Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2022 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 14: 3/31 - 4/7
I fnished A Rope and a Prayer: A Kidnapping from Two Sides as my book from 2 POVs. I read Longshot as my book with a game in the title. I had never heard of that game, much less played it, but it sounds kind of interesting. Anyway, it was OK, but not Dick Francis's best mystery.
I'm about 1/3 of the way through The Moonstone as my book that takes place during the Victorian era. I'm loving it so far.
QOTW: I'm never sure what's YA and what isn't. I read The Riddles of Epsilon last year and once I got into it thought it was pretty good. I think The Book Thief counts as YA. I loved that.
Good morning, everyone!It has been an excellent week for reading! After the conclusion of March Mystery Madness, I thought it was time to take a break from reading mysteries to focus on other genres. I decided to start with some of the newer releases on my TBR list, and was able to check off quite a few titles.
ŷ: 211/200
TBR checklist: 176/1085
Finished Reading:
~Mrs. McGinty's Dead
~The Kaiju Preservation Society � I absolutely loved this book! It’s officially my favorite new release of 2022.
~Foxes in Love: Volume 2
~Creepy Cat, Vol. 2
~Yakuza Lover, Vol. 4
~The Savior's Book Cafe Story in Another World (Manga) Vol. 1
~Came the Mirror & Other Tales
~That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime, Vol. 8
~Little Moments of Love
~The League of Gentlewomen Witches
~Lagoon
Currently Reading:
~Dead Silence
QOTW:
I seem to be reading more middle grade fiction this year, so it’s actually been a couple of months since I read any YA. I did really enjoy Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, by Leigh Bardugo…but I think my favorite YA titles that I’ve read this year have been the books from Kendare Blake's Three Dark Crowns series.
Happy Thursday!So in the course of one week I discover my car needs new struts AND my computer is on a downward spiral and probably needs replaced before I start school this fall. Yaaaay. *sarcasm* Adulting stinks sometimes.
Books read this week:
Radio Silence -- for “a book with a character on the ace spectrum.� Heartbreaking but amazing! Now I want “Universe City� to be a real podcast, haha�
A Whale of the Wild -- for “your favorite prompt from the 2018 PopSugar Challenge (a book with an animal in the title).� I enjoy xenofiction and I love orcas, so this scratched two inches at once. I loved the culture that was established for the orcas, and the world they live in.
The City of Ember -- for “a book with two POVs.� Rather standard middle-grade book, but still interesting enough to make me curious about the sequel.
Wingbearer -- graphic novel, not for the challenge. The story’s pretty good (albeit with a random twist thrown in that feels just there for a twist’s sake), but the artwork is phenomenal! I love it! I could see it being turned into an animated series easily.
Regular Challenge -- 39/46
Advanced Challenge -- 5/10
Not for the challenge -- 16
Currently Reading:
Indistinguishable from Magic -- not for the challenge
My Best Friend's Exorcism -- for “a book set in the �80s�
The Toymakers -- for “book that takes place during a holiday�
Under the Whispering Door -- for “a book with an onomatopoeia in the title�
Leviathan Wakes -- for the advanced prompt “a book with two languages�
QOTW:
Radio Silence was amazing! It's refreshing to get a YA book that doesn't revolve around a romance, and it both broke my heart and put it back together again.
Hi all,Sorry I've kinda disappeared. It wasn't really intentional, it's just been a rough month+. Work's been a disaster, heath hasn't been great, i've been exhausted, sick, migraines got worse ended up going to urgent care and er, got referred to a neurologist, got an MRI. Luckily, i guess, nothing was found. Got on some preventative meds, we'll see how they go. Been fighting off a nasty cold or some other virus for over a month (took a covid test, it was negative). Just haven't had time/energy to keep up. I did try to make a post the other week, but the then my computer crashed and I lost my post and I couldn't bring myself to write it all over again.
It's been so long since I posted, i'm just guessing roughly where i left off.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built - I really loved this, maybe not AS much as the wayfarers series, but i still wanted more as soon as I was over. Can't wait for the next one.
The Ex Hex - cute rom com with witches
How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question - did the audio book for this, really liked it, it was the creator of the good place and most of the main cast joined in for various lines. I thought it did a good job of gathering the main ideas of various moral philosophers through the centuries and breaking their ideas down into manageable chunks for the general populace. I also appreciated that the author acknowledged his own privilege very much, and accepted his own responsibility think harder about his own moral standing due to it more so than those who have less. It doesn't give any hard and fast answers, but i think it gives a lot of good tools for dealing with our world's complicated moral situations.
Firekeeper's Daughter - April books & brew pick, also our library's community read. It was a good book, will be a good discussion next week. It's also set in Michigan, it's always nice to have books to talk about that I recognize some landmarks and things like that.
Day Zero - interesting apocalypse book , kinda reminded me of Calvin and Hobbes with a boy and his tiger robot nanny. It was a bit grim, but I found I got through it ok, because of all imminent apocalypse scenarios, robots are lower on my immediate worries right now.
Beyond the Black Door - Read over in discord book club - This was just kind of ok. I wanted to like it more than I did. Interesting idea, poor execution.
Canto: If I Only Had a Heart, Canto and the Clockwork Fairies, Canto II: The Hollow Men, Canto & the City of Giants, Canto III: Lionhearted - binged through this series really quickly, was sad that it wasn't finished. Next arc doesn't start until summer, boo! It was cute, pulled from the Wizard of Oz, but not following exactly.
Crossover, Vol. 2: The Ten Cent Plague - continues to be weird
The Beautiful Ones - this was my favorite of her books so far! It was just lovely, I loved Nina. Valerie was fun to hate. I don't know, something about it just really captivated me. I liked the elements of telekinesis.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune - this had a lovely dream like fairy tale quality.
Opium and Absinthe - tore through this in a weekend, it was quite good. there was a lot of inspiration from old time medicine cures before more science was involved, so a lot of opium, heroine, etc.
Terminal Alliance - Did the audio book for this, I liked it a lot. It was a fun premies, where the sanitation staff were the only ones on the ship not affected by a virus so they try to save the rest of the crew and figure out what happened. It's more complicated than that, but lots of fun sci fi breakdown of common tropes.
