Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2021 Weekly Check-Ins
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Week 16: 4/15 - 4/22
Woohoo, my mom’s got an appointment for her vaccination too! It looks like the vaccination campaign is finally picking up speed over here. My age group is scheduled to get an invitation mid June. And oh yes, spring is finally arriving. Still a little bit too cold, but it’s not feeling like winter anymore.13/40
Finished
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt ⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: #10 a bestseller from the nineties, #29 a book set in multiple countries, #34 a book about a social justice issue
It's a depressing story. But I also chuckled a lot. Because Frankie doesn't know any better and has a dream: going back to America and make lots of money. So that he can eat an egg for breakfast every day with a bit of butter in it.
I think it's great how this rather depressing story doesn't leave you completely depressed. Of course because you know that Frankie will eventually win the Pulitzer Prize and then at least not have to wear his late grandmother's dress because he is so cold because his only set of clothes is hanging outside to dry because tomorrow he turns 14 (or 16, I forgot) and becomes a telegram deliverer. It is precisely those details that make you chuckle regularly, no matter how sad the situation is.
Currently reading
The Moor's Account
QOTW
I’m looking forward to Kristin Hannah’s The Four Winds (Dutch translation publishes July). I like the setting (the Great Dust Bowl, farmers) and I like her writing. I also want to read Een nieuw sociaal contract. It’s a book published last February by one of our members of parliament (actually one of the best we have) about what has to change in our government. I know what he wants, but I really want to read his analysis on what is going wrong, how we got here and how we can change it. Especially as a digital service officer at a municipality I like to know what I can do to make our government a bit better every day.
I got my second COVID-19 vaccination dose this weekend, and I am really excited to do more things in the second half of the year.Finished:
The Black Jersey by Jorge Zepeda Patterson (3/5)
I enjoyed the book more for the cycling knowledge I gained than I did for the mystery. It's a decently done mystery with a small pool of suspects, and I did not guess the ultimate culprit, but the protagonist does not make for a very good detective. The beginning and end are good, and it's the middle that feels stretched out.
Reunion (Force Heretic, #3) by Sean Williams and Shane Dix (3/5, reread)
Some important things happen related to Zonama Sekot and Tahiri in this book. The plotlines in this trilogy are all decent, but few of them feel essential at this point in a 19-book (plus novellas) series.
Currently reading:
The Lost Years by J.M. Dillard (reread)
The Final Prophecy by Greg Keyes (reread)
I may do my shortest book for the challenge this weekend.
Question of the Week:
Arsenic and Adobo
Star Trek: Moments Asunder and its two sequels
The Autobiography of Mr. Spock
Star Wars Year by Year: A Visual History
Queen's Hope
Not much news this week... it's been a "loaf around and eat trash" sort of few days. Apparently the local McDonalds delivers now so I indulged in some guilty-pleasure nuggets.I had a lovely dream last night about Sox, my previous dog. Somehow he was able to come visit from the afterlife for a few hours to reassure us he was doing okay. Him and Tom played together and were great friends.
I'm not a big believer in messages from the beyond and all that sort of thing, but I'd like to think that was more than just a regular dream. :,)
Books finished:
An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors - I liked the concepts here more than the execution, and the end went a bit weird, but I'd still read the next one in the series. Which is good because I already have it, due to last year's Hugo packet.
The Melancholy of Mechagirl - Sometimes the brain just needs some Valente. This collection is very... hm, dreamlike, in that the stories don't necessarily make logical sense, but they're not meant to, and you sort of have to just relax and let the prose take you where it may. And in between, Catherynne really bares her soul about her experiences as a young woman and the breakdown of her first marriage. It was so personal I almost wanted to look away - "I am a total stranger and should not be allowed to know such things about someone's life". (But then... I follow her on social media. Is that somehow less personal than things she's said in an actual book?)
The Book of Koli - This definitely felt like part 1 of a story, it ends right at the beginning of the Epic Journey, but I'm invested in the characters and really want to explore this postapocalyptic world, so I immediately ordered the sequel. Vibes of The Knife of Never Letting Go with a smidgen of Semiosis.
Sistersong - Not bad but a little disappointing for me. I think I would have preferred just Keyne's story - at the start of each Riva or Sinne chapter I was leafing ahead to see when Keyne's POV was coming up again. And the resolution seemed a bit too pat.
Minor spoiler, but I'm really bored of pregnancy storylines in fantasy/historicals. They're just so one-note and predictable. (view spoiler) blah de blah de skiiiip.
Currently reading The Paying Guests. Haven't read any Sarah Waters in a while. Enjoying it! Definitely feels like there's something sinister brewing in the background, I'm sure the Barbers aren't what they seem.
QOTW: Jade Legacy I NEED IT LIKE BURNING. Also the companion novella "The Jade Setter of Janloon" which Fonda just announced.
Ariadne too.
Oh and She Who Became the Sun. (I wish I could get the US edition, much prefer that cover to Generic Asian Dragon.)
Mod
As well you should! Way to go! 🎈🎈🎇🎇👍
"I was excited this morning to see that I'd won a copy of Face: One Square Foot of Skin by Justine Bateman! (That's my third Goodreads win this year.)"
