Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Just like last year, the passage of time has been weird.  This week FLEW  by!  I can't believe it's Thursday again!  And at the same time, I can't believe it's ONLY week 14 - it feels like week 50 or something.

Spring has been late and slow here in NY.  Our snowdrops are STILL blooming, which is very unusual.  Only the earliest daffodils have popped up.  I can see I need to plant more Tete-a-Tetes out front, my old ones have mysteriously disappeared, which is odd, since daffodil bulbs are poisonous so nothing eats them, so they usually carry on forever.  I think I saw a turkey vulture in the sky, so they're back for summer!


Admin stuff
April group read of The Midnight Library is ongoing here!

We STILL need a discussion leader for May's read of Ayesha at Last.  We are on the cusp of anarchy for May!  (just kidding, of course; I know our book discussions can run just fine with or without a discussion leader!)

Polls for third quarter group reads are open! Go vote for the FINAL choice:
* July poll
* August poll
* September poll    



So this week I've been reading at my usual pace, but I don't seem to have finished many books.  I finished TWO books, one for this Challenge, so I am now 20/50.

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie - this was my second try for "Women's Prize winner" and I really enjoyed it, I'm glad I read it, and I never would have read it if not for this challenge category!  It also fits Muslim-British author (if you've expanded your category to include non-Americans) and set in multiple countries (US, Britain, Syria, Turkey (briefly) and Pakistan).  This is a modern retelling of Antigone, and I thought it was quite successful.

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall - I took my time reading this, so I just finished it yesterday, and I'm glad I read it, and I gave it 4 stars, but I can't say it was mind-blowing for me.  It's a great choice for someone who has just heard about intersectionality for the first time and wants to read more.




Question of the Week

Who are the most under-rated authors writing today?



I'm sticking to only authors who have published more than one book, just to keep this list manageable.

Chang-rae Lee, obviously, if you read my posts before :-)   He's such an amazing writer that I don't even know why he's an amazing writer, it's flawless and invisible to me, the reader.  He can take any subject, any plot (even a minimal plot) and any set of characters, put them together, and make me care about them.  His new book is just out, My Year Abroad.

Kristen Lepionka - my favorite mystery author!   I love her mysteries, I love her characters; her plot strike just the right notes of dark and gritty, but never go over the edge into depressing. She is one of the few "out" bisexual authors that I know of, and her characters are often bi or gay as well.    She's like the queer Sue Grafton of the 21st century.  She has a new book coming out this summer (hopefully) that is a stand alone, One of Those Girls.

S.A. Cosby - he's had a few books published, but I've only actually read his most recent, Blacktop Wasteland.  It got a bit of buzz so maybe he's on his way.  I'm looking forward to his new book, Razorblade Tears!! (although I confess I hate that title)

Zen Cho - I think she's slowly getting more popular, which is awesome!! Maybe I need to take her off my list :-)  She writes Malaysian-inpsired fantasy, both contemporary and historical settings.  She's got a new book coming out this summer:  Black Water Sister.

And honorable mention goes to: 
Stephen Graham Jones - I'm really happy to see so many people reading him nowadays, and really I need to take him off my list.   He calls himself a horror author, but I find it to be more like weird dark & speculative psychological fiction.  Anything might happen.  Maybe it's paranormal, and maybe it's all in their heads.  And he's a registered member of the Blackfeet tribe, so you can read him for "indigenous author."  I'm looking forward to My Heart Is a Chainsaw.  

Happy Thursday, once again!

cw dentist visit: (view spoiler)[I went to get two cavities filled on Tuesday (never had cavities before, this was a New Thing for me!) and ended up getting 1 filled and 1 extraction. Thankfully the extraction was a wisdom tooth (never had my wisdom teeth out either!) so between both of those + scary sounds without the corresponding pain, it was A Lot. They gave me antibiotics and plenty of painkillers so I'm doing well. Minimal reading time on Tuesday and not a lot yesterday either; I seem to be in the mood for Disney movies in lieu of proper comfort food.
Update: I have now been cleared to eat regular food again! Just nothing too crunchy :) (hide spoiler)]

Husband got his first vaccine shot yesterday! His deltoid is really sore, but otherwise he's fine :) My first shot is scheduled for next Saturday the 17th.

We've had amazing weather these past few days in NEOhio; 80 degrees in April! Due for some rain tonight. My flowers are starting to bloom a bit earlier than they have in the past, but I'm not complaining.

Amid all the excitement, I managed to finish two books this week:
The Conductors - 3 stars. The writing felt jerky, but I liked the characters and the concept was very original.
Riot Baby - 4 stars. Very emotional for such a short piece.

PS 26/50

Currently reading:
Daughter of Sand and Stone - Still deeply enjoying this! DNF book from your TBR list
Winter's Reach - The short chapters and intrigue have taken over my life. I love this. It feels very Game of Thrones-esque, but bonus: this series is only 4 books AND it's finished :D
Invisible Man - Still listening to this. My co-readers have deemed Joe Morton's narration over the top, but for a book with such an unlikeable main character, I'm holding on for the narration.
A Gentleman in Moscow - I started this as a counterweight to Invisible Man, which is very dense, and it's still early but I'm not sure I like Gentleman very much.
A Curious Beginning is still waiting patiently for me to make room for it again.

QOTW: Who are the most under-rated authors writing today?
Libbie Hawker (Daughter of Sand and Stone) is an indie historical fiction author who seems to fly under the radar a bit. She's published books set in ancient Egypt, 2nd-century Palmyra, the Virginia colony, and old Seattle (most of which I have yet to read; Daughter is only my second of her books). She writes beautifully.

Craig Schaefer (Winter's Reach) seems to primarily be known for his UF series, Daniel Faust and its spinoff, Harmony Black. In reading Winter's Reach, I am ASTOUNDED that this series didn't sell better (I believe the paperback is now out of print, but you can still get the ebook) because everything is handled so well: the pacing, the plot, his characters.

And for as much as I enjoyed Amberlough, I'm deeply looking forward to picking up its two sequels soon and then eagerly anticipating anything else Lara Elena Donnelly wants to publish.

This week I finished:

Anxious People: Do-over/Fresh start: Of course I knew I would love this book, and I did. I will say it wasn't my favorite of Backman's, but was still a 5 star book for me. I think the most incredible thing about it is the fact that he can create 10 distinct, unique, compelling characters, while some authors struggle with two.

The Rumor: A book I meant to read last year: This book wasn't really what I expected, but it explored some interesting topics from a new perspective and there were several twists that I did not figure out.

Heart Berries: Indigenous author: This book was very different from what I usually choose, and I do think I missed some of the nuance by choosing the audiobook. Having said that, I think this book was a fine example of how brilliant writing comes in so many different forms. This book goes to a level of dark discomfort that I don't think many authors would ever be willing to go, and it made it so much easier to invest in the story.

Currently reading:

A Crime in the Neighborhood: Women's Prize for Fiction; This is my least favorite of all the prompts. While I appreciate the intent, it does not leave a lot of room for selecting something you have a strong desire to read. I had already read several books from the list and didn't find the others too eye-catching. I'm about 5 chapters into this and for me it is really dragging and not what I hoped for. I think I will push through, but this feels more like a chore than a pleasure.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill: Associate with a favorite thing: I was so excited to read this because of all the strong reviews that I actually bought it, but so far it isn't blowing me away. Maybe I have my expectations too high, but I honestly think I would have moved on to something else for this prompt if I hadn't paid money for it. I'm hoping it gets better, but the character development feels forced and not genuine to me so far. I still have a long way to go though.

