Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2022 Challenge - General
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2022 Challenge - I Finished!
Date you finished: March 9, 2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 142
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): #36 "a book you know nothing about" : Crying in the H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): A Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhadar (Prompt #48 "a book with two POVs")
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang (prompt #42 "a book that features 2 languages")
Least favorite prompt: #27 "a Hugo Award Winner" (just not that much of a Sci Fi fan, but I know others are)
Prompt you hope to see again: #2 "a book set on a plane, train, or cruise ship"
Last prompt you finished: #7 "a book with an onomatopoeia in the title" Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: For the most part
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Sure
Finally, are you in for 2023? I imagine so.
Date you finished: 3/15/22Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 259
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book Set In Victorian Times, Stalking Jack The Ripper
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): See Previous
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Fire Keepers Daughter, A book that has two languages
Least favorite prompt: Hugo Award Winner (sci-fi not my thing)
Prompt you hope to see again: To many to name
Last prompt you finished: a booktok recommendation Escaping From Houdinia Stalking jack the ripper book three
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes.
Finished March 16, 2022 Message number of your list post (if you've got one): don't have one
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book with a quote from your favorite author - I'll Be Your Blue Sky
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):A book about a band - The Final Revival of Opal and Nev
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :
Yes, I'm not a scifi person but I loved the Murderbot books. I read the first one All Systems Red for the The Hugo Award Winner prompt.
Least favorite prompt: palindrome prompt - I found it quite limiting.
Prompt you hope to see again: A book you know nothing about.
Last prompt you finished: Man-made disaster
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes!
Date you finished: 3/20/2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 31
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A social horror book; I read #Murdertrending for it, which was just okay, but I was excited for the prompt and it seems like it got a lot of dialogue going.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo for a sapphic book
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper: a book set in Victorian times
Least favorite prompt: a book with a parallel reality
Prompt you hope to see again: a book you can read in one sitting or a book you know nothing about
Last prompt you finished: one of the sister cities prompts.
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Very much so.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes.
Finally, are you in for 2023? Of course.
Date you finished: April 17/22Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 231
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): 40. A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: (Prompt 34, 2016: From the Library) Wench by Maxine Kaplan
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): The Queen's Weapons by Anne Bishop 3. A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?): Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado. 6. A book by a Latinx author
Least favorite prompt: 49. Two books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities" 50. Two books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities"
Prompt you hope to see again: A romance novel by a BIPOC author
Last prompt you finished: 15. A book by a Pacific Islander author
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes. I usually double or triple up on prompts � I find it challenging. I always find that some of the prompts really push me out of my comfort zone.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Eh, it was okay.
Finally, are you in for 2023? Absolutely!
Date you finished: 1 May 2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 491
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): #47 A book featuring parallel reality
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Five Little Indians #31 Man-made disaster
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :The Island of Sea Women - Nonpatriachal society
Least favorite prompt: #33 Social Horror Book
Prompt you hope to see again: A book published in the current year
Last prompt you finished: #31 - A book featuring a man-made disaster
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes
Finally, are you in for 2023? Considering it
Date you finished: May 12, 2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): N/A
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book set in Victorian times - The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Atlas of the Transatlantic Slave Trace by David Eltis & David Richardson for the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award; and Illiminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff for A book featuring a man-made disaster
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Atlas of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and City of Thieves by David Benioff
Least favorite prompt: a book with a quote from your favorite author on the cover or Amazon page; I really couldn't find this. I finally looked at four authors' that I like web pages and then tried 4 books and finally found one I would finish.
Prompt you hope to see again: a book set during a holiday
Last prompt you finished: a book with a quote from your favorite author on the cover or Amazon page
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes. I kept trying until I found books I liked for each prompt instead of forcing myself through one to get the prompt and therefore enjoyed the challenge a lot more.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: It was ok.
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes!
Date you finished: 5/17/2022 Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 60
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): 29. A different book by an author you read in 2021: When Sorrows Come by Seanan McGuire
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen 9. A book about a "found family
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : There were several which is why I love doing this challenge- A duology (1)Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder, A book with a character on the ace spectrum The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, and 39. An #OwnVoices SFF (science fiction and fantasy) book The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
Least favorite prompt: 21. A book about a band or musical group Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand -this was too limiting. There were very few choices.
Prompt you hope to see again: A book published in 22- I love that there are lots of options.
Last prompt you finished: 45. A duology (2) Outside In by Maria V. Snyder
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: yes
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes!!
Date you finished: May 16, 2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 183
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): I'm going to be the odd one out and say #27, a Hugo Award Winner (I read The Dispossessed for it).
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): How do I choose just one! Favorites include The House in the Cerulean Sea (#11, BookTok rec), Under the Whispering Door (#7, onomatopoeia in the title), Radio Silence (#22, character on the ace spectrum), Light from Uncommon Stars (#37, gender identity), and The Golem and the Jinni (#49, twin towns/sister cities).
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : I had started but given up on The House in the Cerulean Sea awhile back, but the BookTok prompt had me picking it up again, and I'm so glad I gave it another chance! Also read and highly enjoyed Under the Whispering Door (onomatopoeia prompt) and The Love Con (romance book by a BIPOC author).
Least favorite prompt: Book with a palindromic title, for which I finally read Mem.
Prompt you hope to see again: I enjoy the prompts that urge me to read books by people from other countries/nationalities/cultures/walks of life. So "book originally published in another language" or "book by a BIPOC author" or books by someone of a specific culture are always welcome.
Last prompt you finished: Book about a band or musical group, for which I read We Sold Our Souls. The FIRST book I finished was Kiki's Delivery Service, which I read for "a book about witches."
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Overall yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: I did! Even if some of the individual prompts left me scrambling (like the palindromic prompt)
Finally, are you in for 2023? I start school this fall, so my reading time might be cut into, but I'm definitely going to try!
Date you finished: 21 May 2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 86
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society. I really had to think outside the square for this as there were not a lot of books that fit this category. I read Shalador's Lady.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo for A #BookTok recommendation. Possibly the best book I have read this year. A close second was Cemetery Boys which I read for the gender identity prompt.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : A book you know nothing about. I chose The Language of Butterflies: How Thieves, Hoarders, Scientists, and Other Obsessives Unlocked the Secrets of the World's Favorite Insect. I found out there were vampiric butterflies. Who knew!
Least favorite prompt:A romance novel by a BIPOC author. I am not into romances generally and I read Truly Everlasting for it. I didn't think it was very good.
Prompt you hope to see again: A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge - I like that it allows me some flexibility.
Last prompt you finished: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo for A #BookTok recommendation. I finished the rest of the challenge and waited for months for this book to come through from the library. It was definitely worth it!
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes Although it did take me longer to finish this year because I was waiting for my last book to come through from the library.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes although the A book with a palindromic title prompt was challenging. I liked all the others.
Finally, are you in for 2023? Definitely.
Date you finished:8/6/2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one):304
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book featuring a parallel reality:Portrait of JenniebyRobert Nathan
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My SoulbyMaria Faustyna KowalskaPROMPT:Two books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities" (1) CHICAGO and(2)VILNIUS
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :All Quiet on the Western FrontbyErich Maria RemarquePROMPT:A social-horror book
ALSO Cry, the Beloved CountrybyAlan PatonPROMPT:An Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winner.
Least favorite prompt: A book with a quote from your favorite author on the cover or Amazon Page.
Prompt you hope to see again:A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
Last prompt you finished: A book with a quote from your favorite author on the cover or Amazon Page
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?:In the main,yes.I would quite like to see some future prompts highlighting qualities we all share and admire rather than just diversity.For example, books with characters who show qualities like courage,kindness,perseverance,creativity,loyalty,compassion or responsibility for the planet.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?:The advanced prompts were particularly good this year.
Finally, are you in for 2023?I look forward to seeing the list!
Date you finished: June 30, 2022.Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 287
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book with a character on the ace spectrum. I read Loveless by Alice Oseman
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. A book about a band or musical group.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : I'm not a fan of stories about death because it scares me, but I truly liked Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune. An #OwnVoices SFF (science fiction and fantasy) book.
Least favorite prompt: A book with a palindromic title. It was crazy difficult to find a book for this prompt.
Prompt you hope to see again: A sapphic book. As a lesbian I love that popsugar pushed everyone to read specifically sapphic stories this year with this prompt.
Last prompt you finished: A book published in 2022.
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: It was okay.
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes.
Date you finished: 7/7/22
Message number of your list post (if you've got one):
my list
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
There were many fun prompts; but this one gives an opportunity to read a new release -- #1. A book published in 2022
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali for
#10 An Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winner
Least favorite prompt:
#39 An #OwnVoices SFF (science fiction and fantasy) book
Prompt you hope to see again:
#40 A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
Last prompt you finished:
#37 A book about gender identity
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?:
Yes. Although I delayed my PopSugar finish date by waiting to read two books that were for my IRL book club.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?:
Yes.
Finally, are you in for 2023?
Yes
Date you finished: 7/4/22Message number of your list post (if you've got one): N/A
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
There were many fun prompts; but I will go with this one - A book set on a plane, train, or cruise ship - Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Firefly Lane and Fly Away for a Duology
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : The Whale Rider - A book by a Pacific Islander author
Least favorite prompt: An #OwnVoices SFF (science fiction and fantasy) book
Prompt you hope to see again: A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
Last prompt you finished: A book you know nothing about for which I read And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?:
Yes.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?:
Yes.
Finally, are you in for 2023? YES
COMPLETED CHALLENGEDate you finished: 16 Jul 2022
Message number of your list post: 584
Favorite prompt: #15. A book by a Pacific Island Author. I read: Kalyana by Rajni Mala Khelawan (Fiji) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review
Favorite book: Jessamine by Eugenia O'Neal (British Virgin Islands) ⭐⭐⭐⭐� my review I read this for #35 A constellation on the cover or in the title.
Also The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré (Nigeria) ⭐⭐⭐⭐� my review. I read this for #40 A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge (author from a country I’ve never visited).
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? Aya: Life in Yop City by Marguerite Abouet (Côte d’Ivoire ⭐⭐⭐⭐� my review. A YA graphic novel set in Côte d’Ivoire which I read for #43 A book with a palindromic title.
Least favorite prompt: Interestingly my least favourite prompt was #43 A book with a palindromic title, and I struggled to find a book which fitted that I wanted to read, but it ended up being a great book which I loved and definite would not have read otherwise.
Prompt you hope to see again: Pacific Island author (or Caribbean or African�)
Last prompt you finished: #43 Palindromic title. Aya: Life in Yop City by Marguerite Abouet
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading? Loved it
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts? Yep.
Finally, are you in for 2023? With bells on!
Date you finished: 7/16/2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 27 /topic/show/...
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book set in Victorian times, a book about witches, a book with a recipe in it, so many.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music for book about a band.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : This Is Paradise: Stories
Least favorite prompt: A book with a palindromic title. Just so few options.
Prompt you hope to see again: All the ones I listed about plus published in 2022.
Last prompt you finished: Duology book 2.
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes
Finally, are you in for 2023? This past year was so personally difficult, I just feel like I need a break. But I can't resist when the prompts come out. So I guess we will see.
I feel you on the ambivalent feelings about doing the challenge again! I decided I wouldn't do it this year but am still checking off prompts as I read them anyway. I could probably complete it without much problem. The biggest issue is that palindrome one, there's nothing I really want to read that counts that I've seen.
Date you finished: 20th July 2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 79
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book about witches (Calling All Witches! The Girls Who Left Their Mark on the Wizarding World by Laurie Calkhoven)
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (A #BookTok recommendation)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?): How to Talk to a Widower by Jonathan Tropper (A book about a “found family�)
Least favorite prompt: A book with a palindromic title (Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova by Laurel Snyder)
Prompt you hope to see again: A book featuring a parallel reality (Stardust by Neil Gaiman)
Last prompt you finished: A book published in 2022 (The World Belonged to Us by Jacqueline Woodson)
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes
Finally, are you in for 2023? Hopefully I will be able to do the Challenge again next year
***
My Complete List:
2022 Popsugar Reading Challenge
1. A book published in 2022
The World Belonged to Us by Jacqueline Woodson
2. A book set on a plane, train, or cruise ship
The Truth by Zizou Corder
3. A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society
Wonder Woman: The Story of the Amazon Princess by Ralph Cosentino
4. A book with a tiger on the cover or "tiger" in the title
The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo
5. A sapphic book
The Miracle of the Lights by Cindy Rizzo
6. A book by a Latinx author
The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho
7. A book with an onomatopoeia in its title
Murder in the Mews by Agatha Christie
8. A book with a protagonist who uses a mobility aid
Lethal White by Robert Galbraith
9. A book about a "found family"
How to Talk to a Widower by Jonathan Tropper
10. An Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winner
Beloved by Toni Morrison
11. A #BookTok recommendation
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
12. A book about the afterlife
The Man in the Black Suit by Stephen King
13. A book set in the 1980s
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
14. A book with cutlery on the cover or in the title
Cogs in the Great Machine by Eric Schlosser
15. A book by a Pacific Islander author
What Do You Do With a Chance? by Kobi Yamada
16. A book about witches
Calling All Witches! The Girls Who Left Their Mark on the Wizarding World by Laurie Calkhoven
17. A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2022
The Adventures Of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
18. A romance novel by a BIPOC author
Her Dad's Friend by Penny Wylder
19. A book that takes place during your favorite season
The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
20. A book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read
Dirty Beasts by Roald Dahl
21. A book about a band or musical group
The Reunion by Maya Angelou
22. A book with a character on the ace spectrum
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
23. A book with a recipe in it
Something for the Weekend by Jamie Oliver
24. A book you can read in one sitting
The Little Book of Calm by Paul Wilson
25. A book about a secret
The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards
26. A book with a misleading title
Happy Birthday, Jack Nicholson by Hunter S. Thompson
27. A Hugo Award winner
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
28. A book set during a holiday
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
29. A different book by an author you read in 2021
Galatea by Madeline Miller
30. A book with the name of a board game in the title
Otherwise Pandemonium / Not a Star by Nick Hornby
31. A book featuring a man-made disaster
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
32. A book with a quote from your favorite author on the cover or Amazon page
Phantastes by George Macdonald (C.S. Lewis)
33. A social-horror book
Completely Unexpected Tales by Roald Dahl
34. A book set in Victorian times
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
35. A book with a constellation on the cover or in the title
Men Explain Things to Me: and Other Essays by Rebecca Solnit
36. A book you know nothing about
Battleground by Stephen King
37. A book about gender identity
Boys and Girls by Alice Munro
38. A book featuring a party
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
39. An #OwnVoices SFF (science fiction and fantasy) book
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
40. A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (A magical realism book)
2022 Popsugar Advanced Reading Challenge
1. A book with a reflected image on the cover or "mirror" in the title
Cloud, Castle, Lake by Vladimir Nabokov
2. A book that features two languages
The Chase by Zizou Corder
3. A book with a palindromic title
Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova by Laurel Snyder
4. A duology (1)
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
5. A duology (2)
The Phantom of Manhattan by Frederick Forsythe
6. A book about someone leading a double life
Interior: Panic by Tennessee Williams
7. A book featuring a parallel reality
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
8. A book with two POVs
Martha and Hanwell by Zadie Smith
9. Two books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities" (1)
Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith (London)
10. Two books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities" (2)
In Ghostly Japan: Spooky Stories with the Folklore, Superstitions and Traditions of Old Japan by Lafcadio Hearne (Japan)
Date you finished: July 25th 2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): N/A
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A duology (The Thursday Murder Club & The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman)
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (a book with a misleading title)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu (A book with a tiger on the cover)
Least favorite prompt: A book with a recipe in it
Prompt you hope to see again: A book that fulfills your favorite prompt for a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
Last prompt you finished: A different book by an author you read in 2021 (Elektra by Jennifer Saint)
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes, it helped me to pick up and enjoy some books that I probably never would have read.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Sure
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes
Completed! 7/25/2022 50/50Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 102 (I think)
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book with the name of a board game in the title -- The Soul of a Doctor: Harvard Medical Students Face Life and Death (Life -- I actually read two other books with the word "life" in the title first, but they were the only books for a couple of other prompts, so moved them)
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Murderbot #5 (character on the ace spectrum) or How the Word Is Passed (book with a misleading title)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : The Three-Body Problem (A book you know nothing about) or To Sir, With Love (An Anisfield-Wolf Book award winner)
Least favorite prompt: A romance by a BIPOC author (I don't usually like reading romance, so I kind of cheated on this one and read Redemptor, which is a book by a BIPOC author that has a little romance in it.)
Prompt you hope to see again: A Hugo award winner or a book with a recipe in it
Last prompt you finished: A book by a Pacific Islander author (The Whale Rider -- this was a difficult prompt to find books for!)
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes!
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes! (although damn the palindromic title, if I had already read Life After Life, I'm not sure what I would have read!)
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes!
1. XXA book published in 2022 Birds of California
2. XXA book set on a plane, train, or cruise ship Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty (significant portion of book set on the Lusitania)
3. XXA book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society A Prayer for the Crown-Shy
4. XXA book with a tiger on the cover or "tiger" in the title Taming the Tiger—Your First Year with Diabetes
5. XXA sapphic book Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Café
6. XXA book by a Latinx author Olga Dies Dreaming
7. XXA book with an onomatopoeia in its title Gulp
8. XXA book with a protagonist who uses a mobility aid Hench (cane)
9. XXA book about a "found family" To the End of June
10. XXAn Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winner To Sir With Love
11. XXA #BookTok recommendation Lore
12. XX A book about the afterlife From Here to Eternity
13. XXA book set in the 1980s Small Things Like These
14. XXA book with cutlery on the cover or in the title Garlic and Sapphires
15. XX A book by a Pacific Islander author Whale Rider
16. XXA book about witches Good Omens
17. XXA book becoming a TV series or movie in 2022 Apples Never Fall
18. XXA romance novel by a BIPOC author Redemptor
19. XXA book that takes place during your favorite season Breakfast at Tiffany’s (mostly set in autumn),
20. XXA book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read Together Tea (after Network Effect)
21. XXA book about a band or musical group Lady Sings the Blues
22. XXA book with a character on the ace spectrum Murderbot #5
23. XXA book with a recipe in it All That She Carried: the Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake
24. XXA book you can read in one sitting Assassination Vacation
25. XXA book about a secret Black Cake
26. XXA book with a misleading title How the Word Is Passed
27. XXA Hugo Award winner The Obelisk Gate
28. XXA book set during a holiday The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami (Boxing Day)
29. XXA different book by an author you read in 2021 Beyond Katrina: A Meditation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
30. XXA book with the name of a board game in the title The Soul of a Doctor: Harvard Medical Students Face Life and Death
31. XXA book featuring a man-made disaster Surviving Survival (the Holocaust)
32. XXA book with a quote from your favorite author on the cover or Amazon page A Psalm for the Wild-Built
33. XXA social-horror book The City We Became
34. XXA book set in Victorian times Booth
35. XXA book with a constellation on the cover or in the title West with Giraffes (Cameleopardalis)
36. XXA book you know nothing about The Three-Body Problem,
37. XXA book about gender identity All Boys Aren’t Blue
38. XXA book featuring a party The Hobbit
39. XXAn #OwnVoices SFF (science fiction and fantasy) book Amari and the Night Brothers
40. XXA book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge A book that is published in 2021 The Anthropocene Reviewed
Advanced
41. XXA book with a reflected image on the cover or "mirror" in the title Love Always, Petra: A Story of Courage and the Discovery of Life’s Hidden Gifts
42. XXA book that features two languages True Biz
43. XXA book with a palindromic title Life After Life
44. XXA duology (1) A River Enchanted
45. XXA duology (2) The Best School Year Ever
46. XXA book about someone leading a double life Long Bright River
47. XXA book featuring a parallel reality The Cartographers
48. XXA book with two POVs The Perfect Predator: A Scientist’s Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug
49. XXTwo books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities" (1) London is sister cities with New York, Berlin, Tehran, Beijing, Shanghai, Moscow, Tokyo, Lady Sing the Blues (New York)
50. XXTwo books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities" (2) Mudlark (London)
A book published in 2022 - Last House on the Street by Diane ChamberlainA book set on a plane, train, or cruise ship - Falling by TJ Newman
A book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society - The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird
A book with a tiger on the cover or "tiger" in the title - The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
A sapphic book - Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
A book by a Latinx author - Violeta by Isabel Allende
A book with an onomatopoeia in its title - Out of the Silence: After the Crash by Eduardo Strauch Urioste
A book with a protagonist who uses a mobility aid - The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin
A book about a "found family" - The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
An Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winner - The Trees by Percival Everett
#BookTok recommendation - Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
A book about the afterlife - The Afterlife by Julia Alvarez
A book set in the 1980s - We Run The Tides by Vendela Vida
A book with cutlery on the cover or in the title - Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P Manansala
A book by a Pacific Islander author - Breadfruit by Celestine Hitiura Vaite
A book about witches - The Witches are Coming by Lindy West
A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2022 - Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter
A romance novel by a BIPOC author - The Other Man by Farhad Dadyburjor
A book that takes place during your favorite season - This Tender Land by Amor Towles (summer)
A book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read - The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin (after The Therapist)
A book about a band or musical group - Will by Will Smith
A book with a character on the ace spectrum The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman
A book with a recipe in it - Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
A book you can read in one sitting - You Can't be Serious by Kal Penn
A book about a secret - Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson
A book with a misleading title - Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie
A Hugo Award winner - Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire
A book set during a holiday - Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
A different book by an author you read in 2021
- The Opposite of Everyone by Joshilyn Jackson
A book with the name of a board game in the title - You, Me and the Colors of Life by Noa C Walker
A book featuring a man-made disaster - Mindscrew by Lars Emmerich
A book with a quote from your favorite author on the cover or Amazon page - Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward (quote by Marisa De Los Santos
A social-horror book - Tender is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica
A book set in Victorian times - Miss Eliza's English Kitchen by Annabel Abbs
A book with a constellation on the cover or in the title - Crux: A Cross Border Memoir by Jean Guerrero
A book you know nothing about - I Hate Everyone Except You by Clinton Kelly
A book about gender identity - Tomboyland by Melissa Faliveno
A book featuring a party - This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
An #OwnVoices SFF (science fiction and fantasy) book - The Whispering Door by TJ Klune
A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge - A Book With a Family Tree (2021) - Memphis by Tara Stringfellow
A book with a reflected image on the cover or "mirror" in the title - The Girl In The Mirror by Rose Carlyle
A book that features two languages - Honor by Thrity Umrigar
A book with a palindromic title - Mem by Bethany C Morrow
A duology (1) - Camino Winds by John Grisham
A duology (2) - Camino Island by John Grisham
A book about someone leading a double life The Winner by David Baldacci
A book featuring a parallel reality - Midnight Library by Matt Haig
A book with two POVs - His & Hers by Alice Feeney
Two books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities" (1) Good Company by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney (LA)
Two books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities" (2) Mother Land by Leah Franqui (Mumbai)
Date you finished: 7/25/22Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 2
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):#9 - found family - Adult Assembly Required
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): #26 - misleading title - Lessons in Chemistry
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :#34- victorian - A Rip Through Time
Least favorite prompt: #33 - social horror - Comfort Me with Apples
Prompt you hope to see again: #28 - set during a holiday - The No-Show
Last prompt you finished: #31 - Man made disaster - Upgrade
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: YES
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: YES
Finally, are you in for 2023? 100%!!
Date you finished: 7/27/22Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 221
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): #36: A book you know nothing about. This was fun, since I seldom go into a book knowing nothing about it. I read Blacktop Wasteland.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): I read lots of great books for the challenge. Hard to pick one favorite, but I loved Beautiful Country (#42: A book that features two languages) & This Time Tomorrow (#49: A book set in twin towns--New York).
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : I probably wouldn't have read The Murmur of Bees (#7: A book with an onomatopoeia in the title), and I loved it.
Least favorite prompt: hands down, #43: A book with a palindromic title. So few options, but luckily I read the first two books in the MaddAddam series years ago, so I read the final one for this prompt.
Prompt you hope to see again: #36, #12 (A book about the afterlife), #47 (a book featuring a parallel reality).
Last prompt you finished: #43 (I was dreading it)
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes!
Wahoo, done!!!!!Date you finished: July
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): Loved the one about the party. I went the political route and chose: Fire and Flood: A People's History of Climate Change, from 1979 to the Present which dealt with how politics factor in to the subject of climate change
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Fire and Flood: A People's History of Climate Change, from 1979 to the Present (Party)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :
Two Points of View. I read All the Bright Places for Two POVs. I'd seen this book around but never got to it because I don't read YA that often. I was drawn in though because it dealt with bipolar disorder. Did not realize that book had two POVs in it which made the prompt even more enjoyable.
Least favorite prompt: Cutlery and Recipe. I'm not one for food-related books
Prompt you hope to see again: Leading a Double Life
Last prompt you finished: Cutlery
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Absolutely. Had to really dig deep for this/these ones so it made the hunt that much more enjoyable
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes depending if it continues or not.
Date you finished: 8/2/22Message number of your list post (if you've got one):
63
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
A Hugo Award Winner - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
Orphan Master's Son - Book with a tiger on the cover
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :
Mind of My Mind by Octavia Butler
Least favorite prompt:
A romance by a BIPOC author. I do not like romance novels. I did end up reading Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. I liked it.
Prompt you hope to see again:
I like the variety of prompts so I don't have a suggestion.
Last prompt you finished:
Reflected image on the cover - The Ruin by Dervla McTierney
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?:
Yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?:
yes
Finally, are you in for 2023?
Probably
Ron wrote: "Wahoo, done!!!!!Date you finished: July
Message number of your list post (if you've got one):
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): Loved the one about the party. I w..."
That's so smart, Ron! I hadn't thought of interpreting the prompt for party that way. But I love it because I'm reading books about the politicization of the Supreme Court which would definitely count. Thanks for the idea!
Date you finished: 08/01/2022Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): #17 A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2022 (Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico)
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Ayoade on Top by Richard Ayoade (#24 A book you can read in one sitting)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?): Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (#42 A book that features two languages)
Prompt you hope to see again: #46 A book about someone leading a double life
Last prompt you finished: # 7A book with an onomatopoeia in the title (Woof by Spencer Quinn)
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes!
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes!
Finally, are you in for 2023?: Yes!
Date you finished: 4 August 22Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 612
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
Prompt 41. A book with a reflected image on the cover or "mirror" in the title;
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
The Weight of Ink (8. Book with a protagonist using a mobility aid)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :
Silver, Sword, and Stone: Three Crucibles in the Latin American Story (6. Book by a Latinx author) and Sing, Unburied, Sing (33. A social horror book)
Least favorite prompt: 32. A book with a quote from your favourite author on the cover - I don't like 'favourite' prompts.
Prompt you hope to see again:
25. A book about a secret
Last prompt you finished: 35. A book with a constellation on the cover or in the title. I readThe Pisces
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?:
In general, yes.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?:
Yes, I enjoyed it.
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes
Date you finished: August 18, 2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 113
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): #32 A book with a quote from your favorite author on the cover or Amazon page (The Secrets She Keeps by Michael Robotham) - I never thought of choosing a book this way! 🤯
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (#36 A book you know nothing about)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?): So many! After being burned by A Discovery of Witches last year, I was loath to pick up another book about witches, so I was not happy to see #16 A book about witches. Luckily, I really enjoyed The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow!
Least favorite prompt: #18 A romance novel by a BIPOC author - I hate romances! 😝 Also #24 A book you can read in one sitting - Way too much pressure!
Prompt you hope to see again: #13 A book set in the 1980s (or another decade)
Last prompt you finished: #15 A book by a Pacific Islander author (A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara)
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes! This challenge always helps me diversify my reading shelf.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes, it was pretty clever and I love a good theme.
Finally, are you in for 2023? Absolutely! Bring on Year #7!
Date Finished 8/22/2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 102
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): #29 A different book by an author you read in 2021. Razorblade Tears
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Olga Dies Dreaming # 6 A book by a Lantix author
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Writers & Lovers # 14 A book with cutlery on the cover or in the title.
Least favorite prompt: Advanced prompt #3 A book with a palindromic title. I used Wow, No Thank You.: Essays. This was as close as I could get. I liked the book just not the prompt.
Prompt you hope to see again: I would like to try again with prompt # 3 A book about or set in a non patriarchal society.
Last prompt you finished: # 30 A book with the name of a board game in the title.
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Overall yes. I need to do a better job of finding books that fit the same prompts I need to fill for other challenges. For example I did 4 variations of the game board prompt between 3 challenges. I read 3 different books for basically the same prompt. That's on me.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: I did like the theme.
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes
Date you finished: 8/20/22Message number of your list post : Message 334
Favorite prompt : A book you know nothing about Patient H.M.: A Story of Memory, Madness, and Family Secrets
Favorite book : A book with a recipe in it The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? :A book featuring a parallel reality The Last House on Needless Street
Least favorite prompt: A book set on a plane, train, or cruise ship Hostage
Prompt you hope to see again: A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2015-A book recommended by a friend The Prayer Box
Last prompt you finished: Two books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities" (Tiberias) The Life of Flavius Josephus
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes, I enjoy the opportunity to read new topics, genres, and books.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes, that was clever for 2022
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yeppers! most likely.
Date you finished: 24.08.2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): Post 84
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book featuring a man-made disaster Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Half of a Yellow Sun An Ansifield-Wolf Book Award Winner
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Love in Colour: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold A romance novel by a BIPOC author
Least favorite prompt: A book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read
Prompt you hope to see again: A different book by an author you read in 2021
Last prompt you finished: A book about the afterlife The Haunting of Hill House
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes!
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Creative, I loved it:)
Finally, are you in for 2023? Definitely!
Date you finished: 8/25Message number of your list post (if you've got one): I didn’t do that this year
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book about a "found family. I read A Summoning of Souls by Leanna Renee Hieber
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): When Blood Lies by C.S. Harris for the prompt A book that takes place during your favorite season
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Honestly no since I pulled entirely from my own TBR pile so I had these all.
Least favorite prompt: An Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winner. In general I just don’t like awards. This was the one book I had to turn to the library to
Prompt you hope to see again: A different book by an author you read in 2021 because I read a ton of series
Last prompt you finished: A book with a protagonist who uses a mobility aid (I read The Glow of Luminiferous Aether on Tinsel by Jana Denardo instead of an X-Men graphic novel as originally planned)
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Overall I was satisfied and surprised by that because when I originally saw the prompts I was underwhelmed.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: that was fine
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes I am
Date you finished: August 31Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 88
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book about a "found family" - Legends & Lattes
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): A book published in 2022 - Nettle & Bone
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : A #BookTok recommendation - People We Meet on Vacation. I was surprised how much I liked it, and then went on to read the author's other contemporary romances.
Least favorite prompt: A book with a palindromic title. I found one that I enjoyed (Mem), but the prompt felt both too specific and too vague, with too many interpretations.
Prompt you hope to see again: I'd love to see something like "a book about or set in a nonpatriarchal society" again.
Last prompt you finished: A book set during a holiday - Holiday Heroine
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Overall, I enjoyed just about everything I read for the challenge this year.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes, I liked it.
Finally, are you in for 2023? Probably!
Date you finished: Aug 31, 2022Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A Book Featuring a Man Made Disaster - Day Zero I really liked this book.
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): There were a few, but I would have to say Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls. The prompt was "A book written by a Pacific Islander" which was challenging since there aren't a lot of books written by Pacific Islanders and it's hard to find lists.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Tell Me an Ending for A book with Two POVs.
Least favorite prompt: I eventually found a good book for it, but the one "A book with a recipe in it". These books tend to be romance or cozy mysteries and I don't like either of those genres. This was a YA romance but it was cute and a rare find I think.
Prompt you hope to see again: A book published in [year]. I hope they keep doing this every year.
Last prompt you finished: A Book with a Recipe in It. I read The Heartbreak Bakery which was a very cute YA book.
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes, though I didn't like as many prompts as I usually do.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Not particularly, but only because I had a hard time finding books that I wanted to read with it.
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes!
Date you finished: 10-Sep-22Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 150
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): Hmmm, several
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Educated (#20) and Fugitive Telemetry (#22)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge?: Mom & Me & Mom
Least favorite prompt: A book by a Pacific Islander Author
Prompt you hope to see again: Different book by an author you read in 2021
Last prompt you finished: A book with a constellation on the cover or in the title
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: YES
Did you like the TBR theme for the "advanced" prompts? YES
Finally, are you in for 2023? YES
Date you finished: 11 Sept 2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 628
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book about a "found family" - One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Writers & Lovers by Lily King - A book with cutlery on the cover or in the title
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Not really, I tried to use book I already owned for the whole challenge so I would have read most anyway. Although Writers & Lovers was a pleasant surprise who much I enjoyed it and glad it motivated me to read it now.
Least favorite prompt: A book with the name of a board game in the title
Prompt you hope to see again: An #OwnVoices SFF book
Last prompt you finished: A book with cutlery on the cover or in the title
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?:Yes! I enjoyed most of the books!
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: It was fun!
Finally, are you in for 2023? Of course :) with a goal to finish even earlier!!
Date you finished: September 14, 2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one):
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): Prompt #7, a book with an onomatopoeia in its title. I read Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?) Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix by Charles R. Cross, used for prompt #21, a book about a band or musical group
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Read for prompt #27, a Hugo Award winner
Least favorite prompt: Prompt #33, a social-horror book
Prompt you hope to see again: Prompt #29. A different book by an author you read in 202[2]
Last prompt you finished: #27, a Hugo Award winner
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: yes
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes!
Here's the place to celebrate when you finish! Congratulations!Date you finished: 9/11/22
Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 12
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): Either the victorian novel The Moonstone or the book that takes place in the '80s Creature. I like books where I can travel to different places and times. And I'm an '80s teen, so of course, that particular decade holds a special place in my heart
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Either Where the Crawdads Sing for the movie or The Tiger for the book with a tiger on the cover
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Probably The Tiger and Save Me from Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story about a band. I don't usually care too much for memoris.
Least favorite prompt: I had so many this year. Duology, sapphic novel, Bipoc romance
Prompt you hope to see again: Favorite season
Last prompt you finished: book about a band
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: No, I found myself cheating a few times when I generally like to be literal about the prompts. I accidentally cheated on the duology. I honestly thought there were only 2 books until I got to the third and at that point didn't feel like redoing, so decided if I don't read the third book it's a duology to me.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yeah, besides the duology:) I wish they had just replaced it with two books by the same author or something that was easier to be sure about before you started
Finally, are you in for 2023? I think it will have to depend on the categories.
Date you finished: 7-Sep-2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): Message #8
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): 32. A book with a quote from your favorite author on the cover or Amazon page - Once Upon a Wardrobe
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Fox Creek
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :
8. A book with a protagonist who uses a mobility aid - How Lucky
Least favorite prompt: 5. A sapphic book
Prompt you hope to see again: 9. A book about a "found family"
Last prompt you finished: 27. A Hugo Award winner - To Say Nothing of the Dog
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: I didn't enjoy this year's challenge as much I have the last few years.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: I loved the "double" theme .
Finally, are you in for 2023? I'm not sure yet. As I stated previously, I didn't enjoy this challenge as much as I have in past years.
Date you finished: 9/20/22Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 191
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A Book about Witches - A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): The Maid for a book published in 2022
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : A book that features two languages - A Woman of Intelligence by Karen Tanabe
Least favorite prompt: Pacific Islander Author - I had the hardest time finding a book that interested me for this prompt.
Prompt you hope to see again: Duology
Last prompt you finished: Book Set in the 1980's
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes
Finally, are you in for 2023? Absolutely
Date you finished: 9/15/2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): n/a
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): A book with a Misleading title ( Such A Fun Age)
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): hard to pick one but THE YELLOW WIFE ( a book with a reflection or mirror in the title)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Muted ( a Sapphic Book)
Least favorite prompt: A book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read
Prompt you hope to see again: A book you can read in one sitting
Last prompt you finished: A book featuring a parallel reality
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: the Duology prompt but not the twin towns prompt
Finally, are you in for 2023? I'm on the fence. depends on the list. It's a great way to expand my reading and knock some books off my TBR.
Date you finished: August 29Message number of your list post (if you've got one): N/A
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): Man-made Disaster (Ashes)
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Cemetery Boys (#OwnVoices SFF book)
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :Paper Girls, Volume 1(Becoming a TV series or movie in '22)
Least favorite prompt: Palindromic title
Prompt you hope to see again: Found Family
Last prompt you finished:
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yep
Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 176Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): #15. A book by a Pacific Islander author Fire's Caress by Lani Wendt Young
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Gods of the Upper Air by Charles King; #10. An Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winner
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : Second Sunrise by Aimée Thurlo and David Thurlo; #33. A social-horror book
Least favorite prompt: #43. A book with a palindromic title
Prompt you hope to see again: #27. A Hugo Award winner
Last prompt you finished: #34. A book set in Victorian times
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: yes
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: not particularly
Finally, are you in for 2023? yep
Date you finished: September 26, 2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): I didn't make one this year.
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?): 17. A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2022. I read Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez. This happened to be a great book too!
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): The Best Cook in the World by Rick Bragg 23. A book with a recipe in it. This book was a surprise. I listened to it instead of reading the hard copy. I loved Rick Bragg's storytelling style. I ended up buying a hard copy for the recipes, though.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : see above - The Best Cook in the World by Rick Bragg 23. A book with a recipe in it
Least favorite prompt: 30. A book with the name of a board game in the title. I had a hard time finding one that I wanted to read.
Prompt you hope to see again: 39. An #OwnVoices SFF (science fiction and fantasy) book. I really like SFF, but I found this prompt hard to fulfill. I had already read so many of the suggestions in the past. It's a very specific prompt.
Last prompt you finished: 40. A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes, I always end up expanding my reading tastes when I fulfill the challenge.
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: I didn't do the advanced prompts. By this time (autumn), I'm ready to be finished with reading challenges. It was a neat theme, though.
Finally, are you in for 2023? Most likely.
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Date you finished: Sept. 30, 2022Message number of your list post (if you've got one): 634
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?) A book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read. Everything Must Change!: The World after Covid-19
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?): Light from Uncommon Stars A Hugo Award Winner.
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) : I feel like there were a lot like that, actually, including The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers for a book set on a plane, train, or cruise ship and The Bone People for a book by a Pacific Islander. Least favorite prompt: book with a recipe in it. I know there are good books with recipes, but these seemed hard to find, and I didn't really just want to read a cookbook. I ended up re-reading a book on how to be vegan. It didn't expand my reading at all, which a good prompt shoud.
Prompt you hope to see again: I dunno, I kinda hope to see all new prompts. Diversifying your reading is what makes it fun.
Last prompt you finished: A book by a Pacific Islander (The Bone People.)
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?: Yes!
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?: Yes!
Finally, are you in for 2023? Yes!
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*Edit: SHIT. When filling out my list, I realized that I've counted one book for two different prompts. So I haven't actually finished yet! I need to read another ..."
LOL for shame! for shame!!
booktok has been one of those categories where I hated it on sight, but as the year has progressed I've found I've read A LOT of books that qualify. Maybe one of your "non-challenge" books was recommended on booktok?
What Nadine said � I’d look at non-challenge books to see if one fits #Booktok.
Thanks for the advice! I found Rules of Civility on #booktok. I had trouble with this prompt in general because I'm not on ticktok. NOW I'm done!
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
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The Tea Dragon Society (other topics)
Obit (other topics)
Afterlife with Archie, Vol. 1: Escape from Riverdale (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jean-Dominique Bauby (other topics)Victoria Chang (other topics)
Kay O'Neill (other topics)
Tomasz Jedrowski (other topics)
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (other topics)
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Date you finished:
Message number of your list post (if you've got one):
Favorite prompt (and what book did you read for it?):
Favorite book (and what prompt was it for?):
Was there a book you especially enjoyed that you never would have read if not for the Challenge? (and what prompt was it for?) :
Least favorite prompt:
Prompt you hope to see again:
Last prompt you finished:
Were you overall satisfied with your Challenge reading?:
Did you like the "double" theme for the "advanced" prompts?:
Finally, are you in for 2023?
I don't tend to reply here much, so as to not clutter up the post too much, but I am reading every post here and cheering you all on!!