I'm counting it! Also, I keep giving Jenny Colgan's books only 2 stars, and yet I keep going back for more...huh.
Educated for A book everyone seems to have read but you. I certainly see it mentioned a lot on this ŷ group! It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it was a very interesting read.
Haven't started anything new yet, but I think it's going to be The Hunting Party next, for A locked-room mystery.
QOTW:
Another vote for The Tenant of Wildfell Hall! Jane Eyre is my favourite Bronte (and one of my favourite books), but I also really liked TTOWH. Wuthering Heights, on the other hand...
For children's literature, Swallows and Amazons and its sequels should be read by all kids!
Hi all! It's been weeks since my last checkin, but I've been busy! New job (yayy!), visiting parents, visiting the beach, taking art classes. I've gone a little post-Covid nuts and decided to do everything all at once, I guess! Also still waiting (and hoping) to hear back from a literary agent who requested my full manuscript. I've got a huge list of other agents I ought to query, but it's daunting and the thought of doing so makes me want to crawl under a rock and live with the mole people.Since my last checkin (maybe three weeks ago??) I finished:
Lock Every Door by Riley Sager. Quite messed up, but I loved it.
House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland. Also loved this, also very dark and strange.
Impostor Syndrome by Kathy Wang. Different from my usual fare, but I enjoyed it.
DNF'd The Space Between Worlds and Emma in the Night.
Still plugging away at A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. It's very enjoyable, but I did switch to audio so I could listen to it on my long drives this past week.
Also on audio, Fathoms: The World in the Whale by Rebecca Giggs. I love whales.
And currently reading Burial Rites by Hannah Kent for a place I'd like to visit (Iceland), The Lottery and Other Stories by my all-time favorite author Shirley Jackson, and Home Before Dark by Riley Sager for my random TBR book.
QotW
Even though everyone knows Shirley Jackson for The Haunting of Hill House, I'd recommend her other, less well-known works. The Bird's Nest in particular.
No prompts this week, I usually do from most to least enjoyed but I really enjoyed all these books.Things We Lost to the Water by Eric Nguyen. Follows the lives of a mother and her two sons, all refugees from Vietnam. Beautiful book but I felt like it was a bit shallow. Like, I would have loved a lot more time with the sons.
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides. Thriller. Dead girl on campus, an aunt comes to support her niece as the dead girl was a friend. Enjoyable. I didn't hate the twist at the end and I so often hate the twist.
House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland. YA. Three girls go missing for a month when they are kids and return with odd abilities. Fast forward 10 years, and the oldest sister goes missing again. I really enjoyed the atmosphere created with this book and I would've given it four stars if not for the epilogue which I felt was unnecessary and took away from an emotional moment earlier in the book.
Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimede. YA thriller. Get Out meetsGossip Girl or Elite. I felt like the ending was a bit rushed but I loved this book. Would watch a series.
Today is my birthday and I'm still shocked to make it this far and that it's already almost summerOnly read one book for a prompt. A book by a blogger, vlogger, YouTube video creator, or other online personality, I read I Love My Computer Because My Friends Live in It: Stories from an Online Life by Jess Kimball Leslie A friend sent me this as an early present.
Honestly it started out great with a lot of 90s nostalgia and humor but by the time she's working setting up big companies on Twitter it's more mean and boring. I still don't know who she is as a blogger and I don't feel motivated to find out. Honestly this was a prompt I couldn't have cared less about.
QOTW Honestly I have no idea. Most of what I do like from that time period would be very well known so I'll just go with anything by Agatha Christie or maybe Ngaio Marsh two queens of mystery
I am still reading the same books as last week.Question of the Week:
It's hard to say what any well-read person has read, but here are some 1950 or before classics that I recommend.
Hercule Poirot's Christmas
I, Robot
Around the World in Eighty Days
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Another week down, can't believe the year is almost half over. I didn't finish anything - though not for lack of trying.
I have been catching up on The Handmaid's Tale (TV series) in time for the finale that aired earlier this week (it did not disappoint). Every other free moment has been devoted to The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. It is a quick read but every time I sit down to read it I get interrupted or something happens. I have less than 100 pages left so should finish by the weekend. Definitely a favorite for 2021.
Also started the Audiobook for Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal. I haven't been able to concentrate on Audiobooks for a few months now. I end up missing parts and zoning out so I don't give them proper attention. This books seems light and fun and I want to pay attention to the story. Hopefully my focus is back.
