Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2024 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 2: 1/5 - 1/11
Welcome 2024!Another week has gone by. That's crazy. Time continues to slip.
As for me, my main focus has been on therapy. I'll be getting evaluated for autism soon so I'm a bit nervous, but at the same time I know I need it, if anything just to bring some clarity on certain things. It'll be nice to possibly get that "official" diagnosis.
I know some of you hear have stated that I seem autistic, I've had people in group tell that to me, my mom believes it, and my therapist has said it as well so I'm guessing there must be some truth to that. Still though with what everyone is saying, I have to believe there could be some truth to it so I'll find out tomorrow.
Other than that things have been going rather smoothly.
Now onto my book news:
Finished:
In Mad Love and War
Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light: Fifty Poems for Fifty Years
Northanger Abbey
Currently Reading:
Soundtrack of Silence: Love, Loss, and a Playlist for Life - Barely at the start of this book (8% in), but already I love it.
Of Orcas and Men: What Killer Whales Can Teach Us- This one has been amazing!
Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of āLatinoā� - Liking this one so far.
On another note, I discovered the Diverse Baseline Challenge which I am absolutely loving. While I want to focus on the PS one, at the same time this challenge is my high priority.
I love being able to focus on BIPOC authors. I was disappointed with my numbers last year so I'm hoping this challenge will help to make things better.
QOTW:
What is the first book you have finished reading or are currently reading in 2024? Does it fulfill a 2024 Popsugar prompt? If so, which one(s)?
What a way to start off the new year. I've read 9 books so far. Only 2 are with the PopSugar challenge though. I do want to get to some others which I will come February.
For the PS one I've gotten these:
In Mad Love and War- Collection of at least 24 poems
Knowing Why: Adult-Diagnosed Autistic People on Life and Autism- Neurodivergent m.c.
Right now my main focus is on the Diverse Baseline Challenge.
Mod
We finallyĀ got a proper snowfall here!Ā January is unusually late for us, I was starting to wonder if it would snow at all this year.Ā Ā AND the impending storm spurred me to finally get off my butt and call my plow guy, because clearly my method of "just talk to him when you see him outside when you're walking the dogs" was not working.Ā He was nice about it, since he's my neighbor, but I thinkĀ he prefers to get the money earlier in the year so he can plan properly.Ā I vowed to TEXT him next year in November.Ā Ā I have social anxiety around phone calls, but not texting.Ā (Which means that I LOVE Gen Z's love of texting and hatred of phone calls - I was ahead of my time LOL)
For the last year or more I've been so sedentary, very very little activity except for my weekly grocery store run.Ā It got shockingly bad, to the point where I'd be out of breath and my chest felt tight walking through a parking lot.Ā I'm very overweight, and ALL my joints ached.Ā I had scary weird pains in new places, pinched nerves and sore tendons and arthritic ankles and painful knees and a new weird pain in my hip and I was just a mess.Ā Ā I decided to start walking the dogs, at first just a few times a week for a one mile walk.Ā It was tough.Ā We walked slow.Ā My daughters have been so patient with me.Ā Everything hurt!Ā I developed a permanent limp. Two days ago I developed what I think was plantar fasciitis and I was nearly brought to tears from the pain!Ā And then (after rolling my foot on a can of beans all morning LOL) ... the next day ... all my pain was gone.Ā I walked the dogs with ease.Ā I even had some pep in my step! My limp even disappeared!Ā I was able to walk upstairs at bedtime without pain!!Ā Ā This is an amazing transformation!!Ā I do not know what to make of it!!!Ā It's like a miracle. Is it the vitamins I started taking?Ā Ā Am I already feeling an improvement just after a few weeks of occasional walks?Ā I am on my second mostly-pain-free day, and I am so excited!Ā Ā If it doesn't snow later, I'll walk the dogs for the third day in a row!Ā My dogs are loving this New Me, too ;-)Ā My kids have been very supportive. I wouldn't have been able to do it without them.
This week I finished 3 books, 2 for this Challenge.
Didn't See That Coming by Jesse Q. Sutanto - this was a sweet teen romance, enjoyable but maybe not memorable.Ā I have NO IDEA why I put this book on hold last year, and when I got it, I thought "oh! well it's a new book by Sutanto and I like this author so, sure, I'll read it," and then in chapter one, I discovered it is a romance between two gamers! voila! challenge category completed!Ā I'm still not sure if this was my intent or not when I put it on hold, but I read it and used it for "a book that centers on video games."Ā The cover is green with purple flowers and macarons, so I could have checked off "secondary colors" for AtY, but I'm reading another book for that one, so I checked off "botanical cover" because of the flowers.
Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead - I loved this, and Dion Graham is THE MAN when it comes to reading audiobooks! but I wasn't able to find a Challenge category for it.Ā A death is mentioned in the first chapter, so I thought about checking off that category, but the death was not at all important to the plot, and that's an easy enough category for me to finish anyway, so I left it.Ā I did check off "X connection" in AtY (since Whitehead is "Gen X"), it also would work for "crime that is not murder" (SO MANY crimes!)
The Late Hour poems by Mark Strand - this book happened to have EXACTLY 24 poems, so I checked off "a collection of at least 24 poems" - it was decent.Ā I had to look up Strand's age when this was published, because so many of the poems seem to be from the pov of an old man - he was in his early 40s, so I guess he FELT old, but he was NOT old.
Popsugar 8% 4 /50
My Must Reads 0% 0 /10
AtY 10% 5 /52
QotW
The first book I started and finished in 2024 was for this Challenge, I checked off "an LGBTQ romance" with Late to the Party.
Happy Thursday!I seem to be going through books quickly lately. Maybe due to still being so tired from Covid that I don't have much energy for anything else.
Finished:
System Collapse
She Started It for a book with at least 3 POVs. Very quick book in case anyone wants to go for it. But beware, no likeable characters.
Our Souls at Night
Currently reading:
The Writing Retreat
David Copperfield
The Complete Essays of Michel de Montaigne
Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light: Fifty Poems for Fifty Years
My Name is Barbra on audio. Only 14 hours to go.
QOTW:
The first book I completed in 2024 was The Woman in Me. I listened to most of it in 2023, and saved about an hour to finish on New Year's Day. I used it for the controversial woman in rock 'n roll prompt.
Happy Thursday, everyone!The flooring installation has continued this week, and while the progress has been somewhat slower than the original estimate, the new hardwood is looking amazing. I am really looking forward to the project being completed, however. The sheer amount of dust and dirt that has been generated over the last two weeks is about to send me over the edge.
As far as reading is concerned, this has been a great week! Iāve managed to make a considerable amount of progress on my 2024 reading goals, and while I know my pace will slow down once the construction has ended, Iām really pleased with how things are going so far. Iāve had a chance to read some great books this week, and even finished my first 5-star read of the year!
Here are my current challenge and TBR totalsā�
Å·±¦ÓéĄÖ Challenge: 23/400 (5.7% complete)
Mount TBR Challenge: 12/150 (8.0% complete)
šPhysical TBR: 9/402
š±Ebook TBR: 3/233
š“ųAudiobook TBR: 0/0
TBR Checklist Total: 12/635 (1.8% complete)
Total Progress Toward 50% TBR List Completion: 12/318 (3.7% complete)
I did get a couple of new books this weekā�
The first book I picked up was What the River Knows, by Isabel IbaƱez. Iāve heard that this book combines elements of The Mummy and Death on the Nile, so Iām really looking forward to starting it this week.
I also ordered a copy of the newest book in Seanan McGuireās Wayward Children series, Mislaid in Parts Half-Known. I was going to pick this up at the bookstore and read it prior to todayās update, but unfortunately my local bookstore did not have it in stock. Iāll just have to wait a little longer to read itā�. Sigh.