QOTW:

I don't know how to answer this. I'm not sure I'm always aware of what's popular unless it is super in your face. I will say that some of my favorite authors (who I think are probably pretty popular, because they have long series with good ratings) deserve to be just as popular as a James Patterson or a Karin Slaughter. Two examples that come to mind are Alex Kava and Linda Castillo. Both of their ongoing series are so good that I buy them as soon as they come out and have reread the whole series at least once.

Thank you to everyone who sent well wishes last week. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to respond then, but I did read and appreciate your comments.

Another week has gotten away from me and separated me from my books. I’m hopeful that this week was worth the emotional effort, though. I spent the week preparing for a job interview. It went really well, and I was asked back for a second interview. That’s happening later this morning, and I’m marvelously nervous! My current work situation is okay, but might not be for long. I’d love to find a new job before it comes to that. This job is also much closer to my family too. Cross your fingers and send me good thoughts?

Reading
Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie (a book where the main character works at your current or dream job). Sign me up to be an independently wealthy eccentric private detective, please.

Watership Down by Richard Adams (a book set mostly or entirely outdoors)

Breath The New Science of a Lost Art, Just Breathe, The Oxygen Advantage, What Doesn't Kill Us 4 Books Collection Set by James Nestor (a book about a subject you are passionate about)

QOTW
I’ll come back and answer the QOTW later.

Two week check-in

I really don’t think any of them fit any prompts so I’m going to go in order from most to least enjoyable.

Tears we Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America by Michael Eric Dyson. If we really want change, white people have to face their own internal biases and acknowledge that Black people's grievances have always been ignored.

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center. Contemporary fiction. Not my favorite Center novel but I've been happy with all of them.

Fatal Throne by Candace Fleming, M.T. Anderson, Jennifer Donnely, Stephanie Hemphill, Deborah Hopkinson, Linda Sue Park and Lisa Ann Sandell. Short stories about Henry VIII's wives. There are a couple of page between each story with his pov and honestly, they portray him a little too sympathetically.

My Favorite Half Night Stand by Christian Laurens. Contemporary romance. Working my way through their backlist. Not my favorite of theirs but it was enjoyable.

Love in the Time of Dead by Tera Shanley. Obviously inspired by The Walking Dead. I'm not mad I read it and I finished it. The romance felt like it was shoehorned in.

Fable by Adrienne Young. YA about a girl who is the daughter of the most powerful man but he leaves her with criminals to fend for herself. It was also just okay

White Hot Kiss by Jennifer Armentrout. YA fantasy about demons and gargoyle wardens. It was okay. I think I'm just over the girl who doesn't realize how special she is like she's half demon/half warden and apparently the only one obviously you're special.
QOTW:

Jude and Reese from The Vanishing Half. I was super invested in their storyline and would’ve been happy to read more.

Ashley Marie wrote: "Currently reading:
Daughter of Sand and Stone - Still deeply enjoying this! DNF book from your TBR list ..."


I've never read Libbie Hawker. I keep putting her books on my TBR and then taking them off again when I go through my lists to shorten them. I'm curious why you DNF'ed this book the first time?

Nadine wrote: "I've never read Libbie Hawker. I keep putting her books on my TBR and then taking them off again when I go through my lists to shorten them. I'm curious why you DNF'ed this book the first time?"

I first tried this one on audiobook and wasn't a fan, so I set it aside after that. I'm enjoying it much more as I'm reading it.

I haven't been able to check in for weeks. Work is so busy. On the plus side, the weather this week has been outstanding. I wish it could stay like this, but I guess then I wouldn't get to have tomatoes.

Finished:
Remote Control for afrofuturism. Wonderful audiobook narration by Adjoa Andoh.
Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line
Down Among the Sticks and Bones for free book from your TBR. I got this when Tor was giving the books in the series away before the release of the new book.
This Close to Okay I used this for book where someone has your dream job. The MC is a therapist.

Currently reading:
Norwegian Wood for book with the same title as a song
War and Peace I am really enjoying this book. If I could just focus solely on it, but that is not happening.
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents listening to the audiobook narrated by Robin Miles.

QOTW:
This is a great question. I can't think of any though. Is it underrated in the real world, or on Goodreads. Because people on Goodreads seem to know everything. Maybe I will think of something later and come back.

Even though it's only a four day week thanks to the Easter weekend, this week really seems to be dragging! And I only finished one book this week, when I was hoping for a couple.

Finished:

A Comedy of Terrors: Flavia Albia 9 for A book about a subject you are passionate about. My degree was in Ancient History, and the Romans were - and still are - my favourites! I love a book set in ancient Rome, and I love a documentary about the Romans!

Started:

Wild by Nature: One Woman, One Trek, One Thousand Nights for A book set in multiple countries. I really wanted to like this, but I'm struggling with it, which is why I haven't finished two books this week, despite it being less than 300 pages...

QOTW:

Gosh, I really have no idea. I don't think I think about authors in that way, I just read who I like to read, whether they're very popular/highly rated or not. I suppose, carrying on from my finished book for this week, I'm always surprised that Lindsey Davis's books aren't mentioned more often in conversatons about crime novels and murder mysteries. Maybe it's because they're set a loooooooong time ago, so people don't automatically lump them in with your Christies and more modern crime novels...

Milena wrote: "... the weather this week has been outstanding. I wish it could stay like this, but I guess then I wouldn't get to have tomatoes. ..."



That's a really good way to look at it. I'll remind myself of that later when I'm enjoying the sunny high 60s/70s day.

Gemma wrote: "I'm always surprised that Lindsey Davis's books aren't mentioned more often in conversations about crime novels and murder mysteries. ..."


I've never heard of that author, and when I looked her up just now, that looks like the sort of thing I would love! I put The Silver Pigs on my TBR

Happy Thursday!

This week (April 4-10) is National Library Week! So everyone whose library is open at all, even if on a limited basis, be sure to thank them for all the awesome work they do.

Books read this week:

The Last Unicorn: A Search for One of Earth's Rarest Creatures -- for “book with the same title as a song.” The author accompanies an expedition into the forests of Laos to get photographic evidence of the saola, one of the world’s rarest antelopes. At times a little bleak, as any book centered on natural conservationism tends to be, but fascinating nonetheless.

The Red Tent -- for “book with a family tree.” I was NOT expecting to like this one as much as I did! Definitely takes some creative liberties with the source material (the story of Dinah, Jacob’s daughter from the Bible), but is a wrenching and vibrant read anyhow.

Summer in Orcus -- for “favorite prompt from 2017 (book with one of the four seasons in the title).” T. Kingfisher has a knack for weaving fantasy with just enough bite to it to be compelling and fascinating, and this book was full of unique ideas and imagery! It reminded me a great deal of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, so if you enjoyed that book you’ll love this one too.

Dewdrop -- graphic novel, not for the challenge. Mostly read it because it’s by the same author as The Tea Dragon Society, and while not as gorgeous as the Tea Dragon books, it’s still adorable and fun.

