Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

It seems we are in summer now. Day time temperatures in the 80s and yesterday we even hit 92 degrees!

I have two veterinary appointments tomorrow for two sick kitties. And I’ve been helping a friend who is undergoing severe medical challenges with appointments, etc. She will undergo surgery on the 23rd. The once she is healed from that, she will undergo further heart testing with dye and then surgery to repair three arteries (including the aorta) each of which is at least 50% occluded. Thank goodness her daughter and one of her sons help, though they both still work full-time, so I am the most available person. Good thing we’ve been friends for 20+ years and enjoy each other’s company! She is also a reader, so bonus!! 😊

My social security application has been processed and I’ve received my first monthly payment so that is good. Meanwhile, the company administering my pension funds is proving to be just as inept as I feared after my first 4 conversations with them yielded 4 distinctly different scenarios… Ah, well, at least Social Security seems to have their act together! And they service 54 million people!

Admin Stuff:
May’s Monthly Group Read is Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier and Stormie ~ Book Dragon ~ is leading this discussion! This will fulfill prompt #15 A book written by a Pacific Islander author in honor or AAPI Appreciation Month in the US! You can also post any book you have read to complete this prompt here.

Our August Monthly Group Read as selected by the 29 members who voted is The Dog Stars by Peter Heller to fulfill prompt #35 A book with a constellation on the cover or in the title! We will need a "marvelous manager" to lead the August discussion!

We will need a “vivacious volunteer” to lead June’s monthly group read discussion of Beloved! Please message either Nadine or myself to volunteer!

The comprehensive listing of Monthly Group Reads for 2022 is here.

Question of the Week:
Have you ever read a genre novel that felt as if you were reading general fiction?
I figure I would ask you-all if this has ever happened to you since it happened to me with Kate Atkinson’s Case Histories, the first installment in her Jackson Brodie series. I really enjoyed it but admit it read much like general fiction throughout the first half. That didn’t bother me, but it’s the first “mystery” I felt that way about…

How about you? It doesn’t have to be mystery, it could be any other genre.

Here is an article from Oprah Daily defining genres: https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainm...

And here is one from the Your Dictionary website:
https://reference.yourdictionary.com/...

FINISHED:
*The Recovery Agent (Gabriela Rose #1) by Janet Evanovich ⭐️⭐️⭐️ was only “mildly entertaining” to me. I don’t know if my sense of humor has changed or if Evanovich’s writing has changed, but I’m not finding her writing nearly as entertaining as in the past. I definitely won’t purchase another installment in this series until I can get a used copy for $3-4.
POPSUGAR: NEW #1, #25, #29, #40-2015: prompt #13 A book set in a different country
ATY: #2, #4-A book related to Shelley's poem Ozymandias (Nadine’s proposal): There were many reasons to despair of ever locating the authentic ring, #6, #8/9/10-Peru = South America, #29, #30, #35, #40-Strength, Justice, Death, Judgment, The World, #43, #44, #49, NEW #51
RHC: #24-2017: prompt #4. Read a book set in Central or South America or written by a Central or South American author


*The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for a May Buddy Read (Yes, I added one more! LOL) was an absolutely delightful read! My first Ishiguo and certainly not my last!
POPSUGAR: #9, #25, #26, #28-Stevens’ holiday driving tour, #36, #40-2015: prompt #41 An author you’ve never read before
ATY: #4-A book written by an author you might like to meet, #7-Stevens appeared to lack emotion, #11, #15, #31-1989, #40-Strength, Death, Judgement, The World, #41, #43, #49, #50, #52
RHC: #11, #24-2021: Read a book you’ve been intimidated to read

*Case Histories (Jackson Brodie #1) by Kate Atkinson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for a May Buddy Read. A very different “mystery” novel from my typical fare as of late. This read much like general fiction until about halfway through when we meet the investigator and start learning more about the murders/disappearances. I really enjoyed it and will definitely read the second installment.
POPSUGAR: #9, #25-many of them, #36, #40-2015: prompt #9 Written by a female author, #46-Michelle/Caroline
ATY: #1-Amelia, #4-Initially released in 2004 when Sean turned 22!, #7, #31-2004, #36-A BLUE MOUSE!, #40-The Lovers, Strength, Justice, Death, Judgement, The World, #49, #50
RHC: #24-2021: Read a book with a cover you don’t like
POPSUGAR: #9, #25-many of them, #36, #40-2015: prompt #9 Written by a female author, #46-Michelle/Caroline
ATY: #1-Amelia, #4-Initially released in 2004 when Sean turned 22!, #7, #31-2004, #36-A BLUE MOUSE!, #40-The Lovers, Strength, Justice, Death, Judgement, The World, #49, #50
RHC: #24-2021: Read a book with a cover you don’t like

CONTINUING:
For our Monthly Group Read:
*Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier
*The Magic in Changing Your Stars by Leah Henderson
*The Christmas Pig by J.K. Rowling
*Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson
*Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.
*Paradise by Toni Morrison

PLANNED:
2 more May Buddy Reads:
*Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda
*Cross (Alex Cross #12) by James Patterson
To complete some 2021 year-long challenges:
1) *Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
2) *The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
To complete the 2021 Read Harder Challenge:
*Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
*Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
*Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

Happy Thursday.

Lynn, good luck with your kitties. I hope they recover quickly!

One book left to go on the challenge. Slogging through it, but I feel obligated to finish it because I paid for it, haha...

Books read this week:

Sea of Tranquility -- not for the challenge. I didn’t expect to love this one as much as I loved Station Eleven, but I did! Then again, I do love a good time-travel story.

The Kaiju Preservation Society -- not for the challenge. Lighthearted and fun. Love me some snarky John Scalzi writing.

Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome -- not for the challenge. I liked the other Lock In books, so figured I should read the prequel novella. Fascinating and helps set the world of the books.

Himawari House -- graphic novel, not for the challenge. Heartfelt and enjoyable slice-of-life story about cultures clashing in a boarding house in Japan.

Regular Challenge -- 45/46
Advanced Challenge -- 10/10
Not for the challenge -- 26

DNF:

At the End of the Matinee -- not for the challenge. I got to 40% and realized I was bored stiff and had no urge to continue. At least it was free (got it from Amazon’s World Book Day promotion last year).

Currently Reading:

Indistinguishable from Magic -- not for the challenge
We Sold Our Souls -- for “a book about a band or musical group”
The Hidden Palace -- not for the challenge
An Unnatural Life -- not for the challenge
A Memory Called Empire -- not for the challenge

QOTW:

Honestly, I read a LOT of genre fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, horror) AND a lot of general fiction. I'm not sure why one should feel different from the other, aside from containing different elements. Then again, I'm also one of those people who dislikes it when people write off genre fiction as somehow "less" than regular fiction...

(NOT saying that this question was trying to write off genre fiction! I get that to a lot of people genre fiction has a different feel to it. I just have never really noticed it.)

Lynn wrote: "It seems we are in summer now. Day time temperatures in the 80s and yesterday we even hit 92 degrees!

I have two veterinary appointments tomorrow for two sick kitties. And I’ve been helping a fri..."


I hope the vet is able to fix what is ailing your kittens.

My 8 yo dog has had a mysterious ailment that has brought her to the vet multiple times. Suddenly, she'll be in pain, so much so that she can't lie down, she yipes and paces and trembles and pants all day long. After a few days, it goes away. He can't seem to figure out what's wrong, but he's given me some pain relievers for her. Her blood test showed no elevated WBC, so it's probably not an infection or cancer, so for now I'm just doing the "wait it out" approach.

Good morning, everyone!

The weather has finally taken a turn from cold and rainy to warm and sunny, and I am loving it! I’ve gone for a walk every morning this week, and I’m really looking forward to our neighborhood pool opening next weekend.

I’ve also spent an alarming amount of time watching television this week. My family recently decided to subscribe to the Paramount+ streaming service, and I’ve spent most of the last few days rediscovering the Nickelodeon shows that I watched as a kid (like Legends of the Hidden Temple and Are You Afraid of the Dark?). It’s been a lot of fun, but my reading time has definitely suffered as a result.

Goodreads: 256/200
TBR checklist: 217/1130

Finished Reading:
~The Glass Sentence
~The Graveyard Book
~The Golden Specific
~Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

DNFed:
~The Dinner Guest — I just wasn’t in the mood for this book this week, and decided to go ahead and return it to my local library. I may give it another try at a later date.

Currently Reading:
~The Art of Film Magic: 20 Years of Weta
~The Crimson Skew
~The Hammer of Thor

QOTW:
I can’t think of any titles off the top of my head.

Happy Thursday!   Not summer here! We are still having chilly nights.  The dandelions are finally up in force, the dogwood has started blooming, and it's allergy season for me!  So even though it's nice and cool at night, I can no longer sleep with the windows open :-(

I'm really surprised The Dog Stars won for our August read!  I was fully expecting The Calculating Stars to win.  I realize now that I have had Peter Heller confused with both Joseph Heller and Peter Straub, and he is, in fact, neither of those writers!  The description of The Dog Stars looks interesting!  Maybe I'll join all of you in the group read.  But I see Heller is listed as writing "men's adventure fiction" and that gives me pause.  Is this going to be one of those books where the only women characters are merely decorative?  Only one way to find out ...




This week I finished 3 books, 1 for this Challenge, so I am now 31/50.

Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier - our May group read!  I never would have read this book if it hadn't been chosen as a group read, and I really enjoyed it!!  I already read a book by a Pacific Islander author, so I didn't check off any categories with this book.

Collected Poems by Jane Kenyon - most of these poems were lovely.

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling - I started out loving this book, but ended up annoyed and disappointed because the characters all seemed to take leave of their senses.
It was ALMOST fantastic!  I checked off "witches" with this one.



QotW

Yes, definitely, but I (of course!) can't think of any examples right now.  I know it's happened across genres: mystery, SFF, and romance.  It's probably most common for me when reading SFF, probably because speculative fiction is such a broad umbrella, it's impossible to say where the border is between "genre" and "general."  A good example is our May monthly read: is it fantasy? or historical fiction?  Where does one draw the line?

When I was a kid, I liked reading a lot of fantasy, and I didn't know much about history yet.  So when I discovered Rosemary Sutcliff's books on my library shelves, I just assumed they were fantasy.  I loved her books; The Mark of the Horse Lord still stands as one of my all-time favorite books.  Many years later, I discovered that they were historical fiction!  And, as a young reader & fan of SFF, I probably would not have given her a try if I knew they were NOT fantasy because I thought  history was boring LOL!  (If you like historical fiction and you have not yet read Rosemary Sutcliff, I HIGHLY recommend that you give one of her books a try!)

I read Where the Crawdads Sing as my book that is becoming a movie/TV show in 2022. Loved it!!!!

I "read" Beautiful Switzerland for my book I could read in one sitting. Kind of playing fast and loose with the word read because it was pictures. There were labels under all the pictures, though, which I did read.

Now I'm reading The arch of stars as my book with a constellation on the cover. Started out mundane, but it's getting better. Finally interested in most of the characters. Probably about 1/3 of the way through.

QOTW: I don't really understand the question. I do, but I don't understand it enough to apply it in my brain and come up with an answer.

Lynn, good luck with the kitties and with your friend! I hope they all find relief from whatever pain they're in.

Not much new to report. Unfortunately, it can take up to 6 weeks for antidepressants to actually start working, so for now, I'm just trying to stay afloat as my mood swings between "everything's falling apart!" (anxiety) and "what does it even matter?" (depression). The worst part is that my job is to act as a support system to our students and I'm an empath, so while they're freaking out about finals and their upcoming Board exams, my anxiety is skyrocketing.

Good times.

It's also hella hot here now, but that's to be expected!

Finished:
Wishes and Wellingtons - I had to spend quite a bit of time in the car this week and I've had this on Audible for a long time. It was very cute! My only complaints are that the main character is a little *too* much of an entitled brat, so it was hard to like her (she does get better as the book goes on), and it was pretty tropey and predictable. But I plan on reading the sequel as I did like the setup and secondary characters! Also, Jane Entwhistle a) has such an incredibly British name and b) is a delight to listen to.

Currently Reading;
Daughter of the Forest - I've GOT to finish this! I'm debating about getting the audiobook and putting it on 1.5x speed, not because I dislike the book, but because it's so long that I keep not wanting to pick it up. It's so good so far, I'm really loving it, but my executive dysfunction is like "hm...we really want to read that. Guess we'll sit here and think about how we really want to read that."
Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People - We're discussing chapter 3 today and I haven't read it yet so...guess I should get on that!

QOTW:
As someone else said, I understand the question, but I don't know how to answer it. So I guess maybe this isn't something I've encountered? Or if I have, I just didn't think about it in those terms...

You think with not working these past two weeks I wouldn't be behind on everything, but I have no idea what day of the week it is any more. I missed last week's check in and after doing Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon I just didn't feel like more reading. So I have lots to update but haven't actually finished anything this week. I've been busy doing Codecademy learning in the morning and then spending far too long making a sandbox zoo in Planet Zoo (which takes me about an hour to decorate one tiny area, but I love it).

I need to replan my challenges to try and get excited about them again...

Finished:
Comeuppance Served Cold by Marion Deeds for a book about someone leading a double life. Liked the idea but the characters were just a bit flat.

Gallant by V.E. Schwab for ATY (gothic elements). Loved this, loved the whole atmosphere and the illustrations.

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill for a book read in one sitting. This is plain adorable, lacking a bit in story substance but the cuteness makes up for it.

Blackout by various authors for a book featuring a party. This is a series of connected stories written by different authors set during a New York blackout. It keeps returning to Tiffany Jackson's storyline and that was my least favourite, I just didn't like her characters. I liked Nicola Yoon's meet cute with the Ryde driver the most. The block party is a connection to all the stories so I thought it was perfect for this prompt, which I didn't have any ideas for. So yay for that.

The Annual Migration of Clouds by Premee Mohamed for ATY (Earth Day). Unsual cli-fi novella in which the main character is infected with a parasitic fungus (but don't let it hear you call it that). Kinda wanted to know more but I think it was kinda of the point that without long distance communication you generally didn't know what happened to people after the leave.

Currently reading Fevered Star and listening to Theatre of Marvels.

QOTW:
I'm not really sure what general fiction is? Like commercial contemporary fiction? Or literary fiction? I read a lot of genres and I don't feel genre fiction is only one type of writing. Some of it's more commercial, some of it is very literary.

Shannon wrote: "It's so good so far, I'm really loving it, but my executive dysfunction is like "hm...we really want to read that. Guess we'll sit here and think about how we really want to read that." ..."



LOL!!! This is my life. My entire life. I feel seen.

Nadine in NY wrote: "I'm really surprised The Dog Stars won for our August read! I was fully expecting The Calculating Stars to win. I realize now that I have had Peter Heller confused with both Joseph Heller and Peter Straub, and he is, in fact, neither of those writers! The description of The Dog Stars looks interesting! Maybe I'll join all of you in the group read. But I see Heller is listed as writing "men's adventure fiction" and that gives me pause. Is this going to be one of those books where the only women characters are merely decorative? Only one way to find out ..."

I surprisingly really like his books, they seem to be very outdoorsy men focused, but I wouldn't call them men's adventure, that makes them sound awful! From what I've read, I think he's aware that he's writing women from a certain perspective and tries not to fall into certain traps.

Ellie wrote: "spending far too long making a sandbox zoo in Planet Zoo (which takes me about an hour to decorate one tiny area, but I love it). ..."



I'd never heard of this but wow it sounds fun. Maybe a perfect evening would be making a zoo AND listening to an audiobook.


My favorite computer game was Sim City. I LOVED that game. I spent HOURS creating cities. I sketched out cities on paper and in Excel. I made plans for neighboring cities to trade energy. Last year I unearthed the old discs the game was on, but it won't play on my new computer. Why not? I don't know. I looked it up and I COULD buy the game. But then I'll be in trouble, because I don't have HOURS to play a computer game right now.

Ellie wrote: "I surprisingly really like his books, they seem to be very outdoorsy men focused, but I wouldn't call them men's adventure, that makes them sound awful! From what I've read, I think he's aware that he's writing women from a certain perspective and tries not to fall into certain traps. ..."


That sounds good to me!! I'll see if I can fit it in and join the group read.

Happy Thursday. Lynn - I'm so glad you got your pension sorted so quickly.

We skipped spring this year. We seemed to go from it being 0 to it being 30 with very few days in the mid-teens. We set a record for warmest May 11.

Finished: Cross My Heart, Hope to Die
ATY prompt: A book connected to a book you read in 2021
Popsugar prompt: A book with a reflected image on the cover or "mirror" in the title

ATY - 19/52
PS- 16/35
Series - 7/13
Clearing my TBR list: 14/40

Currently reading:

Death by Water - About 38% done

The Night Circus - About 60% done

QOTW: I think so. A lot of books are read are clearly mysteries/thrillers or clearly YA. I guess I've read some books that I can't classify (which doesn't mean that someone won't correct me and say "clearly it's a ..." and name some sub-genre).
White Oleander
Barney's Version
What Alice Forgot

Its a rainy Thursday in the PNW and I didn't finish any books this week! Oh well.

Continuing:

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson.

I really like this book but my reading has taken a turn. When COVID first hit I got really into puzzles. Then I stopped for about a year and now I found some boxes of puzzles I hadn't done yet so we are back to that. Our pup has a vet appointment this weekend (just routine) during my normal reading time so it is more a matter of finding time to sit and read.

Madam by Phoebe Wynne.

Now that I am close to being done with this book I can kind of see why people didn't like it. The writing is good but when something dramatic happens or exciting, Wynne breezes past it with not a lot of detail so you are left wondering "wait, what just happened?" I am looking forward to finishing just to know how this all ends.

QOTW:

I can't think of anything so I will come back to this if I do.

Happy Thursday!

I spent all day yesterday waiting for the weekly update thread to start, before remembering late in the afternoon that it was Wednesday, bahahaha. Otherwise my Kindle is getting a workout, between Magnolia Palace, Shorefall, and Redemption Song. I've only had it for a few months now but I've become quite fond of it.

Finished:
Demons - 3 stars. Putting this series aside, there's been too much shifting in character design (coupled with all the behind-the-scenes drama) and I don't super-care about the storyline.
The City We Became - 4 stars. I adore this concept and I'm excited for the sequel! A book with parallel realities
The Magnolia Palace - 2.5 stars. Mehhhhh. Rich people's whims don't hold my interest well. Glad I tried it and got it out of the way but ehhhhh.

PS 28/50

Currently:
Shorefall
Redemption Song
Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen
Dismembering Lahui: A History of the Hawaiian Nation to 1887
The Silmarillion

QOTW: Have you ever read a genre novel that felt as if you were reading general fiction?
I'm another 'unsure of how to answer this' person. I read so much genre fiction that I don't think about it like that.

Nadine wrote, " I'm really surprised The Dog Stars won for our August read! I was fully expecting The Calculating Stars to win. " I voted for The Calculating Stars but I do like science fiction, post apocalyptic, dystopia, and survival stories. I remember reading the synopsis when deciding which book to vote for. It sounds doable so I will probably read it.

Hello! We had a line of bad storms last night that we watched for hours. Our weather guy broke into the Masked Singer at the first tornado warning for the metro (7:28) and he barely left the screen until 10:15 when the last of bad stuff crossed out of the viewing area. Not that we were watching the Masked Singer - we had been watching his broadcast and you could tell when he broke in. I have lived in states prone to tornadoes for my entire life and I still do not handle them well. We didn't seem to have any damage, or even the bad hail. The neighbor's trampoline even stayed in his yard. Today it's supposed to hit 90, but the weekend looks nice.

Finished This Week:
Burning Roses by S.L. Huang. There were a lot of flashbacks to Rosa's life, both her stint as Red Riding Hood and after the wolf. There weren't any flashbacks for Hou Yi's life before, which did feel lacking. I also enjoyed how the book emphasized there are two sides to every story. Using for Read Harder #21, queer retelling of fairytale.

Appeasement: Chamberlain, Hitler, Churchill, and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie. I finished it! Very detailed account of the British government's dealings with Hitler from his rise to power in 1933 through May 1940, when Chamberlain loses the Prime Minister spot after Norway falls (which is also when Hitler invades the Netherlands, Belgium and France). One of the most interesting parts, to me, was that the Soviet Union wanted an alliance with the British and French, but one of their requirements was they wanted a guarantee to go to war if Poland, Finland, Romania, or the Baltics were invaded. Finland and the Baltics did not want to be guaranteed, thanks, while Poland and Romania wanted to be guaranteed, but not from the USSR. When they couldn't agree, Stalin signed a pact with Hitler instead (and invaded Poland and Finland). Using for PS #40, favorite prior prompt, book with a map.

PS: 18/50 RH: 2/24 ATY: 21/52 GR: 55/100

Currently Reading:
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown. Was able to listen to more while doing some yard work and driving to the office this week, and am in the final chapter. Less than an hour to go! Although I haven't felt like I've learned anything concrete for HOW to dare greatly. Using for ATY #7, related to psychology.

Time's Edge by Rysa Walker. Book two in the series. I'm about halfway through, and I feel like everything is about to go wrong. It also has a weird love triangle thing where people are in love with people who don't remember them because of timeline tomfoolery by the Evil Cult. I have book 3 ready to go, so hope to finish soon. Using for #20, since Appeasement ends with a T and this starts with a T.

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin. I only got a few more pages read, mostly because I was determined to finish Appeasement. Still very early.

QotW: Have you ever read a genre novel that felt as if you were reading general fiction?
I don't distinguish between what the different types of fiction sound like.

Ashley Marie wrote: "Happy Thursday!

I spent all day yesterday waiting for the weekly update thread to start, before remembering late in the afternoon that it was Wednesday, bahahaha. ..."



On Tuesday I thought it was Wednesday, and my daughter thought it was Thursday, so we are all messed up too!

Nadine in NY wrote: "Shannon wrote: "It's so good so far, I'm really loving it, but my executive dysfunction is like "hm...we really want to read that. Guess we'll sit here and think about how we really want to read th..."

Knowing that you also experience that actually makes me feel a lot better!

Nadine in NY wrote: "But then I'll be in trouble, because I don't have HOURS to play a computer game right now."

This is me and Civilization. I bought Civ4 probably 15 years ago, and the first night I had it, I stayed up until 4 am. I made one of my passwords at work "wait just one more turn." I recently picked up Civ6 for Switch, played it for one afternoon/evening, and am afraid to play it again because I know how all-consuming it is. I also don't super have the stomach for invading other countries with my military right now.

Hi All, I read 4 books for the week
1. Come Fly the World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am. Not for this challenge. 4 stars. The history of Pan Am & the airline industry.
2. Slow Horses. Audio Book. 4 stars. This was a slow burn for me. Once I was sucked in it went fast. Pop Sugar #17. A book becoming a TV Show or movie in 2022.
3. An Unorthodox Match. 4 stars. Not for this challenge.
4. By Any Other Name. 4 stars. Pop Sugar #38 A book featuring a party. Have you ever put a book on hold and wondered why you did it? I waited weeks for this book to come in then couldn't remember why I thought this book would work for any of the three challenges I'm doing. Thank goodness it had 2 parties in it.
QOTW: I also shook my head not understanding the question but after rereading the question I understand it. Maybe. I think historical fiction is general fiction just set in a certain time. Historical fiction is my favorite genre and I read a lot of it but it is fiction.

Melissa wrote: "I also don't super have the stomach for invading other countries with my military right now."

I feel this! I have a copy of Medieval II Total War on my older laptop, and the only way I prefer to play anymore is to play as Scotland so I can overrun England in a glorious blaze.

Happy Thursday! COVID is popping up all around us again, but we're staying healthy so far (finally!). But the weather is finally spring-y. I hope we have a mild summer. I'm not one for the heat.

Finished 16/50

The Great Hunt for "book becoming a movie/tv series in 2022". Goodness, I love Wheel of Time. Just a fantastic series. Also, I realized that the prompt is "book BECOMING a tv series in 2022" not "book of a tv series being RELEASED in 2022", which I know is what was MEANT but technically is not what the prompt SAYS so while I don't know for certain the release date of WoT season 2 (though we speculate it'll be late this year), I KNOW they are filming season 2 RIGHT NOW which is based off of this book. So, TECHNICALLY, this book is BECOMING a tv series this year. It just may or may not be RELEASED this year. This is not the worst logic I've used for prompt fulfillment. Just wait until you see how I'm doing the party one!

Currently Reading

Real Men Knit for "romance book by a BIPOC author". UGH. I do not like romances, and this isn't even the one I wanted. I was hoping to do How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days because that at least sounded silly, but my library doesn't have it and says it's too new to ask for from Inter-Library Loan. So. I've settled for this. You know, I have a bunch of BIPOC author books on my TBR, but NONE of them are romances. WHY the romance qualifier??? WHYYYYY??? My least favourite genre. Hopefully it's better than the dumb Amish romance I had to read last year!

QotW

Honestly, I have no idea. I tend to read pretty extreme genres like fantasy, sci-fi, and non-fiction/philosophy so....hard to make those feel like general fiction without actually BEING general fiction.

Today is a rainy, overcast day here in the Pacific Northwest. I'm a little envious of your summer weather, Lynn.

Finished:
Seasonal Fears - 4.5 stars, a different book by an author you read in 2021. I really enjoyed this, but not as much as Middlegame. The ending felt very abrupt and the pacing was occasionally odd, but it was still a lot of fun and great to dive back into the alchemical world.

Year of the Reaper, 4.5 stars, a book by a Pacific Islander author. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this. I went into it expecting a pretty typical YA fantasy, but it didn't really read very YA. It actually reminded me a little bit of a younger version of Bujold's The Curse of Chalion, at least in terms of the main character's arc.

Comics & manga:
Skip·Beat!, Vol. 46
Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, Vol. 13

Currently reading:
Ballad & Dagger - I rearranged my prompts to put this one under a book that features two languages. I'm just starting it, so I'm not far enough to say, but I'm really looking forward to getting into it.

QOTW: I don't really read much general fiction, so I couldn't really say.

Hey, I actually completed some books this week!

Finished:

House Corrino by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson (reread, 3/5)

Stormtroopers: Beyond the Armor by Ryder Windham (3/5)

I got this one on sale thanks to May 4th discounts. There were some really great bits in the book and a lot of details that I don't particularly care about. If you really love the armored characters of Star Wars and their toys/cosplay/creation, then this book will be an easy 4/5 or higher for you.

Dark Mirror by Diane Duane (reread, 4/5)

This is a pretty grim and serious book, but it also has a fantastic dolphin scientist and some cool bits of writing about space and parallel universes. Even though you know the ship and crew escape their situation, the writing delivers a lot of tension.

Question of the Week:

I don't think general fiction has a constant feel, so I am basically rejecting the premise of the question.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Shannon wrote: "It's so good so far, I'm really loving it, but my executive dysfunction is like "hm...we really want to read that. Guess we'll sit here and think about how we really want to read th..."

SAME! MOOD! Make me a t-shirt with this!!


Pretty book on my coffee table... yes, you've been sitting there for hours, haven't you?

Read: Figuring about female innovators and their sapphic love stories. I was glad that I finished it, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I was expecting. It was a meandering theme and frustrating to read because many of the relationships didn't work out.

Fox & I This was hard to read. It used vague referents and was really dense, so I had to re-read a bunch. I think part of it was the neurodiverse author. But I enjoyed it.

How to Live Like the Little Prince: A Grown-Up's Guide to Rediscovering Imagination, Adventure, and Awe So-so. Pretty gimmicky.

Tilly and the Map of Stories Enjoyed this one! The series keeps getting better! Just imagine, William Shakespeare seeing his own globe theatre hundred of years after his death.

Started: The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia Reading this for the Fighting Tyranny book club on Fable. If you haven't heard about this app, you should check it out! While not super awesome to navigate, it DOES have super awesome conversations about books.

Exactly as You Are: The Life and Faith of Mister Rogers I was excited to find this as I didn't particularly like the author who wrote The Good Neighbor. So far, it includes fresh material.

Authentic Assessment in Social Studies: A Guide to Keeping it Real The best part about this book is that the author is funny. He describes how he can salsa, except that he only goes backwards, so he usually ends up smacking into a wall.

Qotw: When I read Special Topics in Calamity Physics, I read it as general lit. so I was surprised to see it later, classified as a mystery. I don't usually read mysteries and Special Topics has become one of my favorite books, so I'm glad when I originally found it, it wasn't in the mystery section!

It’s Thursday and I post! First time in 3 weeks or so? We’ve had a few drops of rain last week, but it’s still too dry. However, temperatures are great and I can even do some outdoor reading in the evening (under the porch of our shed). I would really love a rainy night or day to wash away the pollen. I hate using nose spray, my nose feels weird after using it.

PS: 12/40
Total 2022: 20

Currently reading
Die Katze und der General by Nino Haratischwili. Almost finished.

Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: The New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Steven C. Hayes

QOTW
I’ve never looked at it this way. To me general fiction is fiction that doesn’t fit in any of the genres.

Nadine in NY wrote: "My favorite computer game was Sim City. I LOVED that game. I spent HOURS creating cities..."

Cities Skylines is pretty much the modern day equivalent to Sim City, and I have lost many a weekend building cities too! I hate games where I am spending all my time trying not to die, but give me a city, zoo or theme park to plan and I'm in!

Ellie wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "My favorite computer game was Sim City. I LOVED that game. I spent HOURS creating cities..."

Cities Skylines is pretty much the modern day equivalent to Sim City, and I have l..."



omg thanks - I just spent way too much time reading about that game. Looks like I would buy it for my computer via Steam. My daughter already had a Steam account - should I just use her account or create my own? I'm guessing I should create my own? I see lots of add-ons available, but looks like I'll be fine just buying the base game. Can you create multiple cities, or do you need to keep leveling your city when you want to start fresh?

It's Eurovision week here, so I've been watching that and cheering on Switzerland. I do like the entry this year! So many interesting and curious acts ...

I finished The Yiddish Policemen's Union for the Hugo Award Winner prompt. It was definitely a different sort of book, but I liked the 'alternative history' and the sly humor in it.

The Hiding Game for prompt #6 - a found family. The premise of the book was interesting but the 'secret' promised on the back of the book didn't entirely surprise me by the end of the book. It was gradually revealed to the extent at which the secret was an issue, but still - didn't particularly care for any of the characters and wanted to shake the main character by his coattails.

Up Next:
The Lying Game by Ruth Ware, for prompt 29, a different book by an author I read in 2021.

The Island of Missing Trees - not sure where it'll fit for a prompt yet, but I randomly picked it up at a bookstore because the description sounded good.

Happy Thursday all!
We are having an actual spring! It is not stupidly hot; forsythia, tulips and lilacs are blooming; and it’s cool enough to sleep at night.
Work has been crazy busy, so I haven’t checked in for a while. So, in no particular order….

Finished:.

Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History - This hammered my heart. It was meant to. So well-conceived and written and drawn.
Duology #1

The Cold Heart of Capricorn - Really enjoyed this mystery – a few mysteries in one. The MC has a double doctorate in psychology and parapsychology from Stanford. Her psychic skills unnerved her enough to get both doctorates, and she works as a P.I.
I just picked out a constellation I liked, looked for book titles with the name, and this was the hold that came through first. There’s an actual constellation on the cover, and the lines are drawn so you can see it.
Book with a constellation in title or on cover

Eight Kinky Nights – This may be my favorite book so far this year. All the feels, all the emotions. I laughed, I cried, and I was completely ‘wowed’. This is BDSM done right! I didn’t want this story to end. I wanted to crawl into this book, join the MCs’ community and found family. I want to join them in their comfort food, I want Jordan to sing prayers to me, and I want to hang out in Leah’s store.
Hang on to your hats. This book works for: found family, an MC who uses a mobility device, a sapphic novel, takes place over holiday (Chanukkah) and winter if that’s your favorite season, an MC on the Ace spectrum, plenty of recipes at the end(!), a book with character coming to terms with gender identity, features a few parties, 2 POVs, and set in NYC for a sister city.

I used it for book with MC who uses a mobility device.

Being Merry– Fun roommates to lovers trope. I loved the characters and the family of one MC. Lots of sexy times - you've been warned or advised, depending on your preferences. *wink*
Sapphic novel

Where We Once Belonged –I enjoyed this read, but I can understand that if you are not Indigenous or Pasifika that this could be a more challenging read. It isn't linear by any means, though there is an arc, and it is much more poetic than Western lit. I love that Sia Figiel uses traditional Samoan storytelling (su'ifefiloi), which is also a traditional way of sewing and basketry. Loved the weaving in of Samoan myth and legend. A very sensorial view of everyday life in the early '70s Samoa, coming of age as female, and all the traditional ways of life juxtaposed with colonialism.
Book by a Pacific Islander

Currently reading:
Tails from the Afterlife: Stories of Signs, Messages & Inspiration from Your Animal Companions
Buzz: A Stimulating History of the Sex Toy

QOTW:
YMMV, but some of the work of Shirley Jackson reads less like horror than lit fiction with a dash of unnerving foreboding. Till that last page, or paragraph or sentence.

Lynn wrote: "It seems we are in summer now. Day time temperatures in the 80s and yesterday we even hit 92 degrees!

I have two veterinary appointments tomorrow for two sick kitties. And I’ve been helping a fri..."

Lynne, big hugs to you and your loved ones! I hope that your kitties and your friend are feeling better and recover smoothly.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Lynn wrote: "It seems we are in summer now. Day time temperatures in the 80s and yesterday we even hit 92 degrees!

I have two veterinary appointments tomorrow for two sick kitties. And I’ve been ..."

Oh no, I hope your dog recovers smoothly!

Shannon wrote: "Lynn, good luck with the kitties and with your friend! I hope they all find relief from whatever pain they're in.

Not much new to report. Unfortunately, it can take up to 6 weeks for antidepressan..."

Shannon, I hope that the meds kick in as quickly as they can and bring you balance. You have a lot on your plate, and you deserve to feel well.

Hi all,

Migraines have been bugging me again this week, booo. I thought the new meds were starting to work, but maybe not? I guess i'll stick with them a little longer, see how it goes. Been having inconsistent weather with rain to heat so that could be affecting things.

This week I finished:

All Systems Red - it's been a relisten to murder bot sort of week.

The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home -finished audio re-read, Mara Wilson gave a great performance

Fevered Star - I was a bit disappointed in this. It kind of had second book syndrome for me. Felt like it was a lot of just setting things up for the next book, and not a whole lot really HAPPENED besides a lot of political maneuvering. I like plot, not politics in my fantasy, that's the biggest reason I really hate Game of Thrones. So hopefully the next book gets things back to what I loved about the first one!

Sea of Tranquility - this was really good, although I didn't realize it was related to The Glass Hotel or I would have re-read that one first just as a refresher. I liked it, although I still have mixed feelings about the whole "covid19 in fiction" now. I get it, authors write what they went through, and obviously was a bit of catharsis and stuff. But it's still kind of jarring to come across. Luckily it was short, and not really nihilistic or dooms-day. So I still liked it overall and wasn't too much to read right now.

Rogue Protocol -more murderbot

currently reading:
Exit Strategy - still more murderbot!

Book of Night - had a ton of holds come up at once, and all books I've been looking forward too! Liking it so far.

QOTW:
I think I'm confused on the question too. I just use general fiction as my catchall tag for "this doesn't really fit in a genre to me". I don't really see at as a genre in and of itself? So I guess I don't see how a mystery wouldn't read like it had no genre unless they just...forgot to put the mystery in there period.

Lilith wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Lynn, good luck with the kitties and with your friend! I hope they all find relief from whatever pain they're in.

Not much new to report. Unfortunately, it can take up to 6 weeks f..."

Thanks so much, Lilith! Today was a particularly bad day for some reason, so the support here means so much! <3

Good morning! Winter is finally here, so it would be perfect reading weather if I wasn't so busy! Lynn, I hope your friend and cats all recover well. I was told Wednesday that I have to have another surgery in a few months time, so that's something to look forward to?

Only one finished this week, but I'm now at the half-way point!
PopSugar 25/50
Finished
The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War A true story about a KGB officer who spied for the English. Fascinating book - a bit slow and dense in the first half, but it really picks up to "can't put down" territory towards the end. I ate a box of crackers for dinner because I didn't want to stop to cook.Prompt: Someone leading a double life

Currently Reading:
Working Class Boy An autobiography about an Australian singer who grew up in my home town.

DNF
Borderline I really enjoyed this when I started it, but can't seem to pick it back up. Another person experiencing executive dysfunction! I think I'll return it to the library and try again in the future.

QOTW
I think I experience this most with SFF. Native Tongue definitely felt like literary fiction at points. But then you ask yourself, is it SFF? Or literary fiction that uses a SFF setting because it's the easiest way to explore the theme?

I've also noticed conversations about this on Twitter recently. Someone tweeted that romance doesn't have to have a HEA - it can be a tragic romance. Romance writers did not agree. The genre conventions call for a happy ending and it's not romance if the couple don't end up together, which I think is very true.

Not sure what I'm trying to say, just rambling incoherently I think.

Good afternoon on a windy yet mostly warm Thursday. This morning it was so cold I could see my breath. Monday morning I woke up (by the way, 4:30 is the new 5 according to my fur-tators) and found snow falling -- in May -- sticking to the ground, and it continued to snow for most of the day. Supposedly it's supposed to be in the 80s this weekend.

Soooo, Summer Reading Program is one month away. I have a tree's worth of printouts readied and one craft experimented with. It's an egg diver from the CSLP manual. It's sooo cute! I did get the kinks out of it and solved a couple of issues I had. He is now staring out my office window.

Books I've finished:

Vespertine for PS prompt Nonpatriarchal society. I enjoyed this a lot. It was atmospheric and a tiny bit dark.

Project Hail Mary for PS prompt Two Languages. OMG!! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! It was good.

Currently Reading:

Murder on the Orient Express My copy is from 1969 an say Murder in the Calais Coach. Don't ask me why Pocket Books changed the name. I've been plucking at this one as I walk to work. It's very slow going. The book, not the walk. But i'm about 17 pages from half way through.

The Poison Season A NetGalley book coming out in December. An isolated island, a poison lake, a curious young man, and magic.

Planning to read:

Lumara
The Luminaries
Silver in the Mist

They are all NetGalley books I requested.

QOTW:

I'm not even sure how to answer that.

Happy Thursday. It's pretty standard spring weather here - kinda cool and rainy alternating with bright sunshine. And it's still a bit too early for bugs so it's great.

Stats:
Popsugar: 26/50
ATY: 46/75
ATY Reread: 10/52
WoT: 3/15

Books I Finished:

Book Lovers ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: ATY: A book related to each one of the 22 Tarot Major Arcana cards. (The Lovers)
Another great romcom from Emily Henry. This is like a love letter to Hallmark romance movies with a dash of Gilmore Girls thrown in. And I am a sucker for a good enemies to lovers trope.

The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: ATY: A book related to each one of the 22 Tarot Major Arcana cards. (The Star)
I really enjoyed this. A few of the selections were completely irrelevant, but I kept finding connections between things Neil Gaiman wrote and real life.

Motorcycles & Sweetgrass - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prompt: Popsugar: An #OwnVoices SFF (science fiction and fantasy) book.
Bit by bit I'm going through Drew Hayden Taylor's back catalogue. This was his usual blend of social commentary and humour, while being a nice slice of life story.

Books I made progress on:

The Shadow Rising - Less than 300 pages to go. the end is in sight. I really do like this series and this book in particular, but it is so easy for me to set it to the side in favour of a new read....

Seasonal Fears - I'm liking it, but not as much as book 1.

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman

QOTW

Okay, this connects to my reading this week - the Gaiman book had an essay about genres, which points out that genres are just a marketing technique, no different than any other "If you liked this, you might like that" tool. And then I read Motorcycles & Sweetgrass and I went back and forth on whether or not it qualified as SFF....

But side note, General fiction IS a genre in its own right, so using the term "genre fiction" to mean everything else is kind of insulting to anyone who's favorite genre isn't general fiction (or nonfiction). - And I know that YOU (Lynn) did not mean it as an insult. But other people most definitely DO.

Sheri wrote: "Fevered Star - I was a bit disappointed in this. It kind of had second book syndrome for me. Felt like it was a lot of just setting things up for the next book, and not a whole lot really HAPPENED besides a lot of political maneuvering. I like plot, not politics in my fantasy, that's the biggest reason I really hate Game of Thrones. So hopefully the next book gets things back to what I loved about the first one!..."


There's going to be a third book? I didn't know!


Sorry about your migraines.

Kaia wrote: "I've also noticed conversations about this on Twitter recently. Someone tweeted that romance doesn't have to have a HEA - it can be a tragic romance. Romance writers did not agree. The genre conventions call for a happy ending and it's not romance if the couple don't end up together, which I think is very true. ."

This is one of those times when I kind of wish that I hadn't gotten rid of Twitter, because I would be really interested in following that conversation in more depth. While the vast majority of the romances I've read do have a happy ending, I've also read several titles that I would describe as tragic romances. Does anyone happen to know when the HEA became a convention of the romance genre? Maybe it's a question of classic literature vs. contemporary?

Hi all! Beautiful week here in NY!! Been outside trying to exercise a little each day, though today was almost too hot for it. It was still close to 85 after dinner. Last week I had 3 doctors' appointments and next week I have 2, so this week is my do what I want enjoy myself break of a week. Funny how expectations change as life does. (she says with an eye roll).

The nice weather combined with my take it easy mentality meant I finished a book this week! I read Haldol and Hyacinths: A Bipolar Life. The second half of the book resonated with me a lot more than the first. And even after many years of working in the mental health field, I still found insights that you can't get unless you either live through the illness or know someone who has. With May being both Asian American CAM and Mental Health Awareness month- cha ching! 2 for 1! :D I used this book for the start with the last letter from previous book prompt, but it would also work for 2 languages as she sprinkles in several conversations and sayings in Farsi (and even a Spanish poem).

I'm almost finished with They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group. I debated not posting until I'm done, but I decided then next week I can have *another* finished book (whooo... look at me go!) I'm not sure what prompt I might use for this, as I already completed a social horror book.

I've been listening to The Final Revival of Opal & Nev for a book about a musician, and I'm so into it at this point. I usually don't like audiobooks with multiple narrators, but they identify each character every time there's a POV change, so it hasn't gotten confusing at all.

QOTW: I know it's happened to me, but I can't think of any examples at the moment. It would most tick me off if a mystery or thriller was more general fiction than any other genre, though.

Happy Thursday! Work has been super busy, but my coworker who's been on vacation for the last two weeks is back soon. Very excited to not have to juggle both jobs for much longer. I feel like I have this list of stuff I've been needing to do, but there hasn't been time. Next week should be slightly calmer.

Finished:
At the Edge of the Woods- maybe I just had too high of expectations for this book, but I did not love it. Some of the writing style I found really interesting, but the story was weird, and not always in a good way. Very grotesque descriptions of people, and two scenes of animal abuse that were so graphic I had to skip them.
1. A book published in 2022

Currently reading
Conversations with Friends- for book being turned into a movie/tv show. I think the show comes out next week, so I need to get on this!

Dracula- reading it with the email read-along. I honestly think it's really funny

QotW
I usually think of this the other way around- when literary fiction has some speculative fiction elements. Like Klara and the Sun- or is that Sci-fi that reads like literary fiction? Or like Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. It's been a long time since I read that, but I remember thinking it was fantasy that felt much more like literary fiction.

I do agree with you, Lynn, about Case Histories. I loved that book when I read it. I loved that whole Jackson Brodie series- and this just reminded me I never read the last one she wrote!

I forgot last week and honestly not that much reading has been done (also I hope your kitties are okay)

For the prompt A book with a constellation on the cover or in the title I read Diamonds & Dirt by Stephanie LaVigne which had a faked big dipper on the cover. It was an okay mystery

You'll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus too tropey for me

Harley Quinn, Vol. 3: Welcome to Metropolis by Karl Kesel this was pretty forgettable

QOTW Oh so many times and it's usually a disappointment. Actually the one I read for this week's only prompt fill, Diamonds and Dirt was one not mysterious enough to be a mystery

Happy check-in! We're under a rainfall warning but it hasn't started to rain yet. So we'll see how the night goes.

I'm rather sad about my hockey team, the Pittsburg Penguins, who lost Sidney Crosby to a injury yet again last night when he has been playing and leading so amazingly. Though there are still three Canadian teams to cheer for.

Finished Reading:

Gunmetal Magic Magic Rises ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The next two books in my reread of this beloved series.

Under One Roof ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ali Hazelwood's new novella, the first of three being published this year. Quick enemies to lovers could be used for ace character.

How to Pronounce Knife: Stories ⭐⭐⭐(2015 Giller Prize winner)
A collection of short stories about immigrants from Laos in Canada. This won the top book prize in Canada for 2020.

Unlock Your Storybook Heart ⭐⭐
New Amanda Lovelace poetry collection. More free verse than her usual poems and I was disappointed. Her other books have been 4 or 5 stars for me.

Spy x Family, Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (2015 translated)
So a manga about a spy who needs a wife and kid for a mission. He finds, unbeknownst to him, an assassin for a spouse and a telekinetic child. I laughed out loud a lot.

Shipped ⭐⭐⭐
Random pick from the library. Enemies to lovers on a cruise ship.

PS 2022 37/50
PS 2015 34/50
Goodreads 115/200

QOTW:
Maybe This Is How You Lose the Time War.

Late posting but I wanted to finish the last 50 pages of a wonderful read to report before Thursday ended.

I am holding at 35/50 but that's mostly because I am at the point where my mood reading and reading for other challenges does not automatically fit some prompt for PS. I now need to be target reading more.

Finished:

The Venice Sketchbook - enjoyed
A Desirable Residence - I gave it 1 star - did not like this at all.
The Gatecrasher - loved this one! A con artist who doesn't have a heart of gold but you love anyway.
The Last Mrs. Summers - Georgie finds herself in a Rebecca retelling - not bad but nowhere near the quality of the original.
Comfort & Joy - 5 star read - a fable filled with emotion, family and magic set at Christmas. This is not a light Christmas romance or mystery
Love, Death & Rare Books - another 5 star read by a favorite author who passed away not long ago - this was his last published novel. It's a love story about Gabe and Olivia full of pathos but it is also and equally a love story to books, literature, and the rare book trade.

Currently reading:
Zen in the Art of Writing
Summer Island
The Meaning of Love

Longterm reading:
The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777
A Clash of Kings
Ulysses

QOTW: Absolutely! 3 that pop up without thinking:

A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin - considered a fantasy series, this is literatue of the highest quality.
The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe - when I read this earlier this year, I kept checking that it was really slotted as a fantasy novel. Everything about it screams literary fiction.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue -- I could write a dissertation or a syllabus around this book.

Kaia wrote: "I've also noticed conversations about this on Twitter recently. Someone tweeted that romance doesn't have to have a HEA - it can be a tragic romance. Romance writers did not agree. The genre conventions call for a happy ending and it's not romance if the couple don't end up together, which I think is very true...."


I follow some of the romanceland people on twitter, and this does come up often. I have decided to agree with the writers of the genre: to be part of the romance genre, it must have a happy ending (either happily ever after, or happily for now). A lot of fiction includes a love story or romantic storyline as part of the overall story, but it's not all part of the romance genre. This comes up when reading challenges have a "romance" category - a bunch of people will declare that they hate romance novels and they will read a love story instead.

K.L. wrote: "While the vast majority of the romances I've read do have a happy ending, I've also read several titles that I would describe as tragic romances. Does anyone happen to know when the HEA became a convention of the romance genre? Maybe it's a question of classic literature vs. contemporary? ..."


I don't know when exactly. I think in the 18th & 19th centuries, genres were not recognized and defined the way they are now. I'm not sure what books you're referring to. Perhaps what you're describing was a "sensation" novel or a gothic novel. Like The Woman in White: there's a romance in there, for sure, but it's a sensation novel, not a romance novel. Wuthering Heights contains a love story, but it's no romance, it's a gothic novel; calling it a "romance" does a disservice to the book, because people new to it read it expecting a happy romance storyline, and that's not what you're getting at all, Catherine and Heathcliff are absolutely destroyed by their love.

Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! Beautiful week here in NY!! Been outside trying to exercise a little each day, though today was almost too hot for it. It was still close to 85 after dinner. Last week I had 3 doctors' appo..."



This heatwave took me by surprise!!! I posted in the morning that it's still be cool and chilly, and a few hours later it was almost 90!!! It was so hot last night I could hardly sleep, because I can't open the windows due to all the tree pollen in the air. I'm turning the a/c on if it's still hot this evening. Might as well find out early in the season if it still works!