Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Melissa wrote: "Well, with that endorsement, looks like I have to pick this book up too!"

Woohoo! Oh and while I'm yammering on, Chris is the reason I broke down a while back and joined Masterclass. His class on Space Exploration is AMAZING. Highly recommend. 15 stars.


There is a new class that's pretty @#!* exciting: N. K. Jemisin teaching Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing. I haven't attempted to write a story in decades, but heck yeah I wanna hear Nora talk to me so I've started watching.

I've watched some of the other authors' classes and enjoyed them, but whooo doggies! Hers is GOOD! As in, hey let's talk worldbuilding. (A thing I pay no conscious attention to as a reader. I do not judge a book by it's worldbuilding.) I never do any of the exercises, so I didn't, but she was all get some paper, draw two circles. Do these simple things A B C and BAM! I was all, holy crap that is easy and amazing and now I kinda want to do the thing? And she goes on. Here are things that exist A B C etc. Pick stuff for those and BAM! I have never in my life heard someone so good at a thing tell you how to instantly become way better at the thing yourself. I haven't even watched the lessons on character and publishing yet. (I had to sleep.)

I know a lot of readers are also writers, and some of us here are, so I thought I would just point and say if you were thinking about it and have the $, or are very good at cancelling after a trial, then there's some good stuff in there.

Brandy wrote: "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 ..."

That's helpful. I've read and loved Fangirl and Fangirl the manga but I've been on the fence about Carry On.

poshpenny wrote: "I've watched some of the other authors' classes and enjoyed them, but whooo doggies! Hers is GOOD! As in, hey let's talk worldbuilding. (A thing I pay no conscious attention to as a reader. I do not judge a book by it's worldbuilding.) I never do any of the exercises, so I didn't, but she was all get some paper, draw two circles. Do these simple things A B C and BAM! I was all, holy crap that is easy and amazing and now I kinda want to do the thing? And she goes on. ."

That does sound good. The one time I tried to learn about worldbuilding for National Novel Writing Month I wound up reading a thread about tectonic plates and proper weather patterns near mountains, and noped so hard out of there. I haven't tried to learn about worldbuilding since, which is bad, because I mostly write fantasy when I do any writing. So that masterclass sounds exactly like the kind of thing I should be watching.

poshpenny wrote: "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 ..."


And a locked room mystery. This is so going on my TBR list.

poshpenny wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Well, with that endorsement, looks like I have to pick this book up too!"

Woohoo! Oh and while I'm yammering on, Chris is the reason I broke down a while back and joined Mastercla..."



that's interesting. I'd never heard of Masterclass, and I know myself well enough to realize I do not currently have the patience or ideas to write anything. But I still want to hear what Jemisin says about worldbuilding!

Nadine wrote: "that's interesting. I'd never heard of Masterclass, and I know myself well enough to realize I do not currently have the patience or ideas to write anything. But I still want to hear what Jemisin says about worldbuilding!"

I used to get ads for them ALL THE TIME. I also love filmmaking and a lot of the teachers they were getting were in that industry and I was so interested. They were adding about a class a month then. Now there are so many! After a tax refund that year I decided that I was going to join and that was going to be a very interesting and educational chunk of my entertainment budget. It's so interesting to me to hear experts talk about their fields.


Melissa wrote: "The one time I tried to learn about worldbuilding for National Novel Writing Month I wound up reading a thread about tectonic plates and proper weather patterns near mountains, and noped so hard out of there."

Those things are totally involved in what she talked about. Like I said, this is not a thing I've thought about before. The A B C things are simple as a set of things you should think about, but complex as things themselves. But little me who has only written things that are basically recaps of my experiences, I saw these things and thought I could TOTALLY do a very basic, level 1 little version and it would be pretty fun. If I were serious about writing, I could then learn more about the different components and increase complexity in other stories/drafts. The woman clearly knows a lot of things about a lot of things. The best thing is once you learn about the components, you can use that knowledge forever. But the way she talked about the things and different ways they would affect your characters was fascinating.

I saw on youtube that someone has a podcast up about him building a world with her, live during the show. I haven't listened to it yet but I probably will. (Who am I kidding, I'm totally going to listen to it like, right now.)

https://youtu.be/I6xyFQhbsjQ

Another book I am anxiously awaiting publication is Amor Towles due in October The Lincoln Highway.

I wrote up my whole check-in post yesterday and when I went to actually post it somehow lost it so take two! I'm excited to be participating in Dewey's readathon for the first time tomorrow and just picked up all my books from the library!

