Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2024 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 27: 6/27 - 7/4
ATY summer challenge: 8/12 66%I really have to discipline myself to stick to one book at a time and this past week I haven't disciplined myself to do that!
Finished: None!
Started: The Cave and the Light: Plato Versus Aristotle, and the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization for ATY Summer prompt Vacation time (been meaning to read, set somewhere I would like to visit.) This is more than just about Plato and Aristotle. It expands to how they've influenced thinkers since then. I'm enjoying it quite a lot.
How to Keep House While Drowning Just trying to motivate myself to keep working on my house!
A Monk’s Guide to A Clean House & Mind Ditto.
Conscious Mind, Resonant Brain: How Each Brain Makes a Mind This reads more like a textbook than I was expecting, but I'm still enjoying it a lot.
QotW: I don't use any free digital services except for Libby and that only rarely. My friend tried to teach me about all these resources where you could download practically anything for free, but I didn't like the format so I willfully forgot all the details.
I'm in a weird place right now where I have bought more books recently than I've checked out at the library. Usually, I prioritize library books because they have a set deadline. But right now, I think I need to prioritize all the recent purchases!
It's election day in the UK today. Our polling station seemed busier than usual and the woman checking ID said it had been a constant stream of people. I was laughing while voting because one guy was repeatedly asking if filling it in in pencil was OK. I don't know if he'd never voted before but he seemed old enough to know it's always pencils, and no, no one has time to go round changing all the votes.One book finished this week, The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen which I loved. I'm using it for second chance romance (it's between a widow and a divorcee) and ATY (wings on cover). Just the sort of thing my brain needs right now, and yay for more middle-aged fantasy characters.
Currently reading Echo of Worlds and listening to Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.
QOTW:
The only free service I use is NetGalley. The library has Borrowbox but it's not compatible with kindles, and I refuse to read a whole book on my phone. I am thinking about grabbing the free 3 months of KU on offer at the moment, because there are a couple of books I fancy reading, but also I already have too many books already on my shelves that I'm not reading. My book is in KU though, so I feel like maybe I should support other authors...
I have tried Scribd (now Everand) in the past for audiobooks, but it seemed to be weirdly not really unlimited and hard to tell what was actually included in the unlimited part. Maybe it's better value if you use it for both ebooks and audio.
Happy Thursday! Starlight had a rough night last night. The few little pops and bangs we had earlier this week didn’t seem to bother her at all, but last night the fireworks season officially started� and our dog is unhappy! Tonight’s going to be miserable for her. Our neighborhood gets crazy.2024 Reading Challenges: I’ve read 245 books so far this year (and 23.2% of my ever-growing TBR) with an average length of 336 pages and an average rating of 3.71.
52 Book Club: 45/52 (Summer Challenge 15/24)
ATY: 37/52 (Summer Challenge 19/36)
Booklist Queen: 44/52
Diverse Baseline: 18/36
Popsugar: 38/50
Robot Librarian: 41/52
ICYMI Backlist: 6/12
Recently Completed:
Sense and Sensibility: Jane Austen Book Club. I understand why Austen’s works are classics. Even though her books were written 200 years ago, I still find people and situations that resonate with me. I adore Elinor. (Booklist Queen #38 � classic by a female author) ★★★★
How To Start A Fire: This jumped so much from time to time and place to place that I couldn’t keep up with the story. I’m not sure there was a plot, and I didn’t really care about the characters. (ATY July #2b � the moon on the cover) ★★
Mental Immunity: Infectious Ideas, Mind-Parasites, and the Search for a Better Way to Think: Reasonable Doubt Book Club. They had me for the first third of the book, but too many people are stuck in their beliefs/feelings to ever accept the author’s methods. (ATY #17 � involving intelligence) ★★�
The Girl from the Sea: Sweet YA graphic novel about identity, love and friendship, and selkies. ★★★★
Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution: Pffft. I still don’t need a deity to be happy or fulfilled or capable of awe. (ATY #3 � a suggestion that didn’t make the final list: a book related to soul) ★★
The Familiar: Leigh Bardugo’s latest. (52 Books #49 � set in a city that starts with M/ATY August #2c � set somewhere you’d like to visit: Madrid) ★★★★
Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books: What fun! A subversive takeover of a bigot’s little library? I’m in! (52 Books Summer #1b � a flame on the cover) ★★★★�
Tales from the Café: It got a little bogged down in the “rules� of time travel, but still lovely, gentle story-telling. (ATY June #4b � a translated book) ★★★★
The Glassmaker: I love Tracy Chevalier. (ATY August #1c � set in a city) ★★★★
Without Children: The Long History of Not Being a Mother: NPR 2023 Books We Love. ★★�
Camp Zero: I’m going to have to read this again (and take notes!) to catch all the relationships and twists. Adventures Underground Book Club. (ATY July #3c � an element of survival) ★★�
Currently Reading:
Marilou is Everywhere (ATY August #4a � borrowed from the library)
Counterfeit (52 Books Summer #7a � author shares last name of an Olympian/ATY Summer #4c � a seven in the page count)
Margo's Got Money Troubles (ATY June #4a � at least four colors on the cover)
Kick: The True Story of JFK's Sister and the Heir to Chatsworth (52 Books #11 –title starts with K)
The Pretty One: On Life, Pop Culture, Disability, and Other Reasons to Fall in Love With Me (Diverse Baseline #19 � a disabled BIPOC author)
Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life (52 Books Summer #4a � about finding balance in life)
Swift River (ATY #14 � a BIPOC main character)
North Woods: NPR 2023 Books We Love. (ATY July #3a � a nature scene without people on the cover)
The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet: NPR 2023 Books We Love.
QOTW: When it comes to ebooks, I almost exclusively use Libby and Hoopla. Sometimes I purchase ebooks from Amazon when they’re recommended by BookBub. They’re cheap but not usually free.
Ellie wrote: "It's election day in the UK today. Our polling station seemed busier than usual and the woman checking ID said it had been a constant stream of people. I was laughing while voting because one guy was repeatedly asking if filling it in in pencil was OK. I don't know if he'd never voted before but he seemed old enough to know it's always pencils, and no, no one has time to go round changing all the votes...."That is NOT what I was expecting you would say! I would be worried someone would change the votes too. Here we do mail-in ballots and always use black or blue ink.
Laura wrote: "I’ve read 245 books so far this year (and 23.2% of my ever-growing TBR) with an average length of 336 pages and an average rating of 3.71...."245 books! Wow. I've only read 92 and I felt like I spent more time reading than most people.
Doni wrote: "That is NOT what I was expecting you would say! I would be worried someone would change the votes too. Here we do mail-in ballots and always use black or blue ink...."You are allowed to use a pen if you're really concerned about it, but they don't provide them. There was a bit of a conspiracy theory going round last election about people rubbing out the votes, but it would take ages and need a lot of people to be involved.
Doni wrote: "245 books! Wow. I've only read 92 and I felt like I spent more time reading than most people."I do LOTS of audiobooks!
Happy 4th of July! There are fireworks in NYC tonight - supplied annually by Macy's, and this year they will be on the Hudson River from 14th to 34th Streets. I will watch on TV -- crowds - and the crowds will be dense even with the West Side Highway being closed for viewing (it's a big area) - are SO NOT MY THING. But once upon a time prior to the construction of the Hudson Yards and pandemic, I had an office with a perfect view of the Hudson River and the fireworks when staged there. Nothing quite like watching from bugless air conditioned comfort. Progress made in PS - read 41/50!
