Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2019 Weekly Checkins
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Week 23: 5/30 - 6/6
This is a little embarrassing, but I'm still working on Angels and Demons. Not sure why it's taken me over a week and a half to read this book.QOTW: I like funny books. But, I don't know that I read a lot of them. I read Gump & Company and I know a lot of people hate that book, but I was laughing hysterically the whole time. I'm laughing just remembering it.
Hey guys! I haven’t checked in since the beginning of the year even though I promised to be more active this year!! I am back in school working on a second bachelors degree while working full time so that’s been keeping me busy. School is on a small break until summer term starts so I finally have time to read non textbooks again. Idk how all you other students have any time for reading for pleasure!! I’m only at 7/51, the last book I read was News of the World. QOTW:
I haven’t read any funny books yet but I would probably enjoy some.
Hi all- good reading week this week. I finished ATY (and read in order!) and I’m down to 1 book for This years Popsugar- a book read in the season it is set- fall. I figured it was after Memorial Day, kids are out of school and the Good Reads summer challenge has started so I read my summer book this week. Now I’m going to read from past challenges and read series that I started by reading the first book for a challenge this year- whether they fit for a challenge or not. I will finish Book Riot and my nonfiction growth challenge in there somewhere. My official stats for my challenges: PS- 55/56; ATY 52/52, Book Riot- 18/23, Nonfiction Growth- 18/20, PS 2015- 34/50. This week I finished:
Between the World and Me for ATY and Ps 15. It was good.
Murder with Fried Chicken and Waffles for ATY and PS 15. I still don’t love cozy mysteries.
Bright. Set in Thailand. It’s won awards and was a good book but not written in a style that holds my attention for a long time.
Storm Cursed for ATY and PS 15. New release from an author I enjoy. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as her previous books and I’m not sure why.
Trespassing Across America: One Man's Epic, Never-Done-Before (and Sort of Illegal) Hike Across the Heartland for ATY and PS15. It was enjoyable mostly. Some parts got annoying.
Goblinproofing One's Chicken Coop: And Other Practical Advice in Our Campaign Against the Fairy Kingdom for my final ATY prompt. This was not nearly as good a book as the title. Oh well. Also fit for PS 15.
The Summer Book for the Popsugar prompt of a book set in the season you read it- Summer.
I am currently reading:
The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror
Days of Blood & Starlight
And on my commute into work will begin listening to: Seven Deadly Sins: Settling the Argument Between Born Bad and Damaged Good
QOTW- Do you enjoy humorous books? Yes. I enjoy books that make me laugh. But I find that I don’t enjoy most books that are marketed as humor- they try to hard and get old before the book is done. One exception to that was Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal which I loved. I am reading another book by Christopher Moore now to see if that holds up in other books.
Hello fellow readers.I should be marking right now but need a break. 2 weeks till I head to UK for the first time in 9 years. Lots of lovely books to read and marking just isn't fun.
Had a Walking Dead binge last weekend (library just got them in) and enjoyed seeing all the differences between the book series (Rise of the Governor etc), the TV series and the graphic novels. Can't wait till they get the rest covered so I can borrow them.
The Walking Dead, Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us
The Walking Dead, Vol. 3: Safety Behind Bars
The Walking Dead, Vol. 4: The Heart's Desire
The Walking Dead, Vol. 5: The Best Defense
The Walking Dead, Vol. 6: This Sorrowful Life
The Walking Dead, Vol. 7: The Calm BeforeThe Walking Dead, Vol. 8: Made to Suffer
The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
The Walking Dead, Vol. 10: What We Become
The Walking Dead, Vol. 11: Fear the Hunters
The Walking Dead, Vol. 12: Life Among Them
The Walking Dead, Vol. 13: Too Far Gone
The Walking Dead, Vol. 14: No Way Out
The Walking Dead, Vol. 15: We Find Ourselves
Currently Reading Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch which is brilliant but I just got marking every night this week.
QOTW
There are some brilliant lines in Good Omens. "gayer than a tree full of monkeys on nitrous oxide" is a favourite visual so far.
I had a terrible cold this week and have read a whole lot of nothing this week, but I didn't check in last week when I finished Last Wool and Testament by Molly MacRae which I must've bought on a first book of a series sale and have had forever on audible. I read it for cozy mystery or book about a hobby but it turned out to be a ghost story... so BONUS. That was a category it was nice to stumble over a book for because the other categories are so much more in my usual reading rotation.
The Sound and the Furry by Spencer Quinn For Book Riot animal perspective. I got bored with this series and hadn't read one in few years so it was nice to check back in with Chet and Bernie. I'm not eager to race onto the next one but should a similar prompt happen next year I'll check in again.
and MMaurice by E.M. Forster which goodreads said I read in 2015 but the only memories I had while reading it came from the movie, seriously, I was shocked when goodreads had it marked as read for me when I went in to mark it read. Still, it is lovely as is the movie with James Whitby, Hugh Grant, and Rupert Graves. And it was published posthumously as the subject matter so would have not flown in the 1910s when it was originally written.
QOTW:
I read humor books some. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore is always one that comes to mind.
FinishedUprooted - I absolutely loved this book! Fairy tale retellings can be a mixed bag for me, as I really like things darker and they can often get too cutesy-sweet, but this one was just wonderful. Amazing worldbuilding and magic system, beautiful writing, and a protagonist I was really cheering for. I would have preferred a bit more romance and a bit less action in the back half, but that's a tiny nitpick in what was really a memorably good read. Highly recommended! Read for the book inspired by myth/legend/folklore prompt. 5 stars.
Lovecraft Country - I really wanted to love this book, and some parts were excellent, but overall it missed the mark for me. For one, it's structured as a series of interconnected short stories rather than a traditional novel. That could work great, except that some of the stories were much, much better than others, leaving the whole thing feeling uneven. My biggest problem, though, was that for a book that literally puts Lovecraft in the title, I didn't get any of the sense of deeply weird cosmic horror that drew me to Lovecraft in the first place. The horrors of racism were certainly well-depicted, but the Lovecraft connection was too weak to make good on the premise, and that's a shame. Read for the book with LOVE in the title prompt. 3 stars.
The Flanders Panel - This one was rough. I'm usually a pretty quick reader, but this took about two months to slog my way through, and it really wasn't worth the effort in the end. Wooden characters I never came to care about, a convoluted and overly-contrived plot, and an excessively wordy writing style. I'm not sure if a bad translation is to blame for some of this, but there really wasn't much of anything to praise here. And the premise was so cool! Oh, well. Read for the book revolving around a puzzle or game prompt. 2 stars.
Total complete: 28/50
Currently Reading
How Long 'til Black Future Month?
Peter Darling
QOTW
I don't really seek out humorous books, but The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and its sequels are among my all-time favorites. Definitely some of my favorite rereads because they always make me laugh!
My daughter’s hair came out way different than she wanted and I wound up spending most of my weekend helping her bleach and re-dye it! Oh well! Not so much reading time as I thought.Finished
Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions -A book author from Asia, Africa, or South America - Quite short, but high-impact. Definitely a good basic discussion of feminism, and written in a very friendly, approachable way.
Off to Be the Wizard -A LitRPG book - This was insubstantial but cute. I could see a talented team making a great, fun movie of it. The Kindle In Motion art was a nice bonus - I had never seen that feature before.
Swamp Thing: The Anatomy Lesson-A book with no chapters / unusual chapter headings / unconventionally numbered chapters - A single issue, but evidently a seminal one - Alan Moore give the rebooted Swamp Thing a refreshed origin story. I enjoyed it and will probably read on!
Currently Reading
King of Scars -A book that's published in 2019 - Yay, more Bardugo!
QOTW
Yup, I like funny books! Usually I don’t go in for stuff like memoirs by comedians. I like funny novels, like Douglas Adams, Christopher Moore, Terry Pratchett, Neil GaimanEdgar Cantero, David Wong, Jane Austen, P.G. Wodehouse, and Dave Barry.
44/50Finished:
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling for a reread of a favorite book.
QOTW:
Yes. My favourites are P.G. Wodehouse's books.
Happy Thursday! 34/50Completed:
Coffee, Tea, or Murder? for fun. I adored the television program years ago, but I found the written version of Jessica lost some of the charm of the role as played by Angela Lansbury.
The Nine Lives of Christmas – if you like cats, romance, and Christmas, this is the book for you.
37.) Public Relations by Katie Heaney takes a trip into the world of creating faux relationships for the sake of record sales and is a fluffy love story. I like our heroine and while I don’t dislike her beau, Archie, the author’s taste in men differs quite a bit from mine.
In Progress:
For fun, The 18th Abduction by James Patterson about three teachers kidnapped as well as a Bosnian war crimes book. I kind of wish I could use this for Bosnia, since I’m warred out from my Europe reads.
Continuing with my European theme, I also started my Czech Republic novel: The Unbearable Lightness of Being, but not for Pop Sugar. It’s different. I just don't think I'm one for existentialism.
QOTW humorous books
I have a slightly different sense of humor. I’ve read some comedians books (Jim Gaffigan, Steve Martin) but I didn’t care for those. (I didn’t even like Bob Newhart’s book and he was a riot in both of his sitcoms.) I tend to do better with books that inject some humor into a ‘regular’ book instead.
So... I ended up in the ER this past weekend. I've been having chest pains off and on, and I finally got concerned enough about them to visit the Quick Care clinic... who immediately sent me to the ER when they heard the words "chest pain." They ran a ton of tests and took bloodwork... only to work out that it was heartburn compounded by anxiety. I feel stupid now...Ah well. Could have been much worse.
Books read this week:
Little Darlings – this straddles the line between “psychological thriller” and “magical realism” REALLY well, and also plays on the changeling myth where faeries would steal human children and leave their own in their place. I’m not sure I’d re-read this and I think the side-plot of the main detective character’s romance could have been left out, but it was fascinating to read all the same.
Thunderhead – second in the “Arc of the Scythe” series (I read Scythe for the “book you think should be turned into a movie” prompt). AAAAAARGH this was really good but (view spoiler)
Rules – this was actually recommended to me by my sister, who has an autistic son. Reading this, I found that I could identify a lot more not just with my nephew, but with my neurotypical niece who often has to bear more responsibility in the family due to her brother’s issues. A great read for kids who want a better understanding of special-needs kids and those close to them.
Breathe For Me – a fantasy short story that I got as a Kindle freebie. Not bad, but nothing special, and actually I think it could have stood to be a bit longer.
The Photographer of Mauthausen – graphic novel, and a heartwrenching account of a Spanish prisoner’s captivity in a German concentration camp.
DNF:
Kilimanjaro Diaries: Or, How I Spent a Week Dreaming of Toilets, Drinking Crappy Water, and Making Bad Jokes While Having the Time of My Life – I love travel books, especially ones with a humorous angle, but this just got too whiny for my tastes… and the author/narrator’s blatant disregard for preparing at all for her climb up Mount Kilimanjaro has me shaking my head. And though I try hard not to judge a book by its cover, the cover art on this one is just hideous.
Currently Reading:
Memory
The Priory of the Orange Tree – gonna be working on this 800-page beast for awhile…
QOTW:
I enjoy a good humor read. Favorite humor authors include Terry Pratchett, Tony James Slater, Jenny Lawson, and Allie Brosh (I sincerely hope her second book gets un-cancelled someday!).
My partner got me addicted to Tropico so I've been playing that instead of reading.I did finish listening to Three Things About Elsie for ATY (elderly character). I'm not sure I find uplit that uplifting, it was sad to think of becoming a sort of second rate citizen when you're bundled off into a care home. I had Elsie sussed quite early on but I liked it enough that I will read Joanna's other book.
I am still reading Aurora Rising because I have a fancy edition that I don't want to carry round or read in the bath. I'm off work next week so I should just be able to finish it off one morning.
Currently reading An Absolutely Remarkable Thing for a book with a game/puzzle (originally started it for an ATY prompt but I think the puzzle one is proving harder for me to fill).
And I've just started listening to Superior: The Return of Race Science.
QOTW:
I like books that feel effortlessly funny, or have some element of seriousness in them at the same time as having laugh out loud moments. I'm not a big fan of comedians' books. I love Terry Pratchett's books but I'm not sure I laugh much reading them.
Some that did make me laugh:
East of Croydon: Blunderings through India and South East Asia (but she also talks about her father's death)
The Tent, the Bucket and Me
(OK I really like funny travel writing)
Be Prepared
Boys Don't Knit (in Public)
Happy Thursday, all. I haven't checked in lately, as the combination of work and holidays has meant I haven't been doing as much reading lately, and a lot of what I have been doing as been the Hugo nominees.
I did manage to tick off prompt 12. A book inspired by myth/legend/folklore, with Trail of Lightning, by Rebecca Roanhorse: urban fantasy, with a clifi and Native American twist.
I'm also using The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal (another Hugo book) for 33. A book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in title (because astrology is often referred to as the "stars"). This is an excellent alternate history, with a lot of call outs to Hidden Figures.
Running totals:
Basic - 31 out of 43
Advanced = 4 out of 10
QoTW
I generally find that out and out "humour" books (cartoons and cats aside!) don't generally work for me. I prefer "normal" books with a dose of humour in the writing, like the Bernie Rhodenbarr, Longmire or Dortmunder series; Andrea Camilleri's Montalbano books; Donna Andrew's birds series; Terry Pratchett; or most things written by John Scalzi.
I'm currently struggling through Space Opera, which is supposed to be a modern Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but while bits of it are funny, far too much of it is so forced its painful.
I finished books this week! I'm so excited to tell you about them! Finished
Allegiance by Melissa Scott & Amy Griswold. This is book 3 of the Legacy series, which picks up where Stargate Atlantis ended when it was cancelled. It's ... okay. The writing is pretty choppy. I like the story, but not necessarily how everyone fits into it.
Running Barefoot by Amy Harmon (a book about a hobby). I didn't care for this book. I knew there would be religious content, but the reviewers swore it was mostly in the background. It was not. I didn't care for the main character either. She didn't have much personality.
Useless Magic by Florence Welch (a book by a musician). Someone mentioned this book in the check-in last week. I love Florence + the Machine so I decided to check it out. Reading lyrics is an interesting experience. It's like "Oh, that's what she's singing?" combined with a lot of awed re-reading because the lyrics are so beautiful. Thank you to whoever mentioned this book!
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. Absolutely loved it. I knew the ending before I started, so I'm sure my reading experience was different than someone who doesn't know about the infamous ending.
Reading
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. Now that I've finished reading a very long history of a cloister ... I suspect this book would be half the length without all of the history lessons.
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan.
Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry.
The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson.
QOTW
I enjoy a funny moment in a book. I don't often enjoy "funny" books, though. When I try to read comedy/humor, it's like my brain registers the lighthearted, silly, etc. tone and refuses to make sense of the story. They're literally incomprehensible to me. I'm usually really good at remembering plots, but when I think about that one Carl Hiaasen book I read, I'd summarize it as "There are people ... who live in Florida. And there's a cat on the cover. For some reason." I can't read that genre.
Kenya wrote: "So... I ended up in the ER this past weekend. I've been having chest pains off and on, and I finally got concerned enough about them to visit the Quick Care clinic... who immediately sent me to the..."Better safe than sorry. Glad you're OK.
I am on vacation this week, which means a lot of reading. But since I'm reading so many different books at the same time, not a lot of finishing. This week I finished Daisy Jones & The Six for my book published in 2019. I wasn't sure about it at first, but overall, I can't stop thinking about it and I really enjoyed it. I also finished Five Little Pigs which I am not using for popsugar. I love reading Agatha Christie when I'm on vacation and this one was very fun. I just love Hercule Poirot, he's definitely my favorite literary detective.
I am currently reading way too many books at the same time. They are: Moby-Dick, or, the Whale (for my library summer podcast read-along and also as my book that inspired a famous phrase); Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (continuing my Harry Potter podcast read-along); A Crown of Swords (Wheel of Time!!, also book about someone with a superpower); The Buried: An Archaeology of the Egyptian Revolution (nonfiction! not sure if it fits in any prompts); and I plan to start a new one later today. The thing is, I can only read a little bit of Moby Dick at a time and I'm reading the Harry Potter with the podcast, so I only read 2 chapters or so at at time. And I can usually only read about one chapter of Wheel of Time a day. Same with the nonfiction, which is good, but I'm only interested in about 20 pages at a time. So, then I have to have something else that can just be consumed for hours. Anyway, I'm having fun and doing lots of reading, and that's the important thing.
On a side note, we saw the Elton John movie this week and it was so wonderful.
QOTW: I enjoy funny books, but I don't necessarily seek them out. I agree with the people who are saying that books marketed as funny often aren't. Honestly, I think my favorite funny books have been Meg Cabot books.
I also finished books this week :)4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster. My neverending audiobook! It could be used for several prompts I think. I really don´t remember the prompts right now, but I´ll figure it out.
Krigen i dagslyset - del 1 and Krigen i dagslyset - del 2 (The Daylight War) by Peter V. Brett. Works for multiple POV, wedding and possibly more.
QOTW
I tend to find slightly twisted stuff funny.
Kim Fupz Aakeson is a Danish children´s/ YA author who writes really funny dialogue, he turns things upside down and is spot on with child logic. He often makes me laugh, even though his stories almost always has a serious side to them.
I really find The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy funny. I also found John Cleese´s memoir So, Anyway... funny.
Good morning y’all! It’s a dreary rainy day in Georgia. It’s going to be raining all week; it just means I’m staying inside for a little bit. LOL. I’m ready for some summer showers. It’s been hot! I’ve been just reading all week and my boyfriend will most likely make me go out this weekend. Most likely going dancing or hitting up Ironmonger to see some battle axes getting forged! Finished:
26. A book that's published in 2019 - A Philosophy of Ruin by Nicholas Mancusi - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - It was so good! It’s an advanced read and it’s amazing.
42. A "choose-your-own-adventure" book - My Lady's Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel by Kitty Curran & Larissa Zageris - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - This was so interesting. The premise was good; if it was the same book in a normal format; it would be a no.
46. A book with no chapters / unusual chapter headings / unconventionally numbered chapters - Genuine Fraud by E.Lockhart - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - It was backwards, very weird but cool
43. An "own voices" book - Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - This book was awful. My review is very long.
34. A book that includes a wedding - The Hating Game Sally Thorne - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - It’s nothing new.
32. A book author from Asia, Africa, or South America Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - This was AWESOME.
23. A book set in Scandinavia - A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Bachman - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - This book was amazing.
6 . A book with a plant in the title or on the cover - Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - Very interesting ending.
PS: 26/50, ATY: 26/52, GR: 34/50
Currently reading:
22. A book with SALTY, SWEET, BITTER, or SPICY in the title - Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad - It’s okay so far. I’m listening to the audiobook and I have to take breaks because the voices are awful.
QOTW:
I try to look for funny books but every time a book is marketed as funny. I never find it funny. Like Jojo Moyes said Queenie was funny. There was nothing funny about that book.
Mod
QOTW: I like funny books. But, I don't know that I r..."
Angels & Demons is my least favorite of his books...
Good morning all! After 3 days of "spring," when it just rained constantly, causing the worst flood in 65 years, it is now "summer" at 85 degrees F. I prefer the rain, sans flooding.I'm at 37/50 but only finished 3 books this week:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid- not for the challenge
Renegades by Marissa Meyer- Author whose first and last names start with the same letter
Marvel 1602 by Neil Gaiman- for the ATY challenge
I'm working on 7 other books right now but NONE of them work for popsugar. Although, I could perhaps count Muse of Nightmares as a ghost story. There are ghosts. But I don't think it's in the spirit of the prompt.
QOTW:
I don't seek out funny books, but when I listened to my first David Sedaris audio book, I loved it! I've listened to Jenny Lawson's audios as well. And this year, Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography. I think humorous books work better on audio when you're driving or cleaning.
I also liked The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (also on audio). Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency was funny and good too, and that one I actually read in book form.
I briefly had my currently reading books down to three (!) which a very reasonable number for me (especially since that includes an audio book that I'm listening to with my husband, which tends to go in spurts and is on the back burner right now), but then I started a few more... I also somehow didn't start any of my remaining Popsugar challenge books this week when I tackled my stack for the ATY summer reading challenge. I only have 5 left, so there's plenty of time, but my competitive side is pushing me to finish since I'm so close.
Finished Reading:
The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well Three stars--some interesting info, but so much of the long explanation of what hygge is and why you'd want it are now all the over the internet and old news (unlike when this book was first written).
Undying Sadly didn't enjoy this sequel as much as the first book, but it still a fun adventure story for the most part. Both books in the duology could work for cli-fi.
As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride Highly recommend for fans of the Princess Bride, and the audio version was extra fun with so many people connected with the movie sharing their thoughts and experiences with their own voices.
The Dry Harsh enough to remind me why I don't often read thrillers, but not enough to make me regret reading it. Very absorbing! I originally had this slotted for book you read in the season it's set in, and while I already filled that with a winter book, this one counts too, since it's definitely feeling quite summery here now.
Currently Reading:
Les Misérables Still making some progress on the audio version. I think his (very long) explanation of why Paris is the best city ever is my least favorite part so far.
Eat Cake. Be Brave. Was thinking about giving up on this one, just because it wasn't much of anything interesting, until I got to the part with the cheerleader and the tape recorder and the guy she introduced the cheerleader to... I feel like I owe her finishing the book just for how much fun that one chapter was.
Uglies Despite appreciating the premise, it's a pretty generic dystopian that I'm feeling meh about it. I wish I'd read it back when the Divergent series seemed like such a good idea, as it's probably at least as good as that ever was.
Valencia and Valentine Finding this one quite interesting! It's a recent Kindle First Read that happens to fill an A-Z title slot I didn't have yet.
DNF:
Quantum Physics: Beginner's Guide to the Most Amazing Physics Theories Decided to officially give up on this one. When I'm feeling like I have the brain power I'll try something like How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog.
QOTW:
Like some others have said, books that are supposed to be funny are rarely actually funny to me (I have the same problem with YouTube videos that everyone else things are hilarious). Even books like The Eyre Affair where I enjoy the humor, are more quirky and amusing that laugh out loud funny. I occasionally run across a laugh out loud line in a random book, but I don't remember which ones now.
I need to get Strange Planet though, as I LOVE the comics he posts on Instagram.
Kenya wrote: "So... I ended up in the ER this past weekend. I've been having chest pains off and on, and I finally got concerned enough about them to visit the Quick Care clinic... who immediately sent me to the..."If it makes you feel better, my husband ended up in the emergency room a couple years ago for acid reflux induced panic attacks. He's a pretty low key, practical, non-hypochondriac kind of guy, but he'd never experienced any kind of panic attack type thing before, and he thought something was very wrong with him.
With the combination of the weird physical symptoms that can be caused by anxiety and panic attacks, with the fact that your brain is pumping all the chemicals that make you more afraid and less rational, it it can truly feel like your body is shutting down in that kind of situation. <3
I hope you're doing better now!
Lynn wrote: "Katy wrote: "This is a little embarrassing, but I'm still working on Angels and Demons. Not sure why it's taken me over a week and a half to read this book.QOTW: I like funny books. But, I don't ..."
I have less than a hundred pages left. I think part of the problem with the book is that there are just too many near-death episodes. Realistically speaking, how many times can someone come with seconds of death, in one day no less, and survive.
Plus, I already saw the movie, so I feel no sense of urgency to find out what's going to happen.
Last year I was having panic attacks that I worried was a heart problem which then made my panic worse. The NHS even list in their symptoms of a heart attack:"an overwhelming sense of anxiety (similar to having a panic attack)"
Thanks doctors!
Had a bit of a panic last night at the Cardinals game. Seth (my 26-year-old, non-verbal autistic son) and I were trying to wait out the rain delay, but because it was really storming we decided to get our hands stamped and go back home (we live less than a block away) and wait it out. But as we were exiting the stadium I lost sight of him. Was he inside the stadium or outside? The staff at the stadium was so helpful. We had a whole team of people looking for him! Where was he? At home. Yes, he'd gotten past me and was waiting at the front door. Whew! (Before I checked in here I wrote a note to the Cardinals organization thanking them for all their help.)Now, reading? I'm really off track... I finished five books this week, but none of them were for this challenge.
Challenge Progress: 34/50
Completed:
Too Wilde to Wed: The first half was great... the second half not so much. North and Diana had great chemistry, and the story of how they overcame their not-so-successful engagement was sweet. But too much of their behavior was out of place for the Georgian era for this installment to be entirely successful.
Stepsister: I love a re-told fairy tale! And one that's feminist? Breaking the bonds of "prettiness" and other's expectations of what a girl should be? Yes. Yes, yes, yes.
The Beginning of Everything: I loved this book. It doesn't have the sappy, everything-is-perfect ending that so many YA books have. It's not about finding your one true love or the meaning of everything; it's about finding yourself.
Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline: I was intrigued by this one after reading Hans Rosling's Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think last year, and I wasn't disappointed. Bricker and Ibbitson present a convincing argument for the decline of global population with this century (as well as vigorous defense of immigration) that I just can't stop talking about. I'm sure my friends and family are heartily annoyed already. Bonus!
Kushner, Inc.: Greed. Ambition. Corruption. the Extraordinary Story of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump: "[T}he couple was well-mannered and more self-controlled than either of their volatile fathers, but beneath the polish was a toxic mix of arrogance and ignorance." Doesn't that just describe Jared and Ivanka brilliantly? (But this book is kind of a mess... so many plots, deceptions, and underhanded schemes that it's difficult to keep all the players straight even if you regularly follow politics. I can't imagine trying to follow all the machinations otherwise!)
Currently Reading: [book:Opposite of Always|42288741] (a book with no chapters, unusual chapter headings, or unconventionally numbered chapters), The Den, The Woman in the Window (a book becoming a movie in 2019), I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer (a book published posthumously)
QOTW: At first I thought, "Sure! I like funny books!" but then I looked back at what I'd read the past few years and realized that I really don't. I think that most books meant to be funny try too hard. I'd rather find humor within more serious situations.
Sara wrote: "I am on vacation this week, which means a lot of reading. But since I'm reading so many different books at the same time, not a lot of finishing. This week I finished [book:Daisy Jones & The Six|..."
Whats the name of the read along podcast doing Moby Dick?
Hello!For some reason, this was just not a good reading week for me. I went to a wedding on Saturday and didn't get any reading done at all this week.
Finished:
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer for a book published posthumously. I listened to it on audio and loved it. It's so good and creepy.
Currently Reading:
The Perfect Mother for Two books that share the same title. I haven't made any progress on it. It's not that I don't like it, I've just been so tired after work all week that I haven't gotten any of it read.
Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee for a book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter. I had gotten this through the library and didn't start reading it quickly enough and had to return it (someone else had it on hold). But I was able to check it out on audio from Overdrive last night, so I'll be able to listen to it on my drive to and from work every day.
QOTW:
I love funny books, I don't read a ton of them though. I really thought Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood was not only good but laugh out loud funny in some parts.
Happy Thursday,I had a great weekend with family. My great niece turned four and I got to meet my new 1 month great niece for the first time. I made sure to gets lots of snuggle time. My nephew came in for the festivites so a great time to see family.
I only read one book this week.
Naturally Tan by Tan France it was an ARC. I expected more but there was his easy style tips which was fun. Not for any challenge.
I'm currently reading The Song of Achilles.
QOTW
David Sedaris is my go to funny reading. I have all his books on audio since they are way funnier when he reads them.
I'm officially halfway through the Popsugar challenge! I've finished 25/50.Finished
While Mortals Sleep: Unpublished Short Fiction - For #13, a book published posthumously. I've been a big Vonnegut fan forever. These stories are pretty different from a lot of his other work, for reasons explained in the introduction. I still liked it OK but didn't love it.
Priestdaddy: A Memoir - For #11, an item of clothing or accessory on the cover. Speaking of humorous books, this book had several moments that made me laugh out loud. It was a pretty entertaining memoir.
Currently Reading
Bowlaway - I started off loving it because of fantastic writing and quirky characters. I'm a little over halfway and the writing has lost its sparkle and the plot (what little there is) is draaagggging. Hoping it picks up again soon. For Camp ToB.
Becoming - Also not for the challenge, just because I finally made it through the library hold list. I don't normally go for this kind of memoir but I am liking it. It really captures Michelle Obama's voice well and I can imagine her telling these stories.
Question of the Week
I don't intentionally seek out funny books but I love it when a book surprises me and makes me laugh, like I mentioned with Priestdaddy above. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and its sequels, and a couple of Carl Hiaasen books are the only ones I can think of that I have read that would be categorized as "humor" books.
This week I finished:If I Can't Have You: It is a perfectly fine book. Short, cute, as good as the first two. Worth reading but nothing too special.
The Rock Says: One of the kids I supervise of probation and I had a deal that if he completed his book report, I would read whatever book he did it on, thus me choosing this book. Having said that, I love the Rock and I watched a lot of professional wrestling as a kid, so I thought the book was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to.
For Better and Worse: The ending saved this book for sure. I found myself interested and invested throughout the book, even though the characters were unforgivably stupid. The idea that these people thought for a second that they had planned this murder out well enough is ridiculous. There were holes in that plan big enough to drive a truck through, which is, again, why the ending saved the whole book for me.
QOTW: Do you like to read humorous books? What are some favorites?
Sure, I like humorous books. Sh*t My Dad Says and comes to mind, but what I tend to like more is when an author incorporates humor into more serious subject matter. For examples, I think J.A. Konrath’s Jack Daniels series is funny…and also gory and exciting.
Hello everyone! I'm quite pleased that I am ahead of the game right now at 27/50. I am moving and have bananas deadlines in the next month (and my office is moving!) so I'm sure my lead will diminish quickly. I'm enjoying it while I can!This week I finished The Bear and the Nightingale (debut novel) and Rapture Ready!: Adventures in the Parallel Universe of Christian Pop Culture ("pop" in title), and I liked both of them quite a bit. I found Rapture Ready laugh-out-loud funny at point, and unexpectedly quite inspirational at the end. The insight from one pastor that evangelicals need to stop worrying about being right and saving everyone, and start being more kind and loving and letting people make their own decisions really hit me. I've been so worried about climate change and other issues I've gotten...a bit pushy, so it was a good reminder for me.
Currently reading:
The Fifth Season
The Map of Salt and Stars ("salt" in title)
Storm of Locusts (first and last names start with the same letter)
The Night Watch by Sarah Waters (2 books with the same name--the other will be Terry Pratchett)
Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" (published posthumously)
QOTW: I like a bit of humor in a book, but I rarely think outright comedy books are funny. I've DNF'd Catch 22 multiple times, and comedy memoirs are right out. However, I have very fond memories of all the Jeeves and Wooster books, so you never know.
Hello all,I missed last week's check in so this is for the past two weeks. I too have been watching the weeds slowly take over my garden, I am hoping the rain will stay away this weekend long enough to get them somewhat under control. I am excited as I actually have both days off this weekend which hasn't happen in a while.
I finally sat down and updated my reading list and I am at 19/50 for the challenge. Yay go me.
I finished
A Dangerous Collaboration this is one of my favorite series I love the writing, the characters, the tension, it is just so delightful so I put it as a book I would like to made into a movie. I know there are a more in the series before this and I would love them all to be made into movies.
Caraval this book was okay if it were a movie it would be a b rated movie the character, story, writing just was a little meh. I used it for the prompt based on a game or puzzle. It is part of a series I won't be continuing.
Currently reading
Moon Shimmers this is book # 19 in a long running series I have been truly enjoying. There are two more books after this to end the series, they are patiently waiting on my Kobo to be read after this one.
QOTW
I love a book that will give me a good laugh. Laughing is so important in life.
Happy Reading everyone
Mod
Last Wool and Testament by [author:Molly MacRae|745..."
Goodreads has incorrectly changed a book from my TBR shelf to "read" without my having marked it as "read."
Mod
I'm just glad for you that it wasn't actually heart disease of some sort. I have a good friend who was taken from Urgent Care by ambulance immediately, spent a week in the hospital and it required several months for them to get her stabilized on an effective medication regimen for CHF (Congestive Heart Failure). I believe you are correct about gratitude... :)
I loved Rules!!
Mod
This week I finished [book:Daisy Jones & The Six|..."
I also watched Rocketman this past weekend. We both really enjoyed it!
This week I finished:Never Broken: Songs Are Only Half the Story - #3
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo - #12
You - #25
Ripper - #39
In Progress:
Primavera con una esquina rota - #6
Adaptation - #7
The First Time She Drowned - #17
The Light in the Ruins - #19
QOTW:
I like some, but I prefer subtle humor in non-comedy books.
Hello. I've read a bit, but haven't really been settled on one particular book so I've finished very little. I did finish one, for another challenge:The Crossover by Kwame Alexander - written in verse, an emotional telling of a year in the life of twin brothers who are also star athletes at their school.
QOTW: I like humorous books, but most of what I read that makes me laugh isn't specifically in the humor category. For example, Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, starting with One for the Money, makes me laugh out loud. Books written by comedians, which are fun, don't always do that. I do love to revisit Still Pumped from Using the Mouse and other Dilbert books for a quick laugh, or one of the Thelwell collection like Thelwell Goes West.
Mod
Kenya wrote: "So... I ended up in the ER this past weekend. I've been having chest pains off and on, and I finally got concerned enough about them to visit the Quick Care clinic... who immediately sent me to the..."I'm glad you're OK (well, your heart is). I know several people, myself included, who have sought medical help for what turned out to be anxiety symptoms such as heart pounding, short breath, etc. It's scary, and don't forget anxiety and heartburn actually also deserve treatment, so I'm glad you went. (But I'm sorry you had to - the ER is no fun regardless.)
Happy Thursday all! Finished 2 books this week, none for the challenge, which still leaves me at 44/50. Finished:
The Last Guardian- Finished my re-read (well, listen this time) of the Artemis Fowl series. I forgot so much but this series is so great!!!
The Second Rider- (Austria) for my 193 reading challenge. It grew on me as I read it and is a great mystery set in Vienna in the aftermath of WWI.
Currently Reading:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Inkspell
Holy Sister
The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding
The Quantum Thief
QOTW:
I like humorous stories though I don't go out of my way to look for them. Some stories with lots of humorous moments I've read this year are Guards! Guards!, A Man With One of Those Faces, and Sushi for One?.
Kenya wrote: "So... I ended up in the ER this past weekend. I've been having chest pains off and on, and I finally got concerned enough about them to visit the Quick Care clinic... who immediately sent me to the..."I'm glad you are ok, it's quite frustrating to deal with health issues that come with scary symptoms, but it's best to get checked out.
Khristina wrote: "Good morning y’all! It’s a dreary rainy day in Georgia. It’s going to be raining all week; it just means I’m staying inside for a little bit. LOL. I’m ready for some summer showers. It’s been hot! ..."Thank you for that review of Queenie. Now I can remove it from my tbr list. I'm not reading any problematic books with bad stereotypical depictions of black people. i'm good!
Hello everyone. I had a great weekend at Disneyland Paris with my brother and nephew. Seeing his little face light up when he met "the real" Spider-man made it worth sweating in super long queues all weekend! This week I finished Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. In case you can't tell, I'm a massive Disney nerd so I thought this would be right up my alley, but I spent most of it bored. I felt like the author was trying too hard to impress the reader with his Disney knowledge. Plus the "twist" of the killer was blindingly obvious even before the murder occurred.
Currently reading: Ivanhoe but it's on pause because I got a whole bunch of library holds come up at once
Also reading Dry. I'm sure it is all in my head but my mouth keeps going dry every time I read this...
QOTW: I don't intentionally seek out funny books to be honest. I find a lot of Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams funny
Kenya wrote: "So... I ended up in the ER this past weekend. I've been having chest pains off and on, and I finally got concerned enough about them to visit the Quick Care clinic... who immediately sent me to the..."Kenya, you absolutely did the right thing. Glad it turned out to be less serious than you thought. I have had acid reflux for years, and there are times even now when the chest pains are really scary. When it first started and I had no idea what it was, I was freaking out. And of course the anxiety that it causes just makes it worse.
Hope wrote: "Happy Thursday all! Finished 2 books this week, none for the challenge, which still leaves me at 44/50. Finished:
The Last Guardian- Finished my re-read (well, listen this time) of..."
What is the 193 challenge?
Mod
I was busier this weekend so only read 328 pages. (Down from 791 pages the prior weekend!) But that is okay. Especially since 253 of those pages were from Becoming by Michelle Obama. I assumed her writing would resonate with me and I was not wrong! I am really enjoying it. Sure wish I could have attended one of her book tour programs, but I could not… I have read some of the reactions and reviews of this book and was gratified to see that several pundits feel as if she will have political pull in the future, even if she prefers not to be directly involved in politics. I sure hope so. I cannot imagine that I would disagree with her…
Haven’t read much further in Cat in an Orange Twist either. (No time!)
I will finish Becoming this evening since book club discussion is tomorrow!
Question of the Week
Do you like to read humorous books? What are some favorites?
I love to read books that make me chuckle and/or laugh! I still read Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, purchasing each one and reading it either that day (if I can schedule myself off work) or as soon as possible! I see the 26th in the series is due to be released in November! Yay! Other than that there are several other series that I find humorous: Andy Carpenter by David Rosenfelt (author), Chet and Bernie by Spencer Quinn, and Jo Mackenzie by Gil McNeil.
Other than that, I did find The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series to be humorous when I read it years ago. I don’t know if it would resonate for me as well now… Other than that, I have enjoyed the couple of “humor” books I’ve listened to in the car. Jenny Lawson’s Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir was especially funny!
Finally managed to finish 2 books: Binti and The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, and half of a third, You've Been So Lucky Already: A Memoir.
My week has been hit or miss when it comes to reading. I finished The House Girl as prompt #9 A book you meant to read in 2018. Overall I liked the book but I had mixed feelings about it. Here's what I posted as my review: I have so many feelings surrounding this novel. I was drawn to the house girl, Josephine's story, than that of Lina who's also a main character. In the beginning I thought Lina was a black women until I realized that she wasn't. Josephine's story made me sad. The end made me sad, but this type of thing happened to slaves all the time. I know some people who thought the idea of reparations was a bad idea but to them I want to say why? Jewish people received reparations, Japanese people received reparations and Native Americans have received some sort of financial compensation for their suffering. So what about the descendants of slaves? The ending really did answer this question for me. Mostly because of the rape of so many of our female descendants that had their slave masters children, some of who went on to pass as white. I have more questions than answers but I'm happy that I got the chance to read this book.
I'm currently reading:
Meddling Kids for my IRL sci-fi book club. I'm using it for prompt #2 for a book that makes you nostalgic. So my book club met tuesday and I'm only on page 100 of the book. I chose it because it's supposed to be about The Scooby Doo gang all grown up. I absolutely love Scooby Doo and it makes me nostalgic for m y childhood. So far I have some issues with the author's word choices but overall I like it.
The Trial I'm listening to this for prompt #13. I'm also reading it for another book club that I decided to join.
Queen Sugar listening for prompt #10. I'm having some difficulty with this one. it's not turning out to what I thought it would be. I'm disappointed and probably is the reason why I haven't been listening to it.
QOTW: i don't search out funny books but if something funny happens in the book I'm all for it.
A quiet reading week for me. Funny how a four day conference will eat into reading time. I read two different romances. My Favorite Half-Night Stand was pure fun- two best friends who take a while to realise they actually want to be more than friends. The Girl He Used to Know was a deeper read. Jonathan and Annika met again ten years after they split up, a split precipitated by a traumatic event and compounded by her Aspergers/social anxiety. I also completed Sunset Beach where Drue ends up investigating two murders from the past, both of which may involve her father, with who she has a complicated relationship. It had a darker streak than the beachy cover indicated. I enjoyed all these but my favourite was Where the Forest Meets the Stars - gorgeous writing, memorable characters you could really root for, and a plot element that could really rip your heart out. I also loved the focus on the natural world, particularly the birds. QotW . I appreciate humour, but don’t generally enjoy or read many books that are designed to be funny.
I read 9 books this week. All were audiobooks, which is how I managed to read so many. Only The Winter King: A Novel of Arthur was for PS. I'm still reading Midnight's Children. It's been put on hold so I could read my library books before they were taken back, but hopefully I will get to finish it this week.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Indigo Girl (other topics)The Mystery at Underwood House (other topics)
My Lady's Choosing (other topics)
No Time for Goodbye (other topics)
How to Read Literature Like a Professor (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Ani DiFranco (other topics)Sofía Segovia (other topics)
Francis Iles (other topics)
Jenny Lawson (other topics)
Yukito Kishiro (other topics)
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I’ve made some reading progress, this week I finished 4 books, 2 for this Challenge, so I am now 41/50.
The Moon in the Palace by Weina Dai Randel - this was historical fiction retelling the story of Empress Wu as a young woman. It felt pretty authentic, and it ends before she becomes Empress, so I definitely need to read the sequel.
Dead Woman Walking by Sharon J. Bolton - completely gripping thriller that kind of fell apart at the very end (and the detail I didn’t like wasn’t even necessary to the plot). I’ve never read Bolton before, I’ll definitely be seeking out more books by her!! A large part of the action takes place in a convent, so I checked off that category, and I thank the member who recommended this book!
Merely a Marriage by Jo Beverley - historical romance, published posthumously. Not her best. I’m glad they published it, because it gave me a book to read for this category, but maybe they shouldn’t’ve published this one.
Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson - just like DWW, this was a taut, riveting psychological thriller ... until the ending. What a trite ending!
Question of the Week
Do you like to read humorous books? What are some favorites?
I like to laugh (doesn’t everyone??) but I haven’t found many humor books that I enjoy. Most of the celebrity books (Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, David Sedaris, etc) are okay, but they don’t really do that much for me. I’m always hoping to find a good funny book!! (Or, better, a funny series!!!)
There are some romance authors who can make me laugh - Jackie Lau is the most recent, Jill Shalvis is usually good for a laugh too. But those aren’t really humor books, they are romances with some funny lines.
The most consistently funny series I’ve found so far is the “Myron Bolitar” mystery series from Harlan Coben. But again, that’s not “humor.”