Completed:
Cogheart- When news reaches Lily at Miss Scrimshaw's Academy that her father has gone missing she is picked up by her guardian and taken home where strange things begin to happen. Her guardian is rifling through her father's papers and asking strange questions about a perpetual motion machine, the mechanicals her father created are being sold, and menacing men keep stalking her. Lily becomes locked in her room, and is aided in escape by Robert, son of the town's clockmaker who has found and rescued her mechanimal fox Malkin. Upon reaching Malkin, she receives a letter penned by her father and determines to make her way to London to unravel the answers. A strong steampunk debut in what is a new to me Middle Grade series full of adventure and action.
Prompt: Book from your TBR list chosen at random (Popsugar)

The Windsor Knot- The Queen is on the case. When a handsome Russian pianist is found dead in his room after a dine and sleep event at Windsor castle containing many high profile guests the Metropolitan Police and MI5 begin to investigate. When it is learned the pianist had a blog criticizing his government the authorities insinuate to the Queen there is a sleeper agent amongst her staff and begin questioning all of them. As the case continues to drag on with no answers, and staff morale dwindles the Queen utilizes the assistance of her Assistant Private Secretary Rozie to explore a few hunches of her own. The ensemble of characters is wonderful; I love the wit and keen observations of the Queen and the quick thinking and sharp intelligence of Rozie. I eagerly look forward to the second installment out in November.
Prompt: Book published in 2021 (Popsugar)

Currently Reading:
Cold Sassy Tree
Mansfield Park
The Great Alone
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

QOTW:
Pudge and Prejudice- January
The Heiress: The Revelations of Anne de Bourgh- January
The Last Garden in England- January
A Taste for Love- February
The Hatmakers- February
The Kitchen Front- February
The Littlest Library- March
The Girl in the Painting- March
Sing Me Forgotten- March
The Barbizon: The Hotel That Set Women Free- March
Libertie- March
Red Island House- March
Summer in Andalucía- April
Kisses and Croissants- April
Last Chance Books- May
Where the Rhythm Takes You- May
Great Circle- May
The Other Black Girl- June
The Lincoln Highway- October
A Three Dog Problem- November

Amazon's free World Book Day ebooks are available. A nice source of translated works. Don't forget you can usually add the Audible narration for a couple of bucks

https://www.amazon.com/article/read-t...

Lynn wrote: "Popsugar: 34/50
ATY: 45/52
RHC: 7/24
Reading Women: 7/28

FINISHED:
*Note: Both of these first two books contained quite a few philosophical references, but they were entirely different books!*
Ol..."


I'm so glad people are liking Midnight Library. I was worried when I read it last year whether mental health advocates would have a problem with it. Is it a suicide trigger? Does it make too light of depression? I seem to be the only one who has felt that way. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved the book, but there are people i wouldn't recommend it to because of this.

Djinn Patrol gets better. It's never great. It is hard to focus sometimes because of the choice of a child narrator. But gets there.

I read thea ge of Innocence years ago and liked it. But it may just not be right for you. Maybe it's just not right for you now.

I just started Anxious People and read 200 pages in one day. Backman is great!
T
CONTINUING:
Just 25 pages into Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and I think I’m going to enjoy it!
I’ve only read 10 pages in Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara and am wondering exactly what this will be…
Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence is still here. I read a few more pages. Again. LOL

I also loved the Water Dancer. I had to just let the first chapter go, then re read it once I was finished, but Coates is such a skilled storyteller. His nonfiction books are page turners.

Do you find with authors that you love that you have to space them out a bit? Fredrik Backman and Liane Moriaty are two of mine, and if I read them back to back they just blend together, Backman because his style is unique, but both of them, because their characters are often so similar. There is a "britt Marie" in all of Backman's books, for example.

poshpenny wrote: "Amazon's free World Book Day ebooks are available. A nice source of translated works. Don't forget you can usually add the Audible narration for a couple of bucks

https://www.amazon.com/article/re..."


I cannot resist a free book, so I grab these every year, but I don't think I've read even one of them!!

Getting four inches of snow was a bit of a surprise this week! Most of my plants managed to get through the snow unscathed, but it did take out the rest of the blossoms on my pear tree. But since that’s actually helped my allergy situation, I can’t pretend that I’m sorry to see them go.

I’m really looking forward to getting my second dose of the vaccine next week. While I’m not planning to change my stay-at-home lifestyle anytime soon, it will definitely be a relief to be fully vaccinated.

POPSUGAR: 17/50
Beat the Backlist: 25/52
Goodreads: 123/200

Finished Reading:
~Children of Blood and Bone
~The Wrong Mr. Darcy - “a book from your TBR list you associate with a favorite person, place, or thing”
If you’d like to read my thoughts about this book, you can find them at https://theunapologeticbookworm.com/2....

