#ShelfLove – End of Year Check-In!

Shelf Love Challenge 2016
This is it!  The last month of the #ShelfLove No Book Buying Challenge!  Those of us participating are discussing how we did.
For those of you who don’t remember, I chose not to purchase any books this year.  Free books, of course, didn’t count.  However, I didn’t meet this goal.  I ended up purchasing several books at the Texas Book Festival.  I did succeed in reading at least 51 books that were already on my shelves…or on the floor.  Yeah, lots of books, but I got rid of a lot of them, too.

2016-06-18 13.09.19
My TBR Shelf

I plan on participating again next year, but that’s for another post.

#FitReaders Check-In

FitReaders2016
  • This check-in is for December 23rd – 29th.
  • I finally got my car back!
  • Today is my last day of work until Jan. 9th, so I’m planning on doing a lot of walking and yoga.
  • This will be my last check-in for 2016, but I will definitely be sticking with FitReaders next year.  I made my goal of at least $25 donated to Doctors Without Borders.  My goal for 2017 will probably $30.
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 27,284/49,000
  • Miles: 9.74/17.5
  • Active Minutes: 80/150
  • Days I Drank 64 ounces of Water: 5/7
  • Total Money Donated: $25.07/$25.00

Bout of Books 18!

Bout of Books 18

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 2nd and runs through Sunday, January 8th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 18 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

Not only is the start of Bout of Books on my Birthday, but I’m also on vacation for the entire week!  I’ll be doing a whole lot of reading 🙂

My Goals

  • Read.  Read.  Read.
  • Finish the books I’m currently reading.
  • Finish at least one more book from my TBR.

Books to Read

One or two of these might already be finished by January 2nd.

  • The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
  • Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat
  • The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
  • Shadow, Shadow by V.B. Marlowe
  • The Mermaid’s Sister by Carrie Anne Noble
  • Hunter by Mercedes Lackey
  • Imaginary Boy by Mark Eldrich
  • Grayling’s Song by Karen Cushman
  • The Butterfly Crest by Eva Vanrell
  • Titanborn by Rhett C. Bruno
  • Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan
  • Goggles Gone Strong by S.M.W. Claw
  • Deadlight Jack by Mark Onspaugh

Updates

I will be posting an update each day with the amount of time I read, the number of pages read that day and the titles of any of the books I’ve finished.

Monday's Minutes

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

Currently Reading:

  • The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien – for #FanspeakTheRing
  • Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
  • The Humbug Murders by L.J. Oliver

return starlight humbug
Finished:

  • Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
  • The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

shadows towers Christmas Carol

Challenges:

Total pages read this week: 357

Total # of books for the year: 82.  I had a wonderful Christmas with the Boyfriend up in Dallas with his Mom and her Husband, and I brought home several bookish gifts.  I also got a bit of reading done between eating and napping.  I head back to work tomorrow for four days and then I’m on vacation until the 9th of January!  I’m very much looking forward to an entire week at home with my cat and books.

What are you reading this week?

#FitReaders Check-In

FitReaders2016
  • This check-in is for December 16th – 22nd.
  • My car broke down so I haven’t been able to go to any yoga classes.  Instead, I’ve been reliant on co-workers to get me back and forth to work.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I get my car back today.
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 20,125/49,000
  • Miles: 7.04/17.5
  • Active Minutes: 60/150
  • Days I Drank 64 ounces of Water: 5/7
  • Total Money Donated: $24.84/$25.00

Monday's Minutes

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

Currently Reading:

  • The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien – for #FanspeakTheRing
  • Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
  • Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
  • A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

towers starlight shadows
Christmas Carol
Finished:

  • Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg

frost

Challenges:

Total pages read this week: 640

Total # of books for the year: 80.  My car broke down this weekend.  I’ll be finding out how much it’s going to cost to get it fixed sometime today.  I don’t think I would be handling this nearly as well if it weren’t for the Boyfriend and my anti-anxiety meds.