That is exciting! So you're averaging almost one per month for 2021!! You are on a lucky streak!! 🙂
"One independent movie theater is now open for private group showings, and I'm excited that one of my local Meetup groups has booked a showing of "Minari" on Sunday afternoon. I've got my ticket!'
That's one I would like to watch as well! I hope you enjoy it! And what fun! A movie. In a real movie theater! That is one of the few things my husband and I go out for any more and of course, we haven't been able to for over a year now...
"Into the Beautiful North
If I Had Your Face"
These two are on my TBR listing.
"QOTW: I'm really looking forward to Bridget Collins's The Betrayals, Grady Hendrix's The Final Girl Support Group, and Naomi Novik's The Last Graduate. I've pre-ordered all of them!"
Thanks!
Mod
The Cousins by Karen M. McManuswhich was fine. I liked One of us is Next/One of us is Lying better but it was a quick read while I was in a slump and I'm not mad at it."
I'll eventually get to reading that one. I enjoyed the first two.
"Captain Marvel, Vol. 1: Re-Entry by Kelly Thompson Which I am a little mad at but only because I found it on a listopia for character that signs and literally there are 3 signs in the comic and they occur in 3 consecutive panels where a character is all like, "since i wear a mask and echo can't read my lips I'll sign ot her)" and I'm like, "Hey! that is how it works... yay for aknowledging this actual thing about lip reading" and then it is never brought up again and in all the next panels echo can read lips just fine no matter which direction she's pointing and even the character who was conscious of it just drops her mask a bit to talk... and I dont' feel 3 signs honors the spirt of the prompt I'm doing... so back to the drawing board on sign language prompt... but aside from that I liked Re-entry Vol 1 fine."
Sorry, but I had to chuckle as I read that! 😊
"Currently Reading:
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune which I'm reading entirely because so many people have reccomended it... and I should honestly be done already but I stopped reading it last night because I wasn't ready to leave that world yet."
I can definitely understand that! I love that book!
"QOTW:
I don't usually pay that much attention to what's coming up. I already have so many things on the list but the 3rd Carry on book, the 3rd Fatma book and some others by authors I particularly like.. but I more like when all of a sudden I notice they are out rather than being all like, "Hey, when does that come out!!?!?!?"
I love Rowell's writing but have yet to read Carry On!
I was so excited to be off today and be able to play in the thread all morning and stay in the loop, and then I sleep half the day! haha! Oh well. Sleep is awesome. Instead of picking out a bunch of specific books and marking them off this year, I have so far been mostly reading and then checking the list every so often, which I should do later. I am at least 19/50.
Finished:
The Screaming Staircase - It was OK
Strangers on a Train - I knew it was different from the film (my fave Hitch) and I knew mostly how, but I still didn't know how it ended.
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It - Fun and at the same time those women are stupid. Saw most things coming a mile away.
The Neil Gaiman at the End of the Universe - Short story about Neil Gaiman waking up in space with no idea who he is. Narrated by Neil himself. This made me laugh.
The House in the Cerulean Sea - As a person who rarely re-reads, this is my second of this book so far this year. Can we say stress?
Currently Reading
Klara and the Sun - I'm enjoying it
The Liar's Dictionary - I still have a few days off and hope to pause the puzzles and pick this back up. Good luck though, I think there are five new ones upstairs.
Bee People and the Bugs They Love - I was mostly listening to this one at work and it feels like it's going to wait for the new week to start before I go back to it.
On Deck:
Baking With Kafka - More cartoons! Instead of science this time they are about books! I bought this for my birthday and already spilled soy sauce on it. *sigh*
The next three Murderbot books. Double duty as comforting and prepping.
My pre-order of Defekt arrived. It's very short but I'm not sure when I'll pick it up. Because puzzles.
QOTW:
Which 2021 publications are you still eagerly anticipating? (or has your most anticipated 2021 book already been published?)
I have been lazy keeping a list this year. Then I spent a LONG time searching for news on my top pick. I'll get back to you
Mod
Mod
Our maple has half-leaves, but we also got snow this week so hope all the plants are ok. Wondering if fruit harvest will be off this year, with the late snow."
A nurse in the doctor's office the other day was talking about her peach tree. She suspects she will not have any peaches from it this year since it was blooming when the snowstorm hit. 😞
"Got my first shot over the weekend, so kind of a slow reading week because it triggered a migraine as well as feeling generally really run down and hard to concentrate."
Hopefully you'll get over that quickly!
"Finished:
Dawn - my Afrofuturism book. I'd planned on trying a new author, but after I read Nnedi Okorafor's article making the differentiation between Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism, I realized all the ones I was considering were more Africanfuturism. I know I can just stretch the prompt, but I figured I have a bunch of Octavia Butler books that I got and haven't read yet so might as well use one that fits better. I liked it, didn't LOVE it. I'll still continue the series, since they're short."
I own Parable of the Sower and plan to read that although I did already list The Night Masquerade. Then I'll cover my bases!
"Currently reading:
The Once and Future Witches - my virtual book club is reading this now, so trying to get it done so I can write up discussion questions. Not sure it'll fit a prompt. I like it, but just been having a lot of trouble focusing this week."