Currently Reading:
~The Silmarillion
~Tarzan of the Apes
~Children of Virtue and Vengeance

QOTW:
There are several upcoming 2021 publications that I am looking forward to, including:
~Fugitive Telemetry, by Martha Wells
~The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait, by Cleo Coyle
~Daughter of the Deep, by Rick Riordan
~The Hill We Climb and Other Poems, by Amanda Gorman
~Realm Breaker, by Victoria Aveyard

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, ..."

Good to know!

Brandy wrote: "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 ..."
I haven't been hesitant to read Carry On, it's just that I must sleep and cannot read 24/7! ;)

Thanks for this information though!! It makes me even more interested!

Lauren wrote: "Busy day so let's see if I can make this quick... I'm at 49/50 for the challenge... Just have On Beauty left on my spreadsheet."
Wow. I am so impressed! YAY YOU!! And I'm curious. Which prompt will On Beauty fulfill?

"This week I finished:
Libertie 3.5 stars
Afterlife 3 stars
It Didn't Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle no rating
HoodWitch 4 stars
The Wangs vs. the World 4 stars"
Okay. Honestly? I despise reading your posts simply because I end up adding almost every book you list to my TBR listing that isn't already there!! You inevitably discover books that are new to me and sound so interesting! I realize I should really be thanking you for that...but...have you seen my TBR listing? It's long enough for 10 lifetimes!! LOL 🤣 I really must get to an Alvarez book soon. I am so curious! And I am fascinated by this combination of research/study areas in consideration that trauma is inherited. I believe that is true on so many levels. Anyway...thank you for this listing...I think... LOL

"I'm currently reading How to Order the Universe (loooving it!) in print and listening to Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 which is also excellent."
Yep. Added two more!

"QOTW: Yes, I looked ahead for the year and there were tons of books I was anticipating, some of which I've already read and loved like Infinite Country. I also have 100 Boyfriends, The Arsonists' City, Klara and the Sun, Gold Diggers, Of Women and Salt, and Whereabouts (and about 100 others) on my list. So many great books this year!"
Ha! I already had several of these on my own TBR so only added 3 more! LOL

Natasha wrote: "I'm so glad people are liking Midnight Library. I was worried when I read it last year whether mental health advocates would have a problem with it. Is it a suicide trigger? Does it make too light of depression? I seem to be the only one who has felt that way. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved the book, but there are people i wouldn't recommend it to because of this."


I get this. I enjoyed the book because I am a sucker for the multiverse, but if I had known the particular mental health framework it has I might not have picked it up. Or I did know but it didn't seem too bad? I don't remember. The best part about it for me is the worst bit happened pretty quickly. After that I was fine.

I get your worry about it though. There are some books that people suggest frequently as light and happy that triggered me so hard I still feel dark when I think about them and worry about the depressed people they are being recommended to. Particularly, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry and even worse, Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things.

Nadine wrote: "poshpenny wrote: "Amazon's free World Book Day ebooks are available. A nice source of translated works. Don't forget you can usually add the Audible narration for a couple of bucks

I cannot resist a free book, so I grab these every year, but I don't think I've read even one of them!"

I also grab them, and I have read some. Let's see...

Out of the Silence: After the Crash - This was interesting
Ten Women - This was OK

The Light of the Fireflies - started but it was too dark for me at the time. Why I tried to read about a family in a basement while most of the world was in lockdown I can't tell ya. I think I wanted to mark Spain on my map.

There have been others I've hovered over but went with something else. I like to have these for selections for the heritage months, which is what pushed me to read each of those. I think there have been a few times I checked the authors other books available in English too. Finding translated authors can be a bit of work, so I'm always glad to get the little helping hand!

Sherri wrote: "Good Morning All, It was 32 degrees this morning when I got up. Harper Lee (my dog) had to wear her coat on our walk."
I love the name "Harper Lee"!! But now I need to know--what kind of doggy is Harper Lee? And does she mind wearing a coat?

"I finished two books for the week.
The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult. 3 stars. The stars don't reflect that I loved certain parts of the story but the protagonist drove me crazy. I hated the way it ended. I can be very oblivious at times. It wasn't until I finished the book that I thought maybe the timeline flow was suppose to represent the 2 paths to the afterlife. Then again maybe not & I read too much into it. I used it for a book you think your best friend would like like. we discussed it & she likes Jodi Picoult."
I typically love books that make me consider the meaning in just this way. But I realize the majority of readers seem not to appreciate that type of ending...

"Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. 3 stars because I felt it was drawn out at the end. I couldn't find a prompt to use for it."
Ooohhh...finishing a book today and planning to read this one tomorrow! I love love love Backman!

"Question of the Week
Which 2021 publications are you still eagerly anticipating? Those Who Run Toward Fire (Beartown #3) by Fredrik Backman. I can't find an exact date. It just says 2021."
OMG! I had no idea he had a third book coming in this series...and so soon! (Hopefully!) WOW!! Thank you!

Ellie wrote: "Spring is definitely late this year, I had "a year ago today" photo thing last week where the bluebells were in full force and they have only just started appearing now."
I never track things that closely, though photographs are certain proof!

"I'm looking forward to Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon this weekend and maybe sitting outside to read. It will be a nice break from endlessly painting our fence, we only have a small garden, why is there so much fence?!"
Cool! I won't register for it but I do plan to read alot this weekend provided there are no huge interruptions!

"Finished:
A History of What Comes Next by Sylvain Neuvel for oxymoron in the title. I loved that this alt-history turned out to be actual history, just what actually happened was socially engineered by a mother and daughter tag team who appear to be clones of the ones that came before them."
Wow. That sounds like a unique story arc.

"Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo for a format I don't usually read. First time listening to a novel in verse on audio and it didn't really work for me."
I still haven't gotten to this one...

"QOTW:
I too am excited about A Master of Djinn! The Galaxy, and the Ground Within, The Gilded Ones and the UK release of Black Sun were all up there and I've read and loved them, so yay. I'm also looking forward to Rule of Wolves which I have ready to read, the next Holly Jackson book, As Good As Dead and A Psalm for the Wild-Built.

There are probably more, I pre-order a lot so I get nice surprises throughout the year!."
Lucky you!! 😊

Katelyn wrote: "Happy Thursday!
I finished a few books this week...Hooray!"
Good for you~

"Finished:
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart (A book with a black and white cover). 3 Stars. It wasn't my favorite but I think after people compared it to the sadness of A Little Life (I wholeheartedly believe that A Little Life was more of a heartbreaker by far) it didn't seem to "shock" me as much as it did others. It was well written though and I loved visiting Scotland so it was nice to read about life in the 80s (even though it was kind of horrible)."
This is on my TBR listing but I'm not super-excited for it...

"Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson (A book about do-overs or fresh starts). 4 stars. This book was good. It was well written and I liked the story about the kids catching on fire. I sympathized with Lillian because I am not great with most kids but when you find a couple kids that you get along with it makes it easier."
Kids catching on fire? Uhm... 🤨

"Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron (A genre hybrid book). 4 stars. It was good - definitely for the middle grade audience. I love a good retelling but this one was a little convoluted. I could figure it out and some stuff was obvious but I think I missed a couple significant reveals."
Or...maybe you didn't! LOL Perhaps the younger folks would be able to relate more than you could?

"Started:
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd. I am only 30-ish pages in and it was a little slow at the beginning but now that it is picking up it is nice. Also - my mom ordered this book on Amazon and accidentally bought it in Large Print format which is hard to read when you don't need large print."
Oh, my! I can relate I just purchased a book really cheaply through Better World Books and neglected to notice it is LARGE PRINT. It doesn't bother me once I get started. (This was not the first time that has happened! LOL) 😁

"QOTW:
I am very excited for Casey McQuiston's new book One Last Stop, and (thanks to Laura's comment above) The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix (I loved The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires and Horrorstör)"
Cool! Thanks!

I just intentionally put a large print book on hold at the library (and then I suspended the hold until July because I have too many other books I want to read first that are also on hold). Someone said a few weeks ago that they accidentally got the Large Print edition and found it really was easier to read! So I'm going to give that a try too :-) I wear those cheap magnification reading glasses, and maybe I need to go up to the next mag level because it's getting hard to read, especially late at night when I'm tired and the light is dim. Maybe Large Print is where it's at for me now!!!

This marks the second weekend in a row of low key- no plans- doing a whole lot of NOTHING, and I'm not mad about it. Looking forward to the Oscars tonight!

Just booked my flight home to Tampa to spend some time with my parents, get something checked out that's been going on body-wise, and clean out my storage unit. Bought a one-way ticket and I'll drive the rest of my furniture back to Chicago. I got my dog a plane carrier bag and he's still not entirely sure about it, and I'm just hoping I can carry his 22lb body through the airplane! HAH.

16/40 PopSugar
4/10 Advanced PopSugar
22/80 GoodReads

Finished Reading:
1.) Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty (#46- Meant to Read Last Year) ⭐⭐⭐.5: I really enjoyed this- great character development, jumped the shark a bit in the end and was a bit too detailed and long in parts, but it was humorous and endearing. Reminded me a bit of Anxious People.