Finished:
Xmas Carole - Prompt book that starts with X
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants - Prompt - NF indigenous. Lots to like in this book but her preachy spiritual path sustainability and environmental harmony pretty much buried it for me. Big plus: Onondaga indigenous culture and history front and center - no one writes about them or the other Great Lakes and Finger Lakes tribes!
Dear Old Dead
Currenty Reading:
Thread and Gone - a 4th of July mystery set in Maine
The Liar’s Knot
QOTW: I had forgotten I suggested this one! I'll confess that I'm not the best at suggestions because I don't need to rely on 'free' options. Once I became a lawyer and the income was there to supported my love of reading, I acquired quite a massive collection which of course created my numerous TBR Towers. Now I also have massive ebook TBR Towers too. I rely heavily on my TBR Towers for filling prompts in challenges.
But I do still use the library - though at the moment I can't download any ebooks from NYPL until I get my butt to a branch to renew my card. I am planning that outing for tomorrow, with a stop at a new restaurant i want to try for lunch, and maybe a visit to the Main Building with the Lions to check out the fabulous gift shop. I can renew Brooklyn and Queens online (as they are ebook only memberships), but not NYPL.
Anyway, I do have Kindle Unlimited through Prime - use it just enough to not cancel it. Especially useful when I know I have a print copy of the book - older ones especially - but can't find them. Amazing how often that mystery or romance or other genre fiction is available on KU.
I also opt sometimes for the 'free' version of classics available on Nook and Amazon.
I don't do Netgalley - I tend to like my books to 'age' and 'mature' in my TBR for a while before reading them. Netgalley books would make me feel pressured to read and review-- so not for me. I have enough deadlines and pressure in my life
Very early check-in for me thanks to being home today for the Independence Day holiday! 🎆🎇🎆 I finished two books, though neither fit any of my open prompts. I'm at 16/45 and 2/5 for this challenge, and 52/100 for my overall ŷ Reading Challenge (which includes the two that I don't count, but GR counts anyway). Finished:
* Real Life and Other Fictions written by Susan Coll and narrated by Jane Oppenheimer, which is one of my book clubs' picks for July; and,
* What Fire Brings by Rachel Howzell Hall, which was a GR Giveaways win (hooray! 🥳). I thought it was a fun summer thriller ☀️�
Currently Reading:
* The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims
* and whatever I decide to start today (probably Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land, which is my other book clubs' pick for July)
QotW:
This week's question was suggested a long time ago by Theresa:
What free or inexpensive subscription resources, besides Kindle Unlimited, Project Gutenburg and library ebook borrowing, have you used or found to download and read ebooks? Especially classics or other books that are in the public domain or OOP? Aside from NetGalley and the basic Prime catalog, I can't really think of anything else that I use for regularly ebooks that isn't listed in the question (unless occasionally winning ebooks via a ŷ Giveaway counts?). I have used Scribd in the past, but it was during the pandemic when they kindly offered freebie trial subscriptions for an extended period. I opted not to keep the subscription since my library really beefed up its digital collection and there wasn't enough unique content in Scribd for me to convert over to a paid subscriber at the time.
Happy Thursday, everyone!I’m very happy to report that my medication side effects have pretty much resolved themselves, so I have actually managed to be productive this week! I’m currently taking a break from cleaning out the closet, and it feels really nice to sit down!
In addition to the things I accomplished around the house, I read a tremendous number of books this week! Apart from watching the Olympic trials over the weekend, I pretty much kept the television off in favor of reading, which really paid off.
I’m currently focusing exclusively on my “New� Books list, trying to finish all of my remaining titles before the end of the month. I currently have 14 books left, and I’m feeling pretty good about my chances of meeting this goal.
Here are my current challenge and TBR totals�
ŷ Challenge: 340/200 (Challenge Complete!)
Mount TBR Challenge: 93/150
📚Physical TBR: 52
📱Ebook TBR: 41
Audiobook TBR: 0
TBR Checklist Total: 93
Last week I forgot to mention that I bought a copy of The Pale Horse, by Agatha Christie.
This week I got a copy of Just Add Water: My Swimming Life, by Katie Ledecky. I’m really looking forward to reading this one as we get closer to the start of the Olympic games.
“New� Books Bought in 2024: 242
“New� Books Read in 2024: 228
Finished Reading (Fiction):
~Slayers 13-15 Collector’s Edition � This collection includes the final three light novels in the Slayers series (Presages of Incarnation, Hatred in Selentia, and The Demon Slayers!). All three of these books were brand new reads, and I really enjoyed them! 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Yu Dragon � This is the fifth (and final) book in the 80AD series. I thought this was a good continuation of the series, and a satisfying conclusion to the series as a whole. I’m glad that I finally got around to finishing this series, and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good LitRPG story. 📱: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Bitter Waters � This is book 3.5 in the Greta Helsing series. I was so excited to have a chance to dive back into this world, and thoroughly enjoyed the story and characters. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📱: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Destination Unknown � This standalone Agatha Christie novel was a very clever story. I thought it had a nice blend of mystery and adventure. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Endless Night � I felt like this standalone Agatha Christie novel started out a bit slow, but it ended up being an interesting story. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Murder by Invitation Only � This is the third book in the Phyllida Bright mystery series. I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook each night before going to sleep, and I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series. : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Pale Horse � This was one of my favorite standalone Agatha Christie novels! I thoroughly enjoyed the story and characters. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Dreadful � This was an impulse purchase the last time I was at my local Barnes & Noble, so I didn’t really know what to expect going into it. I’m so glad that I got it though, because I loved it! The story and characters were fantastic, and I did a lot of laughing as I read. I highly recommend this book if you’re still looking for a cozy fantasy, especially if you like books featuring dark wizards. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Can't Spell Treason Without Tea � I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy fantasy! The characters were a lot of fun, and I loved the community the main characters became a part of. If you’re a fan of Legends & Lattes, then I highly recommend giving this book a try. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
None
Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
~Love’s in Sight!, Vol. 7 � This was a great continuation of the series! I love the characters and artwork. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Lonely Castle in the Mirror (Manga) Vol. 3 � The manga adaptation of Mizuki Tsujimura’s novel continues to be fantastic! Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished Reading (Poetry and Drama):
None
DNFed:
~Electra Galaxy's Mr. Interstellar Feller � After close to a week without feeling any desire to continue reading this book, I decided to DNF it. While I thought the story was promising, I just did not like the main characters, and ultimately didn’t feel like spending my time reading about their romance. This is the first book I’ve purchased in 2024 that I’ve DNFed, so I’m pretty disappointed. 📚
Currently Reading:
~They Do It With Mirrors � I decided to get a copy of this audiobook from my local library to listen to before bed. It is a re-read for me, but I'm enjoying revisiting the story. The narrator is also really good. Content Alert: (view spoiler)
~Dead on Target � This is book 34 in the Agatha Raisin series. I'm about a third of the way through the story, and I'm really enjoying it so far. 📚
QOTW:
I really only use Libby.
