#ShelfLove – End of the Year Wrap-Up

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The Show Your Shelves Some Love Challenge is over, and unfortunately, it will not be returning in 2018.
As far as goals go, I sort of bombed the challenge.  While I read far more than 51 books from my TBR, I bought just as many physical books.  I was only supposed to buy one physical book and only use the money I got from selling books to purchase ebooks.  I also only participated in a couple of the monthly discussions.

At the beginning of the year, I determined that I had 293 unread books sitting on my shelves or in my Kindle and Nook.  While I knew that wasn’t all of them because I hadn’t scanned all of my books into Goodreads yet, I was way off from the actual number.  One of my projects for this year was to update my TBR shelf on Goodreads, and I did finally get around to doing that.  The total number of unread books I own is a whopping 553!!!  That is after finishing 101 books this year and 5 that I’m currently reading.

Since there won’t be a #ShelfLove challenge next year, I’m probably going to find another TBR challenge of some kind to help me whittle down that ridiculous number.  I’ll also continue to participate in Down the TBR Hole.  So, if you know of any TBR challenges that aren’t too complicated, leave me a link in the comments!
And, in case you’re interested, click on the pic below to see my “Year in Books” on Goodreads:

#WintersRespite Readathon!

Winter’s Respite Readathon is hosted by Seasons of Reading and runs for the entire month of January!
There aren’t any reading requirements for this readathon, but I’m setting a goal to read as many of the books off of my #COYER list as I can by  the 12th and then as many on my physical TBR as I can for the rest of the month.  I’ll also be participating in #BoutofBooks from the 8th through the 14th!  I can’t think of a better way to start off 2018 🙂

#BoutofBooks 21!

Bout of Books

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 8th and runs through Sunday, January 14th 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 21 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

I thought I was going to be on vacation for this Bout of Books like I was at the beginning of 2017, but this year it’s not starting until the 8th, the day I go back to work! 🙁  Oh well, I’ll still try to read as much as I can, and since I work from home, I’ll have more time to read before and after my normal work day.

My Goals

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

Books to Read

One or two of these might already be finished by the 8th.

  • A Philosophy of Walking by Frédéric Gros
  • The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
  • The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan
  • Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle
  • The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheen
  • The Readaholics and the Falcon Fiasco by Laura DiSilverio
  • Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer
  • Around the World with Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis

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.

#FitReaders Check-In

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  • This check-in is for December 22nd – 28th.
  • This is the final check-in for 2017, and even though check-ins will no longer be required in 2018, I’m still going to do them.
  • I got quite a bit of walking in while I was in Arizona for Christmas.  Between walking through the airports, the little town where the Boyfriend’s Mom lives, and going to see the Luminaria, I chalked up a lot of steps!
  • I’m less than 5 miles from hitting 500 miles this year and 19 cents away from my tiny goal of raising $5 for charity.  Oh well, hopefully I’ll do better next year.
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.

 

  • Steps: 30,309/50,000
  • Miles: 12.45/20
  • Total Miles: 495.84
  • Active Minutes: 18/210
  • Virtual 5Ks: 0/10
  • Total Money Donated: $4.81/$5.00

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.
Since today is Christmas, this “Monday’s Minutes” is a little different than usual.  Enjoy!

 
I’m in Arizona and won’t be back until tomorrow.  These are the books I brought with me:
  
  

Happy Jólabókaflóð!!!

#FitReaders Check-In

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  • This check-in is for December 15th – 21st.
  • Walking in the mornings did not happen this week.  It’s that crazy time of year when I’m too tired to get up at 5 am when I don’t HAVE to get up that early.
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.

 

  • Steps: 16,103/50,000
  • Miles: 6.61/20
  • Total Miles: 483.39
  • Active Minutes: 69/210
  • Virtual 5Ks: 0/10
  • Total Money Donated: $4.78/$5.00

Thursday's Things: Winter Edition

“Thursday’s Things” is a roundup of book related links I’ve come across while wandering down the rabbit hole that is the internet.