Currently Reading:
1.) Les Miserables
2.) The Scent Keeper
3.) A Place for Us

QOTW: Which 2021 publications are you still eagerly anticipating? (or has your most anticipated 2021 book already been published?)

I'm so basic and I'm ok with it-- it is what it is.... lol
The Four Winds & Malibu Rising
I read and loved the Four Winds and looking forward to Malibu Rising when it comes out in June.

Heather wrote: "I said a few weeks ago that I was interviewing for a new job, and ... I got the job!."

WOO HOO! Congrats Heather. :)

Lynn wrote: "Welcome to another Thursday! Can’t believe we’re over halfway through April…actually only 8 days left in this shorter month! Everything is green and growing in my neck of the woods. I’m trying to g..."

How scary Lynn! So glad that your house was ok, and hoping your neighbors are ok and are able to recoup the loss via insurance. I left my apartment for 5 hours and the whole time I must've bumped the burner dial and it was releasing gas into my apartment with my dog inside. I've never felt more lucky or grateful that I didn't blow up my apartment building.

Natasha wrote: "Lynn wrote: "Popsugar: 34/50
ATY: 45/52
RHC: 7/24
Reading Women: 7/28

FINISHED:
*Note: Both of these first two books contained quite a few philosophical references, but they were entirely different books!*
Ol..."

I'm so glad people are liking Midnight Library. I was worried when I read it last year whether mental health advocates would have a problem with it. Is it a suicide trigger? Does it make too light of depression? I seem to be the only one who has felt that way. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved the book, but there are people i wouldn't recommend it to because of this."
I didn't feel it belittled suicide at all, I just felt it was an overall very uplifting, life affirming, read. But I can see not everyone would feel that way...

"Djinn Patrol gets better. It's never great. It is hard to focus sometimes because of the choice of a child narrator. But gets there."
Thank you! That's good information to have!

"I read thea ge of Innocence years ago and liked it. But it may just not be right for you. Maybe it's just not right for you now."
I think you may have pinpointed my displeasure with this book. I'm just over reading about men who feel it is "fate" or inevitable that they have a sexual relationship outside of their marriage. Ugh. Really?!? Sorry, but I distinctly believe that is a choice you've made... If you're that unhappy or dissatisfied, get a divorce and then you can have sex with anyone you please. 😁

"I just started Anxious People and read 200 pages in one day. Backman is great!"
I just read 25 pages and I feel as if this may be a wild ride! I love Backman, too!!

"I also loved the Water Dancer. I had to just let the first chapter go, then re read it once I was finished, but Coates is such a skilled storyteller. His nonfiction books are page turners."
This is my first book of his and I love it! I'm over halfway through it and wanted to finish, but then had other reading deadlines, etc...

"Do you find with authors that you love that you have to space them out a bit? Fredrik Backman and Liane Moriaty are two of mine, and if I read them back to back they just blend together, Backman because his style is unique, but both of them, because their characters are often so similar. There is a "britt Marie" in all of Backman's books, for example."
Interesting question. I never used to feel that way, but now I sense myself purposefully doing that every once in awhile...

Melissa wrote: "Hello! With the guilty on all counts verdict, the Cities didn't burn, the protests were celebrations, and the military presence is going away. The barricades and fencing are coming down, and here's hoping the boards are as well. The curfews are also ending. Sentencing is in eight weeks, and August will have the trials for the other three officers, so there's still more to come, but the relief is palpable. Now let's see if all the politician promises come to fruition."
So glad for all that. And yes, now let's see what happens...if anything other than talking...

"I got my first shot on Sunday night, and get my second in a few weeks. My book club is making noises about meeting in person again, and my parents have moved past the subtle hints to practically saying "come visit now." My mother-in-law is starting that as well, asking my husband yesterday if he wanted to "meet her halfway from Sioux Falls" this Friday. (He did not. That's still a long way.) But those are better problems to have than not having these people still around, so I won't complain (much). Work, thankfully, has not yet made noises about going back."
Glad you don't have to go back to your work setting yet!

Finished This Week:
The Perfection Deception: Why Trying to Be Perfect is Sabotaging Your Relationships, Making You Sick, and Holding Your Happiness Hostage by Jane Bluestein. Very disappointed."
Darn! I thought that sounded promising!

