Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Good morning from snowy Michigan. I hope everyone is having a great week.

I am doing something I rarely do and have multiple books in various stages of completion. I started, and will finish today, Stars Above for my prequel. I set it aside to avoid the spoilery final story in the collection while I read Winter.

Winter is annoying the hell out of me. It is an example of a good story that does not need to be 823 pages. This is why it has taken me 15 years to finish the Harry Potter series. The self-indulgent writers and the publishers who don't edit their work annoy me. I am 400 pages in and "we got away/we got captured" twists are endless. I've decided to read the final story in Stars Above so I can at least find out how the characters fare.

Speaking of which, I am also listening to the audio of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows because I have a lot of driving this month and it helps break up the monotony of that.

Question of the week: how many books do you read at a time? I saw someone last week said they had 18 books in various stages of completion. I usually find one book and stick with it til the end, even when it annoys me because I. Just. Have. To. Finish!

goof afternoon from sunny Paris (though it was raining cats an dogs an hour ago)!

Starting with your question: I used to read one book at a time, mostly - not counting books that were left unfinished for, er, some time. Since I started doing the reading challenges, I often read two or three books concurrently. Right now I'm actively reading one, and two other are more or less on standby.

Last week reading: two books, mostly during the week-end - both in French, which is somewhat unusual for me. There's a reason to that: I managed to visit the charity bookshop that had opened downstairs from our appartment... Managed to walk out with "only" four books, which I guess will fit into the challenge.

✅38. A satirical book: Adrien Goetz, Intrigue à l'anglaise, Le livre de poche, 2008 (1ère éd. 2007).
✅10. A New York Times bestseller: Françoise Sagan, Bonjour tristesse, Pocket, 2002 (1ère éd. 1954).

The Goetz was great, funny and unpretentious. The Sagan, not so great, not so funny et certainly not unpretentious. A firend of mine sais I've been reading it too late in life. Maybe so, maybe so...

Also purchased:

4. A book you haven't read since high school: Robert Merle, Un animal doué de raison, Folio Gallimard, 2002 (1ère éd. 1967).

which I think I read when I was 13. Its quite a pleasure to read it again.

26 books read; 56 to go! Some prompts worry me a bit, like the prequel thing, and also the self help books (which IMHO are mostly horse manure). We shall see.

Good morning from...sunny Portland, OR? Good god, is it really going to be 85 today?

Finished:
Graphic novel - Watchmen
A book written by a celebrity - South of the Pumphouse
A book written by a comedian - That is All

I've been trying to work on The Kite Runner for my book about a culture I'm not familiar with, but I have the audio book version and my ipod got SERIOUSLY borked. I'll just have to listen to it this weekend.

I usually just read one book at a time, and if I don't like it I'll give up on it. Lately I've tried to have two books going, like an audio book for when I'm walking to work and a physical or Kindle book for when I'm sitting on the train. Or I'll have a commute book and a home book (like Watchmen, which I just could not read on a moving train). I don't like bouncing around stories that much, so I'll just try to use the book that I REALLY WANT TO READ as motivation to knock out my current book.

We still have some snow here in northern NY too! I finished ONE book for the challenge this week! (and it was a short one that took me just an hour or two.) So I am now at 29/41.

For "book of poetry" I read Mary Oliver's Dog Songs.

I am STILL struggling through my "occupation (engineer)" book, Devices and Desires - it is sooo long and filled with needless detail when I'm not interested and yet oddly glossing over the bits where I AM interested. Hopefully I'll be done by next week, because I've got a whole bunch of good books on deck, and some of them will have to go back to the library soon.

I did finish a romance set in England, so I suppose I could use that for "set in Europe" but I think I'll just keep that prompt open for now. Mostly I just needed a break from my endless engineer book, so I set it aside and read three fast books. Now I'm back, baby! I WILL finish it!

Juanita wrote: "Good morning from snowy Michigan. I hope everyone is having a great week.

/// Question of the week: how many books do you read at a time?"

I used to be a firm one-book-at-a-time person, and then I discovered audiobooks! and ebooks that I can read at work during my lunch break! So now I usually have three books in progress at one time, the paper book that I read in the evening, the audiobook that I listen to during my commute, and the ebook that I read any chance I can whip my phone out and open up the Kindle app. And sometimes if the paper book is really dull, I set it aside and open up a fourth book, like I did last week ... three times in a row.

I do also have a few other "currently reading" books on my shelf right now: one is another book of poetry (I read one or two poems each morning), one is a book on making sandcastles that I really need to get back to before summer, one is a middle-grade book that I borrowed from my daughter and never finished, and one is a book of humorous essays that I had meant to savor but then just sort of forgot about (I really need to get back to that!) - but I'm not REALLY "currently" reading any of those, except the poetry.

So, counting the poetry, I guess I read four books at a time now.

Finished Me Before You this week- it was good, but not as great as every made me believe it was. The author did a nice job with relationship development but it took me over half the book to care about the main character and the sub characters were kind of irritating. As of now, I'm filing it under a book becoming a movie.

I prefer to have only one book going at a time. That being said though, since stating the challenge I tend to have a couple going for different circumstances. An audio book for while I'm cleaning and a hard copy for sitting down with tea :) I used to keep a kindle one going too for when I was rocking my daughter but she's not needing that so often now that she's a little older.

Week 14. I am still at 51%. 21 out of 41 done. Have not finished any books that qualify for the challenge.

I finished 1 book this week: The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge. It would fit several prompts in the challenge but I had already filled those prompts: a book from the library, a science fiction novel, a book with a blue cover, a book based on a fairy tale.

I currently have 59 books in various stages of progress.

I am currently reading the following for the indicated prompts:

A National Book Award Winner: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

A book set in Europe: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

A book that's under 150 pages: Eater of Worlds by Gregory Kern

A book that's becoming a movie this year: The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

A political memoir: Even Silence Has an End: My Six Years of Captivity in the Colombian Jungle by Ingrid Betancourt

I try to limit myself to three active books at a time - one paper book, one kindle book and one audiobook. There's usually a few more lingering in my "currently reading" category that I have just put aside for a while. It helps me to be able to rotate between a couple of books if one starts to drag or if I'm just not in the right mindset.

I have not finished any books this week. I am still working on The Kitchen Counter Cooking School: How a Few Simple Lessons Transformed Nine Culinary Novices into Fearless Home Cooks which will be my self-improvement book. I'm enjoying it, but I read nonfiction much slower than fiction.

I was reading The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra (on Audible) but I have put that on hold for a while. Instead, I have picked up Watership Down (also on Audible), but I haven't gotten very far yet.

I may also slow down in my reading of challenge books over the next couple of months. I am almost halfway through the list but only a quarter through my yearly reading goal of 75 books. I find the challenge to be great motivation to read so I want to spread those out a little more.

We had out of town guests over the weekend which seriously limited my reading time!

Juanita wrote: "Good morning from snowy Michigan. I hope everyone is having a great week.

I am doing something I rarely do and have multiple books in various stages of completion. I started, and will finish toda..."

I used to be a book monogamist, but starting sometime last year, I began reading multiple books at once. I have one in my living room (usually nonfiction or poetry), one on my nightstand (generally fiction), one on my phone, and one at work. I think that's the most I ever have going at once though! I like the variation, and it actually is allowing me to read more books in a month than I had before.

When I used to go to work, I would always have two or three books going at once because I always kept a book in my desk or locker. But now that I work from home I typically only have one going at a time. That is unless I am in the position I am now where I'm not really making any progress on my book and need to pick up another to feel productive. For some reason, I'm not as into The Joy Luck Club as I hoped I'd be. So I've picked up a book I haven't read since high school: Gossip Girl.

This week, I finished The Art of Memoir and Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles, #3.5), both of which I couldn't fit into this challenge. Luckily, though, I was able to fit them in another challenge. Maybe next week I'll have better luck with this one.

I prefer to only read one book at a time. If I am reading multiple books, it's usually because a library book is going to expire soon, so I have to temporarily shift away from a non-library book, or it means that I'm not enjoying a book that much and need another to maintain my sanity. Right now, I'm reading 2 (1 audiobook, 1 that I switch between ebook and hardcover).

Holding steady at 17/41.

Didn't finish anything this week, though I got about a third of the way through A Little Life (for the Read Harder challenge) and started A Gentleman's Position (for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Challenge).

Once I've finished those two, I think my next book for this challenge will be Beautiful Ruins, which I'm using for "a book recommended by someone you just met."

I had a good week this week in that I had a good quantity of books read and in that they were of categories that are out of my comfort zone.

[x] 7. A romance set in the future - Naked in Death
[] 26. A book and its prequel - Ali's Pretty Little Lies (the prequel half, waiting for the sequel)
[x] 28. A book written by a comedian - Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

This puts me at 33/41

I prefer to only read one book at a time. Occasionally I'll throw in a book of short stories if I want a quick read in between; it has to be something that I can start and finish quickly.

I'm at 12/41 for the challenge.

This week I finished a book that was in my currently reading shelf, but had also been buried in my physical stack of to reads: Riddle of Stars by Patricia McKillip.

I also read a book self published by someone I know, that I'm not going to count for the challenge. Firstborn by Ashley Fetterman.

And then I read more Discworld by Terry Pratchett. The Last Continent ended up as my book finished in a day (Rincewind novels usually do, because he rarely comes to a stop). Carpe Jugulum was my first book I saw in a bookstore. I bought it from a used book store because it kept staring at me while I was knitting. The Fifth Elephant is a book I just finished, but won't count for this challenge.

As for the number of books I read at a time, usually I try for only one or two at a time. I've balanced thinking books against fun books, because it makes the thinking book more tolerable. I've also done that against large books as well. But for the most part I do focus on one book at a time and I try to read at least 50 pages a day. You can finish any book eventually if you read 50 pages a day. :)

15/ 41

Back into the swing of things. I've been remiss in "reading challenge" books but I have been reading cause as all Bibliophiles know "so many books, so little time".

To address the "how many books" question, average books being juggled at one time is usually 5, with a high number of 7-8 if its a particularly productive time. With all the different ways to access books it's really hard for me to limit the amount, darn technology but I have been managing..... Barely.

This week was a successful completion of two challenge books. A book set in my home state- The Last Aloha- Gaellen Quinn. A Oprah book club book- The Pilots wife- Anita Shreve. Working on the satire & comedian prompt, but will probably finish at least another challenge book this week.

Juanita wrote: "The self-indulgent writers and the publishers who don't edit their work annoy me. I am 400 pages in and "we got away/we got captured" twists are endless...."

I hate this too! The Lunar Chronicles is really bad about it, though I can see it some in the later Harry Potter books too. As much as I love long books, sometimes I just get frustrated because it feels like the book really didn't need to be that long.

I'm at 11/41 now. I finished Winter. I would have to agree that it was unnecessarily long.

Still working on my self help book and I'm going to start reading Hidden Bodies for my book published this year. And my plan is once I finish that I'll start on the Satire book.

I can't wait till my busy season at work is over - I'll have more energy to read and I have some really good books planned out to read!

Question of the week: how many books do you read at a time?
I like reading one book at a time. I'm dabbling in audiobooks now so that's the exception - one audiobook and one e-book. I never thought I would forgo physical books but I gotta say I love having a book with me at all times by way of my ipad and iphone.

Finished The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for my satire/April Group Read.

Started Modern Romance for my Book Written By a Comedian/April Group Read. Not exactly what I expected. It's actually well-researched and written in collaboration with a sociologist, but definitely funny. Liking it so far, and so glad that I found my wife (17 years this Sunday!) before all of these modern conveniences became available.

I read one book at a time. Sometimes I'll make exceptions when the book I want isn't available as an ebook. I'll read that "real" book for the most part, but have an ebook on my phone as a backup in case I find myself without that book or in a situation where carrying a book wouldn't be practical.

Currently 18/41. Almost halfway!

Hello from snowy Montreal also. When you live in Quebec, you don't hide your winter boots before May. :)

Last week I finished Around the World in Eighty Days for the 100 years older than me book and Anne of Green Gables for the island prompt.

I LOVED Anne of Green ables. I laughed out loud many times.

I usually read one book at the time too. Exception for graphic novels that I read anytime.

Hello everyone! It's a beautiful sunny day here in Kansas! The weather here has been a bit bi-polar, last week it snowed one day and then was 80 degrees the next!

This past week I finished Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children for the book that takes place on an island prompt. It was a bit creepy but I really enjoyed it!

I am now half way through Red Queen and plan to use it to fulfill either the dystopian novel or YA bestseller prompt.

I typically read a couple books at a time. All of my books are from the library and at any given time I have 8-12 books on hold and when they come available I have to read them right away. So a lot of times I'll start a book that wasn't on hold then have 1-2 of the hold books be ready for me so I have to stop reading my current book to read the others. Right now I'm reading 2 books, and have 3 others on my nightstand ready to go! Also I tend to get a new book in the middle of reading another and then read the first chapter or 2 to see if I'll like it, just to get caught up in it and then have to finish it right away!

Currently 10/41

I'm at 37/40 with not new tasks completed this week and next week is not looking promising either.

I generally have between 4-9 books going at a time. Though 2 are books I read with my kids one audio book in the car and chapter books at night.

I also agree that Winter was dragged out.

Life stress/anxiety caught up with me big time this week and I couldn't even read 100 pages of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Hopefully next week will be better.

And I have never read more than one book at time before last month. I liked it because I was able to break up my over 600 page book I was reading, but I don't think I would try it again.

This week I downloaded Overdrive and got Monologue for #40, Book to bring me joy. I used to LOVE Carson and Leno, and this was by one of their writers. he describes the way (everyone's) monologues are crafted and how they react to, and create public perception of, world news. It was very enjoyable, and my first taste of audiobooks.

It was nice and short at 4 ish hours. The next one I downloaded for another prompt (I forget which) was 14 hours! I didn't even bother starting it, because I new I wouldn't have 14 hours to spare in the 7 day period I'd have it.

#32 first book I see in a book store - I chose to go to the first book in the fiction section of the library: Adrenaline. It's a spy thriller, and it was okay, and a pretty easy read.

I usually have 4-5 books in play at any time: a book or 2 from the library, an audiobook (if I can plan it), and a poetry book I'm SLOWLY slogging through. I'm also doing a bible-in-a-year personal challenge, so that's on my nightstand. I'm like a month behind, but plan on catching up easily enough.

I read three books for the challenge this week. All were quite short.

An autobiography -- Twirling Naked in the Streets and No One Noticed: Growing Up With Undiagnosed Autism

A book by a comedian -- Seriously... I'm Kidding

A satirical book -- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

I liked all three, but none of them really blew me away either. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern was funny, but I think I would have got a lot more out of it if I had read Hamlet more recently.

I finished The Princess Bride today for my 20th century classic prompt. I can't believe I've never read the book before. Now I want my 12 yo daughter to read it so we can watch the movie together (I'm embarrassed to say that I have never seen the movie either!)

I have three books waiting for me at the library but it doesn't open again until Tuesday. So I think I'm going to take a break for 36 hours.

Anja wrote: "I finished The Princess Bride today for my 20th century classic prompt. I can't believe I've never read the book before. Now I want my 12 yo daughter to read it so we can watch the mov..."

I've never read it either! I've seen the movie more times than I can count - this book is on my "definitely read someday" list. I should read it soon so I can encourage my daughters to read it too!

Had housguests that week and only finished one The BFG by Roald Dahlfor book that is going to be a movie in 2016


I usually have 3 books going at a time. One on audio, one I'm reading with other people and one I'm reading to myself.

I started and finished One Hundred Years of Solitude for my Oprah book. This is one of the few in the list that I've read before, but I couldn't resist getting back to the Buendia family and their home of Macondo. It was a super read this time around and I HIGHLY recommend it.
I also read Mother, Can You Not? by Kate Siegel (my instagram celebrity @crazyjewishmom). Check out her instagram account. If you think it's funny, her stories about her mom are HILARIOUS, and her mom Kim Friedman (an emmy nominated TV and theater director) is pretty much an inspiring badass who does what she wants. This is also an easy, quick read, so it could do for a "read in a day" challenge.

I'm always working on multiple books, right now I'm reading:
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma - I have PTSD and this is an incredible book about what PTSD is and how it affects different people. A little dry (written by the doctor who discovered PTSD), but worth the slog.
Alexander Hamilton The book the musical was based on, and an interesting read, but LONG.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children My "On an Island" book, but it's a movie this year, so it could work for that prompt too.