I really enjoyed The Ten Thousand Doors of January and look forward to reading this one...
"To Sleep in a Sea of Stars - doing the audio book of this one, mainly because Jennifer Hale is narrating and I want Commander Shepard to read me a story. A very long 33 hour story. I wasn't a huge Eragon fan, I liked the first one ok, didn't like the second and didn't bother with the rest of the series."
I read the trilogy and will probably at some point pick this one up and read it. More out of curiosity than anything. I enjoyed the first three books, but felt it was more action action action and little character development. I used to recommend for adolescent boys. I imagine they would enjoy these books.
"QOTW:
I'm looking forward to Alecto the Ninth, I think that's supposed to be out later this year. I also think the second Deadly Education is supposed to be out later this year tao. Murderbot's always fun, so looking forward to that. I don't generally preorder books, so most of them i'll probably wait for deals or the library to get them. So in some cases might not actually read them until next year."
I don't read many books in the year they are published.
Heather wrote: "Wow! What a week! I said a few weeks ago that I was interviewing for a new job, and ... I got the job! I’ve only ever worked in academia, and this job is in business. One of my librarian friends to..."That's wonderful--congrats!!
Happy Thursday everybody. It's nice and sunny here, but it's still too cold to go out and enjoy it yet. I'm at 32/50 for the challenge already, but I might try to do it with no overlaps with ATY which would require a major reorg. But there's lots of time left in the year.Books I finished:
To Love and to Loathe ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This was a bit slow to start, but I did end up enjoying it quite a bit. The first book in the series was still better.
The Demon in the Freezer: A True Story ⭐⭐⭐ - I liked Richard Preston's books about ebola better. With this one, he was clearly in the middle of writing a book about smallpox when 9 11 and the anthrax letters happened, so he included it in the book, but it didn't really fit in which made the book a bit disjointed.
The House in the Cerulean Sea ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I needed a comfort reread after the smallpox book. I love this book!
Geek Wisdom: Embracing the Sacred Teachings of Pop Culture⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I needed to read a book out of my physical TBR pile before the end of April and I was hating the one I had chosen, so I pulled this out of the pile and read through it in one sitting. Sweet and funny. And I realized that one of the authors was N. K. Jemisin, so I'm definitely going to have to check out her books soon.
The Last Exiles ⭐⭐⭐ - This wasn't what I wasn't what I was expecting, although it should have been. I've heard about people escaping from North Korea, and I've never really connected it to the stories of the dangers illegal immigrants face (even though that's what they're doing when they're escaping North Korea...) It was wonderfully written, but depressing and heartbreaking.
Books I made progress on:
Generations - I love Firefly.
Sense and Sensibility - It's time for my yearly reread of a Jane Austen. And I stuck to my guns and went with Sense & Sensibility even though my copy of Emma kept looking at me... 😊
DNF
Happy Hour in Hell - I am just hating this, and trying to force myself to read it was putting me in a bad mood. So I'm putting it on hold for now.
QOTW
(April)
Fugitive Telemetry - A new murderbot? Yes please!
(May)
Just Last Night - I loved If I Never Met You so we'll see if I love her new book just as much.
Cursed Luck - A new series from Kelley Armstrong. I'm in.
Angel of the Overpass - The newest Ghostroads book from Seanan McGuire? I NEED IT NOW!
(June)
Love for Beginners - The newest Wildstone book. It's a no brainer.
(August)
The Heart Principle - I loved The Bride Test but was only so-so on The Kiss Quotient. We'll have to see how this one compares.
(September)
The Hawthorne Legacy - I read the first book in the series this year and would love more.
When Sorrows Come - A new October Daye book? Can it be September now????? PLEASE🙏😁
(October)
Well Matched - Another renfaire romance? Sounds fun.
A Twist of Fate - Kelley Armstrong is one of my favourite authors for a reason.
Happy check-in! Finished Reading:
Grave Visions ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Re-read of a favourite series.
Romancing Mr Bridgerton ⭐⭐⭐ (2017 character name in title)
Well this series pushed me to create a craptacular shelf.
A Court of Mist and Fury ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Re-reading this series. This is my favourite of the series and I was a little worried that it wouldn't be as good re-reading. There was no reason to worry.
PS 2020 22/50
PS 2017 21/52
Goodreads 82/200
Currently Reading:
Spinning Silver
A Court of Wings and Ruin
Warrior Witch
QOTW:
So these are the ones I've already read.
Blood Heir 5 stars
A Court of Silver Flames 5 stars
Rule of Wolves 5 stars
Still waiting on these:
Fugitive Telemetry (MURDERBOT)
Shadowed Steel
Cursed Luck
The Soulmate Equation
Gods & Monsters
The Heart Principle
The Hawthorne Legacy
The Last Graduate
Fangirl, Vol. 2: The Manga
A Twist of Fate
Untitled Novella SJM novella
There's more but these are the ones I'm pretty sure I will read as soon as I get a copy from the library.
Let's see...Finished
Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay. It was great!