"We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry. My third time getting it from the library, and I finally read it this time. This was a delight. The narration being in the plural was weird at first, but I got used to it, and understood why it was done that way. I also really enjoyed the way the story was told through each member of the team's focus as they moved through the hockey season, letting you really get to know each of them. Using for #5, Dark Academia, since they're high schoolers doing witchcraft. Kinda. Still counts."
It is your challenge! 😄

"The War That Killed Achilles: The True Story of Homer's Iliad and the Trojan War by Caroline Alexander. I have 3 books I'm actively reading, 7 more checked out from the library, and plenty of books I could read for the challenge. So naturally, I picked this book off my shelves."
Naturally! LOL 🤣

"I bought it years ago, thinking it was about the actual Trojan War, not the one told by the myth. Wrong. So Very Wrong. This book is a literary analysis of The Iliad...By the time the Iliad starts, neither side wanted to keep fighting and everyone wanted to go home. It shouldn't be taught as War is Great, but as War Sucks. The author's argument is convincing, and the book is good for what it is, but absolutely not what I expected."
I love this! And quite frankly, that interpretation makes much more sense to me!

"Currently Reading:
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Made it to chapter three with his weird dream. Knowing the actual story is soon should get me motivated to pick it back up."
That made me chuckle!

"Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski. Reading a chapter a week is slow and annoying. Feel like I should just finish it and go back to review the chapter when the podcast gets there."
I hear ya. Though the couple of times I've done I get caught mentioning something that wasn't until later in the book, beyond where we were to have read... 🙄

"Also soon: A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chalmers, Rebel Sisters by Tochi Onyebuchi"
Love Chambers! And that series looks like one I would like to try...

QOTW: Which 2021 publications are you still eagerly anticipating? (or has your most anticipated 2021 book already been published?)
But still to come are
Yours Cheerfully, the sequel to Dear Mrs. Bird"
Another series I'd like to try.

Gemma wrote: "Didn't manage to check in last week, so I have a few books to log this week!"
Great! Glad you made it this week! 😃

"Finished:
Garden Spells for A magical realism book. Liked this enough to add the sequel to my TBR list."
Allen is one of my favorite authors!

"Eight Detectives for A book you have seen on someone’s bookshelf. This was not as clever at it wanted to be..."
Interesting premise...

"Started:
Trail of Lightning for A book by an indigenous author. I was slightly dreading this prompt, as I've really been struggling to fine something that appeals to me. So in the end I kind of went with a 'best of a bad bunch' approach, but am turning out to be pleasantly surprised by my choice!"
I bet you'll like it more than I did...

"QOTW:
Because is was just announced last week: Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone - and I am beyond excited!
Also really looking forward to The Last Graduate, although slightly annoyed that its publication has been pushed back to September, given that it's quite likely I'll have finished the challenge by then, meaning that I'll probably have had to find something else for the 'dark academia' prompt..."
Sounds like you have two you will be excited to read!

Milena wrote: "Happy Thursday, everyone!
My husband is having surgery tomorrow. I will not be able to be in the hospital or see him in recovery. He will be in recovery probably until Saturday morning. I know a lot of people have been through this surgery or hospitalization in the time of Covid, but it's tough."
I can only imagine! I feel very fortunate that I'll be able to be with my husband in the hospital. The only restriction was if he must stay overnight they will not allow me to sleep there. (I laughed to myself, 'cause with my arthritis, I must sleep in a really good bed now, or else I'd not be able to get out of the bed in the morning! Gone are the days I can sleep by putting two chairs together! LOL) Plus, I have to feed the furbabies anyway.

"Finished:
First Comes Like which is the first book I ever won in a Goodreads give away. It wasn't bad."
Isn't that fun though? To win a free book? 😁

"Midnight at the Blackbird Café which would fit for magical realism, set in a restaurant. I don't even remember that I requested the library get this book, and then it showed up in my loans. I really liked it."
This looks like one I would really enjoy.

"QOTW:
I love seeing what everyone is looking forward to. I am looking forward to so many, but these are the ones I can think of off the top of my head:
One Last Stop
The Heart Principle
Malibu Rising
The Hidden Palace"
It is fun!!

Natasha wrote: "It's been a crazy week here. I'm spending this year at my parents' for kids' schooling reasons, and my husband was in for about three weeks visiting but left Monday. So that was sad."
That is tough. 🙁

"I also started the Arbonne "Cleanse". Basically things have gotten way out of control in clothes being able to fit my body related ways and I wanted to do something "drastic" to reset. It's going mostly OK, but one of the things we're meant to give up is Coffee. So, I've had a headache and been exhausted all week. I love coffee."
Can you have tea? One reason I've stuck with Isagenix is that the cleanse is not that stringent and much more manageable without limiting food so stringently for days on end. I get the need to cleanse! It helps me!