Mod
I'm reading Margo's Got Money Troubles right now, too! It's so much weirder than I thought it would be LOL!! I've never read anything by Thorpe before, but I know now that I need to dig into her backlist.
Without Children: The Long History of Not Being a Mother: NPR 2023 Books We Love. ★★�
How was this? I've got kids so I don't know if I feel motivated enough to want to read a book about not having kids, but I can tell you from my own family that of course there's a long history of women not having children! My paternal grandmother had four sisters, and none of her sisters had children.
Camp Zero: I’m going to have to read this again (and take notes!) to catch all the relationships and twists. Adventures Underground Book Club. (ATY July #3c � an element of survival) ★★�
I gave this book five stars, but I feel like I'm the only person who loved it LOL!
Happy Thursday! And happy 4th of July to all US-friends! Not much to report this week. Work is still crazy and I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend. Just a bit of gardening and reading. PS: 14/50
FNL: 27/40
Total: 36/52
Finished
Noem geen namen by Astrid Sy ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Young adult historical fiction book about a student resistance group during WW2 and the heroic Jewish child care workers. They smuggled hundreds of Jewish kids out of the daycare facility in the assembly building in Amsterdam before they were transported to concentration camps. Based on a true story. Heartbreaking to read about every kid that entered the tram to the railway station. A life that couldn’t be saved.
De verdeelde Staten van Amerika (The divided states of America) by Charles Groenhuijsen⭐⭐
PS#21
Description of the USA by a former USA correspondent on Dutch national television. It’s very biased and it lacks a proper answer on questions as why people vote for Donald Trump 'with their noses closed'.
Currently reading
Het meisje met de halve ster by Judith Visser
QOTW
I'm team #paper, so the rare occasion I do read ebooks, I get them from the library.
Nadine in NY wrote: I'm reading Margo's Got Money Troubles right now, too! It's so much weirder than I thought it would be LOL!! I've never read anything by Thorpe before, but I know now that I need to dig into her backlist.It's super weird. I didn't realize the humor was going to be as broad as it is... I think I was expecting something more rom-commy. It's going to be hard to rate this one.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Without Children: The Long History of Not Being a Mother: NPR 2023 Books We Love. ★★�
How was this? I've got kids so I don't know if I feel motivated enough to want to read a book about not having kids, but I can tell you from my own family that of course there's a long history of women not having children! My paternal grandmother had four sisters, and none of her sisters had children."
I felt like it was pretty unfocused. The historical parts were pretty interesting, but most of the contemporary information about falling birth rates and lack of support for new parents wasn't new to me.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Camp Zero: I gave this book five stars, but I feel like I'm the only person who loved it LOL!"
I really like it too. I just felt lost sometimes with the characters different identities and the relationships between all of them. I think I will read it again just to appreciate the intricate story.
Mod
It's super weird. I didn't realize the humor was going to be as broad as it is... I think I was expecting something more rom-commy. It's going to be hard to rate this one."
Yes! It's definitely not a rom-com, but the cover screams "I am a rom-com!" - I wonder why they did that?
Happy Thursday! It's supposed to rain over here, so no fireworks for me (not that I was planning to go out, but still).We started pulling books for the JF genre-fication project last week, and that's been going smoothly so far, though yesterday we reached the genre that I knew would be the biggest headache: realistic fiction. Not just because it's the biggest category, but because each book has to be double checked to make sure it didn't fall into another category, like historical fiction or humor (you can't always tell from the catalog record, or even the book's description). The next category, mystery, will be a little more straightforward.
Finished:
Deephaven - (RH A middle grade horror novel; would also work for Middle grade book with an LGBTQIA main character) A decent horror mystery. Some parts felt a little anachronistic for the time period (it's set during the great depression), but on the whole I enjoyed it.
Glitter and Concrete: A Cultural History of Drag in New York City - (RH A book about drag or queer artistry) I learned a lot from this one! The author presented everything in a very easy to read style. Even so, I switched to the audiobook about a third of the way through to help get through it faster (I wanted to finished before the end of Pride month).
Witch Hat Atelier Kitchen 1 - While I wait for the next volume, I decided to check out the spinoff, but I don't think I'll continue with this one. It really is just recipes in manga form, with the occasional fantasy element, and not enough of the characters. Maybe when the series is completely over and I'm really in need of more, I might revisit it, but at the moment, no.
Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned - (PS A memoir that explores queerness; could also work for a book published 24 years ago and a book with a 24-year-old protagonist) Really good, and truly touching. I don't tear up at books very often, but I did with this one.
Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic - This one was fun, and I loved the art style, but it wasn't anything special in terms of story.
Tidesong - This one had a more original story, and I also really liked the art, but it didn't quite do it for me. It had a good message about generational trauma, but that meant putting up with adults being more than a little insufferable (not the that young adult main character was much better).
Currently reading:
Book Love
He Must Go Walk the Woods So Wild
Martyr!
Wave: A Novel in Verse
Crying in H Mart
QOTW: I don't read that many ebooks, so when I do it's usually through Libby or Hoopla. But when I read the question, I immediately thought of archive.org, which I use to find books from my childhood that are most definitely out of print. That's not exactly ebooks, but it's reading them digitally, so I'd say it counts.
Happy Thursday! And Happy Fourth if you're celebrating! I will be staying inside out of the heat, and away from most of the crowds. I used to bartend, so there are certain holidays that I avoid like crazy now- too many years of dealing with very drunk people celebrating. But I am enjoying having the day off!Last weekend, I went to a bookstore that I've driven by for years but never visited- called Dark Carnival. It was great, mainly sci-fi and fantasy, and just stacks and stacks of books everywhere. I could have spent so much money there, but I was good and only picked up three books
Finished:
Until I Meet My Husband- this was a really good memoir about a man growing up gay in Japan.
-no prompt
Love in the Big City- I thought this was really good for most of the book, and then it made me ugly cry by the end.
-no prompt
Democracy or Else: How to Save America in 10 Easy Steps- I've been listening to Pod Save America for years, so I was obviously going to pick up their book. It was fine, I think it'd be good for people who want to get involved in politics but don't know where to start
-no prompt
Currently reading:
They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us- still working on this, just reading a few essays a day
Listen for the Lie- this is fun, haven't read a mystery/thriller in a minute, this has been pretty entertaining
QotW:
I pretty much only use the library apps- hoopla and libby. And now netgally, but that's about it
Mod
The last canine I had, Miss Sadie, was petrified of fireworks. We literally had to medicate her quite heavily to get her through the whole week of fireworks in this town. I was so glad not to have that stressor in the years after she left this earth. Two of our three cats get upset, but not drastically. Our little Sissy is stone-cold deaf, so it doesn't bother her a bit! 😃 And amazingly, within the past 3-4 years there have been fewer and fewer of them let off throughout the town, for which I am grateful. I admit the amount of air pollution caused by such displays is a concern to me... Honestly, I feel about fireworks as I do much in my life in later years--I've seen enough of them in this lifetime. I'll let others enjoy them now! 🎆🎆🎆🎆
My time has been so pre-occupied with appointments, etc., and then, like Doni stated, I allowed myself to start reading four new books! What?!? So, I really must buckle down and finish some!! Soon!! As in today!!! 😋
With that said... LOL
Another Bookperk listing!
Another Book Riot listing!