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi for my Black Lives Matter book. Such a good book, and just an amazing piece of scholarship. I hope everybody has a chance to read it, it's heavy but so necessary.
Among the Beasts & Briars by Ashley Poston, which DID turn out to be set mostly outdoors, so I'll use it for that! It was cute. Very YA, but sweet.
I didn't get all the way through Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches before the library took my audiobook back, but I'm hoping I get it back soon, because it was very good, and it's my Zodiac sign book.
Currently Reading
The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World by Patrik Svensson. I don't know why this caught my eye, but it's pretty good so far.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Women's Prize in Fiction). I like it well enough so far.
Fascism: A Warning by Madeline Albright. This is fascinating. I'm listening to the audio, and Secretary Albright reads it herself! So cool!
I Am America by Stephen Colbert. I found an old copy of this, and I loved it back in high school (my, how the time has flown), so I'm rereading. I forget sometimes that he used to do the Colbert Report and basically just parodied Bill O'Riley and Glen Beck, and I kind of miss that. I do love him on the Late Show, though.
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton. Just started, no thoughts yet. Thinking this might be my magical realism book?
QotW
I'll go month by month, cause I'm like that.
May: Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
June: One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
July: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers and Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Angie Thomas, Nic Stone, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nicola Yoon, and Ashley Woodfolk (yes, six authors, I'm so stoked on this)
August: If I end up loving Hollow Kingdom, the sequel Feral Creatures is coming out.
September: White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
October: Truth of the Divine by Lindsay Ellis and State of Terror by HILLARY CLINTON (CAN YOU TELL I'M EXCITED???) and Louise Penny
And that's all I'm aware of for now!
I haven't yet read through these, but if no one else has volunteered for the May monthly read group leader, I'll do it. As long as you don't mind me for two months in a row.
It was Administrative Professionals Day yesterday. The other clerical staff were invited to lunch, but I was left off the list. I work at home, but so do many of the others. I had hurt little feelings for awhile. But since I no longer expect perfection of myself, I granted them the same privilege. They held a make-up lunch today for me and a couple of others who hadn't been able to go yesterday. It was my first time dining in at a restaurant in over a year, so it was nice to have a little group of four people. It felt like a normal life. It is probably time for me to get out a bit more (with all precautions as necessary) since I am vaccinated. Finished
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley - 4 stars; PS #13 (locked room mystery)
This is the second week in a row that I am slightly stretching on a prompt, which isn't like me. This is a closed circle mystery, but good enough. I listened on audiobook while I was sick last weekend, and it was nice to have someone read to me.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig - 5 stars; PS #4 (author with same zodiac sign)
No stretch here as we share not only the same zodiac sign, but the same birthday. I really, really loved this book (now my second favorite of the year so far). I can see why the subject matter may not interest many, but as one who has spent an inordinate amount of time wondering about the lives I've missed out on, this was just up my alley.
The Deadly Mystery of the Missing Diamonds
by T.E. Kinsey - PS #3 (diamond on cover) I got this book for free on Kindle and as it has diamonds on the cover (although not the playing card diamonds), I picked it up. This was a delightful little mystery that had me laughing out loud at times.
Currently reading
The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie
100 Things Jazz Fans Should Know/Do Before They Die by Jody Genessy
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell - next up
Goodreads: 29/100
Popsugar: 26/55
QOTW:
I'm looking forward to Fugitive Telemetry, but since my library has just ordered Network Effect, it will likely be awhile. Also looking forward to Malibu Rising because I love all things Taylor Jenkins Reid. Also Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune.
GASP! OMG!! SQUEEEEE!!! Since I've been seeing tons of people talking about tons of upcoming books but have been too lazy to keep track of them, I've spent the day (yes since before I last posted) looking up releases to remind myself. I went to one source and found something I didn't know about and NOW I HAVE A NEW MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK AAUUGGHHH!!
The Apollo Murders by my favorite astronaut Chris Hadfield
by
*RUNS IN CIRCLES SCREAMING AND FLAILING ARMS OVER HEAD*
Nadine - you made my day! A new Murderbot!!!!!!!!!!!!!Yes, I've been living under a mountain of work - barely able to accomplish anything else between that and continued awful pandemic sleep disruption disorder and insomnia. It's a real thing. Seriously.
I finished NOTHING this week. Not even close.
I'm half way through a reread of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. It's been some decades since my last reread - and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Such a rich book! I'm pulling so much more from it than I have in the past, really appreciating DuMaurier's writing and structure and symbolism. I recently watched the dreadful adaptation on Netflix - had to immediately stream the Hitchcock 1940 adaptation on YouTube to cleanse my mind of the awfulness of Netflix version - well except that Lily James really did wonderfully as the second Mrs. de Winter - a performance I appreciate more and more as I reread the book. Still not reason enough to suffer through that remake.
That's it for me right now. I am at 27/50 in PS -- something like 12 books ahead of schedule, or so GR tells me. I'm in good shape.
QOTW: Well, besides Murderbot which is now preordered, thank you Nadine, I am eagerly awaiting:
The Man Who Died Twice - second in series that started with Edgar nominee The Thursday Murder Club which was wonderful!