What are you reading this week?

#FitReaders Check-In

FitReaders2016
  • This check-in is for December 9th – 15th.
  • My anti-anxiety meds are working so far, but it was rough going until a couple days ago, so I’ve taken it easy with myself about everything.
  • The Boyfriend added me to his yoga membership so I can now go to as many yoga classes as I want on my own.  I went with him on Sunday, and I plan to start going after work at least 3 days a week.
  • I’ve been concentrating on getting enough water this week, and my efforts paid off.  Five out of Seven days isn’t bad, and I’m hoping that I’ll be able to say I drank at least 64 ounces of water every day in next week’s check-in.
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 20,824/49,000
  • Miles: 7.14/17.5
  • Active Minutes: 126/150
  • Days I Drank 64 ounces of Water: 5/7
  • Total Money Donated: $24.55/$25.00

Monday's Minutes

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

Currently Reading:

  • The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien – for #FanspeakTheRing
  • Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
  • Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
  • Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg
  • A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

towers starlight shadows
frost Christmas Carol
Finished:

  • The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler

speculation

Challenges:

Total pages read this week: 277

Total # of books for the year: 79

What are you reading this week?

Sunday's Sundries: Anxiety

Sundries - Dominic Hartnett
Image: Dominic Hartnett

For those of you who regularly read the posts I write here at Fortified By Books, you probably noticed that this past Friday I did not post my weekly Fit Readers check-in.  It’s the first time I haven’t posted a check-in since I joined Fit Readers.  I simply didn’t have the spoons to look at my FitBit stats and write about what has been going on.  Instead, I chilled out on the couch with my cat and watched Parenthood.
As many of you know I have dealt with Anxiety and Depression for years.  I’ve considered myself lucky to not have to be on any kind of medication for over a decade.  That changed this week.
Until Tuesday afternoon, I was feeling pretty good.  I’ve got a great boyfriend who’s family is amazing.  I’ve got a job that, while it’s not my dream job, pays the bills.  I’ve got friends, and this blog, and a hundred other things in my life that are either great or at least going well.  So why did I have an anxiety attack at work?  Why did the panicky feelings continue into the evening and then on into Wednesday?  For the first time, I have no idea.  Usually, my anxiety escalates during major life changes, not when my day to day life is stable.
For the first time since my first anxiety attack when I was a teenager, I was scared for myself.  I knew I had lost control and needed help.  I called my Doctor.  I said “Yes” when I was asked if I was open to medication.  I took my new meds for the first time on Thursday morning, and while I’m doing pretty well, SSRIs are not the kind of pills you just take and then everything is magically better.  Hence the lack of spoons to write a simple weekly blog post.
While I can’t promise that I’ll definitely have a Fit Readers post up this Friday or any other post for that matter, I’m slowly adding back in all the activities I normally do as long as I feel I have the energy.  I’m not going anywhere.  This blog and the community of book bloggers I’m a part of means too much to me to shut it down.  So, I’ll see you back here as soon as I can.

Monday's Minutes : #AMonthofFaves2016 Edition

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.  This edition is a little bit different than what I usually do since I’ve decided to combine my usual “Monday’s Minutes” with today’s A Month of Favorites topic, “This Is How We Read.”
24670-amonthoffaves

Currently Reading:

  • The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien – for #FanspeakTheRing
  • Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
  • Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
  • The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler
  • A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

towers starlight shadows
speculation Christmas Carol

Challenges:

Total pages read this week: 282

Total # of books for the year: 78

Genre I read the most: Fantasy

Most read author: Lorna Barrett

Total # of Ebooks: 12

Total # of hardcovers: 6

Total # of paperbacks: 36

Toal # of audiobooks: 24

Month I read the most: August (11 books)

Month I read the least: February (1 book)

Hint for my favorite read of the year: It was a re-read of one of my all-time favorites.

2016-12-04-16-29-06
Where I do most of my reading.

What are you reading this week?