Penguin Random House Editors listing of New Books to Read in July:
Wait! Did you hear that?!? That sound…as if something was exploding?!? Yeah…it was just my TBR listing after reading through these lists! *sigh* LOL 😊 (Not the neighbors' fireworks! LOL)
Meanwhile, I ended up not finishing a single book this week although I read at least 500 pages!! LOL That’s what happens when you just keep starting more books! It's Doni and me for the win in that regard! LOL 😁😯
ADMIN STUFF:
THE SEPTEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS STILL UNDECIDED!!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #6 A book about pirates. Talk Like a Pirate Day is September 19! John Baur and Mark Summers created this international day in 1995.
We ended up with a two-way tie!
Cast your FINAL final vote to select ONE book for the September 2024 Monthly Group Read HERE! These are two quite different books!
Fable (The World of the Narrows #1) by Andrienne Young was originally published in 2020
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Steven was originally published 1882
This poll will only be available through July 9! VOTE NOW! 😊
THE OCTOBER MONTHLY GROUP READ NOMINATION POLL IS LIVE!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #8 A book written by a blind or visually impaired author.
October is White Cane Awareness Month! White Cane Awareness Day is October 15!
If you do not see the title you would like to nominate, please write it in. Please add in the comments what the author's visual impairment is, so we can be sure the book will fulfill this category.
Nadine checked the authors of the first few books she grabbed from our Listopia to start this poll:
* Richard Osman was born with nystagmus, an eye condition that significantly reduces his vision.
* Alice Walker was injured in her right eye from a BB gun, and she eventually became permanently blind in that eye.
* Helen Keller became blind and deaf after a childhood illness.
* Homer was too long ago to know for sure, but legend says he was blind and recited his poems as he traveled from one place to another.
* Jennifer Armentrout has retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic disorder that causes gradual retinal degradation leading to blindness.
Also please check that book's eligibility first! Only books that have NOT been discussed within the past two years (2022-present) are eligible. Remember to consult the listing of these books that are NOT eligible for this month HERE before nominating! :) There is an alphabetized listing by title as well as a chronological listing.
NOTE: This is the NOMINATION round, which is step one. This poll will be open for two weeks. We will select the top results from this round to create a new poll for a Final Vote to select ONE book for the October 2024 group read.
Books nominated thus far:
The Color Purple
The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club #1)
The Story of My Life
The Illiad
From Blood and Ash
VOTE FOR OR NOMINATE A BOOK HERE!!
THE JUNE MONTHLY GROUP READ IS The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers!!This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #18 A book set in space. This is one of my all-time favorite books and series!!
THE JULY MONTHLY GROUP READ IS Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner!! This book could be used to fulfill prompt #44 An autobiography written by a woman in Rock ‘n� Roll. Erin is the “savvy superstar� who has graciously volunteered to lead July’s group read!! Thank you, Erin! 😊 Join the discussion HERE! I plan to read this one over the weekend. Hopefully after I finish a couple of others! LOL
THE AUGUST MONTHLY GROUP READ IS The Tea Dragon Society (Tea Dragon #1) by Kay O'Neill!
This book could be used to fulfill Prompt #23 A book that features dragons. National Lizard Day is August 14! And who might be the "official organizer" willing to lead this discussion? Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer! My copy arrived and I somehow missed that this is actually a graphic novel! Very cute illustrations, etc.!
The comprehensive listing of 2024 Monthly Group Reads resides HERE for your perusal and reference throughout 2024!
***
Question of the Week:
From Theresa: What free or inexpensive subscription resources, besides Kindle Unlimited, Project Gutenburg and library ebook borrowing, have you used or found to download and read ebooks? Especially classics or other books that are in the public domain or OOP?
Uhm. I have used Project Gutenberg a couple of times. Only because there was no other way I could discover to obtain a copy of a book reasonably priced. (As in cheap! LOL) Other than that, I’m clueless since I purchase used books. Real books. 😊 Yes, I’m old and set in my ways!
2024 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 30/50
Around the Year (AtY): 50/52
Read Harder: 16/24
52 Book Club: 42/52
FINISHED:
None
CONTINUING:
*The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers
*All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely starts with a bang! Just as I would expect!
*Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking has me thinking so very much that I have delayed reviewing it until I can finalize my thoughts�
*The Birthing House by Kathy Taylor
*Wool (Silo #1) by Hugh Howey for the July meeting of the IRL book club I facilitate My copy arrived and allthough our meeting isn't until July 30, I went ahead and started reading it! LOL) And at just over 100 pages in I am fascinated!
*...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
PLANNED:
*Minor Detail by Adania Shibli for an IRL book club meeting next Tuesday. I expect this to be intense...
*Fear No Evil (Alex Cross #29) by James Patterson
*11th Hour (Women’s Murder Club #11) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
Happy check-in. Had an uneventful Canada Day which was fine with me because I was coming down with a cold. Hopefully I'll be over it soon.Finished Reading:
We Have Always Lived in the Castle ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY Five books)
Read the audiobook and it left me with an earworm. Good mystery/thriller.
Winter Lost ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
Book 14 finally was published. I still love the world and characters.
Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear: Poems from Gaza ⭐⭐⭐⭐� (PS 24 poems)
A long wait from the library for a copy but worth it. There was an interesting interview with the author at the end.
Medea ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
Greek mythology done in a more historical fiction sense graphic novel.
Assistant to the Villain ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ATY best of ATY)
This was craptacular fun. I listened to the audiobook and the reading was obnoxious, speeding it up helped.
The Fox Maidens ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Korean mythology about gumiho. Same author who did Cook Korean!: A Comic Book with Recipes. The artwork is gorgeous.
Never Flirt with Puppy Killers: And Other Better Book Titles ⭐⭐ (ATY weird title)
The title was funnier than the other alternate titles in the book.
PS 40/50
ATY 45/52
ATY Summer 22/36
ŷ 164/200
QOTW:
Libby/Overdrive, Hoopla and every now and then Guttenburg. NetGalley would never work because I don't review books. Ilona Andrews just had in their newsletter that they are giving away a hundred copies of their newest book Sanctuary on NetGalley if anyone is interested in trying for it.
Happy Thursday, and happy Independence Day to those Americans who celebrate!Finished:
Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi - not for a prompt. Meh. I really loved the first book in this trilogy, but didn't care for the second or third one. This felt very rushed - all action, action, action, with no room for the characters to breathe.
Comics and manga:
Oshi No Ko , Vol. 6
Akane-banashi, Vol. 6
I am currently at 42/50 prompts for Popsugar (37/45 and 5/5).
Currently reading:
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty - for a book about pirates. I'm just starting this today.
Upcoming/Planned:
The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2 by Natsu Hyuuga - not for a prompt.
Dying with Her Cheer Pants On by Seanan McGuire - for a book about women's sports.
QOTW:
I also have three library cards - one for my home library system, and two for nearby library systems that have a reciprocal agreement with my home system. So between Libby and Hoopla for all three systems, I can usually find most of what I want for no cost, and get access to tons of resources between all the libraries.
I get books from Net Galley once in a while, but I use it so infrequently, I rarely get selected.
For the sci-fi and fantasy fans, Tor gives out free eBook downloads occasionally.