QOTW:
This might be an unpopular opinion but I rarely like books that were written pre-1950. It's just not my go-to and I like more contemporary books that I feel I can identify with. I have never read anything by Jane Austen and only read one book by a Bronte ( Wuthering Heights - which I loved).
I didn't read Animal Farm in high school - but I did read it last year for the challenge and it was really good. It is as applicable today as it was in the 1940s-1950s. I also enjoyed Rebecca but I read that last year as well. I am sure there many good books out there from the pre-1950s but I am not as apt to read those because so many new books are published every month.
Cornerofmadness wrote: "Today is my birthday and I'm still shocked to make it this far and that it's already almost summerHappy Birthday!
Nadine wrote: "So many of you read Ace of Spades this week!!!"Haha I am currently reading Ace of Spades!
I'm on break at work but feel compelled to throw in a title for the QOTW: The Red House Mystery by Pooh author A.A. Milne is just delightful. Bonus, it's an actual locked room mystery.
Hi all! My doctor has cleared me to go back to work next week. I'm freaking out more than a little. I've gotten used to being at home and not having to go out into the "real world". The last time I tried to go back to work, my health tanked. I think I will join Elaine under the rock with the mole people! But I'm lucky to have a job to return to after all this time, and I have to give it a shot to see how I do. And think positive. And all that crap. lolThis week I finished Dear Martin. I think I'll use it for BLM book. It was great! If you're on the fence about reading it, get off the fence, and do it! So intense, so powerful, and raises so many thought-provoking questions!
I am SO glad I'm not the only one who went grabby hands at the library (or wherever you get your books) and have FAR too many out and started and staring at me!! What's the opposite of a reading slump? And with me returning to work, I know I'm not going to get to most of these before they're due back at the library.
I am currently reading:
A Town Like Alice, I'll probably use it for multiple countries
The Wichita Divide: The Murder of Dr. George Tiller, the Battle over Abortion, and the New American Civil War something broken on the cover
The Hypnotist might work for art or artist
Annabel not sure yet, but works for pride month
Burn Baby Burn song title
The Golem and the Jinni magical realism
On Beauty Women's prize
And my hold just came in for Yellow Wife which I will need to start because it has more holds on it, so I won't be able to renew it!
Gah! What have I done??
QOTW: Oh, I love this! I'm looking forward to other people's answers to guide some of my classic reading!
I loved The Painted Veil. The characters bring out the worst in each other which makes for a great read!
Cry, the Beloved Country, good book on fathers and sons and racism.
If you need a book on forgetting, I'd recommend The Return of the Soldier. It's a really hidden gem classic. The author, Rebecca West was one of the most popular of the early 20th century, but I don't think her books are well known now. This one is short, but the final line of the book is devastating, and it sticks with me at least 10 years after I read it.
And my currently reading book A Town Like Alice has been good so far and has rave reviews, it was published in 1950.
Nadine wrote: "It's summer (almost)! This is the last full week of school here for my kids. Next Friday my older daughter graduates from high school! (Gasp!) What they say about time going so fast is true...."
CONGRATS to your daughter!! Is she going to college?
I wanted to get Nightwood (more grabby hands) but it wasn't in at the library. Good to know it's weird ahead of time.
Cornerofmadness wrote: "Today is my birthday and I'm still shocked to make it this far and that it's already almost summerOnly read one book for a prompt. A book by a blogger, vlogger, YouTube video creator, or other on..."
Happy Birthday! Enjoy!!
Shannon wrote: "Not much to report on this week! I've been working with a GI to figure out why I get sick very randomly--we did an endoscopy and a CT scan (to check for inner ear problems) and apparently I'm perfe..."That sounds awful! I had a client once who had that problem. In her, it turned out she had a super sensitive gag reflex and then had acid reflux, so when the acid came up it triggered the gag.... She treated the acid and it helped a lot. Hope you find relief!
Ellie wrote: "Thyroid update, apparently everything is "normal" but I don't feel right so we're repeating the tests in a month to see if it's stable. Other than that I had a lovely long weekend, visited Exbury G..."
You, too. It's so hard when you know something's not right but the doctor's declare you're fine. I hope you find relief, too. And keep on the doctors!
Cornerofmadness wrote: "Today is my birthday and I'm still shocked to make it this far and that it's already almost summer..."Happy birthday!!