Challenge stats:

Regular challenge books -- 29/45
Advanced challenge books -- 7/10
Not for the challenge -- 23

Currently Reading:

Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most Celebrated Tales -- for “longest book on your TBR list”
Igraine the Brave -- for “book from your TBR list that reminds you of a favorite person, place, or thing”
All the Stars and Teeth -- for “book from your TBR list with the prettiest cover”
Rule of Wolves -- not for the challenge

QOTW:

Catherynne Valente and Ursula Vernon/T. Kingfisher (she writes under both names) are two of my absolute favorite authors who don't get nearly the attention they deserve. If you love fantasy that breaks out of the mold and has well-done female characters, give them a shot!

Nadine wrote: "Gemma wrote: "I'm always surprised that Lindsey Davis's books aren't mentioned more often in conversations about crime novels and murder mysteries. ..."


I've never heard of that author, and when ..."

Me too. I love learning about new mystery series.

Happy Thursday! Hope everyone is holding up ok this week. I'm at 43/50 for the challenge.

I finished the following this week:

Firekeeper's Daughter I really liked most of this, but felt a little uneasy about a few parts. 4 stars overall

The Soul of a Woman I've read a ton of Isabel Allende and while there wasn't anything particularly illuminating here (although I didn't know about former President Michelle Bachelet's background and torture under the dictatorship, wow), I generally enjoyed it. 4 stars

The Nix This was pretty "sprawling" and possibly longer than it needed to be, but I found it fun and covering a wide variety of topics. 4 stars

Dept. of Speculation This was a quick read. The format was a little too "experimental" for me, but some parts were moving. 3.5 stars

We Run the Tides I enjoyed the '80s San Francisco setting of this story, but the themes and how everything came together wasn't too clear. 3 stars

I'm currently listening to Number One Chinese Restaurant and reading Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping in print.

QOTW: Good question... I guess I'll mention authors that have written more than one book, where I've read at least one that really blew me away, and who haven't received too much attention from readers (as far as I know).

Kamila Shamsie - I see Nadine read Home Fire this week - I loved that book!

Donatella Di Pietrantonio wrote A Girl Returned and it is such a gem.

Patricia Engel's new book Infinite Country is fantastic.

Pam Houston wrote a short story collection that combined romance and "western" styles. I can't stand either genre but I loved Cowboys Are My Weakness: Stories! Also, she hosts amazing writing retreats and I'm super excited to be in Tommy Orange's workshop in October through her program. :)

Desmond Tutu's books are wonderful.

Maybe I'm biased because I know her, but Natalia Sylvester's books are all great reads.

Oh and Alexander Chee and Imbolo Mbue!

Happy Thursday! I am near the end of my second week of quarantine and I am ready to go back to work - still testing negative though. My work had a small outbreak and is on high alert with 2 people testing positive. Fortunately I get my first shot today! I will be glad when I am fully vaccinated. I have never wanted to return to work so badly! I like my job and my coworkers.

Finished:
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams. I liked this book better than I thought I would. It started out with the main character making bad decisions but it took a turn that made me feel better for her. I recommend pushing through if you DNF'd this book previously.

Continuing:
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart. This isn't a "what is going to happen next?" type of book. It is just a tale of a family struggling in 1980's Scotland. The book is well written and funny at times, but I don't love it.

Started:
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson. After the last few heavy books I have read I needed something light and short. So far it is good.

QOTW:
I am not sure what counts as "under-rated" for authors, I think anyone being published is an amazing feat! The only one that comes to mind is Lisa See I have read a couple of her books and she is a great writer but I don't see much about her so maybe she would be considered "under-rated"?

Nadine wrote: "Gemma wrote: "I'm always surprised that Lindsey Davis's books aren't mentioned more often in conversations about crime novels and murder mysteries. ..."


I've never heard of that author, and when ..."


My work here is done! :D

It's been a rough week. I won't go into it, but my birthday is this weekend and I just want to skip over it. It feels so pointless right now to even think about it (if that makes any sense). Somehow all the stuff that's going on is amplified because it's my birthday week.

The spring weather here (which we don't always get in Texas) has been lovely, though!

Finished:
Five Children and It by E. Nesbit- A book that takes place somewhere you'd like to visit (England). I loved this--it was so fun and whimsical, and Nesbit really understands how kids think and relate to the world around them.

That being said: if you want to read it, be very aware that it was written during the Edwardian era, so there are some uncomfortable parts that are very reflective of the time. (view spoiler)[There's a chapter involving "red Indians" that is particularly icky to read. (hide spoiler)]

Currently Reading:
The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity - Week 10 of 12! I'm a little sad that it's almost over.

Up Next:
The Cardturner: A Novel about a King, a Queen, and a Joker by Louis Sachar - a book with a heart, diamond, spade, or club on the cover

Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl - A book whose title is also a song ("Boy" is a song by Lee Brice, according to Google lol)

QOTW:
The only one who comes to mind for me is Maryrose Wood. She's not unknown, but her books are so delightful, I feel like they should be more popular. And maybe Shannon Hale, because I have yet to read a book by her (adult or middle grade) that I haven't loved. But she does have quite a few books out, so obviously people do read her stuff!

The weather cannot make up its mind here. On Friday we had a barbeque and gained a Fitbit tan line from being out in the sun gardening so much, and then Tuesday it SNOWED. Where I am it's rare to get snow at any time let alone in April. Would like it warm up again please!

Finished:
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Melinda Lo for ATY (past), set in 1950s San Francisco lesbian scene, from a Chinese teenager's point of view. I enjoyed this exploration about how difficult it was being queer in that time and also the suspicion of Communism that caused trouble for many Chinese immigrants. Also fit's Read Harder for a historical fiction with POC/LGBT+ main character.

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley for ATY (My Favorite Things lyrics). Meh, the characters were all so obnoxious and/or cliched, I didn't like any of them. I did like the fact that the victim was a mystery until the end as well as the murderer, so it kept me engaged and it was a quick audiobook that I could easily listen to while working. I'd maybe give her another go if she wrote about less horrible people, as I liked the idea.

Currently reading Firekeeper's Daughter.

PS: 15/50 | ATY: 17/52 | RH: 7/24 | GR: 35/100

QOTW:
I've not read a James Smythe book I didn't like but he isn't that well known.

Maybe Emma Newman, her science fiction is so good, but I think she does get nominated for stuff so maybe not so under the radar. I don't know why Aliette de Bodard's first Dominion of the Fallen book has such low ratings either, I think that trilogy is under-rated.

I finished How Long 'til Black Future Month? as my afrofuturist book.

I read The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life as the book where main character has my dream job. I want to be the host of Jeopardy. Feel free to start a write in campaign about how awesome I would be.

I read A Mighty Afternoon as my book with a black and white cover.

I'm currently reading The Rescue as the book I saw on someone else's shelf.

Qotw: I don't know. I pretty much read what I want to read and don't pay much attention to hype. Plus, I have a tendency to read older books.

Ellie wrote: "The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley for ATY (My Favorite Things lyrics). Meh, the characters were all so obnoxious and/or cliched, I didn't like any of them. I did like the fact that the victim was a mystery until the end as well as the murderer, so it kept me engaged and it was a quick audiobook that I could easily listen to while working. I'd maybe give her another go if she wrote about less horrible people, as I liked the idea. ..."


