Author: Rachelle

#SciFiSummer Wrap-Up

Published on by Rachelle

SCI-FI SUMMERReading Challenge
Today is the last day of the Sci-Fi Summer Reading Challenge!
We started the challenge on June 21st, the official first day of Summer, and agreed to read a certain number of Sci-Fi books by the official end of Summer, today, the day before the Autumnal Equinox.  Below are the levels:

  • Red Shirt – 1 to 5 books
  • Viper Pilot – 6 to 10 books
  • Jedi – 11 to 15 books
  • Time Lord – 16 or more books

I was not successful in reading at least 6 books for the Viper Pilot level.  However, I did finish 4 books, so I’m a Red Shirt.  While the review link-up isn’t closed yet, the last day to link up reviews is September 25th.  If you were a participant in the Sci-Fi Summer reading challenge, you’ve still got a few days to get those reviews posted!
These are the books I read:
   
I have to say that all of them were spectacular, especially To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis.  I’m looking forward to reading the next book in “The Darkest Minds” series by Alexandra Bracken, and I will definitely be looking up the rest of Patrick Ness’s books.  Thank you for a great Summer filled with Science Fiction!  See you next year 🙂

Monday's Minutes

Published on by Rachelle

“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:

  • Wanderlust by Rebecca Solnit
  • The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman
  • The Perfection Detox by Petra Kolber

  
Challenges:

  • Sci-Fi Summer: 3 of 6
  • RIP: Peril the First – 0 of 4; Peril of the Short Story – 0; Peril on the Screen – 0

Total pages read this week: 60
Total books for the year: 65 of 90. This was another week where my reading time was frequently interrupted by life *sigh*  I hope this week will be better.
What are you reading this week?

Down the TBR Hole #38

Published on by Rachelle
Image: hjl

Down the TBR Hole was started by Lia over at Lost in a Story.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads 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?

I will be repeating this process until I’ve filtered out my entire TBR.

My TBR pile is still at 706 books.  I’m slowly catching up on my favorite blogs, and that means I’m finding books to add to my wish list.

This week’s five books:

The Very Best of Charles de Lint by Charles de Lint – KEEP.  De Lint has been recommended to me many times, but I had no idea where to start until I found this book.  The author or an editor didn’t choose the stories in this collection; instead, de Lint asked his fans for their favorites.  I’m hoping he’ll become a new-to-me favorite.

Auraria by Tim Westover- KEEP.  I’m a bit skeptical about this one.  However, it’s set in a ghost town in the Southern Appalachians in Georgia so I’m intrigued enough to give it a try.

Anni Moon and the The Elemental Artifact by Melanie Abed – KEEP.  This appears to be a classic Middle-Grade Fantasy Adventure, and I rarely ever turn down one of those.

The Luck of the Weissensteiners by Christoph Fischer – KEEP.  First off, I love the cover.  Secondly, this is a WWII story set in Eastern Europe in a bookstore, which  is another type of story I rarely ever turn down.

Fire and Ice by Patty Jansen – GO.  With such a completely unoriginal title, I’m afraid the story will be wholly unoriginal as well.  The synopsis makes it seem like it could be a decent book, but the reviews confirm my fear.  No, thanks.

My to-read shelf is down one to 705 books.  I’ll be spending most of this weekend reading, so I hope that number will be a little lower next weekend.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for September 7th – 13th.
  • I’ve joined the Munro Step Challenge 2018!  The link is to my fundraising page for Bloodwise.  I’ve already completed Derry Cairngorm this week (7571 steps).
  • I’m less than 15 miles away from Waynesboro, VA on the virtual Appalachian Trail (Walking 4 Fun), which means I’ll finally get to pick up A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson again.
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Workouts: 1/6
  • Steps: 40,417
  • Miles: 16.64
  • Total Miles: 529.01
  • Active Minutes: 219/210

Monday's Minutes

Published on by Rachelle

“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:

  • Wanderlust by Rebecca Solnit
  • The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman
  • The Perfection Detox by Petra Kolber

  
Finished:

  • Seraphina by Rachel Hartman


Challenges:

  • Sci-Fi Summer: 3 of 6
  • RIP: Peril the First – 0 of 4; Peril of the Short Story – 0; Peril on the Screen – 0

Total pages read this week: 444
Total books for the year: 65 of 90. I did nearly nothing but read all weekend and oh, did it feel wonderful!  I’m going into this week feeling close to fully recharged, and I would be 100% if it weren’t for a severe sunburn I acquired on Saturday.  Thankfully, I’ve got aloe and the Boyfriend bought me a gel mask that gets nice and cold in the fridge.
What are you reading this week?