āNewā� Books Bought in 2024: 12
āNewā� Books Read in 2024: 10/12 (83.3% complete)
Here are the books I finished this weekā�
Finished Reading (Fiction):
~The Christie Affair ā� This turned out to be a really good read. I thought the story was interesting, and enjoyed seeing a fictional explanation for Agatha Christieās 11-day disappearance. Content Alert: (view spoiler) š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Assistant to the Villain ā� My dad got me this book for Christmas, and Iām really glad that he did. This was a fun story, with a lot of humor and great characters. Itās going to be a long wait until August, when the sequel is released, because I am looking forward to continuing the story. Content Alert: (view spoiler) š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Garrett ā� This is the second book in the Cold Fury Hockey series. I thought this was a good story, with great characters. It was also a nice continuation of the Cold Fury series. I did have a tough time reading this book because some of the content did hit a little too close to home, but I am really glad that I read it. Content Alert: (view spoiler) š±: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Barbarian's Touch ā� The seventh Ice Planet Barbarians book was a fantastic continuation of the series. I really liked the story and characters! Rokan ended up being my favorite male lead of the series so far; heās just super sweet! Content Alert: (view spoiler) š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Zack ā� This is the third book in the Cold Fury Hockey series. I really enjoyed this story, and thought it was a great continuation of the series. Content Alert: (view spoiler) This book would work well for the āa book about a 24-year-oldā� prompt, since one of the main characters turns 24 during the course of the novel. š±: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Chaotic Scottish Wedding ā� This is the second book in the Love in Scotland series. I thought this was a cute, cozy romance, and a nice continuation of the series. I have to be honest though, and say that I actually preferred the first book to this one. Maybe itās because Iāve recently re-watched the My Big Fat Greek Wedding movies, but I just expected to see more of the wedding in this book. Content Alert: (view spoiler)š±: āļøāļøāļø
~The Seaside Corpse ā� This is the fourth (and final) Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen novel, which finally came in on Libby. I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook before bed. The mystery and characters were great! š“ų: āļøāļøāļøāļø
Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
~The Tao of Pooh & The Te of Piglet ā� This book focused on Taoism in the context of the Winnie-the-Pooh books. I thought it was an interesting read, and liked that the author interacted with various Winnie-the-Pooh characters while explaining the principles of Taoism. š: āļøāļøāļø
~Clanlands in New Zealand: Kiwis, Kilts, and an Adventure Down Under ā� I had so much fun reading this book! I definitely recommend it if you enjoyed the original Clanlands book. Itās also a great book for anyone who is interested in traveling to New Zealand. š: āļøāļøāļøāļøāļø
Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
~The Infinity Gauntlet Aftermath ā� This comic book collection is the continuation of The Infinity Gauntlet storyline. I really enjoyed the stories in this collection, and thought the art was great. Content Alert: (view spoiler) š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Cardcaptor Sakura ā� Iām a massive fan of the Cardcaptor Sakura anime series, and I was so excited to get the gorgeous collectorās editions of the manga. I had a chance to read the entire series this week, and it was fantastic! I love the artwork so much! The volumes I read this week includeā�
~Cardcaptor Sakura Collector's Edition 1 ā� š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Cardcaptor Sakura Collector's Edition 2 ā� š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Cardcaptor Sakura Collector's Edition 3 ā� š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Cardcaptor Sakura Collector's Edition 4 ā� š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Cardcaptor Sakura Collector's Edition 5 ā� š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Cardcaptor Sakura Collector's Edition 6 ā� š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Cardcaptor Sakura Collector's Edition 7 ā� š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Cardcaptor Sakura Collector's Edition 8 ā� š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Cardcaptor Sakura Collector's Edition 9 ā� š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~The Infinity War ā� This comic book collection follows the events of The Infinity Gauntlet and The Infinity Gauntlet Aftermath books. I really enjoyed the stories, and the artwork. Content Alert: (view spoiler) š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
~Infinity Watch, Vol. 1 ā� This comic book collection includes the first 22 issues of the Warlock and the Infinity Watch series. While I did enjoy the stories in this collection, since the first 10 issues were actually included in The Infinity Gauntlet Aftermath (#1-6) and The Infinity War (#7-10), only about half of the stories were actually new to me. The art was good though. Iām not planning to continue the series at this time, but I may in the future. Content Alert: (view spoiler) š: āļøāļøāļøāļø
Finished Reading (Poetry and Drama):
None
DNFed:
None
Currently Reading:
~The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1001 Nights, Volume 1 ā� I have made a decent amount of progress on this book over the past week! This has been a very interesting read so far. š
~Emma ā� Iām about halfway through this book, and really enjoying it. š
~The Lost Plot ā� This is the fourth book in the Invisible Library series. Iām currently just over 50% of the way through this book, and really enjoying the story! š
~Waypoints: My Scottish Journey ā� Iām currently on chapter five of this memoir/travel journal. It has been really good so far. š
~The Personal Librarian ā� I am currently a little over halfway through this book, and it has been very good so far. Content Alert: (view spoiler) š
~Firefly, Life Signs ā� I am currently on chapter 18 of this book. It has been pretty good so far, but itās not my favorite of the series. Content Alert: (view spoiler) š
~Marvel Comics #1: 80th Anniversary Edition ā� While I was excited to start reading this comic book collection, I have to admit that Iāve been disappointed in it so far. I plan to finish it this afternoon, however, and hopefully my opinion will improve. š
~Nikolai 2 ā� This is the sixth book in the Her Russian Protector series. Iām only a quarter of the way into this book, but it has been good so far. š±
QOTW:
The first book I finished in 2024 was Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Feast of the Moon. This book does include a brief appearance by a dragon, but I wouldn't say that it "features dragons." It doesn't really fit any of the other prompts for this year, unless you typically avoid reading graphic novels.
Happy Thursday!Itās been a bit of a tough week. We got Grandma moved into hospice care on Tuesday; the facility is nice but I donāt know that sheāll recover enough strength to be able to appreciate what it offers as far as socialization/activities/etc. My sister arrived yesterday and we were all able to spend a few hours together in the afternoon. We're hopeful that they'll get on the ball here shortly with getting Grandma as comfortable as she can be in the time she has left.
Weather-wise, things have been decent. Getting colder but not much snow yet, although it's supposed to get even colder next week, into the 20s and teens. At home, Husband and I have been ripping through the John Wick movies. I think 2 is my favorite so far, but weāre halfway through 4 so weāll see how that one turns out. And our library is doing a winter reading challenge! I'm so excited to crush it and get a new mug :D
I finished two books this week:
Rebecca: A Play In Three Acts - 4 stars. du Maurier adapted it herself and I liked that it stuck to Manderley as the one massive setting, because there is plenty of intrigue without shifting locations, but Danvers seemed a tad diminished and we donāt get the iconic ending with the house burning. PS 28 - character whoās 42 years old
Lady Tan's Circle of Women - 3 stars. I loved the bond between Yunxian and Meiling but otherwise it seemed like Lisa See tried to cram too many things into this book, which affected the pacing. Also a bit heavy on the gross factor. PS 27 - someone dies in the first chapter
PS 3/50
ATY 3/52
Mount TBR 0/48
Currently:
Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman - moving slowly but I am loving this every time I pick it up.
The Ninth Rain - early yet but I already love Vintage, the explorer.
Water for Elephants - excited to be reading this! Itās been on my shelf for a decade. PS 37 - written during NaNoWriMo
QOTW: What is the first book you have finished reading or are currently reading in 2024? Does it fulfill a 2024 Popsugar prompt? If so, which one(s)?
The first book I finished in 2024 was Craig Schaefer's newest, Never Send Roses. As I was past the halfway point with it, I'm not counting it toward any of my challenges. Lots of fun though, as her stories usually are :)
The first full book I finished was Britney's memoir, and like Milena I used it for the rock'n'roll prompt, which we discussed last week.
Happy Thursday! Well, the wind came in, and now it's bitterly cold. We may get some snow this weekend, but I think it's going to be too cold to actually snow. I'm grateful to have a warm, safe home.I went to "Skate Night" with my grandson Eli last night. Neither one of us is very good. I didn't fall, but this morning my body is saying, "WTF did you do?!"
