Book Challenges 2019

I’ve done book challenges in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The first two years, I just sort of winged it. In 2018, I planned all my challenges based on books I already owned.

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I started off the year reading a lot of books I didn’t like. There were whole stretches of time where reading felt more like a chore than something fun. And since reading is my escape/ primary coping skill, that was pretty miserable.

Midway through the year, I gave up on trying to force myself to read books I already owned. I did searches for YA books that fit the categories and got them from the library. It ended up being a lot more fun, and I discovered books I ended up loving.

A large number of books I own were bought by me in the past, and my reading tastes have changed drastically over time. The books I wanted to read 10 years ago aren’t necessarily what I want to read now. And forcing myself to read them for arbitrary reasons isn’t good for anyone.

I do think that planning the books in advance was helpful, but this year, I’m going to be very picky about it. If I can find books on my shelves that I want to read, I’ll use those. (I did read some great books I already owned for my challenge categories.) But if I can’t, then I’ll search online for other books to fit the categories. I think it’s all about balance, and reading challenges are supposed to be fun.

For this year, I’m going to do the Popsugar Challenge and the While I Was Reading Challenge again. I finished them both last year, finishing the last book for the challenge on December 31… I like to cut things close!

I’ve already made out my list, filling in some suggestions for categories. Starred books are ones I already own. I’ve tried to give myself more flexibility this year. Even though I might have multiple books in multiple categories, my intention is to count each one only once. There are still a few categories left blank, so if you have any suggestions, feel free.

Are you doing any reading challenges this year? Which one?

 

 

Book Challenges- September 2018

I didn’t read as much this month as I have in previous months, mostly because I’m working very hard on editing my book. But I did get a few good ones read…

Popsugar Challenge

A book set in a bookstore or library: Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, by Matthew Sullivan (mystery): This was not what I expected, but it was still enjoyable. The story starts with an odd man who commits suicide in the bookstore and leaves all his possessions to Lydia, who works in the store. He’s left her clues that connect his history to a traumatic event from her past. It was a lot of fun.

A book with two authors: The Iron Trial, by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare (MG fantasy): This is the first in a series of five books, and I’m not sure if I’ll be continuing or not. There were a lot of things in it that reminded me of Harry Potter, so if you’re searching for something like it, maybe that’s a good thing…

A microhistory: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, by Mary Roach (nonfiction): This book was disgusting and fascinating, chock full of information I never knew I wanted to know (but I kind of did). It’s got a trigger warning for everyone and is not for the squeamish. I struggled with the experimentation done on dogs, and had to remind myself that they would have been long dead anyway.

While I Was Reading Challenge

No progress this month. 😦

The Unread Shelf

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman (genre: contemporary, mental health): Eleanor Oliphant is completely unlikable… at first. She’s also fascinating and vulnerable. By the middle of the book, I wanted to gather her in my arms and comfort her. I couldn’t stop reading. The “surprise” ending has been done many times, but it worked for me.

Running Total: 29

5 Classic Books

No progress this month.

Miscellaneous Reading

Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Dynamic Characters and Effective Viewpoints, by Nancy Kress (genre: nonfiction, writing): My writing group has told me a million times that my characters are too gray and need more agency. I’ve understood the words, but that hadn’t helped me change. I got so frustrated by trial and error that I was ready to quit. And then this book was like a revelation. The information is presented in a concrete, straightforward fashion with lots of examples. It’s finally making sense!

The Girl Who Fell, by SM Parker (YA contemporary romance): This is a dark romance about a teenager with goals who gets enmeshed in a psychologically abusive relationship. It’s mesmerizing and terrifying.

Pretty Little Liars, by Sara Shepard (YA contemporary): It was suspenseful and interesting, about the disappearance of a girl, and her friends who are all a little relieved, because the disappeared girl knew a secret about each one of them that she’d never want revealed. The first book doesn’t tie up any loose ends, and there are 16 books in the series, so be warned that if you try the first one, you’ll probably want to commit to the series. I’m not continuing.