This description perfectly describes The Guest List. It's like she wrote the same book twice, she just changed the names and location.

Finished: Disconnected: Youth, New Media, and the Ethics Gap for something broken on the cover This was a philosophical treatise on the ethics of tween use of the Internret. Pretty engaging.

Thought and Language for TBR that I planned to read last year. This edition included a lot of Marxist material that other American editions have cut out, which was fun to read, but at the same time, it didn't feel as well-edited.

The Quiet Rise of Introverts: The 8 Practices for Loving and Living in a Noisy World for Book that starts with a Q I enjoyed this one pretty well. It wasn't amazing, but I liked it better than Quiet by Susan Cain.

Started: Speaking to Think Thinking to Speak: The Importance of Talk in the Learning Process I'm using this for a research project. I partly read it a long time ago, but at the time, it was a diversion from my school work. Now, it can be my focus.

The Secret History I've already read a book that qualifies for Dark Academy, but I wanted to read this one and see if it was worth all the hype.

Qotw: The first two that come to mind are Ali Smith and Lucy Ellman. But Ali Smith is a very mixed bag. Some of her books I love and some I can't even get through. And I've only read one of Lucy Ellman's so I wouldn't say I have a very good basis for judgment. There's also Philip Pullman, but I would say he's getting the recognition he deserves, what with the miniseries and all.

The girls I babysit are on Spring Break this week. I've been able to get Spring Cleaning done!

Currently Reading:
So This is Love- Elizabeth Lim
Kiss the Girls- James Patterson
The Desolation of Devil's Acre- Ransom Riggs
What Alice Forgot- Liane Moriarty

Finished:
Song of Achilles- Madeline Miller
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue- S.W. Schwab
Voyager- Diana Gabaldon

QOTW:
I really cannot think of any under-rated authors, I'll have to come back to this.

Nadine wrote: "This description perfectly describes The Guest List. It's like she wrote the same book twice, she just changed the names and location..."

How disappointing! I think I have that one on my Kindle but probably won't bother with it now.

Happy Thursday! It's gorgeous here in PA! Spring is in full bloom! It lovely!
I also finished nothing, but I'm getting there! This book is just such a beast and Lent is so busy. I hope to finish it soon because I have another book on its way to me!!

Currently Reading

The Philokalia, the Complete Text for "longest book on your TBR". I am over halfway through the LAST volume in this series. I can taste victory!

Darkness Is As Light for "DNF on your TBR". So glad I'm going back and reading this cover to cover. Some of these stories are just so powerful!!

QotW

Me! Lol, jk. Honestly, I don't keep up with the mainstream that well. XD I think in the religious sphere, Eastern Orthodox writers are vastly overlooked and underrated by their Western contemporaries. Unless you're part of the EO, you've almost never heard of those authors, yet in the meantime everyone's heard of C. S. Lewis, John Piper, John MacArthur, Beth Moore, Joel Osteen, etc. But there are some amazing Orthodox writers out there, Frederica Matthews-Greene, Fr. Andrew Damick, Met. Kallistos Ware, Summer Kinard, Dr. Eugenia Constantinou, Drs. Nicholas and Roxanne Louh, not to mention all the crazy amount of translation work going on in that community for texts from other nations. The literature there is exploding, but it often gets drastically ignored by Western readers. Just jump into the ancientfaith.com bookstore, and you'll see loads of authors you've never heard of.

Hello! Yesterday was the last big deadline for my super-busy spring at work, so things should calm down now. It'll be good to have my evenings back. Which is good, because my library is going to start enforcing due dates again for physical materials, so I need to read all those things I've had checked out for months!

Finished This Week:
The Ables by Jeremy Scott. This is a fiction book written by the narrator of the YouTube channel CinemaSins. It's about a kid (he's 12) learning that he actually has superpowers, as does his whole family, and they moved to a superhero town for him to go to school with others like him. Except he's blind, making his telekinesis more difficult without being able see the objects to move, and the superhero school puts him in special ed with others who have disabilities preventing them from fully utilizing their powers. The story was interesting, if a little predictable. The representation is pretty terrible - there's like four women, total, in the whole town, and one person of color. It was his first book, so willing to give the sequel a try. Using for #31, A book by a blogger, vlogger, YouTuber, or other online personality.

The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold. I read a Zebra historical romance in the mid-90s where the main character finds herself in Whitechapel during the Ripper murders. I knew nothing about the murders when I read that, and I picked this up when it was the Goodreads Choice winner in 2019. As one of the reviews put it, so little is actually known about the women, that most of this book is "she would have" or "she likely" based on what others in similar circumstances did. It's a fascinating (and heartbreaking) history of poor women in Victorian London, focusing as much as the author could on the lives of the five canonical victims. Nothing is mentioned of the murderer. At most, she mentions the family member who had to identify the body. She wanted to give the victims their humanity back, to be people, women, mothers, wives, daughters. Not just someone killed by Jack the Ripper, but a person who lived. I couldn't find a prompt for it.

PS: 20/50 RH: 3/24 RW: 6/28 ATY: 25/52 GR: 43/100

Currently Reading:
Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski. I was able to read a lot of it yesterday evening waiting for work things to be ready for me. The author's style is frustrating at times, because she overuses "but for that, see chapter 7!" when you're still in chapter 2. I'm not skipping ahead to chapter 7 now, that's too far away. Stop taunting me.

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski. A podcast I enjoy is reading this book chapter by chapter, and I was amused that it was the same author as book I was already reading. This is a book written with her twin sister about burnout and stress, after so many women who read her sex book asked for more information about the stress chapter. It's odd reading both at the same time, because not only does she reuse the same examples, chapter 1 of the stress book seems to have been 70% lifted from the sex book. She did expand on the examples and go more in-depth in the stress book, so I'm hoping that continues, and it's not a repeat of what I've already read.

Not sure what I'm reading next. Probably Rebel Sisters or Igniting Darkness since I have both of those from the library and will have to actually return them. But the holds for We Ride Upon Sticks and A Closed and Common Orbit are both due to come off pause, so I may read those next week instead.

Who are the most under-rated authors writing today?
I'm not super aware of who's rated, I guess, these days, so it's hard to gauge who's under-rated. There are authors I enjoy, and I read everything I can by them. They don't typically win Goodreads Choice awards, so I guess they're not highly rated, but they usually make the intro rounds, so they're probably not under-rated.

So, uh, A.J. Pearce. Go read Dear Mrs. Bird. It was great.

Happy Thursday! Didn't get a lot read this week, I just couldn't concentrate on anything. But I got to see my parents this weekend for the first time in awhile, and it was really nice to have a day to just relax and hang out with them. And my birthday was earlier this week, so between my mom and a baker coworker, I have so much cake to eat now!

Finished:
Legendborn-book my best friend would love, I really liked how this book dismantled the chosen one trope, and dove into some of the problems of the whole "secret society tasked with protecting the world" thing. But I don't think I was in the mood for ya fantasy. Still, it was pretty good

Currently reading:
Ruin and Rising- I am determined to finish this series before the show
The Count of Monte Cristo- still working...

