The 2019 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

     One more challenge for 2019. I am not going to even try to read through advanced prompts. Actually I think I am picking this challenge for the last time as I do not like the prompts and struggling with them every time.

     This challenge is being hosted by POPSUGAR. #popsugarreadingchallenge

You can find the Goodreads group HERE.

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
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
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 mythology, legend, or 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 a college or university campus
18. A book about someone with a superpower
19. A book told from multiple character POVs
20. A book set in space
21. A book by two female authors
22. A book with a title that contains "salty," "sweet," "bitter," or "spicy"
23. A book set in Scandinavia
24. A book that takes place in a single day
25. A debut novel
26. A book that's published in 2019
27. A book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature
28. A book recommended to you by a celebrity you admire
29. A book with  "love" in the title
30. A book featuring an amateur detective
31. A book about 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 the title
34. A book that includes a wedding
35. A book by an author whose first name and last names start with the same letter
36. A ghost story
37. A book with a two word title
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

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Author: Liane Moriarty
Original title: Big Little Lies
Edition Language: English
Series: no
Genres: Contemporary
Format: Audio book
Read by: Danièle Douet
Duration: 15h37m
Goodreads

Blurb:
Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads. It is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

My thoughts:
       I did not think I'd like this book as much as I did, because everyone was talking about it and it is not always a good sign , but I liked it for its honesty and cruelty.
     The author looked into some incredibly serious topics - domestic violence, sexual assault, what teenagers really get up to on the internet, bullying, and parental interference in school processes. Some of it was tough to read, and sometimes even scary.
     The moms in Big Little Lies are written so well. I loved all the different stereotypes represented in each of them and how the different dynamics played out between them and their families. 

     The TV series isn't as good as the book. The ending was disappointing compared to the book and altogether it was bleak.

Rating: 

         4/5 

2019 Pages Read Challenge

    While I’m participating in a number of challenges that shows how many books you’ve read, I am joining as well the Pages Read challenge, which is hosted by Gina @ Book Dragon’s Lair. According to this challenge you are judged by the number of pages you read.

Levels:

Bonsai - Read 12,000 pages
Shrub - Read 24,000 pages

Dwarf Peach - Read 36,000 pages

Apple Tree - Read  48,000 pages

Oak - Read 60,000 pages

Douglas Fir - Read 72,000 pages

Sequoia - Read 84,000 pages

Redwood - Read 84,001+ pages

Dwarf Peach (36,000 pages) is a nice deal, but I will set my goal to 24,000 (Shrub) since I am also going to participate the 2019 Audiobook Challenge.

2019 Audiobook Challenge

       Another challenge I am joining this year is 2019 Audiobook Challenge. I noticed that I listen to more and more audio books with every year, so why not to join the challenge to monitor my progress.
     The 2019 Audiobook Challenge is hosted by Hot Listens and Caffeinated Book Reviewer you can check their site to see more about audio books altogether and read great reviews on audio books.

Challenge Details

• Runs January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019. You can join at any time.
• The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2019 than you did in 2018.
• Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.)
• ANY genres count.
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, Facebook, LibraryThing, etc.
• If you’re a blogger grab the button and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. If you’re not a blogger you can help by posting on Facebook or Tweeting about the challenge.
• Updates plus a giveaway will be posted twice during the year. The first update will be June 30, 2019, and the last update will take place on December 15, 2019.

Levels

• Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
• Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
• Stenographer (can listen while multitasking) 10-15
• Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
• Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
• My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30+
• Marathoner (Look Ma No Hands) 50+

I would go for a Stenographer at the beginning and after half a year I will evaluate the results and see how it is going on.

January 2019 Wrap up

Read books: 
read: 5/ listen: 2/ pages: 1660/ hours listened: 24h08m
1. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz  p.359
2. Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh 12h07m
3. The Waif of the "Cynthia" by André Laurie, Jules Verne  p.432
4. Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë p.224
5. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng 10h01m
6. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden p. 456
7. Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbø p.189

Movie watched:
1.  The Mummy (2017) **
2. The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015) **
3. The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) ***
4. The Princess Diaries (2001) ***
5. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) ***
6. Aquaman (2018) ***
7. Wayward Pines (2015-2016) 1st season ****
8. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) ****


Challenges overview:
Goodreads Reading Challenge: 7/52
2017 PopSugar Reading Challenge 5/40
Pages Read Challenge: 1660/24000
Audiobook Challenge: 2/15
Russian Literature: 2/30
World of Literature: 18/50
Booker Prize Project: 7
Classics Club: 5/50

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Author: Celeste Ng
Original title: Little Fires Everywhere 
Edition Language: English  
Series: no  
Genres: Contemporary
Format: Audio book  
Read by: Jennifer Lim
Duration: 11h27m
Goodreads 

 Blurb:         
In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is meticulously planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colours of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.
Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenage daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than just tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the alluring mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past, and a disregard for the rules that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.
When the Richardsons' friends attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town and puts Mia and Mrs. Richardson on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Mrs. Richardson becomes determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs to her own family – and Mia's.
Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of long-held secrets and the ferocious pull of motherhood-and the danger of believing that planning and following the rules can avert disaster, or heartbreak.

    My thoughts:
     I found my new favorite author.The writing is just so great. It was a very emotional read and I can not say much about the plot as it is simple. The little snippets of life of two different types of families: well set and packaged Richardsons and single mother with a teenager girl. The story is actually provoking to think about the meaning of life, our place and our relationships with the world. It touches some hot social issues, but in a way that we are still left to decide ourselves what is right and what is wrong or maybe it is still a grey area in spite of all debates and researches.
     What especially got my heart in the book is the description of motherhood. It was so touching and true and sad, that I could not help but hold my breath.

     I heard some negative reviews of the book, that is again another suburban contemporary story with nothing new and original. For me, however, it is a great book at the right time. Maybe someone did not grow up to it while others overgrew it, but for me it was an enjoyable ride and all unanswered questions leave a lot of space to think over.

Rating: 

         5/5 

December 2018 Wrap up

Read books: 
read: 8/ listen: 3/ pages: 4303/ hours listened: 29h41m
1. I Know a Secret by Tess Gerritsen p.352
2. Into the Water by Paula Hawkins 11h31m
3. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black  p.480
4. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson p.480
5. The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson p.480
6. The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson p. 689
7. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng 11h27m - my review
8. The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena 6h43m
9. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo p.576
10. Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo p.672
11. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith p.574

Movie watched:
1.  Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) ****


Challenges overview:
Goodreads Reading Challenge: 99/52
2017 PopSugar Reading Challenge 36/40
Pages Read Challenge: 25438/12000
Audiobook Challenge: 19/15
Russian Literature: 2/30
World of Literature: 18/50
Booker Prize Project: 7
Classics Club: 4/50