Author: Rachelle

#FitReaders Check-In

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  • This check-in is for April 27th – May 3rd.
  • I’m still having some issues with my back, and it’s definitely the weather.
  • There has been more craziness at work this past week, and it feels like the insane changes are to try to push people to quit. I wish I could afford to do that like I had planned before current events gave me reason to stick around, and every day I have to remind myself why I am staying.
  • Thanks to all of the above, I was filling a little bit overwhelmed and like I had information overload, so I did another screen-free 24 hours. I’m definitely feeling much better, and if the rain doesn’t start up again this afternoon, I’m going to try to do some gardening today.
  • Active Days: 0/5
  • Steps: 35,228
  • Miles: 14.16/16.31
  • Total Miles: 258.07/850
  • Zone Minutes: 9/150

Building the Book Fort

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“Building the Book Fort” is a weekly post where I track my bookish life.

Currently Reading:

  • Feral Self-Care by Mandi Em
  • The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
  • Friends with Bunny Feets by Andrew Seiple

Finished:

  • Anais of Brightshire by Jamie Wilson
  • Rebel in the Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander
  • Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass
  • Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
  • Mission to Murder by Lynn Cahoon

Total pages read this week: 1,128

Total books read: 50 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -4

#ShelfLove Challenge: 28 of 51

I only managed to finish two books for the #Readathon, but I made up for it over the week with lots of reading. I plan to do a lot of reading this weekend as well, since it’s supposed to rain a lot and I’m doing another screen-free 24 hours starting in a couple of hours.

What are you reading? Let me know in the comments!

Down the TBR Hole #199

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Image: hjl

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads want-to-read shelf.
  • Order on ascending date added.
  • Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
  • Read the synopses of the books
  • Decide: keep it or should it go?
My want-to-read shelf is up down several books to 1187. I finished several books this past week while I was stuck at home thanks to my back, and then I read a couple more books over the weekend.
This week’s books:

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk – KEEP. I’m a bit skeptical about this one, but because it is definitely in my wheel house, I’m going to give it a chance.

Murder in the Bookshop by Anita Davison – KEEP. This is another first-in-series Cozy Mystery, but it’s set during 1915 in London.

Confessions of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell – KEEP. This is the second book by a Scottish bookstore owner, and I recently moved it from my wishlist to my physical TBR, though I don’t remember where I finally found it.

Christmas by the Book by Anne Marie Ryan- KEEP. I never seem to be able to find enough good Christmas-related books when I want them, so I snatched this audiobook up as soon as I saw it.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros – KEEP.  I got this as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago before I knew that EVERYONE was reading and raving about “The Empyrean” series. I’m moving it up my TBR so I can finally find out what the hype is all about.
My want-to-read shelf is staying at 1187 books. I only have one library book checked out right now while I get through my current reads, so I’m hoping that number will continue to drop.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by RachelleLeave a comment

  • This check-in is for April 20th – 26th.
  • On Sunday, my back began to bother me, so I took it easy. However, it turned out to be another flare up, and I was stuck home for most of the week unable to do much of anything.
  • I did work on my “book blanket.” The problem is that I also listened to several audiobooks while I crocheted, and along with the #Readathon on Saturday, I’m now even more behind, having finished 47 books so far this year.
  • Despite me taking it easy and doing my best to not aggravate my back, I’m still having some issues, and even though I didn’t stay up much later than I usually do on the weekends, I’m exhausted. I think a lot of that has to do with the up and down weather. It was 80 degrees on Friday, and dropped down into the 30s Saturday night. Hopefully the daily temperatures will get more consistent soon.
  • Active Days: 0/5
  • Steps: 24,691
  • Miles: 9.96/16.31
  • Total Miles: 243.91/850
  • Zone Minutes: 14/150

Building the Book Fort

Published on by RachelleLeave a comment

“Building the Book Fort” is a weekly post where I track my bookish life.

Currently Reading:

  • Feral Self-Care by Mandi Em
  • Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
  • The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
  • Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass

Finished:

  • Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi
  • In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honoré
  • The Gardener’s Plot by Deborah J. Benoit
  • The Vampire Book Club by Nancy Warren
  • A Secret History of Brands by Matt MacNabb

Total pages read this week: 1,393

Total books read: 45 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): +3

#ShelfLove Challenge: 24 of 51

I got a ton of reading done this week thanks to my back flaring up yet again and I was stuck at home from work for three days. Today is Dewey’s 24-Hour #Readathon, but since I’ve done so much reading, I’m going to chill a bit. I’m meeting up with a friend for brunch and then she’ll be joining me for part of the readathon. After that, I might go to an indy bookstore since today is Independent Bookstore Day as well, but that depends on how I’m feeling. I might take a nap instead.

Tea is a must-have for #Readathon

Since I have someone joining me for the readathon for the first time, I went snack shopping yesterday and bought way more than either of us will be able to eat. I wanted us to have options, though, and whatever we don’t nom today will get put into work lunches for the foreseeable future.

What are you reading? Let me know in the comments!

Down the TBR Hole #198

Published on by RachelleLeave a comment
Image: hjl

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads want-to-read shelf.
  • Order on ascending date added.
  • Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
  • Read the synopses of the books
  • Decide: keep it or should it go?
My want-to-read shelf is up one book to 1194. I finished several books this past week, but all but one were library books that weren’t already on my want-to-read shelf, and I discovered some more books to add to my wishlist.
This week’s books:

The Book of Death by Jack Treby – KEEP. The synopsis makes me think this might be a Cursed Object story involving a book, and I’m very interested.

Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue – KEEP. I’m trying to venture further into Cozy Mysteries, and since this one involves a tea shop and witchcraft, I figured I would give it a shot. It’s also a newer series with only three books so far, but the most recent one was published in September of last year, and seems to be popular.

Fated by Benedict Jacka – KEEP. This is supposed to be an Urban Fantasy involving mages in London and they’re possibly also spies? I’m not sure, but it sounded different enough when I first came across it that I got the audiobook.

The Familiar by Jesse Leigh Bardugo- KEEP. Historical Fantasy involving a vampire and set in Spain? Jenny Lawson loved it? Yes, please, and thank you very much!

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden – KEEP.  I absolutely loved the “Winternight” trilogy and the first book in the “Small Spaces” series, so Arden is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me. Since this story is Historical Fiction and involves the supernatural, I didn’t even hesitate. I’m also bumping it up my TBR for #RIP.
My want-to-read shelf is staying at 1194 books. However, that might change today or tomorrow. I’m in the middle of a flare-up with my back and following doctor’s orders to rest for two days. I will likely finish at least a couple of physical books and an audiobook so I might be down a couple of books in the next post.

#FitReaders Check-In

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  • This check-in is for April 13th – 19th.
  • My first screen-free 24 hours ended this morning at 10:30, and I can safely say that I didn’t go crazy. It was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be, though, and made me very aware of how often I pick up my phone or turn on a screen out of “boredom,” even when there are so many non-screen related activities that I can do.
  • While I did some reading, I also started a “book blanket.” For every book I read this year, there will double-crocheted rows for every 100 pages and single-crocheted rows for 50 pages in a color of yarn that I picked for each genre. I’ve only got rows for the first two books I read this year completed, but I’m hoping to work on it a little each day to get caught up.
  • Active Days: 0/5
  • Steps: 44,921
  • Miles: 18.20/16.31
  • Total Miles: 233.95/850
  • Zone Minutes: 24/150

Building the Book Fort

Published on by RachelleLeave a comment

“Building the Book Fort” is a weekly post where I track my bookish life.

Currently Reading:

  • Feral Self-Care by Mandi Em
  • Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi
  • In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honoré
  • The Gardener’s Plot by Deborah J. Benoit

Finished:

  • Destination Simple by Brooke McAlary
  • A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by J. Penner
  • The Lost Words by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris
  • 24/6 by Tiffany Shlain
  • Miss Percy’s Pocket Guide to the Care & Feeding of British Dragons by Quenby Olson

Total pages read this week: 991

Total books read: 40 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -6

#ShelfLove Challenge: 21 of 51

Life is getting a bit less stressful thanks to a bunch of self-care and a lot of reading. I’m also going to be starting my first “Tech Shabbat” today after I post this, and I won’t be back on any kind of screen until tomorrow morning. That schedule works best for me, since I don’t want interfere with being able to write my weekly blog posts. I have a lot of activities listed for me to choose from, and I’ll write about my experience with going screen-free in my #FitReaders post tomorrow.

What are you reading? Let me know in the comments!

Down the TBR Hole #197

Published on by RachelleLeave a comment
Image: hjl

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads want-to-read shelf.
  • Order on ascending date added.
  • Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
  • Read the synopses of the books
  • Decide: keep it or should it go?
My want-to-read shelf is up a few books to 1193. I only finished one book this past week, but added several more to my wishlist, and I bought a couple of books.
This week’s books:

The Unhappy Medium by T.J. Brown – KEEP. This is supposed to be a darkly humorous story about a skeptic who can see the ghost of a former colleague. I greatly enjoy dark humor, especially about anything supernatural, so I bought the audiobook without hesitation.

The Family Plot by Cherie Priest – KEEP. I’ve read Boneshaker and The Toll, and liked both of them enough to want to give this book a try.

Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid – KEEP. The synopsis had me at “gothic horror retelling”, and then it really had me at “fans of Shirley Jackson and Catherynne M. Valente.”

The Saga of the Volsungs translated by Jesse L. Byock- KEEP. I’m keeping this for now since I’m still interested in reading it at some point, but frankly, this might be an “aspirational me” kind of book.

The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly – KEEP.  This is the first book in the “Haunted Bookshop” Cozy Mystery series, and I got the audiobook on sale through Chirp. I’m always looking for new-to-me Cozy Mystery series having to do with books, so buying this one was a no-brainer.
My want-to-read shelf is staying at 1193 books. I have two books on my TBR that I want to get to before the end of the month, but other than that, I’m still catching up on all of the library books I checked out. I have stopped checking out anymore books from the library until I finish the ones I’ve got, but I do still have three books on hold. I won’t be getting one of those books anytime soon, though, as I’m 1702 in line!

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by RachelleLeave a comment

  • This check-in is for April 6th – 12th.
  • If you read yesterday’s post, you’ll know that this has been a difficult week for me. To help myself get through it, I practiced a lot of self-care. I spent a lot of time with my cats, took a nap, did a lot of reading, and made chicken bone broth.
  • Today, I might make scones, but I will definitely be tending to my seedlings and starting some more lettuce seeds as I want to try succession planting this year. I would also like to finish another library book so I can return it tomorrow. Since it’s supposed to be warmer and sunny today, I might go for a walk as well.
  • Active Days: 0/5
  • Steps: 39,342
  • Miles: 15.97/16.31
  • Total Miles: 215.75/850
  • Zone Minutes: 14/150