Arsenic and Adobo - another discord book club pick, i was kind of meh on it too. It was fine, i don't think cozy mysteries are really my genre.
Currently reading:
The Wolf and the Woodsman - reminds me a lot of Spinning Silver and The Bear and the Nightingale, liking it so far
QOTW:
I really liked Concrete Rose that I read earlier this year. I sometimes have trouble telling what's YA or not, i just get stuff and read it if it looks interesting. Don't always pay attention what it's classified as.
Happy Thursday!I've been working the 9-5 shift this week (my usual is 7-3) and while I appreciate sleeping in, I miss my afternoons! Especially with having rehearsal at 7, it means I have time to go home, eat, and leave again. Thankfully my supervisor is back tomorrow. Otherwise things are rather uneventful; husband is working away outside, regrading the yard with his front-end loader, happy as a clam. The Yorkshire livestream I keep an eye on (with Cendaquenta) is antsy because several owls and kestrels are sitting on eggs and we're all impatient for them to hatch :D
Book-wise, I tracked down an audiobook of The Silmarillion this week, which hopefully means I'll finish it sooner rather than later... once a handful of other things are out of the way, haha!
Finished:
Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix - 3 stars. Lots of fun! This is the third Remixed Classics book I've read and I'm anxious for more. Found family
The Wheel of Darkness - 3.5 stars. A bit far-fetched even for a Pendergast book, and I didn't like the ship setting; it felt claustrophobic, similar to Murder on the Orient Express. Set on a plane, train, or cruise ship
The Last Laugh - 5 stars. An absolute roller coaster of family secrets, high school shenanigans dialed up to 11, and Poe references a-plenty, and the perfect bookend to The Initial Insult. Duology #2
Act Your Age, Eve Brown - 5 stars. Loved the Brown Sisters trilogy, and as much as I adored Dani, I may have loved Eve even more. Romance novel by a BIPOC author
PS 27/50
Currently:
Skin of the Sea
Best Served Cold
The Silmarillion
Upcoming:
Foundryside reread
Cemetery Dance
The City We Became
The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family
QOTW: What's the last YA book you read and loved?
That would be The Last Laugh, which I devoured in a day and a half. I LOVE when I end up yelling at books and forcing myself to read slowly and not skim so I don't miss anything in all the excitement.
Before that, in 2021 I read and loved So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix, Concrete Rose, and the Dear Martin duology.
Sheri wrote: "Hi all,Sorry I've kinda disappeared. It wasn't really intentional, it's just been a rough month+. Work's been a disaster, heath hasn't been great, i've been exhausted, sick, migraines got worse e..."
So sorry to hear about everything--it sounds like it's be a really tough time for you lately! Sending you lots of good vibes for overall improvement. <3
I got a promotion! I now have "senior" in front of my title--very fancy! My job isn't really changing, I'm just in charge of a bit more communication and running some meetings. It was 100 when I drove home a couple days ago, but now it's back in the 70s. Summer is starting to poke it's nose in the door...I'm not ready for it.
Finished:
Nothing. Again. I'm really disappointed in how little I've been reading--it just feels so hard to find the time, and I have so many things I'm trying to read that it feels overwhelming. Last year I made a weekly trip to a coffee shop so I was intentionally setting aside time for reading, but between trying to save money and suddenly have all my weekends booked up, that's not happening.
Currently Reading:
Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People
Everything Bad is Good for You
Daughter of the Forest
The Real James Herriot: A Memoir of My Father (I don't this can really be considered "currently" because I haven't picked it up in months)
I just started working with a Registered Dietician (yay for hormones interfering with weight!) and she wants me to read Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight. I got it from the library but it's much longer than I anticipated so...I kind of feel like I'm never going to finish another book lol.
QOTW:
So much YA has been dystopian for the last several years, which really isn't my jam, so I don't read nearly as much of it as I used to. I think Daughter of the Forest is considered YA, so I'm reading that now. It looks like the last one I read was Eldest last November. I have some on the docket for this year but we'll see if I ever get around to them!
Mod
It was 100 when I ..."
Congratulations!!
Hi All, I finished four for the week. 1. The Paris Bookseller 3 stars. PS #5 A sapphic book.
2. West with the Night. 4 stars. PS advanced prompt. Two books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities". This book is a sister city to where I live. It is set in Kenya.
3. Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America. 5 stars. The sister to above. There is a problem reading a nonfiction book that is all about the drug epidemic & where the opioid crisis began located where you live & work. Number one I feel so used as a health care worker. Number two it makes me see everything differently.
4. Under the Whispering Door. 5 stars. PS #7. A book with an onomatopoeia. It will also work for #12 A book about the afterlife. I'm not double dipping yet so I used it for #7.
QOTW: I enjoyed A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
Sending *hugs* to you, Sheri. I hope you're feeling better soon. And Shannon, congrats on your promotion!Finishes:
Legends & Lattes - 5 stars - book about a found family. I loved this book. If you've read Becky Chambers' "cozy sci-fi", like the Wanderers series, I get the same vibe from this book. It starts out with the main character -- Viv, an orc warrior -- retiring from her D&D-style adventuring party. She hangs up her sword and moves to the big city to open a coffee shop. It was just a really fun slice-of-life story with low, personal stakes and a hint of romance.
Isn't It Bromantic? - 4 stars - book that features two languages. Somehow, the author took a character ("The Russian", Vlad) who's been mainly jokey comic relief in the previous books and made him the hero of what's probably my favorite book in the series so far. It was really cute and funny. The two main characters frequently speak Russian to each other, although it's mostly translated into English for the reader, there's a little bit left in.
Comics & manga (not for prompts):
Chivalry - 5 stars
Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 18 - 4 stars
Something's Wrong With Us, Vol. 7 - 3 stars
I am currently at 30/50 (27/40 + 3/10) overall for Popsugar.
Currently reading:
Chilling Effect - for a book by a Latinx author. I'm mostly enjoying it so far. This one would also work for the book that features two languages prompt, as there's a ton of Spanish.
QOTW:
I actually read a lot of YA, especially fantasy. I find there are a lot of authors doing interesting things in the YA fantasy and sci-fi space, and a good story is a good story. Although I'm admittedly kind of over the YA fantasy "A ____ of ____ and _____" book-titling trend that's been happening for the last few years.