Mod
I hope you get to take it slow. I am on a "one week home / one week in the office" schedule right now, and working in the office is EXHAUSTING and I just want to crawl into bed and nap when I get home!! I'm finishing a week in the office now, and I'm WFH again next week and hooray!
Mod
..."
CONGRATS to your daughter!! Is she going to college?"
Yes! She'll be down at Binghamton. I'm going to miss her so much and I'm really glad she'll be so close, so she can come home for every break. Her younger sister is already making plans to sleep over in the dorm haha! (of course this plan will need to be approved by the roommate, too, but her roommate is her best friend that we've known for years)
Mod
Only read one book for a prompt. A book by a blogger, vlogger, YouTube video creator, or other on..."
happy birthday!! have a lovely day
Nadine wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! My doctor has cleared me to go back to work next week. I'm freaking out more than a little. I've gotten used to being at home and not having to go out into the "real worl..."Thanks! I spoke to my boss earlier this week and she is going to make me take it slower than last time. Which was pretty slow IMO, so we'll see if that helps this time or not. We're still doing telephone visits with clients as much as possible, so I'm sure I'll be allowed to work from home as needed, which will be nice. But I know I'm less productive from home, so I gotta be careful about not abusing it and falling behind! It's all an experiment!
Binghamton's not far at all! I went from NY to Maine!
37/50Yesterday, I spent some time mucking around with one of the templates for a cover collage when you complete the challenge. My conclusion was that it would take way too much time and effort. Kudos to those who have perhaps found a more streamlined way to approach it!
Finished: My Ántonia I enjoyed this one pretty well.
The Sound of Stars Using for Afro-futurist prompt. This one had a lot of elements I like: music, a secret library, a demi-ace characterm. The confusing thing at the end was I couldn't tell if there is going to be a sequel or not. It felt like a start rather than an end.
Instructions for Dancing I enjoyed this one, but it was also hard to read as its theme was how every relationships is ultimately doomed.
Started: The House in the Cerulean Sea Y'all have suckered me into reading this one!
The Heart of Learning
Rethinking School: How to Take Charge of Your Child's Education
My Heart and Other Black Holes Yikes! This one is heavy.
Qotw: I don't know if this is really under-read, but it might not always be considered a classic. The one that came to mind is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Hi! Life has been very busy and I have done fairly minimal reading. I did get two books finished this week: The Afrominimalist's Guide to Living with Less: it was ok; some good points in there about breaking the cycle of over-consuming, but I felt like it got repetitive
The Dive: The Untold Story of the World's Deepest Submarine Rescue: Thriller-y nonfiction about a very difficult rescue of two men trapped in a sunken submarine; excellent.
QOTW: I end up reading a lot of lesser-known stuff. Some older gems I've really enjoyed:
Murder of a Lady: locked room mystery in a scottish castle
The Red House Mystery: did you know the author of Winnie-the-Pooh wrote a murder mystery? now you know. (kinda sad he never wrote more honestly)
A Man Lay Dead: As a fan of Agatha Christie, I can't believe how long it took me to discover Ngaio Marsh
Cornerofmadness wrote: "Today is my birthday and I'm still shocked to make it this far and that it's already almost summerOnly read one book for a prompt. A book by a blogger, vlogger, YouTube video creator, or other on..."
Happy Birthday! I hope it's a great one!
Jennifer W wrote: "That sounds awful! I had a client once who had that problem. In her, it turned out she had a super sensitive gag reflex and then had acid reflux, so when the acid came up it triggered the gag.... She treated the acid and it helped a lot. Hope you find relief!"Thank you! I know it's not the doctor's fault that the tests are coming back normal, but everything is so insanely expensive--I hate that I've paid all this money to find out that I'm fine! But, at least I didn't have a brain tumor or anything. I imagine it'll just be a thing where we treat the symptom because we don't know what's causing it.
I'm really glad your friend was able to figure out a treatment that worked for her! A sensitive gag reflex sounds really rough to live with.
We treated my acid but it didn't stop the vomiting, unfortunately. :(
Howdy folks! Can't believe we are in mid-June already. Remember how slowly time passed last year at this time? Ah, signs of activities and such returning in full!Stlll holding at 31 or 32/50 for PS. My reading has been directed elsewhere for a bit. For example, I finally read the last book I needed to finish 2020 SUMMER PS! Oy, I had too much going on last year ... pandemic did not mean slower times for me except socially. Work tripled and my reading was taken up with finishing Proust then reading Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita.