2024 Reading Challenges:
52 Book Club: 4/52
ATY: 4/52 (Winter Challenge - 5/14)
Booklist Queen: 5/52
Diverse Baseline: 0/36
Popsugar: 6/50
Robot Librarian: 2/52
ICYMI Backlist: 0/12
Completed:
Nevermore Bookstore (ATY - DREAMING OF SNOW) ā ā
American Dream Come True: Why Affordable Housing Is Good Policy, Good Business, and Good for America (ATY - DREAMING OF SNOW) ā ā ā ā
My Head Has a Bellyache: And More Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups (Popsugar - a collection of at least 24 poems) ā ā ā ā
Open Throat: Absolutely amazing short novel written from the POV of a mountain lion near LA! (ATY - a book involving a wild animal/endangered species/Popsugar - told from an animal's POV) ā ā ā ā ā�
Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre (ATY - DREAMING OF SNOW/Booklist Queen - a reread of a favorite) ā ā ā ā ā�
Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why ā ā ā ā
Dearly: Margaret Atwood's latest poetry. (Robot Librarian - a poetry collection) ā ā ā ā
Mascot: Middle grade novel in verse. (52 BC - at least four different POVs) ā ā ā ā
Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere (Popsugar - title is a complete sentence/Robot Librarian - the 700s) ā ā ā ā
Seveneves: I need more fiction and less science. (52 BC - a palindrome on the cover/ATY - DREAMING OF SNOW) ā ā ā�
Let Us Descend (52 BC - magical realism/ATY - a pronoun on the cover) ā ā ā ā
XOXO (Popsugar - title that starts with X) ā ā ā�
Currently Reading:
Chasing the Boogeyman (52 BC - a self-insert by an author)
The Core of an Onion: Peeling the Rarest Common FoodāFeaturing More Than 100 Historical Recipes (Booklist Queen - a quick read/Robot Librarian - the 600s)
One Hot Summer: Dickens, Darwin, Disraeli, and the Great Stink of 1858 (52 BC - a smelly book/Robot Librarian - the 900s)
Unraveling: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World's Ugliest Sweater (Robot Librarian - the 100s)
Cover Story (Robot Librarian - written in epistolary format)
The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism (Robot Librarian - about religion/spirituality)
Lunar Love (52 BC - title starts with L/Popsugar - an enemies-to-lovers plot)
Bea Wolf
Time Is a Mother (Diverse Baseline - poetry by a BIPOC author)
30 Things I Love About Myself (ATY - a number in the title)
Veg-table: Recipes, Techniques, and Plant Science for Big-Flavored, Vegetable-Focused Meals
QOTW: The first book I read this year was Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld. It counted as a "book about a writer," and I absolutely loved it! It's my favorite book by Sittenfeld.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday!!Ā Ā We finallyĀ got a proper snowfall here!Ā January is unusually late for us, I was starting to wonder if it would snow at all this year.Ā Ā AND the impending storm spurred me to fin..."
So glad to hear this and proud of you and happy for you, friend! I've dusted off the stationary bicycle again after barely touching it last year. So far it's been an every-other-day kind of thing, and only for about 15mins, but I've already noticed myself getting faster and logging more mileage, with an eye to bumping up my time each week :)
Happy Thursday.Love the Powells lists, LYNN. Are you a Portlandian? I'm a regular visitor to the city, despite living in London, and Powells is one of my favourite bookshops. The Top Five one looks like a good place to start for task 14. Recommended by a Bookseller!
I've had a slow start to this year. I've read four books, but only one of them works for this Challenge: Totally Pawstruck, by Sofie Ryan, which is a pen name of Darlene Ryan for task 13.
So a pathetic 1/50 thus far!
QotW. My first book of the year was A Pairing to Die For, by Kate Lansing. Second in a cozy mystery series about a winemaker in Colorado. I managed to fit it into an ATY task, but alas not a PS one. If anyone can think of one, let me know!
I dragged myself out for an eye test yesterday since my last one was pre-pandemic. They have got very hi-tech in the meantime and I was shown detailed photos of my eyeballs! Good news is, my eyesight has slightly improved, the optometrist thought it was probably due to my thyroid treatment. Though now I should buy new glasses, and of course they don't sell the same frames any more.Finished:
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due for BIPOC horror and ATY (title ends in A, T or Y). Good but harrowing, based on the Dozier reform school. Was a little bit on the long side, I think the sister's POV could have been trimmed.
Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan for 3 POVs. One of the POV characters is a water dragon, but I know I'll read other dragon books and I can't be sure on how many POVs books have. I thought the floating city setting was fantastic and it had some big ideas, but I just didn't click with the characters. The ending was overly convenient too.
Currently reading Orbital and listening to Hazardous Spirits.
PS: 3/50 | ATY: 2/52 | GR: 4/100
QOTW:
The first book I finished was Murder and Mamon which I used for ATY. The first I started and finished in 2024 was Cast Away: Poems for Our Time which I read for the Popsugar poetry prompt. I'm happy to double dip across challenges, but my feeling is if it's an easy prompt, I can find another book later.
Nadine in NY wrote: " If it doesn't snow later, I'll walk the dogs for the third day in a row! My dogs are loving this New Me, too ;-)..."Go you! And your doggos will be great motivators once they learn it's a regular thing. Whenever I'm late with walkies, I get the sad eyebrows and forlorn glances at her harness, so off out we go. Sometimes she's just like, "I think we should have another walk today Ellie" and sits there staring at it.
Happy Thursday! This has been a bit of a busy week for me at work, so not as much reading time as I'd hoped.Finished:
No new finishes this week.
Currently reading:
Babel by R.F. Kuang - for a one-word title (not counting the subtitle on some editions). Really enjoying this, it's long but very well-written.
Upcoming/Planned:
Herc - for a book with at least 3 POVs
QOTW:
My first finish of 2024 was The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman which filled the prompt for a book featuring a 42-year-old character.
Mod
Another week has gone by. That's crazy. Time continues to slip."
Yes. And as you age, it seems to go faster and faster! š
"As for me, my main focus has been on therapy. I'll be getting evaluated for autism soon so I'm a bit nervous, but at the same time I know I need it, if anything just to bring some clarity on certain things. It'll be nice to possibly get that "official" diagnosis.
I know some of you hear have stated that I seem autistic, I've had people in group tell that to me, my mom believes it, and my therapist has said it as well so I'm guessing there must be some truth to that. Still though with what everyone is saying, I have to believe there could be some truth to it so I'll find out tomorrow.
Other than that things have been going rather smoothly."
I, for one, am jealous of your having a therapist in whom I assume you have confidence and with whom I assume you have a good relationship. I haven't had a therapist for 5 years or so now and miss that!! However, being retired from full-time work has helped alleviate stress immensely! I can understand about wanting an "official" diagnosis. I hope all turns out well for you either way!!
I always feel that "official" western medicine diagnoses can sometimes allow for people 'falling through the cracks' and just missing an "official" diagnosis by a miniscule amount. IMO that shouldn't discount some who obviously display certain symptoms from being aware and provided with resources and tools to try to better their life! It sounds as if you and those close to you have already determined areas where you might be able to improve your life in the future. You are obviously a very smart, informed, and thoughtful person who will work to move toward a more satisfying lifestyle, regardless of a "diagnosis." I'm sure we all can relate to varying degrees to this scenario, but I (and I imagine those of us here) have tons of faith in you!! You are awesome!!
Now onto my book news:
"In Mad Love and War
Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light: Fifty Poems for Fifty Years"
Poetry is not necessarily my thing, but both of these look intriguing.
"Northanger Abbey"
I read this last year and wasn't overly-impressed though I did appreciate the coming-of-age vibes...
"Soundtrack of Silence: Love, Loss, and a Playlist for Life - Barely at the start of this book (8% in), but already I love it."
Oh, my! This looks to be intriguing!
"Of Orcas and Men: What Killer Whales Can Teach Us- This one has been amazing!
Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of āLatinoā� - Liking this one so far."
Wow. You always manage to blow up my TBR listing even more! And, you are one of my main motivations to increase my consumption of nonfiction in 2024!
"On another note, I discovered the Diverse Baseline Challenge which I am absolutely loving. While I want to focus on the PS one, at the same time this challenge is my high priority.
I love being able to focus on BIPOC authors. I was disappointed with my numbers last year so I'm hoping this challenge will help to make things better."
Wow. That is one heck of a challenge. While I am intrigued, I am trying to be realistic. I will track my 2024 reading against this list of prompts to see just how diverse my reading is... This would definitely be beneficial to add diversity!!
"QOTW:
What is the first book you have finished reading or are currently reading in 2024? Does it fulfill a 2024 Popsugar prompt? If so, which one(s)?
What a way to start off the new year. I've read 9 books so far. Only 2 are with the PopSugar challenge though. I do want to get to some others which I will come February.
For the PS one I've gotten these:
In Mad Love and War- Collection of at least 24 poems
Knowing Why: Adult-Diagnosed Autistic People on Life and Autism- Neurodivergent m.c."
Just because you aren't using books for this specific challenge, that doesn't diminish them! At least IMO! :)
Still waiting for snow to arrive rather than rain here in Manhattan. Quite the storms in the last week, giving Nadine and others snow but if there were flakes in the sky over Manhattan, they turned to rain when they passed the buildings. *sigh* I want a real snow dump!PS 4/50. ATY 4/52
Finished:
A Visit from the Goon Squad - PS more than 3 POV, and ATY - on TBR more than a year
The Case of the Canterfell Codicil - PS - someone dies in first chapter - actually someon is defenestered in the first sentence. ATY - less than 2024 ratings.