Happy 4th of July for those of you in the US, if you celebrate it,, or don't. Won't get into the politics that this holiday has now created. Not much "celebration" in the sense for us. Just grilled hotdogs at home but that was the extent of it. Although I guess my traditional 4th of July tradition is to watch Independence Day. Nothing like aliens taking over the world on an American holiday (at this point in time, maybe that's what we need).
I have dogs so one of them doesn't like loud noises, we'll be keeping them inside.
In other news, school started up this week. I'm only taking 2 classes but I don't mind since I have to keep a 3.5 GPA to stay in the program so I'll need all the luck I can find.
Other than school though I've got not much else going on so I'm just enjoying my reading time. So that said, moving on to my book news.
Reading Summary:
Overall my reading goals are okay. At 43 books (as of July). Read 88% nonfiction so far which is super awesome.
My top genres are History, Psychology, and Science.
June was an excellent reading month. I read 12 books which was great. Finally got out of my terrible reading slump. Not once did I read a fiction book so I'm proud of that.
Currently Reading:
Given the state of the climate these days, since there's no other special monthly holidays that I'm interested in, other than it being Wild About Wildlife Month, I'm planning to read books based on wildlife and the environment this month.
These are the 3 books I've got going so far-
Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World
- This book started off a bit slow at the beginning, but I'm now on chapter 10 and it's picking up.
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History
- I'm currently reading the 10th anniversary edition of this book which was released this year. I read this book when it came out 10 years ago so I don't remember much of it. About to start chapter 4 and I'm liking it so far.
The Weight of Nature: How a Changing Climate Changes Our Brains
- Got this book just today and it's been on my wish list since I heard about it before it's April 2024 release. I'm currently about to start chapter 2, but already this is really good. I'm predicting a 5-star read for this one (and usually my predictions are spot on) so we'll see.
QOTW:
What free or inexpensive subscription resources, besides Kindle Unlimited, Project Gutenburg and library ebook borrowing, have you used or found to download and read ebooks? Especially classics or other books that are in the public domain or OOP?
Can't really answer this one since I don't read ebooks. I only stick with reading physical books.
I can't do audiobooks because I get distracted easily so I stop paying attention, and I don't care for e-readers/e-books because technology takes up too much of everyday life that the last thing I want is for it to take over my reading experience. Plus I like to annotate my books and I don't get the same vibe of highlighting on a tablet like I do with a physical book.
I only managed to get one thing read this week but it's been on my shelf for a long time and it's a local author who knows I have it and always asks how I liked it...Snowflakes in Summer by Joshua E.B. Smith (PS 20. A book set in the snow), it's a self pubbed fantasy. He needs a better editor but I know how hard that is to find. It was still a decent fantasy about a spell over a town causing never ending snow.
QOTW
Other than the ones mentioned.... the public library. 98% physical books but occasional eBooks. I actually mostly read eBooks from Netgalley arcs and some of the freebies of the day subscriptions I get but those aren't good for looking for a particular book. If I see a mystery (as that's what I'm signed up for) that sounds good and is free I might pick it up. (Mostly eBooks still give me photosensitivity issues regardless of which ones I've tried so I keep my reading there down to about a half hour a day). I get some of Tor's freebies too but again it's not a searchable database.
Gutenberg is the one I get the most use of.
Happy Thursday! I have not posted in awhile so this is probably a month worth of reading. Finished:
Nettle & Bone (PS self published author) 4 stars. I should read more Kingfisher. This was really excellent.
Bad Summer People (no prompt) 2 stars. It says it all in the title. It is bunch of bad people who you won't care about and don’t like.
The Austere Academy (no prompt) 3 stars. A Series of Unfortunate Events Book 5. I'm still surprised I never read these as a kid.
The Ersatz Elevator (no prompt) 4 stars. A Series of Unfortunate Events Book 6
The Vile Village (no prompt) 3 stars. A Series of Unfortunate Events Book 7
The First Mistake (no prompt) 1 star. A domestic thriller. It was very predictable. Every single "twist" I saw coming.
The Hostile Hospital(no prompt) 3 stars. A Series of Unfortunate Events Book 8
Above Ground (PS 24 poems) 3 stars. I’m not a fan of poetry but Clint Smith is an excellent writer. A lot of the poems were about being a parent which I couldn’t really connect with but they were written well.
The Shadows (no prompt) 3 stars. The story was not as compelling as his first book The Whisper Man but it was still an enjoyable read.
Into the Silence (ATY fewer than 2024 ratings) 3 stars. A Torchwood book. It’s too bad about Gwen being such a big part of the book. She is the least interesting of all of the team.
The Woman in the Window (no prompt) 3 stars. An agoraphobic who sees a neighbor murdered from her window. It was good but I have read a lot of unreliable narrator types already.
Currently reading:
Legends & Lattes (PS NaNoWriMo)
What Kind of Woman: Poems (PS genre you avoid)
Upcoming:
Iron Flame (ATY wings on cover)
QOTW: I really only use Hoopla and Libby with the libraries I use. I have never really had a need to check for others since my libraries have huge catalogues.
Happy (blessedly rainy) Thursday! My cats are right there with you and the puppers, Nadine. The neighbors had already been setting things off before the rain kicked in and they were NOT thrilled. We got back early today from our second camping trip in two weeks - the first was a quick overnighter close to home, and this was supposed to be a two-nighter of tent camping on Lake Erie. Last night was good, if sticky, but this morning we were chilling at the campsite when some rando just strolled through the site because "oh this is cool, I've never been here before". Uhhh. The sign at the gate clearly says CAMPSITE OCCUPIED. So that gave us both massive icks, and we didn't like the idea of sticking around for another night with the amount of people piling into the area for the holiday, so we ditched. Feels better to be home anyway with this weather.
Things are edging toward chaos between a three-day work week, camping, and starting rehearsal for Othello on Saturday, but I love summer theatre (check back with me at the end of the month and see if that changes, ha!).
Finished this week:
Emma - 3.5 stars. This was charming, even if I didn’t love Emma herself. Wanda McCaddon’s voice for Ms Bates was top-notch. Set in the snow
Chaos Choreography - 4 stars. Still on a roll with my summer popcorn series!
Daemons of the Shadow Realm, Vol. 1 - 4 stars. Hiromu Arakawa's new series! I need to grab the next three from the library, and it looks like v5 is due out in the US in August :D
PS 30/50
ATY 37/52
Mount TBR 16/48
Currently:
Magic for Nothing - book 6 let's gooooo
Just Add Water: My Swimming Life - Katie reads the audiobook! I should've finished this yesterday, I've got an hour left and I'm annoyed lol book about women’s sports/by a female athlete
Back burner:
The Creation of Eve - this is steadily getting edged back into physical-reading territory as my audiobooks pile up, but I’ll be back shortly!
QOTW: What free or inexpensive subscription resources, besides Kindle Unlimited, Project Gutenburg and library ebook borrowing, have you used or found to download and read ebooks? Especially classics or other books that are in the public domain or OOP?
I'm a big proponent of library ebooks. If I can't find something through Libby, chances are it's on Hoopla - especially when it comes to audiobooks of classics!
Ron wrote: "Although I guess my traditional 4th of July tradition is to watch Independence Day. Nothing like aliens taking over the world on an American holiday (at this point in time, maybe that's what we need)."That's an excellent tradition! I'm not a big fireworks fan, so I usually watch either Independence Day or one of the Captain America movies on July 4th.