A Master of Djinn - if you haven't already read the prequel short story A Dead Djinn in Cairo and novela The Haunting of Tram Car 015 - do - they are either free or part of Kindle Unlimited I believe. Fantasy and alternative history Cairo set around 1912/13.
The President's Daughter - loved the first thriller, which really showed Clinton's influence in the inside the White House information.
State of Terror - not letting her husband have all the thriller glory, Hilary Clinton has partnered with Louise Penny to write her first thriller. I personally think Hilary picked the better writer to partner.
I also enjoy various series all with books coming out this year by Marie Force, Stephanie Laurens and Roxanne St. Claire among others that I always buy, even preorder.
And later in the year, I search eagerly for mysteries and romances set at Christmas - there's always a new crop to consider!
Just spotted this for all the Cerulean Sea fans.T.J. Klune has a new book Under the Whispering Door out in Sept.
Mod
So.... this week I went to go to work and discovered I had a flat tire. Good news -- I know how to change a tire. Bad news -- my spare tire was flat too. Ugh! Ended up having to take the day off work and call a family member to get the flat in to a tire shop and fixed. At least my tire store has a deal where, if you buy your tires there, they'll fix your flats for free, so the only thing I really spent was one of my PTO days."
That was resolved in probably the best possible way!
"Guess I should get the spare fixed so I don't have this happen again, huh?"
I would agree...
"Books read this week:
Providence -- for “favorite prompt from 2019 (book set in space).” How do you make a book about a crew of an AI-governed spaceship fighting alien salamanders that spit mini black holes BORING?"
That's hysterical! 🤣
"Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks -- for “book where the main character works at your current or dream job,” in my case a librarian."
I reread "Fahrenheit 451 last year 50+ years after reading it as a teenager. Definitely got much more out of it now than I did then...
"The Sparrow -- for “book you think your best friend would like.” This was a tragic yet gorgeous read! The premise, the world, and the characters were fantastic, and I can’t wait to leap into the sequel once the challenge is done."
Cool!
"The First -- not for the challenge. Just as good as the first book in the series, and I’m eager to move on to the third and final (so far) book!"
So anxious to read the first installment once it arrives!
"DNF:
Willful Machines -- was going to be for “favorite prompt from the 2018 challenge (book with an LGBTQ protagonist).” The characters were obnoxious, and I wanted less focus on him ogling the new kid at school and more focus on the plot involving a rogue artificial intelligence. There are books with LGBTQ characters that don’t revolve around romance, right?"
Yes, there are, though specific examples are not coming to mind right now... That title just doesn't appeal to me. 🙂
Currently Reading:
We Are Legion (We Are Bob) -- for “favorite prompt from the 2020 challenge (book with a robot, AI, or cyborg)”"
Added to my TBR listing! Sounds promising!
"QOTW:
Wow, when I stopped and thought about it, I've got quite a few new releases I'm looking forward to still! Below's a by-no-means-complete list:
Fugitive Telemetry
A Master of Djinn
Project Hail Mary
Survive the Night
The Past Is Red
Comfort Me with Apples"
Thanks for that list!
I finished two books and an essay this week over the past week. I should be done with one more soon :) I'm at 12/40 and 2/10 for this challenge and 26/100 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge. I had another random status update like with the numl.org website in the person's profile this morning (sigh!). I guess it's time to adjust my profile settings again to see if that helps cut down on this. Stupid Russian hackers ruining my bookish fun!! I also had a friend request with a message from a self-published author who "read my review of Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century and thought I'd be interested in his book." It's been awhile since I've received one of those. Can't blame an author for trying to promote themselves, but it isn't really a friend request if the message is a marketing campaign. It reminded me of the author who kept posting similar comments on people's reviews and then kept creating new accounts to keep doing that after Goodreads kept shutting him down.
Finished:
* The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson, which I used for "the book that's been on your TBR list for the longest amount of time" (I'm using my Goodreads "Want to Read" shelf for all of the TBR prompts :)). I won't say exactly how long this one was on my TBR list and on one of my physical bookshelves since I own a copy, but let's just say this has been in the works for more than a decade;
* You Are Ready For Takeoff: A Short Trip by and narrated by Susan Orlean -- I'm going to try and read the ebook version because I don't think I paid close enough attention to the audiobook and went a little drifty; and,
* First Comes Like by Alisha Rai, which was a Book Club Girls Free Friday pick. I keep racking these up but haven't kept up with reading them, so I'm trying to clear the backlog a bit. I may have requested another book before I finished this one, so my plan apparently needs some refinement -- finish one, request one out means no change in my backlog totals! I can't help it if the blurb for the one I requested sounded too interesting to resist! :-)
Currently Reading:
* Broken by Jenny Lawson, which I'll use for the "book by a blogger, vlogger, YouTube video creator, or other online personality" prompt. I'm almost done with it and am really enjoying it; and,
* Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain.
QotW:
Which 2021 publications are you still eagerly anticipating? (or has your most anticipated 2021 book already been published?) Several of my favorite authors have books coming out this year! I'm looking forward to these in particular:
* Dead of Winter by Stephen Mack Jones -- #3 in the August Snow series!