Finished:
The Left Hand of Darkness - this month's pick for Feminerdy Book Club - none of us particularly liked it, though led to a lot of discussion. This is considered Ursula LeGuin's most groundbreaking and often beloved SciFi - definitely a classic! Glad I read it but I am unlikely to wander away from her Earthsea series again.
By Break of Day and The Complete Night Stalkers 5E Stories - Buchman's final book and stories for the Night Stalker special ops/black ops romantic thrillers. I have so enjoyed this series - although there are still some in the series and it's side series I have not yet read. Nor have I read his current thriller series although I will do so. If you are looking for a romantic thriller writer who puts strong kick ass women at the center of the action, this is an author to read.
Currently reading:
How Much of These Hills Is Gold
The Mysterious Benedict Society
Target of the Heart
QOTW: I'm going to go all over the place here - I am a big fan of classics and vintage lit, including genre reading. And even extremely well known authors are overlooked by the 'younger' generations now. It's like classic movies - how many times have you suggested to a teen or 20-something they watch Casablanca or It's a Wonderful Life and you get - "but it's in B&W!"
Villette by Charlotte Brontë - a young women goes to Belgium to work for a family and make her own way in life rather than live off extended family in gentile poverty in England. Make sure you get a copy that provides translations of the extensive French conversation included.
Bleak House by Charles Dickens - frankly, any Dickens will do but this one is a brilliant satire on the law and just how the only winners are the lawyers. [full disclosure - I am a lawyer]. Also, A Tale of Two Cities and the French Revolution.
Frederica and Venetia by Georgette Heyer - find out just exactly how the regency romance started - and the great humor and charm of Heyer's writing. I re-read these more often than Jane Austen.
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins - considered the first real detective story ever written.
Madame Bovary - by Gustave Flaubert - especially this 2010 translation by Lydia Davis -- such a memorable book.
The Innocents Abroad - by Mark Twain - Twain skewers American's abroad with his signature wit and satire.
Death in Venice by Thomas Mann- a novella and a perfect gem which gives you the power and brilliance of Mann without having to commit to a long work. You will never think of Lido Beach in Venice as innocently as before.
Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne - such a wonderful adventure story!
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson - another great adventure story
Hello all! I'm making progress on a bunch of books but haven't finished many lately. That's okay, though, because my early reading put me way ahead so I can take my time. :-)Finished this week:
Rob Roy (published anonymously): What the heck even WAS that book? Can someone explain to me how Scott dared, literally DARED to title the book Rob Roy when he was at best a secondary character?? I wanted to read something about adventures and Scottish liberation and derring-do, and I got a story about a boring posh boy whose biggest problem is that maybe his dad's business will have some problems and they'll be a bit less rich. Also, there's a pretty lady about with a Terrible Mystery that could be solved with one (1) direct conversation. The main character doesn't even participate in any of the adventures; he literally watches from a coach when the main action gets resolved! (I avoided a spoiler there as though there's any suspense, which there isn't.) I will say, though, that the absolute precision with which Walter Scott avoided having his protagonist do anything at all interesting was impressive, and it kept me hate reading to the end.
Currently reading:
White Teeth: I read the first half of this book years ago but had to return it to the library. I finally am getting around to rereading it, and I am loving it. I have no idea why it took me this long to return to it.
Six of Crows: Liking this more than the original Grisha trilogy, though the "ooh I'm a witch hunter but I'm conflicted because I'm in love with a dirty witch I want to murder" plotline can walk off a bridge.
Waistcoats & Weaponry: A fun audiobook!
QOTW: I love a hidden gem! My favorite to recommend is Broad and Alien is the World about the indigenous oppression in Peru. It's gorgeous, but be warned also heartbreaking. For a more comforting read, I also love Cranford. It pokes fun at people, but in the most loving, gentle way, and makes me want to be a kinder person. Finally, it's not really hidden, but I know some people avoid it: The Satanic Verses. It's so vivid, and so alive!