QotW:
I can't really think of any. Maybe Simone St. James? Her last few books got a lot of attention, but I really like the way she writes ghost stories, and it seems like her earlier books still don't have many ratings.

Nadine wrote: "This description perfectly describes The Guest List. It's like she wrote the same book twice, she just changed the names and location..."
I read The Hunting Party not too long after The Guest List and the similarities were very noticeable

Hi All. It’s beautiful in Va. The daffodils are blooming. I didn’t finish a single book this week. I’m still on the jigsaw puzzle tear. I completed a 1000 piece one that was all candy in pastel colors. I spent way too much time doing that & not reading. QOTW: Underrated writers. The ones I’m going to mention may not be underrated at all but when I recommend them nobody has heard of them.
Louise Penny. She writes the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. My favorite mystery series.
Jesmyn Ward. The Bois Sauvage series. Yes she won The NationalBook Award twice & the MacArthur “Genius “ Fellowship. Still when I talk about my love of her books none of my friends have read her.
Rita Mae Brown. She has been in the business >21 years. She writes the Mrs Murphy series. Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen lives in the small town of Crozet, Virginia. Murder & mayhem seem to happen a lot there. “Harry”, Mrs. Murphy (her tiger cat), & Tucker ( her Welsh corgi) solves murders.

Hi everyone,

Here in MI it's been practically summer this week! Hit almost 80 yesterday, although it is going to cool down a bit for a few days. been enjoying some yard couch, walks, a couple runs.

I also managed to get a vaccine appointment for Saturday the 17th! I'll have to drive into Detroit, but it's worth it!

This week I finished:

The Gilded Ones - I really loved this one! It had really interesting world building and a cool concept. Kind of follows the chosen one trope, but i felt like it still felt fresh and interesting. I also appreciated that while there's indications that more books in the world are coming, it felt nicely wrapped up. Certainly room for more story, but there wasn't a cliffhanger ending with no release date for book 2 in sight. That's a pet peeve of mine, haha. I'll look forward to the next one without feeling super frustrated that I can't just dive in right now while everything is fresh. Used for book seen on someone's bookshelf, I saw it on someone's goodread shelf. Also works for ATY comfort reading since it's sci fi and middle grade so m comfort zone and not too challenging. And book nerds book written in first person.

Currently reading:

The Plotters - Almost done, should finish this later today. I have to say, this falls into a big pet peeve of mine, one I didn' think of when it was a question a couple weeks ago. If something doesn't happen in the first chapter or two of a book....DON"T PUT IT IN THE BLURB ON BACK! They dropped a pretty major plot reveal that doesn't actually happen until 200 pages into a 290 page book. So rather than just enjoying the flow of the book I kept waiting for that to happen. So if you're in the mood for a Korean thriller about assassins...DO NOT read the blurb haha. This will be my book from my tbr associated with a favorite thing, I bought it from Powells City of Books last year when they were in trouble right after lockdown. They're magic and I wanted to do my part to make sure they stay in business!

1Q84 - no further progress

QOTW:

I have no idea, really. I feel like most my absolute favorite authors are pretty well known. I don't really go out of my way to find obscure authors, I guess I kinda figure if I heard of it, it's by a pretty well known author. Maybe Rachel Graves, I enjoy her death witch books, and I only know about her as an author because I'm in a facebook group with her.

Greetings from spring in NYC! Just like the slow unfurling of leaves on the trees and flower buds everywhere, so too is NYC slowly returning to some level of openness. I refuse to say normal because what exactly is normal now? Certainly not exactly what it was before. Entertainment venues which have been under mandatory closure for over a year, are now able to reopen with severely reduced audience numbers and all the expected protocols. THAT is the final hurdle in a way.

Of course, how do you mount a Broadway show, or even an Off-Broadway show with a third of the audience and still pay the bills and salaries? And will people even come in the same volume? Can they survive without the huge number of tourists which we have not seen in over a year? And Off-Broadway - houses there are tiny to begin with, many located in basements and backrooms with terrible ventilation.

But still...it feels like spring all over!

I am at 23/50 for PS.

Finished:

A Dead Djinn in Cairo and The Haunting of Tram Car 015 - just look at that gorgeous cover art! A short story and a novella that together total about 150 pages. Alternative history mildly steampunk Cairo Egypt in 1912/13. LOVED this! P. Djèlí Clark's first full length book set in this world is due out end of May. Strong women and women themes. FUN!

- disappointing, bothersome (just ask Nadine 😘) I still enjoyed it but it was also my 'recovery' book after the darkness of . First and last third were good but the middle third went off on a side track that just did not work for me in so many ways. Could have been sooooo much better. This was the book my Feminerdy Book Club chose for this month. Discussion is Sunday. Knowing those ladies as I do, I suspect they will feel similarly.

Currently reading:

The Shadow of the Wind - this is wonderful! Just about halfway - I see a couple late nights reading in my near future and being half asleep while working days. This will be my #39 - book everyone else has read.

The Subtweet
Rebecca
Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line
The Thursday Murder Club

QOTW: I tend to be a few years behind in reading contemporary books. I also read a lot of mysteries and romances - particularly historical romances. A couple that come to mind in those genres:

Ashley Gardner - her Captain Lacey historical mystery series always just coasts beneath the radar. Set in Regency/Napoleonic War era London.

Carla Kelly - really entertaining and smart regency romances, with great characters and themes. Miss Grimsley's Oxford Career addresses restrictions on women's education in early 18th Century England in an entertaining way.

Andrea Penrose - regency historicals with elements of mystery and romance. Her Lady Ariana series are inventive, different, and revolve around the import of chocolate, a serious commodity in 18th Century England.

Barbara Metzger - She's old school regency - no steamy sex scenes but so much humor, wit, and wonderful characters. You can find her books only in ebook or used bookstores these days.

Wendy Wax - contemporary - her 10 Beach Road series is wonderful.

Mary wrote: "ecause they have long series with good ratings) deserve to be just as popular as a James Patterson or a Karin Slaughter. Two examples that come to mind are Alex Kava and Linda Castillo. Both of their ongoing series are so good that I buy them as soon as they come out an..."

Frankly, they should be more popular than Patterson IMHO! Patterson books are formula and written by others who get little acknowledgment. He's the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew of the late 20th/early 21st Century.

Happy Thursday. The sun has been lovely and warm and I've been able to sit out and read this past week, so my mood has been much improved. Yay for spring!😁

Books I finished:

The Queen's Bargain ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Queen's Weapons ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I finished off the reread of the series, and then read the new book. I'm kinda bummed that the author walked back the happy ending, and this book was too much shades of Mean Girls for me to be able to enjoy it as much as the other books in the series.

Death in the Baltic: The World War II Sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff ⭐⭐⭐
I read Salt to the Sea a few weeks ago and I wanted to get more info on the event. This was okay - It tried to be like A Night to Remember with survivor accounts but the author was a little too repetitive, which wouldn't have been as noticeable if she had at least changed the wording up a bit....

Life's Too Short ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Abby Jimenez is really good at the comedy parts of the romcom, and she always has realistic drama, but her endings tend to be a little rushed and over the top. But this one was even better then the first 2 in the series. (Libra author)



Books I made progress on:

Crooked Kingdom

Happy Hour in Hell



QOTW

There are plenty of authors who I like fine, but all my absolute favs have high ratings and recognition within their genres, so I can't think of any who are really under rated.