"Currently reading:
Got a good chunk of the way through How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi . It's hard to read too much of at once, very dense, very intense, obviously. It is extremely well written, but I really feel like I don't get enough out of it if I read more than a chapter or two at a time."
I plan to finish reading this in May. I have found it to be a fascinating read.

"The Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhadar . I just don't like this. I keep trying because I should like it, it clicks all of my boxes. But, I'm struggling. I'm about halfway through, so I'm trying to decide whether I just power forward or let it go. It's for Prompt 6 (I think- gem, mineral, or rock.)."
I really enjoyed it, but I felt the writing style was quite unique. Not sure I can explain why...that's just how it felt to me.

"QOTW: The third in the Orisha trilogy is meant to come out this year, and I'm really looking forward to it. Being that it remains unnamed and it's the end of April, I'm not sure whether it's going to happen though."
Ooohhh...I love Adeyemi's series. Didn't realize a third one was due out this year! YAY!

Tania wrote: "Well, it has been a busy week - productive, though. I didn't read at all, but that's ok because we had so much going on that was definitely priority with my niece's 15th birthday (which came off brilliantly considering having to scale back for gathering restrictions, safety, etc.) and an upcoming fundraising event I'm involved in."
What are you raising funds for?

": I can't think of anything I'm waiting on"
Wow. I should be more like that! LOL 😊

Alex wrote: "It's snowing here too! Then it'll be in the 70s later next week. Spring is so weird."
We must be prepared for anything!

"I lost a day of reading because I got sick off my second vaccine and spent an entire day in bed. BUT next morning it was like someone flipped a switch, and I was totally fine! So strange."
Thank goodness!

"Schindler's List for "bestseller from the 90's". Can you believe I never saw the movie? I remember everyone making a big stink out of it when it came out. I didn't even know it was a Nazi story until a couple years ago! Talk about living under a rock. Anyway, I'm reading it now!"
I thought the movie was very well done. I own this book but have yet to read it...

"Darkness Is As Light for "DNF on TBR". This will take me through Holy Week. I love it. Shameless plug is shameless."
You crack me up! 😆

"QotW
Now if Patrick could please release The Doors of Stone.....I'm anticipating the heck out of this."
I appreciate the fact that you are on a first-name basis with Mr. Rothfuss! LOL I have the first book in this series on my TBR listing...

Shannon wrote: "It's remarkably chilly for late April, but I guess this is Texas winter's last hurrah before it's suddenly 95+ every day."
Sounds like you should enjoy the extended respite! LOL

"I worked all day from my office on campus yesterday--people kept asking if it felt weird and...it weirdly DIDN'T feel weird lol.

My cats were less pleased about me being in the office yesterday..."
They missed you!

Finished:
The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron - A book about art or an artist. I'm sad it's over... Really, a lot of the things she talks about are just good for mental health, not just nurturing your inner artist."
Sounds like one I would enjoy!

"Currently Reading:
Alice's Farm: A Rabbit's Tale by Maryrose Wood - A book with fewer than 1000 reviews. I'm still really loving this. I hope to finish it this week!"
This sounds enjoyable!

"Up Next:
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart - this will be a re-read to prep for the upcoming Disney+ show. I'm excited and nervous about it--I hope they handle it as well as Netflix handled A Series of Unfortunate Events!"
I have yet to read this one!

"QOTW:
I was going to say I don't know of any but HOW COULD I FORGET LEMONY SNICKET HAS A NEW BOOK COMING??? Poison for Breakfast. I can't wait. But I must--it doesn't release until August *sobs*"
Ha! Ha! Amazing what pops into our head at times, isn't it? Sounds as if you are genuinely excited for this one!

Shannon wrote: "Milena wrote: "Milena wrote: "I know a lot of people have been through this surgery or hospitalization in the time of Covid, but it's tough."

Other people going through it doesn't mean it should be easy--it's scary when a loved one is going through a procedure, and even more-so when you can't be there with them!

*Pulls out soap box and steps upon it*

We spend far too much time trying to defend against negative emotions by saying "other people have been through this" or "other people have it worse," but we all have our own unique lives and must experience things in our own ways. And that's okay. Telling yourself it shouldn't be a big deal really just makes things worse.

And I don't mean that solely directed at you, Milena--I fully realize you may already know that. It's just something that upsets me in general--people shouldn't be made to feel guilty or told their feelings are invalid simply because of others' experiences.

*Steps off soap box*"
You just keep on soap boxin'! Truer words were never written! LOL

We need to give ourselves permission to recognize and name our frustrations and feelings. Then we can decide how best to deal with them, but not until we validate them. (IMO!)