Ashley Marie wrote: "Just Add Water: My Swimming Life - Katie reads the audiobook! I should've finished this yesterday, I've got an hour left and I'm annoyed lol book about women’s sports/by a female athlete"I'm so excited to read this book!
Happy Thursday and happy 4th of July to all who celebrate!Quick update from me cuz I am exhausted and just want to read some fic before sleeps. Started the ESTA application today and it was so stressful. Gonna check everything over tomorrow and send it off hopefully.
Been reading fics, playing Dreamlight Valley (I gotta talk to Mushu tomorrow and then I've finished the new update that came out Wednesday last week. Downloaded it on Thursday so took me a week. Oops.), got Little Kitty, Big City (which is adorable), and continued Assassin's Creed Black Flag today.
Went to see Despicable Me 4 yesterday! Loved it, haha! There was one scene where a song started playing I did NOT expect and I started laughing so loudly, hahaha!
QOTW
Can't think of any, I'm afraid.
Happy Thursday.I finished the last of my June books and and had a good reading week. (3 day weekend helped) I'm half done my summer reading prompts.
Finished:
Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story
ATY prompt: A book related to Boats, Beaches, Bars, Ballads, or Jimmy Buffett
Popsugar prompt: None (if only it had been a person in rock and roll)
Summer Prompt: A book written by someone over the age of 60 (62 when it was published)
Series - 6/12
Nobel laureates - 3/5
Mysteries/Thrillers - 7/13
ATY - 24/45
PS - 16/30
Summer - 6/12
Currently reading:
In a Free State - 90% done
Heartfire - 30% done
Buddy Reads:
This Present Darkness - 75% done
Hollow City - 45% done
QOTW: Other than Libby, I don't do e-books, so I'm not much help with this week's prompt.
Hi all! Happy 4th to our US members and happy Thursday to everyone else. I echo Lynn's sentiments, though I am finding myself sinking into a sludge of despair about our prospects... We live in view of Cayuga Lake and usually people who live on the lake will set off their own fireworks. We let the kiddo stay up late last night and not a single person set off a single firework! We're going to try again tonight, but she'll be so disappointed if nothing comes of it!
Ugh, what a week! I had my yard sale this weekend. Saturday it was windy and poured all stinkin' day! Sunday was beautiful, but I guess Sundays aren't great for people coming to yard sales? I had 1 sale on Sunday (2 on Saturday- whoomp....). I decided to put up new signs and try to sell more stuff Monday-yesterday. I made 1 additional sale. Sigh................ My MIL wants to do a sale later this summer and she lives in town (I'm in the *boonies*). She said I can bring stuff over. If she doesn't get to it, I think I'll try to do another one at the end of August and advertise more.
I finished Schindler’s List this afternoon. There aren't enough adjectives to describe how this book makes you feel. For people who are older than me, did you know about Schindler before the movie came out? It came out when I was a kid, so I wouldn't have heard of him before then. I saw the movie when I was in college, so it was long enough ago that I don't remember most of it. The book jogged a few memories, though. I'll need to watch it again.
While sitting in the garage waiting for customers (ha.), I read some in Turn Left At The Trojan Horse: A Would-Be Hero's American Odyssey. It's interesting, but not super exciting. It's been on my radar since it first came out since it's about a guy coming back to Ithaca!
I also read a few chapters in Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day. I'm not much of a Rolling Stones' fan, but why in the world they thought using the Hells Angels for security was a good idea has always been fascinating to me. So far, it's also featured a lot of the Grateful Dead (I'm even less a fan of theirs!). Not sure if it'll fit a prompt. Set in 1969 if anyone needs that year.
QOTW: I almost never read ebooks. I've got quite a few on my computer Kindle and Barnes and Noble ereaders, and there they sit.... If I can't get it another way and Libby has a copy, I will go that route.
I do like taking advantage of Audible deals, which I have 1 right now for 3 months at 99 cents each month. I do that and cancel before I get billed the full amount. Pretty soon, they send me another email offer and I do it again. In addition to the 3 books I get to select and keep during that time, I can also listen to a lot of books for free, while I have the subscription. This morning I was browsing and found that both The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, which I've wanted to read for a while and American Girl, which I have a paper copy of, but am having a hard time getting into, are free.
Happy Thursday, and 4th of July to those of us in the USI wish my local baseball teams were playing at home today so I could have gone to a game to get a good fireworks show. I live near a beach and Cali law is making it difficult to have fireworks show near the ocean...there will be some but more get canceled every year and drones just don't cur it in my opinion
I finished two books:
The Women by Kristin Hannah: I did not love this book like nearly everyone I've talked to. It was not about Women, it was about one spoiled, entitled brat who could not cope with things not going her way. Yes, she had serious PTSD, but not all of her problems were due to her service. No plot I could discern.
PS: published in a year ending in 24 (2024)
ATY: published in 2024
52: Grieving character
Robot Librarian: published in 2024
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.
PS: N/A
ATY: boats, ballads, beaches, Jimmy Buffett
52: omniscient narrator
Robot Librarian: romance with characters over 30 (2 sets)
Currently reading:
Many, but focusing on:
Why We Love Baseball
London
Never Whistle At Night
Why We Read
From A Cat's View
QOTW: I read mostly physical books. My Kindle is only a year old. So far I've used the ones already mentioned: the library, Kindle unlimited, project Gutenberg (which I used pre-Kindle on a phone or laptop), and Bookbub, though not a subscription service, does offer cheap books and usually includes 1-2 classics a day for $1-$2. I agree that MOST of the monthly free book offerings through Kindle U are garbage....but 2 months ago i got one from a fave author. I like to read several books all at once so being able to read more leisurely on Kindle instead of trying to finish before the library yanks it back makes it worth the price for me. I also still buy a lot of books and I'm transitioning to e-books for storage reasons.
Happy Thursday all!Celebrating the Fourth of July by dogsitting for my stepsister while she goes off to party, haha... I'm not big on Fourth of July celebrations, so staying in with a book while I calm an anxious dog sounds perfectly good to me.
Also trying to plan for a trip next week -- I'll be going to Toronto for a Transformers convention. Should be a lot of fun!
Books read this week:
Hamlet, Prince of Robots -- pretty much what the title indicates -- Hamlet retold with androids. Doesn’t do much to shake up the original play apart from some swapping of genders, however.
On These Magic Shores -- a story about an Argentenian-American girl struggling to take care of her sisters with a little help from a (possible) fairy. Surprisingly timely.
And Then There Were None -- what a twisty little thriller! Quite different from the Poirot books I’ve read in the past but still a fascinating read.
The Prisoner of Cell 25 -- interesting premise, mediocre writing. Authors who primarily write for adults seem to forget that they don’t have to dumb down their writing for kids. Also this book is set in Meridian, Idaho, which isn’t far from where I live, and I kept wanting to yell “that’s not what it’s like in Meridian!� as I read.
PopSugar Challenge -- FINISHED
Robot Librarian Challenge -- FINISHED
Extreme Book Nerd Challenge -- 49/50
Extreme Book Nerd Advanced Challenge -- 10/10
Extreme Book Nerd Non-Fiction Challenge -- 10/10
Currently reading:
Without a Trace: 1881-1968
A Court of Thorns and Roses
The Mountain in the Sea
Middle of the Night
QOTW:
I used to subscribe to some of those "free and discount e-book" e-mail services, such as E-book Cafe, but then they stopped recommending books I actually like and/or just started reccing the same titles over and over. Now I'm working on slogging through my e-book backlog before I download any more freebies, hehe...