Currently reading - 3 chunksters:
The Mask of Mirrors - furthest in this as I need for Feminerdy Book Club on Sunday
The Thirteenth Tale
The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World.
QOTW: That was last week and you expect me to remember?????
1st was Grumpy Monkey Don't Be Scared - PS animal POV - 5 star read - and yes, it's a children's picture book.
2nd, also a 5 star read, was Walking to Samarkand: The Great Silk Road from Persia to Central Asia - connected to book read in 2023 - 2nd in series, read first last year.
I do not plan my reading, just fit in what I am reading for any reason to prompts. At this point, everything I read can be fit to some PS prompt (ditto ATY). Although given the precise nature of some of the prompts, I likely will not continue that 'every book matches a prompt' streak.
Another Thursday and another check in!! I'm so excited because I just randomly booked a flight to Orlando for the end of the month. These Ohio winters are killing me. I managed to get a few books read this week. You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories PS prompt#31- A book with a title that is a complete sentence. I listened to this audiobook read by the author and I loved it so much. Some of her stories were hilarious.
The Color PurplePS prompt #26- A book that was turned into a musical. This was a re-read for me and I'm happy I read it again because I forgot so many parts of it. I went to see the movie on New Year's Day and I liked it. At first, I was against it because I'm tired of seeing black pain on TV and in movies but Nettie and Celie's love just transcends everything.
DNF:
Sounds Like Home: Growing Up Black and Deaf in the South It was just going slow and not catching my attention. I may pick it back up.
Question of the Week:
What is the first book you have finished reading or are currently reading in 2024? Does it fulfill a 2024 Popsugar prompt? If so, which one(s)?
The first book finished was You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories and it was for prompt #31
Jai wrote: "You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories PS prompt#31- A book with a title that is a complete sentence. I listened to this audiobook read by the author and I loved it so much. Some of her stories were hilarious."Oooh I need to get to this one! I listened to Gabrielle's We're Going to Need More Wine a few years ago and had such a good time with it :)
Lynn wrote: I, for one, am jealous of your having a therapist in whom I assume you have confidence and with whom I assume you have a good relationship. I haven't had a therapist for 5 years or so now and miss that!! However, being retired from full-time work has helped alleviate stress immensely! I can understand about wanting an "official" diagnosis. I hope all turns out well for you either way!!
I always feel that "official" western medicine diagnoses can sometimes allow for people 'falling through the cracks' and just missing an "official" diagnosis by a miniscule amount. IMO that shouldn't discount some who obviously display certain symptoms from being aware and provided with resources and tools to try to better their life! It sounds as if you and those close to you have already determined areas where you might be able to improve your life in the future. You are obviously a very smart, informed, and thoughtful person who will work to move toward a more satisfying lifestyle, regardless of a "diagnosis." I'm sure we all can relate to varying degrees to this scenario, but I (and I imagine those of us here) have tons of faith in you!! You are awesome!!
Thanks for the support. It's greatly appreciated. I know we only "know each other" via online, but what connects us is our love for books and I think that counts for something so to have your support and others around here means a lot.
Oh, my! This looks to be intriguing!
So far it has been. I was drawn to the book because it talks about music and music has been such an essential part of my life. If I remember from the blub, it goes somewhere along the lines that the author learns to memorize song lyrics before he can't hear them anymore which is impressive.
Wow. You always manage to blow up my TBR listing even more! And, you are one of my main motivations to increase my consumption of nonfiction in 2024!
Aw that's great! I am so happy to hear that.
And while I'm open to fiction thanks to all of you, at the same time I've limited myself this year. I was short 1% last year from my nonfiction goal of 85% so I really want to hit that number.
Wow. That is one heck of a challenge. While I am intrigued, I am trying to be realistic. I will track my 2024 reading against this list of prompts to see just how diverse my reading is... This would definitely be beneficial to add diversity!!
That's kind of what I want to do too. I've got like 8 challenges this year so I'm really hoping some of them will overlap with each other.
To help I've also wrapped my books so I can do TBR jars with numbers to increase the books I want to read for the prompts.
Just because you aren't using books for this specific challenge, that doesn't diminish them! At least IMO! :)
Thanks.
I've been reading like crazy, seems like. Not all books I *want* to read. I've been trying to read one book a a time, my hardest New Year's Resolution!PS: 16/50
Robot: 16/52
Library: 25/25 Complete!
Educator: 9/22
Read: The Suicide Museum for prompt book set in bucket list destination. I'm very interested in the history surrounding Salvador Allende's death, but Ariel focused the mystery on whether Allende committed suicide or was killed which was immaterial to me.
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store for prompt at least 3 POV's. I read this for a book club and just did not get a lot out of it. Got more out of hearing the other readers discuss it, but it wasn't really for me. I prefer more conceptual adult fiction.
The Other Family Doctor: A Veterinarian Explores What Animals Can Teach Us About Love, Life, and Mortality I used this for Robot set on a farm even though it wasn't ALL set on a farm. This was also for the library challenge. I feel like I didn't really learn anything from it, save as above.
The Dreamers This was a re-read, used for asleep for over 24 hours and for the library challenge. I loved it! Even more than the first time.
If You Find This Letter: My Journey to Find Purpose Through Hundreds of Letters to Strangers Five stars!! This was just the perfect book at the perfect time, so motivating for the letter-writing project I want to do.
Mental Leaps: Analogy in Creative Thought for prompt has leap in the title. Eh, this one was just ok, followed the theme of analogical thinking through experiments with animals and young children and so on. Pretty abstruse.
Started: The Nature of God: An Inquiry into Divine Attributes I got partway through this book, but it was heavy into the replacing ideas with formulas which I've never had much tolerance for.
The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten: 100 Experiments for the Armchair Philosopher used for prompt has exactly 24 letters in the title. Not many new ideas, just recycled ideas from many different sources.
QotW: Looks like the first book I finished for the new year was Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt which our mayor recommended. That already feels like so long ago....
Picked up these two today:Pagans in the Promised Land: Decoding the Doctrine of Christian Discovery
Indigenous American Women: Decolonization, Empowerment, Activism
Mod
I've got this book on hold right now so I'm interested in your comment. I was not a lit major in college so I don't always understand these terms. What is conceptual fiction, is that like speculative fiction? And what kind of fiction would you call McBride's book?
Happy Thursday!Well, ya'll, did I tell you that my trip to Scotland has expanded from a planned two week trip to a 6+ week trip? I am taking a 17 day tour of many of the Scottish islands, a 9 day driving tour of the NC 500 around the top of Scotland, and staying 2 days in a castle over my birthday! I still have about a week between the island tour and the car tour to plan, but most of it is lined up.
Since Scotland is 5h ahead of my location in SC, I have found it more efficient to plan with Scottish companies and accommodations in the morning, my usual reading time. So, I haven't been as productive as I would have liked.
However, I did survey my plans for all the challenges and found that I have planned for 15 Kindle books (including the one listed below on hold, which will be motivation to finish it). So looks like I have the reading/challenges accounted for while traveling!
Finished
The Trees ā� ATY #2. 4*. An interesting story of a family that moved west...into western Pennsylvania...in the end of the 18th century. Life was hard then...and yet not. Just normal for many families of that time.
Pardonable Lies ā� Series #1 for ALCM. This group is again reading a series - once a month. I chose this one to move toward completion as I had read several books in the middle and there are more than 12. It was approved. What surprised me is that this is book #1 of the Maisie Dobbs story. And much of the back story I already knew...even though this book builds on it. I am thinking the author fleshed it out in later books even as she did not do so in the earliest books. 4*
The Bullet That Missed - RwS sub-challenge. I somehow missed reading this one last year and ended up reading book #4 instead. The story was fine anyway. A delightful group of characters with new ones introduced. 4*.
How to Eat a Cupcake - Chick Lit. Other challenge. More relationship oriented than a mystery, although there are mystery elements. Not really cozy either although the characters were interesting. 4* Back story explained in the end as was most of the mystery of the story.
DNF
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life - I gave up on this one. It was a hard decision but feels right. I did put it under my FINISH READING shelf as it might just be my mood. Still glad to get it back to the library.
Currently Reading:
Once There Were Wolves ā� ATY Fall Seasonal
Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World ā� PS #42
The Millionaire Baby ā� Other challenge.
She Who Became the Sun - Other challenge.
The Awakening ā� ATY #3
On Deck:
The Day the Music Died - ATY #4
On Back Burner for now
The Beginner's Photography Guide: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Manual for Getting the Most from Your Digital Camera ā� 27%.
Dreams and Shadows āKindle. 14%.