* The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey -- #3 in the Perveen Mistry series!
* Dream Girl by Laura Lippman -- a standalone novel; I've heard a couple of interviews she's given to promote it and can't wait to get my hands on a copy!
* The Hollywood Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal -- #10 in the Maggie Hope series!
* The Turnout by Megan Abbott -- a standalone novel; I love her explorations of female relationships and am sure this will be right up my alley!
* The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves -- #2 in the Two Rivers series!
* Hot and Sour Suspects by Vivien Chien -- #8 in the Noodle Shop Mystery Series!
* They Can't Take Your Name by Robert Justice -- a debut novel by the host of one of the bookish podcasts I love (Crime Writers of Color). I'm wondering if he'll interview himself when the book comes out, which I actually think would be fantastic!! :)
Lynn wrote: "The Midnight Library by Matt Haig ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for our monthly group read. After reading several comments you-all have made about this one I was really anxious to dig in, though initially I had been a bit hesitant!.."I'm still hesitant about this one. Seeing how much others are enjoying it makes me want to give it a try, but there's something about time travel/messing with the past that gives me anxiety sometimes. I can't decide!!! Maybe I just need to wait for the right mood to try it out.
OK... Releases!Firstly, my most anticipated release is worrying me a bit.
The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal
I see the goodreads date has been pushed a year. I have no idea what this will do to the next Lady Astronaut book.
OK so after that disappointment plus the Chris Hadfield excitement, here are some, even though I swear I have totally forgotten some I saw and went OOOO but didn't write down and now can't remember because depression is a bitch.
Top Excitement:
Fugitive Telemetry - Murderbot
A Line to Kill - Anthony Horowitz #3 after The Word is Murder
The Man Who Died Twice - Thursday Murder Club
A Master of Djinn - Yay Fatma
Under the Whispering Door - Klune
David Copperfield's History of Magic - Magic!
Daughter of the Deep - Rick Riordan inspired by Jules Verne!
Also:
The Comfort Book - Matt Haig
Taste: My Life Through Food - Stanley Tucci
The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear
Bonkers:
The Album of Dr. Moreau - will either be hilariously ridiculous or a train wreck
Doctor Who: The Ruby's Curse by Alex Kingston - This one is messing with my head. Alex plays River Song. River... umm... It's been years but just in case (view spoiler) It's like one of those infinity mirrors.
Already out but spent my $ on puzzles, oops:
The Madman's Library: The Strangest Books, Manuscripts and Other Literary Curiosities from History
I already read them but want these kinda newbies:
Heartstopper: Volume Three - Trying to support the US editions even though we are SO FAR BEHIND
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Special Edition
Have the audio but have been holding out because mental health:
The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country
Every Last Fear
Libertie
Island Queen
Love the cover:
Lynn wrote: "We Are Legion (We Are Bob) -- for “favorite prompt from the 2020 challenge (book with a robot, AI, or cyborg)”"Added to my TBR listing! Sounds promising!"
I loved the Bobiverse audiobooks!
Mary wrote: "there's something about time travel/messing with the past that gives me anxiety sometimes." If it helps, neither of those things are in the book. She gets to see what her life would be like RIGHT NOW if she had made different choices in the past. It's a multiverse thing. There is no time travel. She cannot mess with past events.
For everyone who didn't pre-order the Murderbot novel for the free story last year, it's now available for everyone!Click below to read Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory at Tor
https://www.tor.com/2021/04/19/home-h...
It comes between Exit Strategy and Network Effect so maybe bookmark it for later if you are still catching up.
Megan wrote: "I finished two books and an essay this week over the past week. I should be done with one more soon :) I'm at 12/40 and 2/10 for this challenge and 26/100 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge..."Oh, yes, the next Purveen Mistry is due!
poshpenny wrote: "OK... Releases!Firstly, my most anticipated release is worrying me a bit. There is a release date in three months, but literally NO buzz. No cover, so talk, no lists. But also nothing about it be..."
Oh man, yes on the Anthony Horowitz!
Good thing Saturday is Independent Bookstore Day. I seriously just extended my wishlist! Shopping required.
poshpenny wrote: " Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Special Edition..."What Special Edition???!!!
I Have a real thing for special editions of books I love or that are classics. The edition of Rebecca I am reading is one.
Katy wrote: "QOtW: Winds of Winter Ha. Ha. Just kidding. I'll roll around on the floor laughing now."Add Patrick Rothfuss and his final installment to the Kingkiller Chronicles to that floor time.
Theresa wrote: "poshpenny wrote: " Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Special Edition..."What Special Edition???!!!
I Have a real thing for special editions of books I love or that are classics. The edition of [book..."
I made sure to link to the correct edition in my post! October!
Did a little readingFor the prompt A book about forgetting I went more prompt adjacent with The Memorist by MJ Rose. It's about memory in general, forgetting, remembering, past life memories. It wasn't all that good either.
For the prompt A book you have seen on someone’s bookshelf (in real life, on a Zoom call, in a TV show, etc.) What the Devil Knows by C. S. Harris another fantastic historical mystery.