Down the TBR Hole #37

Published on by Rachelle

Image: hjl

Down the TBR Hole was started by Lia over at Lost in a Story.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads 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?

I will be repeating this process until I’ve filtered out my entire TBR.
My TBR pile is still at 706 books.  Now that I’m starting to get the hang of things at my new job, I’m hoping my reading will pick back up, but until then, my TBR will only get smaller by tossing some books off of it.  Let’s see if that happens today…

This week’s five books:


Quite Contrary by Richard Roberts – KEEP.  I got this book because of the title and the cover.  The synopsis sealed the deal.  I hope I’m able to find time to read this one during RIP XIII.

T. S. Livingston and the Mystery at Madame Molineaux’s by Violet Selborne – KEEP.  This is another book I picked up because of the title and will be keeping.  I need to bump this one up the list on my RIP XIII TBR as well, and maybe my potential Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon TBR too.

Wreckage by Emily Bleeker- KEEP.  I’m a bit skeptical about this one, especially after reading several reviews.  However, I’m willing to give it a shot.  I guess I’m feeling generous.

The Creator’s Eye by R.N. Feldman – GO.  I’m not feeling so generous that I’m willing to keep a book that has a synopsis that uses a bunch of clichés to say it breaks “metaphysical clichés.”  No thank you.

Wulfheart by Daniel T. Ritter – GO.  This book is actually only a 12 page short story that is supposed to introduce a much longer story.  However, Goodreads doesn’t have any other books listed by the author.  It was published in 2015, and while the author might publish the whole book or at least the next part some day, I’m not going to hold my breath.
My to-read shelf is down to 704 books.  Perhaps I will break into the 600’s before the end of the year!

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle

  • This check-in is for August 31st – September 6th.
  • The Boyfriend and I went to the Scottish Highland Games on Sunday to celebrate our 5th anniversary.  I walked nearly 19K steps throughout the day and was having such a great time that I didn’t even notice it until we were on our way back home.
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.

 

  • Workouts: 4/6
  • Steps: 60,957
  • Miles: 25.13
  • Total Miles: 512.37
  • Active Minutes: 361/210

Monday's Minutes

Published on by Rachelle

“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:

  • Wanderlust by Rebecca Solnit
  • Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
  • The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

  
Challenges:

  • Sci-Fi Summer: 3 of 6
  • RIP: Peril the First – 0 of 4; Peril of the Short Story – 0; Peril on the Screen – 0

Total pages read this week: 104
Total books for the year: 64 of 90. #RIP XIII started on Saturday and I have less than 20 days to finish 3 books for #SciFiSummer!  Meanwhile, the past couple of weeks have shown that my reading has been at its lowest in what seems like years.  I’m glad today is Labor Day and that I have the day off from work, as much as I love my job.  I really need, and want, to read.
What are you reading this week?

Down the TBR Hole #36

Published on by Rachelle

Image: hjl

Down the TBR Hole was started by Lia over at Lost in a Story.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads 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?

I will be repeating this process until I’ve filtered out my entire TBR.
My TBR pile is down one book to 710.  I don’t get a whole lot of time to read anymore, but that means I also don’t get a lot of time to find new books to add to my TBR.

This week’s five books:


The Hall of the Wood by Scott Marlowe – KEEP.  This looks like a good, dark Fantasy perfect for this time of year.

Queen Mab by Kate Danley – GO.  Meh.

The Gemini Effect by Chuck Grossart- GO.  This looks like a barely plausible apocalyptic story with a romantic subplot.  No thank you.

Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella – GO.  This is another “meh” for me, mostly because it seems to be more of a romantic retelling than anything else.

Ben the Dragonborn by Dianne Astle – GO.  Yet another “meh.” It sounds like a poorly written, unoriginal, and trope-filled hero’s journey.
My to-read shelf is down to 706 books.  I wonder if I’m becoming more critical of the books on my TBR now that my reading time is much more limited?

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle

  • This check-in is for August 24th – 30th.
  • I’ve temporarily changed my workouts from the strength and circuit training I had been doing to walking “workouts” in which my FitBit registers at least 20 consecutive Active Minutes.  My back has continued to bother me, so I’ve been giving it a break as much as I can.
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.

 

  • Workouts: 5/6
  • Steps: 55,295
  • Miles: 22.73
  • Total Miles: 487.24
  • Active Minutes: 396/210