  • 10 Charles Dickens Novels Everyone Should Read – Whenever I think of Dickens or the bleak settings of most of his books, I think of winter.  Also, I read A Christmas Carol every year.
  • A Literary Advent Calendar – So, I know this is extremely late, it being the 21st, but I just rediscovered this post buried in my Pocket.  I’m making my way through it to get caught up as quickly as possible.  So far, my favorite story is from Dec. 8th.
  • Winter Tales – Here’s a whole list of stories that are a bit on the darker side.  Many of them are ghost stories, and the idea of curling up with a blanket and a giant mug of hot chocolate while reading them is so Hygge that I’m wishing I had come across this page the night it snowed here in Austin.
  • 45 Bookish Ornaments Of 2017 – I’m saving this list so that I can hopefully find several of these ornaments for when I have room enough for a life-size Christmas tree, instead of the tiny one that is currently on top of my coffee table.
  • 25 Stories to Put You In the Festive Spirit – I’ve read several on this list, and I’ll be looking to see if I can find a few of the others at the library to take with me on my trip to Arizona on Saturday.
  • A Pictorial History of Santa Claus
  • A Reading List for the Christmas Books Obsessed – This is an amazing list that I’m considering turning into an Advent calendar for next year.
  • Which Game Of Thrones House Would You Fight For?  Winter isn’t coming.  It’s here.  Today is the Winter Solstice after all.
  • 3 Cozy Fantasy Reads for Winter – I’ve already added the 1st and 3rd books to my wish list.

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:

  • A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
  • A Philosophy of Walking by Frédéric Gros
  • Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
  • Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford
  • The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss – for the #EpicBuddyRead on Litsy.
  • The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan

     
DNF:

  • Death by Coffee by Alex Erickson


Finished:

  • The  Book of Night with Moon by Diane Duane

 
Challenges:

Total pages read this week: 840
Total books for the year: 98 of 100.  COYER Winter Switch started on Saturday, and of course I’m in the middle of 6 books that won’t count towards the challenge *sigh*
What are you reading this week?

Back to the Classics Challenge 2018


I only have a little more than a year and a half to finish my Classics Club list, with 21 books remaining.  So, I decided to join the Back to the Classics Challenge, hosted by Karen at Books and Chocolate.
It’s simple; there are 12 categories, and the idea is to read one book, published at least 50 years ago, from each of the categories, review it, and link the review to the category your fulfilling.  At the end of the year, participants will post a challenge wrap-up and link that up as well.  We’re not required to read all 12 books or choose our books in advance, but I listed my potential reads next to each category below.  Go to the main challenge page for the full details.
The Categories:
1.  A 19th century classic – Dickens, Charles: Oliver Twist
2.  A 20th century classic – Kafka, Franz: The Trial
3.  A classic by a woman author – Brontë, Anne: Agnes Grey
4.  A classic in translation – Remarque, Erich Maria: All Quiet on the Western Front
5. A children’s classic – Barrie, J.M.: Peter Pan
6.  A classic crime story, fiction or non-fiction – Collins, Wilkie: The Woman in White
7. A classic travel or journey narrative, fiction or non-fiction – Tolkien, J.R.R.: The Hobbit
8. A classic with a single-word title – Du Maurier, Daphne: Rebecca
9. A classic with a color in the title – Hawthorne, Nathaniel: The Scarlet Letter
10. A classic by an author that’s new to you – Lawrence, D.H.: Lady Chatterley’s Lover
11. A classic that scares you – Melville, Herman: Moby Dick
12. Re-read a favorite classic – Hugo, Victor: Les Misérables
The deadline to sign up for the challenge is March 1, 2018.  Are you planning to participate in Back to the Classics challenge?  Are participating in the Classic Clubs reading challenge?  Let me know in the comments!

#FitReaders Check-In

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  • This check-in is for December 8th – 14th.
  • My ankle seems to be ok again, so I’ll start walking in the mornings again on Monday.
  • With the end of the year approaching, I have to really step it up and bust my butt to hit $5 donated through Plus3.
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.

 

  • Steps: 23,495/50,000
  • Miles: 9.64/20
  • Total Miles: 476.78
  • Active Minutes: 40/210
  • Virtual 5Ks: 0/10
  • Total Money Donated: $4.75/$5.00