Where She Went, by Gayle Forman (YA contemporary): This is the sequel to If I Stay, and while I loved the first book, I adore the second one. Adam loved Mia and stayed by her side while she recovered from the car accident that killed her entire family. Then, she stopped returning his phone calls. After a chance meeting, they have one evening to figure out what went wrong.

Story Fix: Transform Your Novel From Broken to Brilliant, by Larry Brooks (nonfiction, writing): I will read pretty much any writing book Larry Brooks writes. He presents concrete “rules,” which maybe wouldn’t work for some people, but I like structure. He presents information in a concrete manner with lots of examples. His books can get a bit repetitive at times, but I can live with that.

Leverage In Death, by JD Robb (mystery, romance): We know whodunit, but not why or who was pulling the strings. Another fantastic mystery in the series.

Abandoned

None this month.

2018 Running Total: 113

Have you made any progress on your TBR or book challenges?

Book Challenges- August 2018

Popsugar Challenge

A book from a celebrity book club: An American Marriage, by Tayari Jones (Oprah book club) (contemporary): This was a fantastic book! I enjoyed the exploration of marriage, fidelity, and how love can change over time. There are so many moral shades of gray in this book that I wasn’t sure who or what to root for. As with life, there were no right answers.

(23/50)

While I Was Reading Challenge

A self-published book: All The Little Lights, by Jamie McGuire (YA romance): If I need a romance with characters who speak to me, I know that I should pick up a Jamie McGuire book. I loved all the little moments in this book and the “big secret” the main character was hiding made it even better.

(6/12)

The Unread Shelf

Attachments, by Rainbow Rowell (romance): Like Jamie McGuire, Rainbow Rowell is on my list of authors who I know won’t let me down. Attachments is a sweet (but improbable) love story about a guy who falls in love with a girl while monitoring her work email. (It’s his job, though he takes it too far.) Honestly, I love improbable romances. If I wanted real life, I’d do… reality things. Instead, I read books and watch movies. Don’t judge me!

Hush, Hush; Cresendo; Silence; Finale, by Becca Fitzpatrick (YA paranormal romance): I’m not entirely sure what to say about this series. I had the first one, Hush, Hush, on my shelf forever. Then a friend told me I had to read it, especially with Becca Fitzpatrick announcing that they’re making a movie based on the book! And then my friend said she only made it partway through the second book.

I read all of them and I don’t regret it, but the others, while being rated increasingly higher on Goodreads, were not as good as the first. I’m not entirely sure why, and I don’t think it had anything to do with the writing. I think I just got the ride I wanted to out of the first book and that I should have stopped there. Just to be clear, the others weren’t bad, but it’s the difference between like and love.

Why We Broke Up, by Daniel Handler (contemporary): I bought this for the pretty cover and the cool illustrations. This book was okay. It’s a YA book about a breakup, and I suspect I would have liked it more if I were still a teenager. Some YA books are wonderful for all ages, and some aren’t. This one, with it’s teen angst over a first love, just didn’t speak to me.

The Dinner List, by Rebecca Serle (magical realism): This was a fun book from the Book of the Month Club. I was intrigued by the premise, because we probably all have made a list of the 5 people (living or dead) we’d like to have dinner with. For my list and a full review, you can go to the blog I wrote about this one.

Running Total: 28

5 Classic Books

(2/5) The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald- Maybe I’m just not a fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald. I liked this one better than better than Tender is the Night, but I still didn’t think there was anything great about it. It’s a somewhat typical love story told from an unusual perspective. And then everyone lives sadly ever after.

I guess I’m glad I read it from a cultural reference standpoint, but I don’t understand how it became this ensconced in culture to begin with. It’s got some good lines, but other than that, I’m glad I borrowed it from the library.

Miscellaneous Reading

The Mad Scientist’s Daughter, by Cassandra Rose Clarke (science fiction/ romance): A friend just got married, and I was making conversation with her sister (who was visiting). We got to talking about books (I know you’re shocked) and she mentioned that this book is her favorite. Of course I had to run right out and get it from the library.

It’s set in a future where we have the technology to make androids, but we don’t treat them as sentient beings or recognize they have rights. The mad scientist’s daughter grows up with one such android and falls in love with him. There’s lots of interesting exploration of the morality of the situation, both what it means to consider a sentient being human, and what it means not to.

Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done, by Laura Vanderkam (non-fiction/ self-help): I’m looking for a magical solution to make me more organized and efficient. I haven’t found it yet, but this is a good book. It gave me some new perspectives on how to consider time and to use it better. So much so that I borrowed it from the library, then went ahead and bought it.

Not if I Save You First, by Ally Carter (YA romance): I picked this book up at the library based on the back cover copy.

Seriously, how can you not be hooked by murderers and a bejeweled hatchet?

I loved that the main character is a girly girl who saves the day using mostly her brains. I love a girl who kicks some ass too, but it seems like the ones who paint their nails aren’t supposed to be heroes. This was fun and delivered on all the promises it made.

The Summer of Broken Things, by Margaret Peterson Haddix (YA contemporary): This is a sweet and sad coming of age novel about two girls with nothing in common but the secret their parents share.

The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss, by Jason Fung, MD: I’ve watched Dr. Fung’s videos online, so when I saw he had a book, I had to get it. It’s interesting stuff backed by science. Dr. Fung makes the science (mostly) accessible and explains things in a way that makes them seem like common sense. He also talks about the studies he cites, along with their limitations.

Lie, Lay, Lain, by Bryn Greenwood (contemporary): First off, there may never be another book I love as much as All The Ugly and Wonderful Things. So when I say this one wasn’t as good, that’s to be expected. I did like this book though. It had an interesting premise and great characters. The dual point of views worked for me, and I looked forward to following both Jennifer and Olivia. Plus, this has what I think may be the most gorgeous cover I’ve ever seen!

Abandoned

None this month.

2018 Running Total: 101

Have you made any progress on your TBR or book challenges?

Book Challenges- July 2018

Vacation did me a lot of good, as all vacations should! I was in a reading slump, and boy did I come out of it over vacation.

Popsugar Challenge

A book by a local author: The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are, by Brene Brown (Memoir/ self-help): It took me a long time to read the first half because it was pre-vacation and I wasn’t in the right mindset. After vacation, it went fast. I’m going to have to go back and re-read the first half because I don’t think I got much out of it. It’s a lovely inspirational message that has helped me rekindle creativity.

A book about a villain or antihero: Vicious, by VE Schwab (Fantasy/ Science Fiction): Victor and Eli decide to try an experiment to become ExtraOrdinary people (basically superheroes). While they do gain powers, the experiments don’t go exactly as planned. It’s told in dual timelines, and is a thoroughly entertaining story chock full of ambiguous morality.

A book about mental health: The Weight of Zero, by Karen Fortunati (YA Contemporary): I loved this book. It’s a breathtaking story about a girl with bipolar disorder who fears “Zero,” her depression, coming back. So she makes a plan that next time it does, she’ll kill herself rather than live that way. But when she gets a new therapist who sends her to an intensive outpatient group of other kids struggling with various issues, she starts to see herself (and them) in a different light.

A favorite category from another year (2017- a book that’s been on your TBR for way too long): The Hike, by Drew Magary (Fantasy/ horror): I was first attracted to this book by the cool cover and the description of it being like a fairy tale mixed with a video game.

I liked this book a lot, maybe more now that I’m done reading it than I did while I was reading it. It’s not the best book ever, but I expect it to stick with me. This is the kind of book that I might read again and decide I like better the second time around when I’m not so disoriented and trying to figure everything out.

This book doesn’t make a lot of logical sense, so if you go into it expecting that, you’ll be disappointed. There are a lot of layers to it. It’s not a book for everyone, but it’s worth reading. Jason Sheehan calls it a “summer beach book for dudes.” Accurate.

A book mentioned in another book- The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery (mentioned in The Little Paris Bookshop) (fiction/ philosophy)- I ranted about this on Goodreads, so if you’d like a review, complete with spoilers, click here. What I will say here is that while I didn’t hate the book, I didn’t really like it either. The first 50% of the book is the two main characters discussing philosophy (separately… they haven’t met yet), talking about how misunderstood they are, and doing absolutely nothing. Halfway through, they start doing things after a new person moves into the building where they live, and the book was enjoyable until the end. The ending did not pay off for me. I’m sure this book is beautiful and well-written, full of deep thoughts, but it didn’t entertain me, so it’s a dud. (Okay, maybe I did hate it.)