Happy Thursday, y’all. And, for those in the USA, Happy Independence Day!This has been a wonder-filled week. My energy and motivation have returned, despite the heat! I got so many little half-finished things done! Little things like finally re-potting the orchids (had the supplies for over a year), cleaning off the patio where leaves and debris had built up as well as blowing the front porch and walk of debris, working on two garden plots to clear of pine straw and weeds, and lots of other small jobs. And, I have burned lots of pine straw and cleared my backyard of most of the heavy fall of pine straw.
And, thanks to the GN suggestions, I have made headway on the PS challenge and have 10 more on my desk!
Last Saturday, I went to a concert (Chapel Hart) at a local vinery with a friend. I had a good time except for the gnats! However, they disappeared as the wind came up after the sun went down. What a good time! And, my first concert in forever!
This coming week, I will be spending 5 days in Tennessee visiting my brother and sister-in-law. It will be nice to see both of them.
Switching to an audiobook for Animal, Vegetable, Mineral is working for me. Barbara Kingsolver and her husband have shared reading responsibility with her husband reading the more technical asides about food production. Having different voices for different parts is working better for me.
Finished:
Peach Heaven � PS #4 (writer). 4*. This is a short GN about a young girl having difficulty writing about where she lives, and then a storm comes. It provides the info she needs to finish her school essay. Lovely short GN.
Aunt Bessie Finds � Audible. A fun listen and a continuation of a series. 4*
Foundation � PAS. Boy, did I have a bit of a slog getting into this small book! World-building apparently is necessary as this book was the start of many, but way out of my non-space or science fiction universe. Still I was into it by the time it ended. The funny thing is I read it so I could get to the edition in the series that I own…and then I found out that I have book #4! Two more to go. This might take a while! 3*
Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American � PS #41 (explores queerness). GN/ Memoir about being LBGTQ and an immigrant from Wuhan during COVID in USA. I really enjoyed this. 4*
Mooncakes � PS #9 (deaf/hard of hearing author). GN. 4*. Another delightful GN with a hint of super-powers. The protagonist is a young hard-of-hearing witch!
Scarlet � PAS, PS #37 (NaNoWriMo). Well, even though I know that I skipped this volume (#2), it felt so familiar. This book explained how the crew of book #3 all got together and was the backstory to that book. Now I am read to move on. 4*
Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom � PS #26 (Turned into a musical). GN. It boggles my mind how this book about death was made into a musical, which I think of as a positive drama form. It did raise some ethical questions about who should die and who should/shouldn’t make that decision. 3*
One for Sorrow: A Ghost Story � PAS. I really disliked this book when I started it as it was a mean girls story. Mostly I hated it because the MC was the one being bullied…and then it turned out she became part of the bullying…and then the mean ghost arrived…and ~ well, it got good. I might even keep going on the series. #4
Currently Reading:
The Man Who Played with Fire: Stieg Larsson's Lost Files and the Hunt for an Assassin � Kindle. No challenge. 30%. Nonfiction.
Notes from a Small Island � PAS. 23%
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life � PAS, ATY #27. Audible. 12%.
Just Starting:
Walden � PAS. 3%
Mexican Gothic � ALCM, PAS, PS #40 (BIPOC Author). 5%
On Deck:
A People's History of the American Revolution: How Common People Shaped the Fight for Independence - Kindle. 12%
The Cartographers - PAS
Sea of Poppies - ATY #28, PAS
PS 20/50
ATY 26/52
GR 103/200
QotW: What free or inexpensive subscription resources, besides Kindle Unlimited, Project Gutenburg and library ebook borrowing, have you used or found to download and read ebooks? Especially classics or other books that are in the public domain or OOP?
Mostly I use Kindle free books or Hoopla through my library.
When Ed and I lived in CT, we sometimes went to a restaurant that had a used bookstore. If you ate a meal, you could pick 3 books for free!
Happy Thursday.My sister came down with the kids and husband. He helped replant a cactus. The pot cracked and the ancient plant (70 odd years old according to mom) needed a new one.
It has smooth slightly leaves with tiny pokey ridges one the edges of them. The thing you have to worry about is the deadly weapon at the tip. Those things are freaking dangerous. The needle stabs through skin like a hot knife through butter.
I have the day off but sadly have to go back to work tomorrow. I hate roaming holidays that happen midweek.
Haven’t read much.
I finished That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Light Novel), Vol. 1.
I’m reading book 2, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Light Novel), Vol. 2, and 86—EIGHTY-SIX, Vol. 1
QOTW
I get bookspry newsletter that shows me free and discounted romance novels. I also look at book riots deals of the day. I even glance at my Amazon list on price low to high to see if any kindle books are on super sale. I also get newsletters from authors and publishers about their edeals.
Finished:All three of my "Currently Reading" books from last week ended up where I expected. Padawan and The Dragon Business were three stars, and my Star Trek: Full Circle reread was five stars.
Currently Reading:
Unworthy (reread)
Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit
Murder by Invitation Only (recommended by a bookseller)
I am not sure what I think yet about the murder mystery book. Including Agatha Christie in the story as the protagonist's employer gets a little too cute for my taste. Still, the writing in the first few chapters is above average for the cozies I've read. It gives me hope that someone else in the group rated this four stars this week.
Question of the Week:
I load up my Amazon wish list every day and run a search for the word "dropped." If something goes down to $3 or less, I will see if the sample still looks good. At that point, I consider the savings in time, gas, and return pressures to be worth just purchasing the book, even if the library had a physical copy.
Laura wrote: Without Children: The Long History of Not Being a Mother: NPR 2023 Books We Love. ★★�Yeah, I rate this book a 3 as well. If you're interested, Women Without Kids: The Revolutionary Rise of an Unsung Sisterhood, is a better book.
Joanna wrote: Currently reading:
Book Love
What do you think of this so far? It's one of my favorite (non DC/Marvel/Boom) graphic novels.
Mod
a wonderful discovery!!!
There is a giant used book store out in the middle of nowhere (to me it's the middle of nowhere! I'm sure the folks in Dryden don't feel that way!!) that I drive by when I am going from Syracuse to someplace else, like Ithaca. The Book Barn. I always want to stop, but I'm always in the middle of a fairly long drive and I don't have the time. someday ...
(There is actually a small chance that I DID stop in there once a long time ago when I was in my 20s - I don't know if that was real or a dream hahahaha)
I loved Listen for the Lie!! I liked Tintera's YA books, so I grabbed that one as soon as I could, and I was so happy with it.
That big red barn? It's a veterinarian now! I went once when it was a book store, you didn't miss much. I didn't find a single book to buy....
Mod
That's right! Whatever happened to that?? For a while they were doing it occasionally, then they started a "book club" and gave away an ebook every month (and that was AWESOME), and then ... they just ... stopped
Anyone know what's up with that?
Mod
oh noo!! I googled and google lied to me and told me it still existed. I guess I'll never go there.
Where are all the giant used book stores going???? We used to have one in Syracuse and I LOVED it and I went every week.