Not counting comics, I think the last YA I rated five stars was probably Little Thieves, which is a German-inspired fantasy world. This book just hit all my favorite tropes, and I loved the characters and the humor.
Before that, it was probably Cemetery Boys, which is a contemporary paranormal.
25/50Finished: Em & Me read for prompt palindrome title. Someone in this group described this as 'middle reader." It is not. It is adult, from the perspective of the mother. It's good though. You can currently only get it from British booksellers.
Totality and Infinity: An Essay on Exteriority I felt like I didn't get a lot of this, but I'm still glad I read it, since the commentary seemed to distort his main claim.
Started: Kant's Conception of Freedom: A Developmental and Critical Analysis Not sure how much I'm getting out of this one either...
Qotw: Oh man! I read a ton of middle reader, but for YA, I think I'll have to go clear back to June of 2021. I read Instructions for Dancing and The Sound of Stars and enjoyed both. I think Instructions for Dancing could be used for romance novle by a BIPOC author and The Sound of Stars could be used for character on the ace spectrum.
Hi everyone. This week has been cold, windy and raining; it feels like January has returned! Good news: I was offered the job applied for! I'm just working up the courage to push through the anxiety and go for it.This week I finished Cold Hearted. Cinderella is my least favourite princess and I don't tend to read many Cinderella re-tellings but I actually liked this. Lady Tremaine was sympathetically fleshed out as a woman who had been manipulated and abused for years and was taking her anger out on the wrong person. The writer made me actually care about the villain and I was hoping for either a redemption story or a complete descent into villainy but instead the ending was a complete cop out. (view spoiler)
I also finished The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks. These books are just *chef's kiss.* Adrian's anxious, neurotic mind is so similar to my own. It was almost scary at times. I think the actual adventure wasn't quite as fun as Monty's, but Monty was along for this one so it quite made up for it.
Currently reading: Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica's Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night. I am so angry with the commander. He purposely stuck the ship in the ice because he was ashamed to return to Europe a failure. Everything that happened is all on him.
QOTW: Obviously the most recent is The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks (and the other Montague sibling books).
This year I've also enjoyed Gilded, Thorn and The Last Graduate for YA fantasy.
For contemporary YA, I've recently liked Wonderland, Moxie and Bruised
I got a fair amount of reading done.For the prompt A sapphic book i read Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey It wasn't what I thought it would be. Instead it's another dystopic future where women lose all power and are brood mares again and the fight against that.
Not for the challenge I read the novella Darkness Under the Sun by Dean Koontz which was a decent short horror.
And also XO by Jeffery Deaver, a mystery that was all right but forgettable
QOTW
Been reading a ton of YA now that the dystopian fad has faded somewhat.
Anything from the Rick Riordan presents line is pretty darned good most are middle grade but here's one that is full on YA Ballad & Dagger by Daniel José Older. Also from that line there's City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda & Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M. Lee
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
Together We Burn by Isabel Ibañez
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Wings of Ebony by J. Elle
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
all top the list from the last 12 months
Another Thursday! I can't believe it is April already...where does the time go? Spring in the PNW is very odd - pouring down rain/windstorm one night...then 72 degrees...then back to rain....plus the "possibility" of snow this weekend (doubtful). No wonder I have so many jackets!
Finished:
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (A book featuring a parallel reality). This was excellent! I see why some people didn't like it but reading it after experiencing a pandemic first hand was incredible. It was a little hard to follow at times because of the timeline jumping around but the end really pulls it all together.
Continuing:
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro - I haven't decided where to put this yet. I thought it could work for #Ownvoices SFF book but it doesn't really fit (even though it is on the listopia). It is meh for me so far. I don't "dislike" it but it is not grabbing me as much as I thought it would.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (A book with two languages). This will be a top favorite book of all time for me. I love the humor, the science, the hope...all of it. I am not reading it as fast as I would like (will definitely finish this weekend) but part of me feels I don't want it to end so I am reading slower than normal - plus its almost 500 pages so there is that.
QOTW:
I never really read YA until I started doing the PS challenge. But I am finding some really good books:
The Hate You Give
Concrete Rose
Dread Nation
The Inheritance Games
Cinderella Is Dead
One of Us Is Lying
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
I have 15 days left of work before redundancy. I just want it to be over now, I have things I want to be doing that are not work related. I have not been in a reading mood either, so only one finished book to report this week...This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron for review. Why oh why did I not pay attention to how I felt about the ending of the first book?! This was more of that and I thought the whole mythology part was a mess, plus it has major pacing issues. I guess I wanted to know what happened but this put me in a bit of a slump.
QOTW:
My most recent 5 star YA read was The Forevers by Chris Whitaker but that was last year. Most recent YA that I enjoyed plenty (obviously not this week's read) was The Butterfly Assassin by Finn Longman.
Finished:Nothing
QotW:
For Star Wars, it was Lost Stars by Claudia Gray. For regular YA, it was You Owe Me a Murder by Eileen Cook.
Mod
Sorry I've kinda disappeared. It wasn't really intentional, it's just been a rough month+. Work's been a disaster, heath hasn't been great, i've been exhausted, sick, migraines got worse e..."
Ugh. Best wishes with your headaches. I assume you've gotten your eyesight checked, too? When they find nothing wrong, that's like good news / bad news.
It's a rainy Thursday here. Yesterday it got up to 15, but back down to about 5 today.Finished:
Those Who Prey
ATY prompt: A book by an author with two sets of double letters in their name
Popsugar prompt: A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
(a book with a pun in the title)
ATY - 15/52
PS- 12/35
Series - 5/13
Clearing my TBR list: 12/40
Currently reading:
Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah - 50% done
QOTW: Last YA I read is Those Who Prey . Most of my YA has been pretty three star lately.
The series I'm reading and loving is A Wrinkle in Time. The last completed series I really loved was Dash and Lily. My last stand alone YA book that I loved was The Book Thief.
Good Morning!!Works been busy. I processed about 30 nonfiction books as well as getting their bisac headings for when we switch over to it from dewey. Then I will have to scan the older books for same.