(23/50)

While I Was Reading Challenge

A collection of poetry: Milk and Honey, by Rupi Kaur (Poetry/ Feminism): When I was a kid, I loved poetry. As I grew up, I’m not sure what happened, but I just got away from reading it. I’ve seen Rupi quotes on Pinterest and Instagram, so I was intrigued to read her collection. It’s lovely and raw. Not every poem spoke to me, but enough did that I’d recommend it.

(5/12)

The Unread Shelf

Ashley Bell, by Dean Koontz: I haven’t read any new Koontz books in a few years. Growing up, he was my favorite author. I’ve noticed that he goes through cycles. For a few years, I love everything he writes, and for a few years, I don’t.

I picked up Ashley Bell at Half Price Books because I saw on Koontz’s blog that he felt that it was the best book he’d ever written. That’s a bold claim, and I thought that if he loves the book that much, I’d try it.

I didn’t like it, and it really pains me to say that. I loved the concept and the twists, but for me, it was overwritten with a disappointing ending. Although I have almost every Koontz book ever written, I’m seriously considering putting this one back in the box I take to trade in.

Running Total: 28

5 Classic Books

(1/5) No progress this week

Miscellaneous Reading

Shelter in Place, by Nora Roberts (Romantic Suspense): If you like Nora Roberts, you’ll like this book. It’s got a great storyline and interesting characters.

A Million Junes, by Emily Henry (YA Magical realism): I tried reading this book on audiobook once, and for me, it went way too slow on the audiobook. On paper, it was paced just right. It’s a sweet story about grief and first love told against the backdrop of a family curse.

Northern Lights, by Nora Roberts (Romance/ mystery): This is a reread, but it is one of my favorite Nora Roberts books. I was in Alaska, and this book is set there, so I started thinking about it and ended up downloading it to my Kindle.

Not a Drop to Drink, by Mindy McGinnis (YA science fiction): Lynn has always defended the pond because her mother told her to. They live in a future where water is scarce, and the pond is their life. When her mother dies, and Lynn encounters some travelers in need of help, what her mother taught her and her sense of compassion go to war as she tries to figure out what’s right.

My Heart And Other Black Holes, by Jasmine Warga (YA contemporary): Aysel meets Roman on a website for people looking to partner with others to commit suicide. They both have their reasons and believe they’re good ones. But as Aysel starts to let herself open up to someone, she starts to question whether or not she really wants to die.

The Fault In Our Stars, by John Green (YA romance): This was another re-read. I was looking for something simple and interesting to read because I was getting a crown, and I was nervous about it. (I didn’t need to be; I have a fantastic dentist.) This was the perfect “sick day” reading book.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, by Erika L Sanchez (YA contemporary): This was so good, and so completely not what I was expecting! It’s an interesting book on multiple levels and a fast read. I enjoyed following Julia’s journey, and watching as she both demanded understanding from her parents and then started better understanding them as people. It didn’t give simple answers to Julia’s problems, but explored them and left some things open ended.

Abandoned

None this month.

2018 Running Total: 86

 

Have you made any progress on your TBR or book challenges?

Book Challenges-Week 24

This was an unusually slow week in the reading department for me. I had a few things going on, one of which was doing another edit and polish on my manuscript, Not Dead Enough. I’m heading to the Writer’s League of Texas conference this coming weekend, and since I was a finalist in their manuscript contest, am hoping to generate some interest in my book.

Popsugar Challenge

(19/50) No progress this week

While I Was Reading Challenge

(4/12)- No progress this week

The Unread Shelf

Running Total: 17

Whiskey Beach, by Nora Roberts (romance): I’m a big fan of Nora Roberts. I think she’s amazing. She’s prolific, her characters are always flawed but likable, and she knows how to tell a story. Of course, I like some of her books more than others.

This one is a mystery. Eli Landon was accused of killing his soon-to-be ex-wife. He wasn’t charged, but was convicted in the court of public opinion. He’s come to Whiskey Beach to recharge, and in the process, starts to uncover who may have done it, and why.

I won’t say it’s the best book she’s ever written, but it’s solid and entertaining.

5 Classic Books

(1/5) Finally!

Miscellaneous Reading

None this week

Abandoned

None this week.

2018 Running Total: 71

Have you made any progress on your TBR or book challenges?

Book Challenges- Week 23

Popsugar Challenge

(19/50)

A childhood classic you’ve never read: Matilda, by Roald Dahl: Even though I’m not eight years old anymore, I still loved this book. It’s got everything that makes a great kid’s book: magic, a super-smart girl, bullies/ villains, and a sympathetic adult. It was great fun to read, and it makes me want to watch the movie sometime.

 

While I Was Reading Challenge

(4/12)- No progress this week… I did intend to make progress on this goal. I read Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock, for the category of “a book that takes place in one day. I read online that this book takes place in a day, but it doesn’t; it’s two days. Being a stickler for rules, when it suits me, I’ll read something else for that category.

The Unread Shelf

Running Total: 16

I’ll Give You the Sun, by Jandy Nelson (YA fiction): I LOVED this book. It’s told from the point of view of twins. Noah tells what happened when they were 13, and Jude tells what happened when they were 16. The twins used to be inseparable, and then they were completely separate. As I was reading this book, I laughed, I cried (well, teared up a bit), and I highlighted. There were so many great concepts in this book, and I liked that both twins did some things they shouldn’t have, but I cared about them anyway. I wanted to both hug them and give them a good shake throughout the book.

Incidentally, if you’re doing the Popsugar challenge, this would be a great book for either the category of a book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist or the one with a book about twins.

Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom (fiction): This was a reread for me. Someone “borrowed” my copy at some point, so I’d re-purchased it when I saw it at Goodwill.

I remember liking this book a lot more the first time I read it. I didn’t remember anything about it, so it was like reading it for the first time. I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t move me. I didn’t have the urge to highlight anything or discuss it with anyone afterward. It was decent and enjoyable enough while reading, but now I understand why I forgot it the first time.

5 Classic Books

(1/5) Finally!

 

Miscellaneous Reading

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock, by Matthew Quick (YA fiction): Leonard Peacock has five presents to give out, then he intends to kill his former best friend and himself. Throughout the day, he thinks things like, if anyone remembers his birthday, he won’t kill himself.

Leonard is a misfit, a little too strange and too interesting to really fit in. Still, he has people who care about him, and it shows.

What I liked (no spoilers): There were people throughout the day who noticed his odd behavior and expressed concern, and people who didn’t. That felt realistic to me.

What I didn’t like (no spoilers): The ending. It’s not a bad ending; I don’t want to give you that impression, but it felt unfinished, and I was unprepared. I read the Kindle version, and most books end around 97%. This book ended at 83% because (in my version, at least), there’s a bunch of stuff after, like an excerpt from a new book. So, just be warned.

If you want the full review with spoilers, click here to go to Goodreads.

 

Abandoned

None this week.

2018 Running Total: 70

Have you made any progress on your TBR or book challenges? What’s the longest book you’ve ever read?

Book Challenges- Week 13

Popsugar Challenge

(14/50)

A book about a problem facing society: Fast Food Genocide, by Joel Fuhrman, MD, with Robert B. Phillips– Since 2010, I’ve increasingly stuck to a vegetarian diet and become more and more invested in how I can improve my health through diet. I’ve tried to follow Dr. Fuhrman’s teachings and his nutritarian diet for the past few years, and I’ve seen positive health changes. In 2010, I had gallstones, and doctors wanted to remove my gallbladder. Because I didn’t want that, I consulted with a naturopath and changed to a vegetarian diet (and not even a particularly healthy vegetarian diet, I now realize). My gallbladder issues completely disappeared.

If you’re looking to make positive changes in your health, but don’t know where to start, any of Fuhrman’s books are good. I especially like this one, though, because it includes the historical context of how fast food and processed foods became ubiquitous in our lives. All of Dr. Fuhrman’s claims about how processed foods damage our health, and what we can do about it, are backed up by well-designed studies. He also talks about how some studies saying certain foods are okay are actually flawed in design or conclusion.