Nadine wrote: "Those Outlander titles are getting longer and longer!! I had a boring lunch meeting and I used that time to plot the number of words in each title of the Outlander series. It's ALMOST a 1:1 ratio of (sequel number):(number of words)!!! (I counted every word, including "in," "of," and "the")

y = 0.8*x where y = number of words in the title and x = sequel number (this is of course just a rough linear curve fit and does not exactly match each title)"
Aaahhh...only you, Nadine! LOL 😂

Sarah wrote: "Lynn wrote: "Welcome to another Thursday! Can’t believe we’re over halfway through April…actually only 8 days left in this shorter month! Everything is green and growing in my neck of the woods. I’...

WOW! I thought I had a lot on my list! Happy reading :D"
I'm sure some would call me obsessive about books. Not that I am...

Lynn wrote: "I hear ya. Though the couple of times I've done I get caught mentioning something that wasn't until later in the book, beyond where we were to have read... 🙄"

Yes, but the podcasters have already read the book to completion too. One of them mentioned in the introduction episode about how she goes swimming and feels better after and how annoyed she is that their suggestions work, and the whole exercise to complete the stress cycle part doesn't come up until chapter one. So I wouldn't be the only person who read ahead!

Lynn wrote: "Katelyn wrote: "Happy Thursday!
I finished a few books this week...Hooray!"
Good for you~

"Finished:
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart (A book with a black and white cover). 3 Stars. It wasn't my fav..."

Lynn - I wouldn't recommend the audiobook (if you were thinking of going that route). The Scottish accent is almost too thick that you miss some of the story because it is difficult to understand.

Happy Murderbot Day! Do you have Fugitive Telemetry yet? I got the audio but since I happened to start a comfort re-read the other day, now I feel I need to complete that before I start the new one. But... I want it NOW.

*Hums theme to The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon*

poshpenny wrote: "Happy Murderbot Day! Do you have Fugitive Telemetry yet? I got the audio but since I happened to start a comfort re-read the other day, now I feel I need to complete that before I s..."

I preordered the ebook. Have not yet had time to che k if downliaded. I will probably keep it sitting there as a prize to read when I most need it, or as a special treat...knowing it will be a whike before another.

poshpenny wrote: "Happy Murderbot Day! Do you have Fugitive Telemetry yet? I got the audio but since I happened to start a comfort re-read the other day, now I feel I need to complete that before I s..."

Right back at you. Yep and I've started it too.

Lynn wrote: "Natasha wrote: "It's been a crazy week here. I'm spending this year at my parents' for kids' schooling reasons, and my husband was in for about three weeks visiting but left Monday. So that was sad..."

Yes, we can have tea. They give us a "detox" tea that is actually pretty good. Then we also have these "fizz ticks" which have green tea extract or something in them, that are caffeine, but not caffeine...so who knows.

I'll go back to Salt and Stars, I tried to this week and the very first sentence was one of the color references, and I put it back down. I really think I'll like it, I just have to et to that point.

Mary wrote: "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 initiall..."

It's not time travel, t's alternate universes....is that helps.

poshpenny wrote: "Happy Murderbot Day! Do you have Fugitive Telemetry yet? I got the audio but since I happened to start a comfort re-read the other day, now I feel I need to complete that before I s..."



I don't have it yet!!! I pre-ordered the hardcover, so it's in the mail. I really want to get started on my May Asian American & Pacific Islander month reading, but obviously I'm going to have to read Fugitive Telemetry first!



UPDATE: GUESS WHAT JUST CAME IN THE MAIL!!??!!

It's a lot shorter than Network Effect. I confess I'm disappointed, because I want As Much Murderbot As Possible. But I'm glad Wells didn't pad the book just to make it novel-length. I'm certain I will love it.

Woohoo!

I knew it was back to novella, so I'm not disappointed in that, but I agree! I'll probably read Exit Strategy today and then hit Network Effect. I went to work for a short-ish shift today because of reasons, but I'm off tomorrow (Yay check-in day!) so I should be knee deep in new Murderbot soon!

I am also excited for AAPI reading! Have we cracked that thread open yet? I am always excited to see people's books.

Nadine wrote: "poshpenny wrote: "Happy Murderbot Day! Do you have Fugitive Telemetry yet? I got the audio but since I happened to start a comfort re-read the other day, now I feel I need to comple..."

I was shocked as well when I saw that it's back to novella length. The story and characters done right is what matters so oh well.

Paula wrote: "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.."

Oh Paula, I'm so sorry for your loss. Of course anyone would be distracted given the circumstances. I hope that you find peace and space to grieve.

Nadine wrote: "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.

Please come back and share your thoughts!! It's beautiful but terrible.