PS 0/50
ATY 2/52, Winter Challenge 5/14 (36%), Fall Challenge - currently reading the last one for this one
GR 9/200
QotW: What is the first book you have finished reading or are currently reading in 2024? Does it fulfill a 2024 Popsugar prompt? If so, which one(s)?
I have read 9 books so far in this year...and none were for 2024 Popsugar, although one finished off 2023 Popsugar. It was my first finished one: Firekeeper's Daughter. The first book read only in 2024 was: Thanksgiving.
Most of the books read last week were books for end of the year challenge completions. And, none seemed to fit into the new Popsugar prompts.
My first book for Popsugar is Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World ā� PS #42, which I am currently reading and is a book I own. In fact, I have 8 owned books in my 2024 plan...and only one is a Kindle read.
We got a decent amount of snow this weekend, which is all almost completely gone thanks to the decent amount of rain we also got on Tuesday -_- But as of right now they're predicting 6-ish inches of snow next Tuesday, so we'll see how that goes.The library I work at is doing a community project of making a blanket of crocheted squares, so I ran two Learn to Crochet programs this week, and I have another next week. It's hard to teach even the basics in just an hour, but most folks got the hang of chaining and a few even managed crocheting into the chain (always the hardest part of starting a project!).
Not a huge week for reading, but I did manage to finish What You Are Looking For Is in the Library. I enjoyed it, though the stories did start to feel a little same-y by the end.
Currently Reading:
Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths
The Auburn Conference
Blackouts
QOTW:
If I'm being completely honest, the first book I finished in 2024 was Cat Kid Comic Club: Influencers, and while I'm not counting it for any of the prompts, it could work for "a book about a writer/author" or "a book from an animal's POV."
Happy Thursday!I can't believe a week has passed. I can't even remember what happened since then; I had to look at my calendar!
Went to see Next Goal Wins at the cinema and had a fun afternoon gaming with a friend (almost finished It Takes Two!) over the weekend, and on Monday there was game night at home (mom sat out cuz she was sick). It was my choice and I picked Go! Go! Go! (a card game from Neopets that works in real life and is really fun!). I won twice, and my dad thrice. Unfair. I made up for it by winning Labyrinth after, haha!
On Tuesday I had my first wisdom tooth pulled out, and I am currently still in pain. Not massively so, just a lingering ache that I've really had enough of by now. Not looking forward to having to do it all over again in 2 months for the other one. At least I've now got a dentist who knows how local anaesthetic works, so for the first time ever I had no pain after numbing! I didn't feel anything beyond her pulling my face in ways it did not actually go xD At one point she was like "I bet you can feel it wiggling" and I was like ...no? When it came out it felt like the same as the entire time so score!
Been working hard on my puzzle, too. I really don't like this section and I can't wait to be done with it. I am a bit meh on the next one but I have high hopes that I'll like putting it together, and then the final 3 I am super excited for so fingers crossed!
Read
More fics, but no finished books yet! I'm not really feeling like reading books at the moment, so it's one or two chapters a day and therefore slowgoing
Currently Reading
From Ant to Eagle
Currently 31% in. I could finish it in like an hour probably but fact is .. I don't want to. Not actually enjoying this all that much. Oops.
QOTW
As above. I have *no* idea if it works for a prompt. I haven't memorized the list yet, and I haven't felt up to checking. My mental health has been in a dip since the dentist (probably all of the nerves and stress and fear taking its toll) so I'm like *shrugs* who cares. Hope it'll fade soon!
ALSO for whoever else likes stats, I did a recap of my 'achievements' last year. I've never been this balanced and I loved it. I hope to keep it going! I do want to go to the cinema more often but we'll see how it goes!
FICS
3.543.936 (10.579 pages), 354 fics
16.6k words written myself
BOOKS
41 books, 14,247 pages
MOVIES
50, 42 different ones, 37 new ones
18 cinema visits, 21 movies, 18 different ones
TV SHOWS
467 episodes, 41 complete seasons, 23 different TV showsā�
406 new episodes
PUZZLE
22.160 pieces
(20.160 of the big one, officially 50%!)
GAMES
4 finished, entirely in 2023, DDLV caught up with every update
DISNEY TRIPS
11 trips, 21 days
Ron wrote: "Welcome 2024!Another week has gone by. That's crazy. Time continues to slip.
As for me, my main focus has been on therapy. I'll be getting evaluated for autism soon so I'm a bit nervous, ..."
I was finally formally diagnosed with autism last year, after my family pretty much assuming I was on the spectrum for half my life. I fully get being nervous... but for me there was also a big sense of relief that I was truly on the spectrum and not just "weird." Best of luck, and I hope the evaluation goes well.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Happy Thursday!!Ā Ā We finallyĀ got a proper snowfall here!Ā January is unusually late for us, I was starting to wonder if it would snow at all this year.Ā Ā AND the impending storm spurred me to fin..."
You're doing well with the walking! It can be rough your first few days. I tend to go through spurts where I'll walk every day, then spurts where I just stop walking... it can be challenging to stick with it.
Ashley Marie wrote: "Happy Thursday!Itās been a bit of a tough week. We got Grandma moved into hospice care on Tuesday; the facility is nice but I donāt know that sheāll recover enough strength to be able to appreciat..."
Sending good thoughts and vibes for your family.
Nadine in NY wrote: ".I've got this book on hold right now so I'm interested in your comment. I was not a lit major in college so I don't always understand these terms. What is conceptual fiction, is that like speculative fiction? And what kind of fiction would you call McBride's book?"So, I don't think I'm using the term like others would because I just looked up conceptual fiction and it said Dune is an example of one. There was too much in Dune that was foreign for me to wade through, so I've never actually read it all the way through.
What I mean by it is that it has interesting/challenging ideas. So I recently read The Maniac which was about John Von Neumann and AI and enjoyed that one. Even The Suicide Museum was conceptual fiction for me because it was very philosophical about the nature of death. I would say The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store was historical fiction. It could be said to be a treatment of class and racism. I'm often very interested in a conceptual treatment of racism. This book, I felt like, didn't really add anything new to the concept of racism for me. Hope that helps!
Bea wrote: "Happy Thursday!Well, ya'll, did I tell you that my trip to Scotland has expanded from a planned two week trip to a 6+ week trip? I am taking a 17 day tour of many of the Scottish islands, a 9 day..."
Oh my gosh, have tons of fun! I'm jealous, hehe...
Carmen wrote: "Happy Thursday!I can't believe a week has passed. I can't even remember what happened since then; I had to look at my calendar!
Went to see Next Goal Wins at the cinema and had a fun afternoon g..."
Yikes... I hope your pain eases soon!
Kenya wrote: I was finally formally diagnosed with autism last year, after my family pretty much assuming I was on the spectrum for half my life. I fully get being nervous... but for me there was also a big sense of relief that I was truly on the spectrum and not just "weird." Best of luck, and I hope the evaluation goes well.
My mom has been on my side about it, but my dad not so much. I just think this will finally bring some clarity and just maybe help me with the answers I've been searching for for so long.
Mod
Well, ya'll, did I tell you that my trip to Scotland has expanded from a planned two week trip to a 6+ week trip? I am taking a 17 day tour of many of the Scottish islands, a 9 day driving tour of the NC 500 around the top of Scotland, and staying 2 days in a castle over my birthday! I still have about a week between the island tour and the car tour to plan, but most of it is lined up. ..."
So exciting!!! And a week's downtime in the middle of the trip is not a bad thing, it gives you a chance to go revisit a restaurant you loved, sleep in a day or two, meet up with a friend you met on the tour, go see an interesting attraction you just learned about, or just walk around the city casually with no destination.
Mod
lol I THINK I get it!
Happy Thursday! It snowed most of the day yesterday! So I ended up sweeping off stoop in the back and front, salting, and destroying the icicles above the back door (they melt and leave massive ice lumps on the step) and shoveling this morning. It was like 2 degrees Fahrenheit this morning with icy roads.
I spent the weekend with my sister and had fun with the wee ones. The baby is teething again and isn't sleeping through the night. Alex would sleep through a nuclear bomb.
I had the wonderful pleasure of having two of my sister's dogs think i'm a pillow. In the Middle of the Night. Penny just jumped on me and said, "You pillow, I sleep." She then proceeded to do that then run outside to bark at something. Multiple times. Along with Luna.
Blue is a 60 pound Weimaraner mix. He's my favorite boy despite him being a deceptively adorable manipulator. He visited me in the middle of the night. I petted him. He then proceeded to put his front feet on the couch beside me. Then he closed the distance. Then he was over me. Then he proceeded to curl up on me. He finally ended up laying along my left side with his head at my feet and his back legs on my chest.