 

A book you meant to get to in 2017 and didn’t: Turtles All The Way Down, by John Green (YA)- I’ve already talked about this one earlier today in my A to Z blog (A is for Books About Anxiety), so I won’t go into it other than to say that I loved it.

 

 

 

 

 

A book about or involving a sport: Bleachers, by John Grisham (Contemporary)- I enjoyed this book well enough while I was reading it, but it’s not going to be a favorite or anything. It’s a story about members of a high school football team who go back to their hometown to hold a vigil for a coach that they both loved and hated. It was a fast and enjoyable read.

While I Was Reading Challenge

(4/12) No progress this week

The Unread Shelf

Running Total: 3

5 Classic Books

(0/5) No progress

Miscellaneous Reading

None this week

Abandoned

None this week.

2018 Running Total: 34

 

Have you made any progress on your TBR or book challenges?

Book Challenges- Week 12

This was another slow reading week for me. I was in Arizona, visiting family, and that makes it difficult for me to get anything read. Plus, I drive the 14 hours back and forth, which means the only reading I get done during the two days’ drive is on audiobook.

Popsugar Challenge

(11/50) No progress this week

While I Was Reading Challenge

(4/12) No progress this week

The Unread Shelf

Running Total: 3 No progress this week

5 Classic Books

(0/5) No progress

Miscellaneous Reading

How to Build a Girl, by Caitlin Moran (YA contemporary): I both liked this book and didn’t. It’s sort of like a rock and roll memoir from a teenage writer’s perspective. There’s a lot of sex and drugs in it, which wasn’t really my thing. I love that it’s sex-positive. I loved the awkwardness of the main character. And I loved that she reinvents herself throughout the book, trying one thing, then another when that doesn’t work. The message is ultimately a great one and one that teenage girls need to hear. Even if I didn’t love all the details of the book, I liked it enough overall that I’d recommend it to some people, though it’s definitely not for everyone. (Though really, what book is?)

All The Ugly and Wonderful Things, by Bryn Greenwood (narrated by Jorjeana Marie): Friends of mine who love audiobooks talk about what a different experience it is to listen to the book instead of reading it, so I decided to give it a go with this one. It’s no secret that this is one of my all-time favorite books. I had a long and boring drive, so I decided to give it a try. I loved it! Listening to it reminded me of all the reasons I love this book, but I also picked up on things I had missed in previous readings. The narrator was great, and this experience has inspired me to try rereading other favorites of mine on audio.

Abandoned

None this week.

2018 Running Total: 31

 

Have you made any progress on your TBR or book challenges?

Book Challenges- Week 11

Popsugar Challenge

(11/50) Over 20%!

A book by someone of a different ethnicity than you: The Mothers, by Brit Bennett– I wrote about this book earlier in the week. I was so excited about it that I hadn’t even finished it before I had to write about it in my blog 5 Books I Regret Putting Off. The ending was, unfortunately, disappointing. Not enough for me to hate it, but just enough for me to wish the author had done something a little different. It was still a good book and worth reading, but instead of a 5-star book, it’s between 3.5 and 4 stars for me (which means it’s somewhere between “I liked it” and “I really liked it”).

A book about time travel: Fortunately, The Milk, by Neil Gaiman– This is a cute middle-grade book with illustrations, about a father who goes out to buy milk, stays too long, so makes up a story about being kidnapped by aliens. It was fun, and a well-needed break from reality.

While I Was Reading Challenge

(4/12) 33% done

The Unread Shelf

Running Total: 3

5 Classic Books

(0/5) No progress

Miscellaneous Reading

Uncommon Type: Some Stories, by Tom Hanks– I’m not sure how I heard about this book, but I’ve had it on hold at the library since last year. It finally came in the same week as another book I’d put on hold months ago. Because, of course.

I don’t know what I was expecting, but the stories are consistently sweet and funny, only tied together by the thread that every one of them contained a typewriter reference. I do love books of short stories, and this was an easy read with some unexpectedly poignant stories about life and love.

Yes, Please! by Amy Poehler– I was driving this week, so I needed an audiobook. In general, I prefer books by comedians. Maybe it’s because they’re used to making their voices accessible to everyone that they’re so easy for me to understand while I’m driving.  This book was interesting and funny and serious and not serious. Ms. Poehler talks about her life in funny vignettes and touches on serious topics like her divorce. She seems like the kind of person who’d be fun to share a drink with. One of the things I liked is that she’s pro-girl; she believes in lifting other women up and supporting them when possible and kept it classy without a single moment of cattiness.

Abandoned

None this week.

2018 Running Total: 29

 

Have you made any progress on your TBR or book challenges?

Book Challenges- Week 10

Popsugar Challenge

(8/50) One of last week’s books, YOU Are a Badass should actually have been under this heading, as “A book recommended by someone else doing the Popsugar Reading Challenge.”

A book set on another planet: Artemis, by Andy Weir: I know the moon is not a planet! But I feel like this book captures the spirit of the category, if it doesn’t follow the letter of the law. Andy Weir himself would probably object, to be honest.

Anyhow… I really loved this book, 5 stars on Goodreads! Jasmine was a fun character, and I really enjoyed spending several hundred pages with her. I didn’t always agree with the choices she made, but she was well-written so I understood where she was coming from. I read that she wasn’t supposed to be the main character, and when Andy Weir was trying to write the book, she kept dominating her scenes so he just made it her story, and I see why. It is an otherwise male-dominated cast of characters, but it worked. They were all pretty well fleshed out for the time they were “onscreen.”

I admit I skimmed many of the more science-heavy parts, but there were large parts that made sense and were accessible to someone with my limited science skills. This book had everything I liked about The Martian. You know how some authors seem to write the same book and characters over and over? This wasn’t that. It was like The Martian while at the same time being its own thing. I loved the civilization he set up on the moon. It’s clear that the man does his homework!

While I Was Reading Challenge

(4/12) 33% done, Woo hoo!

An audiobook with multiple narrators: One More Thing, by BJ Novak: The stories in this book were quite funny, though they varied widely in quality. I loved many of them, while others were just meh. It’s narrated by a whole cast of characters, including BJ Novak himself, Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Mindy Kaling, Katy Perry, and others. In this particular case, the narration definitely added to the stories. The comic timing of the narrators made stories funnier and added a layer of nuance I might have missed if I were just reading them.

The Unread Shelf

Running Total: 3

5 Classic Books

(0/5) No progress

Miscellaneous Reading

None this week

Abandoned

The Boy Meets Girl Massacre, by Ainslie Hogarth: I really, really, really, really wanted to love this. The premise seemed like fun. But on page 1, I was already a little skeptical. It’s not that the writing is bad; it isn’t. Just something told me maybe this book wasn’t a good fit for me. But I pushed on. I ended up really enjoying it for awhile. The premise is that a filmmaker is looking to make a movie out of the events portrayed in Noelle’s diary. Noelle works in the Boy Meets Girl hotel, and writes about the events leading up to a slaughter.

There are some gruesome details early on, which I don’t love but can put up with. It’s about a massacre, so although I prefer psychological horror, I can deal with gore if it serves a purpose. As the book went on, the grossness escalated, and honestly, seemed unnecessary.

I have a friend, who once when with me to a haunted house. I thought the haunted house was lame, but just a few minutes in, she was actually crying. She later told me that she even though she knows it’s not real, her brain can’t separate it in the moment.

I have a thing like that. For me, it’s animal cruelty. I can deal with brief, off-screen mentions. But anymore than that, and I nope out.

So I was already not into this book when we got to the scene where the main character kills, or at least seriously injures, a cat. I’m not sure what happened. It’s sort of dreamlike and I skimmed it to see if I could skip it and move on. But then I thought about it, decided that what the author was trying to accomplish (showing the worsening mental state of the main character) could have happened in other ways, and I decided that I don’t want to read this book. So… I’m out.

tl;dr: Unnecessary grossness + animal cruelty = not for me.

2018 Running Total: 25

Have you made any progress on your TBR or book challenges?