Happy check-in! I read a lot this week but didn't finish much. Long books are good for that.

Finished Reading:

Dune ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (2021 Online bookshelf)
I'm finally finished and free. I did enjoy this but I was slow on the uptake in noticing the commentary on environmentalism. Not too happy with the ending though. @Nadine I see the bossy teenager issues you had now.

An Offer From a Gentleman ⭐⭐⭐ (2017 bestseller from a genre I don't normally read)
This series is entertaining in the dramatics but there is always a plot point, dialog, or character opinions that are problematic.

PS 2021 20/50
PS 2017 16/52
Goodreads 71/200

Currently Reading:
Akata Witch
Rule of Wolves

QOTW:
No idea. Over rated is easier to figure out than under rated.

Sheri wrote: "The Plotters - Almost done, should finish this later today. I have to say, this falls into a big pet peeve of mine, one I didn' think of when it was a question a couple weeks ago. If something doesn't happen in the first chapter or two of a book....DON"T PUT IT IN THE BLURB ON BACK!... So if you're in the mood for a Korean thriller about assassins...DO NOT read the blurb haha ... "



Ooooh, when am I NOT in the mood for a Korean thriller about assassins??!! And of course when I went to add it to my TBR, I already had it on my list! - it just had been buried among all the other books. Is it safe to read the blurb on GR?

It's been a hellish week ending with yet another surgery tomorrow (hopefully the last)

For the prompt A book you think your best friend would like I read
The Tinderbox: Soldier of Indira by Lou Diamond Phillips. It had a bit of rough start but this SF retelling of a fairytale really came into its own. Mr. Diamond is a man of many talents.

18 out 50 read

QOTW

Wow this was hard. I don't pay too much attention to this sort of thing. So how about some indie authors that I know personally

Aimee Easterling (mostly urban fantasy)

The Notorious Ian Grant and others by Mark. R Hunter (which the search couldn't find....) Lots of romance and suspense

J. Scott Coatsworth LGBT SF

Jana Denardo LGBT SF/Urban fantasy

Theresa wrote: "QOTW: I tend to be a few years behind in reading contemporary books. I also read a lot of mysteries and romances - particularly historical romances. A couple that come to mind in those genres:

Ashley Gardner - her Captain Lacey historical mystery series aways just coasts beneath the radar. Set in Regency/Napoleonic War era London.

Carla Kelly - really entertaining and smart regency romances, with great characters and themes. Miss Grimsley's Oxford Career addresses restrictions on women's education in early 18th Century England in an entertaining way.

Andrea Penrose - regency historicals with elements of mystery and romance. Her Lady Ariana series are inventive, different, and revolve around the import of chocolate, a series commodity in 18th Century England...."


I don't read a lot of it, but Regency romance is my comfort read, and I don't know any of these authors!!! So I went and looked them all up so I can add them to my TBR.

Turns out Andrea Penrose is Andrea Pickens, whom I have enjoyed in the past (and for some reason I always think I don't like her writing, but I gave the two books I read 3 & 4 stars) so I obviously need to read more.

Erica wrote: "Dune ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (2021 Online bookshelf)
I'm finally finished and free. I did enjoy this but I was slow on the uptake in noticing the commentary on environmentalism. Not too happy with the ending though. @Nadine I see the bossy teenager issues you had now. ..."


Solidarity! And it was the sort of thing that I'm sure did not bother me when I was a teen. The ending was very rushed. Like, "oh, shoot! I have to wrap this up and end the book soon!"

Nadine, I just read the GR blurb and it literally gives away almost everything! Just read it blind! I I just finished it, I liked it quite a bit! But yeah I don’t know what the blurb writers were thinking.

I forgot I also finished The Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee. It’s my book with a gem, mineral, or rock in the title. I liked quite a bit, lots of fun Korean mythology, but in space.

Nadine wrote: "Theresa wrote: "QOTW: I tend to be a few years behind in reading contemporary books. I also read a lot of mysteries and romances - particularly historical romances. A couple that come to mind in th..."

Love it!

I probably have a few more....one of my major comfort reads and I do review them here on GR. I see no reason to treat them differently than other reads.

I finished two books (using one for an open prompt) for this check-in period. I'm at 13/40 and 1/10 for this challenge and 23/100 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge.

Finished:
* Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, which I used for "a locked-room mystery." It was also the pick for both of my book clubs for this month, so it'll be interesting to get both clubs' perspectives; and,
* Killer Kung Pao by Vivien Chien.

Currently Reading:
* The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson, which I am using for the advanced prompt "the book that's been on your TBR list for the longest amount of time" (using my Goodreads TBR list for the advance prompts); and,
* First Comes Like by Alisha Rai, which I received as a Book Club Girl Free Friday pick awhile back. I figured a lighter read would be a nice complement to the other book I'm reading right now.

QotW:
Who are the most under-rated authors writing today? Hmm...I decided to go with a selection of mystery authors who don't have a ton of reviews in GR (my criteria was fewer than 2,000 reviews per book) but I really enjoy and think more people should check out:
* Tracy Clark -- while I've only read the most recent book in her Cass Raines series, I enjoyed it so much that I bought a copy of the first book and plan to read it and book #2 before the fourth one is released. It's a contemporary series set in Chicago featuring a female former cop-turned-private investigator.
* Vivien Chien -- I have really enjoyed her contemporary cozy Noodle Shop Mystery series set in Cleveland and find each one a delightful bit of escape with a fun cast of characters.
* Shamini Flint -- I think I've read all of the books in her Inspector Singh series and love how each one is set in a different country and draws in local, relevant issues. The first book in the series has more than 2,000 reviews but the rest don't have nearly as many, which is a shame. This is a series that can be picked up anywhere, as each novel reads like a standalone.
* Stephen Mack Jones -- I cannot WAIT for the third August Snow novel to come out! Another contemporary series featuring a former cop-turned-private investigator. This modern noir is set in Detroit's Mexicantown and seems like it would be perfect for an action series adaptation.
* Michael Stanley -- a duo from South Africa that writes the delightful Detective Kubu series, which is set in Botswana. It's grittier than the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency but has an equally likable cast of recurring characters and provides an interesting look at a country I know very little about. I've read almost the entire series and enjoyed all of the entries that I've read.

Sheri wrote: "Nadine, I just read the GR blurb and it literally gives away almost everything! Just read it blind! I I just finished it, I liked it quite a bit! But yeah I don’t know what the blurb writers were t..."



good to know!! I hate when they do that. I WILL NOT READ THE BLURB.

It's that time of year when my mother and I get to argue about using heat or air conditioning. She's freezing all the time, and I'm having a weird resurgence of hot flashes 10 years after menopause. No idea what that's about, but I'm not a fan (hehe, sure need one though).

Finished
Giant's Bread by Mary Westmacott aka Agatha Christie - 4 stars; not for challenge (but would work for book about artist)
March's monthly Christie that I didn't finish. Out of the three Westmacott books I've read, this was my least favorite, which means it didn't get 5 stars. But I really love these unexpected stories from Ms Christie. Too bad she didn't write more of them. But I suppose her mysteries paid the bills (and then some).

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu - 4 stars; PS #40 [2016 movie this year]
My best friend recommended this book, which she had read prior to the Netflix movie (I hope to watch this weekend). A shy girl in a conservative small town in Texas gets fed up with the sexism daily displayed by the male students and teachers and starts an underground movement.

Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez - 3 stars; PS #40 [2018 local author]
Another friend recommended this one. I might have liked it better if I hadn't read it just after Moxie. The themes were somewhat similar. A high school girl in Argentina is playing soccer unknown to family and most friends as this is not what proper girls do. There was too much romance and not enough feminism for my tastes. The author was born and raised in Argentina but now lives in my area.

Currently reading
Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke
100 Things Jazz Fans Should Know Do Before They Die by Jody Genessy (Utah Jazz, not the music)
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley (audiobook for mindless tasks during work)
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (starting this weekend)

Goodreads: 24/100
Popsugar: 21/55

QOTW:
Since I never hear of MARY WESTMACOTT ( AGATHA CHRISTIE) books, I guess those are considered underrated since I think they are actually better than her Christie mysteries (which I love).

For middle grade fantasy, I love Brandon Mull. He's apparently so underrated that there isn't a picture of him.

And I guess T.J. Klune, the author of my favorite book of the year so far The House in the Cerulean Sea, as I had never heard of him before reading this book.

Otherwise, my tastes are really traditional. I love what the vast majority of people love, apparently, in looking at my 5 star reads from the past several years. All very well known authors and books.

"Ellie wrote: "The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley for ATY (My Favorite Things lyrics). Meh, the characters were all so obnoxious and/or cliched, I didn't like any of them. I did like the fact that the ..."
Nadine wrote: This description perfectly describes The Guest List. It's like she wrote the same book twice, she just changed the names and location.

Bummer, I've just started The Hunting Party. I liked The Guest List okay, and I need a locked room mystery, so I'll continue. It is kind of fun hating characters sometimes.

I had to split my posting into two separate ones again this week! I just have a lot to say!! 🤣

I read another 6 books this week! This team readathon stuff really had me “bookin’” right along! LOL (Corny, I know…) This was the first team readathon I ever participated in and I loved it! Quite challenging and now I have some tricks and strategies to employ if I ever participate in another one!

Also, I learned some tricks of the trade! If you right-click inside the comment box you have access to emojis, an “undo” button, etc.! That’s been both fun and a huge help! No more losing text when composing a comment since I can now click on “undo” and get it all back!!! 😊

Meanwhile, I’m anxious to get back to putting more effort into POPSUGAR again! I miss all of you! And thank you so much to Nadine for putting together the 3rd quarter monthly group read selection polls! They're gorgeous, darlin'! :)

One thing I have done regarding my Goodreads account is to create another “exclusive”/dedicated shelf labeled “DO NOT READ”! This may seem a bit harsh, but I cannot abide reading horror books, so decided I needed a way to distinguish those books so I don’t keep looking them up to decide if I would like to read them or not… And my poor 60+-year-old addled brain simply cannot remember them all!

Question of the Week: Who are the most under-rated authors writing today?
Having looked at this question before, I figured I wouldn’t have any answer! However, upon reading it, several popped into my mind!

Andrea Busfield. Her debut novel Born Under a Million Shadows is a book I often recommend as a companion to, or alternative for, The Kite Runner. Her second book, Aphrodite's War, didn’t enthrall me as much, but it has remained with me for these past years. I just purchased her third book, The Silence of Stone, a month or so ago and am anxious to read it for prompt #6 A book with a gem, mineral, or rock in the title.

Valerie Geary. I read Crooked River 6 years ago and loved it! I had won a free copy and contacted Valerie for an author interview on my blog and not only did she do that, but she provided another free copy to me to give away on my blog. (I didn't even ask for it!) That was such fun! I need to get around to reading Everything We Lost.

Rachel Joyce wrote The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry which I thought was intriguing, although one of my book club members started our discussion by saying, “I really didn’t care for this book. I really didn’t care where Harold went…or if he ever got there!” 😊 I own the second book in that series, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, which I really want to read, as well as Perfect and The Music Shop.

The first book I read written by Susan Wilson was One Good Dog and I was hooked! I also read and loved The Dog Who Danced, and just last week I read Beauty, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast which I really enjoyed. I just purchased a copy of Two Good Dogs really cheaply and want to read it as well as A Man of His Own which I also own. Pretty sure I’ll read anything she writes! 😊

Authors I met while in Seattle:
Carol Cassella is an anesthesiologist in Seattle who has published 3 books: Oxygen, Healer, and Gemini. All three of these were excellently written, IMO, and I enjoyed not only the characterization and interaction among characters, but the plot in each was complex yet easily understood.

Jennie Shortridge is yet another author I met and talked with in Seattle. I have read Love Water Memory and loved it. I now own Eating Heaven, When She Flew, and Riding with the Queen, and really need to get around to reading them!

I also met and talked with Stephanie Kallos who is just as approachable as all the others. I admit though that I have not yet read any of her books. I had started reading Broken for You and then got side-tracked with other books. I also own Sing Them Home. Again, I really need to read these!!

And then for my two favorites! Although these last two have had some success, I feel they do not get as much attention as they should, IMO! I think I am also a bit more drawn to them because I actually met and interacted with them on their home turf in Seattle and they were so personable and enthusiastic and eager to sign books, to welcome me, etc.! Their enthusiasm was infectious!

Erica Bauermeister wrote The School of Essential Ingredients which I recommend all the time for readers who truly appreciate in-depth characterization as well as inter-connectedness of relationships. I have reread this book twice. And as you may be aware by now, I am not a huge fan of rereading. It is just so unique in her use of language and the story arc, IMO! I have also read and loved The Lost Art of Mixing, Joy for Beginners, and The Scent Keeper. Although I’m not huge into remodeling, etc., I would like to read her newest release House Lessons: Renovating a Life.

Garth Stein wrote one of my absolute all-time favorite reads, The Art of Racing in the Rain. And his later novel A Sudden Light was intriguing, complex, and rather ethereal and has stayed in my mind over these past SEVEN years! I have yet to purchase his children’s books for my grandkids and really need to do that. They are adorable! He was so excited when I met him because the first children’s book was due to be released soon. He is a bundle of positive energy!

Popsugar: 33/50
ATY: 45/52
RHC: 7/24
Reading Women: 4/28

FINISHED:
The Secret History by Donna Tartt ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for a March Buddy Read. Ugh. Too noirish for my liking. But I still gave it 4 stars just due to Tartt’s excellent writing! Talk about flawed/eccentric characters! Hints of incest, at least two murders committed by students, one suicide, and physical/emotional abuse by other group members. Not an enjoyable-to-me plot overall, “sick” is the term I would use to describe it, but Tartt does make it interesting!
POPSUGAR: #5, #21-Contemporary Fiction, Classic, Dark Academia, Fiction, Mystery, #27, #46
ATY: #3-Snowflakes that stay on your nose and eyelashes/Snow was quite pertinent, #4, #7-A book that is disturbing, #14, #19, #23- Contemporary Fiction, Classic, Dark Academia, Fiction, Mystery, #27-The Lovers, Justice, Death, Judgement, #30, #31, #34, #42, #47-HOTEL, WHISKEY, #49, #52
RHC: #1-I feared I would not enjoy it much

Magpie Murders (Susan Ryeland #1) by Anthony Horowitz ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ proved to be so very unique and awesome! I was a bit hesitant, having read several of the Alex Rider books. But Horowitz is definitely one of those authors who can successfully write in different genres and styles! I really enjoyed this one and will continue with the series!
POPSUGAR: #4, #7-Running a small tourist resort on the beach in Greece, #27, #29, #30-England, Greece, #46
ATY: #1-Beginning of a series, #7-A book that fits a category from another challenge--Fellowship of the R(ead)ing Readathon prompt-A book written by an author who has published 25+ years, #8-England and Greece, #14, #20-Murders were committed to protect the perpetrators’ futures, #27-Jack, The Lovers, Death, The Tower, Justice, Judgement, #31, #34, #38-BEGIN: Susan feels she must begin to investigate Alan’s death, #39-#42

I was planning to read Gathering Blue (The Giver #2) by Lois Lowry for one of the Readathon prompts but then another team member changed their plan so I no longer needed this one for that specific prompt, A book from a series of 4 books.
So I added and read:
(1) Oliver's Story (Love Story #2) by Erich Segal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the 2021 Reading Challenge 25K Readathon prompt A book I read when I was 25. Enjoyed this one more the second time around! I definitely had a much greater appreciation for this story arc the second time around some 40 years later! Quite an enjoyable read!
POPSUGAR: #18-Social justice, especially in the textile industry, #21-Classic, Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Romance, #27, #29, #30-New York City, Boston, Hong Kong, #33, #34, #36-276 reviews on Goodreads, #37, #47-I adored both the movie and book Love Story
ATY: #1-the beginning of life once again for Oliver, #3-Snow and feeling sad, #4 (my edition not listed in Goodreads), #6, #7-A book from a 1st person point of view, #8-New York City, Boston, Hong Kong, #10-Marcie was definitely a villain, #19-Present as Oliver tries to overcome the past and prepare for the future, #23-Classic, Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Romance, #27-The Lovers, Justice, Death, The World, #31, #34, #38-ESCAPE: Oliver makes good his escape, #47-Oliver and Marcie were both obliged to their papas

(2) Death of a Gossip (Hamish Macbeth #1) by M.C. Beaton ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the 2021 Reading Challenge 25K Readathon prompt A book from a series with 12+ books. I truly enjoyed this one! It was a quick read. No super in-depth characterization, but enough. I laughed and that’s always a good sign. Hamish is one unique character, unpredictable but definitely genuine! I will continue with the series as I come across them.
POPSUGAR: #22, #27, #30-Scotland
ATY: #1-the beginning of a series, #8-Scotland, #10-Amy, #14, #18-Lady Jane was about “the past” of everyone!, #27-The Lovers, Justice, Death, Judgement, The Fool (Alice), #31, #34, #40, #42, #47-CHARLIE, HOTEL, ROMEO (as I’m sure Jeremy considers himself to be…), #49, #51, #52
RHC: #13, #24
Reading Women: #18

(3) The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the prompt A book added to my TBR listing in the month I joined the Reading Challenge Goodreads group. A bit more somber and low-key than other books written by DiCamillo that I’ve read, but no less poignant. A beautiful message of acceptance, love, and belief in the “impossible”!
POPSUGAR: #4, #18-Acceptance, love, and believing in the impossible!, #21-Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Juvenile, Magical Realism, #27, #28, #37, #40-From the 2015 POPSUGAR Challenge-prompt #7 A book with nonhuman characters, #43, #47-DiCamillo is one of my favorite authors!
ATY: #3-Snow and Iddo the dog, #7-A book that isn’t a graphic novel but contains illustrations, #9-Winter-snow, #14, #15, #19-the PAST must be forgiven to make the present happy/happier, and a more enjoyable future, #23-Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Juvenile, Magical Realism, #38-The Countess acquires a handicap as the result of the magician’s elephant falling into her lap!, #43, #49, #51, #52-The end of much, leading to the beginning of happier times!
RHC: #24

(4) Calico Joe by John Grisham ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the 2021 Reading Challenge 25K Readathon prompt A book published in 2012. This was a reread for me. I loved this book the first time I read it 9 years ago, and enjoyed it even more so this time! A beautiful story…
POPSUGAR: #21-Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Juvenile, Sports, #27, #30-Arkansas, New York State, #37, #40-From 2016 POPSUGAR Challenge prompt #30 A book with a blue cover
ATY: #7-A book or involving a team or organization, #8-Arkansas, #9-baseball season, #13, #20-the future immediately changed for both Warren and Joe, #23- Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Juvenile, Sports, #27-Judgement, #31, #32, #34, #40, #49, #52-The end of a brilliant professional baseball career and the end of a regretful life.

CONTINUING:
I am so hoping to finish at least 2-3 of these in April!!!
Eva Luna by Isabel Allende to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #26 A book written by Isabel Allende.
Paradise by Toni Morrison to fulfill the 2020 Reading Women prompt #25 A book written by Toni Morrison.
Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence (Classsics, Literature) Annotated |56605996]. Still…
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Excellent writing! It really flows.
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. Excellent so far! I love Reynolds' humor!
Learning Race, Learning Place: Shaping Racial Identities and Ideas in African American Childhoods by Erin N. Winkler
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois

PLANNED:
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig for our own Monthly Group Read!
For the bookstore book club: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
For April Buddy Reads:
The Trespasser (Dublin Murder Squad #6) by Tana French
Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara
Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
And I still keep looking anxiously at The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman. My very special gift that makes me smile every time I see it or think about it! 😊

Heather wrote: "Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie (a book where the main character works at your current or dream job). Sign me up to be an independently wealthy eccentric private detective, please ."

This made me laugh so hard!

Nadine wrote: "
Zen Cho - I think she's slowly getting more popular, which is awesome!! Maybe I need to take her off my list :-) She writes Malaysian-inpsired fantasy, both contemporary and historical settings. She's got a new book coming out this summer

Definitely take her off your list, Nadine, as *I* have heard of her and have her in my TBR. I read little fantasy genre so obscure or underappreciated does not cross my radar much.

Nadine wrote: "Gemma wrote: "I'm always surprised that Lindsey Davis's books aren't mentioned more often in conversations about crime novels and murder mysteries. ..."


I've never heard of that author, and when ..."


I adore this author and have to agree! Should be on every must read list!

Other excellent but forgotten mystery writers...mostly cozies (which may be why)

Charlotte MacLeod - Rest You Merry featuring Peter Shandy and The Family Vault with Sarah Kelling and Max Bittersohn are 2 of my favorite mysteries ever.
Marian Babson - British mostly stand alones
Joan Hess - Maggody series especially - she died young alas.
Kate Ross - left us only 4 Julien Kestrel hustoricals - another who died too young.
Carolyn G. Hart
Sue Henry
Sarah Caudwell

Nadine wrote: "Sheri wrote: "The Plotters - Almost done, should finish this later today. I have to say, this falls into a big pet peeve of mine, one I didn' think of when it was a question a couple weeks ago. If ..."

SAME HERE! Already on my TBR!