I currently have 5 stacks of books looking at me for records. Mostly manga and light novels. Worldcat and I are great friends by now. We've managed to process many a book that has no record in my system.
I've been a good girl and have mostly stayed away from AO3. There were 3 chapter updates that I had to read because there's only 3 chapters left in one story and I couldn't wait to read them. And the other is the male mc's version of a completed story.
I really love the dual perspective books. His and hers pov.
Anyway, I had a pretty good reading week.
Finished:
The Kaiju Preservation Society 5 glorious stars of laughter and dramedy. Finished it this morning as I drank my coffee. I'm using this one for prompt #47 parallel reality.
My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's (Light Novel) Vol. 3 not as good as the first two.
The Love Hypothesis for prompt #22 character on the ace spectrum. Four stars for me. I think I like the fanfic version better, but they are both great. My friend bound the original fanfic for me. So now I have a gorgeous physical copy with a sparkly Erlenmeyer Flask cut out on the cover to put it along side the paperback i will order.
Mama Akuma, Vol. 2 because I can read that was cute and funny. A little girl summons a demon to be a mommy to her. dying of the cuteness!
Reading:
A Venom Dark and Sweet about 79% done with this one. dual pov, which i don't remember the first book having. i could be completely mistaken. Super happy I got this from NetGalley to finish off my duology prompts.
The Complete Maus This one is a book that's read a couple of pages then put it down. I know what's going to happen and I'm prolonging it so I can get the gumption to go to the concentration camp.
As Good As Dead I know. I know. It's been on my reading list for weeks. it's just on an extended break. It keeps looking at me. As do all other library books I have that I haven't read yet. I think they are contemplating my murder.
A Crash of Fate I'm going to pick this one back up after I get Venom out of the way.
Going to read:
How to Date a Superhero my next NetGalley book to finish. I loved the title so I needed to see what this one was about.
QOTW:
I would say Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. Light Novels, Vol. 1 series. They are always funny and quick reads. And definitely The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea. When it only takes me hours to read a book and finish it in one sitting, that's definitely one to mention.
Happy check-in! It's one of those weird days here where the sun shines and it looks beautiful out but it's actually cool. We discovered that someone had been in the back shed last night. The rude person left the door open and didn't take the old scrap lattice. ;) Anyway nothing was taken, insert joke here.
Finished Reading:
In Every Generation ⭐⭐⭐⭐� (2015 From childhood)
A fresh start with the Buffyverse following Willow's teenage daughter Frankie, who suddenly is super strong. The author is clearly a Buffy fan and I'll forgive her for being a Spike/Buffy otp person. The humour in this was spot on. I am very interested in reading other works by Kendare Blake now.
So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y’all Don’t Even Know ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (2015 Memoir)
I surprisingly have a lot in common with Retta. This didn't start so great for me but by the end I was laughing out loud at her stories.
The Phantom of the Opera: The Graphic Novel (Phantom of the Opera ⭐⭐
This was confusing and I didn't like the artwork that much.
Dating Dr. Dil ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (2015 a pick based entirely on it's cover)
I requested this months ago and it came in while my feed kept showing bad reviews for this. All the books I was reading were taking effort to read so I started this because rom-coms are usually pretty easy reads. This was entertaining and had me laughing out loud. I should have read this for bicpoc romance instead of the BOTM.
Currently Reading:
The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Verity
QOTW:
I read lots of ya and the most recent 5 star was this past week.
In Every Generation
I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, The Poet X, and Red, White, and Whole were the best of this year.
It's a rainy Thursday over here, and a busy week overall. I didn't finish any books this week, working both on War Horse (physical book) and The Vanderbilts (ebook).QOTW: I love YA! I've read some good ones in the past month too! Some of my favorites lately:
Radio Silence by Alice Oseman
Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez
I'm Not Dying with You Tonight by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal
Why We Fly by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal
Gray rainy day here in NYC - second in a row. Just as well as I am so busy with work, no time to spend time outside. I am 29/50 in PS Challenge!
Finished:
The House in the Cerulean Sea - read for my Feminerdy Book Club and slotted into gender identity prompt - one of several themes in the book. LOVED this! 5 stars and 5 hears! Very adult book but written in a way accessible to teens -- definitely not a YA book. I was smiling from page 2 and fell deeply irrevocably in love around page 75 - when we first meet the kids. Oh and isn't this just the most beautiful cover!
A Caribbean Mystery - A Miss Marple mystery set in the British West Indies where she is on vacation. I used for prompt double life -- murderer definitely leading a double life!
DoubleBlind by Libby Fischer Hellmann - read because I met author in Chicago a couple weeks ago and it fits prompt for published in 2022 -- in March as a matter of fact! Really excellet detective suspense thriller set in Chicago. Part of a series and I will definitely read the earlier books but it reads just fine as a standalone.
Currently Reading:
I have 2 ongoing readalongs:
The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777
A Clash of Kings
Also reading:
Madame Bovary
Sleep No More: Six Murderous Tales
Passenger to Frankfurt
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
QOTW: Have not read any lately and frankly I'm too old for most of the genre. However, I have been re=reading Harry Potter which of course is YA and it's holding up just fine, totally enjoyable and still rating minimum of 4 stars for me. HP are engaging, complex and sophisticated enough to appeal to those of us who are many decades past the target audience.
Hello! Work projects officially ended yesterday. Today and tomorrow we audit everything, but the 6 weeks of 14 hour days and working weekends are over. Thank goodness. Husband and I went out for all-you-can-eat sushi last night to celebrate.I've done little reading lately, mostly just rereads in the evening to stop thinking about work. But now that everything's done, I un-paused my holds at the library and have three books on the way.
Finished This Week:
Wicked Ugly Bad / Beast in Shining Armor / The Kingpin of Camelot by Cassandra Gannon. Reread of the Kinda Fairytale series. I hadn't reread the first two in a few years (or ever, for book 2) but it was good to read all three again. Not sure if I'm going to finally read book four, Best Knight Ever, because it seemed like a step backward in writing quality after the high of book 3. And it looks like the author still hasn't figured out Ez's story.
Currently Reading:
Appeasement: Chamberlain, Hitler, Churchill, and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie. Picked it back up again. Still in the Tea With Hitler chapter.