QOTW Actually What the Devil KNows was it
Laura wrote: One independent movie theater is now open for private group showings, and I'm excited that one of my local Meetup groups has booked a showing of "Minari" on Sunday afternoon. I've got my ticket!:..."Minari is fabulous! I was able to stream it via local indie theater portal so they got my money. I hope it sweeps the Oscars!
poshpenny wrote: "Theresa wrote: "poshpenny wrote: " Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Special Edition..."What Special Edition???!!!
I Have a real thing for special editions of books I love or that are classics. The ..."
Woot!
Charlotte wrote: " I'd also like to go on record that every year I fully expect The Winds of Winter or The Doors of Stone to release, and every year I'm fully disappointed that no date has been set. Le sigh..."Same here.
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Since I'm working remotely again, that isn't as much of an issue, but I know what you mean. Ugh.
"
I also finished To Be Taught, If Fortunate which was just okay. I LOVED the Wayfarers series so perhaps my expectations were too high going in.
I still need to read Dumplin'! LOL
"DNF Grasshopper Jungle - I just can't relate to a fifteen year old boy getting horny over climbing on a dumpster?!?!"
I don't know. Some boys are just constantly horny, aren't they? LOL
"Also started Children of Virtue and Vengeance and realised I'd forgotten 90% of the characters from the first book. It's slowly coming back to me."
I love this series! I hope you enjoy this second installment!
And I hope you end up with books you truly enjoy now for awhile! You deserve it!
"QOTW: I don't want to jinx it but I think The Thorn of Emberlain should finally be here this year. *Excited squee!*"
I had to chuckle at that! 😋
"Other ones I'm looking forward to:
Empress of Flames
Go the Distance
The Galaxy, and the Ground Within
The Witness for the Dead
Mary Jane
Terciel and Elinor
The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks
Ariadne
Hello, Cruel Heart
That's more than I thought!"
I think many of us had more than we thought once we started thinking about it!
poshpenny wrote: "For everyone who didn't pre-order the Murderbot novel for the free story last year, it's now available for everyone!Click below to read Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory at T..."
Thanks for posting this link.
Howdy all. This is week is another slow reading week. I just looked at the clock and realized that it's the 23'd which means it's been one year since my fiance passed away. His birthday was early in the month, so I think I've been a bit distracted. I hope I can get back in the swing of things in May. Finished
The Sacrifice of Darkness by Rozane Gay and Tracy Lynne Oliver. This is a graphic novel. I wasn't sure I was going to like it when I figured out that it wasn't an action/adventure book, but it surprised me and I really enjoyed it.
Currently reading.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. I'm enjoying this one, but it's just taking me awhile to read it.
The Case of the Missing Marquess (an Enola Holmes Mystery) by Nancy Springer. This is an experiment as I'm listening to the book and reading the book as she reads it. I'm enjoying this. I should have it done in the morning.
Anxious People and The Midnight Library I'm getting to read next.
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..."
I'm currently reading this too!! I'm halfway through and ... not impressed. At this point, it's extraordinarily unlikely that I will continue with the series.
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I read that last year! I knew very little about eels, and I do NOT have an enduring fascination with them, but I LOVED this book! He's an amazing writer.
I read Hollow Kingdom last year too - I thought it would be so amazing but it turned out to be just sort of good. I wanted more of an ending, or more of a journey, or more of a something. To me, it's fantasy/horror, not magical realism. Zombies are never "realism" ;-)
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Brandy messaged me yesterday that she can do May, I just haven't updated the opening post yet (doing that right after I finish reading these). We still have July, August, and September open!! ... (unless somebody volunteered for those and I didn't get to their post yet)
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I'd be hurt by that, too! It happens to me now and then (okay, A LOT) at work, because I'm the only woman and men feel weird socializing with women, so I get left off any lunch or happy hour invites, and even when it's a department-wide lunch, I get left off the "let's drive together" invites - those are the ones that really bug me. (Part of this is probably my fault, I'm not real social.) I tell myself it's fine that I'm driving alone, this way I get to listen to my audiobook on the way.
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Since I've been seeing tons of people talking about tons of upcoming books but have been too lazy to keep track of them, I've spent the day (yes since before I last posted..."
That looks good!!! I'm not yet on the fan train for him, because I've only read one of his picture books so far, so I hadn't heard about this book. But ... 70's space-thriller? written by a guy who knows what's what? Yep! I'm in!
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Yes, I've been living under a mountain of work - barely able to accomplish anything else between that and continued awful pandemic sleep disr..."
Yay for MurderBot fans!!!
I am so curious now to watch the Netflix Rebecca!!! I HAVE to see it now. My daughter and I have both seen the Hitchcock original, and I've read the book (but she has not) so I'm ready to be horrified.
Lynn wrote:"I love Rowell's writing but have yet to read Carry On!"I was super hesitant about Carry On as well. In Fangirl Carry On just didn't seem to appeal to me at all. And I didn't intend to read it. I don't mind fanfic. I have written fan fic. But an author writing a book about a girl who writes fanfic and then making a book out of that fanfic? I love Rowell but I just wasn't there for that.