That is how I spent the last night at my sister's with a 4:51 wake up with Blue finally getting off me. For a horse like creature, he is very gentle and the sweetest thing.
Popsugar: 2/50
Finished:
xxxHolic, Vol. 1 ps 50
Reading: None that Iām aware of
Aty: 2/52
Finished:
xxxHolic, Vol. 1 aty 3
Reading: None that Iām aware of
Å·±¦ÓéĄÖ Challenge 14/400
Finished:
Duck, Duck, Dinosaur: Spring Smiles
Pinkalicious: School Rules!
Splat the Cat: Blow, Snow, Blow: A Winter and Holiday Book for Kids
xxxHolic, Vol. 1
Saved by My Dad's Best Friend
Claimed by the Mobster
Caught by the Kingpin
Snatched by the Bratva
Lumberin' Jack Seeks a Wife
Reading:
I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in The Real World, Too, (Light Novel) Vol. 1
Brenda and the Biker: An Age Gap Explicit Older Man Younger Woman Romance Novel
QOTW:
I can't remember but it was probably a cheese-tastic romance. I wasn't quite finished with the chunk of romances I was reading in December to thin my kindle romance shelf down.
I'm reading two books I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in The Real World, Too, (Light Novel) Vol. 1 (reread cuz book 4 just came out and I watched the anime in English) and Brenda and the Biker: An Age Gap Explicit Older Man Younger Woman Romance Novel (freebie from my bookspry newsletter)
I'm not sure if they fit either Popsugar or ATY yet. I will have to look when I'm finished with them.
Bea wrote: "Happy Thursday!Well, ya'll, did I tell you that my trip to Scotland has expanded from a planned two week trip to a 6+ week trip? I am taking a 17 day tour of many of the Scottish islands, a 9 day..."
Oh Bea, this sounds utterly FANTASTIC. I hope you have an amazing time!!!
Happy Thursday!School starts next week. This is probably going to take a bite out of my reading time... hopefully once I get into the swing of classes, everything will go well.
Books read this week:
Matilda -- for āa book made into a musical.ā� I loved the film adaptation of this one (the one with Danny DeVito and Mara Wilson), and it was a treat to finally read the book!
The Girl and the Clockwork Cat -- for āa book written for NaNoWriMo.ā� Not great -- the steampunk setting is pretty vague and the plot mostly consists of the protagonist being chased everywhere and getting caught in a love triangle. The cat was cute though.
Rose in a Storm -- for āa book that takes place in the snow.ā� If you like dog books, this is an excellent one.
Into the Wild -- for āa book about a 24-year-old.ā� This book left me feeling conflicted regarding Chris McCandless, the young man who wandered into the Alaskan wilderness unprepared and ultimately died there. But thereās no denying that, whether you think he was incompetent or daring for what he did, he was still a compelling figure.
PopSugar Challenge -- 5/45
PopSugar Advanced Challenge -- 0/5
Robot Librarian Challenge -- 3/32
Robot Librarian Advanced Challenge -- 1/10
Robot Librarian Non-Fiction Challenge -- 0/10
Extreme Book Nerd Challenge -- 3/50
Extreme Book Nerd Advanced Challenge -- 0/10
Extreme Book Nerd Non-Fiction Challenge -- 0/10
DNF:
New Cthulhu: The Recent Weird -- I thought a collection of writers trying to write modern takes on the Cthulhu mythos would be fun, but the stories got boring after awhile.
Currently reading:
The Mirage -- for āa book where someone dies in the first chapterā�
The Silent Patient -- for āa book with an unreliable narratorā�
Dragon Champion -- for āa book featuring dragonsā�
Crying in H Mart -- for āa memoir by a woman in rock ānā� rollā�
QOTW:
The first book I read for the year was Gender Queer, for the prompt "memoir that explores queerness." I've completed five prompts so far!
Kenya wrote: Into the Wild -- for āa book about a 24-year-old.ā� This book left me feeling conflicted regarding Chris McCandless, the young man who wandered into the Alaskan wilderness unprepared and ultimately died there. But thereās no denying that, whether you think he was incompetent or daring for what he did, he was still a compelling figure.
Cool. This is one of my favorite books of all time. I plan to re-read it for this prompt as well. And I agree, he certainly was compelling no matter which direction you take him.
I finished The Windward Road: Adventures of a Naturalist on Remote Caribbean Shores.I'm a little over halfway throughPerfect Murder, Perfect Town : The Uncensored Story of the JonBenet Murder and the Grand Jury's Search for the Final Truth. If I were doing the challenge I could use this as a genre I normally avoid. I hate true crime. I really don't know why I'm reading it.
QOTW. The Windward Road is the first book I completed this year.
Thanks, Kenya, me too!Also forgot to mention the weather. It's been freezing here, literally. Several times a day the bunnies' water needs to be refreshed, haha! Should finally ease up tomorrow!
Kenya wrote: "Ashley Marie wrote: "Happy Thursday!Itās been a bit of a tough week. We got Grandma moved into hospice care on Tuesday; the facility is nice but I donāt know that sheāll recover enough strength to..."
Thank you <3333
Mod
Blue is a 60 pound Weimaraner mix. He's my favorite boy despite him being a deceptively adorable manipulator. He visited me in the middle of the night. I petted him. He then proceeded to put his front feet on the couch beside me. Then he closed the distance. Then he was over me. Then he proceeded to curl up on me. He finally ended up laying along my left side with his head at my feet and his back legs on my chest...."
awwwwww that is so sweet!!! I bet if you stayed there for a few weeks, you would quickly get used to them sleeping with you and you wouldn't even wake up when they walk on you. I know that's how I am - I have two dogs, and they shift positions all night long, because they are never in the same spots when I wake up (and yes as the night gets colder they snuggle closer, so by morning both of them are rammed against my back). The barking on the other hand is always going to be disruptive .... sigh.
I am on track with reading, but I feel behind because I'm missing 2 January books, including one I requested in December. I'm slightly concerned because the retired librarian used to acknowledge your inter-library requests whereas who knows if the new staff even read my email.Finished:
The House Across the Lake
ATY prompt: A book related to sea
Popsugar prompt: A book originally published under a pen name
Series - 0/12
Nobel laureates - 0/5
Mysteries/Thrillers - 1/13
ATY - 1/45
PS - 1/30
Currently reading:
The Fisher Maiden - 17% done
The Wife Between Us - just started
Buddy Reads:
This Present Darkness - 25% done
QOTW: I read a Riley Sager book, but not because it fit a PS prompt (although it did). 2024 is the year of getting more mysteries/thrillers off my TBR list.
Happy Thursday, everyone! š„³ I've finished one book since last week's check-in but it didn't think it fit any of the PS prompts. It *did* work for another challenge, so I used it for that. Since I haven't finished any of the PS prompts yet, I'll just mention that I'm 2/100 for my overall Å·±¦ÓéĄÖ Reading Challenge. I tried to plot out my PS reads a bit checking the threads to see if any of the books I own were in the Listopias...I struck out big time. May serendipity be on my side as I try to match owned books to open prompts!Finished:
* The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie KondÅ and translated by Cathy Hirano, which I read for a Decluttering Challenge I decided to try this year. Today was the first day of the challenge and we got our first assignment. We're going to try and follow the tidying order presented in the book, so clothing is first on the list (this category is broken up/spread out over three weeks). Luckily, the person leading the challenge is not encouraging us to be as rigid/extreme as the process described in the book, so it seems much more achievable. We'll see how far I get over the long weekend š
Currently Reading:
* Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond, which is one of my book clubs' picks for January. I think DNFed this one by now if it wasn't a book club pick. The writing and research are terrific, but I am not retaining anything and just trying to get through it. It feels like homework for a class I didn't want to take; and,
* Empress of the Nile: The Daredevil Archaeologist Who Saved Egypt's Ancient Temples from Destruction by Lynne Olson, which is my other book club's pick for January. I ended up checking out the audiobook to try and jumpstart my reading a bit; I'm alternating the audiobook with the ebook. The narrator is great but there was a technical glitch at Chapter 6 (Chapters 5 and 7 worked fine). Hopefully it was just that chapter and I can continue to read both formats since we're meeting a week from tomorrow!!