Hello! It's still hot, but not as hot. Saturday might be actually pleasant. I had my first in person social event on Tuesday, book club in a friend's backyard. I did manage to partake in the food sharing potluck of book club, but also kept my mask on the whole time when I wasn't eating. Baby steps.Finished this Week:
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. I saw the movie last summer, and finally got around to reading the book. They're both very powerful. The movie mostly only covers Walter McMillian and his case, and ends when he gets out of jail. The book goes farther and covers Walter's life post-prison, as well as the author's other cases, especially people sentenced as minors to life in prison. I wasn't aware of the author's work in that sector, and I found that very interesting. Five stars, using for #34, a social justice issue (wrongful imprisonment, the death penalty, incarceration and race). Would also work for #20, on a Black Lives Matter reading list.
Sweet Texas Kiss by Rebecca Sinclair. I was feeling down on Monday, and all my books are about weighty topics, so I picked one of my favorite historical romances off my bookshelf and raced through it. Still fun. After, I looked up when the Sears catalog first came out, and decided this book must have been set in the 1890s, much later than I'd always assumed. Reread, not for prompt.
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang. Reread of book 1 so I can finally read books 2 and 3. I saw a review that said this book had three books' worth of plot, and I agree. I think that's my main problem with it - there's so much going on that I would have enjoyed a whole plot of just Rin at school. Reread, not for prompt.
Strange Attractors by William Sleator. My husband and I watched the new episode of Loki last night, and all the talk about timelines and branches and chaos reminded me of this book. I first read it when my sixth grade teacher suggested this author to me. You may know William Sleator as the author of Interstellar Pig or House of Stairs. He wrote a lot of middle grade/YA science fiction, and it seemed like I read them all. This one is about time travel, and fanny packs play a large role. I checked this book out so many times from the library in middle and high school, although the library's copy was the hardback with the far superior cover art. I still like it, although it hits differently now that I'm an adult. It was probably one of the formative books that made me love time travel as a genre. Not for prompt.
Paperback cover:
Hardback cover:
PS: 30/50 RH: 8/24 RW: 14/28 ATY: 37/52 GR: 77/150
Currently Reading:
The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang. About a third of the way through. Interesting so far.
The Chaos of Empire: The British Raj and the Conquest of India by Jon Wilson. Made it to chapter three. I think chapter one was just exceptionally boring.
Stonewall by Martin Duberman. Read the first chapter, but got sidetracked by other things. Now it's the next one due, so I'll probably tackle it here shortly.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Got sidetracked by library books that are due and haven't returned to this one. Will pick it back up eventually.
Up Next:
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang. Last book in the trilogy. Due back to the library in 10 days.
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie. I had marked this to be my locked room mystery. I heard it's only a closed circle mystery, but I still want to read it.
Something happy that's to-be-determined. Thinking maybe it's time for a Murderbot reread.
QOTW: What "hidden gem" classics would you recommend to a well-read person? (For the purpose of this discussion, let's say a "classic" is a book published before 1950.)
I don't read many classics if we're defining it as before 1950. Most of what I've read from prior to then is a well-established classic, from authors like Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Edith Wharton, Agatha Christie. I do have The House Without a Key by Earl Derr Biggers checked out from the library right now. It was published in 1925, but I haven't started it yet, so I don't know if it's good.
I also love Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes. It's a Newbery winner that I read it in school, so I would consider it a well-known classic. Plus it's referenced on the Simpsons. ("They should call this book Johnny Deformed!")
Oh, one more true hidden gem: The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope - ghost story set in 1930s that takes you back to Tge American Revolution and a doomed romance.
Mod
Question of the Week:
What "hidden gem" classics would you recommend to a well-read person? (For the purpose of this discussion, let's say a "classic" is a book published before 1950.)
Ooohhh! Good question! This is a bit challenging for me. And published before 1950. Hmmm� Super-glad you limited this to before 1950! Otherwise there would have been sooooo many more! LOL 😉
The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens. I started reading this for a read-along on my blog years ago prior to my knee-joint replacements and never did finish it. However, having never read any other Dickens novels, I found this to be quite ridiculous AND entertaining!
What Katy Did (Carr Family #1) by Susan Coolidge was cute! A bit “too-good-to-be-true� as you might expect of a juvenile book published in 1872, but well done, IMO. I have yet to read any others in the series, but plan to do so…eventually!
I read The Magnificent Ambersons (The Growth Trilogy #2) by Booth Tarkington 8 years ago for our campus book club. My review probably says it best. It was both a character study as well as a treatise on society at the time, though much of that is still pertinent in our world today, IMO. And that reminds me that I had ordered via telephone from Half Price Books what I thought was The Turmoil (The Growth Trilogy #1) and it was the wrong book! I guess I never did follow-up to continue reading these books� *hunched over laptop searching favorite book-ordering websites now* LOL 🙄😊
I enjoyed Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (A reread after 50+ years!) so much that I now own Little Men and Jo's Boys and am hoping to read them yet this year�
I read and loved Theodore Dreiser’s An American Tragedy when I was 16 and recently acquired a copy of Sister Carrie to read. I do plan a reread of AAT soon as well�
I started reading Freckles by Gene Stratton-Porter several years ago, put it down, and have yet to return to it. The writing felt very stilted to me and rather boring. I do plan to retry it at some point in time. Porter was my former mother-in-law’s favorite writer.
The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher was a very good read, IMO! Definitely want to read more of her books.
Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kästner was adorable! I have yet to read the second one, Emil And The Three Twins.
They Were Sisters by Dorothy Whipple was well-written, though rather depressing, IMO. I definitely want to read more of her books.
There is one I would warn you about: The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket and Related Tales by Edgar Allan Poe. I read this many years ago for a literature course and was appalled. I thought it was boring and awful! I was certainly glad this was the only novel Poe published� 😊
Popsugar: 37/50
ATY: 47/52
RHC: 10/24
Reading Women: 10/28
Only two books finished this week, but I also made significant progress on The Thursday Murder Club and How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.
FINISHED:
Along Came a Spider (Alex Cross #1) by James Patterson ⭐⭐⭐⭐� was good. I would have appreciated a bit more characterization, though I feel I somewhat know Alex Cross. I sincerely hope not every book in this series will take the reader inside the mind of the criminal. I do not appreciate that trope overall, though I wanted to read this series from the beginning. I’ll definitely read the second installment and probably at least the third since I own the first 3! 😊 There was a lot of action and twists and turns which worked for me overall.
POPSUGAR: #4, #18-“dirty cops,� #27, #29-US and South American country in the Andes, #30-Washington, DC and South America, #33, #34-mixed-race couples, unethical/criminal law enforcement officials, political machinations, #38-Alex is a musician/pianist, #39, #46, #47-I read and loved Alex Cross’s Trial (Alex Cross #15) at least 5 years ago and wanted to read the series through in sequence
ATY: #1-The beginning of a series, #3-Maggie Rose was trying to keep memories of her life alive in her head during captivity, #10-Jezzie, #20-Alex’s future looks to remain the same after all, #24-mixed-race couple, #27-Justice, Death, Temperance, Judgement, The World, #30, #31, #34, #35-partially set in South America, #42
RHC: #1-Uncertain just how grisly it might be�
Dear Martin by Nic Stone deserves 10 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!! I will definitely be purchasing and reading anything and everything Nic Stone writes! This is a must-read for any “white�/Caucasian person, IMO! This is what it is like to be dark-skinned, but especially if you appear to be of African descent. It is not pretty. It is not fair. It is not just. In no way does it resemble equity. But it is the reality of life in the US. So glad I read it and am now familiar with Stone’s writing. I read it easily in a few hours. I felt as if I absorbed it. I hope I did. We all need a dose of constant discrimination so we can not only sympathize, but empathize as much as possible with others� life experiences in this country that is “supposed� to afford equal opportunity to all.
POPSUGAR: #18-Social justice, racial profiling, prejudice/discrimination, microaggressions, NEW #20, #21-Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Social Justice, Young Adult, #27, 34-racial profiling, equitable criminal charges and sentencing, #37, #46, #47-Books depicting social injustice
ATY: #1-In the beginning Jus believes he will never experience racial profiling, unjust arrest, etc., #6, #19-the present portends what Jus’s future will be�, #23-Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Social Justice, Young Adult, #24, #27-Strength, Justice, Death, Temperance, Judgement, The World, #34, #41, #49
CONTINUING:
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman for a buddy read. I am finding this quite humorous. Most of the others doing this buddy read were not amused and didn’t enjoy it overall. I’m thinking this may be due to my “advanced life experience”…as in “old age�! LOL Anxious to finish it and see what I think.
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence
The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois
PLANNED:
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson for my favorite used bookstore’s book club meeting this coming Sunday! This is a YA and I’m sure it will read quickly, so will plan to read it on Saturday/Sunday morning. I've never been attracted Sanderson's adult books, so we'll see about this one!
I do have 2 other buddy reads for June: Origin (Robert Langdon #5) by Dan Brown and Moonflower Murders (Susan Ryeland #2) by Anthony Horowitz. Unfortunately, it seems no one else is reading one of these and only one other person is reading the other one! Perhaps I am not alone in over-committing to buddy reads, book clubs, etc! LOL 😊
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
Eva Luna by Isabel Allende to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #26 A book written by Isabel Allende.
Paradise by Toni Morrison to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #25 A book written by Toni Morrison.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. Excellent so far!
Mod
Theresa wrote: "And even extremely well known authors are overlooked by the 'younger' generations now. It's like classic movies - how many times have you suggested to a teen or 20-something they watch Casablanca or It's a Wonderful Life and you get - "but it's in B&W!"I die a little inside every time I hear, "Who's Danny Kaye?"
Knife in the heart, I tell ya.
We officially finished the school year today - hoorah! This marks the end of my 13th year of teaching. It has been a crazy year, so I'm ready for summer break! The only book I finished this week, in between writing report cards and finishing grades, was American Dirt for prompt 39.
I have started Underground: A Human History of the Worlds Beneath Our Feet for prompt #18 - a subject I am passionate about. I love urban history and learning more about how our day to day lives are made possible by forces we don't directly see or even interact with on a daily basis [in some of the cases].
QofW
I wholly agree that The Tenant of Wildfell Hall should be more widely read. Wuthering Heights & Jane Eyre get all the excitement.
I also think that Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë should get more recognition. Of the three sisters, I think she dug more into the pretensions of the upper classes and wrote books that exposed their hypocrisy and the reality of life as a Victorian woman.
Jane Austen's Mansfield Park often gets left behind, but I think it's one of her more masterful pieces, in some way. She gets at some of the grittier parts of her society.
I really enjoyed Edith Wharton's The Buccaneers - it's unfinished by Wharton, but it was completed later on by another author. The story of nearly-broke British gents marrying into 'American royalty' was the scene of the times. There's a pretty good serial movie adaptation of it.
I had a high school teacher who loved anything by Thomas Hardy, so we read Tess of the d'Ubervilles and The Mayor of Casterbridge. I like Thomas Hardy as an author, but not sure if I'll get back into reading his books very soon.
And, on a strange note, I once had a copy of The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary [not Satanic in any way] but more of a tongue-in-cheek, almost bitter-old-man, very funny dictionary written by Ambrose Bierce, I loved his short story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge - and the rest of his short stories are good as well. His life ended in a mysterious death ... ultimate spooky writer. If you like Wilkie Collins, I think you'd like Ambrose Bierce.
For poetry, I love Edna St. Vincent Millay. I think she's really underrated, but her poetry is bright, fabulous, and the original 'girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do' poster child. I also fell in love with Tagore, Rabindranath's poetry. Beautiful, Shakespearean in style, dreamy.
Alright, English lit major here. I could go on and on ... but these are my most underrated books/authors/poets.
I finished one book this week, which worked for a different reading challenge I'm working on but not this one. I'm still at 16/40 and 2/10 for this challenge and 34/100 for my overall ŷ Reading Challenge. Finished:
* Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong
Currently Reading:
* Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor, which is one of my book club's picks for this month. I'm enjoying it quite a bit but need to finish it ASAP. My other book club's discussing a book I read earlier this year (The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration), so at least I have that one finished :) Looking forward to discussing both!
* Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala, which I plan to use for the restaurant prompt. I've only read the first chapter since I've been focusing on the book club read but think I'm going to like it.
QotW:
What "hidden gem" classics would you recommend to a well-read person? (For the purpose of this discussion, let's say a "classic" is a book published before 1950.) After scrolling through my "classics" shelf, I'd say:
* Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles, which was first published in 1931. I stumbled upon this in a used bookstore and decided to give it a shot. I was hooked from the opening line and found it darkly delicious!
* Passing by Nella Larsen, which is a classic from the Harlem Renaissance. Despite its brevity, it packed a punch and explored deep themes. The writing felt contemporary despite the fact it was published 90+ years ago!
* The Conjure-Man Dies: A Harlem Mystery by Rudolph Fisher, which was originally published in 1932 and is the first detective novel written by an African-American. It was republished earlier this year after being out of print for some time. I've talked about this one before but I can't recommend it enough!
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
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Admin stuff:
The June group read of Dear Martin is going on now! This book gets rave reviews and I haven't read it yet, but I will (someday! maybe this month!). Join the group read discussion here!
We still need a discussion leader for AUGUST - If anyone would like to lead the groupread, let me or Lynn know:
August: Catherine House
And, finally, we have POLLS for NOMINATIONS for Q4 reads!! Everyone loves a poll, right? :-) This is the nomination round, where you can nominate one book that you would like to see in the final round. You can vote for a book that is already on the poll, or you can write-in a book. Past group reads are not eligible. Next week will be the final vote.
October poll
November poll
December poll
This week I finished 3 books, none for this Challenge, so I remain 32/50.
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi - I had resisted reading this book, and in a way I was right, because it's not my kind of book. It's one of those books that breaks you, and that's not my thing. BUT Emezi is such a talented writer that I ended up loving this book, sort of despite myself. I thought it had a touch of magical realism to it, with Vivek's "fugue states" in the beginning, and Vivek's ghost speaking directly to the reader in later chapters. (It's obviously not a spoiler that he dies!)
Nightwood by Djuna Barnes- this postmodern "lesbian classic" was just nutty (and there wasn't nearly enough lesbian relationship in it). I've wanted to read this classic for years, and now I can finally say I read it, but ... I can't say I enjoyed it, or even understood it. I just don't get postmodernism.
(Thanks to the audiobook, I learned that the author's name is not pronounced "dyoona" as I'd been saying all these years, but "joona")
Say Uncle poems by Kay Ryan- woohoo! After being disappointed in book after book of poems this year (by new-to-me poets), I finally went back to an old favorite poet and borrowed a book of Ryan's poems. YES! She never disappoints.
And, you guys, I have SO MANY great books borrowed from the library right now! **SO MANY** I don't know how this happened. I suspend my holds and carefully time and stagger everything, but they all piled up anyway. Clearly, I overestimated how quickly I'd be able to read.
I usually don't mention allll my currently reading and planned reading, but the pile is getting extreme, it's become it's own creature staring at me in my bedroom, and I feel like it deserves a mention.
Currently reading:
Mister Impossible by Maggie Stiefvater (I do not recommend)
We Could Be Heroes by Mike Chen (this is fantastic!)
Eloquence of the Sardine: Extraordinary Encounters Beneath the Sea by Bill François (it's not really that extraordinary)
I Must Be Living Twice: New and Selected Poems by Eileen Myles (not loving this yet)
Will read next:
Razorblade Tears
Borrowed:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
The Survivors
Just Last Night
The Bone Shard Daughter (can somebody tell me why I borrowed this one? I don't remember wanting to read it, but clearly I REALLY wanted to read it, because I put both the ebook and audiobook on hold!)
Avengers Assemble: The Forgeries of Jealousy
The Dating Plan
Everything Leads to You
Jessica Jones: Alias, Vol. 3
They Never Learn
Dial A for Aunties
A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder
The Plotters
What Big Teeth
Bloom
The Deep
My Brother's Husband, Volume 2
Naming Our Destiny: New and Selected Poems
A Pho Love Story
Shipped
Plain Bad Heroines: A Novel
They Called Us Enemy
Meditations in an Emergency
I am legit excited to read EVERY ONE of these! I have no idea how to decide which to pick up next. I'll prioritize by due date, but still ...
Question of the Week
What "hidden gem" classics would you recommend to a well-read person? (For the purpose of this discussion, let's say a "classic" is a book published before 1950.)
After struggling through Nightwood, I started wondering: what hidden gems of the past SHOULD I be reading?
I stuck to books with fewer than 100k ratings, but still, I'm sure some of you have read these (but if you haven't, I recommend them!):
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë - this seems to be getting more popular recently, which is great!
Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith(just makes my cut-off, published in 1950!) - if you like dark psychological thrillers, this is it, this book perfectly describes a downward spiral.
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R.A. Dick- what a DELIGHT this book was!! It felt so contemporary!!
The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne- 20,000 Leagues seems to get all the press, but THIS is my favorite Verne! I read it way back when I was 12. I have never re-read it, but I will someday.
Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola- for fans of Crime & Punishment, who like books about people struggling with guilt and murrrrderrrr. I don't even remember why I chose to read this book, I was looking for an audiobook and I guess it was available. I've never read anything else by Zola, so I don't know how it compares. At first I found it a bit tedious, but it's been a few years since I read it, and it has stayed with me.