We still have a smaller used book store in the area, but it's not close to me and I've never been there. I should go visit before it goes out of business too!!!
Ron wrote: "Joanna wrote: Currently reading:
Book Love
What do you think of this so far? It's one of my favorite (non DC/Marvel/Boom) graphic novels."
Generally I like it, though I've been a librarian so long (and thus gotten most of my books that way) that the comics specifically about buy/owning books don't resonate with me as much.
Mod
LOL because that's the EXACT reaction I have every time I read one of her books. "I need to read more of this!!!"
Mod
I went camping (in the Adirondacks) once on the 4th weekend, and NEVER AGAIN - it's just too crowded. Camping is to get AWAY from people.
Wanda McCaddon’s voice for Ms Bates was top-notch.
McCaddon is always top notch, isn't she?!
Hi all! Hope everybody who celebrated yesterday had a good day; we had kind of ucky rainy weather. Finished:
Into the Riverlands: I just love this series. I've already got the next one out from the library
QOTW:
Libby and Hoopla from the library. I have Netgalley but I've learned to be very picky about what I request; I feel bad writing a review for something I hated but I will not ruin my percentage by not reviewing.
Mod
Fun!!!
That got me thinking of how much fun an alien movie marathon would be. IF I were the type of person who can handle a movie marathon (which I am not - I fall asleep)
Alien
Aliens
Prey
Independence Day
War of the Worlds
District 9 (this is my favorite movie about aliens landing on Earth)
The Abyss
E.T. (just for old time's sake)
The Man Who Fell to Earth
Starman (why does no one talk about this movie??)
Under the Skin
The Hidden (SO under-rated! and almost impossible to find! I think I need to buy it)
Men in Black (maybe the sequels too)
The Fifth Wave
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the Donald Sutherland one)
The Blob (Steve McQueen!)
Contact
Lilo and Stitch
Annhilation
The World's End
Nope
Captain Marvel
and maybe throw in some X-Files and Third Rock from the Sun episodes
Oooh I like this idea so much I should save it for when my daughter and I do our Spooktember-Spooktober movies!!! We could do a whole Predator marathon, finishing with the best, Prey.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Ron wrote: "... Although I guess my traditional 4th of July tradition is to watch Independence Day. Nothing like aliens taking over the world on an American holiday (at this point in time, maybe th..."Oh I like this list! Don't forget to add the Nicholas Cage movie 'Knowing' on there. That is among my top 3 favorite alien movies. My top 3 favorites of all time are in this order:
1. Contact
2. Knowing
3. Independence Day
On another note, started a new book today:
The Secret History of Sharks: The Rise of the Ocean's Most Fearsome Predators
- I saw this one and it immediately captured my attention. I'm barely on the first chapter, but already I am enjoying this. It reminds me a lot about the book The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World (published in 2021).
Mod
I did not (but WWII had been over for two decades by the time I was born), and at first I assumed Schindler's List was fiction.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Ashley Marie wrote: "... The sign at the gate clearly says CAMPSITE OCCUPIED. So that gave us both massive icks, and we didn't like the idea of sticking around for another night with the amount of ..."This is why I appreciate HipCamp so much - the sites are on fairly secluded private property and I don't have to worry about the public wandering through. Like AirBnb for campers!
Nadine in NY wrote: "Erin wrote: "Last weekend, I went to a bookstore that I've driven by for years but never visited- called Dark Carnival. It was great, mainly sci-fi and fantasy, and just stacks and stacks of books ..."The Book Barn is not one building. It is a series of little sheds and outbuildings that each are dedicated to a particular theme or genre. At least it used to be. It has been 10 years since I lived in CT.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Red Skin, White Masks: Rejecting the Colonial Politics of Recognition (other topics)Not "A Nation of Immigrants": Settler Colonialism, White Supremacy, and a History of Erasure and Exclusion (other topics)
Surviving Genocide: Native Nations and the United States from the American Revolution to Bleeding Kansas (other topics)
The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee (Young Readers Adaptation): Life in Native America (other topics)
1493 for Young People: From Columbus's Voyage to Globalization (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Anthony Ray Hinton (other topics)Roxane Gay (other topics)
Clint Smith (other topics)
Shannon Chakraborty (other topics)
Tomi Adeyemi (other topics)
More...
I'm also apparently "celebrating" by sleeping in crazy late - wow! LOL I'm looking at my GR updates right now and wondering why only one person has voted on the nomination poll so far, and then I realized DUH I haven't posted this check-in yet!!!!
Admin stuff
July's group read of Crying in H Mart has begun - join the conversation here:
/topic/show/...
We have a TIE for our September group read!!! It's Fable vs
Treasure Island ! Two very different books!!! Vote in the tie-breaker poll here:
/poll/show/2...
The nomination poll for October's group read for a book by a blind or visually impaired author is open, vote for or write in your favorite here:
/poll/show/2...
If you write in a title, add a note in the comments describing that author's visual impairment, so we can all be sure this book will fulfill the challenge category (for any of us who still need to check this one off).
Let us know if you'd like to lead the August, September, October, or future group reads!
This week I read 3 books, one for the Popsugar challenge.
The Friend Zone Experiment by Zen Cho - I won this as a ŷ Giveaway, and I was SO EXCITED, because Zen Cho is one of my favorite authors!! Publication date is Aug 6. This book is a bit of a departure for her, I've never read a purely contemporary story from her before. It's being marketed as a light rom-com, but the title and cover art are doing it a bit of a disservice. While it does have a HFN ending, it's more about business maneuvers and politics and activism than it is about the romance. I enjoyed this, but it was not as good as some of her other books, imo. I think I was expecting a romance novel so I was a little confused at first. If you go into this expecting it to be pure contemporary fiction, you'll enjoy it!!
Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis - this was a NetGalley offering, and oh my god it was SO MUCH FUN!! Pub date Aug 6. It's a novella, first part in a trilogy, and I cannot wait to read the whole thing (YES I already was approved for the second book in the series - I'll start it next week!!) I've never read another book by Revis so I can't compare to Across the Universe, but this did remind me a lot of the Illuminae series, but with adults.
Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel - I think this was Mandel's first novel; it's the same beautiful writing style, but the plot was weak, with a lot of pointless details and a lot of loose ends. It wasn't particularly about nighttime, but I used this for "related to night" in AtY, based on the title.
Popsugar 96% 48 /50
Must Reads 60% 6 /10
AtY 85% 44 /52
2024 pub 34% 17 /50
NetGalley Feedback ratio 30%
Question of the Week
This week's question was suggested a long time ago by Theresa:
What free or inexpensive subscription resources, besides Kindle Unlimited, Project Gutenburg and library ebook borrowing, have you used or found to download and read ebooks? Especially classics or other books that are in the public domain or OOP?
I pretty much use the resources Theresa already mentions. I have three library cards and I use that more than anything, and sometimes I download books from Gutenburg. I have Prime but I have not signed up for KU, it does not seem worthwhile since I can get almost all the books I want from my libraries. (The "one free book" you get with Prime each month is usually not worth the download - I learned THAT lesson a while ago LOL)
OTHER THAN THAT, it's no secret that I've started using NetGalley to get copies of new ebooks & audiobooks!!
That's it, though. The only free resource I use for classics is either Gutenburg or hunting down the free copy that you can usually find on Amazon.