QotW:
What is the first book you have finished reading or are currently reading in 2024? Does it fulfill a 2024 Popsugar prompt? If so, which one(s)? I've finished just two books, only one of which I started after January 1st. The first book I finished was The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride, which I'd started in early December. The first completely-read-in-2024 book was The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie KondÅ. Neither fit a PS prompt...or maybe I just wasn't creative enough to make either of them fit one. Good thing there's plenty of time before the end of the year.
My public library announced this week that theyāre ending overdue fines. Iām happy about the announcement, not necessarily because I return books late, but because I think it makes the library more inviting and removes barriers. My old library did this, and they also did automatic renewals if there were no holds on an item. My audiobook on Libby returned before I could finish it (sadness) and thereās a waitlist for the book (double sadness) so itāll be awhile before I get to finish it. :(
Finished
Down Among the Sticks and Bones (a bildungsroman). I read Every Heart a Doorway years ago, and Iām finally getting to this now. I probably should have re-read that book first, but a thorough summary sufficed I guess. I loved this book! I plan to continue reading the series.
Reading
Points of Origin: Volume Two of the Travelers' Tales (a book with a one word title that you had to look up in the dictionary). One of the short stories is titled āCoterminousā�.
Resistance: A Songwriter's Story of Hope, Change, and Courage (an autobiography by a woman in rock n roll). Written by Tori Amos.
The Cutting Season (a horror novel by a BIPOC author). Iām getting social horror vibes from the beginning of this book. Weāll see how well it fits.
Happy Thursday! It's been so cold this week, and my apartment is not made for cold weather! There's no insulation in these walls!!!I started my new job this week, which is very exciting and nerve wrecking. I've been doing a lot of trainings and meet and greets, and everyone's been really nice so far. It's really hard for me to feel like I don't know what I'm doing, so I keep having to remind myself that it's all a learning process. I'm going to be working half in office half at home, so I'm going to spend most of this weekend moving stuff around to have a little office space tucked into a corner. I might have to move a bookshelf...one of the double stuffed, extra full ones... I'll get some audiobooks in I guess!
Finished:
House of Sky and Breath- finally read this after almost a year of my friend bugging me to start it. And I actually had such a good time! I thought it was much better than book 1. And I already have a hold for book 3 that comes out later this month.
-34 A book with at least 3 POVs
Currently reading:
Thornhedge- hoping to finish this either tonight or tomorrow morning. First book by T. Kingfisher.
Rememberings- didn't listen to anything much this last week. Need to take more walks, or do more chores I think. I'll probably finish this weekend.
QotW:
The first book I finished was Love & Saffron, which I read for the set 24 yrs before you were born (1962-1964). I really liked it, and I probably wouldn't have picked it up if it hadn't fit the prompt. That was 100% the reason I got it from Libby.
not sure how January could be THIS stressful when we're not even through 2 full weeks. I've been hiding inside of books.I finished Of Hoaxes and Homicide by for A book about a writer (It's an arc, it will be out in a couple weeks (if you're looking for something for a year ending in 24) The main character, Violet, is an agony aunt so she's a journalist penning a dear abby sort of thing in Victorian England. I enjoyed it.
I read Murder at the Majestic Hotel by Clara McKenna for the prompt A book set in a travel destination on your bucket list. It's set in York which has been on the bucket list, for the same reason the main character does: history
And for A book with 24 letters in the title The Secret of the Lost Pearlsby Darcie Wilde a historical (Regency) mystery that could also be used for more than 3 points of view (though most of them are Rosalind, the main character)
QOTW I read Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew for the prompt A book with an unreliable narrator this is an arc which won't be out until April. It was a really good YA horror
Wow hello I missed posting here last year! Itās been crazy busy around here, so while I mostly finished my challenges I didnāt read nearly as much as I wanted to. I got a pair of AirPods for Christmas so now I can listen at work and I think thatāll help me get through more books this year. Finished:
For this week and last week
Stitches: A Memoir
This was for a 2023 challenge I didnāt quite finish, but I aināt no quitter, so Iām finishing them now. This is a graphic novel that went pretty quickly, I love glimpses into random lives so I really enjoy these types of memoir graphic novels from people who arenāt massive celebrities.
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue
Also from a 2023 prompt. I was happy to find a book that fits lgbt related challenge prompts that arenāt overly sexual. I know itās kind of silly how adverse I am to spicy scenes but I was glad that this didnāt shy away from the fact that the main character is bi without making me read overly graphic descriptions. This was a fun, funny, adventure story that I enjoyed. I will probably be reading the next book is the series at some point.
Thistlefoot
Another 2023 book š¬. Iād been very excited to read this for quite some time, probably from the cover alone but also because I love historical fiction that explores myths and legends. This was very enjoyable until it got to the surprise at the end that was the catalyst for the familyās generational trauma. It left me feeling ill and heartbroken, Iām not going to fault the book for that because those are important stories to tell, but as a mom it just cut me too deep.
Borne
Probably not for any prompt I donāt think, Iām reading Dead Astronauts for a prompt and wanted to revisit Borne since I didnāt really remember what all took place. I really love this author, I read that this is maybe becoming a movie and if that happens Iāll be very eager to see a giant floating god-like murderous bear on the big screen lol
Currently Reading:
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Great Adventure Catholic Bible
What Moves the Dead
QOTW:
The first book I read this year was Stitches, it probably fits a prompt but Iām mostly focused on finishing last yearās Read Harder challenge before I move on to 2024 challenges.
Challenges:
Popsugar - 0/45; 0/5
Read Harder - 0/24
T+I Classics - 0/12
European Tour - 2/10
12 Friends - 0/12
Yearly Goal - 4/150
Happy Thursday all!So this week, I was on a reading tear. I think it's the excitement of the new year, with no more self-imposed restrictions about what I read. But I've got library books going, I've got physical and ebook holds, and I've got a stack of books in my place that I'm pulling from all my other stacks as "next to be read". And then the Canada Reads shortlist came out today, so that added to my 5 more to my holds... And upthread K.L. mentioned a new Wayward Children, which I hadn't known about, so just requested that as well (thanks!)...
Finished
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It I heard suburban mom becomes hit man, and assumed it was going to be something much more intentional than the rather hapless way things happened, but it was still cute and fun enough that I immediately picked up the sequel from the library.
Deadly Class, Volume 1: Reagan Youth and Deadly Class, Volume 2: Kids of the Black Hole Oooof, these are dark comics, content wise. I'm interested enough to keep going but may need to space them out for breathing room. And I want to see more within the school.
Lone Women This book surprised me a number of times, there were a couple places that things happened that I really didn't see coming. Which was great.
Scandal Picked up when I was in the mood for a light romance read. I don't always track those on Å·±¦ÓéĄÖ, but the first chapter mentioned the heroine was 24 like three times, so I figured that was a pretty strong sign to use it for the challenge.
The Selection At the library the other day I was browsing for something to fit ATY's 'two word title starting with the' prompt, but nothing was really clicking. Then I went to check this out and realized that I was already carrying this one which I'd picked up as a prior interest before I started looking for fills for that. You definitely can't think about the plot or the world building too hard, and it's the most "I'm not like other girls" thing I've read in awhile, but it still sucked me in and I also requested the sequel. You kind of have to with this one though, the first book is definitely not a complete story!
Currently Reading
System Collapse Aww man, I have all the love for Murderbot, but at the outset of this, it seems like they aren't doing too well. Poor Murderbot, needs some nice uninterrupted media watching time.
Moby-Dick or, The Whale Tackling as part of clearing my pre-2015 GR TBR. Just started but I can tell it's likely going to be a slow go.
QotW
First book finished was All the Pretty Horses. Didn't count it for the challenge as it was started in 2023. First complete book read was Ten Days in a Mad-House, really because I had picked it up in my last 2023 library visit in anticipation of being able to read restriction free in 2024. Used it for (I think ATY's) number in title, even though I had had something else planned for that. My third book read was my first PS fill - Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption for incarcerated author.
Happy thurday everyone! I'm so happy to be participating this year. It's been 7 years since the last time I took part in this challenge, and I feel like my reading motivation has been through the roof since I began.QotW:
The first book I finished in 2024 was Ruthless Vows which i unfortunately I didn't get to finished last year, but after that I read All Systems Red which I'm counting as a book set in the future.
2024 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 3/50
Yearly goal: 5/60
FINISHED
*All Systems Red : I read this for the A book set in the future prompt, I have heard great things about this series and I was not disappointed. Such a quick and thrilling book to begin the year.
*Rogue Protocol: I'm counting this as the 24th book of an author since fortunately it was in the listopia for the challenge.
It's sequel to all systems red and such a heartfelt one. I love the main character, murderbot, who unlike his name is a big softie.