Up Next:
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. Got the audiobook from the library. Excited to listen to it and hear all of the names.
QotW: What's the last YA book you read and loved?
I would have to say Raybearer and Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko. Fantasy duology about alternate world Africa. And Redemptor was announced as a Hugo Finalist this morning! (Well, it's a finalist for the Lodestar Award, which is Not a Hugo.)
Nadine - Yeah I go to the eye doctor regularly, and I've been up on anti-glare lenses for a while and last year upgraded to blue blockers as well. And years ago I made sure my at home workspace was ergonomic as a headache-reducing effort. I've had migraines for years, but the last few they've been increasing in frequency. (possibly due to the stresses of everything) .Then i suddenly got a 14 day one that stopped responding to meds. Even the migraine cocktails the urgent care and ER gave me didn't do jack, which is why i got the MRI. I mean the not finding anything is at least positive in that it's not a big tumor or something.
Mod
Works been busy. I processed about 30 nonfiction books as well as getting their bisac headings for when we switch over to it from dewey. Then I will have to scan the older books for..."
what is this? why are you moving away from Dewey? what is Bisac?
Mod
We discovered that someone had been in the back shed last night. The rude person left the door open and didn't take the old scrap lattice ..."
THE NERVE!!
The author is clearly a Buffy fan and I'll forgive her for being a Spike/Buffy otp person.
Hmmm that is hard to forgive though. I DID once read a Spuffy fanfic that was really good, so I'll admit I CAN be okay with them together, but my inner teenager says no.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Mandy wrote: "Good Morning!!Works been busy. I processed about 30 nonfiction books as well as getting their bisac headings for when we switch over to it from dewey. Then I will have to scan the o..."
dewey decimal system isn't as user friendly as it could be. for example, dinosaurs are 567.9. or drawing books or manga 741.5. what kid wants to have to look for numbers when you can use bisac system, which is much easier to find things.
bisac examples (copied from Baker & Taylor)
Dinosaur - JUVENILE NONFICTION / Animals / Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures
drawing - JUVENILE NONFICTION / Art / Drawing
JUVENILE NONFICTION / Animals / Turtles & Tortoises
JUVENILE NONFICTION / Animals / Pets
my hero academia 31 - YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga
YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Comics & Graphic Novels / Action & Adventure
YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Comics & Graphic Novels / Media Tie-In
much easier to find the dinosaur section or drawing section when that's what it says on the box instead of random numbers.
libraries have found that circulation has gone way up with the bisac system.
Mod
Works been busy. I processed about 30 nonfiction books as well as getting their bisac headings for when we switch over to it from dewey. Then I wi..."
How do you find it on the shelf? With Dewey, I just look for the shelf that will hold 567.9. How are the shelves organized now? Are dinosaurs under D for Dinosaur or A for Animal or P for Prehistoric?
It would be listed alphabetically1 Animal
2 Dinosaur
3 author
2 Insect
3 author
2 Mammal
3 author
Good evening!Been a relatively busy last few weeks for me - I've been giving my bedroom a makeover, having a bit of a tea party to celebrate the dog's Gotcha Day (which we're also calling his birthday as we don't know his real DOB), went for an eye test and got new specs - which make things look distorted and wrong-sized so need to go for another appointment... blah, blah, blah.
Oh, and finally got set up on a new laptop, which is great. Some small teething problems but it's working fairly smoothly now. I have a functioning headphone port again! What luxury.
Reading-wise I've been focusing on the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist. I was interested in 6 of the listed books, have so far read 3 of them and in the middle of another. So I'll start with the first of those and this'll be a 2-week-ish checkin.
Build Your House Around My Body - My nigh-immediate reaction to this was "I hope all the Prize books are this interesting!" So many plot threads and timelines, intricately linked and interwoven, with a healthy dose of magical realism - fantastic and fascinating reading experience.
This One Sky Day - Absolutely bonkers but enjoyably so. Read it in one night. Continually laughed out loud whenever anything involving "pum-pums" occurred.
Mothering Sunday - Just alright. Lovely writing. Bit too short for me to digest properly.
A Tale for the Time Being
The Book of Form and Emptiness
Mm. This was my first time trying Ruth Ozeki. Came out of it with very mixed feelings. Loved "Tale", very disappointed in "Book". She can write fabulously, her books are great to read, but the characterisation in "Book" and the narrative focus on a 14-yr-old boy's creepy unrequited love for a 19-yr-old woman bothered me a lot. Especially since all the other characters, including said 19-y.o. woman, treat the relationship as "aww, what a cute little crush" even after he nonconsensually kisses her.
I might read some more of Ozeki's backlist but I think I'll be sceptical of future releases.
The Secret Scripture - Not Sebastian Barry's best work in my opinion, I prefer the Days Without End duology, but beautifully written. I still have The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty on my Kindle TBR and this def made me want to read it sooner rather than later.
The Enchanted April - Ah, it's been a minute since I read a classic. This was just so pleasant. One of those where nothing really happens, plotwise - four strangers rent a holiday home together, have a lovely time, the end. But it was so lovely just to be in that setting, watching the character dynamics. And the early-20th-century banter is something else. Ended up with 67(!) Kindle highlights. Really must seek out more von Arnim.
Currently reading Salt Lick, another Women's Prize longlister. It's great but very slow, and could really have used another pass through copyediting. Lots of cases where the wrong homonym is used - lightening instead of lightning, whose instead of who's, etc. (Direct quote: "This is my daughter, Misha. She's twelve. There's also Amber, whose seven and Bert, who's five.") It's as if Spellcheck was used and then the manuscript was sent right off without proofreading once more. But, the story itself is good enough that I'm willing to overlook typos. Very realistic sort of dystopia, and a pointed commentary on the current state of English politics, and climate change.
QOTW: I almost never read YA, but I picked up Clap When You Land back in January and found it very powerful.
Good morning! I've missed a couple of check-ins due to car break downs and illness, but as I didn't finish reading anything either it seems okay. My car is now fixed, and though I'm not feeling better, I can at least sit at my computer. I finished two books this week, so I'm back into the swing of it.
PopSugar 22/50
Finished
Animal Farm: The Graphic Novel by Odyr and George Orwell. I've read Animal Farm before, so decided to get my hands on the graphic novel version. It's been a long time since I read the original, but I feel like it had a bigger impact than the graphic novel. Still an enjoyable read and the illustrations were beautiful. Oh! To prove how well it fit the prompt, my Mum asked me why I was reading a kid's book. Prompt: Misleading title
The Tiger Queens: the Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Marie Thornton. Somebody in this group recommended this book, and thank you to whoever it was. It was a beautiful book about a history I didn't know much about. I loved looking at all that history from the point of view of the women, as well as the friendships (and found family) they built. Prompt: Book with Tiger in the title
Currently Reading
Nothing. I finished Tiger Queens at 11.30 last night. But Native Tongue is next on my pile.
QOTW
I haven't had much luck with YA this year. There have been plenty I didn't finish. But, I read Dread Nation in February (I think) and enjoyed it. I also have Dreadnought in my kindle to read once I finish all my library books.
I loved The Uglies Trilogy, Nadine. Well worth a read.
Just a short check-in this week since I haven't finished anything and the Nats Opening Day game just started (ah, rain delays making this an Opening Day night game!). I'm almost done with the memoir I'm reading and see a couple of prompts that fit, so I'll have at least one new challenge read completion for the next check-in. I remain at 5/40 and 1/10 for this challenge, and 14/75 for my overall ŷ Reading Challenge.
Finished:
* nada
Currently Reading:
* My Broken Language: A Memoir by Quiara Alegría Hudes -- I've got about 50 pages left and have really enjoyed this one;
* Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin, which is one of my other book club's picks for April; and,
* The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, which I'm hoping to pick up again next week when I have some time off from work.
QotW:
Today (April 7th) is: Celebrate Teen Literature Day
What's the last YA book you read and loved? I don't read a ton of YA, so I had to search a bit but found two that I read pretty close together in late 2020 that I enjoyed and would recommend. Since one is non-fiction and one is fiction, I'll mention both titles! The non-fiction pick is #Notyourprincess: Voices of Native American Women edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale. The fiction pick is With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo.
Hey all! I'm feeling much better than I have in a while. Can you guess why? That's right, I turned in my notice at work. I don't even have another job lined up, and almost no savings. Yeah, I want out of there that much. Thank Goodness that I had something to turn to that made me feel good, and boy howdy have I been clinging to it. I have now watched the entirety of Our Flag Means Death on HBO Max, oh, probably four times now. Plus I've been putting it on when I go to sleep instead of an audiobook. It's starts off silly but as it goes it also gets quite sweet and lovely. Also I think I now have a crush on Blackbeard. 🏳️� 🏴☠�
I think I'm now at 31/50
Finished:
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking - This was nice to listen to while having a bad time in life. Yay.
DNF:
Gallant - Started great but then I didn't care. Not the right time for me.
Women Warriors: An Unexpected History - I got through a lot of this before my mental health went in the bin. I need fuzzier stuff so I'll probably just finish this next March.
Currently Reading:
The Last Chance Library - Nice fit for me this week. Reclusive library assistant opens up her life while trying to save her library from closure. Lots of nice community stuff.
QOTW: What's the last YA book you read and loved?
Ain't Burned All the Bright
I didn't check in last week, and I'm really not prepared to this week, but I had to come and warn you all about this book that I won in a ŷ Giveaway. For the life of me, I do not understand all the 5-star reviews for this book. (It inexplicably has a 4.15 star rating.)The Ex Files (Ocean View, #1) by Morgan Elizabeth
Cassie Reynolds is a matchmaker who interviews prospective male clients by taking them on two dates and looking for red flags... One night her car breaks down on the road, and a super hot guy stops to help. He calls her "sweetheart" before he even knows her name. Red flag. Turns out he's a possible client. They meet for their first date, and he refuses to engage in one of the date's activities. Red flag. So then there's the second date. They end up at her place all hot and heavy, and she thinks "I can’t find the one thing that would turn off this attraction to him. I can’t find a single reason to push him away, protect myself, and ask him to leave." Moments later he says, "You say no and this ends. You say no, I’m out that door, and you won’t have to deal with me again." Red flag! Two pages later they're having sex. He uses the c-word and smacks her on the ass. RED FLAG!
Cassie, sweetheart, I don't think you're very good at your job. �
This won't take long. I read nothing. Didn't even pick up a book, except to move it. ŷ: 28/100
Popsugar: 12/40, 3/10
QOTW:
I haven't read much YA in the past year, it appears. But earlier last year Dear Martin and Dear Justyce by Nic Stone earned 5 stars from me. I still think about them often and recommend them at times.
Congrats, poshpenny, on leaving a job you dislike. Something better will turn up.
Laura wrote: "I didn't check in last week, and I'm really not prepared to this week, but I had to come and warn you all about this book that I won in a ŷ Giveaway. For the life of me, I do not understand..."He sounds dreadful. I have never understood how often this character type ends up as a romantic lead
Happy Thursday. Stats:
Popsugar: 22/50
ATY: 36/75
ATY Reread: 7/52
Wheel of Time: 3/15
Books I finished:
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave ⭐⭐�
Prompt: ATY: A book related to each one of the 22 Tarot Major Arcana cards. (Death)
This was the final book in the series, and I'm not sure I liked how it ended. There were a couple of reveals that I don't think make sense given events of previous books, and then there were a couple of major gut punch moments that were just unnecessary. But now I know how it ends.
Blackbird - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.5 really)
Prompt: ATY: A book related to each one of the 22 Tarot Major Arcana cards. (The High Priestess)
I loved the artwork and the world building, but the more I think back on it, the more I realize how bare bones the plot was. Basically, this was all set up to a bigger story, but it doesn't really hold up as a stand alone story.
The Lives of Saints - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: ATY: A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name.
The artwork was gorgeous, and it was a fun little extra that adds to the grishaverse, but I think The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic was stronger.
Books I made progress on:
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race - It's interesting, but it's a slow read.
Crooked Kingdom
The Westing Game - I haven't read this since high school and I felt like it was time for a reread.
The Shadow Rising
QOTW
Given I've spent most of this week rereading YA books , the question feels weirdly prescient. 😋 But besides those, I would like to give a shout out to Elizabeth Acevedo - I hadn't read anything by her until this year, and now I have to read everything she has written.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday! wow I was SO SURE today was Wednesday! Good thing I checked haha!!
It's a cool rainy spring day here in NY. The cool weather has kept the reticulata irises blooming, but still..."
Really 'cause it is a cold miserably rainy day here...for like the whole week!
Well I haven't had a good reading week. It's saying somethin when as of this morning I had only finished two books and they were books of poetry (not exactly long reads) I think I decided catching up on Criminal Minds was what I really wanted to do.2022 Challenges:
Popsugar: 30/50
ATY: 27/52
A to Z: 21/26
50 States:
2021.....30/50 (Have until end of June)
2022.....10/50
Read Harder: 10/24
ŷ: 63/100
Finished:
3 finished this week, 1 for Popsugar
Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things
AtoZ
Another book of poetry from Amanda Lovelace.
The Mermaid's Voice Returns in This One (Poetry)
Troubles in Paradise
PS#30, ATY#27
Finishing out the trilogy. Not quite as strong as the first two but, still good.
Currently Reading
At First Light
This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate
City of Girls
Burning the Breeze: Three Generations of Women in the American West
On the Backburner
Overdrive
To Make Monsters Out of Girls
The Empress of Salt and Fortune
The Eighth Life
The Secrets We Kept
The Love That Split the World
You Have a Match
Physical Library Rentals
The Rules of Magic
There There
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race
Our Stories, Our Voices: 21 YA Authors Get Real About Injustice, Empowerment, and Growing Up Female in America
Waiting for the Library to Renew
The House of the Spirits
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Under the Wave at Waimea
QOTW:
I haven't been reading too many lately that I rated 5 stars. The last two were The Marrow Thieves and Concrete Rose.
Mod
1 Animal
2 Dinosaur
3 author
2 Insect
3 author
2 Mammal
3 author"
So I look for the shelves for "Animal" and on those shelves there are subcategories (I assume the subcategories are something like: Amphibian / Bird / Dinosaur / Fish / Insect / Mammal / Reptile) and I look for the Dinosaur section, and within that section it's shelved alphabetically by author? There's no further subcategories within Dinosaur like "general" and "sauropod" and "therapod" or whatever?
I'm sure this will make more sense to me once I see it. I did notice that some library books had lists of words on the spine instead of the Dewey decimal numbers, and I wondered what was up with that.
Mod
Been a relatively busy last few weeks for me - I've been giving my bedroom a makeover, having a bit of a tea party to celebrate the dog's Gotcha Day (which we're also calling his birt..."
We celebrate our dog's Gotcha Days too! And we picked a birthday for each of them, so we celebrate their birthday too. We sing Happy Birthday to them on their birthdays and they go nuts because they know it means they are getting something good. The humans get cake and the dogs get a special treat with dinner like chicken liver or fish or meatloaf.
Those books sound interesting. I added Build Your House Around My Body to my TBR.
I hadn't heard of This One Sky Day but when I clicked on it, I discovered it's the book called "Popisho" that I DNF'ed - I could NOT with that book LOL.
Mod
what happens next? We don't have something called "redundancy" here - I am guessing it's the same thing as being laid off? And, since you're in Europe, you probably have a more generous unemployment benefit than we get here, so you're fine for a while before you look for another job?
Mod
I loved The Uglies Trilogy, Nadine. Well worth a read. ..."
I loved Dread Nation!!! Hopefully I'll like Uglies, too. For some reason I associate it with Unwind, which I did not like. I think I get those authors confused, they both have that "est" sound in their last name. I have Dreadnought on my TBR list, to get to someday.
Mod
Wow that's a brave move!! Congratulations on having the strength to leave that behind, and best wishes on finding something better.
QOTW: I am pretty tired of YA at this point but I loved Firekeepers Daughter by Angeline Boulley!
Hi all! I kinda forgot yesterday was Thursday. This weekend is the kiddo's 4th Birthday, but she was exposed to covid at the sitter's this week. So we canceled the kid Birthday party, but are still trying to hold the family party, but it's been a lot of communicating with lots of people and Thursday just slipped past me.However, just before I started posting, I *finally* heard from disability and have been approved through the end of this month. At least it's something. I have a doctor's appointment the first week in May, and depending on that, I may get extended. Given that nothing has changed, I suspect I'll be OK.
I didn't finish anything this week, read some more in The Bluest Eye, A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II and The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls.
QOTW: The last YA book I read was Dear Martin, it was awesome. I don't read as much YA as I used to, I need to get back to it.
Mod
ADMIN STUFF:
I will be finishing up the March discussion over the weekend for The Island of Sea Women. March was incredibly busy for me and then I've been absolutely down and out with no energy to spare. But I did finally get to finish reading it. It's an amazing book, IMO, though it proved a bit difficult for me to push through some of it...due to the senseless murders/mass killings.
Sherri is our “guru guide� for April’s discussion of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson for prompt #26 A book with a misleading title, in honor of April Fools� Day! Thank you, Sherri! I just picked up my copy from the post office this morning! You can post any other book you've read to fulfill this prompt here.
Nadine posted the final selection poll in her initial message for the July monthly group read. I will be very interested to see what wins!
The comprehensive listing of Monthly Group Reads for 2022 is here.
We will need a “vivacious volunteer� to lead June’s monthly group read discussion of Beloved! And as Nadine mentioned--you can always volunteer before the book is selected!
Question of the Week:
Today (April 7th) is: Celebrate Teen Literature Day; What's the last YA book you read and loved?
That’s so cool! I had no idea!
Although it isn’t the most recent YA book I’ve read, Last Night at the Telegraph Club was such an amazing read for me! I can’t imagine ever forgetting it! And my massage therapist is reading it now. I just saw her for a wonderfully relaxing and releasing 90-minute massage and she admitted she hasn't yet finished it. But then as we were talking, she admitted we are probably at opposite extremes when it comes to reading. She only typically read 6-10 pages any time she picks up a book... I had to laugh! I don't consider 6-10 pages to even be a decent start for a reading session! LOL
And the Black Stallion series is very enjoyable to me! I just completed the third installment and plan to continue on� There are 24 books in the series! YAY!!
Jean Webster’s duology (Daddy-Long-Legs and Dear Enemy) is the most recent YA reading I have completed and very enjoyable, IMO! These are both in epistolary format which I enjoy. I hope to read more of her writing.
But I was blown away by Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling and am very anxious to read the first installment in this Life of a Cactus series, Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus. And then I will plan to continue reading any future books in this series!
Popsugar: 30/50
ATY: 41/52
RHC: 12/24
FINISHED:
*The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was unbelievable� I just cannot imagine living through such senseless killings. I realize these actions are still occurring around the world but it just makes my heart hurt. I literally didn’t pick this up for 3 days after getting to a part I knew would describe unprovoked and random murders. I was too exhausted to even contemplate reading it at that time. I thought this was excellently written and will definitely plan to read more of Lisa See’s writing!
POPSUGAR: NEW #3, #9, #25, #31-war/unprovoked murders, #33, #37-In many ways typical gender roles were reversed on Jeju, #38, #40-2016: prompt #37 A culture you’re unfamiliar with, #42, #46-Mi-ja, #48-Mi-ja and Young-sook
ATY: #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): describes Mi-ja and Young-sook’s relationship--Nothing beside remains. Round the decay/Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare, #11, NEW #16-The need to cooperate with nature to retain a sustainable food supply as well as personal safety of the divers, #29, #34-Jung-bu, #35, #36, #40- Strength, Justice, Death, Temperance, The Moon, Judgment, The World, #41, #43, #44, #49, #50
RHC: #22, #24-2017: prompt #14 Read a book about war
*Dear Enemy (Daddy-Long-Legs #2) by Jean Webster ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ is the second half of my duology! I didn’t love this one quite as much as Daddy-Long-Legs, but it was a good read! I particularly enjoy epistolary novels!
POPSUGAR: #9, #25-the good doctor’s wife and daughter, #26, #31-A fire started by a candle, #36, #40-2015: prompt #23 A book published more than 100 years ago (1915), NEW #45, #46-the dear doctor
ATY: #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): Could describe aspects of the doctor and superintendent’s relationship�, #7-The doctor’s wife and daughter, as well as the orphans, #11, #20, #25-213 pages, #31, #33, #34-the orphan asylum also served as a school, for both academics and life, #40- Strength, Justice, Death, Judgment, The World, #41, #43
RHC: #24-2017: prompt #7 Read a book published between 1900 and 1950 (1915)
Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens (Wrexford & Sloane #5) by Andrea Penrose ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is one of the very most enjoyable series I’ve ever read! I just love each and every book, story line, and character! The interpersonal relationships are depicted so precisely! And the mystery is always complex and complicated but makes sense. I also love the bits of real history. And now I must wait for the next installment which is scheduled to release September 27th!
POPSUGAR: #9, #25, #40-2017: prompt #32 A book with an interesting woman, #46-Charlotte and Daggett
ATY: #1-Tyler, #3, #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): we are finally getting to see some public show of passion between Charlotte and Wrexford, #6, #11, #12-the discarded glass was very important evidence, #14-2,404 ratings, #26/27, #29, #33, #35, #37, #40-Strength, Justice, Death, Judgment, The World, #41, #44, #49,
RHC: #24-2020: prompt #3 Read a mystery where the victim is not a woman
CONTINUING:
*Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep. Hoping to finish this over the weekend.
*Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson
*Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.
*Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
*Paradise by Toni Morrison
PLANNED:
1 more for March Buddy Reads:
*London Bridges (Alex Cross #10) by James Patterson
1 for April Buddy Reads:
Mary, Mary (Alex Cross #11) by James Patterson
POPSUGAR April Monthly Group Read:
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
To complete some 2021 year-long challenges:
1) *Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
2) *The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
To complete the 2021 Read Harder Challenge:
*Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
*Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
*Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
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wow I was SO SURE today was Wednesday! Good thing I checked haha!!
It's a cool rainy spring day here in NY. The cool weather has kept the reticulata irises blooming, but still no daffodils. Any day now!! Soon the trees will bud and then it's allergy season for me, and I have to stop sleeping with the window open.
Admin stuff
The April group read for "misleading title" is on-going here:
/topic/show/...
and the March discussion is still active here:
/topic/show/...
The final poll for our July group read is open here:
/poll/show/2...
Let us know if you're interested in leading the group read discussions for June (Beloved) or July (TBD!) ... or any other month in the second half of the year. Live dangerously!
This week I read 2 books, both for this Challenge, so I am now 25/50. And these were both five star reads for me, so it was a good reading week!
The Trees by Percival Everett - this was fantastic! I'd never heard of this author before, and I never would have read this book if not for the Tournament of Books. So, thank you, ToB, for clueing me into this great author. I'm definitely reading more from him, but I'm not sure what. I checked off "social horror" with this book, because I don't think I'll read another book that fits that category as perfectly as this book does!!!
Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith - this was really good, just like I expected it to be - I checked off "made into a movie in 2022."
It's funny, neither of these books were my intended book for these categories. I own both The Only Good Indians and The Stars at Noon and I had those books penciled in for social horror and made into a movie. So much for the plan! I have no regrets. (Actually, I keep track of whether my challenge read was on my plan or not, and I'm at 52% unplanned so far this year, which is about on par with past years.)
Question of the Week
Today (April 7th) is: Celebrate Teen Literature Day
What's the last YA book you read and loved?
The last YA book that I gave five stars was Butterfly Yellow by Thanhha Lai which I read last May. Lai is such a great author!! This was about a young woman who immigrates from Vietnam to the US (Texas) and searches for her younger brother, who was airlifted out during the war.
And the next five star YA read before that one is I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez, which I read back in 2020. The title is pretty self-explanatory - this is about a Mexican-American girl who is chafing against her parents' expectations.
I am DUE for another good YA novel!! I hope I find some inspiration in your answers today. And if anyone is looking for a fantastic book, I highly recommend both of these!!
I miss the days of YA dystopians, they seem to have disappeared? The only dystopian I haven't read yet in the top 20 of this list (/list/show/2...) is Uglies, so I added that to my TBR. (And there are very few on that list that I have not read, in general.)