Popsugar Reading Challenge 2019

As I was nearing the end of 2018's challenge, I was challenged out. It was a struggle to finish because there were so many things I wanted to read, but they did not fit into any prompts that were remaining. I felt that I needed to put those book aside to finish the challenge. There are a few prompts I might put some effort into during 2019, but for the most part, I am just going to read what I want to read. If it fits into a prompt, awesome. If it does not, well, oh well. I consider this new approach an experiment.

I do have to give credit to the 2018 challenge because I stumbled on a series that I had in my TBR list for a while (Brother Cadfael by Ellis Peters). Turns out, the first book in the series was really good, so I will be reading the rest of the series as the year progresses.

I guess we will see what 2019 brings and whether I can get the challenge finished without beating my brains out doing it.


2019 Popsugar Reading Challenge

1. A book becoming a movie in 2019
2. A book that makes you nostalgic
3. A book written by a musician (fiction or nonfiction)
√ 4. A book you think should be turned into a movie - In the Mouth of the Dragon by Myriam Millán
5. A book with at least one million ratings on Goodreads
6. A book with a plant in the title or on the cover
7. A reread of a favorite book
8. A book about a hobby
√ 9. A book you meant to read in 2018 - I'll Be Damned by Eric Braeden
10. A book with POP, SUGAR, or CHALLENGE in the title
11. A book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover
12. A book inspired by myth/legend/folklore
13. A book published posthumously
14. A book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie
15. A retelling of a classic
16. A book with a question in the title
17. A book set on college or university campus
18. A book about someone with a superpower
√ 19. A book told from multiple POVs - The Invited by Jennifer McMahon
20. A book set in space
21. A book by two female authors
22. A book with SALTY, SWEET, BITTER, or SPICY in the title
23. A book set in Scandinavia
24. A book that takes place in a single day
√ 25. A debut novel - Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah
√ 26. A book that's published in 2019 - Smoke and Summons by Charlie N Holmberg
√ 27. A book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature - Charmcaster by Sebastien de Castell
28. A book recommended by a celebrity you admire
29. A book with LOVE in the title
30. A book featuring an amateur detective
31. A book about a family
32. A book written by an author from Asia, Africa, or South America
33. A book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in title
34. A book that includes a wedding
35. A book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter
√ 36. A ghost story - City of Ghosts by J.H. Moncrieff
√ 37. A book with a two-word title - Red Dragon by Thomas Harris
38. A novel based on a true story
39. A book revolving around a puzzle or game
40. Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading challenge


2019 Popsugar Advanced Reading Challenge
 
1. A "cli-fi" (climate fiction) book
2. A "choose-your-own-adventure" book
3. An "own voices" book
√ 4. Read a book during the season it is set in - Drakon Book 1: The Sieve by C.A. Caskabel
5. A LitRPG book
6. A book with no chapters / unusual chapter headings / unconventionally numbered chapters
7. Two books that share the same title
8. Two books that share the same title
9. A book that has inspired a common phrase or idiom
√ 10. A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent - Soulbinder by Sebastien de Castell

Review: The President Is Missing

The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The twists and turns kept me on my toes and constantly guessing. While this is fiction, it certainly touches some difficulties we're facing today.

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Review: The Wolf in the Whale

The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received an ARC Kindle edition of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.

This was a great read. I found myself still thinking about the book between sittings (and even after I finished it). It incorporates Inuit beliefs with Norse mythology along with a touch of Christianity. I am not going to lie, every mention of Loki made me think of Tom Hiddleston, so I ended up envisioning him as Loki while reading this book. The story does get a little graphic in a couple scenes, so it is not for the overly sensitive reader. I have a couple of other books by this author that I will definitely be reading when I have time after the holidays.

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Review: Feet of Clay

Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is my first Terry Pratchett book. While there were some funny moments (I laughed out loud a couple of times), the book just seemed to drag on and on. I felt like I could not get through the book fast enough. I am not going to give up on this series yet, though. I am going to go back and start with the first book.

I read this book as part of the PopSugar Reading Challenge 2018 - A book that was being read by a stranger in a public place.

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Review: Alien: The Official Movie Novelization

Alien: The Official Movie Novelization by Alan Dean Foster
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wanted to read this book last October when there were marathons for all of the Alien movies during Halloween. Unfortunately, we had a Nor'easter that knocked out the power for 3 days and I never got around to reading it until now. I did not get to enjoy the movie marathon either, but I digress.

This is the first book of the Alien universe lore that I have read. The best part about this book is that it maintains the suspense even if you have seen the movie. I look forward to reading the others.

I read this book as part of the PopSugar Reading Challenge 2018 - A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn’t get to.

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Review: A Morbid Taste for Bones

A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved reading this. I do not care about whether books contain religious elements, but I love the fact this book had those elements without getting preachy. The book also kept my attention throughout the whole book. I cannot wait to get into the rest of the series!

I read this book as part of the PopSugar Reading Challenge 2018 - A book with a female author who uses a male pseudonym.

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Review: Triangle: The Fire That Changed America

Triangle: The Fire That Changed America by David von Drehle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

FINALLY is all I can say about finishing this book. This book is extremely slow. Unfortunately, there are few good stopping points, so if you are reading on say a lunch break (guilty) or before bed (guilty, again), you have to guess whether a good stopping point is coming up or not. Since I was constantly having to stop/start in the middle of chapters, sometimes Amazon's WhisperSync would be off when switching from device to device.

Another frustrating quality about this book is that the author would constantly go off on tangents. Early in the book we got history lessons on the suffragette movement in New York, Sicily, and the 1906 Vesuvius eruption (just to name a few).

While the topics covered in this book are extremely important, this book was not all that enjoyable.

I read this book as part of the PopSugar Reading Challenge 2018 - A microhistory.

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