Then my nephew visited and he said that he was rereading Carry On because it was his destress book and he needed it at the moment and he'd read it some absurd number of times. And my nephew and I tend to read different genres but if he recommends something I genuinely like it. And still I didn't start it until like the first month of the pandemic and then I was like, "This is R's destress book. I need destress." and I read it and it was lovely and I wrote him back and was like, "Why didn't you tell me how much I'd like this?" Which I thought was funny because we both knew that he had. And then the reviews for the next book Wayward Son were MEH and a whole group of people seemed angry at it, so I texted him and he said he loved it. And literally halfway through I texted him "This is exactly the level of absurdity I needed in this pandemic" honestly it felt like a bit of absurdity I would write and we both agreed the Wayward Son was well, well, well worth the read. Very, very, very minor spoiler alert (view spoiler).... no seriously... tell me that wouldn't have made your quarantine more joyful
Lynn wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Hi everyone. I think Apollo or Ra or some sort of sun god is messing with me. Every time I have a day off, the sun is nowhere to be found, when I'm stuck inside at work, it's glorious..."TBH, I preferred the film to the book with Dumplin' (I know, shocked faces all round lol). The main character just came across as an awful person in the book but she was much more likeable on screen. I probably wouldn't have picked up the sequel if it wasn't for the body positivity prompt this year but I'm glad I did.
poshpenny wrote: "I mean, The Thin Man in space?"I'm sorry, WHAT?? I don't even like sci fi, but you put "Thin Man" in there and I am ON BOARD.
Sarah wrote: "Lynn wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Hi everyone. I think Apollo or Ra or some sort of sun god is messing with me. Every time I have a day off, the sun is nowhere to be found, when I'm stuck inside at work, ..."I thought the same thing about Dumplin'! I watched the movie and it was fun; read the book after and thought it was pretty bad (because the main character was so frustrating).
Shannon wrote: "poshpenny wrote: "I mean, The Thin Man in space?"I'm sorry, WHAT?? I don't even like sci fi, but you put "Thin Man" in there and I am ON BOARD."
I adore The Thin Man, space, and the author, so when I first heard her mention it in an interview I think I sat slack-jawed and frozen in glee for a few minutes before I recovered.
The clip:
https://youtu.be/ta01XoP5HVI?t=2147
Nadine wrote: "That looks good!!! I'm not yet on the fan train for him, because I've only read one of his picture books so far, so I hadn't heard about this book. But ... 70's space-thriller? written by a guy who knows what's what? Yep! I'm in!" I love Chris Hadfield! He's great at communicating with the public. He's the best at talking about what it feels like to be an astronaut, physically and emotionally. He's not too cool or macho to be excited about it. Example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0pDe...
I admit he gets extra hearts in the love bucket because I am a woman of a certain age, and never fail to notice that when talking about theoretical people/astronauts/commanders he will often use she/her pronouns. I really appreciate that as someone with such a platform he is normalizing that to the point that hopefully young women will roll their eyes at me for even noticing it. Another favorite: In a video about space movies, the lovely, polite Canadian also went off on an excellent feminist rant about Sandra Bullock and George Clooney in Gravity.
https://youtu.be/3RkhZgRNC1k?t=124
Not that I expect there to be much of a female presence in the Apollo book, but due to his ability to convey facts and feelings, as well as many other things about him, I think his fiction will probably be pretty good.
poshpenny wrote: "I love Chris Hadfield! He's great at communicating with the public. He's the best at talking about what it feels like to be an astronaut, physically and emotionally. He's not too cool or macho to be excited about it"Well, with that endorsement, looks like I have to pick this book up too! It looks like my library has both of his non-fiction, so will need to read those in the meantime. Will grab An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth this weekend.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Fugitive Telemetry (other topics)Network Effect (other topics)
Exit Strategy (other topics)
Fugitive Telemetry (other topics)
Fugitive Telemetry (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Liane Moriarty (other topics)Amor Towles (other topics)
Patrick Rothfuss (other topics)
Anthony Horowitz (other topics)
Matt Haig (other topics)
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Well we are thrilled you made time for the check-in!
"I am 49/50!!!!!!!!!!! I have to admit, I am very excited to finish the challenge and move on to other things. (I am still working on previous challenges, because I didn't start participating until 2019, but mostly I just want to read whatever catches my attention for a while.)"
That is amazing! Congratulations! 🎆🎆🎇🎇🧨🧨👍
"This week I finished:
Cross Her Heart - Past Prompt"
Ooohhh...I added that to my TBR listing! Thanks!
"Percy Jackson's Greek Gods - Ugly cover - I'm a sucker for some Percy Jackson and I needed an enjoyable audiobook for nighttime and this was certainly that. It may have contributed to some very strange dreams though."
I catch myself dreaming about the books I'm reading so often any more. Especially about the characters!
"Don't Turn Around"
That sounds almost too tense for me. I'm a wuss...
"QOTW:
I'm not sure that I know when books come out. I just put them on my list and wait until I see them somewhere. The only exceptions are the next book in a series that I love, so I know Linda Castillo has a new Kate Burkholder book coming out this summer. I'm hoping that Karin Slaughter and Alex Kava will have new books as well, but I haven't checked.."
I should be so laid back about upcoming releases! LOL