*Mexican Gothic : I read this for the prompt of Horror book from a BIPOC author. I knew this was going to be a tough prompt since I'm a scaredy cat but I still feel like I was not prepared. This book was a JOURNEY. but I got through it and I enjoyed it(even if it horrified me and made me want to throw up a little bit)
PLANNED:
*Nightwing, Vol. 1: Leaping into the Light - For the leap prompt. I love comics and I really wanted to get into the Batfam comics so since i saw this fit the prompt I figured it was time to give it a try.
*What Moves the Dead - For the prompt of a book recommended by a librarian. I read my first T. Kingfisher book last year and really loved it. I have even made a game out of how many t kingfisher's books can i fit into different prompts and I swear it was like five at my last count. And I'm sure I could fit even more if I wanted to. So tbh I have planned to read a ton of her books not just this one.
I'm back! It has been a good long while. I've really missed you all. I was unable to log into the desktop version of Å·±¦ÓéĄÖ until just a few minutes ago. Best thing that has happened in this year so far! I nearly cried.Due to my depression over not being able to get into Å·±¦ÓéĄÖ, I have yet to finish a book this year. What's the fun of reading it if I can't post about it? Okay, overly dramatic!
I saw the movie "Wonka" today and thought it was adorable. It was fun to escape for awhile, and fortunately the snow storm waited to begin until I was just leaving the movie theater.
Å·±¦ÓéĄÖ: 0/100
Popsugar: 0/50
QOTW:
Last week - I met all of my reading goals last year. I read 90 books, which was my goal. I finished the Popsugar Challenge in October. I read 13 Agatha Christie books (1 more than goal), 12 new releases (goal), 6 non-fiction books (goal). Other than bumping up my Å·±¦ÓéĄÖ goal to 100 since I'm now retired, my goals will be basically the same. I don't plan to add more as I'm trying to relieve stress in my life, not add to it.
This week - I am currently reading The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, perhaps for prompt #2 a bildungsroman. I'm really enjoying this book and wondering why I didn't read it when everyone else did. I am hoping to join in on the monthly read - just got the book from the library.
Teri wrote: "I'm back! It has been a good long while. I've really missed you all. I was unable to log into the desktop version of Å·±¦ÓéĄÖ until just a few minutes ago. Best thing that has happened in this yea..."Welcome back! I'm glad you were finally able to log in. I get the idea that reading isn't as much fun if you're not getting credit for it. That's part of why I hardly ever read magazines. In Å·±¦ÓéĄÖ' land, they don't count!
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
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Not much reading done since I allowed myself to plan for the 2024 reading challenges! I can spend hours doing thatā¦and did!! So. Much. Fun!!
We have lucked out here weather-wise with just some rain and a few snow flurries with no accumulation, though I admit the colder weather gets to me a bit more every winter!! But it could always be worse!
Here are some listings of books I found to be interesting... Just in case you need more books on your TBR!! šš
Powellās list of bestsellers from 2023!
Powellās Staff Top Five from 2023!
AND PROBABLY THE BEST LISTING OF UPCOMING 2024 RELEASES IāVE SEEN!
African Book Addictās blog postingāthe annual collage of new books due to release in 2024:
This includes ā�121 new African, African-American, Black-Brit, and. Caribbean books that look very promising.ā� It will take me awhile to peruse this listing in detail!
***
ADMIN STUFF:
The January 2024 Monthly Group Read of Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah has begun! This book could be used to fulfill 2024 prompt #19 "A book set in the future." Discussion of this book is ongoing HERE! I am gratified to find several who have never posted in these discussions willing to participate this month! YAY! You will also find the thread to list a book you have read to fulfill this specific prompt HERE!
The February Monthly Group Read is Lucky Leap Day by Ann Marie Walker!! This book could be used to fulfill 2024 prompt #1 A book with the word "leap" in the title. (Since āLeap Dayā�/February 29 does occur in February!) š I donāt plan to read this oneā¦since I want to read the mystery series that includes Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon (Meg Langslow #4) by Donna Andrews! I trust there is a āleaping literary luminarā� willing to lead this discussion! Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!
NEW POLL!
The final selection poll for the March Monthly Group Read is continuing through this week!. This book could be used to fulfill 2024 prompt #48 A collection of at least 24 poems. World Poetry Day is celebrated on March 21!
There are 5 books from which you can select:
Dog Songs: Poems by Mary Oliver
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Shakespeare
milk and honey by Rupi Kaur
Call Us What We Carry: Poems by Amanda Gorman
VOTE HERE! This poll is scheduled through Tuesday, January 16!
The comprehensive listing of 2024 Monthly Group Reads resides HERE for your perusal and reference throughout 2024!
***
Question of the Week:
What is the first book you have finished reading or are currently reading in 2024? Does it fulfill a 2024 Popsugar prompt? If so, which one(s)?
Enquiring minds want to know!!
I have finished Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon and was pleasantly surprised to discover it fulfills prompt #2 A bildungsroman!
2024 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 5/50
Around the Year (AtY): 16/52
Read Harder: 3/24
52 Book Club: 10/52
FINISHED
2024 Challenge prompts
*Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon āāāāāāāāāā was excellent in so many ways! These characters were quite relatable for me, especially Lana! Oh, my! My mother was so much like her, though fortunately without the same financial resources, otherwise, she would have been totally unbearable! I could relate to Bethās feeling that the only ācontrolā� she could exert over her motherās rantings was āsilence.ā� Yep! Been there, done that! Though for Beth and Jackās sakes, Lana does become more humane toward the end of the book. Iām hopeful for a sequel or even just more writing from Simon and her mom! Well done!
POPSUGAR: ALL NEW! #2
ATY: ALL NEW! #2, #3-A book featured on a list for a media or celebrity book club-Reeseās Book Club, #4- At the end of the book Beth and Lana tell each other specifically, āI love you.ā�, #33, #46, #49
RHC: ALL NEW! #24-2017: prompt #2 Read a debut novel
52 Book Club: ALL NEW! #7, #14, #30, #41
*An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed (Elderly Lady #2) by Helene Tursten, translated by Marlaine Delargy āāāāā� for an IRL book club meeting this past Tuesday. This was the sequel to An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good and I enjoyed this one a bit more. It felt a bit more in-depth. I loved the ending! All 11 people who attended this meeting would love a third book in this series!! I do plan to read at least one of Turstenās mystery novelsā�
POPSUGAR: NEW #14, NEW #17-Sweden/Africa, NEW #31
ATY: #2-read the first installment in 2023, #3-A book you could read within 24 hours, NEW #17, NEW #18, NEW #21, NEW #24, #33, NEW #36, NEW #37, NEW #40-African safaris, #49
RHC: NEW #8-Sweden, NEW #23, #24-2015: prompt #19 Read a book that was originally published in another language
52 Book Club: #14-Sizi, NEW #15, NEW #22, NEW #24
*An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good (Elderly Lady #1) by Helene Tursten, translated by Marlaine Delargy āāāāā� I reread this to refresh my memory for the second installment above! I am so glad I gave this a quick reread prior to the IRL book club meeting! I had forgotten some things! Both of these books were good solid reads, but I think I prefer the second one since it ends on a much more positive note, IMO!
POPSUGAR: #14, #17-Sweden, NEW #27, #31
ATY: #2-A reread from 2023, #3-A book title that seemingly refers to one or more characters in the book, #4-āThe dark sacred night,ā� NEW #11-Gustaf, Maudās EX-fiancee, #17, #21, NEW #25-stealing, identity fraud, #33, #36-Maud is a retired teacher, #37, NEW #41, #46, #49
RHC: #8, #23, #24-2015: prompt #19 Read a book that was originally published in another language
52 Book Club: #15, NEW #23, #24, NEW #29-2013, NEW #31-Charlotte, NEWChristmas
CONTINUING:
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
Although 2023 Popsugar prompts were perhaps not the most challenging or inspirational, I am very glad to have had motivation to reread this book!
*Dismantling Racism: The Continuing Challenge to White America by Joseph Barndt
PLANNED:
*Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman is a reread for an IRL book club
*Finlay Donovan Is Killing It (Finlay Donovan #1) by Elle Cosimano is another reread for an IRL book club! I adore this series and am waiting with bated breath for the fourth installment to release March 5th!
*Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin for a Buddy Read and Popsugar prompt #22 A book that centers on video games
*Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum #30) by Janet Evanovich
*10th Anniversary (Womenās Murder Club #9) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
11th Hour (Womenās Murder Club #11) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin